Motor vehicle locks

Abstract

The invention relates to a motor vehicle lock (1), comprising a locking mechanism (2), comprising a rotary locking fork (4) and at least one locking pawl (5), wherein the rotary locking fork (4) can be locked in at least one locking position by means of the locking pawl (5); a release lever (11), wherein the locking mechanism (2) can be transferred from the locking position to the release position by means of the release lever (11); and an electric drive unit for actuating the release lever (11), wherein the locking mechanism (2) is arranged in a wet area (15) of the motor vehicle lock (1) and at least a part of an actuating mechanism for unlocking the locking mechanism (2) is arranged in a dry area (18) of the motor vehicle lock.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a motor vehicle lock, in particular a motor vehicle side door lock, which has a locking mechanism, which includes: a rotary locking fork and at least one locking pawl, wherein the rotary locking fork can be locked in at least one locking position by means of the locking pawl; a release lever, wherein the locking mechanism can be transferred from the locking position to the release position by means of the release lever; and an electric drive unit for actuating the release lever. Background Art

[0002] Current motor vehicle locking systems primarily utilize a locking mechanism that locks a rotating fork and a pawl into each other, thereby securing components movably located on the vehicle. Depending on the vehicle's configuration, single-stage or two-stage locking mechanisms are used. While single-stage locking mechanisms are common in covers or tailgates, legislators mandate that vehicle manufacturers equip side doors with two-stage locking mechanisms. In the first stage, i.e., the first locked position, the side door is loosely held, and in the second stage, i.e., the second locked position, the side door is in a fully locked operating position.

[0003] To further enhance vehicle comfort, more and more electric auxiliary functions are being used in vehicles. An electric motor is installed in a vehicle locking system, which, for example, enables electric unlocking of a locking mechanism. The motor typically interacts with a transmission, with the transmission stage then indirectly or directly initiating unlocking of the locking mechanism. Such an electric drive unit is disclosed, for example, in DE 10 2019 109 488.7.

[0004] DE 10 2019 109 488.7 discloses an electric drive unit comprising an electric motor and a worm gear stage connected downstream of the motor. The gears of the worm gear stage are equipped with a cylindrical circumferential surface that extends as a ramp around the axis of rotation of the worm gear. An actuating lever engages with the circumferential surface, which can, for example, cause or at least initiate unlocking of a locking mechanism. Using this electric drive unit, a motor vehicle operator can, for example, electrically unlock a vehicle lock, thereby enabling electrically assisted opening of a side door.

[0005] At least one rotary latch in a motor vehicle lock engages with a locking pin / lock stop or a lock retainer. The rotary latch and the lock retainer interact in such a way that the rotary latch can be pivoted about the lock retainer and lock the locking mechanism with the aid of the pawl. Consequently, the rotary latch is subject to environmental influences and can come into contact with water, for example due to rain. To protect other components of the motor vehicle lock from environmental influences, it is known to divide the motor vehicle lock into a wet area and a dry area.

[0006] DE 20 2012 103 608 U1 discloses a motor vehicle lock in which a rotary latch is arranged in the wet area of ​​the motor vehicle and a pawl is arranged in the dry area of ​​the motor vehicle. Here, only a portion of the pawl protrudes through an opening slot in the lock housing, the width of the opening slot corresponding to the material thickness of the pawl. The locking arm of the pawl is thus the portion of the pawl that protrudes into the wet area of ​​the motor vehicle lock in order to engage the rotary latch.

[0007] The solutions known from the prior art have proven effective to date. However, with the increasing electrification of motor vehicle locks, it is necessary to completely separate the dry area from the area exposed to environmental influences. For this purpose, the present invention has been proposed. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The object of the present invention is to decouple environmental influences from the electronic or electrical components of a motor vehicle lock as far as possible. According to the invention, an improved and structurally simple and therefore cost-effective motor vehicle lock is to be provided, by means of which environmental influences are kept away from the area of ​​the electronic or electrical components.

[0009] According to the invention, this object is achieved by the features of independent claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are given in the dependent claims. It should be pointed out that the exemplary embodiments described below are not restrictive; rather, any possible variations of the features described in the description and the dependent claims are possible.

[0010] According to claim 1, the object of the present invention is achieved by providing a motor vehicle lock, in particular a motor vehicle side door lock, having a locking mechanism comprising: a rotary latch and at least one pawl, wherein the rotary latch can be locked in at least one locked position by means of the pawl; a release lever, wherein the locking mechanism can be transferred from the locked position to the released position by means of the release lever; and an electric drive unit for actuating the release lever, wherein the locking mechanism is arranged in the wet area of ​​the motor vehicle lock, and at least a portion of the actuating mechanism is arranged in the dry area of ​​the motor vehicle lock for unlocking the locking mechanism. The motor vehicle lock structure according to the present invention, in particular the separation of the locking mechanism in the wet area and the actuating mechanism in the dry area, allows for a further separation between the electric drive and the wet area.

[0011] The actuating mechanism can, for example, include a release lever that acts directly on the locking pawl and disengages it from the rotary latch. The release lever can be driven directly by an electric drive or by means of an actuating lever or a transmission stage. The locking mechanism is located in a wet area, i.e., it is exposed to environmental influences and can be used in the presence of moisture, dust, and / or temperature. These environmental influences must be kept away from the area surrounding the electronic components.

[0012] The lock housing serves to separate the wet and dry areas. It can hold and / or contain electrical and / or electronic components while also accommodating other components of the motor vehicle lock. The lock housing specifically comprises a housing element and a housing cover. Of course, the housing can also be constructed in multiple pieces and comprise two, three, or more components. Important for implementing the concept according to the present invention is that at least a portion of the actuating mechanism for unlocking the locking mechanism is arranged in the dry area of ​​the lock housing.

[0013] When referring to a motor vehicle lock according to the present invention, this also includes locks used in side doors, hatches, covers, or sliding doors. This applies wherever a component movably attached to the motor vehicle needs to be secured in a locked position in order to safely use the vehicle. However, the motor vehicle lock according to the present invention preferably relates to a motor vehicle side door.

[0014] The locking mechanism can be constructed as a single-locking or double-locking locking mechanism. Based on the latest developments, locking mechanisms with rolling locking mechanism components, such as balls, are also known. In a single-locking locking mechanism, there is only one locking position, in which the locking pawl holds the rotary lock fork. In a double-locking locking mechanism, in addition to the main locking position, there is also a pre-locking position, so that the rotary lock fork and the locking pawl can act together in two locking positions. In this case, the release lever acts together with the locking mechanism so that the release lever unlocks the locked locking mechanism. In this case, the locking pawl moves out of the engagement area with the rotary lock fork. It is known that multiple locking pawls are also used. For example, when an opening torque for the locking mechanism occurs in the main locking position, the locking pawl can be held by another locking pawl. This other locking pawl is then called a locking lever or a deadlocking lever.

[0015] The electric drive unit preferably comprises a DC motor, on the output shaft of which a gear is mounted, which interacts with another gear to initiate movement in the motor vehicle lock. While it is conceivable that the gear attached to the motor engages directly with the release lever, it is preferred that at least one transmission stage be arranged between the transmission gear and the release lever. A worm gear stage is preferably used as the transmission stage.

[0016] In one design variant of the present invention, the drive unit consists of at least an electric motor and a transmission stage, wherein the transmission stage has an actuating lever. Downstream of the motor, a worm is connected to its output shaft, which meshes with a worm wheel. The worm wheel in turn drives the actuating lever, which can be used to directly actuate the locking pawl, but it is also conceivable for the actuating lever to engage with a release lever. The use of the actuating lever also makes it possible to position the electric drive and worm gear mechanism in the motor vehicle lock spaced apart from the locking mechanism. In particular, the interaction of the worm wheel and the actuating lever allows for the introduction of a different transmission ratio into the drive train. This allows the force required to actuate the locking pawl to be influenced or adjusted.

[0017] The actuating rod can engage with the release lever. Preferably, the release lever is connected to the actuating rod in a form-fitting manner. To this end, the release lever may, for example, have an opening into which the actuating rod can be inserted. Of course, it is also conceivable that the actuating rod and the release lever are connected in a material-locking and / or form-locking and / or force-locking manner. Preferably, the actuating rod is inserted into the release lever so that a torque can be introduced into the release lever by means of the actuating rod. The actuating rod is driven by a worm gear and preferably performs a pivoting motion, thereby also providing a pivoting or rotational motion on the release lever to disengage the locking pawl from the engagement area with the rotary latch. The worm gear, worm gear, actuating rod, and release lever are preferably formed from plastic.

[0018] To transmit the driving force, the actuating lever can be fixedly connected to the release lever. The fixed connection between the actuating lever and the release lever ensures a high degree of safety when actuating the release lever. Unlocking the locking mechanism is crucial to the function of the motor vehicle lock, as otherwise, for example, a side door of the vehicle would no longer be able to be opened. The actuating chain of the electric motor, via the worm gear mechanism, the actuating lever, and the release lever, must be freely and arbitrarily operable at any time to ensure reliable unlocking of the locking mechanism. In particular, in modern vehicles that have partially eliminated exterior door handles, the actuating chain for unlocking the locking mechanism is the preferred, and often only, option for unlocking a locked locking mechanism. This eliminates the need for mechanical redundancy. A preferred embodiment of the present invention is when the actuating lever in the motor vehicle lock extends from the dry area into the wet area. The motor vehicle lock is divided into a wet area and a dry area.

[0019] The dry area is preferably formed by a housing wall of the motor vehicle lock. In this embodiment, the locking mechanism, consisting of a rotary latch and a pawl, and the release lever are located in the wet area of ​​the motor vehicle lock. The actuating lever extends through the housing and thus enables force transmission from the motor to the wet area, which contains the locking mechanism. The actuating lever thus performs multiple functions. On the one hand, it transmits the driving force to unlock the locking mechanism; on the other hand, it can space the release mechanism from the drive mechanism. Furthermore, the actuating lever can be used to establish a connection between the dry area and the wet area.

[0020] In this embodiment, it has proven particularly advantageous to arrange a seal in the area of ​​the through-hole for the actuating lever. The design of the motor vehicle lock according to the present invention offers significant advantages. By using a seal in the through-hole area through the housing, that is, via the connecting opening between the wet and dry areas, a reliable separation between the wet and dry areas can be achieved. The use of a seal also supplements the aforementioned advantages of the actuating lever by combining them with a comprehensive seal between the dry and wet areas. The actuating lever extends from the drive unit in the dry area to the release mechanism in the wet area of ​​the motor vehicle lock. Here, the actuating lever extends through the plastic housing of the motor vehicle lock and serves as a transmission element in the actuating chain for unlocking the locking mechanism. If a seal is now embedded in the actuating lever, particularly in the area of ​​the through-hole, a reliable seal can be ensured, thereby providing the electric drive with the highest degree of operational safety.

[0021] It is particularly advantageous here if the seal is designed as a sealing ring. The actuating lever is preferably designed to be axisymmetric in the region of the through-hole and transmits the drive torque of the motor to the release lever or, in another design variant, to the locking pawl. If the seal is designed as a sealing ring and the actuating lever has a cylindrical shape in the region of the through-hole, this provides a structurally simple and therefore cost-effective way to use the seal in a motor vehicle lock. In addition to the structurally simple design, the use of the sealing ring also allows for easy assembly during the manufacture of the motor vehicle lock.

[0022] In one embodiment, the seal can be mounted on the actuating rod. In addition to securing the seal in the motor vehicle lock, for example, in a recess in the housing, it is also possible to directly support, secure, embed, and / or integrate the sealing ring on the actuating rod. This in turn offers the advantage that no additional structural measures are required for arranging or retaining the seal in the motor vehicle lock. This simplifies the overall structural design of the motor vehicle lock.

[0023] It has proven particularly advantageous if the seal can be at least partially embedded in the release lever. If the release lever is also designed so that the seal at least partially extends into the release lever, a compact design can be combined with significant advantages in terms of sealing performance. This ensures reliable force transmission between the release lever and the actuating lever, while also combining a compact design with structural advantages. This achieves a high degree of sealing between the dry and wet areas, while also ensuring reliable force transmission in a minimal amount of space. Furthermore, integrating the seal into the release lever protects the seal. Since the wet area is subject to environmental influences, as mentioned above, and the seal is formed at least partially, at least in the area of ​​the sealing lip, from an elastomeric plastic, integrating the seal into a recess in the release lever provides protection.

[0024] In an alternative embodiment, the seal can be integrally integrated into the motor vehicle lock. In particular, the seal can be integrated into the release lever or actuating lever or the housing by means of a two-component injection molding process. The one-piece design of the seal with another component of the motor vehicle lock reduces the number of assembly parts and simultaneously allows for very precise positioning of the seal.

[0025] Overall, a structurally advantageous embodiment is thus obtained, which can be combined with advantages in terms of sealing inside the motor vehicle lock. In particular, a reliable force transmission can be ensured in the transition between the wet and dry areas on the one hand, and a maximum degree of sealing can be ensured on the other hand. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] The present invention is described in detail below based on a preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the following principle applies: the embodiments do not limit the invention but merely illustrate advantageous embodiments of the invention. The features shown can be implemented individually or in combination with other features of the description and the claims.

[0027] The figure shows:

[0028] Figure 1 A three-dimensional view of the actuating chain for unlocking the locking mechanism, wherein a section through the actuating lever and the pawl pivot axis is shown; and

[0029] Figure 2 Another view showing a cross section of the actuating lever and the locking pawl shaft is provided to illustrate the position and function of the seal on the actuating lever. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] exist Figure 1 A three-dimensional view of a motor vehicle lock 1 is shown in the figure, and a section through the actuating lever 3 is shown in the area of ​​the locking mechanism 2. The locking mechanism 2 comprises a rotary lock fork 4 and a locking pawl 5. The locking pawl 5 is supported on a shaft 6, wherein the shaft 6 is received on one side in a reinforcing plate 7. The shaft 6 is supported on both sides, wherein a lock box for supporting the shaft 6 oppositely is not shown for a better illustration of the invention. The locking pawl 5 has a metal core 8 and is provided with a plastic jacket 9. The plastic jacket 9 can in turn have vibration-damping properties. The locking pawl 5 interacts indirectly with the rotary lock fork 4, wherein a pivotably supported, rolling locking element 10 is arranged in the rotary lock fork 4. Therefore, in Figure 1 In the form shown, the locking mechanism 2 comprises a pawl shaft 6, a pawl 5, a locking element 10 and a rotary latch 4. The locking mechanism 2 may have other components.

[0031] A release lever 11 acts on the pawl 5. It is equipped with a return spring 12 and has a recess 13 into which a seal 14 engages. The seal 14 is itself fixed to the actuating lever 3 and seals a wet area 15 from a dry area 16 in the motor vehicle lock 1. The actuating lever 3 extends from the dry area 16 into the wet area 15, extending through the housing of the motor vehicle lock 1. For this purpose, the housing 17 has a through-hole 18. This through-hole 18 also serves as a bearing for the actuating lever 3. A lever arm 19 is formed on the actuating lever 3 itself, which in turn can mesh with a worm gear 20.

[0032] exist Figure 1 The main locking position of the locking mechanism 2 is shown in FIG, wherein the pawl 5 is engaged with the rotary latch 4, in particular with the locking element 10. The pawl 5 is supported in the shaft 6 and held in the reinforcement plate 7 and the lock housing. The pawl and the actuating lever 3 as well as the release lever 11 are accommodated in the motor vehicle lock 1 so as to be pivotable about the central axis M. If the actuating lever 3 is now pivoted about the central axis M, wherein the actuating lever 3 is driven by the lever arm 19 and the motor, the actuating lever 3 causes the release lever 11 to also move along the central axis M. Figure 1 . The driving contour on the release lever 11 then causes the pawl 5 to pivot about the center axis M, so that the pawl 3 and the rotary latch 4 or the locking element 10 are disengaged. In this case, the engagement between the pawl 5 and the rotary latch 4 is not disengaged, but the pawl 3 rolls on the locking element 10, thereby enabling a gentle and quiet opening.

[0033] exist Figure 2 , a sectional view of the motor vehicle lock 1 and a view of the actuating chain 21 are shown. The housing 17, the pawl 5, the pawl shaft 6, the reinforcement plate 7, the release lever 11, the seal 8, the actuating lever 3 and the worm gear 22 are shown in section.

[0034] The actuating lever 3 is pivotably received on the one hand in the through-opening 18 and on the other hand in the housing 17. The wet region 15 and the dry region 16 are separated by a housing wall 23, wherein the through-opening 18 is penetrated by the actuating lever 3. The position of the seal 8 can be clearly seen, which is received in the release lever 11 in this embodiment and seals the through-opening 18 relative to the housing wall 23 by means of a sealing lip 24.

[0035] The worm gear 20 drives the actuating lever 3, wherein the contour on the worm gear 20 acts on the lever arm 19 and thus causes the actuating lever to pivot. The actuating lever 3 and the release lever 11 are connected to each other in a form-fitting and fixed manner, so that the torque introduced into the release lever 11 via the actuating lever 3 can be used to actuate the locking pawl 5 and thus to unlock the locking mechanism 2.

[0036] In any case, the solution according to the invention provides a reliable mechanism that, on the one hand, provides a structurally advantageous possibility for actuating the release lever 11 or for unlocking the locking mechanism 2 and, on the other hand, enables a reliable seal to be ensured in the motor vehicle lock by means of the seal 14. In particular, electric drives or electrical components in the motor vehicle lock 1 can thus be reliably accommodated in the motor vehicle lock 1 against environmental influences.

[0037] List of reference numerals:

[0038] 1Motor vehicle lock

[0039] 2 Locking mechanism

[0040] 3 Actuator lever

[0041] 4 Turn the lock fork

[0042] 5 locking claws

[0043] 6-axis

[0044] 7 reinforcement plate

[0045] 8 metal core

[0046] 9 plastic jacket

[0047] 10 Locking element

[0048] 11 Release lever

[0049] 12 Return spring

[0050] 13 recess

[0051] 14 Seals

[0052] 15 Wet Area

[0053] 16 Dry Area

[0054] 17 Housing

[0055] 18 through holes

[0056] 19 Lever Arm

[0057] 20 worm gear

[0058] 21 Actuation chain

[0059] 22 Worm gear

[0060] 23 Shell wall

[0061] 24 Sealing lip

[0062] M Central Axis

[0063] P arrow

Claims

1. A motor vehicle lock (1) having a locking mechanism (2), the locking mechanism comprising: A rotary locking fork (4) and at least one locking pawl (5), wherein the rotary locking fork (4) can be locked in at least one locking position by means of the locking pawl (5); a release lever (11), wherein the locking mechanism (2) can be transferred from the locking position to the release position by means of the release lever (11); and an electric drive unit for actuating the release lever (11), the electric drive unit comprising an actuating mechanism, It is characterized by: The locking mechanism (2) is arranged in a wet area (15) of a motor vehicle lock (1), at least a portion of an actuating mechanism for unlocking the locking mechanism (2) extends from a dry area (16) of the motor vehicle lock into the wet area (15), the dry area (16) being separate from the wet area (15), The release lever (11) is arranged in the wet zone (15) and is connected to the at least one portion of the actuating mechanism located in the wet zone (15), and The motor vehicle lock (1) further comprises: a lock housing (17) separating the wet area (15) and the dry area (16); and a seal (14) partially embedded in a recess of the release lever (11) and configured to seal the wet area (15) relative to the dry area (16), The seal (14) comprises a portion embedded in a recess of the release lever (11), the portion being used to sealingly engage at least a portion of the actuating mechanism located in the wet zone (15), and the seal (14) further comprises a sealing lip (24) extending from the portion of the seal (14) embedded in the recess of the release lever (11) to sealingly engage a wall (23) of the lock housing (17).

2. The motor vehicle lock (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that The drive unit is formed at least by an electric motor and a transmission stage (20).

3. The motor vehicle lock (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that The transmission stage (20) has an actuating lever (3).

4. The motor vehicle lock (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that The actuating lever (3) is engageable with the releasing lever (11).

5. The motor vehicle lock (1) according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that The actuating rod (3) is fixedly connected to the releasing rod (11) for transmitting the driving force.

6. The motor vehicle lock (1) according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that The actuating lever (3) extends in the motor vehicle lock (1) from the dry area (16) into the wet area (15).

7. The motor vehicle lock (1) according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that The seal (14) is arranged in the region of the through-hole (18) for the actuating rod (3).

8. The motor vehicle lock (1) according to claim 7, characterized in that The sealing element (14) is configured as a sealing ring.

9. The motor vehicle lock (1) according to claim 7, characterized in that The seal (14) can be mounted on the actuating lever (3) or the release lever (11).

10. The motor vehicle lock (1) according to claim 7, characterized in that The seal (14) is integrated into the release lever (11) or the actuating lever (3) or the lock housing (17) by means of a two-component injection molding method.

11. The motor vehicle lock (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that The motor vehicle lock (1) is a motor vehicle side door lock.

Images