U.S. patent application number 13/350064 was filed with the patent office on 2012-07-19 for bag zipper lockable with tethered cable lock.
Invention is credited to Meir Avganim.
Application Number | 20120180271 13/350064 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46489597 |
Filed Date | 2012-07-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120180271 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Avganim; Meir |
July 19, 2012 |
BAG ZIPPER LOCKABLE WITH TETHERED CABLE LOCK
Abstract
A bag which has a zipper which is closable over an interior
space of the bag using a zipper slider. The zipper slider has a
pull and a first locking tab which juts forwardly from one end of
the zipper slider and defines therein a first locking slot sized to
receive a locking element of a lock. A second locking tab defines a
second locking slot with the second locking slot also being shaped
to receive the locking element. The first and second locking tabs
are configured to be selectively overlapped or aligned so as to
register their locking slots, whereby upon passage of the locking
element through both locking slots, access to the interior space of
the bag is prevented. The locking element can be connected to a
cable with a loop to tether the bag to an immovable object.
Inventors: |
Avganim; Meir; (Gealya,
IL) |
Family ID: |
46489597 |
Appl. No.: |
13/350064 |
Filed: |
January 13, 2012 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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61432773 |
Jan 14, 2011 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
24/385 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y10T 24/2507 20150115;
A45C 3/02 20130101; E05B 73/0005 20130101; A44B 19/301 20130101;
A45C 13/103 20130101; A45C 13/20 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
24/385 |
International
Class: |
A44B 19/26 20060101
A44B019/26 |
Claims
1. A bag, comprising: a zipper for selectively closing off access
to an interior space of the bag; a zipper slider including a pull
and a first locking tab jutting forwardly from one end of the
zipper slider and defining therein a first locking slot sized to
receive a locking element of a lock; a second locking tab defining
a second locking slot, and also shaped to receive said locking
element, said first locking tab and said second locking tab being
configured to be selectively overlapped, to align their locking
slots, whereby upon passage of the locking element through the said
locking slots of said first and second locking tabs access to said
interior space of said bag is prevented.
2. The bag of claim 1, including a second slider coupled to said
zipper, said second locking tab being located on said second zipper
slider.
3. The bag of claim 1, wherein said second locking tab is
stationarily affixed to said bag, at one end of said zipper.
4. The bag of claim 1, wherein said first and second locking slots
measure about 3.times.7 mm.
5. The bag of claim 1, wherein said first and second locking slots
are triangularly shaped.
6. The bag of claim 1, wherein said first and second locking slots
are each formed of two adjacently located and spaced pair of
slots.
7. The bag of claim 1, wherein said first and second locking slots
extend along a travel direction of said zipper slider.
8. The bag of claim 1, wherein said first and second locking slots
extend in a direction perpendicular to a travel direction of said
zipper slider.
9. The bag of claim 1, wherein said zipper slider comprises another
locking tab disposed below and parallel to the first locking tab
and defining therein, a respective locking slot that is aligned
with said first locking slot.
10. The bag of claim 1, wherein said first locking tab and said
second locking tab extend in planes that are parallel to a plane
containing said zipper.
11. The bag of claim 1, wherein said first locking tab and said
second locking tab extend in planes substantially perpendicular to
a plane containing said zipper.
12. The bag of claim 1, wherein one of said first locking tab and
said second locking tab has folded flanges defining a channel in
which the other one of said first and second locking tabs is
receivable.
13. The bag of claim 1, in combination with a lock comprising a
lock body and said locking element, said locking element being
insertable through both said first locking slot and said second
locking slot, and a flexible cable coupled to said lock body and a
loop at a free distal end thereof, for enabling said lock to tether
said bag to an immovable object.
14. The bag of claim 13, wherein the locking element is in a shape
of a T-bar.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application claims the benefit of U.S.
Provisional Patent Application No. 61/432,773 filed on Jan. 14,
2011; which is incorporated herein by reference in its
entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to a carrying bags, including
computer bags and, more particularly, to zipper lock mechanisms
which are suitable for being locked with a T-bar style lock that
also incorporates a cable which allows the carrying bag to be
tethered to an immovable object, such as to a chair or a desk.
[0003] Computer security locks have become popular, as well as
standardized. One of those locks which has been made famous by
Kensington, has a cylindrical body with a T-bar locking element
which measures about 3.times.7 mm and fits a standardized slot of
similar measurement that has been formed in computer equipment,
such as laptops, displays, and other electronic devices. U.S. Pat.
Nos. 7,249,474 and 7,100,404 describe such standardized locks and
their contents are incorporated by reference herein.
[0004] Carrying bags are typically closed with a zipper which opens
and closes stringers on opposed edges of the opening in the bags,
in well known fashion. Some carrying bags have a pair of zippers
that travel in opposite directions and can meet one another, as is
also widely known. A decade or so ago, zipper sliders were
introduced which have on their front forward surfaces, cylindrical
eyelets, and these cylindrical eyelets can be mated with one
another when the opposing zippers are brought close and mated with
one another. This allows the openings in the eyelets to be aligned
and a padlock style lock shackle to be inserted therethrough. But,
of course, the padlock lock would just close the carrying bag, but
would not prevent pilferage of the entire bag.
[0005] The present invention is grounded in the inspired
recognition of the instant inventor of the huge benefit that would
ensue from being able to utilize the standardized computer lock for
interlocking zippers on carrying bags. Not only does this approach
realize the dual function of both locking the zipper and tethering
the carrying bag to any movable object, but the wide availability
of standardized computer locks means that a computer can be locked
both directly and also while the computer is stowed away in its
carrying case.
[0006] The aforementioned approach of providing a pair of spaced
eyelets on one zipper slider and a single interfitting eyelet on
the opposed slider is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,536,084, the
contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] It is an object of the present invention to avoid the
drawbacks of the prior art and to realize the synergistic effects
described above.
[0008] Other features and advantages of the present invention will
become apparent from the following description of the invention
which refers to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1 shows a conventional, standardized computer security
lock.
[0010] FIG. 1a shows a security, cable lock attached to an
electronic device.
[0011] FIG. 2 shows a conventional zipper slider with a puller.
[0012] FIG. 3 shows a pair of zippers with eyelets that can be
mated with one another to pass a padlock therethrough.
[0013] FIG. 4 shows a standardized carrying bag with a pair of
zippers designed to travel toward one another in well known
fashion.
[0014] FIG. 5 shows a first embodiment of the present invention,
illustrating a zipper with a differently formed locking
mechanism.
[0015] FIG. 6 shows the mating zipper for the zipper of FIG. 5.
[0016] FIG. 7 shows another embodiment of a security lock for the
zipper slider of FIG. 5.
[0017] FIG. 8 shows a triangular shaped security hole for the lock
of FIG. 1, which is formed with a triangular lock instead of with a
T-bar.
[0018] FIG. 9 shows another zipper slider embodiment which receives
the locking eyelet of FIG. 6.
[0019] FIG. 10 is a cross section of the embodiment of the present
invention.
[0020] FIG. 11 shows the two zipper sliders of FIG. 10 spaced
apart.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0021] The standardized computer lock 10 of FIG. 1 has a
cylindrical body 12 with a rotatable T-bar locking element 14 with
two pins 16, 18 that prevent rotation of the lock body 12 in the
3.times.7 mm security lock. When the key 20 is utilized to rotate
the T-bar 14 in a rectangular 3.times.7 mm security slot, the lock
10 becomes attached to the particular piece of equipment, for
example, a computer or keyboard 11, in well known manner. The lock
10 has a sleeve 22 that supports a long cable 24 with a loop 26 at
the end, which is large enough to slip the lock therethrough. This
type of a lock is described in great detail in the aforementioned
U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,249,474 and 7,100,404 patents the contents of
which have been incorporated by reference. The T-bar locking
element can be a scissors action or other type of locking element
as described, for example, in the U.S. Pat. No. 7,100,404
patent.
[0022] The zipper slider 30 of FIG. 2 has a slider 32, and a pull
34 that is attached to the slider via a small connecting bridge
36.
[0023] In FIG. 3, two copies of the zipper of FIG. 2 are shown
facing each other, with the left side zipper slider 32a having
first and second eyelets 38, 40 with holes that extend in a plane
perpendicular to the paper, while the right hand zipper slider 32b
has a similar eyelet 42 which is positioned to fit between the
locking eyelets of the first zipper. When the zippers are mated,
the shackle of a standardized padlock can be passed therethrough,
locking the zipper sliders to each other.
[0024] The zippers of FIG. 3 can be utilized on the bag 50 of FIG.
4 with the zipper 52, which consists of opposing stringers, in well
known manner. The zipper 52 has a direction of travel along the
surface of the bag.
[0025] As shown in FIG. 5, the present invention is rooted in the
novel locking mechanism, wherein each zipper slider 48, such as the
one in FIG. 5, is provided with horizontally extending and spaced
tabs 54, 56, with each tab having formed therein the standardized
about 3.times.7 mm slot 58, 60 in alignment with one another. An
opposing slider 62 (FIG. 6) has a single tab 64 with a single slot
66 which can be inserted between the two tabs of the slider of FIG.
5, such that when the two zippers are aligned via their security
slots, providing a pass through path for the T-bar 14 of the lock
of FIG. 1 to be inserted therethrough. This not only closes the
zippers and prevents access into the carrying bag, but also allows
the bag 50 itself to be tethered to an immovable object, in well
known manner. Alternatively, only a single tab 54 is provided,
which is placed over and can be locked to the juxtaposed,
underlying tab 64. In the figures, the length dimensions of the
locking slots (or slot) extend perpendicularly to the direction of
zipper slider travel, but in the preferred embodiment, the slots
extend in the slider travel direction. See the slot 66a, drawn in
dashed lines in FIG. 6.
[0026] More recently, the instant inventor has also invented a
security lock, such as the one shown in FIG. 1, but with two
T-bars, instead of a single T-bar. FIG. 7 provides a zipper closure
that accommodates such a cylindrical lock, via the two slots 70, 72
and 74, 76 in each locking tab. Of course, the tab of FIG. 6 would
be provided with dual slots as well.
[0027] Similarly, the instant inventor has come up with a
cylindrical lock that has a triangular locking element, instead of
the T-bar. The zipper slider of FIG. 8 accommodates such a locking
member, by providing triangular slots 80, 82. In all instances, and
as shown in FIG. 10, it must be kept in mind that the reach of the
T-bar locking element 14 of FIG. 1 is approximately 31/2 mm and,
therefore, the dimension from the top of the upper tab to the
bottom of the lower tab should not reach 31/2 or, at most, 4
mm.
[0028] To alleviate that problem and to also allow each tab to have
a thickness dimension of about 11/2 or even 13/4 mm, FIG. 9
illustrates an alternative embodiment which forms the zipper slider
84 with only a single tab 86 with folded down flanges 88, 90
allowing the opposing tab of FIG. 6 to fit in the channel 92 formed
therein. In this embodiment, the lock has to pass only two metal
tab layers and each tab can be made much stronger by being
considerably thicker, which might increase the safety factor of the
locking mechanism of the present invention.
[0029] In the present invention, and unlike the prior art, the
locking cylinder of FIG. 1 can be inserted directly and vertically
down into the security slot 58, 60, unlike a padlock, whose shackle
lies at 90.degree. relative to the carrying case. Therefore, the
size of the cylindrical body of the lock of FIG. 1 does not much
matter or interfere with its functionality. FIGS. 10 and 11 provide
sectional views of the zipper sliders of FIGS. 5 and 6.
[0030] In the foregoing figures, the tabs 54, 56, 64 and 86 are
oriented such that their plane is generally parallel to the plane
in which the zipper itself is contained. In accordance with another
alternative, the tabs can be turned 90.degree., whereby they extend
in a plane perpendicular to the plane containing the zipper. See
FIG. 3. In this simple variation, the lock of FIG. 1 is inserted
sideways, rather than from above, into the security slots 58 and
66.
[0031] In addition, and as marked in FIG. 4a, in the case where the
bag 50 contains only a single zipper slider 48, and the zipper
slider is closed from right to left in the figure. At the end of
zipper travel, the zipper slider 48 meets and can be locked to a
stationary tab 49 which is fixed at that position, as shown in FIG.
4. Thus, the zipper slider can be locked at its end of travel
position and the utilization of the lock of FIG. 1 serves to both
prevent access to the interior of the bag, as well as to tether the
entire bag to an immovable object.
[0032] Although the present invention has been described in
relation to particular embodiments thereof, many other variations
and modifications and other uses will become apparent to those
skilled in the art. It is preferred, therefore, that the present
invention be limited not by the specific disclosure herein, but
only by the appended claims.
* * * * *