DE102014114930A1 - Motor vehicle door lock and associated method for producing such a motor vehicle door lock - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention is a motor vehicle door lock, which is constructed with a lock housing (1) made of a first and a material-different second plastic. According to the invention, the lock housing (1) consists of a dimensionally stable base part (1a) made of a thermoplastic and / or duroplastic for receiving internal lock components and additionally an elastic guide part made of an elastomer for interacting with one or more external closing components (6).

Description

The invention relates to a motor vehicle door lock, with a lock housing made of a first and a material-different second plastic.

Motor vehicle door locks are generally composed of the motor vehicle door lock and an associated lock holder. While the motor vehicle door lock is typically mounted in or on a motor vehicle door, the lock holder generally finds a location on an associated vehicle body, such as in the area of a B pillar there. Basically, of course, the reverse can be done. In this case, the vehicle door lock is fixed to the vehicle body, whereas the lock holder is fixed to the associated vehicle door. This is often the procedure for tailgates.

The motor vehicle door lock as such is further and generally composed of the lock housing or lock cover made of plastic and an associated lock case made of metal. The lock case made of metal is typically used for storage of a locking mechanism of the catch and pawl. In contrast, other lock components can be arranged or stored in the lock housing or lock cover made of plastic, for example, one or more levers of the operating lever mechanism. Also elements of a locking lever chain, an electric drive motor, etc. are typically placed in the lock housing made of plastic.

In the context of the generic state of the art according to the WO 2013/110262 A1 the applicant, the lock housing is made of plastic and has at least one arranged in the lock housing lever.

The lever protrudes through an opening at least partially out of the lock housing and can be moved along the opening. In order to prevent the ingress of dirt and / or moisture at this point, the opening is equipped with at least one opening gap, which is largely closed by a seal.

While the lock housing is made of a thermoplastic, the seal is generally made of an elastomeric plastic. In addition, the lock housing and the seal can be produced in a common manufacturing process. This has proven itself in principle.

In addition, through the WO 2011/091775 A1 a lock with a inlet buffer for the lock holder previously known. The inlet buffer is equipped with an insert or a cover on the side facing the lock holder. The insert may be made of polyoxymethylene (POM) while an associated buffer housing is made of polyurethane (PUR). In this way, the inlet buffer is to be optimized with regard to its inlet guide for the lock holder.

In a damping element and housing component for a locking system according to the DE 20 2007 017 195 U1 The Applicant is proceeding so that the damping element is equipped with at least one damping surface and at least one guide surface for the incoming locking pin. The guide surface has a plurality of elevations. This prevents the formation of unwanted noise with the same or improved damping effect.

The state of the art has proven itself in principle. However, improvements are still sought in terms of the design of the lock housing, which aim at a weight and especially price reduction. So far there are no convincing approaches in the state of the art at this point. Here, the invention aims to provide a total remedy.

The invention is based on the technical problem of further developing such a motor vehicle door lock so that the costs are reduced and, if possible, weight savings are also observed.

To solve this technical problem, a generic motor vehicle door lock in the invention is characterized in that the lock housing constructed of a dimensionally stable base made of a thermoplastic and / or thermosetting plastic for receiving internal lock components and a resilient guide member made of an elastomer for interaction with one or more external locking components is.

In the context of the invention, the lock housing is initially composed of two essential housing components, namely the dimensionally stable base part and additionally the elastic guide part. In addition to these two housing components, in principle also further housing components can be realized. In general, however, the lock housing according to the invention is finally composed of only the dimensionally stable base part and the elastic guide part.

Since the dimensionally stable base part is adapted and suitable for receiving internal lock components, its manufacture is based on a plastic significant strength, namely a thermoplastic and / or thermosetting plastic. Such plastics typically have a modulus of elasticity of more than 100 N / mm ² , in most cases even one with a value of more than 500 N / mm ² . For thermosets, one observes alternatively flexural strengths which are above 50 N / mm ² .

According to the invention, the strength of the dimensionally stable base part can be increased even further by equipping the base part with intrinsic or extrinsic reinforcements. The intrinsic reinforcements are typically introduced into the plastic glass fibers, carbon fibers or rock flour. In any case, the strength values of thermoplastics or thermoplastics can be significantly increased, for example, by the addition of glass fibers.

In fact, for example, for polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), which is used regularly at this point, a modulus of elasticity of 1700 N / mm ² without incorporated glass fibers is observed. If polybutylene terephthalate is added with glass fibers having a gram weight of, for example, 30% by weight, the modulus of elasticity can be increased to values of 4500 N / mm ² , ie more than 2.5 times compared to the design without glass fibers.

In addition or as an alternative to such intrinsic reinforcements, the base part can also be equipped with extrinsic reinforcements. Reinforcing ribs, reinforcing beads, etc. are conceivable at this point. Of course, such reinforcing ribs and / or reinforcing beads can also be combined with introduced glass fibers in the relevant plastic. In any case, a base part of significant strength is available, which is suitable for example for the storage of internal lock components. These internal lock components may be, for example, an outer locking lever, as in the prior art according to DE 20 2013 110 262 A1 already described. Also, an external operating lever or other levers of the operating lever mechanism can be stored on or in the base part. The same applies to components of a locking lever chain, a motor for, for example, the central locking, switch for retrieving the catch etc.

In any case, the base part has as part of the lock housing according to the invention on the necessary dimensional stability in order to accommodate and store the mentioned internal lock components in the example case. These internal lock construction parts or at least their storage and connection to the housing are consequently all located inside the lock housing. - To distinguish this is the one or more external locking members, which interact with the elastic guide member as a further part of the lock housing according to the invention. With the external locking component components of the entire motor vehicle door closure are meant, which are arranged outside the lock housing. As a rule, it is an external locking component, namely the lock holder. This will be explained in detail below.

In contrast to the dimensionally stable base part, the elastic guide part is made of an elastomer. At this point, elastomers such as NBR (acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber), EPDM (ethylene-polypropylene rubber), NR (natural rubber) or even SBR (styrene-butadiene rubber) can be advantageously used. These elastomers or elastomeric plastics have a Shore A hardness of typically more than 20, usually even more than 40.

The fact that the lock housing is constructed as a two-component plastic component of the two material-different plastics, namely the thermoplastic and / or thermoset one hand and the elastomer on the other hand and the production typically takes place in a common plastic injection molded part, so the two plastics for the production of the lock housing in Be co-extruded, special benefits can be claimed.

Because the elastomeric plastic is basically equipped with cost advantages over a thermoplastic or thermoset with embedded glass fibers. That is, the invention equips only the dimensionally stable base part for receiving and supporting the internal lock components with the required strength by resorting to the plastic suitable for this purpose (thermoplastic and / or thermoset with mostly embedded glass fibers). In contrast, the elastic guide part of the elastomer interacts typically with one or more external closing components, advantageously the lock holder. In this interaction virtually no forces between the relevant external locking member and the elastic guide member are transmitted as part of the lock housing. Rather, the elastic guide member takes over in this context predominantly damping function, that is used for noise reduction and / or as a stop damping for the external closing member or the lock holder in the example.

As a result, the entire elastic guide member can be made of the elastomer in question, whereby already observed special cost advantages over the situation, that the guide member is also made of the thermoplastic or thermosetting plastic, as is the case in the prior art. In addition, the elastic design of the guide part makes a basically possible and additional damping buffer for the external closing component or the lock holder dispensable, as in the prior art according to the DE 20 2007 017 195 U1 is described as obligatory.

By eliminating the additional damping component further cost advantages are observed because an additional production step is omitted, namely for insertion or for attachment of the damping component in question. In addition, the omission of the damping component not only brings cost advantages, but also leads to the total that the motor vehicle door lock according to the invention is reduced in terms of its total weight compared to the prior art. Such weight reductions play a special role in today's ever-increasing vehicle weights.

Another advantage is to be considered that the two plastics are co-extruded, that is processed in a common injection molding tool to the lock housing. The lock housing with the specific properties of the dimensionally stable base part and the elastic guide part is available immediately after this coextrusion as a coherent two-component plastic component of the two material-different plastics and can be equipped directly with the internal lock components without additional attachments or internals.

In this case, the interpretation is usually additionally made so that the base part and the guide part with individual housing walls usually connect directly to each other. This topological interpretation can be realized because the plastics used are compatible with each other and can be processed as two components in the common injection molding.

In addition, the design is usually made so that the base part describes at least one receiving level for example, bearings, mounting receivers, guides, etc. for the internal lock components. That is, in the dimensionally stable base part, for example, single or multiple bearings for different levers can be formed directly. In this case, the relevant lever is attached directly to the hollow pin formed in the base part, which acts in this context as a bearing pin. In addition, in the base part fastening receptacles may be provided for example, a central locking motor. Also guides for example, a connected Bowden cable are conceivable.

In any case, the base part describes at least one receiving plane in which the internal lock components in question are arranged or mounted in or on the base part. In principle, two recording levels can also be realized, for example. In this case, the base part usually has a cross-sectionally L-shaped form.

The guide part is now typically aligned with its base plane largely coplanar with the at least one receiving plane of the base part. In addition, the guide member is regularly formed as outwardly open hollow body. The hollow body is a three-dimensional polyhedron, ie a three-dimensional body which is delimited exclusively by straight surfaces or planes. In addition, the guide part is usually formed closed to the lock inside. This is to prevent ingress of dirt or moisture via the guide member to the lock interior.

According to a preferred embodiment, the guide part is an open on its longitudinal side cuboid hollow body. This hollow body also has tapered side walls. Opposite the open longitudinal side of the cuboid hollow body, the base plane is provided, which mainly provides for the sealing of the guide member relative to the lock interior.

Particularly preferred is a variant in which the guide member is formed as an inlet mouth for the lock holder as an external closing member.

That is, in the guide member is the inlet mouth for the lock holder, which in turn represents the external closing member, which interacts with the elastic guide member made of the elastomer or the inlet mouth.

Since the entire inlet mouth for the lock holder according to the invention is made of the elastomer, additional damping measures, a damping buffer, etc. are typically not required. Rather, the guide part or inlet mouth assumes as such the desired noise-damping function. In principle, of course, an additional damping buffer is possible and is included before the invention.

As well as a catch as part of the locking mechanism in supervision typically above the inlet mouth in the lock case is stored, the lock holder can retract into the inlet mouth and interact with the catch in the usual manner, this example, in their pre-rest position and then transfer main position (and optionally in an overstroke position). A required in this context elastic stop for the lock holder is inventively provided by the inlet mouth available, which is made entirely of the elastomer.

As a result, a comparatively favorable noise behavior is observed as in the prior art, and at the same time at significantly reduced production and production costs. Because the production of the lock housing according to the invention is usually carried out by coextrusion in one go, without additional production steps are required. In addition, elastomers are typically less expensive than materials than thermoplastics reinforced with glass fibers or thermosetting plastics, so that cost advantages are also observed in the material consumption. Here are the main benefits. - The invention is also a method for producing such a motor vehicle door lock, as described in claim 10.

In the following the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to a drawing showing only one exemplary embodiment; show it:

1 an inventive motor vehicle door lock schematically in a first variant and

2 a modified embodiment of the article according to 1 ,

In the figures, a motor vehicle door lock is shown, which with a lock housing 1 is equipped from a first and a material-different second plastic. In the lock housing 1 Various internal lock components can be stored and recorded. Indeed one recognizes in the 1 and 2 individual bearings 2 , Which act as a bearing pin for pluggable and pivotable lever as lock components. The levers in question may be operating levers of an operating lever mechanism and / or locking levers of a locking lever mechanism. In addition, the lock housing 1 still with mounting shots 3 for other internal lock components, such as an electric motor. - The internal lock components are therefore found inside the lock housing 1 ,

The lock case 1 closes a metallic lock case, not shown, and consists of a base part 1a and a guide part 1b together. For this purpose, has the lock housing 1 over a sealing surface 4 , which rests against the lock case, not shown. Inside the lock case, a likewise not shown locking mechanism is stored. The locking mechanism is composed of a catch and a pawl. In the figures can be seen a rotary latch axis 5 around which the rotary latch is pivotally mounted. The lock case and the locking mechanism are located above the illustrated lock housing 1 and have been omitted for the sake of clarity.

The dimensionally stable base part 1a describes at least one recording level for the already mentioned bearing points 2 as well as the attachment pictures 3 for the internal lock components. With reference to the embodiment, it can be seen that the base part 1a - like the lock housing 1 Overall - is designed in cross-section L-shaped. Here are the previously referred to bearings 2 and also the attachment 3 in this case arranged on the longer L-leg and extend in the associated receiving plane. In contrast, the rotary latch moves about its associated rotary latch axis 5 in the receiving plane perpendicular thereto, which corresponds to the short L-leg. Coplanar or parallel to this recording plane is the guide part 1b aligned.

According to the invention, the dimensionally stable base part 1a made of a thermoplastic and / or thermosetting plastic. At this point PBT with embedded glass fibers is mostly used, as already described in the introduction. In contrast, the elastic guide part 1b made of an elastomer which is, for example, EPDM or the other conceivable elastomeric materials listed in the introduction to the description.

While the dimensionally stable base part 1a serves to accommodate the internal lock components interacts the elastic guide member 1b with one or more external locking components 6 , In the exemplary embodiment, it is the external closing component 6 a lock holder, which is merely indicated.

The lock case 1 is constructed overall as a two-component plastic component of the two aforementioned material-different plastics. You can also see that the base part 1a and the leadership part 1b connect directly to each other with individual housing walls. This is possible because the plastics used in this context are compatible with each other and can be processed directly adjacent to each other. Actually, the lock housing 1 according to the invention by a coextrusion of the two mentioned plastics in a single tool produced, which significantly reduces production costs.

As already explained, the guide part 1b with its underside base plane to be recognized in the figures 8th mostly coplanar with the receiving plane of the base part 1a aligned, which is parallel to the pivot plane of the rotary latch, not shown, which is known to the rotary latch axis 5 rotates. The pivoting plane in question falls in the example, predominantly with an upper edge of a rotary latch axis 5 surrounding circular opening together. As a result, the lock holder or locking pin 6 in general, the external closing component 6 interact directly with the rotary latch. Because the lock holder or locking pin moves to it 6 in the advantageous designed as an inlet mouth guide part 1b in the in 1 shown arrow direction. During this process, the lock holder or locking pin pivots 6 the arranged in supervision above catch on its rotary latch axis 5 ,

In this process, the compound composed of the addressed rotary latch and an associated pawl typically takes first the pre-locking position and then the main locking position and optionally an overstroke position. At the end of the closing movement, the locking bolt moves 6 against an end wall 10 the elastic guide part 1b in the context of the variant 1 respectively against a damping element 7 in the embodiment according to the 2 , In the damping element 7 this is a spring lip 7 , which - like the elastic guide part 1b - Is also made of an elastomeric plastic. As a result, any rattling noises, locking noises, etc. are avoided.

It can be seen that the leadership part 1b is designed as outwardly open hollow body in the form of a three-dimensional polyhedron. In fact, the guide part is at its lower base level 8th parallel upper-side level open to the outside. In addition, the guide part 1b opened at its one end wall, which the incoming locking pin 6 is facing. At the same time, the lower base level ensures 8th in conjunction with the tapered side walls 9 for a tight closure of the lock housing 1 , That is, the leadership part 1b is designed closed to the interior of the castle. As a result, neither dirt nor water can penetrate into the lock interior via the openings described.

Next to the base level 8th and the two tapered sidewalls thereon 9 in the end wall 10 go over, is made of the elastomer guide member 1b in the variant of the 2 additionally with a receiving chamber 11 equipped, in which the damping element or the spring lip 7 pluggable recorded and stored. The reception chamber 11 is part of the management part 1b also made of elastomer.

Since according to the invention the entire elastic guide part or inlet mouth 1b is made of the elastomer, both production and material costs compared to the prior art can be significantly reduced. Because the dimensionally stable base part 1a is typically made of a thermoplastic with embedded glass fibers, resulting in significant material costs, in any case associated with significantly higher material costs compared to an elastomer. In addition, with the variant after the 1 on the additional damping element or the spring lip 7 can be omitted because the guide part or the inlet mouth 1b is equipped with the necessary at this point damping properties. Here are the main benefits.

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• WO 2013/110262 A1 [0004]
• WO 2011/091775 A1 [0007]
• DE 202007017195 U1 [0008, 0021]
• DE 202013110262 A1 [0016]

Claims (10)

Motor vehicle door lock, with a lock housing ( 1 ) of a first and a material-different second plastic, characterized in that the lock housing ( 1 ) from a dimensionally stable base part ( 1a ) of a thermoplastic and / or thermosetting plastic for receiving internal lock components and an elastic guide part ( 1b ) of an elastomer for interaction with one or more external closing components ( 6 ) is constructed. Motor vehicle door lock according to claim 1, characterized in that the base part ( 1a ) Has reinforcements such as embedded glass fibers. Motor vehicle door lock according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the lock housing ( 1 ) is constructed as a two-component plastic component of the two material-different plastics. Motor vehicle door lock according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the base part ( 1a ) and the management part ( 1b ) with individual housing walls to each other. Motor vehicle door lock according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the base part ( 1a ) at least one receiving level for, for example, storage locations ( 2 ), Mounting receptacles ( 3 ), Guides etc. for the internal lock components describes. Motor vehicle door lock according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the guide part ( 1b ) is designed as outwardly open hollow body in the form of a three-dimensional polyhedron. Motor vehicle door lock according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the guide part ( 1b ) as open on one longitudinal side cuboid hollow body with tapered side walls ( 9 ) is trained. Motor vehicle door lock according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the guide part ( 1b ) as an inlet mouth ( 1b ) for a lock holder ( 6 ) as an external closing component ( 6 ) is trained. Motor vehicle door lock according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the guide part ( 1b ) is formed closed to lock inside. Method for producing a motor vehicle door lock, comprising a lock housing ( 1 ) of a first and a material-different second plastic, characterized in that the lock housing ( 1 ) from a dimensionally stable base part ( 1a ) of a thermoplastic and / or thermosetting plastic for receiving internal lock components and an elastic guide part ( 1b ) of an elastomer for interaction with one or more external closing components ( 6 ) is coextruded.

Images