ELECTRIC LOCK FOR MOTOR VEHICLE DOOR AND VEHICLE EQUIPPED WITH SUCH A LOCK

Abstract

The invention relates to an electric lock (5) for an opening (3) of a motor vehicle (1), said lock (5) comprising: – a locking element (9) and a complementary locking element (11), said locking element (9) being able to be in a first position in which the locking element (9) cooperates with the complementary element (11) for a locked state of the opening (3) or in a second position in which the locking element (9) does not cooperate with the complementary element (11) for an unlocked state of the opening (3); – a motor (13) configured to actuate the locking element (9) and thus move it into one or the other of said positions;said lock (5) being configured to have a plurality of states depending on the position of the locking element (9) and / or the possibility of opening the leaf (3) by one or more opening commands (7, 8), characterized in that said motor (13) is configured to emit a sound depending on the state of said lock (5) and / or when there is a change of state of said lock (5). Abbreviated figure: [Fig. 3];

Description

Title of the invention: ELECTRIC LOCK FOR MOTOR VEHICLE DOOR AND VEHICLE COMPRISING SUCH A LOCK

[0001] The present invention relates to the general field of motor vehicles and more particularly to the field of motor vehicle locks, especially electric locks. The invention also relates to a vehicle equipped with at least one electric lock.

[0002] The openings of vehicles, for example automobiles, are equipped with locks operated by an opening control inside and / or outside the opening to which they are attached (or in which they are housed). The locks generally comprise a bolt cooperating with a strike plate, the bolt locking the strike plate in the closed position by means of a ratchet cooperating with a cam.

[0003] To allow the opening of the door, the bolt is released from the ratchet by a mechanism activated following the operation of the interior and / or exterior opening control by a vehicle user.

[0004] In mechanical locks, this mechanism is most often a cable. Operating this cable requires the user to exert a certain amount of force. Furthermore, a mechanical lock is a lock that has at least two distinct states: a locked state or an unlocked state, the transition from one to the other generally being achieved by using a key in said lock (this can also be achieved by a so-called "external locking" motor).

[0005] Whereas in the case of electric locks, these include an electric motor that directly actuates the ratchet and positions the bolt in the locked or unlocked position; that is, the motor changes the position of the ratchet to lock or unlock the door or window in which the electric lock is installed. An external control, for example an interior or exterior handle, allows the door or window to be opened when the lock is in the unlocked position.

[0006] Thus, the difference between a mechanical lock and an electric lock is that in the case of a mechanical lock, there is a change of state by means of a so-called "external locking" motor, while for an electric lock, the states are just the result of a programming of the lock and its state.

[0007] However, an electric lock generally includes a card or electronic unit that controls said motor, but which is also connected to the opening controls, such as the interior handle and the exterior handle in the case of a motor vehicle side door.

[0008] An electric lock can therefore have more than two states, an electric lock of an opening being able to be in an unlocked state and allow the opening of the opening only by one or the other of the opening commands (interior or exterior), or even by both opening commands.

[0009] Indeed, one may want to prevent the opening of the door from the inside, for example when there are children in the vehicle, and limit the risks of accidental opening of the door.

[0010] Thus, unlike conventional mechanical locks where opening is achieved by the actuation of a control (for example, pulling a handle), and only the locking / unlocking is controlled, in the case of an electric lock, the motor is controlled at the time of opening (a mechanical lock can be controlled by a so-called external locking motor, but only at the time of locking / unlocking the opening).

[0011] The locking or unlocking of a door equipped with an electric lock is therefore primarily controlled by an electronic circuit board and software embedded in said board. Furthermore, said electric lock is generally connected to a vehicle communication bus and / or capable of communicating wirelessly, so that the user can remotely modify the state of the electric lock according to the situation and / or their needs.

[0012] However, many changes of state of the electric lock do not result in a change of hardware state, in particular changes of the locking state, and therefore do not generate any indication that the electric lock has had its state changed.

[0013] It is therefore necessary to find a way of indicating the state and / or change of state of an electric lock of a motor vehicle without this presenting an additional cost in the manufacture of electric locks, and complicating the manufacture and / or integration of such locks in a motor vehicle.

[0014] The present invention thus aims to remedy at least one of the aforementioned drawbacks by proposing a new type of electric lock for motor vehicle openings, said lock comprising: - a locking element and a complementary locking element, said locking element being able to be in a first position in which the locking element cooperates with the complementary locking element for a locked state of the opening or in a second position in which the locking element does not cooperate with the complementary locking element for an unlocked state of the opening; - a motor configured to actuate the locking element and thus move it into one or the other of the said positions; said lock being configured to present a plurality of states depending on the position of the locking element and / or the possibility of opening the opening by one or more opening commands, characterized in that said motor is configured to emit a sound depending on the state of said lock and / or when there is a change of state of said lock.

[0015] The invention is a solution that uses existing components of an electric lock to indicate to a user, for example following the activation of a remote car key (or in English: "remote key" or "key fob"), the status and / or a change of state of an electric lock. This solution thus has the advantage of being simple to implement on existing vehicles and of being inexpensive.

[0016] According to one possible feature, said lock includes an electronic control module for said motor configured to control the emission by the motor of a sound depending on the state and / or change of state of said lock. Advantageously, the lock includes a control module configured to manage the emission of a sound based on the lock's state and / or changes in state. This module is, for example, connected to the vehicle's onboard computer and / or configured to communicate with a remote control device, such as a remote car key. Furthermore, this control module can be located within the lock, within the door mechanism and / or remotely from the lock (and door mechanism), in another vehicle component, or even in a door control unit.

[0017] According to one possible feature, the locking element is a ratchet and the complementary locking element is a bolt.

[0018] According to another possible feature, said electronic control module includes an H-bridge. Advantageously, the motor can rotate in two directions. The first direction changes the position of the locking element, for example, by unlocking the door. The second direction repositions the locking element so that it can re-lock the door. An H-bridge allows control of the motor's direction of rotation and enables the motor to emit a sound without causing a change in the lock's state. Furthermore, the motor is configured so that even if driven twice in the same direction, the second rotation does not cause a change in the lock's state.

[0019] According to another possible characteristic, the sound emitted by the motor has a frequency between 4 Hz and 20 kHz, and preferably a frequency between 4 Hz and 16 kHz. Advantageously, the sound(s) emitted by the engine are on the audible sound spectrum.

[0020] According to another possible feature, the motor is configured to be driven without changing the position of the locking element of the lock.

[0021] According to another possible characteristic, said motor is a direct current electric motor. The motor in question is a DC electric motor, as it is reliable, robust, moderately cost-effective, and easy to integrate and operate in the field of automotive locks.

[0022] According to another possible feature, said control module is configured to control the motor in pulse width modulation (or PWM for "Pulse Width Modulation" in English).

[0023] According to another possible feature, the sound generated by the motor is controlled in frequency, intensity and / or duration depending on the state and / or change of state of said lock. Advantageously, the sound emitted can be modulated in frequency, intensity and / or duration to signal a state and / or a change of state of said lock, so depending on the tone of the sound generated, the user can know the state of the electric lock of his vehicle.

[0024] According to another possible feature, the lock is configured to emit a distinct sound for each of the states and / or changes of state of said lock.

[0025] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle opening, characterized in that said opening includes an electric lock as defined above.

[0026] The invention further relates to a motor vehicle, for example thermal, electric or hybrid, characterized in that said vehicle includes an opening as defined above.

[0027] The invention will be better understood, and other objects, details, features and advantages thereof will become more apparent from the following description of a particular embodiment of the invention, given solely by way of illustration and not limitation, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: - Fig. 1 illustrates a very schematic, partial and perspective view of a side view of a motor vehicle according to the invention; - [Fig.2] is a schematic view of an electric lock according to the invention housed in an opening and a frame of the vehicle of [Fig.1]; - [[Fig.3]] is a very schematic and functional view of the electric lock of [Fig.2],

[0028] In the following description, the term "include" is synonymous with "include" and is not limiting in that it permits the presence of other elements in the vehicle, or the structure to which it relates. It is understood that the term "include" includes the terms "consist of".

[0029] Fig. 1 thus illustrates a very schematic, partial and perspective view of a side of a motor vehicle 1, for example a thermal, hybrid or electric vehicle, equipped with an opening 3 comprising an electric lock 5 according to the invention.

[0030] In the embodiment shown herein, the opening 3 is a driver's door, but any opening of the vehicle, a front side door, a rear side door, a sliding side door, a rear door, a rear tailgate, a liftgate, etc., can be equipped (depending on design constraints) with an electric lock 5.

[0031] The electric lock 5 is thus configured to allow the locking and unlocking of the opening 3 relative to a frame 4 (more particularly visible in [Fig.2]).

[0032] Furthermore, said opening 3 advantageously includes one or more opening controls 7, 8, such as handles, buttons, etc., located inside or outside the vehicle, controls 7, 8 which allow the user of the vehicle 1 to open the opening 3 provided that the electric lock 5 does not prevent the opening of said opening 3.

[0033] Fig. 2 illustrates, for its part, a very schematic view of the electric lock 5 housed in the opening 3 and its frame 4. Said lock 5 includes a locking element 9 of the opening 3 with respect to its frame 4 (an element for example integral with the opening 3) and which cooperates with a complementary locking element 11, for example integral with said frame 4.

[0034] It will be noted that the locking element 9 is for example a bolt, while the complementary locking element 11 is for example a strike plate, the bolt 9 locking the strike plate 11 in the closed position under the action of a ratchet 6.

[0035] The electric lock 5 further comprises at least one motor 13 configured to actuate the locking element 9, i.e., to change its position in space. Moreover, the motor 9 is advantageously a direct current electric motor.

[0036] It should be noted that the actuation of the locking element 9 by the motor 13 can be achieved by a direct mechanical cooperation of the motor 13 (or one of its elements) with the locking element 9 or by an indirect mechanical cooperation, that is to say through a third part, for example the ratchet 6.

[0037] Thus, the motor 13, for example by means of a worm screw 9a, moves (or actuates), directly or indirectly, the locking element 9 between a first position in which the locking element 9 cooperates with the complementary element 11 for a locked state of the opening 3 and a second position in which the locking element 9 does not cooperate with the complementary locking element 11 for an unlocked state of the opening 3.

[0038] Furthermore, the electric lock 5 is advantageously configured to be connected to one or more of the opening commands 7, 8 (most particularly visible in [Fig.1] and [Fig.3]), for example the respective interior and exterior door handles or buttons, allowing the opening 3 to be opened when one of the opening commands 7, 8 is activated by a user.

[0039] Advantageously, the lock 5 includes a control module 15 for the motor 13 configured, on the one hand, to activate or not the motor 13 and thus modify the position of the locking element 9, and on the other hand, to control the emission of a sound (by the motor) according to the state and / or change of state of said lock 5.

[0040] It should be noted that said control module 15 may be located in the lock 5, in the opening 3 and / or remotely from the lock 5 (and the opening 3), in another element of the vehicle, or even in a door computer.

[0041] Advantageously, the motor 13 can rotate in two directions of rotation, a first direction modifying the position of the locking element 9 and a second direction not causing any modification of the position of the locking element 9.

[0042] It will be noted that the control module 15 advantageously includes an H-bridge, the motor 13 being connected to said control module 15 via said H-bridge and allowing control of the direction of rotation of the motor 13.

[0043] The control module 15 is thus advantageously configured to drive the motor 13 without changing the position of the locking element 9 of the lock 5. As a result, the control module 15 is configured to drive the motor 13, so that the motor 13 emits a sound depending on the state of said lock 5 and / or when there is a change of state of said lock 5, without this causing a change in the position of the locking element 9 of said lock 5 (and / or a change of state of the lock).

[0044] Furthermore, said control module 15 can be connected to a vehicle on-board computer 1, a door computer (not shown) and / or configured to communicate with a remote control means, such as a remote car key.

[0045] Fig. 3 illustrates, for its part, a very schematic and functional view of an electric lock 5 housed in the opening 3 and connected to an interior opening control 7 and an exterior opening control 8.

[0046] Thus, the electric lock 5 can have several states depending on the position of the locking element 9 and / or the possibility of opening the opening 3 by one or more opening commands 7 and / or 8.

[0047] Thus, the electric lock 5 can be in one of the following states: - "locked" state: the opening 3 is locked and can only be opened by the interior opening control 7; - "super locked" state: the opening 3 is locked and cannot be opened by either of the opening commands 7 or 8; - "unlocked" state: the opening 3 is not locked and can be opened by either of the opening commands 7 or 8; - "Child lock" or "interior lock" state: the opening 3 is not locked, but can only be opened by the external opening control.

[0048] Thus, when the electric lock 5 changes from one state to another, the lock 5 is configured to emit, by means of the motor 13, one or more sounds indicating the change of state of the lock and / or the state in which said lock 5 is now.

[0049] It should be noted that the change of state of the lock 5 can be controlled by the vehicle's on-board computer and / or by the use of a remote control means, such as a connected car key, this being able to be carried out via the control module 15.

[0050] The sound or sounds emitted by the motor have a frequency between 4 Hz and 20 kHz, and preferably a frequency between 4 Hz and 16 kHz, i.e. in the audible sound spectrum.

[0051] It should be noted that the sound or sounds generated by the motor 13 are controlled in frequency, intensity and / or duration according to the state and / or change of state of said lock 5. Thus, the control module 15 can be configured so that the sound or sounds emitted are distinct according to the state and / or change of state of the electric lock 5.

[0052] Frequency, intensity and / or duration control of the sound emitted by the motor 13 is advantageously achieved by the control module 15 which is configured to control the motor 13 by pulse width modulation (or PWM for "Pulse Width Modulation" in English), for example via the H-bridge, and advantageously without causing a change in position of the locking element 9 of the lock 5.

Claims

Demands

1. Electric lock (5) for a motor vehicle (1) opening (3), said lock (5) comprising: - a locking element (9) and a supplementary locking element (11), said locking element (9) being able to be in a first position in which the locking element (9) cooperates with the supplementary locking element (11) for a locked state of the opening (3) or in a second position in which the locking element (9) does not cooperate with the supplementary locking element (11) for an unlocked state of the opening (3); - a motor (13) configured to actuate the locking element (9) and thus move it into one or the other of said positions;said lock (5) being configured to have a plurality of states depending on the position of the locking element (9) and / or the possibility of opening the leaf (3) by one or more opening commands (7, 8), characterized in that said motor (13) is configured to emit a sound depending on the state of said lock (5) and / or when there is a change of state of said lock (5).

2. Electric lock (5) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said lock (5) comprises an electronic control module (15) of said motor (13) configured to control the emission by the motor (13) of a sound depending on the state and / or change of state of said lock.

3. Electric lock (5) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said electronic control module (15) comprises an H-bridge.

4. Electric lock (5) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sound generated by the motor (13) has a frequency between 4 Hz and 20 kHz.

5. Electric lock (5) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the motor (13) is configured to be driven without changing the position of the locking element (9) of the lock (5).

6. Electric lock (5) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said motor (13) is a DC electric motor.

7. Electric lock (5) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sound generated by the motor (13) is controlled in frequency, intensity and / or duration as a function of the state and / or change of state of said lock (5).

8. Electric lock (5) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lock (5) is configured to emit a distinct sound for each of the states and / or changes of state of said lock (5).

9. Motor vehicle opening (3), characterized in that said opening (3) comprises an electric lock (5) according to any one of the preceding claims.

10. Motor vehicle (1), characterized in that said vehicle (1) comprises an opening (3) according to the preceding claim.

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