AU2001100605B4 - Adaptor for boot lid hold-down strap - Google Patents

Description

P/00/011 28/5/91 Regulation 3.2(2)

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION INNOVATION PATENT Application Number: Lodged: Invention Title: ADAPTOR FOR BOOT LID HOLD-DOWN STRAP The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us ADAPTOR FOR BOOT LID HOLD-DOWN STRAP FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention concerns the attachment of items to locks of automotive boot lids.

INTRODUCTION

It is sometimes required to carry loads in the boot of a motorcar that are large enough to prevent closing of the lid of the boot. In such a case, it is common to tie the boot lid down over the load by means of a rope or cord between the lid and the body of the motorcar. A useful and potentially safer alternative arrangement is to provide a purpose-made strap which a user can secure via suitable end fittings to the boot lid lock and to the component (normally but not necessarily on the motorcar's body) which mates with the lock. The component that mates with the lock is usually a U-shaped element formed from heavy wire, so that a spring clip of known type is suitable for attachment to it. However, various designs of boot lid lock are known and differences between them make it difficult to provide a fitting that is suitable for all types of boot lid locks.

It has been found that an end fitting including a triangle formed from wire of about 4.5mm diameter (similar to the diameter of the wire in the said U-shaped element) is suitable for use with the boot lid locks found on a large proportion of motorcars. However, certain popular Australian motorcars have boot lid locks of different design for which such a fitting is unsuitable. Examples of these (as at late 2001) are Holden "Commodore" and certain older Ford "Falcon".

The present invention is directed to an adaptor for enabling connection of a strap to such boot lid locks.

The adaptor is also potentially useful in any other application where it is desired to attach an item to a lock of the type stated below to be appropriate.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In a first aspect, the invention provides, in a first aspect, an adaptor for use in securing an item to an automotive boot lid lock, said boot lid lock having a body with a protruding section and a retaining tongue which in a locked condition of said lock extends from a side of said protruding section, said adaptor including: a main member having an opening adapted when in use to receive therein at least a part of said protruding section; connection means for connecting said item to said main member; and a formation secured to said main member within said opening and adapted when said protruding section is received in said opening and said lock is in a locked condition to be located between said tongue and said body so that said main member is retained on said body.

Preferably, said connection means and said formation are so located on said main member that when said adaptor is in use on said lock said connection means and said formation are on the same side of said protruding section.

In a further aspect, the invention provides a kit of parts including an adaptor according to claim 1 or 2 and a strap assembly said kit including means for securing said adaptor to a first end of said strap assembly, and said strap assembly having at a second end a fitting adapted for securing said strap assembly to a component which mates with said boot lid lock.

Preferred (although non-limiting) embodiments of the invention will now be described in detail, by reference to the following Figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a boot lid strap assembly.

Figures 2a and 2b are elevations of a boot lid lock in unlocked and locked condition respectively.

Figure 3 is a perspective view (from above) of an adaptor according to the invention.

Figure 4 is a perspective view (from below) of the adaptor shown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the adaptor shown in Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a view from below of the adaptor as shown in Figure Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view taken at section BB in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is an end view of the adaptor shown in Figure 6.

Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view taken at section AA in Figure 6.

Figure 10 is a part elevation of a boot lid lock with the adaptor shown in Figures 3 to 9 in use thereon, the adaptor shown in cross-section as in Figure 9.

Figure 11 is a perspective view (from above) of a further adaptor according to the invention.

Figure 12 is a perspective view (from below) of the adaptor shown in Figure 11.

Figure 13 is a side elevation of the adaptor shown in Figure 11.

Figure 14 is a view from below of the adaptor as shown in Figure 13.

Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view taken at section CC in Figure 14.

Figure 16 is an end view of the adaptor shown in Figure 13.

Figure 17 is a cross-sectional view taken at section DD in Figure 14.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring first to Figure 1, there is shown a strap assembly 1 suitable for holding down a boot lid (not shown) of a motorcar (not shown) when the boot lid is unable to be fully closed over a load. Assembly 1 includes a strap 51, folded double, and has at one end a spring clip 2 of known type for securing it to a Ushaped element 12 (Figure 2b) which is provided on the motorcar to mate with the boot lid lock 7.

Strap 51 passes through two rings 4 in known manner so that its effective length may be reduced and its tension increased once it is secured in place. A triangular loop 5 formed of heavy (approximately 4.5m diameter) wire passes through the rings 4 and is a suitable end fitting for securing the strap assembly 1 to some types of boot lid locks (not shown). Details of strap assembly 1 are not of the essence of the invention and other arrangements will readily suggest themselves to persons skilled in the art.

Figures 2a and 2b show a boot lid lock 7 of a type for which the above arrangement is not suitable. Lock 7 has a body 8 with a protruding section 9. In an unlocked condition (Figure 2a) a first tongue 10 extends from a slot 11 on one side of the protruding section 9. As the boot lid (not shown) is closed, U-shaped element 12 (normally on the motorcar's bodywork, lock 7 being on the boot lid) contacts and rotates the first tongue 10, which is pivotally mounted on a pin 13. At a certain point, tongue 10 "snaps" (under the action of an internal spring (not shown)) into its locked position (Figure 2b) so that element 12 is held between first tongue 10 and a second tongue 15, which at the same stage emerges from slot 11. The loop 5 is unsuitable for use with this lock because it would not be positively retained between tongues 10 and Figures 3 to 9 show an adaptor 16 according to the invention which enable the strap assembly 1 to be secured to a lock such as lock 7. Adaptor 16 has been developed for use with Holden "Commodore" vehicles in particular, having boot lid locks similar to lock 7.

Adaptor 16 is a single component made by injection moulding in a suitable high strength plastics material. A cowl-like main member 17 has an opening 18 and is shaped to receive through opening 18 protruding section 9 of lock 7, as shown in Figure 10. Only a limited amount of clearance between member 17 and section 9 is provided. A formation 19 inside the member 17 extends between walls 20 and 21 of the member 17 and ribs 24 are formed on wall 21. A tab 22 on the exterior of member 17 has a hole 23 extending therethrough. Member 17 has a second opening 30. This is provided only to simplify tooling for injection moulding, specifically to enable forming of formation 19 with only a two-part tool.

In use, as shown in Figure 10, adaptor 16 is pushed on to lock 7 so that section 9 enters member 17 through opening 18. Formation 19 presses on first tongue 10 until by the aforementioned "snap" action, formation 19 is captured between tongues 10 and 15. At this point, due to the small clearance between protruding section 9 and member 17, adaptor 16 is captively held on protruding section 9 of lock 7 and will remain so until lock 7 is unlocked (at which point tongue 15 is retracted back into protruding section 9).

Strap assembly 1 is secured to adaptor 16 at hole 23, and this may be done in several ways. In one approach, the triangular loop 5 passes through hole 23. In another possible approach, a ring or other connecting means (not shown) passes through both hole 23 and loop 5. Arrow 31 in Figure 10 shows the approximate direction of the force applied to adaptor 16 by the strap assembly 1 when it is tensioned in use.

When adaptor 16 is in position on protruding section 9, hole 23 and formation 19 are on the same side of protruding section 19. This means that the force applied to formation 19 by second tongue 15 is of similar size to the tension in strap 1. A lip 25 of member 17 bears on body 8 of lock 7 as shown, with a comparatively small force. This arrangement is advantageous for the strength of adaptor 16. If, instead, hole 23 and formation 19 were on opposite sides of protruding section 9, the force exerted on formation 19 by tongue 15 would be much larger than the tension in strap 1, which is undesirable.

Figures 11 to 17 show a further adaptor 16a. This operates on exactly the same principle as adaptor 16, and the same item numbers, suffixed by are used in the diagrams for corresponding parts. Adaptor 16a has been developed for use on certain older model Ford "Falcon" motorcars. Adaptor 16a is somewhat larger than adaptor 16 and does not have the ribs 24.

Another difference between adaptors 16 and 16a is the presence of gussets 26a in adaptor 16a, to provide extra stiffness and strength given the greater distance between walls 20a and 21a. As a force close to the tension in strap 1 is applied to formations 19 and 19a, it is important that they be designed to resist that force safely.

Strap 1 may be sold in a kit with adaptors 16 and 16a so that the buyer can use either adaptor, or loop 5 as an end fitting, according to the type of motorcar owned, discarding any adaptor not required.

Claims (4)

1. An adaptor for use in securing an item to an automotive boot lid lock, said boot lid lock having a body with a protruding section and a retaining tongue which in a locked condition of said lock extends from a side of said protruding section, said adaptor including: a main member having an opening adapted when in use to receive therein at least a part of said protruding section; connection means for connecting said item to said main member; and a formation secured to said main member within said opening and adapted when said protruding section is received in said opening and said lock is in a locked condition to be located between said tongue and said body so that said main member is retained on said body.

2. An adaptor according to claim 1 wherein said connection means and said formation are so located on said main member that when said adaptor is in use on said lock said connection means and said formation are on the same side of said protruding section.

3. A kit of parts including an adaptor according to claim 1 or 2 and a strap assembly said kit including means for securing said adaptor to a first end of said strap assembly, said strap assembly having at a second end a fitting adapted for securing said strap assembly to a component which mates with said boot lid lock.

4. An adaptor substantially as described herein by reference to Figures 3 to 9 inclusive. 7 An adaptor substantially as described herein by reference to Figures 11 to 17 inclusive. DATED this 2 9 th day of November 2001 DALSONWARE PTY. LTD. WATERMARK PATENT TRADE MARK ATTORNEYS 290 BURWOOD ROAD HAWTHORN VICTORIA 3122 AUSTRALIA SKP/DHS/MEH:pcp UIP1017AUOO.DOC