Patent Publication Number: US-2007107476-A1

Title: Laminated Padlock

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION  
      1. Field of Invention  
      The present invention relates to a kind of lock, and more particularly, relates to a kind of laminated padlock having a reinforced and improved striking mechanism for effectively managing an operation of the shackle with respect to the lock body so as to substantially prolong the life span of the laminated padlock.  
      2. Description of Related Arts  
      A lock is a mechanical fastening device which may be used everywhere since it provides people with a sense of security. It is not surprised that a variety of locks are used on doors, vehicles, containers, or any means to be opened, wherein the padlock is one of the most common locks in routine applications. Ordinarily, a padlock comprises a lock body, a shackle moveably mounted onto the lock body to form a loop retaining an object in position, and a cylinder received into the lock body for maneuvering a releasing operation of the shackle, etc.  
      Commonly, the lock body of the padlock is prepared by an integral metal, wherein a cylinder cavity and a pair of shackle hole are defined onto the top side of lock body for respectively receiving the lock cylinder and two shackle legs. Seemingly, such kind of padlock has a relatively simpler structure to be assembled in practice. However, since the lock body is made of an integral metal block, defining an optimal shape of such cylinder cavity or shackle holes would be time consuming and mechanically challenging. Therefore, people introduced a new type of laminated padlock for replacing conventional padlock, wherein the lock body of the laminated padlock comprises a plurality of metal plates laminated together for forming a lock body. Accordingly, each individual metal plate could be purposely shaped and through-carved with openings so as to ensure the cylinder cavity to be perfectly designed.  
      As shown in  FIG. 1 , one of the most important elements of the laminated padlock is the striking chip A, which is provided within a striking plate B. A resilient element C is positioned against one side of the striking chip A for biasing the striking chip A. Commonly, a conventional padlock is operated in such a manner, when a correct key is inserted into the lock cylinder for driving a cylinder core into rotation, an activating element coupled to the lock cylinder would be subsequently actuated thus forcing the striking chip into action. One leg of the shackle is provided with an engaging groove for receiving the extended striking chip stuck therein so as to interlock the shackle from being released.  
      However, the resilient element C is ordinarily embodied as a curve-shaped spring steel, wherein one end of the spring steel is biasing against a side edge of the striking chip A, while another end and the curve portion of the spring steel are respectively positioned two corners of the striking plate B. Due to the fact that the padlock would be repeatedly locked and released in operations, the strength of the spring steel must be intensified for ensuring a consistent performance after an extended service of such padlock. However, after hundreds of thousands of the operations, the fatigue grade of the spring steel would be more or less degraded thus deteriorating the life span of the padlock.  
      On the other hand, the spring steel is defined as an irregular curved shape, the biasing force applied onto the striking chip A would be difficult to be controlled with an evenly distributed force. Most of the time, the striking chip would not be operated with a smooth manner, thus unnecessarily increasing the friction force between the striking chip A and the inner wall of the striking plate B. It is necessary to improve the conventional laminated padlock.  
     SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION  
      A primary object of the present invention is to provide a laminated padlock, wherein the striking chip and striking plate structure is redesigned so as to ensure the biasing force applied onto the striking chip are evenly distributed, such at the movement between the striking chip and the striking plate would be smoothed in applications.  
      Another object of the present invention is to provide a laminated padlock having a pair of striking chips orientated with opposite direction for simultaneously locking two legs of the shackle in position thus ensuring the padlock more reliable in applications.  
      Another object of the present invention is to provide a laminated padlock having an improved striking structure for not only prolonging the life span of the padlock, but also for strengthening the anti-breaking function.  
      Another object of the present invention is to provide a laminated padlock having an improved striking structure, wherein the convention curved shaped steel spring will be replaced with elongated resilient members, while the reciprocal movement of the striking chip would not be affected in applications.  
      Another object of the present invention is to provide a laminated padlock having an improved striking structure to eliminate the likelihood of striking chips being over fractioned, stuck or snapped within the striking plates.  
      Another object of the present invention is to provide a laminated padlock having an improved striking structure, wherein two striking plates are separated with strengthened enhancement plate for further intensifying the overall safety of the padlock.  
      Another object of the present invention is to provide a laminated padlock having an improved striking structure, wherein no complicated structures or expensive elements would be required to achieve above mentioned objects.  
      Accordingly, to achieve above mentioned objects, the present invention provides a laminated padlock, comprising:  
      a lock body comprising a plurality of hollow body panels overlapped with each other to form a receiving cavity therein;  
      a cylinder unit comprising a cylinder barrel supported in the receiving cavity and a cylinder core, having a key slot for a corresponding key inserting thereinto, rotatably disposed within the cylinder barrel between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein at the locked position, the cylinder core is normally locked in the cylinder barrel to lock up a rotation movement of the cylinder core, and at the unlocked position, the cylinder core is allowed to be freely rotated within the cylinder barrel when the corresponding key is slidably inserted into the key slot; and  
      a latching arrangement, comprising:  
      a shackle having a sliding end portion slidably mounted to the lock body in a longitudinal direction and a locking end portion arranged in such a manner that when the sliding end portion of the shackle is slid into the lock body, the locking end portion of the shackle is coupled with the lock body to form a closed loop;  
      a first latch slidably supported in said receiving cavity in a transverse direction to lock with the locking end portion of the shackle when the locking end portion of the shackle is coupled with the lock body, wherein the first latch is driven to slide inwardly when the cylinder core is rotated within the cylinder barrel to release the locking end portion of the shackle from the first latch so as to allow the shackle being pulled upwardly to form an open loop;  
      a second latch which is releasably lock at the sliding end portion of the shackle and is slidably supported in the receiving cavity in a transverse direction opposite to the first latch, wherein the second latch is driven to slide inwardly concurrently to the first latch when the cylinder core is rotated within the cylinder barrel to release the sliding end portion of the shackle from the second latch; and  
      means for applying an urging force against the first and second latch to normally push the first latch to engage with the locking end portion of the shackle.  
      These and other objectives, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a top view of a striking unit according to a prior art.  
       FIG. 2  is a front view of a laminated padlock according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of the laminated padlock according to above preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 4A  is a sectional view of the laminated padlock according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 4B  is a front view of the latching arrangement according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 5A  is an exploded perspective view of the latching arrangement according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 5B  is a schematic view of the latching arrangement according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 6A  is a perspective view of the cylinder unit of the above preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 6B  is exploded perspective view of the cylinder unit of the above preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
      Referring to  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 6 , a laminated padlock according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. The laminated padlock  1  comprises a lock body  10 , which is prepared by a plurality of hollow body panels  101  overlapped with each other to form a receiving cavity  102  therein.  
      The laminated padlock  1  further comprises a shackle  20 , having two legs, moveably mounted to the lock body  10  for defining a locking loop between the lock body  10  and the shackle  20  so as to secure an object therebetween.  
      The laminated padlock  1  comprises a cylinder unit  30  comprising a cylinder barrel  31  supported in the receiving cavity  102  and a cylinder core  311 , having a key slot for a corresponding key inserting thereinto, rotatably disposed within the cylinder barrel  31  between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein at the locked position, the cylinder core  311  is normally locked in the cylinder barrel  31  to lock up a rotation movement of the cylinder core  311 , and at the unlocked position, the cylinder core  311  is allowed to be freely rotated within the cylinder barrel  31  when the corresponding key is slidably inserted into the key slot.  
      Accordingly, the laminated padlock  1  comprises a cylinder unit  30  received within the receiving cavity  102 . The cylinder unit  30  comprises a cylinder barrel  31 , a cylinder core  311  rotatably received within the cylinder barrel  31 , wherein the cylinder core  311  has a key slot for inserting a key to rotate the cylinder core  311  with respect to the cylinder barrel  31  between a locking position and a releasing position, and an activating member  32  coupled to the cylinder core  311  to be synchronously rotated along with the cylinder core  311 .  
      Furthermore, the laminated padlock comprises a latching arrangement  40 , comprising a shackle  20  having a sliding end portion slidably mounted to the lock body  10  in a longitudinal direction and a locking end portion arranged in such a manner that when the sliding end portion of the shackle is slid into the lock body  10 , the locking end portion of the shackle is coupled with the lock body to form a closed loop.  
      The latching arrangement  40  further comprises a first latch  401  slidably supported in the receiving cavity  102  in a transverse direction to lock with the locking end portion of the shackle  20  when the locking end portion of the shackle is coupled with the lock body  10 , wherein the first latch  401  is driven to slide inwardly when the cylinder core is rotated within the cylinder barrel  31  to release the locking end portion of the shackle  20  from the first latch  401  so as to allow the shackle  20  being pulled upwardly to form an open loop.  
      Moreover, the latching arrangement  40  comprises a second latch  402  which is releasably lock at the sliding end portion of the shackle and is slidably supported in the receiving cavity  102  in a transverse direction opposite to the first latch  401 , wherein the second latch  402  is driven to slide inwardly concurrently to the first latch  401  when the cylinder core  311  is rotated within the cylinder barrel  31  to release the sliding end portion of the shackle  20  from the second latch  402 .  
      The latching arrangement  40  further comprises means for applying an urging force against the first and second latch  401 ,  402  to normally push the first latch  401  to engage with the locking end portion of the shackle.  
      According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the hollow body panel  102  could be defined to have a variety of shapes, such as rectangle shape, oval shape, round shape, etc. In the preferred embodiment, the hollow body panels  102  are oval shaped. As shown in  FIG. 3 , the lock body  10  comprises a plurality of hollow body panels overlapped together, respectively, a top panel  11 , a protection panel  12 , a first latching panel  403 , a first separation panel  405 , a second latching panel  404 , a second separation panel  406 , an activating member positioning panel  407 , a cylinder ridge stopper panel  408 , a cylinder positioning panel  409 , a cylinder end panel  410 , and a bottom panel  411 .  
      Accordingly, to ensure that the plurality of the hollow body panels  102  easily laminated together, the edges of each hollow body panel are unexceptionally provided a plurality of through holes  13  defined thereon. As a result, when such plurality of hollow body panels  102  are stacked together to form the lock body  10 , the through holes  13  respectively defined on different hollow body panels are aligned together to form a plurality of longitudinal channels for receiving rivets  14  so as to reinforce the lock body  10  in applications.  
      As shown in  FIG. 3 , the top panel  11 , as its name implied, is provided at an upper position and defined to have two receiving slots  111 ,  112  for receiving two end portions of the shackle  20 . A plurality of through holes  13  is symmetrically defined onto the hollow body panels at a position close to edges for penetrating the above mentioned rivets  14 . The protection panel  12  is positioned between the top panel  11  and the first latching panel  403  for preventing a burglar or intruder from damaging the latch panels by a drill or similar means. Preferably, the protection panel  12  is made of hardened carbonized steel. Accordingly, two receiving slots  121 ,  122  and correspondingly mated through holes  13  are defined onto the protection panel as well.  
      According to the preferred embodiment, the urging means comprises first and second resilient units  41  transversely and spacedly supported in the receiving cavity  102  for pushing the first and second latch panels  401 ,  402  towards the locking end portion and the sliding end portion of the shackle  20  respectively. Here, the first and second latches  401 ,  402  are two latch panels respectively and spacedly slid within the receiving cavity  102  in an opposed transverse direction. In the present invention, each of the first and second resilient units  41  comprises two compression springs spacedly and transversely urging the respective latch to evenly distribute the urging force against the respective latch.  
      The first and second latching panels  403 ,  404  are correspondingly provided under the protection panel  12 , wherein each of the latching panels is formed with two slim sheet laminated together as shown in  FIG. 5A . It is noted that two latching panels  403 ,  404  are separated by the first separation panel  405 . Each of the latching plate  403 ,  404  is frame shaped to define a latching cavity, namely a first latching cavity  4031  and a second latching cavity  4041  therein, for respectively and correspondingly receiving the first latch panel and the second latch panel  402  in position. Understandably, the length of the latching cavity is longer than the length of the latch panel for permitting the latch panel longitudinally shifted within the latching cavity. It is worth to mention that two ends of the first latching cavity  4031  and the second latching cavity  4041  are purposely shaped for allowing the two end portions of the shackle  20  penetrating through. Furthermore, the first separation plate  405  is frame shaped longitudinally defining three continuous through holes, namely shackle through slots  4051 ,  4052  for penetrating two end portions of the shackle  20 , and activating member slot  4053  for receiving the activating member  32 .  
      As shown in  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 5 , the latching arrangement  40  is received in the first and second latching panel  403 ,  404 , wherein the latching arrangement  40  comprises the first latch  401 , a second latch  402  and at least two resilient units  41  biasing one end of the latch  401 ,  402 . Accordingly, the latches  401 ,  402  are correspondingly shaped to match the first and second latching cavity  4031 ,  4041 . Each of the latches has a through opening  4011 ,  4021  for respectively inserting into the activating member  32  of the cylinder unit  30 . It is noted that two outside ends of the latches, i.e. the ends engaged with the shackle end portions, are defined as free ends of the latches. On the other hand, there are two engaging slots  21 ,  22  respectively provided at two end portions of the shackle  20  for correspondingly receiving the inserting free ends of the latches while the cylinder core  311  is shifted into the locking position. And another end of the latches, which is opposite to the free end of such free end of the latches, is defined as supporting end.  
      Moreover, the urging means further comprises two at least a pair of holding pins  4013 ,  4023  spacedly extended from each of the first and second latches  401 ,  402  to substantially hold the two corresponding compression springs in position, so as to ensure the compression springs urging the first and second latches  401 ,  402 . Preferably, the pair of the holding pins  4013 ,  4023  are sidewardly and integrally projected from the supporting end of latch, wherein the resilient unit  41  is sleeved onto the holding pins for retaining the striking chip within the striking cavity in position. To ensure the resilient unit  41  apply an evenly distributed biasing force, two supporting pin are symmetrically and spacedly provided at the support edge of the striking chip. It is worth to mention that the resilient unit  41 , i.e. compression spring, is made of high intensity materials, preferably, phosphoretic steel. That is to say, each of the resilient unit  41  has a supporting end sleeved onto the holding pin while another end biasing against the side wall of the latching cavity. By adjusting the strength of the resilient unit  41 , a user is able to control the latching effect of the latch with a balanced manner.  
      That is to say, when the cylinder core  311  is shifted into the locking position, the two latches are outwardly extended to snap onto the two end portions of the shackle  20 . When the cylinder core  311  is shifted into the releasing position, two latch panels respectively received within two striking plates are activated to approach with each other thus disengaging from the shackle.  
      As shown in  FIG. 4A , the first latch  401  and the second latch  402  are oppositely orientated, wherein each of the free end of the latches are outwardly orientated towards the end portions of the shackle  20 . The first latch  401  is disposed at the right side of the first latching panel  403 , while the second latching panel  402  is disposed at the left side of the second latching panel. As a result, when the cylinder core  311  is shifted to the locking position, the first and second latches are oppositely extended to insert into the shackle slot  21 ,  22  in position.  
      Furthermore, the latching arrangement  40  comprises a latch spacer  405  disposed within the receiving cavity  102  at a position between the first and second latches  401 ,  402  so as to create a moving space within the receiving cavity to allow the first and second latches  401 ,  402  transversely sliding therewith in an opposed direction.  
      As shown in  FIG. 6 , the cylinder unit  30  comprises a cylinder barrel  31  and an driving member  32  coupling between the cylinder core  311  and the latching arrangement  40 , wherein the cylinder  30  is a conventional lock cylinder, and the driving member  32  is arranged in such a manner that when the cylinder core  311  is driven to rotate, the driving member  32  is capable of concurrently pulling the first and second latches  401 ,  402  to disengage with the locking end portion and the sliding end portion of the shackle respectively. Accordingly, there is a pin tumbler assembly  312  and a plurality of springs  313  provided within cylinder barrel  31  for associating the key-insertion-rotation function as conventional pin-tumbler lock.  
      Moreover, the driving member  32  comprises a supporting disc  321  coupled to the cylinder core  311  and an activating inserter  322  for driving the latches into action. The cylinder barrel  31  is positioned with the cylinder positioning panel  409 , cylinder end panel  410  and the bottom panel as shown in  FIG. 3 . It is noted that the cylinder positioning panel  409  further comprises an upper positioning plate and a lower positioning plate, each of which comprises a plurality of slim plates laminated together. And both the cylinder positioning panel and cylinder end panel have through slots defined thereon for insertion of the shackle end portions.  
      What is more, there is a cylinder cavity continuously defined at the cylinder positioning panel  409 , cylinder end panel  410  and the bottom panel  411  for accommodating the cylinder barrel  31 . That is to say, each of the cylinder positioning panel  409 , cylinder end panel  410  and the bottom panel  411  has a cylinder through opening  4092 ,  4102 , and  4111  defined to be aligned together to form a cylinder accommodating channel. Furthermore, a reinforcement edge  41111  is provided circling around the cylinder through opening  4111  of the bottom plate  411 , wherein the reinforcement edge  41111  has a diameter greater than the diameter of the cylinder through opening  4111  so as to longitudinally retain the cylinder in position.  
      The supporting disc  321  is disposed within the cylinder ridge stopper plate  408 , and is coupled to the rotatable cylinder core  311 . The flat inserter  322  is adapted to penetrate the activating member positioning panel  407 , the second separation panel  406 , the second latching  404 , the first separation panel  405 , the first latch  401 , and the second latch  402  as shown in  FIG. 4A .  
      It is noted that the two side edges of the flat inserter  322  are respectively biasing against the inner wall of the through opening  4011 ,  4012 . When the cylinder core  311  is shifted into the releasing position, the flat inserter  322  would be rotated thus forcing two latches  401 ,  402  approached with each other so as to release the shackle end portions from the lock body. It is worth to mention that the one end portion is supported by a retaining spring  25  received within the lock body  10 , such that when the latches are disengaged from the shackle slot  21 ,  22 , the retaining spring  25  is capable of facilitating the shackle  20  spring out from the lock body  10 .  
      In other words, the shackle  20  is embodied as a U shaped body having two shackle legs, namely a primary leg having a longer size moveably penetrated through the plurality of shackle slots defined onto the plurality of panels. Accordingly, each of the shackle legs has a locking slot defined thereon for correspondingly mating with the free ends of the latches. Moreover, to ensure the shackle  20  still in loose connection with the lock body  10  when the cylinder core  311  is shifted into the releasing position, the primary leg of the shackle  20  further comprises a retaining shoulder  23  defined thereon. The shackle slot  4081  of the shackle plate has a relatively smaller diameter in comparison with the diameter of the retaining shoulder  23  for preventing the released shackle from jumping out from the lock body.  
      Each of the first and second latching panels  403 ,  404  comprises two identical metal sheets as shown in  FIG. 5A . And the first separation panel  405  is positioned between two latching panels.  
      As shown in  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 5A , each of the first latching panel  403  and the second latching panel  405  has a striking frame which is correspondingly mated with the latches  401  and  402 . The striking frame  4031 ,  4041  are rectangular shaped and each of which has a length and a width respectively covering the length of the latch. As a result, the latch is capable of being longitudinally shifted within the striking frame of the latching panel. Moreover, the shackle slots are defined penetrating the latching panel at two ends of the latching panel. And the first separation panel  405  has a continuous elongated through slot for simultaneously accommodating the two end portions of the shackle and the driving member  32 .  
      Referring to  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 5 , the latching arrangement  40  is received within the latching panel  403  and  404 . The first latch  401  and the second latch  402  are snugly received within the striking frames provided in the latching panel. Each of the latches has a through carved opening defined thereon for inserting the driving member  32  of the lock cylinder unit  30 .  
      Another end of the latch is defined as a free end positioned close to the two end portions of the shackle  20 . The free end is embodied as inserting end to be inserted into the shackle slot  21 ,  22  so as to lock up the shackle  20  in the locking position. Another end of the latch is retaining end retained by biasing means. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, two retaining members are outwardly and integrally projected from the latch. Or otherwise, the retaining members are mounted into the coupling cavities provided at the latches.  
      As shown in  FIG. 4A , the two latches  401 ,  402  are received within the latching panel for biasing the frame wall towards the shackle. It is noted that the biasing force of the latches could be purposely adjusted by altering the resilient unit strength. In the locking position, the first latch  401  and the second latch are opposedly biased to inserted into the shackle slots  21 ,  22  defined at two end portions of the shackle  20  for preventing the shackle  20  from being released from the lock body  10 .  
      That is to say, the first latch  401  and the second latch  402  are orientated with opposite direction, wherein the inserting end of the latch is orientated towards the shackle  20 . The first latch  401  is received within the first latching panel at a position close to the right side of the lock body  10 , and the second latch  402  is received within the second latching panel at a position close to the left side of the lock body.  
      One skilled in the art will understand that the embodiment of the present invention as shown in the drawings and described above is exemplary only and not intended to be limiting.  
      It will thus be seen that the objects of the present invention have been fully and effectively accomplished. Its embodiments have been shown and described for the purposes of illustrating the functional and structural principles of the present invention and is subject to change without departure form such principles. Therefore, this invention includes all modifications encompassed within the spirit and scope of the following claims.