Motor vehicle door lock

Abstract

Motor vehicle door lock, comprising a locking unit (1) with locking output element (2), and an anti-theft unit (3) with anti-theft output element (4), wherein both output elements (2, 4) are designed to be movable relative to each other with respect to a common reference element (5), wherein the locking output element (2) and the anti-theft output element (4) are designed to be mechanically coupled / decoupled to assume predetermined operating states of a lever mechanism, wherein the locking output element (2) and the anti-theft output element (4) are designed as pivot segments (2, 4) adjustable with respect to a common axis of rotation (5) as a reference element (5), wherein the pivot segments (2, 4) are each designed as circular disk segments (2, 4) that describe a common circular area,wherein a locking motor (1a) interacts with the locking output element (2) and an anti-theft motor (3a) interacts with the anti-theft output element (4).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a motor vehicle door lock, comprising a locking unit with a locking output element, and an anti-theft device unit with an anti-theft device output element, wherein both output elements are designed to be movable relative to one another with respect to a common reference element.

[0002] Motor vehicle door locks are typically equipped with a locking unit, particularly a central locking unit, and additionally with an anti-theft device. The locking unit, particularly the central locking unit, can be used to set functional states such as "unlocked" or "locked" of the motor vehicle door lock or an associated lever mechanism. In the "locked" state, an external operating lever on an associated motor vehicle door is usually inactive, whereas the opening of an associated locking mechanism as part of the motor vehicle door lock remains possible from the inside of the vehicle, for example, using an internal operating lever.

[0003] To prevent internal activation, the anti-theft device ensures that the interior operating lever is also deactivated when the anti-theft device is in the "Anti-theft device on" position. This means that, for example, a person inside the vehicle cannot open the corresponding vehicle door in this functional state.

[0004] In order to selectively deactivate an external operating lever chain and, if applicable, an internal operating chain as part of the lever mechanism in a motor vehicle door lock, the procedure is usually such that a respective clutch lever in the associated lever chain or operating lever chain is transferred to the "engaged" or "disengaged" position, namely with the aid of the locking unit or the anti-theft device unit. The "engaged" functional position of the clutch lever then corresponds to the associated operating lever chain being active, whereas the "disengaged" functional state of the clutch lever results in an ineffective operating lever chain. The clutch lever or the clutch element is acted upon by the locking output element or the anti-theft device output element, respectively. For the basic functionality, reference is made to DE 196 32 781 C2 of the applicant as an example.

[0005] The corresponding actuating movements on the output elements are exerted with the aid of an associated motor or electric motor. Specifically, this is a locking motor or an anti-theft motor. This approach has generally proven successful in practice, although it must be taken into account that the locking output element typically performs or must perform large actuating distances, for example, in order to provide a visible display in addition to actuating the clutch lever in the example case. This can be designed, among other things, such that locking buttons mounted on the interior of vehicle doors assume a raised position relative to a door panel in the "unlocked" state, while the "locked" position corresponds to a recessed position.

[0006] Compared to a locking unit or central locking system, an anti-theft device with its associated anti-theft output element requires only minimal actuation movements. As described, these movements correspond to, for example, the selective engagement or disengagement of a clutch lever in the interior operating lever chain. The engaged position corresponds to the "anti-theft device off" functional position, whereas the disengaged position, and consequently, the idle operation of the interior operating lever assembly, corresponds to the "anti-theft device on" functional position.

[0007] In practice, and also in the aforementioned DE 196 32 781 C2, separate motors or electric motors are used to implement the locking unit or the anti-theft device unit, namely a locking motor and an anti-theft device motor. In conjunction with an additional electrical component carrier, usually provided for the mechanical mounting and electrical wiring of the motors in question and, if necessary, additional switches or sensors, this results in a relatively bulky structure. Furthermore, such electrical component carriers are usually expensive, with manufacturing costs increasing even further with the increasing size of the electrical component carrier.

[0008] Examples of such electrical component carriers are described, among others, in DE 10 2008 015 627 A1 by the applicant. A motor vehicle door lock with a locking unit with a locking output element and an anti-theft device unit with an anti-theft device output element is explained, for example, in DE 43 43 340 C2 by the applicant. This concerns a centrally controlled locking device for motor vehicle doors, which operates with a reversible electric motor drive with an output element with an eccentric control pin. The control pin engages in a fork receptacle of a lever element that belongs to the central locking lever or acts on it. In addition, a lever element of an anti-theft device lever is located in the area of ​​the output element and the control pin. In this way, attempts have already been made to use a simple electromechanical drive while simultaneously achieving a compact design.

[0009] In a generic motor vehicle door lock according to DE 10 2006 053 178 A1, a first and a second output gear are implemented. At least one motion transmission element is provided between the two output gears, allowing temporary relative movement. With the known device for actuating a locking mechanism, various functional positions can be implemented, such as "unlocked" or "locked" up to the "theft-proof" locking function. However, there is still potential for improvement with regard to functional reliability and a compact design. This is where the invention comes in.

[0010] From the document DE 44 21 808 A1 a door locking device is known with an anti-theft mechanism comprising a main locking lever which is connected to a locking cylinder and is changed from an unlocking position via a locking position to an anti-theft position, a sub-locking lever which is connected to an inner locking knob of the door and is changed into an unlocking position and a locking position, and a connecting member which has sufficient elasticity to connect the locking levers to one another between the locking position and the unlocking position.When the main lock lever is moved from the lock position to the anti-theft position, the link is elastically deformed and allows the sub-lock lever to remain in the lock position, and when the main lock lever is moved to the anti-theft position, the sub-lock lever is formed so that it cannot override the main lock lever.

[0011] The invention is based on the technical problem of further developing such a motor vehicle door lock in such a way that perfect functional reliability is combined with a compact and cost-effective as well as weight-optimized design.

[0012] To solve this technical problem, a generic motor vehicle door lock within the scope of the invention is characterized in that the locking output element and the anti-theft output element are designed to be selectively mechanically coupled / decoupled with one another to assume predetermined functional states of a lever mechanism.

[0013] The locking output element and the anti-theft output element are pivoting segments that can be adjusted relative to a common axis of rotation. In this case, the common axis of rotation represents the common reference element for the two output elements, relative to which they are designed to be movable relative to each other.

[0014] According to the invention, the pivot segments are each designed as circular disc segments. Furthermore, the locking output element and the anti-theft output element can correspond to pivot segments of different sizes, and in particular, circular disc segments.

[0015] In the event that circular disk segments are realized, the overall design is such that the two circular disk segments taken together do not describe a full circle or a gap remains between them, so that the already mentioned relative mobility to each other with respect to the reference element or the axis of rotation remains unchanged in the example case.

[0016] The two pivoting segments or circular disc segments are generally each designed as geared circular disc segments. In this way, the associated drive unit, i.e., the locking unit or anti-theft device unit with the associated locking motor or anti-theft device motor, can work directly on the circular disc segment in question. For this purpose, the respective motor has a corresponding worm shaft on its output shaft, which meshes with the peripheral gear of the associated geared circular disc segment. Depending on the direction of rotation of the electric motor, i.e., the locking motor or the anti-theft device motor, the geared circular disc segment interacting with the associated motor can then perform a clockwise or counterclockwise movement relative to the common axis of rotation.

[0017] The overall design is such that the locking motor interacts with the locking output element, and the anti-theft motor interacts with the anti-theft output element. This allows the associated output elements to be controlled independently of one another, and at least the functional states of "unlocked," "locked," and "anti-theft device on," as well as "anti-theft device off" of the lever mechanism can be implemented and defined. Furthermore, the design is such that the anti-theft device output element, in the "anti-theft device on" position, at least partially overlaps with the travel of the locking output element. This overlap enables the locking output element and the anti-theft device output element to be mechanically coupled / decoupled from one another as required.In fact, this coupling / uncoupling can take place on the said travel path where the anti-theft output element and the locking output element overlap.

[0018] In detail, the design is such that the anti-theft output element in the "anti-theft on" position can be actuated by the locking motor via the mechanically coupled locking output element to assume the "anti-theft off" position. This means that the "anti-theft on" position of the anti-theft output element can be canceled by the locking motor, and in particular the central locking motor, by applying the corresponding force to it, which "takes along" the anti-theft output element. At the end of this actuation, the anti-theft output element has left its original "anti-theft on" position and now assumes the "anti-theft off" functional position.

[0019] For this purpose, the locking output element has previously been mechanically coupled to the anti-theft device output element. This can be achieved simply by mechanically moving the anti-theft device output element and the locking output element toward each other and causing them to strike or rest against each other with at least partial positive engagement. Actuating the locking output element with the aid of the locking motor then results in the anti-theft device output element being "driven along" as described, namely in order to transfer it from its original "theft device on" position to the "theft device off" position. This is, of course, only an example, and the invention also fundamentally covers other functional transitions.

[0020] Independently of this, the transition from the "anti-theft device on" position to the "anti-theft device off" position can also be accomplished, alternatively or additionally, by the anti-theft device motor acting on the anti-theft device output element providing the corresponding drive or adjustment. As a further, and third, option, the locking output element and the anti-theft device output element can also be mechanically actuated independently of the respective motor. Such mechanical actuation can be achieved, for example, with the help of a locking cylinder, which moves the locking output element from its "unlocked" position to the "locked" position and vice versa.

[0021] Furthermore, mechanical actuation of the respective output element is possible using an actuating lever, and in particular an internal actuating lever. It is conceivable that the locking output element is moved from its "locked" to the "unlocked" position via the internal actuating lever in question. This means that in this case, the actuating lever or internal actuating lever—independently of the locking motor—ensures that the locking output element is actuated accordingly.

[0022] Finally, other mechanical solutions are also conceivable. For example, the anti-theft device output element can be pivoted mechanically using a switching nut. This switching nut, similar to a child safety lock, can ensure that the anti-theft device assumes its functional positions "anti-theft device on" and "anti-theft device off." To this end, the switching nut interacts with the anti-theft device output element in a corresponding manner.

[0023] In any case, there are a variety of options for applying force to the output elements. In addition, the output elements are designed as gear disc segments with a common axis of rotation, which together cover and describe a common circular or disc surface. This already provides a particularly compact design.

[0024] This is further contributed to by the fact that the two motors, i.e. the locking motor and the anti-theft device motor, typically engage tangentially with their respective output shafts and the worm shafts located thereon on the respective gear disk segment. In addition, the design is usually such that the two worm shafts are usually diametrically opposed with respect to the central common axis of rotation, so that very little installation space is required. This also allows the electrical component carrier accommodating the two motors to be designed small and cost-effectively, because the two motors are arranged close to one another. This also reduces the weight of the vehicle door lock equipped in this way, which is to be viewed as particularly positive in view of the general trend towards reducing the weight of vehicle components. These are the key advantages.

[0025] In the following, the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to a drawing which merely represents an exemplary embodiment. Fig. 1 the motor vehicle door lock reduced to the essential elements in the functional position “anti-theft device off” and (central) locking “unlocked”, Fig. 2 the object after Fig. 1 in the “Anti-theft device off” and “locked” position, Fig. 3 the object according to the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 in the functional position “Anti-theft device on” and “locked”, Fig. 4 the object in question in the “anti-theft device on” and “unlocked” position and Fig. 5 the object after Fig. 4 in the “anti-theft device off” and “unlocked” position.

[0026] The figures depict a motor vehicle door lock which only shows the features essential to the invention. The motor vehicle door lock in question has a locking mechanism (not expressly shown) and an additional lever mechanism (also not shown). The design and arrangement may be comparable to those in DE 43 43 340 C2 or DE 196 32 781 C2. Acting on the lever mechanism are, on the one hand, a locking unit 1 with an associated locking output element 2 and, on the other hand, an anti-theft device unit 3 with a corresponding anti-theft device output element 4. In the exemplary embodiment, the locking unit 1 and the locking output element 2 are a central locking unit 1 and, accordingly, a central locking output element 2.

[0027] It can be seen that the respective units 1 and 3 are composed of a locking motor 1a, on the one hand, with a worm shaft 1b arranged on its output shaft, and an anti-theft motor 3a, on the other hand, with a worm shaft 3b arranged on its output shaft. The respective worm shaft 1b, 3b engages with an outer peripheral gear of the locking output element 2 or the anti-theft output element 4, respectively, designed as a pivoting segment or circular disk segment, and in particular as a gear circular disk segment.

[0028] The two output elements 2, 4 can be optionally mechanically coupled / decoupled to assume predetermined functional states of the lever mechanism (not shown). Furthermore, the two output elements 2, 4 can be moved relative to each other, specifically with respect to a common reference element 5. The common reference element 5 is a common axis of rotation 5 of the two gearwheel disk segments 2, 4 in the example. The gearwheel disk segments 2, 4 have a common radius.

[0029] In fact, the two gearwheel disk segments 2, 4 are designed to be rotatable around the common rotation axis 5. In addition, the two gearwheel disk segments 2, 4 describe a common circular area. Furthermore, a comparative analysis of the Fig. 1 to 5, the anti-theft output element 4 is larger than the locking output element 2. Both output elements 2, 4 together do not form a full circle or a full-surface circular disk. Rather, a disk-segment-like free space 6 remains at this point so that the two output elements 2, 4 or gear disk segments 2, 4 can perform the described relative movement to each other with respect to the common axis of rotation 5.

[0030] According to the exemplary embodiment, the free space 6 is composed of two partial free spaces 6a and 6b. The partial free space 6a corresponds to a mechanical actuation by an internal actuation lever, whereas the free space 6b corresponds to a motorized actuation of the locking output element 2 by means of the locking motor 1a, as will be explained in more detail below. Furthermore, both free spaces 6a, 6b can also be spanned jointly by the internal actuation lever on the one hand and the locking motor 1a on the other.

[0031] As already explained, the locking output element 2 and the anti-theft output element 4 are designed to be mechanically coupled / decoupled to assume predetermined functional states of the lever mechanism. The mechanical coupling corresponds to the two output elements 2, 4 abutting against each other with an edge. The decoupling involves maintaining a respective free space 6a or 6b between the two output elements 2, 4.

[0032] The functionality is as follows. First, consider the Fig. 1, the vehicle door lock is in the position “Anti-theft device off” and “unlocked” of the locking unit or central locking unit 1. In order to now, starting from this functional position, Fig. 1 In order to transfer the locking unit 1 or central locking unit 1 into its “locked” position, the central locking unit 1 or the locking motor 1a is energized in such a way that the gear wheel disk segment 2 meshing therewith is acted upon via the worm shaft 1b in such a way that it rotates approximately 70 to 80° counterclockwise around the rotation axis 5.

[0033] At the end of this movement, the functional position is after the Fig. 2 "Anti-theft device off" and "locked" are reached. During this process, the locking output element 2 has simultaneously traversed the two free spaces 6a, 6b along its corresponding travel s. Both free spaces 6a, 6b can be traversed either motorically using the locking motor 1a or mechanically using the internal operating lever, or the locking output element 2 can be actuated accordingly.

[0034] As a result, the anti-theft output element 4 has its position in the Fig. 2 compared to the functional position after the Fig. 1 "off". In contrast, the locking output element 2 is moved from the "unlocked" position to the Fig. 1 into the “locked” position after the Fig. 2 has been transferred by motor and / or mechanical means. As a result, the two output elements 2, 4 act on the respective lever mechanism in such a way that only an internal operating lever chain can act on the locking mechanism to open the corresponding vehicle door. The external operating lever chain, on the other hand, is ineffective.

[0035] If now starting from the position “Anti-theft device off” and “locked” after the Fig. 2 additionally the anti-theft device is inserted, the functional status is shown in the following Fig. 3. To achieve this functional state after the Fig. 3, in the embodiment the anti-theft motor 3a is energized accordingly so that the associated worm shaft 3b pivots the gear wheel segment 4 by approximately 30 to 40° around the rotation axis 5 in the counterclockwise direction until the functional position according to the Fig. 3 is reached. The anti-theft device output element 4 is then in the "anti-theft device engaged" position, while the locking output element 2 remains in its "locked" position. This is necessary and desired. In this functional position, both the inside operating lever chain and the outside operating lever chain are idle.

[0036] Should now, starting from the Fig. 3 the anti-theft device in its “off” position after the Fig. 5, it is first necessary that the locking output element 2 assumes its "unlocked" position or is transferred into this functional position. For this purpose, in the exemplary embodiment according to the Fig. 4 the internal operating lever on the locking output element 2 in the direction of the functional position "unlocked", which corresponds to a clockwise movement of the locking output element 2 in relation to the rotation axis 5. During this process, the locking output element 2 comes into contact with the anti-theft protection output element 4, which still has its position "anti-theft protection off" in the Fig. 4. This means that the locking output element 2 and the anti-theft drive element 4 are mechanically coupled to each other by being in contact with each other.

[0037] This mechanical coupling is now used according to the invention to ensure that the anti-theft protection output element 4 assumes a predetermined functional state of the lever mechanism, in this case the lever mechanism in the position “Anti-theft protection off” after the Fig. 5. For this purpose, it is only necessary that the anti-theft device output element 4 is moved to the “anti-theft device off” position using, for example, the internal operating lever after the Fig. 5 is transferred.

[0038] Alternatively or additionally, the locking motor 1a can also act on the locking output element 2 accordingly, so that it pivots the adjacent anti-theft protection output element 4 further in a clockwise direction so that in the end the functional position according to the Fig. 5 “Anti-theft device off” is taken. Finally, the transition from the Fig. 4 to Fig. 5 also the switching nut already mentioned in the introduction or another mechanical actuating element works on the locking output element 2 in such a way that it "takes along" the anti-theft output element 4, namely clockwise in the sense of a rotation around the rotation axis 5, until, starting from Fig. 4 the position after the Fig. 5 “Anti-theft device off” is reached. Then the vehicle door lock or its lever mechanism is again in the initial position “Anti-theft device off” and “unlocked”, as already described with reference to the Fig. 1 was described.

[0039] This means that the anti-theft output element 4 can be actuated, at least in the "anti-theft device on" position, by means of the locking motor 1a via the mechanically coupled locking output element 2 to assume the "anti-theft device off" position. Alternatively or additionally, a corresponding actuation of the anti-theft output element 2 using the anti-theft device motor 3a is possible and conceivable. Likewise, both output elements 2, 4 can be mechanically actuated as described.

[0040] In the example, the respective position assumed by the individual output elements 2, 4 may correspond to a clutch lever of the inner operating lever chain or outer operating lever chain, which is mechanically connected to the respective gear disc segment 2, 4, or even a common central clutch lever assuming the previously described "engaged" or "disengaged" positions. Typically, the "engaged" position of the clutch lever in question corresponds to the operating lever mechanism being active and thus corresponds to the "unlocked" or "anti-theft device off" position. In contrast, the "disengaged" position of the clutch lever in question generally corresponds to the locking unit 1 being in its "locked" position or the anti-theft device unit 3 being in its "anti-theft device on" position.

Claims

[1] Motor vehicle door lock, with a locking unit (1) with a locking output element (2), and with an anti-theft device unit (3) with an anti-theft device output element (4), wherein both output elements (2, 4) are designed to be movable relative to one another with respect to a common reference element (5), wherein the locking output element (2) and the anti-theft device output element (4) are designed to be selectively mechanically coupled / decoupled with one another to assume predetermined functional states of a lever mechanism, wherein the locking output element (2) and the anti-theft device output element (4) are designed as pivot segments (2, 4) adjustable with respect to a common axis of rotation (5) as a reference element (5), wherein the pivot segments (2, 4) are each designed as circular disk segments (2, 4) which describe a common circular area,wherein a locking motor (1a) interacts with the locking output element (2) and an anti-theft motor (3a) interacts with the anti-theft output element (4). [2] Motor vehicle door lock according to claim 1, characterized by that the locking output element (2) and the anti-theft output element (4) correspond to differently sized swivel segments (2, 4) and in particular circular disc segments (2, 4). [3] Motor vehicle door lock according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that the two circular disc segments (2, 4) are each designed as gear circular disc segments (2, 4). [4] Motor vehicle door lock according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by that the anti-theft output element (4) is larger than the locking output element (2). [5] Motor vehicle door lock according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized bythat the anti-theft protection output element (4) in the “anti-theft protection on” position at least partially overlaps with an actuating path of the locking output element (2). [6] Motor vehicle door lock according to claim 5, characterized by that the anti-theft protection output element (4) in the "anti-theft protection on" position can be actuated by means of the locking motor (1a) via the mechanically coupled locking output element (2) and / or by means of the anti-theft protection motor (3a) to assume the "anti-theft protection off" position. [7] Motor vehicle door lock according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized by that the locking output element (2) and the anti-theft protection output element (4) can be mechanically actuated independently of the respective motor (1a, 3a), for example by means of a locking cylinder, an actuating lever, in particular an internal actuating lever or a switching nut.

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