ROD CONNECTION LOCK WITH SUSPENDED MEMBER

Description

1 / 11 Rod connection lock with suspended member. Cross-reference to related orders.

[001] This application claims priority over Utility Model Application No. CN 202520134962,X, filed on January 20, 2025, the content of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. FIELD OF TECHNIQUE

[002] This disclosure relates to the field of locking technology and, in particular, to a rod-linking lock. BACKGROUND

[003] As the handle of a rod-link latch is usually embedded in the handle groove of the housing, during the unlocking operation, one end of the handle needs to project from the handle groove to allow the handle to be pulled out and complete the unlocking operation. Consequently, the prior art involves disposing of a torsion spring at the pivoting end of the handle when the handle is engaged in the handle groove, so that relying on the elastic energy stored in the torsion spring causes the handle to spring out of the handle groove. This arrangement, on the one hand, requires the addition of a torsion spring, which needs some pre-compression during installation, resulting in an inconvenient assembly. On the other hand, actual user feedback indicates that latches designed with a torsion spring to actuate handle ejection still present the risk of the handle becoming stuck in the handle groove and not being ejected.Therefore, there is a current need to solve the problem of providing a rod linkage latch capable of reliably ejecting the handle from the handle groove when necessary.

[004] Currently, there are also designs that provide assistive devices to help eject the handle; such designs are found in rod-link locks in general. However, in some applications, to increase the flexibility and anti-theft performance of the rod-link lock, Petition 870250085341, dated 09 / 22 / 2025, page 8 / 44 2 / 11 The rod link latch will be configured with a tab for a padlock, and the handle will be provided with a structure engaged with the tab (for example, the hole disclosed in the handle in Chinese Utility Model Patent No. CN 201915722U). As the tab occupies installation space within the lock, the overall design space of the lock is significantly restricted, making it impossible to replicate the current handle ejection improvement solutions for use in the rod link latch with a suspended member, thus increasing the difficulty for the aforementioned improvement designs for the rod link latch. SUMMARY

[005] An objective of the present disclosure is to provide a rod-link lock with a suspended member, which is compact and has a grip that can reliably project out of a grip groove opening.

[006] To achieve the above objective, solutions of the present disclosure technique are provided as follows:

[007] A rod-link lock with a suspended member, comprising a housing, a handle and a tab; wherein the housing is provided with a handle groove, one end of the handle is mounted in the groove by means of a pivot and the other end is a swing end that can be engaged in the handle groove, the handle is provided with a tab coupling structure corresponding to the tab, which engages with the tab to allow the attachment of a padlock, after the handle is engaged in the groove, the tab coupling structure is a hole that passes through the handle so that a suspended end of the tab can pass through;wherein the flap is arranged in a sliding manner in the gripping groove along a direction of groove depth, the flap is configured to be confined in the housing and movable between a first lockable position and a second position, when the flap is in the first lockable position, the suspended end of the flap is insertable through the gripping hole to allow the padlock to be attached, one direction of operation to move the flap from the first lockable position to the second position is; Petition 870250085341, dated 09 / 22 / 2025, page 9 / 44 3 / 11 same direction of pressing the tab towards the bottom of the grip groove;

[008] wherein the flap is provided with a pusher member mounted within the grip groove and a drive portion to be actuated by the flap, the pusher member has a pusher portion, corresponding to a lower part of the grip and attachable to the grip;

[009] wherein the tab is connected to the drive portion of the pusher member in a motion linkage manner; when the tab is moved from the first lockable position to the second position, the pusher member drives the oscillating end of the handle to project out of an opening in the handle groove, when the handle is engaged in the handle groove, the bottom of the handle drives the pusher member and causes the tab to move from the second position to the first lockable position.

[010] Preferably, the drive member is a lever structure with its central part articulated to the housing by means of a pivot axis.

[011] Preferably, the drive portion of the thrust member includes a wheel that rotates around the pivot axis, the wheel is provided with teeth, the flap is provided with a rack portion that extends along the depth direction of the handle groove, the rack portion is meshed with the teeth for torque transmission and the thrust portion is an arm that extends radially from the wheel.

[012] Preferably, the lower part of the gripping groove is provided with a concave positioning cavity, a mounting cover is mounted in the concave positioning cavity, the mounting cover has an opening groove to prevent interference and allow the thrust portion of the thrust member to extend into it, and a positioning hole to allow the suspension end of the flap to pass through it; the thrust member is positioned and mounted within the concave positioning cavity and confined therein by the mounting cover, an arc-shaped shaft support surface is provided within the concave positioning cavity, the mounting cover has a Petition 870250085341, dated 09 / 22 / 2025, page 10 / 44 4 / 11 shaft limiting surface that engages with the arc-shaped shaft support surface, the shaft limiting surface and the arc-shaped shaft support surface together form a shaft positioning hole, a portion of the flange root is inserted into the concave positioning cavity, the pivot shaft of the thrust member is supported on the arc-shaped shaft support surface and limited on it by the shaft limiting surface after the mounting cover is mounted in the concave positioning cavity.

[013] Preferably, the handle includes a metal handle body with a hinged portion at one end, the lower part of the handle of the metal handle body has a recess, the lower part of the handle is provided with a plastic coating, the plastic coating has a concave shell portion embedded in the recess, an edge of the shell portion extends outward so as to form a scratch-resistant rim that covers an edge of the recess of the lower part of the handle, and the shell portion has a hole-shaped portion in a concave bottom that serves as a coupling structure for the hole-shaped tab.

[014] Preferably, the bottom of the handle has a recess.

[015] By adopting the solutions of the above technique, actuating the tab causes the thrusting member to propel the handle out of the grip groove, thus allowing the handle to be actively operated to project from the grip groove. Furthermore, using the tab as an operating component to project the handle offers the advantage of a compact structure. In addition, the overall structure is simple, compact, and reliable in operation. Another advantage is that, as the tab moves into the cable groove, the height of the suspended end of the tab projecting from the cable groove decreases, thus expanding the degrees of freedom of movement of the cable. When the handle is engaged in the grip groove, the handle propels the tab to reset to the first lockable position. That is, after the handle is fully operated, the tab lifts and resets simultaneously, allowing the user to complete the Petition 870250085341, dated 09 / 22 / 2025, page 11 / 44 5 / 11 The padlock is installed in one step without requiring two-handed operation, thus eliminating the need to pull the suspended end of the flap to secure the padlock. Therefore, by integrating the functional structure for actively ejecting the handle with the flap, a compact structural arrangement is achieved. Furthermore, the operation of the flap and the handle are interconnected, making the lock convenient to use. The handle adopts a design with a plastic coating to prevent scratches. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[016] Figure 1 is a schematic structural view of a rod-to-suspension linkage lock, according to the present disclosure.

[017] Figure 2 is an exploded view of a rod-link lock with a suspended member according to the present disclosure.

[018] Figure 3 is a schematic structural view of a tab of a rod-link lock with a suspended member in a first lockable position according to the present disclosure.

[019] Figure 4 is a schematic structural view of a handle of a rod-link lock with a suspended member in a second position according to the present disclosure.

[020] Figure 5 is a schematic structural view of a housing for a rod-link lock with a suspension member according to the present disclosure. DESCRIPTION OF THE MODALITIES

[021] With reference to Figures 1 to 5, the present disclosure discloses a rod-link lock with a suspended member, comprising a housing 1, a handle 2 and a tab 3. The housing 1 is provided with a handle groove 11. One end of the handle 2 is mounted within the handle groove 11 by means of a pivot 2-1, and the other end of the handle 2 is a swing end that can be fitted into the handle groove 11. The handle 2 is provided with a fitting structure corresponding to the tab 3, which connects to the tab 3 to allow the attachment of a padlock after the handle 2 is fitted into the handle groove 11. Petition 870250085341, dated 09 / 22 / 2025, p. 12 / 44 6 / 11

[022] In this specific embodiment, the coupling structure of the handle is a hole 21 that passes through the handle 2, which allows a suspended end 31 of the tab 3 with a suspended hole to pass through. Specifically, when the handle 2 is engaged in the handle groove 11, the suspended end 31 of the tab 3 passes through the hole 21 of the handle 2, so that a padlock can be attached to the suspended end 31 and lock the handle 2.

[023] To solve the problem of the prior art that the handle 2 of a rod-link lock with a suspended member may fail to eject, the tab 3 is configured to be confined in the housing 1 and movable between a first lockable position (as shown in Figure 3) and a second position (as shown in Figure 4). Thus, the tab 3 can be actuated to move between the first lockable position and the second position. The tab 3 is provided with a thrust member 4. The thrust member 4 has a thrust portion 41 corresponding to the lower part of the handle 2 and engaging with the handle 2, and an actuating portion 42 to be actuated by the tab 3. When in the first lockable position, the tab 3 is engaged with the tab coupling structure to allow the padlock to be secured.When tab 3 is moved from the first lockable position to the second position, the oscillating end of the handle 2 is driven by the drive member 4 to project out of an opening in the handle groove 11 (as shown in Figure 4).

[024] This achieves the ejection of the oscillating end of the handle 2 by operating the tab 3, which allows the handle 2 to be actively operated to project out of the handle groove 11 and ensures reliable protrusion of the handle from the handle groove opening. Simultaneously, it achieves a multifunctional single-component design, which makes the overall structure compact. Furthermore, in this design, the tab is a necessary operational part for locking and unlocking the handle; performing the ejection of the handle by means of this part makes the operation smoother and more convenient to use. In the present disclosure design, the articulated end of the handle 2 can be designed without a torsion spring.

[025] The tab 3 is connected and moves together with the drive portion 42 Petition 870250085341, dated 09 / 22 / 2025, page 13 / 44 7 / 11 of the drive member 4, so that when the grip 2 is engaged in the grip groove 11, the lower part of the grip 2 drives the drive member 4 and actuates the tab 3 to move from the second position to the first lockable position. This causes the grip to push or press the drive portion of the drive member when engaged in the grip groove, and the drive member actuates the tab through the actuation portion, thus resetting the tab from the second position to the first lockable position. Adopting the design with the linking movement can reduce the number of components.

[026] As discussed above, to achieve a simpler and more compact structure while facilitating the installation and arrangement of the movable flap 3 in the present disclosure. Preferably, the handle coupling structure is a hole 21 that passes through the handle 2, which allows a suspended end 31 of the flap 3 with a suspended hole to pass through. The flap 3 and the thrust member 4 are mounted within the handle groove 11, and the flap 3 is arranged in a sliding manner within the handle groove 11 along a depth direction X of the handle groove 11.

[027] By concealing a root portion of the flap 3 and the thrust member 4 within the grip groove 11 and utilizing the space of the housing 1 along its thickness for installation and arrangement, and by adapting the direction of movement of the flap 3 to the direction of ejection of the grip 2, the installation and arrangement of the flap 3 become more convenient and reliable, and the coupling structure of the flap is more compact. For example, the size of the hole in the grip 2 can be designed as compactly as possible and the movement of the flap is more stable and reliable.

[028] To obtain a more convenient and reliable grip ejection, a direction of operation for moving tab 3 from the first locking position to the second position corresponds to a direction of pressing tab 3 towards the bottom of the grip groove 11. Thus, pressing tab 3 towards the bottom of the grip groove 11 can cause the oscillating end Petition 870250085341, dated 09 / 22 / 2025, p. 14 / 44 8 / 11 of handle 2 projects out of handle groove 11. This operation is labor-saving and convenient. In addition, the force applied to tab 3 is more reasonable, making it less prone to damage; and the tab design takes up less space, resulting in a more compact structure. When the handle is engaged in the handle groove, the handle drives tab 3 to lift and reset.

[029] In the lock unlocking operation with the above solution, pressing the tab in the handle groove causes the handle to be propelled and project out of the handle groove opening, thus achieving the function of actively ejecting the handle. Simultaneously, the height of the suspended end of the tab projecting from the handle groove decreases, thus expanding the degrees of freedom of movement of the handle. During the locking operation, when the handle is engaged in the handle groove, the handle drives the tab to reset to the first lockable position.In other words, after the handle is fully operated, the flap lifts and resets simultaneously, allowing the user to complete the padlock installation in one step without requiring two-handed operation, thus avoiding the need to pull the suspended end of the flap to secure the padlock. This not only achieves a compact design but also ensures operational synergy, making the lock convenient to use.

[030] Furthermore, the pusher member 4 is a lever structure with its central part articulated to the housing 1 by means of a pivot shaft 43. This achieves a simple structure and reliable operation for the pusher member. Pressing the tab 3 allows the pusher member 4 to push the handle 2 to move in the eject direction from the handle groove 11. Those skilled in the art, under the teachings of the present disclosure, may also make corresponding modifications to the design, such as configuring the pusher member as a sliding rack design, wherein the pusher member is connected to the tab by means of a gear, which utilizes a rack and pinion design to achieve the same, etc.

[031] Another specific project is described below. The drive portion Petition 870250085341, dated 09 / 22 / 2025, page 15 / 44 9 / 11 of the thrust member 4 includes a wheel 421 that rotates around the pivot axis. The wheel 421 is provided with teeth 422. The flap 3 is provided with a rack portion 32 that extends along the direction of the depth of the handle groove 11. The rack portion 32 is meshed with the teeth 422 for torque transmission. The thrust portion 41 is an arm that extends radially from the wheel 421. The torque between the thrust member and the flap is transmitted through the meshing of the teeth, and the linking motion between them is achieved, which has the advantages of stable and reliable operation. Furthermore, it allows the thrust member to drive the flap to reset when the handle presses the thrust portion of the thrust member.In the lever structure of the drive member, the drive portion can also be a rod-shaped structure extending to the bottom of the flange, but this structure presents problems of non-compact connection and insufficient operational reliability. Therefore, tooth meshing means are preferably adopted.

[032] As an embodiment of the present disclosure, a concave positioning cavity 12 is provided in the lower part of the gripping groove 11, and a mounting cover 13 is mounted in the concave positioning cavity 12. The mounting cover 13 is provided with an opening groove 131 to prevent interference and a positioning hole 132. The opening groove 131 allows the thrust portion 41 of the thrust member 4 to extend inward. The positioning hole 132 allows the suspended end 31 of the tab 3 to extend through it. The thrust member 4 is positioned and mounted within the concave positioning cavity 12 and confined therein by the mounting cover 13, an arc-shaped shaft support surface 121 is provided within the concave positioning cavity 12.That is, the concave positioning cavity 12 includes a cavity portion for positioning the tab 3 and another cavity portion for positioning and installing the thrust member 4. The mounting cover 13 is provided with a shaft limiting surface 133 which is engaged with the. Petition 870250085341, dated 09 / 22 / 2025, page 16 / 44 10 / 11 arc-shaped shaft support surface 121, and the shaft limiting surface 133 and the arc-shaped shaft support surface 121 cooperatively form a shaft positioning hole. A root portion of tab 3 is inserted into the concave positioning cavity 12. The pivot shaft 43 of the thrust member 4 is supported on the arc-shaped shaft support surface 121. After the mounting cover 13 is mounted in place, the suspended end 31 of tab 3 extends out of the positioning hole 132, the shaft limiting surface 133 of the mounting cover 13 limits the pivot shaft 43 on the arc-shaped shaft support surface 121, and tab 3 and thrust member 4 are restrained within the concave positioning cavity 12 by the mounting cover 13. This allows for convenient and reliable positioning and installation of the tab and thrust member.

[033] To solve the problem of possible jamming between the handle and the housing, and to protect both the housing and the handle, the design can be further optimized so that the handle is formed from several parts that are machined separately and then assembled. Specifically, the handle 2 includes a metal handle body 22 with a hinged portion at one end. A handle bottom 221 of the metal handle body 22 has a recess 2211. A plastic liner 23 is padded on the bottom of the handle 221. The plastic liner 23 has a concave shell portion 231 embedded in the recess. One edge of the shell portion 231 extends outward to form a scratch-resistant rim 232 that covers the edge of the recess 2211 on the underside of the handle 221. The shell portion 231 has a hole-shaped portion 233 in a concave bottom that serves as the hole-shaped tab coupling structure.The plastic coating is used for protection, thus reducing damage caused by impacts during contact between the handle and the housing, as well as between the handle and the flange. In addition, the recess on the underside of the handle also serves to prevent interference with the flange's installation area. When the handle is engaged... Petition 870250085341, dated 09 / 22 / 2025, page 17 / 44 11 / 11 grip groove, the recess on the underside of the grip allows the insertion of the part that holds the tab. This achieves positional avoidance and makes the structure compact. In the specific embodiment, the recess is formed by the concave plastic coating; of course, if the grip is a one-piece structure, the recess can be formed directly by the underside of the grip. Petition 870250085341, dated 09 / 22 / 2025, page 18 / 44

Claims

1 / 3 CLAIMS 1. ROD LOCK WITH SUSPENDED MEMBER characterized by comprising a housing, a handle and a tab; wherein the housing is provided with a handle groove, one end of the handle is mounted in the handle groove by means of a pivot, and the other end is an oscillating end that can be engaged in the handle groove, the handle is provided with a coupling structure to the tab corresponding to the tab itself, which engages with the tab to allow the attachment of a padlock after the handle is engaged in the handle groove, the tab coupling structure is a hole through the handle for the passage of the suspended end of the tab;wherein the flap is arranged in a sliding manner in the gripping groove along a direction of depth of the gripping groove, the flap is configured to be confined in the housing and movable between a first lockable position and a second position, when the flap is in the first lockable position, the suspended end of the flap can be inserted through the gripping hole to allow the padlock to be fitted, a direction of operation to move the flap from the first lockable position to the second position is the same direction as pressing the flap towards the bottom of the gripping groove; wherein the flap is provided with a thrusting member mounted within the gripping groove and a drive portion to be actuated by the flap, the thrusting member has a thrust portion, corresponding to a lower part of the grip and attachable to the grip; wherein the flap is connected to the drive portion of the thrusting member in a motion linkage manner;When the flap is moved from the first lockable position to the second position, the pusher member drives the oscillating end of the handle to project out of an opening in the handle groove; when the handle is engaged in the handle groove, the lower part of the handle drives the pusher member and causes the flap to move from the second position to the first lockable position.

2. ROD LINKAGE LOCK WITH SUSPENDED MEMBER, according to Petition 870250085341, dated 09 / 22 / 2025, page 19 / 44 2 / 3 with claim 1, characterized by the drive member being a lever structure with its central part articulated to the housing by means of a pivot axis.

3. A rod-link lock with a suspended member, according to claim 2, characterized in that the drive portion of the drive member comprises a wheel that rotates around the pivot axis, the wheel is provided with teeth, the flange is provided with a rack portion that extends along the depth direction of the gripping groove, the rack portion engages with the teeth for torque transmission, and the drive portion is an arm that extends radially from the wheel.

4. ROD CONNECTION LOCK WITH SUSPENDED MEMBER, according to claim 2, characterized in that the lower part of the gripping groove is provided with a concave positioning cavity, a mounting cover is mounted in the concave positioning cavity, the mounting cover is provided with an opening slot to prevent interference and allow the thrust portion of the thrust member to extend into it, and a positioning hole to allow the suspended end of the tab to extend through it;The thrust member is positioned and mounted within the concave positioning cavity and confined therein by the mounting cover. An arc-shaped shaft support surface is provided within the concave positioning cavity. The mounting cover is provided with a shaft limiting surface that mates with the arc-shaped shaft support surface. The shaft limiting surface and the arc-shaped shaft support surface cooperatively form a shaft positioning hole. A portion of the flange root is inserted into the concave positioning cavity. The pivot shaft of the thrust member is supported on the arc-shaped shaft support surface and limited by it after the mounting cover is mounted in the concave positioning cavity.

5. ROD LINKAGE LOCK WITH SUSPENDED MEMBER, according to Petition 870250085341, dated 09 / 22 / 2025, page 20 / 44 3 / 3 with claim 1, characterized by the grip comprising a metal grip body with a hinged portion at one end, the lower part of the metal grip body having a recess, the lower part of the grip being provided with a plastic coating, the plastic coating having a concave shell portion embedded in the recess, an edge of the shell portion extending outward to form a scratch-resistant rim that covers an edge of the recess on the lower part of the grip, and the shell portion having a hole-shaped portion in its concave bottom that serves as the coupling structure of the hole-shaped tab.

6. ROD LOCK WITH SUSPENDED MEMBER, according to claim 1, characterized by the lower part of the handle having a recess. Petition 870250085341, dated 09 / 22 / 2025, page 21 / 44

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