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US 7,146,830 B2Granted
Error-proofing combination padlock
OwnerChien-Yung Huanginventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An error-proofing combination padlock has a casing assembly, multiple dials, multiple sleeves, a shackle, a locking bolt and a spring. The dials are mounted rotatably inside the casing assembly. The sleeves are mounted rotatably and respectively inside the dials. The shackle is mounted retractably and pivotally on the casing assembly. A locking bolt is mounted slidably through the sleeves. The error-proofing combination padlock prevents dials from rotating except when the shackle is located in the locking (first) position or the combination-resetting (third) position and avoids a new and unintended unlocking combination arising during a resetting operation of the combination.
Claims4
An error-proofing combination padlock comprising:
- a casing assembly having
- a top casing half;
- a bottom casing half mounted on the top casing half;
- a top;
- a bottom;
- a front;
- a back;
- two sides;
- an inner chamber;
- an inner surface;
- multiple transverse slots defined respectively through the top and bottom casing halves and arranged longitudinally at intervals;
- a through hole defined through the back of the casing assembly and near one of the sides of the casing assembly;
- a locking socket defined in the back of the casing assembly and near the other side of the casing assembly, to be opposite the through hole;
- a cavity defined in the bottom casing half;
- a notch defined in the bottom casing half;
- multiple transverse inner flanges formed on the inner surface and arranged longitudinally at intervals;
- multiple transverse circular recesses defined in the inner surface and arranged longitudinally at intervals, wherein adjacent transverse circular recesses are separated by the transverse inner flange;
- and
- a mounting recess defined in the bottom casing;
- multiple dials rotatably and respectively mounted in the transverse circular recesses and extending respectively through the transverse slots and each having
- an inner surface;
- an outer surface;
- multiple inner keys formed on the inner surface of each dial and arranged at intervals;
- multiple keyways defined respectively between adjacent inner keys;
- and
- multiple numerals formed on the outer surface of each dial and corresponding to the keyways;
- multiple sleeves correspond to the dials, mounted rotatably and respectively inside the dials and arranged longitudinally adjacent to each other and each having
- a front end;
- a back end;
- an outer surface;
- an inner surface;
- multiple outer keys formed on the outer surface of each sleeve, and corresponding to the keyways of the dial;
- and
- an inner flange formed on the inner surface of the sleeve and having a front, a back and a gap defined on the inner flange;
- a shackle mounted retractably and pivotally on the casing and having
- a circular cross-section;
- a longitudinal shaft section mounted slidably and rotatably through the sleeves, extending through the through hole in the casing assembly, corresponding to the gaps respectively of the inner flanges and having a front end and back end;
- a hook section formed on the back end of the longitudinal shaft section and having a locking end corresponding to the locking socket;
- multiple transverse sockets defined on the longitudinal shaft section and corresponding to the inner flanges respectively of the sleeves;
- a push block formed on the longitudinal shaft section and close to the back end of the longitudinal shaft section;
- and
- a shackle-retaining block formed on the longitudinal shaft section close to the front end and aligned with the push block;
- a locking bolt mounted slidably through the sleeves inside the casing assembly and having
- an inner curved surface;
- an outer curved surface;
- a front end;
- a back end;
- a longitudinal protrusion formed on the back end of the locking bolt;
- a transverse protrusion formed on the outer curved surface close to the back end of the locking bolt and abutting against a surface of the inner flange of the sleeve closest to the back of the casing assembly;
- a front board formed on the front end of the locking bolt and having a front surface and a back surface abutting against the front end of the sleeve closest to the front of the casing assembly;
- a through hole defined through the front board and near the inner curved surface and corresponding to the longitudinal shaft section of the shackle;
- and
- a notch defined through the front board and under the through hole, communicated with the front hole and corresponding to the shackle-retaining block;
- and
- a spring mounted against the surface of the front board inside the mounting recess in the bottom casing half.
52 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.