Abstract:
A bag having a quick release zipper lock. The bag has an internal compartment with a zipper closure. A locking rod is secured to an inner side of the zipper slider of the zipper closure. A zipper lock is secured within the internal compartment at the closed end of the zipper closure which lockably receives the locking rod. A quick release mechanism has a pull release cord with an end disposed external to the internal compartment. A cable couples the quick release mechanism to the zipper lock. Whereby upon exerting a pulling force on the pull release cord, the zipper lock releases the locking rod so as to permit the zipper slider to be moved from the closed end toward the open end for accessing the internal compartment of the bag.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    Miniature padlocks which utilize a key or a combination lock are well known and frequently used on luggage, particularly luggage that is checked at airports, train stations and bus stations, to ensure the zippers on the luggage do not inadvertently open during handling and also to discourage theft of the contents of the luggage. To lock the bags, the shackle of the miniature padlock is inserted through the eyelets of the pull-tabs of abutting zipper sliders or alternatively the through the eyelet of a zipper pull-tab and a hoop secured at the end of the zipper 
         [0002]    Such miniature padlocks are also used to lock the zippers on backpacks, computer bags, satchels and purses to prevent the theft of the contents of such bags, but the use of such locks can be tedious, particularly if quick or frequent access to the contents of the bag is needed. As a result, users often choose not lock the zippers of such bags making the contents of the bag vulnerable to theft. Additionally, if the luggage or bag has multiple zippered compartments, a separate padlock is required for each zippered compartment making access to the various compartments even more tedious. Furthermore, the use of padlocks to secure the zippered compartments requires the user to maintain possession of one or more keys and/or to remember the combinations for the padlocks. 
         [0003]    To discourage or avoid theft of the bag contents, it is usually sufficient to simply make the zippers more difficult to unzip so the intended thief moves to an easier target. For example, it is a common practice of thieves to distract the bag owner while the thief alone, or with another conspiring thief, unzips the bag and removes an item from the bag while the owner has the bag over his or her shoulder or while the bag is sitting next to the owner. Another common practice among thieves, is to partially unzip a bag as one or more thieves walk past a target bag while it is being carried by the owner until it is sufficiently opened to allow one of the thieves to reach in and snatch an item from the bag. However, if the zipper is somehow secured such that it is not so easily unzipped, the thieves would be discouraged from targeting the bag and will likely move on to an easier target. 
         [0004]    Accordingly, there is a need for a lock for zippers on luggage, backpacks, computer bags, satchels, purses and the like which allows the zippers to be securely locked to prevent the zippers from inadvertently unzipping and/or to discourage or avoid theft of the contents therein, but which can be quickly unlocked when desired by the owner to gain access to any zippered compartment of the bag. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a bag in the form of a backpack incorporating a quick release zipper lock (not visible in  FIG. 1 ). 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  is the same perspective view of the bag of  FIG. 1 , but showing the body of the bag in phantom lines and illustrating an embodiment of a quick release zipper lock internal to the bag. 
           [0007]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the receiver and locking rod comprising the zipper lock with the zipper removed for clarity. 
           [0008]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the zipper lock as viewed along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 3 , with the zipper lock shown in the locked position. 
           [0009]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the zipper lock as viewed along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 3 , with the zipper lock shown in the locked position. 
           [0010]      FIG. 6  is the same cross-sectional view of the zipper lock of  FIG. 5  but showing the zipper lock in the unlocked position with the zipper partially unzipped. 
           [0011]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the quick release mechanism. 
           [0012]      FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view of the quick release mechanism as viewed along line  8 - 8  of  FIG. 7 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 9  is a partial rear view of the backpack of  FIG. 1  showing an embodiment of the release actuator comprising a pull release and schematically illustrating the operation of the pull release. 
           [0014]      FIG. 10  is a partial rear view of the backpack of  FIG. 1  showing an embodiment of the quick release actuator comprising a rotating knob. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]    Referring to the drawings wherein like reference numerals designate the same or corresponding elements throughout the several views,  FIG. 1  illustrates a bag  10  in the form of a backpack, incorporating a quick release zipper lock  100  which is substantially hidden from view in  FIG. 1 . Although the bag  10  is shown in  FIG. 1  in the form of a backpack, it should be understood that the bag  10  may be any size or shape bag having zippered compartments, including not only backpacks, but luggage, computer bags, satchels, purses, and the like (each hereinafter a “bag”). 
         [0016]    The bag  10  is shown as having multiple zippered compartments  14 , with the zipper closures  12  shown in the zipped or closed position. As best viewed in  FIG. 4 , the zippers  12  are conventional zippers comprising a slider  16  to which is secured a pull tab  18 . The slider  16  slides along the zipper chain  20  comprising mating chain halves  22 ,  24  of interlocking teeth  26  running along adjacently sides of the tape  28 ,  30 . The opposite sides of the tape  28 ,  30  are stitched or otherwise fixed to the material  32  comprising the body of the bag defining the compartments  14 . 
         [0017]      FIG. 2  is the same perspective view of the bag  10  as in  FIG. 1 , but showing the body of the bag  10  in phantom lines and illustrating an embodiment of the components comprising the quick release zipper lock  100  internal to the bag  10 . 
         [0018]    The quick release zipper lock  100  comprises one or more cables  110 , one or more zipper locks  120  and a release mechanism  150  having a release actuator  160 . 
         [0019]    In the embodiment illustrated a separate cable  110  is routed internally within the bag  10  between a each zipper lock  120  and the release mechanism  150 . It should be appreciated that the number of cables  110  and zipper locks  120  will vary depending on the number of zippered compartments  14  desired to be locked. The cables  110  are preferably similar to bicycle brake cables in which a cable rope  112  slides within a stationary sheath  114  secured to the zipper locks  120  and to the release mechanism  150 . 
         [0020]    An embodiment of the zipper lock  120  is illustrated in  FIGS. 3-6 , wherein  FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the zipper lock  120 ;  FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 3 ;  FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 3 ; and  FIG. 6  is the same view as  FIG. 5  but showing the zipper lock  120  in the unlocked position with the zipper  12  partially unzipped. The zipper lock  120  comprises a receiver  122  having an internal bore  124  which receives a locking rod  126  secured to the inner or underside of the zipper slider  16 . The locking rod  126  includes an annular recess  130  which aligns with an aperture  132  ( FIGS. 5 and 6 ) in the wall of the bore  124  when the locking rod  126  is fully received within the bore  124 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , a rocker  134  is pivotally secured within the receiver  122  by a pin  128 . One end of the rocker  134  is secured to the end of the cable rope  112  of the cable  110 . The other end of the rocker  134  includes a leg  142  positioned to extend into and retract from the aperture  132  in the bore  124  as the rocker  134  pivots about the pin  128  (as indicated by arrow  144 ) as the cable rope  112  extends and retracts. A spring  146  biases the rocker  132  such that the leg  142  is normally extended into the aperture  132  of the bore  124 . It should be appreciated that the sheath  114  of the cable  110  is attached to the receiver  122  such that the sheath  114  remains fixed with respect to the receiver  122  while the cable rope  112  is free to extended or retracted (as indicated by arrows  140 ) with respect to the stationary sheath  114 . 
         [0021]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the release mechanism  150 , which comprises a drum  152  within which is a rotatable shaft  154 . A series of spaced discs  158  are secured to the shaft  154  defining parallel compartments within the drum  152 . The other end of each of the cable ropes  112  extending from each of the zipper locks  120  passes through the wall of the drum  152  and is secured to the shaft  154  between the spaced discs  158 . The cable ropes  112  from each of the zipper locks  120  are spiral wound around the shaft  154  in the same direction and are biased in the direction as indicated by arrow  140  in  FIG. 5  by the spring  146  within the receiver  122  such that the leg  142  is received within the aperture  132  so as to be in the normally locked position. The shaft  154  may be spring loaded or biased, such as by a spiral coil spring  156  disposed within the drum  152  and secured at one end to the shaft  154  as is well known in the art, whereby the bias of the coil spring  156  cooperates with the bias of the spring  146  within the receiver  122 . It should also be appreciated that the sheaths  114  of each of the cables  110  are secured to the drum  152  such that the sheaths remain fixed to the drum  152  while the cable ropes  112  are free to wind and unwind around the shaft  154 . It should also be appreciated that the number of discs  158  may vary depending on the number of cables  110  and corresponding zipper locks  120  provided in the bag  10 . 
         [0022]    A release actuator  160  ( FIGS. 2, 7, 9 and 10 ) is provided to rotate the shaft  154  to cause the cable ropes  112  to each of the zipper locks to be pulled to release or unlock the zipper locks. In one embodiment as illustrated in  FIG. 9 , the release actuator  160  may be a pull release  162  comprising another cable  110  in which the cable rope  112  extends through the drum  152  and is fixed to the spring loaded shaft  154  and which is wound around the shaft in the same direction as the cable ropes  112  to the zipper locks  120 . Thus it should be appreciated that by pulling on the free end of the pull release, the shaft  154  is caused to rotate pulling on the cable ropes  112  as indicated by the arrows in  FIG. 9  and the arrow  140  in  FIG. 6  thereby rotating the rocker  134  and releasing the legs  142  from the recesses  130  of the locking rods  126  so that the zippers  12  may be unzipped. The free end of the pull release  162  may extend through a slot or opening  164  in the bag  10  such that it may be grasped and pulled by the user to unlock the zipper locks  120 . 
         [0023]    In an alternative embodiment as illustrated in  FIG. 10 , the actuator  160  may comprise a rotatable knob or lever  163  connected so as to rotate the shaft  154  as indicated by the arrows. Thus it should be appreciated that by rotating the knob  163 , the shaft  154  is caused to rotate pulling on the cable ropes as indicated by the arrows in  FIG. 10  and the arrow  140  in  FIG. 6  thereby rotating the rocker  134  and releasing the legs  142  from the recesses  130  in the locking rods  126  so that the zippers  12  may be unzipped. As with the pull cord  162 , the rotatable knob or lever may extend through a slot or opening in the bag  10  so it may be grasped and rotated by the user unlock the zipper locks  120 . 
         [0024]    It should also be appreciated that the actuator  160  is positioned such that it is normally hidden from view and not readily accessible by anyone other than the owner of the bag such that it will not be actuated to unlock the zippers unless intended to be actuated by the owner of the bag. For example, as shown in  FIG. 9 , with respect to the backpack embodiment and the actuator  160  illustrated as being a pull cord  162 , the free end of the pull cord  162  is positioned to extend through the slot opening  164  in the back wall of the backpack  10 , which will normally be hidden from view while the backpack is being worn. Thus, even assuming a thief knew that the backpack  10  was equipped with a quick release lock  100  (which is unlikely because the quick release lock  100  is substantially hidden from view), the owner of the bag would likely realize if a thief was attempting to reach between the bag  10  and the owner&#39;s back in order to actuate the actuator  160  by pulling on the pull cord  162  to gain access to the contents of the bag  10 . 
         [0025]    In use, the zippers  12  on each pocket  14  function in the same manner as any other zipper. However, when it is desired to lock the zippers in the closed position, the locking rod  126  secured to the zipper slider  16  is aligned with and pulled into the bore  124  by pulling on the pull tab  18 . As the locking rod  126  enters the bore  124 , the beveled nose of the locking rod  126  engages the leg  142  of the spring biased rocker  134  forcing the leg  142  upward with respect to the bore  124  and causing the rocker  134  to rotate about pin  136  as indicated by the arrow  144  in  FIG. 6 . As the rocker  134  rotates, the cable rope  112  is forced downwardly as indicated by arrow  140  in  FIG. 6 . This release in tension on the cable rope  112  causes a corresponding slight winding of the cable rope around the shaft  154  within the drum  152  of the quick release mechanism  150 . When the locking rod  126  is fully received within the bore  124  such that the annular recess  130  is aligned with the aperture  132 , the bias of the spring  146  acting on the rocker  134  forces the leg  142  of the rocker  134  to snap down into the annular recess  130  (as illustrated in  FIG. 5 ), causing the cable rope  112  to be pulled as it slightly unwinds from the spring loaded shaft  154 , and thereby locking the locking rod  136  within the bore  124  and preventing the zipper from being unzipped. This process is repeated for each of the zipper locks  120 . 
         [0026]    When it is desired to unlock any one of the zippered compartments  14 , the user simply actuates the release actuator  160  (such as by pulling on the free end of the pull release  162  ( FIG. 9 ) or rotating the knob  163  ( FIG. 10 ). The forced rotation of the shaft  154  causes the cable ropes  112  to wind around the shaft  154  resulting in a pulling force on the cable ropes  112  to each of zipper locks  120  causing the rocker  134  to pivot about the pin  136  and thereby raising the legs  142  from the annular recess  130  of the locking rods  126  such that the zippers  12  can be unzipped by pulling on the zipper pull tab  28  as indicated by arrow  148  in  FIG. 6 . 
         [0027]    Although various embodiments have been described above, the details and features of the disclosed embodiments are not intended to be limiting, as many variations and modifications will be readily apparent to those of skill in the art. Accordingly, the scope of the present disclosure is intended to be interpreted broadly and to include all variations and modifications within the scope and spirit of the appended claims and their equivalents.