Car Locks

Abstract

The present invention relates to a motor vehicle lock having a locking mechanism essentially consisting of a rotary latch and a pawl, further comprising a drive part (6, 7, 8) and a fixing element (5). The drive part (6, 7, 8) acts on the fixing part (5) via a toothed rack part (9) equipped with a blocking element (10). According to the invention, the blocking element (10) is in the form of a tilting lever (10) which defines at least two end positions of the toothed rack element (9).

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a lock for a motor vehicle, which comprises a locking mechanism essentially consisting of a rotary latch and a pawl, and further comprises a drive and a fixing element, the drive acting on the fixing element via a toothed rack element equipped with a blocking element.

[0002] Car locks generally have a central locking system and, if necessary, an anti-theft device. With the help of the central locking system, all doors equipped with the associated car lock can be locked together. As a result, access from the outside is generally not possible, but the car door in question can nevertheless be opened from inside the car. In addition, if an anti-theft device is added, opening from the inside is also inhibited in the "anti-theft" state, so that even if the car door window is broken, the car cannot be opened.

[0003] Appropriate mechanisms are provided for locking such vehicle locks and for inserting anti-theft devices, which mostly operate in a rotary or linear manner, such that the associated vehicle lock is placed in its locked or unlocked state, or in its protected or non-protected state.

[0004] In addition, however, the child safety function can in principle also be implemented, particularly generally on the rear vehicle doors. In the "childproof" position, the vehicle lock cannot be opened from the inside, but can be opened from the outside. Like the anti-theft device, the child safety device can basically be inserted with the aid of a drive. Furthermore, mechanical solutions are known for operating the child safety device.

[0005] The term "fixing element" should be interpreted broadly within the scope of this application. In fact, it may be a locking element as well as an anti-theft element. This also includes child safety elements. As a result, it should generally be possible to set completely different function positions of the car lock with the help of the fixing element.

[0006] In the event of an accident in a vehicle equipped with such a car lock, adjustment from the locked position to the unlocked position, or in the case of anti-theft devices from the locked position to the unlocked position, should generally be avoided in order to prevent accidental opening of the door. For this purpose, the current state of the art according to DE 10 2014 000 680 A1 works with so-called position locking devices.

[0007] The position fixing device is provided on the slidably mounted carriage and serves to fix the position of the slidably mounted carriage. For this purpose, the position fixing device in the known teaching comprises a tilting device, which can tilt the carriage in the event of excessively high acceleration. As a result, in view of the compact position fixing device, a reliable operating mode is implemented and generally available.

[0008] Instead of such a position locking device, it is also possible in principle for the drive for each locking element to be advanced so that after acting on the locking element it is returned to its basic position, such that such a procedure decouples, so to speak, the drive from the locking element, so that an impact on the drive, caused for example by a collision, does not act on the locking element.

[0009] Moreover, in the current situation, efforts are being made in principle to reduce the design effort: for this purpose, the general state of the art according to DE 10 2014 000 680 A1 already operates on a motor or drive in order to change the position of both the lock and the anti-theft device as required.

[0010] The set position is then fixed with the help of an additional position fixing device which is provided, which is relatively expensive since the position fixing device requires for its realization a special spring designed as a double-acting pincer spring, which the present invention as a whole seeks to improve.

[0011] overview

[0012] The invention is based on the technical problem of further developing such a lock for a motor vehicle in such a way that different locking positions can be adopted reproducibly, safely and reliably while still allowing for a structurally simple design.

[0013] To solve this technical problem, a typical motor vehicle lock is characterized within the scope of the present invention in that the blocking element is designed as a tilting lever which defines at least two end positions of a toothed rack element.

[0014] Due to the special blocking element designed as a tilting lever, at least two end positions of the toothed rack element can be defined and implemented according to the invention. These two end positions can belong, for example, to the functional positions "childproof" and "theft-proof". As a result, within the scope of the invention, it is possible that not only a clear distinction can be made between these two functional positions. Instead, only one (single) drive for the toothed rack element is required for this, which in turn acts on the fixing element. This allows the design effort to be reduced, since the anti-theft and child safety functions do not require their own drives.

[0015] Rather, according to the invention, one (single) drive is used in order to be able to map both the child-safety and anti-theft functions via the toothed rack element. This is possible because the respective end positions "child-proof" or "anti-theft" belong to different end positions of the toothed rack element, which are approached in a targeted and precisely positioned manner with the aid of a blocking element designed as a tilting lever. In contrast, the function positions "non-child-proof" and "non-anti-theft" correspond to a common initial position of the toothed rack element before it is actuated. In this way, the overall design effort is reduced and the functional reliability is increased, since the blocking element or the tilting lever directly defines the two end positions of the toothed rack element.

[0016] To implement this in detail, the tilt lever is usually connected to a toothed rack element. In principle, this can be done in such a way that the tilt lever is articulated to the toothed rack element by a transmission lever. The tilt lever and the transmission lever are generally mounted coaxially with each other. Furthermore, in this situation, the tilt lever is usually also equipped with a restoring spring.

[0017] This restoring spring is advantageously a bistable spring, i.e. a spring that allows acting in one direction and in the opposite direction and ensures a corresponding restoring movement to an intermediate or intermediate 0 position after the acting force has ceased. However, in principle and expediently, it is also possible to operate with a simple torsion spring. This ultimately depends on how the positions of the individual functional positions are implemented and realised with the aid of the toothed rack element.

[0018] The tilt lever is usually equipped with two blocking legs in a C-shape, and each blocking leg of the C-shaped tilt lever is designed to interact with a stop located between the blocking legs. In other words, the C-shape of the tilt lever allows the invention to position the associated stop or stops between the two ends of the blocking legs.

[0019] In this connection, it has proven to be particularly advantageous if the stop is designed as a component of the drive, so that a stop that has to be additionally formed can essentially be avoided, further reducing the complexity of the design. The stop is usually formed on the worm wheel of the drive. In this case, the invention is based on the knowledge that a drive for a toothed rack element is usually equipped with an electric motor and a drive worm on the output shaft of the electric motor. This drive worm is meshed with the aforementioned worm wheel of the drive.

[0020] In many cases, the worm wheel is designed to carry a gear wheel which meshes with a toothed rack element, and in this way different gear ratios can be implemented as required, as will be explained in more detail below with reference to the description of the drawings.

[0021] In any case, according to the invention, the stops are formed on the worm wheel. For this purpose, the worm wheel usually has a rear stop disk designed integrally with the worm wheel (made of plastic material). The stop disk thereby defines two opposite stops on its outer periphery for the corresponding blocking legs of the tilt lever which surround the stop disk in a C-shape. In this way, the two end positions of the toothed rack element in question can be realized in a particularly simple and functionally reliable manner.

[0022] The locking element is generally articulated to a toothed rack element and is in addition usually a locking lever acted upon by a spring, which by interaction with the locking lever ensures that the locking lever is fixed in position.

[0023] For this purpose, the locking lever is usually designed with a spring cantilever that interacts with the leg of a spring designed as a torsion spring. This leg or spring leg of the spring usually has a lug that interacts and can interact with the spring cantilever in such a way that the locking element or locking lever is locked in at least the above-mentioned three positions: "unlocked", "anti-theft" and finally "child-proof". For this purpose, the spring cantilever is equipped with a ridge that fits the contour of the lug, as will be explained in more detail with reference to the description of the drawings.

[0024] As a result, by using a (single) drive for both the child safety function and the anti-theft function, a structurally particularly simple car lock, in particular a car door lock, is available. The fact that the fixing element, which can be moved in a controlled manner into three different function positions, is adjustable with the help of a toothed rack element also contributes to this.

[0025] For this purpose, the toothed rack element has a blocking element designed as a tilting lever, by means of which at least two end positions of the toothed rack element can be defined. An additionally realized initial position of the toothed rack element is approached by a spring assigned to the tilting lever after the application of a force by the drive.

[0026] There is a fundamental advantage here. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0027] The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the drawings which show only one exemplary embodiment. [Figure 1] FIG. 1 shows a motor vehicle lock according to the invention in a neutral functional position. [Figure 2A] FIG. 2A shows a rear view of the motor vehicle lock according to FIG. 1 in the neutral position. [Figure 2B] FIG. 2B shows the car lock according to FIG. 2A in the "childproof" position. [Figure 2C]FIG. 2C shows the car lock according to FIG. 2A in the "anti-theft" position. Detailed Description

[0028] In the drawings a motor vehicle lock is shown which is a lock for motor vehicle doors. It has a locking mechanism (not shown) which basically consists of a rotary latch and a pawl. To release and operate the locking mechanism an operating lever 1 is implemented which is mounted coaxially with an opening lever 2. The locking mechanism can be mechanically opened by the opening lever 2 regardless of the position of the operating lever 1 and the clutch lever 3.

[0029] When the clutch lever 3 is in the engaged position (see FIG. 2B), the actuation lever or external actuation lever 1 can be actuated about its axis in the clockwise direction as shown in FIG. 1, such that the actuation lever 1 can open the locking mechanism via the release lever 2 and the release lever 4, by lifting the pawl that has fallen on the rotary latch from the engagement of the release lever 4 with the rotary latch. On the other hand, when the clutch lever or external clutch lever 3 is in the "disengaged" position as shown in FIG. 1 (and also in FIGS. 2A and 2C), the corresponding opening action of the actuation lever or external actuation lever 1 is ineffective in this embodiment. However, opening via the motor-driven opening lever 2 is also possible. For this, the opening lever 2 is acted on in the clockwise direction about a common axis with the actuation lever 1.

[0030] The clutch lever or outer clutch lever 3 is moved into the "disengaged" position shown in Figure 1 (and in Figures 2A and 2C) with the aid of a fixed element 5, as will be explained in more detail below. For this purpose, drives 6, 7, 8 for a toothed rack element 9 are additionally provided. The drives 6, 7, 8 act via the toothed rack element 9 on the fixed element 5, as will be explained in more detail below. Furthermore, the toothed rack element 9 is equipped with a blocking element 10.

[0031] According to the invention, the blocking element 10 is designed as a tilt lever 10, which defines at least two end positions of the toothed rack element 9. The tilt lever 10 is articulated to the toothed rack element 9. For this purpose, a transmission lever 11 is provided. It can be seen that the tilt lever 10 is articulated to the toothed rack element 9 with the help of the transmission lever 11. For this reason, the tilt lever 10 and the transmission lever 11 are mounted coaxially. A spring 12 associated with the tilt lever 10 can also be seen. The spring 12 is a restoring spring. Furthermore, the spring 12 is designed as a torsion spring and surrounds with its leg base a bearing pin which defines the common axis of the tilt lever 10 and the transmission lever 11. The two spring legs extending from the leg base are supported on respective stops of the tilt lever 10. In this way, a pivoting movement of the tilt lever 10, starting from the neutral position shown in FIG. 1, will tension the spring in question or the restoring spring 12. After the toothed rack element 9 is no longer acted upon with the aid of the drives 6, 7, 8, the spring or restoring spring 12 ensures that the tilting lever 10, and with it the toothed rack element 9 and the entire drives 6, 7, 8, are returned to their original or neutral position (as shown in Figure 1 or Figure 2A).

[0032] The tilt lever is equipped with two blocking legs 10a, 10b in an overall C-shape, whereby the two blocking legs 10a, 10b can interact with a stop 13 arranged between them. According to an exemplary embodiment, this stop 13 is designed as a rear stop disk or stop rib 13 which is connected at the rear to the worm wheel 8 as part of the drives 6, 7, 8.

[0033] In fact, the drives 6, 7, 8 essentially consist of an electric motor 6, a drive worm 7 arranged on the output shaft of the electric motor 6 and a worm wheel 8 meshing with the drive worm 7. The worm wheel 8 carries a gear wheel 8a which engages with a toothed rack element 9.

[0034] In this way, the rotational movement of the worm wheel 8 or gear wheel 8 a is converted into a linear adjusting movement of the toothed rack element 9 .

[0035] The fixing element 5 is articulated to the toothed rack element 9, in particular at the end opposite the teeth of the toothed rack element 9. In addition, the fixing element 5 is a fixing lever 5 which is acted upon by a spring 14 to fix the position.

[0036] The operating mode is as follows: Starting from the neutral position shown in Figures 1 and 2A, the gear 8a (in Figure 1) acts on the drives 6, 7, 8 in such a way that it acts clockwise, displacing the toothed rack element 9 to the left. As a result, the tilt lever 10 also pivots clockwise (seen from the rear according to Figure 2A) and its blocking leg 10a abuts against the stop disk 13 of the worm wheel 8. This sets the "childproof" position shown in Figure 2B. After the drives 6, 7, 8 no longer exert a force on the toothed rack element 9, the restoring spring 12 ensures that the drives 6, 7, 8 and the toothed rack element 9 return to their starting or neutral position (see Figures 1 and 2A).

[0037] The actuation of the drives 6, 7, 8, starting from the initial position, such that the gear wheel 8a (in FIG. 1) rotates counterclockwise, displaces the toothed rack element 9 in FIG. 1 to the right. This results in the tilt lever 10 rotating clockwise (in FIG. 1) (counterclockwise in FIG. 2C) so that the other blocking leg 10b again comes into contact with the stop or the stop disk 13. The "anti-theft" function position shown in FIG. 2C is reached. This "anti-theft" function corresponds to the lock lever 15 in the "disengaged" sense connected to the toothed rack element 9 acting on the inner clutch lever 16. Normally, the inner clutch lever 16 is "engaged" most of the time. At the same time, in the "anti-theft" position, the fixing element 5 maintains the outer clutch lever 3 in the "disengaged" position according to FIG. 2C. This makes it impossible to open the vehicle lock from either the inside or the outside.

[0038] In contrast, the outer clutch lever 3 is engaged in the "childproof" position according to Fig. 2b, so that in this functional position only the inner clutch lever 16 is disengaged and the vehicle lock in question cannot be opened from the inside, whereas in this case the outer clutch lever 3 is "engaged" so that the associated vehicle door can be opened from the outside, even when the vehicle lock is unlocked.

[0039] In contrast, the "anti-theft" position according to Figure 2C corresponds to both clutch levers 3, 16 being in the "disengaged" position, so that the vehicle lock in question cannot be opened from either the inside or the outside, which is the usual and desired anti-theft feature.

[0040] In figures 2A-2C different positions of the fixing element 5 with respect to the spring 14 which interacts with the fixing element 5 are shown. The spring 14 has a lug 14a for this purpose. The fixing element 5 is also equipped with a ridge 5a. It can be seen that the three different functional positions mentioned above, namely neutral or "unlocked or unlocked", "childproof" and finally "theftproof", correspond to a spring cantilever 5b of the fixing element 5, the front ridge 5a being either fixed in the middle by the lug 14a or resting on one side or the other of the lug 14a. In other words, the interaction between the spring 14 and the fixing element 5 ensures that the fixing element 5 is fixed in place.

[0041] Explanation of symbols

[0042] 1...Operating lever, 2...Operating lever, 3...Outside clutch lever, 4...Release lever, 5…Fixed element, 5a...Protuberance, 6, 7, 8…Drive unit, 6...electric motor, 7…Output Warm, 8…worm wheel, 8a…Gear wheel, 9…Toothed rack element, 10...Tilt lever, 10a, 10b…Block lever, 11...Transmission lever, 12...Restoring spring, 13...Stop disc, 14…Spring, 14a…rug, 15...Lock lever, 16...Inner clutch lever.

Claims

1. A vehicle lock having a locking mechanism essentially consisting of a rotary latch and a claw portion, further comprising a drive portion (6, 7, 8) and a fixing element (5), 1. A lock for a motor vehicle, the lock comprising: a drive (6, 7, 8) acting on the fixing element (5) via a toothed rack element (9) equipped with a blocking element (10), 10. A lock for a motor vehicle, characterized in that the blocking element (10) is designed as a tilting lever (10) which defines at least two end positions of the toothed rack element (9).

2. 2. A lock for a motor vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the tilt lever (10) is connected to the toothed rack element (9).

3. 3. A lock for a motor vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the tilt lever (10) is connected to a toothed rack element (9) by a transmission lever (11).

4. A lock for a motor vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the tilt lever (10) is equipped with two C-shaped blocking legs (10a, 10b).

5. 5. A lock for a motor vehicle according to claim 4, characterized in that the blocking legs (10a, 10b) interact with a stop (13) arranged between the blocking legs (10a, 10b).

6. 6. Lock for a motor vehicle according to claim 5, characterized in that the stop (13) is designed as a component part of the drive (6, 7, 8).

7. 7. A lock for a motor vehicle according to claim 6, characterized in that the stop (13) is formed on a worm wheel (8) of the drive part (6, 7, 8).

8. A lock for a motor vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tilt lever (10) is equipped with a restoring spring (12).

9. A lock for a motor vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the fixing element (5) is articulated to the toothed rack element (9).

10. The lock for a motor vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fixing element (5) is designed as a fixing lever (5) which interacts with a spring (14) to fix the position.

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