Lock actuators for automotive applications

Abstract

The subject of the invention is an actuator for a lock for a motor vehicle, comprising a housing (4) and further comprising an electric drive (5-9) mounted in the housing (4) and equipped with locking elements (11, 12) guided outwardly through an opening (15) in the housing (4). The electric drive (5-9) comprises at least one electric motor (5) for acting on the locking elements (11, 12), an output element (6), an output gear (7) meshing with the output element (6) and a gear wheel (8) meshing with the output gear (7). According to the invention, a manually actuable emergency actuation element (17, 18) is provided which engages with the gear wheel (8).

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an actuator for a lock for a motor vehicle application, the actuator comprising a housing and further comprising an electric drive arranged in the housing and comprising a locking element guided outwardly through an opening in the housing, the electric drive having at least one electric motor, an output gear meshing with the output element and a gear wheel meshing with the output gear, acting on the locking element.

[0002] A locking actuator of the initially described construction is described, for example, in the applicant's WO 2019 / 068279 A1. Such a movable locking actuator or locking element, in particular in conjunction with an electrical connection device for electric or hybrid vehicles, ensures that the charging connector is removably mounted in the charging socket by means of the locking element. This has been proven in principle.

[0003] Furthermore, such locking actuators can also be used in different situations in or on a motor vehicle. In any case, the electric drive is usually supplied with the necessary electrical energy by means of a battery on the vehicle side or an accumulator provided at this time. At this point, for example, if the battery in question no longer has a sufficient state of charge, for example after a longer idle time, the electrical energy supply can be disrupted. In such a case, for example, it is no longer possible to easily cancel the locking that has been performed by means of the locking actuator and its locking elements. Herein lies the invention.

[0004] overview

[0005] The invention is based on the technical problem of developing an actuator for a lock for automotive applications which allows for emergency operation.

[0006] In order to solve this technical problem, a generic lock actuator is characterised within the scope of the present invention in that it is provided with a manually actuable emergency actuation element which engages with the gear wheel.

[0007] By applying the invention to a manually actuable emergency actuation element which engages with the gear wheel, the associated lock actuator can at least be manually actuated in the event of a failure or interruption of the power supply for the electric motor, since in such a case the gear wheel for actuating the locking element is moved using the manually actuable emergency actuation element which acts directly on the gear wheel. Emergency actuation can in principle be carried out both for emergency locking with a locking element and for emergency unlocking with a locking element.

[0008] According to the invention, the emergency actuation element is typically designed as an emergency unlocking element, i.e. it generally ensures that the locking element, which is in the locked state and extends from the housing in the exposed position, is returned to its unlocked and retracted position. As a result, a vehicle component that has been locked with the locking element can be manually unlocked. This can be, as a non-limiting example, a charging connector that is received in a charging socket. However, in general, following the aforementioned manual emergency actuation or emergency unlocking, other previously locked vehicle components can also be acted upon or (re)opened.

[0009] For this purpose, the emergency actuation element is designed in two parts with a disk and a flexible connection means, which may for example be a cable bonded to the disk. The disk generally engages with a pin in a pin receptacle on the gear wheel.

[0010] In this way, any rotational motion transmitted to the disk using the flexible connection means is transmitted to the gear wheel, as the rotational motion of the disk due to the pin engaging the pin receptacle ensures that the gear wheel accompanies the rotational motion of the disk.

[0011] In order to guide the flexible connecting means and preferably the cable onto the disk, the disk is usually provided with a circumferential groove for engaging the associated flexible connecting means. Furthermore, according to a particularly advantageous embodiment, a guide for the connecting means is also provided. Overall, the guide ensures that the connecting means is brought tangentially onto the disk or into the circumferential groove of the disk.

[0012] It has proven to be particularly advantageous if the guide is designed in two parts, with an inner guide and an outer guide. The inner guide is provided and formed inside the housing. The overall design can be such that the inner guide is connected, for example, to the cover of the housing. Here, the invention is based on the knowledge that the housing is generally designed in two parts, with a shell and a cover.

[0013] The outer guide generally engages with an opening in the housing by means of an intermediate positioning of a seal, by means of which the outer guide and thus the outwardly guided flexible connection means are sealed against the housing, this being particularly important in view of the fact that such locking actuators for automotive applications are usually installed inside the body, but are not necessarily protected from dust and moisture.

[0014] The locking element typically has a tooth profile that engages with a gear on the output worm, i.e., the output worm is typically designed with a gear that engages the tooth profile of the locking element, such that rotation of the corresponding gear is translated into linear motion of the locking element by engaging the gear with the tooth profile that generally extends in a straight line.

[0015] The locking element has a pin-like projection that engages with an opening in the housing via a seal. With the seal, the pin-like projection is sealed from the opening in the housing, preventing spray water or, in general, moisture, dust, etc. from entering the inside of the housing. This is particularly important since the components placed in the housing, i.e., the output element, the output gear that meshes with the output element, and the disk as part of the emergency actuation element, are usually made of plastic material and are each plastic injection molded parts. Such plastic injection molded parts must be protected in particular from the ingress of dust in order to minimize wear.

[0016] The housing, consisting of the shell and the cover, is also typically made of a plastic material. The same applies to the guides or inner and outer guides. The cable, which is pulled through the outer guide to the outside of the housing, can for example be equipped with a handle connected to it to facilitate manual actuation of the cable. In practice, the cable is advantageously a Bowden cable with a Bowden cable core and a Bowden cable sleeve, the handle being generally connected to the Bowden cable core. As a result, the desired manual actuation of the gear wheels in the course of emergency actuation, in particular emergency unlocking, can be carried out and performed, as mentioned above.

[0017] As a result, a particularly safe and durable functioning actuator for locking applications is available for automotive applications. This applies even in the event of failure of the electric energy source for the electric motor or in the event of insufficient available power, since in such a case the locking element can be actuated in an emergency and in particular unlocked in an emergency using a manually actuable emergency actuation element. For this purpose, the emergency actuation element typically comprises a cable and a handle at the end, the manual actuation of which is transmitted to the locking element.

[0018] All this is carried out in conjunction with the sealed and enclosed design of the housing so that no functional failure is to be feared even under unfavourable environmental conditions. Furthermore, the main design made of plastic material ensures low weight and low cost, so that the locking actuator according to the invention is particularly intended for the described automotive application.

[0019] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings which show only one exemplary embodiment. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of an electrical connection device connected to a locking actuator according to the invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of the locking actuator. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 shows the object of FIG. 2 in an open assembled state of the housing.

[0021] Detailed Description of the Invention

[0022] Figure 1 shows an electrical connection device, in particular for an electric or hybrid vehicle, which shows a body 1 and part of an installation opening 2 therein for receiving a charging socket 3 and a housing 4. The housing 4 belongs to a lock actuator which is shown in detail in Figures 2 and 3 and which will be explained in more detail below.

[0023] Also visible is an electric drive 5-9, which will be described in more detail below. The electric drive 5-9 is used to generate the adjusting movement of the locking elements 11, 12. The locking elements 11, 12 ensure that the charging connector 13, which is only shown in Fig. 1, is detachably mounted in the charging socket 3. For this purpose, the charging connector 13 may be connected to a charging column (not shown) as part of a charging infrastructure, which is not shown in more detail.

[0024] According to FIG. 2 it can be seen that the electric drive 5-9 initially consists of an electric motor 5 and an output element 6 attached to the output shaft of the electric motor 5. In the exemplary embodiment, the output element 6 is designed as a crown gear stage with an evoloid toothing. High gear ratios can be achieved by an evoloid toothing. In alternative embodiments, the output element 6 can have a different toothing or instead of being designed as a crown gear stage it can be designed, for example, as an output worm. The output element 6 meshes with an output gear 7, which drives a gear wheel 8. The gear wheel 8 engages with a gear 9 connected below according to the exemplary embodiment to form a straight toothing 10 on the locking elements 11, 12.

[0025] The locking element 11, 12 consists of a base 11 with a tooth profile 10 and a pin-like projection 12. The pin-like projection 12 extends through a seal 14 in an opening 15 in the housing 4. In fact, the housing 4 consists of a shell 4b and a cover 4a, as can be seen in particular in the exploded view according to FIG.

[0026] Inside the housing 4, besides the electric drive 5-9 and the locking elements 11, 12, there is arranged a circuit board 16 with a control unit (not shown) for controlling the electric drive 5-9. The circuit board 16 is equipped with a supply line 16' which is led to the outside of the housing 4. Furthermore, emergency actuation elements 17, 18 are arranged in the housing 4, which engage with the gear wheel 8 and can be actuated manually.

[0027] Comparing FIG. 2 with FIG. 3, it can be seen that the emergency actuation element 17, 18 according to the present embodiment is formed in two parts with the disk 17 and the flexible connection means. According to an exemplary embodiment, the flexible connection means 18 is designed as a cable 18, which is connected to the disk 17. The cable 18 can be a Bowden cable with a Bowden cable core and a Bowden cable jacket. According to an exemplary embodiment, an indicated manual handle 19 is connected to the cable 18 or to its Bowden cable core, by means of which the cable 18 and thus the entire emergency actuation element 17, 18 can be actuated manually. A tensile load, which is transmitted via the cable 18 to the disk 17 and is indicated by an arrow in FIG. 3, can be accommodated thereto. For this purpose, the disk 17 is equipped with a circumferential groove for the engagement of the flexible connection means or the cable 18. Furthermore, the disk 17 has a pin 17a provided radially and circumferentially on the underside, which engages in a pin receptacle 8a on the gear wheel 8. As a result, when cable 18 is subjected to tension, for example in the direction shown in Figure 3, rotation of disk 17 in the clockwise direction shown in Figure 3 will result in gear wheel 8 engaging between pin 17a and pin receptacle 8a during clockwise rotation of disk 17. In fact, disk 17 and gear wheel 8 are coaxially mounted relative to one another on a common axis or axis of rotation 20.

[0028] Comparing figures 2 and 3, it can finally be seen that guides 21, 22 for the flexible connection means or cable 18 are provided and implemented. The guides 21, 22 are formed in two parts with an inner guide 21 and an outer guide 22. The inner guide 21 may be connected to the cover 4a of the housing 4. The inner guide 21 also ensures that the flexible connection means 18 or cable 18 is properly guided inside the housing 4 from an opening 24 in the housing 4 or its shell 4b equipped with a seal 23. The outer guide 22 for the flexible connection means or cable 18 also extends from this opening 24. The outer guide 22 engages in the opening 24 of the housing 4 due to the intermediate positioning of said seal 23.

[0029] It can be seen that the locking element 11,12 with the pin-like projection 12 protrudes from the housing 4 by a length predetermined by the electric drive 5-9 and ensures in this embodiment that the charging connector 13 is locked to the charging socket 3. Of course, the projection 12 or the locking element 11,12 can also be used for other types of locking. In any case, the locking can be cancelled in case of failure of the supply of electric energy of the electric motor 5 and thus of the entire electric drive 5-9. For this purpose, it is only necessary to act, for example, on the handle 19 at the end of the flexible connection means or cable 18 to achieve unlocking and to move the locking element 11,12 or the projection 12 back from the exposed position shown in FIG. 3 to the retracted position.

[0030] Explanation of symbols

[0031] Main unit 1, Installation opening 2, 3 charging sockets, Housing 4, Cover 4a, Shell 4b, Electric motor 5, Electric drive unit 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, Output Warm 6, Output gear 7, Gear wheel 8, Pin Receptacle 8a, Tooth profile 10, Base 11, Locking elements 11, 12, Pin-shaped protrusion 12, Charging connector 13, Seal 14, Opening 15, Disc 17, Pin 17a, Connection means 18, Cable 18, Emergency actuation elements 17, 18, Manual handle 19, Rotation axis 20, Inside guide 21, Outer guide 22.

Claims

1. 1. A lock actuator for an automotive application, comprising: The device comprises a housing (4), further comprising an electric drive (5-9) arranged in the housing (4) and comprising locking elements (11, 12) guided outwardly through an opening (15) in the housing (4), the electric drive (5-9) having at least one electric motor (5), an output element (6), an output gear (7) meshing with the output element (6), and a gear wheel (8) meshing with the output gear (7) and acting on the locking elements (11, 12), An actuator, characterised in that it is equipped with a manually operable emergency actuation element (17, 18) which engages with said gear wheel (8).

2. 2. An actuator according to claim 1, characterized in that the emergency actuation element (17, 18) is made in two parts comprising a disk (17) and flexible connecting means (18).

3. 3. An actuator according to claim 2, characterized in that said flexible connection means (18) is formed as a cable (18) joined to said disk (17).

4. 4. An actuator according to claim 3, characterized in that the disk (17) engages with a pin (17a) in a pin receptacle (8a) of the gear wheel (8).

5. 5. An actuator according to claim 4, characterized in that said disk (17) is equipped with a circumferential groove engaging said flexible connecting means (18).

6. 6. An actuator according to claim 5, characterized in that the flexible connecting means (18) is provided with guides (21, 22).

7. 7. An actuator according to claim 6, characterized in that the guide (21, 22) is made in two parts, comprising an inner guide (21) and an outer guide (22).

8. 8. An actuator according to claim 7, characterized in that the outer guide (22) engages in an opening (24) in the housing (4) with an intermediate positioning of a seal (23).

9. 9. An actuator according to claim 8, characterized in that the locking elements (11, 12) have teeth (10) for engaging a gear (9) with the gear wheel (8).

10. The actuator according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the locking elements (11, 12) engage by means of a pin-like projection (12) via a seal (14) in the opening (15) of the housing (4).

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