EP1421246B1 - Door lock for a motor vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to door lock for a motor vehicle, comprising a locking mechanism (1, 2), at least one release lever (3), and a drive (5, 6, 7, 8, 9) impinging upon the release levers (3). According to the invention, the drive (5, 6, 7, 8, 9) interacts indirectly with the release lever (3) by means of an interconnected power storage device (12) thereby ensuring that an electrically initiated opening process can be fully completed in any event, irrespective of any problems which might occur during the drive operation (5, 6, 7, 8, 9).

Description

The invention relates to a motor vehicle door lock, with a locking mechanism, further comprising at least one release lever, and with a indirectly acting on the trigger lever via an intermediate energy storage device drive, wherein the energy storage device as two mutually movable components of the drive in the form of a driven pulley and an adjusting disk together coupling spring is trained.

Consequently, the drive has the driven pulley, which is equipped with a rotating output control cam or a control cam. The driven pulley is for the most part rotated by means of an electric motor, which is initiated and monitored by an electronic control device. This is done in detail as follows.

By pressing an outside door handle or door handle a switch assigned to the respective handle is actuated. The resulting switching signal is registered by the control device and converted into a corresponding output signal for the motor or drive motor as a function of the functional position of the motor vehicle door lock (eg unlocked, locked or theft-proof). It is conceivable, the locking initially only (electro) motor in a position "unlocked" to transfer, so that only a subsequent mechanical opening operation opens the catch and thus releases a locking pin an associated motor vehicle door. Such an embodiment is in principle in the German patent application DE 196 27 246 A1 described.

Likewise, it is of course also possible to design and interpret the (electric) motor opening so that the catch is opened directly and completely and releases the locking bolt together with the vehicle door. - The rule However, it looks like that the catch is only unlocked, so that the associated motor vehicle door can only be opened when the operator performs an opening stroke.

In a motor vehicle door lock, as it is the subject of DE 196 50 826 A1 is, the output disc with associated output control cam operates on a lever arm of the release lever for the pawl. The other lever arm of the release lever is loaded by a quick release spring. The design is such that the trigger in question under the influence of the quick release spring in the release position for the pawl is movable and the pawl entrains accordingly when the output cam performs a rotational movement.

Problems can occur in practice and in the prior art when the (electric) motor opening is hindered in any way. This may be due to a (unlikely but possible) failure of the associated electric motor but also due to the fact that mechanical blockages in the drive are present or arise. In any case, can not be ruled out with the last certainty that, despite expressed opening will the catch is not transferred to its unlocked position or opens completely.

In the context of the generic state of the art according to the U.S. Patent 5,938,253 is done so that the local energy storage device is designed as a spring which couples two mutually movable components of the drive in the form of a driven pulley and an adjusting disc with each other.

As part of the EP 1 091 061 A2 a door lock is described in which the drive motor drives a drive element which is in a certain angular range against the force of a spring relative to one on the same Rotary axis arranged drive plate is rotatable. If the electric drive motor is turned on, the rotating drive element takes along the aforementioned drive plate via a spring stop. Since this initially runs without resistance, the compression spring is initially not compressed until a drive pin reaches a lever arm of the pawl. If the relevant spring is biased to the maximum, the drive plate is taken back, with the pawl moves under further bias of the tension spring outwards in their release the latch latching position.

Finally, the deals EP 1 085 148 A2 with a door lock with opening aid. Between a driven pulley and a driving lever is a spring which loads the driving lever in the direction of a rest position. If there is a rotation of the driven pulley, it first runs with a rotating driving lever against a first guide slot, whereupon the driving lever begins to pivot about its axis of rotation. In this case, a spring is biased.

The invention is based on the technical problem of developing a motor vehicle door lock of the design described above so that an opening is ensured under all circumstances.

To solve this technical problem is the subject of the invention, a motor vehicle door lock, with a locking mechanism, further with at least one trigger lever, and with an indirectly via an intermediate energy storage device acting on the trigger lever drive, wherein the energy storage device as two mutually movable components of the drive in the form of a driven pulley and an adjusting disc coupling spring is formed, further wherein the adjusting disc is equipped with a recess into which a pin is immersed on the driven pulley and the adjusting disc each end-side stops for the Spigot on the driven pulley, which pin for applying the release lever and thus opening of the locking device rests against a stop of the adjusting, so that further movements of the driven pulley cause the adjusting disc is taken from the pin, wherein further also the adjusting disc has a pin , And wherein the spring is tensioned when opening the locking mechanism between the two convergent pins and after locking the pin pushes apart again.

The two movable components of the drive are thus adjusted to the motor opening or unlocking of the locking mechanism against each other under tensioning of the spring by a predetermined amount. After completion of the locking and relaxing the spring, the two movable components return to their original position.

The movable components of the drive are the two regularly arranged coplanar output disc and the adjusting disc, which rotate about a common axis. The drive usually has a motor with output shaft and worm wheel, which acts on the driven pulley.

This now leads as a result of the spring or energy storage device between the driven pulley and adjusting that at an initiated (electric) motor opening operation first the driven pulley relative to the adjusting performs a relative movement, which also ensures that the spring or energy storage device is stretched. Only when this tightening has ended and the driven pulley and the adjusting disc have crossed over the predetermined dimension or an associated adjustment path to each other, the triggering lever acted upon by the drive is moved. That leads now in addition to that the pawl, which in turn is acted on by the release lever, is lifted out.

After this release operation is completed, the release lever returns to its original position. At the same time, the adjusting disk comes free from the release lever and, under the influence of the now relaxing spring, returns to its starting position in comparison to the output disk. The driven pulley itself can be transferred by means of the drive in the starting position, so that at the end of both movable components or discs resume their original position.

The spring may be a helical spring having one leg end connected to one movable member and the other leg end connected to the other movable member. As a rule, the adjusting disc has a front control cam, which operates on the release lever. This control cam ensures that the release lever is acted upon only during a certain adjustment of the adjustment and can return to its original position (spring assisted) after passing the control cam.

The pin on the driven pulley covers the recess in the adjusting disk during tensioning of the spring or energy storage device. For this purpose, the recess in the adjusting plate preferably has end stops which limit the movement of the pin on the driven pulley.

When opening the locking mechanism, the spring or coil spring is tensioned between the two cones converging hereby. After the locking opening, the previously tensioned spring pushes the two pins apart again, so that the driven pulley and adjusting disc return to their original position.

As a result, a motor vehicle door lock is provided which always ensures, when it is opened electrically, that the opening process or unlocking process once initiated by the drive is in any case held out to the end. That is, the vehicle door lock is always transferred to a position in which the locking mechanism is already open or - more often - unlocked and can be opened by an additional independent opening stroke.

The invention achieves this in the core in that the drive acts indirectly on the release lever via the intermediate energy storage device. As a result, the drive ensures that the energy storage device or spring is initially tensioned while the release lever is stationary, and only then is the release lever subjected to movement or actuation with the aid of the drive, taking into account the tensioned energy storage device experiences. After the release lever has operated the pawl and has transferred the locking mechanism into the desired position, he (the release lever) is moved back spring-assisted to its original position. At the same time the control cam of the adjusting of the release lever is released, so that the energy storage device or spring can relax and the two components or the adjusting and the driven pulley assume their initial position (possibly after additional rotation by means of the drive).

Consequently, the energy storage device stores as it were a part of the drive energy, which if necessary is used to move the drive or the adjusting disc to act on the release lever, even with a failed or blocked engine. Here are the main benefits.

Fig. 1

den erfindungsgemäßen Kraftfahrzeugtürverschluss, reduziert auf die wesentlichen Bestandteile in Ru- hestellung bzw. Hauptraststellung der Drehfalle;

Fig. 2

den Gegenstand nach Fig. 1 beim Beginn des elektri- schen Öffnens,

Fig. 3

den Gegenstand nach Fig. 2 in einer Funktionsstel- lung mit beaufschlagtem Auslösehebel und

Fig. 4

den in die Ausgangsposition zurückbewegten Auslösehebel bei sich entspannender Energie- speichereinrichtung.

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

Fig. 1

the motor vehicle door lock according to the invention, reduced to the essential components in rest position or main rest position of the rotary latch;

Fig. 2

the object after Fig. 1 at the beginning of the electrical opening,

Fig. 3

the object after Fig. 2 in a functional position with actuated release lever and

Fig. 4

the release lever moved back to the starting position with relaxing energy storage device.

In the figures, a motor vehicle door lock is shown, which is equipped with a locking mechanism 1, 2 of rotary latch 1 and pawl 2. In addition, there is a trip lever 3, to which an internal operating lever may be connected at 4.

The release lever 3 is acted upon by a drive 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. In detail, the drive 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, an electric motor 5, to which an output shaft with worm wheel 6 is connected. With this worm wheel 6 meshes a driven pulley 7, which together with an adjusting disc 8 two mutually movable components 7, 8 of the drive 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 forms. Both discs 7, 8 are arranged coplanar with each other and rotate about a common axis 10th

In front view, the adjusting disc 8 is located above the driven pulley 7. On the adjusting disc 8, a control cam 9 is mounted, which acts on the release lever 3 with a control cam 11. The two disks 7, 8 are connected to each other via an intermediate energy storage device 12.

In this energy storage device 12 is a spring or coil spring 12, so that the drive 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 acts indirectly on this intermediary spring 12 on the release lever 3 and not directly the Trigger lever 3 adjusted, as is pursued in the prior art.

A leg end 12a of the coil spring 12 bears against an upstanding pin 13 of the adjusting disk 8. The other end of the leg 12b is supported on the other hand from a further pin 14 which rests on the driven pulley 7. Consequently, the spring 12 is connected with its one spring end 12a with the adjusting disc 8, while the other end of the spring 12b is connected to the driven pulley 7 as it were.

Relative movements between the driven pulley 7 and adjusting disc 8 thus cause the two pins 13, 14 are moved toward each other, as in the transition from the Fig. 2 to Fig. 3 becomes clear, so that the spring 12 is tensioned. Likewise, it is of course possible and illustrated how the two pins 13, 14 move away from each other by relaxing the spring 12 (see. Fig. 4 ).

In the figures, a switch 15 can still be seen, which is arranged below the driven pulley 7. With the aid of this switch 15, the position of the driven pulley 7 can be interrogated and transferred to a control device, not shown, which in turn controls the electric motor 5 accordingly. Finally, a spring 16 ensures that the release lever 3 pivots spring-assisted in a clockwise direction as soon as it is not (anymore) deflected by means of the control cam 9. The release lever 3 thus returns to the starting position in the event of loss of cam loading, spring assisted Fig. 1 back. The operation is as follows.

Starting from the Fig. 1 in which the catch 1 is in its main catch, an electrical opening or unlocking of the illustrated motor vehicle door lock is initiated, for example, by an operator willing to enter operating an outside door handle. A switch provided here then starts with the aid of the control device, not shown, the electric motor 5. Of course, this startup can also be done in connection with a "keyless entry" access, namely triggered by a remote query between an identification means of the operator and the associated motor vehicle. In any case, the electric motor 5 is acted upon by the control device in the sense that the driven pulley 7 moves in the counterclockwise direction (cf., the transition from FIG Fig. 2 ).

As a result of this rotational movement of the control cam 9 strikes after a short time against an angled cam arm 3a of the release lever 3, as in Fig. 2 is shown. Thus, the trigger lever 3 can be moved by the control cam 9, it is necessary to overcome the built-up of the spring 16 opposing forces.

Since the control cam 9 and thus the adjusting disc 8 relative to the driven pulley 7 about the axis 10 is movable, the two discs 7, 8 under tensioning the spring 12 initially against each other by a predetermined amount M adjusted or moved towards each other (see. Fig. 3 ), because the force of the spring 16 exceeds that of the spring 12.

This predetermined dimension M or the associated adjustment adjusts itself by the fact that the pin 14 of the driven pulley 7 can be moved only within an associated recess 17 in the adjusting disk 8 with end stops 18 ', 18 ". That is to say, with control cam 9 resting against the cam arm 3a, a further counterclockwise rotation of the driven disk 7 causes its pin 14 to move away from the first stop 18 'away and on the second stop 18 "moves to.

Because the spring end or leg end 12b of the coil spring 12 bears against this pin 14 of the output disk 7, the spiral spring 12 is tensioned in this process. Because the other end of the spring or leg end 12a of the coil spring 12 remains at rest, because the adjusting disc 8 is blocked as it were via the control cam 9 of the cam arm 3a of the release lever 3 and the respective rotational movements are not (yet) transmitted to the trigger lever 3.

Rather, the kinetic energy of the drive 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 associated with the measure M is stored in the spring 12. This takes after passing over the measure M the figure Fig. 3 one where the pin 14 has reached the stop 18 ", during which the triggering lever 3 remains at rest.

Only then is the release lever 3 acted upon. For now the pin 14 of the driven pulley 7 bears against the stop 18 "of the adjusting disk 8, so that further counterclockwise movements of the driven pulley 7 cause the adjusting disk 8 to be entrained by the pin 14. At the same time the control cam 9 moves counterclockwise by approx 130 ° to 140 ° (see the dot-dashed line in Fig. 3 ), so that its control curve 11 operates on the cam arm 3a of the trigger lever 3 to its opening.

By the sliding along the control cam 11 of the control cam 9 on the cam arm 3a of the release lever 3, the release lever 3 is also pivoted against the force of the spring 16 in the counterclockwise direction, as its dotted line representation in the Fig. 3 immediately makes it clear. At the same time the locking mechanism 1, 2 is opened. During this entire process, the force of the spring 16 ensures that the spring 12 can not relax or the two pins 13 and 14 their in Fig. 3 maintained distance shown.

Only when the control cam 9 or the control cam 11 has passed with its end 19, the cam arm 3a of the release lever 3, the force of the spring 16 falls away (see. Fig. 4 ). At the same time the trigger lever 3 moves from its former (in Fig. 4 dot-dashed line) position in the position shown in solid line.

Now, the pin 13 can be removed by the force of the spring 12 from the pin 14. The spring 12 relaxes, so that the stop 18 'moves against the pin 14 and the driven pulley 7 together with the adjusting disc 8 from the electric motor 5 back to the starting position Fig. 1 can be reduced, which is basically possible by spring force. To accomplish this, the driven pulley 7, the adjusting disc 8 and the control cam 9 a total of about half a turn counterclockwise, and that free from the release lever. 3

Claims (8)

1. A door lock for a motor vehicle, with a locking mechanism (1, 2), in addition with at least one release lever (3), and with a drive (5, 6, 7, 8, 9) acting indirectly on the on the release lever (3) via an interconnected power storage device (12), wherein
   the power storage device (12) is constructed as a spring (12) coupling with each other two components (7, 8) of the drive (5, 6, 7, 8, 9) which are movable with respect to each other, in the form of an output disc (7) and an adjusting disc (8), wherein in addition
   the adjusting disc (8) is equipped with a recess (17), into which a pin (14) on the output disc (7) dips and respectively has stops (18', 18") on the end side for the pin (14) on the output disc (7),
   which pin (14) lies against a stop (18") of the adjusting disc (8) for acting upon the release lever (3) and hence for opening the locking mechanism (1, 2), so that further movements of the output disc (7) lead to the adjusting disc (8) being entrained by the pin (14), wherein in addition
   the adjusting disc (7) also has a pin (13), and wherein
   the spring (12) is tensioned between the two converging pins (13, 14) on opening of the locking mechanism (1, 2), and after opening of the locking mechanism presses the pins (13, 14) apart again.
2. The door lock for a motor vehicle according to Claim 1, characterized in that the two discs (7, 8), on the powered opening of the locking mechanism (1, 2), are moved towards each other by a predetermined extent (M) with tensioning of the spring (12).
3. The door lock for a motor vehicle according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that on tensioning of the spring (12), the release lever (3) firstly remains at rest and is thereafter moved, wherein the two discs (7, 8) only assume their initial position on completion of the opening of the locking mechanism and relaxing of the spring (12).
4. The door lock for a motor vehicle according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the two discs (7, 8) are arranged in a coplanar manner with respect to each other and rotate about a shared axis (10).
5. The door lock for a motor vehicle according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the spring (12) is constructed as a spiral spring, one leg end (12a) of which is connected with the adjusting disc (8) and the other leg end (12b) of which is connected with the output disc (7).
6. The door lock for a motor vehicle according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the output disc (7) is acted upon by a motor (5) with output shaft and worm gear (6).
7. The door lock for a motor vehicle according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the adjusting disc (8) has a control cam (9) for the release lever (3).
8. The door lock for a motor vehicle according to one of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the recess (17) sweeps over the pin (14) dipping herein on the output disc (7) on tensioning of the power storage device (12).

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