TRANSPORT BOX, ESPECIALLY ROOF BOX, FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a transport box, in particular a roof box, for a motor vehicle, comprising a base shell which is arranged in a ready-to-use assembled state and is fixed to the vehicle, a cover shell which is mounted on the base shell so as to be pivotable about at least one pivot axis between a closed position in which the cover shell rests on the base shell while enclosing a transport volume, and an open position in which the cover shell is lifted from the base shell displaced about the pivot axis while releasing the transport volume, at least one hinge closure on opposite long sides by means of which the cover shell can be locked or released on the base shell in the closed position or is mounted so as to be pivotable about the pivot axis depending on a control by a manually operated actuating device.

[0002] Such a transport box is known from WO 2017 / 001651 A1. The known transport box has a base shell and a lid shell, which can be joined together and, when joined together, define a transport volume. The lid shell is held to the base shell by means of a total of six hinge closures, with three hinge closures provided on each opposite long side of the transport box. The hinge closures can be adjusted between two different positions. In a first position, they lock the lid shell relative to the base shell. In this position, the hinge closures on each long side define a common pivot hinge for folding the lid shell open relative to the base shell. In a second position, the hinge closures on each long side completely release the lid shell to allow the lid shell to be opened.The hinge locks are controlled for movement into the different positions by a manually operated actuating device with two actuating elements located on opposite long sides. Each actuating element is coupled to the three hinge locks on each long side by means of a tension- and compression-resistant motion transmission band, which is mounted for longitudinal displacement on a long side wall of the base shell.

[0003] WO2021023907 A1 discloses a transport box according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0004] The object of the invention is to create a transport box of the type mentioned above which enables the safe retention of goods contained in the transport box even in the event of crash-related loads.

[0005] This object is achieved by the features of claim 1. The securing device ensures additional protection in the area of ​​at least one end face of the transport box, since in addition to the longitudinal hinge closures, an additional positive-locking securing device is also provided at least at the front or rear or even at the front and rear, which prevents one end face of the lid shell from becoming detached from the corresponding end face of the base shell. In the prior art, in the event of strong positive or negative vehicle acceleration, which could occur in particular when the transport box was mounted on a motor vehicle and in the event of a vehicle collision, the lid shell and the base shell could deform in such a way that the transport box gaped open at the end and transported goods could be thrown out of the transport box onto a roadway. This is avoided by the invention.The solution according to the invention is particularly advantageous for transport boxes that are preferably attached to the roof of passenger cars or mobile homes. A transport box according to the invention can also be attached to the side of a corresponding motor vehicle in the same way. The transport box according to the invention is attached in the longitudinal direction of the respective motor vehicle, so that opposite long sides of the transport box are also accessible from one long side of the vehicle when the transport box is mounted.

[0006] According to the invention, the manually operable actuating device is designed by means of at least one flexible, tensile and compressively rigid motion transmission line for controlling at least one movable closure part forming a closure control part for transfer into the locked position or the open position. Preferably, the motion transmission line is coupled to a movably arranged closure control part of the closure assembly. A metal strip mounted for linear movement in the base shell is preferably provided as the motion transmission line. The motion transmission line can also be made of a flat strip made of a different material. Alternatively, it is possible to form the motion transmission line by a cable with a round cross-section, which is guided in a correspondingly adapted longitudinal guide in the base shell or the cover shell.The motion transmission line is advantageously routed in the area of ​​the base shell, since the base shell is permanently mounted to the vehicle when used on a vehicle roof, while the lid shell can be opened relative to the base shell. In principle, however, it is also possible to provide the motion transmission line in the area of ​​the lid shell. A threaded cable can also be used as the motion transmission line. This cable is provided with screw windings on its outer circumference and is displaced in a linear manner by means of a rotatable screw sleeve. The motion transmission line advantageously serves to control the movable closure control part of the respective closure arrangement. A single, circumferential, tensile and compressive rigid motion transmission line can be assigned to the transport box.Alternatively, at least two movement transmission strands can be provided, distributed over the circumference of the base shell, each extending into the region of the at least one end-side closure arrangement.

[0007] According to the invention, compensating or freewheeling elements are coupled to the motion transmission line in the region of at least one closure assembly, ensuring alternative actuation of the closure assembly by an actuating device on one long side or the other long side. Corresponding compensating or freewheeling elements are mechanical components that are coupled to the motion transmission line and the closure assembly in such a way that the activation of the hinged closures on one long side necessarily also results in a complementary activation of the front-end closure assembly. This ensures that, from a closed state of the transport box, when the hinged closures on one long side are unlocked by the actuating device, all closure assemblies on the front sides of the transport box are also opened, enabling the lid shell to subsequently pivot open relative to the base shell.

[0008] In an embodiment of the invention, the securing device has at least one closure arrangement on the front and / or rear, each having at least two closure parts that can be brought into operative connection with one another, one of which is assigned to the cover shell and the other to the base shell. Advantageously, the closure arrangement has at least two closure parts, one of which is fastened to the cover shell and the other to the base shell. In addition, at least one third closure part is provided, which is movably mounted relative to the two stationary closure parts in order to connect the two closure parts to one another in a form-fitting manner or to release the two closure parts for an opening movement relative to one another. The at least one movable closure part is also referred to as a closure control part.

[0009] In a further embodiment of the invention, the closure parts are arranged to be movable relative to one another between a locking position that locks the lid shell and the base shell together, and an open position that releases the lid shell and the base shell relative to one another. Advantageously, the closure parts have a closure control part that is arranged to be movable relative to the base shell and can be coupled to a closure part attached to the lid shell on the one hand and a closure part attached to the base shell on the other hand in such a way that the closure parts are locked relative to one another or released relative to one another.

[0010] In a further embodiment of the invention, the at least one other closure part is arranged in a stationary manner, and the closure parts have complementary, positively interacting closure profiles. Preferably, the movable closure part is the closure control part, and this closure control part interacts with two stationary closure parts, one of which is attached to the lid shell and the other to the base shell. The closure control part and the two stationary closure parts have complementary, positively interacting closure profiles. The closure profiles include pin- or web-shaped profiles as well as groove- or recess-shaped profiles.

[0011] In a further embodiment of the invention, the motion transmission line is coupled both to the at least one end-side locking arrangement and to the at least one longitudinal hinge lock such that the locking arrangement is unlocked in the release and hinge functions of the hinge lock and locked in the locking position of the hinge lock. This embodiment ensures that both the hinge locks of the respective longitudinal side and the at least one end-side locking arrangement can be controlled jointly by means of the manually operable actuating device. This ensures that when the hinge locks on one longitudinal side are opened, the at least one end-side locking arrangement is also necessarily opened.

[0012] In a further embodiment of the invention, a single, circumferential motion transmission line is provided, which is coupled to the at least one closure assembly and to all hinge closures. The circumferential motion transmission line is guided along a circumferential side wall of the base shell on an inner side of the base shell in linear guide sections that are integrally formed on the side wall of the base shell or are firmly connected to the inner side of the base shell.

[0013] In a further embodiment of the invention, two movement lines are provided, each of which is longitudinally opposite the other and is coupled to the at least one end-side locking arrangement. This embodiment is advantageously combined with a manually operable actuating element in the region of the opposite long sides of the transport box. By operating the actuating element in the region of a long side, the movement line associated with that long side is thus displaced in order to unlock or lock the at least one end-side locking arrangement and simultaneously lock or unlock the hinge locks of the corresponding long side.

[0014] Further advantages and features of the invention emerge from the claims and from the following description of preferred embodiments of the invention, which are illustrated with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 shows in a horizontal section an embodiment of a transport box according to the invention in the form of a roof box for a passenger car, Fig. 2 in an enlarged view a vertical cross section through the roof box according to Fig. 1 , Fig. 3 in a vertical cross section similar Fig. 2 a further embodiment of a transport box according to the invention with two separate movement transmission lines for controlling front-side closure arrangements, Fig. 4 a partial area of ​​the transport box according to Fig. 1 and 2 or 3 at the level of a manually operated operating device, Fig. 5 in enlarged view a hinge closure for the transport box according to the Fig. 1 to 4 , Fig. 6 schematically shows an arrangement of two overlapping motion transmission lines for a transport box according to the Fig. 1 to 5, Fig. 7 a further schematic representation of two separate movement transmission lines with connectable intermediate lines, Fig. 8 schematically a representation for the control of a front-side closure arrangement by two opposing movement transmission lines, Fig. 9 a further schematic representation for the control of a front-side closure arrangement by two opposing movement transmission lines and Fig. 10 a further schematic representation for the alternating control of a front-side closure arrangement by two opposing movement transmission lines, Figs. 11 to 13 schematically different positions of a movable closure control part relative to a stationary closure part of a hinge closure for the transport box according to the Fig. 1 to 3, Fig. 14 and 15 schematically show two representations of a front-side closure arrangement with a movable closure control part and a stationary closure part in a first release position, Fig. 16 and 17 the representation according to the Figs. 14 and 15 , but in a locked safety position, and Fig. 18 and 19 the representation according to the Fig. 14 to 17 , but in an opposite release position.

[0015] A transport box in the form of a roof box 1 according to the Fig. 1 to 19 is intended to be mounted on the roof of a passenger car. The roof box 1 is provided with a base shell 2, which, when mounted on the passenger car, is firmly connected to the roof of the passenger car. The roof box 1 has, as Fig. 1can be seen, has an elongated shape with two opposite longitudinal sides and two end faces defining a front end and a rear end of the roof box 1. When mounted firmly on the vehicle, the roof box 1 is aligned in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, so that the long sides of the roof box extend at least largely in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. A front face of the roof box 1 facing forward in the direction of travel forms a front face. A front face facing rearward in the direction of travel forms a rear face or rear side of the roof box 1. The roof box also has a lid shell 3, which in the closed state ( Fig. 2 and 3 ) rests on a circumferential edge of the base shell 2 and, together with the base shell, defines a transport volume on the inside.

[0016] The lid shell 3 is connected to the base shell 2 via a total of six hinge closures, with three hinge closures 4, 5 positioned at equal intervals on opposite long sides of the roof box 1. A central hinge closure 5 on each long side also has a manually operable actuating device, as described in more detail below. All hinge closures 4, 5 are designed identically with regard to their functions listed below. The hinge closures 4, 5 have a locking position in which the lid shell 3 is locked to the base shell 2 in the closed state. In addition, the hinge closures 4, 5 have a hinge function, with the three hinge closures on each long side defining a common hinge axis in order to be able to pivot the lid shell 3 open and closed relative to the base shell 2.Finally, the hinge locks 4, 5 have a release function to allow opening of each longitudinal side of the roof box 1. For this purpose, the hinge locks 4, 5 of the longitudinal side to be opened are moved into a release position. To implement these various functions, the hinge locks 4, 5 each have a movably mounted locking control part, which interacts with a locking part fixed to the base shell and a locking part fixed to the lid shell in such a way that the two locking parts are released relative to one another, or that a positive pivoting hinge is achieved, which simultaneously defines the locking function in this hinge position.Because when all six hinge closures 4, 5 are in their hinge function, in which the closure parts on the lid shell side and the closure parts on the base shell side are positively connected to one another via the respective closure control parts to achieve the hinge function, this inevitably results in the lid shell 3 being locked relative to the base shell 2 on both opposite long sides in the corresponding closed position of the lid shell 3.

[0017] In order to prevent frontal deformation and, consequently, possible gaping of the lid shell 3 and base shell 2 in the front and rear areas of the roof box 1 in the event of crash-related loads on the roof box 1, two additional locking assemblies 6 are assigned to each of the two front sides. Each of the locking assemblies 6 is adjustable between a release position releasing the lid shell 3 relative to the base shell 2 and a locking position locking the corresponding front side of the lid shell 3 relative to the front side of the base shell.

[0018] The roof box 1 also has a control joint 8 on the opposite end sides of the roof box 1, which is fastened on the inside to the base shell 2 and the lid shell 3 and additionally guides an opening and closing movement of the lid shell 3 relative to the base shell 2 and limits the maximum opening range of the lid shell 3.

[0019] The longitudinal hinge closures 4, 5 and the front-end closure assemblies 6 are jointly controlled in a manner described in more detail below in order to implement the desired opening and locking or hinge functions of the roof box 1. In the illustrated embodiments, the control is mechanical. However, according to embodiments of the invention not shown, it is also possible to assign a preferably electric actuator to each of the hinge closures and each of the closure assemblies in order to effect the adjustment for the different functions. These actuators can be controlled wirelessly or wired via a control unit, which can be integrated into the roof box or provided separately from the roof box.Alternatively, it is possible to provide only a single electric actuator or several electric actuators arranged in groups for at least two hinge closures and / or closure arrangements each, which are then also controlled in a suitable manner by wiring or wirelessly by a corresponding control unit to achieve the described functions.

[0020] In the illustrated embodiments, the hinge closures 4, 5 have the Fig. 4 and 5and 11 to 13 each comprise a lid-shell-mounted closure part 10 and a base-shell-mounted closure part 12, which can be coupled to one another or released relative to one another via a closure control part 11, 11' mounted for limited linear movement along the peripheral edge of the base shell 2. Each lid-shell-side closure part 10 has a hinge pin extending parallel to the peripheral edge of the base shell 2, and the associated closure control part 11, 11' is provided with a complementary pin receptacle and a sliding profile. In the hinged position, the pin receptacle coaxially encloses the hinge pin of the closure part 10, thereby forming the hinge axis.The sliding profile is formed at the level of the closure part 12 on the base shell side and is designed to complement a closure profile of the closure part 12 such that the sliding profile and the closure profile engage positively in the vertical direction when the closure control part 11 is in the hinged position. Fig. 11 to 13 can be removed, each closure control part 11 has a large recess 18, a narrower intermediate guide 19 and a hinge recess 20. When the hinge pin of the closure part 10 is located in the area of ​​the large recess 18, the lid shell-side closure part 10 is released relative to the base shell-side closure part 12. In the case of a transverse displacement of the closure control part 11 from the illustration according to Fig. 11 in the drawing plane to the left, the closure part 10 first reaches the intermediate guide 19, until the closure part 10 according to Fig. 13is then positioned in the region of the hinge recess 20, in which the hinge pin of the closure part 10 is positioned in the hinge position of the closure control part 11, 11', which at the same time also defines the locking position of the respective hinge closure 4.

[0021] For adjusting the closure control parts 11, 11' at least one movement transmission element 7 is provided, wherein according to the embodiment according to Fig. 2 a single, circumferential motion transmission element 7 is provided, which extends not only over the two longitudinal sides, but also over both end faces of the roof box 1 and is coupled to the two end-side locking arrangements 6 in the front and rear areas. The end-side locking arrangements 6 are also each provided with a locking part attached to the lid shell side and a locking part attached to the base shell side, each of which is connected via a locking control part 24 ( Fig. 14 to 19 ) can be released or locked relative to each other. As can be seen from the Fig. 14 to 19As can be seen, the closure control part 24 is designed such that a displacement in two opposite directions defines a release position, whereas a central positioning represents a locking function. For this purpose, the closure control part 24 has a central, narrow locking guide 22 and two release recesses 21 and 23 adjoining the central locking guide 22 on opposite sides. A locking pin 16, which is assigned to the lid-shell-side closure part, is thus positively engaged in the central locking guide 22, resulting in the desired locking function.Each closure assembly 6 is designed identically, so that each closure assembly 6 has a corresponding closure control part 24, which, analogous to the closure parts of the hinge closures 4, 5, interacts with a closure pin 16 of a lid-shell-side closure part and with a closure part fastened to the base shell. The closure control parts 24 of the closure assemblies 6 are also connected to the circumferential motion transmission element 7, which is designed as a tensile- and compression-resistant flat band and is laid on the inside for linear movement along the circumferential edge of the base shell 2. With a circumferential motion transmission element, the opposing hinge closures 4, 5 each have a freewheel in one direction of movement of the motion transmission element, so that the hinge closures of each longitudinal side can only be transferred from a closed position to the released position in one direction of movement.A displacement of the movement transmission element 7 is carried out by an actuating device 9, which in . Fig. 4 The actuating device 9 is assigned to the middle hinge closure 5. In the illustrated embodiment according to Fig. 4 a limited pivoting operating lever is provided which causes the movement of the movement transmission element 7.

[0022] The described freewheel function serves to move the end-side locking assemblies 6 into their release position when the hinge locks 4, 5 on one long side are unlocked, while simultaneously leaving the hinge locks 4, 5 on the opposite long side in their locked position. The locking assemblies 6 can each be moved into a release position in both directions of movement of the motion transmission element 7. This means that from both opposite long sides, the respective actuating device 9 enables the lid shell 3 to be opened on one long side at a time, without the end-side locking assemblies 6 hindering such opening.

[0023] As shown by the Fig. 6 to 10As can be seen, as an alternative to a rotating movement transmission element 7, two separate movement transmission strands 7a to 7c can be provided over the circumference of the base shell 2, which are connected to one another according to Fig. 6 either overlap in the area of ​​the frontal closure arrangements 6 or according to Fig. 7 in the area of ​​the frontal closure arrangements 6 are in operative connection with the closure arrangements 6 via an intermediate strand 7d. A first variant is based on the Fig. 8recognizable. The closure assembly 6, 6a is attached to an unspecified joint component, which is articulated at its opposite ends to a respective motion transmission line 7a, 7c or 7b, 7d. The joint component is dimensionally stable. Adjustment of the corresponding closure control part of the closure assembly 6, 6a is achieved by positioning one of the two motion transmission lines 7a, 7c or 7b, 7d in a fixed position, while the other motion transmission line 7a, 7c or 7b, 7d is moved in the direction of the arrow. As a result, one of the front-end joint points of the joint component is stationary, and the joint component performs a pivoting movement about this stationary joint point. In the illustration according to Fig. 8Thus, with a corresponding movement of the respective motion transmission line 7a, 7c or 7b, 7d, the stroke executed by the shutter control part is less than the stroke of the respective motion transmission line. If this does not adequately transfer the shutter control part from the locked position to the released position, it is possible to additionally provide a length compensation.

[0024] In the embodiment according to Fig. 9A spring (not further specified) is used to move the closure control part of the closure arrangement 6, 6a into a corresponding end position. The two motion transmission strands 7a, 7c and 7b, 7d each have a slot (not further specified), the length of which corresponds to the stroke, i.e. the displacement, of the respective motion transmission strand 7a, 7c and 7b, 7d. If a motion transmission strand 7a, 7c is moved, the closure control part of the closure arrangement 6, 6a is moved into the other end position. The spring resets the position. The respective slot defines a freewheel for each motion transmission strand 7a, c; 7b, 7d.

[0025] In the third variant according to Fig. 10a guide track 13 is provided, in which a locking component is guided in a linearly movable manner. The locking component is connected to the respective movement transmission line 7, 7c, 7d by means of a coupling element 15. The respective locking component engages in a respective locking receptacle 14 of the closure control part of the closure arrangement 6, 6a, wherein the positive guidance of the respective locking component is designed such that the closure control part can only be carried by one of the two movement transmission lines, while the respective other locking component is not engaged with the other locking receptacle 14. This makes it possible to displace the closure control part by moving one movement transmission line 7, 7c, 7d at a time, without the opposite movement transmission line hindering this movement.

Claims

1. A transport box, in particular a roof box (1, 1a), for a motor vehicle, having - a base shell (2, 2a) which is arranged fixed to the vehicle in a state assembled ready for operation, - a lid shell (3, 3a) which is mounted swivelably about at least one swivel axis on the base shell (2, 2a), between a closed position in which the lid shell (3, 3a) rests on the base shell (2, 2a), enclosing a transport volume, and an open position in which the lid shell (3, 3a) is lifted off the base shell (2, 2a) having been moved about the swivel axis, allowing access to the transport volume, - at least one hinge lock (4, 5, 5a) on each opposite longitudinal side, by means of which the lid shell (3, 3a) is lockable to or releasable from the base shell (2, 2a) in the closed position, or is mounted swivelably about the swivel axis depending on a control operation by a manually operable actuation device (9), wherein a safeguarding device with at least one safeguarding element is additionally provided at the end sides(s) in a front area and / or a rear area of the transport box, by means of which the lid shell (3, 3a) is locked relative to the base shell (2, 2a) at the front side and / or at the rear side in the closed position of the lid shell (3, 3a), characterized in that the manually operable actuation device (9) is formed by means of at least one flexible, tension-rigid and compression-rigid movement transmission train (7 to 7d) for controlling at least one movable locking part, forming a locking control part (24) for a movement into the blocking position or into the open position, and in that equalizing or freewheel elements are coupled to the movement transmission train (7a to 7d) in the area of the at least one locking arrangement (6, 6a), which ensure an alternative actuation by an actuation device (9) of the locking arrangement (6, 6a) on the one longitudinal side or on the other longitudinal side.

2. The transport box according to claim 1, characterized in that the safeguarding device has at the front side and / or at the rear side a locking arrangement (6, 6a) which has at least two locking parts movable into an operative connection to one another, of which one part is associated with the lid shell (3, 3a) and the other part with the base shell (2, 2a).

3. The transport box according to claim 2, characterized in that the locking parts are arranged movable relative to one another, between a blocking position locking the lid shell (3, 3a) and the base shell (2, 2a) to one another, and an open position releasing the lid shell (3, 3a) and the base shell (2, 2a) relative to one another.

4. The transport box according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one other locking part is arranged stationary, and in that the locking parts have positively interacting locking profiles complementary to one another.

5. The transport box according to claim 4, characterized in that the locking control part has a locking profile with differing profile sections adjoining one another in the movement direction, of which at least one profile section forms a releasing section (21, 23) and at least one adjoining profile section forms a blocking section (22).

6. The transport box according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the movement transmission train (7 to 7d) is coupled both to the at least one locking arrangement (6, 6a) at the end side(s) and to the at least one hinge lock (4, 5; 5a) on the longitudinal side(s) such that the locking arrangement (6, 6a) is unlocked in the release and hinge function of the hinge lock (4, 5; 5a) and is locked in the locking position of the hinge lock (4, 5; 5a).

7. The transport box according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that a single continuous movement transmission train (7) is provided which is coupled to the at least one locking arrangement (6) and to all hinge locks (4, 5).

8. The transport box according to any of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that two movement transmission trains (7a bis 7c) opposite one another on the longitudinal sides are provided which are each coupled to the at least one locking arrangement (6, 6a) on the end side(s).