Motor Vehicle Lock Pawl Release Lever Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing motor vehicle locks with spring-loaded rotary latches and pawls have complex functional mechanisms due to interactions with both lateral surfaces and end faces, making them less compact and more complicated.
Innovation Solution
A motor vehicle lock design featuring a pivotable rotary latch with a pawl under pretension, a release lever that locks the pawl in a release position, and a transport cam to pivot the pawl into an unlocked position, eliminating the need for an elastic driver on the end face of the rotary latch, allowing the pawl to be locked and unlocked via the release lever, and ensuring the pawl is locked until the rotary latch is fully opened.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the pawl interacts with both the lateral surface and the locking connection counter-element on the end face of the rotary latch, then the locking function is achieved, but the functional mechanism becomes complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the locking connection counter-element from the end face of the rotary latch, eliminating the need for the pawl to interact with the end face. The locking function is achieved solely through the interaction between the pawl and the lateral surface of the rotary latch, thereby simplifying the functional mechanism while maintaining reliable locking
Solution Approach 2:
The lateral surface of the rotary latch is designed to perform multiple functions: it provides the blocking surface for the pawl and also serves as the locking connection surface. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate end-face features, reducing mechanism complexity while maintaining locking reliability
2Reliability
If the pawl is locked by an elastic driver acting on the end face of the rotary latch, then the pawl locking is achieved, but the design requires additional components and space
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the elastic driver and its associated end-face counter-element from the mechanism. The pawl locking is achieved through the geometric interaction between the release lever and the pawl's lateral surface, eliminating the need for elastic components and reducing the overall volume of the lock mechanism
Solution Approach 2:
The release lever acts as an intermediary that directly engages with the pawl to provide locking and unlocking functions. This direct mechanical interaction replaces the indirect action of an elastic driver, reducing the number of components and the space required for the mechanism
3Volume of moving object
If the release lever is made compact by transferring pivotal movement from driver cam to transport cam, then the device size is reduced, but the cam mechanism must be precisely coordinated
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the functions of the driver cam and transport cam into a single integrated cam structure on the release lever. This unified cam design reduces the overall volume of the release lever while the precise coordination is achieved through the inherent geometric relationship between the cam surfaces and the pawl's movement path
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design results in a more compact and simplified locking mechanism that prevents uncontrolled pivoting of the pawl during latch opening, enhancing design freedom and ensuring secure locking without the need for complex interactions between the rotary latch and pawl.
Implementation Method 1
the release lever has a transport cam, which pivots the pawl into the unlocked position via a cam arranged on the pawl
Implementation Method 2
the release lever has a driver cam, via which the release lever pivots the pawl out of the locked position
Implementation Method 3
a spring-loaded rotary latch that locks a striker or bolt in a closed position, and a spring-loaded pawl
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
A motor vehicle lock (10) according to the invention comprises a pivotable rotary latch (12) with a cylindrical surface (14), a pawl (16) subjected to a preload force, which is pivotable between a locked position (A), in which the pawl (16) locks the rotary latch (12), and an unlocked position (D), in which the rotary latch (12) is unlocked, a release lever (18) for pivoting the pawl (16) against the preload force, and a locking device for locking the pawl (16) in a release position (C), in which it releases the rotary latch (12), wherein part of the locking device is formed by the release lever (18).