US-12618269-B2 - Cable lock

US12618269B2US 12618269 B2US12618269 B2US 12618269B2US-12618269-B2

Abstract

The present invention discloses a cable lock with a cable capable of being twisted into an X-shape cross state and remains in that state. In addition, the cable lock further includes a combination lock mechanism, an elastic member and a key lock mechanism. The elastic member includes a plurality of arc-shape elastic sheets engaging with multiple dials of the combination lock mechanism. The key lock mechanism includes a blocking portion and a push portion. When the key lock mechanism is unlocked, the blocking portion leaves from blocking a lower-section of the cable, and the push portion pushes the lower-section to move.

Inventors

Chun Te Yu

Assignees

FULLYEAR-BROTHER ENTERPRISE CO., LTD.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20231103
Priority Date: 20211230

Claims (2)

1 . A cable lock comprising: a housing having an opening, the opening including a narrow hole and a wide hole communicating with each other, the narrow hole having a width less than the wide hole; a cable including a cable cord and a connecting portion being connected to the cable cord, the connecting portion having an upper-section connected to one end of the cable cord, a conical section connected to the upper-section, a lower-section and a mid-section between the conical section and the lower-section, the lower-section being able to pass through the wide hole of the opening but unable to pass through the narrow hole of the opening, the mid-section being able to pass through both the narrow hole and the wide hole of the opening, wherein the outer diameter of the conical section gradually decreases from the upper-section towards the mid-section, and the outer diameter of the conical section is less than the width of the narrow hole of the opening so that the conical section is able to pass through the wide hole and the narrow hole; and a combination lock mechanism including a movable blocking member located below the wide hole of the opening and a plurality of dials that control the movement of the blocking member, wherein when an incorrect combination is dialed by the dials, the blocking member of the combination lock mechanism remains in a blocking position at the underside of the wide hole of the opening, so that the lower-section of the connecting portion is unable to move from the underside of the narrow hole of the opening to the underside of the wide hole of the opening; wherein when the connecting portion of the cable is in an inserted state, the lower-section of the connecting portion is located at an under position that is below the narrow hole of the opening, the upper-section and the conical section of the connecting portion are located an upper position that is above the narrow hole of the opening, the mid-section of the connecting portion is located in the narrow hole of the opening, and the conical section of the connecting portion is between the housing and the upper-section of the connecting portion; wherein when the upper-section of the connecting portion in the inserted state is pushed outward from the upper position, the upper-section of the connecting portion will be inclined against the housing and the conical section of the connecting portion will enter the narrow hole from the upper position.
2 . A cable lock comprising: a housing having an opening, the opening including a narrow hole and a wide hole communicating with each other, the narrow hole having a width less than the wide hole; a cable including a cable cord and a connecting portion being connected to the cable cord, the connecting portion having an upper-section connected to one end of the cable cord, a straight section connected to the upper-section, a mid-section connected to the straight section and a lower-section connected to the mid-section section, the lower-section being able to pass through the wide hole of the opening but unable to pass through the narrow hole of the opening, the mid-section being able to pass through both the narrow hole and the wide hole of the opening, wherein the outer diameter of the straight section is less than both the width of the narrow hole of the opening and the outer diameter of the upper-section so that the straight section is able to pass through the wide hole and the narrow hole; and a combination lock mechanism including a movable blocking member located below the wide hole of the opening and a plurality of dials that control the movement of the blocking member, wherein when an incorrect combination is dialed by the dials, the blocking member of the combination lock mechanism remains in a blocking position at the underside of the wide hole of the opening, so that the lower-section of the connecting portion is unable to move from the underside of the narrow hole of the opening to the underside of the wide hole of the opening; wherein when the connecting portion of the cable is in an inserted state, the lower-section of the connecting portion is located at an under position that is below the narrow hole of the opening, the upper-section and the straight section of the connecting portion are located an upper position that is above the narrow hole of the opening, the mid-section of the connecting portion is located in the narrow hole of the opening, and the straight section of the connecting portion is between the housing and the upper-section of the connecting portion so that a gap is formed between the upper-section and housing and; wherein when the upper-section of the connecting portion in the inserted state is pushed outward from the upper position, the upper-section of the connecting portion will be inclined against the housing and the straight section of the connecting portion will enter the narrow hole from the upper position.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a Continuation-in-Part of co-pending application Ser. No. 17/885,015, filed on Aug. 10, 2022, for which priority is claimed under 35 U.S.C. § 120; and this application claims priority of Application No. 110149776 filed in Taiwan on Dec. 30, 2021 under 35 U.S.C. § 119, the entire contents of all of which are hereby incorporated by reference. BACKGROUND OF INVENTION Field of Invention The present invention relates to a luggage lock, more particularly, to a cable lock with a flippable cable. Related Prior Art A conventional cable lock comprising a housing, a cable and a lock mechanism. The housing has two holes. Each of the two terminal ends of the cable has a connecting portion, wherein one of the connecting portions is located inside a connecting hole of the housing, and cannot be pulled out of the connecting hole, and the other connecting portion can be plugged in and out of a receptacle located inside the housing. The lock mechanism is configured to lock or release the connecting portion that is inserted inside the receptacle. The most distinctive feature of the cable lock is the twistable cable used to lock an object. In recent years, a lock with dual-lock mechanisms was introduced to meet the customs inspections requirements, a lock of such can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 7,251,965. The two connecting portions of the cable can be respectively plugged in and out of the two long receptacles of the housing, wherein a lock mechanism allows the customs officer to lock or unlock the lock, and the other lock mechanism allows a user to lock or unlock the lock. This is the main distinctive feature of the present dual-lock cable lock from the conventional cable lock. FIG. 16 shows a conventional cable lock 9 being used on a luggage and is in a locked state, at this time, a connecting portion 911 of the cable 91 and its housing 92 remains connected, while the other connecting portion 912 of the cable 91 passes through the through holes 811 of the two zipper pull tabs of the luggage, and remains in a receptacle 921 of the housing 92. The problem is that during the transportation of the luggage 8, the housing 92 of the cable lock 9 may often be tossed around, which cause the cable 91 to twist the two zipper pull tabs 81. Although the existing cable 91 may be flexible, but it still has considerable amount of rigidity, so it is still possible to snap the two zipper pull tabs 81 after repeated twisting. Moreover, if someone intentionally turns over the housing 92 continuously in the same direction, the cable 91 that turns and twist along the housing 92 will snap the two zipper pull tabs 81. Therefore, the industry eager anticipates a new type of cable lock that could reduced the aforementioned issue related to the cable snapping the zipper pull tabs. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a cable lock including a housing with a first shell. The first shell has two holes. Each of the holes includes a narrow hole with a first width and a wide hole with a second width. The narrow hole is laterally connected to the wide hole. The first width is less than the second width. Two accommodating cavities are respectively provided below the holes in the housing. A cable has a twistable cable cord with two connecting portions respectively disposed at two terminal ends of the cable cord. Each connecting portion has an upper-section connected to the terminal end of the cable cord, a lower-section and a mid-section between the upper-section and the lower-section. The lower-section is able to pass through the wide hole so as to enter and exit the accommodating cavity but unable to pass through the narrow hole. The mid-section is able to pass through the wide hole and move back and forth within the wide hole. After both the lower-sections of the cable cord pass through the corresponding wide hole and then move to an underside of the corresponding narrow hole, the cable cord is bent into an U shape and is further able to be twisted into an X-shaped cross state and remains continuously. The two upper-sections of the cable cord in the X-shape cross state respectively lean into the two wide holes from a top of the two narrow holes, and inclined at different directions. In one embodiment, the housing further includes a second shell and a third shell. The second shell extends downward from the first shell. The second shell is integrally formed with the first shell. The third shell is engaged with the second shell and the first shell. In one embodiment, the first shell further includes two upper walls that protrude upwards and are opposite to each other. The two connecting portions of the cable bent into the U shape is inclined at an angle, so that the upper-section of each of the connecting portions respectively leans against the two upper walls. In a more detailed embodiment, each of the two upper-sections covers an entire of the corresponding wide hole and leans agai