Combination lock

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12077986-B2
Application number	US-202217707355-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 29, 2022
Priority date	Jul 7, 2017
Publication date	Sep 3, 2024
Grant date	Sep 3, 2024

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to a combination lock including a housing configured to lockingly receive a locking link. The lock includes a plurality of outer dials and a plurality of inner dials, each selectively coupled to a corresponding outer dial. A spindle is positioned radially internal to the inner dials. A multiplier link is pivotably connected between the spindle and a locking bolt. Some forms of the combination lock include a tactile feedback mechanism and/or a combination reset mechanism.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A combination lock, comprising:
a housing;
a dial rotatably supported by the housing and configured to facilitate entry of a code to the combination lock, the dial comprising a plurality of arcuate detents; and
a spring comprising a first end portion anchored to the housing, and an arcuate engagement portion configured to engage the plurality of arcuate detents of the dial to thereby provide tactile feedback during rotation of the dial.

2. The combination lock of claim 1 , wherein the spring further comprises a second end portion, and wherein the arcuate engagement portion is positioned between the first end portion and the second end portion.

3. The combination lock of claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one additional dial; and
at least one additional spring engaged with the at least one additional dial;
wherein each additional spring is configured to engage arcuate detents of the at least one additional dial to thereby provide tactile feedback during rotation of the at least one additional dial.

4. The combination lock of claim 1 , wherein the dial is an outer dial that is selectively engaged with an inner dial.

5. The combination lock of claim 1 , wherein the dial comprises a detent ring including the plurality of arcuate detents.

6. A combination lock, comprising:
a housing;
a dial rotatably supported by the housing and configured to facilitate entry of a code to the combination lock, the dial comprising a plurality of detents; and
a spring comprising a first end portion anchored to the housing, and an engagement portion configured to engage the plurality of detents to thereby provide tactile feedback during rotation of the dial;
wherein the spring further comprises a second end portion anchored to the housing, and wherein the engagement portion is positioned between the first end portion and the second end portion.

7. A combination lock, comprising:
a housing;
a dial rotatably supported by the housing and configured to facilitate entry of a code to the combination lock, the dial comprising a plurality of detents; and
a spring comprising a first end portion anchored to the housing, and an engagement portion configured to engage the plurality of detents to thereby provide tactile feedback during rotation of the dial;
wherein the dial comprises a detent ring including the plurality of detents, and wherein the detent ring is positioned on a side surface of the dial.

8. A combination lock, comprising:
a housing;
a dial rotatably supported by the housing and configured to facilitate entry of a code to the combination lock, the dial comprising a plurality of detents;
a spring comprising a first end portion anchored to the housing, and an engagement portion configured to engage the plurality of detents to thereby provide tactile feedback during rotation of the dial; and
a dial spacer positioned adjacent the dial, wherein the dial spacer includes a spring holding slot that holds the first end portion in a fixed location relative to the housing.

9. A lock apparatus, comprising:
a housing;
a locking component operable to be inserted into the housing;
a spindle selectively operable to move between a first locking position and a first unlocking position offset from the first locking position by a first offset distance;
a multiplier link pivotably connected to the housing and engaged with the spindle; and
a bolt engaged with the multiplier link such that the bolt travels between a second locking position and a second unlocking position in response to movement of the spindle between the first locking position and the first unlocking position;
wherein the bolt is operable to engage the locking component when in the second locking position; and
wherein the second locking position and the second unlocking position are offset from one another by a second offset distance greater than the first offset distance.

10. The lock apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising a code entry device operable to selectively retain the spindle in the first locking position, thereby retaining the bolt in the second locking position.

11. The lock apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the code entry device comprises a plurality of dials.

12. The lock apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising a flexible member comprising the locking component;
wherein the flexible member further comprises a fixed component that is fixed to the housing.

13. The lock apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the bolt comprises a slot that receives a portion of the multiplier link.

14. The lock apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising a pull knob connected with the spindle and configured to facilitate manual movement of the spindle between the first locking position and the first unlocking position.

15. A combination lock, comprising:
a housing;
a plurality of outer dials rotatably supported by the housing;
a plurality of inner dials, each of the inner dials selectively coupled to a corresponding outer dial;
a longitudinally-extending spindle mounted in the housing for longitudinal movement between a locking position and an unlocking position; and
a lock reset mechanism, comprising:
a reset plate slidably keyed with the spindle and configured to hold the inner dials between a head and an end guide;
a rotatable reset housing positioned proximate one end of the spindle; and
a reset cam positioned within the reset housing, the reset cam configured to longitudinally move the reset plate and the inner dials to a reset position when the reset housing is rotated from a first position to a second position.

16. The combination lock of claim 15 , further comprising at least one tactile feedback mechanism configured to provide a variable resistance to rotation of the outer dials.

17. The combination lock of claim 15 , further comprising: a bolt operable to engage a locking link; and
a multiplier link engaged between the bolt and the spindle, wherein the multiplier link is configured to translate movement of the spindle by a first travel distance to movement of the bolt by a second travel distance greater than the first travel distance.

18. The combination lock of claim 15 , further comprising:
a spring including a first end portion; and
a dial spacer anchoring the first end portion to the housing.

19. The combination lock of claim 18 , wherein the spring further includes an engagement portion operable to engage a detent ring coupled to one of the outer dials to thereby provide a variable resistance to rotation of the one of the outer dials.

20. The combination lock of claim 19 , wherein the engagement portion is arcuate.

Assignees

• Schlage Lock Co Llc

Inventors

• Ramakrishna Manjunatha
• Townsend Robert
• M Kavya

Classifications

• E05B37/025

  in padlocks · CPC title

• E05B67/003

  Chain, wire or cable locks (alarms therefor E05B45/005; E05B69/006 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E05B73/0005

  using chains, cables or the like (chain- or cable-locks of the padlock type E05B67/003; lockable clothing hangers or hanger racks E05B69/006) · CPC title

• E05B37/02

  with tumbler discs or rings arranged on a single axis, each disc being adjustable independently of the others · CPC title

• E05B37/0058 Primary

  by axial disengagement between hub and rim of tumbler discs or rings · CPC title