Front cover lock anti-pinch mechanism

Abstract

The front cover lock anti-pinch mechanism comprises a jacking assembly and a pull wire mechanism. The jacking assembly is used for jacking and fixing a lock ring on the front hatch when the front hatch is lowered to a set height under the action of gravity, so that a safe distance is kept between the front hatch and the vehicle body. The jacking assembly comprises a jacking block and an elastic member abutting against the jacking block. The jacking assembly is arranged on the descending route of the lock ring. The pull wire mechanism comprises a pull wire and a pull wire driving mechanism capable of driving the pull wire to descend. The pull wire mechanism is configured to: at least during the process from the time when the lock ring on the front hatch collides with the jacking block to the time when the attraction mechanism of the front cover lock starts to drive the locking assembly of the front cover lock to perform a locking action, the pull wire mechanism will start and pull the jacking block to descend at least in the later stage of the process. The front cover lock anti-pinch mechanism has a stable and reliable anti-pinch function.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of automotive parts technology, and in particular to an anti-pinch mechanism for a motor vehicle hood lock. Background Technology

[0002] A hood lock typically refers to a device used to lock the front hood (engine hood or trunk lid) of a car, ensuring that the hood remains securely closed while the car is in motion to prevent accidental opening and potential safety hazards. Existing hood locks can be categorized based on their electric function: mechanical locks, electrically released locks, and electrically assisted locking (electric closing) locks. Among these, the electric closing hood lock is primarily used in the trunks of new energy vehicles. It works in conjunction with an electric strut fixed to the hood and the vehicle body to achieve electrically controlled unlocking and raising of the hood, as well as electrically lowering and closing the hood. This design facilitates the placement and retrieval of luggage for users, offering convenience.

[0003] As shown in Chinese invention application CN202511250544.8 (publication number CN121228942A), the locking mechanism of the existing hood lock includes a pawl and a ratchet, which have fully open, half-locked, and fully locked states. The hood lock also includes a self-priming component, an unlocking component, and a self-priming interruption mechanism. The self-priming component can provide rotational driving force to the ratchet, causing the ratchet to move from the half-locked position to the fully locked position. The unlocking component controls the pawl and ratchet to unlock through the cooperation of the pawl release rod and the unlocking coupling rod, changing from the fully locked state to the half-locked state, and then from the half-locked state to the fully open state. The self-priming interruption mechanism can disconnect the power of the self-priming component and manually perform the unlocking action.

[0004] As described above, existing hood locks typically involve manually or electrically lowering the hood during the locking process. The hood's downward inertia or the closing force of the electric strut causes the latch on the hood to rotate, engaging the pawl to reach a semi-locked position. Then, the self-closing mechanism forces the ratchet to rotate to the fully locked position, completing the locking. The inventors of this application have discovered that existing hood lock technologies require a high hood-lowering speed or a large electric strut closing force in the early stages of the locking process to ensure the hood lock stably reaches the semi-locked position before entering the later stage of engagement. If a user mistakenly places a body part (such as a finger) at the hood seam, the rapid hood descent in the early stage may impact and injure the finger, causing initial injury. The closing force of the electric strut may continue to act on the finger, hindering its removal from the gap and worsening the injury. In the later stage, the electric engagement of the hood lock may apply a large closing force to the finger, causing secondary injury. Existing front cover locks typically use current detection combined with software algorithms to achieve electronic anti-pinch functionality, preventing secondary injuries. However, this method is easily affected by environmental interference factors, resulting in a low success rate and poor reliability, and it cannot prevent the initial injury. Therefore, there is a real need to improve upon this deficiency in existing front cover locks. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a vehicle hood lock with a reasonable structure in view of the above-mentioned existing technology.

[0006] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve the above-mentioned technical problems is as follows: the front cover lock anti-pinch mechanism of the present invention is characterized in that it includes a lifting component and a pull-wire mechanism.

[0007] The lifting assembly is used to hold the locking ring fixed on the hood when the hood moves down to a set height under its own weight, so as to maintain a safe distance between the hood and the vehicle body. It includes a top block and an elastic member abutting under the top block; and the lifting assembly is arranged on the downward path of the locking ring.

[0008] The pull-wire mechanism includes a pull wire and a pull-wire drive mechanism capable of driving the pull wire to move downwards. One end of the pull wire is connected to the pull-wire drive mechanism, and the other end is connected to the top block.

[0009] Furthermore, the pull-wire mechanism is configured such that, at least in the later part of the process between the locking ring on the hood contacting the top block and the hood lock's engagement mechanism initiating the locking assembly of the hood lock to perform a locking action, the pull-wire mechanism will activate and pull the top block downwards.

[0010] The timing of the start, stop, and reset of the cable mechanism is highly flexible. The cable mechanism can start as soon as the locking ring touches the top block, or even before contact, such as after the locking ring disengages to the latch. However, the speed or extent of pulling the top block needs to be controlled to ensure sufficient clearance between the front cover and the vehicle body before the forced locking mechanism engages, or to gradually reduce this clearance, minimizing pressure on the trapped person and allowing sufficient reaction time. The cable mechanism can also be started at any time during the process from when the locking ring touches the top block until forced locking. As for when the cable mechanism stops, it can stop when the forced locking mechanism begins, or it can stop only after forced locking is complete. The cable mechanism resets after forced locking is complete, or after the anti-pinch function is complete. From the perspectives of system smoothness, cable mechanism efficiency, and engagement force performance, the following two methods are preferred:

[0011] Method 1: The process of the pull-wire mechanism starting and pulling the top block down is as follows: when the locking ring is held against the top block and cannot continue to move down by the weight of the front cover, the pull-wire mechanism starts to start and pulls the top block down. When the top block moves down to the point where the front cover lock's suction mechanism starts to start, the operation stops.

[0012] Method 2: The process of the pull-wire mechanism starting and pulling the top block down is as follows: when the locking ring is held against the top block and cannot continue to move down by the weight of the front cover, the pull-wire mechanism starts to start and pulls the top block down. The operation stops after the front cover lock's suction mechanism completes the locking action of the front cover lock.

[0013] In both of these methods, the cable-operated mechanism operates effectively throughout the entire startup process. Furthermore, based on the commonality of most components, the implementation method can be switched by adjusting the assembly scheme to meet the needs of different vehicle models. Method two, compared to method one, can partially alleviate the pressure on the engagement mechanism; that is, its engagement mechanism can complete the locking process with less power.

[0014] The lifting assembly is installed in a lifting seat, which has a guide cavity that extends vertically and communicates with the outside at its upper end. The top block and the elastic element are disposed in the guide cavity.

[0015] The wire pulling drive mechanism is also installed in the lifting seat. It includes a winding wheel, which is set in the lifting seat through a third pin so that the winding wheel can rotate around the third pin. A winding groove is provided on the outer surface of the winding wheel. The lower end of the wire is wound in the winding groove and its end is fixed on the winding wheel so that when the winding wheel rotates, it can drive the wire and thus drive the top block to move down.

[0016] The lifting seat is attached to the back of the bottom shell of the front cover lock.

[0017] The cable-pulling mechanism and the engaging mechanism can each use a separate power source (generally a motor), but it is preferable that they share a power source. Based on the shared power source, a preferred design is to provide a clutch mechanism between the two, and this clutch mechanism is located between the winding wheel and the engaging mechanism.

[0018] Based on the fact that both share a power source and achieve power sharing through a clutch mechanism, the preferred design for the cooperation between the cable-operated drive mechanism and the front cover lock's engagement mechanism is as follows:

[0019] The locking assembly of the front cover lock includes a rotatable pawl and a rotatable ratchet. The pawl is provided with a first limiting part, and the ratchet is provided with a first engaging part and a second engaging part. When the first limiting part abuts against the first engaging part, it is in a half-locked state, and when the first limiting part abuts against the second engaging part, it is in a fully locked state.

[0020] The lock box of the hood lock has a guide groove that allows the locking ring on the hood of the vehicle to enter and move up and down within it. When the locking ring moves down along the guide groove to a set stroke, it will contact the top block and apply downward pressure to the top block, thereby pushing the top block down. When the locking ring moves to the point where it no longer moves down under the gravity of the hood, this state is the hood lock's lifted state.

[0021] The engaging mechanism includes a cam assembly, which is disposed between the bottom shell and the cover plate of the lock box via a fourth pin, thereby enabling the cam assembly to rotate around the fourth pin. The cam assembly has a first arm and a second arm. The first arm drives the ratchet to rotate when the front cover lock reaches the half-locked state, and the second arm is used to connect an external power source to drive the cam assembly to rotate.

[0022] The winding wheel is connected to and driven to rotate by the suction mechanism. Furthermore, a clutch mechanism is provided between the winding wheel and the suction mechanism. When the front cover lock moves from the top-up state to the half-lock state, the clutch mechanism is in the engaged state. When the front cover lock reaches the half-lock state, the clutch mechanism is in the disengaged state.

[0023] The clutch mechanism includes a sector wheel coaxially arranged with the cam assembly. The sector wheel has an arc surface on its outer periphery and an abutment surface extending radially from the arc surface. When the cam assembly is driven to rotate forward by an external power source, the abutment surface is located on the front side of the arc surface and the two are smoothly transitioned. A first transmission pin is fixedly arranged on the winding wheel. When the front cover lock is in the lifted state to the half-locked state, the abutment surface abuts against the first transmission pin and is in the engaged state. Thus, the rotation of the cam assembly can drive the winding wheel to rotate via the sector wheel and the first transmission pin, and then pull the top block down via the pull line. When the pull line mechanism operates in mode one and the front cover lock reaches the half-locked state, the first transmission pin will move relative to the sector wheel to cooperate with the arc surface of the sector wheel and be in the disengaged state. Thus, the rotation of the cam assembly will not be able to drive the winding wheel to rotate.

[0024] The elastic element of the lifting assembly is a spring, and a preload is applied by the wire pulling mechanism.

[0025] Compared with the prior art, the advantages of the present invention are: (1) The lifting component in the front cover lock anti-pinch mechanism of the present invention can apply an upward lifting force to the lock ring within a specific stroke range, so that the lock ring moves up to drive the ratchet to rotate in the unlocking direction, so that there is a certain gap between the front cover of the motor vehicle and the vehicle body, thereby facilitating the electric strut drive or the user to manually lift the front cover of the motor vehicle; at the same time, during the closing process of the front cover, the lifting component will support the lock ring on the front cover at a designated position, guide the front cover to slowly close under its own gravity, so that there is an appropriate gap between the front cover and the vehicle body, so as to avoid accidental injury that may be caused during the locking process; and the front cover lock set in this way can make the front cover not require a large closing speed or electric strut closing force, so that the early stage of the front cover closing is smooth and safe, avoiding the injury to the fingers caused by the impact of the front cover falling;

[0026] (2) The cable mechanism in the front hood lock anti-pinch mechanism of the present invention can be activated at a specific stroke. During the process between the hood closing and the locking component of the hood lock performing the locking action, the cable mechanism is activated when the lock ring touches the top block of the lifting component, or before touching the top block, or after touching the top block for a period of time. The cable mechanism pulls the top block down, causing the hood to move further down under the action of gravity. During this process, the hood is only subjected to the downward pressure of its own weight. If a person's hand is still between the hood and the vehicle body during this process, the force on it is still relatively small, making it easy for the person to pull their hand out in time to escape danger. To prevent pinching injuries, the pull-cord mechanism can physically prevent pinching during the process from the start of the pull-cord mechanism to the forced locking of the suction mechanism. Furthermore, this pull-cord mechanism allows for smooth closing of the hood. Additionally, by setting the start and end positions for the anti-pinch mechanism, the invention achieves a large range of physical anti-pinch protection. In particular, the safety gap for the strong locking mechanism can be designed to be smaller; in a specific embodiment, a 6mm safety gap can be achieved, covering the little finger of an adult and avoiding secondary injury caused by the suction locking force acting on the finger. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the front cover lock structure with an embodiment of the invention;

[0028] Figure 2 for Figure 1 The diagram shows the front cover lock from another perspective.

[0029] Figure 3 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the lock box structure of the front cover lock shown;

[0030] Figure 4 for Figure 1 An exploded view of the front cover lock is shown below;

[0031] Figure 5 for Figure 1 The front view of the locking assembly and detection switch assembly in the front cover lock is shown (the locking assembly is in the fully open state).

[0032] Figure 6 for Figure 1 The front view of the locking assembly and detection switch assembly in the front cover lock is shown (the locking assembly is in the raised position).

[0033] Figure 7 for Figure 1 The front view of the locking assembly and detection switch assembly in the front cover lock is shown (the locking assembly is in a half-locked state).

[0034] Figure 8 for Figure 1The front view of the locking assembly and detection switch assembly in the front cover lock is shown (the locking assembly is in the fully locked state).

[0035] Figure 9 for Figure 1 An exploded view of the lifting assembly of the front cover lock shown.

[0036] Figure 10 for Figure 1 The diagram shows the structure of the lifting assembly and the latching mechanism of the front cover lock (the lifting seat is omitted);

[0037] Figure 11 for Figure 1 An exploded view of the latching mechanism of the front cover lock is shown.

[0038] Figure 12 for Figure 1 The diagram shows the structure of the bottom shell, lifting assembly, and latching mechanism of the front cover lock (the locking assembly is in the fully open or lifted state).

[0039] Figure 13 for Figure 1 The diagram shows the structure of the bottom shell, locking assembly, lifting assembly, and suction mechanism of the front cover lock (the locking assembly is in a half-locked state).

[0040] Figure 14 for Figure 1 The diagram shows the locking assembly and the magnetic engagement mechanism of the front cover lock (the locking assembly is in a half-locked state).

[0041] Figure 15 for Figure 1 The diagram shows the structure of the lifting assembly and the closing mechanism of the front cover lock (the locking assembly is in a half-locked state);

[0042] Figure 16 for Figure 1 The diagram shows the structure of the front cover lock's bottom shell, locking assembly, lifting assembly, and suction mechanism (the locking assembly is in the fully locked state).

[0043] Figure 17 for Figure 1 The diagram shows the structure of the locking assembly and the magnetic engagement mechanism of the front cover lock (the locking assembly is in the fully locked state);

[0044] Figure 18 for Figure 1 The diagram shows the structure of the lifting assembly and the closing mechanism of the front cover lock (the locking assembly is in the fully locked state);

[0045] Figure 19 for Figure 1 The diagram shows the structure of the cover plate and the breaking mechanism of the front cover lock.

[0046] Figure 20for Figure 1 The diagram shows the structure of the locking assembly, engaging mechanism, breaking mechanism, and detection switch assembly of the front cover lock (the breaking mechanism breaks the locking assembly in the fully locked state);

[0047] Figure 21 for Figure 1 The diagram shows the structure of the locking assembly of the front cover lock (the locking assembly is in the process of changing from a fully locked state to a half-locked state). Detailed Implementation

[0048] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0049] like Figures 1-21 The illustration is used to explain a preferred embodiment of the front cover lock anti-pinch mechanism of the present invention. At the same time, it comprehensively introduces the working principle of the anti-pinch mechanism of the present invention and the working principle of the front cover lock itself in conjunction with the front cover lock using the anti-pinch mechanism of this embodiment.

[0050] The front cover locking anti-pinch mechanism of this invention includes a lifting component 4 and a pull-wire mechanism.

[0051] The lifting assembly 4 is used to hold the locking ring 1 fixed on the hood when the hood descends to a set height under its own weight, so as to maintain a safe distance between the hood and the vehicle body. It includes a top block 44 and a spring 46 abutting beneath the top block 44, and the spring 46 is preloaded by the cable mechanism. The lifting assembly 4 is positioned along the downward path of the locking ring 1. The cable mechanism includes a cable 43 and a cable drive mechanism 410 capable of driving the cable cable downwards. One end of the cable 43 is connected to the cable drive mechanism 410, and the other end is connected to the top block 44.

[0052] The lifting assembly 4 is installed in a lifting seat 45. The lifting seat 45 has a guide cavity 451 that extends vertically and communicates with the outside at its upper end. The top block 44 and the spring 46 are disposed in the guide cavity 451.

[0053] The wire pulling drive mechanism 410 is also installed in the lifting seat 45. It includes a winding wheel 42. The winding wheel 42 is set in the lifting seat 45 through a third pin 41, so that the winding wheel 42 can rotate around the third pin 41. A winding groove 421 is provided on the outer surface of the winding wheel 42. The lower end of the wire 43 is wound in the winding groove 421 and its end is fixed on the winding wheel 42, so that when the winding wheel 42 rotates, it can drive the wire 43, thereby driving the top block 44 to move down.

[0054] The lifting seat 45 is attached to the back of the bottom shell 21 of the front cover lock.

[0055] The pull-wire drive mechanism 410 and the front cover lock's engagement mechanism 5 share the same external motor, and a clutch mechanism 13 is provided between them. This will be explained in more detail later when describing the front cover lock.

[0056] The pull-wire mechanism in the anti-pinch mechanism of this invention is configured as follows:

[0057] The process of the pull-wire mechanism starting and pulling the top block 44 downward is as follows: when the locking ring 1 is pressed against the top block 44 and cannot continue to move downward by the weight of the front hatch, the pull-wire mechanism starts to start and pulls the top block 44 downward. When the top block 44 moves down to the point where the front hatch lock's suction mechanism 5 starts to start, the operation stops.

[0058] like Figures 1-21 As shown, the hood lock with the anti-pinch mechanism of this embodiment is used to cooperate with the locking ring 1 fixed to the lower end of the hood of the vehicle. During the closing process of the hood, the locking ring 1 will move downward under the gravity of the hood, and the locking ring 1 will also be subjected to the rebound force of the seal between the vehicle body and / or the hood. Finally, the locking ring 1 will complete the full locking action under the action of the hood lock suction mechanism 5. The hood lock of this embodiment includes a lock box 2, which has a guide groove 12 that allows the locking ring 1 on the hood of the vehicle to enter and move up and down within it. The lock box 2 is provided with a lifting assembly 4, a pull cable mechanism, a suction mechanism 5, a control mechanism, a breaking mechanism 6, and a locking assembly 3 that cooperates with the locking ring 1.

[0059] The lock box 2 includes a bottom shell 21 and a cover plate 22 that can be assembled together, forming an installation space 23 between them. The locking assembly 3, the pull-wire mechanism, the suction mechanism 5, the breaking mechanism 6, and the detection switch assembly 7 of the control mechanism are all installed in this installation space 23. The lock box 2 also includes a lifting seat 45, which is assembled to the back of the bottom shell 21. The lifting seat 45 has a vertically extending guide cavity 451 with its upper end communicating with the outside. The top block 44 and the spring 46 of the lifting assembly 4 are both disposed within this guide cavity 451.

[0060] The lock box 2 has a guide groove 12 that allows the locking ring 1 on the front hood of the vehicle to enter and move up and down within it. The locking assembly 3 includes a rotatable pawl 31 and a rotatable ratchet 32. The pawl 31 has a first limiting part 311. The ratchet 32 ​​has a first engaging part 321a and a second engaging part 321b. When the first limiting part 311 abuts against the first engaging part 321a, it is in a half-locked state of the front hood lock. When the first limiting part 311 abuts against the second engaging part 321b, it is in a fully locked state of the front hood lock. The ratchet also has a locking tongue 321 and a locking groove 322.

[0061] The ratchet 32 ​​is mounted inside the lock box 2 via a second pin 34, allowing the ratchet 32 ​​to rotate around the second pin 34. With the lock groove 322 as the boundary, the lock tongue 321 is located on the unlocking side of the ratchet 32, and the end of the lock tongue 321 is provided with an outwardly extending third locking part 321c. The first locking part 321a and the second locking part 321b are sequentially located on the outer edge of the locking side of the ratchet 32, both of which are stepped. The ratchet 32 ​​is also provided with a second return torsion spring 36, which makes the ratchet 32 ​​always have a tendency to rotate in the unlocking direction.

[0062] The pawl 31 is mounted in the lock box 2 via a first pin 33, allowing it to rotate around the pin. A first return torsion spring 35 is provided on the pawl 31, ensuring it always tends to rotate in the locking direction. The upper end of the pawl 31 has a second limiting part 312 for engaging with the third engaging part 321c, and its lower end has a release arm 314 and the first limiting part 311. Applying an external force opposite to the first return torsion spring 35 to the release arm 314 drives the pawl 31 to rotate, disengaging the first limiting part 311 from the first engaging part 321a or the second engaging part 321b. Simultaneously, during an unlocking action, the second limiting part 312 hooks onto the third engaging part 321c, preventing the ratchet 32 ​​from continuing to rotate (e.g., ...). Figure 21 This prevents the hood from being excessively lifted by the spring force of the lifting assembly 4 when an external force is applied to the release arm 314 to unlock, thus avoiding danger. It also prevents the hood from obstructing the driver's view and causing danger if the vehicle is accidentally unlocked while in motion. Only when an external force is applied to the pawl 31 again for a second unlocking will the second limiting part 312 move away and no longer block the third locking part 321c, thus allowing the hood to be fully opened.

[0063] The lifting assembly 4 includes a top block 44 and a spring 46 abutting below the top block 44, and the spring 46 is preloaded by a pull wire mechanism; the lifting assembly 4 is disposed on the downward path of the locking ring 1. When the locking ring 1 moves down along the guide groove 12 to a set stroke, it will contact the top block 44 and apply downward pressure to the top block 44, thereby pushing the top block 44 down. When the locking ring 1 moves to the point where the elastic force of the spring 46 on the top block 44 and the pressure of the locking ring 1 on the top block 44 reach a balance, this state is the lifting state of the front cover lock;

[0064] The pull-cord mechanism includes a pull-cord 43 and a pull-cord drive mechanism 410 that can drive the pull-cord 43 to move downward. One end of the pull-cord 43 is connected to the pull-cord drive mechanism 410, and the other end is connected to the top block 44. When the control mechanism detects that the front cover lock has reached the lifted state, the pull-cord drive mechanism 410 operates and pulls the top block 43 downward through the pull-cord 43. The locking ring 1 moves downward under the gravity of the front cover and applies pressure to the ratchet 32 ​​to make it rotate until the first engaging part 321a of the ratchet 32 ​​abuts against the first limiting part 311 of the pawl 31, thereby reaching the semi-locked state. At this time, the locking ring 1 enters the locking groove 322.

[0065] The pull-wire drive mechanism 410 includes a winding wheel 42, which is mounted in the lock box 2 via a third pin 41, allowing the winding wheel 42 to rotate around the third pin 41. A winding groove 421 is provided on the outer surface of the winding wheel 42, and the lower end of the pull wire 43 is wound in the winding groove 421 and its end is fixed on the winding wheel 42, so that when the winding wheel 42 rotates, it can drive the pull wire 43, thereby driving the top block 44 to move downward.

[0066] When the control mechanism detects that the front cover lock has reached the half-lock state, the engaging mechanism 5 will drive the ratchet 32 ​​to rotate until the second engaging part 321b of the ratchet 32 ​​abuts against the first limiting part 311 of the pawl 31, thereby reaching the fully locked state. During this process, the locking tongue 321 will continuously apply pressure to the locking ring 1, causing it to move down and enter the locking groove 322, thereby locking the locking ring 1 by the locking tongue 321.

[0067] The engaging mechanism 5 includes a cam assembly 510, which is set in the lock box 2 via a fourth pin 51, so that the cam assembly 510 can rotate around the fourth pin 51. The cam assembly 510 has a first arm 521 and a second arm 533. When the front cover lock reaches the half-lock state, the first arm 521 will drive the ratchet 58 to rotate, and the second arm 533 is used to connect an external motor and a pull rope to drive the cam assembly 510 to rotate.

[0068] The pull-wire drive mechanism 410 and the suction mechanism 5 can each be driven by a separate motor, or they can share a drive motor. From a cost perspective, it is preferable for them to share a motor. Because the working timing of the pull-wire drive mechanism 410 and the working timing of the ratchet 32 ​​driven by the suction mechanism 5 are different during the locking process, a clutch mechanism 13 needs to be provided in the transmission process. Based on the shared motor, the preferred design is that the winding wheel 42 of the pull-wire drive mechanism 410 is connected to the suction mechanism 5 and driven to rotate by the suction mechanism 5. Furthermore, a clutch mechanism 13 is provided between the winding wheel 42 and the suction mechanism 5. During the process of the cover lock from the top-up state to the half-lock state, the clutch mechanism 13 is in the engaged state, and after the cover lock reaches the half-lock state, the clutch mechanism 13 is in the disengaged state.

[0069] The clutch mechanism 13 includes a sector wheel 55 coaxially arranged with the cam assembly 510. The sector wheel 55 has an arc surface 552 on its outer periphery and an abutment surface 553 extending substantially radially from the arc surface. When the cam assembly 51 is driven to rotate forward by an external motor, the abutment surface 553 is located on the front side of the arc surface and the two are smoothly transitioned. In this embodiment, the sector wheel 55 is also provided with a slot 551. The suction link 53, which will be described later, is also provided with a plug 532 that can be inserted into the slot 551. The plug 532 is inserted into the slot 551 to fix the circumferential position of the suction link 53 and the sector wheel 55, so that the sector wheel 55 can rotate around the fourth pin 51 together with the suction link 53.

[0070] A first transmission pin 422 is fixedly mounted on the winding wheel 42. When the front cover lock is in the lifted state to the half-locked state, the abutment surface 553 abuts against the first transmission pin 422 and is engaged. Thus, the rotation of the cam assembly 510 can drive the winding wheel 42 to rotate via the sector wheel 55 and the first transmission pin 422, thereby pulling the top block 44 downwards via the pull wire 43. When the front cover lock reaches the half-locked state, the first transmission pin 422 moves relative to the sector wheel 42 and engages with the arc surface 552 of the sector wheel 42, thus disengaging. Therefore, the rotation of the cam assembly 510 cannot drive the winding wheel 42 to rotate. Since the lifting assembly 4 is located on the back of the bottom shell 21, the winding wheel 42 is also located on the back of the bottom shell 21 and below the lifting assembly 4. The pull wire 43 is tangentially arranged to the winding groove 421 on the circumferential surface of the winding wheel 42. An arc-shaped hole 211 is provided on the bottom shell 21, through which the first transmission pin 422 passes and is adapted to the sector wheel 42.

[0071] The cam assembly 510 includes a suction arm 52 and a suction connecting rod 53, which are coaxially arranged via the fourth pin 51 and can rotate relative to each other. If the interruption mechanism 6 is not provided, they can also be fixed relative to each other, or even directly as a single piece. In this embodiment, the front cover lock is equipped with an interruption mechanism 6, so the two are independent components and can rotate relative to each other. Furthermore, the suction connecting rod 53 has a strip-shaped hole 531 running longitudinally therein, so that the second transmission pin 54, which will be described later, can be fitted into it.

[0072] One end of the attracting link 53 is mounted on the fourth pin 51, and the other end is the second arm 533 of the cam assembly. The second arm 533 is provided with a second transmission pin 54. As mentioned above, the attracting link 53 is connected to the sector wheel 55 so that their circumferential positions are relatively fixed, so that the rotation of the attracting link 53 can drive the sector wheel 55 to rotate synchronously. The attracting link 53 is also provided with a third torsion spring 56, which always has the tendency to return the attracting link 53 to its initial state.

[0073] The middle part of the suction arm 52 is set on the fourth pin 51. One end of the arm has the first arm 521, and the outer edge of the other end has a notch 522. The two ends of the notch are basically radially extending blocking walls 523. The wall between the two blocking walls 523 is an arc-shaped wall with the fourth pin 51 as the center. The second transmission pin 54 is adapted to the notch 522, so that the suction arm 52 will only be driven to rotate when the suction connecting rod 53 rotates to a set degree.

[0074] The front cover lock described in this embodiment also includes a breaking mechanism 6, which includes a breaking link 62, a push rod 63, an interruption plate 64 and the second transmission pin 54.

[0075] The attracting link 53 has a strip-shaped hole 531 along its longitudinal direction. The second transmission pin 54 is constrained in the strip-shaped hole 531 so that it can move along the strip-shaped hole 531. When the second transmission pin 54 moves to the direction close to the fourth pin 51, the second transmission pin 54 will be adapted to the notch 522. When the second transmission pin 54 moves to the direction away from the fourth pin 51, the second transmission pin 54 will leave the notch 522, so that the rotation of the attracting link 53 cannot drive the attracting arm 52.

[0076] The middle part of the breaking link 62 is rotatably connected to the lock box 2 via the fifth pin 61. Its first end is connected to the emergency pull rope 8 used to pull the breaking link 62 to rotate. The upper part of the second end is rotatably connected to the first end of the push rod 63 via the sixth pin 10. The middle part of the second end is connected to the first end of the interrupt plate 64 via the seventh pin 11. The breaking link 62 is also provided with a fifth reset torsion spring 65 that can reset the breaking link 62.

[0077] The second end of the push rod 63 abuts against the release arm 314 of the pawl 31, and a first guide pin 631 is provided on it. The cover plate 22 of the lock box 2 is provided with a first guide groove 221 that cooperates with the first guide pin 631, thereby guiding the second end of the push rod 63 to move only in the direction of abutting against the release wall 314 or away from the release wall 314.

[0078] The second end of the interrupt plate 64 is arc-shaped so that it can always push the second transmission pin 54 when needed during its movement. This design is because, during the normal locking action of the engaging mechanism 5, the movement trajectory of the second transmission pin 54 is an arc around the fourth pin shaft 51. The interrupting mechanism 6 needs to be able to push the second transmission pin 54 away from the engaging arm 52 at any point during the activation of the engaging mechanism 5. Therefore, the second end of the interrupt plate 64 is designed with an arc shape to accommodate this. Furthermore, the second end of the interrupt plate 64 is provided with a second guide pin 641, and the cover plate 22 of the lock box is provided with a second guide groove 222 that mates with the second guide pin 641, thereby guiding the second end of the interrupt plate 64 to move only in the direction of contact with or away from the second transmission pin 54.

[0079] The suction arm 52 is also provided with a circular arc wall 524. With the direction of rotation of the suction arm 52 driven by the external motor as the front, the circular arc wall 524 is adjacent to the front of the notch 522. The circular arc wall 524 is used to receive the second transmission pin 54 when the second transmission pin 54 leaves the notch 522, so as to facilitate the subsequent reset of the second transmission pin 54 to the notch 522.

[0080] The control mechanism of the front cover lock described in this embodiment includes a detection switch assembly 7, which cooperates with the locking assembly 3 to detect whether the locking assembly 3 is in a fully open state, a raised state, a half-locked state, or a fully locked state, and can also detect if the locking assembly 3 is falsely locked.

[0081] like Figure 4 As shown, the detection switch assembly 7 in this embodiment is located within the installation space 23, as... Figures 5-8 As shown, the detection switch assembly 7 includes three signal switches: a first signal switch 71, a second signal switch 72, and a third signal switch 73. In this embodiment, the three signal switches are logically combined to replace multiple physical sensors, thereby achieving accurate state detection.

[0082] The first signal switch 71, the second signal switch 72, and the third signal switch 73 are all electrically connected to the control system of the control mechanism. The first signal switch 71 and the second signal switch 72 are mounted on the bottom shell 21, and the third signal switch 73 is mounted on the cover plate 22. The first signal switch 71 and the second signal switch 72 are arranged adjacent to the ratchet 32. Since the ratchet 32 ​​rotates counterclockwise (locking direction) to change the locking assembly 3 from the fully open state to the fully locked state, the first signal switch 71 is located to the upper right of the second signal switch 72. The rotation of the ratchet 32 ​​around the second pin 34 will trigger the first signal switch 71 and the second signal switch 72. The first signal switch 71 and the second signal switch 72 will feed back signals to the control system. The ratchet 32 ​​is provided with an outwardly protruding first trigger part 324. The first trigger part 324 can abut against the contacts of the first signal switch 71 and the second signal switch 72, so that the rotation of the ratchet 32 ​​can accurately and smoothly trigger the first signal switch 71 and the second signal switch 72 or be offset from the first signal switch 71 and the second signal switch 72. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the third signal switch 73 is disposed adjacent to the pawl 31, and the pawl 31 is provided with an outwardly protruding second trigger portion 313, such as... Figure 21 As shown, the rotation of the pawl 31 around the first pin 33 will cause the second trigger part 313 to press against the third signal switch 73. The third signal switch 73 will feed the signal back to the control system, and the second trigger part 313 of the pawl 31 can trigger the third signal switch 73 more accurately and stably.

[0083] The detection switch assembly 7 in this embodiment detects the following states: when the ratchet 32 ​​disengages from the contact of the first signal switch 71 and abuts against the contact of the second signal switch 72, the locking assembly 3 is in a fully open state; when the ratchet 32 ​​rotates to abut against the contacts of both the first and second signal switches 72, the locking assembly 3 is in a lifted state; when the ratchet 32 ​​rotates to abut against the contact of the first signal switch 71 and disengages from the contact of the second signal switch 72, the locking assembly 3 is in a half-locked state; when the ratchet 32 ​​rotates to disengage from both the contacts of the first and second signal switches 72, the locking assembly 3 is in a fully locked state. Therefore, the detection switch assembly 7 uses the different states of the first and second signal switches 71 to detect four states of the locking assembly 3. Furthermore, when the pawl 31 is pressed against the ratchet 32, the pawl 31 is disengaged from the contact of the third signal switch 73. When the pawl 31 rotates and releases the ratchet 32, the pawl 31 presses against the contact of the third signal switch 73. The third signal switch 73 can determine whether the pawl 31 is stuck or released from the ratchet 32, thereby further detecting the engagement of the pawl 31 and the ratchet 32 ​​in the locking assembly 3. This avoids false locking of the locking assembly 3 and makes the third signal switch 73 a safety redundancy, ensuring the accuracy of the detection switch assembly 7 in detecting different states of the locking assembly 3.

[0084] In this embodiment, the ratchet 32 ​​abuts against the contact of the first signal switch 71, and the first signal switch 71 is in the on state; the ratchet 32 ​​disengages from the first signal switch 71, and the first signal switch 71 is in the off state; the ratchet 32 ​​abuts against the contact of the second signal switch 72, and the second signal switch 72 is in the on state; the ratchet 32 ​​disengages from the second signal switch 72, and the second signal switch 72 is in the off state; the pawl 31 abuts against the contact of the third signal switch 73, and the third signal switch 73 is in the on state; the pawl 31 disengages from the third signal switch 73, and the third signal switch 73 is in the off state; therefore, the first signal switch 71, the second signal switch 72, and the third signal switch 73 all detect four different states of the locking assembly 3 based on whether they are in the on or off state.

[0085] The working process of the front cover lock with the anti-pinch mechanism of this embodiment is as follows:

[0086] A. Under the weight of the vehicle's hood, the locking ring 1 falls with the hood. During the initial falling process, the locking ring 1 does not contact the locking groove 322 of the ratchet 32 ​​or the top block 44 of the lifting assembly 4. At this time, the locking assembly 3 is in the fully open state. For example... Figure 5 The diagram shows the fully open state. At this time, the locking ring 1 falls down to just contact the ratchet 32. The ratchet 32 ​​will block the contact of the second signal switch 72 and disengage from the contact of the first signal switch 71. The signal that the first signal switch 71 is in the open state and the second signal switch 72 is in the on state is fed back to the control system. The control system controls the closing mechanism 5 not to start.

[0087] B. Under the weight of the vehicle's hood, the locking ring 1 continues to fall. This downward movement causes the top block 44 to move downwards along the guide cavity 451, compressing the spring 46 within the guide cavity 451. The compressed spring 46 exerts an upward elastic force on the top block 44. Thus, the lifting assembly 4 uses the compressed spring 46 to apply an upward lifting force to the locking ring 1. Simultaneously, the downward movement of the locking ring 1 applies pressure to the ratchet 32, causing it to rotate around the second pin 34 in the locking direction. When the locking ring 1 moves to a point where it no longer moves downwards (at this point, the locking ring 1 is in equilibrium due to the weight of the vehicle's hood, the upward lifting force applied by the lifting assembly 4, and the possible upward rebound force exerted by the compressed sealing ring on the hood-vehicle contact surface), the hood lock is in the lifted state. Figure 6 As shown. At this time, the ratchet 32 ​​rotates counterclockwise (locking direction) under the drive of the locking ring 1, and at this time it will simultaneously abut the contacts of the first signal switch 71 and the second signal switch 72, and feed back the signal that the first signal switch 71 and the second signal switch 72 are in the on state to the control system, and control the engagement mechanism 5 to start.

[0088] C. The control system starts the motor, causing the attraction linkage 53 of the attraction mechanism 5 to rotate clockwise around the fourth pin 51. Figure 14 As shown, since the attraction link 53 is circumferentially fixedly connected to the sector wheel 55, the rotation of the attraction link 53 can drive the winding wheel 42 to rotate via the sector wheel 55 and the first transmission pin 422. This, in turn, through the pull wire 43, overcomes the elastic force of the spring 46, pulling the top block 44 downwards. The locking ring 1 continues to move downwards under the weight of the front hatch, simultaneously pushing the ratchet 32 ​​to continue rotating until the first limiting part 311 of the pawl 31 abuts against the first engaging part 321a of the ratchet 32, reaching the half-locked state of the front hatch lock. At this time, the locking ring 1 enters the lock groove 322. Figure 7 , Figure 13 and Figure 14 As shown; additionally, the ratchet 32 ​​in the half-locked state will abut against the contact of the first signal switch 71, disengaging from the contact of the second signal switch 72, feeding back the signal that the first signal switch 71 is in the on state and the second signal switch 72 is in the off state to the control system. The engaging mechanism 5 continues to be in the starting state, and at this time the engaging mechanism 5 has completed its empty stroke. At the same time, the clutch mechanism 13 changes from the previous engaged state to the disengaged state, as shown. Figure 13 As shown.

[0089] D. After the control mechanism detects that the front cover lock has reached the half-lock state, the engaging mechanism 5 will directly drive the ratchet 32 ​​to rotate until the second engaging part 321b of the ratchet 32 ​​abuts against the first limiting part 311 of the pawl 31, thus reaching the fully locked state. During this process, the locking tongue 321 will continuously apply pressure to the locking ring 1, causing it to move downward and enter the locking groove 322, thereby forcibly locking the locking ring 1 by the locking tongue 321. The specific process is as follows:

[0090] The engaging mechanism 5 remains in the activated state. The motor (not shown in the figure) continues to pull the engaging linkage 53 clockwise around the fourth pin 51 via a pull cable (not shown in the figure). The second transmission pin 54 drives the engaging rotating arm 52 to rotate clockwise around the fourth pin 51. The first arm 521 of the engaging rotating arm 52 abuts against and pushes the third transmission pin 323 fixed on the ratchet 32, thereby pushing the ratchet 32 ​​to continue rotating counterclockwise (locking direction) around the second pin 34 until the first limiting part 311 of the pawl 31 abuts against the second engaging part 321b of the ratchet 32. The locking assembly 3 reaches the fully locked state. Figure 16 and Figure 17 As shown, during this process, the engaging linkage 53 will also drive the sector wheel 55 to rotate together. However, since the clutch mechanism 13 has disengaged, the winding wheel 42 no longer rotates, and the first transmission pin 422 will not obstruct the rotation of the sector wheel 55. Figure 18 As shown. Furthermore, the ratchet 32, in its fully locked state, is disengaged from the contacts of both the first signal switch 71 and the second signal switch 72, as... Figure 8 As shown, the signals of the first signal switch 71 and the second signal switch 72 being in the open state are fed back to the control system, and the control mechanism controls the motor to stop and the engaging mechanism 5 to stop operating.

[0091] E. When the cover lock is being tested during production, the engaging mechanism 5 may jam or encounter other unexpected situations during operation, or even experience a potential safety hazard during the locking process. In this case, if... Figure 20 As shown, staff only need to manually pull the emergency pull rope 8, which will activate the interruption mechanism 6, interrupting the engagement mechanism 5's push on the ratchet 32 ​​and causing it to reset under the action of the corresponding return springs, thereby eliminating the malfunction or danger. The specific operation process is as follows:

[0092] See Figure 20 In case of an emergency, pulling the emergency pull rope 8 will cause the disconnecting link 62 to rotate counterclockwise around the fifth pin 61. The interrupting plate 64 will move diagonally downward under the drive of the disconnecting link 62, pushing the second transmission pin 54 downward along the second guide groove 531, thereby disengaging the second transmission pin 54 from the suction arm 52. The suction link 53 will no longer apply a pushing force to the suction arm 52, and the suction arm 52 will be reset under the action of the fourth torsion spring 57. At the same time, the breaking link 62 drives the second end of the push rod 63 to push the release arm 314 of the pawl 31, thereby causing the pawl 31 to overcome the elastic force of the first torsion spring 35 and rotate clockwise (unlocking direction). This causes the first limiting part 311 of the pawl 31 to release the first engaging part 321a or the second engaging part 321b of the ratchet 32. Under the action of the second torsion spring 36 and the lifting force of the lifting assembly 4, the ratchet 32 ​​will rotate clockwise (unlocking direction) until the third engaging part 321c of the ratchet is hooked by the second limiting part 312 of the pawl (see...). Figure 21 This will eliminate the fault or danger.

[0093] F. When the user needs to open the vehicle's hood, the hood lock's locking assembly 3 is in the fully locked state, such as... Figure 8 As shown, and see Figure 21Generally, unlocking can be mechanical or automatic, depending on the vehicle's lock configuration. Whether mechanical or motor-driven (this motor is usually different from the locking motor, though it can be the same, not shown in the diagram), the final step involves pulling a rope (not shown in the diagram, and not the same rope used for the engagement and disengagement mechanisms) to apply force to the release arm 314 of the pawl 31. This causes the pawl to overcome the elasticity of the first torsion spring 35 and the friction between the pawl 31 and the ratchet 32, rotating clockwise. This causes the first limiting part 311 of the pawl 31 to release the first engaging part 321b of the ratchet 32. The ratchet 32 ​​then rotates clockwise (in the unlocking direction) under the action of the second torsion spring 36 and the lifting force of the lifting assembly 4, until the third engaging part 321c of the ratchet is hooked by the second limiting part 312 of the pawl, thus completing one unlocking cycle. Then, the user goes outside the vehicle and releases the second limiting part 312 to complete the second unlocking, and can then open the hood.

Claims

1. A front cover locking anti-pinch mechanism, characterized in that: Includes the lifting assembly (4) and the wire pulling mechanism, The lifting assembly (4) is used to hold the locking ring (1) fixed on the hood when the hood moves down to a set height under its own gravity, so as to maintain a safe distance between the hood and the vehicle body. It includes a top block (44) and an elastic member (46) abutting under the top block (44); and the lifting assembly (4) is arranged on the downward path of the locking ring (1). The pull-wire mechanism includes a pull wire (43) and a pull-wire drive mechanism (410) capable of driving the pull wire (43) to move downward. One end of the pull wire (43) is connected to the pull-wire drive mechanism (410), and the other end is connected to the top block (44). Furthermore, the cable mechanism is configured such that, at least in the later part of the process between the locking ring (1) on the hood touching the top block (44) and the hood lock's engaging mechanism (5) starting to drive the hood lock's locking assembly (3) to perform a locking action, the cable mechanism will activate and pull the top block (44) downward.

2. The front cover locking anti-pinch mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The process interval of the pull mechanism starting and pulling the top block (44) down is as follows: when the locking ring (1) is held against the top block (44) and cannot continue to move down by the weight of the front cover, the pull mechanism starts to start and pulls the top block (44) down. When the top block (44) moves down to the point where the front cover lock's suction mechanism (5) starts to start, it stops running.

3. The front cover locking anti-pinch mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The process interval of the pull-wire mechanism starting and pulling the top block (44) down is as follows: when the locking ring (1) is held against the top block (44) and cannot continue to move down by the weight of the front cover, the pull-wire mechanism starts to start and pull the top block (44) down. The operation stops after the front cover lock's suction mechanism (5) completes the locking action of the front cover lock.

4. The front cover locking anti-pinch mechanism according to claim 1, 2, or 3, characterized in that: The lifting assembly (4) is installed in a lifting seat (45), and the lifting seat (45) is provided with a guide cavity (451) that extends vertically and communicates with the outside at the upper end. The top block (44) and the elastic element (46) are disposed in the guide cavity (451).

5. The front cover locking anti-pinch mechanism according to claim 4, characterized in that: The wire pulling drive mechanism (410) is also installed in the lifting seat (45), which includes a winding wheel (42). The winding wheel (42) is set in the lifting seat (45) through a third pin (41), so that the winding wheel (42) can rotate around the third pin (41). A winding groove (421) is provided on the outer surface of the winding wheel (42). The lower end of the wire (43) is wound in the winding groove (421) and its end is fixed on the winding wheel (42), so that when the winding wheel (42) rotates, it can drive the wire (43) and thus drive the top block (44) to move down.

6. The front cover locking anti-pinch mechanism according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that: The lifting seat (45) is attached to the back of the bottom shell (21) of the front cover lock.

7. The front cover locking anti-pinch mechanism according to claim 6, characterized in that: The cable drive mechanism (410) and the front cover lock's suction mechanism (5) share the same external power source, and a clutch mechanism (13) is provided between them. The clutch mechanism (13) is located between the winding wheel (42) and the suction mechanism (5).

8. The front cover locking anti-pinch mechanism according to claim 7, characterized in that: The locking assembly (3) of the front cover lock includes a rotatable pawl (31) and a rotatable ratchet (32). The pawl (31) is provided with a first limiting part (311), and the ratchet (32) is provided with a first engaging part (321a) and a second engaging part (321b). When the first limiting part (311) abuts against the first engaging part (321a), it is in a half-lock state, and when the first limiting part (311) abuts against the second engaging part (321b), it is in a fully locked state. The lock box (2) of the front cover lock is provided with a guide groove (12) that allows the locking ring (1) on the front cover of the motor vehicle to enter and move up and down within it. When the locking ring (1) moves down along the guide groove (12) to a set stroke, it will contact the top block (44) and apply downward pressure to the top block (44), thereby pushing the top block (44) down. When the locking ring (1) moves to the point where it no longer moves down under the gravity of the front cover, this state is the lifting state of the front cover lock. The suction mechanism (5) includes a cam assembly (510), which is disposed between the bottom shell (21) and the cover plate (22) of the lock box (2) via a fourth pin (51), so that the cam assembly (510) can rotate around the fourth pin (51). The cam assembly (510) has a first arm (521) and a second arm (533). The first arm (521) will drive the ratchet (32) to rotate when the front cover lock reaches the half-lock state. The second arm (533) is used to connect an external power source to drive the cam assembly (510) to rotate. The winding wheel (42) is connected to the suction mechanism (5) and driven to rotate by the suction mechanism (5). Furthermore, the winding wheel (42) and the suction mechanism (5) are provided with the clutch mechanism (13). When the front cover lock moves from the top-up state to the half-lock state, the clutch mechanism (13) is in the engaged state. After the front cover lock reaches the half-lock state, the clutch mechanism (13) is in the disengaged state. The clutch mechanism (13) includes a sector wheel (55) coaxially arranged with the cam assembly (510). The sector wheel (55) has an arc surface (552) on its outer periphery and an abutment surface (553) extending substantially radially from the arc surface (552). When the direction in which the cam assembly (510) is driven to rotate by an external power source is forward, the abutment surface (553) is located in front of the arc surface (552) and there is a smooth transition between the two. A first transmission pin (422) is fixedly arranged on the winding wheel (42). Furthermore, when the front cover lock is in the process of moving from the lifted state to the half-locked state, the abutment surface... (553) Abuts against the first transmission pin (422) and is in the engagement state, so that the rotation of the cam assembly (510) can drive the winding wheel (42) to rotate via the sector wheel (55) and the first transmission pin (422), and then pull the top block (44) down via the pull line (43). When the front cover lock reaches the half-lock state, the first transmission pin (422) will move relative to the sector wheel (55) to cooperate with the arc surface (552) of the sector wheel (55) and be in the disengaged state, so that the rotation of the cam assembly (510) will not be able to drive the winding wheel (42) to rotate.

9. The front cover locking anti-pinch mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The elastic element of the lifting assembly (4) is a spring (46), and a preload is applied by the wire pulling mechanism.

Images