Battery compartment cover of equipment for underwater use with closure device provided with external fastenings

Abstract

Equipment for underwater use with battery compartment cover provided with bayonet type connection system for fastening and unfastening the cover to/from the body of the equipment.

Claims

1. Equipment for underwater use with a control display, the equipment comprising: a battery compartment; and a circular cover for closing the battery compartment, wherein an entrance of the battery compartment is surrounded by an annular ridge from which two or more angularly equispaced elements extend radially outwards, and wherein the cover is provided with feet angularly equispaced between one another, terminating in respective wings projecting radially outwards, the cover being furthermore provided on a bottom thereof with an O-ring adapted to cooperate with a crest of the annular ridge so that when the cover is applied on the annular ridge with the feet extending into spaces between the elements and when said cover is pushed down against the elastic action of the O-ring until the projecting wings are positioned below the elements, by rotating the cover the wings engage below the elements, thus locking the cover in the closed position.

2. The equipment according to claim 1, wherein said elements extend radially outwards and downwards from an intermediate area of the annular ridge.

3. The equipment according to claim 1 wherein there are three of said elements and three of said wings.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become clear from the following description of an embodiment thereof, illustrated purely by way of example in the form of a control panel for underwater use, with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a plan view of a control panel produced according to the invention taken from the rear side thereof, illustrating the battery compartment cover in the closed position;

(3) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the control panel of FIG. 1, showing an exploded view of the battery compartment closure elements, and

(4) FIG. 3 is a cross section view of the control panel according to the invention taken along the plane of line A-A of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(5) With reference to the drawings, and with particular reference firstly to FIG. 1 thereof, the invention will be described referring to a control panel, but it is understood that the same can be applied to a wrist computer or to any other analogous device that requires a sealed closure. The underwater control panel illustrated comprises a watertight casing 1 bearing on the front side thereof a display 2 connected by means of the hose 3 to the diver's cylinders, so as to provide the diver with the necessary indications concerning the gas pressure in the cylinders, and all other information useful for safe diving. The control panel 1 has on its rear side a circular cover 4 which closes the compartment 5 housing the batteries 6 which power the electronic board for the display 2. The battery compartment 5 has a circular shape and is surrounded at its entrance by an annular ridge 7. From the outer side of this annular ridge 7 three angularly equidistant guiding and supporting elements 8 extend outwards and downwards. The closing cover 4 of the battery compartment has in turn three feet 9 angularly equispaced from one another, terminating in a radially outward protruding element 10. The cover 4 is further provided with an O-ring 11.

(6) The operation of the closure device according to the invention is evident. To close the battery compartment 5 the cover 4 is applied on the annular ridge 7 with the feet 9 in the spaces between the elements 8. Said cover is then pressed down until the protruding wings 10 are positioned below the elements 8. At this point the cover 4 is rotated in the direction of the arrow F until the wings 10 engage with the bottom of the elements 8.

(7) Due to the fact that said elements 8 are inclined downwards, they cause compression of the O-ring 11, thus guaranteeing a perfect seal of the battery compartment.

(8) To open said compartment, the cover 4 is simply rotated in the opposite direction to the closing direction. To close and open the compartment, a coin is used, the edge of which is inserted in the notch 12 on the bottom of the cover 4.

(9) Naturally the present invention is not limited to the embodiment illustrated and described. For example, there may be two (or any other number of) fastening and countering elements 8-10 instead of three. Also the shape of the control panel can be different, for example it can be cylindrical.

(10) It is essential that the cover engages with the control panel by means of a bayonet fitting, with axial movement and subsequent rotation of the cover of said compartment.