Electrically powered latching and unlatching of a flap lock

Abstract

The application discloses a motor-driven closing and opening cover lock, characterized in that the motor-driven closing and opening cover lock comprises a shell assembly, a lock block assembly, a closing and opening mechanism and a driving assembly; the shell assembly comprises a shell and a mounting plate which are fixed to each other; the lock block assembly comprises a ratchet wheel and a pawl which are rotatably installed on the shell assembly, and an elastic member which provides a reset force for the ratchet wheel and the pawl; the closing and opening mechanism comprises a slider which is reciprocally slidably installed on the shell assembly, and a cam which is installed on the slider; and the driving assembly comprises a closing pull wire and an electric opening pull wire which are electrically connected with a door lock controller; wherein the closing pull wire and the electric opening pull wire are connected with the slider, and through bidirectional sliding of the slider on the shell assembly, the ratchet wheel or the pawl is driven to move, so that the motor-driven closing and opening cover lock realizes the functions of motor-driven closing and motor-driven opening. Through bidirectional movement of a single slider, the motor-driven closing and opening cover lock realizes two core functions of motor-driven closing and motor-driven opening in an integrated manner, and the structure is highly simplified.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the technical field of automotive hood locks, and in particular to an electrically operated hood lock that can be opened and closed. Background Technology

[0002] Traditional car hood locks generally use a mechanical, manual opening mechanism. These locks typically include a locking mechanism consisting of a ratchet and pawl, and a mechanical release cable connected to the driver's compartment. To open the hood, the driver must first pull the release handle inside the vehicle to release the lock from the fully locked position to the first open position (usually the safety lock position). The driver must then leave the driver's seat, walk to the front of the vehicle, and manually operate the secondary unlocking mechanism or simply lift the hood to fully open it. This process is cumbersome, especially when the driver's hands are occupied or in inconvenient conditions such as rain or snow, resulting in a poor user experience. With the trend towards electrification and intelligentization of automobiles, traditional mechanical operation is no longer sufficient to meet the demands for convenience, comfort, and intelligent integration in the overall vehicle.

[0003] While some electrically operated opening solutions have emerged in the existing technology, they usually have obvious drawbacks.

[0004] Firstly, the structural design is complex, often requiring additional motors, gear sets, connecting rods, and other multiple transmission mechanisms, resulting in a crowded layout and high costs.

[0005] Secondly, reliability and stability are insufficient. In complex vehicle environments (such as vibration, high and low temperatures, water and dust), precision transmission components are prone to jamming, failure, or noise.

[0006] Third, safety considerations are inadequate, and some designs lack adequate detection and overload protection, which may pose a risk of damage to components due to accidental triggering or forced actions.

[0007] To address the aforementioned shortcomings, this invention proposes an improvement. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The present invention proposes an electrically operated hood lock that opens and closes, which solves the above-mentioned problems existing in the use of the prior art.

[0009] The technical solution of this invention is implemented as follows: A power-operated hood lock, characterized in that it comprises: Housing assembly, including a housing and mounting plate that are fixed to each other; The locking block assembly includes a ratchet and a pawl rotatably mounted on the housing assembly, and an elastic element that provides a restoring force to the ratchet and the pawl; The engaging and opening mechanism includes a slider reciprocally slidably mounted on the housing assembly, and a cam mounted on the slider; and The drive assembly includes an engaging pull cable and an electrically opening pull cable that are electrically connected to the door lock controller; The suction cable and the electric opening cable are both connected to the slider. The slider slides bidirectionally on the housing assembly, driving the ratchet or pawl to move, thereby realizing the electric suction and electric opening functions of the cover.

[0010] Preferably, the electric suction function is implemented as follows: When the ratchet and pawl are in a semi-locked state, the door lock controller receives a pull signal and drives the pull cable to pull the slider towards the ratchet. The cam moves with the slider and contacts the engagement contour of the ratchet, pushing the ratchet to rotate to the fully locked position; When a full lock signal is detected, the door lock controller drives the electric release cable to pull the slider back to its initial position.

[0011] Preferably, the electric opening function is implemented as follows: When the ratchet and pawl are in the fully locked state, the door lock controller receives the power-on signal and drives the power-on cable to pull the slider towards the pawl. The slider pushes the protrusion on the pawl, causing the pawl to rotate to the opening angle; The door lock controller drives the electric release cable to reverse reset, and under the action of the elastic element, the pawl rotates to the half-lock state, while the ratchet remains open; After receiving the power-on signal again, the power-on cable pulls the slider again, pushing the pawl to rotate to the opening angle, so that the ratchet reaches the fully open position; The door lock controller then drives the electric release cable to reset the slider.

[0012] Preferably, it also includes an interruption mechanism for interrupting the engagement process in an emergency.

[0013] Preferably, the breaking mechanism is a mechanical breaking mechanism, comprising: The suction-and-break lever and the suction-and-break auxiliary lever; When the mechanical cable is pulled, the engagement break rod is driven to rotate, and the cam is driven to rotate through the engagement break auxiliary rod, so that the cam disengages from the engagement profile (401) of the ratchet, and at the same time the pawl is pulled to the open state.

[0014] Preferably, the interruption mechanism is an electrically operated interruption mechanism, which is implemented as follows: When an electric open signal is received during the engagement process, the door lock controller drives the electric open cable to pull the slider towards the pawl, causing the cam to move away from the engagement contour (401) of the ratchet, thereby interrupting the engagement.

[0015] Preferably, the housing assembly secures the housing to the mounting plate as a single unit using rivets.

[0016] Preferably, the ratchet and pawl are rotatably mounted on the housing assembly by ratchet rivets and pawl rivets, respectively.

[0017] Preferably, the cam is riveted to the slider.

[0018] Preferably, the elastic element includes a ratchet return spring sleeved on the ratchet rivet and a pawl return spring sleeved on the pawl rivet.

[0019] Compared with the prior art, the electrically operated hood lock provided by the present invention has the following advantages: This invention achieves both electric engagement and electric unlocking simultaneously through the bidirectional sliding of a single slider, eliminating the complex design of traditional solutions that require separate drive units (such as dual motors or multiple gear sets) for engagement and unlocking. Both the engagement cable and the unlocking cable are connected to the same slider, which drives the ratchet to engage or the pawl to release, greatly simplifying the internal transmission structure, reducing the number of parts, and making the overall lock body layout more compact, facilitating installation and adaptation in the limited space of an engine compartment.

[0020] By employing a slider-wire transmission as the primary method, it avoids precision transmission components susceptible to vibration and dirt, such as multi-stage gear meshing and connecting rod hinges. The wire drive offers flexibility, buffering some vibration and impact. Furthermore, the slider-wire pair has a simple structure and easily controllable clearance, maintaining stable operational reliability even under harsh conditions such as high and low temperatures, and water and dust. This reduces the risk of jamming or failure, effectively extending product lifespan.

[0021] This invention fully considers safety requirements in emergency situations, providing both mechanical and electric interruption mechanisms for the engagement process. When an obstacle is encountered during engagement or emergency opening is required, the engagement can be manually interrupted and the cover opened via a traditional mechanical pull cord. Alternatively, the door lock controller can receive an electric opening signal and automatically drive the slider to move in the opposite direction, achieving an electric interruption. This redundant design ensures that even in extreme situations such as control system malfunctions or power outages, emergency opening via mechanical means is still possible, significantly improving safety and regulatory compliance.

[0022] Precise control of the movement is achieved by sequentially driving the latching and unlocking cables through the door lock controller, combined with the position detection of the ratchet and pawl. After each action (such as latching in place or unlocking and resetting), the controller drives the cable to return the slider to its original position, preventing the slider from being subjected to prolonged force or malfunction. Furthermore, the cable-driven method inherently possesses overload protection characteristics; when the resistance is too high, the cable can slip or stop, preventing internal components from being forcibly broken and improving the system's robustness.

[0023] Compared to the complex gear transmission or dual-motor layout of existing electric lock solutions, this invention mainly relies on stamped sheet metal parts (ratchet, pawl, slider) and standard pull cable assemblies to achieve its functions. The parts processing technology is mature and the material cost is low. At the same time, the modular structural design simplifies the lock body assembly process, which is conducive to improving production efficiency and reducing manufacturing costs, and has good market promotion value. Attached Figure Description

[0024] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0025] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an electrically operated hood lock according to this embodiment.

[0026] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure for pulling the suction slider back to its initial position.

[0027] Figure 3 This is a structural diagram showing the ratchet and pawl when they are rotated to a semi-locked state.

[0028] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the fully locked state.

[0029] Figure 5 This is a diagram illustrating how to move the slider towards the ratchet.

[0030] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure where the pawl head subsequently stops the ratchet head.

[0031] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of a structure that is mechanically engaged and then broken.

[0032] In the diagram: 1: Housing, 2: Mounting plate, 3: Pawl, 4: Ratchet, 5: Ratchet return spring, 6: Pawl return spring, 8: Cam, 9: Slider, 10: Ratchet rivet, 11: Pawl rivet, 12: Pull-in cable, 13: Electric release cable, 14: Pull-in break cable, 15: Pull-in break rod, 16: Pull-in break auxiliary rod, 17: Rivet one, 18: Pull-in break shaft, 19: Rivet two, 201: Rivet one riveting hole, 202: Rivet two riveting hole, 301: Protrusion, 401: Pull-in contour, 1401: Pull-in cable head one, 1402: Pull-in cable head two, 1601 Frustum. Detailed Implementation

[0033] The following will refer to the appendices in the embodiments of the present invention. Figure 1-7 The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention are clearly and completely described herein. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention. Example

[0034] like Figure 1-7 As shown in the figure, this embodiment provides an electrically operated hood lock that can be opened and closed, including a housing assembly, a lock block assembly, an opening and closing mechanism, a drive assembly, and an interruption mechanism.

[0035] The housing assembly includes a housing 1 and a mounting plate 2. The housing 1 and the mounting plate 2 are riveted together by ratchet rivets 10 and pawl rivets 11 to form a support frame for the lock body.

[0036] The locking block assembly includes a ratchet 4, a pawl 3, a ratchet return spring 5, and a pawl return spring 6. The ratchet 4 is rotatably mounted on the housing assembly via a ratchet rivet 10, and the pawl 3 is rotatably mounted on the housing assembly via a pawl rivet 11. The ratchet return spring 5 is sleeved on the ratchet rivet 10, with one end abutting against the housing assembly or the ratchet 4, providing an elastic force to return the ratchet 4 to the open position. The pawl return spring 6 is sleeved on the pawl rivet 11, with one end abutting against the housing assembly or the pawl 3, providing an elastic force to return the pawl 3 to the locked position with the ratchet 4. The ratchet 4 has a locking jaw for engaging with the cover latch and a suction profile 401 for actuation. The pawl 3 has a locking surface for locking with the ratchet 4 and an outwardly extending protrusion 301.

[0037] The engaging mechanism includes a slider 9 and a cam 8. The slider 9 is reciprocally slidably mounted on the housing assembly. Specifically, a groove can be provided on the housing 1 or the mounting plate 2, in which the slider 9 is embedded and can slide in a straight line. The cam 8 is fixedly mounted on the slider 9, preferably riveted. The cam 8 has a drive surface that matches the engaging profile 401 of the ratchet 4.

[0038] The drive assembly includes a door lock controller (not shown), a pull-in cable 12, and an electric release cable 13. One end of the pull-in cable 12 is connected to the first connection point of the slider 9, and the other end is connected to the pull-in actuator (such as a motor-driven pull disc) driven by the door lock controller. One end of the electric release cable 13 is connected to the second connection point of the slider 9, and the other end is connected to the electric release actuator driven by the door lock controller. The pull-in cable 12 and the electric release cable 13 are located on opposite sides of the slider 9, such that when the pull-in cable 12 is pulled, the slider 9 slides towards the ratchet 4; when the electric release cable 13 is pulled, the slider 9 slides towards the pawl 3. The door lock controller is connected to the vehicle's CAN bus or a dedicated signal line to receive signals from hood status sensors (such as half-lock and full-lock switches) and user operation commands, and to control the actions of the pull-in actuator and the electric release actuator.

[0039] The interruption mechanism includes a mechanical interruption mechanism and an electric interruption mechanism. The mechanical interruption mechanism consists of a suction interruption rod, a suction interruption auxiliary rod, and a mechanical opening cable (not shown in the figure). The suction interruption rod and the suction interruption auxiliary rod are rotatably mounted on the housing assembly and cooperate with each other. One end of the mechanical opening cable is connected to the manual release handle in the driver's cab, and the other end is connected to the suction interruption rod. The electric interruption mechanism is integrated into the drive assembly and is controlled by the door lock controller via the electric opening cable 13.

[0040] The attraction action is achieved as follows: 1) When ratchet 4 and pawl 3 rotate to the half-locked state ( Figure 3 The door lock controller receives a closing signal; the closing cable 12 then pulls the slider 9 towards the ratchet 4, causing the cam 8 riveted to the slider 9 to contact and move along the closing profile 401 of the ratchet, thereby pushing the ratchet 4 to the fully locked position; after the ratchet 4 reaches the fully locked state ( Figure 4 Upon receiving the full lock signal, the door lock controller immediately activates the electric release cable 13, pulling the sliding block 9 back to its initial position. Figure 2 ).

[0041] The electric switch double-pull action is implemented as follows: 2) When ratchet 4 and pawl 3 are in the fully locked state ( Figure 5 The door lock controller receives an electric open signal; the electric open cable 13 pulls the slider 9 towards the pawl 3, the slider 9 pushes the protrusion 301 on the pawl 3 assembly, causing the pawl 3 to rotate to the opening angle; the head of the pawl 3 then stops the head of the ratchet 4 ( Figure 6The door lock controller reverses the electric opening cable 13 to reset the slider 9; upon receiving the reset signal, it stops and returns the slider 9 to its initial position. Simultaneously, the pawl return spring 6 rotates the pawl 3 to the half-locked state; the door lock controller receives the electric opening signal again, and the electric opening cable 13 pulls the slider 9 towards the pawl 3. The slider 9 pushes the extension 301 on the pawl 3 assembly, causing the pawl 3 to rotate to the opening angle; at this time, the ratchet 4 reaches the fully open position. Figure 7 The door lock controller reverses the drive of the electric release cable 13 to reset the slider 9; upon receiving the reset signal, it stops and returns the slider 9 to its initial position. Figure 2 (This completes the electric switch double-pull action.)

[0042] The activation interruption action is implemented as follows: Mechanical engagement interruption: When the door lock is in the engagement process and needs to be interrupted urgently ( Figure 7 The pull cable 14 can be pulled to engage and break the pull; after the pull cable is under force, it drives the engagement and break auxiliary rod 16 to rotate counterclockwise around the axis, and the cylinder on it pushes the engagement and break rod 15 to rotate around the axis in sync; the engagement and break rod 15 drives the engagement and break shaft 18 to disengage the cam 8 from the ratchet engagement contour, at which point the engagement action is interrupted, and at the same time the pawl is pulled to the open state, thus completing the mechanical engagement and break.

[0043] Electric closing interruption: When the door lock is in the closing process and needs to be interrupted urgently ( Figure 7 At this point, the door lock controller receives the power-on signal and drives the power-on cable to pull the slider towards the pawl. At this time, the cam moves away from the ratchet engagement contour along with the slider, and the electric engagement interruption is completed.

[0044] The pull cord 14 is used to break the engagement mechanism during the engagement process. A pull-out cable head 1401 is engaged with the pawl 3 and used to break the engagement mechanism; a pull-out cable head 1402 is engaged with the engagement breaking auxiliary rod 16 and used to break the engagement mechanism; an engagement breaking rod 15 is used to break the engagement mechanism; the engagement breaking auxiliary rod 16, through a frustum 1601 on the engagement breaking auxiliary rod, cooperates with the engagement breaking rod 15 to break the engagement mechanism, its function is to hinge the engagement breaking rod 15 and the engagement breaking auxiliary rod 16 together; a rivet 17, around which the engagement breaking auxiliary rod 16 rotates, is used to fix the engagement breaking auxiliary rod 16; an engagement breaking shaft 18, hinged to the cam 8 and fitted into the elongated groove of the engagement breaking rod, is used to break the engagement mechanism; a rivet 19... The suction and break rod rotates around it to fix the suction and break rod; the rivet hole 201 of rivet one and the rivet hole 202 of rivet two and rivet one 17 and rivet two 19 cooperate.

[0045] The electrically operated hood lock of this embodiment integrates electrically operated engagement, electrically operated double-pull opening, and mechanical / electric dual engagement interruption functions through the bidirectional sliding of a single slider 9. Compared with traditional mechanical hood locks, it eliminates the need for manual operation of the secondary locking hook, improving user convenience and aligning with the trend of intelligent automotive development. Compared with existing electrically operated hood locks, it eliminates the need for additional transmission mechanisms such as motors, gear sets, and linkages, resulting in a highly simplified structure, reduced production and assembly costs, and reduced risk of jamming and failure of transmission components. It also exhibits stronger operational stability in complex environments such as vehicle vibration, high and low temperatures, and water and dust.

[0046] In addition, this embodiment is equipped with a position sensor to detect the lock body status in real time. With the signal linkage of the door lock controller, it realizes precise control of engagement, opening and resetting. It is also equipped with a mechanical + electric dual engagement interruption scheme, which takes into account both intelligent operation and emergency safety. It can be deeply integrated with the vehicle intelligent control system and is suitable for the engine hood locking needs of different brands and models of fuel vehicles and new energy vehicles.

[0047] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An electrically powered latching and unlatching cap lock, characterized in that, include: The housing assembly includes a housing (1) and a mounting plate (2) that are fixed to each other. The locking block assembly includes a ratchet (4) and a pawl (3) rotatably mounted on the housing assembly, and an elastic element that provides a reset force for the ratchet (4) and the pawl (3); The suction opening mechanism includes a slider (9) reciprocally slidably mounted on the housing assembly, and a cam (8) mounted on the slider (9). as well as The drive assembly includes a pull-in cable (12) and an open cable (13) that are electrically connected to the door lock controller. The suction cable (12) and the electric opening cable (13) are both connected to the slider (9). By sliding the slider (9) on the housing assembly in both directions, the ratchet (4) or the pawl (3) is driven to move, so as to realize the electric suction and electric opening functions of the cover.

2. An electromagnetically latching and unlatching cover lock according to claim 1, characterized in that The electric suction function is implemented as follows: When the ratchet (4) and pawl (3) are in a half-locked state, the door lock controller receives the engagement signal and drives the engagement pull cable (12) to move, pulling the slider (9) towards the ratchet (4); The cam (8) moves with the slider (9) and contacts the engagement profile (401) of the ratchet (4), pushing the ratchet (4) to rotate to the fully locked position; When a full lock signal is detected, the door lock controller drives the electric unlocking cable (13) to pull the slider (9) back to its initial position.

3. An electromagnetically latching and unlatching cap lock according to claim 1, wherein The electric opening function is implemented as follows: When the ratchet (4) and pawl (3) are in the fully locked state, the door lock controller receives the power-on signal and drives the power-on pull cable (13) to move, pulling the slider (9) towards the pawl (3); The slider (9) pushes the protrusion (301) on the pawl (3) to rotate the pawl (3) to the opening angle; The door lock controller drives the electric release cable (13) to reverse reset. Under the action of the elastic element, the pawl (3) rotates to the half-lock state, and the ratchet (4) remains open. After receiving the power-on signal again, the power-on pull cable (13) pulls the slider (9) again, pushing the pawl (3) to rotate to the opening angle, so that the ratchet (4) reaches the fully open position; Subsequently, the door lock controller drives the electric release cable (13) to reset the slider (9).

4. The electrically operated hood lock according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes an interruption mechanism for interrupting the engagement process in emergency situations.

5. A power-operated hood lock according to claim 4, characterized in that, The breaking mechanism is a mechanical breaking mechanism, comprising: The suction-and-break lever and the suction-and-break auxiliary lever; When the mechanical cable is pulled, the engagement break rod is driven to rotate, and the cam (8) is driven to rotate through the engagement break auxiliary rod, so that the cam (8) disengages from the engagement profile (401) of the ratchet (4), and at the same time the pawl (3) is pulled to the open state.

6. A power-operated hood lock according to claim 4, characterized in that, The interruption mechanism is an electrically operated interruption mechanism, and its implementation method is as follows: When the door lock receives an electric open signal during the engagement process, the door lock controller drives the electric open cable (13) to pull the slider (9) towards the pawl (3), so that the cam (8) moves away from the engagement profile (401) of the ratchet (4), thereby interrupting the engagement.

7. A power-operated hood lock according to claim 1, characterized in that, The housing assembly is fixed together with the housing (1) and the mounting plate (2) by rivets.

8. A power-operated hood lock according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ratchet (4) and pawl (3) are rotatably mounted on the housing assembly by ratchet rivets (10) and pawl rivets (11), respectively.

9. A power-operated hood lock according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cam (8) is riveted to the slider (9).

10. A power-operated hood lock according to claim 8, characterized in that, The elastic element includes a ratchet return spring (5) sleeved on the ratchet rivet (10) and a pawl return spring (6) sleeved on the pawl rivet (11).

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