Locking apparatus and storage apparatus for vehicle

• US 6,808,214 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2002
• Issued: 10/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nifco Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Nifico Incorporated
• Inventors: Sato, Tomoaki, Yamamoto, Yasuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Walsh, John B.
• Application Number:
  US10/050,874
• Publication Number:
  US 20020096892A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,012 Days
• Field of Search: 292/341.15, 292/DIG.22, 292/341.17, 292/DIG.4, 296/37.12, 296/37.8
• US Class Current: 292/341.15
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/06 by means of inertial forces
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 19/022 Released by pushing in the closing direction
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/22 Inertia operated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/696 With movable dog, catch or striker
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/702 Pivoted or swinging

Abstract

A locking apparatus locks a moving body to a housing against an urging force applied to the moving body. The locking apparatus includes a cam provided on one of the moving body and the housing, and having an engagement groove and a releasing groove, and a swivel body provided on the other of the moving body and the housing. The swivel body has a trace pin moving along the grooves and a balancer for balancing the trace pin. Thus, upon receiving a sudden load when the trace pin is in an engaging condition with the engagement groove, the trace pin is prevented from moving from the engagement groove to the releasing groove to thereby lock the moving body.

Claims

1. A locking apparatus for locking a moving body to a housing against an urging force applied to the moving body, comprising:

a cam provided on one of the moving body and the housing, and having an engagement groove and a releasing groove, and

a swivel body including a rotatable attachment part rotatably attached to the other of the moving body and the housing, a first arm connected to the attachment part and having a trace pin projecting outwardly therefrom and moving along the grooves, and a second arm connected to the attachment part at an angle of at least 90 degrees relative to the first arm to form a balancer for balancing the trace pin so that upon receiving a sudden load when the trace pin is in an engaging condition with the engagement groove, the trace pin is prevented from moving from the engagement groove to the releasing groove to thereby lock the moving body.

2. A locking apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said cam includes a heart-shaped cam groove having the engagement groove, and an engaging stopper cam surface adjacent the releasing groove at a side opposite to the engagement groove, said trace pin moving form the engagement groove to the releasing groove by a push—

push movement therebetween.

3. A locking apparatus for locking a moving body to a housing against an urging force applied to the moving body, comprising:

a cam provided on one of the moving body and the housing, and having an engagement groove and a releasing groove, and

a swivel body provided on the other of the moving body and the housing and being made of a molded resin product, said swivel body having an arm, a trace pin attached to one side of the arm and moving along the grooves, and a balancer fixed to the other side of the arm for balancing the trace pin, said balancer having a weight for returning the trace pin to the engagement groove in association with the urging force after receiving a sudden load when the trace pin is in an engaging condition with the engagement groove so that upon receiving the sudden load when the trace pin is in the engaging condition with the engagement groove, the trace pin is prevented from moving from the engagement groove to the releasing groove to thereby lock the moving body.

4. A locking apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said swivel body includes a first arm to which the trace pin is fixed, and a second arm attached to the first arm to incline thereto, said second arm forming the balancer.

5. A storage apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

a housing attached inside the vehicle and having an opening,

a lid attached to the housing for covering the opening of the housing,

a moving body having one end connected to the lid to move along a side of the housing,

urging means attached to the moving body for urging the moving body toward a lid open direction, and

a locking apparatus including a cam provided on one of the moving body and the housing and having an engagement groove and a releasing groove, and a swivel body having a rotatable attachment part rotatably attached to the other of the moving body and the housing, a first arm connected to the attachment part and having a trace pin projecting outwardly therefrom and moving along the grooves, and a second arm connected to the attachment part at an angle of at least 90 degrees relative to the first arm to form a balancer for balancing the trace pin so that upon receiving a sudden load when the trace pin is in an engaging condition with the engagement groove, the trace pin is prevented from moving from the engagement groove to the releasing groove to thereby lock the moving body.

6. A storage apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said balancer comprises a weight for returning the trace pin to the engagement groove in association with the urging force after receiving the sudden load when the trace pin is in the engaging condition.