Motor vehicle lock, in particular motor vehicle side door lock

Abstract

The subject of the invention is a motor vehicle door lock having a locking mechanism (5) comprising a rotary latch (6) and at least one pawl (7), the rotary latch (6) being engageable in at least one engagement position by means of the pawl (7); a release lever (8), wherein the locking mechanism (5) can be switched from the engagement position to a release position by means of the release lever (8); the invention relates to a locking mechanism (5) for a motor vehicle, comprising an electric drive unit (10, 11, 12) and an actuating lever (9), the actuating lever (9) being actuatable by the electric drive unit (10, 11, 13) and the locking mechanism (5) being at least indirectly unlockable by means of the actuating lever (9), the actuating lever (9) and the gear (10) of the electric drive unit (10, 11, 13) being mountable on a common shaft (19).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a vehicle lock, particularly a vehicle door lock, comprising: a locking mechanism including a rotating locking fork and at least one locking pawl, wherein the rotating locking fork can be engaged in at least one engaged position by means of the locking pawl; a release lever, wherein the locking mechanism can be switched from an engaged position to a released position by means of the release lever; and an electric drive unit and an actuation lever, wherein the actuation lever can be driven by the drive unit, and the locking mechanism can be unlocked at least indirectly by means of the actuation lever. Background Technology

[0002] Modern vehicle locking systems primarily employ locking mechanisms that engage with rotating locking forks and pawls to secure movable components mounted on the vehicle. Hereinafter, "vehicle locking system," "vehicle lock," "door lock," or "lock" will be used synonymously. Depending on their arrangement within the vehicle, single-stage or two-stage locking mechanisms may be used. While single-stage locking mechanisms are more commonly used for hoods or hatchbacks, regulations require vehicle manufacturers to equip side doors with two-stage locking mechanisms. In the first engagement position (i.e., the first engagement position), the side door is in a relaxed holding state; in the second engagement position (i.e., the second engagement position), the side door is in a fully closed working position. The first engagement position is referred to herein as the pre-engaged position, and the second engagement position as the main engagement position.

[0003] To further enhance the comfort of motor vehicles, an increasing number of electric assistance functions are being applied to them. Motors are installed in vehicle locking systems, for example, to electrically unlock the locking mechanism. The motor typically works in conjunction with a gear mechanism, where the gears then directly or indirectly trigger the unlocking of the locking mechanism. For example, DE 10 2019 109 488 A1 discloses such an electric drive unit.

[0004] DE 10 2019 109 488 A1 discloses an electric drive unit comprising a motor, downstream of which is a worm gear stage. The gear of the worm gear stage has a cylindrical side surface that extends in a ramp shape around the axis of rotation of the worm gear. An actuating rod engages with this side surface, wherein the actuating rod, for example, can cause or at least trigger the unlocking of a locking mechanism. With this electric drive unit, a vehicle operator can, for example, electrically unlock a vehicle lock, thereby enabling electrically assisted opening of a side door.

[0005] DE 10 2020 118 721 A1 discloses related prior art. This document discloses a vehicle lock having a locking mechanism with a rotating locking fork and at least one locking pawl (the rotating locking fork can be locked in at least one engaged position by means of the locking pawl), a release lever (the locking mechanism can be switched from an engaged position to a released position by means of the release lever), and an electric drive unit for actuating the release lever. The actuation lever is part of a worm gear and is directly driven by the worm gear. The release lever is directly connected to the actuation lever, such that rotation of the actuation lever immediately actuates the release lever and releases the locking mechanism.

[0006] Existing technological solutions have proven to have practical value. However, the ongoing goal of the automotive industry and developers is to develop compact designs that can adapt to the decreasing space requirements in motor vehicles. Furthermore, reducing the number of components can lighten the weight of vehicle locks, which is a key advantage for vehicle electrification. This invention is proposed against this backdrop.

[0007] The object of this invention is to provide an improved vehicle lock. Specifically, the object of this invention is to provide a vehicle lock with fewer parts while maintaining the same or improved functionality. Furthermore, the object of this invention is to provide a simple and cost-effective solution for vehicle locks with the same functionality. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The above-mentioned objective is achieved by the features of independent claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are defined in the dependent claims. It should be noted that the embodiments described below are not limiting; rather, any variations of the features described in the specification and dependent claims are possible.

[0009] According to claim 1, the present invention achieves its objective by providing a vehicle lock, particularly a vehicle door lock, comprising: a locking mechanism including a rotating locking fork and at least one locking pawl, wherein the rotating locking fork can be engaged in at least one engaged position by means of the locking pawl; a release lever, wherein the locking mechanism can be switched from the engaged position to the released position by means of the release lever; and an electric drive unit and an actuating lever, wherein the actuating lever can be actuated by the electric drive unit, and the locking mechanism can be unlocked at least indirectly by means of the actuating lever, and the gears of the actuating lever and the electric drive unit can be mounted on a common shaft. The design according to the invention enables a compact structure to be achieved with a minimal number of parts. In particular, the shared mounting, i.e., arranging the actuating lever and the gears of the drive unit on a common shaft, has the advantage that the release mechanism or a portion thereof can be implemented in a very compact design with only one support point. By using a single support point, the installation space required for actuating or releasing the release lever can be minimized. This is particularly advantageous when the available space for the overall unit is small. Furthermore, the number of parts required in the transmission system can be reduced.

[0010] In another embodiment variation of the invention, it offers advantages if the actuating rod can be integrally formed with the gear. On the one hand, this allows the drive torque to be transmitted from the gear to the actuating rod without backlash; on the other hand, it further reduces the number of required components. This provides a time advantage, particularly during assembly (i.e., production), thus positively impacting the overall manufacturing cost of the vehicle lock. Alternatively, a single component can be used to transmit the driving force from the drive mechanism to the downstream release lever.

[0011] The vehicle lock according to the present invention should also be understood to include locks for side doors, hoods, covers, or sliding doors, i.e., locks used in any situation where it is necessary to secure movable components mounted on a vehicle in a locked position to ensure the safe use of the vehicle. However, the vehicle lock of the present invention preferably relates to a side door of a vehicle.

[0012] The locking mechanism can be designed as a single-locking or double-locking locking mechanism. Recent developments have also disclosed locking mechanisms with rolling locking mechanism components, such as a ratchet element arranged between the rotating fork and the pawl. In the case of a single-locking locking mechanism, there is only one engagement position in which the pawl holds the rotating fork in the main engagement position. In the case of a double-locking locking mechanism, in addition to the main engagement position, there is a pre-engagement position, allowing the rotating fork and the pawl to interact in both engagement positions. A release lever interacts with the locking mechanism in such a way that it disengages or unlocks the engaged locking mechanism. In this case, the pawl is removed from the engagement area with the rotating fork or engagement element. It is also known that multiple pawls can be used. For example, when a torque for opening the locking mechanism is generated in the main engagement position, the pawl can be held by another pawl, also referred to as a locking lever. This additional pawl is subsequently referred to as an engagement lever or locking lever.

[0013] The electric drive unit preferably consists of a DC motor with a gear mounted on its output shaft. This gear initiates movement in the vehicle lock. Preferably, this gear forms part of a worm gear mechanism. The advantage of a worm gear mechanism is that it allows for a short adjustment time of less than 100 ms. Furthermore, the worm gear can transmit sufficiently high force to provide adequate force for actuating the actuation chain, especially the release lever, even in extreme cases. The worm, directly arranged on the output shaft of the electric drive motor, engages with the worm wheel, and in an advantageous embodiment variation, the actuation lever formed on the worm wheel is moved directly. The actuation lever can then be used to move the release lever, thereby enabling direct unlocking of the locking mechanism. The rapid adjustment time, combined with the minimal number of components in the actuation chain, allows for backlash-free transmission of the drive motor's actuation torque. Therefore, the rapid adjustment time with small tolerances in the actuation chain enables rapid and quiet release or unlocking of the locking mechanism.

[0014] Further improvements to the vehicle lock of the present invention can be achieved if the shaft can be retained within the housing and / or reinforcing plate and / or lock case of the vehicle lock. Advantageously, and in the simplest embodiment, the shaft for receiving the gear and actuating rod can be disposed within the housing and lock case of the vehicle lock. Since these components, such as the lock case and the housing, are already present, no additional components are required for installing the shaft in the vehicle lock. This, in turn, has the advantage of achieving high functionality in the vehicle lock with a minimal number of components.

[0015] In developing this vehicle lock, the shaft can also be configured as a support point for the lock claw. This demonstrates a significant advantage of the structure of the vehicle lock according to the invention: the shaft is multifunctional. On one hand, the shaft receives the drive gear and the actuating rod, i.e., the actuating device; simultaneously, the shaft also supports the locking mechanism. Therefore, the number of components used in the locking and releasing mechanisms is minimized. The shaft can also accommodate some parts of the drive unit and the locking mechanism.

[0016] Furthermore, the motor vehicle lock of the present invention can be further improved if the support point of the locking claw can be arranged between the reinforcing plate and the lock housing. Arranging the locking claw between the reinforcing plate and the lock housing has decisive advantages. Due to the versatility of the shaft, the shaft requires a stable support point. By arranging the locking claw between the lock housing and the metal reinforcing plate, the support of the shaft, especially the support of the drive unit mounted on the shaft, can be kept sufficiently stable, precise, and tolerance-free. The shaft can be advantageously riveted to the lock housing, thereby establishing an unreleasable connection between the shaft and the lock housing. This is particularly necessary because the interaction in the locking mechanism can be affected by the way the shaft is supported. On the one hand, the continuous stability of the locking mechanism must be ensured; on the other hand, by fixing the locking claw in place, the tolerances in the interaction between the rotating locking fork and the locking claw, or between the locking element and the locking claw, can be kept or reduced to a minimum.

[0017] In another improvement of the invention, the shaft is formed of a metallic material at least in a localized area. The lock housing and reinforcing plate surround the lock claw. If the shaft is also formed of a metallic material at least in a localized area, particularly in the lock claw support area, it provides high-precision and stable support for the lock claw. Therefore, the shaft is held directly between the lock housing and the reinforcing plate. In this case, it is advantageous that the shaft is at least non-removably connected to the lock housing, for example, by riveting.

[0018] If the shaft has at least one shoulder for supporting the locking claw, the locking mechanism as a whole can be improved, thereby enhancing the stability and functionality of the vehicle lock. To rivet the shaft to the lock housing, the lock housing can have a recess with an insertion opening for inserting the shaft. Therefore, the rivet head and the overall extension of the lock housing form a flat surface. The rivet head thus sinks into the recess in the lock housing. This recess or protrusion in the lock housing serves as an abutment for the locking claw inside the vehicle lock, thereby providing a guiding surface for the locking claw through the lock housing.

[0019] If a shoulder is formed on the shaft according to the present invention, the shoulder increases the diameter of the shaft and provides another abutment surface for supporting the pawl in the motor vehicle lock. The pawl can then be guided by the recess in the lock housing and the shoulder on the shaft. The abutment surface on the pawl can then be adjusted by the width or diameter of the shaft or the shoulder. This ensures that the pawl is supported by the shaft on both sides. Simultaneously, the shoulder can also be used to receive a reinforcing plate, giving the shoulder two functions. On the one hand, the shoulder serves as an abutment and guide surface for the pawl; on the other hand, the shoulder also provides an abutment surface for supporting the reinforcing plate. Due to the very stable support of the pawl and its arrangement among the metal parts of the lock, extremely stable support can also be provided for the gears and actuator rods of the drive mechanism. The transmission system can be further stabilized by providing a third support at the axial end of the shaft in the lock housing.

[0020] Another embodiment of the invention can be achieved by making the shaft, at least in a partial area, of plastic, particularly of a plastic sheath / cover. If the shaft has a plastic sheath in at least a partial area and / or is entirely made of plastic in a partial area, a lightweight shaft can be provided on the one hand, and good support for the drive elements and / or locking claws can be provided due to the corresponding surface slip properties of the plastic. The shaft is fixedly arranged in a vehicle lock, supporting parts of the locking mechanism on one hand and parts of the transmission system on the other. Therefore, depending on the requirements for the corresponding components on the shaft, either a metal surface or a plastic surface can be provided for mounting.

[0021] A reinforcing plate provides a stop surface for the gear and actuating rod. In this embodiment, the gear or actuating rod located on the gear extends to the reinforcing plate, such that the reinforcing plate provides a guide surface for the drive mechanism along the longitudinal extension direction of the shaft. Because the gear or gear-actuating rod combination extends to the reinforcing plate, a gap can be provided, into which, for example, a release rod can extend. This facilitates the interaction between the actuating rod and the release rod, as a form-fit connection can be achieved in a structurally simple manner within the overlapping area between the actuating rod and the release rod. This extension on the gear or gear-actuating rod combination creates a gap that promotes a compact overall structure for the vehicle lock. The vehicle lock design according to the invention achieves a compact design with constant functionality and a minimal number of components.

[0022] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and based on preferred embodiments. However, it should be noted that these exemplary embodiments are not intended to limit the invention, but are merely advantageous implementations. The features shown may be implemented individually or in any combination with other features in the specification and claims. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 A three-dimensional view of a motor vehicle lock designed according to the present invention is shown, with portions of the lock shown in cross-sectional form; and

[0024] Figure 2 Showing according to Figure 1 A detailed view of the shaft of the vehicle lock shown. Detailed Implementation

[0025] Figure 1 A three-dimensional view of a vehicle lock 1 designed according to the present invention is shown, with only the components necessary for the invention shown. The vehicle lock is enclosed by a plastic lock housing 2 and a metal lock case 3. A reinforcing plate 4 is arranged between the lock housing 2 and the lock case 3, extending parallel to the lock case 3 within the vehicle lock 1. A locking mechanism 5 consisting of a locking fork 6 and a locking claw 7 is shown here. A release lever 8 is arranged above the lock case 3, which can be driven to engage with an actuating lever 9. The actuating lever 9 is integral with a worm gear 10, which, together with a worm 11, forms a worm gear mechanism 12. The worm 11 is mounted on the shaft of an electric drive unit 13. An inner or outer actuating lever 14, pivotally mounted within the lock housing 2, can also be seen. The locking fork 6 is mounted on a shaft 15 designed as a threaded bushing 15. Another threaded bushing 16 serves to mount the vehicle lock 1 (also as threaded bushing 15) and simultaneously supports the reinforcing plate. Threaded bushings 15 and 16 are non-detachably connected to the lock box 3 and the reinforcing plate 4, for example, by thermoforming or riveting. Figure 1 An entry area 17 for the lock retainer is also shown, so that the rotating lock fork can interact with the lock retainer.

[0026] The figure shows the open position of the vehicle lock 1, i.e., the rotating lock fork is in the open position and disengaged from the lock pawl 7. If the vehicle lock is driven to engage with the lock retainer, the rotating lock fork 6 rotates about the support point 15 and can engage with the lock pawl 7 under spring loading. The vehicle lock 1 shown is in the form of a side door lock, therefore, in the vehicle lock shown, the locking mechanism 5 can achieve a pre-engaged position and a main engaged position.

[0027] To unlock the locking mechanism, the release lever 8 can be actuated, for example, by manually actuating the inner or outer actuating lever 14, disengaging the locking pawl 7 from the rotating locking fork 6, thereby unlocking the locking mechanism 5. For this purpose, the inner or outer actuating lever 14 is pivoted counterclockwise in the direction of arrow P, thereby engaging the actuating arm 18 with the release lever 8, and in the illustrated embodiment, pivoting the release lever 8 clockwise. To unlock the locking mechanism, a control signal can also be applied to the electric drive device 13, thereby actuating the worm gear 11 and rotating the worm wheel 10 clockwise about the shaft 19. The worm wheel 10 is integral with the actuating lever 9, wherein the actuating lever 9 can also pivot the release lever 8 clockwise by means of the movement of the worm wheel 10, thereby electrically unlocking the locking mechanism 5.

[0028] Furthermore, it should be noted that the components 6 and 7 of the locking mechanism have plastic coverings 20 and 21, which serve to support the components 6 and 7 of the locking mechanism on the one hand, and to minimize noise on the other.

[0029] Figure 2 An enlarged view of the shaft 19 of the vehicle lock 1 is shown. It can be seen that one end of the shaft 19 is housed in the lock housing 2, and the other opposite end is housed in the lock case 3. The rivet head 22 makes the non-removable connection between the lock case 3 and the shaft 19 clearly visible. A recess 23 in the lock case 3 can also be seen, which accommodates the rivet head 22, such that the lock case 3 as a whole forms a plane E, and the rivet head 22 is flush with this plane E.

[0030] Shaft 19 also has shoulders 24, which function on both sides. On one hand, the locking pawl 7 abuts against the shoulders 24, so that the locking pawl can be reliably fixed or supported between the recess 23 and the shoulders 24. However, the shoulders 24 also serve as abutment surfaces for mounting the reinforcing plate 4. The reinforcing plate 4 interacts with the extension 25 on the gear 10 or the actuating rod 9. The extension 25 forms a gap 26 in which the release rod 8 can engage, thereby enabling reliable interaction between the actuating rod and the release rod, and in particular, enabling form-fit interaction between the release rod and the actuating rod 9. Therefore, the reinforcing plate 4 has a dual function. On the one hand, the reinforcing plate is used to fix or securely support the parts 6, 7 of the locking mechanism; on the other hand, the reinforcing plate serves as a guide surface for the drive element constituted by the gear 10 and the actuating rod 9. Advantageously, the shaft 19 is metallic in the area of ​​the parts 6, 7 of the locking mechanism, while the axial extension 27 along the centerline M of the shaft 19 can be formed at least partially or entirely of plastic. This allows for a balance between lightweight design, excellent surface slip characteristics, and high shaft stability. The advantages of this highly functional, compact design improve the overall performance of the vehicle lock.

[0031] List of reference numerals

[0032] 1 Motor vehicle lock

[0033] 2 locks on the outer shell

[0034] 3 lock boxes

[0035] 4 Reinforcing Plates

[0036] 5 locking mechanisms

[0037] 6. Rotating locking fork

[0038] 7 locking claws

[0039] 8 release levers

[0040] 9 Actuator

[0041] 10 worm gears

[0042] 11 Worm Gear

[0043] 12 worm gear mechanism

[0044] 13 drive units

[0045] 14. Internal or external actuating rod

[0046] 15 and 16 threaded bushings

[0047] 17 Entrance Area

[0048] 18-actuator boom

[0049] 19-axis

[0050] 20, 21 Plastic coating layers

[0051] 22 rivet heads

[0052] 23 concavity

[0053] 24-axis shoulder

[0054] 25 extension

[0055] 26 gaps

[0056] 27 Axial extension

[0057] P arrow

[0058] E plane

[0059] M central axis

Claims

1. Motor vehicle lock (1), in particular motor vehicle door lock (1), having a locking mechanism (5) comprising a rotary lock lever (6) and at least one lock pawl (7), wherein The rotary latch (6) can be engaged in at least one engagement position by the latching pawl (7); a release lever (8), wherein the latching mechanism (5) can be switched from the engagement position into a release position by means of the release lever (8); an electric drive unit (10, 11, 13) and an actuating lever (9), wherein the actuating lever (9) can be actuated by the electric drive unit (10, 11, 13) and the latching mechanism (5) can be at least indirectly unlocked by means of the actuating lever (9), characterized in that the actuating lever (9) and a gearwheel (10) of the electric drive unit (10, 11, 13) can be mounted on a common shaft (19).

2. Motor vehicle lock (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that The actuating lever (9) can be formed integrally with the gearwheel (10).

3. Motor vehicle lock (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that The gearwheel (10) can form part of a worm gear mechanism (12).

4. Motor vehicle lock (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that The shaft (19) can be held in a housing (2) and / or a reinforcement plate (4) and / or a lock box (3) of the motor vehicle lock (1).

5. Motor vehicle lock (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that The shaft (19) can also constitute a bearing point for the latching pawl (7).

6. Motor vehicle lock (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that The bearing point for the latching pawl (7) can be arranged between the reinforcement plate (4) and the lock box (3).

7. Motor vehicle lock (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that The shaft (19) is formed at least in local regions from a metallic material.

8. Motor vehicle lock (1 ) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that The shaft (19) has at least one shaft shoulder (24) for bearing the latching pawl (7).

9. Motor vehicle lock (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that The shaft (19) is formed at least in local regions from plastic, in particular a plastic coating (20, 21).

10. Motor vehicle lock (1 ) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that The reinforcement plate (4) can provide a stop surface for the gearwheel (10) and the actuating lever (9), in particular for an extension (25) on the gearwheel (10) and the actuating lever (9). The shaft (19) is formed at least in local regions from a metallic material. The shaft (19) has at least one shaft shoulder (24) for bearing the latching pawl (7). The shaft (19) is formed at least in local regions from plastic, in particular a plastic coating (20, 21). The reinforcement plate (4) can provide a stop surface for the gearwheel (10) and the actuating lever (9), in particular for an extension (25) on the gearwheel (10) and the actuating lever (9). The shaft (19) is formed at least in local regions from a metallic material. The shaft (19) has at least one shaft shoulder (24) for bearing the latching pawl (7). The shaft (19) is formed at least in local regions from plastic, in particular a plastic coating (20, 21). The reinforcement plate (4) can provide a stop surface for the gearwheel (10) and the actuating lever (9), in particular for an extension (25) on the gearwheel (10) and the actuating lever (9).

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