Motor vehicle lock, in particular motor vehicle door lock

Abstract

The invention relates to a motor vehicle lock, in particular a motor vehicle door lock, which, in its basic design, is equipped with a locking mechanism (1, 2) consisting essentially of a rotary latch (1) and a pawl (2). Furthermore, a closing drive (4) and an opening drive (4) for the locking mechanism are implemented. In addition, a drive pawl (5) for acting on the locking mechanism (1, 2) is implemented. According to the invention, a single and combined opening / closing drive (4) is implemented, which acts on the drive pawl (5) optionally in an opening direction (Ö) for acting on the pawl (2) and in an opposite closing direction (Z) for acting on the rotary latch (1).

Description

[0001] Description

[0002] Motor vehicle lock, in particular motor vehicle door lock

[0003] The invention relates to a motor vehicle lock, in particular a motor vehicle door lock, with a locking mechanism consisting essentially of a rotary latch and a pawl, furthermore with a closing drive and an opening drive for the locking mechanism, and with a drive pawl for acting on the rotary latch.

[0004] Typically, the locking mechanism, which essentially consists of a rotary latch and a pawl, is designed as a single-pawl locking mechanism, i.e., it has a (single) pawl. However, the invention also encompasses so-called multi-pawl locking mechanisms with two pawls.

[0005] The generic state of the art according to DE 10 2018 1 13 270 A1 provides a closing drive and an opening drive for the locking mechanism. The rotary latch can be moved into an overtravel position using the closing drive. To open the locking mechanism, the rotary latch is held in the overtravel position using the closing drive. This allows the opening drive to open the pawl, and the closing drive then returns to its home position with the locking mechanism open. This is intended to reduce the overall noise generated during the opening process of the locking mechanism compared to previous designs.

[0006] The further prior art according to DE 10 2019 135 464 A1 relates to a motor vehicle lock equipped with a closing drive and an opening device. The closing drive has at least one electric-motor-operated pivot lever and a closing pawl acting on the rotary latch. The opening device is equipped with a toggle lever arrangement that couples the pivot lever and the closing pawl during closing operation and separates them during opening.

[0007] Common motor vehicle locks have generally proven themselves reliable and work reliably because, in effect, the opening drive and closing drive for the locking mechanism are spatially and functionally separate from each other. While the further state of the art according to DE 20 2008 015 789 U1 also deals with designs that utilize a closing / opening device, the design here is such that the drive either provides a closing movement of the locking mechanism or an opening movement. This has also proven successful.

[0008] Considering the first two embodiments according to the generic document DE 10 2018 1 13 270 A1 on the one hand and DE 10 2019 135 464 A1 on the other, it becomes clear that the spatial and functional separation of the opening drive and the closing drive results in a relatively complex structure, which is generally understandable. Otherwise, mutual functional impairments are possible. However, for the sake of cost-effective production, it is generally desirable to combine individual functionalities. There are currently no convincing solutions for this in the state of the art.

[0009] Accordingly, the invention is based on the technical problem of further developing such a motor vehicle lock and in particular a motor vehicle door lock in such a way that simplifications are observed with regard to the design and manufacture compared to the prior art.

[0010] To solve this technical problem, a generic motor vehicle lock and in particular a motor vehicle door lock is characterized within the scope of the invention in that a single and combined opening / closing drive is realized, which operates on the drive pawl optionally in an opening direction to act on the pawl and in an opposite closing direction to act on the rotary latch.

[0011] In contrast to the generic prior art according to DE 10 2018 113 270 A1 or the teaching according to DE 10 2019 135 464 A1, the invention therefore no longer relies on a closing drive and a separate opening drive for the locking mechanism, i.e., on two electric motor drives. Rather, the invention uses a single electric motor drive, namely the single combined opening / closing drive. With the help of this combined opening / closing drive, the desired locking mechanism opening and closing process are realized and implemented.

[0012] For this purpose, the single and combined opening / closing drive operates according to the invention on the drive pawl, which selectively acts on the locking pawl in its opening direction and on the rotary latch in the opposite closing direction. Although such a drive is generally described in DE 20 2008 015 789 U1, it is only described in such a way that it can realize and implement either a closing process or an opening process in the sense of an "exclusive-or" relationship.

[0013] In contrast, the invention operates with a single, combined opening / closing drive, which is actuated in the opening direction on the one hand and in the closing direction opposite to this on the other. In the opening direction, the opening / closing drive in conjunction with the drive pawl ensures that the pawl is lifted from its locking engagement with the rotary latch. As a result, the rotary latch can then open with spring support and releases a previously trapped locking bolt. An electric motor-driven opening drive is connected to this. At the same time, according to the invention, the single, combined opening / closing drive is capable of closing the rotary latch via the drive pawl in the closing direction opposite to the opening direction.In this case, the drive pawl ensures that the rotary latch – for example, starting from a pre-locking position – is moved toward the main locking position with the aid of the drive pawl. To achieve this, the single and combined opening / closing drive is moved in the closing direction.

[0014] In this way, a motor vehicle lock is provided within the scope of the invention that dispenses with two separate electric motor drives, one for the electric motor-driven opening process and the other for the electric motor-driven closing process, but instead implements both functionalities using a single, combined opening / closing drive including a drive pawl. This saves costs in both manufacturing and assembly. Furthermore, the weight is reduced. Furthermore, the embodiment according to the invention is characterized by a particularly compact design, thus requiring significantly less installation space compared to the previous state of the art. These are the key advantages.

[0015] According to a further advantageous embodiment, the drive pawl is equipped with a toothing for engagement with a gear of the combined opening / closing drive. The drive pawl is usually a toothed segment wheel that is rotatable about its axis. The toothed segment wheel is characterized by the toothing being realized only on a circumferential segment, the toothed segment, into which the gear of the opening / closing drive engages to drive the drive pawl.

[0016] To actuate the pawl or the rotary latch, the drive pawl has a cantilever that can be adjusted to act on either the pawl or the rotary latch. This is usually done by angularly spaced apart a toothed segment of the drive pawl and the cantilever.

[0017] The angular distance between the toothed segment and the drive pawl prevents any functional impairments when the drive pawl is actuated by the combined opening / closing drive. This is also helped by the fact that the drive pawl is usually pot-shaped in cross-section with a central rotation axis and a peripheral toothed segment and extension.

[0018] The pot-shaped cross-section of the drive pawl takes into account the fact that the drive pawl is usually also equipped with a contour for interaction with a sensor that senses the angular position of the drive pawl. The contour is typically found on a stub cylinder, which can be connected (rotationally fixed) to the drive pawl or is designed as a single piece. The stub cylinder not only defines the central axis of rotation of the drive pawl, but is also equipped with the necessary contour on its outer circumference, which can be sensed by the sensor to determine the angular position of the drive pawl.Due to the pot-shaped nature of the drive pawl in cross-section, the drive pawl can overlap the cylinder stump in question, so that both the circumferential tooth segment and the boom are displaced into an associated plane spanned by the locking mechanism.

[0019] An additional and advantageous approach is to position the drive pawl's arm in the unloaded state in a parking area that neither engages the pawl nor the rotary latch. The parking area can be detected using the sensor. This expressly eliminates the need for additional stops, rubber buffers, etc. for the drive pawl. Rather, the interplay between the contour on the cylinder stub on the one hand and the sensor scanning the contour on the other ensures that the drive pawl, in its unloaded state, occupies the parking area in question. This is deliberately a position range of the drive pawl in the unloaded state, which takes possible external influences into account.

[0020] In fact, the home position assumed by the drive pawl when not actuated by the combined opening / closing drive depends on factors such as the voltage acting on the opening / closing drive, the temperature, or the direction in which the drive pawl is acted upon, i.e., whether it assumes its home position coming from the opening direction or from the closing direction. Either way, the parking area is expressly and inventively permitted and detected by the sensor. This corresponds to a position range and consequently an angular range that the drive pawl can assume in its home position. This eliminates the need for additional stops, stops, etc., which also contributes to reducing weight, manufacturing costs, and price.

[0021] This is also due to the fact that the drive pawl is advantageously designed as a molded metal or plastic part. The same applies to the cylinder stub. The drive pawl and the cylinder stub can be designed as two parts. However, they are usually a one-piece plastic or metal molded part. Both the metal and the plastic molded parts can be injection-molded.

[0022] The result is a motor vehicle lock, and in particular a motor vehicle door lock, which, in a strikingly simple design, is capable of both an electric motor-driven opening and closing of the locking mechanism. This is due to the fact that a single combined opening / closing drive is responsible for both processes. In conjunction with the specially designed drive pawl, the different rotational directions of the combined opening / closing drive are used to actuate the drive pawl in the opening direction on the one hand and in the opposite closing direction on the other. These are the key advantages.

[0023] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to a drawing which merely represents an exemplary embodiment; in the drawings:

[0024] Figures 1 to 3 show the motor vehicle lock according to the invention in different views.

[0025] The figures depict a motor vehicle lock, and in particular a motor vehicle door lock. Its basic design comprises a locking mechanism 1, 2, essentially consisting of a rotary latch 1 and a pawl 2. This can be seen primarily in Fig. 1. For this purpose, the locking mechanism 1, 2 is mounted in a lock housing 3, which is or may be largely made of plastic. Furthermore, the basic design includes a closing drive 4 and an opening drive 4 for the aforementioned locking mechanism 1, 2. According to the exemplary embodiment and the invention, a single, combined opening / closing drive 4 is implemented.

[0026] In addition, a drive pawl 5 is provided, with the aid of which the rotary latch 1 or the locking mechanism 1, 2 can be actuated. With the aid of the single and combined opening / closing drive 4 provided according to the invention, the drive pawl 5 can be controlled optionally in an opening direction Ö to actuate the locking pawl 2 and in an opposite closing direction Z to actuate the rotary latch 1. This is best seen in Fig. 1, where the opening direction Ö and the closing direction Z are shown on the one hand and on the other.

[0027] According to the embodiment, the opening direction Ö corresponds to a pivoting movement of the drive pawl 5 about its axis 6 in the counterclockwise direction, whereas the closing direction Z of the drive pawl 5 corresponds to a rotation of the drive pawl 5 about its axis 6 in the clockwise direction.

[0028] It can be seen that the drive pawl 5 is equipped with a toothing 5a. According to the exemplary embodiment, the toothing 5a serves to engage a gear 4 of the combined and single opening / closing drive 4. In fact, according to the exemplary embodiment, the gear 4 and the opening / closing drive 4 are designed to coincide. However, it should be noted that, in addition to the gear 4, the opening / closing drive 4 may also have an electric motor and an intermediate gear, which is not shown in detail for the sake of a better and clearer illustration.

[0029] The drive pawl 5 is a gear segment wheel that rotates around the axis 6. This is due to the fact that the toothing 5a, in conjunction with the circular drive pawl 5, is only realized and provided on a circumferential segment of the drive pawl 5. Consequently, a tooth segment 5a is observed. In fact, the drive pawl 5 also has an extension arm 5b that can optionally act on the locking pawl 2 or the rotary latch 1.

[0030] It can be seen that the toothed segment 5a of the drive pawl 5 and the extension arm 5b are arranged at an angular distance from one another. In fact, according to the exemplary embodiment, an angular distance a in the range of approximately 90° is observed between the toothed segment 5a and the extension arm 5b with respect to the common rotation axis 6, which, of course, is only an example and not a limitation. In any case, one edge of the toothed segment 5a and the extension arm 5b are spaced apart from one another. This eliminates any potential interference with their function.

[0031] In particular, a comparative analysis of Figures 1 and 2 reveals that the drive pawl 5 has a pot-shaped cross-section with a central rotational axis 6 and a peripheral toothed segment 5a and a cantilever 5b. For this purpose, the detailed design is such that the drive pawl 5 rests on a cylinder stub 7, largely visible in Figure 2, or is rotationally fixedly coupled to this cylinder stub 7, jointly defining the rotational axis 6. The cylinder stub 7 has a contour 8 on its outer circumference, which is configured to interact with a sensor 9.

[0032] In the exemplary embodiment, the sensor 9 is a switch, in particular a microswitch. In this way, the angular position of the drive pawl 5 can be interrogated using the sensor or microswitch 9. This makes it possible for the boom 5b, as a component of the drive pawl 5, to be arranged in a parking area P in the unloaded state, which is schematically shown in Fig. 3.

[0033] This parking range P belongs to a possible angular position or angular range that the arm 5b of the drive pawl 5 can cover, without the pawl 2 or the rotary latch 1 being acted upon in the basic state shown in Fig. 3. In this respect, the parking range P takes into account any variations in the assumption of the basic position by the arm 5b. Such variations can be attributed to fluctuating voltages acting on the opening / closing drive 4, temperature differences, or to the fact that the basic position is approached from the opening direction Ö or the closing direction Z, as shown in Fig. 3.

[0034] In any case, by occupying the parking area P by the extension arm 5b of the drive pawl 5, it is possible to eliminate any stops, buffer stops, etc. for the drive pawl 5 altogether. This reduces the design effort and manufacturing costs. Within the parking area P, the sensor 9 or microswitch therefore transmits a consistently identical parking signal or sensor signal to a control unit (not explicitly shown) for evaluating the drive movement of the opening / closing drive 4.

[0035] It functions as follows. Starting from the parked position or basic position of the drive pawl shown in Fig. 1, an actuation by the single and combined opening / closing drive 4 of the drive pawl 5 in the closing direction Z clockwise around the rotation axis 6 ensures that the arm 5b of the drive pawl 5 moves against a pin connected to the rotary latch 1 and indicated. The clockwise movement of the arm 5b now causes the rotary latch 1 in the embodiment according to Fig. 1 to be pivoted counterclockwise around its axis. For this purpose, the rotary latch 1 in the illustration according to Fig. 1 has, for example, assumed its pre-locking position and is transferred into the main locking position with the help of the arm 5b of the drive pawl 5 through the movement described.In principle, the rotary latch 1 can also be pivoted into an overtravel position using the drive pawl 5 in order to subsequently facilitate the engagement of the pawl 2. The drive pawl 5 is then returned to its home position or parking area P. This corresponds to a counterclockwise movement of the drive pawl 5. Starting from the home position or parking area P, actuating the arm 5b in the opening direction Ö causes the arm 5b to pivot counterclockwise. During this process, the arm 5b moves against a stop contour of the pawl 2 and ensures that the pawl 2 is pivoted clockwise around its axis in the exemplary embodiment. The clockwise movement of the pawl 2 in relation to the rotary latch 1 now causes the pawl 2 to leave its detent position in relation to the rotary latch 1.As a result, the rotary latch 1 (spring-assisted) can move into its open position, releasing a previously trapped locking bolt (not shown). The locking mechanism 1, 2 is consequently opened. The same applies to the corresponding vehicle door.

[0036] List of reference symbols:

[0037] 1 , 2 locking mechanisms

[0038] 1 rotary latch

[0039] 2 pawls

[0040] 3 lock housings

[0041] 4 Closing drive or opening drive, gear

[0042] 5 drive pawl

[0043] 5a Gearing

[0044] 5b boom

[0045] 6 axis

[0046] 7 Cylinder stump

[0047] 8 Contour

[0048] 9 Sensor or switch, microswitch

[0049] Ö Opening direction

[0050] P Parking area

[0051] Z Closing direction

Claims

Patent claims 1. Motor vehicle lock, in particular motor vehicle door lock, with a locking mechanism (1 , 2) consisting essentially of a rotary latch (1 ) and a locking pawl (2), furthermore with a closing drive (4) and an opening drive (4) for the locking mechanism (1 , 2), and with a drive pawl (5) for actuating the locking mechanism (1 , 2), characterized in that a single and combined opening / closing drive (4) is implemented, which acts on the drive pawl (5) selectively in an opening direction (O) to actuate the locking pawl (2) and in an opposite closing direction (Z) to actuate the rotary latch (1 ).

2. Motor vehicle lock according to claim 1, characterized in that the drive pawl (5) has a toothing (5a) for engagement of a gear (4) of the combined opening / closing drive (4).

3. Motor vehicle lock according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the drive pawl (5) is designed as a toothed segment wheel rotatable about an axis (6).

4. Motor vehicle lock according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the drive pawl (5) has a cantilever (5b) which selectively acts upon the locking pawl (2) or the rotary latch (1).

5. Motor vehicle lock according to claim 4, characterized in that a tooth segment (5a) of the drive pawl (5) and the cantilever (5b) are arranged at an angle (a) apart from each other.

6. Motor vehicle lock according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the drive pawl (5) has a pot-shaped cross-section with the central axis of rotation (6) and the circumferential toothed segment (5a) and the extension (5b).

7. Motor vehicle lock according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the drive pawl (5) has a contour (8) for interaction with a sensor (9) querying the angular position of the drive pawl (5).

8. Motor vehicle lock according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the cantilever (5b) of the drive pawl (5) is arranged in a parking area (P) that does not act on either the locking pawl (2) or the rotary latch (1) in the unactuated state.

9. Vehicle lock according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the sensor (9) detects the parking area (P).

10. Motor vehicle lock according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the drive pawl (5) is designed as a metal and / or plastic molded part.

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