Patent Abstract:
An adaptable lock mounting device featuring adaptability and flexibility of use is configured to couple with a vehicle frame and includes a mounting base to detachably couple with a coupling base or an assembly base as appropriate, wherein the coupling base is different from the assembly base. A portion of the mounting base is one of a sliding block and a corresponding sliding sleeve to be fitted around the sliding block, while each of a portion of the coupling base and a portion of the assembly base is the other of the sliding block and the corresponding sliding sleeve.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Technical Field 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a mounting device and more particularly to an adaptable lock mounting device configured to be mounted with a lock. 
       2. Description of Related Art 
       [0002]    There are many auxiliary locks for use with vehicles, including, for example, folding locks and curved-sectioned locks (as disclosed in Taiwan Patent No. 229678, entitled “transformable sectioned lock with curved members”). Related products include the “lock mounting device” disclosed in Taiwan Patent No. M509758. 
         [0003]    The afore-cited lock mounting device has a coupling member of a single configuration and therefore is applicable only to a specific portion of a vehicle frame or to vehicle frames of a particular specification. In other words, the lock mounting device has limited applications and lacks flexibility in terms of mounting. From a consumer&#39;s point of view, such a product is inconvenient to use; from a manufacturer&#39;s perspective, different molds must be designed in order to make products of different specifications, which leads to a high production cost and hinders reduction in product price. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    In view of the above, the inventor of the present invention provides an adaptable lock mounting device featuring high adaptability. The adaptable lock mounting device is configured to be mounted with a lock and couple with a vehicle frame, wherein the lock includes a lock cylinder and a keyhole in the lock cylinder. The adaptable lock mounting device includes a coupling base, a mounting base, and a fixing member. The coupling base includes a first coupling portion and a second coupling portion. The first coupling portion is a tubular portion configured to be fixedly mounted around a tubular portion of the vehicle frame. The mounting base includes a lock mounting portion and a linking portion. The lock mounting portion includes a fitting portion and an aperture in the fitting portion. The fitting portion is configured to be fitted around the lock cylinder such that the aperture corresponds to the keyhole. The linking portion is one of a sliding block and a corresponding sliding sleeve to be fitted around the sliding block, and the second coupling portion of the coupling base is the other of the sliding block and the corresponding sliding sleeve, in order for the mounting base to couple with the coupling base via the linking portion in a detachable manner. The fixing member is configured to connect the mounting base and the coupling base in a detachable manner. 
         [0005]    Preferably, the second coupling portion is the sliding block while the linking portion is the sliding sleeve. 
         [0006]    Preferably, the coupling base has a first coupling hole, the mounting base has a second coupling hole corresponding to the first coupling hole, and the fixing member is configured to pass through the first coupling hole and the second coupling hole. 
         [0007]    Preferably, the lock mounting portion includes two position-limiting portions and a lateral portion. The position-limiting portions are located on two sides of the lateral portion respectively, and the fitting portion is located at the lateral portion, such that a mounting space and an opening are defined between the position-limiting portions and the lateral portion. The mounting space is configured to be mounted with the lock. The opening corresponds to the lateral portion and is in communication with the mounting space. The direction in which the lateral portion and the opening extend is defined as a withdrawal direction. It is also preferable that a position-limiting member is movably connected to the lock mounting portion and corresponds to the opening. 
         [0008]    Preferably, the position-limiting member has one end pivotally connected to the mounting base and another end corresponding to the lock. 
         [0009]    The present invention also provides an adaptable lock mounting device configured to couple with a vehicle frame and including an assembly base in addition to the aforesaid mounting base and fixing member. The assembly base includes a third coupling portion and a fourth coupling portion. The third coupling portion has a plurality of coupling holes, each allowing passage of a coupling member in order for the coupling member to be locked to the vehicle frame. The linking portion of the mounting base is one of a sliding block and a corresponding sliding sleeve to be fitted around the sliding block, and the fourth coupling portion of the assembly base is the other of the sliding block and the corresponding sliding sleeve, in order for the mounting base to couple with the assembly base via the linking portion in a detachable manner. The fixing member is configured to connect the mounting base and the assembly base in a detachable manner. 
         [0010]    Preferably, the fourth coupling portion of the assembly base is the sliding block while the linking portion is the sliding sleeve. 
         [0011]    Preferably, the assembly base has a first coupling hole, the mounting base has a second coupling hole corresponding to the first coupling hole, and the fixing member is configured to pass through the first coupling hole and the second coupling hole. 
         [0012]    The foregoing technical features have the following advantageous effects: 
         [0013]    1. The lock mounting device features adaptability and flexibility in terms of assembly because the mounting base can be assembled to the coupling base or the assembly base as needed. In addition, the sliding block and the corresponding sliding sleeve (or sliding groove) facilitate assembly and detachment. 
         [0014]    2. Once the mounting base is detachably assembled to the coupling base or the assembly base, the fixing member can be passed through the first coupling hole and the second coupling hole to position the mounting base effectively and prevent the mounting base from getting loose. 
         [0015]    3. The position-limiting member serves to block the lock so that the lock will not separate from the mounting base. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]      FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of the mounting base in  FIG. 1  but is taken from a different viewpoint; 
           [0018]      FIG. 1B  is a plan view of the mounting base in  FIG. 1A ; 
           [0019]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing the embodiment in  FIG. 1  mounted on a vehicle frame via the coupling base; 
           [0020]      FIG. 3A  is an exploded sectional top view showing how the embodiment in  FIG. 1  is mounted to a vehicle frame via the coupling base; 
           [0021]      FIG. 3B  is a sectional top view showing the embodiment in  FIG. 1  mounted on a vehicle frame via the coupling base; 
           [0022]      FIG. 4A  is an exploded sectional side view showing how the embodiment in  FIG. 1  is mounted to a vehicle frame via the coupling base; 
           [0023]      FIG. 4B  is a sectional side view showing the embodiment in  FIG. 1  mounted on a vehicle frame via the coupling base; 
           [0024]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view showing the embodiment in  FIG. 1  mounted on a vehicle frame via the assembly base; 
           [0025]      FIG. 6  is an exploded perspective view showing how the embodiment in  FIG. 1  is mounted to a vehicle frame via the assembly base; 
           [0026]      FIG. 7A  is an exploded sectional top view showing how the embodiment in  FIG. 1  is mounted to a vehicle frame via the assembly base; 
           [0027]      FIG. 7B  is a sectional top view showing the embodiment in  FIG. 1  mounted on a vehicle frame via the assembly base; 
           [0028]      FIG. 8A  is an exploded sectional side view showing how the embodiment in  FIG. 1  is mounted to a vehicle frame via the assembly base; and 
           [0029]      FIG. 8B  is a sectional side view showing the embodiment in  FIG. 1  mounted on a vehicle frame via the assembly base. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0030]    The present invention incorporates the foregoing technical features into an adaptable lock mounting device, whose major effects are detailed as follows. 
         [0031]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , the adaptable lock mounting device in an embodiment of the present invention is configured to be mounted with a lock A and couple with a vehicle frame B. The lock A includes a lock cylinder A 1  and a keyhole A 2  in the lock cylinder A 1 . The adaptable lock mounting device includes a coupling base  1 , an assembly base  2 , a mounting base  3 , and a fixing member  4 . 
         [0032]    The coupling base  1  includes a first coupling portion  11  and a second coupling portion  12 . The first coupling portion  11  is a tubular portion configured to be fixedly mounted around a tubular portion of the vehicle frame B. The assembly base  2  includes a third coupling portion  21  and a fourth coupling portion  22 . The third coupling portion  21  has a plurality of coupling holes  211 . A plurality of coupling members  212  can pass through the coupling holes  211  respectively and be fixed to the vehicle frame B. In this embodiment, the second coupling portion  12  and the fourth coupling portion  22  are sliding blocks but are not necessarily so; they may be sliding sleeves instead. 
         [0033]    With continued reference to  FIG. 1 , the mounting base  3  includes a lock mounting portion  31  and a linking portion  32 . The lock mounting portion  31  includes a fitting portion  311  and an aperture  312  in the fitting portion  311 . The fitting portion  311  is configured to be fitted around the lock cylinder A 1  such that the aperture  312  corresponds to the keyhole A 2 . More specifically, referring to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 1A , the lock mounting portion  31  further includes two position-limiting portions  313  and a lateral portion  314 . The position-limiting portions  313  tilt toward each other and are located on two opposite sides of the lateral portion  314  respectively. Also, the fitting portion  311  is located at the lateral portion  314 . Consequently, a mounting space  315  and an opening  316  are defined between the position-limiting portions  313  and the lateral portion  314 . The mounting space  315  is configured to be mounted with the lock A. The opening  316  corresponds to the lateral portion  314  and communicates with the mounting space  315 . The direction in which the lateral portion  314  and the opening  316  extend is defined as a withdrawal direction. Preferably, a position-limiting member  5  is further included, is movably (e.g., pivotally) connected to the lock mounting portion  31 , and corresponds to the opening  316  in order to block the lock A. 
         [0034]    As shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 1B , the linking portion  32  in this embodiment includes a sliding sleeve  320  but may include a sliding block instead. In the latter case, the second coupling portion  12  and the fourth coupling portion  22  should be configured as sliding sleeves corresponding to the sliding block. More specifically, the sliding sleeve  320  includes a pair of sidewalls  321  and a connecting portion  322  connecting the sidewalls  321  such that a sliding groove  323  is defined between the sidewalls  321  and the connecting portion  322 . Each sidewall  321  may be further extended with an engaging portion  324  opposite the connecting portion  322  in order to block the second coupling portion  12  or fourth coupling portion  22  in the sliding groove  323 . Preferably, the sidewalls  321  have a first coupling hole  3210 , the coupling base  1  further includes a positioning portion  13  and a second coupling hole  131 , and the assembly base  2  further includes a positioning portion  23  and a second coupling hole  231 . The positioning portions  13  and  23  correspond to the sidewalls  321 . The second coupling holes  131  and  231  are located in the positioning portions  13  and  23  respectively so that the fixing member  4  can pass through the first coupling hole  3210  and the second coupling hole  131  or  231 . It should be pointed out that the first coupling hole  3210  may be directly provided in the sliding sleeve  320 , and that the second coupling holes  131  and  231  may be directly provided in the second coupling portion  12  and the fourth coupling portion  22  respectively. With either arrangement, the mounting base  3  can be fixed to the coupling base  1  or the assembly base  2  just as well. 
         [0035]    In terms of use, referring to  FIG. 2 , a user may mount the mounting base  3  to a cylindrical bar B 1  of the vehicle frame B as follows. The mounting process begins by fixedly mounting the first coupling portion  11  of the coupling base  1  around the bar B 1 , as shown in  FIG. 3A  and  FIG. 3B . Then, the sliding groove  323  of the sliding sleeve  320  of the mounting base  3  is mated with the second coupling portion  12  of the coupling base  1  in a sliding manner. As a result, referring to  FIG. 4A  and  FIG. 4B , two opposite sides  121  of the second coupling portion  12  (which is implemented as a sliding block in this embodiment) correspond to the sidewalls  321  of the sliding sleeve  320  respectively, and the second coupling portion  12  is blocked by the engaging portions  324  of the linking portion  32 . Moreover, the first coupling hole  3210  of the mounting base  3  is aligned with the second coupling hole  131  of the coupling base  1 , allowing the fixing member  4  (e.g., a threaded locking member or a pin) to pass through the first coupling hole  3210  and the second coupling hole  131 , thereby fixing the mounting base  3  to the coupling base  1  securely. 
         [0036]    Alternatively, referring to  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6 , the user may mount the mounting base  3  to a non-cylindrical bar B 2  of the vehicle frame B and then place the lock A into the mounting space  315  of the mounting base  3 , with the lock cylinder A 1  fitted in the fitting portion  311  of the mounting base  3 . This mounting process starts by mounting the third coupling portion  21  of the assembly base  2  to the bar B 2  via the coupling members  212  (e.g., locking and connecting members). After that, referring to  FIG. 7A  and  FIG. 7B , the sliding groove  323  of the sliding sleeve  320  of the mounting base  3  is mated with the fourth coupling portion  22  (which is implemented as a sliding block in this embodiment) of the assembly base  2  in a sliding manner. Consequently, as shown in  FIG. 8A  and  FIG. 8B , two opposite sides  121  of the fourth coupling portion  22  correspond to the sidewalls  321  of the sliding sleeve  320  respectively, and the fourth coupling portion  22  is blocked by the engaging portions  324  of the linking portion  32 . Moreover, the first coupling hole  3210  of the mounting base  3  is aligned with the second coupling hole  231  of the assembly base  2 , allowing the fixing member  4  (e.g., a threaded locking member or a pin) to pass through the first coupling hole  3210  and the second coupling hole  231 , thereby fixing the mounting base  3  to the assembly base  2  securely. 
         [0037]    The embodiment described above is but a preferred one of the present invention and is not intended to be restrictive of the scope of the invention. All simple equivalent variations and modifications made according to the appended claims and the disclosure of this specification should fall within the scope of the invention.

Technology Classification (CPC): 4