Compound motion slide-out travel lock
AssigneeActuant Corporation
InventorJames Kunz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A compound motion travel lock secures a slide-out section of a vehicle in a retracted position. A lock arm moves in a compound pivoting and translating movement as a manual or power driven actuator provides a linear input to a cam pin and slot arrangement. The rotational input is converted to a linear force acting on the lock arm, which pivots out from a collapsed position by engagement of the cam pins in the cam slots. The pivoted out lock arm is then translated to an engaged position in which the lock arm clamps against an interior surface of the vehicle to retain the slide-out section retracted within the vehicle. When the lock arm is collapsed the slide-out section can be moved freely between retracted and extended positions.
Claims18
In a vehicle having an exterior wall defining an opening for a slide-out section to move between an extended position and a retracted position, a travel lock secures the slide-out section in the retracted position relative to the exterior wall, the travel lock comprising:
- an actuator;
- and
- a lock arm movable by the actuator in a compound motion including pivotal and translatory motion from a collapsed position to an engaged position, wherein in the collapsed position the slide-out section can be moved from the retracted position to the extended position and wherein in the engaged position the lock arm interferes with movement of the slide-out section from the retracted position to the extended position.
In a vehicle having an exterior wall defining an opening for a slide-out section to move between an extended position and a retracted position, a travel lock secures the slide-out section in the retracted position relative to the exterior wall, the travel lock comprising:
- a lock arm having a body mounting at least one cam pin, the lock arm being positionable in a collapsed position in which the slide-out section can be moved from the retracted position to the extended position and an engaged position in which the lock arm interferes with movement of the slide-out section from the retracted position to the extended position;
- a guide having at least one cam slot therein receiving the at least one cam pin;
- and
- an actuator providing a linear force input to the lock arm to move the lock arm cam pin in engagement with the guide cam slot so that the lock arm follows a compound path in which the lock arm pivots and translates as it moves from the collapsed position to the engaged position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.