Motor vehicle locking device

Abstract

The invention relates to a motor vehicle locking device, in particular a motor vehicle lock, preferably a motor vehicle bonnet lock, which is equipped with a locking mechanism (1, 2) consisting substantially of a rotary latch (1) and a pawl (2). Furthermore, a release element (5) is provided for lifting out the pawl (2). By lifting out the pawl (2), the locking mechanism (1, 2) first assumes a pre-latch position and then, after the pawl (2) has been subjected to a force again, an open position. For this purpose, the pawl (2) has a sliding pin (2a) that interacts with a slot (8) on the rotary latch (1). According to the invention, the pawl (2) also has a guide pin (2b) that interacts with an outer contour (1c, 1d) of the rotary latch (1).

Description

[0001] Description

[0002] Motor vehicle locking device

[0003] The invention relates to a motor vehicle locking device, in particular a motor vehicle lock and preferably a motor vehicle hood lock, with a locking mechanism consisting essentially of a rotary latch and a pawl, and with a trigger element for lifting the pawl, wherein the locking mechanism initially assumes a pre-locking position by lifting the pawl and an open position after the pawl is acted upon again, and wherein for this purpose the pawl has a link pin interacting with a link on the rotary latch.

[0004] Motor vehicle locking devices generally refer to locking devices on or in motor vehicles that can be used to lock, for example, hatches, doors, seats, etc. In general, this refers to motor vehicle locks, and in particular to motor vehicle hood locks, i.e., motor vehicle locks that are used to lock hoods, doors, or hatches on or in motor vehicles against the vehicle body. In fact, motor vehicle hood locks refer to, for example, motor vehicle locks on hoods or tailgates.

[0005] Such motor vehicle hood locks, which are used, for example, in connection with locking a motor vehicle's front hood or a motor vehicle tailgate, are generally opened from the interior of the associated motor vehicle. For this purpose, a Bowden cable ending in the vehicle interior can act on a release lever as a release element and ensure the unlocking or opening of the associated motor vehicle hood lock. The actuating device used at this point can be a handle or a loop for manual operation. In principle, however, an electric motor actuation of the release lever or release element is also possible and is encompassed by the invention.

[0006] While vehicle hood locks can in principle be opened in the manner described, they are only opened slightly by spring force for safety reasons. This is necessary and required to prevent the vehicle hood from swinging open completely in the event of, for example, an incorrect operation of the operating device while driving, which could lead to a dangerous obstruction of the driver's view.

[0007] The complete opening of the vehicle hood from this gap position is usually and in practice achieved using a locking lever, which must be pivoted by an operator while the vehicle is stationary. Only then is the hood or bonnet finally released. In the open position of the locking mechanism, the locking lever engages around or over the locking bolt attached to the bonnet.

[0008] Such a catch lever and the associated mechanism are unnecessary if, when unlocking the vehicle lock in question, it is ensured or can be ensured that, for example, the pre-locking position of the locking mechanism is reliably engaged. In this case, the opening can subsequently be accomplished by manually pivoting the locking pawl out of this pre-locking position on the rotary latch, thereby opening the entire vehicle hood. However, this requires that the pre-locking position is securely engaged.

[0009] The generic prior art according to DE 103 61 186 B4 concerns a motor vehicle lock, and in particular a motor vehicle hood lock, which is intended to implement a so-called snow load function. This snow load function means that when the hood in question is loaded with snow, the hood will not open into the gap position, even if the locking pawl is lifted from its engagement with the rotary latch by means of the release element. This is because the snow load can cause the hood in question to be inadvertently closed again.

[0010] For this purpose, the teaching in question proposes a motor vehicle lock and in particular a motor vehicle hood lock, in which an effective locking connection with a locking connection element and a locking connection counter element is realized between the rotary latch and the pawl.

[0011] The locking connection element can be brought into locking engagement with the locking connection counter element in the main closed position. A non-locking engagement is observed toward the open position. A relatively complex mechanism is provided for this purpose because the locking connection element is arranged or formed on a spring arm on the pawl, located in a plane laterally adjacent to the rotary latch.

[0012] In DE 10 2016 010 467 A1, there is also an interaction between the rotary latch and the pawl. In this case, the pawl or the rotary latch is assigned a tracking lever, through which a locking surface or a counter-locking surface can be tracked in such a way that the rotary latch pivots over a defined pivot angle in the opening direction without the locking surface and the counter-locking surface disengaging. This is intended to counteract noise during the opening process.

[0013] In the further prior art according to WO 2021 / 190684 A1, which originates from the applicant, a hood lock is provided in which the pawl, which is lifted from a main catch of the rotary latch with its first locking tooth by means of the release lever for unlocking, interacts with its second locking tooth with the main catch of the rotary latch to positively guide the pawl and block the pre-lock of the rotary latch during the opening process of the locking mechanism. This ensures that the pre-lock position is safely assumed during the unlocking process. Consequently, to open the known motor vehicle hood lock in question, a double actuation, or a so-called double stroke, of the release lever is required.This has proven to be fundamentally effective in ensuring that the familiar motor vehicle lock, on the one hand, safely assumes the pre-locking position and, on the other hand, can then be opened from the pre-locking position by pivoting the pawl again.

[0014] The present invention is based on the technical problem of further developing such a motor vehicle locking device in such a way that a structurally simple and compact design is observed while maintaining the described functionality, ie safely assuming the pre-locking position.

[0015] To solve this technical problem, a generic motor vehicle locking device within the scope of the invention is characterized in that the locking pawl, in addition to the already described link pin, additionally has a guide pin interacting with an outer contour of the rotary latch.

[0016] This means that according to the invention, the pawl is equipped with two pins, namely the guide pin, which interacts with the slotted link on the rotary latch, and the guide pin, which interacts with the outer contour of the rotary latch. In this way, an opening process of the motor vehicle locking device according to the invention can be realized and implemented in a particularly simple manner, whereby, in accordance with the teaching of WO 2021 / 190684 A1, the pre-locking position is initially safely assumed. Only after further application of the trigger element to lift the pawl is the pre-locking position of the locking mechanism released and the locking mechanism subsequently assumes its open position.As a result, the otherwise usual and obligatory catch lever can generally be dispensed with and the motor vehicle locking device according to the invention can be opened both manually and by electric motor.

[0017] In addition, the shape of the two pins on the pawl corresponds to a particularly compact design. Typically, the gate on the rotary latch is designed as a gate recess into which the gate pin inserts. Accordingly, there is at least a partial overlap between the pawl and the rotary latch (when viewed from above), thus promoting the desired compact design.

[0018] In addition, the design is often such that the link pin and the guide pin are arranged on a corresponding link arm and guide arm of the pawl. The two pins are preferably located at the end of the corresponding arm. Furthermore, the design is usually such that the two arms and the corresponding pin form an acute angle between them.

[0019] The two arms can be arranged with their pins each opposite a bearing recess of the pawl. In this context, the procedure is usually such that the two arms with the pins run largely radially in relation to a rotational axis of the pawl. The rotational axis of the pawl is defined by a bearing pin inserting into the bearing recess of the pawl, which in this way defines the rotational axis in question. Consequently, the two arms with the pins also run largely radially in relation to the bearing recess or bearing pin in question. The link recess is usually equipped with at least one pre-locking stop to ensure the correct and secure assumption of the pre-locking position or pre-locking setting of the locking mechanism according to the invention. Usually, two pre-locking stops arranged offset from one another are provided at this point.The two pre-locking stops can be radially offset relative to the rotary latch's rotation axis. This allows the two pre-locking stops to separate a pre-locking passage and an opening passage of the gate recess.

[0020] If the motor vehicle locking device according to the invention, and in particular the motor vehicle lock, is opened starting from a main locking position or main locking position, the link pin of the pawl initially moves along the pre-locking passage until the link pin reaches one of the two pre-locking stops. The design is usually such that the link pin in question moves against the first pre-locking stop, which is located radially outside in relation to the rotational axis of the rotary latch inside the link recess. As soon as the pawl is relieved in this position or the trigger element is no longer acted upon to lift the pawl, the link pin generally moves against the second pre-locking stop, which, in contrast, is located radially inside in relation to the rotational axis of the rotary latch. This is usually ensured by a spring that urges the pawl into its closed position.

[0021] If, starting from this pre-locking position, the pawl is again acted upon in the "opening" direction – in a second stroke – the pawl can, starting from the second pre-locking stop located radially inside the gate recess, enter the opening passage of the gate recess and move along this opening passage until it reaches an opening stop. This is ensured by the spring force acting on the rotary latch in the opening direction. This spring force may result from a spring assigned to the rotary latch and pre-tensioned in the opening direction and / or from spring forces generated by door rubber seal forces.

[0022] In any case, the actuation of the release element is essentially a double-stroke operation, whereby after the first stroke, the locking mechanism securely assumes and maintains its pre-locking position. Only when the release element, and with it the pawl, are released and a second stroke is applied can the cam pin move into the opening passage and the rotary latch reaches its opening position to release the locking bolt. This ensures particularly functional operation of the motor vehicle lock according to the invention, and in particular the motor vehicle hood lock. All of this sounds promising considering a simple and compact design.

[0023] This is further enhanced by the fact that both the guide pin and the guide pin are typically formed as bevels on the pawl, thus making them easy to define during the pawl forming process. In fact, according to the invention, the pawl is punched out and subsequently or simultaneously beveled with respect to the two pins. High-strength steel is typically used as the material for this. The same applies to the rotary latch, which is also made of high-strength steel and, in order to adapt to the inventive teachings, only needs to be equipped with the guide recess. This can be easily incorporated into the rotary latch during a punching process.

[0024] The result is a motor vehicle locking device that is compact and functionally reliable. The interaction of the cam pin with the cam recess on the one hand, and the guide pin with the outer contour of the rotary latch on the other, ensures that the cam pin initially completes the pre-locking passage inside the cam recess up to one or both pre-locking stops. Following this, and upon a second actuation of the trigger element, the cam pin can then transition into the opening passage of the cam recess. This is further ensured by the guide pin resting against the outer contour of the rotary latch. This represents the key advantage.

[0025] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to a drawing which merely represents an exemplary embodiment; in the drawings:

[0026] Figures 1 to 3 show the motor vehicle locking device according to the invention during an opening process starting from the main locking position up to the first pre-locking stop arranged radially outwards,

[0027] Fig. 4 the transition to the second pre-locking stop and

[0028] Fig. 5 the path of the cam pin along the opening passage and

[0029] Fig. 6 the fully open position with the installation of the

[0030] Link pin on the opening stop.

[0031] The figures depict a motor vehicle locking device, which in the exemplary embodiment is a motor vehicle lock and preferably a motor vehicle hood lock. This is equipped with a locking mechanism 1, 2 essentially consisting of a rotary latch 1 and a pawl 2. Furthermore, the figures show a locking bolt 3, which is caught by the rotary latch 1 in the main closed position or main latching position according to Fig. 1 and is released in the open position according to Fig. 6. For this purpose, the locking bolt 3 is received in an inlet opening 4 of the rotary latch 1, which in turn defines the inlet opening 4 in question with two fork-shaped arms, namely a stop arm 1a and a catch arm 1b.

[0032] Furthermore, a merely indicated release element 5 is provided for lifting the locking pawl 2. For this purpose, the release element 5 acts on the locking pawl 2 in such a way that the locking pawl 2 is urged to open about its axis 6 in the counterclockwise direction indicated in Fig. 1, specifically against the force of a spring 7, which, in contrast, urges the locking pawl 2 clockwise with respect to the axis or rotational axis 6.

[0033] The trigger element 5 can be actuated manually by using a handle to actuate the trigger element 5 via a Bowden cable (not shown) or another flexible connecting element. In principle, an electric motor actuation of the trigger element 5 is also conceivable. In this case, within the scope of the invention, a double-stroke actuation is used, namely by initially pivoting the pawl 2 counterclockwise about its axis of rotation 6 by a first stroke, until the pre-locking position according to Fig. 3 or Fig. 4 has been reached. Starting from this pre-locking position, a second actuation of the pawl 2 using the trigger element 5 by acting on the pawl 2 counterclockwise about its axis 6 ensures that, after this two-stroke actuation, the opening position according to the illustration in Fig. 6 is finally reached.

[0034] To realize and implement this in detail, the pawl 2 has a guide pin 2a that interacts with a link 8 on the rotary latch 1. According to the exemplary embodiment and according to the invention, in addition to this link pin 2a, a further guide pin 2b is also provided on the pawl 2, which, in turn, interacts with an outer contour 1c, 1d of the rotary latch 1. As already explained in the introduction, both pins 2a, 2b are each manufactured and realized by punching out the pawl 2 and defining the respective pins 2a, 2b by bending the ends of the associated arms.

[0035] According to the exemplary embodiment, the guide 8 on the rotary latch 1 is designed as a guide recess 8 into which the guide pin 2a is inserted. It can be seen that the guide recess 8 can be divided into a pre-locking passage 8a and an opening passage 8b, which will be explained in more detail below.

[0036] It can also be seen that the link pin 2a and the guide pin 2b are arranged on a respective link arm and guide arm of the pawl 2, specifically at each end. The two arms with the end pins 2a, 2b form an acute angle a between them, which is only indicated in Fig. 1. Furthermore, the design is such that the two arms with the pins 2a, 2b are each arranged opposite a bearing recess of the pawl 2 defining the axis or axis of rotation 6. In fact, the design is such that the two arms with the respective end pins 2a, 2b extend largely radially compared to the axis of rotation 6 in question of the pawl 2.

[0037] The gate recess 8 is equipped with at least one pre-locking stop 9, 10. In fact, two pre-locking stops 9, 10 are implemented within the scope of the exemplary embodiment, namely the first pre-locking stop 9 and the second pre-locking stop 10. The first pre-locking stop 9 is arranged radially outward relative to the axis or rotational axis 11 of the rotary latch 1, whereas the second pre-locking stop 10 is arranged radially inward relative to the rotational axis 11 of the rotary latch 1. It can also be seen that the two pre-locking stops 9, 10 are radially offset relative to the rotational axis 11 of the rotary latch 1. In this way, the two pre-locking stops 9, 10 together separate the previously mentioned pre-locking passage 8a from the opening passage 8b for the gate pin 2a of the pawl 2.

[0038] The mechanism works as follows. Fig. 1 shows the locking mechanism 1, 2 in its main closed position or main locking position. If, starting from this main closed position, the trigger element 5 is actuated to lift or pivot the pawl 2 counterclockwise around the axis 6, this causes the link pin 2a to initially pivot counterclockwise around its rotational axis 6 within the pre-locking passage 8a, into the position shown in Fig. 2.

[0039] Starting from the position in Fig. 2, the rotary latch 1 - acted upon by spring forces in a counterclockwise direction around its axis or axis of rotation 11 - can now pivot until the link pin 2a reaches the first pre-locking stop 9, as shown in Fig. 3. This is possible because the pivoting movement of the pawl 2 about its axis of rotation 6 in a counterclockwise direction corresponds to the guide pin 2b on the pawl 2 leaving a lug 1c of the rotary latch 1 and thus the rotary latch 1 can pivot counterclockwise about its axis 11 due to the spring forces during the transition from Fig. 1 to Fig. 2 and further to Fig. 3. The lug 1c of the rotary latch 1 represents a component of the outer contour 1c, 1d.

[0040] The link pin 2a now rests against the first pre-locking stop 9, which is located radially outward with respect to the rotational axis 11 of the rotary latch 1. During the transition from Fig. 3 to Fig. 4, relieving the trigger element 5 causes the pawl 2 - acted upon by its spring 7 - to pivot clockwise about its axis 6, starting from the illustration in Fig. 3, until the link pin 2a rests against the second pre-locking stop 10, which is located radially inward with respect to the rotational axis 11 of the rotary latch 1. This is possible because during the transition from Fig. 3 to Fig. 4, the rotary latch can again rotate - slightly - counterclockwise about its axis 11 due to the spring forces acting on it. At the same time, the guide pin 2b in contact with an arc contour 1d as part of the outer contour 1c, 1d of the rotary latch 1 ensures that the link pin 2a safely reaches the second pre-locking stop 10.Now the locking mechanism 1, 2 safely and theoretically permanently assumes its pre-locking position according to Fig. 4. The release element 5 is not acted upon, nor is the pawl 2.

[0041] In order to finally open the locking mechanism 1, 2 starting from this pre-locking position according to Fig. 4, it is necessary to pivot the pawl 2 again counterclockwise about its axis 6 using the release element 5, as shown in Fig. 4. This can be seen in the transition from Fig. 4 to Fig. 5. This process corresponds to the fact that, on the one hand, the link pin 2a dips into the opening passage 8b of the link recess 8 and, on the other hand, the guide pin 2b leaves the outer contour 1c, 1d of the rotary latch 1. Starting from the position in Fig. 5, the rotary latch 1 can now pivot further counterclockwise about its axis 11 due to the acting spring forces, until the link pin 2a moves against an opening stop 12 inside the link recess 8. Now the rotary latch 1 is completely open and releases the locking bolt 3 emerging from the inlet mouth 4.The associated hood can be easily swung open by a user.

[0042] List of reference symbols:

[0043] 1 , 2 locking mechanisms

[0044] 1 rotary latch

[0045] 1a Stop arm

[0046] 1 b tentacle

[0047] 1c Nose

[0048] 1d arc contour

[0049] 1c, 1d outer contour

[0050] 2 pawls

[0051] 2a cam pin

[0052] 2b Guide pin

[0053] 3 locking bolts

[0054] 4 Inlet mouth

[0055] 5 trigger element

[0056] 6 axis or rotation axis

[0057] 7 spring

[0058] 8 backdrop, backdrop recess

[0059] 8a Pre-rest passage

[0060] 8b Opening passage

[0061] 9 first pre-lock stop

[0062] 10 second pre-lock stop

[0063] 11 Axis or axis of rotation

[0064] 12 Opening stop a acute angle

Claims

Patent claims 1. Motor vehicle locking device, in particular motor vehicle lock, preferably motor vehicle hood lock, with a locking mechanism (1, 2) consisting essentially of a rotary latch (1) and a locking pawl (2), and with a release element (5) for lifting the pawl (2), wherein the locking mechanism (1 , 2) first assumes a pre-locking position by lifting the pawl (2) and, after re-actuating the pawl (2), an open position, and wherein for this purpose the pawl (2) has a cam pin (2a) interacting with a cam (8) on the rotary latch (1 ), characterized in that the pawl (2) additionally has a guide pin (2b) interacting with an outer contour (1 c, 1 d) of the rotary latch (1 ).

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the cam (8) on the rotary latch (1) is designed as a cam recess (8) into which the cam pin (2a) dips.

3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the cam pin (2a) and the guide pin (2b) are arranged on a respective associated cam arm and guide arm of the locking pawl (2), preferably at the end.

4. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that the two arms with the pins (2a, 2b) enclose an acute angle (a) between them.

5. Device according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the two arms with the pins (2a, 2b) are each opposite a bearing recess. (6) are arranged on the locking pawl (2).

6. Device according to one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that the two arms with the pins (2a, 2b) extend largely radially relative to an axis of rotation (6) of the pawl (2).

7. Device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the cam recess (8) has at least one pre-lock stop (9, 10).

8. Device according to claim 7, characterized in that two offset pre-detent stops (9, 10) are provided.

9. Device according to claim 8, characterized in that the two pre-lock stops (9, 10) are radially offset with respect to a rotation axis (11) of the rotary latch (1).

10. Device according to one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that the two pre-latch stops (9, 10) separate a pre-latch passage (8a) and an opening passage (8b) of the cam recess (8) from each other.

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