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

Locking mechanism comprising a first locking member, a second locking member, a biasing member exerting, during operation, a biasing force (FB) 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 (FB) and by a subsequent second displacement via the second track portion under influence of the biasing force (FB),
• 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 (FB), the biasing force (FB) determining a predefined contact force (FC) 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 (FB) and by a subsequent fourth displacement via the fourth track portion under influence of the biasing force (FB), 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 (FFB) 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 (FB),
• 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 (FB), to un-lock the locking member, and
• the further biasing force (FFB) 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 (FC) by a predefined threshold value.