Lock holder
Patent Information
- Application Number
- JP2023170523
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2022-09-30
- Filing Date
- 2023-09-29
- Publication Date
- 2026-10-06
AI Technical Summary
Existing lock retainers for motor vehicles require different tooling for each variant, leading to complex and expensive production processes, particularly in cold forming.
A lock retainer design featuring a shackle with a U-shape, a stop connecting its legs, and a support plate, allowing for a one-piece construction that enhances rigidity and can be manufactured using a single tool, reducing production complexity and cost.
The design ensures high rigidity and secure retention under high loads, supports modular manufacturing, and reduces production costs by enabling the use of a single tool for various lock retainer variants.
Smart Images
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Abstract
Description
[Technical field]
[0001] The present invention relates to a lock retainer for a motor vehicle lock, which comprises a support plate and a shackle, the shackle having a U-shape with two legs and a connecting web, the shackle having various cross sections, at least some of the legs having a circular cross section, such that a part of the rotating latch can engage in the part with the circular cross section. [Background technology]
[0002] In the prior art, for example EP 2 031 158 A1 discloses an integral lock retainer for an automotive vehicle locking system as a solid part with variable cross-sectional thickness, in which the web has a substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape with flattened sides and the cross-sectional area increases towards the base.
[0003] The drawback of this locking cage is its one-piece construction, for which reason different locking cages require different tools to manufacture them, especially in the case of cold forming, where pressing with appropriate dies is required for the different locking cages, which results in a very complicated and expensive manufacture.
[0004] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT EMBODIMENT The present invention therefore aims to eliminate said known drawbacks and thereby improve the known lock retainer. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]
[0005] [Patent Document 1] European Patent Application Publication No. 2031158A1 Summary of the Invention
[0006] In the lock retainer of the initially mentioned type, this task is achieved in that a stop is provided at the open end of the shackle, which connects the two legs of the shackle to one another, so that the shackle has a very high rigidity and can reliably hold the vehicle door closed even under very high loads, for example in the event of a side impact, without deformation.
[0007] In a further configuration, the stop protrudes beyond the two legs, which provides a larger stop surface for the shackle and prevents the support plate from deforming.
[0008] In a further configuration, at least one mounting portion is provided below the stop. The mounting portion may have a circular, oval or polygonal cross section. Preferably, the mounting portion has a variable cross section, in particular a cross-sectional area of the mounting portion that is larger directly in front than the respective areas adjacent to it. This ensures that the mounting portion is prevented from coming off the support plate.
[0009] In a further configuration, the stop has a larger cross-sectional area than the connecting web. This allows the lock retainer to withstand the highest mechanical loads without component failure. Moreover, this allows a free design of the shape of the lock retainer. Preferably, the lock retainer or the shackle has an angular shape, preferably rectangular or trapezoidal. For weight reduction, the stop may contain cutouts. These cutouts may be circular or polygonal cutouts. Moreover, the cutouts may be thin sections, in which the cross-sectional area is smaller in the thin section area than in the surrounding area.
[0010] In a further configuration, at least one stiffening strut is provided between the two legs and / or between the stop and at least one leg, which allows the stop cross-section to be reduced, further optimizing the weight and allowing a better shape selection for the load.
[0011] In a further configuration, the shackle and the catch are integrally formed. Additionally, at least one stiffening strut may be designed integrally with the shackle and catch. As a result, the part is less prone to failure and has higher strength than a two-part configuration.
[0012] In a further configuration, the support plate has two mounting holes and at least one connection hole for receiving the mounting part. The two mounting holes are for attaching the support plate to a structural element of the motor vehicle, such as a B-pillar or a C-pillar. The connection hole preferably has the same shape as the mounting part. In particular, if the mounting part and the at least one connection hole are oval or polygonal, this can help with orientation when assembling the lock retainer, so that the orientation of the shackle and the support plate is always correct during installation.
[0013] There is further provided a method for manufacturing a lock retainer for a motor vehicle lock, the lock retainer consisting of a support plate and a shackle, the shackle having a U-shape with two legs and a connecting web, the shackle having a variable cross-section, at least a part of one of the legs having a circular cross-section such that a part of the rotating latch can engage in the part of the circular cross-section, the shackle being cut out of a metal sheet and subsequently pressed to form the circular cross-section, the thickness of the metal sheet preferably corresponding to the part thickness, in particular the thickness of the shackle and / or the stop.
[0014] Preferably, the shackle and the stop are cut out of a metal sheet using a cutting method, for example gas cutting, plasma cutting, thin cutting or laser cutting, and the circular cross section is subsequently formed by a cold forming process, for example a pressing process. The use of a cutting process ensures a high degree of freedom in the shape design, so that a large number of different lock retainers can be produced with one tool without the need for special moulds for each lock retainer. Furthermore, the two-part structure of the lock retainer allows a modular construction, for example the support plate always has the same shape and / or the same construction, and only the shackle has to be adapted to different vehicles. [Brief description of the drawings]
[0015] Further features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings referenced below. [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a lock retainer according to the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a shackle, a fastener, and an attachment portion. [Diagram 3] FIG. 13 is a further perspective view of the shackle, fastener, mounting portion and support plate. [Figure 4] FIG. 13 is a further perspective view of the lock retainer with shock protection. [Diagram 5] 4 is a schematic flow chart of the manufacturing of a lock retainer. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0016] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a lock retainer 1 according to the invention for a motor vehicle. The lock retainer 1 consists of a shackle 2 and a support plate 3. The support plate has two mounting holes 4 and two connecting holes 5. The two mounting holes 4 are for attaching the support plate 3 to a structural element of the motor vehicle, such as a B-pillar or a C-pillar. The connecting holes 5 preferably have the same shape as the mounting part 6 of the shackle 2. In particular, if the mounting part 6 and the connecting holes 5 are oval or polygonal, this can serve as an orientation aid during the assembly of the lock retainer 1, so that the orientation of the shackle 2 and the support plate 3 is always correct during installation.
[0017] The support plate 3 preferably comprises a raised portion 13, which on the one hand additionally reinforces the support plate 3 and on the other hand forms the area for receiving the shackle 2. Preferably, the raised portion 13 is formed from the flat support plate 3, for example by a pressing or deep drawing process. This provides space for various fastening options for connecting the support plate 3 to the shackle 2 and allows the support plate 3 to rest flush against the structural element.
[0018] FIG. 2 shows a shackle 2. The shackle 2 consists of two legs 7 and a connecting web 8. The two legs 7 and the connecting web 8 form a U-shape. At the open end 9 of the shackle 2 or at the end of the leg 7 opposite the connecting web 8 connecting the two legs 7 of the shackle 2 to each other, a stop 10 is provided. The stop 10 projects beyond the two legs 7 and thus forms at least one wing 18, in particular two wings 18, which project beyond the legs 7 on both sides of the stop 10. As a result, the stop 10 is longer in the longitudinal direction L than a shackle 2 having two legs 7 and a connecting web 8. Preferably, the attachment 6 is away from the direct front of the stop 10, so that neither the support plate 3 nor the shackle 2 bend or tilt even under very high loads. The wing 18 can therefore also be called a rotary torque support 14.
[0019] Moreover, the shackle 2 has a variable cross-section, with at least a part of one leg 7 having a circular cross-section 11, such that a part of the rotating latch 12 can engage in the circular cross-section 11. Preferably, the leg 7 and the remaining part of the connecting web 8 have a polygonal cross-section. In particular, one leg 7 may be longer than the other leg 7 or the two legs 7 do not extend parallel to each other.
[0020] Below the stop 10, two attachment parts 6 are provided. The attachment parts 6 protrude through the connection holes 5 of the support plate 3 and subsequently change shape and are in particular riveted to establish a snug connection. The stop 10 functions here as an axial stop 10 and holds the shackle 2 in place when the snug connection is established. Alternatively, a material bond or a frictional bond may be created between the support plate 3 and the shackle 2. As shown in FIG. 2, the attachment parts 6 have a rectangular cross section. After the connection, in particular the snug connection, of the shackle 2 to the support plate 3, the attachment parts 6 have a larger cross-sectional area directly in front than the respective areas adjacent to it. In particular, the attachment parts 6 have a variable cross section.
[0021] Preferably, the stop 10 has a larger cross-sectional area than the connecting web 8. As shown in figure 2, the stop 10 is provided directly below the legs 7 and connects the two legs 7 to each other.
[0022] As shown in figure 3, the stop 10 may include a cutout 15, which allows the weight of the shackle 2 to be reduced and optimized with respect to the expected loads. The cutout 15 forms a stiffening strut 16 between the leg 7 and the stop 10.
[0023] FIG. 4 shows a further perspective view of the lock retainer 1. In comparison with FIGS. 1 to 3, the lock retainer in this figure includes an additional impact protection 17, which serves for example in the event of a side impact to support the shackle 2 against a structural element, in particular against a B-pillar or a C-pillar. The impact protection is preferably provided on the upper half, in particular on the upper third, of the shackle 2. The upper half or upper third of the shackle 2 is connected to the connecting web 8 and is further away from the support plate 3 than the lower half or lower third of the shackle 2. Moreover, the impact protection 17 is advantageously provided on the leg 7 opposite the circular cross section 11 and projects beyond this leg 7 towards the structural element.
[0024] As shown in the figures, the shackle 2, the fastener 10 and the attachment 6 are preferably formed integrally. In addition, the stiffening struts 16 and the impact protection 17 may be designed integrally with the shackle 2 and / or the fastener 10.
[0025] To manufacture the locking retainer, in a first step S100, the shackle 2 and in particular the stop 10 and the attachment part 6 are cut out of a metal plate corresponding to the part thickness of the shackle 2 or the stop 10. This is followed by pressing to form a circular cross section in step S200. Step S200 is followed by step S300, in which the attachment part 6 of the shackle 2 is inserted into the connection hole 5 of the support plate 3. In step S400, the shape of the attachment part 6 is changed to tightly connect the attachment part 6, i.e. the shackle 2 and the support plate 3.
[0026] The support plate 3 may be produced by a separate manufacturing process or may be cut out from said metal plate. [Explanation of symbols]
[0027] 1 Lock retainer 2 Shackle 3 boards 4 Mounting holes 5 Connection hole 6 Mounting part 7 Legs 8 Connecting Web 9 Open end 10 Fastener 11 Circular cross section 12 Rotating Latch 13. Heightened Area 14 Outer area fasteners 15 Cutout 16 Stiffening Supports 17 Impact protection section
Claims
1. A lock retainer (1) for automatic vehicle locking, The lock retainer (1) consists of a support plate (3) and a shackle (2), and the shackle (2) has a U-shape due to two legs (7) and a connecting web (8). The shackle (2) has various cross-sections, and at least a portion of one of the legs (7) has a circular cross-section (11), and a portion of the rotating latch (12) can engage with the circular cross-section (11). A lock retainer (1) is provided with a fastener (10) at the open end (9) of the shackle (2), and the fastener (10) connects the two legs (7) of the shackle (2) to each other.
2. The lock retainer (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the fastener (10) protrudes beyond the two legs (7).
3. The lock retainer (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one mounting portion (6) is provided below the fastener (10).
4. The lock retainer (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the mounting portion (6) has a circular, oval, or polygonal cross-section.
5. The lock retainer (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the mounting portion (6) has various cross-sections.
6. The lock retainer (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the mounting portion (6) has a larger cross-sectional area directly in front of it than each of the adjacent regions.
7. The lock retainer (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the fastener (10) has a cross-sectional area larger than that of the connecting web (8).
8. The lock retainer (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the fastener (10) includes a cutout (15).
9. A lock retainer (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that at least one rigidity support (16) is provided between the two legs (7) and / or between the fastener (10) and at least one of the legs (7).
10. The lock retainer (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the shackle (2) and the fastener (10) are integrally formed.
11. The lock retainer (1) according to any one of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that the support plate (3) has two mounting holes (4) and at least one connection hole (5) for receiving the mounting portion (6).
12. The lock retainer (1) according to claim 11, characterized in that the connection hole (5) has the same shape as the mounting portion (6).
13. A method for manufacturing a lock retainer (1) for automatic vehicle locking, The lock retainer (1) consists of a support plate (3) and a shackle (2), and the shackle (2) has a U-shape due to two legs (7) and a connecting web (8). The shackle (2) has various cross-sections, and at least a portion of one of the legs (7) has a circular cross-section (11), and a portion of the rotating latch (12) can engage with the circular cross-section (11). A method characterized by cutting the shackle (2) from a metal plate and then pressing it to form the circular cross-section (11).