Vehicle hatchback door lock, has working part extending through bodywork and door to engage with screw

SWEDEN (12) PATENT (13) C2 (ii) 523 060 (19) SE (sd

International class ⁷

E05F 11/34, F16B 5/02, B60J 5/00

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PATENT AND REGISTRATION (45) (41) (22) (24) (62) (86) (86) (83)

Patent filed Application widely available The patent application was submitted on expiration date

Tribal application number

2004-03-23

2004-03-23

2003-05-20

2003-05-20 (21) Patent Application Number 0301469-3

Application received as:

International filing date Filing date for European patent application Deposit of microorganism Swedish patent application completed international patent application with number □ converted European patent application with number (30) Priority information (73) (72) (74) (54) (56) (57)

PATENT OWNER Saab AB, 581 88 Linköping SE

INVENTOR Nils-Gunnar Jaktlund, Linköping SE, Lars Löfgren, Linköping SE

OMBUD Saab AB

NAME Door lock and method of manufacturing said door lock

CALLED PUBLICATIONS: - SUMMARY. The present invention relates to a door lock for locking a door (2) to an underlying structure (3). A machine element (6) arranged adjacent to a through opening in the underlying structure (3) is arranged to grip a screw (4) insertable in a through opening in the door (2). The door lock is characterized in that the machine element (6) is inserted through the opening in the underlying structure (3) to a position where the openings in the door (2) and the underlying structure (3) together with the part of the machine element (6) protruding outside the the underlying structure (6) forms a length longer than the screw length, at the same time as an internal thread of the machine element extends so far through the underlying structure that the screw mounted on the joint to grip the screw in order to form the bandage. The invention also relates to a method of manufacturing the door lock as above.

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The numbers in brackets indicate international identification code, INID code. Letters in clamps indicate international document code.

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SUMMARY

The present invention relates to a door lock for locking a door (2) to an underlying structure (3). A machine element (6) arranged adjacent to a through opening in the underlying structure (3) is arranged to grip a screw (4) inserted in a through opening in the door (2). The door lock is characterized in that the machine element (6) is inserted through the opening in the underlying structure (3) to a position where the openings in the door (2) and the underlying structure (3) together with the part of the machine element (6) protruding outside the the underlying structure (6) forms a length longer than the screw length, at the same time as an internal thread of the machine element extends so far through the underlying structure that the screw mounted on the joint to grip the screw in order to form the bandage. The invention also relates to a method of manufacturing the door lock as above.

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TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a door latch for locking a door to an underlying structure according to the preamble of claim 1.

The invention further relates to a method of manufacturing a door lock according to the preamble of claim 3.

BACKGROUND OF THE ART

Manufacturing of complex designs such as aircraft requires access to a large number of different components. For example, aircraft contain a number of hatches of various kinds for equipment spaces and the like. As a lock to these gaps, a screw is usually used that passes through an opening in the door and the underlying structure and a nut that is fixedly mounted to the underlying structure. In the aircraft application, it is important that the hatches are electrically tight and rigidly connected to the other structure. For power-tight gaps, the nut used is closed at one end to keep the screw enclosed in the nut; otherwise the antenna effect may be created in the screw.

On an aircraft, a number of hatches with underlying structure of different thicknesses are filmed, so administration and storage for a large number of screw lengths with associated nut parts is required.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to reduce the required screw range.

This has been accomplished by means of a door lock for locking a door to an underlying structure, whereby a machine element arranged in connection with a through opening in the underlying structure is arranged to grip a screw inserted in a through opening in the door. The door lock is characterized in that the machine element is inserted through the opening in the underlying structure to a position where the openings in the door and the underlying structure together with the part of the machine element protruding outside the underlying structure form a length longer than the screw length. At the same time, an internal thread formed by the machine element must extend so far through the underlying structure that the screw mounted on the joint grips the screw to form the joint. The invention also includes a method of manufacturing a door lock as above.

Preferred embodiments have any or all of the features set forth in the subclaims.

With the inventive door lock and the method, only one screw length is required for a large number of thicknesses, with the administrative and financial advantages it brings. In addition, the door lock obtained by the method according to the invention is well suited for use in an aerial application as it can withstand opening and closing a very large number of times. The lock also transmits loads that act on the door and loads that act between the door and other structure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 shows in cross-section an example of a screw joint in an unmounted position.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the screw joint of Fig. 1 in a mounted position.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of part of the screw joint of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of AA in Fig. 1 according to a first embodiment.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of AA in Fig. 1 according to a second embodiment.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In Figures 1 and 2, reference numeral 1 shows a screw joint which removably adheres a first structure 2 to a second structure 3. The screw connection is arranged in a respective opening in structures 2, 3.1. The non-restricted example described below, the first structure 2 is a hatch. and the second structure 3 a hatch frame,

523 060, whereby the screw connection 1 is a door lock. The dressing may be intended to be used as a door lock, for example on airborne vehicles.

The screw joint comprises a screw 4, a bushing 5 and a machine element 6.

The bushing 5 is arranged in the through opening in the door and the machine element 6 is arranged at the through opening in the door frame. The screw 4 has a threaded part 7 and the machine element 6 has an internally a thread 8 with the threaded part 7, the length of the screw is selected to be able to be used in a hatch with a certain maximum thickness. However, as will be seen below, it is immaterial if the screw is shorter than the total thickness of the door and door frame. In particular, the threaded portion 7 in its entirety need not protrude outside the hatch frame when the screw is fully screwed.

The machine element 6 is partially inserted through the opening in the door frame so that a first part of the machine element protrudes outside the door frame 3 and a second part of the machine element is arranged inside the door frame. The first portion comprises walls and the bottom, generally enclosing the opening in the hatch frame so that the hatch frame surface with the first portion of the machine element is substantially electrical tight. The second portion is designed to mainly abut against the walls of the door frame. A flange 9 formed in the machine element abuts against the surface of the door frame. The flange 9 acts as a boundary between the first and the second portion and ensures that the first portion is not pushed into the opening in the hatch frame 3. In the illustrated example, the machine element 6 is mounted by means of rivets 10 to the hatch frame. The number of rivets 10 is, for example, 2.3 or 4. However, other methods can be conceived to mount the machine element at the door frame 3, for example by welding or gluing. Between the flange 9 and the cover frame 3, an intermediate disk 11 is arranged in the illustrated example. since such a large part of the machine element must be inserted in the door frame that with the screw fully inserted the thread of the screw and the thread of the machine element grips each other. When the screw is fully tightened in the opening, a clearance must exist between the bottom of the machine element and the screw. The length of the screw is thus constant while the position of the flange 9 on the machine element is controlled by the thickness of the door and the door frame. Thus everyone can

523 060 screw joints in a unit, such as an aircraft, include screws with a certain, preselected screw length.

The bushing in the example shown comprises a first portion having a neck 20 and a flange portion 21, 22 disposed on each side of the neck, where the length of the neck 20 is controlled by the thickness of the hatch so that the flange members 21, 22 abut against the shell surfaces. A second portion of the bush protrudes from the door and into the opening in the door frame when the dressing is in the mounted position. Further, the other portions of the bushing 5 and the machine element are formed such that in the mounted position, adjacent surfaces 12 abut each other, ie the bushing 5 is bottomed in the machine element 6. The bushing 5 is internally provided with a thread 13 complementary to the screw threads so that with the screw connection unmounted hold the screw 4 in the door by threading through the screw in the thread 13 made in the bush. This can be seen in Fig. 3. Thus, when the door is separated from the door frame, the screw 4 will still be retained in the door. Thus, the screw 4 is not at risk of being lost with the screw joint unmounted.

In the screw 4 a non-continuous axial recess 14 is formed at its head.

The recess 14 is intended to receive a tool, such as a screwdriver, for threading the screw 4 in the machine element 6.1, its opposite end is made in the screw another axially directed non-through recess 15.1 the end of the machine element opposite the open end facing the screw is in the the example shown provided a fork-shaped slot 16 extending into the machine element. The recess 15 is designed to receive the fork-shaped slot 16. The length of the forked slot 16 is either smaller or equal to the length of the corresponding recess 15 and is designed to press along the entire walls or parts of its length with the screw connection mounted against the side walls of the recess 15 to retain the screw in its position. In this way, the screw 4 is prevented from being threaded out of the machine element 6 if, for example, the dressing is subjected to strong vibrations; this becomes especially important if the screw is not properly tightened. Of course, designs other than a forked slot can be envisaged to create the grip between the screw and the nut. However, it is advantageous if the protruding part is slightly resilient.

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In Fig. 4, only frictional forces between the side walls of the recess 15 and the fork-shaped slot 16 realize the grip. The gripping surfaces 17 are thus smooth. The gripping surfaces may be made of steel or any other suitable material.

In Fig. 5, the surfaces abutting one another in the recess 15 are designed to realize the grip by snap coupling. The grip surfaces 18 in the recess 13 comprise a number of axially directed recesses 19 and the slot has complementary shaped protuberances, the slot engaging the recess by "snap" into the recesses.

One method of manufacturing the above-described door lock comprises that the screw having a predetermined length is provided for insertion into the through opening of the door, that the machine element arranged to grip the screw is arranged adjacent to the through-hole opening in a position where the openings in the door and the door frame together with the part of the machine element protruding from the door frame form a length longer than the screw length while the machine element extends so far through the door frame that the handle mounted on the joint grips the screw to form the joint.

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