EP0520188B1 - Mechanism for letter file - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a mechanism for a letter file, having a baseplate (10), two sorting pins (12) which project above the baseplate, a folding bar (18) which is mounted so as to be limitedly pivotable on the baseplate (10), an end shield (20) which projects above the baseplate (10) in the region between the sorting pins (12) and the folding bar (18), and an actuating lever (22) which is mounted pivotably on the end shield (20) and acts on a bend (26) in the folding bar (18) counter to the force of a spring (42). In order to achieve easier handling of the mechanism for letter files with the smallest possible pivoting path of the actuating lever (22), a glissette element (28) made of plastic is arranged in the region of the bend (26) in the folding bar (18) and has a sliding surface (36), which projects obliquely above the plane defined by the bend (26) and opens out at its upper end into a catch depression (40), for a lever arm (46) of the actuating lever (22) formed at its tip as a sliding and catch cam (44). In order to achieve a linear contact over the entire pivoting range of the actuating lever (22) between the sliding surface (36) and the sliding and catch cam (44), the sliding surface (36) of the glissette element (28) is coiled in a helical manner in the direction of displacement of the sliding and catch cam (44). <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a folder mechanism with a base plate, preferably made of sheet metal, two, preferably metallic, line-up pins protruding perpendicularly from one another on the base plate, one pivotable to a limited extent from the line-up pins by means of a bearing web on the base plate between an open position and a closed position, two by the bearing web at a distance from the aligning pins from each other and with these in the closed position in pairs coupling legs, preferably consisting of a bent metal wire folding bracket, a protruding in the area between the aligning pins and the folding bracket over the base plate, preferably integrally connected to this bracket and an am Bearing block about an axis running transversely to the axis of the bearing web, pivotally mounted, on an offset of the bearing web against the force of a spring acting actuating lever, the has at its tip a lever arm designed as a sliding and locking part.

The folder mechanism is intended for letter folders, which consist of a folder spine and a front and rear cover hinged to it, preferably made of stiff cardboard material. The folder mechanism is attached to the back cover of the letter folder in the vicinity of the folder back, preferably riveted or inserted into a holder provided for this purpose, so that the folding bracket can be pivoted into its open position by actuating the actuating lever in the direction of the folder back, releasing an opening between the filing pins and the bracket. In this state, perforated documents can be inserted or removed on the side of the alignment pins after previously existing layers of documents, if any, have been folded onto the folding bracket while the mechanics are still closed. When closed, the folder mechanism reaches with its alignment pins and its folding bracket from the back cover through the folder to the front cover and snaps in place if necessary with the bent ends of the folding legs into through-slots of the front cover provided with locking lugs.

In a known folder mechanism of the type specified at the beginning (FR-A-2 234 998), the actuating lever made of plastic has at its tip a sliding and latching part which bears against the bow offset from above. Next is against the crank part from below a leaf spring mounted on the base plate under pre-tension, which ensures that the folding bracket automatically takes with it the parts of the document placed on it when the actuating lever is released into its initial position and is held in this position. To close the folding handle, the actuating lever is depressed and the sliding and latching part together with the cranking part is pivoted downward against the force of the spring until the aligning pins and the associated bracket legs are pressed against one another with their conically interlocking end faces and the sliding and latching part is pressed over the dead center is brought into its closed position. In the closed position of the sliding and locking part, the actuating lever strikes the base plate with an extension arm. To operate the known folder mechanism, a relatively large swivel path of the actuating lever is required, which leads to the fact that the actuating lever, in the open state, comes into the vicinity of the hanging opening on the side of the folding bracket and blocks it against the hanging and unhooking of documents.

Furthermore, it is known per se in a similar folder mechanism (DE-C-350 736) to provide the folding bracket in the region of the cranking of the bearing web with a sliding curve element which, at its upper end, projects obliquely beyond the plane spanned by the cranking has a locking surface opening sliding surface. The sliding curve element is there in the form of a bend in the one bent round wire existing folding bracket molded in the offset area. The two-armed actuating lever, which is articulated at one end by means of a rivet to a bearing plate bent out of the base plate, rests against the crank offset in the area of the molded-in sliding curve element with a roller arranged at the tip of the one lever arm and projecting parallel to the lever axis and engages in the two end positions on one and the other side of the sliding curve element on the bow offset. In the open state, the swivel lever comes close to the hook-in opening on the side of the folding handle and blocks it against the hanging and unhooking of documents.

The invention is therefore based on the object of developing an easy-to-use folder mechanism, the actuating lever of which has a small pivoting path.

To achieve this object, the combination of features specified in claim 1 is proposed according to the invention. Further advantageous refinements and developments of the invention result from the dependent claims.

The invention is based on the knowledge that the closing process and vice versa also the opening process of the folder mechanism takes place in two phases, the movement phase in which the folding handle is pivoted against the alignment pins while reducing the insertion and removal opening and the closing phase in which the closing force is built between the alignment pins and the folding handle. In order to achieve a short swivel path of the actuating lever, it is therefore necessary to ensure that an optimal transmission ratio between lever and folding lever movement is set in the movement phase in adaptation to the spring forces to be overcome and that the necessary closing force - in contrast to the conventional folder mechanisms - is included one as short as possible Leverage is established. In order to achieve this, it is proposed according to the invention that in the region of the crank of the bearing web on the folding bracket a plastic sliding curve element is arranged, which protrudes obliquely beyond the plane spanned for cranking, opens at its upper end into a rest area, in the direction of displacement of the Sliding and locking part has a helically coiled sliding surface. In order to keep the pressure and abrasion forces that occur as small as possible, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the sliding and locking cams of the actuating lever are wedge-shaped in cross-section and have a linear fit over the entire pivoting range of the actuating lever against the sliding surface and in the wedge tip engaging the locking recess.

With the measures according to the invention it is achieved that only a relatively short rest distance has to be overcome in order to produce the required closing force and that in the movement phase the transmission ratio between lever travel and bow travel can be freely selected within wide limits via the slope of the sliding surface and is therefore optimally adaptable. Overall, the pivoting path of the lever required for actuating the folder mechanism can be optimally adapted to the given spatial conditions. Plastic has proven to be particularly advantageous as the material pairing between the sliding curve element and the lever sliding on it. Due to the helically coiled sliding surface of the sliding and locking part, the special feature is taken into account that the sliding curve element rigidly connected to the crank part of the folding bracket is pivoted relative to the actuating lever during the closing and opening process, with a linear contact between the tip of the lever in each pivoting position of the lever Sliding and locking part on the one hand and the sliding surface of the sliding curve element on the other hand is possible.

In terms of design, this can be achieved in that the sliding surface is limited by two side flanks having a different angle of attack with respect to the plane spanned by the offset, the side flank facing the bearing block being steeper than the other side flank. The difference between the angles of attack is expediently 6 ° to 14 °, preferably 9 ° to 11 °, the angle of attack of the side flank facing the bearing block with an optimal transmission ratio in the movement phase being 50 ° to 60 ° and the other side flank 60 ° to 70 ° .

The locking point of the sliding curve element is expediently designed as a locking recess, while the sliding and locking part of the actuating lever is designed as a sliding and locking cam which locks into the locking recess. In a kinematic reversal of this, the latching point of the sliding curve element can also be designed as a latching cam, while the sliding and latching part of the actuating lever can have a latching recess which can be latched onto the latching cams. Finally, a latching connection can also be produced in that the latching point of the sliding curve element and the sliding and latching part of the actuating lever have latching surfaces which abut against one another under pretension.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the sliding surface is separated upwards by a latching edge from the latching recess and downwardly by a foot edge from an adjacent foot part, the latching edge and the foot edge enclosing an acute angle with one another which is open towards the bearing block and which in the Frontal projection seen 10 ° to 24 °, preferably 15 ° to 19 °. These measures also contribute to a linear and non-punctiform contact between the sliding and locking part of the actuating lever on the one hand and the sliding surface on the other hand over the entire swivel range. The locking edge at the upper end of the sliding surface is substantially perpendicular with respect to the base plate The pivot axis of the actuating lever is arranged while the locking recess is on the side of the locking edge facing away from the sliding surface. With this measure, an additional securing of the lever in the closed position is achieved by exceeding the dead center of the lever. A further improvement in this regard is achieved in that the latching recess is limited by a rear flank on the sliding curve piece which is higher than the latching edge.

Since the pivoting of the sliding curve piece relative to the lever in the course of the movement additionally results in a lateral relative displacement between the sliding and locking cams on the one hand and the sliding surface on the other hand, it is expedient to make the wedge tip forming the sliding and locking cams wider than the sliding surface of the sliding curve element.

With the measure according to the invention, it is possible to design the actuating lever in adaptation to the sliding curve element in such a way that it moves upwards from the base plate at an angle of less than 25 ° in the open position and at an angle of less than 10 in the closed position ° towards the base plate pointing downward actuating arm, the actuating arm and the lever arm carrying the sliding and locking cams of the two-armed actuating lever usefully enclose an angle of 75-95 ° with one another.

The actuating lever, which is made of plastic, can be mounted either on one side on a bearing plate bent out of the base plate, forming the bearing block, or on two sides on a box-shaped bearing block that overlaps the crank.

In principle, it is possible to spray the plastic sliding curve element onto the cranked part of the folding bracket. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the sliding curve element has an open-edged latching opening for snapping onto the crank part of the folding bracket, at least one pinch wedge produced by cold deformation and projecting on one side can be arranged on the crank part, onto which the sliding curve element is positively latched with a correspondingly designed recess can be. The sliding curve element is oriented on the crank part with its sliding surface on one side in the direction of the actuating lever. To facilitate assembly, however, it is advantageous if the sliding curve element has two sliding surfaces and detents arranged symmetrically to one another against rotation by 180 °, only one of which is effective in the assembled state.

To avoid the risk of injury and to improve the appearance, a cover part that overlaps the sliding and locking cams and the bearing block can be formed on the actuating lever.

In kinematic reversal, it is in principle possible to arrange, preferably to form, the sliding curve element having the sliding surface and the latching recess on the actuating lever and the sliding and latching cams on the cranked part of the folding bracket. However, this alternative is associated with constructional and material-technical difficulties, which require considerable additional effort.

Fig. 1a und b

eine Stirnseitenansicht einer Ordnermechanik im offenen und geschlossenen Zustand;

Fig. 2a und b

eine Vorderansicht der Ordnermechanik im offenen und geschlossenen Zustand;

Fig. 3

eine Draufsicht auf die Ordnermechanik ohne Betätigungshebel;

Fig. 4

einen senkrechten Schnitt durch die Ordnermechanik im Bereich des Betätigungshebels in vergrößerter Darstellung;

Fig. 5a bis c

eine vergrößerte Darstellung eines Gleitkurvenelements in einer Seitenansicht, einer Stirnseitenansicht und einer Draufsicht;

Fig. 6a bis c

ein abgewandeltes Ausführungsbeispiel eines Gleitkurvenelements in einer Seitenansicht, einer Stirnseitenansicht und einer Schnittdarstellung.

In the following, the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to some exemplary embodiments shown schematically in the drawing. Show it:

1a and b

an end view of a folder mechanism in the open and closed state;

2a and b

a front view of the folder mechanism in the open and closed state;

Fig. 3

a plan view of the folder mechanism without an operating lever;

Fig. 4

a vertical section through the folder mechanism in the region of the actuating lever in an enlarged view;

5a to c

an enlarged view of a sliding curve element in a side view, an end view and a plan view;

6a to c

a modified embodiment of a sliding curve element in a side view, an end view and a sectional view.

The folder mechanism shown in the drawing is intended for installation in letter folders. It essentially consists of a base plate 10 made of sheet metal, which can be fastened to the back cover of a letter folder, two metallic line-up pins 12 projecting vertically at a distance from one another on the base plate 10, a folding bracket 18 pivotably mounted by means of a bearing web 14 on two bearing tabs 16 pivoted out of the base plate at a distance from one another , a bearing plate 20 bent out of the material of the base plate in the area between the alignment pins 12 and the folding bracket 18 and an actuating lever 22 pivotably mounted on the bearing plate 20. The folding bracket consisting of a bent metal wire also has two the ends of the bearing web 14 bent upwards and with their free ends to the alignment pins 14 curved down leg 24, which can be coupled in the closed position with one of the alignment pins 12 at the end (Fig. 1a) and in the open position an opening for hanging Release documents on the alignment pins and / or the folding hanger (Fig. 1b). The folding bracket 18 also has in the central region of the bearing web 14 a cranking part 26, on which a sliding curve element 28 made of plastic is snapped in a positive and non-positive manner. For this purpose, the offset part 26 is provided with a crimping wedge 30 which is formed by cold deformation and which engages in a form-fitting manner in a correspondingly shaped recess 32 which is open at the edge within the latching recess 34 of the sliding curve element 28 and which comprises the offset part (FIGS. 4 and 5).

On its end face facing the actuating lever 22, the sliding curve element has a sliding surface 36 which points obliquely upwards from the cranking part 26 and which opens out into a transversely extending locking recess 40 via a locking edge 38. The sliding curve element 28 is pressed upwards from below via a spring 42 acting against the offset 26, so that it rests against the wedge-shaped sliding and latching cams 44 of the actuating lever 22 with its sliding surface 26 or its recess 40 in every pivoted position of the actuating lever 22 . The sliding and latching cam 44 forms the tip of a lever arm 46, which in the region of the pivot bearing 48 projects substantially downward approximately perpendicular to the actuating arm 50. As can be seen in particular from FIG. 4, the wedge tip 52 of the sliding and latching cam 44 is somewhat wider than the sliding surface of the sliding piece. By an appropriate helically coiled shape of the sliding surface 36 is achieved that the sliding and locking cam 44 with its wedge tip 52 abuts linearly against the sliding surface 36 in each pivoting position of the actuating lever 22 and engages in the locking recess 40 over the entire width. This shape of the sliding surface can best be seen in FIGS. 5a and 5c and FIGS. 6a and b. 5a to c show an asymmetrical sliding curve element with an upwardly tapering sliding surface 36, the sliding curve element shown in FIGS. 6a to c is designed to be rotationally symmetrical by 180 ° to facilitate assembly, with only one of the sliding surfaces 36 and the locking recesses 40 in each case assembled state. As can be seen in particular from FIGS. 5a and 6a, the side flank 54 of the sliding surface 36 facing the bearing plate 20 in the assembled state is steeper than the other side flank 56, so that the locking edge 38, which is approximately horizontal in the closed position, with the sliding surface 36 downward delimiting foot edge 58 in the front projection shown in FIGS. 5b and 6b includes an angle that is open toward the end shield. The rear boundary wall 60 of the latching recess 40 is somewhat higher than the latching edge 38 and thus ensures that the slide and latching cam 44 cannot emerge from the latching recess 40 to the rear when the actuating lever is further depressed.

The actuating lever, which is designed as a plastic injection-molded part, is inserted with a molded rivet pin 62 through a bearing bush 64 molded in the deep-drawing process into the bearing plate 20 and is provided with a rivet head 66 serving as an axial bearing on its free end face projecting beyond the bearing bush. The plastic operating lever is otherwise accessible to any shape. In particular, in the exemplary embodiment shown, a cover 68, which overlaps the bearing point and the upper edge of the bearing plate 20, is formed on the lever, which avoids a risk of injury to the ridges which may be present on the bearing plate.

In summary, the following can be stated:
The invention relates to a file mechanism with a base plate 10, two row pins 12 protruding from the base plate, a folding bracket 18 mounted on the base plate 10 so that it can be pivoted to a limited extent, a bearing plate 20 projecting beyond the base plate 10 in the area between the row pins 10 and the folding bracket 18 an actuating lever 22, which is pivotably mounted on the bearing plate 20 and acts on a crank 26 of the folding bracket 18 against the force of a spring 42. In order to achieve easier handling of the folder mechanism with the smallest possible pivoting path of the operating lever 22, a crank 26 of the folding bracket 18 is provided in the region of the crank Sliding curve element 28 made of plastic, which has a sliding surface 36 protruding obliquely beyond the plane spanned by the crank 26 and at its upper end opening into a locking recess 40 for a lever arm 46 of the actuating lever 22 designed as a sliding and locking cam 44 at its tip having. In order to achieve a linear contact between the sliding surface 36 and the sliding and locking cams 44 over the entire pivoting range of the actuating lever 22, the sliding surface 36 of the sliding curve element 28 is helically wound in the direction of displacement of the sliding and locking cam 44.

Claims (27)

1. File mechanism, having a base plate (10) preferably made of sheet metal, two spaced-apart, preferably metal thread-on pins (12) projecting at right angles from the base plate, a folding clamp (18) preferably made of bent metal wire which is supported in the clearance of the thread-on pins (12) by means of a bearing web (14) on the base plate (10) so as to be capable of swivelling to a limited extent between an open position and a closed position and has two folding limbs, which are held by the bearing web (14) the same distance apart from one another as the thread-on pins and in the closed position may be coupled pairwise with the thread-on pins, a bearing block (20) projecting from the base plate (10) in the region between the thread-on pins (12) and the folding clamp (18) and preferably integrally connected to the base plate, and an operating lever (22) which is supported on the bearing block (20) so as to be capable of swivelling to a limited extent about an axis (48) extending at right angles to the axis of the bearing web (14), acts upon a cranked portion (26) of the bearing web (14) counter to the force of a spring (42) and has at its tip a lever arm (46) designed as a sliding and detent part (44), characterized by a plastic sliding curve element (28), which is disposed on the folding clamp (18) in the region of the cranked portion (26) of the bearing web (14) and has a sliding surface (36) projecting obliquely beyond the plane defined by the cranked portion (26), opening at its top end into a detent point (40) and helically coiled in the direction of displacement of the sliding and detent part (44).
2. File mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that the detent point of the sliding curve element (28) takes the form of a detent recess (40) and the sliding and detent part of the operating lever (22) takes the form of a sliding and detent cam (44) which is latchable into the detent recess (40).
3. File mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that the detent point of the sliding curve element (28) takes the form of a detent cam, and that the sliding and detent part of the operating lever comprises a detent recess which is latchable onto the detent cam.
4. File mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that the detent point of the sliding curve element and the sliding and detent part of the operating lever comprise detent surfaces which strike against one another under prestressing.
5. File mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that the sliding and detent cam (44) of the operating lever (22) is wedge-shaped in cross-section and has a wedge tip (52), which is in line contact with the sliding surface (36) over the entire swivelling range of the operating lever (22) and is latchable into the detent recess (40).
6. File mechanism according to claim 5, characterized in that the wedge tip (52) delimiting the sliding and detent cam (44) is wider than the sliding surface (36) of the sliding curve element (28).
7. File mechanism according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that in each swivelling position of the operating lever the sliding surface (36) and the plane defined by the base plate (10) form a slide-on angle for the sliding and detent cam (44) of 55 - 70°.
8. File mechanism according to claim 7, characterized in that the sliding surface has a slide-on angle which is substantially constant over the entire swivelling range of the operating lever (22).
9. File mechanism according to claim 7, characterized in that the sliding surface (36) has a slide-on angle which continuously decreases from the cranked portion (26) towards the detent recess (40).
10. File mechanism according to claim 7, characterized in that the sliding surface (36) has a slide-on angle which from the cranked portion (26) towards the detent recess (40) is initially constant or increases and then decreases.
11. File mechanism according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the sliding surface (36) is delimited by two side flanks (54, 56) which have a different angle of incidence relative to the plane defined by the cranked portion (26), the side flank (54) facing the thread-on pins (12) being steeper than the other side flank (56).
12. File mechanism according to claim 11, characterized in that the difference between the angles of incidence is 6 - 14°, preferably 9 - 11°.
13. File mechanism according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that the angle of incidence of the side flank (54) facing the thread-on pins (12) is 60 - 70° and that of the other side flank is 50 - 60°.
14. File mechanism according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the sliding surface (36) has a detent edge (38) which is disposed, in relation to the base plate (10), substantially vertically below the swivelling axis (64) of the operating lever (22), and that the detent recess (40) is disposed on the side of the detent edge (38) remote from the sliding surface (36).
15. File mechanism according to claim 14, characterized in that the detent recess (40) is delimited by a rear wall (60) which is higher than the detent edge (38).
16. File mechanism according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the sliding surface (36) is separated in an upward direction by a detent edge (38) from the detent recess (40) and in a downward direction by a bottom edge (58) from an adjoining bottom part, and that the detent edge (38) and the bottom edge (58) form an acute angle which is open towards the thread-on pins (12).
17. File mechanism according to claim 16, characterized in that the angle between detent edge (38) and bottom edge (58) viewed in front end projection (Fig.5b) is 10 - 24°, preferably 15 - 19°.
18. File mechanism according to one of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that the sliding curve element (28) has two sliding surfaces (36) and detent points (40) disposed symmetrically relative to one another against rotation through 180°.
19. File mechanism according to one of claims 1 to 18, characterized in that the operating lever (22) has an operating arm (50), which in the open position is directed upwards at an angle of less than 25° from the base plate (10) and in the closed position is directed downwards at an angle of less than 10° towards the base plate (10).
20. File mechanism according to claim 19, characterized in that the operating arm (50) and the lever arm (46) of the two-armed operating lever (22) carrying the sliding and detent cam (44) form an angle of 75 - 95°.
21. File mechanism according to one of claims 1 to 20, characterized in that the operating lever (22) made of plastic material is supported at one side on a bearing bracket (20), which is bent out from the base plate (10) and forms the bearing block.
22. File mechanism according to one of claims 1 to 20, characterized in that the operating lever (22) made of plastic material is supported on two sides on a box-shaped bearing block which overlaps the cranked portion (26).
23. File mechanism according to one of claims 1 to 22, characterized in that the sliding curve element (28) has an open-edged detent recess (34) for latching onto the cranked portion (26) of the folding clamp (18).
24. File mechanism according to claims 1 to 22, characterized in that the sliding curve element (28) is injection-moulded onto the cranked portion (26) of the folding clamp (18).
25. File mechanism according to one of claims 1 to 24, characterized in that at least one cold-worked, unilaterally projecting squeezing wedge (30) is disposed on the cranked portion (26) of the folding clamp (18), and that the sliding curve element (28) has a recess (32) which positively receives the squeezing wedge (30).
26. File mechanism according to one of claims 1 to 25, characterized in that a cover part (68) which overlaps the sliding and detent cam (44) and the bearing block (20) is formed on the operating lever (22).
27. File mechanism according to one of claims 1 to 20, characterized in that, in a kinematic reversal, the sliding curve element having the sliding surface and the detent recess is disposed, preferably moulded, on the operating lever (22) and the sliding and detent cam is disposed, preferably moulded, on the cranked portion (26) of the folding clamp (18).

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