Automobile locks, especially automobile door locks

Abstract

The invention relates to a lock for motor vehicles, in particular a lock for a motor vehicle door, equipped with a locking mechanism (1, 2) which in its basic design essentially consists of a rotary latch (1) and a pawl (2). Furthermore, a closing drive (4) and an opening drive (4) for the locking mechanism (1, 2) are implemented. In addition, a driving pawl (5) acting on the locking mechanism (1, 2) is implemented. According to the invention, a single combined opening / closing drive (4) is implemented for the driving pawl (5) which acts optionally in an opening direction (O) when acting on the pawl (2) and in a reverse closing direction (Z) when acting on the rotary latch (1).

Description

[Technical field]

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates to a lock for a motor vehicle, and in particular to a lock for a motor vehicle door comprising a locking mechanism consisting essentially of a rotary latch and a pawl, further comprising a closing drive and an opening drive for the locking mechanism, and comprising a driving pawl for acting on the rotary latch.

[0002] Generally, the locking mechanism, which essentially consists of a rotary latch and a pawl, is designed as a single-claw locking mechanism, i.e. it has one (single) pawl. In principle, however, the invention also includes so-called multi-claw locking mechanisms, which have two pawls.

[0003] In the general prior art according to DE 10 2018 113 270 A1, a closing drive and an opening drive are provided for the locking mechanism. A rotary latch can be moved into an overstroke position by the closing drive. To open the locking mechanism, the rotary latch is held in the overstroke position by the closing drive. This allows the opening drive to release the pawl when the locking mechanism is open and the closing drive to return to its base position. In this way, the overall noise generated during the opening process of the locking mechanism should be reduced compared to previous designs.

[0004] Further prior art from DE 10 2019 135 464 A1 relates to a motor vehicle lock with a closing drive and an opening device. The closing drive has at least one pivot lever which can be actuated by an electric motor and a closing claw which acts on a rotary latch. The opening device is equipped with a toggle lever arrangement which connects the pivot lever and the closing claw during the closing operation and separates them for opening.

[0005]

[0005] Known car locks are generally proven and work reliably, since, ultimately, the opening drive and the closing drive for the locking mechanism are spatially and functionally separated from one another. Further prior art from DE 20 2008 015 789 U1 also relates to embodiments utilizing an opening / closing device. However, at this point, the drive is designed to ensure either the closing or the opening movement of the locking mechanism. This too has proven successful.

[0006]

[0006] Looking at the first two embodiments according to the general DE 10 2018 1 13 270 A1 and DE 10 2019 135 464 A1, it becomes clear that the spatial and functional separation of the opening drive and the closing drive leads to a relatively complex structure, which can also be understood as a whole. Otherwise mutual functional failures may occur. However, for a cost-effective production it is desirable to combine the individual functions. Currently, no convincing solution for this exists in the prior art. Summary of the Invention

[0007]

[0007] The invention is therefore based on the technical problem of further developing such a lock for a motor vehicle, in particular a lock for a motor vehicle door, in such a way that it is simplified in terms of design and manufacture compared to the prior art.

[0008]

[0008] In order to solve this technical problem, a general motor vehicle lock, and in particular a motor vehicle door lock, is characterized within the scope of the present invention in that a single combined opening / closing drive is implemented which optionally operates on a driving pawl in an opening direction to act on the pawl and in an opposite closing direction to act on the rotary latch.

[0009]

[0009] In contrast to the comprehensive prior art according to DE 10 2018 113 270 A1 or the teaching according to DE 10 2019 113 464 A1, the present invention no longer relies on a closing drive and a separate opening drive for the locking mechanism, i.e. two electric drives. Rather, according to the present invention, a single electric drive is used, i.e. a single combined opening / closing drive. With the help of this combined opening / closing drive, the desired opening and closing processes of the locking mechanism are realized and implemented.

[0010]

[0010] For this purpose, a single combined opening / closing drive according to the invention acts on a drive pawl which selectively acts on the pawl in its opening direction and on the rotary latch in the opposite closing direction. Such a drive is generally described in DE 20 2008 015 789 U1, but only in the sense of an "either / or" relationship, so that either a closing process or an opening process can be realized and implemented.

[0011]

[0011] In contrast, the present invention operates with a single combined opening / closing drive acting on the one hand in the opening direction and on the other hand in the opposite closing direction. In the opening direction, the opening / closing drive in conjunction with the drive pawl ensures that the pawl is lifted out of locking engagement with the rotary latch. As a result, the rotary latch can open in a spring-loaded manner and release the previously held lock bolt. An electric opening drive is connected to this.

[0012]

[0012] At the same time, according to the invention, the single combined opening / closing drive can close the rotary latch via the drive pawl in a closing direction opposite to the opening direction. In this case, the drive pawl ensures that, starting from the pre-locking position, the rotary latch is further moved by the drive pawl in the direction of the main locking position. For this purpose, the single combined opening / closing drive is moved in the closing direction.

[0013]

[0013] Thus, within the scope of the present invention, a motor vehicle lock is provided which dispenses with two separate electric drives, on the one hand for the electric opening operation and on the other hand for the electric closing operation, and which maps both functions by a single combined opening / closing drive including a drive pawl. This results in savings both in manufacturing and assembly costs, and also in weight savings. Furthermore, the embodiment according to the invention is characterized by a particularly compact design and therefore requires significantly less installation space compared to the prior art. These are the main advantages.

[0014]

[0014] According to another advantageous embodiment, the driving pawl is equipped with teeth for engaging with a gear wheel of the associated opening / closing drive. The driving pawl is usually a toothed segment wheel designed to rotate about its axis. The toothed segment wheel is characterized in that the teeth are implemented only on one peripheral segment, the toothed segment, with which the gear wheel of the opening / closing drive meshes and drives the driving pawl.

[0015]

[0015] To be able to act on the pawl or on the rotary latch, the driving pawl has an extension arm which can act on either the pawl or on the rotary latch. In most cases, the procedure is still such that the toothed segment of the driving pawl and the extension arm are arranged at an angular distance from each other.

[0016] The angular distance between the toothed segment and the driving pawl prevents any functional failure when the driving pawl is acted upon by the combined opening / closing drive. This is also aided by the fact that the driving pawl is usually pot-shaped in cross section with a central axis of rotation, a peripheral toothed segment and an extension arm.

[0017]

[0017] The pot-shaped design in cross section of the driving claw takes into account the fact that the driving claw usually further comprises a profile for interaction with a sensor that queries the angular position of the driving claw. This profile is typically found on a truncated cylinder that can be connected to the driving claw (in a rotationally fixed manner) or is designed as a single piece together with the driving claw. The truncated cylinder not only defines the central axis of rotation of the driving claw, but is also equipped with the necessary profile on its outer periphery, which can be queried using a sensor to determine the angular position of the driving claw. As a result of the pot-shaped cross-sectional shape of the driving claw, the driving claw can overlap the truncated cylinder in question, so that both the peripheral toothed segment and the extension arm are displaced in the relevant plane spanned by the locking mechanism.

[0018]

[0018] Furthermore, it is advantageous if the extension arm of the drive pawl is located in a reserved area in which, in the unloaded state, it does not act on the pawl or the rotary latch. A sensor can be used to detect the reserved area.

[0019]

[0019] In this way, additional stops, rubber buffers, etc. for the drive pawl are obviously not necessary. Rather, the interaction between the contour on the truncated cylinder on the one hand and the sensor interrogating the contour on the other hand ensures that the drive pawl, in its unloaded state, occupies the reservation area in question. This is, by design, the position range of the drive pawl in the unloaded state taking into account any external influences.

[0020]

[0020] The home position of the drive claw in the unloaded state with the combined opening / closing drive depends on factors such as the voltage acting on the opening / closing drive, the temperature, the direction in which the drive claw is loaded, i.e. whether its home position comes from the opening or closing direction. In any case, a reservation zone is explicitly and according to the invention permitted and detected using a sensor. It corresponds to the range of positions of the drive claw and therefore to the range of angles that the drive claw can take in its home position. This makes additional stops, stops etc. unnecessary, which also helps to reduce weight, production costs and price.

[0021] This is also helped by the fact that the driving claw is advantageously designed as a metal or plastic moulded part. The same applies to the truncated cylinder. The driving claw on the one hand and the truncated cylinder on the other hand can be designed in two parts. However, as a rule, it is a one-piece plastic or metal moulding. Both the metal and the plastic moulding can be designed as injection moulded parts.

[0022]

[0022] As a result, a lock for motor vehicles, in particular a lock for motor vehicle doors, is provided which is able to provide both an electrically powered opening and closing operation of the locking mechanism in a structurally very simple manner. This is attributable to the fact that a single combined opening / closing drive is responsible for both operations. In conjunction with a specially designed driving pawl, different directions of rotation of the combined opening / closing drive are used to actuate the driving pawl on the one hand in the opening device and on the other hand in the opposite closing device. These are the main advantages. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0023]

[0023] The invention will now be explained in more detail with the aid of the drawings which show only one embodiment. [Figure 1] FIG. 1 shows a motor vehicle lock according to the invention in different views. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 shows a different view of the motor vehicle lock according to the invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 shows a motor vehicle lock according to the invention in different views.

[0024] Detailed Description of the Invention

[0025]

[0024] The figures show a lock for motor vehicles, in particular a lock for a motor vehicle door. In its basic structure, said lock has a lock mechanism 1, 2, which essentially consists of a rotary latch 1 and a pawl 2. This can be seen mainly from Fig. 1. For this purpose, the lock mechanisms 1, 2 are mounted in a lock housing 3, which is mostly made of plastic or may also be made of plastic. In addition, the basic structure includes a closing drive 4 and an opening drive 4 for the aforementioned lock mechanisms 1, 2, which according to this embodiment and the invention are implemented as a single combined opening / closing drive 4.

[0026]

[0025] Additionally, a driving claw 5 is provided, via which the rotary latch 1 or the locking mechanisms 1, 2 can be actuated. According to the invention, the driving claw 5 can be arbitrarily controlled in an opening direction O for the claw 2 to act on the claw, and in an opposite closing direction Z for the rotary latch 1. This can be best seen in Figure 1, where both the opening direction O and the closing direction Z are shown.

[0027]

[0026] In this embodiment, the opening direction corresponds to a counterclockwise pivoting movement of the driving claw 5 about the axis 6, and the closing direction Z of the driving claw 5 corresponds to a clockwise rotation of the driving claw 5 about the axis 6.

[0028]

[0027] It can be seen that the drive pawl 5 is provided with teeth 5a, which according to the present embodiment serve to engage with a gear wheel 4 of a single combined opening / closing drive 4. According to the present embodiment, the gear wheel 4 and the opening / closing drive 4 coincide in design. It should be noted, however, that the opening / closing drive 4 may also have, in addition to the gear wheel 4, an electric motor and an intermediate wheel.

[0029]

[0028] The driving pawl 5 is a toothed segment wheel rotatable about an axis 6. This can be attributed to the fact that the teeth 5a associated with the circular driving pawl 5 are provided mounted only on the peripheral segments of the driving pawl 5. As a result, the toothed segments 5a are discernible. The driving pawl 5 further has an extension arm 5b which can act optionally on the pawl 2 or on the rotary latch 1.

[0030]

[0029] It can be seen that the toothed segment 5a and the extension arm 5b of the driving claw 5 are arranged at an angular distance from each other. Between the toothed segment 5a and the extension arm 5b according to the present embodiment, an angular distance α in the range of approximately 90° with respect to the common axis of rotation 6 is found, but this is by way of example and is not limiting. In any case, one edge of the toothed segment 5a and the extension arm 5b are spaced apart from each other. In this way, mutual functional interference is precluded.

[0031] 1 and 2 in particular, it can be seen that the driving claw 5 is pot-shaped in cross section with the central axis of rotation 6, the peripheral toothed segment 5a and the extension arm 5b. For this purpose, the detailed design is such that the driving claw 5 rests on a truncated cylinder 7, visible in the majority of Fig. 2, or is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to this truncated cylinder 7, with the common definition of the axis of rotation 6. The truncated cylinder 7 has on its outer periphery a contour 8 designed to interact with a sensor 9.

[0032]

[0031] According to the present embodiment, the sensor 9 is a switch, in particular a microswitch. In this way, the angular position of the driving claw 5 can be queried using the sensor or microswitch 9. This allows the extension arm 5b, which is a component of the driving claw 5, to be placed in a reserve area P in the unloaded state, as shown diagrammatically in Figure 3.

[0033]

[0032] This reservation area P is a part of the possible angular positions or range of angles that the extension arm 5b of the drive claw 5 can cover without the claw 2 or the rotary latch 1 being acted on in the basic state shown in Fig. 3. Here, the reservation area P takes into account variations in the assumption of the basic position by the extension arm 5b. Such variations can be due to variations in the voltage acting on the opening / closing drive 4, temperature differences or the approaching of the basic position from the opening direction O or from the closing direction Z as shown in Fig. 3.

[0034]

[0033] In any case, by providing the reservation area P in a part of the extension arm 5b of the drive claw 5, it is possible to completely eliminate the need for a stop or a stop buffer for the drive claw 5. This reduces the design effort and manufacturing costs. Therefore, within the reservation area P, the sensor 9 or the microswitch consistently emits the same reservation signal or sensor signal to the control unit (not explicitly shown) for evaluating the drive movement of the opening / closing drive 4.

[0035]

[0034] The operating mode is as follows: Starting from the reserved or basic position of the drive pawl shown in Fig. 1, a movement of the drive pawl 5 by the single combined opening / closing drive 4 in the closing direction Z in the clockwise direction about the rotation axis 6 ensures that the extension arm 5b of the drive pawl 5 moves relative to the pin connected to and indicated on the rotary latch 1. Due to the clockwise movement of the extension arm 5b, the rotary latch 1 of the embodiment according to Fig. 1 is pivoted counterclockwise about its axis. Thus, for example, the illustrated rotary latch 1 according to Fig. 1 is in a pre-lock position and is transferred by the extension arm 5b of the drive pawl 5 to the main lock position by the movement described above. In principle, the rotary latch 1 can also be pivoted with the help of the drive pawl 5 to an overstroke position to facilitate the engagement of the pawl 2. The drive pawl 5 then returns to its basic position, i.e. to the reserved area P. This corresponds to a movement of the drive pawl 5 in the counterclockwise direction.

[0036]

[0035] Starting from the basic position, i.e. the retention area P, by acting on the extension arm 5b in the opening direction O, the extension arm 5b is pivoted counterclockwise. In this process, the extension arm 5b moves against the stop profile of the claw 2, ensuring that in this embodiment the claw 2 pivots clockwise around its axis. Now, by moving the claw 2 clockwise relative to the rotary latch 1, the claw 2 leaves the locked position relative to the rotary latch 1. As a result, the rotary latch 1 can move to its open position and release the previously held lock bolt (not shown). This opens the locking mechanism 1, 2. The same applies to the associated vehicle door. [Explanation of symbols]

[0037] 1,2...Lock mechanism, 1...Rotary latch, 2...Claw part, 3…Lock housing, 4...Closing drive or opening drive, gear wheel, 5...Drive claw, teeth, extension arm, 6...axis, 7...Truncated cylinder, 8...Outline part, 9...Sensor or switch, micro switch, O…opening direction, P...Reservation area, Z...Closing direction.

Claims

1. A lock for a motor vehicle, in particular a lock for a motor vehicle door, comprising: The locking mechanism (1, 2) essentially consists of a rotating latch (1) and a claw portion (2), Further, a closing drive (4) and an opening drive (4) for the locking mechanism (1, 2) are provided, A drive claw portion (5) is provided for acting on the lock mechanism (1, 2), 1. A lock for a motor vehicle, characterized in that a single combined opening / closing drive (4) is implemented which optionally acts on a driving pawl (5) in an opening direction (O) for acting on said pawl part (2) and in an opposite closing direction (Z) for acting on said rotary latch (1).

2. 2. A lock for a motor vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the driving pawl (5) has teeth (5a) for engaging with a gear wheel (4) of the combined opening / closing drive (4).

3. 3. A lock for a motor vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the driving pawl (5) is designed as a toothed segment wheel rotatable about an axis (6).

4. The vehicle lock according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the driving pawl (5) has an extension arm (5b) selectively acting on the pawl (2) or on the rotary latch (1).

5. 5. The motor vehicle lock according to claim 4, characterized in that the toothed segment (5a) of the driving pawl (5) and the extension arm (5b) are arranged at an angular distance (α) from each other.

6. The vehicle lock according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the cross-sectional shape of the driving claw portion (5) of the rotation central shaft (6), the outer peripheral toothed segment (5a) and the extension arm (5b) is pot-shaped.

7. 7. A motor vehicle lock according to claim 1, wherein the driving claw (5) has a contour (8) for interacting with a sensor (9) for querying the angular position of the driving claw (5).

8. 8. The vehicle lock according to claim 1, wherein the extension arm (5b) of the driving pawl (5) is arranged in a reservation area (P) in an unloaded state, where the extension arm (5b) does not act on either the pawl (2) or the rotary latch (1).

9. 9. A vehicle lock according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the sensor (9) detects the reservation area (P).

10. 10. The motor vehicle lock according to claim 1, wherein the driving claw (5) is designed as a metal and / or plastic moulded part.

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