CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims priority to United States Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 62/681,920 filed on June 7, 2018, the contents of which are incorporated by reference in their entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Embodiments described herein relate to the field of padlocks, and in particular to padlock devices having structures for inhibiting interference in operation by environmental contaminants such as water and dust.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Various designs of padlocks are presently available. Padlocks generally comprise a removable shackle that locks into a housing and can be removed from the housing when the housing is unlocked through a user action. Such actions resulting in the unlocking of a padlock may include, for example, inserting a physical key into the lock, or entering the correct combination into a combination lock.

[0004] Electronic padlocks are also available. For example, instead of a combination lock or a physical key, an electronic fingerprint padlock employs a fingerprint scanner and other electronic and electrical components to electronically detect a fingerprint and to unlock the fingerprint padlock where the detected fingerprint corresponds to an authorized user.

[0005] PCT (International) Patent Application Publication No. WO/2017/210797 to Wang et ah, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein, discloses a fingerprint padlock device. The fingerprint padlock device disclosed by Wang et al. includes a housing and a shackle associated within the housing. The shackle has, with respect to the housing, a closed configuration and an open configuration. A latch subsystem associated with the housing securely retains the shackle in the closed configuration and it is electrically operable to release the shackle. A biometric sensor associated with the housing electronically senses fingerprint data from a finger being sensed.

[0006] A control subsystem in the housing is in communication with the biometric sensor and the latch subsystem, and includes internal processor-readable memory configured to store one or more fingerprint records, each fingerprint record comprising authorized fingerprint data associated with a respective fingerprint identifier; processing structure configured to receive sensed fingerprint data from the biometric sensor and to cause the latch subsystem to release the shackle in the event of a release condition requiring at least that the sensed fingerprint data corresponds to authorized fingerprint data in at least one of the fingerprint records. [0007] Padlocks are very useful for applications in outdoor and industrial environments, but these environments also host substances such as water, snow, rain, dust and other materials. Such materials can contaminate a padlock in a way that interferes with the operation and/or longevity of its moving parts, for example by causing metal parts to rust. Furthermore, in the case of electronic padlocks in particular, electrical and electronic components such as motors, batteries, and computer processors can themselves be sensitive to such contaminants, particularly water.

[0008] In order to deal particularly with water and other contaminants carried by water, manufacturers have sought to make padlocks more water-resistant. One approach for making a padlock more water- resistant has been to seal the entire padlock against its external environment so as to attempt to entirely block water from entering into the padlock.

[0009] Another approach has been to design a particular passage through the padlock in a way that facilitates the quick exit of any water that might have entered the interior of the padlock, thereby to minimize the time during which rust and deposits on components inside the padlock can form. Another approach has been to partition the interior of the padlock into cavities, such that electronics and other contaminant-sensitive parts are sealed within modular cavities, and water/contaminants are only allowed to enter less water-sensitive modular cavities such as the shackle bore/shaft, perhaps some portions of the mechanical locking mechanism, shackle structures, and other less sensitive components.

[0010] For electronic padlocks, due to the water-sensitivity of electronics components, full sealing and/or partitioning are generally the only practical known approaches to limiting contamination by water.

[0011] Because a padlock has different physical states requiring a physical movement of parts - locked condition, unlocked condition - it can suffer from waterproofing weaknesses due to the different physical states having different sealing requirements. Furthermore, transitioning between the physical states can draw or push water into the interior of a padlock.

[0012] For example, with some conventional designs, a sealing/cap/o-ring or other waterproofing structures may actually open up the interior of the housing to the external environment when transitioning to, or while in, the unlocked condition. Furthermore, because of the physical movement, a sealing cap/o- ring or other waterproofing structure typically undergoes a lot of wear-and-tear, corrosion or decay due to exposure of critical waterproof components to the environment, and/or high defect rate in manufacturing causing the possibility of water ingress to increase over time.

[0013] It has been observed that insufficient manufacturing tolerances of padlock components may result in uneven frictional forces or uneven air pressures across different portions of components under different conditions. These factors can cause critical components implicated in movement and sealing, such as seals/o-rings/latches to deform or otherwise become rapidly less effective with use, decreasing product satisfaction for customers. [0014] Furthermore, it has been observed that structural features exposed, under different conditions, to both the external environment and the interior of the padlock can convey water from outside of a padlock to its interior. For example, a recess or rut on a shackle that is outside of the padlock housing in an unlocked condition but is pushed into the housing in a locked condition can convey water that has accumulated in the recess or rut right into the interior of the housing.

[0015] Similarly, o-rings or other seals that are allowed to come out of the interior of the padlock when in an unlocked position but that are pushed back into the housing in a locked condition can themselves convey water that has accumulated, into the interior of the housing.

[0016] Still further, some conventional designs have several specific problems in operational scenarios: Because the shackle moves relative to the shaft/bore in the housing, the shackle can act as a piston resulting in differences in air pressure between the interior of the housing and the exterior. The differences can form a steep pressure gradient across seals, such as o-rings. This can induce deformation of the seals thereby eventually enabling water to pass into the interior of the housing.

[0017] Furthermore, the movement of shackle and latch can create uneven friction forces across the contact surfaces of the o-rings/seals with the shackle shaft/bore, which can also increase the product defect rate. The long term and continuous movement of the shackle can cause extensive wear and tear and structural deformation on the seals implicated in movement. This reduces the general durability of critical waterproof components.

[0018] In addition, for conventional partitioning approaches to waterproofing padlocks, previous designs struggle with isolating the motor from the latch, because it is often very expensive and structurally difficult to isolate the transmission area (including rotor, cam, latch, motor shaft etc.) from other components due to their high engagement rate. See, for example, United States Patent No. 8,850,858 to Nave entitled“Lock Subassembly”. Because it is a challenge to isolate these components, and even because of their high wear and tear rate if isolated, these components represent a waterproofing weakness. For example, the motor in an electronic padlock is usually the first component to be damaged when exposed to water.

[0019] Complications such as the movement of the shackle between locked and unlocked conditions and movement of latch/blocker/ball-bearing in transitioning of engaged and unengaged conditions, and wear- and tear at these critical areas often cause water and other contaminants to eventually enter the motor area. However, if even small amount of contaminants enter the interior of the padlock, because of the sealing design, the contaminants already in the padlock are unlikely to exit timely, and thus forming deposition and rusts. In this case, the water-sensitive electrical components inside will be damaged in time with high certainty, especially the motor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0020] In accordance with an aspect, there is provided a padlock device comprising a housing having a first shaft and a second shaft; a shackle having a first leg associated with the first shaft and a second leg within the second shaft, the shackle having, with respect to the housing, an open configuration in which the first leg is outside of the first shaft and a closed configuration in which the first leg is within the first shaft; a latch subsystem within the housing for substantially inhibiting axial movement of the second leg within the second shaft thereby to securely retain the shackle in the closed configuration, the latch subsystem operable to, in the event of a release condition, permit limited axial movement of the second leg within the second shaft thereby to permit the shackle to assume the open configuration; and a plurality of shaft sealing members spaced along the second leg and extending between and in contact with the second leg and an inward-facing wall of the second shaft in at least the closed configuration.

[0021] In an embodiment, each of the shaft sealing members is an o-ring.

[0022] In an embodiment, each of the o-rings is received within a respective circumferential groove in the second leg.

[0023] In an embodiment, the plurality of shaft sealing members extend between and in contact with the second leg and the inward-facing wall of the second shaft both in and intermediate the closed and open configurations.

[0024] In an embodiment, each of the o-rings is received within a respective circumferential groove in the inward-facing wall of the second shaft.

[0025] In an embodiment, the first shaft is a blind hole with respect to an interior of the housing.

[0026] In an embodiment, the latch subsystem comprises a latch within the housing biased to enter into a complementary rut in the second leg thereby to retain the shackle in the closed configuration.

[0027] In an embodiment, the plurality of shaft sealing members are between the rut and an opening of the second shaft.

[0028] In an embodiment, the latch is slideable within a form-fitting compartment within the housing that is in communication with the second shaft, the form-fitting compartment further containing sealing oil for lubricating the latch, wherein the sealing oil inhibits passage of environmental contaminants in the second shaft into and through the form-fitting compartment.

[0029] In an embodiment, the latch subsystem further comprises an electric actuator operably connected to the latch, the electric actuator located opposite the latch from the second shaft.

[0030] In an embodiment, the padlock device further comprises a contaminants reservoir within the housing and associated with an end of the second shaft opposite an opening of the second shaft, the contaminants reservoir dimensioned to at least temporarily contain any environmental contaminants that have entered into the second shaft from the opening and past the plurality of shaft sealing members. [0031] In an embodiment, at least a portion of the latch subsystem is located within the housing at a position that is vertically intermediate the contaminants reservoir and the opening of the second shaft.

[0032] In an embodiment, the latch subsystem comprises a latch within the housing biased to enter into a complementary rut in the second leg thereby the retain the shackle in the closed configuration, the latch subsystem further comprising an electric actuator operably connected to the latch, wherein the electric actuator is vertically located within the housing at the position that is intermediate the contaminants reservoir and the opening of the second shaft.

[0033] In an embodiment, the position that is intermediate the contaminants reservoir and the opening of the second shaft is located at a position that is vertically intermediate a lowermost of the plurality of shaft sealing members and the opening of the second shaft.

[0034] In an embodiment, the padlock device comprises a middle plate sealingly isolating the latch subsystem and the second shaft from other padlock device components within the housing.

[0035] In accordance with an aspect, there is provided a padlock device comprising a housing having a first shaft and a second shaft; a shackle having a first leg associated with the first shaft and a second leg within the second shaft, the shackle having, with respect to the housing, an open configuration in which the first leg is outside of the first shaft and a closed configuration in which the first leg is within the first shaft; a latch subsystem within the housing for substantially inhibiting axial movement of the second leg within the second shaft thereby to securely retain the shackle in the closed configuration, the latch subsystem operable to, in the event of a release condition, permit limited axial movement of the second leg within the second shaft thereby to permit the shackle to assume the open configuration; wherein the latch subsystem comprises a latch within the housing biased to enter into a complementary rut in the second leg thereby to retain the shackle in the closed configuration, and the plurality of shaft sealing members are between the rut and an opening of the second shaft.

[0036] In accordance with an aspect, there is provided a padlock device comprising a housing having a first shaft and a second shaft; a shackle having a first leg associated with the first shaft and a second leg within the second shaft, the shackle having, with respect to the housing, an open configuration in which the first leg is outside of the first shaft and a closed configuration in which the first leg is within the first shaft; a latch subsystem within the housing for substantially inhibiting axial movement of the second leg within the second shaft thereby to securely retain the shackle in the closed configuration, the latch subsystem operable to, in the event of a release condition, permit limited axial movement of the second leg within the second shaft thereby to permit the shackle to assume the open configuration; wherein the latch subsystem comprises a latch within the housing biased to enter into a complementary rut in the second leg thereby to retain the shackle in the closed configuration, wherein the latch is slideable within a form-fitting compartment within the housing that is in communication with the second shaft, the form-fitting compartment further containing sealing oil for lubricating the latch, wherein the sealing oil inhibits passage of environmental contaminants in the second shah into and through the form-fitting compartment.

[0037] In accordance with an aspect, there is provided a padlock device comprising a housing having a hrst shah and a second shah; a shackle having a hrst leg associated with the first shah and a second leg within the second shah, the shackle having, with respect to the housing, an open configuration in which the hrst leg is outside of the hrst shah and a closed configuration in which the hrst leg is within the hrst shah; a latch subsystem within the housing for substantially inhibiting axial movement of the second leg within the second shah thereby to securely retain the shackle in the closed conhguration, the latch subsystem operable to, in the event of a release condition, permit limited axial movement of the second leg within the second shaft thereby to permit the shackle to assume the open configuration; and a contaminants reservoir within the housing and associated with an end of the second shah opposite an opening of the second shah, the contaminants reservoir dimensioned to at least temporarily contain any environmental contaminants that have entered into the second shah horn the opening and past the plurality of shah sealing members.

[0038] In an embodiment, at least a portion of the latch subsystem is located within the housing at a position that is vertically intermediate the contaminants reservoir and the opening of the second shaft.

[0039] Various other aspects will become apparent horn the below description and horn the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0040] Embodiments of the invention are explained in further detail below with reference to the Figures, which are intended to illustrate only example embodiments and not to limit the scope of the invention, in which:

[0041] Figure 1 is an isometric view of the front side of a padlock device according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0042] Figure 2 is an isometric view of the rear side of the padlock device of Figure 1 ;

[0043] Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of components of the padlock device of Figure 1 including and forward of a middle plate;

[0044] Figure 4 is a perspective view of assembled components of the padlock device of Figure 1 including and forward of the middle plate;

[0045] Figure 5 is a rear elevational view of the padlock device of Figure 1 with the middle plate in position;

[0046] Figure 6 is a rear elevational view of the padlock device of Figure 1 with the middle plate removed, with the shackle in a closed configuration;

[0047] Figure 7 is a rear elevational view of the padlock device of Figure 1 with the middle plate removed, with the shackle in an open configuration; [0048] Figure 8A is a front partial cutaway elevational view of the padlock device of Figure 1 in a closed configuration;

[0049] Figure 8B is an enlarged partial cutaway elevational view of a portion of a second leg of the shackle in Figure 8 A with multiple shaft sealing members;

[0050] Figure 9A is a front partial cutaway elevational view of the padlock device of Figure 1 in an open configuration; and

[0051] Figure 9B is an enlarged partial cutaway elevational view of a portion of a second leg of the shackle in Figure 9A with multiple shaft sealing members.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0052] Described herein are example embodiments which are not intended to be limiting to the scope of the invention. The following are merely examples which illustrate some of the concepts described herein.

[0053] Figure 1 is an isometric view of the front side of an electronic fingerprint padlock device 10, according to an embodiment. Padlock device 10 comprises a housing 30 having a first shaft 31 and a second shaft 32. A shackle 20 is associated with housing 30 such that a first leg 21 is associated with the first shaft 31 and a second leg 22 is within the second shaft 32. In this embodiment, shackle 20 has, with respect to housing 30, an open configuration in which first leg 21 is outside of first shaft 31 and a closed configuration in which first leg 31 is within first shaft 31. As will be described, a latch subsystem is within housing 30 for substantially inhibiting axial movement of second leg 22 within second shaft 32 thereby to securely retain shackle 20 in the closed configuration. The latch subsystem is operable to, in the event of a release condition, permit limited axial movement of second leg 22 within the second shaft 32 thereby to permit shackle 20 to assume the open configuration. As will be described in further detail, a plurality of shaft sealing members, in this embodiment o-rings 34A, 34B, are spaced along second leg 22 and extend between and in contact with second leg 22 and an inward-facing wall of second shaft 32 in at least the closed configuration.

[0054] In this embodiment, first shaft 31 is a blind hole with respect to the interior of housing 30. That is, there is no passageway for water or other contaminants into the interior of housing 30 through first shaft 31. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the latching subsystem interacts only with second leg 22, such that first leg 21 is receivable by, but is not directly latched via, first shaft 31. First leg 21 and second leg 22 are rigidly linked via a bridge 23 of shackle 20.

[0055] In this embodiment, padlock device 10 comprises a front cover 33 and a rear cover 80. In this embodiment, front cover 33 of padlock device 10 has an opening 50 for framing a biometric sensor which, in this embodiment, is a capacitive -type fingerprint sensor for electronically sensing fingerprint data from a finger being sensed. [0056] A light-emitting diode (LED) 40is visible through front cover 33 and, in this embodiment, serves as a state- or status-indicator for padlock device 10.

[0057] Figure 2 is an isometric view of the rear side of padlock device 10. Rear cover 80 is shown prominently in Figure 2, as is a charging port 70. In this embodiment, a rubber ring (not shown) seals rear cover 80 to housing 30. Charging port 70 is configured to interface with a corresponding charging cable (not shown), to convey current to an internal power source (such as a battery, not shown) within padlock device 10. A power button 60 is externally accessible through front cover 33. When a user presses power button 60, power button 60 in turn actuates a switch mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB, not shown) within housing 30, thereby to activate the power and/or other states of padlock device 10. The operation of the electronic components, except for those directly involved in the latching and/or implicated in the handling of water and other contaminants, will not be further described for the sake of simplicity. A similar configuration of electronic components and their operation is described more fully in PCT (International) Patent Applicahon Publication No. WO/2017/210797 to Wang et al.

[0058] Padlock device 10 includes a latch subsystem for securely retaining shackle 20 in the closed configuration, as will be described in further detail. In this embodiment, latch subsystem includes a single latch 106 which makes contact with the second leg 22 of shackle 20 so as to securely retain shackle 20 when padlock device 10 is in the closed configuration. A spring 108 is posihoned against latch 106 to bias latch 106 to a retention position in which latch 106 is extended into a rut 25 in second leg 22. Fateh 106 is thereby capable, as will be described, of being guided between retain (locked) and release (unlocked) positions of latch 106.

[0059] Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of components of padlock device 10 including and forward of a middle plate 90 of padlock device 10. Middle plate 90 sealingly isolates the latch subsystem and second shaft 32 from other padlock device components that are to be contained within housing 30, such as the battery, the PCB, and other sensitive components. Middle plate 90 seals the cavities in housing 30 with a rubber gasket (not shown) at an interface between housing 30 and middle plate 90. A screw (now shown) in the center of middle plate 90 connects the two. Middle plate 90 is useful particularly in scenarios where water/contaminant penetrations occur via shaft 32, for example, since middle plate 90 can keep such penetrating water/contaminants from further entering more water-sensitive cavities, such as a battery cavity, a PCB cavity, a sensor cavity etc. Use of middle plate 90 in this manner is cost-efficient because structurally it does not have to bear any force transferred from shackle 20. As such middle plate 90 can be manufactured with less strong and therefore, inexpensive materials, such as plastics.

[0060] In the closed configuration, the first leg 21 of shackle 20 is received in shaft 31 and second leg 22 of shackle 20 is received in shaft 32. Fateh 106 in the locked position effectively inhibits axial movement of second leg 22 of shackle 20 within its respective shaft 32, by latch 106 being biased to be received within rut 25 in second leg 22.

[0061] Multiple shaft sealing members 34A, 34B are disposed between an inward-facing wall of shaft 32 and the outward-facing wall of second leg 22. In this embodiment, shaft sealing members 34A, 34B are rubber o-rings associated with respective, spaced, circumferential grooves 24A, 24B in second leg 22. As such, in this embodiment, o-rings 34A, 34B move axially with second leg 22 when it is able to (i.e., when in the release condition), and can rotate along with the rotation of second leg 22 when it is able to (i.e. when in the release condition). Shaft sealing members 34A, 34B do not necessarily have to rotate with second leg 22 while it is being rotated, as friction between the shaft sealing members 34A, 34B and the inward facing wall of shaft 32 may cause them to tend to remain at least partially engaged to the inward-facing wall of shaft 32 during any given rotation. However, whether rotating or not, shaft sealing members 34A, 34B serve to seal the space S between the outward-facing surface of second leg 22 and the inward-facing surface of shaft 32.

[0062] Shaft sealing members 34A, 34B are spaced from each other by a distance D along second leg 22 within shaft 32, corresponding to the locations of the respective, spaced, circumferential grooves 21 A, 21B. Single shaft sealing members have been contemplated in United States Patent Application Publication No. 2017/0009491A1, United States Patent No. 8,806,907, and United States Patent No. 8,850,858. However, providing multiple shaft sealing members 34A, 34B has been found to be useful for reducing the ingress of environmental contaminants, but also for stabilizing the axial movement of second leg 22 within shaft 32 so that second leg 22 does not tend to“teeter-totter” as much as it might, were there to be only one shaft sealing member about which it could pivot in the space S between the outward-facing surface of second leg 22 and the inward-facing surface of shaft 32.

[0063] Furthermore, the inventors have observed the possibility of an air-pressure difference between the exterior and interior of housing 30 due to sealing for inhibiting ingress of environmental contaminants. The pressure difference manifests particularly across shaft sealing members. For example, an o-ring, while intended to keep moisture and dust out of the interior of the housing 30 as much as possible, also inhibits release of air from housing 30 through the space S between the outward-facing wall of second leg 22 and the inward-facing wall of shaft 32. Second leg 22 therefore acts somewhat as a piston. This pressure difference, particularly after repeated locking and unlocking of shackle 20 over time, can deform an o-ring. Furthermore, the higher the pressure difference across an o-ring, the higher the likelihood of rapid deformation.

[0064] As such, instead of a single o-ring, according to this embodiment the overall pressure difference between the ambient and the interior of the housing 30 can be distributed across multiple o-rings or other shaft sealing members. More particularly, in this embodiment, by arranging multiple o-rings - in this embodiment two (2) o-rings 34A, 34B - spaced from each other along second leg 22 and shaft 32, the pressure gradient experienced across each of o-rings 34A, 34B individually can be lessened. This is because, while the highest pressure air will be resident below a lowermost one of the o-rings (in this case, o-ring 34B), and the lowest pressure air (ambient air) will be above an uppermost one of the o-rings (in this case, o-ring 34A), the pressure of air in the space S in the shaft between o-rings 34A, 34B will be somewhere between these lowest and highest pressures. As such, each of o-rings 34A, 34B will experience a lower pressure gradient across it, and thus will as a result experience less-rapid deformation, or less deformation, than would a single o-ring experience in a single o-ring configuration.

[0065] Furthermore, the reduction of the“teeter-totter” effect due to two o-rings 34A, 34B spaced along second leg 22 and better“guiding” second leg 22 within shaft 32 reduces the occurrence of uneven physical pressure from second leg 22 squeezing a single o-ring as second leg 22 is being moved within shaft 32 or due perhaps to slightly uneven mechanical construction causing second leg 22 to squeeze the o-ring non- uniformly even when stationary in a locked or unlocked configuration. As such, due to the combination of reduction in per-o-ring air pressure gradients and a reduction in per-o-ring non-uniform squeezing between second leg 22 and shaft 32, each o-ring 34A, 34B can undergo less wear and tear and thus can serve effectively longer to inhibit environmental contaminants from entering the interior of housing 30.

[0066] In this embodiment, the uppermost of the o-rings (in this case o-ring 34A) is positioned in a respective groove 24A along second leg 22 at a position that enables it to remain between shaft 32 and second leg 22 even when second leg 22, in a release condition, has been axially moved as far out of shaft 32 as it is permitted to within its axial range, as limited by a rivet 26 through a hole 27 in second leg 22 as will be described.

[0067] In this embodiment, the uppermost of the o-rings, o-ring 34A, is positioned in a respective groove 24A along second leg 22 so that it can reach no closer than four (4) millimetres from the opening of shaft 154. It will be understood that variations in positioning of an uppermost o-ring 34A are possible, such that the uppermost o-ring 34A could reach all the way to the rim of the opening O of second shaft 32 while still contacting the inward-facing surface of shaft 32 at the opening O along with second leg 22. In alternative embodiments, the uppermost o-ring 34A may be positioned along second leg 22 such that it can exit shaft 32 when shackle 20 is in the open configuration. However in such an alternative embodiment, it may be that water or other contaminants could enter shaft 32 between the uppermost o-ring 34A and the lowermost o-ring 34B, thereby reducing effectiveness in inhibiting of the contaminants from entering the interior of housing 30.

[0068] In this embodiment the latch subsystem further comprises an electric actuator, in this embodiment a motor 100, in driving engagement via a rotor 102 and cam 104 with latch 106 and also powered by the battery (not shown). Motor 162 is in electrical communication with a processing structure supported on a PCB (printed circuit board, not shown) thereby to enable the processing structure to communicate with the latch subsystem. In the event of a release condition (such as the successful detection of an authorized fingerprint by the biometric sensor), a signal is sent by the processing structure to actuate motor 100, which serves to rotate rotor 102 and cam 104 thereby to cause latch 108 to recede inwards and out of rut 25 in second leg 22 thereby to release second leg 22 so that a limited amount of axial movement of second leg 22 within shaft 32 is permitted. This, in turn, enables shackle 20 to be moved axially to its open configuration by enabling both second leg 22 and first leg 21 to be moved axially together out of respective openings of respective shafts 32, 31. First leg 21 may be moved out of shaft 31 altogether.

[0069] Figure 7 is a rear elevational view of padlock device 10 with middle plate 90 removed, while shackle 20 is in the open configuration. Shackle 20 having been moved upwards away from latch 108 remains in an unlocked state and free to be moved to an open configuration, for looping through some object to be locked, until such time as its legs 21, 22 are pushed back downwards deeper into respective shafts 31, 32 to be engaged again by latch 108 biased by spring 106 into shaft 32 for engagement with rut 25 once it is again aligned with it.

[0070] While also shown in other figures, Figure 7 shows particularly clearly a contaminants reservoir 35 associated with the bottom end of shaft 32 - the end of shaft 32 opposite its opening O. Contaminants reservoir 35 is sized and shaped to contain any environmental contaminants that happen to have entered into second shaft 32 from opening O and made their way past o-rings 34A, 34B. In this way, contamination - should it get in - has a reserved place that is out of the way of other components it could damage, so that it can be better isolated from the other components. The end of second shaft 32 with which contaminants reservoir 35 is associated is not particularly susceptible to operational damage from rust or depositions, as compared to other more sensitive components. In this embodiment, contaminants reservoir 35 has a flat bottom and a vertical wall extending up (towards shackle 20) from the flat bottom to a floor of a latch compartment 107. Contaminants reservoir 35 can thus, to a degree, keep contaminants accumulating in contaminants reservoir 35 from flowing upwards into latch compartment 107 when padlock device 10 is in a typical orientation. In this description, a typical orientation is one in which shackle 20 is hanging on something to be shackled (a gate, a locker, a door etc.) with housing 30 generally vertically below it. In particular, at least this portion of the latch subsystem is located within housing 30 at a position that is horizontally intermediate contaminants reservoir 35 and opening O of shaft 32. By vertically intermediate, it is meant that, if shackle 20 is considered vertically higher on padlock device 10 than is contaminants reservoir 35, this portion of the latch subsystem at least is vertically higher than contaminants reservoir 35 and vertically lower than opening O of shaft 32.

[0071] In this embodiment, motor 100 of the latch subsystem - the electric actuator in this embodiment - being sensitive to contact with water and other contaminants - is located within the housing at a position that is vertically intermediate a lowermost of the shaft sealing members (o-ring 34B in this embodiment) and the opening O of shaft 32. That is, motor 100 is vertically higher (when contemplating the typical orientation of the padlock device 10 described above) than the lowermost shaft sealing member such that, should contaminants enter shaft 32 despite the shaft sealing member(s), the contaminants will be within housing 30 below motor 100.

[0072] In this embodiment, latch 106 is slideable with latch compartment 107, and latch compartment 107 is dimensioned to form-fit around latch 106 in a somewhat analogous manner to shaft 32 being dimensioned to form-fit around second leg 22. This form-fitting latch compartment 107 also contains a sealing oil (not shown) for lubricating latch 106. The combination of the form-fitting latch compartment 107 and sealing oil surrounding latch 106 between latch 106 and latch compartment 107 serves to inhibit the passage of any contaminants such as water in second shaft 32 into and through latch compartment 107. In this way, with motor 100 being positioned opposite latch 106 from second shaft 32 (that is, on the opposite side of latch 106 and additionally latch compartment 107 from second shaft 32, or at least somewhat guarded from contaminants by latch 106), motor 100, which is a sensitive electrical component, is somewhat shielded from water or other contaminants that may have entered into shaft 32, or that may have accumulated in reservoir 35 and been caused to slosh up towards latch compartment 107.

[0073] When first leg 21 of shackle 20 is removed from shaft 31, shackle 20 is prevented from being completely separated from housing 30, as second leg 22 of shackle 20 (which is longer in length than first leg 31) is prevented from being completely removed from second shaft 32 of housing 30 by rivet 26 inserted into hole 27. Second leg 32, and thus shackle 20 may, however, be somewhat freely rotated in the open configuration while still being retained within shaft 32, about the axis of second leg 22.

[0074] In this embodiment, once unlocked and first leg 21 of shackle 20 is removed from its respective shaft 31, a user can manually close and re-lock shackle 20 by re-inserting first leg 21 into shaft 31 and pushing first and second legs 21 , 22 inwards far enough such that latch 106 reaches rut 25 and then, through the bias of spring 108, pushes into rut 25 thereby to inhibit axial movement of second leg 22 within shaft 32.

[0075] In this description, a latch subsystem with latch is intended to refer to mechanisms that can effectively interfere with the axial movement one or both legs within respective shafts, whether as in the back-and-forth spring-biased latch described herein, a ball-bearing implementation, a frictional implementation such as a contact brake or brakes that can impart sufficient friction to one or both of the legs in the locked condition to inhibit axial movement, a magnetic implementation such as magnetic brake or brakes that can impart sufficient magnetic attraction to one or both of the legs in the locked condition to inhibit axial movement, or some other effective inhibition mechanism. [0076] Furthermore, the electric actuator has been described in embodiments herein as an electric motor. However, alternative implementations of electric actuators are contemplated, such as solenoids, small fluid pumps for brakes, and other devices that can physically move one or more latches between a locked condition and an unlocked condition.

[0077] While embodiments have been described and shown having two o-rings along second leg 22 of shackle 20, alternative embodiments having more than two o-rings along second leg 22 of shackle 20 are contemplated. For example, four o-rings may be placed in respective grooves along second leg 22 of shackle 20.

[0078] While embodiments have been described and shown having o-rings in respective grooves along second leg 22 of shackle 20, alternatives for shaft sealing members are possible. For example, shaft sealing members may be associated with the inward-facing wall of shaft 32 and thus not axially moveable along with second leg 22 of shackle 20. It will be noted that it may be simpler or otherwise less-expensive to form the grooves for accommodating shaft sealing members in second leg 22 rather than in the inward facing wall of shaft 32.

[0079] Furthermore, while grooves 24A, 24B and corresponding shaft sealing members, o-rings 34A, 34B are all the same respective dimensions, alternatives are contemplated in which some or all shaft sealing members and corresponding grooves are of different dimensions than each other.

[0080] While embodiments described herein include contaminants reservoir 35 being associated with an end of shaft 32, alternatives in which contaminants reservoir 35 is provided but is positioned in another useful position within housing are contemplated. It is useful for contaminants reservoir 35 to be positioned such that gravity moving water and other contaminants through housing 30 in a typical orientation of padlock device 10 will enable such contaminants to tend towards, reach, and remain within contaminants reservoir 35. In an alternative embodiment, contaminants reservoir 35 may itself have a drain path for conveying water and other contaminants out of housing 30 via contaminants reservoir 35. In such an embodiment, contaminants reservoir 35 being sized and positioned to accommodate a fairly large quantum of contaminants, despite the contaminants ultimately being conveyed out of housing, provides a relatively safe collection place for accumulating the contaminants while they are waiting to be conveyed out as compared with the contaminants backing up into other components while they are waiting to be conveyed out.

[0081] Various new and useful configurations described herein are described in various combinations, but may individually be incorporated as part of an inventive combination. For example, a padlock device, according to an alternative embodiment, may have a single o-ring along second leg 22 of shackle 20, but may yet be enhanced over prior padlock devices due to such a padlock device having a contaminants reservoir 35. Alternatively, a padlock according to another alternative embodiment may not have a contaminants reservoir 35, but may yet be enhanced over prior padlock device due to such a padlock device having multiple o-rings along second leg 22 of shackle 20. As such, the various enhancements described herein capable of being deployed in or integrated into a padlock device may be each so deployed in or integrated in isolation or in any combination with one another.