Hood lock - forced removal of the locking latch by the rotary latch during double lift

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a motor vehicle lock, in particular a motor vehicle hood lock, with a locking mechanism consisting of a rotary latch and at least one pawl, and with a release lever for the pawl, wherein the pawl is equipped with at least one first locking tooth and a second locking tooth, and wherein the rotary latch has at least one pre-lock and one main lock.

[0002] Motor vehicle locks, and in particular motor vehicle hood locks, are typically used to lock a motor vehicle hood or lid, for example, a motor vehicle hood or a motor vehicle tailgate. Of course, such motor vehicle locks are not limited to such applications. An example of such a motor vehicle lock is described in the applicant's DE 10 2014 201 808 A1.

[0003] In the case of motor vehicle hood locks, and especially motor vehicle bonnet locks, the respective motor vehicle lock is usually opened using an actuating device located inside the corresponding motor vehicle. This can, for example, operate manually via a rod or a Bowden cable on the release lever and ensure the unlocking or opening of the motor vehicle lock. The actuating device may be a handle or a loop for manual operation. However, a switch can also be used to electrically actuate the release lever.

[0004] Although motor vehicle hood locks can in principle be opened in this way, they are only opened a crack by spring force and for safety reasons. This is necessary to prevent the vehicle bonnet from swinging open completely in the event of, for example, incorrect operation of the operating device while the vehicle is moving. The complete opening of the vehicle hood from this cracked position is usually achieved with the help of a catch lever, which for this purpose must be swiveled by an operator while the associated vehicle is stationary so that the hood is ultimately released. In the open position of the locking mechanism, the catch lever engages around or over the locking bolt attached to the vehicle bonnet. For this purpose, the catch lever typically interacts with a locking bolt attached to the vehicle bonnet.

[0005] Such a catch lever and the associated mechanism are unnecessary if, when unlocking the motor vehicle lock in question, it is ensured or can be ensured that, for example, the pre-locking position of the locking mechanism is reliably assumed. The opening then occurs subsequently, for example, by manually pivoting the pawl out of this pre-locking position on the rotary latch, allowing the vehicle hood to be opened. However, this requires the pre-locking position to be reliably assumed. There are currently no reliable approaches to this in the state of the art.

[0006] The motor vehicle lock of this type, according to DE 10 2006 052 773 A1, already operates with a pawl that has a support point as the first locking tooth and, in addition, a locking point as the second locking tooth of the pawl. However, the goal here is to detect a radial distance between the pre-locking position and the main locking position of the rotational axis using a sensor and to activate a closing aid based on this distance. However, this state of the art has not been able to contribute to the previously described approaches.

[0007] Document DE 10 2013 207725 A1 discloses a motor vehicle lock with a locking mechanism having a rotary latch that can be locked in a pre-locking position and in a main locking position with a pawl. The lock includes a control device that controls the movement of the locking mechanism in such a way that the pawl provided for this purpose cannot fall into the pre-locking position when the locking mechanism is closed. If the locking mechanism, which is locked in the main locking position, unlatches unexpectedly, for example due to vibrations and / or a defect, the locking mechanism locks in the pre-locking position.

[0008] Accordingly, the present invention is based on the technical problem of further developing such a motor vehicle lock in such a way that the pre-locking position is safely assumed during unlocking.

[0009] To solve this technical problem, a generic motor vehicle lock and in particular a motor vehicle hood lock is characterized in that the locking pawl, which is lifted with the aid of the release lever for unlocking from the main catch of the rotary latch with its first locking tooth, interacts with its second locking tooth with the main catch of the rotary latch for forced guidance of the locking pawl and blocking the pre-catch of the rotary latch during the opening process of the locking mechanism.

[0010] Within the scope of the invention, in order to unlock the motor vehicle lock and securely assume the pre-locking position, the pawl is first lifted from the rotary latch using the release lever. To do this, the first locking tooth of the pawl is removed or lifted off the main detent of the rotary latch. This initially leaves the rotary latch free and allows it to pivot (spring-assisted) in its opening direction. As a result, the main detent of the rotary latch can interact with the second locking tooth of the pawl. According to the invention, this results in forced guidance of the pawl, which is typically pivoted towards the rotary latch during this process, so that as the rotary latch continues to open, the pawl can perfectly block the pre-lock of the rotary latch or interacts with the pre-lock of the rotary latch. The pre-lock of the rotary latch is advantageously blocked using the first locking tooth.

[0011] In fact, the positive guidance of the pawl by the main notch of the rotary latch, which pivots in the opening direction, ensures that the pawl, with its first locking tooth, is pivoted towards the rotary latch as the main notch of the opening rotary latch moves against the second locking tooth of the pawl. As a result, the first locking tooth can now block the pre-notch of the opening rotary latch. The positive guidance of the pawl, through its interaction with the main notch of the opening rotary latch, ensures that the pawl is always pivoted towards the rotary latch, so that the first locking tooth interacts with the pre-notch of the rotary latch during this opening process, effectively blocking the rotary latch.This ensures that the rotary latch in the motor vehicle lock according to the invention cannot open completely, but first and forcibly moves from the main locking position to the pre-locking position. This allows the motor vehicle lock to be opened manually, for example, from the pre-locking position by pivoting the pawl (again), as described. This represents the key advantage.

[0012] According to the invention, the pre-locking of the rotary latch is blocked during the unlocking process by means of the first locking tooth of the pawl. This is possible because the positive guidance of the pawl, due to the mutual interaction of the second locking tooth with the main locking tooth, pivots the first locking tooth of the pawl toward the rotary latch, so that the opening rotary latch automatically moves with its pre-locking against the first locking tooth of the pawl in question during this process, thereby blocking it.

[0013] According to a further advantageous embodiment, the pre-locking and main locking positions of the rotary latch are each designed as a pre-locking tooth and a main locking tooth, respectively. Consequently, this is not a pre-locking recess or main locking recess, but rather a pre-locking tooth and a main locking tooth, thus forming a tooth-like protrusion on the outer circumference of the rotary latch.

[0014] The rotary latch is typically equipped with a catch arm and a load arm, as is common for rotary latches on motor vehicle hood locks. The two locking teeth are generally located adjacent to the load arm on the outer circumference of the rotary latch. As a result, the two locking teeth, which are exposed on the outer circumference of the rotary latch, can easily interact with the respective locking teeth of the pawl, as described.

[0015] In fact, the design here is advantageously such that the first locking tooth is arranged at the front of the pawl. In contrast, the second locking tooth is arranged such that it is designed as a projection offset from the first locking tooth in the direction of the pawl's axis. This means that, starting from the first locking tooth at the front of the pawl, the second locking tooth follows in the direction of the pawl's axis, namely as a projection offset from the first locking tooth.

[0016] In addition, the pawl is usually equipped with a stop for interaction with the release lever. This stop is usually a further projection offset from the second locking tooth in the direction of the axis. This means that, starting from the first locking tooth, the pawl has a stepped design in the direction of its axis, such that the second locking tooth adjoins the first locking tooth as a projection, and the stop follows the second locking tooth as a further projection.

[0017] In this context, the design is further such that the stop on the pawl is engaged behind a lug on the release lever. As a result, a pivoting movement of the release lever toward unlocking or opening the vehicle lock causes the usually radially arranged and extending lug of the release lever to engage behind the stop on the pawl, thereby pivoting the pawl so that it releases the rotary latch as described.

[0018] The result is a motor vehicle lock that is particularly suitable and predestined for use as a motor vehicle hood lock. This is because the first actuation of the release lever to unlock the motor vehicle lock in question results in the pawl being positively guided by the rotary latch, and the locking mechanism as a whole, as a result of the positive guidance, can assume the pre-locking position. Only upon a second actuation of the release lever, for example, can the pawl be lifted from the rotary latch, causing the latter to move into its open position.

[0019] This allows the inevitably assumed pre-locking position to be used, for example, to move the vehicle hood equipped with the vehicle lock in question into the previously described gap position, so that the second actuation of the release lever then allows the complete opening of the vehicle hood. This means that opening the vehicle lock ultimately requires a double-stroke actuation of the release lever. This represents the key advantage.

[0020] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to a drawing which merely represents an exemplary embodiment; in the drawings: Fig. 1 shows the motor vehicle lock according to the invention in the initial position in its main locking position, Figures 2A to 2C show the unlocking of the lock and the forced guidance of the pawl in the direction of the pre-locking position of the locking mechanism, and Fig. 3 shows the pre-locking position assumed at the end during the unlocking.

[0021] The figures depict a motor vehicle lock, which is not limited to a motor vehicle hood lock, preferably a motor vehicle bonnet lock. This lock has a locking mechanism 1, 2 consisting of a rotary latch 1 and a pawl 2. The figures show that the rotary latch 1 is equipped with a catch arm 1a and a load arm 1b, which define an insertion slot between them for a locking bolt 3 (only indicated in the figures) which, according to the exemplary embodiment, is connected to the motor vehicle bonnet (not explicitly shown).

[0022] The basic structure also includes a release lever 4, which, starting from the main locking position in the Figure 1 must be pivoted clockwise around its axis 5 in order to unlock or open the locking mechanism 1, 2, as will be explained in more detail below. The clockwise movement of the release lever 4 around its axis 5 may be achieved by a merely Figure 1 indicated actuating device 6, which may manually and / or motorically actuate the release lever 4 for the locking pawl 2, as has already been described at the beginning.

[0023] It can be seen that the pawl 2 is equipped with at least one first locking tooth 2a and a second locking tooth 2b. In addition, the pawl 2 also has a stop 7. The stop 7 on the pawl 2 is engaged behind by a lug 8 on the release lever 4. As a result, the already mentioned clockwise action on the actuating lever 4 about its axis 5 causes the actuating lever 4 to move with its lug 8 against the stop 7 of the pawl 2 and to pivot the pawl 2 counterclockwise about its axis 9 during such an unlocking or opening process of the locking mechanism 1, 2, as will be described in particular in the following. Figures 2A to 2C is shown.

[0024] As a result, the rotary latch 1 is initially at least partially released and can rotate around its axis 10 in the indicated counterclockwise direction. This is ensured in particular by door rubber seal forces or other spring forces, which are introduced into the rotary latch 1 via the locking bolt 3 and preload it counterclockwise around its axis 10 in the direction of the opening movement.

[0025] The rotary latch 1 is also equipped with a pre-lock 11b and a main lock 11a. The figures show that the pre-lock 11b, like the main lock 11a, each has locking teeth 11a, 11b, namely a pre-lock tooth 11b and a main lock tooth 11a. Furthermore, the two locking teeth 11a, 11b are arranged adjacent to the load arm 1b of the rotary latch 1 on the outer circumference of the rotary latch 1. As a result, a pivoting movement of the rotary latch 1 about its axis 10 leads to its counterclockwise opening, first the main lock tooth 11a and then the pre-lock tooth 11b interacting with the pawl 2, as will be explained in more detail below.

[0026] In fact, the design according to the invention is such that the pawl 2 is lifted off the main catch or the main catch tooth 11a of the rotary latch 1 with the aid of the release lever 4 to unlock the locking mechanism 1, 2, namely with its first locking tooth 2a. Figure 1In the main locking position shown, the first locking tooth 2a of the pawl 2 rests on the main locking tooth 11a of the rotary latch 1.

[0027] As soon as the pawl 2 with its first locking tooth 2a has been lifted from the main catch or the main locking tooth 11a of the rotary latch 1 with the aid of the release lever 4 to unlock the locking mechanism 1, 2, the pawl 2 with its second locking tooth 2b can interact with the main catch or the main locking tooth 11a of the rotary latch 1 (cf. Fig. 2A ). This results in a forced guidance of the pawl 2, as is particularly the case in the Figure 2B and 2C Following this, the pre-lock 11b of the rotary latch 1 or the pre-lock tooth 11b of the rotary latch 1 is blocked, as the end position in the Figure 3This means that the pre-locking or pre-locking tooth 11b of the rotary latch 1 is released during the unlocking process with the help of the first locking tooth 2a of the pawl 2 at the end of the described unlocking process and the illustration in the Figure 3 subsequently blocked, as explained in more detail below.

[0028] For this purpose, the first locking tooth 2a of the pawl 2 is arranged at the front. The second locking tooth 2b of the pawl 2 is designed as a projection offset from the first locking tooth 2a in the direction of the axis 9 of the pawl 2. The already mentioned stop 7 on the pawl 2 for interaction with the release lever 4 is designed as a further projection offset from the second locking tooth 2b in the direction of the aforementioned axis 9. As a result, the first locking tooth 2a provided at the front of the pawl 2 is followed in a stepped and cascade-like manner in the direction of the axis 9 of the pawl 2 by first the second locking tooth 2b as the first projection and then the stop 7 as a further projection relative to the second locking tooth 2b.

[0029] The functionality is as follows. In the Figure 1The locking mechanism 1, 2 is shown in the main locking position. The main locking tooth 11a of the rotary latch 1 rests against the first locking tooth 2a of the pawl 2. If the locking mechanism 1, 2 is to be moved from the main locking position in the Figure 1 unlocked, this corresponds to the actuating lever 4 being pivoted clockwise around its axis 5. This corresponds to a pulling action by the actuating device 6 according to the exemplary embodiment, as can be seen in the transition from the Figure 1 to Figure 2A recognizes.

[0030] As a result, the nose 8 on the release lever 4 moves against the projection 7 of the pawl 2 and ensures that the pawl 2 is engaged during the transition from the Figure 1 to Figure 2Ain the counterclockwise direction indicated there about its axis 9. This releases the first locking tooth 2a from the main locking tooth 11a of the rotary latch 1. The rotary latch 1 can then open (slightly) in the counterclockwise direction about its axis 10, as shown in the Figure 2A is indicated.

[0031] However, this opening movement of the rotary latch 1 is limited or the rotary latch 1 is blocked because the main locking tooth 11a of the rotary latch 1 moves against the second locking tooth 2b of the pawl 2 during this process. Figure 2B The actuating lever 4 is still actuated by the actuating device 6.

[0032] As a result of the interaction of the main locking tooth 11a of the rotary latch 1 with the second locking tooth 2b of the pawl 2, the pawl 2 is now forced to move, namely during the transition from the Figure 2B to Figure 2Cin the sense that the pawl 2 is now acted upon in a clockwise direction, counter to its counterclockwise opening direction. This means that the pawl 2, with its second locking tooth 2b, through its interaction with the main catch or the main locking tooth 11a of the rotary latch 1, ensures the forced guidance of the pawl 2 and finally the blocking of the pre-catch or the pre-locking tooth 11b of the rotary latch 1, as is the case in the final position after the Figure 3 is shown.

[0033] Before this, however, the main locking tooth 11a of the rotary latch 1, which moves counterclockwise around its axis 10, ensures that the pawl 2 is positively guided, because the main locking tooth 11a moves against the second locking tooth 2b of the pawl 2 during this process and thereby the pawl 2 is pivoted clockwise around its axis 9. This can be seen in the transition from the Figure 2B to Figure 2C .

[0034] Following the functional position in the Figure 2C the rotary latch 1 rotates a little further in the counterclockwise direction in its opening direction about its axis 10 until the pawl 2 moves with its first locking tooth 2a against the pre-locking tooth 11b of the rotary latch 1. As a result, the rotary latch 1 is blocked following the described positive guidance of the pawl 2, namely with its pre-lock or its pre-locking tooth 11b. This can be attributed to the fact that the positive guidance of the pawl 2 pivots the pawl 2 clockwise about its axis 9 and thereby pivots the first locking tooth 2a of the pawl 2 into contact with the rotary latch 1, specifically into contact with an intermediate area 11c between the two locking teeth 11a and 11b.

[0035] At the end of this process, the pre-locking tooth 11b of the rotary latch 1 is moved against the first locking tooth 2a of the pawl 2. As a result, the locking bolt 3 is in the transition from the Figure 1 to Figure 3and with it the corresponding vehicle bonnet was opened slightly (crack by crack). If now starting from this gap position in the Fig. 3 If the release lever 4 is actuated again with the aid of the actuating device 6 in the sense of a second and consequently double stroke in the opening direction, i.e., clockwise around its axis 5, this ensures a counterclockwise rotation of the pawl 2 and the rotary latch 1 is completely released from the pawl 2. As a result, the front hood with the locking bolt 3 connected to it can leave the locking mechanism 1, 2. The motor vehicle lock is completely opened. Reference symbol list

[0036] 1Rotary latch 1aCatching arm 1bLoad arm 1, 2Locking mechanism 2Pawl 2aFirst locking tooth 2bSecond locking tooth 3Locking bolt 4Release lever / operating lever 5Axis 6Actuating device 7Stop / projection 8Nose 9Axis 10Axis 11aMain detent 11bPre-detent 11cIntermediate area

Claims

1. Motor vehicle latch, in particular a motor vehicle bonnet latch, comprising a locking mechanism (1, 2) consisting of a catch (1) and at least one pawl (2), and comprising a release lever (4) for the pawl (2), the pawl (2) being equipped with at least a first locking tooth (2a) and a second locking tooth (2b), and the catch (1) having at least one pre-ratchet (11b) and one main ratchet (11a), characterized in that the pawl (2), which is lifted via its first locking tooth (2a) off the main ratchet (11a) of the catch (1) by means of the release lever (4) for unlocking, interacts via its second locking tooth (2b) with the main ratchet (11a) of the catch in order to forcibly guide the pawl (2) and block the pre-ratchet (11b) of the catch (1) during the opening process of the locking mechanism (1, 2), the pre-ratchet (11b) of the catch (1) being blocked by means of the first locking tooth (2a) of the pawl (2) in the course of unlocking.

2. Motor vehicle latch according to claim 1, characterized in that the pre-ratchet (11b) and the main ratchet (11a) of the catch (1) are designed as a pre-ratchet tooth (11b) and a main ratchet tooth (11a), respectively.

3. Motor vehicle latch according to either claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the first locking tooth (2a) is arranged on the front side of the pawl (2).

4. Motor vehicle latch according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the second locking tooth (2b) is designed as a projection offset in the direction of an axis (9) of the pawl (2) relative to the first locking tooth (2a).

5. Motor vehicle latch according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the pawl (2) additionally has a stop (7) for interaction with the release lever (4).

6. Motor vehicle latch according to claim 5, characterized in that the stop (7) is designed as a projection offset on the second locking tooth (2b) in the direction of the axis (9).

7. Motor vehicle latch according to either claim 5 or claim 6, characterized in that the lug (8) on the release lever (4) engages behind the stop (7) on the pawl (2).

8. Motor vehicle latch according to any of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the catch (1) has a catch arm (1a) and a load arm (1b).

9. Motor vehicle latch according to claim 8, characterized in that the two ratchet teeth (11a, 11b) are arranged on the load arm (1b) on the outer periphery of the catch (1) so as to be connected.