EP1651833B1 - Motor vehicle door latch - Google Patents

Abstract

A motor vehicle door latch having a locking mechanism (1, 2) and a base housing (6). The locking mechanism (1, 2) is optionally lodged in connection with other lock components (3, 4, 5) in the base housing (6) and forms a base module (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) with the base housing. The base module (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) is designed to receive a complementary module (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12) with a drive mechanism (8, 9, 10, 11) for opening the locking mechanism (1, 2).

Description

The invention relates to a motor vehicle door lock, with a catch of rotary latch and pawl and a base housing, wherein the locking mechanism in conjunction with other lock components in the form of at least one actuating lever and a release lever, which allow the locking mechanism can be opened, is received in the base housing and together with this forms a basic module. That is, the locking mechanism, the other lock components and the basic housing taken together form the basic module.

In the other castle components may also be locking lever, etc. act. According to the invention, at least one actuating lever and a release lever are realized.

Such a motor vehicle door lock is exemplified in the context of U.S. Patent 6,059,328 tracked. In this case, a modular construction has already been realized, in which different housing components receive the individual components.

From the EP 0812 972 A2 , from which the invention proceeds, in addition, a motor vehicle door lock with a locking mechanism and the essential castle components receiving basic module is known, wherein the base module is adapted for receiving a supplementary module with a drive to open the locking mechanism, wherein the supplementary module is flanged to the base module and the Complementary module has an electric motor and a downstream transmission in a supplementary housing.

Such motor vehicle door locks have proven themselves, but then come to their limits when one and the same design concept is to be used, at the same time there is the possibility for motorized opening of the locking mechanism. This is where the invention starts.

The invention is based on the technical problem of developing a motor vehicle door lock of the embodiment described above so that it can be upgraded while maintaining the basic concept simply for motorized opening of the locking mechanism, the assembly of the motor vehicle door lock is facilitated.

To solve this technical problem, a generic motor vehicle door lock in the invention is characterized in that the supplementary housing is in two parts with a transmission housing shell, which accommodates the downstream transmission, and a motor / connection housing shell, find in the electric motor and a connection arrangement place, and that both housing shells are detachably connected to each other, for example, have a latching connection or clip connection.

The invention is based on the recognition that such an electric motor arranged in the motor / connection housing shell is usually designed to run fast and requires a downstream reduction gear. In In this context, it has been proven to run the gearbox as a spur gear to reduce the required space to a minimum.

According to the supplementary housing is formed in two parts with gear housing shell and motor / connection housing shell. The gear housing shell acts primarily as a receptacle for individual gear members or on This site mostly realized spur gears. In contrast, the motor / connector housing usually carries alone the electric motor and a connector, a connector or similar electrical connection devices, with the help of the electric motor is energized.

Both housing shells can be releasably connected to one another in accordance with the invention in order to facilitate both the assembly and also to enable the retrofitting and optionally the replacement during a repair. The detachable connection can be realized in detail by a snap or clip connection or other connection measures.

On the foot side, the supplementary housing usually has at least one connecting web for head-side coupling with the basic housing. In most cases, two connecting webs are realized, which are formed approximately the same length and are formed opposite to the supplementary housing. The basic housing is thus connected at its head to the foot of the supplementary housing. For this purpose, the base housing has a head-side opening while the supplementary housing has a foot-side slot.

In the region of the head-side opening of the base housing, an actuating arm of the release lever may be placed. In contrast, there is an output-side gear member of the drive in the area of the foot-side slot of the supplementary housing. The output side gear member carries a trigger cam interacting with the actuating arm of the trigger lever.

Thus, if the base housing is united at its head with the foot of the supplementary housing, with the head-side opening of the base housing and the foot-side slot of the supplementary housing are adapted to each other, overlap automatically the areas of action on the one hand the release cam on the output side gear member of the drive and on the other hand, the release lever , It thus automatically adjusts the previously described interaction. As a result, the drive via the output-side gear member and the release cam existing there is able to work on the actuating arm of the release lever. This looks in the simplest case so that the release lever is pivoted while the locking (electric) opens by motor, as will be explained in more detail with reference to the description of the figures.

In addition to the drive for opening the locking mechanism, the supplementary module may additionally include a blocking means for the drive. With the help of this blocking agent, the drive can be locked in its blocking position to prevent unintentional opening of the locking mechanism. Only when the blocking agent is in its release position, the drive is able to open the locking mechanism. The change from the regularly occupied blocking position to the release position is usually carried out by a manual movement of an operator willing to enter, which is mechanically transferred to the blocking means for its transfer from the blocking position to the release position. To realize this in detail, the blocking agent is largely acted upon by a led out of the basic module transfer member.

As a result, a motor vehicle door lock is provided, which impresses with its special modular structure. In fact, the basic module has all the essential lock components required to mechanically open the locking mechanism. For this purpose, the release lever but also at least one operating lever. Likewise, at least one locking lever may also be realized in the embodiment as a central locking lever. Now, if this basic module is to be combined with a device for motorized opening of the locking mechanism, this can be achieved according to the invention by simply flanging on a supplementary module to the basic module, as it were. In this case, the supplementary module is equipped with the then required drive to open the locking mechanism, wherein the basic module allows the inclusion of the supplementary module at all.

The invention preferably achieves this in detail through an opening on the head side of the basic module and a corresponding slot on the foot of the supplementary module, which are arranged substantially overlapping one another and taking into account the connecting webs which produce the connection between the basic module and the supplementary module.

By this overlap and in the area of the opening or the slot mandatory components: actuating arm of the release lever and release cams of the output-side gear member is automatically an active connection from the drive via the downstream transmission, the release lever and finally the locking produced. The desired additional functionality is thus achieved immediately after unification of the basic module with the supplementary module. Here are the main benefits.

Fig. 1

ein Ausführungsbeispiel eines erfindungsgemäßen Kraftfahrzeugtür- verschlusses in einer Explosionsdarstel- lung von Grundmodul und Ergänzungs- modul,

Fig. 2

den Gegenstand nach Fig. 1 im zu- sammengebauten Zustand aus einer anderen Blickrichtung,

Fig. 3

das Ergänzungsmodul im Detail,

Fig. 4a und 4b

die Bestandteile des Kraftfahrzeugtür- verschlusses ohne Gehäuse in Frontan- sicht und

Fig. 5a und 5b

den Gegenstand nach den Fig. 4a und 4b in Rückansicht.

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

An embodiment of a motor vehicle door lock according to the invention in an exploded view of basic module and supplementary module,

Fig. 2

the object after Fig. 1 in the assembled state from a different perspective,

Fig. 3

the supplementary module in detail,

Fig. 4a and 4b

the components of the motor vehicle door lock without housing in front view and

Fig. 5a and 5b

the object according to the Fig. 4a and 4b in rear view.

In the figures, a motor vehicle door lock is shown, which has a locking mechanism 1, 2 of rotary latch 1 and pawl 2. In addition, other lock components in the form of an actuating lever 3, a transmission member 4 and a release lever 5 are realized. These further lock components 3, 4, 5 are accommodated together with the locking mechanism 1, 2 in a base housing 6 and together with the base housing 6 form a basic module 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

The base housing 6 is in turn composed of two components, namely an L-shaped lock case 6a, which carries the individual axes for the locking mechanism 1, 2 and the other lock components 3, 4, 5 and a lock cover 6b, which completes the base housing 6.

According to the invention, the basic module 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 is adapted to receive a supplementary module 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. The supplementary module 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 has a drive 8, 9, 10, 11 for opening the locking mechanism 1, 2. Actually, the drive 8, 9, 10, 11 consists of an electric motor 8 and a downstream transmission 9, 10 of two meshing spur gears 9, 10 together. The output side spur gear 10 and the output side gear member 10 carries a cam 11. In fact, two cams or release cams 11, 11 'realized.

To the supplementary module 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 further includes a supplementary housing 7, which in addition to the already described drive 8, 9, 10, 11 still receives connection devices 12. In the connection device 12 is in the context of the embodiment is a socket, which is connected to a connecting line to the electrical Supply of the electric motor 8 is connected. This is not shown in detail (cf. Fig. 3 ).

The supplementary housing 7, like the basic housing 6, has a two-part construction with a gear housing shell 7a and a motor / connection housing shell 7b. Both housing shells 7a, 7b are detachably connected to each other. The invention preferably resorts to a clip connection 13 at this point. The gear housing shell 7a receives primarily the two spur gears 9, 10 and the release cams 11, 11 'on the output side spur gear 10, while in the motor / connection housing shell 7b, the electric motor 8 and the connection device 12 find space (see. Fig. 1 and 3 ).

To connect the basic module 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 with the supplementary module 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 has the supplementary housing 7 via at least one foot-side connecting web 14. In the embodiment, two opposing and in realized approximately equal length connecting webs 14a, 14b, wherein the connecting web 14a is integrally formed on the gear housing shell 7a, while the motor / terminal housing shell 7b carries the other connecting web 14b (see. Fig. 1 ).

The two connecting webs 14a, 14b can be coupled to the head side of the base housing 6 provided connecting webs 15a, 15b. The one connecting web 15a is formed on the lock case 6a, while the other connecting web 15b is part of the lock cover 6b. The connecting webs 14a, 14b and the connecting webs 15a, 15b each frame a head-side opening 16 of the base housing 6 and a foot-side slot 17 of the supplementary housing 7. The head-side opening 16 and the foot-side slot 17 are like the respective webs 14a, 14b and 15a, 15b adapted to each other and overlap, so that the basic module 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 with the supplementary module 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 can be connected by screwing, for example.

In the region of the head-side opening 16 of the base housing 6, an actuating arm 5a of the release lever 5 is arranged. In contrast, located in the area of the foot-side slot 17 of the supplementary housing 7, the output-side gear member or spur gear 10 with the release cams 11, 11 '. In fact, the two release cams 11 and 11 'are realized, which face each other with respect to an axis 18 of the output-side gear member 10. A fixed housing stop 19 ensures that rotational movements of the output-side gear member 10 are limited beyond a certain predetermined rotation angle by the respective release cam 11 or 11 'on the stop 19 comes to rest (see. Fig. 5a and 5b ).

The supplementary module 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 additionally has a particular in the FIGS. 4 and 5 to be recognized blocking means 20 in the form of a blocking lever 20. The blocking means 20 can be defined by a blocking position for the drive 8, 9, 10, 11 (see. Fig. 4a ) in a release position according to Fig. 4b convict. This happens manually according to the embodiment, by the operating lever or external operating lever 3 in the transition from the Fig. 4a to the Fig. 4b pivoted clockwise is and with the help of the led out of the basic module 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 led out transfer member 4, the blocking agent 20 accordingly.

The operation is as follows. The ratchet 1, 2 of the basic module 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 can be mechanically open by the fact that the operating lever 3 by means of the transmission member 4 on the trigger lever 5 in such a way that this trigger lever 5 via a projection 21st the pawl 2 at the transition from the Fig. 5a to Fig. 5b pivoted counterclockwise, so that the catch 1 is released. It is understood that before or all at once with this process, a possibly locking lever is transferred from its position "locked" to the position "unlocked".

If, in contrast, the basic module 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 are equipped with the supplementary module 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, then the locking mechanism 1, 2 can also be opened by motor with the aid of the electric motor 8 , For this purpose, first the blocking means 20 and the blocking lever 20 from its blocking position after the Fig. 4a in the release position according to the Fig. 4b be transferred. For this purpose, the operating lever or external operating lever 3 is manually pivoted from the outside in a clockwise direction, so that the blocking lever 20 a clockwise movement in the transition from the Fig. 4a to Fig. 4b performs.

In this process, the blocking lever 20 actuates a sensor 22 in the form of a pushbutton, which documents the taking of the release position of the blocking lever 20 and at the same time the electric motor 8 for the electrical opening of the locking mechanism 1, 2 acted upon.

This has the consequence that the output-side gear member 10 with the release cams 11, 11 'leaves the housing-fixed stop 19 and the transition from the Fig. 5a to Fig. 5b in the clockwise direction on the actuating arm 5a of the release lever 5 moves. Characterized in that the release cam 11 abuts on the actuating arm 5a, the release lever 5 is pivoted counterclockwise with respect to its axis 23, so that the cam 21 on the release lever 5, the coaxially mounted pawl 2 entrains and also rotated counterclockwise. The catch 1 comes free and can open spring-assisted.

Claims (8)

1. Motor vehicle lock containing a locking mechanism (1, 2) comprising a rotary latch (1) and a pawl (2) as well as a basic housing (6), in which the locking mechanism (1, 2) in connection with other lock components (3, 4, 5) in the form of at least an operating lever (3) and a release lever (5), allowing the locking mechanism (1, 2) to be opened, is accommodated in the basic housing (6), forming a basic module (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) together with said basic housing and in which the basic module (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) is designed to accommodate a supplementary module (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12) and a drive (8, 9, 10, 11) for opening the locking mechanism (1, 2) in which the supplementary module (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12) is flange mounted to the basic module (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) and in which the supplementary module (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12) contains at least one electric motor (8) and a downstream gear set (9, 10) in a supplementary housing (7), characterized in that the supplementary housing (7) is designed as two parts, the gear housing shell (7a), accommodating the downstream gear set (9, 10) and the motor/connection housing shell (7b), accommodating the electric motor (8) and a connection device (12) and in which both housing shells (7a, 7b) are detachably connected by, for instance, a snap connection (13) or a clip connection.
2. Motor vehicle lock according to claim 1, characterized in that the locking mechanism (1, 2) can be mechanically opened from the outside by the operating lever (3) acting on the release lever (5) with the assistance of a transmission element (4), said release lever pivoting the pawl (2) in such a way that the rotary latch (1) is released.
3. Motor vehicle lock according to one of the claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the supplementary housing (7) contains at least one connecting web (14a, 14b) at the foot end for coupling at the head end with the basic housing (6).
4. Motor vehicle lock according to one of the claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the basic housing (6) has an opening (16) at the head end with an operating arm (5a) of the release lever (5) arranged in the area of this opening (16).
5. Motor vehicle lock according to one of the claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the supplementary housing (7) has a slot (17) at the foot end and a gear member (10) on the output side of the drive (8, 9, 10, 11), arranged in the area of this slot (17).
6. Motor vehicle lock according to claims 4 and 5, characterized in that the gear member (10) on the output side contains a triggering cam (11, 11') interacting with the operating arm (5a) of the release lever (5).
7. Motor vehicle lock according to one of the claims 1 or 6, characterized in that the supplementary module (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12) also contains a blocking means (20) for the drive (8, 9, 10, 11).
8. Motor vehicle lock according to claim 7, characterized in that the blocking means (20) is being acted upon by a transmission member (4) extending out of the basic module (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6).

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