EP2203616B1 - Locking device for the door of a motor vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a locking device for the door of a motor vehicle, comprising at least one operating part (20) and a lock (30) activated via electrical or mechanical coupling elements, said door being lockable to a vehicle chassis by means of said lock, wherein the locking device (1) may be activated or deactivated by means of an analysis unit (10) for vehicle data. At least one actuator element (40) is operatively connected in a mechanical fashion to the operating part (20) via an activation (41), said connection being controllable by the analysis unit (10), wherein, in an “OPEN” position (47) of the actuator element (40), the operating part (20) may be activated and, in a “LOCK” position (48), the operating part (20) may not be activated.

Description

The invention relates to a locking device for a door of a motor vehicle, comprising at least one control panel and an actuatable via electrical or mechanical coupling lock, with the door with a vehicle body can be closed, by means of an evaluation unit of vehicle data, the locking device can be activated or deactivated ,

In motor vehicle technology, the increase in the ease of use of a motor vehicle is becoming increasingly important today. This includes, inter alia, the requirement for a comfortable boarding in the vehicle or getting out of the vehicle. This requirement relates in particular to rear-hinged rear side doors, as are known, for example, from luxury vehicles (eg Rolls Royce Phantom), which in technical usage are referred to as "Contro-Vento Doors" (hereinafter referred to as CVT). These doors offer various pertinent advantages over conventionally mounted doors. One enters or leaves the motor vehicle in the area of the highest silhouette, making it easier to get in and out. The accessibility to the back seat is greatly simplified, which, for example, the installation of child seats significantly more comfortable and easier to let go by the hand. In addition, the safety of passengers in the back seat is significantly increased because they sit in a particularly stable area of the passenger compartment, which must accommodate the door hinges and is therefore particularly stiffened. Therefore, in the side impact compared to standard side door assemblies significantly reduced intrusion into the passenger area.

However, due to the unconventional way of fastening the door, legislative requirements must be observed. So door openers must be installed, which operate in conjunction with various sensors, the door locks so that the rear doors can not be opened while driving and torn by the wind.

From the US Pat. No. 6,779,831 B2 a motor vehicle is known in which a rear side door associated with a lock assembly by which the rear side door located in the closed state is fixable to the vehicle body. Also, the front side door is associated with a lock assembly through which the located in the closed state front side door is fixed to the rear side door. By this arrangement of the two side doors to each other, the rear side door replaced the otherwise existing B-pillar. Since the front side door of the rear side door is downstream, it must be avoided at all costs that the fixation of the front side door is released. This is accomplished by blocking the operation of the rear side door by the front side door when closed. The rear side door is associated with a door handle, by the actuation of the Fixation of the rear side door is solvable. The front side door located in the closed state is located in the range of movement of this door handle so that an acknowledgment is only possible when the front side door is already open. In order to realize the blocking of the door handle of the rear side door, it is necessary to arrange the door handle in the immediate vicinity of the front side of the rear side door. A further disadvantage is the existence of a significant risk of entrapment for the user. Furthermore, the design freedom in the design and the design of the inside door handle is severely limited.

The EP 1 215 064 A1 describes a similar side door assembly of a motor vehicle, wherein the lock assembly comprises an electrically actuated coupling, through which the door inner handle with the lock assembly can be coupled. To determine whether the front side door is in the open position or in the closed position, an electrical device, such as a sensor or the like, is provided. Depending on the signal of the sensor, the clutch is electrically operated accordingly.

The DE 10 2006 013 874 A1 also discloses a CVT arrangement of a motor vehicle having a front side door and a rear side door, wherein the front side door is hinged via a front door hinge and the rear side door is hinged to the vehicle body via a rear door hinge. The end faces of the two side doors located in the closed state face each other. The rear side door is associated with a lock assembly through which the rear side door located in the closed state at the Motor vehicle body is fixed, wherein the rear side door is associated with a door handle which can be coupled to the lock assembly and thus activated, which is releasable by the operation of the rear door handle, the fixation of the rear side door. Characteristic here is that the lock assembly of the rear side door has a deflectable, mechanical transmission means and that a deflection of the transmission means causes the deactivation of the door handle of the rear side door such that the closing of the front side door with already closed rear side door, the front side door into engagement with the Transfer means comes, the transfer means deflects and thus causes the deactivation of the door handle of the rear side door.

It is an object of the invention to provide a locking device of the type mentioned, which easily meets the safety requirements and is universally applicable in motor vehicles.

According to the invention, the object is achieved in that at least one actuator element via an operation mechanically in communication with the control panel, which can be controlled by the evaluation unit, wherein in a position "OPEN" of the actuator element, the control panel actuated and in a position "LOCK" the control panel is not operable.

Thus, a security lock function can be realized, in which the operating parts of conventional door locking systems can still be maintained. This concept can basically be used in all vehicle types. The advantage here is a conclusively communicable and unambiguous operating philosophy, according to a door can only be opened when the control panel is actuated.

With regard to the integration into newer comprehensive safety functions in the motor vehicle, it is advantageous to evaluate vehicle state-specific data with the evaluation unit via a vehicle data bus. Such data bus systems are already very often in use today and can therefore be used without major circuitry effort for such a function. Similarly, existing internal and external data from interconnected ECUs can be used. As a result, an automatic activation can be made possible, which takes into account the status data of a large number of sensors in the vehicle, which can not be accomplished, or only with great difficulty, in the case of purely mechanically acting locking systems according to the prior art. Of course, information about the closed state of the door by means of the evaluation unit in the bus system for other subsystems can be fed (bidirectional).

Appropriately, the current vehicle speed can be retrieved via the vehicle data bus, whereby a speed-dependent activation or deactivation of the control unit takes place by means of the evaluation unit. Accordingly, the operation of the operating unit can only be released under a condition valid for the door opening, such as vehicle standstill. The locking of the control panel can then take place, for example, from a certain vehicle speed (for example, from 5 km / h).

According to a development, the evaluation unit is a door closing state of one or more Locks can be evaluated (eg with a central locking system). If a lock has a malfunction, then this can be detected via the evaluation unit and forwarded, for example, via the vehicle data bus. For example, accelerating above a critical speed may be inhibited if it is detected that one or more doors are not properly closed or a malfunction is diagnosed at a lock.

With regard to an emergency situation or a vehicle defect, such as An accident or discharge of an on-board battery, is advantageously carried out at a drop in the on-board voltage or a contact separation to the on-board voltage source (for example, after an accident) an emergency release of the locking device.

This "door unlock" functionality is especially important in an accident. Preferably, in such an emergency situation via the vehicle data bus by means of evaluable signals of an airbag system or a direct Notentsperrungssignals the airbag system an emergency unlocking of the locking device to ensure the departure of the vehicle or to facilitate the rescue of the vehicle occupants in serious accidents. In this case, advantageously, the actuator element in the position "LOCK" current flows through (active blocking function) and in the position "up" de-energized. In this case, the actuator element is moved to the "on" position by means of at least one restoring element in the form of a compression, tension or spiral spring.

In a simple to implement embodiment, the blocking of the control panel is done directly on the control panel such that the control panel by the actuator element is blocked. The installation situation of the control panel can be largely maintained. Only the actuator element is additionally installed.

In an advantageous embodiment, the actuator element is a solenoid with a locking pin, which engages in the "LOCK" position in a recess of the operating part (for example, door operating lug). The conventional door opener mechanism remains untouched and the vehicle passenger immediately recognizes that a door can not be opened, since, for example, the door operating lug is blocked.

With a view to lifting the lock, release of the control panel is effected by resetting the locking pin to the "UP" position due to gravity and / or by at least one return element, e.g. by a compression or tension spring. The locking pin falls down by gravity when the power fails and releases the keypad. In the position "LOCK" the solenoid is constantly flowed through.

In an alternative embodiment, the locking of the control panel by means of a displaceable by the actuator element, rotatable and / or pivotable aperture is such that the control panel is inaccessible. According to a further embodiment, the blocking of the operating part by means of the actuator element takes place in such a way that the operating part is displaceable, rotatable and / or pivotable behind a diaphragm. In both cases, the keypad is inaccessible to the passenger during the lockout and therefore can not be operated. Only under a valid for the door opening condition, such. B. Vehicle standstill and / or accident with eg airbag deployment, the operation of the control panel, for example in the form of a door handle and / or a door operating tab, released again. The movement of the diaphragm or the control panel can be done in an advantageous manner by means of a motor, such as a DC motor.

Advantageously for the vehicle passenger is also an identification of the blocking by a display element. Preferably, the display element is designed as a lighting means and / or display. Accordingly, the vehicle passenger is signaled directly whether the door can be opened at the moment or not.

If the operating part, which can be locked in the manner described above, is arranged both on the inside and on the outside of the door, it is ensured that an actuation of the door handle on the outside of the vehicle, which e.g. can be reached by the opened side window of the interior, is reliably prevented.

Particularly advantageous is the use of the locking device in motor vehicles with a ControVento door arrangement. In particular, this can ensure the special safety requirements for the operation of these motor vehicles. Accidental opening of the rear side doors from a critical vehicle speed is prevented by such a configuration of the locking device. Furthermore, regular vehicle operation is only possible if all the Contro Vento doors are properly closed.

It goes without saying that the features mentioned above and those yet to be explained below can be used not only in the respectively indicated combination but also in other combinations. The scope of the invention is defined only by the claims.

Fig. 1

ein schematisches Blockdiagramm einer erfindungsgemäßen Sperrvorrichtung,

Fig. 2

eine Darstellung eines Bedienteils der Sperrvorrichtung in Form einer Türbetätigungslasche mit einem Arretierbolzen und einem Hubmagneten,

Fig. 3

eine Darstellung eines alternativen Bedienteils in einer Position "AUF" und

Fig. 4

das Bedienteil gemäß Fig. 3 in einer Position "SPERREN".

The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to several embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. It shows:

Fig. 1

a schematic block diagram of a locking device according to the invention,

Fig. 2

a representation of an operating part of the locking device in the form of a door operating flap with a locking pin and a solenoid,

Fig. 3

a representation of an alternative control unit in a position "OPEN" and

Fig. 4

the control panel according to Fig. 3 in a position "LOCK".

The locking device 1 for a door of a motor vehicle is associated with an evaluation unit 10, with the vehicle state-specific data of a vehicle data bus 60, in particular data on the speed of the motor vehicle, are evaluated. The evaluation unit 10 actuates an actuator element 40, which acts via a mechanical actuation 41 on an operating part 20 in the form of a door handle and / or a door operating lug.
The control unit 20 is mechanical and / or electrical coupled with a lock 30, which causes the actual closing of the door to the vehicle body. In addition, the evaluation unit 10 recognizes a door closing state 31 of the lock 30 and / or of a lock 30 of another door.

• ● Sperrung direkt am Bedienteil 20, d.h. am Türgriff oder an der Türbetätigungslasche,
• ● Sperrung über eine zeitweise Entkopplung der Wirkverbindung zwischen dem Bedienteil 20 und dem Schloss 30, also dem eigentlichen Türschließmechanismus oder
• ● Sperrung direkt am Schloss 30.

Locking the operation of the operating part 20 designed as a door handle and / or door operating flap in the door closing state 31 can take place on several levels:

• ● blocking directly on the control unit 20, ie on the door handle or on the door operating tab,
• ● Blocking via a temporary decoupling of the active connection between the control unit 20 and the lock 30, so the actual door closing mechanism or
• ● Blocking directly at the lock 30.

Combinations are also possible. The actuator element 40 can therefore act directly on the coupling between the control unit 20 and lock 30 or on the lock 30 by means of the actuator 41 and cause a blockage.

To ensure an emergency function takes place, for example, in an accident on the vehicle data bus 60 by means of evaluable signals of an airbag system 50 or a direct Notentsperrungssignals 51 of the airbag 50 an emergency unlocking the door locking device 1. Furthermore takes place at a drop in the on-board voltage or a contact breakage to the on-board voltage source, eg as a result of an accident, also an emergency release of the locking device. 1

The state of the blockage is a passenger in the vehicle via a display element 70, z. B. a light source (LED, incandescent lamp or a combination of bulbs and light guide) and / or a display.

• ● ein Sperrmechanismus, der die Türbetätigungslasche oder den Türgriff blockiert,
• ● ein Wegtauchen der Türbetätigungslasche oder des Türgriffs bei Aktivierung der Sperrung oder
• ● eine Verblendung der Türbetätigungslasche oder des Türgriffs, z.B. durch eine motorisch betriebene verschiebbare, dreh- oder schwenkbare Blende, die während der Aktivierung der Sperrung die Türbetätigungslasche oder den Türgriff verschwinden lässt und somit dem Bediener unzugänglich macht.

The blocking as such is done by means of suitable actuator elements 40 and indeed, for example:

• ● a locking mechanism that blocks the door operating tab or the door handle,
• ● a dip of the door handle tab or the door handle when the lock is activated or
• ● a veneering of the door handle tab or door handle, for example by a motorized sliding, rotating or swiveling bezel which, during the activation of the lock, causes the door handle tab or door handle to disappear, thus rendering the operator inaccessible.

Furthermore, it can be provided that the mechanical coupling between the control unit 20 and lock 30 is interrupted or in the case of a "by wire" control of the lock 30, an electrical contact between the lock 30 and the control panel 20 is opened.

To Fig. 2 the control unit 20 is designed in the form of a door operating lug, which is rotatably mounted about a handle receptacle 22. The locking of the control unit 20 takes place directly on the control unit 20 in such a way that the control panel 20 is blocked by the actuated by the evaluation unit 10 actuator element 40.

The actuator element 40 is designed as a solenoid 42 with a locking pin 43 which engages in the position "LOCK" 48 in a recess 21 of the control panel 20. The release of the control panel 20 is effected by a provision of the locking pin 43 in the position "OPEN" 47 due to gravity and / or by at least one return element 46, for example, a compression or tension spring. The solenoid 42 is flowed through current in the position "LOCK" 48 and de-energized in the "open" position.

At the in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 As shown variant, the locking of the control panel 20 by means of the actuator element 40 is such that the control panel 20 is pivoted behind a panel. Fig. 3 shows the arrangement in the position "open" 47, in which the control unit 20 is accessible via an access area 49 in the aperture.

The control panel 20 in the form of a door operating tab is mounted in a recessed grip 23 on a cylinder portion 24 which is rotatably supported via a rotation axis 45. The actuator element 40 is used as a motor 44, e.g. a DC motor, which rotates upon activation of the blocking the cylinder portion 24 with the control panel 20 about the rotation axis 45. The motor 44 is controlled by the evaluation unit 10. A provision is made via a return element 46 in the form of a spiral spring.

The Fig. 4 shows the same arrangement as in Fig. 3 , but in the position "LOCK" 48. For this purpose, by means of the motor 44, the cylinder portion 24 is rotated with the control panel 20 such that the control panel 20 inaccessible is positioned outside the access area 49.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

Ssperrvorrichtung

10

evaluation

20

control panel

21

recess

22

handle seat

23

grip

24

cylinder section

30

lock

31

Door closing state

40

actuator

41

activity

42

solenoid

43

locking pin

44

engine

45

axis of rotation

46

Return element

47

Position "OPEN"

48

Position "LOCK"

49

access area

50

airbag system

51

Notentsperrungssignal

60

Vehicle data bus

70

display element

Claims (18)

1. A locking apparatus for a door of a motor vehicle, comprising at least one operating element (20)and a lock (30) which can be actuated via electric or mechanical coupling elements and with which the door can be locked with a car body, with the locking apparatus (1) being activatable and deactivatable by means of an evaluation unit (10) of vehicle data, characterized in that at least one actuator element (40) is mechanically in operative connection with the operating element (20) via an actuation (41), which actuator element (40) can be triggered by the evaluation unit (10), with the operating element (20) being actuatable in an "OPEN" (47) position of the actuator element (40) and the operating element (20) being non-actuatable in a "LOCK" (48) position.
2. A locking apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that data specific to the state of the vehicle can be analyzed by the evaluation unit (10) via a vehicle data bus (60).
3. A locking apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the current vehicle speed can be retrieved via the vehicle data bus (60), with a speed-dependent activation or deactivation of the operating element (20) occurring by means of the evaluation unit (10).
4. A locking apparatus according to one of the claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a door closing state (31) of one or several locks (30) can be analyzed by means of the evaluation unit (10).
5. A locking apparatus according to one of the claims 1 to 4, characterized in that an emergency unlocking of the locking apparatus (1) occurs during a drop in the on-board voltage or a loss of contact to the on-board voltage source.
6. A locking apparatus according to one of the claims 1 to 5, characterized in that an emergency unlocking of the locking apparatus (1) occurs in an emergency situation via the vehicle data bus (60) by means analyzable signals of an airbag system (40) or an emergency unlocking signal (51) of the airbag system (50).
7. A locking apparatus according to one of the claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the actuator element (40) is current-bearing in the "LOCK" (48) position and currentless in the "OPEN" (47) position.
8. A locking apparatus according to one of the claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the actuator element (40) can be moved to the "OPEN" (47) position by means of at least one restoring element (46) in form of a pressure, tension or spiral spring.
9. A locking apparatus according to one of the claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the locking of the operating element (20) occurs directly on the operating element (20) in such a way that the operating element (20) is blocked by the actuator element (40).
10. A locking apparatus according to one of the claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the actuator element (40) is a lifting magnet (42) with a blocking pin (43) which in the "LOCK" (48) position engages in a recess (21) of the operating element (20).
11. A locking apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that the release of the operating part (20) occurs by a return of the blocking pin (43) to the "OPEN" (47) position by gravity and/or by at least one restoring element (46).
12. A locking apparatus according to one of the claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the locking of the operating element (20) occurs by means of a cover which is displaceable, rotatable and/or pivotable by means of the actuator element (40) in such a way that the operating element (20) is inaccessible.
13. A locking apparatus according to one of the claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the locking of the operating element (20) occurs by means of the actuator element (40) in such a way that the operating element (20) can be displaced, rotated and/or pivoted behind a cover.
14. A door locking apparatus (1) according to one of the claims 12 or 13, characterized in that the movement of the cover or the operating element (20) occurs by means of a motor (44).
15. A locking apparatus according to one of the claims 1 to 14, characterized in that a locking is indicated by a display element (70).
16. A locking apparatus according to claim 15, characterized in that the display element (70) is a lamp and/or a display.
17. A locking apparatus according to one of the claims 1 to 16, characterized in that the operating element (20) is arranged both on the inside and also on the outside of the door.
18. The use of the door locking apparatus according to one of the claims 1 to 17 in motor vehicles with a "ControVento" (suicide) door arrangement.

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