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(11) | EP 2 666 940 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Device for locking the door of vehicles |
| (57) Device (1) for locking the door of vehicles, of the type of vans, trucks, lorries,
semi-trailer trucks, trailers and the like, which comprises a base plate (2), which
can be rigidly coupled to the frame of a vehicle, below a door thereof, and an abutment
lamina (3), which in turn can be rigidly coupled to the frame of the vehicle, above
the door. The plate (2) comprises retention means (4a, 4b) for a lever (5), which
can be rigidly keyed on a first end portion (6a) of a bar which is rotatably supported
by the door; the lamina (3) comprises fastening means (7) for a pawl element (8),
which can be rigidly keyed on a second end portion (6b) of the bar, opposite the first
portion (6a). The lever (5) can rotate from at least one first angular position, in
which the lever (5) and the pawl element (8) can engage respectively with the plate
(2) and the lamina (3), respectively by way of the retention means (4a, 4b) and the
fastening means (7), for the locking of the door so as to close the compartment, to
at least one second angular position, in which the lever (5) and the pawl element
(8) are disengaged from the plate (2) and from the lamina (3), for the free movement
of the door, and vice versa. The pawl element (8) comprises a curved appendage (9), which can engage by interlocking with the lamina (3), by way of the fastening means (7); extending from the lamina (3) are at least two containment walls (10), arranged in a "V" formation, which delimit an accommodation seat for at least one portion (8a) of the pawl element (8), opposite the appendage (9), in order to prevent the movement, in any direction, of the pawl element (8), when the pawl element (8) is engaged with the lamina (3). |
[0002] Nowadays, the doors of vehicles such as vans, lorries, trucks, etc, are typically provided with specific apparatuses, called undersill devices, which are capable of ensuring the stable locking of the rear door in the closed configuration of the inner compartment of the container, thus preventing the accidental opening thereof and at the same time allowing manual actuation by an operator who wants to have access to the compartment.
[0003] In a substantially known manner therefore, such devices comprise first of all a base plate, which can be rigidly secured to the frame of the vehicle, below the door, and a further lamina (also called a "striker"), which in turn can be stably coupled to the frame of the vehicle, above the door (and substantially vertically aligned with the base plate).
[0004] When the door is arranged in the closed configuration of the compartment, the base plate and the lamina can be respectively mated with a lever and a pawl element, which are keyed on opposite ends of a bar, which is rotatably supported by the door itself, for the stable locking of the door.
[0005] In more detail, two side walls arise from the lamina, which support a transverse bar, underneath which a sort of appendage, elongated and curved, of the pawl element can be engaged, thus achieving the aforementioned mating.
[0007] During movements of the vehicle, the door is subjected to various stresses, for example following the passage of the vehicle over potholes or bumps, or as a result of vibrations of various origin, and the like.
[0008] Such stresses can thus cause slight movements and oscillations of the door (as a result of the plays and tolerances which are typically present between the respective connection elements), which naturally is in the closed configuration, with the pawl element mated with the lamina.
[0009] Deviations of the pawl element from the ideal arrangement can evidently prejudice the correct operation of the locking device, compromising the quality of the mating and/or causing sticking or permanent deformations in the elements in play.
[0010] It should furthermore be noted that the market in the sector increasingly requires implementation solutions that, while maintaining the qualitative and functional standards that the end consumer demands, offer ever-lower costs, in order to maintain the necessary competitiveness with a competition that is increasingly aggressive.
[0011] Such need clashes with the tendency of makers of locking devices who, in order to prevent the problems owing to possible deviations of pawl elements (as explained above), offer solutions that are massive and heavy, which, although ensuring better resistance and stability, inevitably raise the end cost of the device.
[0012] The aim of the present invention is to solve the above mentioned problems, by providing a device that is capable of achieving the locking of the door for closing the rear compartment of a vehicle of the type of lorries, vans, trucks, stably and effectively.
[0013] Within this aim, an object of the invention is to provide a device that ensures the locking of the door for closing the rear compartment of a vehicle, while at the same time ensuring resistance to stresses and vibrations.
[0014] A further object of the invention is to provide a device that enables the locking of the door, with a solution that is low cost.
[0015] A further object of the invention is to provide a device that ensures a high reliability of operation and offers protection against attempts at forced entry.
[0016] Another object of the invention is to provide a device that can be easily implemented using elements and materials that are readily available on the market.
[0018] This aim and these objects are all achieved by a device for locking the door of vehicles, of the type of vans, trucks, lorries, semi-trailer trucks, trailers and the like, that comprises a base plate, which can be rigidly coupled to the frame of a vehicle, below a door thereof, and an abutment lamina, which can be rigidly coupled to the frame of the vehicle, above the door, said plate comprising retention means for a lever, which can be rigidly keyed on a first end portion of a bar that is rotatably supported by the door, said lamina comprising fastening means for a pawl element, which can be rigidly keyed on a second end portion of said bar, opposite to said first portion, said lever being rotatable from at least one first angular position, in which said lever and said pawl element can engage respectively with said plate and said lamina, respectively by way of said retention means and said fastening means, for the locking of the door so as to close the compartment, to at least one second angular position, in which said lever and said pawl element are disengaged from said plate and from said lamina, for the free movement of the door, and vice versa, characterized in that said pawl element comprises a curved appendage, which can engage by interlocking with said lamina, by way of said fastening means, at least two containment walls, arranged in a "V" formation, extending from said lamina and delimiting an accommodation seat for at least one portion of said pawl element, opposite said appendage, in order to prevent the movement, in any direction, of said pawl element, when said pawl element is engaged with said lamina.
[0019] Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of the device according to the invention, which is illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Figure 1 is a front elevation view of the locking device according to the invention;
Figure 2 is a view from below of the pawl element;
Figure 3 is a side elevation view of the pawl element;
Figure 4 is a sectional view of Figure 1, taken along the line IV-IV;
Figure 5 is a sectional view of Figure 1, taken along the line V-V.
[0020] With particular reference to the figures, the reference numeral 1 generally designates a device for locking the door of vehicles, of the type of vans, trucks, lorries, semi-trailer trucks, trailers and the like. More specifically, according to the preferred application, the device 1 enables the locking of the rear door of vehicles such as those mentioned above, which is placed so as to close an inner compartment intended for the storage and transport of various types of goods.
[0021] Constant reference will therefore be made to such preferred application hereinafter, but the possibility is not ruled out of the use (which still comes under the scope of protection claimed herein) of the device 1 according to the invention in different applications, according to specific requirements.
[0022] The locking device 1 comprises a base plate 2, which can be rigidly coupled to the frame of the vehicle, below the door, and an abutment lamina 3 (also called a "striker"), which in turn can be rigidly coupled to the frame of the vehicle, above the door (and substantially vertically aligned with the plate 2).
[0023] The plate 2 comprises retention means 4a, 4b for a lever 5, which can be rigidly keyed on a first end portion 6a of a bar (of which the aforementioned first end portion 6a and a second end portion 6b, opposite the first, are shown schematically in dotted lines, in Figure 1), which is rotatably supported by the door. Similarly, the lamina 3 comprises fastening means 7 for a pawl element 8, which can be rigidly keyed on the second end portion 6b of the bar.
[0024] In substantially known manner, the lever 5 can rotate from at least one first angular position, in which the lever 5 and the pawl element 8 can engage respectively (as shown in the various accompanying figures) with the plate 2 and the lamina 3, respectively by way of the retention means 4a, 4b and the fastening means 7, in order to ensure the locking of the door in the closed configuration of the compartment, to at least one second angular position, in which the lever 5 and the pawl element 8 are disengaged from the plate 2 and from the lamina 3, for allowing the free movement of the door, and vice versa.
[0025] More generally, an operator can grasp the lever 5, when the door is open, in order to pull the door into the closed configuration of the compartment, and, once such configuration is reached, he or she can lock the door by rotating the lever 5 until it is arranged in the first angular position (shown in the accompanying figures), in which it is stably engaged with the plate 2 and, integrally, the pawl element 8 is engaged with the lamina 3, thus preventing, from opposite sides of the door, the free movement (and accidental opening) of the door.
[0026] It should be noted that the plate 2, the retention means 4a, 4b and the lever 5 can be provided in various ways, including conventional ones (and for example according to what can be seen in the accompanying Figures 1 and 5), and thus we will not linger further on such components.
[0027] Purely for the purposes of example, the possibility exists, illustrated in the accompanying figures, for the retention means 4a, 4b to comprise both an arm 4a, below which a curved end flap 5a of the lever 5 can be inserted, and a button 4b, which is normally arranged so as to interfere with the rotation of the lever 5, and which can be manually actuated in order to allow the rotation.
[0028] According to the invention, the pawl element 8 comprises a curved appendage 9, which can engage by interlocking with the lamina 3, by way of the fastening means 7.
[0029] Moreover, extending from the lamina 3 are at least two containment walls 10, arranged in a "V" formation, which delimit an accommodation seat for a portion 8a of the pawl element 8, opposite the appendage 9, so that movements, in any direction, of the pawl element 8 are impeded when the latter is engaged with the lamina 3.
[0030] In particular, as can be seen from the accompanying figures (for example Figure 1), the portion 8a of the pawl element 8 has a shape that complements the accommodation seat delimited by the containment walls 10 arranged in a "V" formation.
[0031] Even more specifically, according to an embodiment of important practical interest, cited by way of non-limiting illustration of the application of the invention, the pawl element 8 comprises a central block 11, which is substantially cylindrical in shape; from the lateral surface of the block 11 extends the aforementioned appendage 9 and, on the opposite side, the portion 8a of the pawl element 8 which has a shape that complements the accommodation seat.
[0032] As can be seen for example from Figure 4, the substantially cylindrical central block 11 has a through cavity 12 into which the second end portion 6b of the bar can thus be inserted and stably coupled.
[0033] Conveniently (with further reference to Figure 4), the lateral surface of the substantially cylindrical block 11, which encircles the cavity 12, has an extremely scant thickness, so as to be able to thus contain the overall weight of the block 11, and hence the costs associated with raw materials.
[0034] According to the preferred, but not limiting, embodiment, the fastening means 7 comprise two side walls 13, which extend at right angles from the lamina 3 and which define a sort of support for a cross-member 14, which can engage by interlocking with the curved appendage 9 (in the arrangement in which such components are shown in the accompanying figures), in order to achieve the stable mating between the pawl element 8 and the lamina 3.
[0035] For the purpose of further containing the weight of the locking device 1 according to the invention (and the costs associated with raw materials), both the lamina 3, and the side walls 13, are made of steel plate.
[0036] Conveniently, the lamina 3 has at least one hole 15, which is capable of receiving a screw for fixing to the frame of the vehicle.
[0037] In particular, according to the preferred, but not limiting, embodiment of the application of the invention, the lamina 3 has two holes 15, which are longitudinally aligned and mutually spaced apart; one hole 15 is located between the containment walls 10, so that when the appendage 9 is engaged with the lamina 3, as can be seen in Figure 4, the hole 15 will be located below the pawl element 8, which effectively prevents access to the hole 15, thus ensuring greater security against possible attempts at forced entry.
[0039] The device 1 according to the invention can be easily actuated (by way of the lever 5), in order to lock the door of a vehicle in the closed configuration, by bringing the lever 5 to the first angular position so as to engage it with the plate 2, and simultaneously securing the pawl element 8 to the lamina 3.
[0040] In such mutual arrangement, the presence of the containment walls 10, and their particular shape, defines an accommodation seat that can effectively contrast and prevent any movements in any direction (for example, in more detail, the two individual walls 10 simultaneously prevent both horizontal movements and vertical movements, parallel to the plane of arrangement of the lamina 3).
[0041] Thus with two simple components, small in size (the two walls 10), it is possible to enable the locking of the door in a stable and effective manner, while at the same time ensuring resistance to stresses and vibrations which otherwise, by causing small shifts of the door, would tend to move the pawl element 8 from the optimal position, with consequent malfunctions.
[0042] The reduced dimensions (and thicknesses) of the walls 10 simultaneously ensure the possibility of providing a device 1 with a weight, and hence a cost, that are absolutely contained, and such result is moreover assisted (as pointed out in the previous pages) by the choice to make both the lamina 3 and the side walls 13 from steel plate, and also the limited thickness of the lateral surface of the block 11, which encircles the cavity 12.
[0043] Finally, as has been seen, the choice to arrange at least one hole 15 (intended to receive screws to fix the lamina 3 to the frame of the vehicle) in the interspace delimited by the walls 10, renders the hole 15 itself inaccessible once the pawl element 8 is mated to the fastening means 7, and thus when the door is closed and locked by the device 1 according to the invention, thus ensuring protection and security against attempts at forced entry.
[0044] In practice it has been found that the device according to the invention fully achieves the intended aim, in that the use of a pawl element, comprising a curved appendage which can engage by interlocking with a lamina that can be coupled to the frame, with two containment walls, arranged in a "V" formation, delimiting an accommodation seat for at least one portion of the pawl element, prevents the movement, in any direction, of the pawl element, when the latter is engaged with the lamina, and thus makes it possible to provide a device that is capable of providing the locking of the door for closing the rear compartment of a vehicle, in a stable and effective manner.
[0045] The invention, thus conceived, is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims. Moreover, all the details may be substituted by other, technically equivalent elements.
[0046] In the embodiments illustrated, individual characteristics shown in relation to specific examples may in reality be interchanged with other, different characteristics, existing in other embodiments.
[0047] In practice, the materials employed, as well as the dimensions, may be any according to requirements and to the state of the art.
[0048] Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly, such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.
1. A device (1) for locking the door of vehicles, of the type of vans, trucks, lorries,
semi-trailer trucks, trailers and the like, that comprises a base plate (2), which
can be rigidly coupled to the frame of a vehicle, below a door thereof, and an abutment
lamina (3), which can be rigidly coupled to the frame of the vehicle, above the door,
said plate (2) comprising retention means (4a, 4b) for a lever (5), which can be rigidly
keyed on a first end portion (6a) of a bar that is rotatably supported by the door,
said lamina (3) comprising fastening means (7) for a pawl element (8), which can be
rigidly keyed on a second end portion (6b) of said bar, opposite to said first portion
(6a), said lever (5) being rotatable from at least one first angular position, in
which said lever (5) and said pawl element (8) can engage respectively with said plate
(2) and said lamina (3), respectively by way of said retention means (4a, 4b) and
said fastening means (7), for the locking of the door so as to close the compartment,
to at least one second angular position, in which said lever (5) and said pawl element
(8) are disengaged from said plate (2) and from said lamina (3), for the free movement
of the door, and vice versa, characterized in that said pawl element (8) comprises a curved appendage (9), which can engage by interlocking
with said lamina (3), by way of said fastening means (7), at least two containment
walls (10), arranged in a "V" formation, extending from said lamina (3) and delimiting
an accommodation seat for at least one portion (8a) of said pawl element (8), opposite
said appendage (9), in order to prevent the movement, in any direction, of said pawl
element (8), when said pawl element (8) is engaged with said lamina (3).
2. The locking device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said portion (8a) of said pawl element (8) has a shape that complements said accommodation
seat delimited by said containment walls (10) arranged in a "V" formation.
3. The locking device (1) according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that said pawl element (8) comprises a central block (11), substantially cylindrical in
shape, extending from the lateral surface of said block (11) extending said appendage
(9) and, on the opposite side, said portion (8a), which has a shape that complements
said accommodation seat.
4. The locking device (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said substantially cylindrical central block (11) has a through cavity (12), for
the insertion and stable coupling of said second end portion (6b) of said bar, the
lateral surface of said block (11), encircling said cavity (12), having scant thickness
in order to contain the weight and the costs associated with raw materials.
5. The locking device (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said fastening means (7) comprise two side walls (13), which extend at right angles
from said lamina (3), for supporting a cross-member (14), which can engage by interlocking
with said curved appendage (9).
6. The locking device (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said lamina (3) and said side walls (13) are made of steel plate.
7. The locking device (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said lamina (3) has at least one hole (15), for the reception of a screw for fixing
to the frame of the vehicle.
8. The locking device (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said lamina (3) has two of said holes (15), mutually spaced apart, one of said holes
(15) being arranged between said containment walls (10), at the engagement of said
appendage (9) with said lamina (3), said pawl element (8) thus preventing access to
said hole (15).