Trigger lock

Abstract

A system and method for locking a trigger lock onto a firearm is presented. The trigger lock includes a front assembly, a rear assembly and a lock mechanism. The lock mechanism locks the front assembly and the rear assembly together on a firearm. Key pads on the front assembly are used to enter an entered combination. Lock logic determines if the entered combination is the same as an original stored combination and unlocks the lock mechanism when the entered combination is the same as the original stored combination. A security device in the trigger lock allows it to be detected from a location the trigger lock and firearm that it is attached to cannot visibly be seen.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A trigger lock for preventing unauthorized use of a firearm comprising:
 a front assembly;   a rear assembly;   a lock mechanism configured to lock the front assembly and the rear assembly together on a firearm; and   an energizable security device on either one of the front and rear assembly configured to be energized and detected by a separate remote detection device.   
     
     
         2 . The trigger lock of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a plurality of key pads on the front assembly configured for entering an entered combination; 
 lock logic including one or more of a processor, microprocessor, integrated circuit, or circuitry, having an internal memory, alone or in combination with software and firmware configured to determine if the entered combination is the same as an original stored combination in the trigger lock and configured to unlock the lock mechanism when the entered combination is the same as the original stored combination. 
 
     
     
         3 . The trigger lock of  claim 2  wherein the plurality of key pads are numerical key pads and the original stored combination is an original numerical combination. 
     
     
         4 . The trigger lock of  claim 2  further comprising:
 a battery housing repeatably attachable to and removable from the front assembly; and 
 a battery to provide power to the lock logic wherein the battery is housed in the battery housing. 
 
     
     
         5 . The trigger lock of  claim 4  wherein the lock logic will not operate and the lock mechanism will not unlock the front assembly from the rear assembly, when the battery housing is removed from the front assembly so that the trigger lock remains locked. 
     
     
         6 . The trigger lock of  claim 1  wherein the lock mechanism further comprises:
 a rotating actuator configured to rotate to lock the front assembly to the rear assembly. 
 
     
     
         7 . The trigger lock of  claim 2  further comprising:
 a lock button, wherein the lock logic is configured to cause the lock mechanism to lock the front assembly and the rear assembly together upon detecting a depression of the lock button. 
 
     
     
         8 . The trigger lock of  claim 1  further comprising:
 one or more guide flanges on trigger lock configured to guide how the trigger lock is placed on the firearm. 
 
     
     
         9 . The trigger lock of  claim 1  wherein the lock mechanism is shaped so that the front assembly and the rear assembly can only be locked together in one orientation. 
     
     
         10 . The trigger lock of  claim 1  wherein the lock mechanism further comprises:
 an elongated lock post and wherein the rear assembly further comprises: 
 a chamber for receiving the elongated post. 
 
     
     
         11 . The trigger lock of  claim 10  wherein the lock mechanism is configured when the lock post is in the chamber to lock the front assembly to the rear assembly by rotating the lock post. 
     
     
         12 . The trigger lock of  claim 10  the lock post further comprises:
 post locking teeth; and wherein the chamber further comprises: 
 chamber locking teeth, wherein the lock mechanism locks the front assembly to the rear assembly when the post locking teeth are adjacent the chamber locking teeth. 
 
     
     
         13 . The trigger lock of  claim 2  further comprising:
 a program button, wherein the lock logic is configured to program a new lock combination into the lock logic upon detecting the program button has been depressed. 
 
     
     
         14 . The trigger lock of  claim 2  wherein the lock logic is configured to erase the original stored combination when new lock combination is programed into a memory in the lock logic. 
     
     
         15 . The trigger lock of  claim 14  wherein the security device is a security tag and the security tag is at least one of the group of: an electronic article surveillance (EAS) device and a radio frequency identification device (RFID). 
     
     
         16 . The trigger lock of  claim 1  wherein the front assembly further comprises:
 a non-rigid front contact pad to make contact with the firearm to prevent damage to the firearm. 
 
     
     
         17 . The trigger lock of  claim 1  wherein the trigger lock lacks a physical key. 
     
     
         18 . A method of locking and unlocking a firearm comprising:
 locking a locking device onto the firearm to prevent unauthorized use of the firearm;   entering a combination through a keypad located on the locking device to unlock the locking device; and   removing the locking device from the firearm.   
     
     
         19 . The method of locking and unlocking a firearm comprising:
 detecting the presence of the locking device remote with a detection device located at a location where it is not possible to visibly see the locking device.   
     
     
         20 . The method of locking and unlocking a firearm comprising: installing battery in the locking device, where the locking device cannot be unlocked without the battery in the locking device. 
     
     
         21 . The trigger lock of  claim 1  wherein the energizable security device is nonremovably attached within the rear assembly. 
     
     
         22 . The trigger lock of  claim 1 , in combination with a firearm and a remote detector, the combination comprising:
 an indicator to alert a remote operator, prior to the remote operator visually locating the firearm, the indicator alerting the remote operator of one of the following: presence of the firearm, type of the firearm, and owner of the firearm.   
     
     
         23 . The trigger lock of  claim 1  wherein the security device does not communicate with the lock mechanism and cannot affect operation of the lock mechanism. 
     
     
         24 . The trigger lock of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a beveled wall sloped between a front surface and a top end on the front assembly; and   a display located in the beveled wall configured to display information relating to the trigger lock thereon.   
     
     
         25 . The trigger lock of  claim 24 , further comprising a plurality of key pads entirely below the display operatively coupled with the lock mechanism. 
     
     
         26 . The trigger lock of  claim 16 , further comprising a plurality of depressible protrusions extending outward from the non-rigid front contact pad to ensure the trigger lock is properly position around a trigger on the firearm.