Lock assembly for bag

The present disclosure provides a lock assembly for a bag, wherein the bag has a bag body and a bag flap, the assembly comprising: a body-side sub-assembly secured to the bag body; and a flap-side sub-assembly secured to the bag flap, wherein the body-side sub-assembly comprises: a base member having a rear portion secured to the bag body, a pair of rotation members, each rotation member including an upper grip and a lower shaft extending from the upper grip, a rotation-force transfer mechanism configured to transfer a rotation force between the pair of rotation members, wherein the rotation-force transfer mechanism employs a belt.

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the priority benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2016-0024641 filed on Feb. 29, 2016, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes as if fully set forth herein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure relates to a lock assembly for a bag, and, more particularly, to a lock assembly for a bag, wherein the lock assembly is attached to a bag body and a bag flap and is configured to fasten or unfasten the flap to or from the body.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

One example of a portable bag to receive therein a relatively small article is shown inFIG. 1. As shown inFIG. 1, a bag, in particular, a handbag200includes a bag body210having a storage space formed therein, and a bag flap220configured to open or close an opening of the body210. The handbag200include a lock assembly10attached to the body and flap. When the bag flap220closes the opening of the bag body210, the lock assembly10keeps a locking state of the bag.

The lock assembly10includes a body-side sub-assembly20secured to the bag body210and a flap-side sub-assembly30secured to the bag flap220. In an operation, for a lock mode, the body-side sub-assembly20is coupled to the flap-side sub-assembly30and is rotated to a locking position. Otherwise, for an unlock mode, the body-side sub-assembly20is rotated to an unlocking position and is separated from the flap-side sub-assembly30. This may be referred to a “turn-lock” mechanism. With this turn-lock mechanism, the body-side sub-assembly20may have two rotation members which are gripped by and rotated by a hand of the user such that the body-side sub-assembly20is locked into or unlocked from the flap-side sub-assembly30. Especially, a rotation of only one rotation member may cause a rotation of the other rotation member. This may lead to improved convenience for the user.

As shown inFIG. 2, the body-side sub-assembly20may include a base member21, a pair of rotation members24and a rotation-force transfer mechanism25. The body-side sub-assembly20may be secured to the bag body210using a bag body fixture22and bag body fixing bolts23.

The base member21may be secured to the bag body210using the bag body fixture22and bag body fixing bolts23. Thus, the base member21may be closed, at an open rear side thereof, to form an inner space therein.

On a front side of the base member21, a pair of shaft-insertion holes21amay be formed to correspond to a pair of elongate holes31aof the flap-side sub-assembly120respectively. Each of the shaft-insertion holes21amay have a guide groove21bformed vertically along the hole21aat one side thereof.

The pair of rotation members24each may include a horizontal bar-shaped upper grip24aand a vertical bar-shaped lower shaft24b. The horizontal bar-shaped upper grip24aand the vertical bar-shaped lower shaft24bmay be monolithic. A combination of the horizontal bar-shaped upper grip24aand the vertical bar-shaped lower shaft24bis rotated to lock or unlock the bag.

The upper grip24amay pass away the corresponding elongate hole31a, and, thereafter, may be kept to be orientated in an orthogonal direction to the elongate hole31ato keep the locking state of the bag. Otherwise, the upper grip24amay be orientated in a parallel direction to the corresponding elongate hole31aand, thereafter, may pass away the corresponding elongate hole to be separated from the elongate hole31a, to unlock the bag. The upper grip24amay be disposed on the front side of the base member21.

The lower shaft24bmay extend downwards vertically from the corresponding upper grip24a. The lower shaft24bis rotatably inserted into the shaft-insertion hole21avia a rotation of the upper grip24a. That is, the lower shaft24bis rotatably engaged with the base member21.

The lower shaft24bmay have a rotation guide protrusion24cformed thereon, where the rotation guide protrusion24cis configured to guide the rotation member24along the guide groove21bduring the vertical movement and rotation of the rotation member24. To be specific, the rotation guide protrusion24cis configured to guide the rotation member24to move from a top portion of the guide groove21bto a middle level portion to a bottom portion of the guide groove21bwhile the rotation member24rotates by 90°.

The rotation-force transfer mechanism25may include a pair of upper plates, a pair of lower plates, two pairs of balls, two pairs of springs, and a pair of linkers, all of which are disposed in the inner space of the base member21. The rotation-force transfer mechanism25may be operatively coupled to the two lower shafts24b. Thus, when one rotation member of the pair of rotation members24is rotated, the rotation-force transfer mechanism25may transfer the rotation force from one rotation member to the other rotation member. In this way, the pair of rotation members24may be rotated via a rotation of only a single rotation member24.

The base member fixture26closes the open bottom of the base member21, and the body-side sub-assembly20may be secured to the bag body210using the base member fixing bolts27.

As shown inFIG. 3, the flap-side sub-assembly30may include a front fixture31, a rear fixture32, and fixing bolts33. The flap-side sub-assembly30may be secured to the bag flap220using the front fixture31, rear fixture32, and fixing bolts33.

The front fixture31may have the adjacent two elongate holes31aformed therein, where the two elongate holes31apass through the bag flap220. The front fixture31may be secured to a front side of the bag flap220.

The rear fixture32may be secured to a rear side of the bag flap220to correspond to the front fixture31.

The fixing bolt33may secure the front fixture31and rear fixture32to each other, and, thus, fasten the front fixture31and rear fixture32to the bag flap220.

FIG. 4shows a combination of the body-side sub-assembly20and flap-side sub-assembly30in the conventional lock assembly10for a bag. In this connection, as shown inFIG. 4, the bag flap220is disengaged from the bag body210.

For the disengaged state, the upper grip24aof the body-side sub-assembly20may be rotated to be oriented in a parallel direction with an extension direction of the corresponding elongate hole31a. Thereafter, the upper grip24aof the body-side sub-assembly20may be rotated such that the protrusion24creaches the middle level of the guide groove21band, thus, the upper grip24apasses away the corresponding elongate hole31a. In this way, the bag flap220may be detached, at its free end, from the bag body210.

Based on a desired state, namely, a locked or unlocked state of the bag, any one of the two upper grips24amay be rotated by 90° in a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction, vertically upwardly or downwardly, while the guide protrusion24cmoves along the guide groove21b. In this connection, the rotation-force transfer mechanism25may transfer the rotation force from one rotation member to the other rotation member.

In this connection, the rotation-force transfer mechanism25includes the four springs and balls, the two upper plates, the two lower plates, and the two linkers. Thus, the rotation-force transfer mechanism25has a large number of the parts thereof. In particular, the balls and springs each has a small size, leading to a difficulty to assemble them. For the locking or unlocking operation of the bag, the rotation direction of the rotation member is limited to the specific direction since the guide groove21bis formed only at one side of the shaft-insertion hole21aand, thus, the rotation guide protrusion24cof the rotation member moves only along the guide groove21b. This may result in inconvenience for the user to lock or unlock the bag. Further, in the conventional lock assembly10for a bag, the rotation member24is not securely kept to be in the locked or unlocked state of the bag. Further, in the conventional lock assembly10for a bag, due to much deviation in movement of the linker, the rotation member24is not precisely aligned.

This “Background” section is provided for background information only. The statements in this “Background” section are not an admission that the subject matter disclosed in this “Background” section constitutes prior art to the present disclosure, and no part of this “Background” section may be used as an admission that any part of this application, including this “Background” section, constitutes prior art to the present disclosure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Considering the above need, the present disclosure provides a lock assembly for a bag, wherein, for the locking or unlocking operation of the bag, the rotation direction of the rotation member is not limited but includes all directions, leading to convenience for the user to lock or unlock the bag; and a rotation member is precisely aligned; a rotation member is securely kept to be in the locked or unlocked state of the bag; and a rotation-force transfer mechanism has smaller numbers of parts thereof, and the parts each has a large size, leading to easiness to assemble them, and a simple structure, and, thus, a reduced manufacturing cost and an improved product quality.

One aspect of the present disclosure provides a lock assembly for a bag, wherein the bag has a bag body having an article receiving space formed therein, and a bag flap configured to open or close an opening of the body, the assembly comprising:

a body-side sub-assembly secured to the bag body; and

a flap-side sub-assembly secured to the bag flap, wherein the flap-side sub-assembly has two elongate holes formed therein, the two elongate holes passing through the bag flap, wherein the body-side sub-assembly comprises:

a base member having a rear portion secured to the bag body, the base member having an inner space formed therein, the base member having two shaft-insertion holes formed in a front portion thereof, the shaft-insertion holes corresponding, in a position, to the two elongate holes respectively;

a pair of rotation members, each rotation member including an upper grip and a lower shaft extending from the upper grip, wherein the upper grip is rotatably disposed on the front portion of the base member, wherein the upper grip is configured to rotate to be oriented to be parallel or orthogonal to an extension direction of the corresponding elongate hole, wherein the upper grip is configured to pass away the corresponding elongate hole, wherein the lower shaft is rotatably inserted into the corresponding shaft-insertion hole; and

a rotation-force transfer mechanism configured to transfer a rotation force between the pair of rotation members, the rotation-force transfer mechanism including a pair of rotation-member couplers, and a belt, wherein the pair of rotation-member couplers and the belt are received in the inner space of the base member, wherein each rotation-member coupler is operatively coupled to each lower shaft such that each rotation-member coupler rotates together with each rotation member, wherein the belt is operatively coupled to the two rotation-member coupler to allow the two rotation-member couplers to co-rotate in any direction, wherein each of the shaft-insertion holes has four recesses arranged regularly along a rim of the hole by a 90° angular distance, wherein each rotation member has four convex portions to correspond, in a position, to the four recesses respectively, wherein each convex portion is engaged or disengaged with each recess during the rotation of the rotation member.

In one embodiment, each rotation-member coupler has first teeth formed at an outer periphery thereof, and the belt has second teeth formed at an inner periphery thereof, wherein the first teeth mesh with the second teeth to transfer the rotation force between the two rotation members.

In one embodiment, each spring is provided beneath each rotation-member coupler to keep the engagement or disengagement between each recess and each convex portion.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Example embodiments will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The present disclosure, however, may be embodied in various different forms, and should not be construed as being limited to only the illustrated embodiments herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided as examples so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the aspects and features of the present disclosure to those skilled in the art.

Hereinafter, embodiments of a lock assembly in accordance with the present disclosure will be described in details with reference to attached drawings.

FIG. 5shows an exploded perspective view of a body-side sub-assembly of the present lock assembly to be attached to a handbag, wherein the body-side sub-assembly is to be secured to a bag body.FIG. 6shows an exploded perspective view of a flap-side sub-assembly of the present lock assembly to be attached to a handbag, wherein the flap-side sub-assembly is to be secured to a bag flap.

The lock assembly100for a bag in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure may be attached, for example, a handbag including a bag body210to receive therein articles, and a bag flap220configured to open or close an opening of the body210. The present disclosure is not limited thereto.

The lock assembly100for a bag in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a body-side sub-assembly110secured to the bag body210, and a flap-side sub-assembly120secured to the bag flap220. The flap-side sub-assembly120may have two elongate holes121aformed at opposing sides thereof. The two elongate holes121may pass through the bag flap220. In an operation, for a lock mode, the body-side sub-assembly110is coupled to the flap-side sub-assembly120and is rotated to a locking position. Otherwise, for an unlock mode, the body-side sub-assembly110is rotated to an unlocking position and is separated from the flap-side sub-assembly120.

As shown inFIG. 5, the body-side sub-assembly110may include a base member111, a pair of rotation members114, and a rotation-force transfer mechanism. The body-side sub-assembly110may be secured to the bag body210using a bag body fixture112and bag body fixing bolts113.

The base member111may be secured to the bag body210using the bag body fixture112and bag body fixing bolts113. Thus, the base member111may be closed, at an open rear side thereof, to form an inner space therein. On a front side of the base member111, a pair of shaft-insertion holes111amay be formed to correspond to the pair of elongate holes121aof the flap-side sub-assembly120respectively. Each of the shaft-insertion holes111amay have four recesses111barranged regularly along a rim of the hole. That is, the four recesses111bare arranged by a 90° angular distance.

The pair of rotation members114each may include a horizontal bar-shaped upper grip114aand a vertical bar-shaped lower shaft114b. The horizontal bar-shaped upper grip114aand the vertical bar-shaped lower shaft114bmay be monolithic. A combination of the horizontal bar-shaped upper grip114aand the vertical bar-shaped lower shaft114bis rotated to lock or unlock the bag.

The upper grip114amay pass away the corresponding elongate hole121a, and, thereafter, may be kept to be orientated in an orthogonal direction to the elongate hole121ato keep the locking state of the bag. Otherwise, the upper grip114amay be orientated in a parallel direction to the corresponding elongate hole121aand, thereafter, may pass away the corresponding elongate hole to be separated from the elongate hole121a, to unlock the bag. The upper grip114amay be disposed on the front side of the base member111.

The upper grip114amay have a convex portion114cformed at a bottom thereof. Each convex portion114cmay be engaged with each recess111b. Thus, four convex portions114cmay be arranged regularly. That is, the four convex portions114care arranged by a 90° angular distance. Thus, whenever the rotation member114rotates by 90° in any direction, each convex portion114cis engaged with each recess111b, and, therefore, the rotation member114stops. This may lead to no clearance or deviation during the rotation thereof. The rotation member may be precisely aligned. Further, the rotation member may be securely kept to be in the locked or unlocked state of the bag.

The lower shaft114bmay extend downwards vertically from the corresponding upper grip114a. The lower shaft114bis rotatably inserted into the shaft-insertion hole111avia a rotation of the upper grip114a. That is, the lower shaft114bis rotatably engaged with the base member111.

The rotation-force transfer mechanism may include a pair of rotation-member couplers115, a pair of springs116, and a single belt117. Thus, when one rotation member of the pair of rotation members114is rotated, the rotation-force transfer mechanism may transfer the rotation force from one rotation member114to the other rotation member114. In this way, the pair of rotation members114may be rotated via a rotation of only a single rotation member114.

Each coupler of the pair of rotation-member couplers115may be coupled to the lower shaft114bpassing away the shaft-insertion hole111a. When being in a coupled state, each rotation-member coupler115may rotate together with the rotation member114via the rotation force of the member within the inner space of the base member111. Each rotation-member coupler115may have an inner space defined therein to receive the corresponding spring116.

The spring116may be disposed in the inner space of the corresponding rotation-member coupler115. Thus, the spring116may compress when the rotation member114rotate, thereby to facilitate disengagement of the convex portion114afrom the recess111b. Further, the spring116may restore when the rotation of the rotation member114terminates, thereby to retain the convex portion114ainto the recess111b.

The single belt117may be coupled to the two rotation-member couplers115. That is, the two rotation-member couplers115are coupled to both inner ends of the single belt117respectively. In this way, via the single belt117, the separate two rotation members114may be operatively coupled to each other. In this regard, the rotation direction of the single belt117is not limited but includes any direction. Thus, the rotation force may be transferred between the separate two rotation members114in any direction. To this end, the rotation-member coupler115may have first teeth115aformed at an outer periphery thereof. The belt117may have second teeth117aformed at an inner periphery thereof. In an operation, the first teeth115amay mesh with the second teeth117ato transfer the rotation force from one rotation member114to the other rotation member114.

The base member fixture118closes the open bottom of the base member11, and the body-side sub-assembly110may be secured to the bag body210using the base member fixing bolts119.

As shown inFIG. 6, the flap-side sub-assembly120may include a front fixture121, a rear fixture122, and fixing bolts123. The flap-side sub-assembly120may be secured to the bag flap220using the front fixture121, rear fixture122, and fixing bolts123.

The front fixture121may have the adjacent two elongate holes121aformed therein, where the two elongate holes121apass through the bag flap220. The front fixture121may be secured to a front side of the bag flap220. The rear fixture122may be secured to a rear side of the bag flap220to correspond to the front fixture121. The fixing bolt123may secure the front fixture121and rear fixture122to each other, and, thus, fasten the front fixture121and rear fixture122to the bag flap220.

Operations of the lock assembly100for a bag in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in details below with reference to the attached drawings.

FIG. 7AtoFIG. 7Cshow respectively cross-sectional views for illustrating operations of the present lock assembly.

FIG. 7Ashows a combination of the body-side sub-assembly110and flap-side sub-assembly120in the lock assembly100for a bag in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. In this connection, as shown inFIG. 7A, the bag flap220is engaged from the bag body210.

In order to achieve the engaged state, the upper grip114aof the body-side sub-assembly110may be rotated to be oriented in a parallel direction with an extension direction of the corresponding elongate hole121a. Thereafter, the upper grip114amay pass away the elongate hole121a.

After the upper grip114ahas passed away the elongate hole121a, the upper grip114ais rotated by 90° in any direction, namely, in a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction. Then, the belt117may transfer the rotation force from the rotated upper grip114ato the other upper grip114a. In this way, the both upper grips114amay be oriented in a orthogonal direction with an extension direction of the corresponding elongate hole121a. This may result in a locked state of the bag. In this connection, the spring116may act to firmly retain each convex portion114cin each recess111b.

Based on a desired state, namely, a locked or unlocked state of the bag, any one of the two upper grips114amay be rotated by 90° without a limitation related to the rotation direction, that is, in any direction, namely, in a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction. In this connection, the rotation-force transfer mechanism may transfer the rotation force from one rotation member to the other rotation member. In order to achieve a unlocked state of the bag, the upper grip114aof the body-side sub-assembly110may be rotated to be oriented in a parallel direction with an extension direction of the corresponding elongate hole121a. Then, the upper grip114apasses away the corresponding elongate hole121a. In this way, the bag flap220may be detached, at its free end, from the bag body210.

In this connection, as shown inFIG. 7B, each convex portion114amay be disengaged from each recess111b, and, then, the upper grip114amay move upwards. At the same time, the spring116may be compressed to facilitate the disengagement of each convex portion114afrom each recess111b. At the same time, the belt117may transfer the rotation force from the rotated upper grip to the other upper grip114ato rotate the other upper grip114a.

When the rotation of the upper grip114aof the rotation member114terminates, the convex portion114amay be engaged with the recess111bas shown inFIG. 7C. At the same time, the spring116may restore to retain the convex portion114ainto the recess111b. In this way, the bag flap220may be detached, at its free end thereof, from the bag body210.

The present rotation-force transfer mechanism may include the pair of rotation-member couplers115, the pair of the springs116, and the single belt117. That is, the present rotation-force transfer mechanism may be advantageous over the rotation-force transfer mechanism of the above-described conventional lock assembly where, when the rotation member24rotates by 90° in a specific direction such that the rotation guide protrusion24cmoves along the guide groove21b, the linker transfers the rotation force from one rotation member24to the other rotation member24. Specifically, the present rotation-force transfer mechanism may have smaller number of components than that of the conventional rotation-force transfer mechanism. This may lead to easiness to assembly the present rotation-force transfer mechanism. Further, the present rotation-force transfer mechanism may not limit the rotation direction of the rotation member140to the specific direction, which is the case for the conventional rotation-force transfer mechanism. This may lead to convenience for the user to operate the lock assembly. Furthermore, using the present rotation-force transfer mechanism together with the configuration of the four corresponding recesses and convex portions, the rotation member may be precisely aligned. Further, the rotation member may be securely kept to be in the locked or unlocked state of the bag.

While the present disclosure has been described with reference to the handbag, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The present disclosure may be applied to any bag having a bag body having a storage space formed therein, and a bag flap configured to open or close an opening of the body.

The above description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of describing the general principles of exemplary embodiments, and many additional embodiments of this disclosure are possible. It is understood that no limitation of the scope of the disclosure is thereby intended. The scope of the disclosure should be determined with reference to the Claims. Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic that is described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment.