EP0467761B1 - Container provided with a one-piece catch - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a housing formed by two parts articulated one on the other and equipped with a one-piece clasp comprising a body capable of being slidably mounted in a first part of the housing, body on which means are provided. retaining means for defining a first position of said body in said first housing part, elastic return means for urging said body elastically to said first position, actuation means accessible from the outside through an opening in said first part of housing for moving said body by manual pushing, against the action of said return means, and locking means for keeping the housing closed.

On known cases of this type, in particular make-up cases, such a one-piece clasp comprises a body on which two branches forming the elastic return means project laterally, on two opposite sides, these two branches cooperating by bending with two supports side provided on the first housing part. Due to the presence of these two branches projecting laterally from the body, the first housing part must necessarily be made in two parts, namely a bottom and a covering piece, the clasp being mounted in the bottom before setting place of the cover piece. This complicates the assembly of the housing and increases the cost of the latter.

We also know, from document DE-C-37 35 320, a case in two parts articulated one on the other, in which a one-piece clasp has a rigid body having on the one hand two rigid lateral wings which carry retaining notches intended to cooperate with abutment parts on the housing part receiving the clasp, and on the other hand two elastic oblique biasing return arms connecting in the middle position to the clasp body and bearing against a bearing surface provided on said part of the housing.

The present invention relates to a housing with a one-piece clasp which, while being of simple structure and manufacture, can be mounted in the last phase of assembly of the housing.

The case object of the present invention is formed of two parts hinged on each other, a first of which has an opening for receiving a one-piece clasp having a body which is slidably mounted in said opening and which is produced so that it can be introduced into said first housing part by sliding through said opening. On this body are provided: elastic return means for urging the clasp body elastically against the direction of introduction of the clasp body into the first part of the case, said elastic return means being constituted by two oblique elastic branches formed in one piece with the clasp body, in the extension of said body in the direction of introduction of the latter into the first housing part, so as to cooperate by elastic bending with a bearing surface provided on the first housing part; actuating means accessible from the outside for moving the clasp body by manual pushing against the return action of said elastic branches; locking means cooperating with hooking means provided on the second housing part to keep the housing closed, and retaining means constituted by lateral notches projecting laterally on the clasp body to cooperate, at the end of mounting of the clasp body in the first housing part, by snap-fastening with stop means on the first housing part. According to the invention, the clasp body has a U-shaped farm with a core carrying said actuating means and two elastic wings. Said branches are each formed in the extension of one of said two wings and converge towards one another. Said lateral notches are formed on said wings in the zone of connection of said branches to the wings of the clasp body.

• la figure 1 est une vue en perspective d'un fermoir suivant l'invention, avant son montage dans le boîtier;
• la figure 2 est une vue de dessus du fermoir de la figure 1, après son montage dans le boîtier;
• la figure 3 est une vue analogue à celle de la figure 2, montrant le fermoir après son actionnement par poussée manuelle;
• la figure 4 est une coupe suivant IV-IV de la figure 2.

Referring to the appended schematic drawings, there will be described below in more detail an illustrative and nonlimiting embodiment of a housing with clasp according to the invention;

• Figure 1 is a perspective view of a clasp according to the invention, before mounting in the housing;
• Figure 2 is a top view of the clasp of Figure 1, after mounting in the housing;
• Figure 3 is a view similar to that of Figure 2 showing the clasp after its actuation by manual push;
• FIG. 4 is a section along IV-IV of FIG. 2.

According to Figures 1 to 4 a one-piece clasp made of plastic, for example polyacetal, is intended to be mounted by sliding in the direction of the arrow 2 in Figure 1 in a part 3 of a housing, by an opening 4 planned in tranche 5 of the housing part 3. In the example shown, the housing part 3 is the lower part or bottom part of a housing whose upper part 6 or cover part visible in FIG. 4 is articulated in a manner not shown on the lower part 3 opposite the section 5.

The clasp 1 comprises a body 7 of generally parallelepiped external shape. More specifically, the body 7 has, seen in plan, a U-shape, the core of the U constituting the large outer edge 8 of the body 7 and the two wings of the U constituting the two opposite small edges 9 of the body 7.

On the wafer 8 is formed a rib 10 projecting outwards, over the entire length of the wafer 8, this rib 10 serving as a means of actuating the clasp 1.

The wafer 8 also carries, on the interior side, a cage 11 open upwards, the side opposite to the wafer 8 ends upwards by a head 12 in the form of a hook whose flank 13 faces the wafer 8 is inclined in the form of a ramp.

The two sections 9 of the body 7 are extended opposite the section 8 by two oblique converging branches 14 ending at a short distance from each other.

At the point of connection of the branches 14 to the lateral edges 9 of the body 7 of the clasp 1, each edge 9 has a notch 15 projecting laterally outwards. Each notch 15 is defined, on the side facing the edge 8, by a sidewall 16 perpendicular to the edge 9 and, on the side facing the branch 14, by an oblique sidewall 17, forming a ramp (see FIG. 1).

The opening 4 provided in the housing part 3 to receive the clasp 1 has a height very slightly greater than the height of the body 7 of the clasp. The width of the opening 4 is very slightly greater than the width that the body 7 has at the location of its edges 9, outside the notches 15, but less than the overall width of the body 7 at the location of the notches 15.

Inside the housing part 3, the opening 4 opens into a cavity 18 whose width is greater than the overall width of the body 7 of the clasp 1 at the location of the notches 15, this cavity connected by two shoulders 19 to the opening 4. The depth of the cavity 18 is slightly less than the distance separating the sides 16 of the notches 15 of the body 7 of the clasp 1 of the free ends of the branches 14 perpendicular to the plane of the edge 8 body 7.

The housing part 3 also comprises, in its upper face, an opening 20 whose function will appear later.

The clasp 1 as described above and illustrated by Figures 1 to 4 can be mounted in the housing part 3 by insertion in the direction of the arrow 2 into the opening 4, the arms 14 being turned forward . During this introduction movement, the edges 9 of the body 7 bend slightly inward when the notches 15 pass through the opening 4, to then relax as soon as the notches 15 have crossed the shoulders 19 and come into place behind these shoulders. Shortly before this catching of the notches 15 behind the shoulders 19, the free ends of the branches 14 touch the bottom 21 of the cavity 18, so that when the notches 15 are snapped behind the shoulders 19, the branches 14 are slightly bent elastically. It is therefore under the effect of the elasticity of the branches 14 that the sides 16 of the notches 15 are pressed against the shoulders 19 which serve as a stop, preventing the clasp 1 once introduced into the housing part 3 in a visible manner in Figure 2 to emerge from the housing part 3.

In this mounting position, the notches 15 do not hinder the mobility of the clasp 1 against the return effect of the elastic branches 14 in bending, under the action of a push exerted by hand on the rib d actuation 10 in the direction of the arrow as shown in FIG. 3.

As shown in Figure 4, the upper housing part 6 has a locking hook 22 which, when the housing is closed, crosses the opening 20 of the lower housing part 3 and cooperates with the hook 12 of the clasp 1, by the sliding of the ramp 23 of the hook 22 on the ramp 13 of the hook 12 until the two hooks snap one behind the other.

To unlock the two hooks 22 and 12 in order to open the case, a push is exerted on the rib 12 of the clasp 1 in the direction of the arrow P in FIG. 3, so that the clasp 1 is pressed in. against the return effect of the branches 14 which flex elastically, which allows the hook 22 to disengage from the hook 12 when a torque is exerted on the upper part of the housing 6 in the direction of the opening, ie manually, or by an elastic means known per se.

Claims (1)

1. Case composed of two parts (3, 6) articulated to one another, a first part (3) of which has an opening (4) for accommodating a one-piece clasp (1) having a body (7) which is slidably mounted in the said opening, which is constructed so that it can be introduced into the said first case part (3) by sliding through the said opening (4) and on which are provided: elastic return means for urging the clasp body (7) elastically counter to the direction in which the clasp body is introduced into the first case part (3), the said elastic return means consisting of two oblique elastic branches (14) made in one piece with the clasp body (7), in the extension of the said body in the direction of its introduction into the first case part (3), so as to engage by elastic bending with a bearing surface (21) provided on the first case part (3); actuating means (10), which are accessible from the outside, for displacing the clasp body (7) by manual pressure (P) counter to the return action of the said elastic branches (14); locking means (12) engaging with hooking means (22) provided on the second case part (6) for keeping the case closed, and retention means consisting of lateral catches (15) projecting laterally from the clasp body (7) for engaging, at the end of the mounting of the clasp body (7) in the first case part (3), by snapping in with stop means (19) on the first case part (3), characterized in that the clasp body (7) has the shape of a U with a core (8) carrying the said actuating means (10) and two elastic wings (9), in that the said branches (14) are each formed in the extension of one of the said two wings (9) and converge towards each other, and in that the said lateral catches (15) are formed on the said wings (9) in the area of the junction of the said branches (14) with the wings (9) of the clasp body (7).

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