GB2028630A - Plastics ashtray for vehicles - Google Patents

Abstract

A plastics ashtray for a vehicle has a cover element (10') of box shaped form with one open end into which an ash-box (14') can be inserted. A resilient formation (27) which may include a groove (28) which is preferably formed in the floor plate (43) of the housing <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Plastics ashtray for vehicles The invention relates to a plastics ashtray for a vehicle. Such an ashtray may have and ash-box which is movably guided in a cover element mountable on the vehicle and which is covered in an inwardly pushed position and a rattle-free holding means which is formed either only from the cover part or only from the ash-box, which includes a resilient formation which is integral with one of the two ashtray parts and extends in the direction of movement of the ash-box, and which includes a groove extending parallel to said direction and facilitating a resilient movement of the formation, the ashtray part containing the resilient formation being free of openings in the region of the rattle-free holding means, and is described in PatentApplication No 52311/77. (Serial No 1546330) Such a plastics ashtray has an ash-box which is held permanently rattle-free and is at the same time simpiy manufactured. The resilient formation is formed without openings and the ash-box is covered in its inwardly slid position.

With respect to this an object of the present invention is to improve the plastics ashtray of the of the above mentioned type still further having regard to its stability and the rattle-free holding means of its ash-box, whereby in particular the flying of sparks and the exit of ash is still further reduced.

In accordance with the present invention a plastics ashtray for a vehicle having an ash-box which is movably guided in a cover element mountable on the vehicle and which is covered in an inwardly pushed position and a rattle-free holding means which is formed either only from the cover element or only from the asgh-box, which includes a resilient formation which is integral with one of the two ashtray parts and which extends in the direction of movement of the ash-box, and which includes a groove extending parallel to said direction and facilitating a resilient movement of the formation, the ashtray part containing the resilient formation being free of openings in the area of the rattle-free holding means, and wherein the cover element has a base plate underneath the ash-box on which the ash-box is supported by way of the resilientforma- tion.

The base plate of the cover element is useful in that the exit of ash from the ashtray is further reduced. For example, it collects ash which is pushed out over the rear edge of the ash-box if this is used in spite of being full. The support of the ash-box by the resilient formation on the base plate makes possible the location of the upper edges of the ash-box, in particular the upper edge of the rear wall, still closer to the cover plate of the cover element since the resilient formation acting on the ash-box is no longer arranged in the cover region but rather in the floor region and therefore avoids the need for a rear wall formed with a lower height because of the resilient formation. In this construction of the ashtray the resilient formation can be arranged either in the base plate of the cover element or in the ash-box itself.

In a further development of the invention the cover element having the base plate is a box closed on both sides and on the rear wall opposite to the inlet end and the base plate includes the resilient formation. The closed box type of arrangement provides a still greater effectiveness in preventing the exit of ash and the flying of sparks in the cover eiement. In addition the closed box is more stable than the cover element of the earlier design consisting essentially only of a cover plate. Thus, the long term reliability of the rattle-free holding means is still further improved or the wall strength can be reduced.

Advantageously, the ash-box has first guide ribs on the outside of both longitudinal walls thereof which engage in guide grooves on the cover element and complementary angled faces are arranged on the guide ribs and grooves. The angled faces of the guide ribs and grooves make a simpler formation of the ashtray parts through an injection moulding process possible. They also reduce the influence of manufacturing tolerances and therefore avoid the jamming of the ash-box in the cover element. Each guide groove on the cover element is preferably formed of two second guide ribs spaced from each other. The angled faces are preferably arranged on the under sides of the first guide ribs on the ash-box and on the upper sides of the lower ones of the second guide ribs.

The upper sides of the two first guide ribs on the ash-box and the lower sides of the upper second guide ribs on the cover part preferably have horizontal support and slide faces. The ash-box may have a slide lug, supported against the resilient formation, on its outer face adjacent to the base plate.

The invention will be further explained with reference to an exemplary embodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a sectional view of a cover element along the line AB of Figure 2; Figure2 is a vertical section of the cover element of Figure 1 along the line CD of Figure 3; Figure 3 is a partly sectioned front view of the inlet end of the cover element; Figure 4 is a vertical section of an ash-box along the line EF of Figure 5; and Figure 5 is a longitudinal section of the rear part of the ash-box of Figure 4.

The cover element 10' illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 has a cover plate 11, along whose longitudinal edges extend side walls 12 with guide grooves 13' for the ash-box 14' illustrated in Figures 4 and 5. The height of the side walls 12 and their spacing from each other are so determined that the ash-box 14' passes between them. Underneath the ash-box 14', when located in the cover element, is a base plate 43 which connects the side walls 12 of the cover element to each other along their lower edges. There is arranged, at an end 17 lying opposite the inlet end 15 for the entry of the ash-box 14', a rear wall 17' which forms a closed box with the cover plate, the floor plate and the side walls of the cover element 10'.

This box is fixed to the vehicle or built in with it. to this end serve, among other things, fixing lugs 19, extending rearwardly from the base plate 43 and provided on their sides with respective stiffening walls 23 which engage the rearwall 17'. Fixing blocks 42 are formed on the fixing lugs and have square fixing holes 16 extending along their longitudinal axis through which screws extend by which the ashtray is fixed. In addition, the cover element 10' is supported by support lugs 48 which are present on the cover plate 11. The entry end 15 is enlarged by a taper 49 of the cover plate running upwardly to facilitate the entry of the ash-box and helps fixing.

The front edges of the side walls 12 have forwardly extending front lugs 50 which can serve to conform the entry end 15 to the body parts of the vehicle. The spacing of the cover plate 11 and the floor plate 43 is reduced with increasing distance from the entry end 15, so that the formation of the box shaped cover element 10' is facilitated.

Two guide projections 46,47 are arranged above each other on the respective side walls 12 of the cover element 10'. These form the guide grooves 13' on the cover eiement. The upper sides of the lower guide projections 47 have angled faces 45 rotated towards the interior of the cover element while the lower sides of the upper guide projections 46 have horizontal support and slide faces 30.

The base plate 43 has a resilient formation 27 running from the entry end 15 to the rear wall 17' and directed against the ash-box. The wall strength of the floor plate is smaller in this region of the resilient formation than the wall strength of the floor plate surrounding the resilient formation so that the resilient movement is limited to the region of the resilient formation on the cover element so that a better control of the spring loading is also obtained.

The resilient formation 27 has a flat arcuate profile and is formed from a profile radius R having a centre lying externally of the cover element or the floor plate. The formation 27, running continuously along the centre line of the baseplate, has a groove 28 in the middle thereof and extending in the same direction. This groove has a radius r having a centre point lying inwardly of the cover part. The formation 27 and its groove 28 have a symmetrical arrangement which is therefore easily manufactured from a technical view point. The formation 27 and the groove 28 are preferably provided in the whole movement zone of the ash-box 14' so that this is held rattle-free not only in its end position but, for example, also when it is half pulled out.

The resilient formation has a flattening 40 at its end adjacent to the entry end 15 in order to facilitate the sliding together with the ash-box. At the other end, the formation 27 is provided with a small flattening 41 through which the profile is stiffened so that a particularly firm end position is obtained in the closed condition of the ash-box. The formation 27 has stop lugs 29 on both sides of the groove 28 between the flattenings 40, 41 which work in cooper ation with a slide lug 37 of the ash-box 14' which cannot be unintentionally pulled out too far. The stop lugs are arranged accordingly adjacent to the flattening 40.

The ash-box 14' has respective guide ribs 31 on its longitudinal walls 44,44' which have upper horizon tal slide or support faces 32 and lower angled faces 45. The front wall 33 of the ash-box is not illustrated.

A slide lug 37 is present on the floor 34 of the ash-box 14' adjacent to the rear wall 36 and projects far enough to cooperate with the formation 26 of the base plate 43 of the cover part 10'. The width of the guide lug 37 is correspondingly greater than the width of the groove 28 of the resilient formation 27.

The slide faces 32 with the slide faces 30 of the cover part 10' from the counter support to the formation 27 acting on the ash-box. While the spring load of the formation 27 in the previously known ashtray acts from above downwardly onto the ash-box, in the present invention it is directed from below upwardly so that the slide and support faces 32 are provided on the upper sides of the guide ribs 31 and the angled faces 45 are provided on the lower sides of the guide ribs 31. The ash-box is reduced in height in the direction of its rear wall 36 in correspondence to the tapering of the cover element 10'.

In the assembly of the ash-box in the cover element the guide lug can initially be slid in without resistance over the flattening 40 of the formation 27.

Thereafter, the guide lug 37 is slid over the stop lug 29, which provides an inward sliding resistance which can be overcome by the application of pressure, whereafterthe ash-box sits in the cover element in such a way as not to be able to be lost. It is then already held in a rattle-free manner. Towards the end of the inward movement of the ash-box the slide lug 37 runs over the flattening 41 so that a particularly firm seating of the ash-box in the closed position is obtained.

Claims (8)

1. A plastics ashtray for a vehicle having an ash-box which is movably guided in a cover element mountable on the vehicle and which is covered in an inwardly pushed position and a rattle-free holding means which is formed either only from the cover element or only from the ash-box, which includes a resilient formation which is integral with one of the two ashtray parts and which extends in the direction of movement of the ash-box, and which includes a groove extending parallel to said direction and facilitating a resilient movement of the formation, the ashtray part containing the resilient formation being free of openings in the area of the rattle-free holding means, and wherein the cover element has a base plate underneath the ash-box on which the ash-box is supported by way of the resilient formation.

2. An ashtray according to claim 1 wherein the cover element having the base plate is a housing closed on both sides thereof and on the rear wall thereof lying opposite the entry end the base plate of the housing including the resilient formation.

3. An ashtray according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the ash-box has first guide ribs located externally on both longitudinal walls thereof and running in guide grooves on the cover element and wherein complementary angled faces are arranged on the first guide ribs and grooves.

4. An ashtray according to claim 3, wherein each guide groove on the cover element is formed by two second guide ribs spaced from each other.

5. An ashtray according to claim 4 wherein the said angled faces are arranged on the under sides of the first guide ribs on the ash-box and on the upper sides of the lower ones of the second guide ribs.

6. An ashtray according to claim 4 or 5 wherein the upper sides of the first guide ribs on the ash-box and the lower sides of the upper ones of the second guide ribs on the cover element have horizontal support and guide faces.

7. An ashtray according to any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the ash-box has a slide lug on its outside face adjacent to the base plate and supported against the said resilient formation.

8. A plastics ashtray for a vehicle substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.