EP1620623A1

EP1620623A1 - Motor vehicle door lock

Info

Publication number: EP1620623A1
Application number: EP04730479A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Ludger Graute
Original assignee: Kiekert AG
Current assignee: Kiekert AG
Priority date: 2003-05-08
Filing date: 2004-04-30
Publication date: 2006-02-01
Anticipated expiration: 2024-04-30
Also published as: DE10320442A1; ATE395488T1; US20060055178A1; WO2004101931A1; US8025319B2; US8020903B2; US20100140963A1; EP1620623B1; DE502004007140D1

Abstract

The object of the present invention is a vehicle door latch with a locking mechanism (1, 2) comprising mainly a catch (1) and pawl (2). In addition, the vehicle door latch contains at least one sensor (4) for detecting the position of the catch (1). The invention provides an intermediate element (5) that transfers the movements of the catch (1) onto the sensor (4).

Description

Kraftfahrzeugtürve'rschluss

Description :

The invention relates to a motor vehicle door lock, with a locking mechanism consisting essentially of a rotary latch and pawl, and with at least one sensor for monitoring the rotary latch.

The rotary trap query essentially serves the purpose of Main catch position of the rotary latch reliably to take, for example, locking measures and / or to initiate, for example, an electrical opening after the locking. For this purpose, switches or microswitches from the prior art according to DE 297 14 953 U1 are usually proposed, which directly query a contour on the rotary latch. This has generally proven itself. Reference is also made to EP 1 069 266 AI.

In the context of DE patent application 102 40 003, which is only to be taken into account in accordance with § 3 (2) PatG, a motor vehicle door lock is proposed which has a locking lever controlled by the rotary latch. The locking lever is mounted axially with the rotary latch and follows its rotary movements. For this purpose, the locking lever and the catch are connected to each other. The locking lever is a two-arm lever with a blocking arm and interrogation arm, the latter carrying a sensor which interacts with a detection device in order to be able to interrogate the position of the rotary latch. With the first-mentioned solutions, problems can arise if the rotary latch is dirty, iced up, etc., so that damage to the microswitch is possible. For this reason, in the past, contactless sensors, e.g. B. Hall sensors, as described in the context of DE patent application 102 40 003. However, such sensors are relatively expensive to manufacture and assemble. In addition, in most cases it is sufficient to correctly detect a single position of the rotary latch, namely the main click position. This is achieved with the least effort and, best of all, a mechanical switch.

Regardless of these problems, querying the rotary latch requires the sensor to be arranged in its immediate vicinity. This makes it difficult to combine individual sensors in a vehicle door lock. In any case, the installation location for the sensor is determined. The invention seeks to remedy this overall.

The invention is based on the technical problem of further developing a motor vehicle door lock of the design described at the outset in such a way that the rotary latch position can be interrogated properly, taking into account a particularly inexpensive and universally usable design of the sensor.

To solve this technical problem, a generic motor vehicle door lock is characterized in that an intermediate bearing on the catch element is provided, which transmits the movements of the rotary latch to the sensor. - The catch and intermediate element thus represent separate components, the intermediate element just resting on the catch to transmit their movements to the sensor. This system can be accomplished, for example, by prestressing the intermediate element in the direction of the catch, which may be ensured by a spring.

The intermediate element thus ensures that the sensor is decoupled from the rotary movements of the rotary latch, so that an inexpensive switch or microswitch can be used as the sensor. Any contamination and / or damage to the rotary latch therefore no longer play a role, because such interferences are not transmitted to the sensor by the intermediate element. This also applies to any icing, because ^' the intermediate element is usually protected in the interior of a lock housing or lock case.

The intermediate element is usually an intermediate lever that is designed to be rotatable about an axis. This intermediate lever or interrogation lever has an essentially circular to oval design, the axis of the intermediate lever and an axis of the rotary latch being arranged essentially at right angles to one another. This makes it possible to position the sensor outside of the rotary latch plane, for example on one leg of the lock housing or lock case. The position of the sensor can therefore be determined more or less freely. This opens up the option of adding additional sensors to the sensor if necessary To combine or combine sensors and electrical devices and / or an existing printed circuit board.

In order to be able to trigger the sensor correctly, the intermediate element has at least one interrogation contour for the sensor. A switch or microswitch is usually used as the sensor. In order to trigger the intermediate element, the latter has an extension arm which can be actuated by the rotary latch, wherein this extension arm usually interacts with a projection on the rotary latch.

Because the axis of the intermediate lever and the axis of the rotary latch are arranged essentially at right angles to one another, it follows that the projection on the rotary latch only acts on the extension of the intermediate element or intermediate lever within a predetermined pivoting angle of the rotary latch. Because as a result of the described right-angled arrangement, both of the aforementioned elements, namely the rotary latch and intermediate element or intermediate lever, each perform a rotational movement at right angles to one another. Because of this topology, there is only an overlap between the projection on the rotary latch and the extension arm of the intermediate element or intermediate lever within a certain pivoting angle of the rotary latch. This will be explained in more detail with reference to the description of the figures.

In order to facilitate the attachment of the intermediate element, this is fixed to an insert for the lock housing or the lock case. As a rule, the insert has the necessary hole for receiving an axis for the intermediate element or the intermediate lever. The insert may be an inlet insert, that is to say an insert which usually defines the inlet mouth. In this way, there is no need for complex storage measures for the intermediate element on the lock housing or lock case. Rather, insert and intermediate element can form a prefabricated assembly.

Finally, there is the option that the intermediate element has a receptacle for a locking lock. This means that the locking lock can be coupled to the intermediate element. The locking lock ensures that one or more locking levers are mechanically blocked when the rotary latch is open. In other words, the intermediate element has a dual function in this context. On the one hand, it ensures that the sensor or switch or microswitch correctly reproduces the position of the catch. On the other hand, the intermediate element ensures, via the associated locking lock, that when the catch is open, the

Locking lever or altogether a locking lever mechanism is mechanically blocked.

As a result, so-called self-locking is no longer possible, which means that, for example, a motor vehicle door is inadvertently closed and locked when, for example, the ignition key is still inside the motor vehicle. In other words, the intermediate element or the intermediate lever in combination with the locking lock ensures that the motor vehicle door lock in question or the plurality of motor vehicle door locks Locks are unable to assume their locked position because the associated locking lever or the entire locking lever mechanism is mechanically blocked by the locking lock when the catch is open.

As a result, a motor vehicle door lock is made available which keeps away any possible negative influences of the rotary latch on the sensor with the aid of the intermediate element. In addition, the intermediate element or the intermediate lever opens up the possibility of placing the sensor at practically any point without having to take into account the movement and arrangement of the catch. This is where the main advantages can be seen.

The invention is explained in more detail below on the basis of a drawing illustrating only one exemplary embodiment; show it:

1 and 2 the motor vehicle door lock according to the invention in different views,

Fig. 3 shows the motor vehicle door lock according to FIGS. 1 and 2 with an insert mounted in the lock housing for holding the intermediate element and

4 and 5 the locking lock on the intermediate element with the rotary latch open (FIG. 4) and the closed rotary latch (FIG. 5). In the figures, a motor vehicle door lock is shown, which in its basic structure has a locking mechanism 1, 2 consisting of a rotary latch 1 and a pawl 2. The locking mechanism 1, 2 interacts with a locking bolt 3, which is only indicated in FIG. 1, in the usual manner. In order to be able to query the position of the rotary latch 1, a sensor 4 is provided which is designed as a microswitch 4 within the scope of the exemplary embodiment.

According to the invention, there is now an intermediate element 5 between the sensor or microswitch 4 and the rotary latch 1 to be queried, which element transmits the movements of the rotary latch 1 to the sensor 4. In the context of the exemplary embodiment, the intermediate element 5 is designed as an intermediate lever 5 with an essentially circular to oval overall design. In principle, of course, any intermediate elements 5 can be realized that are able to transmit the rotary movements of the rotary latch 1 to the sensor or microswitch 4. It is conceivable here to work with, for example, adjusting rods, gear wheels, friction wheels, Bowden cables, etc. The least constructive effort, however, is represented by the intermediate lever 5 according to the exemplary embodiment.

The intermediate element or the intermediate lever 5 is rotatably mounted about an axis 6. The rotary latch 1 has an axis 7, which is arranged essentially vertically in comparison. This angular arrangement of the two axes 6, 7 results in that the intermediate element or the intermediate lever

5 of the rotary latch 1 only within a limited angle is taken to trigger the sensor or microswitch 4. As a rule, the described entrainment takes place when the rotary latch 1 leaves the main rest position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. For this purpose, the pawl 2 may be lifted (mechanically or by motor) so that the catch 1 carries out a clockwise rotation indicated by an arrow in FIG. 2.

The result of this is that a projection 8 on the rotary latch 1 comes into engagement with a cantilever 9 on the intermediate element or intermediate lever 5, so that the clockwise rotating latch 1 pivots the intermediate lever 5 in its front view in the indicated counterclockwise direction about the axis 6 , As a result, a query contour 10 on the intermediate lever 5 for the sensor 4 is able to produce a signal on the output side of the sensor 4. A control system, not shown, is thus informed that the rotary latch 1 has left its main rest position and is carrying out an opening movement.

Starting from the open position of the rotary latch 1, closing movements of the rotary latch 1 result from a relative movement between an inlet mouth 11 and a locking bolt 3 in rotations of the intermediate lever 5 in a clockwise front view. In fact, the locking pin 3 in the reference system of the motor vehicle door lock moves into the inlet mouth 11 in question. If, on the other hand, one starts from the motor vehicle body with the locking bolt attached as a reference system, the motor vehicle door lock with the inlet mouth 11, on the other hand, moves. Either way, the sensor or microswitch 4 is not triggered during this process. In principle, of course, one could also query this movement or the reaching of the main rest position on the part of the rotary latch 1. However, this is not shown. Because it is primarily about sensing the opening movement of the rotary latch 1.

On the basis of the intermediate element or intermediate lever 5 that is implemented, the sensor or microswitch 4 can be arranged at practically any point within a lock housing or lock case 12. In the present case, its placement on an L-leg of the lock case or lock housing 12 has proven to be favorable. The rotary latch 1 therefore no longer specifies the position of the sensor 4.

The intermediate element or the intermediate lever 5 is advantageously mounted within the scope of the exemplary embodiment on an insert 13 for the lock housing or the lock case 12.

This is shown in particular in FIG. 3, where this insert 13 is shown. The insert 13 is an inlet insert 13, that is to say an insert which defines the inlet mouth 11 for the locking bolt 3. The insert or inlet insert 13 is an injection molded plastic part with an integrated damper element 14 for the locking bolt 3 and the rotary latch 1.

This insert or inlet insert 13 has a

Mounting plate 15 with an extension, which is a pin as axis 6, on which the intermediate lever 5 is in turn attached. As a result, the insert 13 and the intermediate lever 5 form a structural unit which can be connected as a whole to the lock housing or lock case 12, for example by latching, riveting, screwing, gluing etc. The intermediate element or the intermediate lever 5 may also be designed as a plastic injection molded part his. A reinforcement plate 16, which is also shown in FIG. 3, ensures, among other things, that the rotary latch 1 is held properly.

4 and 5, the further function of the

Intermediate element 5 clearly. This is because this not only transmits rotary movements of the rotary latch 1 to the sensor 4, but also provides a receptacle for a locking lock

17 available. This locking lock 17 mechanically blocks a locking lever 18 when the rotary latch 1 is open (see FIG. 4). For this purpose, the locking lock 17 designed as a thrust lever 17 engages with a front nose 19 in a recess 20 of the locking lever 18.

However, the catch 1 is in its closed

Position, the locking lock or the push lever 17 is withdrawn from the intermediate lever 5, so that the

Nose 19 leaves the recess 20. The locking lever

18 is then free.

The connection between the push lever 17 and the intermediate lever 5 can be made by clips, screws, rivets or

Welding. This also applies to all connections of individual levers to each other, of course, if necessary, the required swivel must be given

Claims

Claims:

1. Motor vehicle door lock, with a locking mechanism (1, 2) consisting essentially of a rotary latch (1) and pawl (2), and with at least one sensor (4) for monitoring the rotary latch, with one attached to the rotary latch (1) about an axis ( 6) rotatably mounted intermediate element (5) which transmits the movements of the rotary latch (1) rotatably mounted about an axis (7) to the sensor (4), characterized in that the axis (6) of the intermediate lever (5) and the axis (7) of the rotary latch (1) are arranged essentially at right angles to one another.

2. Motor vehicle door lock according to claim 1, characterized in that the intermediate element (5) is biased in the direction of the rotary latch (1) with the aid of, for example, a spring.

3. Motor vehicle door lock according to one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that the intermediate element (5) has at least one query contour (10) for the sensor (4).

4. Motor vehicle door lock according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the intermediate element (5) has a boom (9) which can be actuated by the rotary latch (1).

5. Motor vehicle door lock according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the rotary latch (1) has a projection (8) which interacts with the boom (9) on the intermediate element (5).

6. Motor vehicle door lock according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the projection (8) on the catch (1) only acts on the extension arm (9) of the intermediate element (5) within a predetermined pivoting angle of the catch (1).

7. Motor vehicle door lock according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the intermediate element (5) on an insert (13) for a lock case (12) is mounted.

8. Motor vehicle door lock according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the intermediate element (5) has a receptacle for a locking lock (17) which mechanically blocks a locking lever (18) when the rotary latch (1) is open.