Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – Auxiliary article compartments
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-03
2001-04-10
Pape, Joseph D. (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
Auxiliary article compartments
C296S037900, C296S037800, C312S333000, C224S282000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06213533
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a device for installation in a motor vehicle, the device having a pop-out part.
A pop-out part of that kind can be, for example, a storage compartment that is movable by displacement in the manner of a drawer fro man initial position into a position of use. In the initial position, the pop-out part closes substantially flush with, for example, the dashboard of the motor vehicle, and in the position of use the pop-out part projects into the passenger space. A pivoting or other kind of guide means, for example, can also be provided to enable the pop-out part to be moved from the initial position into the position of use. The pop-out part can be, for example, a holder for a drinks container, such as a can of drink, a cup or similar.
If the motor vehicle is involved in an accident, accelerations can act on the pop-out part and move it automatically and undesirably from the initial position into the usage position. Since the pop-out part projects into the passenger space in the usage position, there is an increased risk of injury.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device having a pop-out part for installation in a motor vehicle, which avoids the disadvantages of the prior art.
More particularly, it is an object of present invention to provide securing a pop-out part in a motor vehicle against automatic opening in the event of an accident, opening meaning transport of the pop-out part from the initial position into the usage position.
The device according to the invention has a safety lock with a latch. By virtue of its inertia, in the event of a rear-end collision, impact of the motor vehicle against an obstacle and the like, the latch comes into engagement with the pop-out part located in the initial position and lock this. As a result of an acceleration, especially a negative acceleration (deceleration) of the motor vehicle, the latch therefore engages to lock the pop-out part in the initial position. The invention has the advantage that the pop-out part does not open in the event of an accident, that is, does not move from the initial position into the usage position, hence during the risk of injury.
In a practical example of the invention, the latch of the safety lock is mounted in the motor vehicle so as to pivot through a limited pivoting angle about a pivot axis. The contact point of the latch, with which, in the event of an accident, the latch comes into engagement with the pop-out part located in the initial position, is spaced from the pivot axis. The centre of mass of the latch is located between the pivot axis and the contact point of the latch. In the event of an accident, because of the part and the latch move relative to the motor vehicle. It can be assumed that the pop-out part and the centre of mass of the latch move at least approximately the same speed relative to the motor vehicle. Since the contact point of the latch is spaced further from the axis thereof than the centre of mass of the latch, the contact point moves relative to the motor vehicle at a greater speed than the pop-out part. Because of this greater speed of the contact point of the latch compared with the pop-out part, the latch comes quickly into engagement with the pop-out part during an accident and locks it; the pop-out part hardly moves from its initial position at all.
The invention is provided in particular for a drawer or similar storage tray, in which articles can be placed. It is especially important here that the drawer remains in its closed initial position in the event of an accident, so that stored articles cannot fly out and injure passengers.
In a preferred construction, the latch has an increased mass in the region of its centre of mass. The increased mass can be formed, for example, by an enlarged cross-section of the latch in the region of the plastics material forming the latch. The position of the centre of mass of the latch can be fixed by choosing the location on the latch at which the increased mass is arranged.
The device according to the invention is provided in particular for a pop-out part that is locked in its initial position by a push-push locking device known per se and, after being unlocked, is moved into the usage position by an opening spring element. The push-push device, also called a cardioid mechanism, is unlocked by a pressure on a front side of the pop-out part, which presses the pop-out part a short way into the dashboard or similar structure of the motor vehicle. The device according to the invention prevents the push-push locking device from coming unlocked automatically because of accelerations occurring in the event of an accident, in that it stops the pop-out part before the push-push locking device unlocks. The device according to the invention is also able to block the push-push locking device when the motor vehicle is involved in an accident, so that the push-push locking device cannot unlock itself. A further point is that the device according to the invention locks the pop-out part in its initial position when the motor vehicle is involved in an accident, regardless of whether the push-push locking device is locked or unlocked.
The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the present invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.
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Plocher Bernd
Schmidt Michael
Widulle Ruediger
fischerwerke Artur Fischer GmbH & Co. KG
Pape Joseph D.
Patel Kiran
Striker Michael J.
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