Patent Publication Number: US-9428941-B1

Title: Padlock with a removable shackle

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a padlock, and especially relates to a padlock with a removable shackle. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     The locking devices are various and have different sizes and structures to provide for the users to select. The shackle of the locking device which is for limiting or releasing provides to lock the objects. Since the objects have different sizes and shapes, the shackles also have different sizes and shapes which corresponds to the objects. Please reference to Taiwanese patent no. M401045 (A Piezoelectric Sensing Padlock) and M494820 (Sensing Padlock). 
     In order to correspond to the objects with bigger sizes, a flexible shackle which is made by a steel rope is disclosed, please reference to Taiwanese patent no. 4024828 and 507808. The shackle made by the flexible steel rope is capable for applying to the objects with various sizes. 
     However, the conventional shackle is the single size and standard and designed to be a limiting structure which is unable to be removed. Therefore, the shackle cannot be replaced to correspond to objects with the different sizes and shapes. The applicability is limited. 
     Because the conventional shackle is the single size and standard and designed to be a limiting structure which is unable to be removed, and the shackle cannot be replaced to correspond to objects with the different sizes and shapes so that the applicability is limited. The consumers need to buy many padlocks whose shackles have different sizes and shapes to correspond to the objects with different sizes and shapes. The money is wasted and the padlocks are hard to be accepted by the consumers. 
     In view of the foregoing circumstances, the inventor has invested a lot of time to study the relevant knowledge, compare the pros and cons, research and develop related products. After quite many experiments and tests, the “padlock with a removable shackle” of this invention is eventually launched to improve the foregoing shortcomings, to meet the public use. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The conventional padlock has the shackle with only one standard size and the applicability is limited. The user needs to buy many padlocks whose shackles have various standards to resulting in wasting money. It will be harder and harder accepted by consumers in the market. The above mentioned problems need to be solved. 
     An object of this invention is providing a padlock with a removable shackle. The shackle may be removed and then replaced by another one with different size or shape. It is capable for applying to the objects with various sizes. The applicability is much more wider. 
     Another object of this invention is providing a padlock with a removable shackle. The consumers do not need to buy the shackles with different standards to cooperate with different objects to prevent from wasting money and further the padlock may be accepted by the consumers much more. 
     In order to achieve above mentioned effects, a padlock with a removable shackle is provided. The padlock may comprise a housing, having a front cover and a rear cover, the rear cover is pivoted at the front cover and capable for pivotably opening and closing relative to the front cover, a cavity is defined by the front cover and the rear cover while they are closed together, one side of the rear cover corresponding to the front cover has a sliding groove, an outer wall of one side of the rear cover corresponding to the sliding groove has a through hole and a locking hole which are communicated with the sliding groove, a penetrating groove is formed at a side wall of the sliding groove connected with the cavity and the penetrating groove is fluidly communicated with the sliding groove; a shackle, having a pivoting portion and a locking portion connected with each other, the pivoting portion is passing through the through hole and moved toward the cavity, and the locking portion is separated from or locked at the housing through moving the pivoting portion; a locking member, having a hook portion and a locking end, the locking member is slidably arranged in the sliding groove, and the locking end is limited by or separated from the locking portion of the shackle; and a limiting set, having a limiting member and a releasing member, the limiting member includes an entry slot, an embedded end, and an inclined surface, the inclined surface is connected with a side wall of the entry slot, the limiting member is slidably arranged in the sliding groove, the embedded end is limited by or separated from the pivoting portion of the shackle, a pushing inclined plane is arranged at the releasing member corresponding to the inclined surface, the releasing member is slidably arranged in the penetrating groove and inserted into the entry slot of the limiting member; wherein the pushing inclined plane is against the inclined surface and then the limiting member is pushed by the pushing inclined plane to separate from or limit the pivoting portion. 
     The padlock further comprises a spring. The spring is located in the sliding groove and arranged between the locking member and the limiting member, and two ends of the spring are respectively against the locking member and the limiting member. 
     In some embodiments, the housing further has a covering plate, the sliding groove is covered by the covering plate, the covering plate has a limiting groove, one side of the locking member corresponding to an opening of the sliding groove has a neck portion and a stirring portion, the neck portion is engaged with the limiting groove, and the stirring portion is exposed outside the covering plate. 
     In some embodiments, the rear cover has at least one arm, a combination lock set is arranged at the front cover and located in the cavity, the combination lock set has at least one block corresponding to the arm, and the combination lock set controls the arm to lock or unlock the block. 
     In some embodiments, the pivoting portion of the shackle has a limiting annular groove, the embedded end of the limiting member is engaged with the limiting annular groove, the locking portion has a locking annular groove, and the locking end of the locking member is engaged with the locking annular groove. 
     In some embodiments, the shackle is a flexible steel rope. 
     The various objectives and advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the appended drawing. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a padlock with a removable shackle of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the padlock of the present invention while the front cover is opened; 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded view of a rear cover of the padlock of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of a shackle of the padlock of the present invention while the shackle is locked; 
         FIG. 5  is an operational view of the shackle of the padlock of the present invention while the shackle is unlocked; 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of the shackle of the padlock of the present invention while the shackle is unlocked; 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of the shackle of the padlock of the present invention while the shackle is limited; 
         FIG. 8  is an operational view of the shackle of the padlock of the present invention while the shackle is released; and 
         FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view of the padlock of the present invention while replacing other different shackle. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     To describe clearly that the present invention achieves the foregoing objective and function, the technical features and desired function are described with reference to a preferred embodiment and accompanying drawings. 
     Please reference to  FIGS. 1 to 4 , a padlock with a removable shackle of the present invention may comprise a housing  1 , a shackle  3 , a locking member  4 , and a limiting set  5 . The housing  1  has a front cover  11  and a rear cover  12 . The rear cover  12  is pivoted at the front cover  11  and capable for pivotably opening and closing relative to the front cover  11 . A cavity  13  is defined by the front cover  11  and the rear cover  12  while they are closed together. One side of the rear cover  12  which is corresponding to the front cover  11  has a sliding groove  122 . An outer wall of one side of the rear cover  12  which is corresponding to the sliding groove  122  has a through hole  123  and a locking hole  124  which are communicated with the sliding groove  122 . A penetrating groove  125  is formed at a side wall of the sliding groove  122  which is connected with the cavity  13  and the penetrating groove  125  is fluidly communicated with the sliding groove  122 . The shackle  3  has a pivoting portion  31  and a locking portion  32  which are connected with each other. The pivoting portion  31  is passing through the through hole  123  and moved toward the cavity  13 . The locking portion  32  is separated from or locked at the housing  1  through moving the pivoting portion  31 . The locking member  4  has a hook portion  41  and a locking end  42 . The locking member  4  is slidably arranged in the sliding groove  122 . The locking end  42  is limited by or separated from the locking portion  32  of the shackle  3 . The limiting set  5  has a limiting member  51  and a releasing member  52 . The limiting member  51  includes an entry slot  511 , an embedded end  512 , and an inclined surface  513 . The inclined surface  513  is connected with a side wall of the entry slot  511 . The limiting member  51  is slidably arranged in the sliding groove  122 . The embedded end  512  is limited by or separated from the pivoting portion  31  of the shackle  3 . A pushing inclined plane  521  is arranged at the releasing member  52  and corresponding to the inclined surface  513 . The releasing member  52  is slidably arranged in the penetrating groove  125  and inserted into the entry slot  511  of the limiting member  51 . Therefore, the pushing inclined plane  521  is against the inclined surface  513  and then the limiting member  51  is pushed by the pushing inclined plane  521  to separate from or limit the pivoting portion  31 . (The above mentioned embodiment is the main skill feature of this invention and corresponds to the claim  1  of this invention to understand the objective and embodiments of this invention in detail. And the skill features of the depending claims are for describing the claim  1  in detail or adding more skill features, but not limited thereto. It should be known that the claim  1  is not necessary to include the skill features of the depending claims.) 
     In  FIGS. 1 to 4 , the padlock of the present invention may further comprise a spring  7 . The spring  7  is located in the sliding groove  122  and arranged between the locking member  4  and the limiting member  51 . Two ends of the spring  7  are respectively against the locking member  4  and the limiting member  51 . The housing  1  may further have a covering plate  8 . The sliding groove  122  is covered by the covering plate  8 . The covering plate  8  has a limiting groove  81 . One side of the locking member  4  which is corresponding to an opening of the sliding groove  122  has a neck portion  43  and a stirring portion  44 . The neck portion  43  is engaged with the limiting groove  81  and the stirring portion  44  is exposed outside the covering plate  8 . The rear cover  12  has at least one arm  121 . A lock set  2  is arranged at the front cover  11  and located in the cavity  13 . The lock set  2  has at least one block  22  which is corresponding to the arm  121 . The lock set  2  may control the arm  121  to lock or unlock the block  22 . The pivoting portion  31  of the shackle  3  has a limiting annular groove  311 . The embedded end  512  of the limiting member  5  is engaged with the limiting annular groove  311 . The locking portion  32  has a locking annular groove  321 . The locking end  42  of the locking member  4  is engaged with the locking annular groove  321 . The shackle  3  may be a flexible steel rope. 
     According to above mentioned structure, the lock set  2 , shown as in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , may be a combination lock set, but not limited thereto. When in operation, the locking set  2  which is arranged at the front cover  11  of the housing  1  must be unlocked first to make the block  22  separate from the arm  121 . After the front cover  11  is pivoted and opened relative to the rear cover  12 , the shackle  3  is ready to be unlocked. 
     Please refer to  FIGS. 4 to 6 . In  FIG. 4 , the locking end  42  of the locking member  4  is pushed to the locking hole  124  of the rear cover  12  and the locking annular groove  321  of the locking portion  32  which is inserted into the locking hole  124  is against and locked at the shackle  3  since two ends of the spring  7  are respectively against the locking member  4  and the limiting member  51 . In  FIG. 5 , the locking member  4  is engaged within the limiting groove  81  of the covering plate  8  and the stirring portion  44  is exposed outside the limiting groove  81 . When the stirring portion  44  is stirred along the direction of the arrow shown as in  FIG. 5 , the locking end  42  of the locking member  4  is disengaged with the locking annular groove  321  of the shackle  3  shown as in  FIG. 6  and the shackle  3  may be pulled out along the direction of the arrow in  FIG. 6 . 
       FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of the shackle of the padlock of the present invention while the shackle is limited. Because two ends of the spring  7  are respectively against the locking member  4  and the limiting member  51 , the embedded end  512  of the limiting member  51  is normally pushed into the through hole  123  of the rear cover  12  so that the embedded end  512  is pushed into the limiting annular groove  311  while the pivoting portion  31  of the shackle  3  is pulled out from the through hole  123 . Therefore, the shackle  3  cannot separate from the rear cover  12  due the limitation assembly. 
       FIG. 8  is an operational view of the shackle of the padlock of the present invention while the shackle is released.  FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view of the padlock of the present invention while replacing other different shackle. The releasing member  52  is slidably arranged at the penetrating groove  125  to insert into the entry slot  511  of the limiting member  51  and the pushing inclined plane  521  of the releasing member  52  is corresponding to the inclined surface  513  of the limiting member  51 . When the releasing member  52  is pushed along the direction of the arrow shown as in  FIG. 8 , the pushing inclined plane  521  is contacted with the inclined surface  513  to push the limiting member  51 . The embedded end  512  is separated from the limiting annular groove  311  to release the pivoting portion  31  of the shackle  3 . The shackle  3  may be detached from the rear cover  12 . In  FIG. 9 , another shackle  30  which has different size from the shackle  3  may be installed in the through hole  123  and the locking hole  124  of the rear cover  12 . It shows that the padlock is capable for applying to the objects with various sizes. 
     The shackle  3  may be removable passing through and limited by the pivoting portion  31  of the rear cover  12  since the embedded end  512  is slidably arranged at one end of the limiting member  51  of the rear cover  12 . The shackle  3  may be replaced with various sizes and capable for applying to the objects with various sizes. The consumers do not need to the shackles with different standards to cooperate with different objects to prevent from wasting money and further the padlock may be accepted by the consumers much more. And the applicability of the padlock with the removable shackle is much wider. 
     The foregoing descriptions are merely the exemplified embodiments of the present invention, where the scope of the claim of the present invention is not intended to be limited by the embodiments. Any equivalent embodiments or modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention are therefore intended to be embraced. 
     The disclosed structure of the invention has not appeared in the prior art and features efficacy better than the prior structure which is construed to be a novel and creative invention, thereby filing the present application herein subject to the patent law.