JPH01242805A - Latch mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make engaging operation easy by constituting a latch mechanism of an axle pin, an engaging rod, a latch, a roller pivotally supported to one end of the latch, a spring fixed on both ends to fixed points on a panel and the latch and a stopper pin. CONSTITUTION:A latch mechanism connecting together panels 1, 2 confronted with each other is constituted of an axle pin 11, an engaging rod 21, a latch 3 having a slotted hole 31, a hole 32 housed with a ball 34 and a hollow part 36 engaging to the engaging rod 21, a roller 4 pivotally supported to one end of the latch 3, a spring 5 fixed on both ends to points 13, 37 on a panel 1 and the latch 3 and a stopper pin 12. Engaging operation, thereby, can be done with one dimensional operation pressing the roller 4 in one direction, and on this occasion, nearly no frictional force in orthogonal direction to pressing direction is added to the pressed surface, therefore engaging operation can be easily performed with a manipulator even in the cosmic space and so on.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a latch mechanism, and more particularly to a latch mechanism that connects members such as two butted panels without any gaps.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, in this type of latch mechanism, a recess in a rotatable latch at the fulcrum of one member engages a latch rod of the other member, and in the engaged state, the recess elastically pulls or pushes the latch. It has a structure that prevents it from coming out of the engaged state.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

The conventional latch mechanism described above requires a two-dimensional operation including an action of rotating the latch and an action of moving the latch in the rotational radial direction against an elastic force applied to the latch to engage the latch in the recess. Therefore, it has the disadvantage that it is not suitable for joining structures in outer space, etc., where the engaging operation must be performed by a manipulator rather than by hand.

An object of the present invention is to provide a latch mechanism that can be engaged with a one-dimensional operation and that can be easily engaged with a manipulator.

[Means to solve the problem]

The latch mechanism of the present invention includes: a shaft pin protruding from a first member; a hanging rod protruding from a second member to be coupled to the first member; a long hole into which the shaft pin is inserted; A first spring that presses the axle pin at one end; when the axle pin is rotated in a first rotational direction with the axle pin as a rotational axis, the axle is pressed against the hanging rod and receives a force that resists the elasticity of the first spring; a latch having a side surface and a recess adjacent to the side surface and engaged by the latch rod in a second rotational direction opposite to the first rotational direction by the elasticity of the first spring; and the recess of the latch. The latch is provided with a roller pivotally supported at an end opposite to the elongated hole, and a second spring that applies a torque in the second rotational direction to the latch in the non-engaged steady state.

〔Example〕

Next, the present invention will be explained with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an embodiment of the latch mechanism of the present invention.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is a latch mechanism that connects panels 1 and 2 that are attached to each other. A roller 4 pivotally supported at one end and a panel 1
The spring 5 has both ends fixed to the fixing point 13 of the latch 3 and the fixing point 37 of the latch 3, and a stopper pin 12 provided on the panel 1.

The latch 3 has an elongated hole 31 provided near the end opposite to the roller 4 side so that its long axes are substantially aligned in the longitudinal direction, and a shaft pin 11 inserted into the elongated hole 31 is inserted into the roller 4 of the elongated hole 31. A hole 32 that accommodates a spring 33 and a ball 34 to be pressed against the side end, a side surface 35 provided approximately at the center in the longitudinal direction, and a side surface 3
5 and a recess 36 that engages with the hanging rod 21.

When the latch 3 is in the hooked steady state position, which is also shown by the dotted chain line, the spring 5 pulls between the fixed points 13 and 37 and applies a counterclockwise torque to the latch 3, and the latch 3 is rotated by the stopper pin 12. It is in a stable state with limited clockwise rotation.

When the roller 4 is pushed downward in the figure with the presser surface 6 shown by the two-dot chain line, the latch 3 rotates clockwise and the fixing point 13.37
When the straight line between them passes the dead point where it overlaps with the shaft pin 11, the spring 5
The latch 3 further rotates clockwise under the tension of , and the side part 35
comes into contact with the hanging rod 21.

When the roller 4 is further pushed with the presser surface 6, the hanging rod 21 is moved to the side surface 3.
5 is pressed, the latch 3 moves to the right in the figure against the elasticity of the spring 33, and the latch 21 engages with the recess 36, stopping the rotational movement.

In the engaged state, the latch 3 receives a force in the left direction in the figure due to the elasticity of the spring 33, and the latch 21 is elastically held in the recess 36, so that a gap may be created between the panels 1 and 2, and the will not come off on its own.

When the presser surface 6 presses the roller 4 and rotates the latch 3,
Since the roller 4 rotates, almost no frictional force is applied to the pressing surface 6 in a direction perpendicular to the pressing force.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, the latch mechanism of the present invention can be engaged by a one-dimensional operation of pressing the roller in one direction.
At this time, since almost no frictional force in the direction perpendicular to the pressing direction is applied to the pressing surface, the engaging operation can be easily performed with a manipulator even in outer space.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing one embodiment of the present invention. ■, 2...Panel, 3...Latch, 4
...Roller, 5...Spring, 6...
... Presser surface, 11 ... Axis pin, 12 ...
・Stopper pin, 13... Fixed point, 21...
...hanging rod, 31...long hole, 32...
Hole, 33... Spring, 34... Ball, 35
...Side part, 36...Recess, 37...
...Fixed point. Agent Patent Attorney Uchihara Otot Laura 於1j゛'wa L:Original face M1 old

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A shaft pin protruding from a first member; a hanging rod protruding from a second member to be coupled to the first member; a long hole into which the shaft pin is inserted; A first spring that presses the pin, when the shaft pin is rotated in a first rotational direction as a rotational axis, it hits the hanging rod and is pressed against the first spring.
a side surface that receives a force that resists the elasticity of the spring; and a recess that is adjacent to the side surface and engages with the hanging rod in a second rotational direction opposite to the first rotational direction due to the elasticity of the first spring. a latch having; a roller pivotally supported at an end of the latch opposite to the elongated hole with respect to the recess; a second roller that applies a torque in the second rotational direction to the latch in the non-latched steady state; A latch mechanism characterized by comprising a spring. (2) When the latch is in a rotational position between the non-latched steady state position and the engaged state position, a point on the latch and a point on the first member that face each other with the shaft pin in between; the second
2. The latch mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the spring is tensionable.