Abstract:
A hook element for detachably connecting two objects with one another has a first hook shank, a second hook shank, and a hook bow connecting the first and second hook shanks with one another. The hook bow has a lateral cutout. At least one of the first and second hook shanks has a slanted contact surface. The slanted contact surface extends on the front side of the hook shank from the outer side to the inner side and extends along the forward edge of the hook shank over the entire length of the hook shank. The hook elements can be easily connected to one another even when not aligned but rotated relative to one another.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a hook element for detachably connecting two objects with one another, comprising a first hook shank and a second hook shank connected by means of a hook bow, wherein a lateral cutout is provided in the area of the hook bow. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Such a hook element is known from PCT/EP97/05363 and is used for suspending bicycle bags from a bicycle baggage rack. By means of the lateral cutout, material is removed from the hook element in the area of the hook bow so that two identical hook elements, which are fastened on two oppositely positioned objects, for example, on the aforementioned bicycle bags, can be pushed into one another. When lifting the bicycle bags the load is then uniformly distributed onto both hook elements. 
     When connecting two objects with the known hook elements, it is however disadvantageously required that the hook elements are substantially inserted horizontally and with great care. Otherwise, a mutual blocking of the hook elements can result. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The object of the invention thus resides in that the known hook element is to be developed further such that a connection of two objects by means of two or more hook elements is possible in a simple way. 
     The object is solved according to the invention with a hook element of the aforementioned kind in that at least one hook shank has a slanted contact surface. 
     As a result of the slanted contact surface it is no longer required that the hook elements, when connecting two objects, are to be carefully introduced into one another. Instead, the slanted contact surface makes it possible that the hook elements can be inserted into one another in a horizontal direction as well as in a vertical direction at an angle to one another. It is even possible to join two hook elements which are turned relative to one another by 90° and to then connect the two hook elements by a circular pivot movement about 90°. This has in particular the advantage that the hook elements must no longer be connected on the objects always on the same locations with the previously required minimal tolerances. This facilitates the manufacture of the objects provided with the hook elements such as, for example, bicycle bags, because now the introduction of the hook elements into one another is facilitated significantly by the slanted contact surfaces. 
     It is conceivable that only a part of a forward edge of the hook shank is provided with the slanted contact surface. The greater the surface area of the slanted contact surface, the simpler the joining of the two hook elements. One embodiment of the invention therefore provides that the slanted contact surface extends from the outer side to the inner side of the at least one hook shank. Expediently, the slanted contact surface extends along the forward edge about the entire length of the at least one hook shank. 
     Joining of two hook elements is furthermore facilitated when also the other hook shank has a slanted contact surface. A further embodiment of the invention therefore suggests that the first hook shank and the second hook shank each have a slanted contact surface. 
     When joining two hook elements which are rotated relative to one another by 90°, the subsequent pivot movement results in frictional wear on the edges or surfaces contacting one another. A further embodiment of the invention therefore suggests that on a lower edge of the hook bow a rounded portion is provided. With this rounded portion, the circular movement or the pivot movement is additionally made easier. In the case of two joined hook elements, one hook element is thus protected against frictional wear. In order to facilitate the pivot movement also for the second hook element, so that no frictional wear occurs, a further embodiment of the invention suggests that an upper edge of one hook shank has a rounded portion in the area of the hook bow. 
     When two hook elements are joined, they should have as little lateral play as possible. A further embodiment of the invention therefore suggests that the hook bow has a contact edge which extends from the exterior to the center of the hook bow. When joining the two hook elements, they glide, in particular, upon pivot movement, mutually on the contact edges until, after joining, they rest against one another substantially flush in the area of the hook bows in an end position. 
     The hook element can be fastened by means of rivets or screws on a container such as, for example, a bicycle bag. However, this fixes the position of the hook element. In order to achieve an adjustability of the position of the hook element, a further embodiment of the invention provides that on one hook shank, in particular, in the area of its outer side, two oppositely positioned grooves for attachment of the hook element on a container are provided. When fastening the hook element, the hook element is slipped with the grooves onto a guide rail which is attached to the container and can then be locked by means of an additional locking bolt which is, for example, arranged on the guide rail. This ensures an adjustability of the position of the hook element depending on the arrangement of the guide rail, for example, in the horizontal direction or vertical direction on the container. 
     When joining two hook elements, the two hook elements should rest flush against one another and should thus require as little space as possible. In this connection, it is advantageous to provide on a first hook shank a receiving opening for receiving a hook shank of the second hook element. In order to ensure a problem-free joining of two hook elements also in the context of a pivot movement, wherein the hook elements are joined while positioned at an angle of up to 90°, a further embodiment of the invention suggests that the upper side and the underside of the receiving opening in the insertion direction of the hook shank of the second hook element is slanted such that in the insertion direction they converge approximately conically. 
     The slanted contact surfaces on the two hook shanks are realized such that the slanted contact surface on the first hook shank, on which also the fastening elements for fastening the hook element on the container are attached, extends from the outer side up to the inner side of the first hook shank. In the second hook shank, the slanted contact surface extends from the inner side to the outer side of the second hook shank. However, it is also conceivable that the slanted contact surface on the first hook shank extends from its inner side to its outer side and the slanted contact surface on the second hook shank accordingly extends from its outer side to its inner side. This second variant has the significant advantage relative to the first variant that upon joining of two hook elements the total width of the two joined hook elements is smaller than in the first variant. Therefore, a special embodiment of the invention suggests that on the second hook shank the slanted contact surface extends from the outer side of the hook shank to the inner side. In addition, on the first hook shank the slanted contact surface can extend to the exterior as well as the interior for a simplified joining of the two hook elements so that, according to a further embodiment of the invention, on the first hook shank the slanted contact surface extends, starting on a forward edge of the first hook shank, to the inner side and the outer side of the first hook shank. Expediently, the forward edge of the first hook shank is rounded so that upon a pivot movement an easy joining of the two hook elements is made possible. 
     The joined hook elements can be detached again by a simple movement counter to the insertion direction. In order to prevent an accidental detachment of the hook elements, it is required that at least one hook element has a locking bolt which prevents detachment. In order to ensure such a safe locking of the two hook elements, a further embodiment of the invention suggests that the first hook shank has a shank portion arranged below and laterally relative to the hook bow in which an opening for receiving a bolt head of a locking bolt is provided. In the locked state, the bolt head engages the opening and prevents thus an accident detachment which is possible only against the resistance of the locking bolt. When the two hook elements are detached, the locking bolt is moved into its release position. In order for the locking bolt to be able to carry out this movement, a further embodiment of the invention suggests that the first hook shank has a cutout for receiving the locking bolt. By the configuration of the cutout which receives most of the locking bolt in the released position, a hook element is provided which has a minimal width because without the cutout significantly more space would be required for receiving the locking bolt. 
     In order to reduce the total width of two joined hook elements further, another embodiment of the invention provides that the second hook shank on its inner side has an additional slanted portion which is arranged approximately opposite the opening of the first hook shank and extends from the lower area of the inner side to the upper side of the second hook shank. When detaching and joining two hook elements, sufficient space for the movement of the locking bolt of the first hook element into its release position, i.e. the movement in the direction of the second hook shank of the second hook element, is provided by means of this slanted portion. In order for the detachment of two joined hook elements to be possible without greater difficulties but still with a certain resistance, the bolt head of the locking bolt is advantageously slanted in a pyramid shape. 
     When the hook elements are arranged on, for example, bicycle bags, it is desirable that the connection of two bicycle bags is possible with a simple pivot movement. For this purpose, a further embodiment of the invention suggests that the hook element together with three additional hook elements are arranged on a sidewall of a container wherein two hook elements are positioned adjacent to one another in the same orientation and two hook elements are arranged oppositely to one another and rotated by 180°. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be explained in the following with the aid of the drawing. The drawing shows embodiments of the invention. It is shown in: 
     FIG. 1 a front view of a first embodiment of the hook element; 
     FIG. 2 a perspective view of the hook element according to FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 a further embodiment of the hook element in a front view; 
     FIG. 4 a plan view according to FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5 a hook element according to FIG. 3 with a guide rail; 
     FIG. 6 a schematic illustration of a container with hook elements according to the first embodiment. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The hook element according to the invention is a unitary part and has a hook bow  1 , a first hook shank  2 , and a second hook shank  3 . Overall, the hook element is U-shaped wherein the first hook shank  2  and the second hook shank  3  extend approximately parallel to one another and a slot  4  is formed between them. In the area of the hook bow  1  a lateral cutout  5  is provided. The first hook shank  2  has a slanted contact surface  6  and the second hook shank  3  also has a slanted contact surface  7 . The slanted contact surface  6  extends from the forward edge  8  of the outer side  9  of the first hook shank  2  at a slant to the interior in the direction of the slot  4  to the inner side  10  of the first hook shank  2 . Moreover, the slanted contact surface  6  extends from the underside  11  of the first hook shank  2  along the forward edge  8  to the upper side  12  of the hook bow  1 . With this slant of a uniform incline, on the upper side  12  of the hook bow  1  a contact edge  13  is formed which extends from the upper side of the forward edge  8 , beginning at the outer side  9 , toward the inner side up to approximately the center of the circular hook bow  1  which corresponds also to the center of the width of the slot  4 . The contact edge  13  and the upper part of the slanted contact surface  6  form a limitation of the cutout  5  in the direction toward the first hook shank  2 . In the direction of the hook bow  1  the cutout  5  is limited by an end face  14 . The end face  14 , which extends vertically, has a curved lower edge  15  which extends arc-shaped from the first hook shank  2  to the second hook shank  3 . The lower edge  15  is provided with a rounded portion  16 . In the area of the second hook shank  3  the cutout  5  is limited by an upper edge  17  of the second hook shank  3 . The upper edge  17  is flattened and extends at a slant forwardly and downwardly. Moreover, the upper edge  17  adjoins the end face or and wall  14  wherein the transition between the upper edge  17  and the end face  14  is rounded ( 18 ). The slanted contact surface  7  of the second hook shank  3  also begins at the end face  14 , wherein this slanted contact surface  7  extends at a slant from the outer side  19  of the second hook shank  3  upwardly to the upper edge  17 . The forwardly extending upper edge  17  has a curved transition at the front side of the second hook shank  3  into a forward edge  20  of the second hook shank  3 , wherein the curvature is approximately 90°. The front side of the second hook shank  3 , for forming the slanted contact surface  7 , can be slanted across areas of different length. In the embodiment illustrated in the drawing, the slanted contact surface  7  extends from the end face  14  to approximately the center of the forward edge  20  of the second hook shank  3 . The front edge  20  extends downwardly to the rear so that the lower end  21  of the forward edge  20  is displaced to the rear relative to the lower end  22  of the forward edge  8  of the first hook shank  2 . The backside  23  of the second hook shank  3  extends from the hook bow  1  downwardly and forwardly so that the lower end of the backside  23  is also displaced relative to the lower end of the backside of the first hook shank  2 . The lower end of the backside  23  is forwardly displaced relative to the other lower end of the backside of the first hook shank  2 . A slanted portion  24  extends across the width of the hook shank  3  in the area of the lower end  21  from the inner side  25  of the hook shank  3  to the outer side  19  of the hook shank  3 . 
     The hook element has openings and bores, which are not illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, for attachment on the bicycle bags or for attachment of other parts, such as a locking pawl. 
     In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3 in the hook bow  1  an elongate opening  26  is provided in which a locking bolt  27  is inserted. For a rotational attachment of the locking bolt  27  a horizontal bore  49  is provided in the hook bow  1  in which a pin, not illustrated in the drawing, is inserted which in the mounted state extends through a further bore  49   a  in the locking bolt  27 . The locking bolt  27  is spring-loaded and has a pyramid-shaped bolt head  28 . In the rest position or the locking position of the locking bolt  27 , the bolt head  28  is within the slot  4  wherein a tip  29  of the bolt head  28  rests against the inner side  25  of the hook shank  3 . The lateral cutout  5  in this embodiment is enlarged relative to the embodiment according to FIG. 1 such that it extends in the area of the first hook shank  2  downwardly to the level of the upper edge  17  of the second hook shank  3 . The thus configured first hook shank  2  in this way is provided with a shank portion  30  positioned below and laterally relative to the hook bow  1 . In this shank portion  30  an opening  31  is provided which, upon joining of two hook elements, receives the bolt head  28  of the second hook element. In order for the joining of two hook elements to be simplified, the slanted contact surface  7 , in contrast to the embodiment according to FIG. 1, now extends from the outer side  19  of the hook shank  3  to the inner side  25  of the hook shank  3 . The slanted surface of the slanted contact surface  7  therefore in the case of the hook element according to FIG. 3 points inwardly to the slot  4  while in the case of the hook element according to FIG. 1 it faces outwardly away from the slot  4 . In the first hook shank  2  the slanted contact surface  6  extends from the forward edge  8  of the hook shank  2  to the inner side  10  as well as to the outer side  9  of the hook shank  2  so that the surfaces of the slanted contact surface  6  points inwardly toward the slot  4  and outwardly away form the slot  4 . Moreover, the forward edge  8  of the first hook shank  2  is rounded such that in a side view it is of an approximately semi-circular shape so that the joining of two hook elements, which during joining can be positioned at an angle of up to 90° relative to one another, is facilitated. In the first hook shank  2  the elongate opening  26  for receiving the locking bolt  27  continues in the form of the cutout  32 . In this cutout  32  the locking bolt  27  is positioned when, for locking the shank portion  30 , a second hook element is inserted into the slot  4 . In order for the locking bolt  27  to be able to give way to the insertion movement of the shank portion  30 , on the second hook shank  3  at its inner side  25  an additional slanted portion  33  is provided which is positioned approximately opposite the opening  31  of the first hook shank  2 . The slanted portion  33  extends across the inner side  25 , starting at an area somewhat above the lower end  21  on the inner side, to the upper edge  17  of the second hook shank  3  in the vicinity of the outer side  19  and faces with its surface the slot  4 . Upon insertion and detachment of two hook elements, the locking bolt  27  of the one hook element is then positioned partially with its backside  34  on the slanted portion  33  of the second hook element. 
     For joining two identical hook elements in the area of the first hook element  2  a receiving opening  35  is provided into which the hook element  3  of the second hook element is inserted upon joining. The receiving opening  35  is limited in the direction toward the slot by the outer side  9 . Moreover, the receiving opening  35  has an upper side  36  and an underside  37  which are slanted such that, viewed in the insertion direction of the second hook element, they converge approximately conically. The insertion direction  50  illustrated in FIG. 4 is the insertion direction of the first hook element and thus counter to the insertion direction of the second hook element. A groove  38  adjoins laterally outwardly the upper side  36  and a further groove  39  adjoins laterally outwardly the underside  37 . The grooves  38  and  39  are provided for attachment on a container, as illustrated in FIG.  5 . For attachment, the hook element is moved by means of the grooves  38  and  39  onto a stepped rail  40 . In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5, on the hook element additionally a locking unit  41  with a locking bolt  42  is provided. The locking unit  41  has also the grooves  38  and  39 . The locking unit can be embodied as a unitary part together with the hook element. However, it can also be a separate part which is slidably arranged on the rail  40 . For locking, the rail  40  has transverse grooves  43 . On the locking bolt  42  a projection is provided, not illustrated in the drawing, which upon actuation of the locking bolt  42  engages the transverse grooves  43  for locking. By means of the provided grooves  38  and  39 , the hook element can thus the moved on the rail  40  into any desired position and secured therein by the locking unit  41 . 
     FIG. 6 show schematically the arrangement of at least four of the hook elements  44 ,  45 ,  46 ,  47  on the sidewall of a bicycle bag. All four hook elements are embodied according to the embodiment of FIG.  1 . The hook elements  44  and  45  are positioned adjacent to one another and at the same level. Below there are two further hook elements  46  and  47 . The hook element  47  is positioned horizontally opposite the hook element  46  but is rotated with regard to its orientation relative to the hook element  46  by 180° so that the lateral cutout  5  of the hook element  47  points downwardly while the cutout  5  in the hook element  46  points upwardly to the hook element  44 . In comparison to the hook element  44  the hook element  46  is rotated by 90° such that the slot  4  of the hook element  46  is open to the exterior while in the hook element  44  it is open downwardly. In addition, the hook element  46  is mirror-symmetrical relative to the hook element  44 . When a second bicycle bag has an identical arrangement of these hook elements, these two bicycle bags can be connected by a simple pivot movement by means of the hook elements. For this purpose, the hook element  47  of the second bicycle bag is placed onto the hook element  46  of the first bicycle bag at an angle of up to 90°, advantageously 45°, and subsequently the pivot movement is carried out such that, as a consequence, the hook element  47  of the first bicycle bag connects to the hook element  46  of the second bicycle bag, the hook element  45  of the first bicycle bag to the hook element  44  of the second bicycle bag, and, finally, the hook element  44  of the first bicycle bag to the hook element  45  of the second bicycle bag. Since all hook elements are without locking bolts, the two bicycle bags are additionally provided with a separate lock  48  of a conventional configuration. 
     When joining two hook elements, first one hook element is inserted with the second hook shank  3  approximately horizontally from the front to the rear into the slot  4  of the other hook element. Because of the slanted contact surfaces  7  and  6 , initially a great play results upon joining so that overall the joining action is simplified in comparison to the known hook elements, which had to be very precisely positioned relative to one another and then carefully inserted into one another so that no canting would occur. In the hook elements according to the invention such a canting during joining is prevented. Moreover, it is also possible to join the hook elements according to the invention initially at an angle of 90°. For this purpose, the hook elements are joined such that the end face  14  of a first hook element rests against the upperside  12  of the second hook element. Subsequently, the first hook element is rotated downwardly by 90° wherein this rotation is facilitated by the rounded portions  16  and  18 . After completion of the 90° rotation, the upper side  12  of one hook element rests against the slanted edge  13  of the other hook element, respectively. In this way, the two hook elements are joined flush with one another. This flush joining results also for a normal horizontal insertion of one hook element into the other hook element. 
     With the hook element according to the invention it is no longer required that for the manufacture of, for example, bicycle bags, the hook elements must be arranged always at the same location. It is possible to provide greater tolerances which allow a simpler manufacture of the bicycle bags. Overall, the joining of the hook elements and thus of the bicycle bags is significantly simplified by the invention.