GB2274873A - Mounting arrangement for lid or door lock - Google Patents

Description

2274873 Mounting Arrangement for a Lid or Door Lock This invention relates

to a mounting arrangement for a lid or door lock and particularly but not exclusively to a mounting arrangement for the lock of a luggage compartment door or tailgate of a motor vehicle.

Accordingly the present invention will be described below with reference to motor vehicles but it should be appreciated that the invention may be employed for a lock on any lid or door which lock may be susceptible to being forcibly removed particularly by pulling it out to gain access to an opening mechanism.

While the protection against theft of personal valuables carried in a motor vehicle may often be improved by locking such items in the luggage or rear compartment of the vehicle, such compartments are vulnerable to being broken into.

Common methods employed for breaking into such compartments include forcible removal of the cylinder of the lock to gain access to the door release mechanism. This may be done by applying high torque to the lock cylinder to wrench it out of its supporting surfaces (sometimes referred to as 'Itorquing out"). Alternatively, high pulling forces may be applied to pull out the cylinder (sometimes referred to generally as "pulling out"). Further, by applying high leverage forces to the cylinder the supporting surfaces may be bent or distorted to permit cylinder removal or to otherwise gain access to the release mechanism (sometimes referred to generally as "bending out").

While it has been proposed, for example, in US Patent Specification 4 041 741, to apply a protective plate to the outside of the door to prevent the lock from being pulled out, this is an aesthetically unattractive solution proposal. Further, the proposal of this US Patent 4 041 741 requires additional holes to be produced through the door skin, which adds to potential corrosion sites.

According to the present invention, there is provided a mounting arrangement for mounting a lock to a vehicle skin panel. the arrangement comprising a lock barrel, a hole in the skin panel for receiving the lock barrel, a bracket fixed relative to the skin panel, at a distance from the inner surface of the skin panel, and a plate mounted on the barrel and locating behind the bracket so that engagement of the plate against the bracket resists pull-out force exerted on the barrel.

While the bracket, plate and lock barrel are preferably made of metal, clearly alternative materials having satisfactory strength may alternatively or additionally be employed.

In this latter context it is important that the bracket can be firmly welded or otherwise fixed to the material of the skin of the enclosure. Accordingly, when the enclosure comprises a compartment of a motor vehicle and having a skin of metal, a metal bracket may be easily welded to the inner surface of the skin, by spot-welding for example, during the process of vehicle manufacture. To this extent, subsequent finishing processes applied to the skin may be applied also to the bracket. The bracket is shaped to permit it to be bonded to the inner surface of the skin while presenting an upstanding portion spaced from the inner skin and on which the plate of the mounting is directly or indirectly locatable. Preferably, the bracket has a substantially planar f oot portion that is bonded to the skin and an upstanding substantially planar portion at right angles thereto.

The upstanding planar portion is preferably provided with at least two spaced holes to assist location of the plate on the bracket in desired aligned position. As will be seen later these two holes can play an important role in preventing or impairing torquing out and bending out of the lock cylinder. The upstanding planar portion preferably has an-upper edge which underlies the cylinder of the lock and in the region of the cylinder the upper edge more preferably has a recess.

The spacing of the upstanding portion from the inner surface of the skin is such that the plate attached to the cylinder will locate on it and preferably on the side of the upstanding portion remote from the bezel.

The plate is attached to the cylinder at a significant distance from and end bezel or flange on the cylinder and preferably in the region of the end of the cylinder remote from the bezel. Attachment should be such that the distance of the plate from an end bezel or flange on the cylinder cannot increase significantly beyond a maximum which is determined by the plate when located on the bracket.

It is preferred that the plate is attached to the cylinder by providing a hole in the plate through which the end of the cylinder remote from an end bezel or f lange on the cylinder will pass. At a point along the cylinder a circumferential groove may be provided to permit the insertion of a spring clip whereby the plate can be locked onto the cylinder. This spring clip preferably cooperates with a spacer placed between the plate and the skin to assist positioning of the plate.

The hole in the plate is preferably convoluted or otherwise non-circular to match a convoluted or non-circular external shape on the cylinder whereby relative rotation of the cylinder and plate is prevented. This is particularly desirable if the hole in the skin is circular and, in any event is particularly desirable in adapting the mounting to prevent or at least impair torquing out of the cylinder.

The_plate is preferably provided with locating spigots to closely locate into the two holes in the bracket with the plate in position and attached to the cylinder to thereby locate the plate on the bracket. It will be seen that in such an arrangement, if a high torque is applied to the cylinder and plate this will be resisted by the spigots.

is It will be appreciated that the thickness and strength of the plate and bracket can readily be tailored to levels necessary to prevent or at least impair pulling out of the cylinder and, as may be desired, torquing out and bending out also. Bending out is clearly resisted by the support given to the cylinder, at a distance spaced from the skin panel by the plate and bracket for example via located spigots and through any direct contact made between the cylinder and the upper edge of the bracket.

In the preferred embodiment wherein the plate locates on the bracket through spaced spigots and holes respectively, the spacing of at least two of the spigots is preferably such that lines drawn from the centre lines of the spigots to the longitudinal axis of the cylinder and perpendicular thereto form an obtuse angle between one another.

It will be appreciated that in mounting the lock to for example, a motor vehicle luggage compartment door or tailgate, an end bezel or f lange on the cylinder may be backed by a resilient seal. Such a seal enables the atmospheric elements to be excluded f rom around the bezel or f lange, provides protection for surrounding paintwork and some resilience to allow for functional tolerances.

The spigots which may be provided on the plate are preferably of the same material type as the plate and are preferably studs welded on or through the plate but alternatively they may be f or example threaded studs or 10 bolts screwed through the plate.

It will be appreciated that while the term plate is used herein, functional equivalents such as rods, bars and other alternatives of different shape should be regarded as being 15 within the scope of this invention.

The present invention will now be further described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a -schematic view of the rear end of a motor vehicle indicating the position of a lock mounting arrangement in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a forward looking elevation of a mounting arrangement according to the invention; Figure 3 illustrates in side elevation and in part section the mounting shown in Figure 1 assembled with 30 a lock cylinder inserted through a vehicle door skin; Figure 4 illustrates in part section the manner of attachment of the plate to the cylinder shown in Figure 2; Figure 5 is a perspective view of part of the mounting; and Figure 6 is an exploded view of a cylinder and spring clip.

In Figure 1, the position of a lock mounting arrangement according to this invention is indicated by the dotted outline signified by X.

In Figures 2 to 5 wherein like numbered parts correspond, a bracket 1 provided with strengthening ribs 2 is spot welded along the length of its substantially planar foot portion 3 to the inside of a vehicle door skin 4. An upstanding substantially planar portion 5 of the bracket 1 is at right angles to the f oot portion 3. The upstanding portion is provided with two spaced holes 6 and 7.

The upstanding portion 5 is further provided with a recess 19 in its upper edge to underlie a lock cylinder 9.

A plate 8 is attached to the lock cylinder 9 by a spring clip 10 entering peripheral groove 20 situated near the cylinder end (shown in Figure 4 which is in part section for this purpose and also shown in Figure 6) and is positioned relative to the skin panel 4 with the aid of a tubular spacer sleeve 11. The plate 8 is illustrated having an extension 12 and a side plate 13 which serve to brace the plate 8 and also provide a convenient housing for an electrical switch (not shown). The plate 8 is provided with two spigots 14 and 15 welded to the plate 8. The spigots are of such length and diameter as to fit and extend through the holes 6 and 7 to thereby locate the plate 8 on the bracket 1.

The plate 8 is provided with a hole 16 having a shaped, noncircular edge in conformation with the external shape of the lock cylinder 9. A similar hole is provided through the vehicle door skin 4. A bezel 17 is provided on the outward 5 end of the lock cylinder and a rubber seal 18 is shown in Figure 3 inserted between the bezel and the door skin. All parts are metal unless otherwise stated.

In mounting the lock cylinder 9 within the door skin 4; with the bracket 1 welded to the skin 4, the end of the lock cylinder is passed through the hole provided in the skin 4 until the seal 18 provided under the bezel 17 contacts the skin 4. The tubular spacer sleeve 11 of suitable length is slipped over the cylinder and the end of the cylinder remote from the bezel 17 is passed through the shaped hole in the plate 8. The plate is pushed onto the cylinder until it contacts the end of the spacer 11 and the spigots 14 and 15 become aligned with and enter the holes 6 and 7 in the bracket 1 to thereby establish location of the plate 8 on the bracket 1. With light pressure being applied in opposing directions to the bezel end of the cylinder and to the plate 8, the spring clip 10 is inserted in the groove 20 to thus attach the plate 8 to the cylinder 9. The spring tangs 21 of the clip 10 press against an inner surface of the groove 20 to retain the clip 10 in position and the fingers 22 of the clip 10 extend beyond the groove 20 and the lateral edges of the hole in the plate 8 to prevent the cylinder 9 from being removed from the plate 8.

It will be seen that rotation of the cylinder 9 relative to the door skin 4 will be resisted not only by the noncircular shape of the hole in the door skin 4 but more importantly by the shape of the hole in the plate 8 which is itself supported against rotation by the spigots 14 and 15 engaging in the holes 6 and 7. Thus, torquing out of the cylinder will be strongly resisted. Bending out of the cylinder will clearly be strongly resisted by the arrangement, support coming from the bracket 1 through the spigots 14 and 15 to the plate 8; direct support from the bracket 1 is also available in the event of direct contact between the cylinder 9 and the recess 19 at the edge of the upstanding portion 5 of the bracket 1.

The mounting illustrated will also resist pulling out of the 10 cylinder of the lock because the plate a is locked to the cylinder and axial movement of the plate is blocked by the b racket 1.

claims 1. A mounting arrangement for mounting a lock to a vehicle skin panel, the arrangement comprising a lock cylinder, a hole in the skin panel for receiving the lock cylinder, a bracket fixed relative to the skin panel, at a distance from the inner surface of the skin panel, and a plate mounted on the cylinder and locating behind the bracket so that engagement of the plate against the bracket resists pull-out force exerted on the cylinder.

Claims (1)

1. 2. An arrangement as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the bracket has a foot

   portion fixed to the skin and an upstanding portion at right angles thereto.

   3. An arrangement as claimed in Claim 2 wherein the upstanding portion is provided with two spaced holes and the plate has two corresponding spigots which fit in the holes.

   4. An arrangement as claimed in claim 2 or Claim 3, wherein the plate locates on the upstanding portion on the side of said portion remote from the skin-panel.

   5. An arrangement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the plate is attached to the cylinder in the region of the end of the cylinder remote from an end bezel or flange on the barrel.

   6. An arrangement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the plate is attached to the cylinder by providing a hole in the plate through which the end of the barrel remote from an end bezel or flange on the cylinder is passed and then fitting a retaining clip into a groove on the end of the cylinder.

   7. An arrangement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein a tubular spacer sleeve is fitted around the cylinder and the plate is secured to the cylinder by providing a hole in the plate through which the end of the cylinder is passed until the plate abuts the sleeve, and then fitting a retaining clip into a groove on the end of the cylinder.

   8.. An arrangement as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the hole in the plate is non-circular to match a corresponding non-circular external shape on the cylinder.

   9. A mounting arrangement for mounting a lock to a vehicle skin panel, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

   10. A luggage compartment lid including a mounting arrangement as claimed in any preceding claim.

   11. A motor vehicle having a body closure secured by a mounting arrangement as claimed in any preceding claim.

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