GB2180291A

GB2180291A - A locking device

Info

Publication number: GB2180291A
Application number: GB08621620A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Joachim Hanel; Fritz Haberle; Gotz Motting; Walter Munser
Original assignee: Daimler Benz AG
Current assignee: Daimler Benz AG
Priority date: 1985-09-10
Filing date: 1986-09-08
Publication date: 1987-03-25
Also published as: FR2587055A1; IT8621554A0; GB2180291B; IT8621554A1; DE3532152C1; JPH0645982B2; IT1197136B; FR2587055B1; GB8621620D0; JPS6272873A

Abstract

The device for floor flaps in motor cars has a pivotable handle 1 which in its rest position is housed in a trough 2 inserted into the floor flap to be surface flush with the trough 2; the handle 1 which is in the form of a plate has an aperture 3 bonded on all sides and filled contour-flush and surface flush in the rest position by an elevation 4 from trough 2. Region 6 opposite aperture 3 is pivotable by thumb pressure counter to the force of a spring about pivot axis 7 between aperture 3 and region 6 until aperture 3 is accessible from beneath. Pivot axis 7 is defined by an eye of lever 8 connected to a hook 9 engageable with a counter piece 11. The device maybe complimented by a locking cylinder and to prevent a wire being passed through orifice of hook 9 through trough base the hook 9 carries a conjointly pivoting cover 12. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Alocking device The invention relates to a locking device provided with a pivotable handle, particularly but not exclusive Iyforfloorflapsin motorcars,wherein the handle in its rest position is housed in a trough.

The underlying aim ofthe present invention was to form such a locking device so that smooth, plane load floor configuration is possible and the actuating mechanism can be housed in the smallest possible space.

According to the invention there is provided a locking device provided with a pivotable handle, for floor flaps in motor cars, wherein the handle in its rest position is housed in a trough, and wherein the handle in its rest position is housed in a trough, and wherein the handle comprises a plane-surface plate surface flush in its rest postion with the edge ofthe trough and has an aperture bounded on all sides which is filled contour-flush and surface-flush in the rest position by an elevated partofthetrough, andthe end region of said plate located opposite the aperture is pivotable, by pressure from above counterto a spring force about a pivot axis spaced from said aperture between the latter and the opposite end region ofthe plate, downward into the trough until the aperture thereby raised is capable of being manually gripped.

As an advantageous furtherdevelopment ofthe invention, said pivot axis is defined byan eye of a one-armed lever which is connected articulately remote from said eye to a locking hook mounted pivotably in the trough with a hook-shaped end penetrating the trough downwards further pivotal movement of the plate causing the lever to abut the underside of the plate so thatwhen further pivotal movement occurs the plate and locking hook pivot aboutthe pivot axis ofthe locking hook.

Preferably, thefloorflap is secured additionally by a security lock with a locking cylinder.

In this case it is advantageous, in orderto prevent the lock being fouled by items placed in the device, if the plate in its rest position masks the topside of the lock cylinder.

However, it is also advantageous in such a case if, as a further development ofthe invention, a conjointly pivoting cover is provided forthe aperture in the trough penetrated bythe locking hook. Itwouldthen in fact not be possible to reach the locking means of the security lock th rough the penetration aperture, with a wire for example, and to open the floorflap without authorisation.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the drawing, wherein: Figure 1 shows a section through a locking device in its closed position, Figure2showsacorrespondingsectionduringthe opening operation, Figure 3 shows a section through the locking device in the open position, and Figure 4 shows a plan of the plate.

The locking device according to the invention has a handle intheform of a plate 1,which is arranged in a trough 2, which is inserted into afloor4lap, not shown, of a station wagon for example, joint-flush and surface-flush with its edge 5. The plate 1 has a grip-through aperture3 bounded on all sides, which is the design position illustrated in Figure 1 is filled contour-flush and surface-flush by an elevation 4 extending from thetrough base, in order to obtain a smooth load floor without disturbing depressions.

The plate 1 has at its edge region opposite the grip-through aperture 3 a corrugated section 6, which is intended to prevent a user's thumb from slipping during the actuation described below.

In order to open the locking device, the plate 1 is first of all raised by thumb pressure upon its corrugated section 6, counter to the force of a spring (not shown), until the grip-through aperture 3 is accessiblefrom beneath (Figure 1). During this first movement phase the pivoting ofthe plate 1 occurs about a first pivot axis 7, which is defined by an eye of a one-armed lever 8 which is connected articulately at its other end to a locking hook9 penetrating the trough 2 downwards, the bearing blocksaboutwhichthe hook9 pivots, being integral with the trough, but have not been shown in the drawing for greater clarity.

The pivot axis 10 of the locking hook 9 forms simultaneouslythe second pivot axis for the plate 1 when the latter has been raised sufficienttyforthe lever 8 to abut its underside and the plate 1 simul- taneously strikes the locking hook 9, and/or its bearing blocks not shown.

Duringthefurther pivotal movementofthe plate 1, which now follows, the locking hook9 is entrained in every case and moves out of engagementwith the counter piece 11, integral with the vehicle body, under which it grippe previously.

Itis possible to complement a locking device described about by a security lockwith locking cylinder, in orderto achieve security againsttheft. In orderto prevent a wire, for example, from being passed th rough the passage orifice of the locking hook 9 through the trough base, the locking hook 9 carried a conjointly pivoting cover 12 beneath the trough base.

1. A locking device provided with a pivotable handle,forfloorflaps in motor cars, wherein the handle in its rest position is housed in a trough, and wherein, the handle comprises a plane-surface plate, surface-flush in its rest position with the edge ofthe trough and has an aperture bounded on all sides which is filled contour-flush and surface-flush in the rest position by an elevated part of the trough, and the end region of said plate located opposite the aperture is pivotable, by pressure from above counterto a spring force about a pivot axis spaced from said aperture between the latter and the opposite end region of the plate, downward into the trough until the aperture thereby raised is capable of being manually gripped.

2. A locking device according to claim 1, wherein said pivot axis is defined by an eye of a one-armed lever which is connected articulately remote from said eye to a locking hook mounted pivotably in the trough with a hook-shaped end penetrating the trough downwards further pivotal movement ofthe plate causing the lever to abut the underside of the plate so

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Alocking device The invention relates to a locking device provided with a pivotable handle, particularly but not exclusive Iyforfloorflapsin motorcars,wherein the handle in its rest position is housed in a trough. The underlying aim ofthe present invention was to form such a locking device so that smooth, plane load floor configuration is possible and the actuating mechanism can be housed in the smallest possible space. According to the invention there is provided a locking device provided with a pivotable handle, for floor flaps in motor cars, wherein the handle in its rest position is housed in a trough, and wherein the handle in its rest position is housed in a trough, and wherein the handle comprises a plane-surface plate surface flush in its rest postion with the edge ofthe trough and has an aperture bounded on all sides which is filled contour-flush and surface-flush in the rest position by an elevated partofthetrough, andthe end region of said plate located opposite the aperture is pivotable, by pressure from above counterto a spring force about a pivot axis spaced from said aperture between the latter and the opposite end region ofthe plate, downward into the trough until the aperture thereby raised is capable of being manually gripped. As an advantageous furtherdevelopment ofthe invention, said pivot axis is defined byan eye of a one-armed lever which is connected articulately remote from said eye to a locking hook mounted pivotably in the trough with a hook-shaped end penetrating the trough downwards further pivotal movement of the plate causing the lever to abut the underside of the plate so thatwhen further pivotal movement occurs the plate and locking hook pivot aboutthe pivot axis ofthe locking hook. Preferably, thefloorflap is secured additionally by a security lock with a locking cylinder. In this case it is advantageous, in orderto prevent the lock being fouled by items placed in the device, if the plate in its rest position masks the topside of the lock cylinder. However, it is also advantageous in such a case if, as a further development ofthe invention, a conjointly pivoting cover is provided forthe aperture in the trough penetrated bythe locking hook. Itwouldthen in fact not be possible to reach the locking means of the security lock th rough the penetration aperture, with a wire for example, and to open the floorflap without authorisation. An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the drawing, wherein: Figure 1 shows a section through a locking device in its closed position, Figure2showsacorrespondingsectionduringthe opening operation, Figure 3 shows a section through the locking device in the open position, and Figure 4 shows a plan of the plate. The locking device according to the invention has a handle intheform of a plate 1,which is arranged in a trough 2, which is inserted into afloor4lap, not shown, of a station wagon for example, joint-flush and surface-flush with its edge 5. The plate 1 has a grip-through aperture3 bounded on all sides, which is the design position illustrated in Figure 1 is filled contour-flush and surface-flush by an elevation 4 extending from thetrough base, in order to obtain a smooth load floor without disturbing depressions. The plate 1 has at its edge region opposite the grip-through aperture 3 a corrugated section 6, which is intended to prevent a user's thumb from slipping during the actuation described below. In order to open the locking device, the plate 1 is first of all raised by thumb pressure upon its corrugated section 6, counter to the force of a spring (not shown), until the grip-through aperture 3 is accessiblefrom beneath (Figure 1). During this first movement phase the pivoting ofthe plate 1 occurs about a first pivot axis 7, which is defined by an eye of a one-armed lever 8 which is connected articulately at its other end to a locking hook9 penetrating the trough 2 downwards, the bearing blocksaboutwhichthe hook9 pivots, being integral with the trough, but have not been shown in the drawing for greater clarity. The pivot axis 10 of the locking hook 9 forms simultaneouslythe second pivot axis for the plate 1 when the latter has been raised sufficienttyforthe lever 8 to abut its underside and the plate 1 simul- taneously strikes the locking hook 9, and/or its bearing blocks not shown. Duringthefurther pivotal movementofthe plate 1, which now follows, the locking hook9 is entrained in every case and moves out of engagementwith the counter piece 11, integral with the vehicle body, under which it grippe previously. Itis possible to complement a locking device described about by a security lockwith locking cylinder, in orderto achieve security againsttheft. In orderto prevent a wire, for example, from being passed th rough the passage orifice of the locking hook 9 through the trough base, the locking hook 9 carried a conjointly pivoting cover 12 beneath the trough base. CLAIMS

2. A locking device according to claim 1, wherein said pivot axis is defined by an eye of a one-armed lever which is connected articulately remote from said eye to a locking hook mounted pivotably in the trough with a hook-shaped end penetrating the trough downwards further pivotal movement ofthe plate causing the lever to abut the underside of the plate so that when further pivotai movement occurs the plate and locking hook pivot abut the pivot axis of the locking hook.

3. A locking device according to claim 1 or2 wherein the plate in its rest position masks the top side of a lock cylinder.

4. A locking device according to any one or more of the preceding claims wherein the top side of the plate has a corrugation orthe like in its said end region.

5. A locking device according to any one or more of the preceding claims, wherein a conjointly pivoting cover is provided on the hookforthe aperture in the trough through which the locking hook projects.

6. A locking device provided with a pivotable handle, forfloorflaps in motor cars substantially as described herein with reference to, and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.