DE9414181U1 - Motor vehicle door lock with anti-theft device - Google Patents

Description

Gesthuysen & von Rohr *.*·„,** A* &Lgr;» * II* *&Tgr;"1~

The invention relates to a motor vehicle door lock with the features of the preamble of claim 1.

. Motor vehicle door locks of the type in question, which are equipped with an anti-theft function, are known in many designs. The anti-theft function in such a motor vehicle door lock generally means that, in addition to the normal security function of the secured state, the motor vehicle door lock cannot be unlocked in the anti-theft state even if force is applied to the interior security lever or the interior release lever. Such an unauthorized force attack is possible, for example, after breaking open a window in the motor vehicle door; it is also possible, for example, without causing damage to a convertible that is parked open. In the case of such a force attack, only an ineffective idle stroke should occur in the anti-theft position of the motor vehicle door lock. This idle stroke usually occurs against spring force, sometimes also against the force of an over-center spring, so that it can be recognized from the position of the interior security lever that such an unauthorized force attack has occurred in the meantime.

There are many alternatives in the state of the art for the structural implementation of such an anti-theft function, which are tailored to the specific design of the lock mechanism (DE - U - 88 12 485, DE - U - 88 12 952, DE- A - 39 02 776, US-A- 4,440,006). In all of these designs, the anti-theft lever is usually held in the anti-theft position by the central locking drive which is blocked in this position. This is possible through self-locking in the central locking drive or through a corresponding anti-theft lock in the central locking drive.

In the known motor vehicle door lock from which the teaching is based (US-A-4,440,006), a slide is provided in order to implement the anti-theft function in the electromechanical central locking drive, which slide initially moves the actuator of the central locking drive, which is directly coupled to the anti-theft lever via an actuator rod, into the anti-theft position in the anti-theft stroke and then pivots a pivotable blocking lug on the actuator into a blocking opening on the housing of the central locking drive.

Gesthuysen & von Rohr

This design solution requires a special anti-theft protection design of the central locking drive, which is not always easy to implement.

. In particular with pneumatic central locking drives, it is usually the case that they are only pressurized during the adjustment movement. The actuator of the pneumatic central locking drive can therefore be moved against very little resistance when at rest. Additional measures on the actuator of the pneumatic central locking drive can prevent this, but are complex.

The invention is based on the object of specifying a motor vehicle door lock with an anti-theft function in which the blocking of the anti-theft lever in the anti-theft position required for the anti-theft function is triggered by the central locking drive, but is not implemented by it or in it.

The previously indicated task is solved in the motor vehicle door lock with the features of the preamble of claim 1 by the features of the characterizing part of claim 1. According to the invention, the blocking effect required for the anti-theft function for the anti-theft lever is provided by a fixed blocking element arranged in the lock mechanism. The anti-theft lever is only moved in front of the blocking element by the central locking drive, its return movement is then blocked by the blocking element, so the central locking drive has no function for this. In particular, it can be pressureless, as is advantageous with a pneumatic drive. To initiate the return movement, the anti-theft lever is first released from the blocking element by a return movement of the central locking drive, and the vehicle door lock can then be released in the subsequent stroke of the central locking drive. _

It is obvious that a particular advantage of this design is achieved in conjunction with a pneumatic central locking drive. However, this design is also fundamentally advantageous with an electromechanical central locking drive, since the central locking drive itself no longer has to be equipped for a blocking function.

Gesthuysen & von Rohr *»,·.,,** J, J,* II***:* -3-

.Advantageous embodiments and further developments are the subject of the subclaims and are also explained in more detail below with reference to the drawing, which shows a preferred embodiment. The drawing shows

Fig. 1 shows a detail of a motor vehicle door lock according to the invention with

pneumatic central locking drive in unlocked position,

Fig. 2 the object from Fig. 1 in the securing position,

Fig. 3 the object from Fig. 1 in anti-theft position,

Fig. 4 the object from Fig. 1 on the way back from the anti-theft position to the security position (Fig. 2).

Basically, the teaching of the present patent application deals with the problem of anti-theft protection in a motor vehicle door lock. Such a motor vehicle door lock regularly has a lock latch, usually designed as a fork latch, a pawl and a lock mechanism, which includes various levers. Such a motor vehicle door lock also includes a central locking drive 1. Furthermore, for various solutions for the inner workings of motor vehicle door locks of the type in question, reference can be made to the publications explained in the introduction to the description.

A motor vehicle door lock for the front door of a motor vehicle usually has an internal locking lever 2, an external locking lever for securing the lock cylinder, an internal release lever for opening the door from the inside, an external release lever for opening the door from the outside, connected to the outside door handle, and a central locking connection lever 3. In the case of a rear door of a motor vehicle, only the external locking lever is usually missing. A large number of other levers connect the individual levers to one another in order to achieve the various desired functions.

For the explanation of the teaching, it is sufficient, as shown, that the lock mechanism has an internal locking lever 2 and a central locking connection lever 3 connected to it. With the central locking connection lever 3

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Gesthuysen & von Rohr *,»·,.,* .:, ,:* .,**: -A-

an anti-theft lever 4 is connected to implement the anti-theft protection. The central locking drive 1 is directly connected to the anti-theft lever 4, as it must be able to move it beyond the locking position into the anti-theft position. The central locking drive 1 is coupled to the central locking connecting lever 3 via a freewheel connection 5, 6, here by means of a pin 5 and an elongated hole 6, which allows a relative movement with certain limits of the anti-theft lever 4 in relation to the central locking connecting lever 3.

The anti-theft lever 4 can be brought into an anti-theft position by the central locking drive 1 with the anti-theft stroke (achieved in Fig. 3), in which the anti-theft lever 4 blocks a return movement of the central locking connection lever from the secured position to the unlocked position. In this position of the central locking connection lever 3, the interior release lever (not shown) and the interior security lever 2 can be moved ineffectively in the idle stroke.

By moving the central locking drive 1 backwards over the anti-theft device stroke, the anti-theft device lever 4 can be released from the blocking element 7 again, so that the vehicle door lock can then be unlocked without hindrance.

The embodiment shown shows that the central locking drive 1 is a pneumatic drive with a drive housing (pneumatic cylinder) la and an adjusting rod 1b. With a pneumatic drive, it is usually the case that, without special measures, it is only subjected to pressure during the adjustment movement, otherwise it is pressure-balanced. The adjusting rod 1b of the central locking drive 1 in the form of a pneumatic drive can then be adjusted against only a small resistance force. This resistance force is not sufficient to achieve the blocking required for theft protection. However, this is not necessary with the teaching of the invention, since the blocking takes place mechanically in a form-fitting manner using the blocking element 7. But even with an electromechanical central locking drive 1, the implementation of the teaching is advantageous, since interventions in the central locking drive 1 itself are not necessary for the purpose of theft protection.

Gesthuysen & von Rohr *„· ,.,* ,;, 4. „· · - 5 -

,The shape of the blocking element 7 in the lock mechanism is of course completely open. It can be a tab, a wall, a pin or the like. The

- The embodiment shown shows the blocking element 7 as a pin in front of which the anti-theft lever 4 is pivoted in the anti-theft stroke. The required relative movement between the blocking element 7 and the anti-theft lever 4, which blocks a movement in the direction of the return movement of the central locking connection lever 3, can also be a sliding movement.

The illustrated embodiment further shows that the anti-theft lever 4 is attached to the central locking connection lever 3 in a way that is limitedly pivotable or movable. In the illustrated embodiment, a special design applies in that the anti-theft lever 4 is designed in two parts, that one part 4a is coupled to the central locking drive 1 and the second part 4b is connected to the first part 4a in a way that is limitedly pivotable or movable and is pre-tensioned into the anti-theft position by spring force and rests against the blocking element 7 during the anti-theft stroke and snaps past it under spring force.

The spring load of the second part 4b relative to the first part 4a of the anti-theft lever 4 is realized in the illustrated embodiment by a leg spring 9 wound around a common pivot pin 8, which rests with one leg on a projection 10 on the first part 4a and with the other leg on a projection 11 on the second part 4b under spring preload.

The illustrated embodiment shows, as previously explained, only the internal locking lever 2. This is coupled to the central locking connecting lever 3 via a spring coupling 12. In the illustrated embodiment, this is a leg spring 14 wound around the common pivot pin 13 of the internal locking lever 2 and the central locking connecting lever 3, which rests against projections 15, 16 in a similar manner as previously explained under spring preload. At the upper end of the internal locking lever 2, one can also see a connection opening 17 for an adjusting rod (not shown here) for the internal locking button (preferably countersunk).

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Gesthuysen & von Rohr %«%.,·* J, ,;, * &Pgr;* &Ggr; -6-

The functional sequence of the motor vehicle door lock according to the invention, shown here in a preferred embodiment, can be seen from the sequence of Fig. 1 to Fig. 4. From the unlocking position shown in Fig. 1 with the actuating body 1b of the central locking drive 1 retracted and the inner locking lever 2 pivoted to the right in a clockwise direction under the action of the spring clutch 12, the motor vehicle door lock is secured in the transition according to Fig. 2. For this purpose, the actuating body 1b is extended downwards from the housing 1a. The pin 5 at the lower end of the elongated hole 6 at the end of the actuating body 1b moves the central locking connection lever 3 in a pivoting movement around the pivot pin 13 so that the inner locking lever 2 reaches the locking position under the action of the spring clutch 12. Now the inner release lever (not shown) as well as the outer release lever (not shown) are switched to idle stroke.

The second part 4b of the anti-theft lever 4 is initially carried along without resistance during this pivoting movement, but then its upper end comes to rest on the blocking element 7, which is designed in the form of a pin. The first part 4a of the anti-theft lever 4 can still move further into the locking position, since the leg spring 9 comes into effect here and allows the two parts 4a, 4b to pivot against each other around the pivot pin 8. The pivoting angle is not particularly large, however. The second part 4b of the anti-theft lever 4 now rests against the blocking element 7 under slight spring preload.

In the anti-theft stroke in the transition from Fig. 2 to Fig. 3, the actuator Ib of the central locking drive 1 moves a little further downwards. In the embodiment shown, the central locking connecting lever 3 is pivoted a little further anti-clockwise around the pivot pin 13. However, since the internal locking lever 2 is held in its position by a stop that cannot be seen here, the relative pivoting path between these two parts is absorbed by the spring coupling 12, which can be clearly seen in Fig. 3. In principle, it would also be conceivable to graduate the freewheel connection formed by pin 5 and slot 6 between the anti-theft lever 4 and the central locking connecting lever 3 so that the central locking

Gesthuysen & von Rohr ·„·.,,· ,:* ,;,.,*: -7-

The anti-theft connection lever 3 remains in its position despite the anti-theft device stroke.

- It is important that after this anti-theft stroke has elapsed, the second part 4b of the anti-theft lever 4 has snapped past the blocking element 7 and has positioned itself with its front side in front of the blocking element 7. The second part 4b is therefore now located exactly between the blocking element 7 and the pivot pin 8, a return movement of the central locking connection lever 3 in a clockwise direction is blocked, since the force generated there acts exactly in the connecting line of the blocking element 7 to the pivot pin 8. The central locking drive 1 does not need to absorb forces for theft protection.

If the anti-theft function is to be released, the central locking drive 1 returns to its normal locking position, i.e. the actuator Ib moves back over the anti-theft stroke. This takes the first part 4a and with it the second part 4b of the anti-theft lever 4 in a clockwise direction around the pivot pin 8 via the leg spring 9, and the anti-theft lever 4 is thus released from the blocking element 7. This can be seen in Fig. 4. The anti-theft device is thus released.

In the illustrated embodiment, Fig. 4, the preload of the spring clutch 12 applies in the anti-theft position (Fig. 3). Fig. 4 shows the lever position without taking into account the fact that the spring clutch 12 itself causes the central locking connection lever 3 to return to the normal security position shown in Fig. 2. The central locking connection lever therefore follows the return movement of the anti-theft lever 4 under the spring force effect of the spring clutch 12, but only when the latter is free of the blocking element 7. The final state of this movement is then again Fig. 2.

Claims (6)

Gesthuysen & von Rohr *&ldquor;'<&ldquor;J * ,u ,:, * II" *T " ⁸ " Protection claims: * 1. Motor vehicle door lock with lock latch, pawl, lock mechanism and central locking drive (1), the lock mechanism having in any case an internal security lever (2), a central locking connection lever (3) connected thereto and an anti-theft lever (4) connected to the central locking connection lever (3), the central locking drive (1) being coupled directly to the anti-theft lever (4) and to the central locking connection lever (3) via a freewheel connection (5, 6), the anti-theft lever (4) being able to be brought by the central locking drive (1) with an anti-theft stroke into an anti-theft position in which the anti-theft lever (4) blocks a return movement of the central locking connection lever (3) from the securing position into the unlocking position, characterized in that the anti-theft lever (4) in the anti-theft position is secured by a fixed blocking element (7) for movement in Direction of the return movement of the central locking connecting lever (3) is positively blocked independently of the central locking drive (1) and that the anti-theft protection lever (4) can be released again from the blocking element (7) by a return movement of the central locking drive (1) via the anti-theft protection stroke. 2. Motor vehicle door lock according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the central locking drive (1) is a pneumatic drive which is only pressurized during the adjustment movement, otherwise it is pressure-balanced. 3. Motor vehicle door lock according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the blocking element (7) is a pin in front of which the anti-theft lever (4) is pivoted or pushed in the anti-theft stroke. 4. Motor vehicle door lock according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the anti-theft lever (4) is attached to the central locking connection lever (3) in a limitedly pivotable or displaceable manner. Gesthuysen & von Rohr *.,·.,.·* .·, ,·. * II*";* -9- 5. Motor vehicle door lock according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the anti-theft lever (4) is designed in two parts, that one part (4a) is coupled to the central locking drive (1) and the second part (4b) is connected to the first part (4a) in a limitedly pivotable or displaceable manner and is pre-tensioned into the anti-theft position by spring force and rests against the blocking element (7) during the anti-theft stroke and snaps past it under spring force. 6. Motor vehicle door lock according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the interior locking lever (2) is coupled to the central locking connection lever (3) via a spring coupling (12).