Abstract
A joint assembly releasably connecting an extension panel to a patient support panel mounted on a pedestal includes a first body member configured to be coupled to the extension panel and a second body member configured to be coupled to the patient support panel. The first body member has a cavity member extending in an engagement direction and an attachment member. The second body member includes a tab member and a latch. The first body member is engageable with the second body member by moving the cavity member with respect to the tab member and by latching the attachment member with the latch. The cavity member is moveable translatable over the tab member in the engagement direction up to a locking position where the latch latches on the attachment member.
Claims
1. A first body member of a joint assembly for releasably connecting an extension panel to a patient support panel mounted on a pedestal, the first body member being configured to be coupled to the extension panel the joint assembly comprising a second body member configured to be coupled to the patient support panel, the first body member comprising: one of a cavity member and a tab member, the cavity member being delimited by an upper cavity member surface and a lower cavity member surface extending in an engagement direction between a cavity member closed end and a cavity member open end the tab member being delimited by an upper tab member surface and a lower tab member surface extending in the engagement direction between a tab member base end and a tab member free end, the second body member comprising the other of the cavity member and the tab member; and one of a latch and an attachment member, the second body member comprising the other of the attachment member and the latch, wherein the first body member is engageable with the second body member by moving the cavity member with respect to the tab member and by latching the attachment member with the latch, the cavity member being moveable over the tab member by translation in the engagement direction up to a locking position in which the latch latches on the attachment member.
2. The first body member according to claim 1, wherein the first body member comprises the cavity member, and wherein the upper tab member surface supports the upper cavity member surface when the cavity member is translated over the tab member.
3. The first body member according to claim 1, wherein the tab member and cavity member comprise a part of finite length wherein the upper tab member surface is parallel to the lower tab member surface and wherein the upper cavity member surface is parallel to the lower cavity member surface, and wherein, upon the first body member being engaged with the second body member, the upper cavity member surface and the lower cavity member surface are adjacent to the upper tab member surface and lower tab member surface, respectively, along a supporting segment of the part of finite length to create a close sliding fit.
4. The first body member according to claim 1, wherein the latch comprises an abutment part and a latching part, wherein, upon the cavity member being translated over the tab member towards the tab member base end, the attachment member abuts the abutment part to switch the latch from an unlatched state to a latched state wherein the latching part latches on to the attachment member, wherein the latch is biased to be in the unlatched state such that upon the cavity member being translated over the tab member towards the tab member free end the attachment member releases the abutment part to switch the latch from the latched state to the unlatched state.
5. The first body member according to claim 4, wherein the body member comprising the latch further comprises a latch locking device that changes from an unlocked state to a locked state when the latch switches to the latched state, and wherein the latch locking device in the locked state prevents the latch from switching to the unlatched state.
6. The first body member according to claim 5, wherein one of the first body member and second body member comprises a latch actuator configured to, upon actuation, bring the latch locking device from the locked state into the unlocked state.
7. The first body member according to claim 5, wherein the body member comprising the latch further comprises a moveable plate switchable between an opened state and a closed state, wherein the moveable plate in the closed state prevents the latch locking device from being brought in the locked state, and wherein the moveable plate is brought into the closed state when the latch locking device is brought in the unlocked state and the latch is in the latched state.
8. The first body member according to claim 7, wherein the moveable plate is biased to be in the closed stated and wherein both the latch locking device being in the locked state as well as the latch being in the unlatched state prevent the moveable plate from being brought into the closed state.
9. The first body member according to claim 7, wherein the moveable plate in the closed state is brought into the opened state when the latch is brought into the unlatched state.
10. An extension panel comprising the first body member according to claim 1.
11. The extension panel according to claim 10, wherein the extension panel is a radiolucent panel.
12. A joint assembly for releasably connecting an extension panel to a patient support panel mounted on a pedestal, the joint assembly comprising: the first body member according to claim 1; and the second body member.
13. A patient support assembly comprising the joint assembly of claim 12, wherein the first body member is coupled to the extension panel, and the second body member is coupled to the patient support panel.
14. A method for making the patient support assembly according to claim 13 by releasably engaging an extension panel and a patient support panel mounted on a pedestal, the method comprising the steps of: bringing the first body member into engagement with the second body member by inserting the tab member within the cavity member; and subsequently translating the cavity member over the tab member in the engagement direction up to a locking position where the latch latches on the attachment member.
15. A use of the joint assembly according to claim 1 for immobilizing a patient in radiation therapy.
Description
FIGURES
[0018] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the patient support assembly, illustrating the components of the second body member
[0019] FIG. 2 shows a different perspective view of a part of the patient support assembly of FIG. 1, illustrating the components of the first body member
[0020] FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of a part of the patient support assembly of FIG. 1 along a plane perpendicular to the lateral direction and through a tab and cavity member
[0021] FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of a part of the patient support assembly of FIG. 1 along a plane perpendicular to the thickness direction, the patient support assembly being in an unlocked and ready to be mounted state
[0022] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the patient support assembly as shown in FIG. 4
[0023] FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional view of a part of the patient support assembly of FIG. 1 along a plane perpendicular to the thickness direction, the patient support assembly being in a locked state
[0024] FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of the patient support assembly as shown in FIG. 6
[0025] FIG. 8 shows a cross-sectional view of a part of the patient support assembly of FIG. 1 along a plane perpendicular to the thickness direction, the patient support assembly being in an unlocked and ready to dismount state
[0026] FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of the patient support assembly as shown in FIG. 8
[0027] FIG. 10 shows a three-stage diagram of the patient support assembly
DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0028] The present invention will be described with respect to particular embodiments and with reference to certain drawings but the invention is not limited thereto but only by the claims. The drawings described are only schematic and are non-limiting. In the drawings, the size of some of the elements may be exaggerated and not drawn on scale for illustrative purposes. The dimensions and the relative dimensions do not necessarily correspond to actual reductions to practice of the invention.
[0029] Furthermore, the terms first, second, third and the like in the description and in the claims, are used for distinguishing between similar elements and not necessarily for describing a sequential or chronological order. The terms are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances and the embodiments of the invention can operate in other sequences than described or illustrated herein.
[0030] Furthermore, the various embodiments, although referred to as “preferred” are to be construed as exemplary manners in which the invention may be implemented rather than as limiting the scope of the invention.
[0031] The term “comprising”, used in the claims, should not be interpreted as being restricted to the elements or steps listed thereafter; it does not exclude other elements or steps. It needs to be interpreted as specifying the presence of the stated features, integers, steps or components as referred to, but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps or components, or groups thereof. Thus, the scope of the expression “a device comprising A and B” should not be limited to devices consisting only of components A and B, rather with respect to the present invention, the only enumerated components of the device are A and B, and further the claim should be interpreted as including equivalents of those components.
[0032] It is an aim of the present invention to provide a first body member of a joint assembly for releasably connecting an extension panel to a patient support panel mounted on a pedestal. In particular the present invention relates to a first body member of a joint assembly which makes it easier to install a patient support assembly comprising an extension panel and a patient support panel for supporting and preferably immobilizing a patient for example in radiation therapy. FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of such a patient support assembly 1, specifically illustrating the components of the second body member 4. Specific components of the first body member 3 as well as further components of the second body member 4 are shown in the FIGS. 2 and 3. FIG. 1 specifically shows the first body member 3 of a joint assembly 2 for releasably connecting an extension panel 6 to a patient support panel 7 mounted on a pedestal (not shown), the first body member 3 configured to be coupled to the extension panel 6, for example permanently coupled to the extension panel 6. The extension panel 6, for example a radiolucent panel, is provided with holes for the attachment of attachment means such as an immobilization mask. The extension panels 6 in general are modular, meaning that they can be easily replaced by other extension panels 6 specifically designed for a given case such as a specific radiation therapy. The extension panel 6 must therefore be easily connected to and released from the patient support panel 7. The joint assembly 2 of the present invention enables this simplified connection and release, whilst providing a joint assembly 2 which minimally hinders the functionality of the panels such as the radiolucency of the panels, and which simultaneously maximizes the load and moment bearing capacity of the assembly enabling heavy persons to be supported by the extension panel 6 even when they are positioned at an extremity of the extension panel 6. In FIG. 1 the extension panel 6 and the patient support panel 7 are shown in a released state. The patient support panel 7 is provided on a tray 35, configured to adapt the position of the pedestal with regard to the second body member 4. FIG. 1 particularly shows the joint assembly 2 comprising the second body member 4 configured to be coupled to the patient support panel 7, for example permanently coupled to the patient support panel 7. As illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, the second body member 4 is provided with two tab members 10 each delimited by an upper tab member surface 11 and a lower tab member surface 12 extending in the engagement direction between a tab member base end 13 and a tab member free end 14. The tab member 10 has a substantially flat upper tab member surface 11 and a partially tapered lower tab member surface 12. This is shown in more detail in FIG. 3. FIG. 3 further shows that the tab member 10 comprises two parts of finite length 19,20 where the upper tab member surface 11 and the lower tab member surface 12 lie substantially parallel to each other. The tab member 10 comprises a first part of finite length 20 at the tab member base end 13 and a second part of finite length 19 at the tab member free end 14. The lower tab member surface 12 is tapered between the second part of finite length 19 of the tab member 10 which is the thinnest part of the tab member 10, increasing in thickness towards the first part of finite length 20 of the tab member 10 which is the thickest part of the tab member 10. It is furthermore shown that the tab member 10 comprises a tab locking member 17 which is an elongated slot. As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the first body member 3 comprises complementary features to the second body member 4. It is shown that the first body member 3 comprises two cavity members 5 configured for receiving the two tab members 10, each one of the cavity members 5 delimited by an upper cavity member surface 31 and a lower cavity member surface 32 extending in an engagement direction between a cavity member closed end 8 and a cavity member open end 9. The cavity member 5 comprises a first part of finite length 20 at the cavity member open end 9 and a second part of finite length 19 at the cavity member closed end 8. The lower cavity member surface 32 is tapered between the second part of finite length 19 which is the thinnest part of the cavity member 5, for example having the smallest opening, increasing in thickness towards the first part of finite length 20 which is the thickest part of the cavity member 5, for example having the largest opening. It is furthermore shown that the cavity member 5 comprises a cavity locking member 18 which is a protrusion. A part of the first and second parts of finite length 19, 20 are supporting segments, respectively supporting segments 33 and 34. The first supporting segment 34 is the part of the first part of finite length 20 where, upon the tab member 10 and the cavity member 5 being engaged, specifically being in the locking position, the upper tab member surface 11 and lower tab member surface 12 are respectively adjacent, for example in a close sliding fit arrangement, with the upper cavity member surface 31 and the lower cavity member surface 32. As shown in FIG. 3, this first supporting segment 34 extends in the engagement direction between the cavity member open end 9 and the onset of the tapering of the lower tab member surface 12. The second supporting segment 33 is the part of the second part of finite length 19 where, upon the tab member 10 and the cavity member 5 being engaged, specifically being in the locking position, the upper tab member surface 11 and lower tab member surface 12 are respectively adjacent, for example in a close sliding fit arrangement, with the upper cavity member surface 31 and the lower cavity member surface 32. As shown in FIG. 3, this second supporting segment 33 extends in the engagement direction between the tab member free end 14 and the onset of the tapering of the lower cavity member surface 32. As shown in FIGS. 1-2, the second body member 4 comprises a latch 15, actuated by a latch actuator 26. The latch 15 extends partly from the second body member 4 and is provided between the tab members 10. As shown in FIG. 2, the first body member 3 comprises an attachment member 16 at a position corresponding to the latch 15 of the second body member 4, more particularly positioned between the cavity members 5. The attachment member 16 is a protrusion extending in the thickness direction from a lower side of the first body member 3 to an upper side of the first body member 3. The protrusion is attached to the lower and upper sides of the first body member 3 and is provided in a hole in the first body member 3.
[0033] FIGS. 1-3 furthermore show the engagement process of the first body member 3 and the second body member 4. In FIG. 1 the extension panel 6 and the patient support panel 7 are shown in a released stage, ready to be mounted. In FIG. 2 cavity members 5 of the first body member 3 and the tab members 10 of the second body member 4 are aligned along the engagement direction. The first body member 3 is moved towards the fixed second body member such as to insert the tab members 10 into the cavity members 5. The upper cavity surface 31 is thereby placed on the upper tab surface 11 for example by a nurse or a technical assistant or for example by a robotic arm. The upper tab surface 11 thus supports the upper cavity surface 31. Subsequently the first and second body members 3,4 are moved towards each other by a translation movement, wherein the cavity members 5 are moved in a sliding motion over the tab members 10, for example by sliding the upper cavity member surface 31 over the upper tab member surface 11, until the cavity locking member 18 abuts the tab member free end 14. The movement is typically done by pushing the extension panel 6 towards the patient support panel 7, for example by manually pushing by a nurse or a technical assistant or for example by automatically pushing by a robotic arm. Upon the cavity locking member 18 abutting the tab member free end 14, the extension panel 6 is lifted, for example tilted, with respect to the patient support panel 7, for example by a nurse or technical assistant or for example by a robotic arm. The tapered shape of the tab member 10 allows the tilting movement. Subsequently, the cavity locking member 18 is introduced into the tab locking member 17 by advancing the extension panel 6 with respect to the patient support panel 7 in an angled manner over a minor distance and by dropping, for example un-tilting, the extension panel 6 with respect to the patient support panel 7. Finally, the tab member 10 is moved within the cavity member 5 by means of a translation movement in the engagement direction up to a locking position where the latch 15 latches on the attachment member 16 for example by a nurse or technical assistant or for example by a robotic arm, pushing the extension panel 6 towards the patient support panel 7. This final translation movement is made possible by providing the elongated slot as the tab locking member 17, wherein the protrusion of the cavity locking member 18 can translate. The patient support assembly 1 of the present invention, when provided with tab and cavity locking members 17, 18, merely requires a single lifting of the extension panel 6 with respect to the patient support panel 7 and a movement in an elevated manner, for example an angled manner over a minor distance followed by dropping operation in order to engage the locking members 17, 18. The subsequent movement of the extension panel 6 and the patient support panel 7 is simplified by the translation of the extension panel 6 towards the patient support panel 7 for example by the supporting action of the upper tab surface 11 on the upper cavity surface 31. Patient support assemblies 1 of the state of the art however, when provided with tab and cavity locking members 17,18, require at least one lifting and one tilting operation, for example two tilting operations, of the extension panel 6 with respect to the patient support panel 7, for example one operation in order to engage the locking members 17,18 followed by the dropping of the extension panel 6 with respect to the patient support panel 7 and one operation for the final rotation into the locking position. Alternatively, the patient support assemblies 1 of the state of the art, when provided with tab and cavity locking members 17, 18 require a single lifting operation, for example a single tilting operation followed by a complex movement of the extension panel 6 towards the patient support panel 7 over a large distance, for example in an angled manner, up to the position where the extension panel 6 undergoes final rotation into the locking position.
[0034] The FIGS. 4-9 illustrate in more detail the working of the latch 15 and abutment member 16 upon engagement of the first and second body members 3, 4. FIG. 10 is a machine state diagram showing the three consecutive stages in which the patient support assembly 1 can occur due to the working of the latch 15 and attachment member 16, namely «unlatched and ready to mount», «Latched and locked», and «Latched and ready to remove». The three patient support assembly 1 stages are defined by a combination of the states of the latch actuator 26 and the latch 15, each comprising two states, in particular in the order logical 1 and logical 0, namely respectively latch actuator non-actuated state or latch actuator actuated state and latched state or unlatched state. It is noted that the combination of an unlatched state and latch actuator non-actuated state is physically not possible and therefore does not yield a patient support assembly 1 stage. It is furthermore noted that the movable plate 27 can also occur in two states, in particular respectively logical 1 and logical 0, namely a closed state or an opened state. Furthermore, the locking device 24 can also be in two states, in particular respectively logical 1 and logical 0, namely locked state and unlocked state. The states of the movable plate 27 and the states of the locking device 24 are referred to as dependent states, as they are linearly dependent on the combination of the states of the latch actuator 26 and the latch 15, referred to as the variable states. More specifically, the movable plate 27 is in a logical-AND relationship with the variable states and the locking device 24 is in a logical-NOT relationship with the states of the latch actuator 26. FIG. 10 shows for every patient support assembly 1 stage the associated variable states is the solid line box and the corresponding dependent states in the dashed box inside of the solid line box. FIG. 10 furthermore shows the transitions between the three stages of the patient support assembly 1, which transitions are made possible by exerting a single control action such as the translation of the extension panel 6 up to the locking position, the translation of the extension panel 6 away from the locking position or the actuation of the latch actuator 26. It is noted that the user such as the nurse can only perform the above mentioned control actions. It is furthermore noted that the switching of the latch actuator 26 from the actuated state to the non-actuated state is performed by the biasing forces on the latch actuator 26 as a consequence of the control action wherein the user translates the extension panel 6 up to the locking position. The FIGS. 4, 6 and 8 mainly show the components of the second body member 4 such as the latch 15 and the tab members 10, specifically the upper tab member surface 11 extending between the tab member free end 14 and the tab member base end 13, provided with the tab locking member 17. The only component shown of the first body member 3 in FIGS. 4-9 is the attachment member 16. The second member 4 is furthermore provided with specific components to interact with the attachment member 16 such as to bring the patient support assembly 1 in the three stages as shown in FIG. 10. The further specific components of the second body member 4 comprise details of the latch 15, a moveable plate configured as a swivel plate 27, a locking device 24 and biasing springs 29, 30. The latch 15 specifically comprises an abutment part 21 and a latching part 22. The latching part 22 and the abutment part 21 extend from the second body member 4. The other above mentioned further components of the second body member 4 are provided in a hole in the second body member 4. The latch 15 further comprises a locking hole 25 and a biasing spring 29. The latch 15 is arranged with a rotation degree of freedom around a pivot pin 23. The locking device 24 comprises a locking pin which is moveably arranged along the thickness direction, substantially along the gravitational acceleration vector. The locking pin 24 is therefore biased against the latch 15. Finally, the second body member also comprises a swivel plate 27 rotationally arranged around a pivot pin 28. The swivel plate 27 is biased by a biasing spring 30. FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of a part of the patient support assembly 1 of FIG. 1 along a plane perpendicular to the thickness direction, the patient support assembly being in an unlocked and ready to be mounted stage. FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the patient support assembly as shown in FIG. 4. Upon the cavity member 5 being translated over the tab member 10 towards the tab member base end 13, the attachment member 16 abuts the abutment part 21 causing, by the attachment member 16 pushing the abutment member 21, the latch 15 to switch from an unlatched state to a latched state wherein the latching part 22 latches on to the attachment member 16. The latch is biased to be in the unlatched state by the permanent action of biasing spring 29 forcing the latch 15 into the unlatched state. The pushing action of the attachment member 16 against the abutment member 21, for example by a nurse or a technical assistant pushing the extension panel 6 towards the patient support panel 7, counteracts the biasing force of the biasing spring 29, thereby bringing the latch 15 from the unlatched state to the latched state. More particularly, upon the attachment member 16 abutting the abutment part 21, the latch 15 rotates around the pivot point 23 due to the attachment member 16 pushing on the abutment part 21 thereby applying a moment on the latch 15, causing the latching part 22 to latch on to the attachment member 16. The latch locking device, specifically the locking pin 24, presses against the latch 15 at a position different from where the locking hole 25 is provided. The locking device 24 is therefore in an unlocked state. As long as the latch is in the unlatched state, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the locking device 24 cannot be in a locked state, being a state wherein the locking pin 24 is inserted into the locking hole 25. The biasing spring 30 applies a permanent moment on the swivel plate 27, biasing it to rotate towards the latch 15. The latch 15 however is designed such that, upon being in the unlatched state, such as shown in the FIGS. 4 and 5, the latch 15 counteracts the biasing force on the swivel plate 27, because the latch 15 comprises an extending part blocking the rotation of the swivel plate 27 when the latch 15 is in the unlatched state. The swivel plate 27 is therefore not allowed to rotate to a position where the swivel plate 27 is positioned underneath of the locking pin 24. The swivel plate 27 is thus forced to remain in a state referred to as an open state, meaning not being between the locking hole 25 and the locking pin 24. It is furthermore noted that the locking pin 24 is biased against the latch 15 surface, therefore additionally blocking the movable plate 27 from being brought into the closed state wherein the movable plate is between the locking pin 24 and the locking hole 25. FIG. 10 shows the stage of the patient support assembly 1 of FIGS. 4 and 5, in the top stage box symbolizing the stage «unlatched and ready to mount». As illustrated in FIG. 10 as a transition from the top stage box to the bottom right stage box, the latch actuator is automatically brought from an actuated state into a non-actuated state, and simultaneously the locking device 24 is brought from an unlocked state to a locked state, upon the latch 15 reaching the latched state, whereby the latch 15 is moved to a position where the locking hole 25 is positioned underneath of the locking pin 24, allowing the biasing force on the locking pin 24 to insert the locking pin 24 into the locking hole 25. The latch locking device 24 in the locked state prevents the latch 15 from being brought back into the unlatched state, as symbolized by the crossed transition from the bottom right stage box to the top stage box in FIG. 10. Upon the latch 15 being brought into the latched state, the extending part of the latch 15 stops blocking the rotation of the swivel plate 27. However, the latch 15, specifically the extending part of the latch 15, the locking device 24 and the swivel plate 27 are designed such that the locking pin 24 is inserted into the locking hole 25 before the swivel plate 27 can swivel between the locking pin 24 and the locking hole 25 upon the latch reaching the latched state. Therefore, the swivel plate 27 remains in the open state, as the biasing force on the swivel plate 27 is counteracted by the swivel plate 27 contacting the locking pin 24 inserted into the locking hole 25. In particular, whilst the latch 15 being brought into the latched state, the extending part of the latch 15 gradually loses its blocking effect on the movable plate 27. During this transition however, the locking device 24, in particular the locking pin 24 is biased to push against the latch 15 surface and thus gradually increases its blocking effect on the movable plate 27 until the point where the locking pin is inserted, for example falls into the locking hole 25 thereby guaranteeing that the movable plate remains in the opened state. Upon the latch locking device 24 being in the locked state, and the latch 15 being in the latched state, the patient support assembly 1 is in the stage as symbolized by the bottom right stage box in FIG. 10, referred to as «Latched and locked». The «Latched and locked». stage of the patient support assembly 1 is illustrated in the FIGS. 6 and 7. Finally, when it is desired that the extension panel 6 is removed from the patient support panel 7, the latch actuator 26 is actuated, causing the locking pin 24 to be lifted out of the locking hole 25 and up to a height whereby locking pin 24 is no longer able to exert a counteracting force on the swivel plate 27, thereby allowing the swivel plate 27 to swivel, due to the biasing force, in a position between the locking hole 25 and the locking pin 24. This position is referred to as the closed position of the swivel plate 27. Upon the locking device 24 being unlocked, i.e. the locking pin 24 removed from the locking hole 25, and the latch 15 being in the latched state, the patient support assembly is said to be in the stage of «Latched and ready to remove» as symbolized by the bottom left stage box in FIG. 10. The patient support assembly 1 in this stage is illustrated in the FIGS. 8 and 9. The swivel plate 27 being in the closed position prevents the latch actuator 26 and by consequence the locking device 24 from being brought back into respectively the non-actuated state and the locked state, as symbolized by the crossed transition from the bottom left stage box to the bottom right stage box in FIG. 10. It is noted that in this stage, the user is no longer required to exert a force on the latch actuator 26 in order to maintain it in the actuated state, despite the biasing force acting on the latch actuator 26, because the latch actuator 26 is biased to push, for example due to gravity or a spring, against the surface of the movable plate 27 in its closed position. Finally, the user such as the nurse or the technical assistant translates the extension panel 6 away from the patient support panel 7 thereby bringing the latch 15 from the latched state to the unlatched state. The transition is symbolized by the arrow from the bottom left stage box to the top stage box in FIG. 10. The latch being biased to be in the unlatched state by the permanent action of biasing spring 29, assists in the releasing of the attachment member 16 from the abutment part 21 and the latching part 22. The latch 15 being brought into the unlatched state, causes the extension part of the latch 15 to counteract the biasing force applied on the swivel plate 27 such as to bring the swivel plate 27 from the closed state into the opened state i.e. no longer in a position between the locking pin 24 and the locking hole 25 and specifically in a position no longer underneath the locking pin 24. The latch 15 having moved from the latched state to the unlatched state has thereby also moved the position of the locking hole 25 away from the position underneath the locking pin 24, Under the influence of the biasing force, the locking pin 24 is thus pushed against the latch 15 at a position away from the locking hole 25 and thus in an unlocked state. The latch actuator 26 is thereby also forced to remain in the actuated state, as the locking device 24 cannot be locked. As noted above, the latch 15, specifically the extending part of the latch 15, the locking device 24 and the swivel plate 27 are designed such that the locking pin 24 is inserted into the locking hole 25 before the swivel plate 27 can swivel between the locking pin 24 and the locking hole 25 upon the latch 15 reaching the latched state, in particular due to the locking device 24, in particular the locking pin being biased to push against the latch 15 surface, thus preventing the movable plate 27 to enter the closed state where it would be positioned between the latch 15, and a fortiori the locking hole 25, and the locking pin 24. This is symbolized as the crossed transition between the top stage box and the bottom left stage box in FIG. 10.
