EP2326779A1

EP2326779A1 - Motor vehicle door lock

Info

Publication number: EP2326779A1
Application number: EP09748950A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Michael Scholz; Holger Schiffer; Uwe Reddmann
Original assignee: Kiekert AG
Current assignee: Kiekert AG
Priority date: 2008-09-24
Filing date: 2009-09-18
Publication date: 2011-06-01
Anticipated expiration: 2029-09-18
Also published as: US20110187132A1; CN102165130B; WO2010034296A1; EP2326779B1; US8757682B2; DE102008048773A1; CN102165130A

Abstract

The present invention relates to a motor vehicle door lock which is equipped with a locking mechanism (3, 4) and a closing/opening device (5 to 12). The closing/opening device (5 to 12) comprises at least one drive (5, 6, 7, 8, 9) and a lever actuating mechanism (10, 11, 12). According to the invention, the lever actuating mechanism (10, 11, 12) establishes in its engaged state a mechanical effective connection between the drive (5, 6, 7, 8, 9) and the locking mechanism (3, 4). The lever actuating mechanism (10, 11, 12) is transferred to its disengaged state by means of a triggering lever (14).

Description

Motor vehicle door lock Description:

The invention relates to a motor vehicle door lock, with a locking mechanism and a closing / opening device, which has at least one drive and a lever drive.

The closing / opening device operates on the locking mechanism either in a pulling or in an opening direction. Serves the drive, which is regularly applied, for example, when pulling it when an associated motor vehicle door is in its Vorraststeilung. Then the drive including the closing device ensures that the motor vehicle door is transferred from its pre-ratchet division or pre-closed position into a main closed position or main locked position of the associated door lock.

Such Zuzieheinrichtungen or Zuziehhilfen are currently and predominantly used in high-priced and exclusive vehicles, because they are associated with additional mechanical and therefore costly effort. In addition, such automobiles are often distinguished by an increasing weight of the associated motor vehicle door, which among other things is due to supplementary installations such as side airbags, reinforcements, etc., or also electrical installations such as loudspeakers. In any case, Zuzieheinrichtungen increase the comfort enormously and are also as a security component of particular importance. Because they ensure that the associated motor vehicle door is transferred in any case in the main closed position, in which only the nowadays high safety standards in the event of an accident can be achieved. This does not apply to the pre-closing position.

Quite apart from so-called opening aids are also known, which also rely on a drive and support issuing an associated motor vehicle door or a tailgate. Such opening helps also take into account the increased weight of the vehicle doors or flaps and increase comfort.

In a motor vehicle door lock of the embodiment described in the introduction according to EP 1 319 780 A1, the lever drive of the closing / opening device is of relatively complicated construction and makes use of a large number of individual components. This leads to a complex and expensive construction of the composed of the drive and the lever drive Zuzieh- / opening device. Incidentally, the functionality is not consistently satisfactory because, for example, an interruption of the closing movement requires considerable operating forces.

The invention is based on the technical problem of further developing such a motor vehicle door lock that, with a simple and cost-effective construction, the operating forces are significantly reduced, in particular when the closing movement is interrupted.

To solve this technical problem is provided in a generic motor vehicle door lock that the lever drive in its engaged position produces a mechanical operative connection between the drive and the ratchet and is transferred by means of a release lever in its disengaged position optionally with the release of the locking mechanism.

Regularly ensures the actuation of the release lever for the lever drive a lock operating lever, which serves to open the locking mechanism. That is, the trigger lever for the lever drive of the closing / opening device interacts with said lock operating lever to open the locking mechanism. This lock operating lever may be an inside operating lever, an outside operating lever or a so-called operating main lever. Both the interior and operating lever and the external operating lever on such a main operating lever.

In any case, the design according to the invention ensures that an action on the lock operating lever (inner operating lever, outer operating lever, actuating main lever) acts directly on the trigger lever or ejector lever. The fact that the release lever or ejector lever is acted upon, the mechanical operative connection between the drive and the locking mechanism is interrupted immediately.

For this purpose, the release lever or ejector lever works on the lever drive in such a way that it is transferred from its engaged position to the disengaged position. In the disengaged position is released simultaneously and possibly the locking mechanism. In this way, for example, a closing movement of the closing / opening device according to the invention can be interrupted at any time without problems and with little force, and in the case of the example, the associated motor vehicle door can be set up. For this purpose, an operator only has to work with the help of the lock actuating lever on the release lever or ejector lever, which in turn transfers the lever drive from its engaged position to the disengaged position. This can be done with extremely low operating forces and can be implemented quickly. So if, for example, a child has clamped his hand during the closing process in the vehicle door, even its operating forces are sufficient to disengage the lever drive directly and release the locking mechanism, if necessary, to stop the closing process.

In this way, the closing movement is interrupted immediately and the associated motor vehicle door due to the released locking mechanism either from the outside or from the inside can be easily opened - if previously provided for unlocking. The interruption of the lever drive with the help of the lock operating lever to open the locking mechanism both inside and outside. For the lock operating lever is the inside operating lever and / or the outside operating lever or an operating main lever on which both the inside operating lever and the outside operating lever work. As usual, the inside operating lever is mechanically connected to an inside door handle, while an outside door handle works on the outside operating lever.

Here are the main benefits.

It has proven useful if the acted upon by the drive and engaging the locking lever drive is at least formed in two parts. Mostly a drive pawl and a latch are used. The drive pawl is indirectly or directly acted upon by the drive, whereas the latch ensures that the drive pawl interacts with the ratchet or not.

In general, both pawls, that is to say the drive pawl and the latching pawl, are mounted together and preferably off-axis on an actuating element or actuating lever. This actuator is acted upon by the drive. For this purpose, the drive regularly has an eccentric, which acts on the actuating element or the actuating lever. Because of this eccentric solution, the drive can be reversibly returned to its starting position after, for example, the closing process, without the actuating lever following it.

With regard to the release lever or ejector lever, the design is such that it works regularly on the latch. This ensures that the pawl blocks the drive pawl in the engaged position of the lever drive and releases it in the disengaged position of the lever drive. gives. Because the movement of the drive is transmitted via the eccentric to the actuated by him actuator, the drive pawl can only work on the ratchet when the pawl blocks the drive pawl in the engaged position of the lever drive. Only in this case attacks the lever drive and thus the drive pawl on a pin of the locking mechanism. In most cases, the pin is located on a catch of the locking mechanism and serves to its transfer from the prelocking in the main closed position.

However, if the pawl does not provide for the blockage of the drive pawl in the engaged position of the lever drive, the drive pawl may yield to the ratchet as compared to said peg and release the ratchet from the lever drive and hence the entire closing / opening device.

In this case, additionally provides the catch and thus the locking mechanism acting in the open sense spring that when taking the disengaged position of the lever drive the drive pawl is automatically disengaged automatically by the force of the catch or its associated spring. The drive pawl is therefore designed selbstauswerfend.

For this purpose, the drive pawl is further and advantageously equipped with a so-called pruning. That is, the lever drive has according to a preferred embodiment in the region of its contact surface on the locking mechanism via a precut. In this way, in the direction of "open" spring-loaded locking mechanism is able to issue immediately the disengaged lever drive. That is, the pre-cut realized on the drive pawl of the lever drive assists the deployment movement of the drive pawl as soon as it is no longer held in position by means of the latching pawl. This is the case immediately after applying the latch with the help of the release lever or ejector lever. Through this, as it were, automatism and the exploitation of the Any existing force of the spring of the locking mechanism for taking the disengaged position of the lever drive, the operating force on the lock operating lever is significantly reduced.

It has proven useful if the actuating lever or the actuating element is designed to open the locking mechanism as a one-sided bearing Einarmhebel and optionally cranked. As a result, the eccentric provided on the drive can easily act on the said actuating lever at its free end. In most cases, the actuating lever in question is mounted coaxially to the catch of the locking mechanism, so that a particularly compact and cost-effective construction is achieved. At the same time, this design ensures that the drive can be mounted with the eccentric immediately above the locking mechanism or the catch and can thus be used in very narrow motor vehicle door locks.

In any case, the operation of the latch and thus the receipt of the disengaged position of the lever drive and consequently the interruption of the mechanical operative connection between the drive and the locking mechanism with particularly low actuation forces succeeds. So it is to be expected in a deliberate (emergency) interruption, for example, the closing movement with an immediate and low-operator reaction of the closing / opening device. Here are the main benefits.

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 shows the motor vehicle door lock according to the invention in the position of catch or locking mechanism "open", FIG. FIG. 2 shows the motor vehicle door lock according to FIG. 1 in its pre-locking position and FIG

Fig. 3 shows the object according to FIGS. 1 and 2 in its main closed position and

Fig. 4 shows a modified embodiment.

In the figures, a motor vehicle door lock is shown, which is composed as usual of a mainly shown motor vehicle door lock 1 and a merely indicated locking pin 2. The locking bolt 2 is regularly fastened to an associated motor vehicle body, while the motor vehicle door lock 1 experiences a fixation on a motor vehicle door not expressly shown. The motor vehicle door lock or the motor vehicle door lock 1 is equipped with a conventional locking mechanism 3, 4 of rotary latch 3 and pawl 4.

In addition, the motor vehicle door lock has a closing / opening device 5 to 12, which in the present case is configured as a closing aid 5 to 12. The closing / opening device 5 to 12 is equipped with at least one drive 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and a lever drive 10, 11, 12.

The drive 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 is composed of a motor or electric motor 5 and a drive screw 6 which is mounted on a drive shaft provided on the output side of the drive 5 and is rotated by means of the motor 5 in rotation. Rotations of the drive worm 6 cause a worm wheel 7 meshing therewith to perform 5 clockwise or counterclockwise rotations, depending on the direction of rotation of the reversing motor or electric motor 5, as indicated by a double arrow in FIG. 1. As a result of these rotations, an axis equal to the worm wheel 7 moves on this mounted eccentric 8 with end-side pin 9, as is directly apparent in a comparative consideration of Figs. 1 to 3. Actually, the drive 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 is acted on the transition from the default position shown in FIG. 2 to the main closing position shown in FIG. 3 of the motor vehicle door lock 1 so that the eccentric 8 with its end-side pin 9 a circle rotation against Clockwise.

In this process, the pin 9 of the drive 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 abuts against an actuating lever or actuating element 10 of the lever drive 10, 11, 12. The actuating lever 10 is presently designed as a Einarmhebel and mounted with its one end coaxially in comparison to the rotary latch 3. That is, the rotary latch 3 and the operating lever 10 have the same axis of rotation. At the free end of the cranked actuating lever 10, the drive 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 engages with the eccentric 8 and the pin 9 and acts on this free end.

In addition to the actuating lever 10, the lever drive 10, 11, 12 as essential components on two pawls 11, 12, namely a drive pawl 11 and a latch 12. Both the drive pawl 11 and the latch 12 are mounted on the actuating lever 10, and that together and mutually out of sorts.

Of particular importance for the operation is still a pin 13 on the locking mechanism 3, 4 or more precisely on the rotary latch 3, which interacts with the drive pawl 11, as will be explained in more detail below. Finally, there is a release lever or ejector lever 14, which interacts at its one end with the latch 12 and is connected at its other end to a lock operating lever 15. In this lock operating lever 15 is an external operating lever in the example case, which is mechanically connected to an outside door handle. Alternatively or additionally, however, the release lever or ejector lever 14 may also be connected to an internal operating lever or an actuating main lever of the motor vehicle door lock. As usual, the inside operating lever is operatively connected to a door inside handle. The actuating main lever may be acted upon by both the door inner handle and the outside door handle and is mechanically connected to this, which is not shown.

The operation is as follows. Starting from the "open" position of the locking mechanism 3, 4 or the rotary latch 3 in FIG. 1, an operator first transfers the motor vehicle door into the prelocking position or pre-locking division according to FIG. 2. For this purpose, the locking bolt 2 engages in an associated inlet opening of the rotary latch 3 in a conventional manner and pivots them in the example shown in the counterclockwise direction until the Vorraststeilung is reached according to FIG. This Vorraststeilung or prelocking, for example, can be detected by sensors and causes immediately after this the motor 5 starts running.

In this case, the direction of rotation of the motor 5 is set so that the worm wheel 7 acted upon by it, in the transition from FIG. 2 to FIG. 3, carries out the already described further approximately quarter-turn counterclockwise. In this process, the pin 9 of the eccentric 8 abuts on the actuating lever 10 of the lever drive 10, 11, 12 and at the same time ensures the equipped with their contact surface 11a driving pawl 11 that the catch 3 and therefore the locking mechanism 3, 4 total in the main position is transferred. Because the contact surface 11a interacts with the described closing process with the pin 13 on the rotary latch 3, so that the drive 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 initiated pivotal movement of the actuating lever 10 in the counterclockwise direction at the same time to a likewise pivotal movement in the counterclockwise direction on the rotary latch 3 corresponds. It should be noted that the swept by the operating lever 10 swivel angle is formed smaller due to its bend than the swept by the rotary latch 3 swivel angle. The drive pawl 11 is arranged radially inwardly relative to the pin 9 of the eccentric 8 with respect to the axis of rotation of the actuating lever 10.

In this process, the detent pawl 12 in total ensures that the lever drive 10, 11, 12 remains in its engaged state. Because in this state or the engaged position of the lever drive 10, 11, 12 ensures a mechanical operative connection between the drive 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and the locking mechanism 3, 4. That is, the latch 12 holds the drive pawl 11th with its contact surface 11a in contact with the pin 13 of the rotary latch. 3

However, if during this described Zuziehvorganges to a fault or the Zuziehvorgang experienced an emergency interruption, this emergency interruption is initiated in the example, characterized in that an operator the outer actuating lever 15 pulling in the direction of arrow shown in FIG. As a result, the triggering lever or ejector lever 14, which interacts with the external actuating lever 15, acts on the latching pawl 12 in such a way that it is pivoted about its axis mounted on the actuating lever 10 in the clockwise direction.

As a result, associated abutment surfaces 12a on the one hand on the detent pawl 12 and 11b on the other hand on the drive pawl 11 no longer against each other and the drive pawl 11 is free from the latch 12. As a result, there is no mechanical operative connection between the drive 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and the ratchet 3, 4 more, because now the stop surface 11a of the drive pawl 11th Dodge against the pin 13 on the catch 3 and can also dodge.

This process is further supported by the fact that the drive pawl 11 is equipped with a pre-cut on its stop surface 11a facing the ratchet 3, 4 or the pin 13 there, as the enlarged illustration in FIG. 3 makes clear. This pre-cut or bevel causes a force acting on the drive pawl 11 from the pin 13, the drive pawl 11 pivots away from the pin 13 in a clockwise direction.

This force exerted by the pin 13 therefore results in that the catch 3 is biased in the direction of "open", ie clockwise, by means of a spring which is not expressly shown. This is indicated by an arrow in the enlarged section of FIG. 3. That is, the rotary latch 3 will move clockwise without any stops or loading due to the force developed by the spring.

This force, which of course is also present on the pin 13, now causes the drive pawl 11 is pivoted away with its pre-cut on the pin 13 facing abutment surface 11a directly from the pin 13, as soon as the pawl 12 such movements are not (more) blocked. This is the case as soon as the latch 12 with its stop surface 12a has left the other stop surface 11b of the drive pawl 11. For this purpose, the release lever or ejector lever 14 and ultimately provides an action on the external actuating lever 15 in the example case.

It becomes immediately clear that the emergency interruption of the closing function succeeds with extremely small forces. Because according to the invention, it is only necessary to pivot the latch 12 slightly clockwise by means of the release lever or ejector lever 14. Immediately on the Conclusion, the force of the already assigned to the rotary latch 3 spring is used to wegzuschwenken the drive pawl 11 due to the precut of the pin 13, so that immediately the lever drive 10, 11, 12 is transferred to its disengaged state and the mechanical operative connection from the drive. 5 , 6, 7, 8, 9 to the locking mechanism 3, 4 is interrupted.

As a consequence, the locking mechanism 3, 4 is released immediately, which of course also applies to the locking bolt 2 when the motor vehicle door lock 1 is in the "unlocked" state. Otherwise, that is in the "locked" position, the locking mechanism 3, 4 goes back to the pre-locking or Vorraststeilung. In any case, the closing function is interrupted. In most cases, however, the motor vehicle door lock 1 is unlocked at the same time. The motor vehicle door associated with the motor vehicle door lock 1 can accordingly be opened directly, or the drive 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 is empty with reference to the closing function.

In the event that there is no interruption of the closing function, the motor vehicle door lock is after pulling in the position shown in FIG. 3. The motor 5 reverses to its position shown in FIG. 1, which of course also for the worm wheel 7, the eccentric and the pin 9 applies. Nevertheless, the lever drive 10, 11, 12 is engaged, as long as the external operating lever 15 is not acted upon in the example.

In the emergency interruption described, the locking mechanism 3, 4 either in the Vorraststeilung of Fig. 2 goes back (when the vehicle door lock 1 remains unchanged in its "locked" position) or the locking mechanism 3, 4 is released altogether and goes to the "open" position of Fig. 1, when the vehicle door lock 1 is unlocked or has already been unlocked. The entire drive 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 does not necessarily have to be integrated into the motor vehicle door lock 1 as shown. It is basically also possible that the drive 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 is realized locally independently of the motor vehicle door lock 1 and produces with this example, a connection via a Bowden cable.

In the context of the alternative embodiment according to FIG. 4, the actuating lever 10 is no longer predominantly S-shaped, but has an additional connecting web 10a in the region of the lower S-bend. At this connecting web 10 a or generally the actuating lever 10, a control lever 16 is arranged respectively mounted on the actuating lever 10. This control lever 16 occurs to the two unchanged on the operating lever 10 mounted pawls, on the one hand the drive pawl 11 and on the other hand, the latch 12 is added.

The control lever 16 serves to bring the drive pawl 11 with the catch 3 into engagement. The control lever 16 actuates the drive pawl 11 as soon as the catch 3 has reached the Vorraststeilung and the drive was 5,6,7,8,9 turned on. The control lever 16 is controlled by the eccentric 8.9. Only when the drive pawl 11 is coupled to the rotary latch 3, the closing process begins. An advantage of the control lever 16 is the avoidance of an unwanted collision of drive pawl 11 and transmission lever 10 with the rotary latch 3, when the drive pawl 11 or, as in the erfingsgemäßen solution, is not controlled directly from the eccentric 8.9. The control of the control lever 16, as shown in Fig. 4, by the contour of the eccentric 8.9, take place, which also controls the transmission lever 10. However, it is also possible within the scope of the invention for the control lever to be actuated by a second control contour of the eccentric 8, 9 which is not shown in the figures.

Claims

claims:

1. Motor vehicle door lock, with a locking mechanism (3, 4) and a closing / opening device (5 to 12), which at least one drive (5, 6, 7, 8, 9) and a lever drive (10, 11, 12) characterized dadurchgekennzeic net that the lever drive (10, 11, 12) in its engaged position, a mechanical operative connection between the drive (5, 6, 7, 8, 9) and the locking mechanism (3, 4) and by means of a release lever (14) is transferred to its disengaged position.

2. Motor vehicle door lock according to claim 1, characterized in that the lever drive (10, 11, 12) is formed at least in two parts with drive pawl (11) and latching pawl (12).

3. Motor vehicle door lock according to claim 2, characterized in that both pawls (11, 12) or both pawls (11, 12) and a control lever (16) together on one of the drive (5, 6, 7, 8, 9) acted upon actuating lever (10) are stored.

4. Motor vehicle door lock according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that both pawls (11, 12) or both pawls (11, 12) and the

Control lever 16 offset on the actuating lever (10) are arranged.

5. Motor vehicle door lock according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized gekennzeichet that the release lever (14) on the latch (12) works.

6. Motor vehicle door lock according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the release lever (14) for the lever drive (10, 11, 12) interacts with a lock operating lever (15) for opening the locking mechanism (3, 4).

7. Motor vehicle door lock according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the latch (12) the drive pawl (11) in the engaged position of the lever drive (10, 11, 12) blocked and in the disengaged position of the lever drive (10, 11, 12 ) releases.

8. Motor vehicle door lock according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the lever drive (10, 11, 12) in the region of its contact surface (11a) on the locking mechanism (3, 4) has a precut, so that in the direction "open "spring-loaded locking mechanism (3, 4) the disengaged lever drive (10, 11, 12) issues directly.

9. Motor vehicle door lock according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the lever drive (10, 11, 12) or a lever drive (10,11, 12,16) on a pin (13) of the locking mechanism (3, 4) whose transfer attacks from a Vorschließstellung in a main closed position.

10. Motor vehicle door lock according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the actuating lever (10) is designed as a end-mounted lever.

11. Motor vehicle door lock according to claim 10, characterized in that the actuating lever (10) is mounted coaxially with the rotary latch (3) of the locking mechanism (3, 4).

12. Motor vehicle door lock according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the actuating lever (10) by an eccentric (8, 9) of the drive (5, 6, 7, 8, 9) is acted upon at its free end.

13. Motor vehicle door lock according to claim 1 to 12, characterized in that the control lever (16) by an eccentric (8, 9) of the drive (5, 6, 7, 8, 9) is acted upon.