Central locking unit for a motor vehicle

Abstract

Central locking unit for a motor vehicle with a control unit (SE) for locking and unlocking at least one door (T1, T2) of the motor vehicle, wherein the control unit (SE) sends a locking signal (vs) for automatically locking the at least one door (T1, T2) of the motor vehicle in response to an accident start signal (u+) and an unlocking signal (es) for automatically unlocking the at least one door (T1, T2) of the motor vehicle in response to an accident end signal (u-), and wherein the accident start signal (u+) is an airbag trigger signal and / or a seat belt tensioner trigger signal or is generated by an airbag trigger signal and / or a seat belt tensioner trigger signal and the accident end signal (u-) is determined by evaluating the signals of a sensor for determining the rotational speed of at least one wheel of the motor vehicle.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a central locking unit for a motor vehicle with a control unit for locking and unlocking at least one door of the motor vehicle.

[0002] Motor vehicles with central locking units, in which all the vehicle's doors can be manually locked and unlocked using a key or by operating a dedicated control element, have long been known. Furthermore, central locking units are already known that automatically lock or unlock the vehicle's doors depending on various input signals. For example, if a specified speed is exceeded or if a specified time interval from the start of the vehicle's internal combustion engine is exceeded, a signal can be generated that automatically locks all the vehicle's doors.

[0003] Finally, central locking units are also known that automatically unlock all vehicle doors upon detecting an accident, thus enabling easy rescue of the occupants. Such central locking units are known, for example, from DE 43 22 141 A1, DE 10 2004 008 507 A1, and DE 197 50 979 C2.

[0004] Finally, DE 600 13 371 T2 discloses a locking device in which, when the door is pushed in due to an accident, a switch is mechanically switched due to the displacement of a component, which in turn generates a signal for locking at least one door of the motor vehicle.

[0005] The object of the invention is to provide a central locking device which is improved with regard to the safety of vehicle occupants in the event of an accident.

[0006] This object is achieved by a central locking unit according to patent claim 1. Advantageous further developments are the subject matter of the dependent claims.

[0007] The central locking unit according to the invention for a motor vehicle with a control unit for locking and unlocking at least one door of the motor vehicle is characterized in that the control unit sends a locking signal for automatically locking the at least one door of the motor vehicle in response to an accident start signal, regardless of the current state of the locking, and an unlocking signal for automatically unlocking the at least one door of the motor vehicle in response to an accident end signal.

[0008] This central locking device according to the invention offers the advantage that it can be ensured that the vehicle doors remain closed during the accident due to the locking mechanism, and thus, on the one hand, the vehicle occupants cannot be ejected from the vehicle and, on the other hand, the stability of the motor vehicle is guaranteed.

[0009] Furthermore, the central locking device according to the invention offers the advantage that access to the occupants is possible again after the accident, and thus a rapid rescue of the occupants can take place.

[0010] Advantageously, the central locking system is designed such that, in the event of a subsequent accident, the control unit again sends a locking signal in response to an accident start signal and an unlocking signal in response to an accident end signal. This ensures that, in a vehicle whose doors were unlocked at the end of the first accident, they are relocked if the vehicle is involved in a second accident shortly after the first accident.

[0011] Advantageously, the locking signal locks all doors of the motor vehicle and / or the unlocking signal unlocks all doors of the motor vehicle, thereby providing the same level of safety to all occupants.

[0012] In addition to the doors, the locking signal can also lock the trunk of the vehicle, and / or the unlocking signal can unlock the trunk. Locking the trunk is intended to prevent it from opening during an accident, as a closed trunk also ensures increased stability of the vehicle body. Automatically unlocking the trunk after the accident allows it to be reopened, potentially facilitating the rescue of the occupants.

[0013] Advantageously, the accident start signal is an airbag deployment signal and / or a belt pretensioner deployment signal and / or an accident detection signal, or is generated by an airbag deployment signal and / or a belt pretensioner deployment signal and / or an accident detection signal, thus eliminating the need to generate an additional signal for the control unit of the central locking system using a complicated evaluation algorithm. The accident detection signal can be a signal that is generated when the accident occurs but before the airbag deployment signal, or a signal that is generated shortly before the accident occurs due to a detected high dynamic behavior of the motor vehicle.

[0014] If the airbag deployment signal is used as an accident start signal, it is particularly useful to implement the control unit of the central locking device according to the invention in an airbag control unit. This saves additional costs for a separate unit.

[0015] The drawing shows an embodiment of the invention. Fig. 1 a simplified structure of a central locking unit according to the invention and Fig. 2 two possible signal curves ZV1 and ZV2, which represent the state of the central locking device during several consecutive accidents.

[0016] In the Fig. 1 shows a control unit SE, which is part of the central locking system according to the invention. The control unit SE receives as input signals at least one accident start signal u+, as soon as an accident involving the motor vehicle is detected, and an accident end signal u-, as soon as the end of the accident is detected. The accident start signal u+ can, for example, be an airbag deployment signal, and the accident end signal u- can, for example, be determined by evaluating the signals from a sensor for determining the rotational speed of at least one wheel of the motor vehicle.

[0017] Depending on the two input signals u+ and u-, the control device SE generates either a locking signal vs for automatically locking the doors T1 and T2 and the trunk K of the motor vehicle or an unlocking signal es for automatically unlocking the doors T1 and T2 and the trunk K of the motor vehicle by controlling the associated actuators A1, A2 and A3.

[0018] The dependency between the input signals u+ and u- and the output signals vs and es of the control unit SE of the central locking unit, as well as the corresponding state of the central locking unit, is determined using the Fig. 2 described in more detail.

[0019] In the Fig. 2 shows three signal waveforms u, ZV1 and ZV2 over time t. From the signal waveform u it can be seen at which point in time an accident start signal u+ or an accident end signal u- is sent to the control unit SE of the central locking unit. The accident start signal u+ is represented by an upward-pointing line, and the accident end signal u- is represented by a downward-pointing line. Thus, at times t1, t3 and t5 an accident start signal u+ is sent to the control unit SE of the central locking unit, and at times t2, t4 and t6 an accident end signal u- is sent to the control unit SE of the central locking unit. This in turn means that a first accident occurs between times t1 and t2, a second accident between times t3 and t4, and a third accident between times t5 and t6.

[0020] Depending on the two input signals u+ and u-, the Fig.1 now either a locking signal vs for automatically locking the doors T1 and T2 and the trunk K of the motor vehicle or an unlocking signal es for automatically unlocking the doors T1 and T2 and the trunk K of the motor vehicle by means of the actuators A1 to A3.

[0021] The signal waveforms ZV1 and ZV2 now show the state of the central locking system as a function of the input signals u+ and u- or the output signals vs and es of the control unit SE. The state 0 of the signal waveform ZV1 or the signal waveform ZV2 indicates that the central locking system is open, i.e., the doors T1 and T2 and the trunk K are not locked. In state 1 of the signal waveform ZV1 and the signal waveform ZV2, in contrast to state 0, the doors T1 and T2 and the trunk K are locked due to the control of the actuators A1 to A3 by the central locking system.

[0022] In the case of signal progression ZV1, it is assumed up until the first accident, i.e. up to time t1, that all doors, i.e. T1 and T2, and the trunk K are closed by the central locking system, which is represented by state 1 up to time t1 of signal progression ZV1. Locking can occur either manually by the driver or automatically by exceeding a predetermined speed. At time t1, at which an accident start signal u+ is sent to the control unit SE, a locking signal vs is sent to automatically lock the doors T1 and T2 and the trunk K of the motor vehicle and the associated actuators A1 to A3 are controlled accordingly. Since the doors T1 and T2 and the trunk K are already locked, no change of state takes place, i.e. state 1 is retained.

[0023] At time t2, at which an accident end signal u- is sent to the control unit SE, an unlocking signal is transmitted to automatically unlock the doors T1 and T2 and the trunk K of the vehicle, and the associated actuators A1 to A3 are controlled accordingly. This causes a state change from state 1 to state 0, and the doors T1 and T2 and the trunk K are automatically unlocked.

[0024] At time t3, a second accident occurs, causing an accident start signal u+ to be sent to the control unit SE. The control unit SE then sends a locking signal vs to the actuators A1 to A3, and the state of the central locking system changes from state 0 to state 1, as the doors T1 and T2 and the trunk K are automatically unlocked. At time t2, at which the second accident is over, an accident end signal u- is sent to the control unit SE, causing the central locking system to unlock all doors T1 and T2 and the trunk K. The state of the central locking system changes from 1 to 0. Corresponding to times t3 and t4, due to the third accident, at time t5 the state of the central locking system changes from 0 to 1, and at time t6 the state changes again from 1 to 0.

[0025] The ZV2 signal path essentially corresponds to the ZV1 signal path. The only difference is that with the ZV2 signal path, the central locking system is in state 0 until time t1, which means that the doors T1 and T2 and the trunk K are not locked. If, at time t1, at which an accident start signal u+ is sent to the control unit SE, a locking signal vs is transmitted and the associated actuators A1 to A3 are controlled accordingly, a state change occurs from state 0 to state 1, i.e., from "unlocked" to "locked." The further ZV2 signal path then corresponds to the ZV1 signal path.

Claims

[1] Central locking unit for a motor vehicle with a control unit (SE) for locking and unlocking at least one door (T1, T2) of the motor vehicle, wherein the control unit (SE) sends a locking signal (vs) for automatically locking the at least one door (T1, T2) of the motor vehicle in response to an accident start signal (u+) and an unlocking signal (es) for automatically unlocking the at least one door (T1, T2) of the motor vehicle in response to an accident end signal (u-), and wherein the accident start signal (u+) is an airbag triggering signal and / or a belt tensioner triggering signal or is generated by an airbag triggering signal and / or a belt tensioner triggering signal and the accident end signal (u-) is determined by evaluating the signals of a sensor for determining the rotational speed of at least one wheel of the motor vehicle. [2] Central locking unit according to claim 1, characterized bythat in the event of a subsequent accident, the control unit (SE) again sends a locking signal (vs) in response to an accident start signal (u+) and an unlocking signal (es) in response to an accident end signal (u-). [3] Central locking unit according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that all doors (T1, T2) of the motor vehicle are locked by the locking signal (vs) and / or that all doors (T1, T2) of the motor vehicle are unlocked by the unlocking signal (es). [4] Central locking unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the locking signal (vs) additionally locks a trunk (K) of the motor vehicle and / or that the unlocking signal (es) additionally unlocks the trunk (K) of the motor vehicle. [5] Central locking unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the control unit is integrated into an airbag control unit.

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