Tightening device

Abstract

The invention relates to a locking device for a motor vehicle lock, in particular to an auxiliary locking device for a motor vehicle door lock. The device is provided with at least two motors (8); at least one worm wheel (9); a transmission (10, 11, 12) downstream of the worm wheel (9), the two motors (8) each meshing with the worm wheel (9). According to the invention, the transmission (10, 11, 12) is at least partially integrated into the worm wheel (9).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a closing device for a motor vehicle lock, in particular a motor vehicle door lock closing auxiliary device, which comprises: at least two motors; at least one worm gear; and a transmission device located downstream of the worm gear, wherein the two motors are respectively engaged with the worm gear. Background Art

[0002] Closing devices for motor vehicle locks are typically used when a locking mechanism, for example comprising a bolt and a pawl, as a component of the relevant motor vehicle lock, assumes its pre-locking position. This pre-locking position is usually detected by a sensor. Based on the corresponding sensor signal, one or two electric motors are activated, for example by a control unit, in order to move the locking mechanism from its pre-locking position to the main locking position.

[0003] For this purpose, the bolt is usually moved to a so-called overtravel position and subsequently reset until the main locking position is reached. This allows for a particularly comfortable locking process of the associated motor vehicle lock to be realized and implemented.

[0004] Motor vehicle locks as used herein are all types of locks in or on motor vehicles. These include, for example, side door locks, tailgate locks, front hood locks, etc. For this purpose, reference is made, by way of example, to DE 10 2013 111 039 A1, which in this respect uses a planetary gear as a transmission or transmission stage.

[0005] This type of prior art according to DE 102 47 979 A1 already discloses a closing aid with multiple motors. Figure 1 Within the scope of the embodiment, two electric motors are provided, which are peripherally engaged in worm gears via associated drive shafts with worms located thereon. This allows the drive shafts, or output shafts, to be loaded in both directions of rotation. Furthermore, a transmission is provided downstream, which transmits the closing movement of the closing aid, which has two levers connected in a toggle-like manner, to the locking bolt via a toggle lever. This approach aims to achieve a reliable and cost-effective design of the electromechanical system as a whole.

[0006] A similar prior art is known from DE 103 93 002 B4. In this case, two electric motors are also used, which act together on a worm gear located centrally therewith. The aim is to provide a drive device and a door lock that can be made smaller.

[0007] The two motors used in the prior art thus achieve a compact overall design, since the typically and alternatively used single, bulky motor is replaced by two compact motors that jointly load a common worm gear. However, further improvements could be made here with regard to the transmission of force and the limitation of the required installation space. The present invention remedies this overall situation. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The technical problem addressed by the present invention is to develop a closing device for a motor vehicle lock in such a way that the compactness is further increased compared to the prior art while simultaneously achieving and implementing a particularly functionally reliable design. For this purpose, the transmission is at least partially integrated into the worm gear. In practice, it has proven particularly advantageous in this regard if the transmission, or at least one first transmission stage, is completely integrated into the worm gear.

[0009] In this way, the worm wheel simultaneously serves as a transmission housing for the entire transmission stage or its first transmission stage. At least when the transmission is partially integrated into the worm wheel, the worm wheel at least partially assumes the function of the relevant transmission housing.

[0010] However, it is usually provided that the transmission or the first transmission is completely surrounded by the worm wheel, so that the worm wheel serves and can serve as a transmission housing for the first transmission stage or the entire transmission. This in turn leads to increased compactness, since the interior of the worm wheel can thus be used as a receiving space for the transmission or the first transmission stage.

[0011] For this purpose, the worm wheel is typically equipped with an inner ring gear. The ring gear can be designed as a component of the worm wheel. Alternatively or additionally, however, it is also conceivable for the ring gear to be non-rotatably connected to the worm wheel. A particularly advantageous embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that the transmission is designed as a spur gear transmission and / or a planetary gear transmission.

[0012] In practice, such spur and / or planetary gears are characterized in that the individual transmission gears can typically be arranged in a common plane. If this plane coincides with the plane spanned by the worm gear, the worm gear can be used, in particular, to accommodate the respective spur and / or planetary gear with the individual transmission gears within it.

[0013] Furthermore, a compact design is achieved by typically positioning the two motors at an angle, particularly at right angles, to one another. Furthermore, the two motors, arranged at an angle to one another, mesh with a common worm gear. In this case, a design is also employed in which the two motors are identical, particularly with the same power and dimensions. This, on the one hand, creates a synergistic effect, as two identical motors are used to drive the worm gear. On the other hand, the two identical motors ensure a particularly uniform drive of the worm gear, as they have the same power output. Consequently, no skew or uneven operation occurs. At the same time, the identical dimensions of the two motors ensure that they can be designed to be particularly compact, which in turn positively impacts the compact design of the closing device according to the present invention.

[0014] If a planetary gear is particularly advantageously used here, the overall design is such that the planetary gear comprises a ring gear, a central sun gear, and planetary gears. All of these wheels or gears are arranged in a single plane. This also applies to the ring gear and the worm gear, making the planetary gear suitable as a particularly compact and efficient transmission. It can also be easily integrated into the worm gear, as the worm gear, together with the outer ring gear, surrounds and, to a certain extent, encloses the other gears of the planetary gear.

[0015] In addition, a design is employed in which the sun gear is connected to the worm gear and / or the ring gear. In most cases, the sun gear is connected to the worm gear, so that the gear ratio between the sun gear and the worm gear, or between the planetary gears and the worm gear, predetermines the transmission ratio achieved by the planetary gear transmission used. Furthermore, this advantageously allows for a design in which the planetary gears are coupled to a common planetary carrier to indirectly or directly drive, for example, a closing pawl. In other words, the planetary carrier can receive a rotational motion from the transmission or first transmission stage within the worm gear, which is then converted into a closing motion via another transmission stage or directly ensures the closing motion.

[0016] For example, it is conceivable that the planetary gear carrier is coupled to an output shaft, which in turn loads or closes the locking tongue in the closing direction, for example, via a lever assembly. This lever assembly can be a toggle lever assembly. In principle, this lever assembly can engage the locking tongue and ensure that the locking tongue is transferred from its pre-locking position to the main locking position. However, it is also conceivable in principle that the locking pawl is loaded in the closing direction of the locking mechanism via the relevant output shaft of the planetary gear carrier. It is also possible to drive both locking mechanism components in the closing direction.

[0017] Therefore provide a kind of closing device and a kind of motor vehicle lock for motor vehicle lock, wherein closing device acts on lock tongue and / or pawl indirectly or directly.Here, closing device itself is equipped with two motors, and these two motors are respectively in peripheral side with worm gear meshing.

[0018] This results in a particularly compact and cost-effective design, as two small and cost-effective motors can be used. At the same time, the integration of the transmission into the worm gear ensures that the closing drive in question has a relatively flat overall size without a significant depth and can therefore be easily combined with a motor vehicle lock or, in general, any conceivable closing device in or on a motor vehicle. This is a major advantage of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] The invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate only one embodiment; in which:

[0020] Figure 1 A schematic perspective view shows a closing device according to the invention, and

[0021] Figure 2 Shown from the basis Figure 1 The output shaft led out of the closing device is together with a rod mechanism for closing the locking mechanism, specifically a locking tongue of the locking mechanism comprising a locking tongue and a locking pawl. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] exist Figure 1 A closing device for a motor vehicle lock and in particular a closing auxiliary device for a motor vehicle door lock are shown in FIG. Figure 2 The motor vehicle lock or motor vehicle door lock involved in the embodiment can be seen to include a locking mechanism comprising a bolt 1 and a pawl 2. According to this embodiment, the bolt 1 is acted upon by a lever assembly 3, 4 loaded by an output shaft 5. The output shaft 5 itself is loaded by a Figure 1 The components shown in FIG. 1 are put into a rotational state.

[0023] According to this embodiment, the output shaft 5 is Figure 2 The rotation, which is schematically depicted in principle, is now used to transfer the locking tongue 1 from its pre-locking position to the main locking position. To this end, the locking mechanism 1, 2 can first be moved to the overtravel position. The control unit 7 can now determine with the aid of the sensor 6 associated with the locking tongue 1 whether the locking tongue 1 has already occupied its pre-locking position. If this is the case, the control unit 7 responds accordingly. Figure 1 The diagram in FIG ensures that the output shaft 5 enters the rotation state by the loading of two motors 8 and ensures that the lock tongue 1 is transferred from the relevant pre-locking position to the main locking position. In addition to the motor 8, the other basic structures of the closing device correspond to Figure 1The illustration in FIG additionally includes a worm gear 9 and transmissions 10 , 11 , 12 located downstream of the worm gear 9 .

[0024] According to this embodiment, the transmissions 10, 11, 12 are designed as planetary gear transmissions 10, 11, 12. Of course, this is only an example and is not mandatory. Therefore, instead of the planetary gear transmissions 10, 11, 12, a spur gear transmission (not shown) can also be used.

[0025] As can be seen, the planetary gearing 10, 11, and 12 comprises a ring gear or annulus 10, planetary gears 11, and a central sun gear 12. Central sun gear 12 is integrally connected to the worm or worm wheel 9. In this way, the rotational motion transmitted to the worm wheel 9 by the two motors 8 is transmitted to the sun gear 12, which itself rotates. The rotation of the sun gear 12 is transmitted by the planetary gears 11 meshing with the sun gear 12, thus orbiting within the ring gear 10. The planetary gear carrier 13 is used to receive the co-rotation of the planetary gears 11 and transmit it to the output shaft 5. For this purpose, the planetary gear carrier 13 is connected to the output shaft 5 in a rotationally fixed manner.

[0026] It can be seen that the gears 10, 11, 12 or planetary gears 10, 11, 12 are at least partially integrated into the worm wheel 9. According to this exemplary embodiment, the gears 10, 11, 12 are completely integrated into the worm wheel 9 and, according to this exemplary embodiment, are surrounded by the worm wheel 9. In other words, according to this exemplary embodiment, the housing for the gears 10, 11, 12 coincides with the worm wheel 9. Furthermore, the ring gear 10, which is arranged inside the worm wheel 9, is connected to the worm wheel 9 in a rotationally fixed manner. In principle, the ring gear 10 itself can also be formed inside the worm wheel 9.

[0027] According to this embodiment, the worm wheel 9 has spur teeth on its outer side, into which a corresponding worm on the output shaft of the electric motor 8 engages. Because the two electric motors 8 are arranged at right angles to one another and mesh with the external teeth of the worm wheel 9, and are also designed to have equal power and dimensions, the worm wheel 9 is driven uniformly and skew-proof by both electric motors 8. The rotational motion input into the worm wheel 9 via the two electric motors 8 is transmitted to the sun gear 12, which is integrally connected to the worm wheel 9. This sun gear, in turn, ensures the rotation of the planetary gears 11 around it and, in this way, sets the planetary carrier 13 into rotation along with the coupled output shaft 5.

[0028] The rotating output shaft 5 itself then corresponds to Figure 2The illustration in FIG ensures that after occupying the pre-locking position of the locking mechanism 1, 2, the lock tongue 1 is loaded in the closing direction by means of the rod assembly 3, 4. For this purpose, the rod assembly or the two rods 3, 4 are bent rods. Of course, this is only exemplary and not mandatory.

[0029] That is, the planetary gears 11 are coupled as a whole to the planetary gear carrier 13, which serves to indirectly or directly drive the closing pawl or the lever assembly 3, 4 and thus, according to this embodiment, the locking bolt 1. However, instead of the locking bolt 1, the locking pawl 2 can also be acted upon by the closing movement. In principle, it is even conceivable to act upon the locking bolt 1 and the locking pawl 2 in the closing direction by means of the closing device according to the invention.

[0030] The worm wheel 9, like the planetary gears 10, 11, 12, can each be made of plastic or designed as a plastic injection-molded part. Furthermore, the following design is employed: the common plane spanned by the individual transmission gears 10, 11, 12 of the transmission or planetary gears 10, 11, 12 coincides with the plane spanned by the worm wheel 9. Furthermore, the material thickness of the relevant gears 10, 11, 12 is adapted to the thickness of the worm wheel 9 or the length of the outer circumferential toothing, so that the planetary gears 10, 11, 12 are completely arranged inside the worm wheel 9 and are surrounded by it.

[0031] The gears 10, 11, 12 of the planetary gears 10, 11, 12 generally have spur gearing, but can also be equipped with helical gearing. This applies similarly to the outer peripheral gearing of the worm gear 9. In any case, it is conceivable that, in addition to the planetary gears 10, 11, 12 shown as the first gearing stage, one or more further gearing stages may also be provided, which ultimately act on the output shaft 5 and the rod assemblies 3, 4 connected thereto in order to load the locking bolt 1 in the closing direction. However, this is not shown in detail.

[0032] Finally, it can be seen that the worm gear 9 is shaped like a pot and, together with the sun gear 12, defines and represents a structural unit (made of plastic). The ring gear 10 is inserted into the pot-shaped worm gear 9 and is non-rotatably connected thereto. However, in principle, the worm gear 9 and the ring gear 10 can also be constructed as one piece. Inside the ring gear 9 are the planetary gears 11, which rotate about corresponding axes defined by the various journals on the planetary gear carrier 13. Like the planetary gears 11 and the ring gear 10, the planetary gear carrier 13 can be made of plastic or designed as a plastic injection-molded part. This allows for a particularly cost-effective and lightweight embodiment.

Claims

1. A closing device for a motor vehicle lock, in particular a motor vehicle door lock closing auxiliary device, comprising: at least two motors (8); at least one worm gear (9); a transmission device (10, 11, 12) located downstream of the worm gear (9), wherein: The two motors (8) are respectively engaged with the worm gear (9). It is characterized by: The transmission (10, 11, 12) is at least partially integrated into the worm gear (9).

2. The closing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The two electric motors (8) are arranged at an angle, in particular at a right angle, to one another and mesh with a common worm gear (9).

3. The closing device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The two electric machines (8) are designed identically, in particular with the same power and the same dimensions.

4. The closing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The worm wheel (9) has an inner ring gear (10).

5. The closing device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The ring gear (10) is designed as a component of the worm gear (9) and / or is connected to the worm gear (9) in a rotationally fixed manner.

6. The closing device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The transmission (10, 11, 12) is designed as a spur gear transmission and / or a planetary gear transmission (10, 11, 12).

7. The closing device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The transmission device (10, 11, 12) is designed as a planetary gear transmission device (10, 11, 12) including a ring gear (10), a central sun gear (12) and planetary gears (11).

8. The closing device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The sun gear (12) is connected to the worm gear (9) and / or the ring gear (10).

9. The closing device according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that: The planetary gears (11) are coupled to the planetary gear carrier (13) to indirectly or directly drive, for example, a closing pawl.

10. A motor vehicle lock having a locking mechanism (1, 2) mainly comprising a locking tongue (1) and a locking claw (2), It is characterized by The closing device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the closing device acts indirectly or directly on the lock tongue (1) and / or the lock pawl (2).

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