A locking mechanism

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of on -off piece locking technology discloses a kind of locking mechanisms, and the technology includes: the pawl (safety guarantee part and pawl rotating part concentric, locking part and pawl rotating part eccentric) with pawl rotating part, safety guarantee part and locking part;With locking engagement part and lock ring engagement part's lock tongue;Fixed pivot's bottom plate (set bottom plate engagement mouth, buffer clamping part);Pivot (lock tongue, pawl rotates around pivot) of sleeving lock tongue, pawl;And elastic member;The force of elastic member makes locking engagement part selectively and safety guarantee part and / or locking part abutment engagement, can be according to lock ring or engagement mouth size tolerance range switching engagement state to be compatible with tolerance.The bottom plate buffer clamping part is the structure of outside wide and narrow inside, and buffer piece assembly is convenient;Bottom plate pivot hole can be round hole and / or non-circular hole to prevent pivot rotation.The utility model can effectively fix lock ring position, reduce abrasion, improve assembly efficiency, applicable to vehicle seat, door body and other scenes.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of locking technology for opening and closing components, specifically to a locking mechanism applicable to locking scenarios for opening and closing components such as vehicle seats, doors, and storage boxes, and is particularly suitable for scenarios that require compatibility with locking rings of different sizes with large tolerances, reduction of vibration and wear, and ease of mass assembly. Background Technology

[0002] Existing similar locking mechanisms share the following common technical problems.

[0003] Issues with wobbling and wear after locking: Traditional lock tongues and pawls tend to leave wobbling space after engagement. Under durable vibration conditions, the lock ring and surrounding components are prone to collision and abnormal noise, which will aggravate wear over long-term use. Some solutions require additional limiting components to eliminate wobbling, which increases the overall structural complexity and production material and assembly costs.

[0004] Low assembly efficiency of buffer components: The connection between existing buffer components and the base plate mostly relies on screw fixing, special tool pressing, or tool clamping followed by trimming of excess parts. The assembly process is cumbersome and cannot meet the efficiency requirements of mass production. In addition, the hardness of the buffer components is not specifically designed in conjunction with the interference of the locking ring, which easily leads to problems such as insufficient buffering effect (locking ring impact is not effectively absorbed) or excessive compression fracture (hardness is too low).

[0005] Poor compatibility of lock ring size: It can only be adapted to a single specification of lock. When the diameter of the lock ring or the size of the engagement joint has manufacturing errors that exceed the tolerance, it is easy to cause "locking loose" (lock ring too small) or "unable to lock" (lock ring too large). Lock bodies need to be developed separately for different sizes, resulting in extended R&D cycle and wasted costs.

[0006] The reliability of the rotating shaft is lacking: the rotating shaft hole that mates with the rotating shaft is mostly circular. After mating with the rotating shaft, the rotating shaft is prone to circumferential rotation under long-term stress or vibration conditions. This means that when the rotating shaft is used with a threaded inner hole, the required tightening torque cannot be achieved.

[0007] To address the aforementioned technical challenges, this invention proposes a locking mechanism that integrates functions such as "dimensional tolerance compatibility," "efficient assembly buffering," and "reliable shaft anti-rotation." While simplifying the structure, it achieves compatibility with multiple locking ring specifications and long-life stable use, and avoids cost increases caused by introducing additional components. Summary of the Invention

[0008] To address the problems of existing locking mechanisms such as wobbling and wear after locking, low assembly efficiency of buffer components, poor compatibility of locking ring size, and unreliable shaft anti-rotation, a locking mechanism is provided that can be compatible with different sized locking rings without additional limiting components, reduces vibration and wear, facilitates batch assembly, and provides stable locking.

[0009] The core technical solution of this utility model achieves the locking function through the structural coordination of various components. A locking mechanism includes: the force or torque applied by the elastic element causes the locking engagement part to selectively abut and engage with the safety guarantee part and / or the locking part; the preset value is the design critical value of the locking ring diameter and the bottom plate engagement opening size; the size error is the manufacturing deviation of the locking ring diameter or engagement opening size relative to the design preset value, and this locking mechanism is compatible with the above size error.

[0010] Pawl: It has a pawl rotating part, a safety guarantee part, and a locking part; the pawl rotating part is a through-hole structure adapted to the rotating shaft, ensuring that the pawl can rotate smoothly around the rotating shaft; the safety guarantee part is concentrically arranged with the pawl rotating part, and is a concentric arc-shaped protrusion with an arc-shaped outline, which can keep the center position unchanged as the pawl rotates; the locking part is eccentrically arranged with the pawl rotating part, and its projection line is a logarithmic spiral (the function of the logarithmic spiral is ρ=ae^(m^θ), where m is the friction coefficient between the locking tongue and the pawl, and a is the distance from the safety guarantee part to the rotation center of the pawl). The helix angle of this logarithmic spiral is adapted to the friction angle of the locking part and the locking engagement part, ensuring that the locking engagement part can generate a self-locking effect when it abuts against the locking part, preventing the locking tongue from rotating in the opposite direction. When the locking ring is too large and the V-shaped opening of the base plate and / or cover plate is too small, the safety guarantee part mainly engages with the locking engagement part on the lock tongue; when the locking ring is too small and the V-shaped opening of the base plate and / or cover plate is too large, the locking part will automatically engage with the locking engagement part on the lock tongue under the action of the elastic element, while the safety guarantee part will automatically disengage.

[0011] Locking tongue: It has a locking engagement part and a locking ring engagement part; the locking engagement part is a surface adapted to the safety guarantee part and the locking part, and can selectively abut and engage with both; the locking ring engagement part is a groove structure, used to fit and clamp the locking ring, and restrict the radial movement of the locking ring; the inner wall of the V-shaped opening of the cover plate and the inner wall of the V-shaped opening of the bottom plate form a continuous clamping surface to reduce vibration wear between the locking ring and the engagement opening.

[0012] Base plate: Used to fix the rotating shaft and support various functional components; the base plate has a base plate engagement port for accommodating the locking ring, the opposite sides of which are parallel grooves or V-shaped openings, and the inner wall surface is smooth to reduce friction with the locking ring; the base plate also has a buffer snap-fit ​​part, which is a stepped structure that is wider on the outside and narrower on the inside, used for quick assembly of buffer components and to prevent the buffer components from falling out; in addition, the base plate has a base plate rotating shaft hole for connecting the rotating shaft, which can be a round hole or a non-circular hole with anti-rotation function (such as a D-shaped hole, a polygonal hole (such as a square hole), an elliptical hole, etc.) to prevent the rotating shaft from rotating circumferentially; the base plate also has a locking tongue limiting part to limit the excessive rotation of the locking tongue, which is a protruding structure extending toward the locking tongue. When the locking tongue rotates around the rotating shaft to the designed limit position, the locking tongue limiting surface on the locking tongue abuts against the locking tongue limiting part.

[0013] Rotary pivot: Used to mount the latch and pawl, allowing both to rotate around the pivot. When the pivot hole in the base plate is not circular, the shaft segment corresponding to the pivot hole in the base plate is a circular or non-circular structure adapted to the non-circular hole. This structural adaptation prevents the pivot from rotating, eliminating the need for additional anti-rotation components. It also serves to securely connect the base plate and / or cover plate.

[0014] Elastic element: preferably a torsion spring structure, with its two ends connected to the pawl and the locking tongue respectively. It can apply a force or torque to the pawl in the engagement direction and a force or torque to the locking tongue in the locking direction, ensuring that the locking engagement part and the safety guarantee part and / or the locking part are continuously in contact, eliminating the engagement gap and ensuring the locking function.

[0015] Buffer component: A ring or block structure made of elastic material, which can be directly fitted onto the buffer snap part of the base plate (wide on the outside and narrow on the inside structure) and can be assembled without tools; The hardness of the buffer component is selected according to the amount of interference between it and the locking ring (Shore A70-85, with an interference of 0.5-1.5mm) to ensure that while absorbing the impact energy of the locking ring, it avoids excessive compression or buffer failure.

[0016] Lever (optional): It is rotatably fixed to the base plate by a connector (such as a rivet). The lever is provided with a prying part (adapted to the pawl opening part) for pushing the pawl to rotate, as well as a first limiting part and a second limiting part. The first limiting part and the second limiting part abut against the abutting structure on the base plate to limit the rotation angle of the lever, so as to change the unlocking operation direction and adapt to the operation requirements of different usage scenarios.

[0017] Cover plate (optional): Forms a closed structure with the base plate, enhancing the overall rigidity of the mechanism. The cover plate has a circular hole for fixed engagement with the rotating shaft or a non-circular hole with anti-rotation function (coaxial and compatible with the rotating shaft hole on the base plate). The non-circular hole on the cover plate is coaxially arranged with the non-circular hole on the base plate. The rotating shaft passes through the non-circular hole on the cover plate and engages with the non-circular hole on the base plate, forming a bidirectional anti-rotation constraint on the rotating shaft. The cover plate also has a cover plate engagement port corresponding to the engagement port on the base plate (corresponding in position and opening direction). The cover plate and the base plate can be reinforced by a connecting shaft. The base plate has a first connecting hole, and the cover plate has a second connecting hole. The connecting shaft is compatible with the first and second connecting holes, enhancing the relative fixing effect between the base plate and the cover plate and preventing displacement after assembly. Beneficial effects

[0018] Compared with the prior art disclosed in the designated documents, this utility model has the following significant advantages.

[0019] Significantly improved compatibility with lock ring size errors: Through the collaborative design of the pawl's "concentric safety guarantee part + eccentric logarithmic spiral locking part", it can adapt to lock rings of different sizes and meshing joints with manufacturing errors. There is no need to design a precisely matched lock body, which solves the problem of poor lock body compatibility and reduces the overall cost of research and development and production.

[0020] Vibration wear is effectively reduced: the meshing joints of the cover plate and the base plate work together to hold the locking ring, the buffer absorbs the impact energy, and the self-locking effect of the logarithmic spiral locking part. The combination of these three factors can significantly reduce the relative movement between the locking ring and surrounding components under vibration, thereby reducing the degree of wear and the risk of abnormal noise.

[0021] Assembly efficiency is greatly improved: The buffer adopts a snap-fit ​​structure with a wider outer side and a narrower inner side, which can be quickly assembled without tools. Compared with screw fixing or tool pressing, the assembly steps are simplified and efficiency is significantly improved; the adapter structure of the rotating shaft and non-circular hole does not require additional anti-rotation parts, further reducing the assembly process.

[0022] Enhanced locking stability: The structure of the shaft is adapted to non-circular holes (such as D-type shaft and D-type hole), which can effectively prevent the shaft from rotating circumferentially, especially suitable for scenarios where the shaft is threaded and used as a nut. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 This is an exploded structural diagram of the locking mechanism according to an embodiment of the present utility model, showing the structure and assembly relationship of each component of the locking mechanism; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the locking tongue and pawl cooperation structure of an embodiment of the present utility model, showing the cooperation relationship between the safety guarantee part, the locking part and the locking engagement part; Figure 3This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the base plate and cover plate according to an embodiment of the present utility model, showing the structure of the base plate engagement port, the buffer snap-fit ​​part and the cover plate engagement port; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the locking mechanism in the open state according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing the relative positions of each component before the locking ring is inserted; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the locking mechanism in the locking state according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing the engagement state of each component when the locking ring is clamped and locked. Detailed Implementation

[0024] The specific embodiments of this utility model will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples. The following examples are for illustrative purposes only and do not limit the scope of this utility model.

[0025] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "set" refer to one object having a slotted feature and another object having an axle or protrusion feature, and the two objects fitting together; "through" refers to one object having an axle feature fitting with another object having a slotted feature.

[0026] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used in this application have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains; the terminology used in the description of this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the application; the terms "comprising" and "having" and any variations thereof in the description, claims and foregoing drawings of this application are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion.

[0027] I. Component Assembly Relationship

[0028] Assembly of the pivot with the base plate, locking tongue, and ratchet: The base plate pivot hole 81 on the base plate 8 is a non-circular hole (such as a polygonal hole). The corresponding mating section of the pivot 4 is a structure adapted to the non-circular hole or a circle. After the pivot 4 passes through the base plate pivot hole 81, it is riveted and fixed. The elastic element 6 (torsion spring) is fitted on the pivot 4. One end of the elastic element 6 is mated with the elastic element connection structure of the latch 3, and the other end is mated with the elastic element connection structure of the pawl 2. The latch 3 is fitted on the pivot 4 through the latch rotation part 34 (a hole structure adapted to the pivot 4). The pawl 2 is fitted on the same pivot 4 through the pawl rotation part 21 (a hole structure adapted to the pivot 4), ensuring that the latch 3 and the pawl 2 can rotate smoothly around the pivot 4 without jamming.

[0029] Assembly of the buffer components: The buffer latching part 82 on the base plate 8 has a stepped structure that is wider on the outside and narrower on the inside. The buffer part 7 (elastic material) is directly fitted into the buffer latching part 82. The stepped structure can naturally restrict the buffer part 7 from coming out along the axial direction. The assembly process does not require additional tools and can be completed quickly, meeting the efficiency requirements of mass production.

[0030] Assembly of the cover plate and the connecting shaft: The cover plate pivot hole 111 on cover plate 1 is compatible with and coaxial with the base plate pivot hole 81 on base plate 8. The cover plate engagement opening 112 and the base plate engagement opening 88 are positioned correspondingly and have the same opening direction. Cover plate 1 is placed over the opposite side of base plate 8, so that cover plate pivot hole 111 mates with pivot 4, and cover plate engagement opening 112 is aligned with base plate engagement opening 88. Connecting shaft 5 passes through the first connecting hole 85 of base plate 8 and the second connecting hole 113 of cover plate 1 to fix base plate 8 and cover plate 1, forming a cavity that surrounds locking tongue 3, pawl 2, and elastic element 6. After assembly, the overall structure of the mechanism is stable.

[0031] Assembly of levers and buckles: Lever 9 is connected to the connecting member fixing hole (such as rivet fastening hole 86) of the base plate 8 via a connector (such as rivet 11). The connector is fixed to the base plate 8, and lever 9 can only rotate around the connector. The actuating part 91 of lever 9 is adapted and fitted to the pawl opening part 22 of pawl 2. When lever 9 rotates in the unlocking direction, the actuating part 91 can push pawl 2 to rotate in the disengagement direction. The limiting part of lever 9 (such as first limiting part 96 and second limiting part 93) cooperates with the abutting structure of the base plate 8 (such as abutting part 87 and pivot mounting surface) to limit the rotation angle of lever 9 and avoid excessive rotation that could cause structural damage. Buckle 10 can be snapped into buckle hole 95 for connecting external pull cable or unlocking linkage, etc.

[0032] II. Locking and Unlocking Process

[0033] Locking process Initial state: such as Figure 4 The force of the elastic element 6 causes the extension surface of the locking engagement part 31 of the locking tongue 3 (C-direction rotational force) to initially overlap with the safety guarantee part 23 of the pawl 2 (A-direction rotational force). The locking ring engagement part 35 does not form a closed envelope space with the bottom plate engagement opening 88. The locking tongue second limiting part 33 of the locking tongue 3 abuts against the locking tongue limiting structure of the bottom plate 8 (such as the second locking tongue limiting part 84), limiting the excessive rotation of the locking tongue 3 and ensuring the initial position is stable.

[0034] Locking ring insertion and locking tongue rotation: The locking ring 12 moves in the direction towards the engagement port (such as the P direction), first contacting the locking ring engagement part 35, pushing the locking tongue 3 to rotate against the force of the elastic member 6 (in the opposite direction of the C direction), until the locking ring 12 enters the envelope space formed by the locking ring engagement part 35 of the locking tongue 3, the cover plate engagement port 112 and the bottom plate engagement port 88. During the process, the locking ring 12 will contact the buffer member 7. The buffer member 7 absorbs the impact energy of the locking ring 12 and reduces the rigid collision between the locking ring 12 and the bottom plate 8 and the cover plate 1. At this time, the locking ring 12 is initially limited.

[0035] Pawl engagement: Pawl 2 rotates in the opposite direction of A by the pressure of latch 3. When latch 3 rotates to form an envelope space, it rotates in the A direction under the force of elastic element 6. The engagement state is automatically switched according to the size error of locking ring 12 or the size error of engagement opening: When the size of locking ring 12 is large or the size of engagement opening is small, the safety guarantee part 23 and / or locking part 24 of pawl 2 (logarithmic spiral structure: its function is ρ=ae^(m^θ), where m is the friction coefficient between latch and pawl, and a is the distance from the safety guarantee part to the rotation center of pawl) abuts against locking engagement part 31 to help limit the shaking of latch 3; When the size of locking ring 12 is small or the size of engagement opening is large, the locking part 24 of pawl 2 abuts against locking engagement part 31, and the self-locking effect ensures that latch 3 cannot rotate in the C direction, achieving reliable locking, and locking ring 12 has no obvious shaking.

[0036] Unlocking process External force driving lever: Apply an external force in the unlocking direction to push lever 9. Lever 9 rotates around the connector. Its actuating part 91 pushes the pawl opening part 22 of pawl 2, so that pawl 2 overcomes the force of elastic member 6 and rotates in the opposite direction of A.

[0037] Pawl disengagement: When the safety guarantee part 23 and the locking part 24 of the pawl 2 disengage from the locking engagement part 31 of the latch 3, the latch 3 rotates in the C direction under the force of the elastic member 6.

[0038] Lock ring disengagement: Lock tongue 3 rotates to lock ring engagement part 35 to disengage from lock ring 12, and lock ring 12 can disengage in the opposite direction of P to complete unlocking; after unlocking, lever 9 returns to the initial position, and lock tongue 3 is restricted from rotation by the lock tongue limiting structure of base plate 8 (such as lock tongue limiting part 84), waiting for the next locking operation.

[0039] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, several improvements and substitutions can be made without departing from the technical principles of the present invention, and these improvements and substitutions should also be considered within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A locking mechanism, characterized in that, include: A pawl having a pawl rotating part, a safety guarantee part, and a locking part, wherein the safety guarantee part is concentrically arranged with the pawl rotating part, and the locking part is eccentrically arranged with the pawl rotating part; A locking tongue having a locking engagement part and a locking ring engagement part; A base plate for fixing the rotating shaft, the base plate having a base plate engagement port for accommodating a locking ring; The set includes a pivot for the bolt and pawl, which rotate around the pivot. And elastic components; The force or torque applied by the elastic element causes the locking engagement part to selectively engage with the safety guarantee part and / or the locking part. When the diameter of the locking ring is greater than a preset value or the size of the bottom plate engagement opening is less than a preset value, the safety guarantee part and / or the locking part abuts against the locking engagement part to limit the movement of the locking tongue. When the diameter of the locking ring is less than a preset value or the size of the bottom plate engagement opening is greater than a preset value, the locking part abuts against the locking engagement part to achieve self-locking, thereby accommodating the size errors of the locking ring and the bottom plate engagement opening.

2. The locking mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pawl rotation part is a through hole structure adapted to the rotating shaft. The safety guarantee part is an arc-shaped protrusion concentrically arranged around the pawl rotation part. The locking part is a protrusion eccentrically arranged with respect to the pawl rotation part. The center position of the safety guarantee part remains unchanged when the pawl rotates. The eccentric arrangement of the locking part and the pawl rotation part forms a locking stroke difference.

3. The locking mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that, The projection line of the locking part is a logarithmic spiral, and the helix angle α of the logarithmic spiral satisfies α≤Φ, where Φ is the friction angle between the locking part and the locking engagement part, so as to ensure that a self-locking effect is generated when the locking engagement part abuts against the locking part, and to prevent the lock tongue from rotating in the unlocking direction.

4. The locking mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that, The logarithmic spiral has the function ρ=ae^(m^θ), where m is the coefficient of friction between the locking tongue and the pawl, and a is the distance from the safety guarantee part to the rotation center of the pawl.

5. The locking mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The two opposite sides of the base plate engagement opening are parallel grooves or V-shaped openings. The inner wall surface of the base plate engagement opening is smooth to enhance the clamping force on the locking ring and reduce friction and wear between the locking ring and the base plate engagement opening.

6. The locking mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, A buffer component is also provided, which is connected and fixed to a buffer latch on the base plate; the buffer latch is a stepped structure that is wider on the outside and narrower on the inside, which is used to restrict the buffer component from coming out along the axial direction; the buffer component is a ring or block structure made of elastic material, and the hardness of the buffer component is selected according to the amount of interference between it and the locking ring in order to absorb the impact energy of the locking ring.

7. The locking mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lever is also provided, which is rotatably fixed to the base plate via a connector. The connector is fixed to the base plate, and the lever can only rotate around the connector. The lever is provided with a prying part for pushing the pawl to rotate, and the prying part is adapted to the pawl opening part on the pawl. The lever is also provided with a first limiting part and a second limiting part, which abut against the abutting structure on the base plate to limit the rotation angle of the lever.

8. The locking mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The base plate is provided with a latch limiting part that restricts the rotation angle of the latch. The latch limiting part is a protruding structure extending toward the latch. When the latch rotates around the pivot to the designed limit position, the latch limiting surface on the latch abuts against the latch limiting part to prevent the latch from rotating excessively and causing the pawl to fail to abut against the locking engagement part.

9. The locking mechanism according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, The base plate connecting the rotating shaft has a circular hole or a non-circular hole with anti-rotation function; the non-circular hole is a D-shaped hole, a polygonal hole or an elliptical hole, and the shaft segment of the rotating shaft corresponding to the base plate rotating shaft hole is a circular or non-circular structure adapted to the non-circular hole to prevent the rotating shaft from rotating circumferentially.

10. The locking mechanism according to claim 9, characterized in that, A cover plate is also provided, which has a circular hole or a non-circular hole that is fixedly engaged with the rotating shaft. The non-circular hole of the cover plate is coaxially arranged with the non-circular hole of the base plate. After the rotating shaft passes through the non-circular hole of the cover plate, it engages with the non-circular hole of the base plate to form a bidirectional anti-rotation constraint on the rotating shaft.

11. The locking mechanism according to claim 9, characterized in that, It is also provided with a cover plate, which has a cover plate engagement port; the cover plate engagement port and the bottom plate engagement port are positioned correspondingly and have the same opening direction, so as to form a bidirectional clamping of the locking ring and further restrict the radial movement of the locking ring.

12. The locking mechanism according to claim 11, characterized in that, The cover plate engagement port is a V-shaped opening, and the inner wall of the V-shaped opening of the cover plate and the inner wall of the V-shaped opening of the base plate form a continuous clamping surface to reduce vibration wear between the locking ring and the engagement port.

13. The locking mechanism according to any one of claims 10-12, characterized in that, A connecting shaft is also provided. A first connecting hole is provided on the base plate and a second connecting hole is provided on the cover plate for fixing the connecting shaft. The connecting shaft is adapted to the first and second connecting holes to enhance the overall rigidity and assembly stability of the locking mechanism and prevent relative displacement between the base plate and the cover plate.

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