Tray latching device

A tray latching device includes a latch including a hook panel to catch an end of a clasp panel that protrudes from a side of an automobile tray, a heart cam to release the clasp panel of the tray from the hook panel when a predetermined stroke is applied thereto by the clasp panel of the tray, and a plurality of supporting indentations each formed with a plurality of stepped supporting portions. The tray further includes a housing and a plurality of inertial sensors each including a supporting portion to be coupled to the housing via a shaft, and an extension that protrudes from the supporting portion to support an innermost supporting portion of one of the indentations of the latch.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a tray latching device, and, more particularly, to a tray latching device for preventing an automobile tray, which is designed to be unlatched and opened when a predetermined stroke is applied thereto, from being unintentionally opened by an automobile collision, wherein a latch, which is formed with a plurality of supporting indentations having stepped supporting portions, is arranged at a side of the tray and a plurality of inertial sensors, which are adapted to rotate by collision inertia to suppress the stroke of the tray, is arranged at a side of the latch opposite to the tray, whereby, even in the case of rapid speed variation due to an automobile collision, unintentional opening of the tray can be prevented in accordance with operation of the inertial sensors.

2. Description of the Related Art

In general, an instrument panel of an automobile is provided with a dashboard in front of a driver's seat and a glove compartment in front of a passenger's seat. Between the driver's seat and the passenger's seat is provided a center-facia. The center-facia includes a switch to operate an audio system or air-conditioner.

The center-facia also includes a tray for holding cigarette ashes and butts or for receiving small-size articles, such as coins or credit cards. Admittedly, the tray may be mounted in other locations except for the center-facia.

In the case of the tray used to receive articles, it is important that the tray not be opened by a shock caused in an automobile collision since articles ejected from the opened tray may injure a driver or passenger. Thus, the tray must have a latch structure capable of preventing the tray from being unintentionally opened, for example, during a collision test or shock test. When a collision test is carried out, an automobile will suddenly experience a force approximately equal to thirty times of gravitational acceleration. Thus, the tray must be designed to endure such a rapid speed variation, to prevent unintentional opening thereof.

However, conventional trays tend to be easily opened even by a small automobile collision, and have the risk of injury to a driver or passenger due to articles ejected from the tray. In particular, a recent tendency to increase the size of the automobile tray causes the tray to be opened more easily since the tray is more affected by collision inertia. This has the problem of not only damage or loss of articles received in the tray, but also injury to a driver or passenger when articles ejected from the tray strike the driver or passenger.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a tray latching device, which can prevent unintentional opening of an automobile tray that is used to hold cigarette ashes and butts or to receive small articles, even when a sudden shock is applied to the tray due to collision inertia in the event of an automobile collision, thereby preventing ejection of articles received in the tray and injury to a driver or passenger due to the articles ejected from the tray.

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, the above and other objects can be accomplished by the provision of a tray latching device comprising: a latch including a hook panel to catch an end of a clasp panel that protrudes from a side of an automobile tray, a heart cam to release the clasp panel of the tray from the hook panel when a predetermined stroke is applied thereto by the clasp panel, and a plurality of supporting indentations each formed with a plurality of stepped supporting portions; a housing including a passage to allow the latch to move there through so that the hook panel of the latch catches the clasp panel of the tray, a fixture lever to move in one direction along the heart cam in accordance with the movement of the latch to be fixed in a restrictive dent of the heart cam and to be separated from the restrictive dent if a predetermined stroke is applied thereto, and a spring to be pressed by the latch; and a plurality of inertial sensors each including a supporting portion to be coupled to the housing via a shaft, and an extension that protrudes from the supporting portion to support an innermost portion of one of the indentations of the latch, the extension being adapted to rotate by collision inertia to suppress a stroke that causes unintentional separation of the fixture lever from the heart cam and adapted to be elastically returned simultaneously with the removal of the collision inertia.

The latch is formed with the plurality of indentations having the stepped supporting portions, which are vertically or horizontally arranged, and the plurality of inertial sensors are arranged at a side of the latch to face the indentations in a one to one ratio. This arrangement allows the tray to be supported by the plurality of inertial sensors over a wide area. Also, even when being rotated by collision inertia, the inertial sensors can support an outermost one of the stepped supporting portions of the indentations formed in the latch, respectively, without a risk of unintentional separation from the indentations.

In a latched state of the tray, collision inertia applied to the tray in the event of an automobile collision is supported by the extensions of the inertial sensors. In this case, since the rotational axis of each inertial sensor is eccentric relative to the extension thereof, the extensions of the inertial sensors are rotated to a front side of the latch opposite to the tray by rapid collision inertia. As a result, the inertial sensors are adapted to support an outermost stepped supporting portion of the respective indentations formed in the latch.

If a predetermined stroke is applied to the latch, the fixture lever is moved in a counterclockwise direction from the restrictive dent of the heart cam provided in the latch so that the latch is released from the tray. Thereby, The tray can be opened to an automobile passenger compartment.

Thus, even if the latch is pushed in an opposite direction of the tray by the collision inertia, the movement of the latch is interrupted by the extensions by virtue of rotation of the inertial sensors. This consequently restricts a stroke of the latch, and prevents the latch from being moved backward in the housing. Preventing backward movement of the latch has the effect of preventing the hook panel from being loosened, and thus, preventing the clasp panel of the tray from being released from the hook panel. Thus, there is no risk of unintentional opening of the tray due to a sudden automobile collision.

In the event of an automobile collision, the extension of a respective one of the inertial sensors is rotated by collision inertia about the shaft coupled to the housing. In this case, the supporting portion of the inertial sensor acts as a moment arm. In accordance with such a rotation of the extension, the supporting portion of the inertia sensor presses a spring, and an end of the extension supports the outermost stepped supporting portion of one of the indentations that are vertically arranged in the latch, thereby restricting a stroke of the latch.

Simultaneously with the removal of the collision inertia applied to the inertial sensor, the extension is pressed by the spring to be returned to its original position, thereby supporting the innermost of the stepped supporting portions of one of the indentations. In this way, restriction to the stroke of the latch by the inertial sensors is released. Thereby, the latch is able to attain a stroke to release the fixture lever from the restrictive dent of the heart cam if the tray is pressed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Now, a preferred embodiment of a tray latching device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The following embodiment is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention, rather, it is given for exemplary purposes, and various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible via a technical idea of the present invention.

As shown inFIGS. 1 to 3, the tray latching device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a latch120provided with a hook panel132. The hook panel132catches the end of a clasp panel112that protrudes from a side of an automobile tray100. The latch120is also provided therein with a heart cam140. The heart cam140serves to release the clasp panel112of the tray100from the hook panel132when a predetermined stroke is applied to the clasp panel112via a pressure operation. Also, the latch120has a plurality of supporting indentations152each formed with a plurality of stepped supporting portions150aand150b.

The tray latching device further includes a housing160for the insertion of the latch120. The housing160internally defines a passage162to allow the latch120to move therethrough, so that the clasp panel112of the tray100is caught by the hook panel132. The housing160is provided with a fixture lever163. The fixture lever163is operated in such a fashion that it moves in one direction along the heart cam40in accordance with the movement of the latch120to be fixed in a restrictive dent148of the heart cam140, and is then separated from the restrictive dent148if a predetermined stroke is applied thereto. The housing160is also provided with a spring165that supports the latch120to be pressed by the latch120.

The heart cam140is formed along the periphery thereof with a heart-shaped groove142. As the latch120is moved forward through the passage162of the housing160in an opposite direction of the tray100, an end of the fixture lever163is adapted to move in a counterclockwise direction along the heart-shaped groove142while coming into contact at a lower surface thereof with the bottom of the heart-shaped groove142. Here, forward movement means that the latch120is moved in a leftward direction ofFIG. 1. The groove142of the heart cam140is provided with a first raised portion143near the apex147to allow the end of the fixture lever163to move in the counterclockwise direction from a pointed apex147of the heart cam140. Also, the groove142is provided with a second raised portion144near the restrictive dent148of the heart cam140to allow the end of the fixture lever163to be seated in the restrictive dent148when a maximum stroke is applied to the latch120.

When the end of the fixture lever163is seated in the restrictive dent148of the heart cam140, the latch120is moved forward into the housing160opposite to the tray100while pressing the spring165that supports the latch120. In this case, the clasp panel112of the tray100is caught by the hook panel132of the latch120, and the tray100is retracted into an instrument panel to be received therein.

Then, if a predetermined stroke is applied to the tray100, the clasp panel112of the tray110presses the latch120to move the latch120forward, and the fixture lever163is separated from the restrictive dent148of the heart cam140to be moved in the counterclockwise direction along the heart cam140.

In this case, to prevent the fixture lever163from moving in a clockwise direction from the restrictive dent148, the groove142of the heart cam140is provided with a third raised portion145at a clockwise side of the restrictive dent148. In addition, the groove142is provided with a fourth raised portion146near the restrictive dent148, to prevent the fixture lever163from moving toward the third raised portion145in a clockwise direction beyond a maximum stroke point of the latch120.

As the fixture lever163moves in the counterclockwise direction from the restrictive dent148to the apex147of the heart cam140, the latch120is moved backward in the housing160, and the clasp panel112of the tray100is released from the hook panel132of the latch120. As a result the tray100protrudes outward from the instrument panel to be opened. Here, the backward movement of the latch120means that the latch120is moved in a rightward direction ofFIG. 1

As shown inFIGS. 4 and 5, the tray latching device further includes a plurality of inertial sensors170. The plurality of inertial sensors170are identical, and thus, the following description will be given in conjunction with only one inertial sensor. The inertial sensor170includes: a supporting portion172to be coupled to the housing160via a shaft; and an extension175that protrudes from the supporting portion172and is adapted to support the innermost portion of one of the indentations152of the latch120. When the extension175is rotated by collision inertia in the event of an automobile collision, the extension175supports the outermost portion of the indentation152. Simultaneously with the removal of the collision inertia, the inertial sensor170is elastically returned to the original position thereof, so that the extension175again supports the innermost portion of the indentation152.

When the extension175of the inertial sensor170supports an outermost one of the stepped supporting portions, i.e. outermost stepped supporting portion150bof the indentation152, the extension175suppresses a forward movement stroke of the latch120, preventing the fixture lever163from being separated from the restrictive dent148of the heart cam140. That is, the inertial sensor170suppresses a stroke of the latch120, thereby preventing the fixture lever163from being separated from the restrictive dent148of the heart cam140, and consequently, preventing the clasp panel112of the tray100from being unintentionally released from the hook panel132. In this way, the tray100can be stably maintained in a closed state.

In the present invention, the latch120is formed with the plurality of indentations152having the stepped supporting portions150aand150bthat are arranged vertically, and the plurality of inertial sensors170are arranged at a side of the latch120to face the indentations152in a one to one ratio. This arrangement allows the tray100to be supported by the plurality of inertial sensors170over a wide area. Also, even when being rotated by collision inertia, the inertial sensor170can support the outermost stepped supporting portion150bof the indentation152formed in the latch120without a risk of unintentional separation from the indentation152.

Specifically, the latch120includes: a latching block125having a passage for the movement of the clasp panel112of the tray100; and a pressure block130coupled to the latching block125in which a pair of the supporting indentations152is vertically arranged so that the stepped supporting portions150aand150bof both the supporting indentations152are symmetrical to each other. The extensions175of the inertial sensors170are positioned to face the supporting indentations152defined in the pressure block130, respectively, so that they support the outermost stepped supporting portions150bof the respective supporting indentations152when being rotated along the stepped supporting portions150aand150bby collision inertia in the event of an automobile collision.

With this configuration, collision inertia applied to the tray100in the event of an automobile collision is supported by the extensions175of the inertial sensors170. In this case, since a rotational axis of the inertial sensor170is eccentric relative to the extension175, the extension175of the inertial sensor170is rotated to a front side of the latch120opposite to the tray100by rapid collision inertia. As a result, the extension175of the inertial sensor170is adapted to support the outermost stepped supporting portion150bof the indentation152.

In the case of an automobile collision, the extension175is rotated by collision inertia about the shaft coupled to the housing160. In this case, the supporting portion172acts as a moment arm. In accordance with such a rotation of the extension175, the supporting portion172presses a spring177, and an end of the extension175supports the outermost stepped supporting portion150bof the indentation152, thereby restricting a stroke of the latch120.

Simultaneously with the removal of collision inertia applied to the inertial sensor170, the extension175is pressed by the spring177to be returned to its original position, thereby supporting the innermost stepped supporting portion150aof the indentation152. That is, restriction to the stroke of the latch120by the inertial sensor170is released. Thereby, the latch120can attain a stroke to release the fixture lever163from the restrictive dent148of the heart cam140if the tray100is pressed.

As is apparent from the above description, the tray latching device of the present invention has the effect of preventing a tray from being unintentionally opened even if the shock of an automobile collision is applied thereto. Thereby, there is no risk of ejection of articles received in the tray due to a sudden opening of the tray. In particular, when the tray is used to hold cigarette ashes and butts or to receive small articles, since the tray latching device of the present invention can prevent the tray from being unintentionally opened by collision inertia, it is possible to eliminate the risk of injury to a driver or passenger due to the articles ejected from the tray.