Locking system for sliding movable panel

Abstract

The present invention relates to a locking system (1) for a sliding movable panel of a motor vehicle, comprising a support (2) for connecting the sliding movable panel to a body structure of the vehicle and a hook (4) able to adopt a position for holding the movable panel and a position for releasing the movable panel. According to the invention, the locking system (1) comprises a plate (3) pivotably mounted on the support (2) so as to adopt at least two configurations, the hook (4) being rotatably mounted on the plate (3).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of sliding doors for motor vehicles, and more particularly to the field of systems for stopping or locking in position such sliding doors.

[0002] Some motor vehicles, particularly commercial motor vehicles, include a sliding door, such a door being able to be arranged on one side only or on both sides of a body of the vehicle.

[0003] Such sliding doors may need to be held in an open position, for example, to allow passengers to enter the vehicle or to facilitate loading. Holding the sliding doors open may also be necessary for safety reasons, particularly when the vehicle is parked on a slope.

[0004] To lock a sliding door in the open position, a locking system can be used, consisting of a hook on the door and a locking mechanism on the vehicle body. The hook is designed to engage with the locking mechanism, thus locking the door in the open position. The sliding door can then be released by actuating a control device, which can be located inside or outside the vehicle. This control device pulls a cable connected to the hook, releasing the sliding door, which can then close. Such locking systems are described, for example, in documents EP 2 927 405 A1 or DE 34 07 070 A1.

[0005] However, such a locking system is only suitable for sliding doors of a certain length. Indeed, a significant difference in length between two sliding doors using the same type of locking system results in a misalignment of the locking mechanism's position relative to the hook. Consequently, the hook fails to properly cover the locking mechanism, and the sliding door can no longer be effectively held in the open position.

[0006] The present invention aims to overcome this drawback by proposing a stop system that can adapt to different configurations of sliding doors thanks to an intermediate piece that makes it possible to compensate for the dispersion of the position of the locking member relative to the hook.

[0007] The main object of the present invention is a locking system for a sliding door of a motor vehicle, comprising a support for connecting the sliding door to a vehicle body structure and a hook capable of assuming a position for holding the door and a position for releasing it. According to the invention, the locking system comprises a plate pivotally mounted on the support so as to assume at least two configurations, the hook being rotatably mounted on the plate.

[0008] Such a locking system is capable of holding the sliding door in an open position and can adapt to different lengths of sliding doors thanks to the presence of an intermediate component, in this case, the pivoting plate. The locking system is at least partially mobile, firstly due to the rotation between the hook and the plate, and secondly due to the pivoting between this plate and the support, which could, for example, be a lower arm of the vehicle. The plate is therefore positioned between this lower arm and the hook.

[0009] The rotation of the hook allows it to assume a holding position for the opening, which is a resting position, and a release position for the opening, which is a working position. Similarly, the mounting plate can assume at least two different configurations.

[0010] According to one feature of the invention, the plate includes a device for locking its pivoting relative to the support.

[0011] According to another feature of the invention, the locking device includes at least one stop provided between the support and the plate.

[0012] Such a locking device limits the pivoting of the plate relative to the support, thus controlling its positioning and that of the hook it carries. Depending on the design, the stop can be a rigid stop or a flexible, deformable stop such as a spring. The stop can also contribute to soundproofing the locking mechanism.

[0013] According to one feature of the invention, the plate includes an arm intended to receive a locking mechanism for the opening.

[0014] Such a locking mechanism could, for example, be a strike plate, with the hook engaging in this strike plate to hold the sliding door in the open position. The arm is designed to receive this locking mechanism in such a way as to facilitate the hook's engagement.

[0015] According to another feature of the invention, the turntable includes a chamfer extending the arm.

[0016] This chamfer has the effect of facilitating the translation of the plate relative to the locking mechanism.

[0017] According to one characteristic, the hook has an inclined face, this inclined face being positioned relative to the chamfer of the plate so as to form a ramp suitable for guiding the locking member on the plate.

[0018] Such a ramp therefore acts as a guide for the locking mechanism towards the hook. It is thus understood that the inclined face and the chamfer are positioned relative to each other in such a way as not to create a stop for the locking mechanism, so that the hook's movement to this locking mechanism is not obstructed.

[0019] According to another feature of the invention, the plate and the hook rotate in parallel planes.

[0020] Preferably, these planes are parallel and not coincident.

[0021] According to one feature of the invention, the extended arm of the chamfer is a first arm, the plate comprising a second arm disposed relative to the first arm so as to form a groove, the chamfer being delimited by a first edge and a second edge, a projection of a free end of the second arm being projected onto the chamfer between the first edge and the second edge.

[0022] In one embodiment, the plate comprises two arms. These first and second arms are substantially parallel, and together they form a groove within the plate suitable for receiving the locking mechanism. The first and second arms are not the same size; the second arm is shorter, so that its free end on the chamfer of the first arm projects between the first and second edges that define its boundary.

[0023] According to one feature of the invention, a return element helps to maintain the hook in the position of holding the opening.

[0024] Such a return mechanism can notably be a spring that connects the hook to the plate.

[0025] According to one feature, the stopping system includes a locking member, this locking member being configured to cooperate with at least one of the first and second arms and / or the hook.

[0026] The locking mechanism is configured to slide along the first arm until it is gripped by the hook. When the turntable has a first arm and a second arm that form a groove, the locking mechanism translates within this groove to facilitate the hook's engagement with the locking mechanism.

[0027] The invention further relates to a motor vehicle opening equipped with a stopping system as described above, this opening being mounted to slide relative to the body structure of the motor vehicle.

[0028] Such an opening can therefore be held in the open position by means of the stop system.

[0029] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising an opening as described above and a body structure, in which the opening slides relative to the body, the locking mechanism being disposed on the body and the stopping system being disposed on the opening.

[0030] The invention also relates to a method for stopping a sliding opening comprising a stopping system as described above, this method comprising an optional pivoting step during which the plate pivots on the support, a first rotation step during which the hook rotates relative to the plate, this hook being then in its opening release position, a translation step during which the locking member translates along at least one arm of the plate and a second rotation step at the end of which the hook is in the opening retaining position.

[0031] Other features, details and advantages of the invention will become clearer upon reading the following description on the one hand, and the illustrative and non-limiting examples of embodiments given with reference to the attached drawings on the other hand, in which: [ Fig. 1 ] illustrates, schematically, a stopping system according to a first embodiment, comprising a plate in a first configuration and a hook in a position for holding an opening; [ Fig. 2 ] illustrates, schematically, the stopping system of the figure 1 according to a second embodiment, comprising the plate in the first configuration and the hook in the position for holding the opening; [ Fig. 3 ] illustrates, schematically, the stopping system of the figure 1 according to the first embodiment, with the plate in the first configuration and the hook in a position for releasing the opening; [ Fig. 4 ] illustrates, schematically, the stopping system of the figure 1 according to the first embodiment, comprising the plate in the first configuration and the hook in the position for holding the opening, the hook being engaged with a locking mechanism; [ Fig. 5 ] illustrates, schematically, the stopping system of the figure 1 according to the first embodiment, comprising the plate in a second configuration and the hook in the opening release position; [ Fig. 6 ] illustrates, schematically, the stopping system of the figure 1 according to the first embodiment, comprising the plate in the second configuration and the hook in the position for holding the opening, the hook being engaged with a locking mechanism; [ Fig. 7 ] illustrates, schematically, the stopping system of the figure 1 according to the second embodiment, comprising the plate in a second configuration and the hook in the opening release position; [ Fig. 8 ] illustrates, schematically, the stopping system of the figure 1 according to the second embodiment, comprising the plate in a second configuration and the hook in the position of holding the opening, the hook being engaged on the locking member.

[0032] The features, variations, and different embodiments of the invention can be combined in various ways, provided they are not incompatible or mutually exclusive. In particular, variations of the invention may include only a selection of features, described hereafter in isolation from the other features described, if this selection of features is sufficient to confer a technical advantage and / or to differentiate the invention from prior art.

[0033] In the figures, elements common to several figures retain the same reference.

[0034] In the detailed description that follows, the terms "longitudinal," "transverse," and "vertical" refer to the orientation of the locking system according to the invention. A longitudinal direction corresponds to the principal direction of elongation of the plate, this longitudinal direction being parallel to a longitudinal axis L of a frame of reference L, V, T illustrated in the figures. A transverse direction corresponds to the direction in which the pivot and rotation axes of the plate and the hook are inscribed, this transverse direction being parallel to a transverse axis T of the frame of reference L, V, T, and this transverse axis T being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L. Finally, a vertical direction corresponds to a direction parallel to a vertical axis V of the frame of reference L, V, T, this vertical axis V being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L and to the transverse axis T.

[0035] There figure 1 Figure 1 schematically illustrates a locking system according to the invention. Such a locking system 1 allows a sliding door of a motor vehicle to be held in the open position. Such a door can, for example, slide on rails of the vehicle designed for this purpose.

[0036] The stopping system 1 comprises a support 2, which connects the sliding door to the body of the motor vehicle. This support 2 can, for example, be a lower arm connecting a door to a movable carriage capable of sliding within a guide rail mounted on the vehicle body. According to the invention, the support 2 carries a plate 3, which extends primarily in a longitudinal-vertical plane. This plate 3 is movable relative to the support 2 in that it is pivotally mounted on it, about a pivot axis P. Due to this pivoting, the plate 3 is capable of assuming two configurations, a first configuration being visible to figures 1 à 4 and a second configuration being visible to figures 5 à 8 . In the first configuration, the plate 3 extends substantially parallel to a longitudinal direction L. Conversely, in the second configuration the plate 3 has pivoted with respect to this longitudinal direction L and is then oriented along a direction D which is secant to it.

[0037] The plate 3 includes a locking device 5 to prevent its pivoting relative to the support 2. Such a locking device 5 may, for example, take the form of at least one stop 5, here two stops 5 arranged on either side of the plate 3 along a vertical direction V, between this plate 3 and the support 2. These stops 5 may alternatively be deformable flexible stops 5A, such as springs, or rigid stops 5B. The flexible stops 5A alone correspond to a first embodiment, while the combination of flexible stops 5A and rigid stops 5B is considered a second embodiment. The first embodiment is shown in figures 1 , 3 à 6 and the second embodiment in figures 2 , 7 et 8 .

[0038] On the plate 3 is arranged a hook 4 configured to cooperate with a locking member 6. This hook 4 extends substantially in the longitudinal direction L. The hook 4 is composed of a body 41 and a retaining finger 42, this retaining finger 42 also having an inclined face 43.

[0039] Hook 4 is movable relative to plate 3 and can rotate about an axis of rotation R. This hook 4 is thus able to assume two positions: a position for holding the opening and a position for releasing the opening. These positions will be described in more detail later.

[0040] The plate 3 pivots about the pivot axis P in a plane parallel to the plane in which the hook 4 rotates about the rotation axis R. Preferably, the parallel planes in which the plate 3 pivots and the hook 4 rotates are not coincident, the hook 4 being disposed on the plate 3. The stopping system 1 further includes a stop means 44 disposed between the hook 4 and the plate 3, limiting the stroke of the hook 4 during its rotation.

[0041] The stopping system 1 according to the invention further comprises the locking member 6 of the opening, such a locking member 6 being disposed on the vehicle body. This locking member 6 may, for example, be a strike plate, into which the hook 4 can engage to hold the sliding opening in the open position. The positioning of this locking member 6 within the vehicle, and more particularly relative to the hook 4, may differ depending on the configuration of the vehicle's opening, and especially its length. Thus, for different opening lengths, the positioning of the locking member 6 relative to the hook 4 differs. The figures show two possible positions 6A and 6B of this locking member 6, each corresponding to a different opening length, with a first positioning 6A and a second positioning 6B.The first positioning 6A corresponds to a shorter opening length than the second positioning 6B. It is understood that although two possible positions 6A, 6B of the locking member 6 are illustrated, the locking member 6 cooperates with the hook 4 and thus participates in the stopping system 1 according to only one of these two positions 6A, 6B at a time, the positioning 6A or 6B which is represented in dotted line is then not used.

[0042] As described previously, the plate 3 acts as an intermediate piece between the support 2 and the hook 4. The presence of this intermediate piece allows the placement of the hook 4 relative to the locking member 6 to be modified, so that they cooperate with each other independently of the positioning of this locking member 6.

[0043] The plate 3 includes an arm 31 adapted to receive the locking member 6. This arm 31 extends longitudinally and has a chamfer 310 at one free edge, the chamfer 310 extending the arm 31. Such a chamfer 310 makes it possible to facilitate the relative translation of the plate 3 and the locking member 6. This chamfer 310 is delimited by two edges 311, 312, with a first edge 311 at a distance from the free edge of the arm 31 and a second edge 312 in the vicinity of this free edge.

[0044] As mentioned previously, the plate 3 can be configured in two different ways depending on whether its locking device 5 consists solely of soft stops 5A or a combination of soft stops 5A and hard stops 5B. This locking device 5, through the soft stops 5A and / or hard stops 5B, limits the pivoting of the plate 3 and thus ensures its positioning relative to the locking member 6. In the first configuration, when the stops are exclusively soft stops 5A, the arm 31 is a first arm 31, and the plate 3 also includes a second arm 32 substantially parallel to the first arm 31. The first and second arms 31 and 32 are arranged relative to each other to form a groove 33 within the plate 3, this groove being configured to receive the locking member 6.The first arm 31 and the second arm 32 do not have the same dimension measured along the longitudinal direction, the second arm 32 being shorter than the first arm 31. Thus, if a free end 320 of the second arm 32 is projected onto the first arm 31, the resulting projection 321 is located between the first edge 311 and the second edge 312. This asymmetry between the arms 31 and 32 facilitates the entry of the locking member 6 into the groove 33 of the plate 3, by forming a centering element for this locking member 6 so that it translates along the first arm 31.

[0045] On the other hand, according to the second embodiment in which the stops 5 are a hard stop 5B and a soft stop 5A, the plate 3 does not include the second arm 32.

[0046] The presence of a second arm is rendered superfluous due to the rigid nature of one of the stops which ensures the positioning of the plate 3 during the translation of the locking member 6 along the first arm 31.

[0047] The pivoting of the plate 3 relative to the support 2 along the pivot axis P allows the hook 4 to be positioned so that it can grip the locking member 6 regardless of the positioning of this locking member 6, that is, regardless of the length of the door leaf carrying the hook. Since the gap between the locking member 6 and the hook 4 depends on the door geometry, the same locking device 6 is nevertheless capable of holding the door in position through the assembly relationship of the hook with the locking member 6, whatever the gap. The plate 3 is thus able to pivot between the first configuration, which predisposes the hook 4 to grip the locking member 6 according to the first positioning 6A, and the second configuration, which predisposes the hook 4 to grip the locking member 6 according to the second positioning 6B.

[0048] The hook 4 is configured to grip the locking member 6 when the latter is positioned on the arm 31 of the plate 3, regardless of whether the latter is in its first or second configuration. To this end, the hook 4 assumes its opening release position, which results from a rotation relative to the plate 3 about the axis of rotation R. To facilitate the movement of the locking member 6 relative to the plate 3 and the hook 4, this hook 4 has an inclined face 43. This inclined face 43 is a bevel located on the retaining finger 42. This inclined face 43 is positioned relative to the chamfer 310 of the plate 3 so as to form a ramp to guide the locking member 6 on the plate 3, or even within the groove 33 in the case of the first embodiment.It is understood that the arrangement of the inclined face 43 and the chamfer 310 forms a guide element for the locking element 6, here in the form of the ramp, so that its travel along the arm 31 of the plate 3 is facilitated.

[0049] Once the locking member 6 on the arm 31 is in position, the hook 4 returns to its position for holding the sash. A return to this holding position is ensured by a return member 34. Such a return member 34 can, for example, be a spring that connects the hook 4 to the plate 3, helping to maintain the hook 4 in its position for holding the sash. In this position, the locking member 6 is in contact with the body 41 of the hook 4, and its longitudinal movement is blocked by the retaining finger 42. The sliding sash is then held in the open position.

[0050] The hook 4 is also attached to a cable 7, which is itself connected to a control system. This control system, which can be installed inside or outside the vehicle, allows the position of the hook 4 to be remotely controlled. Thus, the control system can retract the cable 7. With the cable 7 attached to the hook 4, the hook is then moved into the position where the opening is released, and the opening can slide freely.

[0051] The invention also relates to a method for stopping a sliding door. This method includes an optional pivoting step, during which the plate 3 pivots relative to the support 2 along the pivot axis P. After this pivoting step, the plate is in its second configuration. It is understood that such a step will not be necessary if the locking member 6 is in its first position 6A, but that it will be essential if it is in its second position 6B. The method includes a first rotation step, during which the hook 4, which was previously in the position holding the door, rotates about the rotation axis R. The hook 4 then moves into its position for releasing the door.The process continues with a translation step, the locking member 6 sliding along the arm 31 of the plate, or even sliding between the first arm 31 and the second arm 32 in the groove 33 when the plate 6 is presented according to its second embodiment. This translation step is facilitated by the chamfer 310 of the arm 31 and by the inclined face 43 of the hook 4. Once the locking member 6 is in position on the arm 31, a second rotation step occurs about the axis of rotation R until the hook 4 is in the position for holding the opening. This return to the holding position is facilitated by the presence of the return member 34. The locking member 6 then abuts against the retaining finger 42, this abutment preventing the translation of the locking member 6 along the arm 31 of the plate 3. It is understood that the sliding opening of the vehicle is then held in the open position.When a user wishes to release the door, they activate the control system, which retracts cable 7. Cable 7, in turn, pulls hook 4, forcing the door into its release position. The retaining finger 42 of hook 4 then no longer acts as a stop for the locking mechanism 6, which is released and can move longitudinally until it is no longer in contact with the arm 31 of the plate 3. The sliding door is then no longer held by the stop system 1 and can slide freely on the vehicle's rails designed for this purpose.

[0052] The present invention thus proposes a stop system designed to adapt to different configurations of sliding openings and more particularly to different lengths of these sliding openings, thanks to an intermediate plate which makes it possible to compensate for the dispersion of positioning of a locking element relative to a hook engaging in this locking element, the hook being carried by the plate.

[0053] The present invention is not limited to the means and configurations described and illustrated herein, and also extends to any equivalent means and configuration as well as any technically operative combination of such means.

Claims

1. Stopping system (1) for a sliding movable panel of a motor vehicle, comprising a support (2) suitable for connecting the sliding movable panel to a body structure of the vehicle and a hook (4) capable of adopting a position for holding the movable panel and a position for releasing the movable panel, characterized in that the stopping system (1) comprises a plate (3) pivotably mounted on the support (2) so as to adopt at least two configurations, the hook (4) being rotatably mounted on the plate (3).

2. Stopping system (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein the plate (3) comprises a device (5) for immobilizing the pivoting thereof relative to the support (2).

3. Stopping system (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein the immobilizing device (5) comprises at least one stop (5A, 5B) formed between the support (2) and the plate (3).

4. Stopping system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the plate (3) comprises an arm (31) suitable for receiving a catch member (6) of the movable panel.

5. Stopping system (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein the plate (3) comprises a bevel (310) extending the arm (31).

6. Stopping system (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein the hook (4) has an inclined face (43), said inclined face (43) being arranged relative to the bevel (310) of the plate (3) so as to form a ramp capable of guiding the catch member (6) on the plate (3).

7. Stopping system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the plate (3) and the hook (4) rotate in parallel planes.

8. Stopping system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims in combination with Claim 5, wherein the arm (31) extended by the bevel (310) is a first arm (31), the plate (3) comprising a second arm (32) arranged relative to the first arm (31) so as to form a slot (33), the bevel (310) being delimited by a first edge (311) and a second edge (312), a projection (321) of a free end (320) of the second arm (32) being projected onto the bevel (310) between the first edge (311) and the second edge (312).

9. Stopping system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a return member (34) contributes to holding the hook (4) in the position for holding the movable panel.

10. Stopping system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims in combination with Claim 8, comprising a catch member (6), said catch member (6) being configured to interact with at least one of the first and second arms (31, 32) and / or the hook (4).

11. Movable panel of a motor vehicle provided with a stopping system (1) according to any one of Claims 1 to 9, said movable panel being slidably mounted relative to the body structure of the motor vehicle.

12. Motor vehicle comprising a movable panel according to the preceding claim and a body structure, wherein the movable panel is sliding relative to the body, the catch member (6) being arranged on the body and the stopping system (1) being arranged on the movable panel.

13. Method for stopping a sliding movable panel comprising a stopping system (1) according to any one of Claims 1 to 10, said method comprising an optional pivoting step during which the plate (3) pivots on the support (2), a first rotation step during which the hook (4) rotates relative to the plate (3), said hook (4) then being in its position for releasing the movable panel, a translation step during which the catch member translates along at least one arm (31) of the plate (3), and a second rotation step at the end of which the hook (4) is in the position for holding the movable panel.

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