Integrated zipper lock
AssigneeThe Sunlock Company, Ltd.
InventorKarl Lai
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A zipper lock has two locking members to secure two zipper pulls of a suitcase and a control plate to cause the locking member to disengage from the zipper pulls. The lock has a latch engaged with the control plate, the latch positionable in a first latch position when the lock is in a locked mode or in a second latch position to open the lock. The lock has a combination mechanism using dials and clutches to control the movement of a spindle which allows the latch to move the second latch position when the arrangement of the dials matches the correct combination code. The lock also has a key-overriding mechanism using a cylinder to cause the movement of the latch when a correct key is used to turn the cylinder to open the lock. A recovery mechanism allows a user to recover the lost combination code.
Claims19
A lock, comprising:
- a latch movable between a first latch position and a second latch position;
- a first locking mechanism operatively coupled to the latch;
- a second locking mechanism operatively coupled to the latch;
- at least one locking member operatively coupled to the first locking mechanism and the second locking mechanism, wherein the at least one locking member is positionable between a closed position and an open position and configured for positioning in the open position when the latch is in the second latch position, wherein the first locking mechanism and the second locking mechanism are each configured to independently cause the latch to move from the first latch position to the second latch position in a movement direction, and wherein the first locking mechanism comprises at least one clutch and at least one dial associated with said at least one clutch, and a spindle engaged with said at least one clutch, moveable between a first spindle position and a second spindle position in a direction substantially parallel to the movement direction of the latch, wherein when the spindle is positioned in the second spindle position, the latch is allowed to move to the second latch position, and
- a control plate operatively coupled to said at least one locking member, the control plate moveable between a first control position and a second control position in a direction substantially perpendicular to the movement direction of the latch, wherein when the control plate is positioned in the first control position, the at least one locking member is prevented from moving to the open position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.