Motor vehicle locking device
Patent Information
- Application Number
- EP2023728259
- Authority / Receiving Office
- EP · EP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2022-06-22
- Filing Date
- 2023-05-17
- Publication Date
- 2025-04-30
AI Technical Summary
Motor vehicle hood locks are complex in structure due to the need for multiple components, including a rotary latch, pawl, actuating lever mechanism, ejector lever, and catch hook, which increases costs and noise generation, and existing plastic bearing sleeves are not suitable for storing locking components due to high tearing forces.
A motor vehicle locking device with a metallic core element anchored in the lock case, where a plastic sleeve is manufactured separately and plugged onto the core element, serving as a bearing sleeve for the spring element, and equipped with clamping ribs and guide ribs for secure attachment, allowing the spring element to apply force to the actuating lever mechanism.
The solution reduces the number of components needed, lowers noise, and effectively absorbs high tearing forces, providing a cost-effective and functional structure for the locking mechanism while allowing for easy assembly and adaptation to different requirements.
Smart Images
Figure 1.1
Abstract
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 lock case for supporting a locking mechanism consisting essentially of a rotary latch and a pawl, further with an actuating lever mechanism, for example for interacting with the locking mechanism, further with at least one stepped mandrel fixed in the lock case for supporting the locking mechanism and / or the actuating lever mechanism, and with a spring element arranged on the stepped mandrel, wherein the stepped mandrel is designed in two parts with a metallic core element and a plastic sleeve on the outer circumference.
[0004] Motor vehicle locking devices, and in particular motor vehicle hood locks, are known in various variations and designs; reference is made to DE 10 2019 128 463 A1, the applicant's patent application, for example. Such motor vehicle hood locks are typically used to lock a motor vehicle's front hood or tailgate. Furthermore, such motor vehicle hood locks are often equipped with electric drives, for example, to unlock the motor vehicle lock in question. In this case, the operating lever mechanism comprises one or more locking levers that can be transferred to their unlocked state using the electric drive.
[0005] After unlocking such a motor vehicle hood lock, the corresponding hood is typically slightly extended due to the spring force generated by a circumferential seal. For this purpose, a lifting device or ejector lever is usually also provided, which, after the locking mechanism has been opened, ensures that the hood is moved into its raised position. From this raised position, the user can easily grasp the hood through the gap created between the hood and the body and swing it open. In most cases, a catch hook also has to be swung out of the way at this point.
[0006] Various designs of ejector levers are known in the prior art. For example, DE 10 2010 061 518 A1 uses a spring-loaded ejector arm that applies the required spring force to a locking bolt on an associated front cover.
[0007] In DE 10 2017 108 226 A1, the locking bolt on the hood is moved into a lifted position using the ejector or ejector lever. In this context, a closing drive is also implemented, with the help of which the locking bolt can be moved from the lifted position to a closed position. For this purpose, the known device provides a drive lever that actuates the ejector or ejector lever and, at least indirectly, the rotary latch.
[0008] The previously outlined state of the art makes it clear that motor vehicle hood locks are relatively complex in design. In addition to the obligatory locking mechanism, which essentially consists of a rotary latch and pawl, as well as the operating lever mechanism, an ejector lever or, in most cases, an ejector mechanism must also be implemented. A catch hook is also usually included. For this reason, efforts are generally made to reduce the number of required components and overall costs. Furthermore, the general goal is to keep the noise level of such motor vehicle locking devices low and minimize it.
[0009] For this purpose, within the framework of the generic teaching of DE 39 32 454 A1, a motor vehicle lock, and in particular a locking device for a motor vehicle door, is designed in such a way that a latch pin or stepped dome is realized on which a latch or pawl is rotatably mounted. For this purpose, the stepped dome not only has a mounted collar and a flange, but also a synthetic resin bushing is provided to prevent contact of a lever mounted thereon with the metal part of the stepped mandrel, thus avoiding unpleasant noises. This has proven fundamentally successful.
[0010] In addition, there are efforts to combine a stepped mandrel with a spring element, so to speak, by transmitting the spring force to the associated actuating lever mechanism using a bearing sleeve, as described in detail in DE 102018 114280 A1 in connection with a motor vehicle locking device. However, this requires a specially designed plastic bearing sleeve. Such plastic bearing sleeves are particularly unsuitable for supporting locking components, i.e., the rotary latch and / or the pawl in the lock case, because high tensile forces often have to be transmitted at this point. The invention aims to remedy this situation.
[0011] The invention is based on the technical problem of further developing such a motor vehicle locking device in such a way that, while taking into account a cost-effective and functional design, the possibility of storing locking elements is also provided.
[0012] To solve this technical problem, a generic motor vehicle locking device is characterized in that the plastic sleeve is plugged onto the core element.
[0013] In this way, the invention initially works with a metallic core element that is anchored in the lock case and is therefore capable of absorbing even high tensile forces. Indeed, such high tensile forces are typically observed in the locking mechanism and can lead to the stepped dome being torn out of the lock case, which supports the locking mechanism element in question. This is largely prevented by the metallic core element of the stepped dome used in the invention.
[0014] In contrast to the closest prior art according to DE 39 32 454 A1, the plastic sleeve is not molded onto the metallic core element, but is manufactured separately from the metallic core element and then joined to the core element by being slipped onto it. This allows the core element and the plastic sleeve to be produced separately and optimally adapted to the respective requirements. In fact, within the scope of the invention, the plastic sleeve functions predominantly as a bearing sleeve for the spring element. The spring element is typically a torsion spring with a helical coil section and legs connected to it at each end. According to the invention, the helical coil section uses the plastic sleeve as a bearing sleeve and is designed such that the coil section in question surrounds the plastic sleeve in a helical shape.This allows the two legs of the leg spring extending from the helical winding section to be fixed in place on the one hand and to act on a lever mounted on the step dome on the other.
[0015] In fact, the design in this context is usually such that one leg of the leg spring is fixed to the lock case, while the other leg applies spring force to the relevant lever. The lever in question can be a locking element or a lever as part of the operating lever mechanism. Specifically and preferably, the stepped mandrel serves to mount the pawl. In addition, an ejector lever, which can be acted upon by the spring or spring element, is mounted coaxially with the pawl as part of the operating lever mechanism. In this case, the motor vehicle locking device is designed as a motor vehicle hood lock, which of course only serves as an example and is not to be understood as limiting.
[0016] To ensure the plastic sleeve is securely and permanently connected to the metal core element by plugging it in place, it is advantageous to equip the plastic sleeve with longitudinal clamping ribs surrounding a receiving bore for the core element. This means that the plastic sleeve first has a receiving bore into which the core element is inserted. To prevent this plugging process from being accidentally undone, the plastic sleeve is equipped with longitudinal clamping ribs. The clamping ribs surround the receiving bore for the core element. In addition, the design is usually and advantageously such that the clamping ribs are each equipped with locking teeth on the front for engaging behind a collar on the core element.As soon as the metallic core element is inserted into the receiving bore of the plastic sleeve with the collar typically provided on the front facing forward, the locking teeth on the front of the clamping ribs ensure, after a specific and predetermined insertion path, that they can engage behind the collar on the metallic core element. The metallic core element is now not only inserted into the receiving bore of the plastic sleeve, but is simultaneously locked into place by the interaction of the locking teeth on the front of the clamping ribs with the collar. As a result, the core element and the plastic sleeve can no longer be separated from one another, or this requires considerable force and may lead to the destruction of the clamping ribs or locking teeth.Separating the core element from the plastic sleeve is generally not required anyway, because the stepped dome produced and assembled in this way is then anchored in the lock case. Before this, however, the leg spring is usually attached to the plastic sleeve with its coil section.
[0017] To create and implement a particularly cost-effective and easy-to-install locking connection between the front locking teeth of the clamping ribs and the collar on the metal core element, the clamping ribs typically extend conically from a peripheral edge of the plastic sleeve toward the core element. This conicity of the clamping ribs allows the front locking teeth on the clamping ribs to easily overlap the collar on the front side of the core element and engage behind it in a locking manner, thus joining the core element and the plastic sleeve together.
[0018] The clamping ribs are generally arranged equidistantly with the same angular spacing from one another. The invention is based on the additional finding that the plastic sleeve, like the metallic core element, is generally cylindrical, or hollow-cylindrical in the case of the plastic sleeve. Both of these elements are joined together in the assembled state with a matching cylinder axis. Furthermore, it has proven advantageous to provide, in addition to the clamping ribs, guide ribs for the core element that also run in the longitudinal direction of the plastic sleeve. The guide ribs ensure that the core element is perfectly guided and supported in the receiving bore of the plastic sleeve over its entire length.
[0019] The design is also such that the guide ribs are spaced apart from the clamping ribs along the length of the receiving bore. Furthermore, it has proven advantageous to have a corresponding guide rib for each clamping rib. This means that both the clamping ribs and the guide ribs are equidistant, with the same angular spacing relative to the common cylinder axis of the plastic sleeve and the metallic core element accommodated in the receiving bore. The spacing between the respective clamping rib and the adjoining guide rib in the longitudinal direction ensures that the clamping rib can engage behind the collar perfectly and with a locking engagement when the metallic core element is inserted into the receiving bore.
[0020] As previously explained, the stepped dome generally serves to mount the pawl and, advantageously, also to mount an ejector lever, which in turn is acted upon by the spring. For this purpose, a leg extending from the coiled section of the leg spring may be mounted on the one hand in the lock case and on the other hand on the ejector lever in question, so that the ejector lever is subjected to the necessary spring force by the leg spring. Thus, in the case of a motor vehicle hood lock, the ejector lever is capable of moving a locking bolt connected to a hood into an upright position, allowing a user to then easily open the hood in question manually, as already described in the introduction with reference to the relevant prior art.
[0021] The result is a motor vehicle locking device that is cost-effective because, first of all, a fully metal stepped dome is omitted. In practice, however, stepped domes are typically used, which in this context are made entirely of metal, particularly high-strength steel, when they are intended to support the locking pawl and the ejector lever. In this context, the stepped dome also functions as a bearing sleeve for the spring, and in particular the leg spring, that acts on the ejector lever.
[0022] The generic prior art according to DE 39 32 454 A1 already uses a combination of a metallic core element and a plastic sleeve on the outer circumference for the stepped dome. However, the plastic sleeve is obviously molded onto the stepped dome. This eliminates the need for subsequent assembly by plugging it in. However, the plastic sleeve, for example, cannot be adapted to different installation conditions, particularly to different leg springs. Furthermore, such a manufacturing process is complex and costly. In contrast, the invention relies on flexibly manufactured individual components that can be easily combined. This represents 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] Fig. 1 shows the motor vehicle locking device according to the invention in a schematic representation,
[0025] Fig. 2 shows the stepped dome used in the locking device according to Fig. 1 in detail in a side view and
[0026] Fig. 3 the stepped dome according to Fig. 2 in front view.
[0027] The figures depict a motor vehicle locking device, designed as a motor vehicle lock and, according to the exemplary embodiment, as a motor vehicle hood lock. In fact, the illustrated motor vehicle locking device serves to lock a hood 1, which is only indicated in Fig. 1. The hood 1 can be a front hood or a tailgate of a motor vehicle, which is equipped with a locking bolt 2 for this purpose. In the closed state depicted in Fig. 1, the locking bolt 2 is held in the locked state of the hood 1 relative to a motor vehicle body (not shown) by means of a locking mechanism 3, 4.
[0028] The locking mechanism 3, 4 consists of a rotary latch 3 and a pawl 4 engaged therewith in the closed state. In addition, an operating lever mechanism 5 is provided, which can interact with the locking mechanism 3, 4. In the exemplary embodiment, the operating lever mechanism 5 is, and not limited to, an ejector lever 5, which is mounted coaxially with the pawl 4 in a lock case 6. According to the exemplary embodiment, a stepped mandrel 7, 8, which can be seen in detail in Fig. 2 and which is anchored in the lock case 6, ensures the joint mounting of the pawl 4 in conjunction with the ejector lever 5.
[0029] A spring element 9 is arranged on the stepped dome 7, 8. The spring element 9 is a leg spring 9, which helically surrounds the stepped dome 7, 8 or a plastic sleeve 7 provided there and described in more detail below with its coil section 9a. Two legs 9b, 9c extend from the coil section 9a.
[0030] The leg 9b of the leg spring 9 is fixedly mounted, namely, fixed to the lock case 6. In contrast, the free leg 9c engages the ejector lever 5 and ensures that the ejector lever 5 is subjected to spring force by the leg spring 9. In fact, in the exemplary embodiment, the leg spring 9 ensures that the ejector lever 5 is acted upon in the clockwise direction indicated in Fig. 1 with respect to its axis A defined by the stepped dome 7, 8, so that the ejector lever 5, with a contact surface 5a, can transfer the locking bolt 2 into the previously described lifting position of the hood 1.
[0031] The detailed structure of the stepped dome 7, 8 is now clear from Figs. 2 and 3. In fact, the stepped dome 7, 8 according to the exemplary embodiment is formed in two parts, with a metallic core element 8 made of high-quality steel and the aforementioned outer-peripheral plastic sleeve 7, which supports the helical coil section 9a of the leg spring 9. The metallic core element 8 and the outer-peripheral plastic sleeve 7 are joined by the plastic sleeve 7 being placed onto the core element 8. The core element 8, in turn, is anchored, e.g., by riveting, in the lock case 6 and can thus absorb any tensile forces acting thereon.
[0032] For this purpose, the plastic sleeve 7 has clamping ribs 10 which run longitudinally and surround a receiving bore for the core element 8. The clamping ribs 10 are each equipped with front-facing locking teeth 10a, with the aid of which they can engage behind a collar 8d provided on the front of the metallic core element 8. The clamping ribs 10 originate from a circumferential edge 7a of the plastic sleeve 7 and extend conically towards the metallic core element 8. It can be seen that the clamping ribs 10 are arranged equidistantly and at the same angular distance from one another. Furthermore, the plastic sleeve 7 and the metallic core element 8 have a common axis A, namely they are each cylindrical or hollow-cylindrical in comparison to this common axis A.
[0033] In addition to the clamping ribs 10, guide ribs 11 are also provided, running in the longitudinal direction of the plastic sleeve 7. The core element 8 is guided and held inside the receiving bore by means of the guide ribs 11. The design is such that the guide ribs 11 are each spaced apart from the clamping ribs 10 in the longitudinal extension of the receiving bore. Furthermore, a comparison of Figs. 2 and 3 reveals that each clamping rib 10 corresponds to a guide rib 11. Consequently, the guide ribs 11 not only run in the longitudinal direction of the plastic sleeve 7, but are also arranged equidistant from one another with the same angular spacing. Consequently, both the plastic sleeve 7 and the metallic core element 8 have a rotationally symmetrical structure relative to the common axis A.
[0034] The plastic sleeve 7 can be manufactured from a thermoplastic material using a conventional injection molding process. This injection molding process allows the clamping ribs 10 and the guide ribs 11 to be defined simultaneously. The metallic core element 8, in contrast, is made of high-strength steel and serves to simultaneously support the locking pawl 4 and the ejector lever 5, as already described in the introduction. For this reason, the metallic core element 8 projects beyond the plastic sleeve 7, and the shoulders 8a and 8b provided at this location define respective bearing areas for the locking pawl 4 and the stepped dome 5. At the front of the bearing area 8b, the metallic core element 8 merges into a plug-in pin 8c, which is anchored in the lock case 6.
[0035] To join the bearing sleeve 7 and the metallic core element 8, the metallic core element 8 is inserted into the receiving bore until the front locking teeth 10a of the clamping ribs 10 can engage behind the collar 8a on the front of the metallic core element 8. This creates and implements a locking connection between the core element 8 and the plastic sleeve 7. The leg spring 9, with its helical coil section 9a, can then be pushed onto the plastic sleeve 7. The stepped dome 7, 8, including the spring element 9 and the ejector lever 5, can then be anchored in the lock case 6 in the usual way, for example by riveting.
[0036] List of reference symbols
[0037] Hood 1
[0038] Locking bolt 2
[0039] Lock 3, 4
[0040] Rotary latch 3
[0041] Pawl 4
[0042] Operating lever mechanism 5
[0043] Contact surface 5a
[0044] Ejector lever 5
[0045] Lock case 6
[0046] Stepped Dome 7, 8
[0047] Plastic sleeve 7
[0048] Peripheral edge 7a
[0049] Core Element 8
[0050] Shoulders 8a, b
[0051] Plug pin 8c
[0052] Bund 8d
[0053] Spring element 9
[0054] Leg spring 9
[0055] Winding section 9a
[0056] Legs 9b, 9c
[0057] Free leg 9c
[0058] Clamping ribs 10
[0059] Ratchet teeth 10a
[0060] Guide rib 11
[0061] Axis A
Claims
Patent claims 1. Motor vehicle locking device, in particular motor vehicle lock, preferably motor vehicle hood lock, with a lock case (6) for storing a locking mechanism (3, 4) consisting essentially of a rotary latch (3) and a pawl (4), further with an actuating lever mechanism (5) for example for interacting with the locking mechanism (3, 4), further with at least one stepped dome (7, 8) fixed in the lock case (6) for storing the locking mechanism (3, 4) and / or the actuating lever mechanism (5), and with a spring element (9) arranged on the stepped dome (7, 8), wherein the stepped dome (7, 8) is formed in two parts with a metallic core element (8) and an outer circumferential plastic sleeve (7), characterized in that the plastic sleeve (7) is attached to the core element (8).
2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the plastic sleeve (7) is equipped with clamping ribs (10) extending in the longitudinal direction and surrounding a receiving bore for the core element (8).
3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the clamping ribs (10) are each equipped with front-facing locking teeth (10a) for engaging behind a collar (8a) on the core element (8).
4. Device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the clamping ribs (10) extend conically from a circumferential edge (7a) of the plastic sleeve (7) towards the core element (8).
5. Device according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the clamping ribs (10) are arranged equidistantly with the same angular distance to each other.
6. Device according to one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that, in addition to the clamping ribs (10), guide ribs (11) extending in the longitudinal direction of the plastic sleeve (7) are also provided for the core element (8).
7. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that the guide ribs (11) each connect at a distance to the clamping ribs (10) in the longitudinal extension of the receiving bore for the core element (8).
8. Device according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that a guide rib (11) corresponds to each clamping rib (10).
9. Device according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the stepped dome (7, 8) serves to support the locking pawl (4).
10. Device according to claim 9, characterized in that an ejector lever (5) which can be actuated by means of the spring element (9) is mounted coaxially with the pawl (4) as part of the actuating lever assembly (5).