Plug

Details Plug Plug

2000-09-15

2002-02-26

Brinson, Patrick (Department: 3752)

Pipes and tubular conduits

With closures and plugs

C138S09600T

Reexamination Certificate

active

06349745

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a plug for closing an aperture, and more particularly to a blind plug for closing an aperture which is not used in normal case and formed in structural members of articles such as automobiles, electronic instruments and the like.
2. Description of Background Art
Recently, a shift lock mechanism for preventing the unintentional start of a vehicle owing to an erroneous operation of an automatic transmission controller of an automatic transmission. The shift lock system is intended to prevent a driver from doing the shifting operation from the “P” (parking) position without depressing the brake pedal on start in order to cope with the erroneous operation between the brake pedal and the accelerator pedal.
There is a key interlock mechanism (so-called a shift lock apparatus with key inter lock) adopted as an erroneous operation preventing apparatus in relation to the shift lock mechanism. The key interlock mechanism is structured so that it prevents the shift lever of the automatic transmission during parking at “P” position and that it prevents the ignition key from being pulled out without shifting the shift lever to the “P” position.
For adopting the mechanisms mentioned above, there is provided within the automatic transmission controller a solenoid for limit the operation of the shift lever. The operation of the shift lever from the “P” position is limited corresponding to the positions of the brake pedal and the ignition key due to an electrical connection between the solenoid and the brake pedal.
In such a shift lock apparatus, there is provided a mechanism for forcedly manually releasing the shift lock that is used in a occasion which would be happened for example in the electric circuit (for example exhaustion of battery charge). The manual releasing mechanism has an aperture formed for example in a decoration panel of the automatic transmission controller for receiving the ignition key used as a releasing means.
In view of prevention of crime as well as aesthetics, the aperture is normally covered or closed by a blind cover (hereinafter referred to as a “plug”) with the plug being inserted in the aperture. The plug of the prior art has two legs extending from the underside of a cover portion having a substantially same configuration of the opening of the aperture. One anchoring nail is formed on each leg projecting outward therefrom so as to be able to engage the peripheral edge of the opening of the aperture formed in the decoration panel of the automatic transmission controller.
When any trouble would be happened for example in the electric circuit of the shift lock apparatus and thus the manual release of the shift lock is desired, it can be achieved by removing the plug from the decoration panel with using a suitable removing tool such as a screw driver and then inserting the ignition key into the aperture.
However, a conventional plug has a defect such that it is liable to suddenly spring out from the aperture when removing the plug therefrom. The plug sprung out from the aperture is sometimes lost or hits a face or an eye of a worker. This is because that there is only one anchoring nail is provided on each leg of the plug and no means is provided on the conventional plug for preventing its spring out from the aperture.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a plug which can prevent it from unintentionally spring out from an aperture when being removed therefrom and from being lost as well as can improve the safety of a worker.
For achieving the object of the present invention, there is provided according to the present invention a plug comprising a cover portion for covering an opening of an aperture; elastically deflectable legs extending from the under side of the cover portion; and anchoring nails laterally projecting from the legs for engaging the edge of the aperture characterized in that each of the legs is provided with at least one projections laterally extending therefrom in same direction as that of the anchoring nail at a position nearer the tip of the leg than that of the anchoring nail.
According to the invention of claim
1
, when a worker pulls the cover portion of the plug out from the aperture in order to remove the plug therefrom, it is possible to prevent the plug from spring out from the aperture due to the engagement of the projection formed on the leg of the plug with the edge of the aperture and also possible to turn the removal direction laterally so as to prevent the plug from hitting the face especially an eye of the worker.
According to the invention of claim
2
, the projection can be engaged with the edge of the aperture after the anchoring nails having been released from the engagement with the edge of the aperture.
According to the invention of claim
3
, it is possible to make the engagement of projection with the edge of the aperture more easy and thus to make the plug to more firmly change the removing direction of the plug laterally.
According to the invention of claim
4
, it is possible to normally close the aperture formed in the decoration cover of the automatic transmission controller in manner superior in view of prevention of crime as well as aesthetics.


REFERENCES:
patent: 2416829 (1947-03-01), Hartley
patent: 2975947 (1961-03-01), Pellett
patent: 5048571 (1991-09-01), Ellis
Parts List for Honda Inspire Saber; Sep. 10, 2000; 3 pages.

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