U.S. patent application number 09/785036 was filed with the patent office on 2001-11-08 for web-shaped retainer for a vehicle interior.
This patent application is currently assigned to Peter Butz GmbH & Co. Verwaltungs-KG. Invention is credited to Vanhoutte, Peter.
Application Number | 20010038012 09/785036 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 7631546 |
Filed Date | 2001-11-08 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010038012 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Vanhoutte, Peter |
November 8, 2001 |
Web-shaped retainer for a vehicle interior
Abstract
A web-shaped retainer for a vehicle interior has its holding
bars foldable at tube segments connected by a hinge joint over
which a sleeve is slidable to lock the segments in alignment
against the force of a tension spring in one of the segments.
Inventors: |
Vanhoutte, Peter;
(Varsenare, BE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
THE FIRM OF KARL F ROSS
5676 RIVERDALE AVENUE
PO BOX 900
RIVERDALE (BRONX)
NY
10471-0900
US
|
Assignee: |
Peter Butz GmbH & Co.
Verwaltungs-KG
|
Family ID: |
7631546 |
Appl. No.: |
09/785036 |
Filed: |
February 16, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/9.2 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60R 21/06 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/9.2 |
International
Class: |
A45C 007/00; A45C
013/04; A45C 013/26; A45C 013/26; B65D 030/10 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 18, 2000 |
DE |
10007613.0 |
Claims
I claim:
1. A web-shaped retainer for a vehicle interior comprising: a
flexible retaining web adapted to span across an interior of a
vehicle to retain objects therein and formed with opposite mounting
edges; and at least one foldable bar supporting a respective one of
said edges and subdivided at a separation between ends of said bar
into two mutually alignable bar segments, said bar further
comprising: a hinge joint interconnecting said segments and
enabling one of said segments to be folded at said hinge joint over
the other of said segments, a locking sleeve slidable on a first of
said segments and axially shiftable from an unlocked position
wherein said sleeve is fully on said first of said segments over a
second of said segments upon alignment of said segments to secure
said segments in axial alignment in a locking position of said
sleeve, and a spring operatively connected to said sleeve for
biasing said sleeve into said locking position, whereby said sleeve
is displaceable from said locking position into said unlocked
position against a spring restoring force.
2. The retainer defined in claim 1 wherein said bar segments are
tubular.
3. The retainer defined in claim 2 wherein said locking sleeve is
shiftable only in one axial direction against said spring restoring
force into said locking position.
4. The retainer defined in claim 2 wherein said spring is received
in one of said segments and is braced against a spring abutment
engaging said sleeve through an unusually extending slit in the
segment receiving said spring.
5. The retainer defined in claim 4 wherein said segment containing
said spring is provided with two diametrically opposite
longitudinal slits, said abutment comprising a pin extending
through said slits and engaging said sleeve.
6. The retainer defined in claim 2 wherein said hinge joint
comprises respective pivot members on said segments and a link
pivotally connected to said pivot members and interconnecting
same.
7. The retainer defined in claim 6 wherein said link is a flat
link.
8. The retainer defined in claim 6 wherein said pivot members are
interconnected by two mutually parallel links.
9. The retainer defined in claim 6 wherein said spring is engaged
with a respective one of said pivot members in the segment
receiving said spring.
10. The retainer defined in claim 6 wherein said spring is a
tension spring.
11. The retainer defined in claim 10 wherein said spring is a
helical spring.
12. The retainer defined in claim 11 wherein said helical spring is
centered on a centering projection on one of said pivot
members.
13. The retainer defined in claim 11 wherein one of said pivot
members is formed on an interior thereof with a fastening opening
receiving an eye of said spring.
14. The retainer defined in claim 13 wherein said spring has
another eye engaging a pin traversing elongated slots in the
segment receiving said spring and engaging said sleeve.
15. The retainer defined in claim 6 wherein said pivot members are
plugs fitting into ends of said segments.
16. The retainer defined in claim 2, further comprising a
respective slide bearing on each of said segments at confronting
ends thereof and slidably engaging said sleeve.
17. The retainer defined in claim 16 wherein said slide bearings
are rings surrounding said segments.
18. The retainer defined in claim 17 wherein said rings are
comprised of synthetic resin material having a low coefficient of
sliding friction.
19. The retainer defined in claim 18 wherein said rings are
composed of polyamide.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] My present invention relates to a web-shaped retainer for
the interior of a motor vehicle, e.g. for limiting the movement of
objects, articles or goods therein. More particularly the invention
relates to a removable or dismountable retainer adapted to be
positioned within an interior space of the motor vehicle.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] A web-shaped retainer which can be positioned within a motor
vehicle and has a member spanning a pair of mounting bars and
composed of a flexible material, usually an open work or netting,
is described in EP 0 672 557 B1. The netting has opposite edges in
which the upper and lower mounting bars are received.
[0003] The retainer described in this arrangement can be folded by
bringing the bars together and thereby allowing the retainer to be
removed and placed out of the way.
[0004] When the bar had to be foldable, a pin locking system was
provided which was inconvenient to use and unaesthetic.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
[0005] It is, therefore, the principal object of the present
invention to provide a web-shaped retainer having the advantages of
those described above which can be folded compactly and
conveniently and allow the mounting bars to be folded in a
convenient manner.
[0006] Another object of the invention is to provide a retainer for
the purposes described which can be more easily folded and erected
in place.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] These objects are attained, in accordance with the invention
by providing a hinge structure between bar segments of at least one
of the mounting bars and a locking member in the form of a sleeve
which is shiftable over the adjoining ends of these segments to
maintain the segments aligned in the locking position, the sleeve
being displaceable against a spring force into an unlocking
position to enable the respective bar to be folded at the hinge
joint. More particularly the web shaped retainer can comprise:
[0008] a flexible retaining web adapted to span across an interior
of a vehicle to retain objects therein and formed with opposite
mounting edges; and
[0009] at least one foldable bar supporting a respective one of the
edges and subdivided at a separation between ends of the bar into
two mutually alignable bar segments. The bar comprises:
[0010] a hinge joint interconnecting the segments and enabling one
of the segments to be folded at the hinge joint over the other of
the segments,
[0011] a locking sleeve slidable on a first of the segments and
axially shiftable from an unlocked position wherein the sleeve is
fully on the first of the segments over a second of the segments
upon alignment of the segments to secure the segments in axial
alignment in a locking position of the sleeve, and
[0012] a spring operatively connected to the sleeve for biasing the
sleeve into the locking position, whereby the sleeve is
displaceable from the locking position into the unlocked position
against a spring restoring force.
[0013] According to a feature of the invention the sleeve is
displaceable out of the locked position in which it extends over or
at least partly overlaps the hinge against the spring restoring
force so that it lies only on one of the segments so that the two
segments can be folded relatively into parallel relationship.
Conversely, it suffices to return the segments to their mutually
aligned position, whereupon the sliding sleeve will be returned by
the effect of the spring restoring force into its locking
position.
[0014] In a particularly simple embodiment, the sliding sleeve can
be shiftable in only one axial direction against a spring restoring
force into its unlocked position.
[0015] According to another feature of the invention, the restoring
spring is disposed in one of the tubular segments and engages an
abutment which can pass through at least one and preferably two
axial slots, to engage the sleeve. The sleeve can have an
entrainment projection or formation allowing engagement of the
abutment therewith. The other end of the spring can be anchored to
a plug forming one of the pivot members of the hinge joint.
[0016] The two axial slits and an abutment formed as a pin engaged
with the sleeve through these slits and guided therein provides an
especially reliable and stable construction.
[0017] Bearing rings can be provided between the outer walls of the
segments and the sleeve and such rings can be composed of a low
friction and low wear synthetic resin, for example, a
polyamide.
[0018] Advantageously, two pivot plugs can be provided at the
mutually confronting ends of the segments and the plugs can be
joined by a pair of pivotal links.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0019] The above and other objects, features, and advantages will
become more readily apparent from the following description,
reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which:
[0020] FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a retainer in accordance
with the invention having a net or mesh web spanned between the
mounting bars;
[0021] FIG. 2 is an axial segment through an intermediate folding
region of one of the bars showing a detail of FIG. 1; and
[0022] FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view enlarged with respect to
FIG. 2 but also showing the region T in which the bar is subdivided
and in the folded and unlocked position thereof.
SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION
[0023] The web shaped retainer 10 of FIG. 1 is adapted to be
mounted by a pair of holding bars 12 in the interior of a vehicle
to secure that interior against the movement of objects
therein.
[0024] The retainer 10, which can be used preferably in a so-called
combination motor vehicle, which can be employed at least in part
for the transport of goods can comprise a flexible retainer web
composed of a net-like mesh M, having an openwork field F
surrounded by a boarder 11.
[0025] The upper and lower edge borders 14 and 15 receive the bars
12 and 13 and can be composed of a textile reinforced foil of, for
example, polyvinylchloride. The strips 14 and 15 can be bent double
around the bars and can be doubled to form the edge border 11
surrounding the openwork field F. The strips 14 and 15 are
sufficiently wide as to form channels 16 and 17 for the bars 12 and
13. The retainer is of trapezoidal shape so that the sides 18
converge upwardly.
[0026] The central regions 19 and 20 of the bars 13 and 12 are
accessible through cut outs 21 and 22 in the edge strips 15 and 14.
The mechanisms of the lower bar 13 and its function have been
illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 and it will be understood that the
upper bar 12 has a similar mechanism and operates similarly.
[0027] At the separation region T, the bar 13 is subdivided into
two axial segments A1 and A2 over which a slidable sleeve S is
shiftable.
[0028] The sleeve S engages over the adjoining end regions 23 and
24 of the axial segments A1 and A2 which are joined together by a
hinge arrangement G overlapped by an axial locking region 25 of the
sleeve S. The tube wall of the segment A1 is formed with two
diametrically opposite longitudinal slits 26 and 27 extending
toward the separation location T and which are traversed by an
abutment pin 28 extending transversely through the sleeve S. The
abutment pin 28 can be a cotter pin or a spring cotter. Both ends
of the pin 28 are anchored in radial bores 29 formed in the wall of
the sleeve S.
[0029] To form the hinge joint G, the mutually confronting ends of
the segments A1 and A2 receive plugs 30 and 31 which, form pivot
members and are press fitted and/or cemented into the segment ends.
The two plugs 30 and 31 are connected together by links 32 and 32'
which are parallel to one another and are pivotally connected to
the plugs on opposite sides thereof by pivot pins 33. In the
segment A1, a helical tension spring 34 is mounted and has one
spring eye 35 engaged around the pin 28 and another spring eye 36
engaged through a fastening opening 37 formed in a center
projection 38 of the plug 30 within the segment A1.
[0030] When the retainer and the bar 13 are to be folded up, the
sleeve S is shifted to the left relative to the two segments A1 and
A2 in the direction X against the restoring force of the spring 34
so that the pin 28 moves to the left in the slots 26 and 27. The
locking region 25 of the sleeve is thereby displaced until it lies
fully on the segment A1 so that the segment A2 is disengaged and
can be folded parallel to the segment A1 (FIG. 3).
[0031] With the two bars folded in this manner, the retainer 10
occupies little space and can be readily stored. When, however, the
segments are unfolded so that they are again aligned, the tension
spring 34 displaces the sleeve S in the direction Z into the lock
position of FIG. 2.
[0032] To facilitate the sliding movement of the sleeve S over the
segments A1 and A2, the end regions 23, 24 thereof can be provided
with plastic slide bearing rings 39, for example of polyamide.
* * * * *