Locking mechanism with push- and pull-to-release function and device comprising such locking mechanism

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11229271-B2
Application number	US-201716322554-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 8, 2017
Priority date	Aug 9, 2016
Publication date	Jan 25, 2022
Grant date	Jan 25, 2022

Abstract

The present invention relates to a locking mechanism ( 13 ) comprising a first locking member ( 11 ), a second locking member ( 12 ), and a biasing member ( 14 ) exerting, during operation, a biasing force (FB) on at least the first locking member ( 11 ) or the second locking member ( 12 ) in a biasing direction (B). The locking mechanism further comprises a guiding structure ( 32 ) for mutually guiding the first and second locking members ( 11, 12 ), wherein the first locking member ( 11 ) comprises a track structure ( 15 ) and the second locking member ( 12 ) comprises a guided element ( 16 ) guided by the track structure ( 15 ). The locking mechanism ( 13 ) is moved from an un-locked to a locked condition by applying a pushing force to at least one of the first and second locking members ( 11, 12 ). The locking mechanism ( 13 ) can be moved from the locked to the un-locked condition by applying either a pushing or a pulling force to at least one of the first and second locking members ( 11, 12 ). The invention further relates to a device comprising such a locking mechanism ( 13 ). Such a device may be a holding device ( 40 ) for a shaving apparatus ( 24 ), for example a cleaning device for cleaning a shaving head ( 26 ) of a shaving apparatus ( 24 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. Locking mechanism comprising a first locking member, a second locking member, a biasing member exerting, during operation, a biasing force (F B ) on at least the first locking member or the second locking member in a biasing direction (B), and a guiding structure for mutually guiding the first and second locking members such that the first and second locking members are mutually displaceable with at least a displacement component parallel to the biasing direction (B), wherein the first locking member comprises a track structure and the second locking member comprises a guided element guided by the track structure, wherein the track structure comprises:
a first track portion extending between a first track position and a second track position which are at a mutual distance relative to the biasing direction (B),
a second track portion extending between the second track position and a third track position, said third track position being located between the first track position and the second track position relative to the biasing direction (B),
a third track portion extending between the third track position and a fourth track position, said third track position being located between the first track position and the fourth track position relative to the biasing direction (B), and
a fourth track portion extending between the fourth track position and the first track position, the first track position and the fourth track position being at a mutual distance relative to the biasing direction (B),

wherein:
in an un-locked condition of the locking mechanism, the guided element is positioned in the first track position,
to lock the locking mechanism, the guided element and the track structure are mutually displaceable such that the guided element is displaced from the first track position to the third track position by a first displacement via the first track portion against action of the biasing force (F B ) and by a subsequent second displacement via the second track portion under influence of the biasing force (F B ),
in a locked condition of the locking mechanism, the guided element is positioned in the third track position and rests against a supporting surface of the track structure under influence of the biasing force (F B ), the biasing force (F B ) determining a predefined contact force (F C ) between the guided element and the supporting surface,
to un-lock the locking mechanism, the guided element and the track structure are mutually displaceable such that the guided element is displaced from the third track position to the first track position by a third displacement via the third track portion against action of the biasing force (F B ) and by a subsequent fourth displacement via the fourth track portion under influence of the biasing force (F B ), wherein:
the supporting surface is provided on a supporting member which is displaceable relative to the track structure from a first position to a second position, with at least a displacement component perpendicular to the biasing direction (B), against action of a further biasing force (F FB ) of a further biasing member,
in the first position of the supporting member, with the guided element in the third track position, the guided element rests against the supporting surface under influence of the biasing force (F B ),
in the second position of the supporting member the track structure has a fifth track portion, extending between the third track position and the first track position, via which the guided element is displaceable from the third track position to the first track position without any mutual displacement of the guided element and the track structure against action of the biasing force (F B ), to un-lock the locking member, and
the further biasing force (F FB ) has a predefined value such that a displacement of the supporting member from the first position to the second position under influence of a contact force between the guided element and the supporting surface only occurs when said contact force exceeds said predefined contact force (F C ) by a predefined threshold value.

2. Locking mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the supporting member is pivotally mounted in relation to the track structure and is pivotable from the first position to the second position against action of the further biasing force (F FB ).

3. Locking mechanism according to claim 2 , wherein, in the first position of the supporting member, the supporting surface extends obliquely relative to the biasing direction (B).

4. Locking mechanism according to claim 2 , wherein the guided element has a sloped surface by means of which, in the locked condition, the guided element rests against the supporting surface, said sloped surface extending obliquely relative to the biasing direction (B) in the locked condition.

5. Locking mechanism according to claim 3 , wherein a pivot axis of the supporting member extends in an imaginary plane in which the first, second, third, fourth and fifth track portions extend.

6. Locking mechanism according to claim 3 , wherein a pivot axis of the supporting member extends perpendicularly to an imaginary plane in which the first, second, third, fourth and fifth track portions extend.

7. Locking mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the supporting member and the further biasing member are integrally formed.

8. Locking mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the further biasing member comprises a leaf spring, and wherein the supporting member is provided on an end portion of the leaf spring which is deflectable at least with a deflection component perpendicular to the biasing direction (B).

9. Locking mechanism according to claim 8 , wherein the supporting member is integrally formed with the leaf spring.

10. Locking mechanism according to claim 9 , wherein the leaf spring has a main portion, which has a longitudinal extension (L) with a main extension component parallel to the biasing direction (B), and wherein the end portion of the leaf spring protrudes relative to the main portion in a direction perpendicular to an imaginary plane in which the first, second, third, fourth and fifth track portions extend, the supporting surface comprising a side surface of said end portion facing the third track position.

11. Locking mechanism according to claim 8 , wherein, in the first position of the supporting member, the supporting surface rests against an abutment member of the track structure under influence of the further biasing force (F FB ), said abutment member being provided near the third track position.

12. Locking mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein:
the guiding structure has a stationary position,
the first locking member is displaceable relative to the guiding structure with at least said displacement component parallel to the biasing direction (B),
the biasing member acts the biasing force (F B ) on the first locking member, and
the guided element is provided on a carrier which is hingedly connected to the guiding structure.

13. Device comprising a locking mechanism a first stationary part and a second part which is displaceable relative to the first stationary part between an un-locked position and a locked position by means of the locking mechanism, said second part comprising an operating member by means of which a user can displace the second part relative to the first stationary part, wherein the locking mechanism is a locking mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second locking members of the locking mechanism are respectively connected to one of the first and second parts of the device, wherein said un-locked positio

Assignees

• Koninklijke Philips Nv

Inventors

• Durksz Hedzer
• Baron Sint
• Heerema Gert
• Kuperus Johan Bernard
• Maltha Krijn

Classifications

• E05C19/022

  Released by pushing in the closing direction · CPC title

• A45D27/29 Primary

  Stands for shavers or razors (A45D27/46 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01H13/562

  making use of a heart shaped cam · CPC title