U.S. patent application number 12/385106 was filed with the patent office on 2010-09-30 for locking device for protecting door lock.
Invention is credited to Yao-Kun Yang.
Application Number | 20100242553 12/385106 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42782463 |
Filed Date | 2010-09-30 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100242553 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Yang; Yao-Kun |
September 30, 2010 |
Locking device for protecting door lock
Abstract
A locking device includes a housing having a retaining hole for
retaining a door lock, and a combination lock set. When the
combination lock set is unlocked, a latch of the combination lock
set is disengageable from a retaining portion of the housing such
that a front shell of the housing is pivotable away from a rear
shell of the housing, thereby opening an accommodation chamber
defining between the front shell and the rear shell. As a result,
the door lock is exposed outside for allowing a key to be inserted
into a key hole thereof. When the combination lock set is locked,
the latch is firmly engaged with the retaining portion such that
the front shell is locked on the rear shell, causing the door lock
to be hidden in the accommodation chamber.
Inventors: |
Yang; Yao-Kun; (Chang-Hua
County, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BACON & THOMAS, PLLC
625 SLATERS LANE, FOURTH FLOOR
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22314-1176
US
|
Family ID: |
42782463 |
Appl. No.: |
12/385106 |
Filed: |
March 31, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
70/160 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E05B 37/025 20130101;
Y10T 70/5549 20150401; E05B 17/145 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
70/160 |
International
Class: |
B65D 55/14 20060101
B65D055/14 |
Claims
1. A locking device comprising: a housing having a front shell and
a rear shell pivotally connected with the front shell to define an
accommodation chamber therebetween and provided with a retaining
portion and a retaining hole for retaining a door lock; and a
combination lock set mounted to the front shell of the housing and
received in the accommodation chamber, the combination lock set
having a plurality of wheels, a latch engageable with the retaining
portion of the rear shell, and a movable plate controlled by the
wheels to be moveable between a first position where the latch is
disengageable from the retaining portion of the rear shell such
that the front shell is pivotally moveable away from the rear shell
for allowing the door lock to be exposed outside when the wheels
show a correct number permutation, and a second position where the
latch is blocked by the moveable plate and engageable with the
retaining portion of the rear shell such that the front shell is
locked on the rear shell for enabling the door lock to be hidden in
the accommodation chamber when the wheels show a wrong number
permutation.
2. The locking device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the latch of
the combination lock set has an insertion end engagable with an
insertion groove of the retaining portion of the rear shell of the
housing.
3. The locking device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a
shackle having a pivotal portion that is axially moveable and
pivotable relative to the housing, and a hook portion that is
integrally connected with the pivotal portion and provided with a
free end insertable into the housing by means of an axial movement
of the pivotal portion, and a recess at the free end, a retaining
plate fastened to the rear shell of the housing, and a switch
movably mounted to the retaining plate and provided with a
retaining end engageable with the recess of the hook portion of the
shackle.
4. The locking device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the switch is
movably mounted to an elongated groove of the retaining plate and
provided with a tab and a retaining block with the retaining
end.
5. The locking device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a
protecting cover fitted to a rear side of the rear shell of the
housing.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates generally to locks and more
specifically, to a locking device that can be fastened to a door
for protecting a door lock.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Conventional locks generally include two types, i.e. a key
controlled type, which needs a correct key to unlock it, and a
combination controlled type, which needs a correct permutation of
numbers or symbols to unlock it.
[0005] The key controlled lock is generally used on a front door of
a house. When coming back home, a householder can insert a key into
the lock, and then rotate it to open the front door. However, some
people may inject super glue or instant glue into a keyhole of the
lock impishly to clog the keyhole on purpose, such that the
householder has to break the lock to open the front door and needs
to change the broken lock to a new one, causing the householder
great vexation. In addition, malicious people may inject
quick-drying chemical glue into the keyhole to copy the key after
the quick-drying chemical glue is turned into solid, such that
these people can enter the house to steal valuables, resulting in
huge loss for the family.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The present invention has been accomplished in view of the
above-noted circumstances. It is therefore one objective of the
present invention to provide a locking device, which can be
fastened to a door for protecting a key hole of a door lock from
being clogged by an unknown adhesive.
[0007] To achieve this objective of the present invention, the
locking device comprises a housing and a combination lock set. The
housing includes a front shell and a rear shell pivotally connected
with the front shell to define an accommodation chamber
therebetween and provided with a retaining portion and a retaining
hole for retaining a door lock. The combination lock set is mounted
to the front shell of the housing and received in the accommodation
chamber and provided with a plurality of wheels, a movable plate
controllable by the wheels to be moveable between a first position
and a second position, and a latch engageable with the retaining
portion of the rear shell.
[0008] When the wheels show a correct number permutation, the
moveable plate is moved to the first position where the latch is
disengageable from the retaining portion of the rear shell such
that the front shell is pivotally moveable away from the rear
shell, allowing the door lock to be exposed outside. When the
wheels show a wrong number permutation, the moveable plate is
moveable to the second position where the latch is blocked by the
moveable plate and engageable with the retaining portion of the
rear shell such that the front shell is locked on the rear shell,
causing the door lock to be covered by the front shell.
[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 locking device according
to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention;
[0012] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the locking device according
to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention;
[0013] FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway view of the locking device
according to the first preferred embodiment of the present
invention, showing that the combination lock set is locked;
[0014] FIG. 4 is a lateral cutaway view of the locking device
according to the first preferred embodiment of the present
invention, showing that the combination lock set is unlocked;
[0015] FIG. 5 is a front view of the locking device according to
the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing
that the locking device is fastened to a door and the front shell
is pivotally moved away from the rear shell;
[0016] FIG. 6 is similar to FIG. 5, but showing the front shell is
closed on the rear shell;
[0017] FIG. 7 is a partially exploded view of the locking device
according to a second preferred embodiment of the present
invention, and
[0018] FIG. 8 is a partially cutaway view of the locking device
according to the second preferred embodiment of the present
invention, showing the shackle is pulled upwards.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0019] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a locking device 10 in accordance
with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention
comprises a housing 20 and a combination lock set 30.
[0020] The housing 20 has a front shell 22 and a rear shell 24
pivotally connected with the front shell 22 so as to define an
accommodation chamber 26 therebetween for accommodation of a memo,
a note or small items. The front shell 22 has four openings 221
communicated between the accommodation chamber 26 and the outsides,
and the rear shell 24 has a retaining hole 242 for retaining of a
door lock 42, as shown in FIG. 5, a plurality of through holes 244
for penetration of screws 44 such that the rear shell 24 can be
fastened to a door 40 through the screws 44, and a pair of
retaining portions 246, each of which extends from the rear shell
24 toward the front shell 22 and has an insertion groove 248 at a
distal end thereof. Further, the housing 20 includes a protecting
cover 28 that is fitted to the rear side of the rear shell 24
through the insertion of protrusions 282 of the protecting cover 28
to insertion holes 25 of the rear shell 24 for preventing the rear
shell 24 from contact with the door 40. To deserve to be mentioned,
the way to fasten the housing 20 to the door 40 is embodied as, but
not limited to, screw connections.
[0021] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the combination lock set 30 is
mounted to the front shell 22 to be received in the accommodation
chamber 26 by means of a retaining base 32, and provided with a
pair of latches 34, four combination wheels 36, and a movable plate
38. The latches 34 are slidably mounted in guide slots 322 of the
retaining base 32 and stopped by a spring member 35 so as to be
slidable relative the retaining base 32, and each have an insertion
end 342 engagable with the insertion groove 248 of one of the
retaining portions 246 of the rear shell 24. The combination wheels
36 are partially exposed to the outsides through the openings 221
of the front shell 22 for a user's operation. The movable plate 38
is connected with the combination wheels 36 to be pivotable
relative to the latches 34 by the actuation of the combination
wheels 36. When the combination lock set 30 is locked, the movable
plate 38 is located between the latches 34 to block reciprocal
movement of the latches 34 such that the insertion ends 342 of the
latches 34 can be kept in engagement with the insertion grooves 248
of the rear shell 24, resulting in that the front shell 22 can not
pivotally move away from the rear shell 24 so as to be firmly
locked on the rear shell 24. When the combination lock set 30 is
unlocked, the movable plate 38 is pivotally moved to be staggered
with the latches 34 such that the insertion ends 342 of the latches
34 can be disengaged from the insertion grooves 248 of the rear
shell 24 due to the movement of the latches 34, causing the front
shell 22 to be pivotable relative to the rear shell 24.
[0022] By means of the aforesaid design, when a householder comes
back home and rotates the combination wheels 36 to show the correct
number permutation for unlocking the locking device 10, the movable
plate 36 is pivotally moved to allow the latches 34 to be movable
toward each other such that the householder can pull the front
shell 22 away from the rear shell 24 to open the accommodation
chamber 26 and expose the door lock 42, as shown in FIG. 5, and
therefore the householder can insert a key into a keyhole 422 to
unlock the door lock 42.
[0023] When leaving home, the householder can open the
accommodation chamber 26 to lock the door lock 42, and then close
the front shell 22 on the rear shell 24. Thereafter, the
householder can rotate the combination wheels 36 to show a wrong
number permutation respectively such that the movable plate 38 is
stopped against the latches 34 to force the insertion ends 342 of
the latches 34 to be engaged with the insertion grooves 248 of the
rear shell 24. As a result, the door lock 42 can be hidden in the
accommodation chamber 26 without exposure to the outsides, as shown
in FIG. 6, thereby protecting the door lock 42 from getting clogged
by an unknown adhesive and enhancing home safety.
[0024] FIG. 7 shows a locking device 50 in accordance with a second
preferred embodiment of the present invention, further comprising a
shackle 60, a retaining plate 70, and a switch 80.
[0025] The shackle 60 has a pivotal portion 62 and a hook portion
64 integrally connected with the pivotal portion 62. The pivotal
portion 62 is pivotally connected with the rear shell 52, and
axially moveable and pivotable relative to the rear shell 52. The
hook portion 64 has a free end insertable into the rear shell 52 by
means of the axial movement of the pivotal portion 62, and a recess
642 at the free end.
[0026] The retaining plate 70 is fastened to the rear shell 52, and
provided with an elongated groove 72.
[0027] The switch 80 is movably mounted to the elongated groove 72
and stopped by a spring member 86, having a tab 82 and a retaining
block 84 with a retaining end 842 that is engagable with the recess
642 of the hook portion 64 of the shackle 60.
[0028] It can be seen that the locking device 50 can be used as a
conventional padlock. When wanting to unlock the shackle 60, a user
can rotate the combination wheels 56 to open the accommodation
chamber 54, and then move the switch 80 rightwards through the tab
82 to force the retaining end 842 of the retaining block 84 of the
switch 80 to be disengaged from the recess 642 of the hook portion
64 of the shackle 60, as shown in FIG. 8. Accordingly, the user can
pull the shackle 60 upwards to lock to-be-secured things.
[0029] 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.
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