Closing Device with Electrical Contacts

Abstract

A closing device has a first closing part which has a housing and a blocking piece disposed on the housing; a second closing part which has a sprung locking element which at least in portions is configured so as to be spring-elastic; and a magnetic element which acts between the blocking piece of the first closing part and the second closing part and causes a magnetic attraction force between the blocking piece of the first closing part and the second closing part. The first closing part for closing the closing device is capable of being placed on the second closing part in a closing direction. The blocking piece and the sprung locking element in a closing position are mutually engaged such that the first closing part in the direction counter to the closing direction is locked in relation to the second closing part.

Claims

1. A closing device comprising: a first closing part which has a housing and a blocking piece disposed on the housing; a second closing part which has a sprung locking element which at least in portions is configured so as to be spring-elastic; and magnetic means which act between the blocking piece of the first closing part and the second closing part and cause a magnetic attraction force between the blocking piece of the first closing part and the second closing part, wherein the first closing part for closing the closing device is capable of being placed on the second closing part in a closing direction; wherein the blocking piece and the sprung locking element in a closing position are mutually engaged such that the first closing part in the direction counter to the closing direction is locked in relation to the second closing part; wherein the sprung locking element for releasing the closing device is displaceable relative to the blocking piece in an opening direction that is substantially transverse to the closing direction, so as to disengage the sprung locking element and the blocking piece, wherein the blocking piece is disposed so as to be movable on the housing of the first closing part such a manner that said blocking piece in a retracted position is at least in part enclosed in a receptacle chamber of the housing, and in a deployed position projects from the housing in such a manner that said blocking piece can be brought to engage with the sprung locking element, and at least one first electrical contact element is disposed on the blocking piece and/or the housing, and at least one second electrical contact element is disposed on the second closing part.

2. The closing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the blocking piece in the retracted position does not project outward from the housing.

3. The closing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transferring of the blocking piece from the retracted position to the deployed position by way of the magnetic means is caused when placing the first closing part on the second closing part.

4. The closing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the magnetic means acting in an attracting manner between the blocking piece are dimensioned such that the blocking piece, when placing the first closing part on the second closing part, is held in the deployed position for bringing the blocking piece to engage in a latching manner with the sprung locking element.

5. The closing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the blocking piece in relation to the housing of the first closing part is pretensioned to the retracted position.

6. The closing device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the blocking piece in relation to the housing of the first closing part is pretensioned by magnetic pretensioning means or by a mechanical spring.

7. The closing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second closing part has an adjustment element and a housing, and wherein the adjustment element is mounted on the housing so as to be displaceable along the opening direction and supports the sprung locking element.

8. The closing device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the magnetic means act between the blocking piece of the first closing part and the adjustment element of the second closing part.

9. The closing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sprung locking element extends in a circumferential direction about the closing direction, and in the closing position encompasses the blocking piece at least in portions in the circumferential direction.

10. The closing device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the sprung locking element is circumferentially opened in the opening direction.

11. The closing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one first electrical contact element and the at least one second electrical contact element in the closing position are in mutual electrical contact.

12. The closing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the blocking piece has a plurality of first electrical contact elements for contacting second contact elements of the second closing part.

13. The closing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the blocking piece in the deployed position is contacted by way of a contact element of the housing of the first closing part.

14. The closing device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the blocking piece in the retracted position is not contacted by way of the contact element of the housing of the first closing part.

15. The closing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing of the first closing part has at least one contact element which in the closing position is contacted by way of at least one contact element of the second closing part.

Description

[0029] The concept on which the invention is based is to be explained in more detail hereunder by means of the exemplary embodiments illustrated in the figures in which:

[0030] FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of a closing device;

[0031] FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of the closing device according to FIG. 1, when viewed in another perspective;

[0032] FIG. 3A shows a plan view of the closing device prior to the closing;

[0033] FIG. 3B shows a sectional view of the assembly according to FIG. 3A along the line A-A;

[0034] FIG. 4A shows a plan view of the closing device prior to the closing;

[0035] FIG. 4B shows a sectional view through the assembly according to FIG. 4A along the line A-A;

[0036] FIG. 5A shows a plan view of the closing device in a closing position;

[0037] FIG. 5B shows a sectional view through the assembly according to FIG. 5A along the line A-A;

[0038] FIG. 6A shows a plan view of the closing device in the unlocked state;

[0039] FIG. 6B shows a sectional view of the assembly according to FIG. 6A along the line A-A;

[0040] FIG. 7 shows an exploded view of a further exemplary embodiment of a closing device;

[0041] FIG. 8 shows an exploded view of the closing device according to FIG. 7, viewed from another perspective;

[0042] FIG. 9A shows a plan view of the closing device prior to the closing;

[0043] FIG. 9B shows a sectional view of the assembly according to FIG. 9A along the line A-A;

[0044] FIG. 10A shows a plan view of the closing device prior to the closing;

[0045] FIG. 10B shows a sectional view of the assembly according to FIG. 10A along the line A-A;

[0046] FIG. 11A shows a plan view of the closing device in the closing position;

[0047] FIG. 11B shows a sectional view of the assembly according to FIG. 11A along the line A-A;

[0048] FIG. 12A shows a plan view of the closing device in the unlocked state;

[0049] FIG. 12B shows a sectional view of the assembly according to FIG. 12A along the line A-A;

[0050] FIGS. 13A-13C show the exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 6A, 6B having electrical contacts;

[0051] FIGS. 14A-14D to 17A-17D show a further exemplary embodiment of a closing device having electrical contacts;

[0052] FIGS. 18A-18F to 22A-22F show a further exemplary embodiment of a closing device having electrical contacts;

[0053] FIGS. 23A-23F to 27A-27F show a further exemplary embodiment of a closing device having electrical contacts; and

[0054] FIGS. 28-31 show various aspects of assemblies of contact elements on a blocking piece of a closing device.

[0055] A first exemplary embodiment of a closing device 1, illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 6, has a first closing part 2 and a second closing part 3 which in an opened position are present so as to be mutually separated, and for closing in a closing direction X can be placed on one another, and in a closing position are locked to one another.

[0056] The first closing part 2 comprises a housing 21 having a housing portion 210 which encloses a receptacle chamber 213. A blocking piece 22 is disposed so as to be displaceable in said receptacle chamber 213.

[0057] The second closing part 3 comprises a housing 31, a housing part 32 being placed thereon. A holding portion 330 which holds a sprung locking element 34 in a rotationally fixed manner on a receptacle opening 310 of the housing 31 is disposed on the housing 31.

[0058] When using the closing device 1 for closing a bag, for example, a portion of a bag cover can be held in a clamped manner between the housing 31 and the housing part 32.

[0059] The blocking piece 22 disposed on the housing 21 of the first closing part 2, and the sprung locking element 34 disposed on the housing 31 of the second closing part 3, serve for mechanically locking the first closing part 2 to the second closing part 3 in a closing position. To this end, the blocking piece 22 and the sprung locking element 34 have in each case one or a plurality of latching portions 222, or 340, respectively, which for locking the first closing part 2 to the second closing part 3 can be brought to mutually engage in a latching manner, and in the closing position cause a positive-locking connection between the blocking piece 22 and the sprung locking element 34.

[0060] The first closing part 2 can be placed on the second closing part 3 in a closing direction X, so as to transfer the closing device 1 to the closing position thereof, as is to be explained in detail hereunder by means of FIGS. 3 to 6. The sprung locking element 34 herein extends in a circumferential direction U about the closing direction X and in portions is circumferentially opened by an opening 341. This has the effect that the blocking piece 22 can be placed on the sprung locking element 34 in the closing direction X in a comparatively simple manner without a great effort in terms of force, on the one hand, in that the blocking piece 22 by way of the latching portion 222 thereof (which circumferentially runs about the blocking piece 22) is placed in the closing direction X on the latching portion 340 of the sprung locking element 34, and on account thereof expands the sprung locking element 34 transversely to the closing direction X such that the latching portion 222 of the blocking piece 22 comes to engage in a latching manner with the latching portion 340 of the sprung locking element 34.

[0061] For opening, the sprung locking element 34 is displaced relative to the blocking piece 22 in an opening direction Y which is directed so as to be substantially transverse to the closing direction X such that the blocking piece 22 is guided through the circumferential opening 341 on the sprung locking element 34 and disengages from the sprung locking element 34.

[0062] FIGS. 3A and 3B show the closing device 1 prior to the closing of the closing device 1. The blocking piece 22 in this state is retracted into the receptacle chamber 213 of the housing 21 and is thus in a retracted state in which said blocking piece 22 does not protrude outward from the housing 21. A magnet 212 which in a magnetically attracting manner is opposite a magnet 223 of the blocking piece 22 (see FIG. 3b) is disposed on a receptacle opening 214 of the housing portion 210. The blocking piece 22 in the opened position of the closing device 1, by virtue of the magnetic attraction force between the magnets 212, 223, is initially held in the retracted position of said blocking piece 22.

[0063] When the first closing part 2 is moved closer to the second closing part 3 in the closing direction X, as is illustrated in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the blocking piece 22 is transferred from the retracted position thereof to a deployed position as is illustrated in FIG. 4B. This takes place in an automated manner by virtue of a magnetic attraction force between the magnet 223 which is disposed on the blocking piece 22 and a magnet 331 which is disposed on the holding portion 330 on the housing 31 of the second closing part 3.

[0064] The blocking piece 22 in the deployed position extends through an opening 211 on the housing 21, and projects outward from the housing 21. The blocking piece 22 herein bears on the peripheral portion of the opening 211 which delimits the receptacle chamber 213 in the closing direction X such that a terminal position for the deployed position is defined on account of the rim of the opening 211.

[0065] The magnets 223, 331 implement magnetic means for generating an attraction force between the blocking piece 22 and the second closing part 3, and fulfil two functions. On the one hand, the magnetic means 223, 331 have the effect that the blocking piece 22 from the retracted position thereof (see FIG. 3B) is transferred to the deployed position thereof (see FIG. 4B) when placing the first closing part 2 on the second closing part 3. On the other hand, the magnetic means 223, 331 generate a magnetic attraction force which magnetically facilitates the closing of the closing device 1 and draws the blocking piece 22 so as to engage with the sprung locking element 34 such that the mechanical latching of the blocking piece 22 to the sprung locking element 34 in the case of the suitable dimensioning of the magnets 223, 331 can be established in a largely self-acting manner.

[0066] The magnetic means in the form of the magnets 223, 331 are dimensioned such that the blocking piece 22 when placing the blocking piece 22 on the sprung locking element 34 is not reset to the retracted position of said blocking piece 22, but that the latching portion 222 of the blocking piece 22 can come to engage with the latching portion 340 of the sprung locking element 34, and to this end can urge aside the sprung locking element 34 in the direction of an expansion.

[0067] FIGS. 5A and 5B show the closing device 1 in the closing position thereof, in which the latching portions 222, 340 of the blocking piece 22 and of the sprung locking element 34 are mutually engaged in a latching manner such that the first closing part 2 by way of the engagement of the blocking piece 22 with the sprung locking element 34 is held in a mechanically latching manner on the second closing part 3.

[0068] For opening the closing device 1, the blocking piece 22 and the sprung locking element 34 are displaced relative to one another along the opening direction Y, as is illustrated in FIGS. 6A and 6B. To this end, the second closing part 3 conjointly with the sprung locking element 34 in the opening direction Y is moved relative to the first closing part 2 having the blocking piece 22 disposed thereon such that the blocking piece 22 passes through the circumferential opening 341 on the sprung locking element 34 and disengages from the sprung locking element 34.

[0069] The first closing part 2 in the unlocked state, illustrated in FIGS. 6A and 6B, is no longer held on the second closing part 3 such that the closing parts 2, 3 can be retrieved from one another.

[0070] By retrieving the first closing part 2 from the second closing part 3, the magnets 223, 331 on the blocking piece 22, or on the housing 31, respectively, are moreover removed from one another such that the magnetic attraction force between said magnets 223, 331 is weakened. Once the first closing part 2 is sufficiently far removed from the second closing part 3, the magnetic attraction force of the magnets 212, 223 acting between the housing 21 of the first closing part 2 and the blocking piece 22 exceeds the magnetic attraction force of the magnets 223, 331 such that the blocking piece 22, by virtue of the magnetic attraction force between the magnets 212, 223, is drawn toward the magnet 212 on the housing portion 210 of the housing 21 of the first closing part 2, and is thus transferred to the retracted position of said blocking piece 22 (see FIG. 3B).

[0071] As mentioned, the blocking piece 22 in the retracted position, then no longer projects outward from the housing 21, or at least not in a disturbing manner, such that the blocking piece 22 is not obstructive when handling a component to which the first closing part 2 is connected, and moreover does not compromise the aesthetic overall appeal of said component (for example in the use on a handbag or the like).

[0072] FIGS. 7 to 12 show a further exemplary embodiment of a closing device 1 which from the exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 6 differs substantially in that two blocking pieces 22a, 22b are provided on a housing 21 of a first closing part 2, and two sprung locking elements 34a, 34b are provided on a housing 31 of a second closing part 3, and thus a double mechanical locking mechanism can be established between the closing parts 2, 3. Components of equivalent function hereunder are to be provided with the same reference signs as above, to the extent as this is deemed expedient.

[0073] The first closing part 2 has two blocking pieces 22a, 22b which on a housing portion 210 of the housing 21 are in each case disposed in one receptacle chamber 213a, 213b. Each blocking piece 22a, 22b has a latching portion 222a, 222b and supports a magnet 223a, 223b.

[0074] One magnet 212a, 212b which closes the receptacle chamber 213a, 213b on the rear side (that is to say toward a side that in the closing position faces away from the other, the second, closing part 3) is in each case disposed on receptacle openings 214a, 214b of the housing portion 210 (cf. FIG. 7).

[0075] The second closing part 3 has a housing 31 on which a housing part 32 is placed. An adjustment element 33 which, on the one hand, supports in a rotationally fixed manner two sprung locking elements 34a, 34b on holding portions 330a, 330b, and on the other hand is connected to magnets 331a, 331b by way of receptacle openings 232a, 232b is disposed on the housing part 32 which is fixedly connected to the housing 31.

[0076] The adjustment element 33 by way of positive-locking elements 320 is held on the housing part 32 so as to be displaceable along the opening direction Y, and along longitudinal guiding portion 323 can be displaced relative to the housing part 32 (see FIG. 8).

[0077] Terminal positions of the adjustment element 33 along the opening direction Y are defined by a detent portion 321, on the one hand, and by detents 322 which lie in recesses 333 on the adjustment element 33, on the other hand.

[0078] FIGS. 9A and 9B show the closing device 1 in a state prior to the closing. The blocking pieces 22a, 22b of the first closing part 2 in this state are retracted into the receptacle chambers 213a, 213b on the housing portion 210, and do not project outward beyond the housing 21, or at least not in a disturbing manner. When the first closing part 2 is moved closer to the second closing part 3, in an analogous manner as has been described above in the context of the exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 6, magnetic attraction forces between the magnets 223a, 223b, 231a, 231b on the blocking pieces 22a, 22b, on the one hand, and on the adjustment element 33, on the other hand, have the effect that the blocking pieces 22a, 22b from the retracted position thereof are transferred to a deployed position illustrated in FIGS. 10A and 10B.

[0079] The blocking pieces 22a, 22b in the deployed position extend in each case through openings 211a, 211b on the housing 211, and in the direction of the second closing part 3 project outward from the housing 21.

[0080] The blocking pieces 22a, 22b in this deployed position can be introduced into receptacle openings 310a, 310b on the housing 31 of the second closing part 3, so as to be brought to engage in a latching manner with the sprung locking elements 34a, 34b. The latching portions 222a, 222b of the blocking pieces 22a, 22b in the latched state, corresponding to the closing position of the closing device 1 and illustrated in FIGS. 11A and 11B, then engage with the latching portions 340a, 340b of the sprung locking elements 34a, 34b such that the first closing part 2 by way of said engagement is held in a latching, positive-locking manner on the second closing part 3.

[0081] In order for the closing device 1 to be opened, the adjustment element 33 conjointly with the sprung locking elements 34a, 34b disposed thereon, is moved relative to the blocking pieces 22a, 22b in the opening direction Y, as is illustrated in FIGS. 12A, 12B. The blocking pieces 22a, 22b on account thereof are moved through circumferential openings 341a, 341b of the sprung locking elements 34a, 34b and disengage from the sprung locking elements 34a, 34b such that the locking mechanism between the first closing part 2 and the second closing part 3 is cancelled and the blocking pieces 22a, 22b can be retrieved from the receptacle openings 310a, 310b of the housing 31 of the second closing part 3 in order for the first closing part 2 to be removed from the second closing part 3.

[0082] As is illustrated in FIG. 12B, the adjustment element 33 in the unlocked state bears on the detent portion 321 of the housing part 32. Said detent portion 321 thus defines a terminal position for the unlocked state in which the engagement between the sprung locking elements 34a, 34b and the blocking pieces 22a, 22b is cancelled.

[0083] In analogous manner as has been described above in the context of the exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 6, the blocking pieces in the direction of the retracted position thereof by way of magnetic pretensioning means are pretensioned in relation to the housing 21 also in the case of the exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 7 to 12. To this end, the magnets 223a, 223b on the blocking pieces 22a, 22b lie opposite the magnets 212a, 212b on the housing portion 210 in attracting manner such that the blocking pieces 22a, 22b by virtue of said magnetic restoring force are reset to the retracted position thereof according to FIG. 9B once the first closing part 2 has been retrieved from the second closing part 3.

[0084] Instead of magnetic pretensioning means in the form of the magnet 212 in the case of the embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 6, or the magnets 212a, 212b in the embodiment according to FIGS. 7 to 12, respectively, a mechanical spring 224 can also be used, said mechanical spring 224 acting between the blocking piece 22, or the blocking pieces 22a, 22b, respectively, and the housing portion 210, as is schematically illustrated for the blocking piece 22b in FIG. 12B. Such a spring 224 causes a mechanical restoring force which causes the blocking piece 22, or the blocking pieces 22a, 22b, respectively, to reset to the retracted position as soon as the restoring force exceeds the magnetic attraction force of the magnetic means between the blocking piece 22 and the second closing part 3, or the blocking pieces 22a, 22b and the second closing part 3, respectively.

[0085] In the case of an exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 13A to 13C, which in terms of the mechano-magnetic function thereof corresponds to the exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 1A to 6A, 6B, a contact element 225 which in the closing position of the closing device 1 contacts a contact element 311 on the housing 31 of the second closing part 3, as is illustrated in FIG. 13C, is configured on the blocking piece 22 of the first closing part 2.

[0086] The contact element 225 can be configured as a separate, electrically conductive, element on the blocking piece 22. However, the blocking piece 23 overall can also be electrically conducting.

[0087] The blocking piece 22 in the case of the exemplary embodiment illustrated is not energized in the retracted position (FIG. 13A). The blocking element 22 contacts an assigned contact 215 on the housing 21 of the first closing part 2 only once the blocking piece 22 has been deployed (FIG. 13B), such that the contact element 215 of the blocking piece 22 by way of said contact 215 is electrically connected and in the closing position (FIG. 13C) can electrically contact the contact element 311 of the other, the second, closing part 3.

[0088] Reference is otherwise fully made to the explanations pertaining to the exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 6A, 6B.

[0089] In the case of an exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 14A-14D to 17A-17D a further contact element 216 which in the closing position of the closing device 3 electrically contacts an assigned contact element 312 on the housing 31 of the other, the second, closing part 3 (see FIG. 14C) is disposed on the housing 21 of the first closing part 2. A first electrical connection between the closing parts 2, 3 is thus achieved by way of the blocking piece 22 and the contact 225 provided thereon in the closing position, and a second electrical connection between the closing parts 2, 3 is achieved by way of the contacts 216, 312 on the housings 21, 32, such that currents of dissimilar polarity (+, −) can be transmitted between the closing parts 2, 3.

[0090] In the case of the exemplary embodiment illustrated, the opening of the closing device 1 is performed by displacing an adjustment element 36 in the housing 31 of the second closing part 3 in an opening direction Y, as is illustrated in FIGS. 17A-17C. On account thereof, the engagement of the blocking piece 22 with an assigned latching element on the second closing part 3 is cancelled such that the first closing part 2 can be retrieved from the second closing part 3.

[0091] In the case of an exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 18A-18F to 22A-22F, two contact elements 225A, 225B which in the closing position of the closing device 1 contact different assigned contact elements 311A, 311B of the second closing part 3, as can be seen from FIG. 20B, for example, are disposed on the blocking piece, as can be seen from the specific view according to FIG. 19.

[0092] In the case of an exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 23A-23F to 27A-27F, contact elements of a different type are provided on the blocking piece 22 of the first closing part 2, as can be seen from FIG. 13B, for example. The contact elements 225A, 225B of the first closing part 2 in the closing position again contact assigned contact elements 311A, 311B of the second closing part 3, as can be seen from FIG. 25C, for example.

[0093] The contact elements 311A, 311B of the second closing part 3 in this case are also configured by latching elements which are disposed so as to be pivotable on the second closing part 3 and which in the closing position also establish the latching action with the blocking piece 22, as can be seen from FIG. 25D. The latching elements can be brought to disengage from the blocking piece 22 by adjusting an adjustment element 36 for opening the closing device 1 (see FIG. 26C).

[0094] FIGS. 28-31 show different arrangements of contact elements 225, 225A, 225B on the blocking piece 22 of the first closing part 2.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0095] 1 Closing device [0096] 2 Closing part [0097] 21 Housing [0098] 210 Housing portion [0099] 211, 211a, 211b Opening [0100] 212, 212a, 212b Magnet [0101] 213, 213a, 213b Receptacle chamber [0102] 214, 214a, 214b Receptacle opening [0103] 215, 216 Contact element [0104] 22, 22a, 22b Blocking piece [0105] 222, 222a, 222b Latching portion [0106] 223, 223a, 223b Magnet [0107] 224 Spring [0108] 225, 225A, 225B Contact element [0109] 3 Closing part [0110] 31 Housing [0111] 310, 310a, 310b Receptacle opening [0112] 311, 311A, 311B, Contact element [0113] 312 [0114] 32 Housing part [0115] 320 Positive-locking elements [0116] 321 Detent portion [0117] 322 Detents [0118] 323 Longitudinal guiding portion [0119] 33 Adjustment element [0120] 330, 330a, 330b Holding portion [0121] 331, 331a, 331b Magnet [0122] 332, 332a, 332b Receptacle opening [0123] 333 Recesses [0124] 34, 34a, 34b Sprung locking element [0125] 340, 340a, 340b Latching portion [0126] 341, 341a, 341b Opening [0127] 35 Receptacle opening [0128] 36 Adjustment part [0129] B Moving direction [0130] U Circumferential direction [0131] X Closing direction [0132] Y Opening direction