Locks – Portable – Padlocks
Reexamination Certificate
2003-08-21
2004-11-09
Gall, Lloyd A. (Department: 3676)
Locks
Portable
Padlocks
C070S052000, C070S055000, C070S423000, C070S455000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06813914
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to padlocks and more particularly to a protective mechanism for such a padlock with improved characteristics.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conventionally, a padlock comprises a body having an interior lock core. There are a plurality of apertures in the lock core. Spring, detent, or the like are mounted in the apertures. One end of the lock core is formed as a keyhole at one end (e.g., bottom) of the body so that a key can be inserted into the keyhole and the other end thereof is formed as a bent link at the other end (e.g., top) of the body. The link is pivotal about the body. A hole is formed on the top of the body for permitting an open end of the link to be inserted into. In a case of inserting a key into the keyhole and rotating the key, the spring in the aperture will expand to push the detent downward to urge against the lock core for temporarily holding the lock core. Next, a further rotation of the key will push the detent to a predetermined position to allow the lock core to rotate. As a result, the link is free to pivot.
However, the prior art padlock suffered from a disadvantage. For example, a useful life of the padlock is relatively short due to exposure to wind, rain, and other adverse factors when it is used in an outdoor environment. In detail, the keyhole, the top hole, and a pivot point of the link on the top of the body are either completely or partially open, resulting in an easy permeation of rain into the interior of the body therethrough. Hence, components inside the body tend to get rust as time evolves. This can malfunction one or more components of the padlock. To the worse, the lock core may be stuck (i.e., impossible of rotating) if the rust is serious.
Referring to
FIG. 1
, a padlock having a protective mechanism against rain (i.e., rainproof mechanism) is devised by a padlock manufacturer in recent years. In detail, the protective mechanism consists of a protective casing
3
and a protective covering
4
covered around the body
1
of the padlock and the link
2
respectively in which both the protective casing
3
and the protective covering
4
are formed of plastic materials (e.g., epoxy). The protective casing
3
comprises a sheath
30
sleeved around the body
1
, a cover
32
, and a base
34
. A connecting member
36
comprising a plurality of alternate recesses and risers is formed at either top edge or bottom edge of the sheath
30
. Two ends (i.e., upper and lower ends) of the sheath
30
are enclosed by the cover
32
and the base
34
respectively. Two holes
320
are formed on the cover
32
in which the link
2
passes one hole
320
(e.g., the right hole on the cover
32
) and the open end of the link
2
is adapted to insert into the other hole
320
(e.g., the left hole on the cover
32
). A cylindrical opening
340
is formed on the base
34
. An extension member
342
is hingedly coupled to one side of the base
34
. A cylindrical tab
344
is projected from an internal side of the base
34
. The tab
344
is adapted to insert into the opening
340
for sealing the opening
340
when the extension member
342
is pivoted toward the opening
340
to engage with the base
34
. After the sheath
30
, the cover
32
, and the base
34
have been assembled on the body
1
, the connecting members
36
, the cover
32
, and the base
34
can be formed together by soldering. At this moment, the keyhole
10
is disposed in the opening
340
. Two enlargements
40
are formed at both ends of the bent protective covering
4
. The enlargements
40
are pressed on the cover
32
when the link
2
is pressed down to insert its open end into the hole
320
. As a result, both holes
320
are sealed. It is reasonably to believe that rain will not permeate into the body
1
through the opening
340
, the connecting members
36
, and the holes
320
.
However, the padlock having the provision of both the protective casing
3
and the protective covering
4
is still susceptible of rain permeation after being used in an outdoor environment for a short period of time. As an end, the padlock is malfunctioned. Most rain comes into the body
1
through the holes
320
as we detach the body
1
for further examination. In fact, the enlargements
40
of the protective covering
4
are compromised in preventing rain from passing into the body
1
. Also, rust is found in the surface of the body
1
. Such rust is caused by rain passing into gaps between the body
1
and the protective casing
3
through portions between the sheath
30
and the cover
32
and between the sheath
30
and the base
34
not provided with the connecting members
36
which, as stated above, are coupled between the sheath
30
and the cover
32
and between the sheath
30
and the base
34
respectively. In brief, the protective casing
3
and the protective covering
4
are useless in view of their design purposes. Hence, a need for improvement exists.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A primary object of the present invention is to provide a protective mechanism for a padlock. The protective mechanism comprises a casing for enclosing a body of the padlock, the casing including a connecting member at either top or bottom; a cover formed at the top of the casing for being connected to the top connecting member by soldering, the cover comprising two spaced holes; and a base formed at the bottom of the casing for being connected to the bottom connecting member by soldering so that the cover, the base, and the casing are adapted to enclose the body, the base comprising an opening having an annular, downwardly extended flange for receiving a keyhole of the padlock, and an extension member hingedly coupled to one side of the base, the extension member including a recessed enlargement at one open end so that a pivotal movement of the extension member toward the base will snap the enlargement into and seal the opening; and two flexible sleeves disposed in the holes wherein a bent link of the padlock is fastened by the sleeves when the link is locked in the holes and two top second holes of the padlock. The protective mechanism ensures that no rain will permeate the body, thereby preventing components inside the body from getting rusted. Moreover, by utilizing the present invention, the well-known drawback of failing to stop rain from permeating the body can be overcome.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings.
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Bacon & Thomas PLLC
Gall Lloyd A.
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