Abstract:
A lock for releasably locking a movable hatch to a counterpart is equipped with a fitting ( 1 ) having a locking assembly ( 21 ) and an additional fitting ( 2 ) having an additional locking assembly ( 28 ) that can be brought into engagement with the locking assembly ( 21 ) of the other fitting ( 1 ). The fittings ( 1, 2 ) are made of plastic and an elastically deformable compensating cushion ( 7 ) is present, which is fastened to one fitting ( 1, 2 ) and which when the fittings ( 1, 2 ) are in the locked position is disposed deformed between the fittings ( 1, 2 ) such that it exerts a bias on them ( 1, 2 ). The inventive lock is therefore light but strong and compensates tolerances.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application is a U.S. National Phase Patent Application based on International Application Serial No. PCT/US2006/008937 filed Sep. 14, 2006, the disclosure of which is hereby explicitly incorporated by reference herein. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention provides a lock for releasably locking a movable hatch to a counterpart. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Such locks, which are typically used in automotive construction, are conventionally made of metal. A fitting of the lock can be connected to the movable hatch and comprises a locking assembly with a pin that can be releasably locked to a locking assembly of an additional fitting of the lock that is connected to a counterpart. The pin in this case is configured as relatively sturdy, since it has to be able to withstand both tensile and compressive stresses. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The present invention provides a lock that is light but strong and that compensates tolerances. 
         [0007]    By virtue of the fact that in the lock according to the invention, the fittings are made of plastic and an elastic compensating cushion is present which in the locked position of the fittings generates a bias that acts on the fittings, the only stress exerted between the fittings is a tensile stress, and this can be absorbed unproblematically in the case of plastic fittings without having to make the locking assemblies of the fittings excessively sturdy. As a result, for one thing, the lock according to the invention is comparatively light while still being sufficiently strong, and for another, tolerance compensation between the fittings is achieved by means of the deformable compensating cushion and the various adjustable spacing increments in the direction of relative movement of the fittings. 
         [0008]    In one form thereof, the present invention provides a lock for releasably locking a movable hatch to a counterpart, the lock including a fitting having a locking assembly and an additional fitting having an additional locking assembly that can be brought into engagement with the locking assembly of the other fitting, characterized in that the fittings are made of plastic and in that an elastically deformable compensating cushion is present, which is fastened to one fitting and when the fittings are in the locked position is disposed deformed between the fittings such that it exerts a bias on the fittings, and in that one locking assembly has an elongate locking element that can be adjusted in a number of spacing increments in the longitudinal direction. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    The above mentioned and other features and objects of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention itself will be better understood by reference to the following description of embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a lock according to the invention comprising, as fittings, a hatch fitting and an autobody fitting, in an unlocked position; and 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  shows the exemplary embodiment according to  FIG. 1  in section, with the fittings in a locked position. 
       
    
    
       [0012]    Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. Although the exemplifications set out herein illustrate an embodiment of the invention, the embodiment disclosed below is not intended to be exhaustive or to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention to the precise forms disclosed. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0013]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a lock according to the invention, comprising as fittings a hatch fitting  1  and an autobody fitting  2 . In this exemplary embodiment, the autobody fitting  2  can be fastened to the autobody, serving as counterpart, of a motor vehicle not illustrated in  FIG. 1 , whereas the hatch fitting  1  can be mounted on the hood of the vehicle, functioning as the hatch. Both fittings  1 ,  2  are made of a hard plastic material. 
         [0014]    The hatch fitting  1  comprises a base plate  3 , on which is formed in an end region, to effect connection to the hood, a fastening hook  4  that serves to connect the hatch fitting  1  to the hatch in this end region. In addition, attached to the base plate  3  is a substantially cuboid hook receiving housing  5 , which for stiffening purposes is braced edgewise by webs, and which on its side facing away from the base plate  3  is configured as open and with an edge that widens slightly. 
         [0015]    Adjacent the receiving housing  5  is a cushion base  6 , which is connected to the base plate  3  and rises above it, and into which, as a separate part of the inventive lock, a deformable, one-piece compensating cushion  7  made of a resilient elastic material can be inserted by being pushed in from one side. 
         [0016]    The compensating cushion  7  comprises a base web  8  that is connected to the cushion base  6 , an intermediate web  9  that is oriented substantially parallel to the base web  8 , and a front web  10  that is shorter than intermediate web  9  and is disposed on the opposite side of it from base web  8 , which are connected to one another via edge webs  11 ,  12  joined to their edge sides. A cavity  13  thus is formed between base web  8  and intermediate web  9 , and a cushioning space  14  between intermediate web  9  and front web  10 . 
         [0017]    Furthermore, hatch fitting  1  is equipped with an unlocking lever  15  that is part of a locking assembly and can be moved between a locking position and a releasing position, and that comprises a marginally disposed operating tongue  16 . Operating tongue  16  is disposed roughly in the plane of base plate  3  and is connected to a tongue leaf  19  via two marginally disposed connecting webs  17 ,  18  extending away from base plate  3 . Disposed between the connecting webs  17 ,  18  is a lever spring tongue  20 , which is attached by one end to operating tongue  16  and whose free end is bent away from connecting webs  17 ,  18  in the direction of the base plate  3 . Formed on the side of tongue leaf  19  facing away from connecting webs  17 ,  18  is a locking tongue  21 , which is part of the locking assembly of hatch fitting  1  and which extends through a clearance in hook receiving housing  5  into a housing well  22  that is surrounded by hook receiving housing  5 . 
         [0018]    To prevent paintwork damage due to the compensating cushion  7 , the autobody fitting  2  is configured with a roughly semicircular pressure guard plate  23  having a roughly rectangular recess that is open at the edges. Attached to a flat side of pressure guard plate  23 , at the edge of the recess, is a hook fixing housing  24 . Formed at the edge of the recess on the opposite side of pressure guard plate  23  from hook fixing housing  24  are two mutually opposite tooth prolongations  25 , which extend away from pressure guard plate  23  and toward each other and comprise fixing lips  26 . On the side facing away from pressure guard plate  23 , a latching tongue  27  to effect connection to the autobody is formed as a counterpart on hook fixing housing  24 . Hook fixing housing  24  can be removed from the autobody by lifting latching tongue  27 . 
         [0019]    In the exemplary embodiment shown, a locking assembly of autobody fitting  2  comprises, as an elongate locking element, an elongate locking hook  28  configured with projections that jut out on both sides, for left/right installation. The locking hook  28  is attached at one end to a shaft  29  having a substantially rectangular cross section, which in the arrangement according to  FIG. 1  extends through the recess in pressure guard plate  23  and into hook fixing housing  24 . Shaft  29  is configured with a number of fixing ribs  30 , which extend parallel to one another along the flat sides of the shaft  29  and which, on the insertion of shaft  29  into the recess in pressure guard plate  23 , come into engagement with fixing lips  26  configured in hook fixing housing  24 , such that the spacing between locking hook  28  and pressure guard plate  23  can be adjusted in spacing increments and the shaft  29  is secured against movement in the longitudinal direction. 
         [0020]    A positioning tolerance in the other two directions is also conferred by the sufficiently largely dimensioned space in housing well  22 . 
         [0021]    It can further be appreciated from  FIG. 1  that when the shaft  29  is properly inserted into the recess in pressure guard plate  23 , locking tongues  31  configured with gripping ends engage behind the hook fixing housing  24 , thereby further securing shaft  29  against movement opposite to the insertion direction. To remove the shaft  29  from this engagement, the locking tongues  31  must be pressed together until the shaft  29  is released, so that the shaft  29  can be withdrawn from hook fixing housing  24  against the direction of insertion. 
         [0022]      FIG. 2  is a section of the hatch fitting  1  and the autobody fitting  2  according to  FIG. 1  in a locked arrangement, in which locking tongue  21  is engaged behind locking hook  28 . It can be appreciated from  FIG. 2  that in this arrangement, compensating cushion  7  is relatively greatly deformed in the vicinity of its free end, such that due to the restoring force exerted on pressure guard plate  23  against the direction of insertion of shaft  29  into housing well  22 , the shaft  29  is stressed only in tension. 
         [0023]    It can further be seen from  FIG. 2  that compensating cushion  7 , by virtue of its elastic deformability in the longitudinal direction of shaft  29 , creates a certain tolerance compensation for the positioning of the latter. In addition, the restoring force exerted by compensating cushion  7 , and thus the strength of the engagement between locking tongue  21  and locking hook  28 , can be adjusted relatively precisely by the positioning of shaft  29  in the longitudinal direction. A cam projection  32  attached to intermediate web  9  and extending in the direction of the front web serves a rear stop for front web  10 . 
         [0024]    It can further be understood from  FIG. 2  that the unlocking lever  15  is provided with an articulation web  33 , which extends from a reinforcing plate  34 , which is disposed opposite tongue leaf  19 , in the direction of base plate  3 . Reinforcing plate  34  is connected via spacing webs  35  to tongue leaf  19 . Configured at the end of articulation web  33  pointing away from reinforcing plate  34  is an articulation seat  36 , which is in engagement with an abutment  37  formed on base plate  3 . A stop lug  38  configured on tongue leaf  19  strikes the inner face of the autobody in the locked position. Anchoring feet  39  serve to fasten the hatch fitting  1  in at least one region opposite from fastening hook  4 . 
         [0025]    To release the locking hook  28 , a pressure force is exerted on operating tongue  16  in the direction of base plate  3  against the spring force of lever spring tongue  20  until the engagement of locking tongue  21  with locking hook  28  is released. Immediately after the release of this engagement, compensating cushion  7  relaxes and moves hatch fitting  1  and autobody fitting  2  away from each other, such that in the exemplary embodiment described, the hood is a certain distance from the autobody and can be opened by hand. 
         [0026]    Finally, also clearly evident in  FIG. 2  are the fixing lips  26  mentioned in the explanation of  FIG. 1 , by means of which the shaft  29  of locking hook  28  can be positioned in the spacing increments—which are discrete in the exemplary embodiment—by engagement with the fixing ribs  30 . 
         [0027]    While this invention has been described as having a preferred design, the present invention can be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains and which fall within the limits of the appended claims.