EP2526244A1

EP2526244A1 - Vehicle body shell and device for locking the door in a closed position

Info

Publication number: EP2526244A1
Application number: EP11705912A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Philippe Thiriet
Original assignee: Thiriet SAS
Current assignee: Thiriet SAS
Priority date: 2010-01-19
Filing date: 2011-01-19
Publication date: 2012-11-28
Anticipated expiration: 2031-01-19
Also published as: EP2526244B1; US20120274082A1; CA2786172C; AU2011208546B2; AU2011208546A1; PL2526244T3; ES2539060T3; FR2955346B1; US8851531B2; ZA201204831B; WO2011089339A1; CA2786172A1; FR2955346A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle body shell (1) including an opening, at least one door (2) that is provided at said opening and is capable of closing or opening said body shell, and at least one device (3) for locking the door in a closed position. Said body shell includes: a locking member (4) that is movable between a locked position P1 and an unlocked position P2 and interacts with the locking or unlocking by means of a corresponding locking element (5); an electromagnetic means (6) for moving the locking member (4) from said locked position P1 to said unlocked position P2; and a resilient means (7) for stressing the locking member (4) from said unlocked position P2 to said locked position P1. According to the invention, the locking member (4) provides temporary control, and the device (3) for locking the door in a closed position includes a supporting means that is movable at least from a first released position P3, in which the locking member (4) is in said locked position P1, to a second stable and engaged position P4, wherein said supporting means (8) engages with the locking member (4) in said unlocked position P2 so as to counter the stress of the resilient means (7) while mechanically maintaining the locking member (4) in said locked position P2. Moreover, said supporting means is capable of being retracted by the locking element (5) when the door (2) moves.

Description

TITLE: Vehicle box, and locking device of the door in the closed position.

The invention relates to a vehicle body comprising an opening, at least one door provided at said opening, adapted to close or open said box, and at least one locking device of the door in the closed position, electrically controlled .

In the field of vehicle bodies, including road transport, it is known from US-4,083,424 or US-4,866,963 to lock a door up, through an electrically controlled locking device. As taught in these documents, this locking device comprises a movable latch, forced to lock by a spring, and controlled at the opening by an electromagnet. This electrically controlled assembly is secured to the body, the movable latch cooperating, locking or unlocking, with a corresponding locking element fixed on the lift door.

Document US Pat. No. 4,866,963 furthermore provides a mechanical holding element for retaining the movable latch in its unlocking position. For this purpose the holding element can pass, under the action of elastic means, a release position in which the lock is in the locking position of the door, to a lock engagement position in which the holding member mechanically retains the latch in said unlocking position of the latch.

In US-4,866,963 the mechanism actuating said holding member to said engagement position is controlled by the physical opening of the door. In the US document. 4,083,424 or US-4,866,863, the user enters a code on a keypad that controls the electromagnet, thereby causing the lock to move from the unlock position to the lock position. Consecutively, the user must move to the door and lift at least partially so that the mechanism moves the holding member into a position where it holds the lock. Accordingly, the holding element of US-4,866,963 does not does not retain the movable lock when the door of the body is in the closed position.

In document US Pat. No. 4-083,424 or US Pat. No. 4,866,963, an electric circuit for controlling the solenoid of the electromagnet implements a delay so that the solenoid is solicited for a sufficient time, necessary to enable the solenoid to be energized. user to raise the door before the mobile lock is forced again to lock under the action of the spring. For example, US-4,866,963 provides a timer that can be between 60 seconds and 90 seconds giving sufficient time for the user to move to the door, before the moving lock is locked again.

Also, the device of US-4,083,424 or US-4,866,963 has the disadvantage of the implementation of a solenoid solicited for a relatively long time, which can be several seconds, reducing thus its life time.

The purpose of the present invention is to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks by providing a vehicle body equipped with a door and a locking device of the door in the closed position, implementing an electromagnetic means, such as an electro magnet, which allows easy opening of the door, while increasing the life of the electromagnetic means.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device for locking the door of a vehicle body equipped with a door using a single-action electric strike while mechanically memorizing the opening order in order to be able to raise the door without delay and to be able to self-lock when closing.

Also, the invention relates to a vehicle body comprising an opening, at least one door provided at the niveâu of said opening, adapted to close or open said box, and at least one locking device of the door in the closed position, comprising a locking member movable between a locking position P1 and an unlocking position P2, cooperating in locking or unlocking with a corresponding locking element, an electromagnetic means for moving the locking member of said locking position P1 to said unlocking position P2, and elastic means for constraining the locking member of said position P2 to unlock said locking position P1, the locking device of the door in the closed position comprising holding means, which, on the one hand, are movable at least between a first release position P3, in which the locking member is in said locking position P1, to a stable second engagement position P4, wherein said holding means cooperate with the locking member in said unlocking position P2 so as to oppose the stress of the elastic means by mechanically holding the locking member in said unlocking position P2, and other firstly, are able to retract under the action of the locking element during the movement of the door, said holding means being constrained from said first release position P3 to said second engagement position P4 by means springs.

According to the body according to the invention, the locking member is fugitive control and wherein said holding means are able to hold the locking member in said unlocking position P2 while the door is in the closed position and wherein when the locking member is actuated by said electromagnetic means of said locking position P1 to said unlocking position P2, the action of the spring means causes the simultaneous movement of the holding means of the first release position P3 to said second engagement position P4, while the door is in the closed position.

According to one embodiment, the locking member is constituted by a bolt adapted to move in translation between said locking position P1 and said unlocking position P2 and in which the holding means are constituted by a pivot finger, which in said first release position P3 presses on the lateral edge of the organ and which, when said locking member is controlled at the opening, escapes the side edge under the action of said spring means and pivots to said second engagement position P4 in which an engagement end of said finger comes support the end of the locking member at a concave portion of the locking member.

According to optional features:

- The locking member and said holding means are integral with the body and said corresponding locking member integral with the door;

- The holding means are articulated in such a way to retract under the action of said locking element during the opening of the door;

- Once retracted under the action of the locking element, the holding means are in a position P5 and maintain the locking member in an intermediate position P6 between the locking position P1 and said unlocking position P2;

said locking element cooperates with said holding means during the movement of the door so as to bring about the return of the holding means in the release position P3;

- The return of the holding means in said release position P3 under the action of the locking element is caused when closing the door;

- The locking member has a cutaway for cooperating with said locking element, during closing of the door, to move the locking member against the restoring force of the resilient means;

said locking element is constituted by a folded plate having an end cooperating in abutment with said locking member, by means of said holding means, when the door is in the closed position and said locking member in said locking position P1,

said box having rails integral with the box, adapted to guide the end of said folded plate in the vicinity of the locking member during the movement of the door when opening or closing,

said locking element is secured to the door by means of a hinge, a secure locking element removably accessible on the outside of the door for locking the hinge, said hinge when released allowing free opening of the door when the locking member is in said locking position and the door is closed,

- The door is a rising door, sliding or pivoting.

The invention will be better understood on reading the following description accompanied by the appended drawings among which:

FIG. 1 is a view illustrating the locking device of a lifting door in the closed position,

FIG. 2 is a detail view of FIG. 1, illustrating the locking device, the locking member being in said locking position P1, said holding means being in said release position P3, the lifting door in a closed position,

FIG. 3 is a view of the device, as illustrated in FIG. 2 when the door is closed, the locking member being actuated under the action of the electromagnetic means in the unlocking position P2, the holding means being in the engagement position P4 with the locking member,

FIG. 4 is a view of the device as illustrated in FIG. 3 when the door initiates a displacement on opening,

FIG. 5 is a view of the device as illustrated in FIG. 4 illustrating the retraction of the holding means under the action of the locking element during the opening of the door;

FIG. 6 is a view of the device as illustrated in FIG. 5, the door being actuated on opening, the locking element having escaped said holding means, FIG. 7 is a view following the view as illustrated in FIG. 6, when the door is actuated upon closing,

FIG. 8 is a view of the device as illustrated in FIG. 7, the locking element cooperating with the holding means in such a way as to bring about the return of the holding means in said release position P3, the element blocking cooperating with a cutaway of the locking member, allowing the retraction of the member against the restoring force of the elastic means,

FIG. 9 is a view following the view of FIG. 8 illustrating the return of the holding means in the disengagement position,

FIG. 10 is a view following FIG. 9, the locking element having escaped the holding means, the holding means being in their disengaged position P3, the locking member in the locking position P1,

- Figure 11 is a view of the locking element when the secure locking element is removed, the opening of the door causing the rotation of the locking element, and thus, the free opening of the door while the locking member is in said locking position,

- Figure 12 is a subsequent view of Figure 11.

Also the invention relates to a vehicle body 1 comprising an opening, and at least one door 2 provided at said opening, adapted to close or open said body.

It may be in particular, as illustrated in the figures, a lifting door, consisting essentially of a curtain guided in translation at two amounts of said opening, through the wings. However, the invention is not limited to lifting doors and can also be implemented on a sliding door, or pivoting. The door can be operated manually when opening and closing, or with a motor.

According to the invention, the body also comprises a device 3 for locking the door 2 in the closed position, comprising an element locking 4 movable between a locking position P1 and an unlocking position P2 and cooperating with locking or unlocking with a corresponding locking member 5.

Preferably, the locking member is secured to the body (fixed part of the body), said corresponding locking element integral with the door (movable part of the body). However, it is possible to reverse the positions by providing the locking member on the door and the locking member subject to the body.

The locking device 3 further comprises an electromagnetic means 6, such as an electromagnet, for moving the locking member 4 from the locking position P1 to the unlocking position P2, as well as elastic means 7. to constrain the locking member 4 from the unlocking position P2 to the locking position P1.

According to the invention, the locking member 4 is fugitively controlled. In addition, the device 3 for locking the door in the closed position comprises holding means 8.

These holding means 8 are movable at least between a first release position P3, in which the locking member 4 is in said locking position P1, towards a second stable engagement position P4, in which the said holding means 8 cooperate with the locking member 4 in said unlocking position P2 so as to oppose the stress of the elastic means 7, mechanically maintaining the locking member 4 in said unlocking position P2.

On the other hand, these holding means 8 are able to retract under the action of the blocking element 5 during the displacement of the door 2, in particular translational movement in the case of a rising or sliding door, or displacement. pivoting in the case of a pivoting door.

We now describe in detail the non-limiting embodiment of Figures 1 to 12, the door is a rising door. As already developed, the invention is not limited to cases with lifting door and can be implemented on other types of doors, such as sliding door or pivot door.

As shown in Figure 1, the locking member 4, with the electromagnetic means 6 are integral with the body 1, the locking element 5 being integral with the door 5.

According to the example, the locking member 4 consists of a bolt which is guided in translation between the locking position P1 and the unlocking position P2.

The elastic means 7 are constituted by two compression springs constraining the locking member from the unlocking position P2 to the locking position P1. The holding means 8 are provided vis-à-vis the end of the locking member 4, fixed to the body near the member 4, and are provided pivotally between the release position P3 and the position P4 commitment. Spring means 9 constituted in particular by an extension spring, constrain the means for maintaining the release position P3 to the engagement position P4.

The direction of translation of the locking member 4 is substantially perpendicular to that of the translation of the door 2. The locking element 5, in particular consisting of a folded metal plate, has an end 51 cooperating in abutment with the locking member 4, through the means 8, when the door is closed, the member 4 being in its position P1 so that it is not possible to open the door.

Rails 52, 53 secured to the body 1 may further enable this end 51 to be guided in the vicinity of the locking member 4, during the movement of the door when opening or closing.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the locking member 4, in particular the bolt, is actuated in translation by the electromagnetic means 6 to the unlocking position P2 by a fugitive control of the electromagnetic means 6.

Simultaneously, under the action of the spring means 9, in particular of the extension spring, the holding means 8 then move automatically from the release position P3 to the position P4 as illustrated in FIG.

In this position of engagement P4, stable, the holding means 8 oppose the stress of the elastic means 7 by mechanically maintaining the locking member 4 in the unlocking position P2.

As illustrated in the figures, the holding means 8 may in particular be constituted by a pivot pin, whose engagement end 81 cooperates in the P4 engagement position, stable position, particularly at a concave portion the bolt constituting the locking member 4, in order to maintain the latter in the P2 position.

More specifically, as shown in Figure 2, the finger is articulated via a pivot 82 on a support 83, U-section, itself attached to the body. The axis of rotation of the pivot 82 may be substantially perpendicular to the translation axis of the locking member 4, and the body wall on which the support 83 is fixed.

The finger is provided in the inner part of the support 83, pivotally mounted between the vertical wings of the U-shaped section of the support 83.

The finger has an L shape, one of the ends of the L constituting said engagement end 81 of the finger intended to make contact with the locking member 4 in the position P4 of the holding means 8, the other end of the L constituting a hooked point for the end of a spring extension of the spring means 8. The other end of the spring is provided integral with the support 83 at a point of attachment of the support. As illustrated, the finger pivots, along the axis of rotation of the pivot 82 which is perpendicular to the plane of the L, the pivot axis located at the elbow formed by the two wings of L.

In the release position P3, the locking member 4 in the locking position P1, the finger bears on one of the lateral edges of the locking member 4 which is in particular parallel to the axis of translation of said member 4 When the locking member 4 is controlled at the opening, this finger escapes the lateral edge, and under the action of the spring extension, pivots to the position P4, stable, so that the engagement end 81 of the finger comes to support the end of the locking member 4 in the unlocking position P2, at a concave portion of the locking member 4.

This holding means 8 thus allows the blocking element 5 to pass during the opening of the door, as illustrated in FIG. 4. During this opening, and as illustrated in FIGS. 4 to 6, the locking element 5 engages with the holding means 8, in particular the pivoting finger causing its retraction. Once the pivoting finger holding means retracted, the locking member 5 escapes the finger and continues its translation, especially until the final opening of the door.

The holding means 8 are then, as illustrated in FIG. 6 or 7, in a position P5, distinct from said clearance positions P3 and the engagement position P4 previously described. In the position P5, as illustrated in FIG. 6 or 7, the finger makes contact with the end of the bolt of the locking member 4. In this position P5, the holding means 8, in particular the finger, hold the blocking member 4 in an intermediate position P6 between the position P1 and the P2 position described above.

When closing the door as shown in Figure 7, the end 51 of the locking element 5 again enters between the guide rails 52, 53, the end 51 cooperating with a cutaway 10 of the locking member 4, located at the end of the bolt, intended to cooperate with said locking member 5 when closing the door in translation.

This cut 10 allows, under the action of the locking element 5 to push the locking member 4 against the restoring force of the elastic means 7, thus allowing the passage of said locking element 5. During this return, the locking element 5 engages with the holding means 8, including the pivoting finger, to cause the return of the holding means of said position P5 to the release position P3, as illustrated in Figures 8 to 10. Once the door closed 10, the locking member 4 is thus in its locking position P1 and the holding means 8 in their initial disengagement position P3.

Advantageously, the request may provide a security arrangement to open the door even in case of failure of the locking device 3 or even more simply in the case of a power supply failure of the electrical means 6, such as by example battery failure.

For this purpose, said locking element 5 may be provided integral with the door by means of a hinge 11, in particular a rotation axis pivot substantially perpendicular to the plane of the door when closed. A secure locking element, such as a custom fingerprint screw, or a pin secured by a padlock, removably accessible on the outside of the door, allows the locking of the joint by engaging in particular at the level of a bore of the blocking element 5.

The joint when released (secure locking element removed) then allows the free opening of the door 2 even when the locking member is in said locking position.

As illustrated in Figures 11 and 12 in particular, the opening of the door then causes the rotation of the locking element 5 along the pivot so as to allow the opening of the door.

It should be noted that this security arrangement can be implemented independently of the holding means 8 previously described.

Naturally, other embodiments could have been envisaged without departing from the scope of the invention, defined by the claims below.

Claims

A vehicle body (1) comprising an opening, at least one door (2) provided at said opening, adapted to close or open said body, and at least one device (3) for locking the door in closed position, comprising a locking member (4) movable between a locking position P1 and an unlocking position P2, cooperating with the locking or unlocking with a corresponding locking element (5), an electromagnetic means (6) for moving the locking member (4) of said locking position P1 to said unlocking position P2, and elastic means (7) for constraining the locking member (4) from said unlocking position P2 to said locking position P1 , the device (3) for locking the door in the closed position comprising -maintening means (8), which, on the one hand, are movable at least between a first release position P3, wherein the BlocA ge (4) is in said locking position P1, to a stable second engagement position P4, wherein said holding means (8) cooperate with the locking member (4) in said unlocking position P2 of such in order to oppose the constraint of the elastic means (7) by mechanically holding the locking member (4) in said unlocking position P2, and secondly, are able to retract under the action of the blocking element (5) during the displacement of the door (2), said holding means (8) being constrained from said first release position P3 to said second engagement position P4 by spring means (9) characterized by that the locking member (4) is fugitive control and in that said holding means are able to hold the locking member (4) in said unlocking position P2 while the door is in the closed position and in that when the blocking member (4) is t actuated by said electromagnetic means of said locking position P1 to said unlocking position P2, the action of the spring means (9) causes the simultaneous movement of the holding means (8) of the first release position P3 to said second P4 engagement position, while the door is in the closed position.

2. Box according to claim 1, wherein the locking member (4) is constituted by a bolt adapted to move in translation between said locking position P1 and said unlocking position P2 and wherein the holding means (8) ) are constituted by a pivot pin, which in said first release position P3 bears on the side edge of the locking member (4) and which, when said locking member (4) is controlled at the opening, escapes the side edge under the action of said spring means (9) and pivots to said second engagement position P4 in which an engagement end (81) of said finger supports the end of the locking member (4). ), at a concave portion of said locking member (4).

3. Box according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the locking member (4) and said holding means (8) are integral with the box (1) and said locking element (5) corresponding to the integral door ( 2).

4. Box according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the holding means (8) are articulated so as to retract under the action of said locking element (5) corresponding to the opening of the door.

5. Case according to claim 4, wherein once retracted under the action of the locking element (5), the holding means (8) are in a position P5 and maintain the locking member (4) in an intermediate position P6 between the locking position P1 and said unlocking position P2.

6. Box according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein said locking element (5) cooperates with said holding means (8) during the movement of the door so as to cause the return of the holding means in said clearance position P3.

7. Case according to claim 6, wherein the return of the holding means in said release position (P3) under the action of the locking element (5) is caused during the closing of the door (2).

8. Box according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the locking member (4) has a cutaway (10) for cooperating with said locking element (5), when closing the door, to move the locking member (4) against the restoring force of the elastic means (7).

9. Box according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein said locking element (5) is constituted by a folded plate having an end (51) cooperating in abutment with said locking member (4), via said holding means (8), when the door is in the closed position and said locking member (4) in said locking position P1.

10. Box according to claims 2 and 9 having rails - (52,53) integral with the box, adapted to guide the end (51) of said folded plate in the vicinity of the locking member (5) during the moving the door when opening or closing.

11. Case according to one of claims 1 to 10, wherein said locking element (5) is secured to the door via a hinge (11), a secure locking element, removably accessible on the outside of the door for locking the joint, said articulation when released allowing the free opening of the door when the locking member is in said locking position, the door closed.

12. Case according to one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the door is a door lift, sliding or pivoting.