Motor Vehicle Lock Release Lever for Manual Lockout

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing motor vehicle locks with mechanical redundancy for electric locks increase mechanical complexity due to the need for additional coupling elements to prevent manual actuation during power failures.

Innovation Solution

A release lever is used by both the opening drive for motorized lifting and the actuator lever for manual lifting, with the opening drive also pivoting the release lever into an idle stroke position to prevent manual actuation, eliminating the need for additional coupling elements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If mechanical redundancy is provided to implement locking states in electric locks, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelocking state reliabilityVSAvoidmechanical complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The release lever is designed to serve multiple functions: it acts as the actuating element for both manual opening (via the actuator lever) and motorized opening (via the opening drive), and it simultaneously serves as the locking element when in the idle stroke position. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate coupling elements or additional mechanical redundancy components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The release lever transitions between different functional states: in the starting position it enables manual actuation, in the idle stroke position it prevents manual actuation while allowing motorized operation, and in the release position it activates the opening movement. This dynamic reconfiguration of a single component provides the necessary locking states without adding permanent mechanical complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If additional coupling elements are used to prevent manual actuation during power failures, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanual actuation controlVSAvoidmechanical complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The release lever is designed to serve multiple functions: it acts as the actuating element for both manual opening (via the actuator lever) and motorized opening (via the opening drive), and it simultaneously serves as the locking element when in the idle stroke position. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate coupling elements or additional mechanical redundancy components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS20260078617A1Motor vehicle lock for a locking element of a motor vehicle

Publication Date: 2026.03.19 BROSE SCHLIESSSYSTEME GMBH & CO KG

AI summary

A motor vehicle lock with a lock latch and a pawl, a release lever being provided that can be pivoted from a starting position to a release position during an opening movement with a release direction, the release lever lifting the pawl with the opening movement, an electric opening drive being provided, by means of which the release lever can be pivoted to carry out the opening movement, so that the opening drive lifts the pawl by means of the release lever in a motorized manner, an actuator lever being provided that can be manually pivoted in an actuation stroke from an unactuated position to an actuated position, and by means of which the release lever located in the starting position can be pivoted with the actuation stroke to carry out the opening movement, so that the actuator lever manually lifts the pawl by means of the release lever.