Motor vehicle locking device

Abstract

The invention relates to a motor vehicle locking device, in particular a motor vehicle lock and preferably a motor vehicle bonnet lock. The locking device is equipped with a locking mechanism (1, 2) which consists substantially of a rotary latch (1) and a pawl (2). Also provided is a leg spring (5) for acting on a locking bolt (3) which interacts with the locking mechanism (1, 2). According to the invention, the leg spring (5) has a rectangular cross section.

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 hood lock, with a locking mechanism consisting essentially of a rotary latch and a pawl, and with a leg spring for acting on a locking bolt interacting with the locking mechanism.

[0004] Motor vehicle locking devices are typically used on or in motor vehicles to lock doors, hatches, hoods, etc., for example, against a vehicle body. In this case, we primarily focus on motor vehicle locks, and in particular, motor vehicle hood locks, which are used in conjunction with bonnets or tailgates. One problem with bonnets is that they tend to rattle due to vehicle movement or wind. This is because the locking bolt, caught by the rotary latch when the locking mechanism is closed, performs relative movements within the rotary latch's inlet opening. On the other hand, it is important that such a bonnet opens smoothly.

[0005] To this end, the procedure is usually and in practice: using a handle or an electric motor, the locking mechanism, for example, in its closed or main locking position, is opened. With the help of the leg spring, the bonnet must now be moved into a so-called lift position and at least partially opened. To do this, the leg spring acts on the locking bolt. In the lift position, a user can grasp the bonnet through a gap created between the vehicle body and the bonnet and swing it open. This requires a sufficiently large opening torque on the bonnet, provided by the leg spring in question.

[0006] It should be noted that front hoods are subject to additional weight, for example, due to snow or ice on them, which may prevent them from assuming the lifted position. Accordingly, high opening torques are typically required. These high opening torques are provided in the prior art, for example, according to DE 10 2006 002 338 A1, by an energy storage device that moves the front hood into its raised or lifted position. The energy storage device can consist of several leaf springs. This results in a bulky structure and a complicated and costly design.

[0007] In the generic prior art according to DE 10 2009 021 613 A1, a damping device is provided which has at least one spring element accommodated in a housing or lock casing. In one embodiment, the spring element can be a leg spring. The leg spring acts on two jaw elements that are movable relative to one another and are movably accommodated in the lock casing. The jaw elements preload the locking bolt with force. This is intended to prevent rattling noises from the locking bolt in the locked position of the locking mechanism.

[0008] The state of the art has proven itself in principle, but on the one hand, it relies on a protruding and complicated design, and on the other hand, it encounters limitations regarding the opening torque provided by the torsion spring. This invention aims to remedy this situation.

[0009] The invention is based on the technical problem of further developing such a motor vehicle locking device in such a way that, taking into account a compact and cost-effective design, an increased opening moment is provided compared to the prior art.

[0010] To solve this technical problem, a generic motor vehicle locking device according to the invention is characterized in that the leg spring has a rectangular cross-section. A variant in which the leg spring has a square cross-section is particularly preferred.

[0011] Within the scope of the invention, a leg spring is used, first and foremost, for directly or indirectly loading the locking bolt. This leg spring has a coil section and two legs connected to or extending from the coil section. In contrast to the prior art according to DE 10 2009 021 613 A1, the leg spring according to the invention does not have a round cross-section, but rather a rectangular cross-section and, in particular, a square cross-section. This means that the spring wire used for the forming process of the leg spring is not equipped with a round cross-section, but rather a rectangular or square cross-section. This achieves two significant advantages over the prior art.

[0012] First of all, the opening torque provided by the leg spring with a rectangular or square cross-section and acting on the locking bolt is greater than that of a similarly constructed leg spring with a round cross-section. In fact, within the scope of the invention, opening torques between 3 Nm and 6 Nm are provided. Preferably, the opening torque is between approximately 4 Nm and 5 Nm. Such opening torques typically correspond to opening forces acting on the locking bolt, which are generally above 60 N, in particular more than 80 N, and preferably 100 N or more. This ensures secure opening of the bonnet, even when, for example, snow or ice is present on the bonnet.

[0013] In addition to increased opening moments and opening forces on the locking bolt compared to the state of the art, the claimed leg spring also has the further advantage that the opening moment between a pre-locking position and a main locking position of the locking mechanism is not subject to any major fluctuations. In fact, the opening moment exerted by the leg spring between a pre-locking position and a main locking position of the locking mechanism deviates by a maximum of approximately 30%. Preferably, deviations of only a maximum of 25% are observed. This means that the opening moment of the leg spring in the pre-locking position and the opening moment of the leg spring in the main locking position differ by a maximum of 30% and 25%, respectively.

[0014] All of this can be attributed to the rectangular or square cross-section of the spring wire and thus to the torsion spring according to the invention. In fact, the torsion spring in question is made of steel, and in particular spring steel. This can be stainless spring steel wire, with or without tempering, as the starting material for the spring wire used to produce the torsion spring according to the invention with a rectangular or square cross-section.

[0015] Either way, spring wire with a rectangular or square cross-section has a significantly higher bending moment than spring wire with a round cross-section. Due to this higher bending moment, the leg spring used according to the invention can, after the forming process, apply a significantly higher opening moment to the locking bolt on its loose leg, which directly or indirectly acts on the locking bolt, compared to a situation where spring wire with a round cross-section is used as the starting material. This is where the key advantages lie. As a rule, the design is such that the leg spring encloses a bearing dome with its coil section. In this case, the coil section encloses the bearing mandrel in question with some play, so that the two legs extending from the coil section can easily enclose different angles between them.Obtuse angles are usually observed at this point. This means that the legs adjoining the winding section form the obtuse angle between them.

[0016] The obtuse angle between the two legs can range from more than 90° to 180°. Preferably, the obtuse angle at this point is between more than 120° and 180°, and particularly preferably between 150° and 180°. This is, of course, only an example and is by no means mandatory.

[0017] Between the stated values ​​of, for example, 150° and 180°, the associated locking mechanism transitions from its main detent position at approximately 150° to a pre-detent position at approximately 180°. This angular change between the two legs of the leg spring connected to the winding section corresponds to different opening moments exerted on the locking bolt, which, according to the preceding explanations, differ from one another by a maximum of 30%. This means that the opening moment exerted by the leg spring according to the invention on the locking bolt, for example in the main detent position of the locking mechanism, is generally a maximum of 30% greater than the opening moment exerted on the locking bolt in the pre-detent position. Preferably, a deviation of only a maximum of 25% is observed between the two stated positions.

[0018] From a structural point of view, the design is such that the leg spring, with its loose leg, acts on an ejector lever that acts on the locking bolt. In contrast, the fixed leg is attached to a housing. The fixed leg can be connected to the housing in a locking manner. The loose leg, on the other hand, usually rests on the underside of a contact edge of the ejector lever. The contact edge of the ejector lever, in turn, rests against the locking bolt.

[0019] Furthermore, it has proven advantageous in this context if the ejector lever in question and the locking pawl are mounted on the same axis. The common bearing dome, which is enclosed by the coil section of the leg spring according to the invention, ensures the same axis.

[0020] The result is a motor vehicle locking device that, with a simple design, provides a higher opening torque for the locking bolt compared to the prior art. Furthermore, the opening torque acting on the locking bolt, or the force acting on the locking bolt in the opening direction, is evened out between the main locking position and the pre-locking position of the locking mechanism. According to the invention, deviations in the opening torque or opening force of up to 30% are observed between these two positions.

[0021] In contrast, the state of the art in this area predominantly operates with deviations in the opening moment and thus also in the opening force on the locking bolt between the pre-locking position and the main locking position, which can amount to 50% or more. This, according to the invention, ensures that the front hood is correctly raised or lifted off, while simultaneously improving noise levels, as rattling noises are not observed in either the main locking position or the pre-locking position. These are the key advantages.

[0022] In the following, the invention is explained in more detail with reference to a drawing which merely represents an exemplary embodiment; in which: Fig. 1 shows the motor vehicle locking device according to the invention in a perspective overview and

[0023] Fig. 2A, 2B different positions of the locking mechanism.

[0024] The figures depict a motor vehicle locking device, which is designed according to the exemplary embodiment and preferably as a motor vehicle hood lock. For this purpose, the motor vehicle locking device, or rather the illustrated motor vehicle hood lock, has a locking mechanism 1, 2 consisting essentially of a rotary latch 1 and a pawl 2. Also visible is a locking bolt 3 interacting with the locking mechanism 1, 2, which, according to the exemplary embodiment, is connected to the underside of a hood or front hood 4.

[0025] The further basic structure also includes a leg spring 5 for loading the locking bolt 3, which interacts with the locking mechanism 1, 2. According to the exemplary embodiment, the leg spring 5 has a rectangular cross-section and, in particular, a square cross-section, as the enlarged section in Fig. 1 clearly shows. In fact, the leg spring 5 in question is made from a spring wire with a rectangular cross-section or square cross-section. Steel, and, in particular, spring steel, is used as the material for the spring wire.

[0026] Based on the functional positions in Figures 2A, 2B, it can be seen that with the help of the leg spring 5, an opening moment Mo, indicated here by an arrow, is exerted by the leg spring 5 on the locking bolt 3, both in the main locking position of the locking mechanism 1, 2 according to Fig. 2A as well as in its associated pre-locking position according to the illustration in Fig. 2B. The special design of the leg spring 5 with the rectangular cross-section or square cross-section according to the invention ensures that the respective opening moment Mo in the main locking position according to Fig. 2A differs from the pre-locking position according to the illustration in Fig. 2B by a maximum of 30%. The

[0027] 5 provided opening torque Mo can be between 3 and

[0028] 6 Nm and preferably 4 to 5 Nm. As a result, forces acting on the locking bolt 3 in the opening direction typically amount to more than 50 N and even 100 N or more.

[0029] Structurally, it can be seen that the leg spring 5, with its coil section 5a, encloses a bearing dome 6. At this point, a clearance is observed between the coil section 5a in question and the bearing mandrel 6. In this way, the two legs 5b and 5c extending from the coil section 5a can enclose different angles a between them, as can be seen from the illustration in Figures 2A and 2B.

[0030] According to the exemplary embodiment, the angle a enclosed by the two legs 5b, 5c is an obtuse angle, which can take on values ​​between 90° and 180°. In fact, it can be seen that the angle a in the main locking position, as shown in Fig. 2A, is approximately 150°, whereas the pre-locking position, as shown in Fig. 2B, corresponds to an angle a of approximately 180°.

[0031] The structural design is not only such that the leg spring 5 with its coil section 5a encloses the relevant bearing dome 6. But the leg spring 5 also ensures, with its loose leg 5b, that an additional ejector lever 7 resting on the locking bolt 3 is acted upon. For this purpose, the loose leg 5b of the leg spring 5 in question, which moves together with the ejector lever 7, rests on the underside against a contact edge 7a of the ejector lever 7 according to the exemplary embodiment, against which edge the locking bolt 3 in turn moves with its bracket. By the contact of the locking bolt 3 against the contact edge 7a of the ejector lever 7, which in turn is moved in the opening direction according to the arrow in Fig.1 is applied, it is ensured that the locking bolt 3 does not perform any relative movements inside an inlet mouth of the rotary latch 1 and consequently no rattling noises occur.

[0032] This applies both to the pre-locking position shown in Fig. 2B and to the main locking position as shown in Fig. 2A. This is ensured, among other things, by the fact that the respective forces exerted by the spring 5 on the locking bolt 3 in the pre-locking position and the main locking position differ from each other by only a maximum of 30%, as already described in the introduction. As a result, a rattle-free hold of the locking bolt 3 with its bracket inside the entry mouth of the rotary latch 1 can be expected in both locking positions.

[0033] List of reference symbols

[0034] 1 rotary latch

[0035] 2 pawls

[0036] 1 , 2 locking mechanisms

[0037] 3 locking bolts

[0038] 4 Hood or front hood

[0039] 5 torsion spring

[0040] 5a Winding section

[0041] 5b Loose leg

[0042] 5c Fixed leg

[0043] 5b, 5c legs

[0044] 6 Camp Dome

[0045] 7 Ejector lever

[0046] 7a contact edge

[0047] Mo opening moment a angle

Claims

Patent claims 1. Motor vehicle locking device, in particular motor vehicle lock, preferably motor vehicle hood lock, with a locking mechanism (1 , 2) consisting essentially of a rotary latch (1 ) and a locking pawl (2), and with a torsion spring (5) for acting upon a locking bolt (3) interacting with the locking mechanism (1 , 2), characterized in that the torsion spring (5) has a rectangular cross-section.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the leg spring (5) has a square cross-section.

3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that an opening torque (Mo) exerted by the torsion spring (5) deviates by a maximum of approximately 30% between a pre-locking position and a main locking position of the locking mechanism (1 , 2).

4. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the torsion spring (5) generates an opening torque between 3 Nm and 6 Nm, preferably between approximately 4 Nm and 5 Nm.

5. Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the torsion spring (5) with its coiled section (5a) surrounds a bearing mandrel (6).

6. Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the torsion spring (5) with its release leg (5b) engages the locking bolt (3) actuating ejector lever (7), while the fixed leg (5c) is fixed to a housing (8).

7. Device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the winding section (5a) surrounds the bearing dome (6) with clearance.

8. Device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the legs (5b, 5c) adjoining the winding section (5a) enclose an obtuse angle (a) between them.

9. Device according to claim 8, characterized in that the obtuse angle (a) assumes values ​​between more than 90° and 180°, preferably between 120° and 180°.

10. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the torsion spring (5) is made of steel, in particular spring steel.

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