Hook latch fitted with a positioning device and a method for assembling such a latch

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9567784-B2
Application number	US-201113279217-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 21, 2011
Priority date	Oct 25, 2010
Publication date	Feb 14, 2017
Grant date	Feb 14, 2017

Abstract

The invention relates to a hook latch ( 73 ) configured so as to lock and unlock a mobile structure on a fixed structure of a vehicle, said latch having
an adapter ( 69 ) fitted with a hook ( 73 ) capable of fastening a keeper, a handle comprising a trigger, on the handle, a second pivot connection axis, on the trigger, at least one hook capable of fastening at least one protrusion ( 125 ) of a bracket ( 121 ) connected to the adapter, a third pivot connection axis, around which the handle and the adapter are guided in rotation in relation to each other, and characterised in that it comprises an adjustment device for adjusting the flushness of the upper surface of the handle in relation to the aerodynamic surface, said device comprising the bracket ( 121 ), a screw ( 129 ) capable of being screwed and unscrewed within a first tapped recess of the adapter.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A hook latch configured so as to lock and unlock a mobile structure on a fixed structure of a vehicle, one of the two structures bearing a first pivot connection axis around which the latch is guided in rotation, said latch having
an adapter fitted with a hook capable of fastening a keeper connected to the other structure, the adapter comprising a first tapped recess,
a handle comprising a trigger, at least one of the handle and trigger having an upper surface intended to be positioned flush with an aerodynamic surface of the vehicle,
on the handle, a second pivot connection axis, around which the trigger is guided in rotation within the handle,
on the trigger, at least one hook capable of fastening at least one protrusion of a movable bracket connected to the adapter,
a third pivot connection axis, around which the handle and the adapter are guided in rotation in relation to each other, and
wherein the latch comprises an adjustment device for adjusting the flushness of the upper surface of the handle in relation to an aerodynamic surface of the structure bearing the first pivot connection axis, said adjustment device comprising
the movable bracket, having two lateral plates on one of which are located the protrusion and one upper connection plate accommodating a screw,
the screw being adapted to be screwed and unscrewed within the first tapped recess of the adapter in such a way as to move the movable bracket away from and/or closer to the adaptor to adjust the flushness of the handle.

2. A latch according to claim 1 , wherein
the screw head has a toothed periphery, and
the adapter comprises a retaining strip resting against said periphery.

3. A latch according to claim 1 , wherein
the upper connection plate of the movable bracket is substantially perpendicular to the two lateral plates and has a notch capable of accommodating a shaft of the screw,
said plates having sections located parallel to each other,
the adapter comprises four walls parallel to each other and in contact with said sections,
the screw has, on its shaft, at a distance from the head substantially corresponding to the thickness of the movable bracket, a shoulder substantially perpendicular to said shaft.

4. A latch according to claim 2 , wherein the retaining strip has
either a V-shaped cross-section, the point of the V being configured so as to be inserted into hollows of the toothing of the screw head,
or a slit capable of housing a notch of the peripheral toothing of the screw head.

5. A latch according to claim 1 or claim 2 , wherein the adapter has a second recess substantially perpendicular to the first recess, at least partially tapped and within which a threaded rod of the hook is screwed via a threaded and tapped intermediate fitting part, a pin passing through said adapter and said recess and capable of coming into contact with a notch made within said rod.

6. A latch according to claim 5 , wherein
the lateral plates of the movable bracket have two oblong openings capable of allowing the pin to pass through, said openings having a cross-section adapted to an adjustment of the movable bracket clearance in relation to the adapter, said adjustment being performed according to a predetermined range of adjustment,
the retaining strip extends perpendicularly in the direction of the hook so as to rest against a toothed periphery of the fitting part.

7. A latch according to claim 5 , wherein the threaded rod of the hook comprises a heel capable of abutting against the pin when the hook moves to exit the recess.

8. A latch according to claim 7 , wherein the pin has a circular cross-section and the notch is
either a hollow machined in the threaded rod of the hook, said hollow having a flat bottom and curved ends capable of taking on the shape of the pin, the curved end opposite the hook constituting the heel,
or an oblong-shaped slit machined through the threaded rod of the hook and capable of taking on the shape of the pin, one curved end of the slit, opposite the hook, constituting the heel.

9. A latch according to claim 7 , wherein the heel is a protrusion extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to a plane passing by summits of the threads of the hook.

10. A method for assembling a hook latch according to claim 1 , wherein
a handle and a trigger are machined and assembled,
a hook, a pin and a threaded and tapped intermediate fitting part are machined, the hook extending into a rod at least partially threaded,
an adapter is moulded by creating two recesses therein, extending along axes substantially perpendicular to each other,
said recesses are tapped and said adapter is transversely bored, then
the adapter and the handle are assembled by means of a first rivet extending along a pivot connection axis,
wherein,
the flushness adjustment device is machined for adjusting the flushness of the handle in relation to an aerodynamic surface of the vehicle, said flushness adjustment device comprising the movable bracket and the screw in the first tapped recess, then
said flushness adjustment device is screwed within one tapping of the adapter, and the threaded rod of the hook within the other tapping, then
the pin is inserted through the movable bracket and the adapter.

11. A method for adjusting the flushness of an upper surface of a handle of a hook latch according to claim 1 in relation to an aerodynamic surface of a vehicle, wherein
the latch is closed,
a level of flushness or non-flushness between the upper surface of the handle and the aerodynamic surface of the vehicle is assessed, for example by measuring, then
if the flushness corresponds to a predetermined result, the adjustment is validated, or
if the flushness does not correspond to said result,
the latch is opened and an angle formed by the handle and the adapter is adjusted by screwing or unscrewing the screw in the first tapped recess in the adapter of the flushness adjustment device installed within the latch, such that the movable bracket is moved away from or closer to the adaptor, then
the latch is closed, then
the flushness or non-flushness is reassessed,
if the flushness corresponds to the predetermined result, the adjustment is validated, or
if the flushness does not correspond to the predetermined result, the level of non-flushness is reduced to obtain said result.

Assignees

• Defrance Vincent
• Luneau Etienne
• Lisi Aerospace

Inventors

• Defrance Vincent
• Luneau Etienne

Classifications

• Y10T24/45435

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• E05B63/06

  with lengthwise-adjustable bolts {; with adjustable backset, i.e. distance from door edge} · CPC title

• E05C19/145 Primary

  flush · CPC title

• B64D29/06

  Attaching of nacelles, fairings or cowlings · CPC title

• F16B45/00

  Hooks; Eyes (if the attaching parts or means are concerned, groups F16B13/00, F16B15/00, F16B19/00, F16B25/00, F16B35/00, F16B47/00 take precedence; for hanging pictures or the like A47G1/16; towing hooks for ships B63B21/58; for hoisting or hauling purposes B66C; hooks or eyes with integral parts designed to facilitate quick attachment to cables or ropes at any point F16G11/14) · CPC title