Trunk lid holding device

Claim 1

In combination, a device for holding the trunk lid of an automobile or the like, in the partially opened position, said automobile including a lid lock engaging hasp situated adjacent the edge of the cargo space enclosed by the lid and a conventional snap lock mechanism on the trunk lid cooperatively engaging with the hasp to detachably secure said lid in the closed position, an open ended tube, a tension spring member extending freely therethrough, a snap lock engaging member secured to one end of said resilient spring member, means restricting the movement of said snap lock engaging member into one end of said tube, hook means on the other end of said tension spring member engagable with the lid lock engaging hasp and means on the other end of said tube selectively engagable with the outer surface of the lid lock engaging hasp when said hook means is engaged with said lid lock engaging hasp, said tension spring member being under relatively heavy tension at least when said means on the other end of said tube is selectively engagable with the outer surface of the lid lock engaging hasp so that it acts as a substantially rigid link between the trunk lid and the edge of the cargo space, when installed, said means on the other end of said tube selectively engagable with the outer surface of the lid lock engaging hasp including a pair of open ended recesses formed on the opposite side walls of the other end of said tube, in diametrically opposing relationship, said recesses engaging over said lid lock engaging hasp when installed.

Claim 3

A device for holding the trunk lid of an automobile or the like, in the partially opened position, said automobile including a lid lock engaging hasp situated adjacent the edge of the cargo space enclosed by the lid and a conventional snap lock mechanism on the trunk lid cooperatively engaging with the hasp to detachably secure said lid in the closed position; said device comprising in combination an open ended tube, a tension spring member under tension extending therethrough, a snap lock engaging member secured to one end of said resilient spring member, means restricting the movement of said snap lock engaging member into one end of said tube to maintain said spring member under tension, open hook means on the other end of said tension spring member engagable with the associated lid lock engaging hasp and means on the other end of said tube selectively engagable with the outer surface of the associated lid lock engaging hasp when said hook means is engaged with said lid lock engaging hasp, said tension spring member being pretensioned when assembled and under relatively heavy tension when said means on the other end of said tube is selectively engagable with the outer surface of the associated lid lock engaging hasp so that it acts as a substantially rigid link between the associated trunk lid and the edge of the car space, when installed, said snap lock engaging member including a closed ended hasp, said means restricting the movement of said snap lock engaging member into one end of said tube includes a shoulder between said hasp and said one end of said tension spring means, said shoulder engaging said one end of said tube, said means on the other end of said tube selectively engagable with the outer surface of the associated lid lock engaging hasp including a pair of open ended recesses formed on the opposite side walls of the other end of said tube, in diametrically opposing relationship, said recesses engaging over said lid lock engaging hasp when installed.

Claim 4

A device for holding the trunk lid of an automobile or the like, in the partially opened position, said automobile including a lid lock engaging hasp situated adjacent the edge of the cargo space enclosed by the lid and a conventional snap lock mechanism on the trunk lid cooperatively engaging with the hasp to detachably secure said lid in the closed position; said device comprising in combination an open ended tube, a tension spring member under tension extending therethrough, a snap lock engaging member secured to one end of said resilient spring member, means restricting the movement of said snap lock engaging member into one end of said tube to maintain said spring member under tension, open hook means on the other end of said tension spring member engagable with the associated lid lock engaging hasp and means on the other end of said tube selectively engagable with the outer surface of the associated lid lock engaging hasp when said hook means is engaged with said lid lock engaging hasp, said tension spring member being pretensioned when assembled and under relatively heavy tension when said means on the other end of said tube is selectively engagable with the outer surface of the associated lid lock engaging hasp so that it acts as a substantially rigid link between the associated trunk lid and the edge of the car space, when installed, said snap lock engaging member including a closed ended hasp, said means restricting the movement of said snap lock engaging member into one end of said tube includes a shoulder between said hasp and said one end of said tension spring means, said shoulder engaging said one end of said tube, said means on the other end of said tube selectively engagable with the outer surface of the associated lid lock engaging hasp including a pair of open ended recesses formed on the opposite side walls of the other end of said tube, in diametrically opposing relationship, said recesses engaging over said lid lock engaging hasp when installed.

Claim 7

A device for holding the trunk lid of an automobile or the like, in the partially opened position, said automobile including a lid lock engaging hasp situated adjacent the edge of the cargo space enclosed by the lid and a conventional snap lock mechanism on the trunk lid cooperatively engaging with the hasp to detachably secure said lid in the closed position; said device comprising in combination an open ended tube, a tension spring member under tension extending therethrough, a snap lock engaging member secured to one end of said resilient spring member, means restricting the movement of said snap lock engaging member into one end of said tube to maintain said spring member under tension, open hook means on the other end of said tension spring member engagable with the associated lid lock engaging hasp and means on the other end of said tube selectively engagable with the outer surface of the associated lid lock engaging hasp when said hook means is engaged with said lid lock engaging hasp, said tension spring member being pretensioned when assembled and under relatively heavy tension when said means on the other end of said tube is selectively engagable with the outer surface of the associated lid lock engaging hasp so that it acts as a substantially rigid link between the associated trunk lid and the edge of the car space, when installed, said snap lock engaging member including a closed ended hasp, said means restricting the movement of said snap lock engaging member into one end of said tube includes a shoulder between said hasp and said one end of said tension spring means, said shoulder engaging said one end of said tube and means on said other end of said tube for retaining said hook means with said tension spring means being maintained under relatively heavy tension as aforesaid, said means on said other end of said tube including a slot formed in the wall of said other end of said tube and extending upwardly therefrom, said slot having an open end at said other end of said tube and being closed at the other end thereof, said hook means engaging said slot.

Claim 8

A device for holding the trunk lid of an automobile or the like, in the partially opened position, said automobile including a lid lock engaging hasp situated adjacent the edge of the cargo space enclosed by the lid and a conventional snap lock mechanism on the trunk lid cooperatively engaging with the hasp to detachably secure said lid in the closed position; said device comprising in combination an open ended tube, a tension spring member under tension extending therethrough, a snap lock engaging member secured to one end of said resilient spring member, means restricting the movement of said snap lock engaging member into one end of said tube to maintain said spring member under tension, open hook means on the other end of said tension spring member engagable with the associated lid lock engaging hasp and means on the other end of said tube selectively engagable with the outer surface of the associated lid lock engaging hasp when said hook means is engaged with said lid lock engaging hasp, said tension spring member being pretensioned when assembled and under relatively heavy tension when said means on the other end of said tube is selectively engagable with the outer surface of the associated lid lock engaging hasp so that it acts as a substantially rigid link between the associated trunk lid and the edge of the car space, when installed, said snap lock engaging member including a closed ended hasp, said means restricting the movement of said snap lock engaging member into one end of said tube includes a shoulder between said hasp and said one end of said tension spring means, said shoulder engaging said one end of said tube and means on said other end of said tube for retaining said hook means with said tension spring means being maintained under relatively heavy tension as aforesaid, said means on said other end of said tube including a slot formed in the wall of said other end of said tube and extending upwardly therefrom, said slot having an open end at said other end of said tube and being closed at the other end thereof, said hook means engaging said slot.

Claim 11

The device according to claims 2, or 3 which include a shield detachably securable over said snap lock engaging member to restrict inadvertent sideways disengaging movement of said engaging member from associated snap lock mechanism.

Claim 12

The device according to claims 5 or 4 in which said tension spring is formed from an elastomeric material.

Claim 13

The device according to claims 5 or 4 which include a shield detachably securable over said snap lock engaging member to restrict inadvertent sideways disengaging movement of said engaging member from associated snap lock mechanism.

Claim 14

A device for holding the trunk lid of an automobile securely in the partially opened position, said automobile including a cargo space having a perimetrical edge defining same and a trunk lid detachably enclosing said cargo space, means on said lid and said edge cooperating together to detachably close and lock said lid in the closed position upon said perimetrical edge of said cargo space, said means including a fixed portion, including a lock engaging hasp and a movable and lockable portion, including a conventional snap lock mechanism; said device comprising in combination (a) an open ended tube, (b) a tension spring member under tension extending through said tube; (c) a snap lock engaging member secured to one end of said tension spring member, (d) means restricting the movement of said snap lock engaging member into one end of said tube to maintain said spring member under tension; (e) open hook means on the other end of said tension spring member engagable with the associated lid lock engaging hasp, (f) and means on the other end of said tube selectively engagable with the outer surface of the associated lock engaging hasp when said hook means is engaged therewith, (g) said tension spring member being pretensioned when assembled and under relatively heavy tension when said means on the other end of said tube is selectively engagable with the outer surface of the associated lock engaging hasp, so that it acts as a substantially rigid link between the associated trunk lid and the edge of the cargo space, when installed and means on the other end of said tube selectively engagable with the outer surface of the associated lid lock engaging hasp including a pair of open ended recesses formed on the opposite side walls of the other end of said tube, in diametrically opposing relationship, said recesses engaging over said lid lock engaging hasp when installed.

Claim 15

A device for holding the trunk lid of an automobile securely in the partially opened position, said automobile including a cargo space having a perimetrical edge defining same and a trunk lid detachably enclosing said cargo space, means on said lid and said edge cooperating together to detachably close and lock said lid in the closed position upon said perimetrical edge of said cargo space, said means including a fixed portion, including a lock engaging hasp and a movable and lockable portion, including a conventional snap lock mechanism; said device comprising in combination (a) an open ended tube, (b) a tension spring member under tension extending through said tube; (c) a snap lock engaging member secured to one end of said tension spring member, (d) means restricting the movement of said snap lock engaging member into one end of said tube to maintain said spring member under tension; (e) open hook means on the other end of said tension spring member engagable with the associated lid lock engaging hasp, (f) and means on the other end of said tube selectively engagable with the outer surface of the associated lock engaging hasp when said hook means is engaged therewith, (g) said tension spring member being pretensioned when assembled and under relatively heavy tension when said means on the other end of said tube is selectively engagable with the outer surface of the associated lock engaging hasp, so that it acts as a substantially rigid link between the associated trunk lid and the edge of the cargo space, when installed and means on the other end of said tube selectively engagable with the outer surface of the associated lid lock engaging hasp including a pair of open ended recesses formed on the opposite side walls of the other end of said tube, in diametrically opposing relationship, said recesses engaging over said lid lock engaging hasp when installed.

Claim 18

A device for holding the trunk lid of an automobile securely in the partially opened position, said automobile including a cargo space having a perimetrical edge defining same and a trunk lid detachably enclosing said cargo space, means on said lid and said edge cooperating together to detachably close and lock said lid in the closed position upon said perimetrical edge of said cargo space, said means including a fixed portion, including a lock engaging hasp and a movable and lockable portion, including a conventional snap lock mechanism; said device comprising in combination (a) an open ended tube, (b) a tension spring member under tension extending through said tube, (c) a snap lock engaging member secured to one end of said tension spring member, (d) means restricting the movement of said snap lock engaging member into one end of said tube to maintain said spring member under tension, (e) open hook means on the other end of said tension spring member engagable with the associated lid lock engaging hasp, (f) and means on the other end of said tube selectively engagable with the outer surface of the associated lock engaging hasp when said hook means is engaged therewith, (g) said tension spring member being pretensioned when assembled and under relatively heavy tension when said means on the other end of said tube is selectively engagable with the outer surface of the associated lock engaging hasp, so that it acts as a substantially rigid link between the associated trunk lid and the edge of the cargo space, when installed, said snap lock engaging member including a closed ended hasp, said means restricting the movement of said snap lock engaging member into one end of said tube includes a shoulder between said hasp and said one end of said tension spring means, said shoulder engaging said one end of said tube and means on said other end of said tube for retaining said hook means with said tension spring means being maintained under relatively heavy tension as aforesaid, said means on said other end of said tube including a slot formed in the wall of said other end of said tube and extending upwardly therefrom, said slot having one open end at said other end of said tube and being closed at the other end thereof, said hook means engaging said slot.

Claim 19

A device for holding the trunk lid of an automobile securely in the partially opened position, said automobile including a cargo space having a perimetrical edge defining same and a trunk lid detachably enclosing said cargo space, means on said lid and said edge cooperating together to detachably close and lock said lid in the closed position upon said perimetrical edge of said cargo space, said means including a fixed portion, including a lock engaging hasp and a movable and lockable portion, including a conventional snap lock mechanism; said device comprising in combination (a) an open ended tube, (b) a tension spring member under tension extending through said tube, (c) a snap lock engaging member secured to one end of said tension spring member, (d) means restricting the movement of said snap lock engaging member into one end of said tube to maintain said spring member under tension, (e) open hook means on the other end of said tension spring member engagable with the associated lid lock engaging hasp, (f) and means on the other end of said tube selectively engagable with the outer surface of the associated lock engaging hasp when said hook means is engaged therewith, (g) said tension spring member being pretensioned when assembled and under relatively heavy tension when said means on the other end of said tube is selectively engagable with the outer surface of the associated lock engaging hasp, so that it acts as a substantially rigid link between the associated trunk lid and the edge of the cargo space, when installed, said snap lock engaging member including a closed ended hasp, said means restricting the movement of said snap lock engaging member into one end of said tube includes a shoulder between said hasp and said one end of said tension spring means, said shoulder engaging said one end of said tube and means on said other end of said tube for retaining said hook means with said tension spring means being maintained under relatively heavy tension as aforesaid, said means on said other end of said tube including a slot formed in the wall of said other end of said tube and extending upwardly therefrom, said slot having one open end at said other end of said tube and being closed at the other end thereof, said hook means engaging said slot.

Claim 22

The device according to claims 11, 15 or 12 in which said tension spring is formed from an elastomeric material.

Claim 23

The device according to claims 14, 13 or 16 in which said tension spring is formed from an elastomeric material.

Claim 24

The device according to claims 11 or 15 or 12 which include a shield detachably securable over said snap lock engaging member to restrict inadvertent sideways disengaging movement of said engaging member from associated snap lock mechanism.