Lock assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10501136-B2
Application number	US-201815987052-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 23, 2018
Priority date	Mar 28, 2018
Publication date	Dec 10, 2019
Grant date	Dec 10, 2019

Abstract

A lock assembly includes a driving member pivotably mounted in a frame and interlocks with a tappet. The driving member and a follower member pivot jointly when a follower pin is in a first position. The follower member is independently pivotable when the follower pin is in a second position. When the tappet is moved by a lock head from a front position to a rear position, an engaging member is moved to an engagement position engaged with the lock head to thereby lock the lock head, and the follower pin is in the first position. When the follower pin is moved to the second position, a return spring biases the follower member to independently pivot relative to the driving member to move the engaging member to a disengagement position, the tappet moves from the rear position to the front position, and the lock head is unlocked.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A lock assembly comprising a lock device, with the lock device including:
a frame including an installation space;
a tappet mechanism mounted in the installation space of the frame, wherein the tappet mechanism includes a tappet movable between a front position and a rear position, and wherein the tappet is biased to the front position;
a driving member pivotably mounted in the installation space of the frame and interlocked with the tappet, wherein the driving member includes a first guiding groove, and wherein the driving member is actuated to pivot when the tappet moves between the front position and the rear position;
a follower member pivotably mounted in the installation space of the frame and including a guiding slot, wherein the guiding slot includes a movement portion and a positioning portion intersecting with the movement portion;
a return spring mounted between the driving member and the follower member, wherein the return spring biases the follower member;
an unlocking member pivotably mounted in the installation space of the frame and including a movement groove, wherein the movement groove includes a pressing side, and wherein the unlocking member is movable between a pressing position and a non-pressing position;
a follower pin movably received in the first guiding groove, the guiding slot, and movement groove, wherein the follower pin is movable to a first position in the positioning portion or a second position in the movement portion, wherein the follower pin is in the first position when the unlocking member is in the non-pressing position, wherein the follower pin is in the second position when the unlocking member is in the pressing position, wherein the driving member and the follower member pivot jointly when the follower pin is in the first position, and wherein the follower member is independently pivotable relative to the driving member when the follower pin is in the second position;
a locking unit received in the installation space of the frame and interlocked with the follower member, wherein the locking unit includes an engaging member, wherein the engaging member moves between an engagement position and a disengagement position when the follower member pivots, wherein the engaging member is in the disengagement position when the tappet is in the front position, and wherein the engaging member is in the engagement position when the tappet is in the rear position;
a first driver mounted in the installation space of the frame, wherein the first driver interlocks with and is jointly moveable with the unlocking member between the pressing position and the non-pressing position;
a lock head selectively extended into the tappet mechanism, wherein the lock head includes an engaging groove,
wherein when the lock head is outside of the tappet mechanism, the tappet is in the front position, and the follower pin is in the first position,
wherein when the lock head extends into the tappet mechanism and moves the tappet to the rear position, the engaging groove of the lock head engages with the engaging member of the locking unit, the follower pin is in the first position, and the lock head is in a locked state, and
wherein when the follower pin is moved to the second position while the lock head is in the locked state, the return spring biases the follower member to independently pivot relative to the driving member to move the engaging member from the engagement position to the disengagement position, the tappet moves from the rear position to the front position, permitting the lock head to disengage from the tappet mechanism.

2. The lock assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the locking unit further includes:
a first unit pivotably mounted in the installation space of the frame and interlocked with the follower member, wherein pivotal movement of the follower member causes pivotal movement of the first unit, and
a second unit pivotably mounted in the installation space of the frame and interlocked with the first unit, wherein the second unit includes a lower portion and a higher portion, wherein the engaging member abuts against the second unit, wherein pivotal movement of the first unit causes pivotal movement of the second unit to a first position in which the lower portion is aligned with the engaging member or a second position in which the higher portion is aligned with the engaging member,
wherein when the tappet is in the front position, the lower portion of the second unit is aligned with the engaging member, and the engaging member is in the disengagement position, and
wherein when the tappet is in the rear position, the higher portion of the second unit is aligned with the engaging member, and the engaging member is in the engagement position.

3. The lock assembly as claimed in claim 2 , wherein locking unit further includes:
a biasing spring mounted between the first unit and the second unit, wherein the second unit further includes a limiting recess and a protrusion, wherein the lower portion is located between the limiting recess and the higher portion in a circumferential direction about a pivoting axis of the second unit, wherein the first unit further includes a limiting rod received in the limiting recess, and wherein the biasing spring abuts against the limiting rod of the first unit and the protrusion of the second unit and biases the second unit,
wherein when the tappet is in the front position, the limiting rod abuts against an end of the limiting recess, and
wherein when the tappet moves from the front position to the rear position, the follower member actuates the first unit to independently pivot relative to the second unit until the limiting rod moves to and presses against another end of the limiting recess, and the first unit and the second unit jointly pivot until the lock head is in the locked state.

4. The lock assembly as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the tappet includes a toothed portion on an outer periphery thereof, wherein the driving member includes a first toothed portion meshed with the toothed portion of the tappet, wherein the follower member includes a second toothed portion on an outer periphery thereof, and wherein the first unit includes a driven toothed portion meshed with the second toothed portion of the follower member.

5. The lock assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the tappet mechanism includes:
a jacket fixed in the installation space of the frame, wherein the jacket includes an insertion groove and a through-hole intercommunicated with the insertion groove, wherein the jacket further includes an opening intercommunicated with the insertion groove and spaced from the through-hole, wherein the tappet movable between the front position and the rear position is received in the insertion groove, wherein a portion of the tappet is exposed via the opening, wherein the engaging member movable between the engagement position and the disengagement position is received in the through-hole, wherein the driving member is coupled with the tappet via the opening; and
a tappet spring received between the insertion groove of the jacket and the tappet, wherein the tappet spring biases the tappet toward the front position.

6. The lock assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the unlocking member further includes a push portion located outside of the movement groove, wherein the first driver further includes a cam located adjacent to the push portion, wherein the first driver drives the cam to rotate, wherein the cam is configured to press against the push portion of the unlocking member to pivot the unlocking member to one of the pressing position and the non-pressing position.

7. The lock assembly as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:
a casing including an upper end,

Assignees

• I Tek Metal Mfg Co Ltd

Inventors

• Shen Chun-Meng

Classifications

• B62H5/02

  for locking the steering mechanism · CPC title

• B62H5/001

  Preventing theft of parts or accessories used on cycles, e.g. lamp, dynamo (B62H5/006 takes precedence; devices for attaching pumps to cycles B62J11/02) · CPC title

• B62H5/003 Primary

  using chains or cables (chain or cable locks per se E05B67/003; with alarm E05B45/005) · CPC title

• E05B71/00 Primary

  Locks specially adapted for bicycles, other than padlocks ({locks integral with holders for parking or storing bicycles B62H3/00;} locks integral with cycles B62H5/00) · CPC title