VEHICLE"

Scope of the invention

The present invention relates to the field of vehicle hinges with a removable or optionally installable locking system.

State of the art

In the automotive industry, hinges suitable to lock the doors to the fixed parts of the body or of the shell of the vehicle are already known.

In the field of working vehicles, in particular medium to light industrial vehicles such as vans and the like, the hinges are used to connect to the body of the vehicle swinging doors closing the rear of the vehicle.

Commercial vehicles are often equipped with a door formed by two panels having an equal or different width, which must be locked in their fully open position during the access to the loading compartment of the vehicle.

Such doors often define opening angles close to 270°, since they open up to lie parallel or near to the sides of the vehicle .

Some known hinges, generally articulated-quadrilateral ones, allow to lock the doors in such open condition, and are provided with internal elements contrasting a door closing .

Not all vehicle applications require hinges capable of locking doors, and it is therefore expensive to stock different types of hinges.

Summary of the invention

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a modular locking system for a hinge of an industrial vehicle overcoming the aforesaid problems, in particular allowing significant cost savings.

The basic idea of the present invention is to provide a hinge having a central body and two portions mobile with respect to the central body, wherein a first portion is intended to be locked to a fixed part of a vehicle and a second portion is intended to be locked to a vehicle door, and wherein the central body comprises connection means for being associated with an additional component that comprises a hook to lock at least one of the mobile portions with respect to the central body in a position corresponding to a complete opening of the vehicle door. Therefore, the system comprises a hinge, preferably an articulated-quadrilateral one, already known, modified so that at least one of the mobile parts cooperates with the hook of the additional component fixable to the central body of the hinge.

Preferably, also the central body is modified to allow the attachment of the additional component without interfering with the swinging arms defining the articulated quadrilateral of the hinge.

It is an object of the present invention a modular locking system for a hinge of an industrial vehicle according to claim 1.

Another object of the present invention is a hinge adapted to implement said modular locking system.

A further object of the present invention is an additional component to said hinge, contributing to form said modular locking system.

The appended claims define preferred variants of the present invention, thus forming an integral part of this specification .

Brief description of the figures

Further aims and advantages of the present invention will become clear from the following detailed description of an exemplary embodiment (and its variants) and from the annexed drawings, provided for merely illustrative and not limitative purpose, wherein:

Figure 1 shows a plan view of a modular locking system of the present invention according to a first operating mode, Figure 2 shows the same view of Figure 1 according to a second operating mode,

Figures 3 and 4 show two front views corresponding to the operating modes of Figures 1 and 2,

Figure 5 shows a front view of an additional part of the system shown in Figures 3 and 4,

Figure 6 shows the additional component of Figure 5 according to an opposite view, wherein a cover of the additional component is clearly visible,

Figure 7 shows a rear view according to a further preferred variant of the locking system of Figure 1 ;

Figure 8 shows a front view of a further preferred variant of the locking system of Figure 1.

The same reference numbers and letters in the figures identify the same elements or components.

In the present description, the term "second" component does not imply the presence of a "first" component. In fact, these terms are used only for clarity's sake and are not intended as limiting.

Detailed description of exemplary embodiments

The locking system according to the present invention comprises a hinge H having a central body BD and two side parts LI, L2 with respect to the central body, which are hinged to the central body BD respectively by means of two mutually parallel axes of rotation A and B. A first side part LI is intended to be locked to a fixed part VH of a vehicle, and a second side part L2 is intended to be locked to a vehicle door DO. The central body BD includes connection means for being associated with an additional component OPT that comprises a swivel snap hook G (hinge latching mechanism) to lock at least one of the mobile portions LI, L2 with respect to the central body in a position corresponding to a full opening of the vehicle door DO.

Hereinafter, the swivel snap hook G, loaded by a relative spring, will be simply referred to as "hook G" .

Therefore, the system includes a hinge H, preferably an articulated-quadrilateral one, already known, modified so that at least one of the side parts LI, L2 cooperates with the hook G of the additional component OPT fixable to the main body BD of the hinge H.

As better explained hereinafter, the additional component may be fixed at any time, namely even after the hinge H has been fixed to a vehicle.

Advantageously, a hinge H, amended as here described, is ready to be associated with an additional component OPT which allows the door lock in applications requiring it. Since the changes to the hinge are minimal, said hinge can be always used, even when the door lock is not strictly necessary, since this latter can always be carried out later by applying the additional component OPT.

Preferably, the central body is modified to allow a quick fastening of the additional component OPT without interfering with the arm Z defining the articulated quadrilateral of the hinge.

Consequently, the additional component OPT has connection means complementary with the connection means of the central body BD of the hinge.

Figure 1 shows a plan view of the system in a closed operating condition, that is to say, when the doors of the vehicle are closed. One of the two side parts LI is integral with a tooth T radially protruding with respect to the axis of rotation A of the same side part, so that in the fully open condition, shown in figure 2, said tooth T engages the hook G of the additional component OPT, integral with the central body BD, thus remaining locked. Like any swivel snap hook, the hook G interferes with the tooth T during the opening movement of the vehicle door; the tooth leads in the open position the hook, which then closes on the tooth as a result of the return of the relative spring S described below.

With reference to Figure 3, which shows a front view of the hinge, the side part LI defines a sleeve hinged on a fork defined by the central body BD.

The tooth T is connected to the sleeve defined by the side part LI, extending radially with respect to the axis of rotation A.

Preferably, the central body BD has a flat shape defining two opposing forks in order to achieve the aforesaid rotating couplings with the side parts LI and L2.

The hook G, as best seen in figures 3-6, is integral with a lever L curved so as to protrude above or below the body BD according to a plan view from below or from above. Therefore, the hook G and the lever L form a single component GL .

The additional component OPT comprises a flat support element SP, substantially parallel to the planar development of the central body BD of the hinge H. It defines a fulcrum of rotation R for the hook G, perpendicular to the planar development OPT and to the axes of rotation A, B of the hinge H, when associated with the hinge. A coil spring S, slightly visible in Figures 3-5, is wound on the fulcrum R to keep the hook in a first stable position, corresponding to the position of engagement of Figures 2 and 3.

The hook G has a rounded end to facilitate its rotation around its fulcrum R during an interaction with the tooth T, until reaching the stable condition of engagement of the above mentioned Figures 2 and 3.

The support part SP may be directly associated by means of screws to the central body BD. Preferably, this support part SP is not directly coupled with the central body BD of the hinge, but is coupled by means of a cover CV, substantially flat, parallel and integral with the support element SP. The cover CV and the support element SP define a kind of sandwich with respect to the hook G and in general to the single component GL . The cover CV includes connection elements cooperating and complementary with the central body of the hinge H. Preferably it comprises on a first edge a pair of hooked elements HK and, on a second edge, opposite to the first, a pair of long, narrow elements V protruding from the substantially planar surface of the cover CV, parallel to the axis of rotation of the fulcrum R, towards the central body BD, and comprising threaded holes, preferably blind, having axes of development parallel to the axis of rotation of the fulcrum R. The central body BD of the hinge H includes through holes, not shown, corresponding to said holes of the long, narrow elements V, so as to be able to insert connecting screws that make the cover CV integral with the central body BD of the hinge H.

With reference to Figure 2, the additional component OPT is connectable - detachable from the hinge H operating according to the direction indicated by the arrow F, when the doors of the vehicle are open. In other words, an attacker cannot disconnect the additional component from the hinge H if he has not already picked the lock of the vehicle doors. For convenience, both the second face of the central body BD and the operating direction for the removal of the additional component OPT are indicated by the same reference " F" .

Therefore, the implementation of the cover CV has several advantages, including the fact that it is visible when the vehicle doors are closed, having access to the fixing screws on the side F opposite to the visible one, according to the closed condition of the doors.

Only by opening the doors the main body BD is reversed with respect to the side LI, thus giving outside access to the screws coupling the additional component with the main body BD.

The same coupling system can be replicated on both sides of the central body to lock both the side part LI and the side part L2 with respect to the central body BD. For example, two opposite hooks can be associated on the same support element SP, or a double S-shaped hook may be provided which is able to engage on one side a tooth of the side part LI and on the other side a tooth of the side part L2.

Also in this case a lever L may be provided which is integral with the double hook, for example in the inflection point defined by the S.

Alternatively, two additional components OPT can be associated with the same central body BD. When the hinge H is of the articulated-quadrilateral type, wherein the two side parts LI and L2 are mutually bound not only through the central body BD, but also through a further arm Z hinged to the side parts LI and L2 by means of the additional axes of rotation C and D parallel with and distinct from the axes of rotation A and B, a single hook is sufficient to lock only one of the side parts LI or L2, as the locking of only one of them induces the locking of the other.

According to a preferred variant of the invention, the additional component OPT comprises an eccentric cam ECC rotatably associated with the support element SP according to an axis of rotation parallel to the fulcrum R, orientable so as to prevent the hook G from taking the aforesaid condition of engagement shown in the figures. In this way, the locking system can be disabled even in the presence of the additional component OPT associated with the hinge H.

Preferably, the eccentric cam ECC comprises a graft complementary with a common tool, for example a flat screwdriver or a hexagonal key or with the shape of the ignition key of the vehicle, so that the driver can adjust the position of the cam ECC with no need of additional tools .

When the cover CV is present, a through hole formed in it, not visible, gives access from the outside to the cam ECC to determine its possible interference with the hook G. With regard to the conformation of the hinge object of modification, according to the present invention, the central body BD may not be sufficiently large to make through holes allowing a stable connection with the cover CV. Therefore, according to one preferred variant of the invention shown in Figure 7, an arc-shaped bracket STH can be used to firmly fix the cover CV to the central body BD of the hinge. It has through holes complementary with the through holes of the long, narrow elements V and arched so as to surround a portion of the central body BD for stably connecting the additional component to the hinge.

According to a preferred variant of the invention shown in Figure 8, which combines with the others described here, the single component GL is associated with the fulcrum of rotation R, integral with the support element SP, by means of a slot AS and of a relative positioning spring ML, so that the component GL, as well as rotate with respect to the fulcrum of rotation R, can also move slightly in the direction AA identified by the major axis of development of the slot, so as to allow the disengagement of the hook G from the tooth T without acting manually on the lever L, when a predetermined load applied to the hinge has been exceeded. Advantageously, in this way the system can be preserved from damage in case of excessive closing loads possibly caused by operating errors, e.g. if the operator forces the closing of the door without having disengaged the hook. The positioning spring ML is aligned with said major axis of development.

The spring M is inserted in a housing formed partially in the hub R and partially in the slot AS. The spring ML therefore exerts a force between the fulcrum R and an edge of the slot so as to keep the hook in a rest condition.

It is also defined a contact axis CT between the hook G and the tooth T. An angle N is defined between the axis AA and the axis CT .

The load determining the automatic release of the hook G from the tooth T depends on the stiffness of the spring ML and on the cosine of the angle N. Therefore, the tripping threshold can be varied by varying one or the other parameter .

Figure 1 shows that the side part LI is folded under the central body BD.

In the configuration shown in Figure 1, namely in the closed configuration of the doors, the presence of the optional element OPT prevents access to the screws fastening the side element LI to the vehicle body. On the other hand, the fastening elements of the optional component OPT are accessible only with fully open doors, therefore, the optional component OPT also performs an "anti-sabotage" function, opposing the disassembly of the doors when they are closed.

Embodiments of the described non-limiting example are possible without departing from the protection scope of the present invention, comprising all the equivalent embodiments for a person skilled in the art.

From the above description, the person skilled in the art is able to manufacture the object of the invention without introducing any further construction details. The elements and features shown in the various preferred embodiments can be combined without leaving the scope of protection of the present application. What described in the description of the state of the art, unless specifically excluded in the detailed description, must be considered in combination with the features of the present invention, thus forming an integral part of the present invention.