EP0823519B1 - Car door lock - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a lock for a vehicle door automobile and more particularly a lock of the control type with barrel.

A motor vehicle is usually equipped with a cylinder control lock on either of the two front doors, either on only one of the front doors. In the latter case, depending on whether the vehicle is right-hand drive or left-hand drive, the door must be equipped with the barrel control lock is respectively right or left. So there are, anyway, two separate references for cylinder locks, namely the right lock and the left lock.

When a vehicle is fitted with a key operated lock barrel on one door, for example the right door, the other door, here the left door, has a lock without barrel. Gold, this lock without barrel cannot be the same as the lock corresponding to barrel control, for security reasons. In Indeed, the cylinder control lock carries a lever intended for its control by the barrel, lever which is projecting with respect to the case of the lock. In the absence of a barrel, this lever is no longer connected to the barrel, and is therefore easily accessible by a sliding hook, by example, in the door by the glass seal; this hook would actuate the lever and therefore unlock and open from the outside. To avoid this risk, locks without a cylinder are devoid of barrel lever. These locks, respectively right and left, correspond to two distinct references.

As a result, it is necessary, in total, to have four lock references, namely two lock references, right and left respectively, comprising a barrel lever, and two lock references, right and left respectively, not including no barrel lever.

One of the aims of the invention is to reduce the number of lock references avoiding the removal of the barrel lever on the locks, respectively right and left, intended to be mounted without barrel, without the locks being able to be unlocked using a hook acting on the barrel lever.

Furthermore, when, in a cylinder lock, the lever barrel is not connected to the barrel, it may result in noise unpleasant because the barrel lever and the end clip, which door, are not maintained. Another object of the invention is to avoid these noises.

Finally, when mounting a control lock with barrel on a vehicle door, the barrel thresher must be in a middle position on its stroke and, in the lock, the lever barrel must also be in the middle position for an operation normal lock is assured. Or the connecting element (rod, cable, direct attack) between the barrel thresher and the barrel lever of the lock necessarily has excess length to be able to ensure the connection within the range of the mounting tolerances of the lock in the door. If the barrel lever of the lock is not in its middle position at the time the connection is made, the connection may nevertheless be carried out because of the excess length of the connecting element, but this will result in faulty operation of the lock, the lever stroke being insufficient for it to be able to play its role either in locking or in unlocking.

Another object of the invention is to propose a lock, whose barrel lever, at the time of assembly, is in its suitable position for mounting.

The subject of the invention is a lock of the "barrel" type for motor vehicle door, having a lock housing and a barrel lever, intended for controlling the lock by the barrel thanks to a connecting element and movable along a wall of the housing, characterized in that it has an orifice in the wall of the case and an orifice in the barrel lever, the two orifices being facing each other when the barrel lever is in position suitable for its assembly with the connecting element associated with the barrel, and by the fact that it further comprises a wedge which is engaged in the two holes and cooperates with them to immobilize the lever barrel relative to the lock housing, said shim being shaped so that it can be left in position after mounting the lock box on a vehicle door automobile without barrel and be removable to be removed after mounting the lock box on a vehicle door automobile fitted with a barrel and after assembly of the connection between the barrel lever and the barrel.

We already know, from document FR-A-2 199 363, a fixing device for fixing an element, for example a plate, to a support, this device comprising a part forming a cam provided with a generally oblong head fixed on an axis. In service, the head and the axis are introduced in oblong lights pierced opposite each other in the element and in the support to be attached to each other, and the cam part is then turned 90 ° to lock the assembly. In this document, it is not intended to combine such a fixing device with a cylinder lock to solve the problems that are at the basis of the present invention.

• la cale présente une partie active et un élément de manoeuvre, reliés par une zone charnière ;
• la partie active de la cale comporte un axe pénétrant dans l'orifice du boítier, puis dans l'orifice du levier, ledit axe portant à son extrémité un moyen de blocage empêchant son retrait après une rotation de la cale ;
• le moyen de blocage porté par l'axe de la partie active de la cale est constitué par deux ergots disposés radialement de part et d'autre de l'axe, lesdits ergots étant susceptibles de traverser les orifices de la paroi du boítier et du levier de barillet, puis, après rotation, de se bloquer derrière le levier de barillet ;
• l'axe est porté par une platine, qui reste à l'extérieur du boítier, lorsque la cale est mise en place dans les deux orifices avec lesquels elle coopère ;
• la platine porte, de part et d'autre de l'axe, des bossages destinés à s'appuyer contre le boítier afin d'assurer, en coopération avec le moyen de blocage porté par l'axe, le maintien du levier de barillet contre la paroi du boítier pour éviter le jeu entre le levier et la paroi du boítier ;
• l'élément de manoeuvre est une languette, dont le plan moyen contient, au repos, la zone charnière ; il peut présenter une dépression centrale pour faciliter sa préhension au moment de la mise en place de la cale mais, de préférence, il ne présente pas d'ouverture afin d'éviter son crochetage ;
• la cale est entièrement constituée en matière plastique, la zone charnière étant amincie pour constituer une charnière-film et autoriser le basculement de l'élément de manoeuvre par rapport à la partie active de la cale.

According to other characteristics of the invention:

• the wedge has an active part and an operating element, connected by a hinge zone;
• the active part of the wedge comprises an axis penetrating into the orifice of the housing, then into the orifice of the lever, said axis carrying at its end a locking means preventing its removal after rotation of the wedge;
• the locking means carried by the axis of the active part of the wedge consists of two lugs arranged radially on either side of the axis, said lugs being capable of passing through the orifices in the wall of the housing and of the lever barrel, then, after rotation, to lock behind the barrel lever;
• the axis is carried by a plate, which remains outside the housing, when the wedge is placed in the two orifices with which it cooperates;
• the plate carries, on either side of the axis, bosses intended to bear against the housing in order to ensure, in cooperation with the locking means carried by the axis, the maintenance of the barrel lever against the wall of the housing to avoid play between the lever and the wall of the housing;
• the operating element is a tongue, the mean plane of which contains, at rest, the hinge zone; it may have a central depression to facilitate its gripping when the shim is put in place, but preferably it does not have an opening in order to avoid picking;
• the wedge is entirely made of plastic, the hinge area being thinned to constitute a film hinge and allowing the tilting of the operating element relative to the active part of the wedge.

• la figure 1 est une vue générale en perspective d'une serrure pour porte de véhicule conforme à l'invention ;
• la figure 2 est une vue dans la même perspective que la figure 1, représentant la cale de blocage du levier de barillet après montage de la glissière de vitre, dans le cas d'une serrure sans barillet ;
• la figure 3 est une vue de dessus de la cale de blocage du levier de barillet, avec coupe partielle selon la ligne III-III de la figure 1 ;
• la figure 4 est une vue en perspective de la cale de blocage du levier de barillet montrant sa partie active.

Other characteristics appear from the following description made with reference to the accompanying drawing. On this drawing :

• Figure 1 is a general perspective view of a vehicle door lock according to the invention;
• Figure 2 is a view in the same perspective as Figure 1, showing the locking wedge of the barrel lever after assembly of the glass slide, in the case of a lock without barrel;
• Figure 3 is a top view of the locking wedge of the barrel lever, with partial section along the line III-III of Figure 1;
• Figure 4 is a perspective view of the locking wedge of the barrel lever showing its active part.

In Figure 1, there is shown a housing 1 of lock to barrel for motor vehicle door.

This housing 1 has a wall 2 along which is likely to move a barrel lever 3, of which only is visible the part protruding from the housing 1. This barrel lever 3 has an eye 4 for fixing the connecting element between the thresher of the barrel and barrel lever 3.

To allow movement of the barrel lever 3, the housing 1 has a slot 5, vertical in the embodiment represented.

The barrel lever 3 is liable to move in a vertical plane, by pivoting on an axis not shown, parallel to the wall 2 of the housing 1, between a low position and a high position, located respectively below and above its middle position shown. It is in this middle position that, according to the invention, the lever is immobilized relative to the housing at by means of a wedge 6.

Figures 3 and 4 describe the wedge 6 and its different building blocks. The wedge 6 has an active part 7 and an operating element 8, connected by a hinge zone 9.

The active part, in the example of embodiment described, is consisting of a plate 10, an axis 11, two pins 12 and 13 and two boss 14, 15. The plate 10 is a plate intended to be arranged parallel to the wall 2 of the lock housing. On one of its faces, the plate 10 is integral with the hinge zone 9. In the center of its face opposite the hinge zone 9, the plate 10 carries the axis 11 which is cylindrical, and which carries at its free end the two pins 12 and 13. These pins 12, 13 are arranged radially and symmetrically one of the other with respect to the axis 11. The plate 10 also carries, on the same face opposite to the hinge zone 9, that is to say on its face facing the lock housing 1, the two bosses 14 and 15, which are arranged symmetrically to each other with respect to axis 11. In the example shown, the two bosses 14 and 15 have the shape of pawns cylindrical. The two bosses 14 and 15 have the same height by compared to the face of the platinel0, which carries them.

The two bosses 14 and 15 are intended to rest on the outside on the face 2 of the case, while the two pins 12 and 13 are intended to rest from the inside on the barrel lever 3, as shown in Figure 3. The rear face of the pins 12, 13 defines a first plane perpendicular to the axis 11. The front face of the bosses 14, 15 defines a second plane perpendicular to the axis 11 and parallel to the foreground. The distance between these two planes is planned equal to the sum of the thicknesses of the lever 3 and the wall 2 of the housing, so that the lever 3 is held without play against the wall 2 of the case to avoid any unpleasant noise when the door is without barrel.

To ensure the correct positioning of the shim 6, the wall 2 of the housing 1 and the barrel lever 3 are each provided with an orifice, respectively 16 and 17, visible in FIG. 3, the shape of which corresponds to the end face 18 of the axis 11 and the pins 12 and 13, visible in Figure 4. The wedge 6 is oriented so that the pins 12, 13 pass through the orifices 16 and 17; then hold 6 is turned a quarter of turn around the axis there as a pivot axis, and it sits in the position shown in Figures 3 and 4: the pins 12, 13 are supported on the internal face of the lever 3, and the bosses 14, 15 are resting on the outer face of the wall 2 of the housing. Lever 3 is thus kept in abutment against the wall 2 of the housing 1.

The hinge zone 9, thinned to constitute a film foldable hinge component, is arranged along the longitudinal axis of the plate 10, and so as to be horizontal when the wedge 6 is in position on the lock housing 1, as shown in FIG. 1.

On the other side of the hinge zone 9 is the element maneuver 8, consisting of a tongue, the mean plane contains at rest the hinge zone 9 as shown in the figures 1, 3 and 4. The operating element 8 has a certain thickness on its periphery, visible in Figure 4, and a reduced thickness in its central part 19 to constitute a depression, in order to facilitate its grip when the wedge is put in place 6. The part central 19 of the operating element does not have an opening in order to avoid picking it by means of a hook inserted in the door, by the glass seal for example. The entire hold 6 is made of plastic.

According to the invention, the cylinder type lock has two matching holes 16, 17, respectively in the wall 2 of the case and in the barrel lever 3, positioned to correspond to the middle position of the barrel lever 3. The lock is equipped with wedge 6 and delivered with the wedge in position as shown in the figure 1.

If the lock must cooperate with a barrel, the case 1 is mounted on the door, the connecting element between the barrel thresher and the barrel lever 3 is in place, with the assurance that lever 3 of barrel is in its middle position due to the presence of the wedge 6, then the shim 6 is removed to authorize the control of the lock by the barrel.

If, on the contrary, the lock must not cooperate with a barrel, the case 1 is mounted on the door and the wedge 6 is left in position. Then, the glass slide 20 is placed vertically, according to the arrow visible in Figure 2. During this installation, the slide 20 presses on the operating element 8 of the wedge 6 and the flap by pivoting at the hinge area 9. The operation 8 is then folded against the wall 2 of the housing 1 and retained between the housing 1 and the slide 20, the active part 7 of the wedge 6 being inserted into the holes 16, 17 and ensuring the locking of the lever 3 barrel. This blockage keeps the lever 3 without play against the wall 2 of the case, avoiding unpleasant noises. This blockage also prevents the picking of the barrel lever 3 because, with a diameter of about 5mm, axis 11 resists a traction of approximately 500 Newton.

With the arrangement of a wedge 6 according to the invention, it is not no longer necessary to provide only two references of locks, one for the right door, the other for the left door. It is no longer necessary to distinguish the cylinder lock and the lock without cylinder. It is during the assembly of the lock that a removal operation of the hold 6 is to be provided in the case of a control lock with barrel, but only after assembly of the connecting element, so as to benefit from the correct positioning of the barrel lever 3 in middle position, secured by wedge 6.

The wedge 6 fitted to the locks according to the invention allows therefore only use one type of lock for each vehicle door; it has an anti-noise function because, in locks without barrel, it keeps the lever 3 against the wall 2 of the lock case 1 avoiding its movements or vibrations; it has an anti-picking function since, in locks without barrel, it resists traction important on a hooked lever; it has a function of correct positioning of the barrel lever 3 in the locks barrel control, during the element mounting operation of connection between the barrel thresher and the barrel lever 3.

The wedge 6 of the lock according to the invention has been described and represented in a particular embodiment whose shape has not no limiting character.

Claims (9)

1. Lock of the cylinder lock type for a motor vehicle door, having a lock casing (1) and a plug lever (3), intended to operate the lock via the plug by virtue of a connecting element that can move along a wall (2) of the casing, characterized in that it comprises an orifice (16) in the wall (2) of the casing and an orifice (17) in the plug lever (3), the two orifices (16,17) facing each other when the plug lever is in the appropriate position for assembling it with the connecting element associated with the plug, and in that it further comprises a wedge (6) which is engaged in the two orifices (16,17) and collaborates with them to immobilize the plug lever (3) with respect to the lock casing (1), the said wedge being shaped so that it can be left in position after the lock casing has been mounted on a motor vehicle door that has no plug, and so that it can be demounted to be withdrawn after the lock casing has been mounted on a motor vehicle door equipped with a plug, this being after the element linking the plug lever and the plug has been mounted.
2. Lock according to Claim 1, characterized in that the wedge (6) has an active part (7) and a manipulating element (8) which are connected by a hinge zone (9).
3. Lock according to Claim 2, characterized in that the active part (7) of the wedge (6) comprises a pin (11) entering the orifice (16) of the casing (1) then the orifice (17) of the lever (3), the said pin bearing, at its end, an immobilizing means preventing it from being withdrawn once the wedge (6) has been turned.
4. Lock according to Claim 3, characterized in that the immobilizing means borne by the pin (11) of the active part (7) of the wedge (6) consists of two lugs (12,13) arranged radially on each side of the pin (11), the said lugs being able to pass through the orifices (16,17) in the wall (2) of the casing (1) and in the plug lever (3) and then, after turning, being able to become immobilized behind the plug lever (3).
5. Lock according to one of Claims 3 and 4, characterized in that the pin (11) is borne by a mounting plate (10) which remains outside the casing (1) when the wedge (6) is in place in the two orifices (16,17) with which it collaborates.
6. Lock according to Claim 5, characterized in that the mounting plate (10) bears, on each side of the pin (11), bosses (14,15) intended to press against the casing (1) so as, in collaboration with the immobilizing means borne by the pin (11), to make sure that the plug lever (3) is kept against the wall (2) of the casing (1).
7. Lock according to one of Claims 2 to 6, characterized in that the manipulating element (8) is a tab, the mean plane of which contains, at rest, the hinge zone (9).
8. Lock according to Claim 7, characterized in that the manipulating element (8) has a central depression to make it easier to grasp when the wedge (6) is being fitted.
9. Lock according to one of Claims 2 to 8, characterized in that the wedge (6) is made entirely of plastic, the hinge zone (9) being thinned to allow the manipulating element (8) to be pivoted with respect to the active part (7) of the wedge (6).

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