Motor vehicle lock housing arrangement

Abstract

The subject of the invention is a motor vehicle lock housing arrangement which is equipped with at least one lock housing (1) and one carrier housing (2). The lock housing (1) is designed to receive at least one locking-mechanism-side component (6, 7, 8), for example an actuator (6, 7, 8). The carrier housing (2) has at least one electronic carrier (4). The lock housing (1) and the carrier housing (2) are connected together in a media-tight manner. According to the invention, the carrier housing (2) and the electronic carrier (4) define a preassembled structural unit (2, 4, 5) which is coupled modularly to the lock housing (1) with at least one seal (16) interposed.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a motor vehicle lock housing arrangement, comprising at least one lock housing and a carrier housing, wherein the lock housing is designed to receive at least one locking-side component, such as an actuator, wherein the carrier housing further receives at least one electronics carrier, and wherein the lock housing and the carrier housing are connected to one another in a media-tight manner.

[0002] The invention relates to a motor vehicle lock housing arrangement, i.e., a housing arrangement for a motor vehicle lock. The motor vehicle lock in question is generally arranged in or on an associated motor vehicle door, motor vehicle tailgate, etc., but can also, in principle, be placed on or in a motor vehicle seat, for example. The motor vehicle lock in question typically interacts with a body-side lock holder. For this purpose, the motor vehicle lock is generally equipped with a locking mechanism consisting of a rotary latch and pawl, which interacts with the lock holder in question to detachably connect the motor vehicle door, motor vehicle tailgate, or motor vehicle seat to the body or to secure it against the body.

[0003] In the generic prior art according to DE 10 2015 109 494 A1, the motor vehicle lock housing assembly therein is equipped with a circuit board housing for accommodating a circuit board including electronics. Furthermore, the circuit board housing is coupled to the rest of the lock housing in a liquid-tight manner. This is because a plastic injection-molded connection is ultimately realized here. As a consequence, flexibility is naturally limited with regard to the design of the electronics carrier including the circuit board housing or carrier housing on the one hand, and the lock housing with the locking-mechanism-side component accommodated therein on the other. According to the exemplary embodiment in the aforementioned prior art, the locking-mechanism-side component is an actuator with which the locking mechanism can be opened. A locking-mechanism-side component therefore refers to a component that interacts directly or indirectly with the locking mechanism.The locking mechanism is in turn mounted on a lock plate or a lock case.

[0004] The further prior art according to DE 11 2014 004 455 T5 uses a fluid-tight electrical housing that contains the electrical components of a lock assembly. This allows an entire electrical lock assembly to be installed in areas of a motor vehicle door that are exposed to water, grease, or other fluids.

[0005] Finally, EP 2 754 799 B1 deals with an electric vehicle lock comprising a first, essentially plate-shaped support body that supports the locking mechanism and consequently also a locking mechanism. Furthermore, a second support body is provided, which in turn arranges a circuit board in a position transverse to the plane spanned by the first support body. The second support body comprises a fluid-tight housing.

[0006] From DE 11 2014 004455 T5 a motor vehicle housing arrangement is known in which a carrier housing and an electronics carrier define a pre-assembled unit which is modularly coupled to a lock housing with the interposition of a seal.

[0007] The state of the art has generally proven itself in terms of the media-tight design of the housing arrangement, i.e., the lock housing and the support housing. However, relatively complex designs are being proposed in this context that do not allow for adaptation to different functional requirements, different installation locations, etc. This no longer meets today's requirements for a flexible design.

[0008] The invention is therefore based on the technical problem of further developing such a motor vehicle lock housing arrangement in such a way that a flexible design is provided for the realization of different functions and / or attachments at changing installation locations.

[0009] The invention is based on a motor vehicle lock housing arrangement with at least one lock housing and a carrier housing, wherein the lock housing is designed to accommodate at least one locking-mechanism-side component, such as an actuator, wherein the carrier housing further accommodates at least one electronics carrier, and wherein the lock housing and the carrier housing are connected to one another in a media-tight manner, wherein the carrier housing and the electronics carrier define a preassembled structural unit which is modularly coupled to the lock housing with the interposition of at least one seal, and wherein the preassembled structural unit additionally has a base carrier, for example an electrical component carrier. To solve this technical problem, a generic motor vehicle lock housing arrangement within the scope of the invention is characterized in that the base carrier accommodates a sensor, wherein the sensor operates in a contactless manner.The lock housing, together with the carrier housing, defines a housing in the assembled state, which is then combined with the lock case supporting the locking mechanism to form the motor vehicle lock, in particular the motor vehicle door lock.

[0010] Within the scope of the invention, the lock housing and the support housing therefore continue to form a media-tight connection with one another. As a result, the components accommodated and housed in the lock housing and support housing, i.e. the locking mechanism-side component, such as the actuator on the one hand, and the electronics carrier on the other, are protected inside the assembled housing made up of the lock housing and the support housing. The housing in question is designed in at least two parts, namely the lock housing and the support housing. Most of the time, the housing in question consists exclusively of the lock housing and the support housing, although in principle additional housing parts can also be added. Usually, however, only the lock housing and the support housing are implemented, which are connected to one another in a media-tight manner and in this way define and secure the assembled housing.

[0011] The carrier housing and the electronics carrier also form a pre-assembled unit. This unit is modularly coupled to the lock housing with at least one seal interposed. Through the modular coupling, the carrier housing and the electronics carrier or the pre-assembled unit on the one hand, and the lock housing on the other, each define modules or components that are connected to one another via a mechanical interface, which in turn is sealed in a media-tight manner using the seal. The modular nature of both the carrier housing including the electronics carrier or the associated pre-assembled unit, as well as the lock housing, now opens up the possibility of easily adapting both the carrier housing or the electronics carrier and the lock housing to the respective requirements regarding function and / or installation location.

[0012] For example, the electronics carrier typically contains electronic components, which usually and necessarily include a control unit. One or more sensors can also be provided. Depending on the functional requirements, the electronics carrier in question can also be equipped with one or more power sources or emergency power sources. This power source can, for example, be used to provide emergency power to the actuator, enabling electrical unlocking, electrical opening, etc. of the locking mechanism even in the event of a vehicle battery failure.

[0013] The energy source or emergency power source in question may be a battery, capacitor, etc., individually or in combination. If such an "emergency power supply" is not required in the example case, the electronics carrier and the carrier housing that houses it can be designed differently and, as a rule, smaller and more compact. Nevertheless, due to the modular coupling with the lock housing, the mechanical interface of the assembly to the lock housing implemented at this point remains unchanged. This means that in the example case, one and the same lock housing can be modularly coupled with different pre-assembled assemblies consisting of the carrier housing and the electronics carrier, namely in the example case in a first version with an emergency power source and a second version without an emergency power source. Of course, other variants are also conceivable.

[0014] In this way, while maintaining the basic concept of the motor vehicle lock housing arrangement according to the invention, both the different functions (with or without an emergency power source) and changing installation or mounting locations can be taken into account. This is because, depending on the installation space available at the installation location, for example, the design of the emergency power source can of course also be changed in terms of its energy storage content. All of this takes place while maintaining the mechanical interface between the pre-assembled unit consisting of the carrier housing and the electronics carrier on the one hand, and the lock housing on the other. Because the interface is closed using at least one seal, the desired media-tight connection between the lock housing and the carrier housing is still available and unchanged after they are combined to form the housing.

[0015] Since, according to the invention, the lock housing is or can be modularly coupled to the structural unit, the lock housing can also be easily adapted to the desired function or installation location. Such adaptation can be achieved, for example, by selecting the locking-side component, such as the actuator, according to specific requirements and installing it interchangeably in the lock housing. It is therefore conceivable to design the actuator as an electric motor plus a gearbox or without a gearbox. Furthermore, depending on the forces to be generated by the actuator, for example to open the locking mechanism, differently designed (geared) gearboxes can be used.

[0016] In this case, too, the modular coupling between the assembly and the lock housing ensures that the lock housing can be seamlessly and modularly coupled to the assembly in question while maintaining the mechanical interface to the assembly. The additional seal ensures the media-tight closure of the mechanical interface in question. This means that the mechanical interface of the lock housing to the pre-assembled assembly is maintained, regardless of whether the lock housing, in the example described, optionally accommodates an actuator with only an electric motor, an actuator with a high-gear ratio, an actuator with a low-gear ratio, etc.

[0017] The media-tight coupling between the pre-assembled unit and the lock housing, while maintaining the mechanical interface, ensures the media-tight enclosure of both the actuator and the electronics carrier in the assembled housing. This represents the key advantages.

[0018] According to the invention, the preassembled unit comprising the support housing and the electronics support additionally comprises a base support. The base support can be an electrical component support, i.e., a support for electrical components, for example, for accommodating at least one sensor. For this purpose, the electrical component support in question typically has inserted or applied electrical conductor tracks. These can also be provided in the form of a lead frame overmolded with plastic. In any case, the electrical component support itself represents a ready-to-install unit, which, in the example case, has and supports at least one sensor and makes electrical contact therewith.

[0019] According to the invention, the sensor, which is supported by and mounted on the base support or the electronic component support, operates contactlessly. This eliminates the need for a mechanical connection between the sensor in question and, for example, the locking mechanism, a lever interacting with the locking mechanism, etc. In principle, the electronics support and the base support can also be integrated. In this case, a continuous electronic component support can be used, for example.

[0020] The design is usually such that the base carrier is arranged between the electronics carrier and the lock housing. This also allows the base carrier to be coupled to the electronics carrier via an electrical interface. This electrical interface is, for example, an electrical plug connection. For this purpose, the base carrier can be equipped with connector pins, for example, which engage in a connector socket on the electronics carrier for electrical contact. In principle, the opposite approach is also possible. In this case, the electronics carrier has the electrical connector pins in question, which engage in the connector socket on the base carrier. Either way, the combination of the base carrier and the electronics carrier ensures their mechanical and electrical connection.

[0021] The base support and the electronics support are generally arranged together in the support housing and are accommodated by the support housing. Furthermore, the design is usually such that the support housing, the electronics support, and the base support define the preassembled unit, which is modularly coupled to the lock housing with the interposition of at least one seal. In this way, the electrical interface is advantageously encapsulated within the unit.

[0022] Furthermore, the invention recommends that a lock plate supporting the locking mechanism is advantageously and additionally provided. The lock plate can in turn be modularly connected to the previously explained housing. As already explained, the housing is generally composed of the support housing and the lock housing, usually in a closed manner. The housing in question can then, in turn, be modularly coupled or connected to the lock plate according to the invention. In this case, the housing in question is sealed from the lock plate according to the invention. For this purpose, the locking mechanism-side component is usually guided to the outside via a seal in the lock housing.

[0023] Since the locking mechanism-side component in the lock housing is usually the actuator, this means that the actuator is guided to the outside using the seal in question, so that the housing as a whole is sealed against the lock plate and can be sealed. The actuator can act on the locking mechanism, taking into account the intermediate seal, which guides it out of the housing. This allows the housing as a whole to be designed to be media-tight and hermetically sealed.

[0024] The modular connection between the housing and the lock plate, in turn, expresses and means, according to the invention, that a standardized mechanical interface is realized between the housing and the lock plate, which is maintained regardless of the specific design of the housing on the one hand, or of the lock plate or the locking mechanism it supports on the other. Thus, it is conceivable that the lock plate, while retaining the mechanical interface to the housing, is fundamentally designed to accommodate locking mechanisms with, for example, differently designed rotary latches and / or pawls. The housing can also be constructed in various ways, for example, depending on whether the previously mentioned "emergency power supply" function is desired and required or not.

[0025] In contrast to the mechanical interface between the preassembled unit consisting of the carrier housing, the electronics carrier, and, if applicable, the base carrier and the lock housing, the mechanical interface between the housing and the lock plate is not necessarily equipped with a seal. In fact, such a seal is unnecessary in the area of ​​this mechanical interface because the housing is sealed from the lock plate. This means that the housing as a whole is hermetically sealed against media such as water, dust, grease, etc. Nevertheless, the locking mechanism-side component inside the lock housing, and thus the housing as a whole, can act on the locking mechanism carried by and mounted on the lock plate.This is achieved by guiding the locking mechanism-side component in question outside the housing via the seal and allowing it to be brought into engagement with the locking mechanism during the mechanical coupling of the housing with the lock plate.

[0026] As a result, a motor vehicle lock housing assembly is provided within the scope of the invention which, thanks to its modular nature, enables flexible adaptation to various desired functions within a motor vehicle, as well as installation in different positions or taking into account differently designed installation locations. Despite this flexibility, the essential components of the motor vehicle lock housing assembly according to the invention, namely, for example, the actuator, a control unit, and sensors, are housed in the housing in a media-tight manner.

[0027] 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 housing arrangement according to the invention in a perspective exploded view, Fig. 2 shows a partial step in the union of housing and lock plate, and Fig. 3 shows the motor vehicle lock housing arrangement in an assembled and ready-to-install state.

[0028] The figures show a motor vehicle lock housing arrangement which is essentially composed of a lock housing 1, a support housing 2 and a lock plate 3. This can be seen by comparing the Figures 1 to 3 . The lock housing 1 and the support housing 2 define a housing 1, 2 consisting of the lock housing 1 and the support housing 2. The housing 1, 2 is in turn produced as shown in the Fig. 2combined and coupled with the lock plate 3 to form the motor vehicle lock housing arrangement or a motor vehicle lock according to the invention.

[0029] For this purpose, the lock housing 1 is designed to accommodate a locking mechanism-side component 6, 7, 8, which is an actuator 6, 7, 8. According to the exemplary embodiment, the actuator 6, 7, 8 essentially consists of an electric motor 6, a gear 7 actuated by the electric motor 6, and finally, an actuating lever 8 connected to the output side of the gear 7. According to the exemplary embodiment, the actuator 6, 7, 8 operates on a locking mechanism 9, 10 with a rotary latch 9 and pawl 10 mounted in or on the lock plate 3.

[0030] Specifically, when the actuator 6, 7, 8 or the electric motor 6 is energized, the adjusting lever 8 ensures that the pawl 10 is lifted from its engagement with the rotary latch 9. For this purpose, the adjusting lever 8 is equipped on the front with an engagement opening 8a, into which an actuating pin 10a on the pawl 10 engages as soon as the housing 1, 2 is coupled to the lock plate 3 and the locking mechanism 9, 10 mounted thereon.

[0031] Based on the Fig. 1It can be seen that the carrier housing 2 accommodates at least one electronics carrier 4. According to the exemplary embodiment, and not by way of limitation, the carrier housing 2 is configured and designed not only to accommodate the electronics carrier 4, but also to accommodate a base carrier 5. The base carrier 5 is arranged between the electronics carrier 4 and the lock housing 1. In this context, the electronics carrier 4 can accommodate a control unit 11 and one or more energy sources or emergency energy sources 12. The base carrier 5, in turn, serves to accommodate and contact one or more sensors 13.

[0032] It can be seen that the electronics carrier 4 and the base carrier 5 are electrically (and mechanically) coupled to one another via an electrical interface 14, 15. According to the exemplary embodiment, the electrical interface 14, 15 is composed of plug pins 14 on the base carrier 5 and an associated plug socket 15 on the electronics carrier 4. As soon as the plug pins 14 engage in the plug socket 15, the base carrier 5 and the electronics carrier 4 are united and coupled to one another both mechanically and electrically. The carrier housing 2 and the electronics carrier 4 or the base carrier 5 together define a preassembled structural unit 2, 4, 5. According to the invention, this structural unit 2, 4, 5 is then coupled to the lock housing 1 with the interposition of at least one seal 16, in a modular manner.In this context, the seal 16 ensures that the lock housing 1 and the support housing 2 are connected to each other in a media-tight manner and, when assembled, define the housing 1, 2.

[0033] For this purpose, the seal 16 is a separately applied seal made of, for example, EPDM (ethylene propylene diene rubber). Of course, other elastomeric plastics such as NBR (acrylonitrile butadiene rubber), SBR (styrene butadiene rubber), or even natural rubber (NR) can also be used here. In principle, the seal can also be designed as a multi-component component, for example, as a liquid seal with a hardener. Furthermore, it is possible to glue the seal 16. A sealing channel running around the edge of the lock housing 1 may be provided to accommodate the seal 16.

[0034] In all of these cases, the mechanical interface realized at this point between the assembly unit 2, 4, 5 and the lock housing 1 is sealed in a media-tight manner using the seal 16, usually achieving the so-called IP protection class 67. The classification is carried out in accordance with DIN EN 60529 in such a way that, on the one hand, complete protection against contact (6) and, on the other hand, protection against water ingress during temporary submersion (approx. half an hour at a depth of up to 1 m) in accordance with class 7 is guaranteed, which of course only applies as an example and not as a restriction.

[0035] As already explained, the carrier housing 2 and the electronics carrier 4, or the combination of the electronics carrier 4 and the base carrier 5, define the aforementioned preassembled unit 2, 4, 5, which in turn is coupled to the lock housing 1 with the interposition of the seal 16, namely in a modular manner. This means that the mechanical interface between the carrier housing 2 or the unit 2, 4, 5 on the one hand and the lock housing 1 on the other hand is retained, even if a differently designed carrier housing 2 is used at this point. This is the case, for example, if the "emergency power supply" already described in the introduction is not required and, consequently, the additional energy source 12 or the multiple energy sources 12 on the electronics carrier 4 are not required.The same applies if a differently constructed actuator 6, 7, 8 is accommodated inside the lock housing 1, for example one which has a gear mechanism different from the gear mechanism 7, which, however, is not shown in detail.

[0036] It can be seen that the electrical interface 14, 15 is encapsulated within the assembly 2, 4, 5 and is therefore protected from media influences. Furthermore, the sensors 13 generally operate contactlessly. This allows the housing 1, 2 to be composed of the support housing 2 and the lock housing 1, as shown in the Fig. 2 sealed against the lock plate 3. This sealing can be seen particularly in the Fig. 1and it manifests itself here in a seal 17. In fact, the seal 17 ensures that the locking-mechanism-side component 6, 7, 8 or the actuator 6, 7, 8 can be guided outside the lock housing 1 via the seal 17 in question. This allows the locking-mechanism-side component or the actuator 6, 7, 8 to be brought into engagement with the locking mechanism 9, 10.

[0037] For this purpose, the seal 17 in the example is a bellows seal because the actuating lever 8, which is specifically guided by it, performs a linear movement in its longitudinal direction. The seal 17 or the bellows seal can thus easily follow any linear movements of the actuating lever 8. At the same time, the seal 17 ensures that the housing 1, 2, consisting of the lock housing 1 and the support housing 2, is hermetically sealed overall with the seal 17 interposed.

[0038] As soon as the housing 1, 2 is positioned as shown in the Fig. 2 is combined with the lock plate 3, the actuating pin 10a on the pawl 10 is inserted into the corresponding engagement opening 8a in the adjusting lever 8, so that in the assembled state according to the reproduction in the Fig. 3 In the example, the actuator 6, 7, 8 can open the locking mechanism 9, 10. This, of course, represents only one possible function. The actuator 6, 7, 8 could just as easily provide a closing or closing movement of the locking mechanism 9, 10.

[0039] Since the sensors 13 housed inside the housing 1, 2, or at least one sensor 13, operate contactlessly at this point and beyond, any adjustment movements of the actuator 6, 7, 8 and thus also of the locking mechanism 9, 10 can still be detected. For example, the sensor 13 may be a Hall sensor that detects the movements of corresponding permanent magnets. This does not change the hermetically sealed design of the housing 1, 2 relative to the lock plate 3. Furthermore, since the sensor or sensors 13 are arranged on the base support 5 and the base support 5 is generally designed as an electrical component support, corresponding signals from the sensor 13 or the plurality of sensors 13 reach the control unit 11 on the electronics support 4 via the electrical plug connection 14, 15, which accordingly controls or can control the actuator 6, 7, 8 depending on the signals from the sensor or the plurality of sensors 13.

[0040] The lock housing 1, like the support housing 2, is usually made of plastic. In fact, this is typically a plastic injection-molded part. In contrast, the lock plate 3 for supporting the locking mechanism 9, 10 is made of solid metal or steel. Furthermore, a comparison of the Figures 1 to 3 that the lock plate 3 is designed in a bridge-like manner in side view and is received in a corresponding receptacle adapted to the bridge shape in the interior of the housing 1, 2, so that an overall flat surface is provided on the outside, with the aid of which the lock plate 3 is attached, for example, to the interior of a motor vehicle door. List of reference symbols:

[0041] 1Lock housing 1, 2Housing 2Support housing 2, 4, 5Assembly unit 3Lock plate 4Electronics carrier 5Base carrier 6Electric motor 6, 7, 8Locking mechanism-side component, actuator 7Gearbox 8Setting lever 8aAccess opening 9Rotary latch 9, 10Locking mechanism 10Pawl 10aActuating pin 11Control unit 12Energy source, emergency energy source 13Sensor 14Connector pins 14, 15Electrical interface, plug connection 15Connector socket 16Seal 17Seal

Claims

1. Motor vehicle latch housing arrangement, comprising at least one latch housing (1) and a carrier housing (2), wherein the latch housing (1) is configured to accommodate at least one locking-mechanism-side structural component (6, 7, 8), such as an actuator (6, 7, 8), wherein the carrier housing (2) further accommodates at least one electronics carrier (4), and wherein the latch housing (1) and the carrier housing (2) are connected to one another in a media-impermeable manner, wherein the carrier housing (2) and the electronics carrier (4) define a pre-assembled structural unit (2, 4, 5) which is modularly coupled to the latch housing (1) by means of the interposition of at least one seal (16), and wherein the pre-assembled structural unit (2, 4, 5) additionally has a base carrier (5), for example an electrical component carrier, characterized in that the base carrier (5) accommodates a sensor (13), wherein the sensor (13) operates contactlessly.

2. Arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the base carrier (5) is arranged between the electronics carrier (4) and the latch housing (1).

3. Arrangement according to either claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the base carrier (5) and the electronics carrier (4) are coupled to one another via an electrical interface (14, 15), for example via an electrical plug connection (14, 15).

4. Arrangement according to claim 3, characterized in that the interface (14, 15) is arranged to be fully enclosed within the structural unit (2, 4, 5).

5. Arrangement according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that a latch plate (3), on which a locking mechanism (9, 10) is mounted, is additionally provided.

6. Arrangement according to claim 5, characterized in that the latch plate (3) is modularly connected to a housing (1, 2) consisting of the latch housing (1) and the carrier housing (2).

7. Arrangement according to claim 6, characterized in that the housing (1, 2) is sealed with respect to the latch plate (3).

8. Arrangement according to claim 7, characterized in that, in the latch housing (1), the locking-mechanism-side structural component (6, 7, 8) is guided via a seal (17) to the outside, for example to engage in the locking mechanism (9, 10).

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