A chain lock

Abstract

The application discloses a chain lock and belongs to the field of locks, and solves the problem of weak ability of the chain lock in preventing the abrasive wheel from cutting, and the technical scheme for solving the problem is that a protective shell is arranged on the outer periphery of the closed chain ring, the protective shell comprises a first shell body and a second shell body, the cross sections of the first shell body and the second shell body are both in a half-enclosing shape, the inner side edge of the first shell body is provided with a first foldable flange, the inner side edge of the second shell body is provided with a second foldable flange, the first shell body is transversely sleeved on the outer side of the closed chain ring and is bent on the inner side of the closed chain ring by the first flange to form a check structure, the second shell body is transversely sleeved on the outer side of the closed chain ring and is bent on the inner side of the closed chain by the second flange to form a check structure, and the two ends of the first shell body are spliced with the two ends of the second shell body to completely wrap the closed chain ring, and the outer surface of the protective shell is provided with a cutting-resistant layer with a Mohs hardness not lower than 9. The application is mainly used for increasing the cutting difficulty.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to locks, and more particularly to a chain lock. Background Technology

[0002] The prior art CN205637949U discloses a chain lock, including a lock body and a chain body composed of chain links. Each chain link is provided with a protective sleeve. The protective sleeve includes an upper cover and a lower cover that cooperate with each other. The upper cover has one or more upper cutouts, and the lower cover has one or more lower cutouts. The mating surface of the upper cover is provided with an upper annular groove, and the mating surface of the lower cover is provided with a lower annular groove. The upper annular groove and the lower annular groove cooperate to form a sealed cavity for wrapping the chain link. In this prior art, the protective sleeve includes a matching upper cover and a lower cover. The upper cover has an upper slit, and the lower cover has a lower slit. The upper cover is fitted onto the chain link through the upper slit, and the chain link is placed in the upper annular groove. The lower cover is fitted onto the same chain link through the lower slit, so that another part of the chain link is placed in the lower annular groove. The upper and lower annular grooves are fitted together and sealed by welding to form a sealed cavity for wrapping the chain link. The remaining chain links are sealed and wrapped using the same steps, effectively preventing the intrusion or contamination of foreign matter and preventing rust. Compared with traditional rust-preventing structures, the protective sleeve can be manufactured individually, with each protective sleeve protecting only a single chain link, improving the sealing of the chain link and enhancing rust prevention. Furthermore, if the protective sleeve of a single chain link is damaged, only that protective sleeve needs to be replaced, facilitating maintenance and replacement.

[0003] The aforementioned existing technologies do not consider the chain lock's ability to prevent cutting by abrasive wheels. However, in daily life, incidents of chains being forcibly cut or severed are frequent, especially with the increasing portability of power tools, making the anti-theft effect unsatisfactory. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a chain lock that solves the problem of chain locks being weak in preventing cutting with a grinding wheel, and can significantly increase the difficulty of cutting, thereby achieving the purpose of theft prevention.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: a chain lock, comprising a lock body and a chain, the chain comprising a plurality of interconnected closed chain links, one of which is connected to the lock body. The lock body is provided with at least one unlockable locking bar, which is used to lock at least one closed chain link to the lock body. A protective shell is provided on the outer periphery of the closed chain link, the protective shell comprising a first shell and a second shell, both of which have a semi-enclosed cross-section. The inner edge of the first shell is provided with a bendable first flange, and the inner edge of the second shell is provided with a bendable second flange. The first shell is laterally fitted from the outside of the closed chain link and bent on the inside of the closed chain link by the first flange to form a check-back structure. The second shell is laterally fitted from the outside of the closed chain link and bent on the inside of the closed chain link by the second flange to form a check-back structure. The two ends of the first shell and the two ends of the second shell are spliced ​​together to completely enclose the closed chain link. The outer surface of the protective shell is provided with a cut-resistant layer with a Mohs hardness of not less than 9.

[0006] After adopting the above technical solution, the present invention has the following advantages: By setting a protective shell with a cut-resistant layer on the outer periphery of the closed chain link, a physical defense barrier is constructed, thereby effectively improving the chain lock's ability to resist cutting by power tools. By designing the protective shell as a first shell and a second shell, and adopting a semi-enclosed structure, the protective shell can be horizontally fitted from the outside of the chain link. This split design facilitates the wrapping and installation of the already connected chain links. By setting a bendable first flange and a second flange on the inner edge of the first shell and the second shell, and bending them inward after fitting to form a check structure, the mechanical locking of the flange with the inner side of the chain link ensures the stability of the protective shell on the chain link, preventing the protective shell from shifting or falling off during use. By splicing the two ends of the first shell and the second shell, the closed chain link is completely wrapped, eliminating blind spots and ensuring that the entire chain link is protected. By setting a cut-resistant layer with a Mohs hardness of not less than 9 on the outer surface of the protective shell, its high hardness significantly increases the difficulty of cutting when facing violent means such as grinding wheel cutting, thereby achieving the purpose of anti-theft.

[0007] Furthermore, the joint surfaces at both ends of the first housing and the two ends of the second housing are curved surfaces.

[0008] By employing the aforementioned technical solution, the joint surfaces at both ends of the first and second housings are designed as curved surfaces to optimize the structural stability and resistance to damage at the joint. During the process of the protective shell encasing the closed chain links, changing the joint surface from a simple plane to a curved surface effectively increases the contact area and engagement depth at the joint, allowing the first and second housings to form a tighter mechanical lock after assembly. This curved surface design allows external forces acting on the joint to be dispersed and guided through the curved structure, preventing stress concentration on a single plane and significantly improving the structural integrity of the protective shell against violent disassembly or cutting. This special geometric design ensures that the joint of the protective shell is no longer a weak point easily pried open or cut, but rather enhances the overall shear resistance through the curved surface, ensuring that the anti-cut layer can continuously and effectively cover the outer perimeter of the closed chain links, thereby improving the overall anti-theft security of the chain lock.

[0009] Furthermore, the first housing has a first stop at both ends, and the second housing has a second stop at both ends. The second stop and the first stop are engaged and positioned to form a bent curved surface.

[0010] By employing the aforementioned technical solution, and by setting mutually cooperating first and second stops at both ends of the first and second shells respectively, precise guidance and positioning of the protective shell during the splicing process are achieved. This stop-fitting structure not only ensures that the first and second shells maintain a high degree of alignment when docking, avoiding gaps caused by installation errors, but also changes the force transmission path at the splicing point through the curved surface formed by the stop-fitting. Compared to a flat splicing surface, the curved surface structure can effectively disperse external shear and impact forces, enhancing the mechanical interlocking strength at the splicing point. This makes it less likely for the protective shell to undergo relative displacement or detachment when subjected to external forces, thereby ensuring that the anti-cutting layer can always completely cover the outer periphery of the closed chain link, improving the overall structural reliability and anti-vandalism capability of the chain lock. Moreover, it ensures that the grinding wheel cannot directly cut into the gap and avoid the first or second shell during cutting, inevitably encountering the first or second shell, increasing the cutting difficulty.

[0011] Furthermore, the cross-sectional shape formed by the first and second housings wrapping the closed chain link is adapted to the cross-section of the closed chain link.

[0012] By employing the aforementioned technical solution, a tight fit between the protective shell and the chain link is achieved by ensuring that the cross-sectional shape formed after the protective shell is wrapped matches the cross-section of the closed chain link. This adaptive design ensures that the protective shell can be securely fitted onto the outer circumference of the chain link, eliminating excess gaps between them and thus preventing the protective shell from loosening or shifting on the chain link. Through this tightly wrapped structure, when external cutting forces are applied, the protective shell can more effectively distribute and transfer stress evenly to the chain link, preventing deformation or easy damage to the protective shell due to excessive internal gaps, significantly improving the overall structural strength and cut resistance of the chain lock. This adaptability not only optimizes the installation stability of the protective shell but also ensures that the cut-resistant layer is always in the optimal protective position, thereby maximizing the physical protective function of the protective shell.

[0013] Furthermore, the inner wall of the protective shell is fixed to the closed chain link with glue.

[0014] By adopting the aforementioned technical solution, the movement of the protective shell on the closed chain link is eliminated, avoiding wear between the two and reducing the noise generated by the movement of the protective shell relative to the closed chain link.

[0015] Furthermore, the outer side of the first flange has no anti-cutting layer.

[0016] By employing the aforementioned technical solution, a balance between structural strength and protective performance is achieved through localized avoidance of the anti-cutting layer on the outer region of the first flange. While ensuring the overall protective shell possesses anti-cutting capabilities, removing the anti-cutting layer on the outer side of the first flange eliminates the risk of stress concentration and material damage caused by excessive hardness of the anti-cutting layer during bending and forming. This ensures the first flange can smoothly complete its inward bending process, thereby guaranteeing a stable connection between the protective shell and the closed chain link. This design not only optimizes the manufacturing process, avoiding mold wear or flange failure caused by processing hard materials, but also ensures that the chain lock maintains excellent anti-cutting performance in critical stress areas by retaining the anti-cutting layer on the remaining outer surfaces. This embodies the design philosophy of improving overall assembly quality and reliability in complex structural components through local feature optimization.

[0017] Furthermore, the outer side of the second flange has no anti-cutting layer.

[0018] By employing the aforementioned technical solution, the removal of the anti-cutting layer from the outer side of the second flange aims to optimize the assembly process of the protective shell and ensure structural stability. During the installation of the protective shell, the second flange needs to be bent from the outside to the inside of the closed chain link to form a check valve. Since the anti-cutting layer is usually made of high-hardness, high-brittle materials such as diamond, if this layer is placed on the outside of the flange, it is prone to cracking or falling off due to stress concentration during bending, thus affecting the overall anti-cutting integrity. By removing the anti-cutting layer from the outside of the second flange, the thickness and rigidity of the flange area are reduced, allowing the flange to more smoothly conform to the inner contour of the closed chain link during bending, ensuring that the check valve can lock tightly and preventing the protective shell from loosening or falling off. In addition, this design also avoids increased processing difficulty caused by the characteristics of the anti-cutting layer material, effectively improving the yield rate and assembly efficiency of manufacturing while ensuring the overall anti-cutting capability of the chain lock.

[0019] Furthermore, the first housing and the second housing are spliced ​​together along the width direction of the closed chain link.

[0020] By employing the aforementioned technical solution, the assembly structure of the protective shell is optimized by clarifying the splicing method of the first and second shells in the width direction of the closed chain link. Splicing in the width direction of the closed chain link allows the two shells to converge and cover each other from both sides of the chain link. This layout utilizes the width of the chain link as a support reference, resulting in a longer length of the bending anti-return structure of the first and second flanges inside the chain link, allowing for a tighter fit against the inner wall of the chain link. This specific splicing direction not only simplifies the alignment process during shell installation but also enhances the structural stability of the protective shell under lateral shear forces, ensuring the integrity of the first and second shells after splicing. This effectively prevents the protective shell from loosening or falling off the chain link, further improving the cut-resistant protection effect on the closed chain link.

[0021] Furthermore, the first housing and the second housing are spliced ​​together along the length of the closed chain link.

[0022] By employing the aforementioned technical solution, the assembly layout of the protective shell on the chain links is optimized by limiting the splicing direction of the first and second shells to the length direction of the closed chain links. When the chain lock is subjected to external forces such as tension or bending, the length direction of the chain links is often the area where the stress is concentrated. By splicing along this direction, the joint surface of the first and second shells can better conform to the stress deformation trend of the chain links. This splicing method can effectively disperse the impact of external forces on the joint of the protective shell, avoiding stress concentration at the joint caused by the mismatch between the splicing direction and the force direction. This enhances the overall stability of the protective shell on the chain links, ensures that the cut-resistant layer can continuously and effectively cover the surface of the chain links, and improves the chain lock's resistance to damage under complex stress environments.

[0023] Furthermore, the lock body is provided with two locking rods located on both sides of the lock body, and the closed chain links at both ends of the lock chain are locked one-to-one by the two locking rods.

[0024] With the aforementioned technical solution, the two locking rods are located on both sides of the lock body, which facilitates the connection of the closed chain links at both ends of the lock chain, forming a ring structure with a high degree of freedom, making it convenient for users to lock and unlock.

[0025] Furthermore, the lock body is provided with a locking groove that exposes the locking rod, and a closed chain link is inserted into the locking groove to allow the locking rod to pass through and lock. The closed chain link cooperates with the locking groove to cover the locking rod.

[0026] By adopting the aforementioned technical solution, the closed chain link and the locking groove cooperate to cover the locking bar, which can prevent the locking bar from being exposed and sawed or cut by tools, thus ensuring the anti-theft effect of the chain lock. Attached Figure Description

[0027] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a chain lock according to the present invention; Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of a chain lock according to the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a section of a chain in a chain lock according to the present invention; Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a closed chain link in a chain lock according to the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the first housing in a chain lock according to the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram (a) of the assembly of the protective shell in a chain lock according to the present invention. Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram (II) of the assembly of the protective shell in a chain lock according to the present invention; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram (III) of the assembly of the protective shell in a chain lock according to the present invention; Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram (four) of the assembly of the protective shell in a chain lock according to the present invention; Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram (V) of the assembly of the protective shell in a chain lock according to the present invention; Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the protective shell installed along the length of the closed chain link in a chain lock according to the present invention.

[0028] Figure label: Lock body 100, lock rod 101, locking groove 102, lock chain 200, closed chain link 201, first housing 21, first flange 211, first stop 212, second housing 22, second flange 221, second stop 222, anti-cutting layer 20, joint surface 202. Detailed Implementation

[0029] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments.

[0030] The terms "first," "second," etc. (if present) in the specification and claims of this invention are used to distinguish similar objects, not to describe a specific order or quantity. Even if "second" is used before a technical feature for distinction, it does not necessarily imply the presence of "first." It should be understood that in this invention, "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. It should be understood that in this invention, "a plurality of" refers to two or more. "And / or" is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, X and / or Y can represent: X alone, X and Y simultaneously, and Y alone. The character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects are in an "or" relationship. "Containing X, Y, and Z," "Containing X, Y, and Z" means that all three X, Y, and Z are included; "Containing X, Y, or Z" means that one of X, Y, and Z is included; "Containing X, Y, and / or Z" means that any one, two, or three of X, Y, and Z are included.

[0031] The following specific embodiments can be combined or substituted with each other according to the actual situation. For the same or similar concepts or processes, they may not be described again in some embodiments.

[0032] Traditional chain locks are not adequately designed to withstand violent attacks using power tools such as grinders. This makes them susceptible to being cut or severed in practice, resulting in ineffective security and difficulty in protecting property.

[0033] To increase the cutting difficulty of chain locks, this invention provides a chain lock, such as... Figures 1 to 10As shown, the lock includes a lock body 100 and a chain 200. The chain 200 includes multiple interconnected closed chain links 201, one of which is connected to the lock body 100. The lock body 100 has at least one unlockable locking lever 101 for locking at least one closed chain link 201 to the lock body 100. The outer periphery of the closed chain link 201 is provided with a protective shell, which includes a first shell 21 and a second shell 22. The cross-sections of the first shell 21 and the second shell 22 are both semi-enclosed. The inner edge of the first shell 21 has a bendable first flap. The inner edge of the second housing 22 is provided with a bendable second flange 221. The first housing 21 is laterally fitted from the outside of the closed chain link 201 and bent by the first flange 211 on the inside of the closed chain link 201 to form a check-back structure. The second housing 22 is laterally fitted from the outside of the closed chain link 201 and bent by the second flange 221 on the inside of the closed chain link 201 to form a check-back structure. The two ends of the first housing 21 and the two ends of the second housing 22 are spliced ​​together to completely wrap the closed chain link 201. The outer surface of the protective shell is provided with a cut-resistant layer 20 with a Mohs hardness of not less than 9.

[0034] For ease of understanding, the following explains some key terms in this embodiment: Chain locks are anti-theft locks consisting of a lock body and a chain. The chain is flexible and bendable, and can wrap around posts, vehicle frames, and iron gates. They are far more versatile than rigid U-locks and are widely used for fixing and preventing theft of electric vehicles, bicycles, motorcycles, gates, warehouses, and equipment.

[0035] The lock body 100 has a lock cylinder that can be unlocked by key or password. It can be selected as a blade lock cylinder or a disc lock cylinder, effectively preventing prying and technical unlocking. The lock rod 101 locks the closed chain link 201. The lock rod 101 can be hidden, which can effectively prevent hydraulic shears from cutting it.

[0036] Chain 200 refers to a flexible connection device consisting of multiple interconnected closed chain links 201, which is usually used for anti-theft, traction, or binding, and can be used in conjunction with lock body 100 to lock doors and windows.

[0037] The closed link 201 refers to the basic unit constituting the chain 200. Its structure is a closed loop, capable of being interconnected with other links. It is generally made of manganese steel / hardened boron steel, possessing high strength. The closed link 201 can have various shapes; the accompanying drawings of this application illustrate a runway-shaped example.

[0038] The protective shell refers to the external protective structure set around the closed chain link 201, which is used to wrap and protect the closed chain link 201.

[0039] The first shell 21 and the second shell 22 refer to the two main components that constitute the protective shell. They work together to enclose the closed chain link 201. The first shell 21 and the second shell 22 can be processed as a single integral part, or they can be disassembled into multiple parts, depending on the processing and installation requirements. For example, if the first shell 21 and the second shell 22 are each divided into two pieces, and a total of four shell pieces are assembled, the strength of the flanged structure will be relatively low, and it will be easier to bend it into a check valve structure, but it is not advisable to form too many assembly gaps.

[0040] The first flange 211 and the second flange 221 refer to the bendable portions respectively provided on the inner edges of the first housing 21 and the second housing 22, used to form a fixed structure after installation. To prevent prying, the first flange 211 and the second flange 221 have high structural strength and can be bent using hydraulic machinery. The resulting anti-return structure is stable and more reliable, and it is difficult to pry open with ordinary tools to restore the first housing 211 and the second flange 221 to their initial state for disassembling the first housing 21 and the second housing 22.

[0041] The anti-return structure refers to a mechanical locking structure formed by bending the flange, which can prevent the protective shell from shifting or falling off on the closed chain link 201.

[0042] The anti-cut layer 20 refers to a special structural layer set on the outer surface of the protective shell. Its material has high hardness and is designed to resist damage from cutting tools. To form the anti-cut layer 20 with a Mohs hardness of not less than 9, the materials and processes generally include composite electroplating, spraying, and surfacing of ceramic superhard particles. For example, diamond can be added through nickel-diamond composite electroplating, laser cladding, or brazing; cubic boron nitride can be added through nickel composite electroplating, brazing / surfacing; boron carbide can be added through nickel-based composite electroplating, thermal spraying, or surfacing filler particles; silicon carbide can be added through spraying, laser cladding, or surfacing with welding wire; corundum can be added through composite electroplating such as nickel-corundum composite plating, chromium-corundum composite plating, thermal spraying / spraying, or surfacing, or other common processes. Alternatively, hard metal carbides can be selected, which can be directly surfacing, cladding, or spraying, such as tungsten carbide, tantalum carbide, and vanadium carbide. Pure metal plating, such as hard chrome plating, can also be chosen. The higher the Mohs hardness, the better the cut resistance, but the cost will also increase accordingly. For example, diamond has the highest Mohs hardness and is therefore more expensive. Since the closed-loop link 201 is generally made of high-strength steel, the above process selection should consider the difficulty in undergoing a high-temperature solid-phase reaction with iron to prevent the cut-resistant layer 20 particles from easily falling off.

[0043] In this invention, a physical defense barrier is constructed by setting a protective shell with a cut-resistant layer 20 around the outer periphery of the closed chain link 201, thereby effectively improving the chain lock's ability to resist cutting by power tools. By designing the protective shell as a first shell 21 and a second shell 22, and adopting a semi-enclosed structure, the protective shell can be laterally fitted from the outside of the chain link. This split design facilitates the wrapping and installation of the already connected chain links. By setting a bendable first flange 211 and second flange 221 on the inner edges of the first shell 21 and the second shell 22, and bending them inward after fitting to form a check valve structure, the mechanical locking of the flanges with the inner side of the chain link ensures the stability of the protective shell on the chain link, preventing displacement or detachment during use. By splicing the two ends of the first shell 21 and the second shell 22, complete wrapping of the closed chain link 201 is achieved, eliminating blind spots and ensuring the entire chain link is protected. By setting a cut-resistant layer 20 with a Mohs hardness of not less than 9 on the outer surface of the protective shell, its high hardness significantly increases the difficulty of cutting when faced with violent means such as grinding wheel cutting, thereby achieving the purpose of theft prevention.

[0044] To prevent the assembly gap between the two ends of the first housing 21 and the two ends of the second housing 22 from becoming a weak point in the protection, the mating surfaces 202 of the two ends of the first housing 21 and the two ends of the second housing 22 can be designed as curved surfaces. By designing the mating surfaces 202 of the first housing 21 and the second housing 22 as curved surfaces, the structural stability and resistance to damage at the joint of the protective shell are optimized. During the process of the protective shell encasing the closed chain link 201, changing the mating surface 202 from a simple plane to a curved surface effectively increases the contact area and engagement depth at the joint, allowing the first housing 21 and the second housing 22 to form a tighter mechanical locking relationship after assembly. This curved surface design allows external forces acting on the joint to be dispersed and guided through the curved structure, avoiding stress concentration on a single plane. This significantly improves the structural integrity of the protective shell when subjected to violent disassembly or cutting, and also prevents the grinding wheel from directly contacting the closed chain link 201 through the flat assembly gap. This special geometric design ensures that the joints of the protective shell are no longer weak points that can be easily pried open or cut. Instead, the curved surfaces enhance the overall shear resistance, ensuring that the anti-cut layer 20 can continuously and effectively cover the outer periphery of the closed chain link 201, thereby improving the overall anti-theft security of the chain lock. The curved surfaces can be stepped, wavy, sawtooth, etc. The two ends of the first shell 21 and the two ends of the second shell 22 can easily form a complementary relationship, resulting in a smaller assembly gap after assembly and fixing.

[0045] Specifically, in one embodiment, a first stop 212 is provided at both ends of the first housing 21, and a second stop 222 is provided at both ends of the second housing 22. The second stop 222 mates with the first stop 212 to form a bent curved surface, specifically a stepped curved surface with concave and convex shapes. By providing mutually cooperating first stop 212 and second stop 222 at both ends of the first housing 21 and the second housing 22, precise guidance and positioning of the protective shell during the splicing process are achieved. This stop-fitting structure not only ensures that the first housing 21 and the second housing 22 maintain a high degree of alignment when they are joined, avoiding gaps caused by installation errors, but also changes the force transmission path at the splicing point through the bent curved surface formed by the stop-fitting. Compared to flat joints, the curved surface effectively disperses external shear and impact forces, enhancing the mechanical interlocking strength at the joints. This makes the protective shell less prone to relative displacement or detachment under external forces, ensuring that the anti-cut layer 20 always completely covers the outer periphery of the closed chain link 201, thus improving the overall structural reliability and anti-vandalism capability of the chain lock. Furthermore, it ensures that the grinding wheel cannot directly cut into the gap and avoid the first shell 21 or the second shell 22, inevitably encountering either shell 21 or the second shell 22, increasing the difficulty of cutting.

[0046] The closed chain link 201 itself possesses a certain strength. To utilize the supporting effect of the closed chain link 201 on the protective shell, the cross-sectional shape formed by the first shell 21 and the second shell 22 after wrapping the closed chain link 201 can be designed to match the cross-section of the closed chain link 201. By limiting the cross-sectional shape formed by the protective shell to match the cross-section of the closed chain link 201, a tight fit between the protective shell and the chain link is achieved. This adaptive design ensures that the protective shell can be securely fitted around the outer periphery of the chain link, eliminating excess gaps between them, thereby preventing the protective shell from loosening or shifting on the chain link. Through this tightly wrapped structure, when an external cutting force is applied, the protective shell can more effectively distribute and transfer the stress evenly to the chain link, preventing the protective shell from deforming or being easily damaged due to excessive internal gaps, significantly improving the overall structural strength and cut resistance of the chain lock. This adaptability not only optimizes the installation stability of the protective shell but also ensures that the cut-resistant layer 20 is always in the optimal protective position, thereby maximizing the physical protective function of the protective shell.

[0047] Specifically, the cross-sectional shape of the closed chain link 201 can be a common shape such as a rounded square, circle, regular hexagon, flattened ellipse, rectangle, or semicircle. Defining the cross-sectional shape of the closed chain link 201 provides a specific fitting benchmark for the inner cavity design of the protective shell. After the protective shell encloses the closed chain link 201, by adapting the cross-sectional shape of the protective shell to the cross-section of the closed chain link 201, a tight fit between the inner wall of the protective shell and the outer surface of the chain link can be ensured. This tight fit eliminates excess gaps between the protective shell and the chain link, allowing the protective shell to be firmly fixed to the chain link, preventing the protective shell from shaking or shifting when subjected to external cutting tools, thus ensuring that the cut-resistant layer 20 remains in an effective protective position. At the same time, this adaptable design makes the overall structure of the protective shell more compact, minimizing the volume of the chain lock while ensuring cut-resistant performance, and improving the flexibility and ease of operation of the chain lock in actual use. The shape of the closed chain link 201 can be a common shape such as an elliptical ring, a circular O-ring, or a rectangular ring.

[0048] To further extend the service life of the protective shell, it can be fixed to the closed chain link using adhesive. This eliminates movement of the protective shell on the closed chain link, preventing wear between them and reducing noise generated by the shell's movement. The adhesive connection also increases the difficulty of separating the protective shell from the closed chain link. Furthermore, during production, a clearance fit can be used between the protective shell and the closed chain link, with adhesive filling the gaps to reduce assembly difficulty and prevent water accumulation in the gaps, thus extending the chain's lifespan.

[0049] Since the first flange 211 needs to be bent to form a backflow prevention structure, and the anti-cutting layer 20 has high hardness, to prevent cracks or even breakage of the first flange 211 during bending due to the brittleness or excessive hardness of the anti-cutting layer 20, which would affect the structural integrity and assembly reliability of the protective shell, the outer side of the first flange 211 can be designed without the anti-cutting layer 20. "The outer side of the first flange 211 without the anti-cutting layer 20" means that no anti-cutting layer 20 is provided on the outer surface of the first flange 211. This can be achieved by intentionally avoiding the outer side of the first flange 211 during the forming of the anti-cutting layer 20. Alternatively, the anti-cutting layer 20 can be processed on the entire outer surface of the first shell 21, and then precisely removed from the outer side of the first flange 211 by mechanical grinding, laser removal, or chemical etching. By partially avoiding the anti-cutting layer 20 on the outer area of ​​the first flange 211, a balance between structural strength and protective performance is achieved. With the protective shell possessing overall cut-resistant functionality, removing the cut-resistant layer 20 on the outer side of the first flange 211 eliminates the risk of stress concentration and material damage caused by the excessive hardness of the cut-resistant layer 20 during the bending process of the flange. This ensures that the first flange 211 can smoothly complete the inward bending process, thereby guaranteeing a stable connection between the protective shell and the closed chain link 201. This design not only optimizes the manufacturing process and avoids mold wear or flange failure caused by processing hard materials, but also ensures that the chain lock still has excellent cut-resistant performance in critical stress areas by retaining the cut-resistant layer 20 on the remaining outer surfaces. This reflects the design concept of improving overall assembly quality and reliability in complex structural components through local feature optimization. Since the check valve structure formed after the first flange 211 is bent is located on the inner ring side of the closed chain link 201, it is difficult for general tools to enter this position to damage the check valve structure. Therefore, a structure without the cut-resistant layer 20 can be adopted.

[0050] Similar to the first flange 211, the outer side of the second flange 221 can be designed without the anti-cutting layer 20. By removing the anti-cutting layer 20 from the outer side of the second flange 221, the assembly process of the protective shell is optimized, ensuring structural stability. During the installation of the protective shell, the second flange 221 needs to be bent from the outside to the inside of the closed chain link 201 to form a check valve. Since the anti-cutting layer 20 is usually made of high-hardness, high-brittle materials such as diamond, if this layer is placed on the outside of the flange, it is very easy for stress concentration during bending to cause the anti-cutting layer 20 to crack or fall off, thus affecting the overall anti-cutting integrity. By removing the anti-cutting layer 20 from the outside of the second flange 221, the thickness and rigidity of the flange are reduced, allowing the flange to more smoothly conform to the inner contour of the closed chain link 201 during bending, ensuring that the check valve can lock tightly and preventing the protective shell from loosening or falling off. In addition, this design avoids the increased processing difficulty caused by the material properties of the anti-cut layer 20, and effectively improves the yield rate and assembly efficiency of production while ensuring the overall anti-cut capability of the chain lock.

[0051] Specifically, regarding the splicing direction of the first housing 21 and the second housing 22, in one embodiment, the first housing 21 and the second housing 22 can be selected to be spliced ​​along the width direction of the closed chain link 201. "Splicing along the width direction of the closed chain link 201" can be understood as when the closed chain link 201 is placed flat, such as... Figure 6 As shown, the length direction is Figure 6 The vertical direction and the width direction are Figure 6 In the left-right direction, the first shell 21 and the second shell 22 converge from the left and right sides of the closed chain link 201 towards the middle, and the joint surface 202 of the two extends in a zigzag pattern along the length of the closed chain link 201. The first shell 21 and the second shell 22 form a long strip structure, which can obtain a longer anti-return structure. By clarifying the splicing method of the first shell 21 and the second shell 22 in the width direction of the closed chain link 201, the assembly structure of the protective shell is optimized. Splicing in the width direction of the closed chain link 201 allows the two shells to converge and cover the middle from both sides of the chain link. This layout can use the width dimension of the chain link as a support reference, making the length of the bending anti-return structure of the first flange 211 and the second flange 221 inside the chain link longer, and able to fit more tightly against the inner wall of the chain link. This specific splicing direction not only simplifies the alignment process during shell installation but also enhances the structural stability of the protective shell under lateral shear force, ensuring the integrity of the first shell 21 and the second shell 22 after splicing. This effectively prevents the protective shell from loosening or falling off the chain link, further improving the anti-cut protection effect of the closed chain link 201.

[0052] In another embodiment, such as Figure 11As shown, alternatively, the first housing 21 and the second housing 22 can be spliced ​​along the length direction of the closed chain link 201. When the closed chain link 201 is placed horizontally, the length direction is... Figure 11 The left and right directions, and the width direction are Figure 11 In the vertical direction, the first housing 21 and the second housing 22 converge from the left and right sides of the closed chain link 201 towards the center, with their joint surface 202 extending in a zigzag pattern along the width of the closed chain link 201. By limiting the splicing direction of the first housing 21 and the second housing 22 to the length direction of the closed chain link 201, the assembly layout of the protective shell on the chain link is optimized. When the chain lock is subjected to external forces such as tension or bending, the length direction of the chain link is often the area where the force is concentrated. By splicing along this direction, the joint surface 202 of the first housing 21 and the second housing 22 can better conform to the deformation trend of the chain link under stress. This splicing method can effectively disperse the impact of external forces on the joint of the protective shell, avoid stress concentration at the joint caused by the mismatch between the splicing direction and the force direction, thereby enhancing the overall stability of the protective shell on the chain link, ensuring that the anti-cut layer 20 can continuously and effectively cover the surface of the chain link, and improving the chain lock's resistance to damage under complex stress environments.

[0053] To balance cut resistance performance and processing costs, the thickness B of the cut-resistant layer 20 can be controlled to be 0.5–0.7 mm, such as 0.5 mm, 0.55 mm, 0.6 mm, 0.65 mm, or 0.7 mm. By precisely limiting the thickness of the cut-resistant layer 20, specific engineering parameters are provided to support the cut resistance performance of the chain lock. By setting the thickness of the cut-resistant layer 20 within this specific range of 0.5 to 0.7 mm, it is ensured that the cut-resistant layer 20 has sufficient physical barrier capability against conventional electric cutting tools, thereby effectively extending the cutting time and achieving the purpose of theft prevention. At the same time, this thickness range avoids the overall size of the protective shell exceeding the standard due to an excessively thick cut-resistant layer 20, which would affect the movement between adjacent chain links. This ensures that after the protective shell encloses and seals the chain links 201, it still maintains a reasonable volume and weight, thus maintaining the original flexibility and ease of operation of the chain lock, and also avoiding excessive cost increases. This feature achieves a balance between cut resistance and lightweight structure through precise control of material thickness, enabling chain locks to enhance security without sacrificing user experience, demonstrating a deep optimization of chain lock structural design and protective performance.

[0054] In one embodiment, the lock body 100 has two locking rods 101 located on both sides of the lock body 100, and the closed chain links 201 at both ends of the chain 200 are locked one-to-one by the two locking rods 101. The two locking rods 101 located on both sides of the lock body 100 facilitate the connection of the closed chain links 201 at both ends of the chain, forming a highly flexible ring structure, making locking and unlocking convenient for the user. The lock body 100 can be completely separated from the chain, facilitating lubrication and maintenance of the lock cylinder. It is understood that the closed chain link 201 at one end of the chain 200 can be directly connected to the lock body 100 and cannot be disassembled, ensuring the integrity of the lock body and chain, and preventing the lock body from being lost.

[0055] Considering anti-theft requirements, the locking bar 101 should avoid direct contact with tools that can unlock it, such as hydraulic shears or grinding wheels. A protective shell around the outer periphery of the closed chain link 201 provides protection for the locking bar 101. Specifically, the lock body 100 has a locking groove 102 that exposes the locking bar 101. The closed chain link 201 is inserted into the locking groove 102, allowing the locking bar 101 to pass through and lock. The closed chain link 201 and the locking groove 102 cooperate to cover the locking bar 101. The exposed size of the locking bar 101 is similar to the thickness of the closed chain link 201. Even if there is a gap between the closed chain link 201 and the side wall of the locking groove 102, it does not prevent tools from directly contacting the locking bar 101. Therefore, by using the closed chain link 201 and the locking groove 102 to cover the locking bar 101, it is possible to prevent the locking bar 101 from being exposed and cut or severed by tools, ensuring the anti-theft effect of the chain lock. To facilitate the insertion of the closed chain link 201 into the locking groove 102, a clearance fit is preferable. However, the clearance should be just large enough to allow for the insertion of the closed chain link 201, and should not be too large to prevent tools from directly contacting the locking rod 101. More specifically, the depth H of the locking groove 102 can be required to be no less than the difference between the width W1 of the closed chain link 201 and the thickness W2 of the closed chain link 201 in the width direction. (Refer to...) Figure 2 The illustration shows how to prevent the locking bar 101 from being exposed too much and cut off by tools after the closed chain link 201 rotates.

[0056] Specifically, the assembly method of the protective shell in this invention can be combined with... Figures 6 to 10 First, you can apply glue to the inner wall of the first casing, such as... Figure 6 As shown, the first housing is placed onto the closed chain link 201 along the width direction of the closed chain link 201 to which the protective shell is to be installed, thus obtaining... Figure 7 As shown in the diagram, the first flange is then bent using hydraulic machinery to form a check valve structure, and then... Figure 8 As shown in the diagram, rotate the closed chain link 201 to expose the other half of the unprotected portion. Figure 9As shown, apply glue to the inner wall of the second housing, and continue moving towards the closed chain link 201 along the width direction of which the protective housing is to be installed. Place the second housing onto the closed chain link 201, and then use hydraulic machinery to bend the second flange to form a check valve structure. Finally, the desired result is achieved. Figure 10 As shown, the installation of a protective shell for a closed chain link 201 is complete.

[0057] In addition to the preferred embodiments described above, the present invention has other embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other solutions obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort should fall within the scope of protection claimed by the present invention.

Claims

1. A chain lock, comprising a lock body and a chain, the chain comprising a plurality of interconnected closed links, one of which is connected to the lock body; the lock body having at least one unlockable locking lever for locking the at least one closed link to the lock body; the outer periphery of the closed link being provided with a protective shell, the protective shell comprising a first shell and a second shell, both the first shell and the second shell having a semi-enclosed cross-section, characterized in that... The first housing has a bendable first flange on its inner edge, and the second housing has a bendable second flange on its inner edge. The first housing is laterally fitted from the outside of the closed chain link and bends into a check valve structure on the inside of the closed chain link by the first flange. The second housing is laterally fitted from the outside of the closed chain link and bends into a check valve structure on the inside of the closed chain link by the second flange. The two ends of the first housing and the two ends of the second housing are spliced ​​together to completely enclose the closed chain link. The outer surface of the protective shell is provided with a cut-resistant layer with a Mohs hardness of not less than 9. The joint surfaces of the two ends of the first housing and the two ends of the second housing are bent curved surfaces.

2. The chain lock according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first housing has a first stop at both ends, and the second housing has a second stop at both ends. The second stop and the first stop are engaged and positioned to form a bent curved surface.

3. The chain lock according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cross-sectional shape formed by the first and second housings after they wrap around the closed chain link is adapted to the cross-section of the closed chain link.

4. The chain lock according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inner wall of the protective shell is fixed to the closed chain link with glue.

5. The chain lock according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer side of the first flange has no anti-cutting layer.

6. The chain lock according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer side of the second flange has no anti-cutting layer.

7. The chain lock according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first housing and the second housing are spliced ​​together along the width direction of the closed chain link or along the length direction of the closed chain link.

8. The chain lock according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lock body has two locking rods located on both sides of the lock body, and the closed chain links at both ends of the lock chain are locked one-to-one by the two locking rods.

9. The chain lock according to claim 1 or 8, characterized in that, The lock body has a locking groove that exposes the locking rod. A closed chain is inserted into the locking groove to allow the locking rod to pass through and lock. The closed chain cooperates with the locking groove to cover the locking rod.

Images