Electrically-opened automobile double-pull front cover lock

Abstract

The electrically-opened automobile double-pull front cover lock comprises a bottom plate, a ratchet wheel and a pawl, the ratchet wheel and the pawl are rotationally arranged on the bottom plate, and the ratchet wheel is locked and unlocked through the pawl; the device further comprises a driving lever, a driving lever shaft and a driving assembly, the driving lever is arranged on the driving assembly, the driving lever shaft is arranged on the driving lever and makes contact with the pawl, and the driving assembly is used for controlling the driving lever shaft to swing in a reciprocating mode so as to control the pawl to rotate. The driving assembly is used for controlling the shifting rod shaft to swing in a reciprocating mode, two-stage unlocking of the front cover lock is achieved, and the front cover lock is unlocked more stably in cooperation with the elastic force of the pawl return spring; the driving assembly adopts a worm and a bevel gear of a fan-shaped structure, large-transmission-ratio and stable low-noise power transmission is achieved, and meanwhile the safety of equipment can be improved through the self-locking characteristic. In addition, transmission parts are arranged in a staggered mode, and the space utilization rate can be effectively improved. A sealing ring is arranged at the position of the output shaft hole, the sealing ring is pressed tightly through a gland, and a high protection grade is achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of automotive locks, and in particular to an electrically operated double-pull hood lock for automobiles. Background Technology

[0002] With the existing double-pull hood lock, when it is necessary to open the front hood, it is usually necessary to pull the opening handle from inside the car to move the hood lock from the fully locked position to the half-lock position, and then pull the opening handle again to open the hood completely.

[0003] Regarding electric double-pull hood locks, Chinese patent CN 220415091 U discloses an electric automotive hood lock, which uses a pawl driven by an actuator. According to existing double-pull hood locks, when the hood needs to be opened, the opening handle usually needs to be pulled from inside the car to move the hood lock from a fully locked position to a half-locked position, and then the opening handle needs to be pulled again to fully open the hood. In this case, the push rod uses a two-stage drive, resulting in a complex structure; moreover, the push rod uses an axial reciprocating moving rod, which is very detrimental to the sealing of the output shaft hole. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the shortcomings of the existing technology, the main objective of this invention is to overcome these deficiencies and disclose an electrically operated double-pull hood lock for automobiles, comprising a base plate, a ratchet, and a pawl. The ratchet and pawl are rotatably mounted on the base plate, and the pawl locks and unlocks the ratchet. The invention also includes a lever, a lever shaft, and a drive assembly. The lever is mounted on the drive assembly, and the lever shaft is mounted on the lever. The lever shaft contacts the pawl, and the drive assembly controls the lever shaft to reciprocate, thereby controlling the rotation of the pawl.

[0005] Furthermore, the drive assembly includes a housing and a drive shaft, a transmission assembly, and a motor disposed within the housing. The drive shaft is rotatably connected to the housing and one end protrudes from the housing. The motor is connected to the drive shaft via the transmission assembly to drive the drive shaft to reciprocate.

[0006] Furthermore, the transmission assembly includes a worm gear and a helical gear, the worm gear being disposed on the output shaft of the motor, the helical gear being disposed on the drive shaft, and the worm gear meshing with the helical gear.

[0007] Furthermore, the helical gear is a sector gear.

[0008] Furthermore, the helical gear is mounted on the drive shaft using a plastic-coated method.

[0009] Furthermore, a drive shaft bushing is also provided inside the housing, the drive shaft bushing is sleeved on the outside of the drive shaft, and the drive shaft bushing is clearance-fitted with the drive shaft.

[0010] Furthermore, the hardness of the drive shaft is greater than the hardness of the drive shaft bushing.

[0011] Furthermore, the housing includes an upper shell and a lower shell, the upper shell and the lower shell are connected in a sealed manner at the joint, and the upper shell and the lower shell are combined to form a sealed mounting cavity.

[0012] Furthermore, the housing also includes a sealing ring and a pressure cap. The upper housing is provided with an output shaft hole, and a sealing cavity is provided on the output shaft hole. The sealing ring is disposed in the sealing cavity and is pressed and fixed by the pressure cap.

[0013] Furthermore, a buffer block is provided inside the housing to prevent the helical gear from directly impacting the inner wall of the housing.

[0014] The beneficial effects achieved by this invention are as follows:

[0015] This invention controls the reciprocating swing of the lever shaft via a drive assembly to achieve two-stage unlocking of the front cover lock. Combined with the restoring force of the pawl return spring, this makes unlocking the front cover lock smoother. The drive assembly employs a worm gear and a sector-shaped helical gear to achieve a high transmission ratio, smooth, and low-noise power transmission, while also utilizing self-locking characteristics to enhance equipment safety. Furthermore, the staggered arrangement of the transmission components effectively improves space utilization. A sealing ring is installed at the output shaft hole, and the sealing ring is pressed tightly by a pressure cap to improve the sealing effect of the housing and achieve a high level of protection. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electrically operated double-pull hood lock for automobiles according to the present invention;

[0017] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the ratchet and pawl in the fully open position;

[0018] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the ratchet and pawl in a semi-locked state;

[0019] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the ratchet and pawl in the fully locked state;

[0020] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the ratchet and pawl in the first-level unlocked state;

[0021] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the ratchet and pawl in the secondary unlocking state;

[0022] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram showing the fit between the housing and the drive assembly;

[0023] Figure 8 Schematic diagram of the upper shell

[0024] Figure 9 Schematic diagram of the lower shell structure

[0025] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram showing the fit between the housing and the drive shaft;

[0026] The attached figures are labeled as follows:

[0027] 1. Base plate; 2. Ratchet; 3. Pad; 4. Lever; 5. Lever shaft; 6. Drive assembly; 21. Ratchet rivet shaft; 22. Ratchet return spring; 23. Locking hook; 24. First engagement part; 25. Second engagement part; 31. Pad rivet shaft; 32. Pad return spring; 33. First barb; 34. Second barb; 61. Housing; 62. Drive shaft; 63. Transmission assembly; 64. Motor; 65. Drive shaft bushing; 611. Upper shell; 612. Lower shell; 613. Sealing ring; 614. Pressure cap; 615. Buffer block; 616. Limiting part; 631. Worm gear; 632. Helical gear; 6111. Boss; 6112. Positioning pin; 6113. Output shaft hole; 6121. Groove; 6122. Positioning hole. Detailed Implementation

[0028] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the invention.

[0029] A type of electrically operated double-pull hood lock for automobiles, such as Figures 1-10 As shown, the device includes a base plate 1, a ratchet 2, and a pawl 3. The ratchet 2 is rotatably mounted on the base plate 1 via a ratchet rivet shaft 21, and a ratchet return spring 22 provides a clockwise driving force for the ratchet 2. The pawl 3 is rotatably mounted on the base plate 1 via a pawl rivet shaft 31, and a pawl return spring 32 provides a clockwise driving force for the pawl 3. The ratchet 2 is equipped with a locking hook 23, a first engaging part 24, and a second engaging part 25, while the pawl 3 is equipped with a first barb 33 and a second barb 34. The ratchet 2 and pawl 3 enable the hood lock to be fully open, partially locked, fully locked, first-level unlocked, and second-level unlocked.

[0030] Specifically, when the hood lock is in the fully open position, it is in Figure 2 In the indicated state, ratchet 2 and pawl 3 are in contact with each other and act at the limiting position of base plate 1. The latch engages with the locking hook and presses down on ratchet 2, causing it to rotate counterclockwise, so that the second engaging part 25 engages with the second barb 34, reaching the half-lock position. Figure 3As shown in the diagram; the latch continues to press down, the ratchet 2 continues to rotate counterclockwise, the first engaging part 24 engages with the second barb 34, reaching the fully locked state, as shown. Figure 4 The state shown;

[0031] The following describes the two-stage unlocking process of the hood lock. The pawl 3 rotates clockwise, disengaging the second barb 34 from the first engaging part 24. The ratchet 2, under the restoring force of the ratchet return spring 22, rotates clockwise, engaging the first barb 33 with the first engaging part 24, thus reaching the first-stage unlocking state. Figure 5 As shown in the diagram; pawl 3 is released, and pawl 3 rotates counterclockwise a certain distance due to the pawl return spring 32, causing the second barb 34 to engage with the second engagement part 25 again, reaching the desired state. Figure 3 As shown in the diagram; the pawl 3 is driven to rotate clockwise again, causing the second barb 34 to disengage from the second engagement part 25. The ratchet 2 rotates clockwise under the restoring force of the ratchet return spring 22, causing the first barb 33 to engage with the second engagement part 25, reaching the second unlocked state, as shown. Figure 6 As shown in the diagram; pawl 3 is released, and pawl 3 rotates counterclockwise a certain distance due to the pawl return spring 32, disengaging the first barb 33 from the second engaging part 25, reaching the fully open state. Figure 2 The state shown.

[0032] The hood lock also includes a lever 4, a lever shaft 5, and a drive assembly 6. The lever 4 is mounted on the drive assembly 6, and the lever shaft 5 is mounted on the lever 4. The lever shaft 4 contacts the pawl 3. The drive assembly 6 controls the lever shaft 5 to reciprocate, thereby controlling the rotation of the pawl 3. Specifically, when unlocking, the drive assembly 6 controls the lever shaft 5 to push the pawl 3 to rotate clockwise. During this process, the pawl return spring 32 stores force, and the reaction force causes the pawl 3 to press tightly against the lever shaft 5, thus causing the pawl 3 to rotate with the lever shaft 5. The lever shaft 5 is riveted to the lever 4.

[0033] The drive assembly 6 includes a housing 61 and a drive shaft 62, a transmission assembly 63 and a motor 64 disposed within the housing 61. The drive shaft 62 is rotatably connected to the housing 61 and one end protrudes from the housing 61. The motor 64 is connected to the drive shaft 62 through the transmission assembly 63 and drives the drive shaft 62 to reciprocate.

[0034] In the above embodiments, such as Figures 1-10As shown, the transmission assembly 63 includes a worm gear 631 and a helical gear 632. The worm gear 631 is mounted on the output shaft of the motor 64, and the helical gear 632 is mounted on the drive shaft 62. The worm gear 631 meshes with the helical gear 632. The motor 64 drives the worm gear 631 to rotate, which in turn drives the helical gear 632 to rotate, thereby controlling the rotation of the drive shaft 62. By using the worm gear 631 and the helical gear 632 in a spatially staggered shaft layout, a large transmission ratio and smooth, low-noise power transmission are achieved. At the same time, the self-locking characteristic can be used to improve equipment safety. In addition, the staggered arrangement of the transmission components can effectively improve space utilization.

[0035] In the above embodiments, such as Figures 1-10 As shown, the helical gear 632 is a sector gear. That is, the helical gear 632 has an arc-shaped gear shape, and its effective working angle is 50°-70°, which further reduces the volume of the drive assembly 6.

[0036] In one embodiment, such as Figures 1-10 As shown, the helical gear 632 is mounted on the drive shaft 62 using a plastic-coated method. This ensures a reliable connection between the helical gear 632 and the drive shaft 62, preventing the helical gear 632 from disengaging from the drive shaft 62 during power output and guaranteeing consistent rotation angles.

[0037] In one embodiment, such as Figures 1-10 As shown, to ensure the coaxiality of the drive shaft 62, a drive shaft bushing 65 is also provided inside the housing 61. The drive shaft bushing 65 is fitted over the drive shaft 62 with a clearance fit. The drive shaft bushing 65 is pre-embedded within the housing 61, meaning that during the injection molding process of the housing 61, the drive shaft bushing 65 is pre-assembled with the mold to ensure the installation accuracy of the drive shaft bushing 65.

[0038] In the above embodiments, such as Figures 1-10 As shown, the hardness of the drive shaft 62 is greater than that of the drive shaft bushing 65. Specifically, the drive shaft bushing 65 is made of a low-friction coefficient material such as copper or copper alloy, while the drive shaft 62 is made of metal, such as iron or stainless steel. By using the drive shaft bushing 65, the rotational friction resistance can be significantly reduced, energy loss can be reduced, and operating noise can be reduced.

[0039] In one embodiment, such as Figures 1-10As shown, the housing 61 includes an upper shell 611 and a lower shell 612. The upper shell 611 and the lower shell 612 are connected by a sealed joint, forming a sealed mounting cavity after being combined. Specifically, the upper shell 611 has a boss 6111 around its circumference, and the lower shell 612 has a corresponding groove 6121. During assembly, the boss 6111 and the groove 6121 align to provide positioning. Then, laser welding (existing products use laser welding, but ultrasonic welding can also meet product requirements) is used to melt the boss and connect the upper shell 611 and the lower shell 612, thus sealing the inner cavity of the housing 61. The upper shell 611 and the lower shell 612 can also be fixed by ultrasonic welding.

[0040] In addition, to further ensure that the upper shell 611 and the lower shell 612 are properly assembled, a positioning pin 6112 is provided on the upper shell 611, and correspondingly, a matching positioning hole 6122 is provided on the lower shell 612.

[0041] In one embodiment, such as Figures 1-10 As shown, the housing 61 also includes a sealing ring 613 and a pressure cap 614. The upper housing 611 has an output shaft hole 6113, and a sealing cavity is provided on the output shaft hole 6113. The sealing ring 613 is disposed in the sealing cavity and is pressed and fixed by the pressure cap 614. The pressure cap 614 is snapped and fixed to the upper housing 611. An axially oriented protrusion is provided on the pressure cap 614, which acts on the sealing ring 613 to cause the sealing ring 613 to deform radially inward, so as to fit tightly against the drive shaft 62 and achieve a sealing function. Preferably, the sealing ring 613 is a star-shaped sealing ring.

[0042] In the above embodiments, such as Figures 1-10 As shown, the inner diameter of the output shaft hole 6113 is larger than the inner diameter of the drive shaft bushing 65. This prevents the drive shaft 62 from contacting the inner wall of the output shaft hole 6113, effectively reducing noise and jamming.

[0043] In one embodiment, such as Figures 1-10 As shown, a buffer block 615 is provided inside the housing 61. The buffer block 615 is a rubber part that is snapped into the housing 61 and located on both sides of the reciprocating swing range of the helical gear 632.

[0044] When the helical gear 632 reaches its limit position, it first contacts the buffer block 615. After compressing the buffer block 615 a certain distance, it will then contact the inner wall of the housing 61. Preferably, a limiting part 616 is provided on the inner wall. This structure restricts the continued rotation of the helical gear 632, while the buffer block 615 provides a buffering effect for the helical gear 632, avoiding direct impact that would generate excessive noise.

[0045] In one embodiment, such as Figures 1-10As shown, the lever 4 is provided with a connecting hole, which is in the shape of a straight line. The end of the drive shaft 62 is provided with a connecting part that mates with the connecting hole. After the connecting part is inserted into the connecting hole, it is tightened by screws to restrict the axial movement of the lever 4.

[0046] When using this invention, as Figures 1-10 As shown,

[0047] Electric unlocking process: The motor 64 rotates forward, driving the worm 631 at the end of the motor shaft to rotate. The worm 631 drives the helical gear 632 to mesh. The drive shaft 62 is fixed on the helical gear 632, the lever 4 is fixed on the drive shaft 62, and the lever shaft 5 is fixed on the lever 4. Therefore, when the helical gear 632 rotates, it controls the drive shaft 62, lever 4, and lever shaft 5 to rotate together, thereby pushing the pawl 3 to rotate clockwise until the pawl 3 disengages from the ratchet 2, thus realizing the unlocking function.

[0048] Return process: Motor 64 reverses, and click 64 to control drive shaft 62, lever 4, and lever shaft 5 to rotate together. During this process, pawl 3 is subjected to the restoring force of pawl return spring 32 and moves with lever shaft 5 until drive assembly 6 is reset. The front cover lock reaches the half-lock state.

[0049] Repeat the above process to achieve the secondary unlocking process and the reset process after unlocking, and finally achieve the electric unlocking of the front hood lock to the fully open position.

[0050] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Any modifications or equivalent substitutions made to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof should be covered within the protection scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. An electrically operated double-pull hood lock for automobiles, comprising a base plate, a ratchet, and a pawl, wherein the ratchet and the pawl are rotatably mounted on the base plate, and the pawl locks and unlocks the ratchet; characterized in that, It also includes a lever, a lever shaft, and a drive assembly. The lever is mounted on the drive assembly, and the lever shaft is mounted on the lever. The lever shaft contacts the pawl, and the drive assembly controls the lever shaft to reciprocate, thereby controlling the rotation of the pawl.

2. The electrically operated double-pull hood lock for automobiles according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive assembly includes a housing and a drive shaft, a transmission assembly, and a motor disposed within the housing. The drive shaft is rotatably connected to the housing and one end protrudes from the housing. The motor is connected to the drive shaft via the transmission assembly to drive the drive shaft to reciprocate.

3. The electrically operated double-pull hood lock for automobiles according to claim 2, characterized in that, The transmission assembly includes a worm gear and a helical gear. The worm gear is mounted on the output shaft of the motor, and the helical gear is mounted on the drive shaft. The worm gear meshes with the helical gear.

4. The electrically operated double-pull hood lock for automobiles according to claim 3, characterized in that, The helical gear is a sector gear.

5. The electrically operated double-pull hood lock for automobiles according to claim 3, characterized in that, The helical gear is mounted on the drive shaft using a plastic-coated method.

6. The electrically operated double-pull hood lock for automobiles according to claim 2, characterized in that, The housing is also provided with a drive shaft bushing, which is located outside the drive shaft and is clearance-fitted with the drive shaft.

7. A electrically operated double-pull hood lock for automobiles according to claim 6, characterized in that, The hardness of the drive shaft is greater than the hardness of the drive shaft bushing.

8. The electrically operated double-pull hood lock for automobiles according to claim 2, characterized in that, The housing includes an upper shell and a lower shell, the upper shell and the lower shell are connected by a sealed joint, and the upper shell and the lower shell are combined to form a sealed mounting cavity.

9. A electrically operated double-pull hood lock for automobiles according to claim 8, characterized in that, The housing also includes a sealing ring and a pressure cap. The upper housing is provided with an output shaft hole, and a sealing cavity is provided on the output shaft hole. The sealing ring is disposed in the sealing cavity and is pressed and fixed by the pressure cap.

10. A electrically operated double-pull hood lock for automobiles according to claim 8, characterized in that, A buffer block is provided inside the housing to prevent the helical gear from directly impacting the inner wall of the housing.

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