Implements or apparatus for applying pushing or pulling force – Single throw lever – Special engaging feature
Reexamination Certificate
2000-12-08
2002-08-06
Hail, III, Joseph J. (Department: 3723)
Implements or apparatus for applying pushing or pulling force
Single throw lever
Special engaging feature
C029S267000, C029S270000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06427978
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an apparatus for the manual operation, for example for locking and/or unlocking parts of a vehicle seat, consisting of a lever part and of a housing part, and with the lever part reaching through an opening in the housing part.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Apparatuses of this kind are known in the art and are in use, for instance, in automotive vehicles for unlocking tilting back supports. In particular, the lever part is guided inside the slot-shaped opening in the housing part. It can be swung from its resting position into an unlocking position in which a catch device of the back support is unlocked by way of an activation section of the lever part. It is a disadvantage of these known apparatuses that rattling noises may occur especially while the car is traveling, e.g. due to vibrations.
Therefore, the subject-matter of the invention is to improve an apparatus of the type described at the outset with minimal constructive complexity and in such a way that the occurrence of any rattling noises is completely eliminated.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention this objective is achieved by envisioning at least one spring medium inside the housing part which latches the lever part in at least one of its positions inside the opening.
With the latching action, using the spring medium, a play-free fit of the lever part inside the opening of the housing part is accomplished in a structurally simple manner.
Preferably, the spring medium can be an elastic tongue on a wall of the housing part. A tongue of this kind can consist of e.g. a spring steel sheet metal mechanism that is fastened to the housing part. A particularly preferred embodied example envisions, however, that the elastic tongue is cut free from the wall of the housing part because this makes it possible to manufacture the housing part in one piece, for example as an injection molded part.
Further advantageous characterizing features of the invention are captured in the sub-claims and in the subsequent description.
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European Search Report for European Patent Application 00123406. 1-1-2312, related to German Utiltity Model Application 299 21 648.9.
Foley & Lardner
Johnson Controls Technology Company
Wilson Lee
LandOfFree
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