AUTOMATIC LOCKING MECHANISM FOR COLLAPSIBLE ELEMENTS

Abstract

The present invention relates to an automatic lock mechanism for foldable systems, where such lock mechanism is used with any kind of foldable system, such as a stretcher that consists of a plurality of panels, where the intelligent lock of each foldable panel is made by a measurement system that determines when the folds are in the desired position, this is, parallel to one another or one after the other, and an electronic lock system that triggers a magnetic lock when panels reach the desired position to create a stiff element from the panels comprising the foldable system.

Claims

1. An automatic lock mechanism for foldable systems, characterized in that it consists of: a long liner (1) that host the most of pin (7) or lock system with magnetic and electronic (8) aid; a short liner (2); tilt sensors (3) located on both long liner (1) and short liner (2); a pin or lock system (4) with electronic and magnetic aid components; magnets (11) located on the opposite end of the pin (7) spring (10); and a join base (6) on the lower part of the long liner (1) and the short liner (2).

2. The lock mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that the long liner (1) attaches to one of the panels composing the foldable system.

3. The lock mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that the short liner (2) locates on the panel opposite to the long liner (1) in the foldable system.

4. The lock mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that the tilt sensors (3) are chosen from a group consisting of accelerometers, inertial tracking units and direction measurement sensors.

5. The lock mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that the electronic component of the pin or lock system (4) comprises of solenoid (5) with perpendicular rod (9) and tilt sensors (3) connected to each other.

6. The lock mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that the pin or lock system (4) has a compressed spring on one end.

7. The lock mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that the join base (6) is divided into sections.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0018] The present invention is better understood from the following drawings that show its parts and components and the novelty features that differentiate it from the state of the art.

[0019] FIG. 1 shows a general perspective view of the lock mechanism of the present invention.

[0020] FIG. 2 shows another perspective view of the lock mechanism of the invention from the front.

[0021] FIG. 3 shows a plane upper view of the mechanism of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0022] The present invention relates to a lock mechanism to be used in any type of foldable element or that require a safe and appropriate lock, which is characterized for comprising the following components or parts: [0023] A long liner (1), which is the element that internally hosts most of the pin (7) or lock system magnetically and electronically (8) aided when unlocked the panels system, in that liner (1) one of the panels comprising the foldable system is assembled and the whole lock mechanism is installed; [0024] A short liner (2), which assembles the panel opposite to the long liner (1) assembly of the foldable system, and that hosts the pin when the system is locked; [0025] Tilt sensors (3), that are accelerometers, inertial tracking units or other kind of sensors that allow measuring the direction of the panels on which the short liner (2) and the long liner (1) are assembled. Where said tilt sensors activate the pin (4) when they determine that the short liner (2) and the long liner (1) are parallel; [0026] A pin (4), that blocks the foldable system through magnetic or electronic (8) aid, where the electronic component comprises the tilt sensors (3) that send to a solenoid (5) a signal when the tilt angle between the panels is about 0, in such a way that this solenoid (5) hosts the perpendicular rod (9), which causes that the pin (7) with compressed spring (10) in one end passes from being hosted in the long liner (1) to be between the long liner (1) and the short liner (2),resulting in the lock of the whole mechanism; [0027] Magnets (11) located on the opposite end of the pin (7) spring (10), which keep the pin on its lock position while the panels are almost in parallel position the one to the another; and [0028] A base (6) to join the panels of the foldable system where the installation of the automatic lock element is made, being such base (6) located on the lower part of the long liner (1) and the short liner (2) and it divides into a plurality of section to join the system more appropriately.

[0029] Thus, the lock mechanism of the present invention functions with a plurality of tilt sensors (3) allowing determining when the foldable panels of the foldable system where it is installed, are in the appropriate position and they keep in a locked or unlocked position, where such lock is made by means of a series of magnets (11) on the long liner (1) and the short liner (2) ends.

[0030] On the other hand, to unlock the system, the user manually pulls the pin (7) by a lever (12) that corresponds to the lock mechanism, to put the pin back on the long liner (1) and cause that the perpendicular rod (9) returns to its original position.