Abstract:
A pusher-type combination padlock includes a movable shackle reciprocatively formed in a longitudinal side portion of the padlock having a pusher plate secured to the movable shackle slidably overlain on a cover of a padlock casing so that when rotating the dials and sleeves to their opening combination, the pusher plate can be pushed upwardly to open the movable shackle for opening the lock in an easier and comfortable way, especially for a better ergonomic effect.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A linearly operating side-locked padlock of U.S. Pat. No. 4,742,700 was disclosed by the same applicant of this application, in which the dials 3 are rotated to their opening numbers as predetermined to drive the clutch wheels 4 to their opening position, and the button 221 is depressed downwardly to lower the movable shackle fastener 23 to unlock the upper shackle 21 so that the opening or closing of the shackle is linearly operated by a user&#39;s single hand. It is really quick to operate the lock. However, when depressing the button 221 for opening the lock, one user&#39;s hand should hold the rectangular casing 1 to allow his (her) thumb to depress the button 221 and his (her) other fingers may not firmly clasp the movable shackle 23 to allow an opening stroke of the movable shackle 23, resulting in an unstable holding of the padlock. The opening movement of the movable shackle 23 may possibly injure the user&#39;s fingers as jammed between the shielding plate 232 and the right side wall 103 of the casing 1. So, the applicant&#39;s prior invention of U.S. Pat. No. 4,742,700 still has some drawbacks on an ergonomics point of view. It is therefore expected to invent a combination padlock to overcome the aforesaid ergonomic drawbacks. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The object of the present invention is to provide a pushertype combination padlock having a movable shackle provided with a pusher plate thereon so that the shackle may be directly pushed outwardly to open the padlock in an easy and comfortable way to enhance its ergonomic effect. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an illustration showing all elements in construction of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is an illustration showing a locking condition of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 shows an opening padlock of the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a cross sectional drawing of the present invention when viewed from 4--4 direction of FIG. 3. 
     FIG. 5 is a sectional drawing of the present invention when viewed from 5--5 direction of FIG. 3. 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the present invention as assembled, by reversing the padlock as shown in foregoing drawings. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     As shown in the figures, the present invention comprises: a first cover 1, a second cover 2 in combination with the first cover 1 to form a casing of the padlock, a plurality of dials 3, a plurality of sleeves 4, a longitudinal slide member 5, a movable shackle means 6, and a lateral detent means 7. The integral casing of the padlock may be made to be a very thin, compact rectangular structure. 
     The first cover 1 includes: a fixed shackle portion 11 protruding outwardly from a first longitudinal side wall 1a, an elongate slot 12 formed on an upper side wall 1c (opposite to a bottom wall 1d) of the cover 1 proximate to a second longitudinal side wall 1b (opposite to the first longitudinal side wall 1a), a plurality of pivots 13 formed on a base surface 19 of the cover 1 proximate to the first side wall 1a for pivotally mounting the plurality of dials 3, a plurality of protrusions 14 formed on the base surface radially disposed around each pivot 13, a plurality of stems 15 formed on the base surface engageable with a plurality of sockets 22 formed in the second cover 2 for combining the two covers 1, 2, a plurality of notches 16 recessed from the first side wall 1a for revealing any one numeral 33 formed on each dial 3, a lateral extension 17 protruding inwardly from a middle portion of the second side wall 1b for retaining a restoring spring 68 of the movable shackle means 6, and an elongate extension 18 formed on the base surface proximate and parallel to the second side wall 1b for guiding a sliding movement of a rear portion of the shackle means 6. 
     The second cover 2, having plurality of side walls corresponding to all side walls 1a, 1b, 1c, 1dof the first cover 1, is formed with a through hole 20 in its one corner to form a chain opening 10, 20 in commensuration with another through hole 10 formed in the first cover so that the casing 1,2 can be held by a chain passing through the holes 20, 10. A bottom socket 21 is formed in the cover 2 for storing a rear spring plate 52 of the slide member 5 normally tensioning the slide member 5 towards a bottom side wall 1d of the casing 1, 2. Two transverse extensions 23 are formed proximate to an upper side wall 1c of the casing to movably define the detent means 7 in the two extensions. An opening 121 is formed on a corner of the casing 1,2 for reciprocatively moving the shackle means 6. A corrugate surface 24 may be formed on a back surface of the cover 2 adapted for a frictional holding by a user. 
     Each dial 3 includes: a central hole 31 for pivotally securing each dial 3 on each pivot 13, a plurality of recesses 32 radially disposed in a bottom surface of the dial 3 to resiliently engage each protrusion 14 formed on the cover 1 (as retained by spring 45 on each sleeve 4) to allow each dial 3 to be clickingly rotated in the casing, and a plurality of protrusions 34 formed on an upper surface of the dial 3 each resiliently engaging each recess 44 formed on a bottom surface of each sleeve 4. 
     Each sleeve 4 includes a central hole 41 for pivotally securing each sleeve 4 in the pivot 13 and superimposing each sleeve 4 on each dial 3, a central spring socket 42 for storing each tensioning spring 45 retained between the sleeve 4 and the second cover 2, a divergent notch 43 radially formed in an upper surface of the sleeve 4 through each spring socket 42 operatively engaging each tapered extension 50 formed on the slide member 5. After combining the covers 1, 2, the spring 45 will tension the sleeve 4 and the dial 3 for resiliently coupling the same. 
     The longitudinal slide member 5 is generally formed as a rectangular plate having a plurality of sleeve openings 51 longitudinally formed therein, each sleeve opening 51 having a length larger than a diameter of each sleeve 4 and a tapered extension 50 protruding downwardly towards a bottom side wall 1d  from each opening 51 to operatively engage each divergent notch 43 of the sleeve 4, a rear spring plate 52 embedded in a socket 21 of the second cover 2 to normally tension the slide member 5 towards the bottom side wall 1d, a side notch 53 recessed in a longitudinal side wall of the slide member 5 facing the second side wall 1b for operatively engaging a wedge portion 72 of the lateral detent means 7. The rear opening 51a of the slide member 5 can be cut through its rear portion to form the spring plate 52 as shown in FIG. 1. Each tapered extension 50 is formed an arcuate surface 50a on its lower circumference to smoothly engage a perimeter of each sleeve 4 as shown in FIG. 2. 
     The movable shackle means 6 includes: a movable shackle portion 61 generally formed as C shape having an opening end 611 operatively closing the fixed shackle portion 11 formed on the cover 1 for locking the present padlock, a pusher plate 62 having corrugate or anti-slipping surface 621 formed thereon secured to a middle portion of the shackle means by a connecting plate 63 movably engaged with the slot 12 of the first cover 1 and slidably overlain outside the cover 1, an intermediate flat plate 60 formed on a middle portion thereof slidably laid on the base surface 19 of the cover 1 having a recess portion 64 recessed in a direction towards the second side wall 1b opposite to the first side wall 1a and having an extension portion 65 protruding towards the first side wall 1a from the recess portion 64, and a rear shank portion 67 protruding towards a bottom side wall 1d from the flat plate 60 having a bottom hook portion 66 formed on its rear end. The rear shank portion 67 may be inserted therein a restoring spring 68 to be held between the lateral extension 17 of cover 1 and the hook portion 66 to normally resiliently tension the shackle means 6 rearwardly towards the bottom side wall 1d for closing the movable shackle portion 61 on the fixed shackle portion 11 as shown in FIG. 2. 
     The lateral detent means 7 as shown in FIGS. 1, 4, 2 and 3 includes: a slide plate 71 slidable retained between the flat plate 60 of shackle means 6 and the second cover 2, a wedge portion 72 tapered towards the first side wall 1a and protruding from the slide plate 71 to operatively engage the side notch 53 of the longitudinal slide member 5 as shown in FIG. 3, a base block 73 formed under the slide plate 71 slidably laid on the base surface 19 and operatively obstructing the recess portion 64 of the shackle means 6 as shown in FIG. 2, and a tensioning spring 74 resiliently tensioning the slide plate 71 and wedge portion 72 towards the first side wall 1a. The spring 74 is retained against the second longitudinal side wall 2b of the second cover 2 as shown in FIG. 4 to tension the detent means 7 towards the longitudinal slide member 5. 
     When using the present invention for locking purpose (from FIG. 3 to FIG. 2), the dials 3 have already been rotated to their locking state so as to allow the divergent notch 43 of each sleeve 4 to leftwardly thrust the tapered extension 50 of the longitudinal slide member 5 (the arcuate surface 50a of the extension 50 being resiliently engaged with a perimeter of the sleeve 4 as shown in FIG. 2), bearing the resilience of the spring plate 52 embedded in the socket 21, towards the upper side wall 1c or the shackle portion 61. Simultaneously, the side notch 53 formed in the side wall 54 will also thrust and retract the wedge portion 72 of the detent means 7 from the position shown in FIG. 3 to that as shown in FIG. 2 to allow the base block 73 to engage the recess portion 64 to obstruct the shackle means 6 to prevent from its leftward opening action when pushing the pusher plate 62 to open the shackle 61, thereby locking the present padlock as shown in FIG. 2. 
     When it is intended to open the lock, the dials are rotated to their opening combination and the extensions 50 of the slide member 5 are engaged with the notches 43 of the sleeves 4 as shown in FIG. 3 and 5 since the slide member 5 is always retained towards the bottom side wall by the spring plate 52. Meanwhile, the side notch 53 is engaged with the wedge portion 72 of the detent means 7 which is tensioned towards the first side wall 1a by the spring 74 and the base block 73 is no longer obstructing the recess portion 64 of the shackle means 6 so that upon a leftward pushing of the pusher plate 62, the shackle portion 61 will be opened to open the present lock. 
     If for resetting a new combination of the present invention, the pusher plate 62 is firmly depressed by a user&#39;s hand when opening the lock as shown in FIG. 3. Since the base block 73 is backwardly retarded by the extension portion 65 of the shackle means 6, the wedge portion 72 as engaged with the notch 53 will &#34;lock&#34; the slide member 5 to allow its extensions 50 engaged with sleeve notches 43 to brake the rotation of all sleeves 4, thereby providing a free rotation of any one dial 3 for resetting a new combination of the present invention. 
     The present invention is superior to the applicant&#39;s previous U.S. Pat. No. 4,742,700 with the following advantages: 
     1. It is ergonomically comfortable to push the movable shackle to open the present lock, while still holding the casing of the lock very stably. 
     2. Since a thumb, for instance, may be used to outwardly push the pusher plate 62 of the shackle 6, the remaining fingers and hand portion of a user may firmly hold the lock casing 1, 2 without being injured by the moving parts (for example, the shackle portion 61) of the present lock. 
     3. The elements are integrated to form a compact unit having a smoother appearance and better aesthetic meaning than the U.S. Pat. No. 4,742,700 which is formed with a side locked shackle structure. 
     The numerals 33 disposed on the bottom surface of the dial 3 are separated from the base surface 19 of the first cover 1 to prevent from their wearing since the dial is rotatively engageable with the plural protrusions 14 formed on the base surface 19 having the bottom surface of the dial positioned slightly higher above the base surface 19 of the first cover. 
     The longitudinal slide member 5 is integrally formed with the spring plate 52 by an integrated molding process well known in plastic processing. 
     The fixed shackle portion 11 is formed with an angled extension inclined upwardly outwardly to retard a lateral outward pulling of the opening end 611 of the shackle means 6, of which the opening end 611 is formed as a sloping surface inclined inwardly downwardly, engageable with the angled extension of the fixed shackle portion 11.