Combination padlock with anti-picking and decode mechanism

A padlock comprising:

• a body having a first longitudinal bore for receipt of a long-leg of a shackle and a second longitudinal bore for receipt of a fixed-cam and a key mechanism, the fixed-cam having a locking-hole with an opening blocked by a moveable blocking-edge, the opening arranged for receipt of a short-leg of the shackle in a top side of the body;
• a plurality of coupling plates, each comprising a fin-protrusion and an opening slot;
• a plurality of fin-catchers formed in the first longitudinal bore, each fin-protrusion configured to be placed within one of the fin-catchers so as to prevent the coupling plate from rotating relative to the body when the coupling plate is placed within one of a plurality of plate holes formed in said body;
• a plurality of dials, each dial having a plurality of indicia for forming an indicia sequence, each dial placed within one of a plurality of dial slots formed adjacent said plate holes;
• and
• a plurality of clutches, each clutch corresponding to an adjacent one of the plurality of dials to control longitudinal movement of said long-leg of the shackle and thereby preventing the short-leg of the shackle from longitudinal movement away from the locking hole when the indicia sequence of the dials is different from a lock-open combination code, wherein the dials are configured so as to control rotational movement of the plurality of clutches to allow said longitudinal movement of said long-leg when the indicia sequence matches the lock-open combination code constituting an unlock by combination mode, wherein each of the dials has a plurality of teeth and each of the clutches has a fin engageable with one of the teeth of the associated one of the plurality of dials for rotational movement together, and each of the coupling plates further comprises a decode edge and a decode wall formed thereon, the decode wall having a first wall side adjacent to the opening slot and a second wall side having a wall slope, said padlock having an unlock by key mode to allow the short-leg of the shackle to rotate 180 degrees relative to the locking-hole so as to allow the long-leg of the shackle to move downward relative to the top side of the body together with the clutches such that the fin of at least some of the clutches is in contact to the decode edge of an adjacent one of the coupling plates, and wherein
• when the rotational movement of each clutch is made in a first movement direction, the rotational movement in the first movement direction is caused to stop when the fin of said clutch contacts the first wall side of the decode wall as the fin aligns with the adjacent opening slot, thereby allowing the lock-open combination code to be read, and
• when the rotational movement of each clutch is made in a direction opposite to the first movement direction, said long-leg of the shackle is caused to move upward relative to the top side of the body when the fin of said clutch is caused to move upward by the wall slope, preventing the fin of said clutch from aligning with the adjacent opening slot.

A method of decoding a lock-open combination code in a padlock, the padlock comprising:

• a body having a first longitudinal bore for receipt of a long-leg of a shackle and a second longitudinal bore for receipt of a fixed-cam and a key mechanism, the fixed-cam having a locking-hole with an opening blocked by a moveable blocking-edge, the opening for receipt of a short-leg of the shackle in a top side of the body;
• a plurality of coupling plates, each comprising a fin-protrusion and an opening slot;
• a plurality of fin-catchers formed in the first longitudinal bore, each fin-protrusion configured to be placed within one of the fin-catchers so as to prevent the coupling plate from rotating relative to the body when the coupling plate is placed within one of a plurality of plate holes formed in said body;
• a plurality of dials, each dial having a plurality of indicia for forming an indicia sequence, each dial placed within one of a plurality of dial slots formed adjacent said plate holes;
• and
• a plurality of clutches, each clutch corresponding to an adjacent one of the plurality of dials to control longitudinal movement of said long-leg of the shackle and thereby preventing the short-leg of the shackle from longitudinal movement away from the locking hole when the indicia sequence of the dials is different from a lock-open combination code, wherein the dials are configured so as to control rotational movement of the plurality of clutches to allow said longitudinal movement of said long-leg when the indicia sequence matches the lock-open combination code constituting an unlock by combination mode, wherein each of the dials has a plurality of teeth and each of the clutches has a fin engageable with one of the teeth of the associated one of the plurality of dials for rotational movement together, said method comprising:
• providing on each of the coupling plates a decode edge and a decode wall formed thereon, the decode wall having a first wall side adjacent to the opening slot and a second wall side having a wall slope, said padlock having an unlock by key mode to allow the short leg of the shackle to rotate 180 degrees relative to the locking hole so as to allow the long leg of the shackle to move downward relative to the top side of the body together with the clutches such that the fin of at least some of the clutches is arranged to contact the decode edge of an adjacent one of the coupling plates, and wherein
• when the rotational movement of each clutch is made in a first movement direction, the rotational movement in the first movement direction is caused to stop when the fin of said clutch contacts the first wall side of the decode wall as the fin aligns with the adjacent opening slot, thereby allowing the lock-open combination code to be read, and
• when the rotational movement of each clutch is made in a direction opposite to the first movement direction, said long leg of the shackle is caused to move upward relative to the top side of the body when the fin of said clutch is caused to move upward by the wall slope, preventing the fin of said clutch from aligning with the adjacent opening slot.