Abstract:
A pulling locking device has a cord, a lock module, an engaging seat and a mounting seat. The lock module, the engaging seat and the mounting seat are mounted around the cord. The lock module has a lock casing, a lock core and a sliding element. The sliding element is slidable relative to the lock casing to selectively engage with the engaging seat only when the lock core is unlocked. When the pulling locking device is in use, a portable electronic device is clamped between the engaging seat and the mounting seat. With the cooperation of the lock module and the engaging seat, the portable electronic device can be fixed in position without any further structural design particularly for the locking device, which lowers the manufacturing cost, and enables the pulling lock device to be adapted for various kinds of portable electronic devices.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation in part application of United States patent application filed on Sep. 28, 2012 and having application Ser. No. 13/631,059, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a locking device, especially to a pulling locking device for locking a portable electronic product. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Prior Arts 
         [0005]    Nowadays information is transmitted fast, and most consumers collect information about the product before purchasing. Therefore, there are more and more shopping venues with open display without clerks directly assisting with demonstrating of the products. However, it is hard to prevent the products on display from shoplifting. In particular, portable electronic products are getting compact in size and light-weighted, which makes shoplifting easier. Thus, the conventional mode for merchandise display is not safe enough. 
         [0006]    To raise the safety, the products may be locked with a locking device. The conventional locking device is connected with a cord or a rope. The cord or the rope is fixed at a display position. The portable electronic device has a threaded hole for the locking device to be fastened thereto. Thus, the portable electronic device is fixed in position by the cord or the rope. However, the conventional locking device is only adapted for portable electronic device with a threaded hole, or the portable electronic device has to be further processed, such as being drilled with a threaded hole, to be adapted to the locking device, which is very inconvenient. 
         [0007]    To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides a pulling locking device to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The main objective of the present invention is to provide a pulling locking device that can be adapted for portable electronic devices of various types. 
         [0009]    The pulling locking device has a cord, a lock module, an engaging seat, a mounting seat and a fixing nut. The lock module is mounted around the cord, and has a lock casing, a lock core, a sliding element and a resilient element. The lock casing is mounted around the cord and has an assembling end. The lock core is mounted in the lock casing, and has an actuating element. The sliding element is selectively slidably mounted in the lock casing. When the lock core is locked, the actuating element abuts the sliding element to prevent the sliding element from sliding relative to the lock casing. When the lock core is unlocked, the actuating element departs from the sliding element to make the sliding element slidable relative to the lock casing. The resilient element is clamped between an inner wall of the lock casing and the sliding element. The engaging seat is mounted around the cord, is disposed adjacent to the lock module, and has a first side, a second side, an engaging member and a clamp member. The first side is toward the assembling end of the lock casing. The engaging member is disposed on the first side of the engaging seat, selectively makes the engaging seat engage with the cord, and selectively engages with the sliding element of the lock module. The clamp member of the engaging seat is disposed on the second side of the engaging seat. The mounting seat is mounted around the cord, and has a clamp member and a cord hole. The cord hole is mounted around the cord. The fixing nut is mounted around and screwed on an end of the cord. 
         [0010]    When the pulling locking device is in use, a portable electronic device is clamped between the engaging seat and the mounting seat. With the cooperation of the lock module and the engaging member, the portable electronic device can be fixed in position without any further structural design adapted for the locking device, which lowers the manufacturing cost, and enables the pulling lock device to be adapted for various kinds of portable electronic devices. 
         [0011]    Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a pulling locking device in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the pulling locking device in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged partial side view of the pulling locking device in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged side view in partial section of the pulling locking device in  FIG. 1 , showing an engaging seat unengaged; 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged side view in partial section of the pulling locking device in  FIG. 1 , showing the engaging seat engaged; 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is an enlarged side view of the pulling locking device in  FIG. 1 , showing a lock module and the engaging seat when the lock module is unlocked; 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is an enlarged side view of the pulling locking device in  FIG. 1 , showing the lock module and the engaging seat when the lock module is locked; 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a pulling locking device of another embodiment in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0020]      FIG. 9  is an enlarged side view of the pulling locking device in  FIG. 1 , showing the lock module and the engaging seat when the lock module is locked; 
           [0021]      FIG. 10  is an enlarged side view of the pulling locking device in  FIG. 1 , showing the lock module and the engaging seat when the lock module is unlocked; 
           [0022]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a pulling locking device of still another embodiment in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0023]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view of a mounting seat of the pulling locking device in  FIG. 1 ; and 
           [0024]      FIG. 13  is a perspective view of the mounting seat of a pulling locking device of further another embodiment in accordance with the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0025]    With reference to  FIG. 1 , a pulling locking device in accordance with the present invention comprises a cord  10 , a lock module  20 , an engaging seat  30 , and a mounting seat  40 . 
         [0026]    With reference to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the lock module  20  is mounted around the cord  10 , and has a lock casing  21 , a lock core  22 , a sliding element  23  and a resilient element  24 . 
         [0027]    The lock casing  21  is mounted around the cord  10  and has an assembling end  211 , an engaging opening  211   a,  a mounting hole  211   b,  an inner space  212  and a positioning pin  213 . The engaging opening  211   a  is formed in the assembling end  211 . The mounting hole  211   b  is formed in the assembling end  211 , does not communicate with the engaging opening  211   a,  and is disposed around the cord  10 . The inner space  212  is disposed adjacent to the assembling end  211  and communicates with the engaging opening  211   a.  The positioning pin  213  is formed in the inner space  212 . 
         [0028]    The lock core  22  is mounted in the lock casing  21  and has an actuating element  221 . The lock core  22  may be in various forms, such as a combination lock or a cam lock. Details of the structure of the lock core  22  are ordinary skill in the art, and thus are not described here. 
         [0029]    The sliding element  23  is selectively slidably mounted in the inner space  212  of the lock casing  21 . When the lock core  22  is locked, the actuating element  221  abuts the sliding element  23  to prevent the sliding element  23  from sliding relative to the lock casing  21 . When the lock core  22  is unlocked, the actuating element  221  departs from the sliding element  23  to make the sliding element  23  slidable relative to the lock casing  21 . The sliding element  23  has a stop segment  231 , an abutting segment  232 , an elongated hole  233  and a crown segment  234 . The stop segment  231  is formed on an outer side of the sliding element  23  and extends into the engaging opening  211   a  of the lock casing  21 . The sliding element  23  may be a C-clip. The abutting segment  232  is formed on an inner side of the sliding element  23  and selectively abuts the actuating element  221  of the lock core  22 . The elongated hole  233  is formed through the sliding element  23 . The positioning pin  213  of the lock casing  21  is mounted in the elongated hole  233  to restrict the sliding range of the sliding element  23 . The crown segment  234  is disposed on an end of the sliding element  23  and protrudes out of the lock casing  21  to be conveniently pushed by a user. 
         [0030]    The resilient element  24  is mounted in the inner space  212  of the lock casing  21 , and is clamped between an inner wall of the lock casing  21  and the sliding element  23 , thereby pushing the sliding element  23  back to the original position. The resilient element  24  may be a spring. 
         [0031]    With reference to  FIGS. 2 to 4 , the engaging seat  30  is mounted around the cord  10 , is disposed adjacent to the lock module  20 , and has a first side, a second side, an engaging member  31  and a clamp member  32 . The first side is toward the assembling end  211  of the lock casing  21 . The engaging member  31  is disposed on the first side of the engaging seat  30 , selectively makes the engaging seat  30  engage with any portion of the cord  10 , and selectively engages with the sliding element  23  of the lock module  20 . When the engaging member  31  and the sliding element  23  engage with each other and the lock core  22  is locked, the engaging seat  30  and the lock module  20  cannot be separated from each other, such that the engagement between the engaging member  31  and the cord  10  cannot be released. When the engaging member  31  and the sliding element  23  engage with each other but the lock core  22  is unlocked, the sliding element  23  can slide to disengage from the engaging member  31 , such that the lock module  20  and the engaging seat  30  can be separated from each other to enable the engaging member  31  to disengage from the cord  10 . In a preferred embodiment, the engaging seat  30  has a cord hole  301  disposed around the cord  10 . The engaging member  31  has a pivot element  311 , a mounting protrusion  312  and a stop segment  313 . The pivot element  311  is pivotally connected to the first side of the engaging seat  30 , and has a bottom end  311   a  selectively extending to the cord hole  301  of the engaging seat  30  to tightly press the cord  10 . The mounting protrusion  312  corresponds to the mounting hole  211   b  of the lock casing  21 . The stop segment  313  of the engaging member  31  corresponds to the stop segment  231  of the sliding member  23 . The clamp member  32  is disposed on the second side of the engaging seat  30 . 
         [0032]    With reference to  FIG. 2 , the mounting seat  40  is mounted around the cord  10 , and has a clamp member  41  and a cord hole  42 . The cord hole  42  is disposed around the cord  10 . 
         [0033]    A fixing nut  11  is mounted around and is screwed on an end of the cord  10  to prevent the mounting seat  40  from axially separating from the cord  10 . When the fixing nut  11  is rotated to separate from the cord  10 , the mounting seat  40  may be separated from the cord  10  to be replaced by a mounting seat  40  of another type. The fixing nut  11  may be a non-circular nut such as a hex nut, and the cord hole  42  of the mounting seat  40  is a non-circular hole such as a hexagonal hole. The fixing nut  11  and the cord hole  42  of the mounting seat  40  correspond to each other in shape. When the mounting seat  40  is moved to the end of the cord  10 , the fixing nut  11  engages in the cord hole  42  of the mounting seat  40  to prevent the fixing nut  11  from being rotated and separating from the cord  10 , so as to prevent theft. 
         [0034]    With reference to  FIGS. 1 and 3 , when the pulling locking device as described is in use, the mounting seat  40  is moved to the end of the cord  10  first. Then, a portable electronic device to be fixed is mounted between the engaging seat  30  and the mounting seat  40 . Afterwards, the engaging seat  30  is moved until the portable electronic device is tightly clamped between the mounting seat  40  and the engaging seat  30 . With reference to  FIG. 5 , the pivot element  311  is rotated to make the bottom end  311   a  engage with the cord  10 , such that the engaging seat  30  engages with the cord  10  and is unmovable relative to the cord  10 . Then, the lock module  20  is pushed toward the engaging seat  30 . With reference to  FIGS. 3 and 6 , the sliding element  23  is moved downward such that the sliding element  231  can avoid interference of the stop segment  313  of the engaging seat  30 , and then the engaging member  31  is mounted in the engaging opening  211   a  of the lock casing  21 . With reference to  FIGS. 3 and 7 , when an external force applied on the sliding element  231  is removed, the resilient element  24  pushes the sliding element  23  to the original position. At this time, the stop segment  231  of the sliding element  23  abuts an inner wall of the stop segment  313  of the engaging seat  30 , such that the lock module  20  cannot be separated from the engaging seat  30 . Meanwhile, the assembling end  211  of the lock casing  21  abuts the pivot element  311  to make the pivot element  311  unable to rotate. Then, the lock core  22  is locked, such that the sliding element  23  is restricted by the actuating element  221  and is unmovable. Thus, the engaging seat  30  is fixed in position to make the portable electronic device tightly clamped between the engaging seat  30  and the mounting seat  40 . 
         [0035]    To release the locking status, the lock core  22  is unlocked first, and then the sliding element  23  is slid to release the abutment between the stop segment  231  of the sliding element  23  and the stop segment  313  of the engaging seat  30 . Afterwards, the lock module  20  is separated from the engaging seat  30 , and then the pivot element  311  is rotated to make the bottom end  311   a  separated from the cord  10 . Thus, the engagement between the engaging seat  30  and the cord  10  is released, and the engaging seat  30  can be moved away from the mounting seat  40 . Therefore, the portable electronic device is not clamped between the engaging seat  30  and the mounting seat  40 , and can be separated from the pulling locking device. 
         [0036]    Two sides of the portable electronic device are clamped between the engaging seat  30  and the mounting seat  40 , and the cord  10  is fixed in position, such that the portable electronic device can be fixed in position as well to prevent theft. 
         [0037]    The lock core of the pulling locking device may be in various forms. In a preferred embodiment as shown in  FIG. 2 , the lock core  22  is a combination lock, and the actuating element  221  of the lock core  22  is a lock pin. When the lock core  22  is unlocked, the lock pin is axially moveable in the lock core  22 , such that the sliding element  23  can axially move and push the lock pin, which means the sliding element  23  is not limited by the lock pin. When the lock core  22  is locked, the lock pin is unmovable, and thus can prevent the sliding element  23  from sliding. In another preferred embodiment as shown in  FIGS. 8 to 10 , the lock core  22 A of the lock module  20 A is a cam lock, and is mounted in the lock casing  21 A. The actuating element  221 A of the lock core  22 A is a cam. When the lock core  22 A is unlocked, the cam is away from the abutting segment  232 A of the sliding element  23 A, such that the sliding element  23 A is not limited by the cam. When the lock core  22 A is locked, the cam prevents the abutting segment  232 A of the sliding element  23 A from sliding. 
         [0038]    The mounting seat of the pulling locking device may be in various forms. In another preferred embodiment as shown in  FIGS. 11 and 12 , the clamp member  41 A of the mounting seat  40 A has a USB port connector  411 A and an adjusting screw  412 A. The adjusting screw  412 A is mounted through and screwed with the USB port connector  411 A to adjust the height of the USB port connector  411 A. In still another preferred embodiment as shown in  FIG. 13 , the clamp member  41 B of the mounting seat  40 B has an earphone hole connector  411 B and an adjusting screw  412 B. The adjusting screw  412 B is mounted through and screwed with the earphone hole connector  411 B to adjust the height of the earphone hole connector  411 B. The USB port connector  411 A and the earphone hole connector  411 B may be each respectively mounted in the USB port and the earphone hole of the portable electronic device to strengthen of the locking between the portable electronic device and the pulling locking device. 
         [0039]    Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and features of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be made in the details, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.