GB2250248A

GB2250248A - A lockable container in a vehicle spare wheel

Info

Publication number: GB2250248A
Application number: GB9026059A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Howard John Wyman
Original assignee: MG Rover Group Ltd
Current assignee: MG Rover Group Ltd
Priority date: 1990-11-30
Filing date: 1990-11-30
Publication date: 1992-06-03
Anticipated expiration: 2010-11-30
Also published as: GB2250248B; GB9026059D0

Abstract

A lockable container (16) is designed for installation in a motor vehicle in the spare wheel (12). A bolt (19) secures a dish part (17) to the vehicle and also serves to retain the spare wheel. The container includes a lid (18) which can be locked to the dish part by four radial pins (25) which are movable by a cam operated by a lock barrel. <IMAGE>

Description

A LOCKABLE CONTAINER FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE AND A MOTOR VEHICLE INCLUDING THE CONTAINER The invention relates to lockable containers for motor vehicles and to motor vehicles which include such containers.

Motor vehicles, particularly passenger cars, have often included a lockable container in the form of a so-called glove compartment having a lid on or under a facia panel below and behind the windscreen. The glove compartment is seldom very secure since it is placed in an area of the car where structural rigidity would be hazardous to the vehicle occupants in the event of a collision.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a lockable container for a motor vehicle, the container comprising a dish part adapted to be retained within an envelope defined by a rim portion and a disk portion of a spare wheel carried on the motor vehicle and a lid which covers the dish part and which is lockable to the dish part and/or the spare wheel to prevent unauthorised access.

Preferably the lid comprises plunger means adapted to be moved into and out of engagement with retaining means on the dish and/or the rim of the spare wheel.

According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a motor vehicle including a spare wheel secured to the vehicle and a lockable container comprising a dish part retained within an envelope defined by a rim portion and a disk portion of the spare wheel and a lid which covers the dish part and which is lockable to the dish part and/or the spare wheel to prevent unauthorised access.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig 1 is a side elevation of a motor vehicle according to the invention; Fig 2 is a part-section on line II-II in Fig 1 on a larger scale showing a spare wheel with a lockable container according to the invention; Fig 3 is part-section on line III-III in Fig 2; Fig 4 is an enlarged view of the area indicated by the circle IV in Fig 2; Fig 5 is a view similar to Fig 4 showing a modification; and Fig 6 is a view similar to Fig 3 showing another modification.

Referring to Figs 1 to 4, a motor vehicle in the form of a passenger car 11 has a spare wheel 12 carried in a well 13 in the base of the boot or trunk.

The spare wheel 12 includes a rim portion 14 and a disk portion 15 which define a dish-shaped envelope. Within this envelope there is retained a lockable container 16.

The lockable container 16 comprises a dish part 17 covered by a lid 18. The dish part 17 is retained by a fastener in the form of a bolt 19 which extends through holes in the dish part, and the wheel disk portion 15 and is threaded into a captive nut 21 secured to the well 13.

It is a known practice to secure a spare wheel in a well in the boot by means of a bolt such as bolt 21. Hence the bolt 21 serves to retain the spare wheel 12 as well as the dish part 17 of the lockable container 16.

The lid 18 comprises upper and lower disk-shaped parts 22 and 23 secured at the centre by a lock 24. Plunger means in the form of four pins 25 are arranged radially about the lock 24 and, as shown in Fig 4, are in engagement with retaining means in the form of holes 26 in the dish part 17.

As seen in Fig 3, the lock 24 includes cam means in the form of a rotary cam 27 which supports the radially inner ends of the four pins 25. Each pin 25 extends through a respective hole in the outer casing 28 of the lock 24 and is spring loaded by a respective helical compression spring 29 which reacts against a tab 31 on the lower lid part 23 of the lid 18. For convenience only one spring 29 is shown in Fig 3.

As shown in Fig 4, each pin 25 also extends through a respective hole in an upturned rim portion 32 of the lower lid part 23 and a corresponding hole in a downturned rim portion 33 of the upper lid part 22.

The lock 24 includes a conventional barrel with key operated pins to allow for rotation or locking of the barrel, the key also providing means by which the barrel can be rotated by hand. The cam 27 is connected to the barrel so that in use turning the key in the lock 24 rotates the cam 27 so that the pins 25 move radially into and out of engagement with the holes 26 in the dish part.

The lid 18 may include location means which cooperate with means on the dish part 17 to angularly locate the lid so that the holes 26 are aligned with the pins 25 when the lid is fitted.

Alternatively or additionally the lid may be hinged to the dish part.

When the lid 18 is locked to the dish part it prevents an authorised access to anything stored in the container 16 and also prevents access to the bolt 19 so that the spare wheel 12 is also secure.

In the modification shown in Fig 5 each pin 25A, when in the locked position, extends beyond the rim portion 33A of lid part 22A and into engagement with a lug 34A on the rim portion 14A of the spare wheel 12A, thus providing additional security. The lugs 34A may form a continuous lip.

In the further modification shown in Fig 6, the cam 27 is replaced by a plate 35B connected to the lock barrel. The pins 25B have their inner ends bent over to act as pivot pins and each engages a hole in a respective link 36B which is in turn pivoted to the plate 35B. Each pin 25B is guided by a respective tab 31B (only one is shown in Fig 6).

The plate 35B and links 36B form a toggle mechanism so that when the plate 35B is rotated by the lock barrel the pins 25B are moved into or out of locking engagement with the holes in the dish part.

In another modification (not shown) the links 36B and tabs 31B are omitted and the pins 25B pivot directly onto the plate 35B. The articulation of the pins 25B when the plate 35B is rotated is accommodated by circumferentially elongated holes in the dish part and in the upper lid part.

As described above, the pins serve to directly prevent the lid being lifted from the dish part of the lockable container. The lid may engage the dish part with a screw or a bayonet type action which requires the lid to be turned before it can be lifted, in which case the pins or other locking means, when locked, serve to prevent rotation of the lid.

Claims

1. A lockable container for a motor vehicle, the container comprising a dish part adapted to be retained within an envelope defined by a rim portion and a disk portion of a spare wheel carried on the motor vehicle and a lid which covers the dish part and which is lockable to the dish part and/or the spare wheel to prevent unauthorised access.

2. A container as claimed in Claim 1 and adapted to be retained by a fastener which also serves to retain the spare wheel on the motor vehicle.

3. A container as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the lid comprises plunger means adapted to be moved into and out of engagement with retaining means on the dish and/or the rim of the spare wheel.

4. A container as claimed in Claim 3 wherein the plunger means comprises a plurality of pins arranged radially about a lock.

5. A container as claimed in Claim 4 wherein the lock comprises cam means adapted to move the pins radially to secure the lid.

6. A container as claimed in claim 4 wherein the lock comprises a toggle mechanism adapted to move the pins radially to secure the lid.

7. A motor vehicle including a spare wheel secured to the vehicle and a lockable container comprising a dish part retained within an envelope defined by a rim portion and a disk portion of the spare wheel and a lid which covers the dish part and which is lockable to the dish part and/or the spare wheel to prevent unauthorised access.

8. A motor vehicle as claimed in Claim 7 wherein the container is retained by a fastener which also serves to retain the spare wheel on the motor vehicle.

9. A motor vehicle as claimed in Claim 7 or Claim 8 wherein the lid comprises plunger means adapted to be moved into and out of engagement with retaining means on the dish and/or the rim of the spare wheel.

10. A motor vehicle as claimed in Claim 9 wherein the plunger means comprises a plurality of pins arranged radially about a lock.

11. A motor vehicle as claimed in Claim 10 wherein the lock comprises cam means adapted to move the pins radially to secure the lid.

12. A motor vehicle as claimed in Claim 10 wherein the lock comprises a toggle mechanism adapted to move the pins radially to secure the lid.

13. A lockable container substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

14. A motor vehicle substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.