EP0656455B1 - Locking device for a luggage boot lid of a motor vehicle - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a device for locking a vehicle trunk door automobile.

Such a device is described in document FR-A-2 470 834.

Modern motor vehicles, including high-end vehicles, generally have a system centralized locking of the opening which ensures, in particular by means of a remote control device infrared, locking in the closed position or unlocking of the various locks fitted to the opening of the vehicle and in particular the access doors to the passenger compartment and the boot lid or the tailgate.

Each of the locks fitted to the doors can can also be operated manually, in particular by means of a key acting on a lock to manually trigger the locking and unlocking of the lock.

The trunk door or the tailgate can therefore be unlocked either by means of the lock or by means of the remote control system for simultaneous unlocking openings.

When the driver has caused the opening of windows of the vehicle by means of the remote control device, the trunk door is in the unlocked position regardless either the means previously used by the driver for the lock in the closed position, i.e. either by means a key acting on a lock, either by means of the device remote control.

This overall design of the locking system the trunk door is not satisfactory since it allows the trunk to be opened by a thief when the vehicle traveling is stopped at a red light or at a stop, the thief simply having to act on a button control of the opening of the trunk door which has been previously unlocked by the driver when the driver has used his remote control system to board the vehicle.

The object of the present invention is to provide a locking device which makes it possible to remedy the disadvantages which have just been mentioned.

• un organe rotatif d'actionnement relié à une tringlerie d'actionnement d'une serrure de l'ouvrant et susceptible de pivoter entre deux positions angulaires extrêmes de verrouillage et de déverrouillage de l'ouvrant en position fermée;
• un rotor d'entraínement manuel en rotation de l'organe d'actionnement entre ses deux positions extrêmes ;
• un dispositif motorisé d'entraínement en rotation de l'organe rotatif d'actionnement entre ses deux positions extrêmes ; et
• des moyens escamotables de blocage qui immobilisent en rotation l'organe rotatif d'actionnement en position extrême de verrouillage lorsque ce dernier est entraíné en rotation dans cette position par le rotor d'entraínement manuel, et dont la libération est commandée par l'entraínement en rotation du rotor d'entraínement manuel.

To this end, the invention provides a locking device characterized in that it comprises:

• a rotary actuating member connected to an actuating linkage of a door lock and capable of pivoting between two extreme angular positions of locking and unlocking of the door in the closed position;
• a manual drive rotor in rotation of the actuator between its two extreme positions;
• a motorized device for driving in rotation the rotary actuating member between its two extreme positions; and
• retractable locking means which immobilize in rotation the rotary actuating member in the extreme locking position when the latter is rotated in this position by the manual drive rotor, and the release of which is controlled by the drive in rotation of the manual drive rotor.

Thanks to such a design, when the driver has caused the trunk door to lock in position closed by means of the manual drive rotor on which it acts for example via a key of a lock, the subsequent unlocking of all vehicle doors by the remote control system no longer causes unlocking the trunk door, which can no longer be unlocked only by acting again on the rotor manual drive by means of the lock key.

Driver can lock and unlock successively several times the opening of the vehicle by through the centralized conviction system without worry about the locking or unlocking state of the trunk door when it has been locked manually.

• le dispositif comporte un stator dans lequel l'organe rotatif d'actionnement et le rotor d'entraínement manuel sont montés à rotation autour d'un axe commun, les moyens escamotables de blocage comportent un loquet monté basculant dans le stator autour d'un pivot dont l'axe est parallèle à l'axe de rotation du rotor d'entraínement entre une position de repos vers laquelle il est rappelé élastiquement et une position de blocage dans laquelle un bec de blocage du loquet coopère avec un bord circulaire de l'organe rotatif d'actionnement comportant un cran de blocage, et le loquet de blocage comporte un bras de commande de son basculement vers sa position de blocage qui est susceptible de coopérer avec un doigt de commande du rotor d'entraínement manuel lorsque ce dernier est entraíné en rotation dans le sens correspondant au verrouillage de l'ouvrant ;
• le loquet de blocage est rappelé élastiquement vers sa position de blocage et il comporte un bras de commande de son basculement vers sa position de repos qui est susceptible de coopérer avec le doigt de commande du rotor d'entraínement manuel lorsque ce dernier est entraíné en rotation dans le sens correspondant au déverrouillage de l'ouvrant ;
• le dispositif comporte un ressort bistable de rappel du loquet de blocage vers ses positions de repos et de blocage ;
• l'organe rotatif d'actionnement est susceptible de pivoter par rapport au rotor d'entraínement manuel selon une course angulaire sensiblement égale à sa course de rotation entre ses positions angulaires extrêmes ;
• le rotor d'entraínement manuel comporte un pion radial d'entraínement qui est reçu dans une lumière formée dans l'organe rotatif d'actionnement et qui s'étend sur une course angulaire sensiblement égale à la course de rotation de cet organe entre ses positions angulaires extrêmes ;
• l'organe rotatif d'actionnement est rappelé élastiquement vers ses deux positions angulaires extrêmes par un ressort bistable de rappel interposé entre le stator et l'organe rotatif d'actionnement, et le stator comporte des moyens de butée définissant les positions angulaires extrêmes ;
• le rotor d'actionnement manuel est rappelé élastiquement en rotation par rapport au stator vers une position de repos dans laquelle le doigt de commande n'agit pas sur le loquet de blocage ;
• le dispositif comporte un verrou dont le barillet est lié en rotation avec le rotor d'entraínement manuel.

According to other characteristics of the invention:

• the device comprises a stator in which the rotary actuating member and the manual drive rotor are mounted for rotation about a common axis, the retractable blocking means comprise a latch mounted to tilt in the stator around a pivot whose axis is parallel to the axis of rotation of the drive rotor between a rest position towards which it is resiliently recalled and a locking position in which a latch blocking spout cooperates with a circular edge of the member rotary actuator comprising a locking notch, and the locking latch comprises an arm for controlling its tilting towards its locking position which is capable of cooperating with a control finger of the manual drive rotor when the latter is driven in rotation in the direction corresponding to the locking of the opening;
• the locking latch is resiliently returned to its locking position and it comprises an arm for controlling its tilting towards its rest position which is capable of cooperating with the control finger of the manual drive rotor when the latter is rotated in the direction corresponding to the unlocking of the opening;
• the device comprises a bistable spring for returning the blocking latch to its rest and blocking positions;
• the rotary actuating member is capable of pivoting relative to the manual drive rotor according to an angular travel substantially equal to its rotational travel between its extreme angular positions;
• the manual drive rotor has a radial drive pin which is received in a light formed in the rotary actuating member and which extends over an angular stroke substantially equal to the rotational stroke of this member between its positions extreme angular;
• the rotary actuating member is elastically returned to its two extreme angular positions by a bistable return spring interposed between the stator and the rotary actuating member, and the stator comprises stop means defining the extreme angular positions;
• the manual actuating rotor is returned elastically in rotation relative to the stator to a rest position in which the control finger does not act on the locking latch;
• the device comprises a latch, the barrel of which is linked in rotation with the manual drive rotor.

• La figure 1 est une vue en perspective éclatée qui illustre les principaux composants d'un exemple de réalisation d'un dispositif de verrouillage conforme aux enseignements de l'invention ;
• la figure 2 est une vue en perspective du dispositif de verrouillage de la figure 1 avec ses composants en position montée et assemblée et sur laquelle on a arraché la partie de l'organe rotatif d'actionnement faisant fermeture du stator, le dispositif étant illustré en position déverrouillée au repos en l'absence de toute action manuelle ou motorisée ;
• la figure 3 est une vue en bout du dispositif illustré à la figure 2, à plus grande échelle, et qui illustre la première phase d'une opération manuelle de verrouillage ;
• les figures 4 et 5 sont des vues similaires à celle de la figure 3 qui illustrent les deux phases suivantes de l'opération de manuelle verrouillage de l'ouvrant ; et
• la figure 6 est une vue en perspective similaire à celle de la figure 2 illustrant le dispositif en position verrouillée après son actionnement motorisé en position de verrouillage.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the detailed description which follows for the understanding of which reference will be made to the appended drawings in which:

• Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view which illustrates the main components of an embodiment of a locking device according to the teachings of the invention;
• FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the locking device of FIG. 1 with its components in the assembled and assembled position and on which the part of the rotary actuating member closing the stator has been cut off, the device being illustrated in unlocked position at rest in the absence of any manual or motorized action;
• Figure 3 is an end view of the device illustrated in Figure 2, on a larger scale, and which illustrates the first phase of a manual locking operation;
• Figures 4 and 5 are views similar to that of Figure 3 which illustrate the following two phases of the manual operation of locking the door; and
• Figure 6 is a perspective view similar to that of Figure 2 illustrating the device in the locked position after its motorized actuation in the locked position.

The device 10 illustrated in particular in Figure 1 comprises a stator 12 which is produced in the form of a cylindrical housing comprising a rear part 14 and a front part 16 of larger diameter.

The cylindrical peripheral wall of the rear part 14 of the housing 12 includes means 18 for fixing and immobilizer rotating on a trunk door (not shown).

The rear part 14 is a hollow cylinder which receives internally rotating a manual actuating rotor 20 of which the rear part 22 is in the form of a socket cylindrical with surface portions 24 for its rotation guide inside the rear part 14 of the case 12.

The hollow rear part 22 is designed to receive a lock (not shown) whose barrel is linked in rotation to rotor 20 and whose rotation can be controlled manually by means of a key.

The rear part 22 of the manual actuation rotor 20 is extended by a smaller intermediate portion 26 diameter and by a front actuation part 28.

The intermediate part 26 is a cylindrical part which is rotatably received in a corresponding bore 30 formed in the partition 32 which separates the rear 14 and front parts 16 of the housing 12 forming a stator.

In the mounted position of the manual actuating rotor 20 in stator 12, and as can be seen in particular in Figures 2 and 6, the front actuating part 28 of the rotor 20 protrudes inside the front part 16 of the stator 12 which is delimited by an annular cylindrical skirt device 34.

The front actuation part 28 has two fingers diametrically opposed actuation 36 and ends with a small diameter end shaft 38 having a groove 40 designed to receive a closing circlip 42.

The manual actuation rotor 20 also includes a control finger 44 which extends axially from the intermediate partition 46 delimiting the rear parts 22 and intermediate 26 of rotor 20 and which is radially eccentric relative to the axis X-X common to the rotor 20 and the stator 12.

In the mounted position, the control finger 44 extends to through an annular arcuate passage 48 formed at through the intermediate partition 32 and which extends in the front part 16 of stator 12 with an upper arcuate profile circle 50 used to guide the control finger in rotation 44.

The control finger 44, which is produced from material with the rotor 20, can thus move angularly in the annular housing 48 between two angular positions opposites delimited by the ends 52 and 54 of the housing.

The front part 16 of the stator 12 has a pivot 56 arranged above the housing 48 which extends axially parallel to the X-X axis from the intermediate partition 32 towards the front of the stator.

The pivot 56 is designed to receive a latch 58 in form of rocker with a hole 60 for mounting on pivot 56.

The latch 58 has a first control arm 62 which extends circularly above the housing 48 and whose curved underside 63 is capable of cooperating with the upper peripheral surface 45 of the control finger 44.

The latch 58 has a second control arm 64 which extends circularly opposite the first arm of control 62 and the lower face 66 of which has a ramp inclined 68 which is likely to cooperate with the party lateral 43 of the external surface of the control finger 44 (see Figures 2 to 5).

The free end 70 of the second control arm 64 of the latch 58 has a notch 72 which is designed to receive one end 74 of a bistable leaf spring 76 of which the other end 78 is supported in a housing 80 of the stator (see in particular figure 3).

The free end 70 of the second control arm 64 is extends radially inwards by a locking spout 82 whose function will be explained later.

The lower part, considering the figures, of the front part 16 of the stator 12 comprises an annular housing open 84 which extends angularly and which is delimited by two radial angular abutment surfaces 86 and 88.

The lower housing 84 which extends axially towards the rear from the annular front end face 90 of the annular skirt 34 of the front part 16 of the stator 12, is designed to receive in rotation a guide block 92 formed on the rear face 94 of a rotary actuating member 96.

The guide block 92 has two radial surfaces 98 and 100 which are each likely to cooperate respectively with a radial abutment surface 86, 88 of the stator 12.

The guide block 92 also includes a portion concave cylindrical surface 102 which cooperates in sliding with the convex cylindrical surface portion opposite 85 which delimits the housing 84 radially inward.

The rotary actuator is essentially consisting of a disc-shaped body 104 which is provided to be rotatably mounted in the front part 16 of the stator 12 which includes for this purpose guide shoulders 106 in rotation.

The disc 104 is completed at the front by a disc of closure 108 made of material and of larger diameter which has a radial tab 110 comprising a hole 112 provided to receive the end of an actuating rod of a opening lock (not shown).

In the assembled and assembled position, the closure 108 constitutes a closure cover for the part before 16 of stator 12.

The rear face 94 of the main disc 104 has a drive disc 114 made integrally with the discs 104 and 108 and whose peripheral cylindrical edge 116 has a notch 118 angularly delimited by two surfaces stop radials 120 and 122.

The entire rotary actuating member 96 is crossed in its center by a hole 124 which is provided for allow the passage of the end shaft 38 of the rotor 20.

The rear drive disc 114 comprises also a double light 126 inside which can angularly debate the pins 36 of the rotor 20 between two extreme angular positions delimited by the surfaces radial ends 128 and 130 of each lumen 126.

Finally, the locking device 10 comprises a bistable spring 132 for elastic return in rotation of the rotary actuating member 96 relative to the stator 12.

Spring 132 is a wire spring, a first of which end 134 is received in a hole 136 formed in the face rear 94 of disc 104 of rotary actuator 96 and the other end 138 of which is received in a hole 140 formed in a portion 142 of the bottom of the front part 16 of the stator 12.

In the assembled and assembled position of the components illustrated in Figure 1, the assembly is held axially by the circlip 42 which is received in the groove 40 formed on the shaft end 38 of the manual actuation stator 20.

We will now describe the operating mode of the locking device with reference to Figures 2 to 6.

In the position illustrated in Figure 2, the device is in the unlocked position and at rest, i.e. that there is no action on the organ drive 96, nor through the fingers 36 of the manual drive rotor which is in its stable position of rest towards which it is recalled elastically in the two meaning by elastic means (not shown) belonging to the lock, nor by the motorized drive device in rotation of the rotary actuating member 96.

In this position, the locking latch 58 is spring-loaded by spring 76 to its high position rest in which the locking spout 82 does not interfere with the notch 118 and in which the lower surface 63 of the control arm 62 bears against the circular edge 116 of the drive disc 114.

The rotary actuating member 96 is recalled elastically towards its extreme angular position of release in which the radial abutment surfaces 100 and 88 are in mutual support.

Starting from the position illustrated in Figure 2, when the driver manually locks the locking device, it causes the drive in rotation of the pins 36 of the manual drive rotor in the anti-clockwise by considering figure 2.

The pins 36 are in contact with the surfaces radial 130 of lights 126 and drive in rotation, in anti-clockwise, the rotary actuating member 96 up to a first intermediate position illustrated in figure 3.

During this counterclockwise rotation of the manual drive rotor, the control finger 44 cooperates with the underside 63 of the control arm 62 of the latch blocking 58 to cause the latter to pivot around the pivot 56 clockwise until the free end of the blocking spout 82 comes into contact with the edge 116 of the drive disc 114.

The bistable spring 76 also crosses its position unstable intermediary and now requests the latch locking 58 in pivoting clockwise.

The bistable return spring 132 is in a unstable intermediate position and actuator 96 is located in an intermediate position between its two extreme angular positions.

From the position illustrated in Figure 3, the drive by the lock of the manual drive rotor is continues counterclockwise to the position illustrated in Figure 4 in which the spout 82 of the latch blocking 58 has entered the notch 118 beyond the face end 122 of the latter under the action of spring 76.

The control finger 44 occupies an angular position extreme in the housing 48 near the end face 52 of the latter.

The rotary actuating member 96 is in its extreme stop position corresponding to the locking of the lock fitted to the vehicle trunk door and in which the radial abutment surfaces 86 and 96 are in abutment mutual.

Manual locking operation ends when the driver releases his action on the drive rotor manual and remove the key, the rotor being recalled resiliently to its rest position illustrated in the figure 5 in which the diametrical drive pins 36 are at again in abutment against the radial end surfaces 128 lights 126 of the actuating disc 114.

As can be seen in Figure 5, there Then there remains in this position an angular play "j" between the radial end face 122 of the notch 118 and the surface in vis-à-vis the locking spout 82 of the latch 58.

In the position illustrated in Figure 5, the trunk is in the locked position and no more remains manual or motorized action on the rotary member actuator 96 which occupies its extreme angular position of locking the trunk door in the closed position.

If the driver causes simultaneous unlocking of all the openings of the vehicle by means of its device unlocking remote control, it cannot cause simultaneously unlocking the trunk door by through the motorized drive device in rotation of the rotary actuating member 96 because this rotation is prevented by the presence of the spout 82 of the latch blocking 58 in the notch 118. When the operation of electrical unlocking of the opening elements is completed, the unit rotary actuator 96 therefore always occupies its position extreme locking shown in Figure 5 to which it is spring-loaded by the bistable return spring 132.

In the position illustrated in Figure 5, the finger 44 is substantially at the right of the pivot 56 and it does not act on the control arm 62 or on the control arm 64.

To cause the door to unlock trunk, the driver must act on the rotor again manual drive via the lock key by causing the rotation, clockwise by considering Figure 5, diametrical drive pins 36 which cooperate with the end surfaces 128 of the lights 126 to cause a slight angular stroke of the rotary member 96 clockwise.

This small angular travel of unlocking of the organ 96 is made possible by the presence of the angular play "j".

During this unlocking stroke, the finger of control 44 cooperates with the ramp 68 of the control arm 64 of the latch 58 to cause the latter to tilt, in the counterclockwise by considering figure 5, against the return force applied to it by the bistable spring 76 which, at the end of this unlocking race, will request resiliently the latch 58 in its rest position illustrated in Figures 1 and 6 in which the spout 82 no longer interferes with notch 118.

The driver can then train freely again the rotary actuating member 96 clockwise corresponding to unlocking the lock by through the manual drive rotor whose pins opposite diametrics 36 cooperate with the end faces 128 lights 126.

This clockwise rotation movement of pins 36 and the rotary actuator 96 continues until the latter comes again to occupy his position extreme angular illustrated in figure 1 corresponding to the unlocking the lock fitted to the boot door.

At the end of the manual unlocking operation, all components of the locking device occupy at again their respective positions illustrated in Figure 2.

We will now describe a phase of locking the trunk door using the remote control system opening locks from the position shown in figure 2.

When the driver acts through this system of remote control, it causes the rotation drive of the rotary actuating member 96 by means of the device motorized rotation drive of the latter, in the direction counterclockwise considering figure 2, until it come to occupy its other extreme angular position illustrated in FIG. 6 in which the radial abutment surfaces 86 and 98 are in mutual support.

Due to the presence of lights 126, the rotation motorized rotary actuator 96 is performed without interference with the remaining manual drive rotor immobilized in rotation, the relative position of the pins diametric opposite 36 with respect to the radial faces 130 and 128 of the lights 126 being offset from the angular travel of the rotary actuating member 96 as can see it by comparing Figures 2 and 6.

In the position illustrated in Figure 6 in which the rotary actuating member 96 has been driven motorized way, the locking latch 58 has no action on the drive disc 114, the locking spout 82 being out of step 118.

From this locking position, it is it is possible to induce unlocking by either motorized drive of the rotary actuating member 96 clockwise considering Figure 6, or using the manual drive rotor by acting on the latter by through a key and causing rotation in the clockwise of the pawns 36 which can drive freely the rotary actuating member 96 by cooperating with the faces radial ends 128 of the lights 126.

Claims (9)

1. A locking device (10) for the door of a motor vehicle boot, characterised in that it includes:

   a rotary actuating member (96) coupled to a linkage for actuating a lock of the door and arranged to pivot between two angular end positions for locking and unlocking the door in its closed position;

   a rotor (20) for manually driving the actuating member in rotation between its two end positions;

   a motorised device for driving the rotary actuating member in rotation between its two end positions; and

   retractable stop means (58) which immobilise the rotary actuating member (96) in its locking end position against rotation when the latter is driven in rotation into that position by the manual driving rotor (20), release of the stop means being controlled by the rotary driving of the manual driving rotor (20).
2. A locking device according to Claim 1,
   characterised in that it includes a stator (12) in which the rotary actuating member (96) and the manual driving member (20) are mounted for rotation about a common axis (X-X), in that the stop means (58) comprise a catch (58) mounted for tilting movement in the stator (12) about a pivot (56), the axis of which is parallel to the axis of rotation of the manual driving rotor (20), between a rest position towards which it is biased elastically, and a stop position in which a stop finger (82) of the catch (58) cooperates with a circular edge (116) of the rotary actuating member having a stop recess (118), and in that the stop catch (58) includes an arm (62) for controlling its tilting movement towards its stop position, which is arranged to cooperate with a control finger (44) of the manual driving member (20) when the latter is rotated in the direction corresponding to locking of the door.
3. A locking device according to Claim 2,
   characterised in that the stop catch (58) is biased elastically towards its stop position, and in that it includes an arm (64) for controlling its tilting movement towards its rest position, which is arranged to cooperate with the control finger (44) of the manual driving member (20) when the latter is rotated in the direction corresponding to locking of the door.
4. A locking device according to Claim 3,
   characterised in that it includes a bi-stable spring (76) for biasing the stop catch (58) towards its rest and stop positions.
5. A locking device according to any one of the preceding Claims, characterised in that the rotary actuating member (96) is arranged to pivot with respect to the manual driving rotor (20) through an angular course of travel which is substantially equal to the amount of its rotation between its angular end positions.
6. A locking device according to Claim 5,
   characterised in that the manual driving rotor (20) includes a radial drive pin (36) which is received in a slot (126) formed in the rotary actuating member (96, 114), and which defines an angular course of travel substantially equal in length to the angular travel described by the said member (96) between its angular end positions.
7. A locking device according to any one of Claims 2 to 6, characterised in that the rotary actuating member (96) is biased axially towards its two angular end positions by a bi-stable return spring (132) interposed between the stator (12) and the rotary actuating member (96), and in that the stator (12) includes abutment means (86, 88) defining the said angular end positions.
8. A locking device according to any one of Claims 2 to 7, characterised in that the manual actuating rotor (20) is biased elastically in rotation with respect to the stator (12), towards a rest position in which the control finger (44) is not acting on the stop catch (58).
9. A locking device according to any one of the preceding Claims, characterised in that it includes a lock, the barrel of which is coupled in rotation with the manual driving rotor (20).

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