U.S. patent application number 12/446808 was filed with the patent office on 2010-12-09 for plug-in lock.
This patent application is currently assigned to SKYLOTEC GMBH. Invention is credited to Kai Rinklake.
Application Number | 20100306973 12/446808 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37576278 |
Filed Date | 2010-12-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100306973 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Rinklake; Kai |
December 9, 2010 |
PLUG-IN LOCK
Abstract
The invention relates to a plug-in lock for the detachable
connection of two belt ends for a climbing harness having a lock
part and an insertion part, wherein the lock part has an end on the
insertion side for inserting the insertion part, and an end on the
belt side for fastening a belt, wherein the insertion part has a
snap-in pin, which engages into a first latch mechanism in the lock
part upon inserting the insertion part into the lock part such that
the insertion part is secured against being pulled out of the lock
part (in the direction opposite of the insertion direction in the
lock part. The first latch mechanism is configured manually
non-detachable, and a second manually detachable latch mechanism is
arranged and configured such that the insertion part can be
detached from the lock part by sliding out the same in the
insertion direction.
Inventors: |
Rinklake; Kai; (Neuwied,
DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
LAW OFFICE OF DELIO & PETERSON, LLC.
121 WHITNEY AVENUE
NEW HAVEN
CT
06510
US
|
Assignee: |
SKYLOTEC GMBH
Neuwied
DE
|
Family ID: |
37576278 |
Appl. No.: |
12/446808 |
Filed: |
September 7, 2007 |
PCT Filed: |
September 7, 2007 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP07/07837 |
371 Date: |
April 23, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
24/593.1 ;
24/591.1; 24/628 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y10T 24/45225 20150115;
Y10T 24/45597 20150115; Y10T 24/45241 20150115; A44B 11/2515
20130101; A44B 11/2573 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
24/593.1 ;
24/591.1; 24/628 |
International
Class: |
A44B 11/25 20060101
A44B011/25 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 23, 2006 |
DE |
20 2006 016 188.0 |
Claims
1. A plug-in lock for the releasable connection of two belt ends,
in particular for a climbing harness, safety belt or life belt,
comprising: a lock part; and a plug-in part; wherein the lock part
has a plug-in end, into which the plug-in part can be plugged, and
a belt end, for fastening a belt, wherein the plug-in part has a
latching tongue which, when the plug-in part is plugged into the
lock part in a plug-in direction, latches with a first latching
mechanism in the lock part such that the plug-in part is locked in
the lock part against being pulled out of the lock part counter to
the plug-in direction, and wherein the plug-in direction is
oriented from the plug-in end of the lock part in the direction of
the belt end of the lock part, including having the first latching
mechanism is designed such that it cannot be released manually once
the plug-in part and lock part have been latched in, and a second,
manually releasable latching mechanism is arranged in the lock part
and designed such that this second latching mechanism, in a locked
state, blocks the plug-in part which has been plugged into the lock
part from moving relative to the lock part in the plug-in direction
and, in an unlocked state, allows the plug-in part which has been
plugged into the lock part to move relative to the lock part in the
plug-in direction, in which case the plug-in part can be released
from the lock part by being pushed out in the plug-in
direction.
2. The plug-in lock of claim 1, wherein the first latching
mechanism includes at least one latching nose arranged on the
latching tongue, the latching nose pivotable about a pivot pin,
wherein the latching nose is forced in the direction of a locking
position by an elastic pre-stressing force and can be deflected in
an elastically resilient manner out of this locking position by
being pivoted about the pivot pin counter to the pre-stressing
force, and wherein a rigid latching hook is designed and arranged
on the lock part for each latching nose such that, once the plug-in
part has been plugged into the lock part, a respective latching
nose interacting with an associated latching hook makes a latching
connection.
3. The plug-in lock of claim 2, wherein the latching nose includes
a respective oblique surface which rises up in the direction
counter to the plug-in direction.
4. The plug-in lock of claim 2, comprising two latching noses
arranged on the plug-in part and two latching hooks are arranged on
the lock part, wherein the two latching hooks are designed as
respective U-shaped elevations at the plug-in end of the lock
part.
5. The plug-in lock of claim 4, including a respective leg of the
U-shaped elevations having a free end, wherein the legs of the
U-shaped elevations with a free end are spaced apart from one
another such that a spacing between these legs of the U-shaped
elevations is greater than or equal to a width of the latching
tongue of the plug-in part.
6. The plug-in lock of claim 1, including the latching tongue
having an elevation running parallel to the plug-in direction and
the lock part having a groove running parallel to the plug-in
direction, wherein the elevation and the groove are arranged and
designed such that, when the plug-in part is plugged into the lock
part, the elevation engages in the groove and thus guides the
plug-in part relative to the lock part.
7. The plug-in of claim 1, including having the second latching
mechanism is forced in the direction of the locking position by an
elastic spring pre-stressing force.
8. The plug-in lock of claim 7, including having the second
latching mechanism arranged and designed such that it can be moved
manually into the unlocked state counter to the elastic spring
pre-stressing force.
9. The plug-in lock of claim 3, comprising two latching noses
arranged on the plug-in part and two latching hooks arranged on the
lock part, wherein the two latching hooks are designed as
respective U-shaped elevations at the plug-in end of the lock
part.
10. The plug-in lock of claim 9, including a respective leg of the
U-shaped elevations having a free end, wherein the legs of the
U-shaped elevations with a free end are spaced apart from one
another such that a spacing between these legs of the U-shaped
elevations is greater than or equal to a width of the latching
tongue of the plug-in part.
11. The plug-in lock of claim 2, including the latching tongue
having an elevation running parallel to the plug-in direction and
the lock part having a groove running parallel to the plug-in
direction, wherein the elevation and the groove are arranged and
designed such that, when the plug-in part is plugged into the lock
part, the elevation engages in the groove and thus guides the
plug-in part relative to the lock part.
12. The plug-in lock of claim 2, including having the second
latching mechanism forced in the direction of the locking position
by an elastic spring pre-stressing force.
13. The plug-in lock of claim 12, including having the second
latching mechanism arranged and designed such that it can be moved
manually into the unlocked state counter to the elastic spring
pre-stressing force.
Description
[0001] This application is a National stage application based on
PCT/EP2007/007837, filed Sep. 7, 2007, and which claims priority to
German patent application No. DE 20 2006 016 188.0, filed Oct. 23,
2006.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a plug-in lock for the
releasable connection of two belt ends, in particular for a
climbing harness, safety belt or life belt, having a lock part and
a plug-in part, wherein the lock part has a plug-in end, into which
the plug-in part can be plugged, and a belt end, for fastening a
belt, wherein the plug-in part has a latching tongue which, when
the plug-in part is plugged into the lock part in a plug-in
direction, latches with a first latching mechanism in the lock part
such that the plug-in part is locked in the lock part against being
pulled out of the lock part counter to the plug-in direction, and
wherein the plug-in direction is oriented from the plug-in end of
the lock part in the direction of the belt end of the lock part,
according to the claims.
[0004] 2. Description of Related Art
[0005] Plug-in closures for belts and straps are known, for
example, from the automotive sector. In the case of harnesses, the
closures have to be designed such that they do not open
unintentionally during use. This is achieved, for example, by two
buttons having to be actuated simultaneously for opening purposes.
Such a plug-in lock is known, for example, from DE 196 47 631 A1.
In order to make the connection, a plug-in part is plugged into a
lock part, latching elements being provided in order to make a
latching connection between the plug-in part and the lock part. Two
actuating elements are provided, and these move corresponding
latching elements into a disengagement position and have to be
pushed in simultaneously in order to release the plug-in part from
the lock part. It is characteristic of plug-in locks here that, for
release purposes, the plug-in part is pulled out of the lock part
in the direction counter to that in which it is plugged into the
lock part. Although, under loading, a relatively large force is
necessary in order for the latching elements to be moved into the
disengagement position by means of the actuating elements, it is
not completely out of the question for the plug-in lock to open
unintentionally if the actuating elements are subjected to an
appropriately large force.
[0006] An alternative to this, with a higher level of reliability
against unintentional opening, is provided by closures in which a
hook-in part is hooked into the lock part. Such a hook-in lock is
known from U.S. Pat. No. 6 802 109 B2. The special feature resides
in the fact that hooking in takes place in the same direction in
which the lock parts are subjected to force during use. The force
to which the lock parts are subjected thus always pulls the lock in
the closing direction. For opening purposes, or in order to release
the hook-in part from the lock part, it is necessary to actuate an
unlocking means and to move the hook-in part relative to the lock
part counter to the hooking-in direction.
[0007] DE 20 2004 017 043 U1 discloses a lock for climbing
harnesses in which the locking mechanism is designed with two
actuating elements for releasing the locking means such that the
actuating elements cannot be pushed into the release position when
the lock is subjected to a force in the direction counter to the
plug-in direction. However, intended release or opening of the lock
is a laborious task to perform since, for this purpose, the lock
part and the plug-in part have to be retained in relation to one
another and, at the same time, the two actuating elements have to
be pushed in.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The object of the invention is to improve a plug-in lock of
the above-mentioned type in respect of functional reliability and
ease of use. In particular, it is intended to improve the
safeguarding against unintentional opening of the plug-in lock.
[0009] This object is achieved according to the invention by a
plug-in lock of the above-mentioned type having the features
characterized in claim 1. Advantageous configurations of the
invention are described in the rest of the claims.
[0010] The invention will be explained in more detail hereinbelow
with reference to the drawing, in which:
[0011] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of
a plug-in lock in the open state, and
[0012] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view, in detail form, of a
plug-in part of the plug-in lock according to FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0013] In the case of a plug-in lock of the above-mentioned type,
it is provided according to the invention that the first latching
mechanism is designed such that it cannot be released manually once
the plug-in part and lock part have been latched in, and a second,
manually releasable latching mechanism is arranged in the lock part
and designed such that this second latching mechanism, in a locked
state, blocks the plug-in part which has been plugged into the lock
part from moving relative to the lock part in the plug-in direction
and, in an unlocked state, allows the plug-in part which has been
plugged into the lock part to move relative to the lock part in the
plug-in direction, in which case the plug-in part can be released
from the lock part by being pushed out in the plug-in
direction.
[0014] This has the advantage, that despite the connection between
the plug-in part and lock part easily being made by the plug-in
part being plugged straightforwardly into the lock part, it is not
possible for the plug-in part to be released under loading counter
to the plug-in direction, in which case unintentional opening of
the plug-in lock under loading is effectively avoided. At the same
time, provision is made for the plug-in part and lock part to be
released as in the case of a hook-in lock. The novel plug-in lock
thus combines the advantages of a plug-in lock, namely the quick
and straightforward closure of the lock by plugging in in the
plug-in direction, with the advantages of a hook-in lock, namely
the complete avoidance of the situation where the plug-in part and
lock part are released counter to the plug-in direction under
loading, without the disadvantage of the more laborious hooking-in
operation, as in the case of a hook-in lock, having to be
accepted.
[0015] In a preferred embodiment, the first latching mechanism has
at least one latching nose arranged on the latching tongue, in
particular two such latching noses, and the latching nose can be
pivoted in each case about a pivot pin, wherein the latching nose
is forced in the direction of a locking position by an elastic
pre-stressing force and can be deflected in an elastically
resilient manner out of this locking position by being pivoted
about the respective pivot pin counter to the pre-stressing force,
and wherein a rigid latching hook is designed and arranged on the
lock part for each latching nose such that, once the plug-in part
has been plugged into the lock part, a respective latching nose
interacting with an associated latching hook makes a latching
connection.
[0016] Automatic deflection of the latching nose counter to the
elastic pre-stressing force when the plug-in part is plugged into
the lock part is achieved by the latching nose having a respective
oblique surface which rises up in the direction counter to the
plug-in direction.
[0017] In a particularly preferred embodiment, two latching noses
are arranged on the plug-in part and two latching hooks are
arranged on the lock part, wherein the two latching hooks are
designed as respective U-shaped elevations at the plug-in end of
the lock part.
[0018] In order to provide sufficient clearance for the plug-in
part when it is pushed out of the lock part in the plug-in
direction, a respective leg of the U-shaped elevations has a free
end, wherein the legs of the U-shaped elevations with a free end
are spaced apart from one another such that a spacing between these
legs of the U-shaped elevations is greater than or equal to a width
of the latching tongue of the plug-in part.
[0019] The plug-in part is plugged into the lock part without
either tilting in relation to the other in that the latching tongue
has an elevation running parallel to the plug-in direction and the
lock part has a groove running parallel to the plug-in direction,
wherein the elevation and the groove are arranged and designed such
that, when the plug-in part is plugged into the lock part, the
elevation engages in the groove and thus guides the plug-in part
relative to the lock part.
[0020] For automatic locking of the second latching mechanism, the
second latching mechanism is forced in the direction of the locking
position by an elastic spring pre-stressing force. The second
latching mechanism is arranged and designed here such that it can
be moved manually into the unlocked state counter to the elastic
spring pre-stressing force.
[0021] The preferred embodiment of a plug-in lock according to the
invention which is illustrated in FIG. 1 comprises a lock part 10
and a plug-in part 12, which is designed for plugging into the lock
part 10 and has a latching tongue 14.
[0022] The lock part 10 comprises a punched and bent part 16, a
plastic housing 18, a plug-in end 20, into which the plug-in part
12 can be plugged, and a belt end 22, which has a belt opening 24
for fastening a belt (not illustrated). A plug-in direction 36,
i.e. a direction in which the plug-in part 12 is plugged into the
lock part 10, is directed from the plug-in end 20 of the lock part
10 in the direction of the belt end 22 of the lock part 10.
[0023] The plug-in part 12 comprises a belt opening 26 with
belt-securing means 27 and also punched parts 28 and latching noses
30, which are arranged opposite one another on the latching tongue
14 and can be pivoted toward one another in each case, about a
pivot pin 32, out of a locking position, which is illustrated in
FIG. 1, counter to an elastic spring force. Each latching nose 30
has an oblique surface 34 which rises up in the direction counter
to the plug-in direction 36, i.e. such that it increasingly
projects beyond the width of the latching tongue 14.
[0024] In order to guide the plug-in part 12 as it is plugged into
the lock part 10, the plug-in part 12 has an elevation 38 running
parallel to the plug-in direction 35 and the lock part 10 has a
guide groove 40, wherein, when the plug-in part 12 is plugged into
the lock part 10, the elevation 38 engages in the guide groove 40
and guides the plug-in part 12 relative to the lock part 10.
[0025] Two U-shaped elevations 42, each with a respective free leg
44, are formed at the plug-in end 20 of the lock part 10. The
U-shaped elevations 42 are arranged and designed such that, when
the plug-in part 12 is plugged into the lock part 10, they act, in
the first instance, on the oblique surfaces 34 and thus pivot the
latching noses 30 about the pivot pins 32. As soon as the latching
noses 30 have passed the U-shaped elevations 42, they spring back,
under the action of the elastic spring force, into the latching
position illustrated in the figure and latch into the U-shaped
elevations 42. In other words, the latching noses 30 and the
U-shaped elevations 42 interact so as to prevent the plug-in part
12 from being unplugged from, or pulled out of, the lock part 10 in
the direction counter to the plug-in direction 36.
[0026] The first latching mechanism, which is made of the latching
noses 30 and U-shaped elevations 42, thus secures the plug-in part
12 in the lock part 10, wherein there are no release means provided
in order to release the latching between the latching noses 30 and
the U-shaped elevations 42. It is not possible for the plug-in part
12 to be unplugged from, or pulled out of, the lock part 10 in the
direction counter to the plug-in direction 36. Consequently, it is
also the case that unintentional release of the plug-in part 12
from the lock part 10 in the direction counter to the plug-in
direction 36 is always ruled out.
[0027] According to the invention, a second latching mechanism 46
is additionally provided on the lock part 10, and this second
latching mechanism, in a latching position or locking position,
prevents the plug-in part 12 which has been plugged into the lock
part 10 from moving relative to the lock part in the plug-in
direction 36, in which case the plug-in part 12 is fixed to the
lock part 10. The second latching mechanism 46 is designed and
arranged such that, in a release position or unlocking position it
allows the plug-in part 12 which has been plugged into the lock
part 10 to move relative to the lock part in the plug-in direction
36. At the same time, the clearance formed between the free legs 44
of the U-shaped elevations 42 is sufficient to allow the latching
tongue 14 to pass through this clearance. Consequently, upon
adjustment of the second latching mechanism 46 into the release
position, it is possible for the plug-in part 12 to be disengaged
from the lock part 10 in the plug-in direction 36 and thus to be
released from the lock part 10. The second latching mechanism 46 is
forced in the direction of the latching position or locking
position by an elastic spring force, in which case it moves
automatically into the latching position.
[0028] The only possibility of releasing the plug-in part from the
lock part 10 therefore resides in the plug-in part 12 moving
relative to the lock part 10 in the plug-in direction 36, i.e. in
the direction counter to a pulling direction to which the plug-in
lock is subjected during use. In other words, with the plug-in lock
being subjected to loading, a pulling direction acts counter to an
opening direction.
[0029] Overall, the plug-in lock according to the invention thus
combines the advantages of a plug-in lock, with quick connection
between the plug-in part 12 and lock part 10 by a straightforward
plug-in action, with the advantages of a hook-in lock, in which the
force to which the lock is subjected acts counter to the opening
direction. Conversely, a disadvantage of the hook-in lock, namely
the operation of connecting the lock parts to one another, which is
more laborious than the equivalent operation in the case of the
plug-in lock, is avoided. The special feature of the plug-in lock
according to the invention resides in the fact that, in order to
release the plug-in part 12 from the lock part 10, the plug-in part
12 is pushed out of the lock part 10 in the plug-in direction 36.
The operations of connecting and releasing the lock part 10 and
plug-in part 12 thus take place by way of movement of the plug-in
part relative to the lock part in the same direction, namely the
plug-in direction 36.
[0030] The embodiment illustrated is given merely by way of
example. In an alternative embodiment, it is also possible for the
moveable latching noses to be arranged on the lock part 10 and for
corresponding rigid latching hooks, which interact with the
moveable latching noses, to be arranged on the plug-in part 12.
[0031] While the present invention has been particularly described,
in conjunction with a specific preferred embodiment, it is evident
that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be
apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing
description. It is therefore contemplated that the appended claims
will embrace any such alternatives, modifications and variations as
falling within the true scope and spirit of the present
invention.
* * * * *