GB2332471A

GB2332471A - Dust cover for a lock key hole

Info

Publication number: GB2332471A
Application number: GB9726438A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jin-Ren Shieh
Original assignee: SHIEH JIN REN
Current assignee: SHIEH JIN REN
Priority date: 1997-12-16
Filing date: 1997-12-16
Publication date: 1999-06-23
Also published as: GB9726438D0; DE29722438U1

Abstract

A dust cover for the body 40 and key hole of a padlock comprises a shell 10 with a hole 13 corresponding to the key hole, and a movable hole cover member 20 which is resiliently biased 30 away from the hole sealing position. A member 21 on the cover member 20 protrudes through a slot 14 in the shell 10 to allow the cover member 20 to be manipulated into the sealing position, wherein a retaining portion (22, Fig 4) engageable with a retaining portion (16) of the shell holds the cover member 20 in the sealing position. When a key is inserted, the engageable portions (22,16) become disengaged and the cover member 20 moves away from the key hole under the bias of spring 30.

Description

2332471 DUST COVER OF LOCK KEY HOLE

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a lock, and more particularly to a key hole dust cover of the lock.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The conventional key hole dust cover of a lock is made of a plastic material and is provided with a through hole corresponding in location to the key hole of the lock. The through hole is provided with a plug which can be removed to facilitate the inserting of a key into the key hole via the through hole. Another conventional key hole dust cover of a lock is movably attached to the key hole such that the dust cover an be moved away from the key hole to permit a key to be inserted into the key hole. Such conventional key hole dust covers as described above are defective in design in that they do not allow the key hole to be seen automatically before the key is inserted into the key hole.

1 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a lock with a key hole dust cover capable of uncovering the key hole automatically to allow a key to be inserted thereinto.

In keeping with the principle of the present invention, the foregoing objective of the present invention is attained by a key hole dust cover consisting of a shell, a movable member, and a resilient element. The shell has a through hole corresponding in location to the key hole, a long slot, and a receiving space in which the movable member is located such that the movable member can be actuated to move by an actuating portion exposed through the long slot. The movable member is provided with a retaining portion engageable with a retaining portion of the shell such that the movable member remains at the position of sealing the through hole. As the movable member is displaced in the direction toward the lock body and is disengaged with the retaining portion of the shell, the movable member is thus moved away from the through hole.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a bottom view of the first preferred embodiment of 2 the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of a lower cover of the shell of the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows a sectional view of a portion taken along the direction indicated by a line 4-4 as shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 shows a top view of the movable piece of the present invention.

FIG. 6 shows a front view of the movable piece of the present invention.

FIG. 7 shows a bottom view of the movable piece of the present invention.

FIG. 8 shows a sectional view of a portion taken in the direction indicated by a line 8-8 as shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 9 is a schematic view illustrating the disengagement of the movable piece with the shell of the present invention.

FIG. 10 shows a schematic view of the movable piece at an open position of the present invention.

FIG. 11 shows a schematic view of the engagement of the movable piece with the lower cover at such time when the movable piece of the present invention is located at a closed position.

3 FIG. 12 is a schematic view illustrating the disengagement of the movable piece with the lower cover of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a schematic view illustrating that the retaining portion of the movable piece at the open position is corresponding in location to the retaining portion of the lower cover of the present invention.

FIG. 14 shows a schematic view of a second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As illustrated in the drawings provided herewith, a key hole dust cover embodied in the present invention is composed of the component parts described hereinafter.

A shell 10 of a plastic material is composed of an upper cover 11 and a lower cover 12 and is dimensioned to contain a body 40 of a padlock 50. Both arms of the shackle of the padlock 50 are put through two through holes of the upper cover 11. The lower cover 12 is provided with a through hole 13 corresponding in location to a key hole of the padlock 50, and a long slot 14 located beside the through hole 13. Located between the inside of the lower cover 12 and the lock body is a receiving space 15, as shown in FIG. 3. Located beside the through hole 13 of the lower cover 12 are two retaining portions 16, as shown in FIG. 3. The lower cover 12 is provided in the inner wall thereof with two 4 recesses 17 and 18, and a retaining portion 16 located between the two recesses 17 and 18. The retaining portion 16 has an upright retaining surface 161 and an inclined surface 162.

As shown in FIGS. 5-8, a movable member 20 is located in the receiving space 15 and provided with an actuating portion 21 which is jutted out of the long slot 14 for actuating the movable member 20. The actuating portion 21 has two retaining portions 22 corresponding in location to and engageable with the two retaining portions 16 for keeping the movable member 20 at a position at which the through hole 13 is covered, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The actuating portion 21 is provided in the reverse side thereof with an elastic arm portion 23, which is provided at the free end thereof with a protruded portion 24 urging the bottom of the body 40 of the padlock 50.

A resilient element 30 of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention is a coil spring 30, which is fastened at one end thereof with a protruded column 17 of the lower cover 12 and at another end thereof with the movable member 20. When the movable member 20 is moved toward the body 40 to become disengaged with the retaining portion 16, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 12, the movable member 20 is forced by the elastic force of the resilient element 30 to move from a closed position, as shown in FIG. 1, to an open position such that the movable member 20 is jutted out of the through hole 13, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 13.

As shown in FIG. 1, the movable member 20 is located at the closed position such that the end surface 221 of the retaining portion 22 is engaged with the retaining surface 161 of the retaining portion 16, as shown in FIG. 11. In the meantime, the spring 30 is stretched, whereas the actuating portion 21 is located at the left side of the through hole 14, as shown in FIG. 1.

As illustrated in FIG. 9, a key 60 is inserted into the through hole 13 such that the movable member 20 is pushed by the key 60 to move toward the body 40, thereby resulting in the disengagement of the retaining portion 22 of the movable member 20 with the retaining portion 16 of the shell 10, as shown in FIG. 12.

Now referring to FIG. 10, the movable member 20 is acted on by the spring 30 to displace from the closed position to the open position so as to expose'the key hole to allow the entry of the key 60 into the key hole. In the meantime. the actuating portion 21 is located at the right side of the through hole 14, whereas the retaining portion 22 is displaced from the recess 17 to the recess 18, as shown in FIG. 13.

Upon removal of the key 60 from the key hole, the actuating portion 21 is actuated with fingers such that the actuating portion 21 is displaced from the right side of the through hole 14 to the left side of the through hole 14, and that the retaining portion 22 is acted on by the inclined surface 162 to pass through the retaining portion 16 to result in the engagement of the end surface 221 with the retaining surface 161, so as to return to the state as shown in FIG. 1.

The embodiment of the present invention described above is to be regarded in all respects as being merely illustrative and not restrictive. Accordingly, the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without deviating from the spirit thereof. For example, the present 6 invention may comprise a modified shell 70 having a through hole 71 which is provided in the inner wall thereof with a retaining portion 72 engageable with a retaining portion 74 of a movable member 73, as illustrated in FIG. 14. In other words, the shell 70 is not provided in the inner wall thereof with the recesses serving as retaining portions. The present invention is therefore to be limited only by the scopes of the following appended claims.

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Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A dust cover of a lock key hole, said dust cover comprising:

a shell provided with a through hole corresponding in location to the lock key hole, a slot located beside said through hole, a receiving space, and a retaining portion fastened with an inner wall of said shell; a movable member located in said receiving space and provided with an actuating portion jutted out of said slot of said shell, said movable member further provided with at least one retaining portion engageable with said retaining portion of said shell so as to enable said movable member to remain at a position to cover said through hole, said movable member still further provided with an elastic arm portion for urging said movable member to attach to the inner wall of said shell; and a resilient element fastened at one end thereof with said shell and at another end thereof with said movable member for providing an elastic force for forcing said movable member to move from a closed position to an open position at such time when said movable member is moved toward a lock body such that said retaining portion of said movable member is disengaged with said retaining portion of said shell.

2. The dust cover as defined in claim 1, wherein said shell is provided in the inner wall thereof with two retaining portions; and wherein said movable member is provided with two retaining portions engageable with said two retaining portions of said shell.

3. The dust cover as defined in claim 1, wherein said arm of said 8 movable member urges the lock body.

4. The dust cover as defined in claim 1, wherein said resilient element is a coil spring.

5. The dust cover as defined in claim 1, wherein said through hole of said shell is provided in an inner wall thereof with a retaining portion.

6. A dust cover for a lock key hole, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 13 or Figure 14 of the accompanying drawings.

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