A biometric lock comprising a lock body, a shackle with a long leg and a short leg, wherein the long leg of the shackle never comes out of the lock, and a fingerprint panel wherein the fingerprint panel and an associated memory, battery, and processor are configured to associate a fingerprint of a user to one of a plurality of lock control levels, said associated fingerprint considered a registered fingerprint, wherein each lock control level allows an associated lock control level user to unlock said lock, the lock including a driving electronic circuit, electro-mechanical control motor, and a latch, that are configured to unlock the lock if a registered fingerprint is placed on said fingerprint panel.

A wafer padlock has a lock body, a limiting wafer, multiple locking wafers, and a shackle. The limiting wafer and the locking wafers are arranged in the lock body at spaced intervals. One of two ends of the shackle is selectively engaged with the lock body, and the other one of the two ends of the shackle is inserted in the lock body and extends through the limiting wafer and the locking wafers. The wafer padlock is unlocked by inserting a key into at least one key hole formed in the lock body. There is no need to turn the key and no need to enter code numbers one by one. Unlocking of the wafer padlock is quick and convenient. The wafer padlock has simple structures and high security for locking items.

A wafer padlock has a lock body, a limiting wafer, multiple locking wafers, and a shackle. The limiting wafer and the locking wafers are arranged in the lock body at spaced intervals. One of two ends of the shackle is selectively engaged with the lock body, and the other one of the two ends of the shackle is inserted in the lock body and extends through the limiting wafer and the locking wafers. The wafer padlock is unlocked by inserting a key into at least one key hole formed in the lock body. There is no need to turn the key and no need to enter code numbers one by one. Unlocking of the wafer padlock is quick and convenient. The wafer padlock has simple structures and high security for locking items.

An electronic lockbox includes a latching apparatus that uses a rotary actuator with multiple positions to achieve multiple locking states. Multiple positions of the actuator are detected, using optical sensors. The locking mechanism includes an outer sleeve and an inner cylindrical barrel that are coupled with torsion springs. The lockbox has a shackle and a key bin that include latch pins which are retained by the inner barrel when in the locked state, and the barrel can be rotated to either release the shackle or to release the key bin that typically holds a building's key. During insertion of a latch pin into the rotatable barrel, the maximum torque imparted on a first spur gear by the torsion spring, at a maximum rotation angle of the rotatable barrel, is sufficient to rotate the barrel back to its neutral position after the latch pin has been fully inserted into the barrel, and is less than or equal to a back drive torque limit of a prime mover of the rotary actuator.

An electromechanical lock includes an electromechanical locking mechanism and a control circuit, wherein an associated counter-piece is locked by way of the locking mechanism. The locking mechanism has a latch, an entrainer that is rotatable about an axis of rotation for driving the latch, and an electric motor for driving the entrainer, wherein the latch is moveable between a locking position and an unlocking position, wherein the latch is preloaded in the direction of the locking position. The entrainer is rotatable into a release position, a standby position, and a blocking position and the latch can is driven to perform a movement into the unlocking position by rotating the entrainer into the release position. In the standby position, the latch is released to be urged back against the preload. In the blocking position, the entrainer blocks the latch against a movement in the direction of the unlocking position.

The electronic actuator of an electronic padlock according to the invention is arranged to turn the cam piece (5) to release the latch parts (7) from a locking state and to turn the cam piece (5) to hold the latch parts (7) in the locking state. The cam piece (5) comprises a cover part (5A) and a shaft part (5B). The cover part has a central hole (12) for the shaft part. The shaft part (5B) has a shaft pin (15), which is set into the central hole (12). The shaft part also has a connecting part 19, which is arranged to be in contact with the electronic actuator 4. The cam piece further comprises a spring (9,) which is between the shaft pin (15) and the cover part (5A). The spring comprises a first end (9A) and a second end (9B). The first end 9A is arranged to be in contact with the cover part 5A. The second end 9B is arranged to be in contact with the shaft part 5B. The spring is arranged to transmit turning force of the electronic actuator from the shaft pin 15 to the cover part 5A in the direction of said locking state.

The electronic actuator of an electronic padlock according to the invention is arranged to turn the cam piece (5) to release the latch parts (7) from a locking state and to turn the cam piece (5) to hold the latch parts (7) in the locking state. The cam piece (5) comprises a cover part (5A) and a shaft part (5B). The cover part has a central hole (12) for the shaft part. The shaft part (5B) has a shaft pin (15), which is set into the central hole (12). The shaft part also has a connecting part 19, which is arranged to be in contact with the electronic actuator 4. The cam piece further comprises a spring (9,) which is between the shaft pin (15) and the cover part (5A). The spring comprises a first end (9A) and a second end (9B). The first end 9A is arranged to be in contact with the cover part 5A. The second end 9B is arranged to be in contact with the shaft part 5B. The spring is arranged to transmit turning force of the electronic actuator from the shaft pin 15 to the cover part 5A in the direction of said locking state.

An electronic lockbox uses a rotary actuator with multiple positions to achieve multiple locking states. Multiple positions of the actuator are detected, using optical sensors. The locking mechanism includes an outer sleeve and an inner cylindrical barrel that are coupled with torsion springs. The lockbox has a shackle and a key bin that are retained by the inner barrel when in the locked state, and the barrel can be rotated to either release the shackle or to release the key bin that typically holds a building's key.

The object of the invention is to provide an electronic padlock (1), by means of which the chance of erroneous opening of the electronic padlock is reduced. The electronic padlock according to the invention comprises a body (2) and a shackle (3). The body has latch parts (4), a cam piece (5) and an electronic actuator (6). The electronic actuator (6) comprises a pivot shaft (7), which is arranged to turn the cam piece (5) to release the latch parts (4) from a locking state, and also to turn the cam piece (5) to hold the latch parts in the locking state. In the locking state, the latch parts (4) prevent the shackle (2) from being moved to open the electronic padlock (1). Between the electronic actuator (6) and cam piece (5) there is a blocking mechanism (8). The blocking mechanism connects the pivot shaft (7) of the electronic actuator (6) functionally to the cam piece (5) to turn it with the electronic actuator (6) and prevent any other turning of the cam piece (5) in relation to the body (2).

An example lock apparatus includes a shackle including an engagement portion, and a lock head operable to selectively engage the engagement portion to thereby retain the lock apparatus in a closed condition. The lock head includes a housing, a slider, and a detent mechanism. The slider is mounted for sliding movement relative to the housing between a first position and a second position. One of the first position or the second position is a closed position in which the slider prevents removal of the engagement portion from the lock head, and the other of the first position or the second position is an open position in which the slider permits removal of the engagement portion from the lock head. The detent mechanism is configured to selectively resist movement of the slider from the first position.