EP3545152B1

EP3545152B1 - Safety strut device

Info

Publication number: EP3545152B1
Application number: EP16801485.0A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Kent LINDBERG
Original assignee: Jamtinvent AB
Current assignee: Jamtinvent AB
Priority date: 2016-11-25
Filing date: 2016-11-25
Publication date: 2021-12-15
Anticipated expiration: 2036-11-25
Also published as: WO2018095538A1; EP3545152A1

Description

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to a safety strut, and more particularly to a safety strut which can be locked in an extended configuration.

Background of the invention

Holding members such as struts and gas cylinders are commonly employed to assist in the holding of closure members such as hoods, doors and lids for a variety of products, including vehicles, such as cap trailers, and machines, generally to maintain an open position in which the strut or cylinder is extended. In such areas of usage, cases of accidental closure might occur due to for example unintended contact with the holding member which triggers it to fold, or to external conditions increasing the weight of such closure members leading to exceeding the load under which the gas cylinder maintains an extended configuration. As a consequence, holding members of this kind have been developed to provide an additional locking mechanism which is activated in the extended configuration.
Such a holding member is disclosed in US. Patent No. US 8,752,810 , in which a fluid strut, comprising a gas cylinder and an extendable rod, the fluid strut including a plunger lock that can be moved between operative or inoperative positions is described. When in the operative position, a locking pin engages the gas cylinder when the rod is in an extended position for holding the strut in an open position, and a predetermined force placed on a closure member on which the strut is mounted allows the closure member to close. In the inoperative position, the locking pin is maintained in a retracted position and in order to move to the operative position, manual operation is required.
A problem with the above mentioned holding member is that it could be unclear for the user whether the locking mechanism is in the operative or inoperative position. This could lead to failure of the locking mechanism to activate when the holding member is in an extended configuration and thus presents a risk for accidental closure of the closure member.
Other examples of safety struts comprising restoring mechanisms arranged for restoring of the activation mechanisms of the locking mechanisms when the safety struts are at a predetermined collapsed configuration are disclosed in EP 2728216 A2 , US 2014/0223692 A1 , DE 2654156 or WO 2009/025634 A1 .

Summary of the invention

It is an object of the present invention to at least provide an improved safety strut, which provides increased security for the user. A further object is to provide a safety strut which is easy to handle. An additional object is to provide a safety strut which can be mounted adjacent to currently existing struts or holding members. These and other objects are achieved by a safety strut according to the present invention as defined in claim 1 of the appended claims. Preferred embodiments of the present invention are defined in the dependent claims.
Thus, in accordance with the present invention there is provided a safety strut comprising an elongated first member, and an elongated second member, which are arranged for telescoping between a collapsed and an extended configuration. The safety strut further comprises a locking mechanism arranged for, when activated, locking the safety strut in a predetermined extended configuration, and an activation mechanism for selectively activating the locking mechanism, said activation mechanism comprising a lever pivotably arranged between a first position corresponding to said locking mechanism being activated, and at least one second position corresponding to said locking mechanism being deactivated. The safety strut further comprises a restoring mechanism arranged for restoring of the activation mechanism when the safety strut reaches a predetermined collapsed configuration, wherein said restoring mechanism comprises at least one protruding arm arranged for moving said lever between the first position and the second position.
Thereby a safe and reliable strut is provided which automatically locks the strut when an extended configuration is reached and which requires an intentional unlocking action performed by the user in order to release the locking mechanism and enable closing of the closure member held open by the strut. This provides increased safety for the user considering that unlocking the strut requires an action different from that of simply closing the closure member, and prevents accidental collapse of the strut. Furthermore, during closing, a restoring mechanism is triggered at a predetermined position to activate the locking mechanism such that it will automatically lock the safety strut when returned to the extended configuration. Consequently, a solution is provided that is easy to handle considering that no personal manipulation of the strut is needed to activate the locking mechanism after closing the closure member. This may particularly ease the handling of such safety struts for users wearing gloves.
According to an embodiment of the safety strut, the predetermined collapsed configuration is separated from the predetermined extended configuration, which is advantageous. Accordingly, reactivation of the locking mechanism occurs subsequent to the manual inactivation of the same and at a position of the safety strut different from the locked extended position.
According to an embodiment of the safety strut, the locking mechanism comprises a locking member arranged for when activated providing the locking of the safety strut in the predetermined extended configuration. When activated, the locking member automatically locks the strut as a predetermined extended position is reached. No external activating action is thus needed to secure the safety strut.
According to an embodiment of the safety strut, the locking member is a spring-biased pin or a spring-biased catching portion which is advantageous.
According to an embodiment of the safety strut, the predetermined extended configuration is governed by a receiving means arranged to engage with the locking mechanism when activated. The receiving means could preferably be a cavity, an orifice or some other applicable receiving means, with which the locking member, such as but not limited to a spring-biased pin, can engage.
According to the invention, the activation mechanism comprises a lever pivotably arranged between a first position corresponding to the locking mechanism being activated, and at least one second position corresponding to the locking mechanism being deactivated. The deactivation of the locking mechanism requires manipulation of the lever by a user, and the risk for unintentional unlocking of the strut is therefore low. According to this embodiment, the lever is furthermore set to a first position by the restoring mechanism at the predetermined collapsed position of the strut.
According to an embodiment of the safety strut, the first and second position of the activation mechanism may be a folded and a raised position, respectively, or a first and at least one second angular position in a plane perpendicular to the elongated strut. The activation mechanism may be arranged to activate the locking mechanism either by moving from a raised to a folded position or vice versa. The locking mechanism may also be activated by moving the activation mechanism up to e.g. 90 degrees from either side of the safety strut with respect to its longitudinal axis.
According to an embodiment of the safety strut, the restoring mechanism is arranged at an end portion of the second member. In this configuration, the locking mechanism is deactivated during closing of the closure member on which the strut is mounted such that it does not present a resistance to the closing action. After a substantially full collapse of the closure member, it can be opened again and automatically secured in the extended position without any manipulation of the locking mechanism.
According to the invention, the restoring mechanism comprises a protruding arm arranged for moving the lever between the first position and the second position. The arm can be arranged to, for example, push the lever from a raised to a folded position, whereby the locking mechanism is activated. It could also be arranged to, in a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis of the strut, push the lever from a position perpendicular to the elongated safety strut to a position aligned with the same, whereby the locking mechanism is activated.
According to an example, the lever is spring-biased and further comprises a lug which locks the lever in a folded position.
According to an example, the locking member is a spring-biased pivotable catching portion pivoting about a first axis, extending towards and end portion of the second member, and arranged for being received in an opening of the second member, wherein the restoring mechanism comprises a spring-biased pivoting latch portion pivoting about a second axis adjacently arranged with respect to the first axis, the latch portion extending towards an opposite end portion of the first member, arranged for being received in a second opening of the first member, and arranged to slide upwards an edge/rim of the second opening as the first and second members are collapsed. The latch portion is arranged to release the lug thereby unlocking the lever and thereby activating the locking mechanism. In this embodiment, folding the lever will release the locking mechanism and enable closing the closure member. Correspondingly, the locking mechanism is activated when the lever is in a raised position.
According to an embodiment of the safety strut, the activation mechanism is arranged by the lever being slideably arranged on a height adjusting means arranged to move the locking member in an axially aligned direction with respect to its longitudinal central axis between a released and at least one locked position of the locking member as the lever is pivoted.
According to an embodiment of the safety strut, the second member is provided with a plurality of receiving means, each provided on an outer surface of the second member. This plurality of receiving means, such as but not limited to cavities or orifices, are preferably arranged on different positions along the longitudinal extension of the second member and enables locking of the strut at different lengths. Depending on the closure means on which the safety strut is mounted, different lengths of the extended position, i.e. different stroke lengths, might be desirable.
According to an embodiment of the safety strut, a length adjustment element is comprised. The length adjustment element enables mounting of the safety strut on a wide range of closure members and fitting of the strut according to the need of each particular closure member. This is especially favorable when mounting the safety strut on a closure member already disposing of a holding member as a variety of determined stroke lengths might be required to fit different models.
According to an embodiment of the safety strut, the strut is one of a damper, gas, mechanical and fluid strut, or comprises one of the damper, gas, mechanical and fluid strut.

Brief description of the drawings

This and other aspects of the present invention will now be described in more detail, with reference to the appended drawings showing embodiments of the invention.

Figs. 1a - 1d are schematic perspective side views of an embodiment of a safety strut at four different extended and collapsed configurations according to the present inventive concept;
Fig. 2 is an exploded view illustrating the constituent parts of an embodiment of a safety strut according to the present invention;
Figs. 3a and 3c show partly cut-open views, and Fig. 3b an exploded partly cut open view of the locking mechanism of an embodiment according to the present invention;
Figs. 4a - 4b illustrate an embodiment of a safety strut according to the present invention when mounted to support a closure member on a cap trailer;
Figs. 5a - 5b show schematic perspective views and Fig. 5c a partly cut-open view of another embodiment of a safety strut at three different positions according to the present inventive concept; and
Figs. 6a - 6c illustrate perspective partly cut-open views of an example not forming part of the invention of a safety strut at different positions, and Fig. 6d is an exploded view of the example shown in Figs. 6a-6c illustrating its constituent parts.

Detailed description

The present invention will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims to those skilled in the art. In the drawings, like numbers refer to like elements.
Referring now to Fig. 1, which is a perspective side view of an embodiment of a safety strut 100 according to the present invention, the safety strut 100 comprises an elongated first member 110, and an elongated second member 120, which are arranged for telescoping between a collapsed and an extended configuration in a direction coinciding with the longitudinal direction of the safety strut. The first member 110 and the second member 120 are in the exemplifying embodiment constituted by respective hollow profiles with a square cross-section, the second member 120 having a smaller cross-section than that of the first member 110, and being inserted into the first member 110 so that it can slide therein between the extended configuration, Fig. 1a, and the collapsed configuration, Fig. 1d. Other shapes of the cross-sections of the first and second member, and for instance a solid second member are applicable within the inventive concept.
A locking mechanism 130 is arranged on what will herein be referred to an upper surface of the first member 110, for when activated locking the safety strut 100 in a predetermined extended configuration, as illustrated in Fig. 1a. The locking mechanism 130 comprises an activation mechanism 133, here a lever 134, which is utilized for selectively activating the locking mechanism 130. In the illustrative example, lever 134 is in a first position: here folded, which activates the locking mechanism 130. The lever 134 may further be raised into a second position, as illustrated in Fig. 1b, which deactivates the locking mechanism 130. When activated, the locking mechanism 130 is capable of locking any telescoping movement (mutual sliding) of the first member 110 and the second member 120 by allowing a locking member 131, see Fig. 3a, to engage with a receiving means (not visible in Fig. 1) which governs the predetermined extended configuration. The receiving means is preferably arranged on a surface of the second member 120 facing the locking member of the locking mechanism, herein after referred to as an upper surface of the second member 120. The locking member may be a spring-loaded pin as explained in more detail with respect to Fig. 3a, and the receiving member may be an opening 121, as illustrated in Fig. 3c, a cavity, an orifice or some other applicable receiving means.
Continuing now with reference to Fig. 1a, the safety strut 100 further comprises a restoring mechanism 140 arranged for restoring the activation mechanism 130, and in the exemplifying embodiment in particular the lever 134. The restoring mechanism is here a protruding arm 140, provided as a bent, rigid, L-shaped metal portion which is arranged having a flanged portion 140a, elevated with respect to the upper surfaces of the first and second member, and protruding towards a center of the safety strut, such that when lever 134 is positioned in the second position, and the locking mechanism 130 is deactivated, when the first member 110 and the second member 120 are collapsed into a predetermined collapsed configuration, as illustrated in Fig. 1c, the lever 134 is folded by the protruding arm 140 and reaches the first position, see Fig. Id, in which the locking mechanism 130 is activated.
Fig. 2 is an exploded view to more clearly illustrate the constituent parts of safety strut 100. The safety strut 100 comprises the telescopically arranged elongated first member 110 and second member 120, where the first member 110 which is arranged to receive the elongated second member 120. At an outer portion 112 of the first member 110 and an opposite end portion 122 of the second member 120, the safety strut 100 is provided with a respective attachment element 150 of link joint, clevis type or other applicable type. The safety strut may further optionally be provided with a length adjustment element 151 for adjusting the stroke length of the safety strut.
In Fig. 2, the second member 120 is illustrated partly cut open, to demonstrate that a plurality of receiving means 121a - 121d may optionally be arranged on preferably different sides and along the longitudinal extension of the second member to govern a respective predetermined extended configuration each representing a specific length of stroke of the safety strut. When mounting the first member 110 and the second member 120, the length of stroke is selected by arranging a preferred one of the receiving means 121a - 121d to face the locking member 131 of the locking mechanism 130.
As mentioned above, the locking mechanism 130 is arranged having an activation mechanism, here a hinged lever 134 which is pivotable between its folded position which here is arranged parallel to the longitudinal direction of the safety strut, and its raised position which here is perpendicular to the upper surface of the first member 110, and connected to the locking member such that when the lever 134 is folded the locking member 131 is actuated by being lowered in a direction towards the upper surface of the second member, and when the lever 134 is raised the locking member is deactivated. The lever 134 is here a flanged member having a substantially U-shaped cross section mounted on a bushing 136 by means of a through bolt 137. The bushing 136 is provided with guiding clearances 138 to guide respective side flanges 139 of the lever 134.
The locking mechanism 130 comprises a locking member 131 here constituted by a spring-biased pin, e.g. a pin spring-biased by spring 132, arranged inside the bushing 136, where the pin is connected to the lever 134 by means of a through bolt 137 extending through the side flanges 139 of the lever 134 and a through hole 135 arranged in the pin 131.
In Fig. 3a, a partly cut open view of the locking mechanism 130 is illustrated. The locking member 131 (the spring-biased pin having its central longitudinal axis arranged orthogonally with respect to the longitudinal axis of first and second member 110, 120 of the safety strut) is arranged to protrude through an opening 115 of the first member 110 (in an activated state of the locking mechanism) such that it is inserted towards the upper surface of the first member 110 protruding through the opening 115 of the first member 110 so as to abut against and putting pressure on the upper surface 123 of the second member 120, and when the safety strut reaches the predetermined extended configuration, the locking member 131 due to pressure caused by the spring 132 advances into locking the second member 120 by being received in the receiving means, opening 121, see Fig 3c where the opening 121 is visible when the locking mechanism is deactivated. Once the locking member 131 is in the locking position, the mutual sliding of the first member 110 and the second member 120 is hindered.
To collapse the strut 100, the lever 134 is raised by a user to deactivate the locking member 131. When the lever 134 is raised the pin 131 is lifted, as illustrated in Fig. 3c, whereby the first member 110 and the second member 120 may be mutually slid into a collapsed configuration.
Referring now to Figs. 4a and 4b, the safety strut 100 as described with reference to Figs. 1 - 3 is illustrated when mounted to support a holding member for a cap trailer 40 here in the form of a gas strut 50. In Fig. 4a the gas strut 50 and the safety strut 100 are illustrated in an extended configuration, where a cap 41 is opened with respect to a trailer 42 of the cap trailer 40. The locking mechanism 130 is illustrated as either closed (B in Fig. 4a) in which position the safety strut 100 is locked, thereby supporting the gas strut 50, which may be an existing gas strut from an original mounting of the cap trailer at the factory, which has been reinforced afterwards by mounting the safety strut 100 between the cap and trailer. Alternatively, the safety strut 100 may be mounted when manufacturing the cap trailer. As previously mentioned, the range of application covers also other closure members such as hoods, doors and lids for a variety of products, including vehicles, and machines, in which a holding member is utilized generally to maintain an open position in which a strut or cylinder is extended or a closed position when the strut or cylinder is collapsed. When the user wants to close the cap 41, the activation mechanism 133, i.e. here lever 134 is raised such that the locking mechanism 130 is deactivated (position A in Fig. 4a). As the cap 41 is folded, the safety strut 100 and the gas strut 50 are collapsed. The restoring mechanism 140 arranged at the outer end 122 of the second member automatically activates the locking mechanism 130 when the safety strut 100 returns to its collapsed configuration as illustrated in Fig. 4b. Thus, when the user opens the cap 41 again, the locking mechanism is ready to lock the first and second member as soon as the predetermined extended configuration is reached and the locking member 131 of the locking mechanism 130 is received by the receiving member 121, as previously described.
According to the inventive concept, the safety strut may be one of a damper, gas-, mechanical- and fluid strut, or comprises one of the damper, gas-, mechanical, and fluid strut. That is, the locking mechanism, the activation mechanism and the restoring mechanism according to the present inventive concept, may be applied on any kind of telescoping strut.
Referring now to Figs. 5a - 5c, according to an embodiment of the inventive concept there is provided a safety strut 200 comprising a locking mechanism 230, an activation mechanism 233 and a restoring mechanism 240. The locking mechanism 230 comprises a spring loaded locking member, such as a spring-biased pin 231 (the spring being optional), arranged in a bushing 236 which spring loaded pin 231 is arranged to be received by a receiving means in the second member 120, such as an opening, an orifice, a cavity or the like, as previously described with reference to Figs. 1 - 4. The locking mechanism 230 is further provided with an activation mechanism 233 comprising a lever 234 which is fixated to an upper end portion of the pin 231, and which lever 234 is orthogonally arranged with respect to the longitudinal extension of the pin 231. The lever 234 (and pin) is further rotatable in a plane parallel to the elongated safety strut about the longitudinal axis of the pin between a first position corresponding to the lever 234 being aligned with the longitudinal axis of the safety strut 200, a second and a third angular position corresponding to the lever 234 being perpendicular (± 90°) to the longitudinal axis of the safety strut 200. In addition to supporting the pin 231, an upper rim 235 of the bushing 236, which the lever 234 rests on, is inclined. Thereby, as the lever 234 is rotated between the first and second or third angular positions, it slides on the inclined upper rim 235, such that the rim 235 provides a height adjusting means arranged to move the pin 231 in an axially alligned direction with respect to the central axis of the pin 231 between a released position and a locking position corresponding to the deactivated and the activated position of the locking mechanism 230. Depending on the inclination angle of the inclined rim, the second and third position is not restricted to ± 90°, but may be less if the inclination angle is increased. However for the user a full ± 90° turn of the lever will advantageously provide a clear indication that the locking mechanism is deactivated.
Continuing now with reference to Fig. 5a, the restoring mechanism 240 is arranged for restoring the activation mechanism 233, and in this exemplifying embodiment in particular restoring the angular position of the lever 234. The restoring mechanism 240 here comprises two laterally separated protruding arms 241, 242, each provided as a bent, rigid, L-shaped metal portion which is arranged having a respective elevated portion protruding towards a center of the safety strut. The protruding arms 241, 242 are separated and positioned to receive the upper end portion of the pin 231 in between them as the safety strut is collapsed. Optionally, the protruding arms are provided with guiding flanges 243 for facilitating the repositioning of the lever 234 back to the first position. If the lever 234 is positioned in the second or third position when the first member 110 and the second member 120 are collapsed into the predetermined collapsed configuration, as illustrated in Fig. 5b, when the upper end portion of the pin 231 is received between the protruding arms, the lever 234 is folded back into the first position by one of the protruding arms 241 or 242 and reaches the first position, which is indicated as P1in Fig. 5c, in which the locking mechanism 130 is activated.
In the embodiment as illustrated in Fig. 5c, the inclined upper rim 235 is positioned such that the lever 234 is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the strut, which here is indicated as position P1. When turned into a position perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the strut, indicated as P2 and P3 in Fig. 5c, the lever 234 slides on the rim 235 (hence is raised) and the pin 231 is thereby lifted, which corresponds to the locking mechanism 230 being deactivated. According to the shown embodiment, the rim 235 of the bushing is inclined but is furher arranged with a respective recess 237 arranged for receiving the lever 234 at positions P2 and P3 such that the deactivated state of the locking mechanism is governed when the lever 234 is turned to these positions P2, P3. The recesses 237 are shallow enough to allow the lever 234 to be pushed back by one of the protruding arms 241, 242 into the first position as the restoring mechanism 240 is reached when the strut is collapsed. Since the locking member is spring-biased, as the lever 234 is released from the recess 237, the spring force helps the lever 234 to slide on the inclined rim 235 back to the first position.
According to an example of a safety strut not forming part of the invention, referring now to Fig. 6a -6d, there is provided a safety strut 300 comprising a locking mechanism 330, an activation mechanism 333 and a restoring mechanism 340. In this example, the locking mechanism 330, the activation mechanism 333 and the restoring mechanism 340 are provided in one interacting control mechanism 400. In Fig. 6d an exploded view of the constituent elements of the control mechanism 400 is illustrated. The safety strut 300 comprises an elongated first member 110 and an elongated second member 120 arranged for telescoping between an extended and a collapsed configuration. The control mechanism 400 is arranged on the first member 110. As in the previously described embodiments with respect to Figs. 1 - 5, the first member 110 is provided with an opening 115 on an upper surface thereof, through which a locking member of the locking mechanism, when activated, can act on the second member 120, and further be received in a receiving means, such as an opening 121 arranged on an upper surface of the second member, when the first and second members 110, 120 reach the predetermined extended configuration. In this embodiment, the first member 110 is further arranged with a second receiving means, such as e.g. an opening, orifice, here represented by a second opening 116 of the first member 110. Further, the control mechanism 400 comprises two side members 117 which are fixated to a respective side of the first member 110, and extending upwards from the upper surface of the first member, and arranged for providing mounting support for a first through bolt 118 and a second through bolt 119, which are transverse to, and adjacently arranged along, the longitudinal axis of the strut.
The locking mechanism 330 comprises a locking member in the form of a spring-biased pivotable catching portion 331, which is pivotably arranged about a center axis of the second through bolt 119, herein after referred to as first axis v. The catching portion 331 extends towards the end portion 122 of the second member 120, see Fig. 6a, and has a protrusion 331a arranged for via the first opening 115 of the first member 110 being received by the opening 121 of the second member 120, when the locking mechanism is activated and the first and second members 110, 120 are in the predetermined extended configuration.
The restoring mechanism 340 comprises a spring-biased pivoting latch portion 342 pivoting about a second axis w, corresponding to the center axis of the first through bolt 118, which second axis w is thus distanced from but adjacently arranged with respect to the first axis v. A first tension spring 345 (or set of tension springs) is arranged on the through bolt 118 and arranged to spring-bias the latch portion 342 and the locking member, catching portion 331, as further explained below. The latch portion 342 is arranged extending towards an opposite end portion 112 of the first member, and is provided with a protrusion 344 arranged for being received in the second opening 116 of the first member 110, and which is arranged to slide upwards an edge of the second opening 116 as the first and second members 110, 120 are collapsed, best shown in Fig 6b. The latch portion 342 further has a lug portion 346 arranged for locking a lever 334, as explained in more detail below. The latch portion 342 is further arranged to selectively release the lug thereby unlocking the lever thereby activating the locking mechanism.
The activation mechanism 333 comprises the lever 334 which is spring biased by means of the second tension spring 332, and pivotably arranged about the first axis v. As illustrated in Fig. 6d, the upper surface of the lever 334 comprises an opening 335 adapted for receiving the lug 346 of the latch portion 342 from below, to selectively lock the lever 334 in a folded position.
Referring now to Fig. 6a, in which the first and second members 110, 120 are in a substantially collapsed configuration, lever 334 is in a raised position due to the second tension spring 332. The locking mechanism 333 is thereby activated. Simultaneously, the second (set of) tension spring 345 causes the catching portion 331 and the latch portion 342 to press towards the upper surface of the second member 120 (illustrated by the arrows in Fig. 6a).
In Fig. 6b, which is a partly cut-open view of the strut 300, the predetermined extended configuration of the first and second members 110, 120 is reached. The opening 121 of the upper surface of the second member is positioned such that the protrusion 344 of the latch portion 342 passes over an end portion 125 of the second member and is pressed down before the protrusion 331a of the catching portion 331 is received in the opening 121 and locks the mutual sliding of the first and second member 110, 120. To deactivate the locking mechanism and allow the strut to be collapsed, the lever 334 is folded by the user as illustrated by arrow s, whereby an eccentric part of the lever 334 is lifted by a force f at the first axis v, as indicated by the arrow f in Fig. 6b. This causes the catching portion 331 to be lifted at arrow F and pivoted about the second axis w, such that the protrusion 331a is lifted up from the opening 121 and the second member 120 becomes free to be collapsed into the first member 110. The catching member is locked in the folded position by being caught by the lug 346.
In Fig. 6c, the second member is moved in the direction indicated by arrow h, away from and separated from the predetermined extended configuration governed by the opening 121, and when an outer rim of the end portion 125 reaches an edge 347 of the protrusion 344 of the latch portion 342, the latch portion 342 is lifted at a position e and pivoted about the second axis w as indicated by arrow t, such that the lug 346 releases the lever 334. The edge 347 is preferably inclined to facilitate the collapsing of the strut. Further, the extension of the protrusion 344 is preferably selected to be too big to be received by the opening 121. Once the lever 334 is released, the situation according to Fig. 6a is once again achieved, that is the locking mechanism is activated. The first and second member may now be returned to a fully collapsed configuration.
The person skilled in the art realizes that the present invention by no means is limited to the preferred embodiments and examples described above. On the contrary, many modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for the purpose of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims.

Claims

A safety strut (100, 200) comprising:
an elongated first member (110), and

an elongated second member (120),
which are arranged for telescoping between a collapsed and an extended configuration;

a locking mechanism (130, 230) arranged for when activated locking said safety strut in a predetermined extended configuration;

an activation mechanism (133, 233) for selectively activating said locking mechanism, said activation mechanism (133, 233) comprising a lever (134, 234) pivotably arranged between a first position corresponding to said locking mechanism being activated, and at least one second position corresponding to said locking mechanism being deactivated, and

a restoring mechanism (140, 240) arranged for restoring of said activation mechanism when said safety strut is at a predetermined collapsed configuration,

wherein said restoring mechanism (140, 240) comprises at least one protruding arm (140, 241, 242) arranged for moving said lever (134, 234) between the first position and the second position.
A safety strut (100, 200) according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined collapsed configuration is separated from the predetermined extended configuration.
A safety strut (100, 200) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said locking mechanism (130, 230) comprises a locking member (131, 231) arranged for when activated providing said locking of said safety strut in the predetermined extended configuration.
A safety strut (100, 200) according to claim 3, wherein said locking member (131, 231) is a spring-biased pin (131, 231) or a spring-biased catching portion (331).
A safety strut (100, 200) according to any preceding claim, wherein said predetermined extended configuration is governed by a receiving means (121) arranged to engage with said locking mechanism (130, 230) when activated.
A safety strut (100, 200) according to any preceding claim, wherein the first and second position may be a raised and a folded position, respectively, or a first and at least one second angular position in a plane perpendicular to the elongated strut (100, 200).
A safety strut (100, 200) according to any preceding claim, wherein said restoring mechanism (140, 240) is arranged at an end portion (122) of said second member (120).
A safety strut (200) according to any preceding claim, wherein said activation mechanism (233) is arranged by said lever (234) being slideably arranged on a height adjusting means (235) arranged to move the locking member (231) along a direction aligned with respect to its longitudinal central axis between a released and at least one locked position of the locking member (231) as said lever (234) is pivoted.
A safety strut (100, 200) according to any preceding claim, wherein said second member (120) is provided with a plurality of receiving means (121a - 121d), each provided on an outer surface of the second member (120).
A safety strut (100, 200) according to any preceding claim, further comprising a length adjustment element (151).
A safety strut (100, 200) according to any preceding claim, wherein said strut is one of a damper, gas-, mechanical- and fluid strut, or comprises one of said damper, gas-, mechanical, and fluid strut.