EP0879927B1 - Car mounted plate tumbler cylinder lock comprising an improved sidebar - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a motor vehicle lock comprising an improved glitter retaining bar.

Document CH 596 416 A describes a vehicle lock according to the preamble of claim 1.

The invention relates more particularly to a lock motor vehicle, of the type comprising a rotor mounted for rotation around its axis in a socket, of the type in which flakes are slidably mounted in the rotor, in one direction transverse, between at least one extreme projecting position in which they immobilize in rotation the rotor with respect to the sleeve, and an extreme retracted position in which they are received at inside the rotor and towards which they are forced by the introduction in the rotor of a conforming key, and of the type in which the position extreme protruding glitter is determined by a bar in plastic material which extends axially in the rotor and against which rests on a stop surface of the glitter.

In such a type of lock, the plastic bar allows to limit the glitter stroke in the transverse direction without the arrival of each of the flakes in contact with the bar causes the significant noise that would be produced in the event of contact metal against metal.

Such a bar also makes it possible to limit the risks of electrochemical corrosion which could occur at the level of a contact between two pieces of different metallic materials.

However, in such a lock, it appeared that there remained noises, certainly less important, mainly due to the games of operation that it is necessary to plan according to the direction transverse to allow good glitter sliding in their homes.

The object of the invention is therefore to propose a new design of the bar of such a lock which makes it possible to provide a solution to these problems.

To this end, the invention provides a vehicle lock automobile, of the type comprising a rotor rotatably mounted around its pin in a socket, of the type in which flakes are mounted sliding in the rotor, in a transverse direction, between the minus an extreme projecting position in which they immobilize in rotation of the rotor relative to the sleeve, and an extreme position retracted in which they are received inside the rotor and towards which they are forced by the introduction into the rotor of a key conform, and of the type in which the extreme projecting position of glitter is determined by a plastic bar which extends axially in the rotor and against which a abutment surface of the straw, characterized in that the bar is in elastic support on the flakes in a radial direction perpendicular to the transverse direction of sliding of flakes.

• la barrette est déformable élastiquement selon la direction radiale, et en ce qu'elle est serrée radialement entre le rotor et un bord latéral externe de chacune des paillettes ;
• la barrette comporte une série de bras élastiques qui agissent chacun sur une paillette ;
• à l'état libre, chaque bras est incliné par rapport à la direction transversale de coulissement des paillettes pour venir, dans un état contraint, en appui par une extrémité libre contre le bord latéral externe de la paillette correspondante ;
• la barrette comporte un corps principal de section sensiblement rectangulaire, et chaque bras s'étend selon une direction sensiblement transversale depuis un bord axial du corps principal ;
• chaque bras est relié au bord axial du corps principal de la barrette par un tronçon de liaison qui s'étend radialement depuis le bord axial, dans le prolongement d'une face latérale du corps principal ;
• le bord latéral externe de chaque paillette comporte une encoche au travers de laquelle s'étend la barrette, l'encoche délimite deux décrochements transversaux dont l'un au moins forme la surface de butée destinée à coopérer avec la barrette pour déterminer une position extrême de la paillette, et le bras élastique correspondant de la barrette est en appui contre la paillette au niveau de l'encoche ;
• l'extrémité libre de chaque bras qui est en appui contre la paillette correspondante est destinée à coopérer avec l'autre des décrochements transversaux pour déterminer une seconde position extrême de la paillette ;
• les tronçons de liaison de l'ensemble des paillettes forment une bande de liaison continue qui s'étend sur toute la longueur du bord axial du corps principal ;
• la barrette est engagée axialement dans le rotor du verrou après le montage de paillettes, et chaque bras est délimité par deux bords d'orientation sensiblement transversale qui sont chanfreinés pour provoquer, lors de l'engagement de la barrette, une déflexion du bras selon la direction radiale vers un état contraint ;
• la barrette est engagée axialement dans un logement du rotor du verrou, et la barrette comporte un ergot qui s'étend perpendiculairement à la direction axiale de la barrette et qui est reçu dans un creux aménagé dans une paroi latérale du logement pour assurer la fixation axiale de la barrette dans le verrou ;
• l'ergot est agencé axialement sensiblement au centre de la barrette.

According to other characteristics of the invention:

• the bar is elastically deformable in the radial direction, and in that it is clamped radially between the rotor and an external lateral edge of each of the flakes;
• the bar comprises a series of elastic arms which each act on a glitter;
• in the free state, each arm is inclined relative to the transverse direction of sliding of the flakes to come, in a constrained state, in abutment by a free end against the external lateral edge of the corresponding flake;
• the bar comprises a main body of substantially rectangular section, and each arm extends in a substantially transverse direction from an axial edge of the main body;
• each arm is connected to the axial edge of the main body of the bar by a connecting section which extends radially from the axial edge, in the extension of a lateral face of the main body;
• the external lateral edge of each straw has a notch through which the bar extends, the notch delimits two transverse recesses, at least one of which forms the abutment surface intended to cooperate with the bar to determine an extreme position of the straw, and the corresponding elastic arm of the bar is in abutment against the straw at the level of the notch;
• the free end of each arm which is in abutment against the corresponding straw is intended to cooperate with the other of the transverse recesses to determine a second extreme position of the straw;
• the connecting sections of all the flakes form a continuous connecting strip which extends over the entire length of the axial edge of the main body;
• the bar is engaged axially in the rotor of the latch after the glitter has been mounted, and each arm is delimited by two edges of substantially transverse orientation which are chamfered to cause, when the bar is engaged, a deflection of the arm according to the radial direction to a constrained state;
• the bar is axially engaged in a housing of the rotor of the latch, and the bar has a lug which extends perpendicular to the axial direction of the bar and which is received in a recess arranged in a side wall of the housing to ensure axial fixing of the bar in the lock;
• the lug is arranged axially substantially in the center of the bar.

• la figure 1 est une vue schématique en perspective illustrant les moyens de retenue des paillettes dans le rotor d'un verrou réalisé conformément aux enseignements de l'invention ;
• la figure 2 est une vue en coupe axiale du rotor du verrou de la figure 1 ;
• la figure 3 est une vue en perspective de la barrette antibruit selon l'invention.
• les figures 4 et 5 sont des vues de côté de la barrette selon l'invention, respectivement selon les directions transversales et radiales
• la figure 6 est une vue en coupe transversale de la barrette à l'état libre suivant la ligne 6-6 de la figure 4 ;
• la figure 7 est une vue en plan d'une paillette pour un verrou selon l'invention ;
• la figure 8 est une vue en coupe transversale du rotor de la figure 1 dans laquelle on a représenté une paillette montée dans le logement en position saillante ; et
• la figure 9 est une vue similaire à celle de la figure 8 dans laquelle on a représenté la paillette en position escamotée.

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 a schematic perspective view illustrating the means for retaining the flakes in the rotor of a lock produced in accordance with the teachings of the invention;
• Figure 2 is an axial sectional view of the rotor of the lock of Figure 1;
• Figure 3 is a perspective view of the noise barrier according to the invention.
• Figures 4 and 5 are side views of the bar according to the invention, respectively in the transverse and radial directions
• Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the bar in the free state along line 6-6 of Figure 4;
• Figure 7 is a plan view of a flake for a lock according to the invention;
• Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of the rotor of Figure 1 in which there is shown a straw mounted in the housing in the projecting position; and
• Figure 9 is a view similar to that of Figure 8 in which there is shown the straw in the retracted position.

FIG. 1 shows a lock rotor 10 as well as straw 12 intended to be received in housings 14 of the rotor 10 in which the flakes 12 can slide in a transverse direction perpendicular to the axis A1 of the rotor 10.

The sequins are produced substantially in the form of plates 12 and they are slidably mounted between a position extreme projection which is shown in Figure 8 and a position retracted shown in Figure 9. The flakes 12 are guided in their housings 14 by two external lateral edges 34 of orientation cross.

When the flakes 12 are in the projecting position, that is to say when they are partially arranged outside the housings 14 of the rotor 10, the flakes 12 are intended to block any movement of rotation of the rotor 10 relative to a bush 15 (shown in Figures 8 and 9) substantially cylindrical in which it is mounted turning. Such a socket 15 can either be the stator of a non-bolt disengageable, i.e. the intermediate stator of a disengageable lock, to which in this case the bushing is itself rotatably mounted in the stator.

On the contrary, when the flakes 12 are in position retracted, the rotor 10 can rotate freely around its axis A1 in the socket 15.

In known manner, the flakes 12 are brought to their retracted position using a conforming key 16 including the key rod 18 cooperates with the flakes 12 to cause them to slide at inside the accommodation 14.

The key rod 18 is intended to be introduced axially from back to front in a key passage 20 which extends axially to inside the rotor 10, the key rod 18 then being received inside a window 22 arranged in each of the glitter 12. The rod of key 18 is of rectangular section, elongated in the direction of glitter slide.

On each of its two opposite faces 24 which are parallel to the direction of glitter sliding, the key rod 18 comprises a cam path 26 which is hollowed out. Each glitter 12 has a radial lug 28 which extends towards the inside of the window 22 from an edge 30 of the window 22 parallel to the direction transverse sliding of the straw 12. This radial lug 28 is intended to be received in cam path 26 so as to follow therefrom exactly the profile so that an axial displacement of the key 16 causes a displacement of each of the flakes 12 according to their sliding direction.

The cam path 26 is delimited by two parallel edges, but not straight, which make it possible to control the movements glitter 12 in both directions in the sliding direction.

The position of the radial lug 28 on the edge 30 of the window 22 of each straw 12, and the profile of the cam path 26 of the key 16 are as if the key is correct, when it is engaged axially as far as possible in the rotor 10, the flakes 12 are in position retracted to release the latch lock.

Of course, the cam tracks 26 of each of the faces 24 lead to the free front end of the key rod 18 where they have a flare intended to facilitate the entry of the pins 28 into the cam path 26 when the key 16 is introduced into the rotor 10.

The presence of two cam tracks 26 on the two faces opposite 24 of the key rod 18, while each flake has that a radial lug 28 makes it possible to introduce the key 16 indifferently in two positions oriented 180 ° around the axis A1.

The lock which is shown in the figures is a lock of the type without spring. A lock of this type is described in the patent French No. 960.244.

Indeed, unlike a widely used technique, the flakes 12 are not biased towards their projecting position by a return spring.

When the user removes the key 16 from the rotor 10, the path cam 26 in which the pins 28 are received causes displacement of each straw 12 according to its sliding direction so that, when the key rod 18 is completely removed, the flakes 12 are in their protruding position.

In known manner, means are provided for limiting the glitter stroke 12 in their housing 14, to avoid in particular that they cannot go beyond their protruding position at the risk of escape from the housing 14.

Thus, there is provided a plastic strip 32 which is introduced axially into the rotor and which is intended to cooperate with each of the flakes 12. For this purpose, each flake 12 comprises, on one of its lateral edges 34 parallel to the sliding direction, a notch 36 inside which the bar 32 is intended to be partially received. Thus, the bar 32, which is fixed in the rotor 10, is capable of cooperating with transverse flanges 38 which delimit the notch 36 to limit the stroke of the straw 12, as well as this is shown in Figures 8 and 9.

As can be seen more particularly in FIG. 2, the bar 32 is intended to be engaged in an axial housing 33 which extends parallel to the key passage 20 and which is arranged according to the radial direction so that it communicates with the housings 14 glitter 12 by partially encroaching on these housings.

Of course, the fact that the bar 32 is partially received in the notch 36 of each of the sequins 12 implies that the bar 32 is mounted in its housing 33 after the flakes 12 have been arranged in their housings 14.

In the embodiment which is represented on the Figures, the flakes 12 have, on the outer lateral edge 34 opposite to that which carries the notch 36, an indexing spout 37 which extends transversely outwards. So that this indexing spout 37 does not impede the sliding movement of the straw 12, the housings 14 of rotor 10 are provided with a clearance 39 corresponding to spout 37.

In accordance with the teachings of the invention, the bar 32 also has the function of making up for play, in the radial direction perpendicular to the transverse sliding direction, that it is necessary to provide to ensure proper sliding of each straw 12 in its housing 14.

To this end, the bar 32 has elastic arms 40, in number equal to that of the glitter 12, which are likely to come in elastically supported in the radial direction against the notch 36 of a corresponding straw 12 so that the latter is supported by its external lateral edge 34 opposite to that in which is practiced the notch 36 against a transverse lateral wall 42 of the housing 14.

As can be seen in Figures 3 to 6, the arms 40 are arranged axially at regular intervals along the strip 32 and each is in the form of a plate element which extends, when in the free state, substantially in an axial orientation plane slightly inclined with respect to the transverse direction of glitter sliding 12.

Each arm 40 is connected to a main body 44 of section rectangular of the bar 32 by a connecting section 46 which extends in the radial direction from an axial edge 48 of the main body 44, in the extension of a radially oriented lateral surface 50 of the main body 44 of the bar 32. As can be seen in the figure 5, each of the arms 40 is delimited axially by two edges transverse 54.

In the free state, each arm 40 is inclined relative to the transverse direction so that a free end 52 is located away from the main body 44, towards the center of the rotor 10, to come to bear against the notch 36 of the corresponding straw 12.

The connecting section 46 of each arm 40 is of a thickness reduced compared to that of the arm 40 itself so that most of the deformation of the bar 32 in the direction radial is ensured by a pivoting of the arms 40 around their section link 46, the latter being elastically deformed.

When the bar 32 is in place in the rotor 10, and that the free end 52 of each of the fingers 40 is in abutment against the corresponding straw 12, arm 40 is in a constrained state in which its free end 52 is brought together, radially towards outside, of the main body 44 of the bar 32. As can be see in Figures 8 and 9, each arm 40 is not supported against the corresponding straw 12 only by its free end so as to decrease the contact surface between the two elements and thus limit friction likely to oppose the smooth sliding of the straw 12 in its housing 14 when it is ordered in movement by the compliant key 16.

However, it is desirable that the friction of each straw 12 with rotor 10 and with bar 32 are sufficient to the straw remains stationary when subjected to vibrations due to the running of the vehicle, this in order to avoid impact noise at lock level. This also has the advantage of keeping, when the key 16 is removed from the rotor 10, the straw 12 in a position ideal in which its radial lug 28 is arranged exactly at level of the emerging end of the cam track 26 of the rod key 18.

As can be seen more particularly in FIGS. 3 to 6, the connecting sections 46 of each of the arms 40 are made in one single piece in the form of a continuous strip which extends along the axial edge 48 of the main body 44. On the contrary, each of the arms 40 is independent of the other arms so that the radial clearance of each of the glitter 12 is caught individually.

As shown in Figure 8, a position extreme protrusion of the straw 12 is determined by the coming into abutment of one of the transverse recesses 38 which delimits the notch 36 against the continuous connecting strip 48 which connects the arms 40 to the body main 44 of bar 32.

A second extreme opposite position of the straw 12 is determined by the support coming from the other of the dropouts transverse 38 against the free end 52 of the elastic arm 40 corresponding. In this way, the transverse stroke of the straw 12 is limited and its radial lug 28 always occupies a position in which it is likely to be engaged in the flared end of the path cam 26 of the key 16. This prevents, for example following a attempt to lock the lock, the glitter 12 does not prevent the introduction of a conforming key 16 into the rotor 10.

Furthermore, as can be seen in Figures 3 to 5, the axial ends 56 of the bar 40 and the edges 54 of orientation transverse of each of the arms 4.0, are chamfered to facilitate the introduction of the bar 32 in its housing 33. Indeed, it is necessary ensure that the arms 40 do not oppose the axial introduction of the bar 32, or possibly its removal.

Thus, the lateral edges 54 of each of the arms 40 are beveled to cause deflection of the arm 40 radially outward, i.e. towards the main body 44 of the bar 32, when one of these edges 54 comes into contact, axially forwards or backwards, from the outer lateral edge 34 of a glitter 12 at its notch 36.

Optionally, when the arm 40 has axially exceeded the straw 12, it is possible for it to resume its position in the free state, even if it means being deflected again by the cooperation of its edge transverse 54 with the edge of the notch 36 of the next straw.

For its axial fixing in its housing 33, the bar 32 comprises, on a lateral face 58 of its main body opposite to a transverse lateral face 60 facing which are arranged the arm 40, a lug 62 which is intended to be received in a cavity corresponding 64 fitted in a wall of the housing 33. The lug 62, of substantially parallelepiped shape, extends radially towards outside and is arranged axially substantially in the center of the bar 32.

Claims (12)

1. A motor vehicle lock, of the type comprising a rotor (10) mounted for rotation about its axis (A1) in a sleeve (15), of the type in which pallets (12) are mounted for sliding movement in the rotor (10) in a transverse direction, between at least one deployed end position in which they immobilise the rotor (10) against rotation with respect to the sleeve (15), and a withdrawn position in which they are received within the rotor (10) and towards which they are forced by introduction of a matching key (16) into the rotor (10), and of the type in which the deployed end position of the pallet (12) is determined by a bar (32) of plastics material which extends axially in the rotor (10) and against which an abutment surface (38) of each pallet (12) engages,
   characterised in that the bar (32) is in elastic engagement on the pallets (12) in a radial direction at right angles to the transverse sliding direction of the pallets (12).
2. A lock according to Claim 1, characterised in that the bar (32) is deformable elastically in the radial direction, and in that it is gripped radially between the rotor (10) and an external side edge (36) of each of the pallets (12).
3. A lock according to Claim 2, characterised in that the bar (32) has a series of elastic arms (40), each of which acts on one pallet (12).
4. A lock according to Claim 3, characterised in that, in the free state, each arm (40) is inclined with respect to the transverse sliding direction of the pallets (12), so that in a stressed state it comes into engagement through a free end (52) against the external side edge (36) of the corresponding pallet (12).
5. A lock according to Claim 3 or Claim 4, characterised in that the bar (32) comprises a main body (44) of substantially rectangular cross section, and in that each arm (40) extends in a substantially transverse direction from an axial edge (48) of the main body (44).
6. A lock according to Claim 5, characterised in that each arm (40) is joined to the axial edge (48) of the main body (44) of the bar (32) by a connecting portion (46) which projects radially from the axial edge (48), as an extension of a side face (50) of the main body (44).
7. A lock according to any one of Claim 3 to 6, characterised in that the outer side edge (34) of each pallet (12) includes a notch (36) through which the bar (32) extends, in that the notch (36) delimits two transverse abutments (38), at least one of which defines the abutment surface adapted to cooperate with the bar (32) so as to determine an end position of the pallet (12), and in that the corresponding elastic arm (40) of the bar is in engagement against the pallet (12) at the level of the notch (36).
8. A lock according to Claim 7 taken in combination with Claim 4, characterised in that the free end (52) of each arm (40) that is in engagement against the corresponding pallet (12) is adapted to cooperate with the other one of the transverse abutments (38) whereby to determine a second end position of the pallet.
9. A lock according to any one of Claims 6 to 8, characterised in that the connecting portions (46) of all of the pallets (12) constitute a continuous connecting band which extends over the entire length of the axial edge (48) of the main body (44).
10. A lock according to any one of Claims 3 to 9, characterised in that the arm (32) is engaged axially in the rotor (10) of the lock after the pallets (12) have been fitted, and in that each arm (40) is delimited by two substantially transversely oriented edges (54) which are chamfered whereby, during engagement of the bar (32), to cause deflection of the arm (40) in the radial direction towards a stressed state.
11. A lock according to any one of the preceding Claims, characterised in that the bar (32) is engaged axially in a housing (33) of the rotor (10) of the lock, and in that the bar (32) includes a lug (62) which extends at right angles to the axial direction of the bar (32) and is received in a recess (64) formed in a side wall of the housing (33), whereby to ensure axial fastening of the bar (32) in the lock.
12. A lock according to Claim 11, characterised in that the lug (62) is disposed substantially at the axial centre of the bar (32).

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