Abstract
The invention relates to a tension lock for mounting, without tools, on two components to be interconnected, including: - a first fastening element for connecting the tension lock to the first component; - a second fastening element for connecting the tension lock to the second component; and - a tensioning lever for actuating the tension lock, the tensioning lever being movably connected to at least one of the two fastening elements. According to the invention, in order to allow the tension lock to be mounted, without tools, on the components to be interconnected, the first fastening element and/or the second fastening element has at least one connecting means for establishing a connection, more particularly an interlocking connection, to an opening in the component, which connection can be made without tools. The invention also relates to a system for mounting a tension lock of this type, without tools, on two components to be interconnected.
Claims
1. A tension lock for assembly without tools on two components to be connected to one another, comprising: a first fastening element for connecting the tension lock to the first component, a second fastening element for connecting the tension lock to the second component, and a tension lever for actuating the tension lock, wherein the tension lever is movably connected to at least one of the two fastening elements, wherein the first fastening element and/or the second fastening element has at least one connecting means for creating an, in particular positive-locking, connection, which can be assembled without tools, with a cut-out provided in the component, wherein at least one connecting means is designed as a locking book, and wherein at least on connecting means is designed as a mounting block with a spring element, wherein each fastening element has a locking hook and a mounting block with a spring element and in that the locking hook and the block with spring element are arranged on opposite sides and in opposite directions to one another for fixing the fastening elements in their position on two opposite sides of the cutouts respectively .
2. (canceled)
3. (canceled)
4. The tension lock according to claim 1 wherein an articulated rocker which is rotatably connected to the tension lever with its first end and which is rotatably connected to one of the two fastening elements with its second end.
5. The tension lock according to claim 4, wherein the tension lever and/or one of the two fastening elements have a receptacle for rotatable mounting of one of the ends of the articulated rocker.
6. The tension lock according to (Currently Amended) The tension lock according to claim 5, wherein the tension lever has a projection and in that one of the two components has a recess such that the projection can be inserted into the recess to create a detachable connection.
7. The tension lock according to claim 5, wherein the tension lever has at least one handle element.
8. The tension lock according to claim 6, wherein the tension lock is manufactured from plastic and/or metal.
9. The system for assembly of a tension lock without tools on two components to be connected to one another, comprising: a tension lock according to claim 8, and two components to be connected to one another, wherein the two components each have a cut-out.
10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the two components are manufactured from metal sheet and the cut-outs are approximately rectangular.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] The invention will be explained in more detail below on the basis of a drawing which simply represents preferred exemplary embodiments. The drawing shows:
[0020] FIG. 1: a tension lock according to the invention in closed position in assembled state in perspective view,
[0021] FIG. 2: the tension lock from FIG. 1 in sectioned view along the section plane II-II marked in FIG. 1,
[0022] FIG. 3: the tension lock from FIG. 1 in sectioned view along the section plane III-III marked in FIG. 1 in closed position,
[0023] FIG. 4: the tension lock from FIG. 3 in open position, and
[0024] FIG. 5: the tension lock from FIG. 3 in disassembled position.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0025] FIG. 1 shows a tension lock 1 according to the invention in closed position in the assembled state in perspective view. Since the tension lock 1 in FIG. 1 is shown in the closed position, only its tension lever 2 is visible. The parts of the tension lock 1 hidden by the tension lever 2 are explained in more detail in connection with the following figures. The tension lock 1 is used to detachably connect a first component 3A to a second component 3B. One of the two components 3A can, for example, be a door, a flap or a cover, while the second component 3B can, for example, be a frame of a door or a cabinet. In the case of the example shown in FIG. 1, the two components 3A, 3B are manufactured from a thin-walled metal sheet, whose thickness d can, for example, be in the range between 0.8 mm and 2.5 mm. If the two components 3A, 3B are not manufactured from metal sheet, but from plastic, the thickness d can also be up to 4 mm. The tension lever 2 has at one end a plurality of handle elements 4, which can, for example, be depressions or projections which facilitate the gripping and lifting of the tension lever 2.
[0026] FIG. 2 shows the tension lock 1 from FIG. 1 in sectioned view along the section plane II-II marked in FIG. 1. The previously mentioned regions of the tension lock 1 are provided in FIG. 2 with corresponding reference numerals. In FIG. 2, it is discernible that, in addition to the tension lever 2, the tension lock 1 also has a first fastening element 5A and a second fastening element 5B. The first fastening element 5A is used to create a connection with the first component 3A, for which purpose the first fastening element 5A has a locking hook 6A and an assembly stand 7A with an elastic spring element 8A. The second fastening element 5B, on the other hand, is used to create a connection with the second component 3B, for which purpose the second fastening element SB also has a locking hook 6B and an assembly stand 7B with an elastic spring element 8B. The connection of the two fastening elements 5A, 5B to the two components 3A, 3B is explained in more detail in connection with the following figures.
[0027] The tension lock 1 shown in FIG. 2 also has an articulated rocker 9 via which the tension lever 2 is movably connected to the first fastening element SA. To this end, both the tension lever 2 and the first fastening element 5A each have a receptacle 10 in which the articulated rocker 9 is rotatably mounted, wherein the first end 9′ of the articulated rocker 9 is mounted in the first receptacle 10′ and wherein the second end 9″ of the articulated rocker 9 is mounted in the second receptacle 10″. The articulated rocker 9 has a longitudinal axis L.sub.9 which runs through the first end 9′ and through the second end 9″ of the articulated rocker 9. The tension lever 2 can also be connected to the second fastening element 5B, for which purpose the tension lever 2 has a projection 11 at its end opposite the handle elements 4 and for which purpose the second fastening element 5B has a recess 12, into which the projection 11 can engage in order to create a positive-locking, detachable, connection. Alternatively, the projection 11 could be provided on the second fastening element 5B and the recess 12 could be provided on the tension lever 2.
[0028] FIG. 3 shows the tension lock 1 from FIG. 1 in sectioned view along the section plane III -III marked in FIG. 1 in closed position. The regions of the tension lock 1 already previously mentioned are also provided in FIG. 3 with corresponding reference numerals. Due to the changed position of the section plane, it is discernible that the first component 3A has a first cut-out 13A into which engage the locking hook 6A and the assembly stand 7A with its elastic spring element 8A of the first fastening element 5A and create a positive-locking, detachable, connection between the first component 3A and the first fastening element 5A. It is also discernible that the second component 3B has a second cut-out 13B into which engage the locking hook 6B and the assembly stand 7B with its elastic spring element 8B of the second fastening element 5B and create a positive-locking, detachable connection between the second component 3B and the second fastening element 5B.
[0029] The closed position of the tension lock 1 shown in FIG. 3 is characterised in that the tension lever 2 has a longitudinal axis L.sub.2, which forms a tension lever angle α.sub.1 with the surfaces of the first component 3A and the second component 3B, said tension lever angle being in the range between 0° and 15°, in particular in the range between 0° and 10°. The tension lever 2 can be moved from the closed position (shown in FIG. 3) into the open position (shown in FIG. 4) by lifting the tension lever 2 in the region of its handle elements 4. This leads to a rotational movement of the first end 9′ of the articulated rocker 9 along a circular path K, whose centre M is formed by the second end 9″ of the articulated rocker 9. In closed position shown in FIG. 3, the articulated rocker 9 is arranged in such manner that its first end 9′ is arranged deeper (i.e. closer to the surfaces of the first component 3A and the second component 3B) than its second end 9″ such that the longitudinal axis L.sub.9 of the articulated rocker 9 rises, running from the first end 9′ to the second end 9″.
[0030] FIG. 4 shows the tension lock 1 from FIG. 3 in open position. The regions of the tension lock 1 already previously mentioned are also provided in FIG. 4 with corresponding reference numerals. The open position differs from the closed position by a changed position of the tension lever 2: In the open position of the tension lever 2, the longitudinal axis L.sub.2 forms a tension lever angle α.sub.2 with the surfaces of the first component 3A and the second component 3B which is greater than 10°, in particular greater than 15° and thus steeper than in the closed position. In the open position shown in FIG. 4, the position of the articulated rocker 9 is also changed; it is arranged in such manner that its first end 9′ is arranged higher (i.e. further away from the surfaces of the first component 3A and the second component 3B) than its second end 9″ such that the longitudinal axis L.sub.9 of the articulated rocker 9 slopes, running from the first end 9′ to the second end 9″, in FIG. 4 it is also discernible that lifting the tension lever 2 results in the projection 11 of the tension lever 2 being pushed out of the recess 12 of the second fastening element 5B, whereby the positive-locking connection between the second fastening element 5B and the tension lever 2 can be detached such that the tension lever 2 can be lifted off the second fastening element 5B and is then only connected (via the articulated rocker 9) to the first fastening element 5A. In this way, the first fastening element 5A and the second fastening element 5B can be connected to one another (closed position of the tension lever 2) and separated from one another (open position of the tension lever 2). The separation of projection 11 and recess 12 when lifting the tension lever 2 is a consequence of the movement of the first end 9′ of the articulated rocker 9 along the circular path K, which means that when the tension lever 2 is lifted, the projection 11 is first pulled deeper into the recess 12 until a “dead centre” (longitudinal axis L.sub.9 of the articulated rocker 9 parallel to the surfaces of the first component 3A and the second component 3B) is reached, and after it has been exceeded, the projection 11 is pushed back out of the recess 12. Such a “dead centre” is a typical feature of tension locks, since this can be achieved in that the tension lever is moved into a desired position (in particular in the closed position) and does not open unintentionally.
[0031] FIG. 5 lastly shows the tension lock 1 from FIG. 3 in the disassembled position. The regions of the tension lock 1 already previously mentioned are also provided in FIG. 5 with corresponding reference numerals. In the disassembled position, the individual components of the tension lock 1 can be seen more clearly. It is particularly clear how the two fastening elements 5A, 5B can be connected to the two components 3A, 3B: There are cut-outs 13A, 13B in the two components 3A, 3B, which are preferably approximately rectangular (the width can, for example, be in the range between 10 mm and 15 mm and the length can, for example, be in the range between 15 mm and 25 mm). The two fastening elements 5A, 5B have connecting means which can, for example, be designed as locking hooks 6A, 6B and assembly stand 7A, 7B with spring element 8A, 8B. The connection is created by first inserting the locking hooks 6A, 6B into the cut-outs 13A, 13B in such manner that they engage behind the edges of the cut-outs 13A, 13B from the rear of the two components 3A, 3B. The assembly stands 7A, 7B are then inserted into the cut-outs 13A, 13B, wherein the spring elements 8A, 8B arranged on the assembly stands 7A, 7B spring in the direction of the locking hooks 6A, 6B due to their elasticity when passing through the cut-outs 13A, 13B and spring back after passing through (i.e. in the assembled position) and engage behind the edges of the cut-outs 13A, 13B from the rear of the two components 3A, 3B. In this way, the fastening elements 5A, 5B are each fixed in their position on respectively two opposite sides of the cut-outs 13A, 13B, wherein the fixing on one side takes place via the locking hooks 6A, 6B and wherein the fixing on the other (opposite) side takes place via the assembly stands 7A, 7B and their spring elements 8A, 8B. Alternatively, the locking hooks 6A, 6B could each be replaced with an assembly stand 7A, 7B and a spring element 8A, 8B arranged thereon such that each fastening element 5A, 5B can have two assembly stands 7A, 7B and two tension hooks 8A, 8B.
TABLE-US-00001 List of reference numerals: 1: Tension lock 2: Tension lever 3A, 3B: Component 4: Handle element 5A, 5B: Fastening element 6A, 6B: Locking hook 7A, 7B: Assembly stand 8A, 8B: Spring element 9: Articulated rocker 9′, 9″: End (of the articulated rocker 9) 10, 10′, 10″: Receptacle 11: Projection 12: Recess 13A, 13B: Cut-out α.sub.1, α.sub.2: Tension lever angle d: Thickness (of the components 3A, 3B) K: Circular path L.sub.2: Longitudinal axis (of the tension lever 2) L.sub.9: Longitudinal axis (of the articulated rocker 9) M: Centre (of the circular path K)
