Motor vehicle lock device

Abstract

The invention relates to a motor vehicle lock device and in particular to a motor vehicle lock and preferably to a motor vehicle tailgate lock, which is provided with a locking mechanism (1, 2) of essentially a rotary latch (1) and a pawl (2). Furthermore, a locking bolt (3) interacting with the locking mechanism (1, 2) is implemented. In addition, a damping element (4) is provided for the locking mechanism (1, 2) and / or the locking bolt (3). According to the invention, the damping element (4) has at least three stop contours (4a, 4b, 4c) for the rotary latch (1), the pawl (2) and the locking bolt (3).

Description

[0001] Description

[0002] Motor vehicle locking device

[0003] The invention relates to a motor vehicle locking device, in particular a motor vehicle lock and preferably a motor vehicle tailgate lock, with a locking mechanism consisting essentially of a rotary latch and a pawl, furthermore with a locking bolt interacting with the locking mechanism, and with a damping element for the locking mechanism and / or the locking bolt.

[0004] The motor vehicle locking device is usually located in or on a motor vehicle door, and preferably a motor vehicle tailgate. The locking bolt, in contrast, is located on the body side. When the motor vehicle door in question is closed, the locking bolt retracts into a groove in the locking mechanism, a lock case, or the associated lock housing. In this way, the rotary latch is usually first moved into a pre-locking position and then into a main locking position, in which it is held by the pawl. In principle, the locking mechanism can also have more than one pawl, in the sense of a multi-pawl locking mechanism.

[0005] The damping element provided at this point generally ensures that the rotary latch or pawl, for example, is slowed down during this process. This results in overall improvements in comfort and improved acoustics. This is the state of the art according to DE 10 2006 025 719 A1, among others.

[0006] Furthermore, the further prior art according to DE 20 2012 001 961 U1 already includes approaches to providing two stops on a common stop contour or damping element. One stop is provided for the electric motor drive, while the other, second stop interacts with a locking element, for example, a locking lever. In this way, synergy effects have already been observed such that, in the example described, the electric motor drive, on the one hand, and the locking element in question, on the other hand, do not rely on different and separately designed damping elements, but rather are equipped with a common stop contour with the two associated stops. The stop contour can be made of rubber or a rubber-elastic plastic.

[0007] The state of the art has generally proven itself when it comes to combining two stops for damping elements in a motor vehicle locking device within a common stop contour, for example. However, additional simplifications and cost reductions are still being called for. This is where the invention comes in.

[0008] The invention is based on the technical problem of further developing such a motor vehicle locking device in such a way that the manufacturing and assembly costs are further reduced compared to previous procedures.

[0009] To solve this technical problem, a generic motor vehicle locking device within the scope of the invention is characterized in that the damping element has at least three stop contours for the rotary latch, the pawl and the locking bolt.

[0010] According to the invention, a (single) and common damping element is used, which is capable of damping the rotary latch, the pawl, and ultimately the locking bolt during their movement and interaction with one another. The invention is based, first of all, on the finding that movement damping of the pawl is typically performed, or should advantageously be performed, when the pawl engages a main notch of the rotary latch. In this main notch position of the locking mechanism, the locking bolt is usually also in its end position relative to a slot defined by the rotary latch for the locking bolt, so that the corresponding damping position of the pawl also generally corresponds to the corresponding damping position of the locking bolt.In other words, most of the time (in the main locking position of the locking mechanism), both the pawl and the locking bolt are in their respective damping positions. As a result, both the pawl and the locking bolt rest against the corresponding stop contours. In contrast, the stop contour provided for the rotary latch is free of the rotary latch.

[0011] In fact, the stop contour for the rotary latch usually only comes into play or becomes effective when the rotary latch is in its fully or almost fully open position (and not in the previously described closed position or main stop position). In this context, the corresponding stop contour for the rotary latch ensures that the usually spring-assisted opening movement of the rotary latch is dampened.

[0012] This results in effective damping of the key elements of the motor vehicle locking device, namely the rotary latch, the pawl, and the locking bolt. Typically, the pawl and the locking bolt are damped together in the main detent position of the locking mechanism, namely, they rest against their corresponding stop contour of the damping element. In contrast, the stop contour for the rotary latch only becomes effective when the rotary latch is fully or almost fully open. This functional separation makes it possible to spatially attach the three stop contours for the rotary latch, the pawl, and the locking bolt to a single damping element. For this purpose, the damping element is advantageously equipped with a rotary latch arm, a pawl arm, and a locking bolt arm.The three arms can be connected to each other in such a way that the pawl arm and the locking bolt arm extend from the central rotary latch arm on both sides.

[0013] By locating the rotary latch arm centrally, the invention takes into account the fact that, as described, both the pawl and the locking bolt usually assume their respective damping positions in contact with the corresponding stop contour of the damping element in the main locking position of the locking mechanism. In contrast, the damping position of the rotary latch belongs to its fully open position, in which the locking bolt is extended from the inlet opening of the rotary latch and the pawl is spaced from the rotary latch or lifted from it. In this way, a bolt on the outer circumference of the rotary latch can easily interact with the central rotary latch arm or the stop contour provided there.

[0014] The design also includes a rotary latch stop contour on the rotary latch arm, a pawl stop contour on the pawl arm, and finally a locking bolt stop contour on the locking bolt arm. The pawl stop contour and the locking bolt stop contour each have a central damping recess.

[0015] The central damping recess also performs a damping function together with the elastically designed damping element. In the area of ​​the damping recess, the material of the damping element surrounding the damping recess can deflect into the damping recess, thus providing additional macroscopic damping of the movement of both the pawl and the locking bolt with the help of the damping recess. In contrast, the (elastomer) material of the damping element primarily provides microscopic damping. In other words, the damping recess can yield inwards and thus absorb and dampen any relatively hard impacts from the pawl on the one hand and the locking bolt on the other hand on the relevant stop contour. All of this occurs without the damping element in the area of ​​the corresponding stop contour suffering any mechanical damage.

[0016] In contrast, the rotary latch stop contour is generally cup-shaped or curved, designed to accommodate a pin on the rotary latch that engages therein. The invention is based on the realization that the pin on the outer circumference of the rotary latch only moves into or engages the cup-shaped rotary latch stop contour when the rotary latch assumes its open or nearly open position. Due to the cup-shaped design, the rotary latch pin moving into it is effectively decelerated, stopping the opening movement of the rotary latch.

[0017] In detail, it has proven effective if the pawl stop contour is designed to be prismatic with a polygonal outer circumference for interaction with a corresponding polygonal recess in the pawl. This corresponding polygonal design not only brakes the pawl when it assumes the main detent position, but also simultaneously fixes the pawl in this main detent position of the locking mechanism. This is because the mutual engagement of the polygonal outer circumference of the pawl stop contour in the corresponding polygonal recess on the pawl ensures that the pawl is centered and held in its position. This means that the pawl stop contour not only performs a braking and dampening function for the pawl, but also ensures its centering and that it maintains the assumed position (main detent position).The locking bolt stop contour is usually also prismatic, with a trapezoidal outer circumference for the predominantly cylindrical locking bolt moving against it. The trapezoidal outer circumference of the locking bolt stop contour ensures particularly effective damping, especially since the previously described central damping recess is also implemented at this point. When the cylindrical locking bolt hits the trapezoidal outer circumference of the locking bolt stop contour, the corresponding trapezoidal design is, as it were, spread and can also be spread because the displaced material can simultaneously escape into the damping recess. In any case, this method allows for particularly effective damping of the locking bolt's movement, both geometrically and acoustically.

[0018] Finally, the design is such that the locking bolt stop contour and the pawl stop contour form an obtuse angle between them. Furthermore, the locking bolt stop contour and the pawl stop contour are generally connected at their ends to the central rotary latch arm with the rotary latch stop contour. The invention is based on the finding that, particularly in the main locking position of the locking mechanism, the pawl on the one hand and the locking bolt on the other hand occupy positions spaced apart from one another, while the bolt on the outer circumference of the rotary latch is centrally arranged in the open position of the rotary latch, as will be explained in more detail below with reference to the exemplary embodiment.

[0019] Ultimately, it proved particularly advantageous that the damping element, with its three arms and three stop contours, was manufactured as a single piece from a thermoplastic. Flexible or elastomeric plastics have proven particularly suitable for this purpose, for example, PUR (polyurethane) plastics and, in particular, PUR elastomers. However, other elastomeric plastics such as SBR (styrene-butadiene rubber), NBR (nitrile rubber), EPDM (ethylene-propylene-diene rubber), etc. can also be used. These plastics can generally be processed by injection molding, so that the damping element with its individual arms and contours can be manufactured in one go, as a single piece, and cost-effectively.The one-piece design also facilitates installation in a housing of the motor vehicle locking device, thus achieving the previously stated advantages regarding manufacturing and assembly, and thus the observed reduced costs. These are the key advantages.

[0020] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to a drawing which merely represents an exemplary embodiment; in the drawings:

[0021] Figures 1 and 2 show the motor vehicle locking device according to the invention in a detailed section in different functional positions.

[0022] The figures depict a motor vehicle locking device, which is or may be, without limitation, a motor vehicle lock and in particular a motor vehicle tailgate lock. The motor vehicle lock depicted is equipped with a locking mechanism 1, 2 consisting essentially of a rotary latch 1 and a pawl 2. Furthermore, a locking bolt 3 interacting with the locking mechanism 1, 2 can be seen, which may be arranged, for example, on the body side, whereas the locking mechanism 1, 2 is arranged on the door or tailgate side.

[0023] Of particular importance is a damping element 4 for the locking mechanism 1, 2, and the locking bolt 3. It can be seen that the damping element 4 has a total of three stop contours 4a, 4b, 4c for the rotary latch 1, the pawl 2, and the locking bolt 3. In fact, a rotary latch stop contour 4a is provided on a corresponding rotary latch arm, a pawl stop contour 4b on the corresponding pawl arm, and finally, a locking bolt stop contour 4c on the corresponding locking bolt arm. According to the exemplary embodiment, the respective stop contours 4a, 4b, and 4c can be identified with the corresponding three arms of the damping element 4.It can also be seen that the three arms are connected to one another in such a way that the pawl arm with the pawl stop contour 4b and the locking bolt arm with the locking bolt stop contour 4c extend from the central rotary latch arm with the rotary latch stop contour 4a on both sides.

[0024] In Fig. 1, the motor vehicle locking device is shown and reproduced in a main detent position of the locking mechanism 1, 2. It can be seen that in this main detent position, both the pawl 2 and the locking bolt 3 each assume their damping position in contact with the associated stop contour 4b, 4c. Furthermore, this illustration makes it clear that both the pawl stop contour 4b and the locking bolt stop contour 4c each have a central damping recess 5. Due to this central damping recess 5, the associated contour or stop contour 4b, 4c can also absorb relatively large travel distances when the pawl 2, on the one hand, and the locking bolt 3, on the other hand, come into contact with the respective contour 4b, 4c, because the damping recess 5 in question is deformed slightly inwards and allows such deformation.This means that even large travel distances can be accommodated and controlled in conjunction with damping.

[0025] It can be seen that the rotary latch stop contour 4a is designed as a pot-shaped configuration for a bolt 6 on the rotary latch 1 that engages therein. For this purpose, the bolt 6 is arranged on the outer circumference of the rotary latch 1. In the closed position or main detent position of the locking mechanism 1, 2 shown in Fig. 1, the bolt 6 in question, and thus also the rotary latch 1, is arranged away from the pot-shaped rotary latch stop contour 4a. In fact, the rotary latch stop contour 4a only comes into play when the rotary latch 1 transitions into its fully open or almost fully open position, as shown in Fig. 2.

[0026] It can be seen that the pawl stop contour 4b is prismatically equipped with a polygonal outer periphery. This polygonal outer periphery can interact with a corresponding polygonal recess 2a of the pawl 2. This applies in particular when the pawl 2 and the locking mechanism 1, 2 as a whole assume the main locking position shown in Fig. 1. In this main locking position, the design is not only such that the pawl 2 moves against the pawl stop contour 4b in question with a damping action, whereby the damping recess 5 may also be deformed. Rather, in the main locking position assumed by the pawl 2, the interaction between the polygonal outer circumference of the pawl stop contour 4b with the corresponding polygonal recess 2a of the pawl 2 ensures that the pawl 2 is simultaneously centered to a certain extent in this position.

[0027] The locking bolt stop contour 4c is also prismatic, with a trapezoidal outer circumference for the predominantly cylindrical locking bolt 3 moving against it. Due to the trapezoidal nature of the locking bolt stop contour 4c, including the damping recess 5, any movements of the locking bolt 3 into the main locking position and upon abutment against the locking bolt stop contour 4c are initially absorbed by possible deformations of the damping recess 5. These deformations are additionally permitted by the fact that the trapezoidal outer circumference of the locking bolt stop contour 4c is, as it were, spread open at this point, thus allowing deformation of the damping recess 5.

[0028] A comparison of Figures 1 and 2 clearly shows that the locking bolt stop contour 4b and the pawl stop contour 4c form an obtuse angle a between them. Furthermore, both the locking bolt stop contour 4c and the pawl stop contour 4b are connected at their ends to the central rotary latch arm with the rotary latch stop contour 4a. The damping element with the three arms and the three stop contours 4a, 4b, and 4c is made in one piece from a thermoplastic material. Elastomeric plastics, such as PUR elastomer, have proven particularly suitable for this purpose.

[0029] As already explained, the motor vehicle locking device or the associated locking mechanism 1, 2 is in its main detent position in the illustration according to Fig. 1. In this main detent position, the pawl 2 has engaged a main detent of the rotary latch 1. In addition, the locking bolt 3 assumes its end position in an inlet mouth of the rotary latch 1. This means that both the pawl 2 and the locking bolt 3 are each in their damping position in contact with the associated pawl stop contour 4b on the one hand and the locking bolt stop contour 4c on the other. The rotary latch stop contour 4a, in contrast, is not used.

[0030] As soon as the locking mechanism 1, 2 is opened and consequently the rotary latch 1 has been pivoted counterclockwise about its axis starting from the closed position or main detent position according to Fig. 1 according to the exemplary embodiment (with the pawl 2 lifted), the bolt 6 can move in the direction of the rotary latch stop contour 4a, as can be seen from Fig. 2. Since the rotary latch stop contour 4a according to the exemplary embodiment is pot-shaped, the rotary latch 1 or the bolt 6 located on its outer circumference is received in the pot-shaped rotary latch stop contour 4a during this process or is braked when retracting into it. In fact, during this process, the pot-shaped rotary latch stop contour 4a is “bent” to a certain extent, which is easily possible due to the design made of an elastomer with the other stop contours 4b and 4c provided on one side.

[0031] The result is a motor vehicle locking device equipped with a single damping element 4 made of an elastomeric thermoplastic. The damping element 4 assumes a damping function for both the pawl 2 and the locking bolt 3, particularly in the main detent position of the locking mechanism 1, 2. Furthermore, the damping element 4 ensures that the rotary latch 1 is also dampened in its movement in its fully open or almost fully open position. The movement damping provided by the damping element 4 ensures that hard impacts are avoided at this point and, in particular, the acoustics are improved. These are the key advantages.

[0032] List of reference symbols:

[0033] 1 rotary latch

[0034] 2 pawl 2 polygonal recess

[0035] 1 , 2 locking mechanisms

[0036] 3 locking bolts

[0037] 4 Damping element

[0038] 4a, 4b 4c Stop contours 4a Rotary latch stop contour

[0039] 4b Pawl stop contour

[0040] 4c Locking bolt stop contour

[0041] 5 central damping recess

[0042] 6 bolts at an obtuse angle

Claims

Patent claims 1. Motor vehicle locking device, in particular motor vehicle lock, preferably motor vehicle tailgate lock, with a locking mechanism (1, 2) consisting essentially of a rotary latch (1) and a locking pawl (2), furthermore with a locking bolt (3) interacting with the locking mechanism (1, 2), and with a damping element (4) for the locking mechanism (1, 2) and / or the locking bolt (3), characterized in that the damping element (4) has at least three stop contours (4a, 4b, 4c) for the rotary latch (1), the locking pawl (2) and the locking bolt (3).

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the damping element (4) is equipped with a rotary latch arm, locking pawl arm and locking bolt arm.

3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the three arms connect to each other in such a way that the locking pawl arm and the locking bolt arm extend from the central rotary latch arm to both sides.

4. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a rotary latch stop contour (4a) is arranged on the rotary latch arm, a locking pawl stop contour (4b) is arranged on the locking pawl arm and a locking bolt stop contour (4c) is arranged on the locking bolt arm.

5. Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the locking pawl stop contour (4b) and the locking bolt stop contour (4c) each have a central damping recess (5).

6. Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the rotary latch stop contour (4a) is designed in a cup-like shape for a bolt (6) engaging therein on the rotary latch (1 ).

7. Device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the pawl stop contour (4b) is prismatically formed with a polygonal outer circumference for interaction with a corresponding polygonal recess (2a) of the pawl (2).

8. Device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the locking bolt stop contour (4c) is also prismatic with a trapezoidal outer circumference for the predominantly cylindrical locking bolt (3) moving against it.

9. Device according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the locking bolt stop contour (4c) and the pawl stop contour (4b) enclose an obtuse angle (a) between them and are each connected on one side to the central rotary latch arm with the rotary latch stop contour (4a).

10. Device according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the damping element (4) with the three arms and the three stop contours (4a, 4b, 4c) is manufactured in one piece from a thermoplastic and in particular elastomeric plastic, such as PUR.

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