EP1460211B1 - Motor vehicle lock - Google Patents

Abstract

The lock assembly (3) has a latch mechanism (5) and adjustable stop (6). On re-setting the latch (2) away from the main locking position towards the open position, the latch mechanism is displaced. With the latching assembly in the holding position, the stop blocks resetting.

Description

The invention relates to a motor vehicle lock with a latch and a pawl arrangement according to claim 1. In the present case, all types of door, hood or flap locks are summarized under the term motor vehicle lock.

Today motor vehicle locks are usually equipped with a latch and a pawl to realize a non-positive connection with a arranged on the vehicle body locking bolt o. The like. EP 0 589 158 A1 ). The latch is pivotable about a pivot axis and at least brought into a main closed position. The pawl is here hook-shaped and holds the latch in the main closed position by engaging in a corresponding shape - the main catch - on the latch. This basic concept is also used in motor vehicle locks with a motorized opening drive application, as also in the EP 0 589 158 A1 is shown.

Basically arises in the motor vehicle lock described above has the problem that depending on the configuration of the latch and pawl lifting the pawl and thus the release of the latch is connected to a certain minimum force and a certain minimum work, which is essentially by the frictional force between the latch and the pawl is determined during the lifting of the pawl. In addition to the coefficient of friction, the restoring force acting on the pawl from the latch on the latch and the adjustment required to lift the pawl are decisive for the friction work.

While maintaining the described basic concept, a reduction of the frictional force or friction work is only possible to a limited extent without jeopardizing the operational safety of the motor vehicle lock. This leads to a loss of comfort due to high actuating forces in a mechanically actuated motor vehicle lock. If the motor vehicle lock is equipped with a motorized opening drive, then this opening drive is corresponding designed for high power or performance. This leads to high space requirements and high costs.

An approach for reducing the force required to lift the pawl is shown in a known motor vehicle lock ( DE 102 36 282 A1 ). This shows a pawl arrangement consisting of two pawls. The first pawl is engageable with the latch to hold the latch in the main lock position. The second pawl is engageable with the first pawl to hold it in its hold position. The first pawl is loaded with a oversized for this purpose spring in the direction of its holding position.

A disadvantage of this motor vehicle lock that the movement of the pawls must be coordinated very closely with each other so that a repelling of the vehicle door when closing, caused by too slow movement of the first pawl, is prevented. This necessary tuning of the pawls on each other makes the structure of the motor vehicle lock complicated. The vote of the pawls on each other by means of a spring with high rigidity. However, this in turn means that the actuating forces for lifting the pawl are increased. Although the force required to lift the pawl is reduced by reducing the frictional force, this reduction is at least partially reversed by the high stiffness of the spring.

An approach for reducing the force required to lift the pawl also shows another known motor vehicle lock ( EP 0 406 777 B1 ). Here, a pawl assembly is provided which, like the pawl described above, is engageable with the latch to hold the latch in the main closed position. In this case, the pawl arrangement consists of a first lever, to which a second lever is pivotally articulated. The necessary to hold the latch engagement between the pawl assembly on the one hand and the latch on the other hand via the second lever. To release the latch, the first lever is pivoted, resulting in a pivoting of the second lever relative to the first lever. At the same time, the second lever, so to speak, rolls on the latch until an unstable condition arises and pivots the latch into its open position. Friction work can be largely avoided by the pivoting of the second lever in the release of the lock latch.

The problem with the above-mentioned motor vehicle lock, however, is the fact that the reliability can not be adequately ensured when the lock catch is in the main locking position. At high external accelerations, it may be that the second lever pivots and leads to an unwanted release of the lock latch. In order to achieve high reliability, a high bias of the second lever against the first lever would be required, which in turn leads to a high force required to release the latch.

The known motor vehicle lock ( US 4,203,621 A ), from which the present invention proceeds, shows a latch, which is fixable via a pawl arrangement in the main closed position. The pawl assembly has a pivotable transmission lever which engages in the main locking position located latch on the one hand with the latch and on the other hand with a blocking element. The transmission lever blocking the latch and the pawl blocking the transmission lever. Due to the leverage effect of the transmission lever, the actuating force is reduced.

The present invention is based on the problem to design the known motor vehicle lock such and further, that with high reliability, the applied for release of the lock latch force or work is reduced to a minimum.

The present problem is solved in a motor vehicle lock with the features of the preamble of claim 1 by the features of the characterizing part of claim 1.

It is essential first that the provision of the latch from the main closed position out in the direction of the open position causes the adjustment of a pawl kinematics of the pawl assembly. When in holding position pawl arrangement blocked an adjustable blocking element of the pawl arrangement effected by the lock catch adjustment of the pawl kinematics and thus the provision of the lock latch.

The term "pawl kinematics" is to be understood in the present case comprehensively as any mechanism connected between the latch and the blocking element. With appropriate design of the pawl kinematics can thus reduce the necessary force to release the latch, namely the force to adjust the blocking element, reduce.

For a mechanically actuated motor vehicle lock, this results in the advantage that the necessary for the release of the lock latch actuating forces are low and the lever chains of the pawl assembly, in particular from the adjustable blocking element, can be designed comparatively weak up to an external operating lever or up to an internal operating lever. Due to the low actuation forces, plastic materials can also be used advantageously here. This also applies to fasteners such as cables or rods to an outside door handle or a door inner handle and the outside door handle or the door handle itself.

The embodiment of the invention causes the latch with the intermediate lever and the transmission lever forms a four-bar, with the largely arbitrary reduction ratios are adjustable. With this simple adjustability of the reduction, in particular with a variable reduction as a function of the position of the lock latch, the pawl arrangement can be optimally adapted to the particular application.

The pivotable articulation of the intermediate lever to the latch eliminates the need for direct blocking engagement between the pawl assembly and the latch. This results in a better tensile strength of the motor vehicle lock, in particular in the direction of the vehicle longitudinal axis, when high forces act perpendicular to the flat side of the latch. Due to the pivotable articulation of the intermediate lever to the latch case a slippage of the latch on the blocking element is largely excluded. Basically, this consideration also applies with regard to the tensile strength of the motor vehicle lock transverse to the vehicle longitudinal axis.

Furthermore, the fact that the intermediate lever is pivotally hinged to the lock latch, the surface of the latch can be designed largely arbitrary. A particularly hard surface of the latch is not required. this leads to the possibility of the design of the surface of the latch in terms of optimum tensile strength and low cost.

There are a variety of ways to design and develop the said teaching of the invention. For this purpose, reference may be made to the dependent claims.

With the embodiment of the pawl kinematics as a reduction gear according to claim 2, the blocking force to be applied by the blocking element can be reduced in a simple manner. Due to the low blocking force, only a slight overlap between the blocking element and the respective element of the pawl kinematics to be blocked is necessary. Due to the resulting reduction of the adjustment of the blocking element to be applied for the release of the lock latch work can be further reduced.

Particularly advantageous is the solution according to the invention for a motor vehicle lock with a motorized opening drive according to claim 3. By reducing the applied force for the release of the latch or work is here a drive with low power and correspondingly required with low operating currents. Furthermore, it is now possible with electrical actuation to reduce the operating times even for drives with low power.

Furthermore, it is now readily possible in the above-mentioned electrical operation to ensure the motor release of the latch both in normal operation at low sealing backpressure and emergency operation at high door counter-forces (crash), since the applied for the release of the lock latch force with appropriate design of the Ratchet kinematics can be reduced accordingly.

It may be noted that in all embodiments by the solution according to the invention, a weight reduction is possible, whether lighter plastic materials can be used, it is that certain components are less "massive" interpret or be it that smaller drives can be used.

Fig. 1

ein Kraftfahrzeugschloß mit einer Schloßfalle in Hauptschließstellung und einer Sperrklinkenanordnung in Haltestellung,

Fig. 2

das Kraftfahrzeugschloß gemäß Fig. 1 mit der Schloßfalle in Vorschließstellung,

Fig. 3

das Kraftfahrzeugschloß gemäß Fig. 1 mit der Schloßfalle in Offenstellung und der Sperrklinkenanordnung in Freigabestellung,

Fig. 4

das Kraftfahrzeugschloß gemäß Fig. 1 mit der Schloßfalle in Überhubstellung (gestrichelte Darstellung) und

Fig. 5

ein weiteres nicht zur Erfindung gehörendes Kraftfahrzeugschloß mit Schloßfalle und Sperrklinkenanordnung in schematischer Darstellung.

In the following the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to a drawing illustrating only embodiments. In the drawing shows

Fig. 1

a motor vehicle lock with a lock latch in the main closed position and a pawl arrangement in the holding position,

Fig. 2

the motor vehicle lock according to Fig. 1 with the latch in pre-closing position,

Fig. 3

the motor vehicle lock according to Fig. 1 with the latch in the open position and the pawl assembly in the release position,

Fig. 4

the motor vehicle lock according to Fig. 1 with the latch in Überhubstellung (dashed line) and

Fig. 5

another not belonging to the invention motor vehicle lock with latch and pawl arrangement in a schematic representation.

The Fig. 1 to 4 show in detail a motor vehicle lock with a lock 1 holding a latch 2 and a pawl arrangement 3. The latch 2 is pivotable about a pivot axis 4 and can be in the in Fig. 3 illustrated open position and in the in Fig. 1 bring illustrated main closed position. For the limitation of the pivotal movement of the latch 2 during the closing process, a stationary stop 2a is also provided. For side door locks, it is preferably provided that the lock catch 2 can additionally be brought into a prelocking position ( Fig. 2 ). The pawl assembly 3 is in an in Fig. 1 and in Fig. 2 illustrated holding position and in an in Fig. 3 shown release position brought. The pawl arrangement 3 which is in the holding position holds the lock catch 2 in the main closed position and, if provided, in the prelocking position. It may be that the pawl assembly 3 for holding the latch 2 in the main closed position can be brought into a first holding position and can be brought to hold the latch 2 in the prelocking in a second holding position. But it may also be that only a single stop position is provided.

It is essential that the pawl arrangement 3 has a pawl kinematics 5 and an adjustable blocking element 6. By a coupling between the latch 2 and the pawl kinematics 5 causes the provision of the latch 2 from the in Fig. 1 Outlined main closing position towards the in Fig. 3 illustrated open position a corresponding adjustment of the pawl kinematics 5. When the pawl assembly 3, as in Fig. 1 shown, in the holding position, the blocking element 6 blocks the effected by the latch 2 adjustment of the pawl kinematics 5 and thus the provision of the latch 2. The advantages of such a configuration of the pawl assembly 3 have already been explained in the general part of the description.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the pawl kinematics 5 is designed as a reduction gear, so that the blocking force applied by the blocking element 6 to block the latch 2 is reduced according to the design of the reduction gear. The term "reduction gear" is meant in the present case that the amount of the locking latch 2 acting on the pawl kinematics 5 of the latch 2 is greater than the resulting force acting on the blocking element 6 by the pawl kinematics 5.

It has also been explained in the general part of the description that the embodiment of the motor vehicle lock with a motorized opening drive in connection with the described pawl arrangement 3 is particularly advantageous. The release of the lock catch 2 is thereby triggered that a not shown opening drive an adjustment of the blocking element 6 of the blocking position in the in Fig. 1 dashed lines, non-blocking position causes. Preferably, the opening drive is an electric motor.

The pawl kinematics 5 has a pivotable about a pivot axis 7 transmission lever 8. By the provision of the latch 2 from the main closed position out in the direction of the open position, in Fig. 1 on the right, the transmission lever 8, in Fig. 1 on the right, adjustable. When in holding position pawl assembly 3 blocks the blocking element 6, the transmission lever 8, so that as a result, the provision of the lock latch 2 is blocked.

A particularly simple, realizable with a few components design, which is not an embodiment of the invention, but only to facilitate the understanding of the invention shows Fig. 5 in a schematic representation. The transmission lever 8 is here on the one hand with the blocking element 6 and on the other hand engageable with the latch 2 in engagement. Fig. 5 shows the latch 2 in the main closed position and the pawl assembly 3 in the holding position.

If now the blocking element 6 in Fig. 5 pivoted to the right, the latch 2 is released. The provision of the latch 2 from the in Fig. 5 shown main closing position in Fig. 5 rechtsherum then causes a pivoting of the transmission lever 8 in Fig. 5 on the left against the bias of the spring 8b. By arranged on the latch 2 guide surface 9 of the transmission lever 8 is held in the deflected position. By a further guide surface 10, the blocking element 6 is also held in the deflected position. In the subsequent adjustment of the latch 2 from the open position out into the main closed position, the blocking element 6 comes again in blocking engagement with the transmission lever 8 and thus holds the latch 2 in the illustrated main closed position. Particularly advantageous here is the fact that the transmission lever 8, which is part of the pawl kinematics 3, is designed as a reduction gear, since the pivot axis 7 of the transmission lever 8 is not centrally, but offset on the transmission lever 8 is arranged.

It should be noted that the blocking of the transmission lever 8 is preferably provided by the blocking element 6 in only one pivoting direction of the transmission lever 8. In certain applications, it may also be advantageous that the blocking by the blocking element 6 prevents pivoting of the transmission lever 8 in both pivoting directions.

In the in the Fig. 1 to 4 illustrated embodiment, it is provided that the transmission lever 8 is coupled for movement with the latch 2. This means a forced coupling between the transmission lever 8 and the latch 2, which causes an adjustment of the latch 2 in principle leads to a corresponding adjustment of the transmission lever 8.

For the above-mentioned movement coupling, an intermediate lever 11 is disposed between the transmission lever 8 and the latch 2, which on the latch 2 on the one hand and on the transmission lever 8 on the other is hinged pivotally. The pivot point 12 on the latch 2 is eccentric with respect to the pivot axis 4 of the latch 2, so spaced from the pivot axis 4, arranged. Accordingly, the articulation point 13 is arranged eccentrically on the transmission lever 8 with respect to the pivot axis 7 of the transmission lever 8.

The above-described coupling between latch 2, intermediate lever 11 and transmission lever 8 results in a four-bar linkage, through which the respective desired reduction of the pawl kinematics 5 can be adjusted with little design effort. Particularly advantageous is the fact that the reduction of such a four-bar mechanism changes depending on the position of the transmission lever 8, for example.

It is particularly suitable for use when the reduction is particularly high when the lock catch 2 is in the main closing position and when the reduction is correspondingly lower when the lock catch 2 is in the prelocking position. This is in so far as suitable for application, as occurring when in the main closed position lock latch 2 holding forces are much higher than in the prelocking located latch 2. The degree of reduction in befindlichem in the main locking position latch 2 is preferably up to eight times greater than the degree of reduction In total, the variable reduction of the four-bar linkage leads to an optimal use of existing in the motor vehicle lock space.

Particularly advantageous for the reliability of the motor vehicle lock, when in the main closed position and, if provided, in Vorschließstellung located latch 2 causes the acting of the latch 2 via the intermediate lever 11 on the transmission lever 8 force on the transmission lever 8 with respect to the pivot axis 7 and when the blocking force of the blocking element 6 counteracts this torque. In the illustration according to Fig. 1 can be seen that at a force from the locking pin 1 on the latch 2 in Fig. 1 down (for example, in a pulling force on a closed side door) a corresponding force is passed from the latch 2 via the intermediate lever 11 to the transmission lever 8. The force action line 14 of this force passes through the two articulation points 12, 13.

Due to the fact that the force of action line 14 in Fig. 1 passing right on the pivot axis 7 of the transmission lever 8, a torque on the transmission lever 8 in Fig. 1 generated to the right. This torque counteracts the blocking force of the blocking element 6. Fig. 1 makes it clear that the reduction is the greater, the closer the force of action line 14 to the pivot axis 7. The two above goals will be combined with each other in the sense of an optimal compromise by a suitable spacing of the force action line 14 to the pivot axis 7.

The fact that when in the main locking position located latch 2 usually a tensile force from the locking bolt 1 on the latch 2 acts (sealing backs), usually the above-mentioned torque to the transmission lever 8. This results in that in befindlichem in the main locking position latch 2 the transmission lever 8 basically in the in Fig. 1 shown position, which is defined by the standing in the blocking position blocking element 6.

In order to ensure the release of the latch 2, a secure return of the latch 2 from the main closed position out into the open position, it is provided in a preferred embodiment that the transmission lever 8 is biased and that the blocking force of the blocking element 6 of the bias of the transmission lever 8 counteracts , In principle, this bias voltage can also be provided on other components of the pawl kinematics 5. In view of the leverage ratios prevailing in the illustrated embodiment, however, it is particularly advantageous if the transmission lever 8 is pretensioned as described. The direction of this bias is in the Fig. 1 to 4 represented by the arrow 15.

In order to be able to transfer the above-mentioned blocking force from the blocking element 6 to the transmission lever 8, the transmission lever 8 in a preferred embodiment has a main catch 16 and a preliminary catch 16a. As already explained above, it is possible to dispense with a preliminary catch 16a, depending on the application. The blocking element 6 can be brought into blocking engagement with the transmission lever 8 via the main catch 16 and, if present, the preliminary catch 16a. This is in the Fig. 1 and 2 for the main closed position and the prelocking of the latch 2 shown.

The blocking element 6 is in a preferred embodiment in the manner of a pawl about a pivot axis 17 pivotally. Furthermore, a stop 6a is provided, against which the blocking element 6 rests in the blocking position and against which the bias of a spring 6b acting on the blocking element 6 acts. When in holding position pawl assembly 3 is the blocking element 6, as described above, in blocking engagement with the transmission lever 8. Such a configuration of the blocking element 8 in the manner of a pawl leads to a structurally particularly simple implementation.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the articulation of the intermediate lever 11 on the latch 2 on a freewheel. This makes it possible that an adjustment of the latch 2 from the main closing position out in a position of the open position beyond the main closing position lying overstroke position is possible without necessarily an adjustment of the transmission lever 8 to pull. This overstroke position of the lock latch 2 is in Fig. 4 shown in dashed lines. The overstroke position of the latch 2 is briefly occupied when, for example, the side door of a motor vehicle is slammed. The transmission lever 8 is meanwhile pressed against the stop 8a in its overstroke position, so that the blocking element 6 can occur in the blocking position.

The above-mentioned freewheel is realized in that the lock catch 2 has a slot 18 and the intermediate lever 11 has a pin 19 arranged in the slot 18. When adjusting the latch 2 of the main closing position in the overstroke position of the pin 19 in the slot 18, as in Fig. 4 shown.

In order to ensure a sufficient coupling between the latch 2 and pawl kinematics 5 in particular for the provision of the latch 2 from the main closed position to the open position and the above-described fixation of the transmission lever 8 on the stop 8a during overstroke of the latch 2, and further to an uncontrolled running of the To avoid pin 19 in the slot 18, the intermediate lever 11 is biased against the latch 2 such that the latch 2 only against the bias in the Overheating position can be brought. This bias can be realized by a biasing spring 20, as in Fig. 1 shown.

With the solution according to the invention, advantages with regard to theft protection can also be achieved. A preferred embodiment provides that the motor vehicle lock has an inlet slot 21 and that the blocking element 6 is arranged for theft protection in the motor vehicle lock, that the blocking element 6 from the inlet slot 21 is not or only with difficulty. This means that by interposing the pawl kinematics 5 is now possible to arrange the blocking element 6 there in the motor vehicle lock, where it is protected from unauthorized interference from the inlet slot 21 from.

Furthermore, the solution according to the invention also provides a particularly compact realization of a closing aid. According to this embodiment, a non-illustrated auxiliary closing drive is provided, which is coupled to the transmission lever 8. The latch 2 is then adjustable by means of the auxiliary closing drive via the transmission lever 8 in the main closed position. The necessary condition for this is the above-described motion coupling between the transmission lever 8 and the latch 2.

Claims (9)

1. Motor vehicle lock with a lock latch (2) and a pawl arrangement (3), wherein the lock latch (2) can be pivoted about a pivot axis (4), wherein the lock latch (2) can be brought into an open position and into a main locking position and, if appropriate, into a pre-locking position, wherein the pawl arrangement (3) can be brought into at least one retaining position and into a release position, and wherein the pawl arrangement (3) in the retaining position always retains the lock latch (2) in the main locking position,
   wherein the pawl arrangement (3) has a pawl kinematics (5) and an adjustable blocking element (6), wherein the pawl kinematics (5) is adjusted by the lock latch (2) being reset out of the main locking position in the direction of the open position, and wherein, when the pawl arrangement (3) is in the retaining position, the blocking element (6) blocks the adjustment of the pawl kinematics (5), which adjustment can be brought about by the lock latch (2), and therefore blocks the resetting of the lock latch (2),
   wherein the pawl kinematics (5) has a transmission lever (8) which can be pivoted about a pivot axis (7), wherein the transmission lever (8) can be adjusted by the pivoting of the lock latch (2) out of the main locking position in the direction of the open position, and wherein, when the pawl arrangement (3) is in the retaining position, the blocking element (6) blocks the transmission lever (8),
   characterized in that the transmission lever (8) is coupled in terms of movement to the lock latch (2), and in that, for the coupling of the movement, an intermediate lever (11) is arranged between the transmission lever (8) and the lock latch (2), and in that the intermediate lever (11) is coupled to the lock latch (2) at one end and to the transmission lever (8) at the other end in a pivotable manner and eccentrically with respect to the respective pivot axis (4, 7).
2. Motor vehicle lock according to Claim 1, characterized in that the pawl kinematics (5) is a step-down gear, and in that, as a result, the blocking force to be applied by the blocking element (6) in order to block the lock latch (2) is reduced in accordance with the design of the step-down gear.
3. Motor vehicle lock according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the motor vehicle lock has a motorized opening drive, in particular an electric motor, and in that the release of the lock latch (2) can be triggered in a motorized manner.
4. Motor vehicle lock according to Claim 2 and, if appropriate, according to Claim 3, characterized in that the stepping-down degree of the pawl kinematics (5) is higher when the lock latch (2) is in the main locking position than when the lock latch (2) is in the pre-locking position.
5. Motor vehicle lock according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, when the lock latch (2) is in the main locking position and, if appropriate, in the pre-locking position, the force acting on the transmission lever (8) from the lock latch (2) via the intermediate lever (11) brings about a torque on the transmission lever (8) with respect to its pivot axis (7), and in that the blocking force of the blocking element (6) opposes said torque.
6. Motor vehicle lock according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transmission lever (8) is pre-stressed, and in that the blocking force of the blocking element (6) opposes the pre-stressing of the transmission lever (8), and/or in that the transmission lever (8) has a main latch (16) and, if appropriate, a preliminary latch (16a), and in that the blocking element (6) can be brought into blocking engagement with the transmission lever (8) via the main latch (16) and, if appropriate, the preliminary latch (16a), and/or in that the blocking element (6) can be pivoted about a pivot axis (17) in the manner of a pawl and, when the pawl arrangement (3) is in the retaining position, is in blocking engagement with the transmission lever (8).
7. Motor vehicle lock according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the coupling of the intermediate lever (11) to the lock latch (2) has a free wheel, and in that an adjustment of the lock latch (2) from the main locking position into an excessive travel position which, as seen from the open position, is located on the far side of the main locking position is therefore possible without an adjustment of the transmission lever (8), and preferably in that the intermediate lever (11) is pre-stressed against the lock latch (2) in such a manner that the lock latch (2) can be brought into the excessive travel position counter to the pre-stressing.
8. Motor vehicle lock according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a locking auxiliary drive is provided, in that the locking auxiliary drive is coupled to the transmission lever (8), and in that the lock latch (2) can be adjusted into the main locking position via the transmission lever (8) by means of the locking auxiliary drive.
9. Motor vehicle lock according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the motor vehicle lock has an inlet slot (21), and in that, for protection against theft, the blocking element (6) is arranged in the motor vehicle lock in such a manner that the blocking element (6) can be reached only with difficulty or not at all from the inlet slot (21).

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