GB2047519A

GB2047519A - Mounting device

Info

Publication number: GB2047519A
Application number: GB7914672A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Talbot Motor Co Ltd
Current assignee: Peugeot Motor Co PLC
Priority date: 1979-04-27
Filing date: 1979-04-27
Publication date: 1980-12-03
Also published as: GB2047519B

Abstract

A mounting device for a vehicle control, implement, instrument or the like comprises a first member (10) having convergent channels (20) and a second member (12) having tapering portions (32) to engage the channels (20). One member (12) is adapted (at 34) to receive the vehicle control, implement, instrument or the like, and the other member (10) is attached to the vehicle. In order that the mounting will remain assembled during normal operation but that the member (12) will release when subjected to an excess force which might be expected during a crash, the members (10, 12) are held together by a releasable detent (40, 48) and the device is attached to the vehicle so that the direction of release of member (12) from member (10) corresponds generally to the forward direction of the vehicle. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Mounting device This invention relates to mounting devices for controls, implements, instruments, or the like and in particular to such mounting devices for vehicle controls, implements, instruments, or the like.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a mounting device for a control, implement, instrument, or the like, comprising two members, a first of which is formed with two oppositely facing convergent channels and the second of which is formed to engage in the channels and is tapered so that movement of the second member into the channels brings the second member into a position in which it is locked between the channels and movement of the second member in the opposite direction releases the second member from the channels, and releasable detent means acting between the members to hold the second member in said locked position, the detent means permitting the second member to be relseased from the first member by a force in excess of a certain level, one of said two members being attachable to a support structure and the other being adapted to receive a control, implement, instrument or the like, to mount the latter on the support structure.

Stop means may be provided to limit the interference of the tapering members.

Preferably the stop means comprises at least one abutment formed at the tapered end of the channels of the first member and engageable with the second member.

The detent means may comprise a spring blade mounted on the first member and engageable in an opening in the second member to hold the second member in said locked position.

Preferably the second member comprises a web having outwardly directed flanges on opposite sides of the web to engage in the channels of the second member, the opening in which the spring blade is engageable being formed in the web of the second member.

Preferably, the first member comprises a web extending the channels and the spring blade is disposed lengthwise along the web of the first member, one end of the spring blade being engageable in the opening in the second member, the spring blade being fixed part-way along its length to the first member and the other end of the spring blade being turned over one of the ends of the web of the first member.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a vehicle having a mounting device according to the invention, wherein said one member is attached to a part of the vehicle and a movable control of the vehicle is mounted on said other member, the movable control having a line of action extending in a direction to draw the second member into the channels of the first member.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a vehicle having a mounting device according to the invention, wherein said one member is attached to a part of the vehicle and a control, implement, instrument, or the like, for the vehicle is mounted on said other member, the direction of release of the second member from the channels of the first member corresponding generally to the forward direction of the vehicle.

A specific embodiment of the mounting device according to the invention will now be described by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is an exploded view of the mounting device; and Figure 2 is a perspective view of the assembled mounting device shown in Fig. 1 with a control mounted thereon.

The mounting device comprises a die-cast base 10 of aluminium or zinc base alloy for mounting on a part of a vehicle and a pressed steel carriage 1 2 on which to mount a control 14 for the vehicle. The base 10 has a web 16, having two oppositely facing channels 20 disposed along opposite sides of the web 1 6.

The web 1 6 is trapezium-shaped so that the channels 20 taper or converge, the width between the channels 20 decreasing in the direction of arrow A. The web 1 6 is provided with spaced apertures 22, screws 24, 26 passing therethrough to fix the base 10 to the part of the vehicle.

The carriage 1 2 has a top-hat section portion having a web 28, sides 30 and outwardly directed flanges 32. The outside edges of the flanges 32 taper or converge, the width therebetween decreasing in the direction of the arrow A, and the flanges 32 are shaped such that, with the flanges 32 of the carriage 1 2 engaged in the channels 20 of the base 10 and the web 28 of the carriage 1 2 overlying the web 1 6 of the base 10, as shown in Fig.

2, the flanges 32 are a sliding fit in the channels 20. A forked tongue 34 extends from one end of the web 28 generally at right angles to the web 28 and the control 14 is mounted on the tongue 34 and clamped thereto by means of nuts 36 and washers 38, as shown in Fig. 2.

An elongate spring blade 40 is mounted on the base 10 by means of the screw 24 passing through a hole 42 located part-way along the blade 40. One end 44 of the blade 40 is bent over at right angles and engages the end of the web 1 6 to prevent rotation of the blade 40 around the screw 24. The other end 46 of the blade 40 has a rounded portion which engages in a hole 48 formed in the web 28 of the carriage 12 when the web 28 overlies the web 1 6 of the base 10, as shown in Fig. 2.

Abutments 50 are formed at the left-hand ends, as shown in the drawings or the channels 20. When the web 28 of the carriage 1 2 overlies the web 1 6 of the base 10, the position shown in Fig. 2, the left-hand ends of the flanges 32 abut the abutments 50, thus preventing movement from this position of the carriage 1 2 relative to the base 10 in the direction of the arrow A, and also preventing the tapered flanges 32 from engaging too tightly in the channels 20.

The mounting device is preferably used for mounting the manual control of a Bowden cable mechanism for operating, for example, a bonnet release or choke, with the line of action of the control extending in the direction of the arrow A. However, the mounting device may be used for mounting other controls, implements, instruments, or the like, on supports.

In use, the mounting device is fixed in position in the vehicle by means of screws 24, 26 such that the arrow A would point generally rearwardly. Upon operation of the control by pulling it in the direction of the arrow A, the mounting bracket remains rigid since the abutments 50 prevent movement of the carriage 1 2 relative to the base 10 in the direction of the arrow A. The spring clip 40 and the interference thereof with the aperture 48 are designed such that, upon return of the control by pushing in the opposite direction under normal conditions, the mounting bracket also remains rigid. However, when the control or carriage 1 2 is subjected to a more severe force such as would occur when struck by a vehicle occupant during a crash, the end 46 of the spring clip 40 is forced out of engagement with the aperture 48, and the carriage 1 2 slides relative to the base 10 in said opposite direction and disengages therefrom, thus preventing significant injury to the occupant. Ideally, the force required to release the carriage from the base should be not less than 1 30N (30 Ibf) and not more than 330N (75 Ibf).

Claims

1. A mounting device for a control, implement, instrument, or the like, comprising two members, a first of which is formed with two oppositely facing convergent channels and the second of which is formed to engage in the channels and is tapered so that movement of the second member into the channels brings the second member into a position in which it is locked between the channels and movement of the second member in the opposite direction releases the second member from the channels, and releasable detent means acting between the members to hold the second member in said locked position, the detent means permitting the second member to be released from the first member by a force in excess of a certain level, one of said two members being attachable to a support structure and the other being adapted to receive a control, implement, instrument, or the like, to mount the latter on the support structure.

2. A mounting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein stop means is provided to limit the interference of the tapering members.

3. A mounting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stop means comprises at least one abutment formed at the tapered end of the channels of the first member and engageable with the second member.

4. A mounting device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the detent means comprises a spring blade mounted on the first member and engageable in an opening in the second member to hold the second member in said locked position.

5. A mounting device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the second member comprises a web having outwardly directed flanges on opposite sides of the web to engage in the channels of the second member, the opening in which the spring blade is engageable being formed in the web of the second member.

6. A mounting device as claimed in claim 4 or 5, wherein the first member comprises a web extending between the channels and the spring blade is disposed lengthwise along the web of the first member, one end of the spring blade being engageable in the opening in the second member, the spring blade being fixed part-way along its length to the first member and the other end of the spring blade being turned over one of the ends of the web of the first member.

7. A vehicle having a mounting device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said one member is attached to a part of the vehicle and a movable control of the vehicle is mounted on said other member, the movable control having a line of action extending in a direction to draw the second member into the channels of the first member.

8. A vehicle substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

8. A vehicle having a mounting device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein said one member is attached to a part of the vehicle and a control, implement, instrument, or the like, for the vehicle is mounted on said other member, the direction of release of the second member from the channels of the first member corresponding generally to the forward direction of the vehicle.

9. A mounting device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

1 0. A vehicle substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

CLAIMS (8-4-80)

1. A vehicle having a mounting device for a control, implement, instrument, or the like, for the vehicle, the device comprising two members, a first of which is formed with two oppositely facing convergent channels and the second of which is formed to engage in the channels and is tapered so that movement of the second member into the channels brings the second member into a position in which it is locked between the channels and movement of the second member in the opposite direction releases the second member from the channels, and releasable detent means comprising a spring blade mounted on the first member and engageable in an opening in the second member to hold the second member in said locked position, the detent means permitting the second member to be released from the first member by a force in excess of a certain level, one of said two members being attached to part of the vehicle such that the direction of release of the other member from said one member corresponds generally to the forward direction of the vehicle, the other of the two members being adapted to receive a control, implement, instrument, or the like, for the vehicle to mount the latter on the vehicle.

2. A vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein stop means is provided to limit the interference of the tapering members.

3. A vehicle as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the stop means comprises at least one abutment formed at the tapered end of the channels of the first member and engageable with the second member.

4. A vehicle as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the detent means comprises a spring blade mounted on the first member and engageable in an opening in the second member to hold the second member in said locked position.

5. A vehicle as claimed in claim 4, wherein the second member comprises a web having outwardly directed flanges on opposite sides of the web to engage in the channels of the second member, the opening in which the spring blade is engageable being formed in the web of the second member.

6. A vehicle as claimed in claim 4 or 5, wherein the first member comprises a web extending between the channels and the spring blade is disposed lengthwise along the web of the first member, one end of the spring blade being engageable in the opening in the second member, the spring blade being fixed part-way along its length to the first member and the other end of the spring blade being turned over one of the ends of the web of the first member.

7. A vehicle as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a movable control of the vehicle is mounted on said other member, the movable control having a line of action extending in a direction to draw the second member in the channels of the first member.