Closure for a seat belt

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6550112
  • Patent Number
    6,550,112
  • Date Filed
    Friday, June 22, 2001
    23 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, April 22, 2003
    21 years ago
Abstract
A closure for a seat belt comprises a release button shiftably mounted on a frame and cooperating with a latch which can be swiveled between a locking position and an opening position around a swiveling axis, and a blocking element that can assume a blocking position in which it blocks the latch in the locking position. The blocking element is mounted on the frame so as to pivot around an axis that passes through a center of gravity of the blocking element, so that it can be swiveled by the release button out of the blocking position into a release position.
Description




The invention relates to a closure for a seat belt having a release button movably mounted on a frame and provided for a latch that can be swiveled between a locking position and an opening position around a swiveling axis, and a blocking element that can assume a blocking position in which it blocks the latch in its locking position.




Such a closure is known, for example, from DE 44 27 011. With this closure, the blocking element is mounted so that it can move in one direction in which the acceleration by a seat belt tensioner also occurs. Therefore, in order to ensure that the closure can withstand the tensioner force, a likewise movably mounted locking element is needed which prevents a shifting of the blocking element from its blocking position in the case of high acceleration values. However, in view of the many components used, this arrangement is relatively complex and, because of the components that are movably mounted, namely, the locking member and blocking element, it is failure-prone over the long run.




The objective of the invention is to create a simply structured closure for seat belts that is reliably secured against unintentional opening, even at the high acceleration rates that occur when a seat belt tensioner is activated.




For this purpose, with a closure of the type described above, it is provided that the blocking element is mounted on the frame so as to pivot around an axis that passes through its center of gravity, so that it can be swiveled by the release button out of its blocking position into a release position. Since the blocking element is mounted on its center of gravity, it is not subjected to any torque upon acceleration of the closure, so that it remains in its blocking position and the latch is securely blocked. Moreover, a pivoted component is less failure-prone than a movably mounted component since, with a movably mounted component, the bearing can more easily become dirty over the course of time, thereby leading to greater friction.




Further advantageous embodiments of the invention ensue from the subordinate claims.











The invention is described below with reference to preferred embodiments. Reference is made to the attached drawings in which the following is shown:





FIG. 1

a perspective view of a closure with an inserted tongue according to a first embodiment of the invention;





FIG. 2

a second perspective view of the closure of

FIG. 1

;





FIG. 3

a perspective view of a blocking element used in the closure of

FIG. 1

;





FIG. 4

a perspective view of a latch used in the closure of

FIG. 1

;





FIG. 5

a perspective view of an upper shell used in the closure of

FIG. 1

;





FIG. 6

a perspective view of an ejector used in the closure of

FIG. 1

;





FIG. 7

a perspective view of a lower shelf used in the closure of

FIG. 1

;





FIG. 8

a perspective view of a cutaway of the closure of

FIG. 1

;





FIG. 9

a lengthwise section of the closure of

FIG. 1

;





FIG. 10

a lengthwise section through the closure of

FIG. 1

in a basic state;





FIG. 11

a lengthwise section through the closure of

FIG. 1

during the insertion of the tongue;





FIG. 12

a lengthwise section through the closure of

FIG. 1

with the tongue inserted;





FIG. 13

a lengthwise section through the closure of

FIG. 1

with the release button depressed;





FIG. 14

a lengthwise section through the closure of

FIG. 1

during the ejection of the tongue;





FIG. 15

a lengthwise section through the closure of

FIG. 1

with the tongue released;





FIG. 16

a representation of the force conditions on the closure of

FIG. 14

;





FIG. 17

a perspective view of a closure with an inserted tongue according to a second embodiment of the invention;





FIG. 18

a perspective view of a cutaway of the closure of

FIG. 17

;





FIG. 19

a perspective view of a frame used for the closure of

FIG. 17

;





FIG. 20

a perspective view of a release button used for the closure of

FIG. 17

;





FIG. 21

a perspective view of a toggle lever used for the closure of

FIG. 17

;





FIG. 22

a perspective view of a blocking element used for the closure of

FIG. 17

;





FIG. 23

a perspective view of an ejector used for the closure of

FIG. 17

;





FIG. 24

a perspective view of a latch used for the closure of

FIG. 17

;





FIG. 25

a perspective view of a cutaway of the frame and of the ejector of

FIGS. 19 and 23

;





FIG. 26

a perspective view of a cutaway of the closure of

FIG. 17

with the ejected tongue;





FIG. 27

a lengthwise section through the closure of

FIG. 17

with the tongue inserted; and





FIG. 28

a schematic lengthwise section through the latch of

FIG. 17

with indication of the forces and lever arms on the toggle lever.












FIG. 1

shows a closure


10


according to the invention with an inserted tongue


12


and having a frame consisting of an upper shell


14


and of a lower shell


16


, a latch


18


, a blocking element


20


for the latch


18


and a release button


24


that is movably mounted on the frame. The frame is enclosed by a housing


11


(see FIGS.


10


through


16


), which was left out in

FIGS. 1 through 9

so that the functional parts can be seen.




The closure


10


has a front end on which the release button


24


is located, and a back end on which the latch


18


is mounted on the upper shell


14


so as to pivot around an axis A


s


. In the representation of

FIG. 1

, the latch is in its locking position in the frame, where it latches the conventional tongue


12


, which is inserted at the front end of the closure.




The upper shell


14


and the lower shell


16


of the frame are shown individually in

FIGS. 5 and 7

, and they preferably consist of a U-shaped sheet metal plate with a base


25


or


27


and two parallel legs


26


and


28


, which extend perpendicular to the base. The upper shell


14


and the lower shell


16


are connected to each other by means of hook-shaped protrusions


30


on the legs


28


of the lower shell


16


, which engage the base


25


of the upper shell


14


through elongated slits


32


, the base


25


of the upper shell


14


resting on the edge


29


of the leg


28


of the lower shell


16


. As a result, a hollow space is formed between the upper shell


14


and the lower shell


16


into which the tongue


12


can be inserted and in which an ejector


34


for the insertion tongue


12


is movably mounted (FIGS.


8


and


9


). In the base of the upper shell


14


, there is also an opening


36


for the ejector


34


, the opening extending parallel to the lengthwise axis of the closure. In line with the opening


36


, closer to the front of the closure


10


, there is a latch opening


38


through which the latch


18


can engage the insertion tongue


12


. In the base of the lower shell


16


, parallel to the lengthwise axis, there is an elongated slit


40


to receive an ejector spring


35


. Approximately across from the latch opening


38


, offset a bit towards the back end of the closure, there is a second latch opening


42


of about the same size in the base of the lower shell


16


. In the area of the back end of the frame, hooks


44


are formed on the legs of the upper shell


14


, and the hooks form bearings for the latch


18


.




In this embodiment, the latch


18


is a stamped part made of sheet metal and it has a bearing section


46


as well as a T-shaped latch section


48


, which are connected to each other by two parallel lengthwise webs


50


. The T-shaped latch section


48


has a crosswise web


52


whose ends form two projections


54


and from the middle of whose bottom a foot


56


extends that can engage the insertion tongue


12


through the latch openings


38


,


42


and through an opening


13


in order to latch the insertion tongue


12


in the closure


10


. The lengthwise webs


50


extend to both sides of the foot


56


, likewise from the bottom of the crosswise web


52


, the ends of the lengthwise webs


50


, which are connected to the crosswise web


52


, being bent in such a way that the lengthwise webs and the foot


56


enclose an angle of slightly less than 90° (FIGS.


10


through


16


). The opposite ends of the lengthwise webs


50


are bent at a right angle and become the bearing section


46


. On each of the edges of the bearing section


46


facing the lengthwise sides of the closure


10


, a recess


58


is provided that divides the appertaining end of the bearing section


46


into a bearing pin


60


and a holding pin


62


. As can be seen in

FIG. 2

, the hooks


44


engage the legs of the upper shell


14


through the recesses


58


, partially surrounding the bearing pin


60


so that the bearing section


46


of the latch


18


is mounted on the upper shell


14


so that it can pivot. In this manner, the holding pin


62


prevents the latch


18


from slipping out of the bearing, which is open towards the back.





FIG. 3

shows the blocking element


20


that consists of an essentially rectangular plate. In the middle of each of the narrow sides, a rotating pin


70


is formed with which the blocking element


20


is mounted so as to pivot around an axis A. For this purpose, bores


71


are provided in the middle of the legs of the upper shell


14


(

FIGS. 2 and 5

) which are engaged by the pins


70


. The blocking element


20


is urged by a spring


22


into a blocking position (

FIG. 1

) in which it blocks the latch


18


in its locking position. Here, it lies against the stops


64


which are likewise formed on the legs of the upper shell


14


. The lengthwise side of the blocking element


20


, which faces the frame when it is in the blocking position, forms a contact surface


72


with which the latch


18


lies against the lengthwise webs


50


of the latch


18


when it is in the blocking position. On the narrow sides of the blocking element


20


, there are carrier pins


74


in the form of projections that extend parallel to the rotating pins


70


, namely, from the end of the narrow sides that is closest to the contact surface


72


. The carrier pins


74


are shorter than the rotating pins


70


, so that they do not touch the legs of the upper shell


14


. By means of bores


76


, the blocking element


20


is counterbalanced in such a way that its center of gravity lies on the rotational axis A


B


of the rotating pins


70


.




The ejector


34


consists of an essentially rectangular plate that is so thick that the ejector


34


can smoothly be moved between the upper shell


14


and the lower shell


16


. In so doing, the ejector


34


is guided by the base


25


of the upper shell


14


, as well as by the base


27


and the legs


28


of the lower shell


16


. On the upper side of the ejector


34


pointing to the upper shell


14


there is formed a rectangular projection


80


which projects through the opening


36


in the base of the upper shell


14


. On the end of the ejector


34


facing the front end of the closure


10


, a recess


84


with rounded corners is formed, which can receive the tip of the insertion tongue


12


. On the opposite back end of the ejector


34


, parallel to its lengthwise axis, a recess


86


having an approximately semi-circular cross section extends crosswise to the lengthwise axis into which one end of the ejector spring


35


extends. As already described above, the ejector spring


35


is held in the lengthwise slit


40


and supported on the frame so that it presses the ejector


34


into an ejection position as shown in FIG.


9


. On the top of the ejector


34


, a sliding wall


88


is provided, which is parallel to the main plane of the ejector


34


that extends beyond the recess


84


.




The release button


24


has an actuation surface


90


facing the front of the closure


10


as well as two parallel support walls


92


running perpendicular to the actuation surface


90


in the lengthwise direction of the closure


10


. On the narrow side of each support wall


92


, on the end opposite from the actuation surface


90


, there is a carrier surface


94


that engages the carrier pin


74


of the blocking element


20


when the release button


24


is actuated. At a right angle to the carrier surface


94


, there is a resting surface


96


against which the projections


54


of the latch


18


can lie when the latch is in the locking position. The resting surface


96


. in turn, is followed by a ramp surface


98


that encloses an obtuse angle with the resting surface


96


and whose function becomes clear from the description of the unlatching procedure described below.




Below, the function of the closure


10


is explained with reference to an insertion procedure of the insertion tongue


12


and to the unlatching of the closure, which are shown in consecutive positions in

FIGS. 10 through 15

.




In the basic state, that is to say, when the tongue is not inserted (FIG.


10


), the ejector


34


is in the ejection position. The latch


18


is in an opening position, its foot


56


lying against the sliding wall


88


of the ejector


34


. The blocking element


20


, as a result of being urged (arrow) by the spring


22


via the contact surface


72


, exerts a moment on the latch


18


.




When the tongue


12


is inserted, the tip of the insertion tongue engages the recess


84


(

FIG. 11

) and moves the ejector


34


out of its ejection position. When the ejector


34


is moved, the foot


56


of the latch


18


slides on the sliding wall


88


. Since the sliding wall


88


protrudes beyond the recess


84


towards the edge of the opening in the insertion tongue, the latch


18


is prevented from sliding on the insertion tongue


12


and possibly leaving abrasion markings there. As soon as the tongue


12


is inserted so far that the opening


13


in the tongue


12


is positioned under the latch opening


38


in the frame, the foot


56


of the latch


18


can slip into the opening in the insertion tongue


12


. Due to the torque exerted by the blocking element


20


, the latch


18


is swiveled into its locking position (FIG.


12


). In doing so, the blocking element


20


turns—in the figures in the counterclockwise direction—beyond a position that is perpendicular to the lengthwise webs


50


of the latch, until it is halted by stops


64


on the legs of the upper shell


14


, as a result of which it has reached its blocking position.




In this blocking position, the ejector


34


—as a result of being urged by the ejector spring


35


via the insertion tongue


12


—exerts a force F


S


on the foot


56


of the latch


18


which, via the lever arm L (see FIG.


16


), causes a torque on the latch


18


that strives to swivel the latch


18


out of its locking position. However, the blocking position is characterized in that a force F, which acts upon the blocking element


20


via the contact surface


72


when the latch


18


is swiveled out of the locking position, acts in the same direction as the torque exerted by the spring


22


. Thus, the force F presses the blocking element


20


more strongly against the stops


64


so that the swiveling of the latch


18


is prevented. A blocking position of the blocking element


20


is thus reached when the line of application of the force F, which acts perpendicular to the lengthwise webs


50


—as seen from the rotational axis As of the latch


18


—passes behind the rotational axis A


B


of the blocking element


20


(FIG.


12


).




This geometry leads to a reliable blocking of the latch


18


, which can only be released by a torque applied from the outside onto the blocking element


20


. Since the center of gravity of the blocking element


20


, however, as described above, lies on its rotational axis A


B


, the mass inertia of the blocking element


20


does not cause such a torque, even in the case of a strong acceleration of the closure


10


, such as occurs, for example, when the seat belt tensioner is activated.




If the release button


24


is additionally secured against unintentional shifting caused by acceleration forces, then the described closure


10


is secured against unintentional opening in case of acceleration in any direction. An especially advantageous securing of the release button


24


is effectuated in a second embodiment of the invention, which is described below. For this purpose, however, a securing means known from the state of the art can be used.




In order to open the closure, as mentioned above, a torque has to act upon the blocking element which can overcome the moment of the spring


22


. For this purpose, the release button


24


, which is merely indicated in

FIGS. 13 through 15

, is shifted towards the left in the figures. Here, the carrier surface


94


engages the carrier pins


74


of the blocking element


20


and turns it out of its blocking position (FIG.


13


). When the release button


24


is moved further, the ramp surface


98


engages the projections


54


of the latch


18


(

FIG. 14

) and swivels the latter out of its locking position, as a result of which the insertion tongue


12


is released and the ejector


34


ejects the insertion tongue due to the force of the ejector spring (FIG.


15


).




When the geometry and the spring forces are appropriately dimensioned—as described below—it can be achieved that the closure


10


already opens in the position shown in FIG.


14


without the release button


24


having to be pushed in any further. As described above, the ejector spring exerts a force F


S


(

FIG. 16

) on the latch


18


at the contact edge B′ with the foot


56


via the ejector


34


and the insertion tongue


12


, thus causing a torque F


s


×L. This is countered by a torque F


b


×K, which is caused at the contact point B by the force F


b


brought about by the pressure on the blocking element


20


. With such a corresponding dimensioning of the ejector spring


35


and of the blocking spring


22


as well as of the lever arms K and L, the torque F


S


×L is the dominant one and the ejector


34


can swivel the latch


18


out of its locking position. Advantageously, due to the slanted position of the foot


56


(the angle between the foot


56


and the lengthwise webs


50


is a bit less than 90°), it is achieved that the foot


56


is aligned approximately tangentially to the arc that it traverses during the swiveling, so that its swiveling space is reduced. Moreover, the foot


56


only touches the edge of the opening in the insertion tongue on its lower edge B′, as a result of which the length of the lever arm L is maximized.




Advantageously, it is nevertheless possible to provide a ramp surface


98


so that, in case of any increased friction between the blocking element


20


and the latch


18


resulting from dirt, a reliable unlatching of the closure


10


is ensured. In any case, however, the described arrangement causes the latch


18


to be subjected to a torque exerted by the ejector spring


35


, which reduces the actuation force of the release button that is needed to open the closure, facilitating the operation of the closure.




As can be seen in the figures, the foot


56


of the latch


18


is freely movable in the latch openings


38


and


42


, without touching the frame. Thus, the friction that occurs with other latch principles, for example, is eliminated with a moveably guided latch, as a result of which a more reliable functioning is ensured. Nevertheless, in order to be able to withstand extreme tensile stresses on the insertion tongue, the bearing of the latch


18


on the upper shell


14


can be deformed so that, in case of a crash, the entire latch


18


can be moved into the latch openings


38


and


42


towards to the front of the closure until it is halted by the stops formed by the edges


100


(see

FIG. 14

) of the latch openings. The deformable bearing is advantageously achieved by the design of the hooks


44


on the upper shell


14


, which can be bent open plastically in this case.





FIGS. 17 through 28

show a second embodiment of the invention, reference numerals increased by 100 being used for already known components.




The mode of operation especially of the latch


118


and of the blocking element


120


is the same in terms of the function of the closure


110


as in the first embodiment, which is why a comprehensive description of the functioning has not been provided here. Therefore, the description below concentrates on the differences from the first embodiment.




The closure


110


shown in

FIG. 17

has a one-piece frame


115


, consisting of U-shaped sheet metal plate with a base


125


, a right-hand leg


126


, which can be seen in the background in the figures, and a left-hand leg


127


. In the base


125


(FIG.


19


), an ejector opening


136


is provided to receive an ejector


134


and an ejector spring


135


. The ejector opening


136


consists of a narrower, front section


136




a


and a wider, back section


136




b.


Extending into the back section, there is a mandrel


117


on which one end of the ejector spring


135


is mounted (FIGS.


18


and


25


).




Like in the first embodiment, bearings in the form of hooks


144


have been shaped onto the back end of the legs


126


and


127


. Approximately in the middle of each of the legs


126


and


127


, bores


171


are provided in which a blocking element


118


is pivoted. Slits lead from each of the bores


171


to the edge of the legs


126


and


127


so that the support pins


170


of a blocking element


118


can be inserted into the bores


171


without having to bend the legs


126


and


127


.




Furthermore, in each of the legs


126


and


127


, bearing bores


119


are provided for pivoting a toggle lever


121


whose function will be described below. These bearing bores


119


are located near the front end of the frame


115


and are likewise connected by slits to the edge of the legs


126


and


127


in order to allow a simple assembly of the toggle lever


121


.




Since the frame in this embodiment is made of one piece and therefore does not have a hollow space into which the tongue


12


could be inserted, on each of the inner sides of the legs


126


and


127


, below the bearing bores


119


, there is a projection


123


to guide the insertion tongue


12


.




The ejector


134


, which is shown in detail in

FIG. 23

, differs from the ejector


34


of the first embodiment essentially with respect to two characteristics: first of all, on the bottom facing its base


125


, there is a guide piece


133


having a T-shaped cross section (FIG.


25


). Thus, parallel grooves are formed between the bottom of the ejector


134


and the guide piece


133


, and the edges of the front section


136




a


of the ejector opening engage the grooves, so that the ejector


134


is guided movably on the base


125


. Secondly, a wedge-shaped stop projection


131


is formed onto the top of the ejector


134


. With this stop projection


131


, the ejector


134


can be supported on the latch


118


(

FIG. 18

) if the tongue is inserted too far into the frame


115


because, for example, the entire closure


110


is abruptly braked after a seat belt tensioner has been activated. For this purpose, on the latch


118


, a stop


137


is provided which starts at the bearing section


146


and extends between the two lengthwise webs


150


and is bent in the same direction as the foot


156


.




The blocking element


120


(FIG.


22


), like the blocking element


20


of the first embodiment, consists of a rectangular plate with a contact surface


172


and two rotating pins


170


. The rotating pins


170


have a rectangular cross section and have rounded-off edges. As a result, in a certain angle position of the blocking element


120


, they can be inserted through the slits into the bores


171


in a simple manner. As a prolongation of the contact surface


172


, there are carrier pins


174


that extend beyond the legs


126


,


127


(FIG.


25


). One of the rotating pins


170


is elongated and bent at its free end. It holds the spring


122


that presses the blocking element


120


into its blocking position, one end of the spring


122


engaging the adjacent carrier pins


174


and the other end engages the right-hand leg


126


. From the contact surface


172


, a recess


176


extends to the middle of the blocking element


120


, whose size determines the mass distribution of the blocking element in such a way that the center of gravity of the blocking element


120


lies on its rotational axis A


B


.




The release button


124


is shown in detail in FIG.


20


. There is an actuation surface


190


on the front of the release button


124


facing away from the frame


115


. From the back of the release button


124


, two support walls


192


extend parallel to the legs


126


,


127


. On the free ends of the support walls


192


, projections


193


are provided which engage the legs


126


and


127


through the elongated slits


195


(

FIG. 17

) in order to guide the support walls to the legs


126


and


127


. On the outer sides of the support walls


192


, there are stiffening ribs


197


that stabilize the support walls


192


. These stiffening ribs


197


run from the free end to about the middle of the support walls


192


along their upper edge. In one partial segment, the stiffening ribs


197


form carrier surfaces


194


running approximately perpendicular to the actuation surface


190


, and these carrier surfaces


194


can engage the carrier pins


174


of the blocking element


120


in order to swivel the blocking element


120


out of its blocking position when the release button


124


is actuated. Over their further course, the stiffening ribs


197


form a U-shaped recess


199


which is engaged by the toggle lever


121


and whose function is described in detail below.




Likewise in the middle of the back of the release button, a guide wall


201


extending parallel to the base


125


serves to guide the tongue


12


when it is inserted. Between the guide wall


201


and the support walls


192


, guide webs


202


run parallel to the latter, and, in the assembled state, one guide web


202


and one support wall


192


each surrounding one of the legs


126


and


127


. Here, the guide webs


202


are located inside the “U” formed by the frame


115


. The upper narrow sides of the guide webs


202


form guide surfaces with which the release button


124


is guided to fingers


203


which project from the front ends of the legs


126


,


127


into the inside of the frame


115


. The free ends of the guide webs


202


taper in a wedge shape towards the base


125


so that ramp surfaces


198


are formed on its narrow sides with which the release button can swivel the latch


118


via the projections


154


out of its locking position, as already described in conjunction with the first embodiment.




The closure


110


also has a toggle lever


121


, which is shown separately in FIG.


21


. The toggle lever


121


consists of two parallel side parts


205


and


207


which are each connected at one end to each other by an inertial mass


209


. The side parts


205


,


207


each have an outer surface and an inner surface, each of the inside surfaces facing the other side part.




In the middle of the inside of each side part


205


,


207


, a cylindrical rotating pin


211


is provided with which the toggle lever


121


is mounted in the bearing bores


119


so as to pivot around the axis A


k


. The cylindrical shape of the rotating pins


211


is flattened by two parallel side surfaces so that the rotating pins


211


can be inserted through the slits into the bearing bores


119


. In the middle, the free ends of the side parts


205


and


207


are bent at a right angle towards the outside. On the inner surfaces of the free ends, cylindrical carriers


213


are formed that are additionally supported by stiffening ribs


215


on the inner surfaces. The carriers


213


engage the recesses


199


formed by the stiffening ribs


197


so that the toggle lever


121


is swiveled when the release button


124


is moved and vice versa (FIGS.


27


and


28


).




On the outer surface of the one side part


207


, on the end that is connected with the inertial mass


209


, there is a holding pin


217


for a restoring spring


219


whose other end is hooked in a hook


221


on the left-hand leg


127


of the frame


115


(FIGS.


17


and


27


). The restoring spring


219


is tensioned via the toggle lever


121


when the release button


124


is pressed. Thus, the release button


124


is subject to a restoring force that moves it back into its starting position after it has been released.




Another important function of the toggle lever


121


is to secure the release button


124


against unintentional shifting due to acceleration forces. For this purpose, the toggle lever is designed in such a way that its center of gravity S


k


does not lie on the rotational axis A


k


. In

FIG. 28

, the forces and the lever arms on the toggle lever


121


are schematically shown upon acceleration a


v


in the lengthwise direction of the closure


110


. Due to the mass inertia, an inertial force F


k


is exerted on the center of gravity S


k


of the toggle lever


121


, which inertial force brings about a torque F


k


×L


k1


via the lever arm L


k1


. However, due to its mass inertia, the release button


124


likewise exerts a force F


L


on the toggle lever


121


, namely, via the projections


195


which engage the recesses


199


. This force F


L


leads to a torque F


L


×L


k2


that counteracts the torque F


k


×L


k1


. According to the invention, the lever arms L


k1


and L


k2


and the mass of the toggle lever


121


are selected in such a way that the torques cancel each other out. In this manner, the release button


124


is safeguarded against unintentional shifting and thus the closure


110


is reliably secured against unintentional opening during acceleration.



Claims
  • 1. A closure for a seat belt, comprising a release button shiftably mounted on a frame and cooperating with a latch which can be swiveled between a locking position and an opening position around a swiveling axis, and a blocking element that assumes a blocking position in which said blocking element blocks said latch in said locking position, said blocking element being mounted on said frame so as to pivot around a pivoting axis that passes through a center of gravity of said blocking element, said release button causing said blocking element to pivot out of said blocking position into a release position, said blocking element, when in said blocking position, being exposed to a force from said latch, said force from said latch keeping said blocking element in said blocking position.
  • 2. The closure according to claim 1, wherein said pivoting axis of said blocking element is arranged between said swiveling axis of said latch and an application line of said force from said latch.
  • 3. The closure according to claim 1, wherein a stop is provided, said blocking element, when in said blocking position, being pressed against said stop by said force from said latch.
  • 4. The closure according to claim 1, wherein on said release button a ramp surface is provided that can engage a projection on said latch to cause said latch to swivel out of said locking position and into said opening position.
  • 5. The closure according to claim 1, wherein on said release button a carrier surface is provided that can engage a projection on said blocking element to cause said blocking element to pivot out of said blocking position and into said release position.
  • 6. The closure according to claim 1, wherein an ejector for an insertion tongue is provided that is acted upon by an ejector spring, said latch being swiveled from said locking position into said opening position when said insertion tongue is ejected.
  • 7. The closure according to claim 1, wherein said blocking element is urged by a spring into said blocking position.
  • 8. The closure according to claim 1, wherein said latch is elastically mounted to that it can be shifted radially with respect to said swiveling axis until a stop is reached.
  • 9. The closure according to claim 1, wherein a toggle lever is provided that counteracts a shifting of said release button upon acceleration of said closure.
Priority Claims (1)
Number Date Country Kind
201 00 932 U Jan 2001 DE
US Referenced Citations (10)
Number Name Date Kind
4733443 Tolfsen Mar 1988 A
4928366 Ballet May 1990 A
5008989 Wedler et al. Apr 1991 A
5195224 Bock et al. Mar 1993 A
5210915 Clarke May 1993 A
5555609 Tolfsen et al. Sep 1996 A
5566431 Haglund Oct 1996 A
5595400 Wier Jan 1997 A
5765266 Betz Jun 1998 A
6367129 Mori Apr 2002 B1
Foreign Referenced Citations (8)
Number Date Country
3837376 May 1990 DE
9202527 May 1992 DE
4427011 Jan 1996 DE
20010538 Nov 2000 DE
0341839 Nov 1989 EP
1018307 Jul 2000 EP
2328244 Feb 1999 GB
11-266907 Oct 1999 JP