TO A VEHICLE BODY

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The invention relates to a vehicle interior component comprising a support, which can be fitted to a vehicle body, and a lever, which is connected to the support such that it can pivot between a neutral position and an operating position, where the lever has a bearing end and a lever arm, which extends from the bearing end, and the support has a bearing section, which interacts with the bearing end of the lever.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Vehicle interior components of the above-mentioned kind serve, for example, to unlock a closing mechanism, in particular for opening an engine hood. In this case, the lever or an operator control element which is connected to the lever can be pivoted relative to the support by an operator and in this way mechanically unlock the closing mechanism - for example by means of a Bowden cable. In the case of known vehicle interior

components for unlocking the engine hood, the lever is connected to the support by means of a screw and possibly a washer. Once the lever is placed on a first side of the support, the screw is in this case connected to the lever, through a passage opening of the support, from a second side of the support, which second side is situated opposite the first side. In order to generate a desired resistance against operation of the lever, the screw can be

correspondingly tightened and in this way a frictional force can be established between the support and the lever. This connection between the support and the lever is difficult to establish and, in particular, also difficult to release. For example, in general, the support first has to be detached from the vehicle body again in order to release the connection.

[0003] It is also known to connect the lever to the support by means of a spring sheet. In this case, an extension which extends from the lever along the rotation axis of the lever is usually passed through a passage opening of the support from a first side of the support and fixed by means of the spring plate from a second side of the support, which second side is situated opposite the first side. The force which is to be applied in order to operate the lever is defined by means of the spring force in this case. Mounting is difficult here too. In this case, the connection between the lever and the support usually cannot be released without destruction or at least only with previous removal of the support from the vehicle body.

SUMMARY

[0004] Proceeding from the discussed prior art, the invention is based on the object of providing a vehicle interior component which allows simple mounting of the lever on the support.

[0005] The invention achieves the object by way of the subject matter of claim 1.

Advantageous refinements are the subject matter of the dependent claims, the description and also the figures.

[0006] According to the invention, in the case of the vehicle interior component mentioned at the outset, the bearing end of the lever and the bearing section of the support are connected to one another by means of a bayonet fitting in such a way that the bayonet fitting reaches a closed state by rotating the lever relative to the support in a first rotation direction about a rotation axis, which runs through the bearing end and the bearing section, and the bayonet fitting reaches an open state by rotating the lever relative to the support in a second rotation direction, which is opposite to the first rotation direction, about the rotation axis, where the lever can be pivoted about the rotation axis between the neutral position and the operating position in the closed state of the bayonet fitting.

[0007] According to the invention, provision is consequently made for the lever and the support to be connected to one another by means of a bayonet fitting. To this end, the lever, by way of its bearing end, can be placed on the bearing section of the support or inserted into the bearing section of the support and reversibly connected to the support by rotating in the first rotation direction. In this case, the lever is rotated relative to the support in such a way that the bayonet fitting, starting from the open state, reaches the closed state.

Accordingly, the bayonet fitting can be released again by way of the lever being rotated relative to the support in the second, opposite rotation direction until the open state is reached again. In the open state, the lever and the support can be detached from one another without destruction. In the closed state, the lever and the support, by contrast, are securely connected to one another, in particular the lever and the support cannot be detached from one another without destruction in the closed state. However, the lever is also further movable in relation to the support in the closed state. For example, in the closed state, the lever can be pivoted at least over a limited angular range about the same rotation axis about which the lever is also moved relative to the support in order to reach the closed state. The closed state consequently identifies a limited angular range within which the lever can be moved relative to the support about the rotation axis without the lever being able to become detached from the support (without destruction). In the closed state, the lever can further be moved relative to the support about the rotation axis, but is fixed, in particular, in a direction which runs along the rotation axis. However, if the lever is rotated relative to the support along the second rotation direction to such an extent that the open state is reached, a movement of the lever relative to the support along a direction which lies on the rotation axis is possible, so that separation of the lever and the support can be achieved. In principle, the connection between the lever and the support can be designed in such a way that the open state can also be reached by further rotation along the first rotation direction starting from the closed state. In the closed state, the lever, as mentioned, can be moved between its neutral position and its operating position and therefore fulfil its function. For example, the lever can perform a specific task in the operating position, for example as an unlocking lever can release a locking mechanism. In this case, the support can have a stop which limits the rotational movement of the lever in relation to the support in at least one direction. The bearing end and the bearing section can have, in particular, a circular cross section. The lever and/or the support can be composed of plastic and can be produced, in particular, using a plastic injection-molding process.

[0008] The bayonet fitting, which is provided according to the invention, between the lever and the support is simple to manufacture, that is to say the lever can be easily fitted to the support. This is firstly due to the fact that no further fastening element - such as a screw for example - is required in order to connect the support and the lever to one another. Secondly, the connection between the lever and the support can be established on a first side of the support. That is to say access to a second side of the support, which second side is situated opposite the first side, is not necessary. For this reason, the lever of the vehicle interior component according to the invention can additionally be easily removed from the support again. According to the invention, the bayonet fitting is configured in this case, as explained above, in such a way that rotation of the lever relative to the support between the neutral position and the operating position of the lever is further possible. Therefore, the ability of the lever to rotate relative to the support, which ability to rotate is necessary for the functioning of the lever, can be ensured in spite of the use of a bayonet fitting.

[0009] According to one refinement, connecting means are provided for closing the bayonet fitting, where the connecting means comprise a guide projection, which is arranged at the bearing end of the lever, or a guide groove, which is arranged at the bearing end of the lever, and a guide groove, which is arranged on the bearing section of the support, or a guide projection, which is arranged on the bearing section of the support, where the guide projection and the guide groove engage with one another, and at least one groove side wall of the guide groove has at least one interruption which is designed for the guide projection to pass through. The bayonet fitting can be formed by these connecting means. In this case, the guide projection and the guide groove are designed in a manner corresponding to one another, so that the guide projection is guided in the guide groove when the lever rotates about the rotation axis relative to the support. The guide groove or the guide projection can, in particular given a constant radial position, run along a circle or part of a circle about the rotation axis. In the closed state, the guide groove and the guide projection in this case engage with one another in such a way that the lever cannot be detached from the support, in particular in the event of a movement in a direction which lies on the rotation axis, as explained above. Owing to the interruption in the at least one side wall of the guide groove, the guide projection can pass through the guide groove and therefore engage with the guide groove in order to connect the lever to the support. The lever can also be detached from the support again when the guide projection is brought into line with the passage in the groove side wall. That is to say the open state is formed in this way. In particular, the groove side wall can have a plurality of interruptions; that is to say the groove can extend around the rotation axis over a plurality of groove sections which each run along a part of a circle given a constant radial position. Accordingly, it is also possible for the guide projection to, in particular, not extend fully around the rotation axis but rather only in sections on a part of a circle around the rotation axis given a constant radial position. In this sense, the guide projection can also have one or more interruptions for the guide groove to pass through when the lever is connected to the support.

[0010] According to one refinement in this respect, the guide projection or the guide groove is arranged on a circumferential outer face of the bearing end of the lever, and the guide groove or the guide projection is arranged on a circumferential inner face of the bearing section of the support. In this case, the lever, by way of its bearing end, can be inserted into an opening which is delimited by the bearing section, where the guide projection or the guide groove, at the outer face of the bearing end, engages with the guide groove or the guide projection at the inner face, which delimits the opening, of the bearing section. The bearing opening of the bearing section can be, in particular, a passage opening, that is to say extend from a first side of the support to a second side of the support, which second side is situated opposite the first side. This is advantageous particularly when the bearing section of the support has a guide projection since manufacture using the injection molding process is particularly simple in this case. In particular, no complicated tools, such as slides for example, are required for the injections molding process in this case.

[0011] According to a further refinement, the guide projection, at least in sections, has a greater width than the guide groove, so that the guide projection is held in the guide groove in a clamping manner in the closed state. The guide projection can therefore be somewhat wider than the guide groove. In this case, the width of the guide groove identifies the distance between the groove side walls which are situated opposite one another, where the width of the guide projection describes the extent of the guide projection in the same direction. The guide projection can have a greater width than the guide groove over the entire length or even only over a portion of the length of the guide groove. In other words, the guide groove can have a smaller width than the guide projection. In particular, the guide projection can be wider than the guide groove, or the guide groove can be less wide than the guide projection, over the angular range of the closed state. Therefore, the guide projection is held in the guide groove in a clamping manner at least in sections in the closed state. In this case, the lever can further be moved between its neutral position and its operating position relative to the support, where the guide projection slides along the guide groove. However, owing to the holding in a clamping manner, the frictional resistance is increased, as a result of which an operating force which may be provided for operating the lever can be achieved. Therefore, a desired operating force of the lever can be established in spite of a two-part configuration of the vehicle interior component, that is to say in spite of the fastening means, screw or spring sheet, mentioned at the outset being dispensed with.

[0012] According to a further refinement, the guide projection has an outer face which faces one of the groove side walls of the guide groove and runs obliquely at least in sections, or a groove side wall of the guide groove, which groove side wall faces the guide projection, runs obliquely at least in sections, so that the guide projection, at least in sections, has a greater width and, at least in sections, a smaller width than the guide groove. In particular, the obliquely running outer face or the obliquely running groove side wall can be arranged in such a way that, in the event of a movement of the lever relative to the support from the open state to the closed state, the obliquely running outer face or the obliquely running groove side wall first comes into contact with a corresponding groove side wall or outer face of the corresponding guide projection. In this way, simple connection of the lever to the support is possible since the guide projection can be easily introduced into the guide groove. Nevertheless, on account of the greater width of the guide projection in relation to the guide groove at least in sections, more reliable holding and increased frictional force are achieved.

[0013] According to a further refinement, at least one stop face is arranged in the guide groove for limiting the movement of the guide projection which runs in the guide groove. Therefore, the rotational movement of the lever in relation to the support about the rotation axis can be limited by means of the stop face. In particular, the stop face can therefore define the neutral position or the operating position.

[0014] According to one refinement, clamping means are provided for mounting the lever on the support in a clamping manner, where the clamping means have a bushing, which is arranged on the bearing end of the lever, or a tongue, which is arranged on the bearing end of the lever, and a tongue, which is arranged on the bearing section of the support, or a bushing, which is arranged on the bearing section of the support, where the tongue and the bushing engage with one another. In particular, the bushing or the tongue can be arranged on an inner face of the bearing section or an outer face of the bearing end. The bushing and the tongue can engage with one another over the entire angular range between the neutral position and the operating position. Owing to clamping means of this kind, increased static friction can be achieved between the lever and the support and therefore an operator control force for operating the lever can be established.

[0015] According to a further refinement, a spring is arranged between the bearing end of the lever and the bearing section of the support, in particular a helical spring which braces the lever in relation to the support. Consequently, a desired operator control force can also be established in this way. The helical spring can be provided in addition to or as an alternative to said clamping means. In particular, a spring of this kind can be provided in addition to or as an alternative to the refinement explained above of the guide projection of a larger width than the guide groove. When the lever, by way of its bearing end, is inserted into the bearing section of the support, the spring can be compressed and in this way brace the lever and the support against one another, in particular guide projections and guide grooves which may be provided can be braced against one another in this way.

[0016] According to one refinement, the lever is an unlocking lever which unlocks a closing element in the operating position. The closing element can be provided, for example, for closing an engine hood. Consequently, the unlocking lever can unlock the engine hood. According to one refinement, the lever arm can be designed for connection to a Bowden cable in this case. Owing to a rotational movement of the lever relative to the support, the closing element can be unlocked, and therefore in particular the engine hood can be opened, by means of a deflection of the Bowden cable.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] One refinement of the invention will be explained below with reference to figures, in which

[0018] figure 1 shows an exploded illustration of the vehicle interior component according to the invention,

[0019] figure 2 shows an assembled illustration of the vehicle interior component from figure 1,

[0020] figure 3 shows the lever of the vehicle interior component from the preceding figures,

[0021] figure 4 shows the support of the vehicle interior component from figures 1 and 2,

[0022]

[0023] figure 5 shows a plan view of the vehicle interior component from figure 2, and

[0024] figures 5a-5c show different section views through the illustration from figure 5. [0025] ETnless stated otherwise, identical reference signs denote identical objects in the text which follows.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] The vehicle interior component according to the invention, illustrated in the figures, comprises a support 10, a lever 12 and a helical spring 14. The support 10 has connecting means, not illustrated, for connection to a vehicle body. Furthermore, the support 10 has a bearing section 16 which, by way of an inner face 15, delimits an opening 22 which is designed as a passage opening of circular cross section in this exemplary embodiment. It goes without saying that the opening does not have to be a passage opening. A guide projection 18 extends from the inner face 15 into the opening 22, where the guide projection 18, apart from two interruptions 19, runs along the entire inner periphery of the opening 22. In addition, two stop faces 20, which are situated opposite one another, are formed on the guide projection 18. The lever 12 has a bearing end 24 and a lever arm 26 which extends from the bearing end 24. A guide groove 28 is formed at the bearing end 24 of the lever 12 and, apart from two large interruptions 29, runs on a circular path which corresponds to the circular opening 22 of the support 10. In other words, the guide groove 28 consists of two groove sections 28a, 28b and the guide projection 18 consists of two projection sections l8a, 18b.

[0027] When the support 10, which is illustrated separately in figure 1, and the lever 12 are joined, the lever 12, by way of its bearing end 24, is connected to the bearing section 16 of the support 10. In the process, the groove sections 28a, 28b pass through the mutually opposite interruptions 19 of the guide projection 18, as can be seen in figure 2. In this case, the support 10 can already be connected to a vehicle body. Before the lever 12 is connected to the support 10, the helical spring 14 can additionally be inserted into a spring holder 13 of the support 10. When the lever 12 is connected to the support 10, an extension 32 of the lever 12 enters a passage opening of the helical spring 14 in the process. In this case, the helical spring 14 is compressed by an inner face, not shown in the figures, of the lever 12, which inner face supports the projection 32. The elements 10, 12 and 14 of the vehicle interior component which are connected to one another in this way can be seen in figure 2. The lever 12 is connected to the support 10 therefore such that it can pivot about a rotation axis D, where the guide projection 18 and the guide groove 28 form a bayonet fitting. Starting from the open state of the bayonet fitting as shown in figure 2, the bayonet fitting can be moved from the open state to a closed state, which can be seen in figure 5, by rotating the lever 12 relative to the support 10 in a first rotation direction Di about the rotation axis D. In this case, the guide projection 18 and the guide groove 28 engage with one another. Starting from the open state illustrated in figure 2, the lever 12 therefore rotates to the right in such a way that the groove section 28a engages with the section l8a of the guide projection 18 and the groove section 28b engages with the section 18b of the guide projection 18. As soon as the guide projection 18 and the guide groove 28 engage with one another, the closed state is reached, that is to say the bayonet fitting is closed. In this state, the lever 12 and the support 10 are securely connected to one another.

Nevertheless, it is possible to still pivot the lever 12 in relation to the support 10 about the rotation axis D, specifically between a neutral position and an operating position in the closed state of the bayonet fitting. In the illustration in figure 5, the lever 12 has been rotated relative to the support 10, starting from the open state from figure 2, through approximately 90° about the rotation axis along the rotation direction Di.

[0028] In this case, the lever 12 is designed to operate a mechanism, for example to unlock a closing element, in the operating position. Therefore, said lever can be an unlocking lever. To this end, the lever 12 can be connected to the closing element via a bearing opening 34, in particular by means of a Bowden cable. The rotational movement of the lever 12 relative to the support 10 is in this case limited by the mutually opposite stops 20 which are formed on the guide projection 18. In the event of a rotational movement of the lever 12 along the rotation direction Di about the rotation axis D, the groove sections 28a, 28b stop against a respective one of the stops 20 in this case. In particular, the operating position can be defined by these stops.

[0029] On account of the bayonet fitting according to the invention, the connection between the lever 12 and the support 10 can be established in a particularly simple manner and is reversible in particular. Therefore, in particular, access to both sides of the support is not necessary in order to mount the lever on the support. A tool for connecting the lever and the support is not necessary either. In order to further simplify the exemplary embodiment shown in the figures, the helical spring 14 can also be dispensed with. In particular, provision can then be made for the guide projection 18 or, for example, a groove side wall 30 of the guide groove 28 to run obliquely. This can result in the guide projection 18 having a greater width than the guide groove 28 at least in sections. Therefore, after moving to the closed state, the guide projection is held in the guide groove in a clamping manner at least in sections. A two-part design of this kind for the apparatus is particularly simple in respect of mounting.

[0030] The engagement between the guide groove 28 and the guide projection 18 can be clearly seen, in particular, in the section view of figure 5a which shows a section along the line A-A from figure 5. Figures 5b and 5c each show a section view along the line B-B from figure 5, where two different refinements of clamping means can be seen. According to the refinement in figure 5c, the bearing end 24 of the lever 12 has a planar outer face 36 at least in sections, which planar outer face bears in a clamping manner against the inner face 15 of the support 10 in the state in which said lever is connected to the support. The diameter of the bearing section 24 which has the outer face 36 can be slightly larger than the diameter of the opening 22 of the support 10 in this case, so that a press fit is achieved. On account of this press fit, the static friction which counteracts the movement of the lever relative to the support is increased, this in turn increasing an operating force which is to be applied by an operator in order to operate the lever 12. An outer face 36 which is configured in such a way is also shown in the case of the lever in figure 1 and, respectively, figure 3. As an alternative, an in particular encircling tongue 38 can be provided on the outer face 36 of the bearing section 24, which tongue engages with a bushing 40 of the inner face 15 of the bearing section 16 of the support 10, as can be seen in figure 5b. In this case, the tongue 38 can have a larger radius than the bushing 40, so that a press fit is achieved here too. As an alternative, it goes without saying that the tongue can also be formed on the inner face 15 of the bearing section 16 and the bushing can be formed on the outer face 36 of the bearing end 24.

List of reference symbols

10 Support

12 Lever

13 Spring holder

14 Helical spring

15 Inner face

16 Bearing section

18 Gui de proj ecti on l8a Projection section

18b Projection section

19 Interruptions

20 Stop faces

22 Opening

24 Bearing end

26 Lever arm

28 Guide groove

28a Groove section

28b Groove section

29 Interruptions

30 Groove side wall

32 Extension

34 Bearing opening

36 Outer face

38 Tongue

40 Bushing

D Rotation axis

Di First rotation direction