Abstract:
The present invention discloses a foldable lock. The foldable lock is constituted by a lock head which is pivoted with a foldable lock rod set. Two steel balls are used by the lock head to control unlocking and locking operations, thereby improving difficulty in prizing. The foldable lock rod set is composed of plural flexible lock rods, plural pivoting sheaths, plural protective covers and plural bolts, allowing the foldable lock to have a better circuity when twining an object. By the abovementioned structures, the foldable lock can increase convenience in the locking operation and enhance the anti-theft effect.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     a) Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a foldable lock and more particularly to a foldable lock which is provided with a better circuity when twining an object, thereby increasing convenience in locking with that foldable lock and enhancing the anti-theft effect. 
     b) Description of the Prior Art 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , it shows a schematic view of an unfolded conventional foldable lock  1 , wherein the foldable lock  1  includes primarily a lock head  13  and plural lock rods  11  pivoted with the lock head  13 , with that a pivoting element  12  is used to connect between every two lock rods  11 . This kind of structure is advantageous in that it can be collected easily without taking up space; therefore, it is often used as a bicycle lock. However, there exists one issue in using this foldable lock  1 ; as the lock rods  11  of the foldable lock  1  are made of a rigid material, they can only be unfolded outward along a straight line, and if there is some bend on the route along which the object (e.g., bicycle) is twined, then the locking operation will not be accomplished successfully. At this time, a user can only readjust the position and angle of twining, and this is rather inconvenient. In addition, the lock head  13  of the conventional foldable lock  1  mostly adopts the structure of a U-lock of a bicycle, but it is well known that the anti-prizing effect of the U-lock is not perfect, which affects significantly the use of the foldable lock  1 . 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, the primary object of the present invention is to provide a foldable lock which is provided with a better circuity when twining an object, thereby increasing convenience in locking with that foldable lock and enhancing the anti-theft effect. 
     To achieve the aforementioned object, a foldable lock of the present invention is formed by a lock head which is pivoted with a foldable lock rod set. The lock head includes: 
     an outer shell, a side of an inner surface of the outer shell is provided with an upper installation base, the other side of the inner surface is parallel distributed with a first container slot, a middle container slot and a second container slot, a first separator is disposed between the first container slot and the middle container slot and is provided with a right semi-circular slot, a second separator is disposed between the second container slot and the middle container slot and is provided with a left semi-circular slot which corresponds to the right semi-circular slot, the first container slot is provided with a first guide rail, the second container slot is provided with a second guide rail, the middle container slot is provided with a middle guide rail, and an end of the outer shell is pivoted with the foldable lock rod set; 
     a bottom shell, the bottom shell is locked at bottom of the outer shell, a side of an inner surface of the bottom shell is provided with a lower installation base, the other side of the inner surface is provided with a first lower container slot and a second lower container slot, the first lower container slot corresponds to the first container slot, and the second lower container slot corresponds to the second container; 
     a lock body, the lock body is disposed at a location where the upper installation base splits with the lower installation base, and is formed by a lock core and a lock base, with that an end of the lock core is provided with a key hole and the other end is provided with a convex axle; 
     a lock bolt base, a side of the lock bolt base is provided with a lock bolt, the lock bolt is provided with a through-hole, and the other side of the lock bolt base is pivoted with the foldable lock rod set; 
     a lower sliding base, a rear side of the lower sliding base is provided with a left sliding block and a right sliding block, a center at a front side of the lower sliding base is provided with a front sliding block, the left sliding block is disposed between the second container slot and the second lower container slot, an inner side of the left sliding block is concaved with an arc-shaped slot, a top of the left sliding block is provided with a second spring slot and a second guide slot, the second spring slot contains a second spring, the second guide slot is latched with the second guide rail, the right sliding block is disposed between the first container slot and the first lower container slot, an inner side of the right sliding block is concaved with an arc-shaped slot, a top of the right sliding block is provided with a first spring slot and a first guide slot, the first spring slot contains a first spring, the first guide slot is latched with the first guide rail, and a top of the front sliding block is provided with a sheathing slot which provides for sheathing with the convex axle of the lock core; 
     two steel balls, the two steel balls are forced to move by the lower sliding base, sliding in the arc-shaped slots, the right semi-circular slot, the left semi-circular slot and the through-hole of the lock bolt base; and 
     an upper sliding block, a top of the upper sliding block is provided with a third spring slot and a third guide slot, the third spring slot contains a third spring, and the third guide slot is latched with the middle guide rail. 
     The foldable lock rod set is composed of plural lock rods, plural pivoting sheaths, plural protective covers and plural bolts, wherein 
     the lock rod is made of a flexible and elastic material and two ends of the lock rod are provided respectively with a joint section; 
     a side of the pivoting sheath is provided with a first sheathing section, the first sheathing section is provided at least with a first sheathing hole for insertion and fixing with the joint section, and the other side of the pivoting sheath is provided with a first pivoting section which contains a first perforation; 
     the protective cover is sheathed outside the pivoting sheath, a side of the protective cover is provided with a second sheathing section which contains a second sheathing hole for insertion and fixing with the pivoting sheath, and the other side of the protective cover is provided with a second pivoting section which contains a second perforation; and 
     the bolt is transfixed into the first sheathing hole and the second sheathing hole to pivot together two ends of every front and rear neighboring lock rod and to pivot an end of the lock rod with the lock head. 
     A periphery of an inner surface of the abovementioned outer shell is provided with plural locking pillars. 
     A periphery of an inner surface of the abovementioned bottom shell is provided with plural locking holes. 
     The abovementioned key hole is laterally connected with plural bead grooves, and each bead groove is provided with a spring and a bead column. 
     A top of the abovementioned upper installation base is formed with a round hole at the outer shell. 
     An end of the abovementioned outer shell, pivoting with the foldable lock rod set, is provided with a notch; whereas, two sides of the notch are provided respectively with a corresponding latching hole. 
     The other side of the abovementioned lock bolt base is pivoted with the foldable lock rod set, the lock bolt base is provided with a notch and two sides of the notch are provided respectively with a corresponding latching hole. 
     The abovementioned lock rod is constituted by at least a metallic wire enclosed by an outer layer (the metallic wire is a steel cord). 
     Two ends of the abovementioned metallic wire are protruded respectively out of an end part of the outer layer, forming a joint section. 
     To enable a further understanding of the said objectives and the technological methods of the invention herein, the brief description of the drawings below is followed by the detailed description of the preferred embodiments. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a schematic view of an unfolded conventional foldable lock. 
         FIG. 2  shows a three-dimensional view of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  shows a three-dimensional exploded view of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  shows a three-dimensional exploded view of a lock head of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  shows a three-dimensional view of an outer shell of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  shows a schematic view of the present invention in an unlocking state. 
         FIG. 7  shows a schematic view of the present invention in a locking state. 
         FIG. 8  shows a plan view of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  shows a cutaway view along a line I-I in  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 10  shows a local cutaway view of the lock head assembled with the lock rods of the present invention. 
         FIG. 11  shows a schematic view of the present invention that is unfolded. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 to 7 , a foldable lock of the present invention comprises a lock head A which is pivoted with a foldable lock rod set B. 
     The lock head A includes an outer shell  2 , a bottom shell  3 , a lock body  4 , a lock bolt base  5 , a lower sliding base  6 , two steel balls C and an upper sliding block  7 . 
     A side of an inner surface  20  of the outer shell  2  is provided with an upper installation base  21 . A top of the upper installation base  21  is formed with a round hole  211  at the outer shell  2 . The other side of the inner surface  20  is parallel distributed with a first container slot  22 , a middle container slot  24  and a second container slot  23 . A first separator  221  is disposed between the first container slot  22  and the middle container slot  24 , and is provided with a right semi-circular slot  222 ; whereas a second separator  231  is disposed between the second container slot  23  and the middle container slot  24 , and is provided with a left semi-circular slot  232  which corresponds to the right semi-circular slot  222 . An interior of the first container slot  22  is provided with a first guide rail  223  and an interior of the second container slot  23  is provided with a second guide rail  233 ; whereas, an interior of the middle container slot  24  is provided with a middle guide rail  241 . An end of the outer shell  2  is provided with a notch  26 , and two sides of the notch  26  are provided respectively with a corresponding latching hole  261 ; whereas, the other end of the outer shell  2  is provided with a lock bolt insertion hole  25 , and a periphery of the inner surface  20  is provided with plural locking pillars  27 . 
     The bottom shell  3  is locked at bottom of the outer shell  2 , and a side of an inner surface  30  of the bottom shell  3  is provided with a lower installation base  31  which splits with the upper installation base  21 . The other side of the inner surface  30  is provided with a first lower container slot  32  and a second lower container slot  33 , the first lower container slot  32  corresponds to the first container slot  22 , and the second lower container slot  33  corresponds to the second container slot  23 . A periphery of the inner surface  30  is provided with plural locking holes  34  which are locked correspondingly with the locking pillars  27 . 
     The lock body  4  is disposed at a position where the upper installation base  21  splits with the lower installation base  31 , and is formed by a lock core  40  and a lock base  41 . An end of the lock core  40  is provided with a key hole  401 , and the other end of the lock core  40  is provided with a convex axle  44 . The key hole  401  is laterally connected with plural bead grooves  402 , and each bead groove  402  contains a spring  42  and a bead column  43 . 
     A side of the lock bolt base  5  is provided with a lock bolt  51  which contains a through-hole  52 ; whereas, the other side of the lock bolt base  5  is provided with a notch  53 , and two sides of the notch  53  are provided respectively with a correspondingly a latching hole  54 . 
     A rear side of the lower sliding base  6  is provided with a left sliding block  61  and a right sliding block  62 . A center at a front side of the lower sliding base  6  is provided with a front sliding block  63 , and the left sliding block  61  is disposed between the second container slot  23  and the second lower container slot  33 . An inner side of the left sliding block  61  is concaved with an arc-shaped slot  611 , and a top of the left sliding block  61  is provided with a second spring slot  612  and a second guide slot  613 . The second spring slot  612  contains a second spring S2, and the second guide slot  613  is latched with the second guide rail  233 . The right sliding block  62  is disposed between the first container slot  22  and the first lower container slot  32 , and an inner side of the right sliding block  62  is concaved with an arc-shaped slot  621 . A top of the right sliding block  62  is provided with a first spring slot  622  and a first guide slot  623 . The first spring slot  622  contains a first spring S1, and the first guide slot  623  is latched with the first guide rail  223 . A top of the front sliding block  63  is provided with a sheathing slot  631  which provides for sheathing and linking with the convex axle  44  of the lock core  40 . 
     The steel balls C are forced to move by the lower sliding base  6 , sliding in the arc-shaped slots  611 ,  621 , the right semi-circular slot  222 , the left semi-circular slot  232  and the through-hole  52  of the lock bolt base  5 . 
     A top of the upper sliding block  7  is provided with a third spring slot  71  and a third guide slot  72 . The third spring slot  71  contains a third spring S3, and the third guide slot  72  is latched with the middle guide rail  241 . 
     The foldable lock rod set B is formed by plural lock rods  8 , plural pivoting sheaths  83 ,  85 , plural protective covers  84 ,  86  and plural bolts  87  (as shown in  FIGS. 3 ,  8 ,  9  and  10 ). 
     The lock rod  8  is made of a flexible and elastic material, constituted by at least a metallic wire  81  enclosed by an outer layer  82 . Two ends of the metallic wire  81  are protruded out of two ends of the outer layer  82 , forming a joint section  811 . 
     A side of the pivoting sheath  83 ,  85  is provided with a first sheathing section  831 ,  851 . The first sheathing section  831 ,  851  is provided at least with a first sheath hole  832 ,  852  for insertion and fixing with the joint section  811 . The other side of the pivoting sheath  83 ,  85  is provided with a first pivoting section  833 ,  853  which contains a first perforation  834 ,  854 . 
     The protective cover  84 ,  86  is sheathed outside the pivoting sheath  83 ,  85 . A side of the protective cover  84 ,  86  is provided with a second sheathing section  841 ,  861  which is provided with a second sheath hole  842 ,  862  for insertion and fixing with the pivoting sheath  83 ,  85 . The other side of the protective cover  84 ,  86  is provided with a second pivoting section  843 ,  863  which is provided with a second perforation  844 ,  864 . 
     The bolts  87  are transfixed into the first perforations  834 ,  854  and the second perforations  844 ,  864 , pivoting together two ends of every front and rear neighboring lock rod  8 , and pivoting one end of the lock rod  8  with the lock head A. 
     By the abovementioned elements, when locking an object (e.g. bicycle), each lock rod  8  of the foldable lock rod set B is first unfolded outward one by one (as shown in  FIG. 11 ), the object is then twined by an end of the lock rod  8  connecting the lock bolt base  5 , the lock bolt  51  of the lock bolt base  5  is next inserted into the lock bolt insertion hole  25  of the lock head A, the upper sliding block  7  is pushed forward to compress the third spring S3, and the steel balls C are forced into the through-hole  52  of the lock bolt  51 . At this time, the lock core  40  is rotated by a key K to lock. When the lock core  40  rotates, the convex axle  44  that is sheathed in the sheathing slot  631  of the front sliding block  63  will drive and push the lower sliding base  6  outward, and the first spring S1 and the second spring S2 will no longer be compressed and will increase a force that pushes the lower sliding base  6  outward with elasticity. On the other hand, the arc-shaped slots  611 ,  621  will close the steel balls C in the through-hole  52  due to displacement, and then the key K is withdrawn from the key hole  401 , thereby accomplishing the locking operation (as shown in  FIG. 6  and  FIG. 7 ). 
     When unlocking the object, the key K is first inserted into the key hole  401  to rotate the lock core  40 . When the lock core  40  rotates, the convex axle  44  that is sheathed in the sheathing slot  631  of the front sliding block  63  will drive the lower sliding base  6  to move inward and compress the first spring S1 and the second spring S2 to indent, and by the guidance of the arc-shaped slots  611 ,  621 , the steel balls C will not clamp the upper sliding block  7 . The third spring S3 will push the lock bolt base  5  outward with elasticity, enabling the lock bolt base  5  to escape from the lock bolt insertion hole  25  of the lock head A, which accomplishes the unlocking operation. Next, each lock rod  8  of the foldable lock rod set B is folded inward one by one (as shown in  FIG. 8 ) to facilitate collecting. 
     When assembling the foldable lock rod set B, according to the present invention, the joint section  811  of each lock rod  8  is first inserted into the pivoting sheath  83 ,  85  and then sheathed into the protective cover  84 ,  86 , enabling the first perforation  834 ,  854  to be located at a corresponding position of the second perforation  844 ,  864 . The protective cover  84 ,  86  will enclose the pivoting sheath  83 ,  85 , and then an end of two neighboring lock rods  8  is folded with respect to each other. Next, the bolt  87  is transfixed into the first perforation  834  and the second perforation  844 , and the lock rods  8  are then riveted and pivoted. Furthermore, the first perforation  854  and the second perforation  864  at an end of the outermost lock rod  8  of the foldable lock rod set B, pivoting with the lock head A, are aligned with the latching hole  261  of the outer shell  2  and the latching hole  54  of the lock bolt base  5 . The bolt  87  is then transfixed, and the outermost lock rod  8 , the outer shell  2  and the lock bolt base  5  are riveted and pivoted. In addition, a rotatable pivoting point can be formed to unfold outward or collect inward the foldable lock rod set B. 
     It is of course to be understood that the embodiments described herein is merely illustrative of the principles of the invention and that a wide variety of modifications thereto may be effected by persons skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.