FR3077836A1 - PREVENTION SYSTEM AGAINST UNINTENDED OPENING OF A STORAGE DEVICE IN THE EVENT OF SHOCK. - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a prevention system against unintentional opening of a storage device of the type comprising a housing (10) having an access opening, a cover (20) pivotally mounted on said housing (10). between an open position and a closed position, and a double thrust mechanism adapted to lock said cover (20) in the closed position, said system comprising a pendulum (61) pivotally mounted about a transverse axis (B) on a wall (13) of said housing (10) and being provided with a flyweight (62) spaced from said axis (B) and able to drive by inertia the movement of said pendulum (61) when said housing (10) undergoes acceleration in at least one first longitudinal direction, said pendulum (61) comprising a locking member (63) designed to cooperate in abutment with an element (53A) of said cover (20) when said housing (10) is subjected to said acceleration while said cover ( 20) occupies closed position to prevent opening.

Description

PREVENTION SYSTEM AGAINST UNINTENDED OPENING OF A SHOCK STORAGE DEVICE.

Field of the invention

The present invention relates generally to storage devices, in particular for central consoles of motor vehicles, comprising a housing provided with an access opening, a cover pivotally mounted on this housing between an open position and a closed position in which it closes said opening, and a double push mechanism capable of locking said cover in the closed position.

Invention background

Such a double push mechanism (commonly known by the English term "push push") comprises a striker and a locking latch formed respectively on the cover and on the housing or vice versa.

A first push exerted on the cover by the user causes the engagement of the striker in the latch and its locking thereon, while a second push on the cover causes the unlocking of the striker and the return of the cover by means elastic return to its open position.

However, in the event of a collision from the front, heavy braking or when passing at high speed over a pothole or a speed bump, the box undergoes significant longitudinal or vertical acceleration which can cause the firing pin to be unlocked and unintentional opening of this cover.

In order to avoid any risk of opening the cover, American application US 2015/0144631 proposes a safety device comprising a pendulum pivotally mounted around a transverse axis on a wall of the housing and being biased by a spring in a direction predetermined, this pendulum being provided with a flyweight spaced from said axis and capable of causing inertia to move said pendulum when said housing undergoes an acceleration in a direction opposite to said predetermined direction.

The pendulum carries at one of its ends also a metal pin mounted movable transversely and being associated with a second return spring.

This pin is able, when this cover occupies its closed position and said pendulum is moved in the direction opposite to said predetermined direction against the return force of the spring, to cooperate with a cam groove formed in a linked element to the cover so as to prevent the opening of the latter even in the event of unlocking of the double push mechanism.

However, this safety device has the disadvantage of having a high cost price due to the complex profile of the groove and the need to provide a movable metal pin biased by a second spring at one end of the pendulum.

Subject and summary of the invention

The present invention therefore aims to provide a simpler and more economical alternative solution.

To this end, it provides a prevention system against the unintentional opening of a storage device of the type comprising a housing provided with an access opening, a cover pivotally mounted on said housing between an open position and a closed position. in which it closes said opening, and a double push mechanism capable of locking said cover in the closed position, said system comprising a pendulum pivotally mounted about a transverse axis on a wall of said housing and being provided with a counterweight spaced from said axis and capable of causing inertia to move said pendulum when said housing undergoes acceleration in at least a first longitudinal direction;

characterized in that said pendulum comprises a blocking member designed to cooperate in abutment with an element of said cover when said housing is subjected to said acceleration while said cover occupies its closed position so as to prevent the opening of said cover in the event of unlocking of the latter.

Although of particularly simple design compared to the prior art and therefore of a much lower cost price, the prevention system according to the invention makes it possible to prevent with great operational reliability the opening of the cover in the event of unlocking of the double push mechanism during a significant acceleration undergone by the housing in this first longitudinal direction.

According to preferred characteristics of said prevention system, taken alone or in combination:

- Said pendulum is molded in one piece from a thermoplastic material;

- Said system comprises a first stop member linked to said casing and arranged so as to force said pendulum to occupy, in the absence of external stresses, a rest position in which said counterweight is offset longitudinally and vertically from said pivot axis of the pendulum so that the latter is able to move by inertia when said housing undergoes an acceleration in said first longitudinal direction or in a second vertical direction;

- Said system comprises a second stop member linked to said housing and arranged so as to limit the pivoting stroke of said pendulum when said housing is subjected to said acceleration; and or

- Said locking member is constituted by a finger extending substantially radially to said pivot axis of the pendulum.

The invention also relates in a second aspect, to a storage device comprising a housing provided with an access opening (11), a cover pivotally mounted on said housing between an open position and a closed position, and a double mechanism. thrust capable of locking said cover in the closed position; characterized in that it also includes such a prevention system.

According to preferred characteristics of said storage device:

- Said cover has a main wall having a shape complementary to that of said opening as well as two side arms through which it is pivotally mounted on said housing;

- Said device comprises elastic return means urging said cover towards said open position;

- Said device comprises a damping mechanism capable of slowing the return of said cover to said open position, said damping mechanism comprising a pinion rotatably mounted on said side wall of the housing and linked to a rotor housed in a chamber filled with a viscous fluid, as well as a toothed sector formed on one of said arms and driven with said pinion; and or

- Said cover element capable, when said housing is subjected to said acceleration, to cooperate with said blocking member of said pendulum consists of one of the edges of said toothed sector.

Brief description of the drawings

The description of the invention will now be continued with the detailed description of an exemplary embodiment, given below by way of illustration but not limitation, with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

- Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a storage device for a central console of a motor vehicle provided with a system according to the invention for prevention against unintentional opening of the cover in the event of impact;

- Figure 2 is an elevational view of a first lateral side of the storage device of Figure 1, the cover occupies its closed position;

- Figure 3 shows a view similar to Figure 2 but showing the cover in the open position;

- Figure 4 is an elevational view of the second lateral side of the storage device of Figure 1, the cover occupies its closed position;

- Figure 5 shows a view similar to Figure 4 illustrating the operation of the prevention mechanism against the unintentional opening of the cover when the housing undergoes a longitudinal acceleration towards the rear; and

- Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 4 illustrating the return of the pendulum in the rest position after carrying out a push on the cover to lock it in its closed position.

Detailed description of a preferred embodiment

Figures 1 to 6 show a storage device 1 intended to be integrated into a central console of a motor vehicle.

In the description which follows and by convention, the terms "front", "rear", "lower", "upper" and "transverse" will be defined relative to the mounting position of this storage device 1 in the vehicle.

This comprises a housing 10 defining an internal storage cavity and being provided on the top with an access opening 11 allowing users to introduce all kinds of objects into this cavity such as for example bottles or cans .

The storage device 1 also comprises a cover 20 comprising a main wall 21 having a shape complementary to that of the opening 11 of the housing 10, as well as two lateral arms 22, 23 extending respectively from the two lateral edges of this wall main 21 and being each pivotally mounted around a respective transverse shaft 24, 25 of axis A extending from the external face of a corresponding side wall 12, 13 of the housing 10.

The cover 20 is thus able to pivot with respect to the housing 10 around this transverse axis A between a closed position in which its main wall 21 completely closes the opening 11 of this housing so as to prevent access to the storage cavity, and an open position where this main wall 21 extends substantially perpendicular to this same opening 11 so as to allow access to this storage cavity.

Elastic return means 30 permanently urge the cover 20 to its open position. As illustrated in FIG. 2, these return means are here constituted by a torsion spring of the clothespin type 30 comprising a helical portion not visible mounted on the shaft 24 as well as two radial branches 31, 32 angularly spaced and extending at both ends of this helical portion while being attached respectively to the side wall 12 of the housing 10 and to the side arm 22 of the cover 20.

The storage device 1 also comprises a double push mechanism 40 (commonly known by the English term "push push") comprising a striker 41 rigidly connected to the arm 22 and extending tangentially to the axis of rotation A while being provided with its free end of a hook-shaped head 42.

This mechanism 40 further comprises a locking latch 45 arranged on the outer face of the side wall 12 of the housing 10 and comprising two jaw-shaped retaining tabs 46 capable of enclosing the head 42 of the striker 41.

When the cover 20 is in the open position, the striker 41 is located away from the locking latch 45 (Figure 3).

As illustrated in Figure 2, the exercise of a first push on the rear end of the main wall 21 of the cover 20 to bring it into its closed position causes the engagement of the head 42 of this striker 41 between the legs 46 of this latch 45, which causes the locking of the cover 20 in the closed position (Figure 2).

Since this configuration, the exercise of a second push on the rear end of the main wall 21 of the cover 20 causes the spacing of the two tabs 46 of the latch 45 and the withdrawal of the head 42 of the striker 41. The force of elastic return of the spring 30 then automatically returns this cover 20 to its open position (FIG. 3).

The storage device 1 also includes a damping mechanism 50 capable of slowing the return of the cover 20 to its open position when it is returned by the spring 30.

This damping mechanism 50 comprises a chamber (not visible in the figures) located on the inner face of the side wall 13 of the housing 10 and filled with a viscous fluid, a rotor (also not visible in the figures) rotatably mounted in said chamber around a transverse axis, a shaft 51 rigidly connected to said rotor and extending along said transverse axis passing through the side wall 13 of the housing 10, and a pinion 52 rigidly mounted on the end of the projecting shaft 51 of this side wall 13 (see Figures 4 to 6).

The damping mechanism 50 also comprises a toothed sector 53 formed on the arm 23 and driven with the pinion 52, this toothed sector 53 having an angular range corresponding substantially to that traversed by the cover 20 during its opening / closing kinematics so that it remains permanently driven on the pinion 52.

According to the invention, the storage device 1 further comprises a prevention system 60 against the unintentional opening of the cover 20 when the housing 10 undergoes a strong longitudinal acceleration towards the rear (in other words, a deceleration) for example during from a front impact or brutal braking, or when it undergoes a strong vertical downward acceleration, for example when passing through a pothole or a speed bump at high speed.

Indeed, when the housing 10 is subjected to such an acceleration while the cover 20 occupies its closed position, the inertia of the latter coupled to the restoring force of the spring 30 can cause the withdrawal of the head 42 of the striker 41 outside of the latch 45, the retaining tabs 46 of which deviate, which causes the opening of this cover 20 and can cause the objects contained in the storage cavity to exit the housing 10.

The prevention system 60 comprises a pendulum 61 pivotally mounted on a transverse shaft of axis B extending from the outer face of the side wall 13 of the housing 10 below the transverse pivot axis A of the cover 20 (see Figures 4 to 6).

This pendulum 61, advantageously molded in one piece from a thermoplastic material, is provided at its lower end with a counterweight 62 having a mass preferably between 40 and 50 grams and being spaced from the axis pivot A at a distance advantageously between 3 and 6 centimeters.

The pendulum 61 also comprises a locking finger 63 extending substantially radially in front of the pivot axis B and the free end of which is intended to cooperate with the lower edge 53A of the toothed sector 53 to prevent the pivoting of the cover 20 , as will be explained in detail below.

The prevention system 60 also includes a first abutment member 64 projecting from the external face of the side wall 13 of the housing 10 and arranged so as to force the pendulum 61 to be occupied, in the absence of external stresses exerted on it. housing 10, a rest position illustrated by FIGS. 4 and 6 in which its counterweight 62 is offset longitudinally in front and vertically below the pivot axis B of this pendulum 61, so that the latter is able to move by inertia when the housing 10 a undergoes a longitudinal acceleration backwards or a vertical acceleration downwards.

Advantageously, the prevention system 60 further comprises a second abutment member 65 projecting from the external face of the side wall 13 of the housing 10 and arranged in front of the pivot axis B so as to limit the pivoting stroke of the pendulum 61 when such an acceleration occurs so as to optimize the bearing surface of the free end of the finger 63 on the lower edge 53A of the toothed sector 53.

We will now describe the operation of the prevention system 60 with reference to FIGS. 5 to 6.

When the housing 10 of the storage device 1 undergoes longitudinal acceleration backwards or vertical downwards while the cover 20 occupies its closed position, the inertia of the counterweight 62 of the pendulum 61 causes the latter to rotate. forward and up.

The free end of its locking finger 63 is then housed just below the lower edge 53A of the toothed sector 53 of the lateral arm 23 of the cover 20, so as to prevent the latter from pivoting beyond an angular range very limited by a few degrees in the case where the head 42 of the striker 41 is extracted from the latch 45 (this lower edge 53A of the toothed sector 53 then abuts against the free end of the locking finger 63 as illustrated by the figure 5).

The prevention system 6 thus makes it possible to retain the cover 20 in a safety position (see FIG. 5) close to its closed position in which the objects contained in the storage cavity of the housing 11 cannot be extracted therefrom.

The cover 20 remains in this safety position until the user again exerts a push on the rear end of its main wall 21 to return it to its closed position and again cause the engagement of the head 42 of the striker 41 between the lugs 46 of the latch 45.

This slight rotation of the cover 20 (and therefore of the toothed sector 53) also has the effect of releasing the locking finger 63 of the pendulum 61 which then returns to its rest position in which it does not interfere with the pivot kinematics of the cover 20 (see FIG. 6) which can therefore be brought into its open position by exerting a push again on the rear end of its main wall 21.

According to variants not shown, the pendulum is produced from a sheet of sheet metal cut and folded.

According to other alternative embodiments not shown, the first stop member is absent so that the pendulum is pivotally driven only when the housing undergoes longitudinal acceleration towards the rear.

According to yet other alternative embodiments not shown, the system for preventing unintentional opening of the cover comprises a second pendulum pivotally mounted on a side wall of the housing and designed to cooperate in abutment with a cover element when the housing is subjected longitudinal acceleration forward and / or vertical upwards so as to prevent the lid from being opened in the event of the lid being unlocked.

In general, it is recalled that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described and shown, but that it encompasses any variant of execution within the reach of the skilled person.

Claims (10)

1. System for preventing unintentional opening of a storage device (1) of the type comprising a housing (10) provided with an access opening (11), a cover (20) pivotally mounted on said housing (10) between an open position and a closed position in which it closes said opening (11), and a double push mechanism (40) capable of locking said cover (20) in the closed position, said system comprising a pendulum (61) pivotally mounted about a transverse axis (B) on a side wall (13) of said housing (10) and being provided with a counterweight (62) spaced from said axis (B) and capable of causing said pendulum to move by inertia (61) when said housing (10) is accelerated in at least a first longitudinal direction; characterized in that said pendulum (61) comprises a blocking member (63) designed to cooperate in abutment with an element (53A) of said cover (20) when said housing (10) is subjected to said acceleration while said cover ( 20) occupies its closed position so as to prevent the opening of said cover (20) in the event of the latter being unlocked. 2. Prevention system according to claim 1, characterized in that said pendulum (61) came from molding in one piece from a thermoplastic material. 3. Prevention system according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that it comprises a first stop member (64) linked to said housing (10) and arranged so as to force said pendulum (61) to be occupied, in the absence of external stresses, a rest position in which said counterweight (62) is offset longitudinally and vertically from said pivot axis (B) of the pendulum (61) so that the latter is able to move by inertia when said housing (10) undergoes an acceleration in said first longitudinal direction or in a second vertical direction. 4. Prevention system according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it comprises a second stop member (65) linked to said housing (10) and arranged so as to limit the pivoting stroke of said pendulum (61) when said housing (10) is subjected to said acceleration . 5. Prevention system according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said blocking member consists of a finger (63) extending substantially radially to said pivot axis (B) of the pendulum (61). 6. Storage device comprising a housing (10) having an access opening (11), a cover (20) pivotally mounted on said housing (10) between an open position and a closed position, and a double mechanism thrust (40) able to lock said cover (20) in the closed position; characterized in that it also comprises a prevention system according to one of claims 1 to 5. 7. Storage device according to claim 6, characterized in that said cover (20) comprises a main wall (21) having a shape complementary to that of said opening (11) as well as two lateral arms (22, 23) by l 'through which it is pivotally mounted on said housing (10). 8. Storage device according to claim 7, characterized in that it comprises elastic return means (30) urging said cover (20) towards said open position. 9. Storage device according to claim 8, characterized in that it comprises a damping mechanism (50) capable of slowing the return of said cover (20) to said open position, said damping mechanism (50) comprising a pinion (52) rotatably mounted on said side wall (13) of the housing (10) and linked to a rotor housed in a chamber filled with a viscous fluid, as well as a toothed sector (53) formed on one of said arms (22, 23) and driven with said pinion (52). 10. Storage device according to claim 9, characterized in that said element (53A) of the cover (20) capable, when said housing (10) is subjected to said acceleration, to cooperate with said locking member (63) of said pendulum (61) is constituted by one of the edges of said toothed sector (53).