LOCKING SYSTEM FOR A LOCKING PLATE

Abstract

Actuating system for facilitating the opening and closing of a vehicle's locking flap, wherein the actuating system comprises one or more mechanisms of a locking mechanism, a release mechanism, a pull-in mechanism, an offset opening spring and a maintenance release mechanism.

Description

AREA

[0001] This disclosure relates to locking systems for a closure plate. BACKGROUND

[0002] Some vehicles are equipped with a closure panel, such as a tailgate, that moves between an open position (position 2) and a closed position (position 1) using an electrically operated lift or opening system. Disadvantages of current systems include bulky form factors that take up valuable vehicle cargo space, such as along the vertical supports that limit the opening and access to a rear tailgate or what is commonly referred to as a frunk (a storage area accessible through the front hood of a battery-powered vehicle).

[0003] With current technology, closing a frunk can result in a significant pop-up that must be overcome to close it. Even with frunks, gaskets are needed to seal the frunk, so the presence of these gaskets adds additional spring force that the suit motor has to fight against. Furthermore, it's known that the forces exerted by the motor can increase exponentially the more you compress the gasket and spring combination.

[0004] In addition, modern closures have tolerances on the overtravel, meaning the ratchet is guided over the travel during the locking process to compensate for wear and tolerances that could result in the ratchet not locking properly beyond the main position of the closure, as the closure would not be securely closed in this case.

[0005] Furthermore, when adding a tightening latch to a frunk, which inherently has a larger spring and additional seal loads, the overtravel process now undesirably requires a larger motor and / or more gear reductions. However, more gear reductions have the disadvantage of slowing down the latch's operation, especially if the motor is used for both unlocking and reducing the opening speed. Larger motors are also more expensive and require a larger package. SUMMARY

[0006] It is an object of the present invention to provide an actuation system that avoids or mitigates at least one of the above-mentioned disadvantages.

[0007] One aspect is a locking system for facilitating the opening and closing of a closure panel of a vehicle, the actuation system comprising: a locking mechanism, a tightening mechanism, and an anti-pop feature that limits the overtravel of the locking mechanism to enable a controlled release of stored pop-up energy.

[0008] Another aspect is a locking system for facilitating the opening and closing of a closure panel of a vehicle, the actuation system comprising: a locking mechanism, a tightening mechanism using a first gear ratio, and a release mechanism using a second gear ratio, wherein the first gear ratio is higher than the second gear ratio to achieve a different operating speed between a release operation and a locking operation.

[0009] Another aspect is a locking system for facilitating the opening and closing of a closure panel of a vehicle, the actuation system comprising: a locking mechanism, a tightening mechanism, and a coil spring coupled to the tightening mechanism to provide a first moment arm and a second moment arm, the first moment arm being different from the second moment arm to reduce the engagement effort of the locking mechanism while increasing the load capacity of the tightening mechanism.

[0010] Another aspect is a locking system for facilitating the opening and closing of a closure panel of a vehicle, the actuation system comprising: a locking mechanism, a release mechanism, and a service release mechanism coupled to the release mechanism, the service release mechanism configured to operate in multiple locking positions regardless of whether one or more locking components are outside their respective home positions.

[0011] Another aspect is a locking system for facilitating the opening and closing of a closure panel of a vehicle, the actuation system comprising: a locking mechanism having a ratchet, the ratchet being movable between an overrun position, a locked position, and a released position, a tightening mechanism capable of moving the ratchet to the overrun position, the overrun position being variable.

[0012] Another aspect is a locking system for facilitating the opening and closing of a closure panel of a vehicle, the actuation system comprising: a ratchet, the ratchet being movable between a locking overrun position, a release overrun position, a locked position, and a released position, a pawl movable between a ratchet hold position and a ratchet release position, and a motor adapted to move the ratchet to the locking overrun position during a locking mode and adapted to move the pawl from the ratchet hold position to the ratchet release position and move the ratchet to the release overrun position during a release mode, wherein the release overrun position is smaller than the locking overrun position.

[0013] Another aspect is a locking system for facilitating the opening and closing of a closure panel of a vehicle, the actuation system comprising: a ratchet adapted to engage a striker, the ratchet having a released position, a locked position, and a coasting position, a pawl adapted to hold the ratchet in the locked position or to release the ratchet from the locked position, and an actuator adapted to rotate the ratchet to the coasting position, the actuator causing the rotational profile of the ratchet during a locked mode to be different than the rotational profile of the ratchet during a force release mode.

[0014] Other aspects, including methods of operation, and other embodiments of the above aspects will become apparent from the following description and drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Reference is made to the attached figures for illustrative purposes only, in which: Fig. 1 is a side view of a vehicle with one or more closure plates, Fig. 2 is a front view of a vehicle with one or more closure flaps showing a locking mechanism, Fig. 3 is a side view of a vehicle with one or more closure plates with seals, Fig. 4 shows an embodiment of a locking system of the vehicle from Fig. 1, Fig. 5a is a view of the locking system of Fig. 4 in a secondary position, Fig. 5b is a view of the locking system of Fig. 4 in a main position, Fig. Figure 6 shows an embodiment of a locking system of the vehicle of Fig. 1, Fig. Figure 7 shows an alternative embodiment of the locking system of Fig. 4, The Fig. 8-12 show the functional steps of a locking mechanism of the locking system of Fig. 4, Fig. 13 shows an embodiment of a tightening cam of the tightening mechanism of Fig. 4, Fig. 14 shows the functional steps of the locking mechanism of the locking system of Fig. 4, Fig. 15 shows an embodiment of the tightening cam of Fig. 13, Fig. 16 shows the functional steps of the locking mechanism and the release mechanism of the locking system of Fig. 4, Fig. 17 shows the functional steps of the locking mechanism and the release mechanism of the locking system of Fig. 4, The Fig. 18-19 show an embodiment of the locking system of the vehicle of Fig. 1 with a release mechanism, The Fig. 20-27 show the functional steps of the release mechanism of the locking system of the Fig. 18-19, Fig. Figure 28 shows an embodiment of the locking system of the vehicle of Fig. 1 with a service lever release mechanism, and Fig. 29-31, 32a,b, 33 show the functional steps of the unlocking mechanism for the operating lever of the locking system of Fig. 28. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0016] The Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 show a locking system 9 for a closure panel 13 (e.g., enclosing a storage compartment or frunk 20). In one of the embodiments shown, a hinge 12 of the closure panel 13 is attached to a body 10 of a vehicle 11, while a lock 16 is attached to the body 10 and a corresponding locking component 14 (see Fig. 4) is attached to the closure panel 13 (e.g., a hood). In an alternative embodiment, the latch 16 can be attached to the closure panel 13 of the vehicle 11, while the mating locking component 14 can be attached to the body 10. The closure panel 13 preferably has seals 13a (e.g., made of resilient foam, rubber, etc.) between the closure panel 13 and the body 10 of the vehicle 11.

[0017] The vehicle 11 may have one or more control elements (e.g., buttons, switches, proximity sensors of a mechanical handle, etc.) 5 for controlling an actuator 16a of the locking system 9, as described further below. The control elements 5 may also be connected to a control unit or a control system 5a, e.g., as a central control unit, e.g., a Body Control Module ("BCM"), or as a decentralized control unit, e.g., a Latch Control Module ("LCM"). The control(s) 5 may be connected to the actuator 16a (e.g., linear, rotary, etc.) of the actuator system 9 via a corresponding connection 21 (e.g., Bowden cable, electrical signal cable, and / or wireless connection—e.g., in conjunction with an appropriately configured radio transmitter such as a FOB). Furthermore, the vehicle 11 has a front end 1 and a rear end 2.

[0018] As in Fig. 2, the closure panel 13 can be used to cover an interior space (e.g., a storage space) 20 of the vehicle 11, and can therefore be used as such to allow controlled closure and access to the space 20 (e.g., containing luggage 20a), which is facilitated by the locking system 9. As described further below, the operation of the closure flap 13 can be varied between a partially open position (see closure flap 13 in the embodiment identified by reference number 13b in Fig. 3) and a closed position (see Fig. 1) by an actuating mechanism 16a of the locking system 9. The partially open position 13b may comprise a tilted position in which the hood has been raised by a spring-seal combination, or a secondary locking position in which the hood is engaged in the secondary locking position of the locking system 9. It is also recognized that the opening and closing of the closure plate 13 may be performed manually by a user of the vehicle 11. It is known that in the closed position, the lock 16 may cause the corresponding striker 14 and the associated ratchet 40 to lock the closure plate 13 in the closed position (see Fig. 1, Fig. 10).

[0019] In view of the above, the locking system 9 may advantageously be used in conjunction with vehicle closures 13 to enable the opening and closing of the closures 13 of vehicles 11. Other applications of the locking system 9, generally for closure panels 13 both in and out of vehicle applications, include advantageously assisting in optimizing the overall holding and hand force for operation of the closure panel 13. It will also be appreciated that the locking system 9 illustrated below may advantageously be used as a sole means of assisting in the opening and closing of closure panels 13, or advantageously in combination (e.g., in tandem) with other biasing elements for closure panels 13 (e.g., spring-loaded hinges, biasing struts, etc., not illustrated).In particular, the locking system 9 can be used to generate or otherwise assist a holding force (or torque) for the closure plate 13.

[0020] In the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, the vehicle 11 is shown, the body 10 of which has one or more closure panels 13. In vehicles 11, the closure panel 13 may be referred to as a partition or door, typically hinged, but sometimes also mounted with other mechanisms, such as rails, in front of an opening used for entry and exit of the interior of the vehicle 11 by persons and / or cargo (e.g., luggage). It is also recognized that in some applications, the closure panel 13 could be used as an access panel for vehicle systems 11, such as engine compartments, and also for traditional trunks of motor vehicles 11. The Fig. The closure panel 13 shown in Figure 1 is depicted as an access panel for a frunk or storage compartment 20 when the vehicle 11 is equipped with an electric drivetrain or with an internal combustion engine located elsewhere on the vehicle 11, e.g., at the rear. Compared to conventional engine compartments located at the front of the vehicle and not requiring seals to prevent weather elements such as rain, dirt, and snow from entering the engine compartment, the frunk or storage compartment 20 must be sealed to ensure that the items stored therein (e.g., luggage, groceries) are protected from the elements.

[0021] The closure panel 13 can be opened to allow access to the compartment 20 or closed to secure or otherwise restrict access to the compartment 20. For example, hoods, trunks (e.g., the front frunk), engine hoods, and tailgates can be referred to as closure covers 13. It is also recognized that there may be one or more intermediate positions of the closure panel 13 between a fully open position and a fully closed position, provided at least in part by the actuator 16a. For example, the actuator 16 can assist in moving the closure panel 13 away from one or more intermediate hold positions, also known as Third Position Hold(s) (TPHs) or Stop-N-Hold(s), once positioned therein, as the actuator 16a acts on the respective latch 16, as described further below.

[0022] In Fig. 4, one embodiment of the locking system 9 is shown. For example, the lock 16 of the locking system 9 may include a ratchet 40 and a primary pawl 42 such that the primary pawl 42 holds the ratchet 40 in a locked position (i.e., it holds the corresponding locking member 14 in a slot 17 of the ratchet 40). The ratchet 40 pivots about a ratchet pivot axis 41 and the pawl 42 pivots, for example, about a pawl pivot axis 43, when the lock 16 is actuated between the locked position and an unlocked position (i.e., when the mating locking component 14 can exit the slot 17). The ratchet 40 and the pawl 42 are attached to a locking frame 46 (e.g., by pins not shown), which is shown by way of example in a dashed view.It is known that the locking system 9 is attached to the closure plate 13 or the vehicle body 10 via the locking frame 46. For example, it is known that movement of the pawl 42 about the pawl pin 43 causes the pawl 42 to disengage from the ratchet 40, thus allowing the ratchet 40 to pivot about the ratchet pin 41, allowing the corresponding locking component 14 to exit the slot 17. Similarly, restricting the movement of the pawl 42 about the pawl pin 43 (e.g., by a pawl biasing member such as a torsion spring known in the art) causes the pawl 42 to remain engaged with the ratchet 40, thus preventing the ratchet 40 from rotating about the ratchet pin 41 and thus maintaining the position of the mating locking component 14 within the slot 17 and the closure plate 13 in a closed position.

[0023] As in Fig. 4, the locking system 9 also includes a tightening mechanism 7 comprising a tightening cam 50, a lifting lever 52, and a locking pawl 54. The movement of the pawl 54 is guided by a pawl guide rivet 56. During operation (controlled by the actuator 16a), a cam surface 58 of the tightening cam 50 slides along a lifting lever roller 60 attached to the lifting lever 52. As described further below, the tightening cam 50 is used to control the position of the lifting lever 52, which rotates about the lever axis 51 (which may, for example, be the same as that of the ratchet 40). Advantageously, the use of the tightening cam 50 allows the actuator 16a to control the unfolding speed of the latch 16 and hence of the closure plate 13.With this additional flexibility, the presence of the tightening cam 50 (coupled to the lift lever 52 via the lift lever roller 60) ensures that the tightening pawl 54 has a pair of engagement positions, as described below, the first engagement position being used during the tightening operation of the tightening mechanism 7 and the second engagement position being used during the release of the locking mechanism 16. An advantage of the two engagement positions is that a reduction in the over-travel (compared to prior art tightening systems without the pair of engagement positions) of the tightening mechanism 7 can be facilitated to ensure a desired anti-pop function of the locking system 9. As described below, a pop-up spring 39 (e.g.A resilient element (e.g., a torsion spring) provides an offset center point to the rotational axis 51 of the lifting lever, creating a maximum moment arm in the pop-up position and a smaller (compared to the maximum) moment arm in the primary position. Although the spring force of spring 39 increases as the lock 16 approaches the primary position (e.g., the locked position), the decreasing moment arm provides a flatter load curve. Thus, the configuration of the pop-up spring 39 provides a flatter load curve, which helps reduce the engagement effort of the tightening mechanism 7 and thus improves the tightening load capability.

[0024] In Fig. 5a, the lock 16 is shown in the raised (e.g. secondary) state, i.e. the corresponding locking component 14 is still held by a hook 15 of the ratchet 40, and the engagement of the secondary pawl 54b prevents the ratchet 40 from rotating towards the fully open position by engaging the secondary pawl 54b in the secondary notch 40b of the ratchet 40 - see Fig. 19. In Fig. 5b, the lock 16 is shown in the primary (e.g., locked) state, such that the corresponding locking component 14 is held by the slot 17 of the ratchet 40 and rotation of the ratchet 40 is prevented by the primary pawl 42 in engagement with the ratchet 40. As in Fig. 5a, the spring 39 is designed as a torsion spring, the center point C of which is offset from the pivot point of the lifting lever 51. This construction has a maximum moment arm MA1 in the spring-up position (see Fig. 5a) and a smaller moment arm MA2 in the primary position (see Fig. 5b). Even though the spring force F1 increases to the spring force F2 as the lock 16 approaches the primary position (from the secondary position), the decreasing moment arm MA1 to the moment arm MA2 results in a flatter load curve of the spring 39. It is known that the resulting lifting lever moments M1, M2 are as shown. As the tightening lever 52 moves from the secondary to the primary position of the lock 16, the force F1, F2 of the set-up spring increases, but the moment arm MA1, MA2 also decreases. As a result, the net moment on the lifting arm 52 follows a much flatter curve and does not increase significantly due to the movement of the lifting arm 52 about the pivot point 51.

[0025] For the actuation of the tightening mechanism 7 in applications in the frunk 20, a tightening overtravel is provided to ensure that the pawl 42 engages the pawl 40 of the lock 16 in view of the additional resistance that occurs for the sealing loads and the pop-up spring 39. For example, in a system without a pop-up spring or sealing loads, the conventional tightening overtravel during the release of the overtravel can follow the same profile as during the tightening process, since the same control cam surface acts at the same stop position, see Fig. 6, which shows the close cycle with symmetrical close / anti-pop-off control. When applied to a system that, for example, has a pop-up spring and seal loads, the large pop-up spring and seal loads must be overcome during the large overtravel on both clamping and release. As the overtravel increases, the spring forces increase rapidly, requiring a larger motor and / or additional torque multiplying / speed reduction components to achieve the overtravel position. For this close strategy to work, the closer is latched in an overtravel position. The overtravel can be large enough to accommodate the manufacturing tolerances of all components and to compensate for any wear or travel loss over the life of the closure.As already mentioned, insufficient overtravel would result in the lock not consistently reaching the primary position. Shown is the striker height SH in relation to the actuator rotation AR. Shown are the primary position Pp, the spring-up position Pup, the overtravel range OR, and the amount of overtravel OT. Also shown are the release point RP (during the release cycle), the release curve RC, and the tightening curve CC.

[0026] In view of the above, Fig. 7 the functioning of the locking system 9 (see Fig. 4) using the current configuration with a CC tightening cycle with asymmetric tightening / anti-pop-off control. In Fig. Figure 7 shows the closing height SH as a function of the cam rotation AR for both the tightening operation CC and the release operation RC. The curves particularly show an overtravel range OR, which is reduced during the release overtravel by the extension of the tightening pawl 54 acting on the ratchet 40 (see Fig. 8, Fig. 9, Fig. 10, Fig. 11, Fig. 12). As a result, the spring and seal do not need to be compressed as much, reducing the power / load on the motor 16a during the release cycle. Since the release cycle RC represents half of the operating life of the motor 16a, reducing the output power required for the tripping process can reduce motor wear and thus increase the reliability and durability of the motor 16a during the pull-in cycle. Alternatively, the size / power of the motor 16a can be reduced. Or, an additional seal load can be introduced into the system, since the reduced overtravel does not compress the larger seal load to a point where resistance rapidly increases. Fig. 7 is also a hump area HR due to a notch 70 (see Fig. 13) in the tightening cam surface 58 (of the cam surface area CSR) to facilitate the seating of the roller 60 (as in Fig. 12) so that the suit extension 55 can move into its position.

[0027] In Fig. 7 also shows a cam surface area CSR, so that the pawl 42 engages the ratchet 40 during a tightening overtravel. Thus, the tightening overtravel during the release cycle RC does not follow the same profile as during the tightening cycle CC, since the different control cam surfaces act on the same position of the closer 14 depending on the tightening or release mode. Also shown is a variable tightening end position EP, which depends on the detected engagement of the pawl 42 in the ratchet 40, as well as a reference travel mode HG.

[0028] For this locking strategy to work, the striker 14 does not need to be excessively over-torqued either during the locking operation or throughout the service life of the closure 9. However, the actuator 16a may be further actuated to accommodate tolerances and wear and to ensure that the locking mechanism 16 engages the primary position when necessary, e.g., when the pawl 42 fails to engage the ratchet 40 due to insufficient over-travel. Furthermore, a smaller and lesser amount of over-travel may be introduced during the release cycle to relieve stress on the lift spring 39 and the seal at the release point. It should be noted that insufficient over-travel during the release cycle will not prevent the locking mechanism 16 from reaching the primary position, whereas insufficient over-travel during the locking cycle will prevent the locking mechanism 16 from reaching a primary locking state.

[0029] In Fig. Figure 8 illustrates the beginning of the locking cycle, with the locking mechanism 16 in the secondary position, with the striker 14 resting on the lift lever 52. The striker 14 may have been moved to the secondary position by gravity, by a user moving the locking plate 13 to the primary locking position, or by movement of the locking plate 13 by means of an actuator. In the first step, represented by the arrow labeled 1, the actuator 16a (symbolically shown) rotates the tightening cam 50, which contacts the lift lever roller 60 at point A. In the second step, represented by the arrow labeled 2, the lift lever 52 rotates, thus compressing the set-up spring 39 (the lever 52 is coupled to the spring 39 via the coupling point 37).In the third step, represented by the arrow labeled 3, the weight of the locking plate 13 ensures that the closer 14 and the ratchet 40 follow the movement of the lifting lever 52. Due to the contact between the pawl 54 and the pawl guide rivet (e.g., stop) 56 at point B, the pawl 54 does not engage the ratchet 40 during this initial phase of the locking cycle. As shown in . Fig. 8, this part of the closing process (see Fig. 7) is referred to as soft closing because the closure plate 13 does not pose an excessive risk of entrapment, as the closure plate 13 moves toward the closed position under the action of the weight of the closure plate 13 without the locking mechanism 16 forcibly closing the closure plate 13. For example, the lift lever 52 may be retracted to allow the closure plate 13 to move to the closed position without the locking lever 52 being driven to cause closing rotation of the ratchet 40.

[0030] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 9, in the first stage, indicated by the arrow labeled 1a, the actuator 16a further rotates the tightening cam 50, which contacts the lift lever roller 60 at point Aa. In the second stage, indicated by the arrow labeled 2a, the lift lever 52 rotates and compresses the set-up spring 39. In the third stage, indicated by the arrow labeled 3a, as the pawl 54 moves past the pawl guide 56 at point Ba, a step 54a of the pawl extension 55 rotates into engagement with the ratchet 40 at point Ca, it being noted that the pawl extension 55 moves together with the main body of the pawl 54. In the fourth stage, as the lift lever 52 further rotates, the pawl 54 exerts a force 4a, indicated by the arrow labeled 4a. In addition, the ratchet 40 exerts a locking force 5a (see arrow marked 5a) on the closer 14.This part of the locking cycle (see . Fig. 7) can be described as a hard lock because the actuator 16a is able to exert a force directly on the closer 14 via the ratchet 40 (via the engagement of the locking pawl 54 with the ratchet 40, as shown).

[0031] In Fig. 10 the suit cycle (see Fig. 7) from the Fig. 9. As the ratchet 40 approaches the primary position, the lift lever 52 and the ratchet 40 may temporarily move in a direction opposite to the locking direction due to the notch 70 (e.g., a depression) in the cam surface 58 at point V. It is recognized that this change in the direction of movement of the ratchet 40 / lift lever 52 is optional for the latching function, but may be advantageous for the subsequent release cycle operation when the cam 50 is to operate with less than approximately 270 degrees of rotation, as shown, for example. In an alternative configuration allowing for greater rotation of the cam 50, the notch 70 may be omitted or relocated to a different profile of the cam 50 that is not used during the tightening cycle but only during the release cycle. (See Fig. 7), as described below, with an anti-bouncing function.

[0032] As in Fig. 11, in the first step, indicated by the arrow labeled 1b, the actuator 16a further rotates the tightening cam 50, which in turn contacts the lifting lever roller 60 at point Ab. In the second step, indicated by the arrow labeled 2b, the lifting lever 52 rotates and compresses the setting spring 39. In the third step, as the lifting lever 52 continues to rotate, the pawl 54 exerts a force 3b, which acts directly on the ratchet 40 by the arrow labeled 3b. Similarly, in the fourth step, the ratchet 40 exerts a clamping force 4b (see arrow labeled 4b) directly on the closer 14. In the fifth step, indicated by the arrow labeled 5b, the main pawl 42 rotates into main engagement with the ratchet 40. This part of the tightening cycle (see Fig. 7) can also be referred to as a hard pull, since the actuator 16a is capable of exerting a force directly on the closer 14 via the ratchet 40 (via the engagement of the pull-in pawl 54 with the ratchet 40, as shown). It is known that the overtravel rotation range OTR is not utilized for pull-in operation during overtravel release, so the motor is preferably under reduced load during overtravel release.

[0033] In Fig. 12 is the end of the suit cycle (see Fig. 7) is summarized, i.e. the locking mechanism 16 is in the home position and the actuator 16a returns to its initial position. In the first step, indicated by the arrow marked 1c, the actuator 16a reverses its rotation and the tightening cam 50 rotates towards the initial position. In the second step, indicated by the arrow marked 2c, the lift lever 52 rotates due to the force exerted by the upright spring 39 at the coupling point 37. In the third step, indicated by the arrow marked 3c, the ratchet 40 rotates until it rests on the primary pawl 42 (e.g., the engagement stop / tooth 43). In the fourth step, indicated by the arrow marked 4c, the lift lever 52 rotates further until the closer 14 is held by the ratchet 40 and thus engages.In the fifth step, indicated by the arrow marked 5c, the pawl 54 can rotate further and engage the ratchet 40 to prepare for the subsequent release cycle (see . Fig. 7). At point Ac, it can be seen that an adjacent surface of the pawl extension 54a now has a gap with the adjacent outer surface of the ratchet 40. In this way, the addition of the additional length can compensate for the tightening cam 50 no longer being rotated past the tightening overtravel range OTR during the release cycle, which helps the actuator 15a (e.g., the motor) compress the spring 39 and seal loads less than during tightening operation. This allows the actuator 16a to be relieved of the support of the spring 39 and seal loads since the pawl 42 now directly supports the load. Also shown is a fixed return / loss travel range BOTR that occurs upon disengagement from the notch.

[0034] Referring to Fig. 13 illustrates an example of a tightening cam 50 having the cam surface 58 with the notch 70 such that the cam surface 58 can be divided into a primary detent surface 58a and a secondary detent surface 58b such that the primary detent surface 58a and the secondary detent surface 58b are divided by the notch 70. For example, the maximum overtravel position of the ratchet 40 can be determined by the secondary cam surface when the motor actuator 16a is stopped to engage the primary pawl 42 with the ratchet 40. The actuator 16a can be variably advanced further to allow additional overtravel and engagement of the primary pawl 42 to compensate for any wear and change in the tolerances of the locking mechanism 16 itself.For example, the actuator 16a may be advanced to engage the cam profile 58b with the roller 60 along path 59b during the first 85% of the intended life of the latch 16, causing normal overtravel of the ratchet 40. The actuator 16a may be further advanced by following path 59c to engage the profile 58c with the roller 60 if it is determined that the pawl 42 has not engaged the ratchet 40 during 85% to 90% of the stroke of the latch 16. Similarly, if the pawl 42 is not detected as engaging the ratchet 40 during 90% to 95% of the life of the latch 16, the actuator 16a may be advanced along path 59d to engage the progressively rising profile 58c with the roller 60.Likewise, the actuator 16a may be further advanced along path 59e to engage the profile 58c with the roller 60 if it is determined that the pawl 42 is not engaged with the ratchet 40 for 95% to 110% of the life of the latch 16. Accordingly, variable pawl overtravel may be provided, which in one possible configuration may occur in response to determining that the primary pawl 42 has been moved into a locking position with the ratchet 40. In another possible configuration, the actuator 16a may be further advanced based on the life stage of the latch 40, for example, based on a predetermined overtravel position correlated with time or cycle count. Thus, the final overtravel positions of the ratchet 40 may be varied accordingly, e.g., increased.It is recognized that the final overtravel may also be reduced accordingly, depending on tolerances of the locking components, or tolerances in the pop-up spring, or tolerances in the closure seals, or variations due to temperature, as non-limiting examples. Any additional overtravel or safety margin that would require exponentially increasing compression of the spring 39 and seal loads can be prevented in the configuration of the locking mechanism 16, thus maximizing the performance of the motor and gearbox 80 (see ). Fig. 18, Fig. 19). Also shown is a reversal region RR, in which the actuating element 16a is reversed after detecting the engagement of the pawl 42 until it reaches the notch 70 in the starting position. The notch 70 allows the pawl lever 52 to disengage from the ratchet 40 while the ratchet 40 is held by the pawl 42 so that the extension element 54a can rotate into position with the ratchet 40. Fig. Figure 14 shows an exemplary operating diagram of the operating direction 72 of the actuating element 16a for the tightening operation of the exemplary tightening cam 50 of Fig. 13. Shown are, for example, the positions for the pull-in start Cs, the variable overtravel range OTz, the position PPE (in which the motor is reversed) in which the engagement of the main pawl is detected, and the position MSH in which the motor is stopped.

[0035] In Fig. 15 shows the tightening cam 50 with the cam surface 58 used for the release cycle (see Fig. 7). In addition, the presence of a ramp 74 outside the cam recess 70 can provide overtravel prior to release. The release overtravel does not begin at the end of the (secondary) tightening surface 58b, which is variable and can allow for less overtravel of the ratchet 40 (beneficially requiring less motor power to compress the spring 39 and seal loads). In this way, the release overtravel can be constant throughout the life of the locking mechanism 16, while the roller 60 can be advanced further over the secondary tightening surface 58a as needed to allow sufficient overtravel to engage the primary pawl 42. With this arrangement, less torque is used, allowing the actuator 16a to move the ratchet 40 to the overtravel position more quickly, since the roller 60 does not have to roll over the pawl surface 58 beyond the notch 70.It is further recognized that the profile of the primary tightening surface 58a of the tightening cam 58 can be used to control the speed of the pop-up ratchet 40 after release of the pawl 42.

[0036] Fig. 16 shows an exemplary functional diagram of the actuation direction 72 of the actuator 16a for the tightening operation of the exemplary tightening curve 50 from Fig. 15 and a speed control / anti-jumping area 74. Examples shown are a jump control end PupE, a fixed overrun area FOTz and the position in which the engine is started from the home position MSH.

[0037] Fig. Figure 17 shows an example of the rotation 76 of the actuator 16a during the release cycle, starting from the primary home position, where two different home positions H1 (primary home position) and H2 (jump-up home position) can be seen before complete release. During a primary release process PRO, the rotation begins in a first home position H1 and ends in a second home position H2, in which only the primary pawl has been released. During the rotation from the first home position H1 to the second home position H2, the actuator 16a reverses its direction of rotation (see R) and is stopped in the second home position H2. From the second home position H2, the actuator 16a is rotated again counterclockwise (see Fig. 17) to perform a secondary release operation SRO before returning to the second home position H2.

[0038] In other words, the primary and secondary release operations will not be completed without either stopping the actuator 16a or reversing the direction of the actuator 16a. These two separate control operations ensure that a single motor function does not inadvertently trigger a secondary release if the motor is not stopped before triggering a secondary release. In the figure, the cam 50 is rotated more than 270 degrees to perform the pull-in, overrun, and pop-up speed reduction functions, but other ranges are possible depending on the seal load and system kinematics.

[0039] Since the overtravel for the tripping operation accounts for 50% of the usage of the motor 16a, the overall wear and stress on the motor can be reduced, increasing its service life and durability. Alternatively, a smaller, less expensive motor 16a capable of handling the tightening overtravel for the other 50% of the usage of the motor 16a can be selected. Alternatively, a smaller torque reduction may be required to increase the speed of the engagement and tripping function. Each of the above considerations can be weighed accordingly. Also shown as an example is a snow load release position SD. Also shown in the diagram is an area MS where the motor stops and reverses before the second release to prevent continuous release of the pawl (1st and 2nd releases) in the same motor direction.

[0040] In Fig. 18 shows the front of a release mechanism 5 of the locking system 9. Fig. Figure 19 shows the rear of the release mechanism 5. The locking cam 50 is connected to and driven by a 3rd stage gear 82, and a release cam 84 is connected to and driven by a 2nd stage gear 86. This example configuration of the gear train 80 can be used to determine the load and speed requirements during individual cycles (e.g., tightening and releasing cycle operations of Fig. 7) to better coordinate with each other. To facilitate this, the gear train 80 may include a timing gear 88 that controls the position of the release levers 90 so that triggering is only possible in certain positions of the actuator 16a. The configuration of the gear train 80 may also include an actuator memory lever 92 that can prevent the locking mechanism 16 from fully opening from both the primary and secondary positions in a single actuation, thus helping to maintain the safety aspects of the double-pull release mechanism 5.

[0041] Fig. Figure 20 shows the beginning of the primary unlocking cycle, with the locking mechanism 16 in the first position. In the first step, represented by the arrow labeled 1d, the actuator 16a rotates the second-stage gear 86 so that a pin at point Pd (attached to the second-stage gear 86) approaches the actuator release levers 90. The actuator release levers 90 are held in position by a cam profile on a timing gear cam 94 (see Fig. 19). In the second step, indicated by the arrow labeled 2d, the actuator 16a rotates the tightening cam 50 (connected to the third-stage gear 82), which contacts the lift lever roller 60 at point Ad. In the third step, indicated by the arrow labeled 3d, the lift lever 52 rotates to the overtravel position due to the shape of the tightening cam 50, thereby removing the load of the pop-up spring 39 from the closer 14. Also shown are the tightening overtravel region OTR and the trip reset region BOTR, creating a region for reducing the pop-up speed.

[0042] As can be seen from the Fig. 21 and Fig. 22, the primary release cycle continues. In the first step, represented by the arrow labeled 1e, the tightening cam 50 defines the position of the lift lever 52 through the profile of the cam surface 58 while the actuator 16a continues to rotate. In the second step, represented by the arrow labeled 2e, the lift lever 52 rotates slightly to the overtravel position. In the third step, represented by the arrow labeled 3e, the longer engagement step 54a of the pawl 54 contacts the ratchet at point Be. In the fourth step, represented by the arrow labeled 4e, the ratchet 40 rotates slightly to the overtravel position to remove a sealing / contact load from the interface between the ratchet 40 and the primary pawl 42.It should be noted that the sealing load between the ratchet 40 and the primary pawl 42 is absorbed by the actuator 16a before the primary pawl 42 is released. The overtravel for release occurs when the roller 60 is extended out of the notch 70. The roller 60 no longer travels beyond the tightening overtravel range during overtravel release. The less aggressive overtravel curve range (see . Fig. 13 and Fig. 15) is compensated by the extension 54a of the pawl 54. Because the roller 60 travels a shorter path along the cam surface 58 than during the tightening process, the unfolding (release cycle) of the closure flap 13 can occur more quickly than the corresponding tightening during the tightening cycle, which is advantageous when a user is waiting for the closure flap 13 to open. The travel of the lever 52 to reduce unfolding is then controlled by the position of the tightening cam 50. This described process can facilitate the desired function of preventing or otherwise reducing the typical popping noises of the closure plate 13 upon release from the contracted position.

[0043] In the fifth step, indicated by the arrow labeled 5e, the pin Pd on the second stage gear 86 rotates to engage the actuator release levers 90. In the sixth step, indicated by the arrow labeled 6e, the pin Pd presses on the actuator's internal release levers 90. In the seventh step, indicated by the arrow labeled 7e, the release levers 90 rotate the release cam 84, which in turn contacts the main pawl 42 at contact point Ce. In the eighth step, indicated by the arrow labeled 8e, the primary pawl 42 rotates out of engagement with the ratchet 40. In the ninth step, indicated by the arrow labeled 9e, the actuator memory lever 92 engages the release cam 84 and holds the primary pawl 42 in the open position.

[0044] As in Fig. 23, the primary release cycle continues. In the first step, indicated by the arrow labeled 1f, the tightening cam 50 continues to rotate to control the position of the lift lever 52. In the second step, indicated by the arrow labeled 2f, the lift lever 52 slowly rotates to move the closer 14 to the open position. In the third step, indicated by the arrow labeled 3f, the second stage gear 86 continues to rotate. In the fourth step, indicated by the arrow labeled 4f, the actuator release levers 90 move out of the path of the pin Pd based on the profile of the timing gear cam 94, thereby freewheeling the second stage gear 86 for a series (e.g., several) of revolutions.In the fifth stage, represented by the arrow marked 5f, the connecting lever 96 can rotate upwards and rest on the primary pawl 42 at point Df, while the ratchet 40 moves upwards with the buoyancy plane 52 and the striker 14.

[0045] As in Fig. 24, the primary release cycle continues. In the first step, indicated by the arrow labeled 1g, the second stage gear 86 continues to rotate, and the pin Pd bypasses the actuator release levers 90. In the second step, indicated by the arrow labeled 2g, the timing gear cam 94 (which is keyed to the timing gear 88) rotates and contacts the actuator memory lever 92 at point Eg. In the third step, indicated by the arrow labeled 3g, the actuator memory lever 92 rotates out of engagement with the release cam 84. In the fourth step, indicated by the arrow labeled 4g, the release cam 84 rotates out of engagement with the main pawl 42. In the fifth step, indicated by the arrow labeled 5g, the primary pawl 42 rotates to the engaged position.

[0046] As in Fig. 25, the primary release cycle continues. In the first step, indicated by the arrow with the reference number 1h, the actuator 16a reverses its direction and returns to the starting position. In the second step, indicated by the arrow with the reference number 2h, the connecting lever 96 engages the primary pawl 42 at point De and is now ready for a secondary release function of the Fig. 7. In this way, the actuator 16a is stopped to ensure that the continuous rotation of the actuator 16a engages the first pawl 42 and the second pawl 54b (see Fig. 19) does not release during a single actuation / rotation of the second stage gear 86. In other words, two separate rotations, e.g., in opposite directions, are required to fully release the lock 16, i.e., to release both the primary pawl 42 (via a first actuation direction) and the secondary pawl 54b (via a second, optionally opposite actuation direction) of the lock 16. In the Fig. 26 and Fig. Figure 27 illustrates an embodiment of the secondary release cycle. In the first step, indicated by the arrow labeled 1i, the second-stage gear 86 rotates and the pin Pd engages the actuator release levers 90. In the second step, indicated by the arrow labeled 2i, the pin Pd pushes on the actuator's internal release levers 90. In the third step, indicated by the arrow labeled 3i, the release levers 90 rotate the release cam 84, which in turn contacts the main pawl 42 at point Ci. In the fourth step, indicated by the arrow labeled 4i, the primary pawl 42 rotates to the open position. In the fifth step, indicated by the arrow labeled 5i, the primary pawl 42 pulls on the connecting lever 96.In the sixth step, indicated by the arrow marked 6i, the connecting lever 96 rotates the secondary pawl 54b out of engagement with the ratchet 40. In the seventh step, indicated by the arrow marked 7i, the memory lever 97 engages (see . Fig. 19) into the secondary latch 54b.

[0047] In view of the above, the locking cam 50 is driven via the third stage gear 82 and the release cam 84 via the second stage gear 86 to meet the load and speed requirements during the various Fig. 7. The configuration of the tightening mechanism 7 and the release mechanism 5 includes a timing gear 88 for controlling the position of the actuator release levers 90, so that release is only possible, i.e., limited, in selected / specific positions of the actuator. The configuration may also include an actuator memory lever 92 that prevents the locking mechanism 16 from fully opening from both the primary and secondary positions in a single actuation, thereby maintaining the safety aspects of a desired double pull and thus a two-stage (e.g., primary and secondary) release operation.

[0048] In the Fig. 28-29, a service release mechanism 3 is described. The service release mechanism 3 has a service release lever 100 for coupling to a primary pawl 42. Furthermore, the service release mechanism 3 utilizes the connecting lever 96 and a secondary pawl 102, as described below. The service release lever 100 interacts with both the primary pawl 42 and the connecting lever 96. Under normal conditions, the service release lever 100 acts directly on the main pawl 42. When the primary pawl 42 is preloaded, the connecting lever 96 is held in a position where it can be released directly with the service release lever 100. This also maintains the safety advantage of a double-pull locking system 9.

[0049] During a primary release with the service lever 100, the service lever 100 is rotated in the first step, indicated by the symbol 1j, thus transferring the load to the primary pawl 42 at contact point Aj. Thus, there is no substantial contact with the connecting lever 96 at point Bj and no movement of the secondary pawl 102. In the second step, indicated by the symbol 2j, the primary pawl 42 is thus rotated out of engagement with the ratchet 40. In the third step, indicated by the symbol 3j, the ratchet 40 can rotate upward into the secondary locking position.

[0050] Fig. 30 shows the locking mechanism 16 in the secondary position. Fig. 31 shows the operation of the secondary release of the locking mechanism 16 from the Fig. 30 using the service release mechanism 3. In a secondary release using the service lever 100, in the first step, indicated by the reference numeral 1k, the service lever 100 is rotated and the load is transferred to the primary pawl 42 at the contact point Aj, which may include possible simultaneous contact with the link lever 96 at point Bj. In the second step, indicated by the symbol 2k, the primary pawl 42 rotates and pulls the link lever 96. In the third step, indicated by the symbol 3k, the link lever 96 rotates the secondary pawl 102 out of engagement with the ratchet 40. In the fourth step, indicated by the mark 4k, the ratchet 40 is free to rotate to the open position, so that the locking mechanism 16 is considered unlocked / unlocked.

[0051] The Fig. 32aa, b, Fig.33 show the locking mechanism 16 in the secondary position, in which the main pawl 42 is in a preloaded state. In operation for a secondary release using the service lever 100, in which the primary pawl 42c is preloaded, in the first step, indicated by reference 1m, the service lever 100 is rotated and the load is transferred to the connecting lever 96 at contact point Bj. In the second step, indicated by the symbol 2m, the connecting lever 96 moves linearly until it rests on an abutment 42a of the primary pawl 42. In the third step, indicated by the character 3m, the connecting lever 96 rotates the secondary pawl 102 out of engagement with the ratchet 40. In the fourth step, indicated by the character 4m, the ratchet 40 can freely rotate to the open position, so that the locking mechanism 16 is considered unlocked / unlocked.

[0052] Therefore, the release lever acts on both the primary pawl and the connecting lever. Under normal conditions, the release lever acts directly on the primary pawl. When the primary pawl 42 is preloaded, the connecting lever is held in a position that allows it to be released directly with the release lever. This also contributes to maintaining the safety advantage of a double-pull locking mechanism 16.

[0053] In view of the above, the locking system 9 provides for a controlled release of the stored pop-up energy without requiring excessive tightening overtravel, recognizing that excessive and consistent / fixed tightening overtravel is the current industry norm. Furthermore, the locking overtravel is variable and may be a function of the engagement of the pawl 42 with the ratchet 40. Also, the overtravel during the release cycle is less than the overtravel during the locking cycle to reduce stress on the actuator during the deployment process. Furthermore, reducing the closing overtravel and the unclosing overtravel allows for the introduction of increased sealing load, improving the sealing of the closure plate, e.g., increased sealing for a frunk.In addition, the release mechanism 5 operates at a lower gear ratio than the tightening mechanism to optimize speed and prevent pop-up functions (unwanted tripping speed and / or noise). The release mechanism 5 also helps maintain the dual pull function of the locking mechanism 16 to prevent inadvertent full release of the locking mechanism 16 in a single-stage tripping operation. Furthermore, a service release strategy is used that operates in all positions of the locking mechanism 16, regardless of whether the actuator 16a and / or the pawl 42, 54, 54b are not in their respective home positions. Furthermore, the pop-up spring configuration 39 provides a flatter load curve to reduce engagement effort and maximize the tightening load capacity.

[0054] With regard to the various mechanisms 3, 5, 7, 16 of the locking system, various aspects are included as follows: 1) a locking system 9 with two different overtravel movements and / or overtravel positions for locking cycle operation compared to release cycle operation, 2) a locking system 9 with a variable overtravel position for a locking function and a fixed release overtravel for a release function, 3) a locking system 9 with a locking lever 52 with two positions (extension activated in the release overtravel to reduce the overtravel during release), 4) a locking system 9 with a non-symmetrical ratchet position control during the locking and release modes, and 5) a service release lever system 3 that moves both the primary pawl 42 and a connecting lever 96.

[0055] In view of the above, it is considered advantageous if the overtravel during tightening can be reduced, so that the locking system 9 can be configured with either a smaller motor / drive 16a, a lower gear reduction, or a higher seal load / larger pop-up spring. While one would not want a system that can have over-tightening to primary, this is a problem, as the pawl may undesirably fail to engage in the primary position under certain circumstances, e.g., this could happen over time due to wear. It is acknowledged that this may be less of a problem in the case of an overtravel during the release cycle, as the pawl 42 can always be forced to move, which simply results in a louder opening noise.However, if the latch lever 52 can no longer force the ratchet 40 into the primary position due to wear over time, the locking mechanism could become unusable. The described locking system 9 therefore has a variable locking range that increases over time, allowing the closure to still be locked even under wear conditions.

Claims

[1] Locking system (9) for facilitating the opening and closing of a closure flap (13) of a vehicle (11), the actuation system comprising: a locking mechanism (16) and a tightening mechanism (7). [2] A locking system according to claim 1, further comprising an anti-bounce function with a lever (52) for limiting the overtravel of the locking mechanism to enable a controlled release of the stored bounce energy. [3] Locking system according to one of claims 1 or 2, further comprising a cam for controlling the actuation of a lifting lever of the tightening mechanism, and / or further comprising: the tightening mechanism using a first gear ratio and a release mechanism (5) using a second gear ratio, wherein the first gear ratio is higher than the second gear ratio to obtain a different operating speed between a release operation and a tightening operation, and / or further comprising an actuator memory lever for preventing inadvertent release of the locking mechanism from both a primary and a secondary position. [4] The locking system of any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising: a pop-up spring (39) coupled to the tightening mechanism to provide a first moment arm and a second moment arm, the first moment arm being different from the second moment arm to reduce the engagement effort of the locking mechanism while increasing the load capacity of the tightening mechanism. [5] A locking system according to claim 4, wherein the center of the pop-up spring is located off the center of the pivot point of a lifting lever of the tightening mechanism. [6] A locking system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising: a release mechanism (5), and a maintenance release mechanism (3) coupled to the release mechanism, wherein the maintenance release mechanism is configured to operate in multiple locking positions regardless of whether one or more locking components are outside their respective home positions. [7] Locking system according to one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising: the locking mechanism with a ratchet, the ratchet being movable between an overrun position, a locked position and a released position, and the tightening mechanism that can move the ratchet into the overrun position, whereby the overrun position is variable. [8] Locking system according to one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising: a ratchet, the ratchet being movable between a locking overrun position, a release overrun position, a locked position and a released position, a pawl movable between a ratchet holding position and a ratchet release position, and a motor configured to move the ratchet to the locking overrun position during a locking mode, and configured to move the pawl from the ratchet holding position to the ratchet releasing position and move the ratchet to the releasing overrun position during a releasing mode, where the release overrun position is smaller than the tightening overrun position. [9] A locking system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising: a ratchet engageable with a closer, the ratchet having a released position, a locked position and a follow-on position, a pawl adapted to hold the ratchet in the locked position or to release the ratchet from the locked position, and an actuator adapted to rotate the ratchet to the overrun position, the actuator causing the rotational profile of the ratchet during a tightening mode to be different from the rotational profile of the ratchet during a force release mode. [10] Locking system according to one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the closure plate is intended for a frunk.

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