1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a catch for an auxiliary power unit cover which requires disengagement of shore power lines engaged to the unit to allow removal of the cover.
2. Prior Art
To date it is not believed that any such catch for an auxiliary power unit cover exists.
A catch for an auxiliary power unit cover comprises a bracket which has an opening therein sized and configured to receive shore power receptacles of the unit within the opening, the bracket being engaged to and extending outwardly of the cover, and over the receptacles, such that the cover cannot be removed while shore power lines remain engaged within the receptacles therefor.
Preferring now to the drawings in greater detail, there is illustrated therein an auxiliary power unit 10 incorporating a housing 11 to which is removably engaged a cover 12.
When the cover 12 is removed, access is provided to internal components of the unit 10, some of which are high voltage components.
Thus, there has been identified a need to assure that the cover 12 is not capable of being removed until shore power cables 14, engaged to receptacles 16 of the unit 10, are disengaged.
To meet this need, it is proposed herein to provide a catch 18 for the cover 12.
The catch 18 is in the form of a bracket 18, having a frame like body 19 including an opening 20 therein, which bracket 18 is mechanically engaged to the cover 12 at a position where the opening 20 of the bracket 18 will overlie the receptacles 16 when the cover 12 is engaged appropriately to the housing 11. As illustrated, the catch 18, extends longitudinally outwardly from a side wall 21 of an open edge 23 of the cover 12, which open edge 23 removably engages within the housing 11 of the unit 10. The body 19 of the bracket 18 is stepped slightly laterally outwardly of the side wall 21 so as to be positionable in a manner where the opening 20 therein overlies the receptacles 16 located on a side wall 24 of the unit 10.
Once at least one power cord 14 is engaged to one respective receptacle 16, extending through the opening 20 of the catch 18, the cover 12 is virtually “locked on,” until the at least one power cord 14 is disengaged.
The catch 18 has a substantially planar, rather elongate, rectangular configuration to body 19 and the central opening 20 therein is sufficiently large to allow access to the receptacles 16 therethrough, with the body 19 of the catch 18 effectively framing the receptacles 16. The catch 18, has a closed free end 22 which cannot pass across the receptacles 16 so long as power cords 14 are engaged, due to the framing configuration of the body 19 thereof.
Once the power cables 14 are removed, the free end 22 of the catch 18 can now pass across the receptacles 16, allowing the cover 12 to be removed.
As described above, the catch 18 of the present invention has a number of advantages, some of which have been described above and others of which are inherent in the invention. Also, modifications may be proposed to the catch 18 without departing from the teachings herein. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is only to be limited as necessitated by the accompanying claims.