1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a securement apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to a securement apparatus for a vehicle storage compartment.
2. Background Information
Vehicles typically include one or more storage compartments having closure panels, such as a lid, that prevent stored items from being dislodged while such vehicles are in motion. Such closure panels also obscure stored items from view within or outside of the vehicle. Therefore, storage compartments having closures panels are ideal for storing valuable or confidential items. For example, a glove compartment or a center console may be used to store items in this manner.
Vehicle storage compartments sometimes include locking mechanisms that prevent access to stored contents without an associated key. The key may or may not be the same key that is used to start the vehicle. Locks are sometimes located directly on a latch mechanism of a storage compartment. However, this arrangement becomes less feasible when a rotating handle is used to open the latch, since the handle is a moving part from which leverage is used to open the compartment. Locating the lock off of such a latch is possible, however, doing so increases the number of parts used and thus increases cost.
Also, it can be disadvantageous to allow the rotating handle of a locked latch to remain capable of rotating once in a locked state. This makes it impossible to consistently discern the actual state of the lock. For example, if an occupant is able to use the handle but the latch does not open, the occupant may simply think that the latch is stuck or damaged and attempt to force the compartment open, risking injury as well as damage to the storage compartment.
Accordingly, there is a continuing need for an improved securement apparatus for a vehicle storage compartment.
It has been discovered that with conventional technology, a locking mechanism can be used with a closure panel or lid of a vehicle storage compartment to secure the contents of the vehicle storage compartment.
In view of the state of the known technology, one aspect of the present invention is to provide a securement apparatus for a vehicle storage compartment that includes a closure panel and a body portion. The securement apparatus includes a base portion, a handle, a tumbler and a lock. The base portion is configured to couple to the closure panel. The handle is pivotally coupled to the base portion to move between latched and unlatched positions, and includes a latch that is configured to engage the body portion while the handle is in the latched position. The tumbler is moveably disposed with respect to the base portion between locked and unlocked positions, and is configured to restrict movement of the handle from the latched position to the unlatched position while the tumbler is in the locked position. The lock is configured to move the tumbler between the locked and unlocked positions.
Referring now to the attached drawings which form a part of this original disclosure:
Selected embodiments will now be explained with reference to the drawings. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that the following descriptions of the embodiments are provided for illustration only and not for the purpose of limiting the invention as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.
Referring initially to
In this illustrated embodiment, the vehicle storage compartment 12 includes, among other things, a body portion 14, a closure panel (e.g., a door or lid) 16 and a securement apparatus 18. The bottom of the body portion 14 can be fixed to a vehicle body panel 20 or other structure or component as needed and/or desired. The closure panel 16 is pivotally attached to the body portion 14 by, for example, hinges 22 (
As further shown in
As best seen in
Further details of the securement apparatus 18 will now be discussed. As shown in
In this arrangement, the base portion 36 is configured to couple to the closure panel 16. The base portion 36 can be coupled to the closure panel 16 by sandwiching the base portion 36 between the upper and lower lids 32 and 34 as shown. Also, fasteners such as screws, rivets, bolts, adhesive or the like can be used to secure the base portion 36 to the closure panel 16. Specifically, the handle 38 is configured for disposal in a recess 37 defined in the closure panel 16. The handle 38 includes an outer surface 39 having a first contoured surface portion 41 and the closure panel 16 includes an outer surface 43 having a second contoured surface portion 45, such that the first contoured surface portion 41 is configured to cooperate with the second contoured surface portion 45 to form an outer surface shape of the closure panel 16 while the handle 38 is received in the recess 39 and in the latched position (
In this example, the handle 38 is pivotally coupled to a hinge portion 44 of the base portion 36 by a pivot rod 46, such that the handle 38 is movable between a latched position (
As discussed in more detail below, the tumbler 40 is moveably disposed with respect to the base portion 36 between locked and unlocked positions. The tumbler 40 is configured to restrict movement of the handle 38 from the latched position to the unlatched position while the tumbler 40 is in the locked position. Furthermore, the lock 42 is configured to move the tumbler 40 between the locked and unlocked positions.
In this example, the tumbler 40 is made from metal, hard plastic, composite or any other durable material. As shown in
Specifically, as discussed in more detail below, the tumbler 40 is slidable between a surface 72 of the hinge portion 44 that faces the track portion 68 and a stopping surface 74 formed at the opposite end of the track portion 68. A compression spring 76 is received over a projection 78 that extends longitudinally in the direction of the track portion 68. One end of the compression spring 76 contacts the surface of an abutment 80 in the track portion 68 from which the projection 78 extends. The other end of the compression spring 76 contacts an inner surface (not shown) of the tumbler 40. Accordingly, the compression spring 76 biases the tumbler 40 toward the stopping surface 74 or, in other words, towards the unlocked position. Although a compression spring 76 is shown in this example, any other suitable spring or biasing component can be used.
The tumbler 40 further includes an engagement surface 82 that is configured to contact and thus engage with a rotation edge 84 of the handle 38 when the tumbler 40 is in the locked position as discussed in more detail below. An interlock groove 86 is formed in the inner surface 70 of the leg 62 of the tumbler 40 to receive an interlock projection 88 (
As further shown in
The lock 42 further includes a locking projection 96 that extends into a locking recess 98 in the tumbler 40 (
An example of the operation of the securement apparatus 18 will now be discussed.
While the tumbler 40 is in the unlocked position, a space 102 is present between a side surface 104 of the tumbler 40 and the surface 72 of the hinge portion 44. This space 102 is sufficient to receive the rotation edge 84 of the handle 38 when the handle 38 is rotated about axis A to disengage the latch 30 from the catch 28 and thus open the closure panel 16. That is, the handle 38 includes a gripping portion which, as a appreciated from
When a user desires to lock closure panel 16, the user closes the closure panel 16 so that the latch 30 engages the catch 28. As with conventional latches, the slanted surface 106 of the latch 30 contacts the slanted surface 108 of the catch 28, and the downward force applied to the closure panel 16 is sufficient to cause the latch 30 to rotate about axis A so that the latch 30 can engage the catch. The user can then place a key (not shown) in the key slot 94, and turn the key in a direction C that in this example is clockwise when viewed in the direction toward the key slot 94. As shown in
During rotation, the locking projection 96 applies a force in a direction D against the wall 100 of the tumbler 40. This force opposes the force that the compression spring 76 applies against the tumbler 40. Accordingly, the force applied by the locking projection 96 moves the tumbler 40 in the direction D. In other words, the tumbler 40 moves parallel or substantially parallel to a rotation axis A of the handle 38.
As the tumbler 40 moves, a portion of the tumbler 40 that includes the engagement surface 82 enters the space 102 that was between the side surface 104 of the tumbler 40 and the surface 72 of the hinge portion 44. In this position, the engagement surface 82 aligns with the rotation edge 84 of the handle 38. Furthermore, the interlock projection 88 is received into the interlock groove 86 of the tumbler 40 (
This interlock feature including the interlock projection 88 formed on an outer surface of the base portion 36 and the interlock groove 86 formed on the inner surface 70 of the leg 62 of the tumbler 40 increases the structural rigidity of the tumbler 40, and further ensures that the tumbler 40 does not rotate about the base portion 36 when the user attempts to open the handle 38 while in a locked state. A lower portion of the leg 62 of the tumbler 40 also engages channel 69 in the base portion 36 to prevent the tumbler 40 and base portion 36 from separating when the latch 30 is engaged with the catch 28 and the handle 38 is in the locked state.
That is, when a user attempts to rotate the handle 38 about axis A to disengage the latch 30 from the catch 28 and thus open the closure panel 16, the engagement surface 82 contacts the rotation edge 84 of the handle 38. In other words, the tumbler 40 restricts movement of the handle 38 by blocking a travel path of the rotation edge 84 while the tumbler 40 is in the locked position. Therefore, the engagement surface 82 substantially prevents the handle 38 from rotating about axis A. However, as illustrated in
When the user desires to open the closure panel 16, the user turns the key (not shown) in a direction opposite to direction C (i.e., counterclockwise). The turning of the key rotates the key cylinder 90 in the direction opposite to direction C, and thus rotates the locking projection 96 that extends into a locking recess 98 in the tumbler 40 in the direction opposite to direction C. The locking projection 96 thus enables the force applied by projection spring 78 against the tumbler 40 to move the tumbler in a direction opposite to direction D, and thus toward the stopping surface 74. The locking projection 96 can also apply a force against surface 110 of the tumbler 40 (
Once the tumbler 40 is moved to the unlocked position, the engagement surface 82 no longer prevents the rotation edge 84 of the handle 38 from being received into the space 102. Therefore, the handle 38 can be rotated in direction B about axis A to disengage the latch 30 from catch 28 to enable the closure panel 16 to be opened as discussed above. For example, as illustrated in
In understanding the scope of the present invention, the term “comprising” and its derivatives, as used herein, are intended to be open ended terms that specify the presence of the stated features, elements, components, groups, integers, and/or steps, but do not exclude the presence of other unstated features, elements, components, groups, integers and/or steps. The foregoing also applies to words having similar meanings such as the terms, “including”, “having” and their derivatives. Also, the terms “part,” “section,” “portion,” “member” or “element” when used in the singular can have the dual meaning of a single part or a plurality of parts. The terms of degree such as “substantially”, “about” and “approximately” as used herein mean a reasonable amount of deviation of the modified term such that the end result is not significantly changed.
While only selected embodiments have been chosen to illustrate the present invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that various changes and modifications can be made herein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. For example, the size, shape, location or orientation of the various components can be changed as needed and/or desired. Components that are shown directly connected or contacting each other can have intermediate structures disposed between them. The functions of one element can be performed by two, and vice versa. The structures and functions of one embodiment can be adopted in another embodiment. It is not necessary for all advantages to be present in a particular embodiment at the same time. Every feature which is unique from the prior art, alone or in combination with other features, also should be considered a separate description of further inventions by the applicant, including the structural and/or functional concepts embodied by such features. Thus, the foregoing descriptions of the embodiments according to the present invention are provided for illustration only, and not for the purpose of limiting the invention as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.
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