Automatic limiting system of car door lock catch and car door lock catch

Abstract

The invention relates to an automatic limiting system of a car door lock catch, which comprises a locking limiting piece, a lock catch body and a locking limiting piece, the locking limiting piece is provided with a first position and a second position, and when the locking limiting piece is located at the first position, the locking limiting piece is separated from the lock catch body; when the locking limiting piece is located at the second position, the locking limiting piece abuts against the lock catch body in the height direction of the vehicle body. The driving device is used for switching the first position and the second position of the locking limiting piece; the sensing device is used for detecting the opening state and the closing state of the vehicle door; the control unit is connected with the driving device and the sensing device, and when the sensing device detects that the vehicle door is in an open state, the driving device is controlled to drive the locking limiting piece to be located at the first position; when the automobile door is in the closed state, the driving device is controlled to drive the locking limiting piece to be located at the second position, and the problems that under a bumpy road section, collision exists between the lock catch body and the automobile door lock shell, and consequently abnormal sound occurs and even the automobile door lock shell is damaged are solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of vehicle body components, and in particular to an automatic limiting system for a door latch and a door latch. Background Technology

[0002] In traditional automotive door latch designs, the buffering between the latch body and the door bolt typically relies on elastic elements, such as spring washers or rubber buffer blocks. These elastic structures absorb the vibration energy of the door during vehicle operation through material deformation, thereby reducing collision noise between the latch body and the door lock housing.

[0003] However, with the increasing complexity of vehicle driving environments, especially for SUVs and off-road vehicles on bumpy roads, the main movement during bumps is vertical, meaning the vehicle's height is affected. Therefore, due to inertial torque, the door lock area experiences increased swaying along the Z-axis (height) of the vehicle. The inherent flexibility of the elastic element means that during this upward swaying, it is easily compressed by the reaction force of the latch body, losing its restraining function between the latch body and the door latch tongue. This results in the latch body and door lock housing still easily colliding and producing abnormal noises on bumpy roads. Furthermore, under prolonged compression or vibration, the elastic element is prone to fatigue fracture, leading to a sharp decrease in cushioning effect and reduced restraining accuracy. Even after closing, the latch body may still experience slight displacement due to bumpy roads, causing friction with the door lock housing contact surface, accelerating wear and even damaging the door lock housing, resulting in a poor user experience. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a Z-axis automatic limiting system for a car door latch to solve the problem in related technologies where, under bumpy road conditions, the latch body still collides with the door lock housing due to the reliance on elastic elements to lock the latch body, resulting in abnormal noises or even damage to the door lock housing.

[0005] In a first aspect, an automatic limiting system for a vehicle door latch is provided, comprising: A locking limiter has a first position and a second position. When the locking limiter is in the first position, the locking limiter is separated from the latch body. When the locking limiter is in the second position, the locking limiter abuts against the latch body in the vehicle height direction. A driving device, which is connected to the locking limit member and is used to switch the first position and the second position of the locking limit member; A sensing device for detecting the open and closed states of the vehicle door; In addition, a control unit is connected to the drive device and the sensing device, and is used to control the drive device to drive the locking limit member to a first position when the sensing device detects that the door is in an open state; and to control the drive device to drive the locking limit member to a second position when the door is in a closed state.

[0006] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one embodiment, the locking limiter includes: An active turbine is connected to the drive device, which can drive the active turbine to reciprocate. A locking screw, the thread of which in the length direction engages with the thread of the drive turbine, and has a first position and a second position. When the locking screw is in the first position, the locking screw is separated from the locking body. When the locking screw is in the second position, the locking screw extends to abut against the locking body. In addition, a fixed support is provided, wherein a receiving groove adapted to the locking screw is provided on the fixed support, and the locking screw is movably inserted into the receiving groove.

[0007] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one embodiment, the driving device includes: A reciprocating motor is connected to the control unit, and the output end of the reciprocating motor is coaxially connected to the active turbine.

[0008] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one embodiment, an automatic limiting system for a vehicle door latch further includes: A flexible washer is disposed on the locking screw and located at one end of the locking screw near the locking body.

[0009] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one embodiment, the sensing device includes: A micro-motion sensor, which is connected to the control unit, is used to detect the open and closed states of the vehicle door; In addition, a door lock sensor, which is connected to the control unit and is used to detect the locking state of the latch body.

[0010] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one embodiment, an automatic limiting system for a vehicle door latch further includes: A clamping detection device is connected to the control unit and is used to detect the clamping state between the locking limit member and the locking body.

[0011] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one embodiment, the contact detection device includes: A force sensor is disposed on the locking limit member and connected to the control unit. The force sensor is used to detect the clamping force between the locking limit member and the latch body when the locking limit member is in the second position.

[0012] Secondly, a door latch is provided, comprising: Lock body; And, any one of the above-mentioned automatic limit systems for door latches.

[0013] In conjunction with the second aspect, in one embodiment, a door latch further includes: A door lock housing, wherein the locking limiting member is disposed on the door lock housing; In addition, a door latch is provided on the door lock housing, and the latch body is movably engaged with the door latch and located above the locking limiter.

[0014] In conjunction with the second aspect, in one embodiment, a door latch further includes: A shock-absorbing elastic element is disposed on the door latch and abuts against the side of the latch body.

[0015] The beneficial effects of the technical solution provided in this application include: detecting the open and closed state of the car door through a sensing device, transmitting the door state to the control unit, and controlling the drive device to change the state of the locking limit member after receiving the signal. When the sensing device detects that the car door is open, the locking limit member separates from the latch body, allowing the latch body to unlock normally and the car door to open normally; when the sensing device detects that the car door is closed, the locking limit member presses against the latch body in the vehicle height direction to achieve rigid locking of the latch body in the vehicle height direction, i.e., the Z-axis, thus fixing the latch body to the door latch tongue, thereby reducing the possibility of the latch body moving up and down and colliding with the door lock shell on bumpy roads, and reducing the occurrence of abnormal noises from the car door on bumpy roads. This solves the problem in related technologies where the latch body is locked by an elastic element on bumpy roads, but there is still a collision between the latch body and the door lock shell, leading to abnormal noises or even damage to the door lock shell.

[0016] This application provides an automatic limiting system for a car door latch and a car door latch. Since the locking limiting component can abut and separate from the latch body according to the car door status, it can lock the latch body in the height direction of the car body on bumpy roads without affecting the normal opening of the car door. Therefore, it can reduce the collision between the latch body and the car door lock shell and reduce the possibility of abnormal noise or damage to the car door lock shell. Attached Figure Description

[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0018] Figure 1 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of a door lock latch provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the locking and limiting member and the driving device provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0019] In the diagram: 1. Locking limit component; 11. Active turbine; 12. Locking screw; 13. Fixed support; 2. Reciprocating motor; 3. Lock body; 4. Door lock tongue; 5. Door lock housing; 6. Shock-absorbing elastic component. Detailed Implementation

[0020] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this application clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0021] This application provides an automatic limiting system for a car door latch, which can solve the problem in related technologies where, on bumpy roads, the latch body 3 is locked by an elastic element, but there is still a collision between the latch body 3 and the door lock housing 5, resulting in abnormal noise or even damage to the door lock housing 5.

[0022] Reference Figure 1This application discloses an automatic limiting system for a car door latch and a car door latch. For ease of understanding, the embodiments of this application are described with the automatic limiting system already installed on the car door latch. A car door latch includes a car door lock housing 5, a car door latch tongue 4, a latch body 3, and an automatic limiting system for the car door latch. The automatic limiting system for the car door latch includes a locking limiting member 1, a driving device, a sensing device, and a control unit. In actual use, the car door lock housing 5 is used to connect to the car door, the car door latch tongue 4 is disposed on the car door lock housing 5, and the latch body 3 is movably engaged in the locking part of the car door latch tongue 4 and located above the locking limiting member 1. The locking limiting member 1 has a first position and a second position. When the locking limiter 1 is in the first position, the locking limiter 1 separates from the latch body 3, allowing the latch body 3 to slide out from the door latch 4 for normal door opening and closing. When the locking limiter 1 is in the second position, the locking limiter 1 presses the latch body 3 against the door latch 4 in the vehicle height direction, thereby pressing the latch body 3 to limit the latch body 3 from moving in the vehicle height direction on bumpy roads, thereby reducing the possibility of collision between the latch body 3 and the door lock housing 5. The drive unit is connected to the locking limit member 1 and is used to switch the first position and the second position of the locking limit member 1. The sensing device is used to detect the open and closed state of the door. The control unit is connected to the drive unit and the sensing device. The sensing device sends the door open / closed state signal to the control unit in real time. When the sensing device detects that the door is open, the control unit controls the drive unit to drive the locking limit member 1 to the first position to facilitate normal door opening. When the sensing device detects that the door is closed, the control unit controls the drive unit to drive the locking limit member 1 to the second position, pressing the latch body 3 against the door latch tongue 4 in the vehicle height direction to complete the locking of the latch body 3 in the vehicle height direction. This method locks the latch body in the vehicle height direction on bumpy roads without affecting the normal opening of the door, solving the problem in related technologies where the latch body still collides with the door lock housing when relying on elastic elements to lock the latch body on bumpy roads, leading to abnormal noise or even damage to the door lock housing.

[0023] More specifically, in one embodiment of this application, the sensing device includes a micro-motion sensor and a door lock sensor. The micro-motion sensor is specifically installed on the inner and outer handles of the car door. When the user pulls the inner and outer handles, the micro-motion sensor considers the car door to be in the open state. The driving device drives the locking limit member 1 to be in the first position so that the user can open the car door. The door lock sensor is installed on the latch body 3. When the car door is closed normally, the door lock sensor detects that the latch body 3 is in the locked state inside the door latch tongue 4. It is then considered that the car door is in the closed state. The driving device drives the locking limit member 1 to be in the second position so as to press the latch body 3 against the car body height direction, thereby restricting the movement of the latch body 3 in the car body height direction.

[0024] Furthermore, in some extremely rough driving environments, the bumps during vehicle travel are aggravated, and the latch body 3 may move in any direction within the door latch tongue 4. Therefore, to further reduce the movement of the latch body 3 on bumpy roads, a shock-absorbing elastic element 6 is also provided on the door latch tongue 4. The shock-absorbing elastic element 6 is specifically located at the opening of the door latch tongue 4 to block the latch body 3 from the side, i.e., in the width direction of the vehicle body, further limiting the position of the latch body 3 and reducing its movement. In one embodiment of this application, the shock-absorbing elastic element 6 is specifically made of polyurethane. The excellent elastic modulus of polyurethane can ensure that the latch body 3 is pressed tightly against the side while avoiding stress concentration caused by excessive compression. While pressing against the latch body 3, it can also protect the surface of the latch body 3. In addition, the chemical corrosion resistance of polyurethane can effectively extend the service life of the shock-absorbing elastic element 6. In other embodiments of this application, considering manufacturing costs and processes, other common elastic materials such as silicone rubber, fluororubber, and nitrile rubber can also be used to manufacture the shock-absorbing elastic element 6.

[0025] Reference Figure 2 In one embodiment of this application, the locking limiting member 1 specifically includes an active turbine 11, a locking screw 12, and a fixed support 13. The fixed support 13 is fixed to the door lock housing 5 by bolts and is located below the opening of the door lock tongue 4. The fixed support 13 has a receiving groove adapted to the locking screw 12 so that the locking screw 12 can be movably inserted into the receiving groove. The active turbine 11 is connected to a drive device, which can drive the active turbine 11 to reciprocate. The thread in the length direction of the locking screw 12 is threaded with the active turbine 11, and the locking screw 12 has a first position and a second position. The drive device drives the active turbine 11 to rotate, which can drive the locking screw 12 to extend or retract toward the latch body 3, thereby causing the locking screw 12 to press against the latch body 3 or separate from the latch body 3.

[0026] More specifically, the drive device in this application uses a reciprocating motor 2, which is fixed to the fixed support 13 by bolts. The active turbine 11 is coaxially arranged with the output shaft of the reciprocating motor 2. When the reciprocating motor 2 is turned on, the active turbine 11 can drive the locking screw 12 to extend or retract, thereby switching the first position and the second position of the locking screw 12. The structure is simple and easy to control. In this embodiment, the fixed support 13 is made of high-strength aluminum alloy by casting process, and the surface is oxidized to form a wear-resistant layer to improve its service life. It is stably connected to the reciprocating motor 2 by bolts, reducing the vibration transmission during the operation of the reciprocating motor 2 and significantly improving the overall structural stability of the drive device. The coaxial design of the active turbine 11 and the motor output shaft adopts a high-precision keyway connection. Combined with the self-locking characteristics of the transmission between the active turbine 11 and the locking screw 12, the locked state can be maintained even when the reciprocating motor 2 is de-energized, effectively reducing the possibility of locking failure due to accidental vibration.

[0027] In one embodiment of this application, when the sensing device detects that the car door is closed, the reciprocating motor 2 drives the locking screw 12 to continuously extend towards the latch body 3, so that the locking screw 12 always moves towards the latch body 3, thereby continuously pressing the latch body 3 against the door latch tongue 4 from bottom to top, thus achieving a locking state of the latch body 3. However, the reciprocating motor 2 needs to be continuously turned on during the pressing period, which consumes additional energy. Furthermore, the continuous driving of the reciprocating motor 2 to rigidly press the locking screw 12 against the latch body 3 can easily cause rigidity wear on the locking screw 12, reducing its service life. Therefore, the automatic limit system for a car door latch disclosed in this application also includes a position detection device, which is connected to the control unit and is used to detect the pressing state between the locking limit member 1 and the latch body 3.

[0028] More specifically, in this embodiment, the position detection device includes a force sensor. The force sensor is mounted on the locking screw 12 and connected to the control unit. It transmits the contact force between the locking screw 12 and the locking body 3 to the control unit in real time. The control unit has a preset contact force threshold. When the contact force transmitted by the force sensor reaches the contact force threshold, it is considered that the locking screw 12 has pressed against the locking body 3. The control unit then shuts off the reciprocating motor 2 to continue driving the locking screw 12, thereby reducing the rigidity wear on the locking screw 12 and saving energy.

[0029] Furthermore, when the locking screw 12 is in the second position, in order to increase the friction between the locking screw 12 and the locking body 3, further enhance the clamping force of the locking screw 12 on the locking body 3, and reduce the possibility of the locking body 3 shifting, a flexible washer is also provided at the end of the locking screw 12 facing the locking body 3 to increase the friction between the locking screw 12 and the locking body 3. In one embodiment of this application, the flexible washer is specifically a rubber washer, which, while enhancing the friction between the locking screw 12 and the locking body 3, can also buffer the rigid contact between the locking screw 12 and the locking body 3, protect the locking screw 12 and the locking body 3, and thus extend the service life of the locking screw 12 and the locking body 3.

[0030] In other embodiments, other elastic materials such as EPDM rubber can also be selected as the base material. The synergistic effect of the non-polar vinyl segments and the polar third monomer in the EPDM rubber molecular structure enables the flexible gasket to maintain a high elastic modulus while possessing excellent aging resistance. Furthermore, an embossed texture can be formed on the surface of the flexible gasket through etching. This structure can generate capillary forces at the microscopic level, increasing the coefficient of friction under dynamic loads and effectively reducing the possibility of plastic deformation of the locking screw 12 and the locking body 3. Through the synergistic regulation of the EPDM rubber molecular structure and the surface embossed texture, a breakthrough improvement in friction performance and durability is achieved, further extending the service life of the locking screw 12 and the locking body 3.

[0031] In the description of this application, it should be noted that the terms "upper," "lower," etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application. Unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installed," "connected," and "linked" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication between two elements. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in this application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0032] It should be noted that in this application, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used merely to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.

[0033] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, enabling those skilled in the art to understand or implement this application. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of this application. Therefore, this application is not to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features claimed herein.

Claims

1. An automatic limiting system for a car door latch, characterized in that, It includes: The locking limit member (1) has a first position and a second position. When the locking limit member (1) is in the first position, the locking limit member (1) is separated from the latch body (3). When the locking limit member (1) is in the second position, the locking limit member (1) abuts against the latch body (3) in the vehicle height direction. A driving device, which is connected to the locking limit member (1) and is used to switch the first position and the second position of the locking limit member (1); A sensing device for detecting the open and closed states of the vehicle door; And a control unit, which is connected to the drive device and the sensing device, and is used to control the drive device to drive the locking limit member (1) to a first position when the sensing device detects that the door is in an open state; and to control the drive device to drive the locking limit member (1) to a second position when the door is in a closed state.

2. The automatic limiting system for a car door latch as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The locking and limiting member (1) includes: An active turbine (11) is connected to the drive device, which is capable of driving the active turbine (11) to reciprocate. The locking screw (12) has a thread in the length direction that engages with the thread of the active turbine (11) and has a first position and a second position. When the locking screw (12) is in the first position, the locking screw (12) is separated from the locking body (3). When the locking screw (12) is in the second position, the locking screw (12) extends out to abut against the locking body (3). In addition, a fixed support (13) is provided on the fixed support (13) with a receiving groove adapted to the locking screw (12), and the locking screw (12) is movably inserted into the receiving groove.

3. The automatic limiting system for a car door latch as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The driving device includes: A reciprocating motor (2) is connected to the control unit, and the output end of the reciprocating motor (2) is coaxially connected to the active turbine (11).

4. The automatic limiting system for a car door latch as described in claim 2, characterized in that, It also includes: A flexible gasket is disposed on the locking screw (12) and located at one end of the locking screw (12) near the locking body (3).

5. The automatic limiting system for a car door latch as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The sensing device includes: A micro-motion sensor, which is connected to the control unit, is used to detect the open and closed states of the vehicle door; In addition, a door lock sensor, which is connected to the control unit and is used to detect the locking state of the latch body (3).

6. The automatic limiting system for a car door latch as described in claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes: A clamping detection device is connected to the control unit and is used to detect the clamping state between the locking limit member (1) and the locking body (3).

7. The automatic limiting system for a car door latch as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The contact detection device includes: A force sensor is disposed on the locking limit member (1) and connected to the control unit. The force sensor is used to detect the clamping force between the locking limit member (1) and the latch body (3) when the locking limit member (1) is in the second position.

8. A car door latch, characterized in that, It includes: Lock body; And, an automatic limiting system for a door latch as described in any one of claims 1-7.

9. A door latch as described in claim 8, characterized in that, It also includes: Door lock housing (5), wherein the locking limit member (1) is disposed on the door lock housing (5); In addition, the door lock tongue (4) is provided on the door lock housing (5), and the lock buckle body (3) is movably engaged on the door lock tongue (4) and located above the locking limit member (1).

10. A door lock latch as described in claim 9, characterized in that, It also includes: Shock-absorbing elastic element (6) is provided on the door lock tongue (4) and abuts against the side of the lock body (3).

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