One-piece lock striker for a motor vehicle locking device

Abstract

The invention relates to a one-piece lock striker for a motor vehicle locking device and in particular a motor vehicle lock and preferably a motor vehicle door lock, the lock striker being a predominantly solid component with different cross-sectional thicknesses (Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4). The lock striker comprises a base plate (3) and a shackle element (2, 4, 5) standing thereon, and the shackle element (2, 4, 5) has a front bar (2), an upper connecting piece (5) and a rear base (4). The bar (2) and the base (4) also connect the connecting piece (5) to the base plate (3). According to the invention, a reinforcing element (6) connecting the bar (2) and the base (4) is also provided.

Description

[0001] Description

[0002] One-piece lock holder for a motor vehicle locking device

[0003] The invention relates to a one-piece lock holder for a motor vehicle locking device, in particular for a motor vehicle lock and preferably for a motor vehicle door lock, which is predominantly designed as a solid component with different cross-sectional thicknesses, with a base plate and a bracket standing thereon, wherein the bracket has a front bolt, a top web and a rear base, and wherein the bolt and the base connect the web to the base plate.

[0004] Lock holders typically serve to interact with a hook on a vehicle locking system and, in most cases, a locking mechanism consisting of a rotary latch and pawl. When the locking mechanism is closed, the rotary latch typically engages an eye enclosed by the shackle. The pawl engages the rotary latch, securely locking the vehicle door equipped with the locking system against the body. For this purpose, the lock holder is firmly attached to the body.

[0005] In principle, the vehicle locking device can also be located on the body, with the lock holder then being located on the relevant vehicle door. The term "vehicle door" is to be interpreted broadly in this context and includes not only and by way of example vehicle side doors, but also generally hoods, tailgates, fuel filler flaps, tailgates, etc.

[0006] Particularly with motor vehicle side doors, it is essential that the previously described locked position of the motor vehicle door relative to the vehicle body is maintained even in the event of an accident or crash. This is the only way, for example, to reliably absorb structural forces that deform the entire vehicle body and provide optimal accident protection for the occupants inside. This also applies when considering the fact that, for example, side airbags or side impact protection installed in or on motor vehicle side doors can, by their very nature, only become effective when the motor vehicle door is locked relative to the vehicle body.

[0007] In the event of an accident or crash, the vehicle locking system and consequently also the lock holder are subjected to tensile forces that generally attempt to open the vehicle door in question. Such tensile forces typically extend in the longitudinal or X-direction of the vehicle, but can also be observed transversely to this in the Y-direction. For this reason, tensile forces are simulated on test benches that can correspond to a weight of half a ton or more. To absorb these tensile forces, the locking mechanism consisting of the rotary latch and pawl, on the one hand, and the lock holder, on the other, must be particularly solidly constructed and are usually made of high-strength steel.

[0008] In order to be able to absorb particularly high tear forces at this point, the generic prior art according to EP 2 607 579 B1 proposes a one-piece lock holder, i.e. one that is manufactured in one piece or in one piece. For this purpose, in the known teaching, at least one rib serving as a surface contour is formed in the area of ​​the web of the lock holder and an undercut is provided below this, which is not a continuous opening. In this way and when viewed in a main demolding direction that is aligned perpendicular to the top or bottom of the base plate, the area of ​​the undercut cannot be demolded with a simple open-close tool. This results in particularly cost-effective production of the known lock holder with improved mechanical properties.

[0009] The state of the art has generally proven itself, but still offers room for improvement. In fact, due to the increasing and ever-growing vehicle weight and, in particular, the rising mass of vehicle doors, the inertial forces observed in the event of a crash are also increasingly acting on the vehicle door in particular. Furthermore, since the speeds reached by today's vehicles are also increasing, this phenomenon also leads to even greater forces acting on the vehicle door in the event of a crash. While the state of the art has so far generally taken these non-linearly growing tear forces into account, improvements are still required to increase the tear forces that can be absorbed.

[0010] The invention is therefore based on the technical problem of further developing such a one-piece lock holder for a motor vehicle locking device in such a way that the tear forces absorbed are significantly increased compared to the prior art.

[0011] To solve this technical problem, the invention proposes that a reinforcing element is provided in a generic one-piece lock holder for a motor vehicle locking device which additionally connects the bolt and the base to one another.

[0012] This reinforcement element can, in principle, connect the bolt and the base at virtually any height. However, since the bracket generally encloses the aforementioned eyelet, into which, for example, the rotary latch engages when the vehicle locking device and thus the vehicle door are closed relative to the vehicle body and engages the front bolt, the reinforcement element is generally positioned on the upper side of the base plate. This provides the eyelet with a virtually unchanged cross-section compared to the prior art. Consequently, the reinforcement element connects seamlessly to the upper side of the base plate and rests predominantly vertically on it.

[0013] Furthermore, since the reinforcing element is generally designed as a reinforcing web running parallel to the web, the invention ensures that the eye in question is circumferentially enclosed by the front bolt, the rear base, and the upper web running between them, as well as the reinforcing web. In conjunction with the fact that the lock holder is constructed entirely in one piece, this also allows for even greater tensile forces to be absorbed compared to the prior art according to EP 2 607 579 B1.

[0014] This is essentially due to the fact that, for example, the tensile or tearing forces acting on the front bolt, which is gripped by the rotary latch when the locking mechanism is closed, result in the rear base or the bolt being subjected to more or less pronounced tensile stress. Due to the additional, uniform material connection of the bolt and the base, not only by the upper web, but also by the reinforcing element or reinforcing web according to the invention, and thus also by the base plate connected to the reinforcing web, particularly high tensile forces can be absorbed in this context, particularly in the event of an accident or crash. These are the key advantages.

[0015] Generally, the reinforcement element has a material thickness adapted to the bolt and the base. The front bolt is typically predominantly cylindrical because it retracts into a groove in the rotary latch during a closing operation of the vehicle locking device relative to the vehicle body. This pivots the rotary latch and, when closed, engages around the front bolt. For this reason, the bolt is also referred to as "front-facing" because it defines the front surface of the lock holder, which interacts with and retracts into the vehicle locking device or the locking mechanism provided there during a closing operation.

[0016] As already explained, the front bolt is predominantly cylindrical. In contrast, the base, web, and reinforcement element have a largely rectangular cross-section. Furthermore, the design ensures that the cross-section of the base consistently exceeds the cross-section of both the front bolt and the web, as well as the cross-section of the reinforcement element. This gives the base a particularly solid construction and allows it to effectively absorb forces acting on it (particularly in the tensile direction) in the event of a crash, without any tearing occurring in the area connecting the base to the base plate, and if so, only at significantly higher tensile or tearing forces than those encountered in the prior art.

[0017] Further stabilization of the base is achieved by equipping the base with an inner beveled leg that defines the eye and an outer obtuse angled leg. This measure also takes into account the tearing or tensile forces acting on the lock holder in that the base is not only subjected to tensile forces running longitudinally along the base, which could potentially detach it from the base plate, but also to tensile forces oriented parallel to the base plate, which are taken into account by the inner beveled leg running in the opposite direction. The bolt and the base generally each merge into the web in an arc. At this point, the observed arc radius is typically smaller than in the prior art.

[0018] By additionally reinforcing the shackle with the reinforcement element or reinforcement bar, the upper bar, which, unlike the front bolt and the rear base, is not subject to significant tensile forces, can be equipped with additional functions. It has proven advantageous for the bar to have at least one notch on the front. In principle, two opposing, longitudinally extending notches can also be provided in the bar. These notches can be used to provide an additional notch at this location on the lock holder according to the invention, which can be used, for example, to interact with a closing drive, a stay, or the like.

[0019] Alternative or additional measures of the invention aim in a similar direction, according to which the web has a hook guided in a longitudinal cavity. The hook can be adjustable relative to the web. In this case, too, the hook can be a component of a closing device or a positioning device for the respective motor vehicle door, and in this context ensures particularly functional operation.

[0020] Until now, for example, support devices were only supported on the front bolt, whereas with the help of the optionally implemented catch or by using the hook, an at least temporary fixation or defined position of the support device relative to the front bolt and thus the lock holder is now possible. For the production of the one-piece lock holder, the invention recommends that it be designed as a cast part, in particular an investment casting. However, it is also fundamentally possible for the lock holder to be wholly or partially a forged part, in particular a drop forged part. Furthermore, it is also possible to cast or drop forge only the shackle. In this way, only a single material (usually high-strength steel) is used for production and only a minimum of production steps are required.The lock holder can generally also be cold-formed as a solid component, which increases its overall strength. Since the front bolt and the base, in conjunction with the reinforcement element or reinforcement bar, are not riveted to the base plate as is the case with conventional, two-part lock holders, high shear forces are avoided in the connection area. Subsequent heat treatment can also generally be omitted, reducing manufacturing costs.

[0021] The result is a one-piece lock holder capable of absorbing even greater tensile or tearing forces than the state of the art. This is achieved primarily by the reinforcement element or reinforcement bar connecting the front bolt and the base in addition to the base plate. These are the key advantages.

[0022] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to a drawing which merely represents an exemplary embodiment; in the drawings:

[0023] Fig.1 the one-piece lock holder according to the invention in perspective,

[0024] Fig. 2 shows the lock holder in a modified embodiment, also in perspective and in plan view, and Fig. 3 shows a further modified variant in side view and in plan view.

[0025] The figures show a one-piece lock holder for a motor vehicle locking device. The motor vehicle locking device interacting with the lock holder shown is generally a motor vehicle lock equipped with a locking mechanism consisting essentially of a rotary latch and pawl. The design is such that the lock holder shown in Fig. 1 moves into a recess of the rotary latch and pivots it until the corresponding pawl can engage and secure the rotary latch. During this process, the rotary latch engages an eye 1 of the lock holder.

[0026] To pivot the rotary latch, the lock holder shown moves with a front bolt 2 into the entry opening of the rotary latch, which engages around the front bolt 2 when the locking mechanism is closed. This insertion process into the entry opening of the locking mechanism is indicated by an arrow in Fig. 1.

[0027] The lock holder shown is predominantly constructed as a solid component with various cross-sectional thicknesses Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4. Structurally, the lock holder has a base plate 3, on which a bracket 2, 4, 5 rests, vertically according to the illustrated example. The bracket 2, 4, 5 is equipped with the aforementioned front bolt 2, a rear base 4, and a top web 5. The bolt 2 and the base 4 connect the web 5 to the base plate 3.

[0028] According to the invention, a reinforcing element 6 is additionally provided that connects the bolt 2 and the base 4. According to the exemplary embodiment, the reinforcing element 6 is a reinforcing web 6. The reinforcing web 6 runs parallel to the web 5 and connects the front bolt 2 to the rear base 4, according to the exemplary embodiment, at the foot end. Furthermore, the design is such that the reinforcing web 6 rests on an upper side of the base plate 3, also vertically, like the brackets 2, 4, 5. For this purpose, the reinforcing element or the reinforcing web 6 has a material thickness Q4 adapted to the bolt 2 and the base 4.

[0029] The front bolt 2 is predominantly cylindrical because the front bolt 2 retracts into the inlet of the rotary latch and pivots the rotary latch, and the rotary latch engages the front bolt when the locking mechanism is closed. In contrast, the base 4, the web 5, and also the reinforcing element or reinforcing web 6 have a largely rectangular cross-sectional shape. According to the exemplary embodiment, the front bolt 2 has a cross-sectional area Qi. The rear base 4, in contrast, has a cross-sectional area Q3. The top web 5 has a cross-sectional area Q2, while the reinforcing web 6 has a cross-sectional area Q4.

[0030] In the context of the exemplary embodiment, the design is such that the cross-sectional area Q3 of the rear base 4 exceeds all other cross-sectional areas Qi, Q2 and Q4 in total, so that the base 4 is able to absorb tearing forces or tearing forces acting on it particularly effectively and to transmit them into the base plate 3, for the reasons already mentioned in the description instructions.

[0031] This is further enhanced by the fact that the base 4 is equipped with an inner oblique leg 4a that defines the eye 1. On the outside, the base 4, in contrast, has an obtuse angle leg 4b. In this way, not only are the tensile forces acting vertically on the base 4 in its longitudinal direction and attempting to lift it relative to the base plate 3 absorbed, but also the tensile forces that run parallel to the base plate 3 and deform the base 4 in the direction of the front bolt 2. The inner oblique leg 4a, in conjunction with the outer obtuse angle leg 4b, takes such forces into account.

[0032] It can be seen that the front bolt 2 and the rear base 4 each transition into the web 5 in an arc shape. In this case, a circular arc with a small radius is usually used.

[0033] In the variant according to Fig. 2, the design is such that the web 5 has a front-facing notch 7. According to the exemplary embodiment of Fig. 2, two front-facing notches 7 are provided, each of which is designed as a rectangular notch and extends in the longitudinal direction of the web 5, is arranged at the front of the web 5, and is connected at the head end to the front-facing bolt 2. These notches 7 can function as a catch for, for example, a closing drive or a setting device, as already described in the introduction.

[0034] A variant with comparable functionality is shown in Fig. 3. In this case, the web 5 is equipped with a longitudinal cavity in which a hook 8 is guided. The hook 8 can be adjusted relative to the web 5. Depending on the installation conditions, the hook 8 can then be fixed in its desired position. This corresponds to the hook 8 projecting beyond the front bolt 2 on its front side by a certain amount B. This amount or projection B can be varied, as explained. This allows the lock holder to be adapted to different installation conditions, various installation devices, closing devices, etc.

[0035] 1 eye

[0036] 2 Bolts 3 Base plate

[0037] 2, 4, 5 brackets

[0038] 4 rear base

[0039] 4a Oblique leg

[0040] 4b Obtuse angle leg 5 upper web

[0041] 6 Reinforcing element, reinforcing web

[0042] Qi cross-sectional area bolt 2

[0043] Q2 Cross-sectional area of ​​upper web 5

[0044] Q3 Cross-sectional area of ​​rear base 4 Q4 Cross-sectional area of ​​reinforcement web 6

[0045] 7 front notch

[0046] 8 hooks

[0047] B Amount, surplus

Claims

Patent claims 1. One-piece lock holder for a motor vehicle locking device, in particular a motor vehicle lock, preferably a motor vehicle door lock, predominantly designed as a solid component with different cross-sectional thicknesses (Qi , Q2, Q3, Q4), with a base plate (3) and a bracket (2, 4, 5) mounted thereon, wherein the bracket (2, 4, 5) has a front bolt (2), a top web (5) and a rear base (4), and wherein the bolt (2) and the base (4) connect the web (5) to the base plate (3), characterized in that an additional reinforcing element (6) connecting the bolt (2) and the base (4) is provided.

2. Lock holder according to claim 1, characterized in that the reinforcing element (6) rests on an upper surface of the base plate (3).

3. Lock holder according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the reinforcing element (6) has a material thickness (Q4) adapted to the bolt (2) and the base (4).

4. Lock holder according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the front bolt (2) is predominantly cylindrical, while the base (4), the web (5) and the reinforcing element (6) have a mostly rectangular cross-sectional shape (Q2, Q3 and Q4).

5. Lock holder according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the base (4) is equipped with an inner inclined leg (4a) defining an eye (1) and an outer obtuse angle leg (4b).

6. Lock holder according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the bolt (2) and the base (4) each transition into the web (5) in an arc shape.

7. Lock holder according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the bridge (5) has at least one front-side indentation (7).

8. Lock holder according to claim 7, characterized in that two opposing longitudinally extended indentations (7) are provided in the web (5).

9. Lock holder according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the bridge (5) has a hook (8) guided in a longitudinal cavity.

10. Lock holder according to claim 9, characterized in that the hook (8) is adjustable relative to the bridge (5).

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