Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates generally to locks and more particularly, to a zipper lock that can be unlocked forcibly. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    A luggage or any other similar bag or case that is provided with a zipper may be mounted with a zipper lock to lock the two zipper tabs together, prohibiting others to open the zipper. 
         [0005]    Conventionally, a combination lock having a set of notched rotating discs is widely used as a zipper lock. When opening this kind of zipper lock, the user must rotate the notched rotating discs to show the preset combination. If the user forgets the correct combination, the user cannot open the zipper lock, and must deliver the luggage or bag to the distributor or a locksmith to open the zipper lock. Therefore, the aforesaid conventional zipper lock is not a convenient design, and may bring trouble to the user. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is the primary objective of the present invention to provide a zipper lock, which is the assembly of a combination lock and a pin tumbler lock and allows the user to open the zipper lock through the combination lock or the pin tumbler lock selectively, enhancing the convenience of use. 
         [0007]    To achieve this objective of the present invention, the zipper lock comprises a lock housing in which a combination lock, a pin tumbler lock, a swivel member and first and second latches engageable with two pull-tabs of a zipper which are insertable into the lock housing are mounted. When the combination lock is set in an unlocked manner from a locked manner, the swivel member is forced by a part of the combination lock to move to a position where the swivel member is disengaged from the latches for allowing movement of the latches relative to the lock housing such that the two pull-tabs of the zipper can be inserted into or pulled away from the lock housing to be engaged with or disengaged from the latches. When the combination lock is set in the locked manner from the unlocked manner, the swivel member is engageable with the latches to prohibit movement of the latches. The pin tumbler lock has an actuating block rotatable with the key to move the swivel member away from the latches for allowing movement of the latches Therefore, the user is allowed to selectively unlock the zipper lock either by means of the combination lock or the pin tumbler lock. 
         [0008]    In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the lock housing has a first lock notch and a second lock notch. The first latch has a locking rod movable in and out of the first lock notch. The second latch has a locking rod movable in and out of the second lock notch. Two spring members respectively bias the first latch and the second latch to support the first latch and the second latch in the first lock notch and the second lock notch in normal manner. The swivel member is moveable between a first position where the swivel member is stoppable against the first latch and the second latch to prohibit movement of the first latch and the second latch, and a second position where the swivel member is spaced from the first latch and the second latch for allowing movement of the first latch and the second latch relative to the lock housing. The combination lock includes a plurality of number wheels and a movable plate coupled to the number wheels. The number wheels each have a retaining notch. The movable plate has a plurality of retaining protrusions and a push portion. The retaining protrusions engage the retaining notches of the number wheels respectively and the push portion is stopped against the swivel member to bias the swivel member from the first position to the second position when the combination lock is unlocked. The retaining protrusions are disengaged from the retaining notches of the number wheels and the push portion is disengaged from the swivel member when the combination lock is locked. The pin tumbler lock is rotatable between a locking position and an unlocking position. The pin tumbler lock has an actuating block stopped against the swivel member when the pin tumbler lock is in the unlocking position. The actuating block is separated from the swivel member when the pin tumbler lock is in the locking position. 
         [0009]    Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given herein below and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a zipper lock according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the zipper lock according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a bottom view of the zipper lock of the present invention after removal of the bottom cover plate, showing that the combination lock is unlocked; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is similar to  FIG. 3  but showing that the combination lock is locked, and  FIG. 5  is similar to  FIG. 3  but showing that the pin tumbler lock is unlocked. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0015]    As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a zipper lock  10  in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a lock housing  20  (see  FIG. 1 ), a first latch  30 , a first spring member  40 , a second latch  50 , a second spring member  60 , a swivel member  70 , a combination lock  80 , and a pin tumbler lock  90 . 
         [0016]    The lock housing  20  includes a casing  21  and a bottom cover plate  22 . The bottom cover plate  22  is covered on the bottom open side of the casing  21 , defining with the casing  21  an accommodation chamber  23 . The casing  21  has two lock notches  212  at one lateral sidewall thereof in communication with the accommodation chamber  23  for receiving the two pull-tabs (not shown) of a zipper (not shown), three through holes (not shown) at the other lateral sidewall in communication with the accommodation chamber  23 , a pin tumbler lock hole  214  at the top wall in communication with the accommodation chamber  23 , two inside flanges, namely, the first inside flange  24  and the second inside flange  25  protruding from the inside wall and respectively extending around the lock notches  212 , two inside openings  242  and  252  respectively formed on the inside flanges  24  and  25 , an inside stop plate  26  protruding from the inside wall and facing the opening  252  on second inside flange  25 , and an inside pivot rod  27  protruding from the inside wall and disposed adjacent to the stop plate  26 . 
         [0017]    The first latch  30  is mounted in the accommodation chamber  23  of the lock housing  20 , having a protrusion  32  at its one side, a locking rod  34  extending from one side of the protrusion  32  and inserted through the opening  242  on the first inside flange  24  corresponding to one lock notch  212  and stopped against the inner surface of the first inside flange  24  (see  FIG. 4 ), and a retaining post  36  protruding from the other side of the protrusion  32 . The locking rod  34  has a beveled edge  342 . 
         [0018]    The first spring member  40  is sleeved onto the retaining post  36  of the first latch  30  and stopped between the protrusion  32  of the first latch  30  and the outer surface of the second inside flange  25 . 
         [0019]    The second latch  50  is mounted in the accommodation chamber  23  of the lock housing  20  below the first latch  30 , having a protrusion  52  perpendicularly extending from its one end, a locking rod  54  extending from one side of the protrusion  52  and inserted through the opening  252  on the second inside flange  25  corresponding to the other lock notch  212  and stopped against the inner surface of the associating second flange  25  (see  FIG. 4 ), and a retaining post  56  protruding from the other side of the protrusion  52 . The locking rod  54  has a beveled edge  542 . 
         [0020]    The second spring member  40  is sleeved onto the retaining post  56  of the second latch  50  and stopped between the protrusion  52  of the second latch  50  and the stop plate  26 . 
         [0021]    The swivel member  70  has a pivot portion  71 , which defines a pivot hole  712  that is coupled to the inside pivot rod  27  for allowing turning of the swivel member  70  about the inside pivot rod  27  of the lock housing  20 , a torsional spring  72 , which works in such a manner to allow turning of the swivel member  70  about the inside pivot rod  27  within a limited angle between a first position and a second position, a stop portion  73  extending from the periphery of the pivot portion  71 , a wing portion  74 , and a connection portion  75  connected between the pivot portion  71  and the wing portion  74 . When the swivel member  70  is in the first position as shown in  FIG. 4 , the stop portion  73  is stoppable against the first latch  30  and the second latch  50  to prohibit movement of the first latch  30  and the second latch  50  relative to the lock housing  20 . When the swivel member  70  is in the second position as shown in  FIG. 3 , the stop portion  73  is moved away from the first latch  30  and the second latch  50 , allowing movement of the first latch  30  and the second latch  50  relative to the lock housing  20 . 
         [0022]    The combination lock  80  is mounted in the accommodation chamber  23  of the lock housing  20 , including three number wheel assemblies  81 , a movable plate  82  and a spring member  86 . Each number wheel assembly  81  includes a rotating disc (with inscribed numerals)  83 , a retaining wheel  84 , and a spring member  85 . The rotating discs  83  are respectively disposed corresponding to the through holes of the casing  21  and exposed to the outside of the lock housing  20 . The retaining wheels  84  are respectively disposed at the bottom side of the rotating discs  83 , each having a retaining notch  842 . The spring members  85  are respectively connected between the bottom side of each of the retaining wheels  84  and the bottom cover plate  22  of the lock housing  20 . The movable plate  82  has three receiving open spaces  822  for receiving the retaining wheels  84  respectively, three retaining protrusions  824  respectively suspending in the receiving open spaces  822  at one side, and a push portion  826 . The push portion  826  has a beveled edge  828 . Further, the spring member  86  is connected between one end of the movable plate  82  and a part of the casing  21 . 
         [0023]    The pin tumbler lock  90  is mounted in the pin tumbler lock hole  214  of the casing  2 I of the lock housing  20 , having a keyway  92  in the top side and a bottom actuation member  94  at the bottom side. The bottom actuating block  94  has a beveled edge  942 . 
         [0024]    When wanting to open the zipper lock  10 , rotate the rotating discs  81  to show the set permutation of the combination lock  80 , and therefore the combination lock  80  is unlocked. At this time, as shown in  FIG. 3 , the retaining notches  842  of the retaining wheels  84  are respectively aimed at the retaining protrusions  824  of the movable plate  82 , and the movable plate  82  is forced by the spring power of the spring member  86  toward the rotating discs  81  to engage the retaining protrusions  824  into the retaining notches  842  of the retaining wheels  84 , and at the same time the beveled edge  828  of the push portion  826  of the movable plate  82  is forced against the connection portion  75  of the swivel member  70  to turn the swivel member  70  from the first position to the second position. Thus, the stop portion  73  of the swivel member  70  is disengaged from the first latch  30  and the second latch  50 , making the first latch  30  and the second latch  50  moveable. The user can thus insert the two pull-tabs of the zipper into the two lock notches  212  of the casing  21 . When inserting the pull-tabs of the zipper into the two lock notches  212  of the casing  21 , the pull-tabs are forced against the beveled edge  342  of the locking rod  34  of the first latch  30  and the beveled edge  542  of the locking rod  54  of the second latch  50  respectively, moving the first latch  30  and the second latch  50  in direction toward the pin tumbler lock  90 , and therefore the spring members  40  and  60  are compressed. After the pull-tabs of the zipper have been inserted into position in the respective two lock notches  212  of the casing  21 , the first latch  30  and the second latch  50  are forced by the spring power of the associating spring members  40  and  60  to move the respective locking rods  34  and  54  into the eyelets (not shown) of the pull-tabs of the zipper. Thereafter, the user can then rotate the rotating discs  81  to move the retaining notches  842  of the retaining wheels  84  away from the retaining protrusions  824  of the movable plate  82 . At this time, the retaining wheels  84  force the movable plate  82  outwards to disengage the push portion  826  from the connection portion  75  of the swivel member  70 , allowing the swivel member  70  to be returned by the spring power of the torsional spring  72  from the second position to the former first position to have the stop portion  73  of the swivel member  70  be stopped against the first latch  30  and the second latch  50  again (see  FIG. 4 ), and therefore the two pull-tabs of the zipper are locked to the lock notches  212  of the casing  21 . 
         [0025]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , if the user cannot remember the correct permutation of the combination lock  80 , the user can insert the key into the keyway  92  of the pin tumbler lock  90  and rotate the key to move the beveled edge  942  of the bottom actuating block  94  against the wing portion  74  of the swivel member  70 , thereby moving the swivel member  70  from the first position to the second position where the the stop portion  73  of the swivel member  70  is disengaged from the first latch  30  and the second latch  50  to unlock the pull-tabs of the zipper. In other words, the user can unlock the pull-tabs of the zipper by using either the combination lock  80  or the pin tumbler lock  90 . 
         [0026]    The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.

Technology Category: y