AU5402399A

AU5402399A - Bolt actuation apparatus

Info

Publication number: AU5402399A
Application number: AU54023/99A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Peter Siegried Pajak; Andreas Klaus Schlosshauer
Original assignee: Delphi Technologies Inc
Current assignee: Delphi Technologies Inc
Priority date: 1998-11-17
Filing date: 1999-10-14
Publication date: 2000-05-18
Anticipated expiration: 2019-10-14
Also published as: AU726506B2; DE19853056A1; EP1002917A1

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

Class Int. Class Application Number: Lodged: Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: Priority Related Art: 4 4 *fl 4 .4% Name of Applicant: Delphi Technologies, Inc.

Actual Inventor(s): Peter Siegried Pajak Andreas Klaus Schlosshauer Address for Service: PHILLIPS ORMONDE FITZPATRICK Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys 367 Collins Street Melbourne 3000 AUSTRALIA Invention Title: BOLT ACTUATION APPARATUS Our Ref 603799 POF Code: 1221/373740 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to applicant(s): -1- _1 H-203057 BOLT ACTUATION APPARATUS Technical Field The invention relates to a bolt actuation apparatus which can be secured against undesirable actuation, in particular by children.

Background of the Invention An apparatus of this kind enables the actuation of a bolt, in particular the unlocking of a motor vehicle door lock which is biased through a spring force. At the same time the apparatus can be deactivated in such a manner that an actuation of the apparatus does not lead to an actuation of the bolt. Known bolt actuation apparatuses of this kind have an undesirably large number of components for fulfilling these two functions. This leads to high production costs.

Summary of the Invention The object of the invention is to provide a bolt actuation apparatus of the initially named kind which has as simple a construction as possible.

This object is satisfied in accordance with the invention by a bolt actuation apparatus at least comprising an operating lever for the initiation of a bolt actuation, a transmission/securing lever for the transmission of the bolt actuation, a securing switching element for switching between a desecuring and a securing state of the apparatus, and a holder for the securing of the operating lever, the transmission/ securing lever and the securing switching element, with it being possible to bring the transmission/securing lever and the operating lever selectively into and out of engagement through a desecuring or a securing actuation respectively of the securing switching element.

The operating lever is for example mounted at the inner side of a motor vehicle door, and it enables the desired unlocking and/or locking of the bolt for the user. The transmission/securing lever can take up an actuation movement of the operating lever of this kind caused by the user and transmit it further to the bolt directly or indirectly. This happens however only when the apparatus is in the desecuring state, i.e. when the transmission/securing lever and the operating lever are in engagement with one another.

10 On the contrary the apparatus can also be transferred *0 by means of the securing switching element to a securing state in which the transmission/securing lever and the operating lever are not in engagement with one another and an undesirable or inadvertent actuation of the operating lever is thus not further S" 15 transmitted by the transmission/securing lever.

Since the transmission/securing lever serves at the same time both for the possible transmission of an actuation movement of the operating lever and also for the enabling of the prevention of this transmission function, an advantageous reduction 20 in the number of required components and in the constructional cost and complexity results. In comparison with a conventional bolt actuation apparatus without a securing function, substantially only the transmission/securing lever and the securing switching element are required. The mechanical interplay between the components, in particular between the operating lever and the transmission/securing lever, can be brought about in an extremely simple manner. The apparatus in accordance with the invention is thus more economical to manufacture in comparison with known apparatuses.

In a preferred embodiment the operating lever and the transmission/securing lever can selectively be rotated with one another or relative to one another in order to transmit a rotational actuation of the operating lever in the desecuring state and, respectively, not to transmit it in the securing state. The operating lever and the transmission/securing lever can also be designed to be displaceable with respect to one another in order to enable the change between these two states.

The apparatus can have a holder pin, in particular a journalling spike, which functions as an axis of rotation at which the operating lever and the transmission/securing lever are rotatably journalled independently of one another. It is preferred when the 10 transmission/securing lever has an elongate hole at which on the one hand it is rotatablyjournalled at the holder pin or the journalling ooo* spike respectively and on the other hand can be displaced relative to **the operating lever. Instead of or in addition to this, the operating lever can in a corresponding manner have an elongate hole of this kind.

The transmission/securing lever and the operating lever can be selectively brought into and out of engagement with one another respectively in an advantageously simple manner when the one of the two levers has a follower tongue and the other a follower S: 20 tab fitting with it. If the two levers are located relative to one oooo.: another in the desecuring position, the transmission/securing lever can also be rotationally actuated via the follower tongue and the follower tab when the operating lever is rotationally actuated. If on the contrary for example through mutual displacement the two levers are located in the securing position relative to one another, the follower tongue engages into empty space and a rotational actuation of the actuation lever is not transmitted to the transmission/securing lever.

The securing switching element can for example be formed by a rotary, a slider or a toggle switch.

In a particularly preferred embodiment the bolt actuation apparatus has a stabilization element through which the position which is assumed by the individual components in the securing state or the desecuring state respectively remains ensured, and indeed even when the operating lever is actuated by the user. In particular the stabilization element can be formed by a toggle spring which stabilizes the position of the transmission/securing lever, with the remaining components also being compulsorily controlled via the transmission/securing lever.

.10 i0 Brief Description of the Drawings The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figures la and lb are a perspective view of the inner 15 side and, respectively, of the outer side of a bolt actuation apparatus in accordance with the invention in the desecuring state; Figures 2a and 2b are an inner side view of the apparatus in accordance with Figs. la and lb in the desecuring state, and indeed with non-actuated operating lever and with actuated 20 operating lever respectively; SFigures 3a and 3b are a perspective view of the inner side and of the outer side respectively of the apparatus in the securing state; Figure 4 is an inner side view of the apparatus in the securing state, and indeed with non-actuated operating lever (solid line) and with actuated operating lever respectively (broken line); and Figures 5a and 5b are an exploded view of the inner side and of the outer side of the apparatus respectively.

Description of the Preferred Embodiment The exemplary embodiment illustrated in the figures is suitable in particular as an actuation apparatus for a bolt of a motor vehicle door lock. Figs. la and lb show the desecuring state of the inner and the outer side of the apparatus respectively in a perspective view. The apparatus is thus not secured here against an undesirable actuation for example by children. In Figs. la and lb one recognizes an operating lever 11, which can be actuated from the motor vehicle interior in the example, as well as a transmission/securing lever 13. These two levers 11, 13 are rotatably 10 journalled in each case at a bearing spike 17 via a non-illustrated journalling opening or, respectively, via an elongate hole 15 which is partly visible in Fig. la. The bearing spike 17 is connected to a holder 19 which surrounds a portion of the apparatus in the manner of a housing.

15 The operating lever 11 has a formed on follower tab 21.

The transmission/securing lever 13 has a follower tongue 23 which is bent away and which is associated with the follower tab 21. In the desecuring stated shown in Figs. la and lb the operating lever and the transmission/securing lever 13 assume an angled off relative 20 position relative to one another such that the follower tab 21 is $00o$ located at the height of the follower tongue 23.

At its end lying opposite to the elongate journalling hole the transmission/securing lever 13 has a curved elongate hole and a transmission tongue 27. A switching pin 29 of a securing rotary switch 31 which is rotatably held in the holder 19 engages into the curved elongate hole 25. The transmission tongue 27 lies in contact at a bolt actuation lever 33 which is rotatably journalled about an axis of rotation 35 via non-illustrated journalling means. The bolt actuation lever 33 is connected to a bolt which is likewise not shown in the figures.

Furthermore, a toggle spring 37 which serves for the stabilization of the position assumed by the transmission/securing lever 13 relative to the bearing spike 17 is shown in Figs. la and lb.

The toggle spring 37 has two limbs, of which the first is rotatably secured at a securing tongue 39 which is bent aside from the transmission/securing lever 13.

The second limb of the toggle spring 37 is angled off at two locations by 900 in each case. With its outermost angled off end this limb engages behind the operating lever 11 through a curved elongate hole 41 which is formed at the operating lever 11. The 10 curved elongate hole 41 extends coaxially to the axis of rotation of the operating lever 11 or to the longitudinal axis of the bearing spike 17. Between the two angled off locations said second limb of the toggle spring 37 lies in contact at a toggle ramp 43 which is formed at the transmission/securing lever 13 and extends parallel to the longitudinal direction of the elongate journalling hole Furthermore, a limiter tongue 45 which is bent away from the operating lever 11 is shown which engages into a limiter sofa indentation 47 at the holder 19.

Finally, actuation directions A, B, C and securing 20 directions D, E are illustrated in Figs. la and lb.

In the following the actuation of the apparatus will be explained with reference to Figs. la and lb as well as Figs. 2a and 2b. Figs. 2a and 2b show the inner side of the desecured apparatus in accordance with Figs. la and Ib, and indeed with a non-actuated and an actuated operating lever 11 respectively. Occluded contours are illustrated in Figs. 2a and 2b in broken lines.

In a direct or indirect actuation of the operating lever 11 in the actuation direction A the operating lever 11 is rotated about the bearing spike 17. Since in this the follower tab 21 abuts against the follower tongue 23, the transmission/securing lever 13 is also rotated about the bearing spike 17 in the actuation direction B so that the two levers 11, 13 maintain their angular position relative to one another. In this rotation of the transmission/securing lever 13 the transmission tongue 27 of the latter abuts at the bolt actuation lever 33 in the actuation direction C so that the latter rotates about its axis of rotation 35 and therewith unlatches the non-illustrated bolt.

The desecuring state of the apparatus shown in Figs. la, ib, 2a and 2b can be transferred into the securing state in that the securing rotary switch 31 at the outer side of the apparatus is rotated in the securing direction D, i.e. counterclockwise with respect to Fig.

Ib, by approximately 700 up to the abutment. Via the interplay of the ~switching pin 29 with the curved elongate hole 25 this rotational actuation causes the transmission/securing lever 13 to be pushed in the securing direction E up to the abutment of the elongate 15 journalling hole 15 at the bearing spike 17 (cf. Fig. la). Through this longitudinal displacement of the transmission/securing lever its follower tongue 23 is decoupled from the follower tab 21 of the operating lever 11 (cf. Fig. Ib, 3b).

The thus reached securing state of the apparatus is 20 shown in Figs. 3a and 3b in perspective inner side and outer side views respectively and in Fig. 4 in an inner side view for the non actuated operating lever 11 (solid lines) and for the actuated operating lever 11 (broken lines) respectively.

If in this securing state the operating lever 11 is moved in the actuation direction A, it executes a rotation about the bearing spike 17. The follower tab 21 however no longer makes contact with the follower tongue 23 in this actuation, since the latter has been moved out of the action radius of the follower tab 21 by the securing movement in the direction E (cf. Fig. 3b). The actuation of the operating lever 11 in the securing state shown in Fig. 4 thus leaves the position of the transmission/securing lever 13 and the bolt 8 actuation lever 33 unchanged.

In order to transfer the apparatus from the securing state back into the desecuring state, the securing rotary switch 31 is rotated counter to the securing direction D in an inverse procedure up to the abutment so that by means of the switching pin 29 the transmission/securing lever 13 is moved counter to the securing direction E up to the abutment of the bearing spike 17 at the oppositely lying end of the elongate journalling hole 15, and the follower tongue 23 is again brought to the level of the follower tab 21.

10 However the securing state can not be deactivated when the operating lever 11 is drawn, i.e. moved in the actuation direction A, since the follower tongue 23 abuts at the operating lever 11 before •o the follower tab 21 (cf. Fig. 4).

For the further clarification of the construction of the 15 apparatus in accordance with Figs. la to 4 the latter is shown in Figs. 5a and 5b in exploded illustrations.

In the following the interplay and cooperation of further parts of the apparatus in accordance with Figs. la to 5b is explained.

The toggle spring 37 serves for the compulsory control of 20 the transmission/securing lever 13. In order to move the Stransmission/securing lever 13 back and forth between its securing position (cf. Fig. 3a) and its desecuring position (cf. Fig. la), a force must be exerted in the first half of the displacement path against the toggle spring 37 so that its two limbs are pressed together. In the second half of the respective displacement path the toggle spring 37 assists the displacement of the transmission/securing lever 13 since the toggle spring 37 can open increasingly.

During a linear movement of this kind of the transmission/securing lever 13 in or counter to the direction E the second, doubly angled off limb of the toggle spring 37 moves along the toggle ramp 43. Through this the end 40 of this limb first reduces I 9 its distance from the securing tongue 39 or from the end of the first limb respectively, and again increases this distance after half the travel. Through this the explained effect of the assisting of the respective switchover actuation after half the travel arises and the lever 13 assumes a stable position both in its securing position and in its desecuring position.

As a result of the engagement of the switching pin 29 into the curved elongate hole 25 the securing rotary switch 31 is also ultimately stabilized or compulsorily controlled respectively through 10 the toggle spring 37. Thus as a result of the compulsory control of the transmission/securing lever 13 by means of the toggle spring 37 no "separate spring or compulsory control element respectively is required at the securing rotary switch 31, which further simplifies the construction of the apparatus.

15 The position of the spring limb element 40 along the toggle ramp 43 is firmly predetermined through the curved elongate hole 41 at the operating lever 11 since the curved elongate hole 41 o oo extends relative to the toggle ramp 43 at an angle which is different from zero and since the curved elongate hole 41 therefore in each 20 possible position of the transmission/securing lever 13 leaves only S"one single position free for the spring limb element 40, which is guided by the curved elongate hole 41. Since the curved elongate hole 41 extends in the shape of a circular arc coaxially to the axis of rotation of the operating lever 11 or of the bearing spike 17 respectively, the operating lever 11 can always be pivoted freely in or counter to the actuation direction A in spite of the surrounded spring limb element In a method of functioning which is similar to that of the curved elongate hole 41 the curved elongate hole 25 of the transmission/securing lever 13 which surrounds the switching pin 29 serves, on the one hand, for the reception of a securing or desecuring movement of the securing rotary switch 31 or of the switching pin 29 respectively and, on the other hand, serves to enable a rotational movement of the transmission/securing lever 13 in or counter to the actuation direction B in the desecuring state of the apparatus. The curved elongate hole 25 therefore extends in the shape of a circular arc coaxially to the axis of rotation of the transmission/securing lever 13 in its desecuring position (cf. Figs. la, 2a, 2b). In the securing state of the apparatus the described double function of the apparatus is absent since the transmission/securing lever 13 as explained does not take up a possible rotational movement of the operating lever 11 in this state.

The apparatus can have a further operation bias spring which is not illustrated in the figures and through which operating lever 11 is held in its rest position which is shown for example in 15 Figs. la, Ib, 2a, 3a and 3b if the lever 11 is not moved in the actuation direction A by the user. In a corresponding way the apparatus can have a bolt bias spring, through which the bolt actuation lever 33 or the bolt itself is held in a locking position as long as an unlocking actuation is not transmitted via the 20 transmission/securing lever 13 or its transmission tongue 27 oo $i respectively.

As is clear in particular from Fig. 4 the limiter tongue of the operating lever 11 and the limiter indentation 47 of the holder 19 serve to limit the rotational angle assumed by the operating lever 11 in or counter to the actuation direction A.

Alternatively to the illustrated exemplary embodiment the bolt actuation apparatus can also be constructed in such a manner that instead of the transmission/securing lever 13 the operating lever 11 is displaced in a linear direction relative to the bearing spike 17 via a securing switching element in order to selectively bring the two levers 11, 13 into or out of engagement.

Claims

1. Bolt actuation apparatus which can be secured against an undesirable actuation in particular by children, at least comprising: an operating lever (11) for the initiation of a bolt actuation, a transmission/securing lever (13) for the transmission C) of the bolt actuation, a securing switching element (31) for switching E) between a desecuring and a securing state of the apparatus, and 10 a holder (19) for the securing of the operating lever (11), ~the transmission/securing lever (13) and the securing switching element (31), with it being possible to bring the transmission/securing lever (13) and the operating lever (11) selectively into and out of *15 engagement through a desecuring or a securing actuation E) **respectively of the securing switching element (31).

2. Bolt actuation apparatus in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the operating lever (11) and the transmission/securing lever (13) are rotatable and displaceable relative to one another.

3. Bolt actuation apparatus in accordance with one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the operating lever (11) and/or the transmission/securing lever (13) are rotatably journalled at a bearing spike (17) in each case between a locking and an unlocking position.

4. Bolt actuation apparatus in accordance with claim 3, characterized in that the transmission/securing lever (13) and/or the operating lever (11) has an in particular rectilinear elongate hole through which the respective lever (13 or 11 respectively) is displaceable along the bearing spike (17) between a desecuring and a securing position. Bolt actuation apparatus in accordance with one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transmission/securing lever (13) and the operating lever (11) have a follower tongue (23) and, respectively, a corresponding follower tab (21) or vice versa for the enabling of a mutual engagement. S 0 .0.00 6. Bolt actuation apparatus in accordance with one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transmission/securing lever (13) or the operating lever (11) on the one hand and the securing switching element (31) on the other hand have an in 5 particular curvilinear elongate hole and, respectively, a switching pin which is in engagement herewith or vice versa.

7. Bolt actuation apparatus in accordance with one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the securing switching •element (31) is rotatably, displaceably or tiltablyjournalled at the holder (19).

8. Bolt actuation apparatus in accordance with one of the preceding claims, characterized by a stabilization element for the stabilization of a position assumed by the transmission/securing lever (13).

9. Bolt actuation apparatus in accordance with claim 8, characterized in that the stabilization element is formed by a toggle spring (37). 13 Bolt actuation apparatus in accordance with claim 9, characterized in that the toggle spring (37) is rotatably journalled with one limb at the transmission/securing lever (13).

11. Bolt actuation apparatus in accordance with claim 9 or claim 10, characterized in that the toggle spring (37) is rotatably journalled with one limb in that the limb lies in contact on the one hand at a ramp (43) at the transmission/securing lever (13) and on 5 the other hand at an elongate hole (41) at the operating lever (11) which extends angled off with respect to the ramp (43). Sw 0*

12. Bolt actuation apparatus in accordance with one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the operating lever (11) has an elongate hole (41) which is coaxially in the shape of a circular 0* arc with respect to an axis of rotation (17) of the operating lever (11). S

13. Bolt actuation apparatus in accordance with one of the preceding claims, characterized by a bolt actuation lever (33) through which a bolt can be unlocked in an unlocking movement (C) •of the transmission/securing lever (13). DATED: 13th October, 1999 PHILLIPS ORMONDE FITZPATRICK Attorneys for: DELPHI TECHNOLOGIES, INC.