EP2783058B1 - Latch having a push member for a movable panel of a motor vehicle - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to the field of bolts opening motor vehicle pusher and more particularly their locking in case of strong decelerations of the vehicle such as for example in accidents.

Indeed, safety is a permanent concern in today's motor vehicles. The standards imposed by the legislation are also increasingly stringent in order to better protect the users especially in case of shock.

One of the means for protecting users in the event of an impact is to block the opening of the opening of the vehicle in order to prevent a user of the vehicle from being ejected to the outside or being injured by the movement of the sash, especially if it opens and closes violently. Thus, there are, in the state of the art, different equipment using in particular flyweights or pawls that come to oppose the movement of the pusher in case of impact. The documents FR 2 721 645 A1 , EP 0 744 519 A1 and US 2,864,641 A all disclose a push motor vehicle door latch according to the prior art. This equipment uses the force created by the deceleration of the vehicle during a shock to oppose the movement of the pusher under the effect of this same force. In addition, different types of impact can occur in different directions (frontal impact, side impact ...). The development of such equipment is therefore difficult to achieve.

There is therefore a need for equipment that can solve the problem of blocking the opening of a vehicle in case of shock that is reliable for all types of shocks and easy to develop for the manufacturer of motor vehicles.

• un poussoir apte à être actionné en translation par un utilisateur en vue de l'ouverture d'un ouvrant,

ledit verrou comprenant un mécanisme de blocage du poussoir ayant une masse inertielle plus faible que le poussoir et coopérant avec celui-ci de sorte qu'en position passive, le mécanisme de blocage du poussoir bloque le déplacement axial du poussoir empêchant l'ouverture de l'ouvrant et qu'en position active, lors d'un actionnement ensemble du poussoir et du mécanisme de blocage, ce dernier libère le poussoir en translation permettant l'ouverture de l'ouvrant.The present invention therefore relates to a bolt lock of a motor vehicle comprising:

• a pusher able to be actuated in translation by a user in order to open an opening,

said latch comprising a pusher locking mechanism having a lower inertial mass than the pusher and cooperating with it so that in the passive position, the blocking mechanism of the pusher blocks the axial displacement of the pusher preventing the opening of the pusher. opening and in active position, when an actuation together the pusher and the locking mechanism, the latter releases the pusher in translation allowing the opening of the opening.

Thus, the lock of the invention has a locking mechanism insensitive to the direction, direction and value of the deceleration experienced by the lock during a violent impact. Therefore, the locking mechanism can not unlock the latch pusher under the sole effect of a violent shock. It is necessary that the user voluntarily actuates the locking mechanism to release the axial displacement of the pusher.

According to a further embodiment of the present invention, the locking mechanism comprises an actuating element and a locking element, the locking element and the actuating element being shaped so as to prevent lateral displacement of the pusher. in the passive position of the locking mechanism and to cooperate so as to allow the axial displacement of said pusher when the actuating element is actuated together with the pusher in an active position of the locking mechanism.

• le mécanisme de blocage comprend un élément d'actionnement et un élément de blocage,
• le poussoir comprend un emplacement destiné à accueillir l'élément d'actionnement et un logement destiné à accueillir l'élément de blocage,
  l'élément d'actionnement étant mobile en translation par rapport au poussoir et selon le même axe de translation que le poussoir et comprenant :
  • une partie de préhension permettant l'actionnement du mécanisme de blocage par un utilisateur,
  • une ouverture, ménagée dans l'élément d'actionnement, qui est décalée par rapport au logement du poussoir lorsque le mécanisme de blocage est en position passive et qui vient en vis-à-vis dudit logement du poussoir en position active lors d'un actionnement du mécanisme de blocage par un utilisateur,

l'élément de blocage faisant saillie vers une cavité ménagée dans un carter du verrou sous l'effet de l'élément d'actionnement en position passive du mécanisme de blocage et se rétractant dans l'ouverture de l'élément d'actionnement en position active du mécanisme de blocage suite à la poussée par l'utilisateur de l'élément d'actionnement.According to another embodiment of the present invention,

• the locking mechanism comprises an actuating element and a locking element,
• the pusher comprises a location for accommodating the actuating element and a housing for accommodating the locking element,
  the actuating element being movable in translation relative to the pusher and along the same axis of translation as the pusher and comprising:
  • a gripping portion for actuating the locking mechanism by a user,
  • an opening, formed in the actuating element, which is offset relative to the housing of the pusher when the locking mechanism is in the passive position and which comes opposite said housing of the pusher in the active position during a actuation of the locking mechanism by a user,

the locking element protruding towards a cavity formed in a lock housing by the effect of the actuating element in the passive position of the locking mechanism and retracting into the opening of the actuating element in position active locking mechanism following the push by the user of the actuating element.

According to a further embodiment, the actuating element is arranged so that, said actuating element is moved on an over-stroke before the pusher is actuated by said actuating element, the over-stroke corresponding to the length to move the locking element from the position in which it projects into the housing cavity to the retracted position corresponding to the transition from a passive position to an active position of the locking mechanism.

According to an additional embodiment, the actuating element is a sliding rod in a guide formed by the location of the bolt pusher, said rod carrying at one end said gripping portion.

According to another embodiment, the latch also comprises a bearing surface intended to cooperate with the locking mechanism and to actuate the pusher in which the displacement of said bearing surface under the effect of a support by a user causes actuation of the locking mechanism to the active position and then actuation of the pusher when the displacement corresponding to the over-travel has been traveled and in which, in passive position, the gripping portion of the actuating element makes with said latch bearing surface, a substantially planar surface.

According to a further embodiment, the lock also comprises a return spring of the actuating element, said return spring causing the return of the locking mechanism in the passive position in the absence of actuation by a user.

According to an additional embodiment, the return spring is housed in a dedicated space of the lock, the rod protrudes into this housing and the return spring presses the end of the rod opposite the end having the gripping portion .

According to another embodiment, the actuating element comprises a chamfer at an edge of the opening to facilitate the passage of the locking element from the retracted position into the opening of the element. actuation in the active position of the locking mechanism to the passive position of said locking mechanism in which the locking element protrudes towards a cavity formed in the lock housing.

According to a further embodiment, the restoring force of the actuating element return spring is determined as a function of the mass of the assembly comprising the actuating element and the bearing surface so as to retain said assembly under the effect of a deceleration of the motor vehicle on which is fixed the lock in case of impact.

According to an additional embodiment, the rod is made of plastic material.

According to another embodiment, the locking element rests on the actuating element when the locking mechanism is in the passive position.

According to a further embodiment, the locking element is a ball, a lever whose axis of rotation is fixed to the pusher, a key, a peg or a barrel.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear in the description which will now be made, with reference to the accompanying drawings which represent, by way of indication but not limitation, a possible embodiment.

• la figure 1 représente un schéma d'un verrou d'ouvrant de véhicule automobile à poussoir selon l'un des modes de réalisation de la présente invention ;
• La figure 2 représente un schéma de la partie de préhension de l'élément d'actionnement du mécanisme de blocage du verrou d'ouvrant de véhicule automobile à poussoir décrit sur la figure 1 ;
• La figure 3 représente un schéma de l'élément de blocage du mécanisme de blocage du verrou d'ouvrant de véhicule automobile à poussoir décrit sur la figure 1.

On these drawings:

• the figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a push motor vehicle door latch according to one of the embodiments of the present invention;
• The figure 2 is a diagram of the gripping portion of the actuating element of the locking mechanism of the push motor vehicle door latch described in FIG. figure 1 ;
• The figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the blocking element of the lock mechanism of the push-lock motor vehicle door latch described in figure 1 .

In these drawings the same reference numbers represent the same elements.

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a pusher lock for mounting on an opening of a motor vehicle. The opening can be both a side door that a trunk of a motor vehicle.

The figure 1 represents an embodiment of such a push lock 1. The latch 1 essentially comprises a housing 2, a pusher 3, a rotor 5 and a locking mechanism 7 of the pusher 3. The latch 1 is mounted on the opening of so that the front face 9 is located outside the motor vehicle and is accessible by a user.

The pusher 3 is mounted inside the casing 2 so as to be movable in translation along the axis 11. The pusher 3 is recessed so as to receive the rotor 5 which is rotatable about the axis 11. The rotor 5 comprises the locking means and in particular the flakes 13.

The locking mechanism 7 of the pusher 3 comprises an actuating element 15 and a locking element 17. According to the embodiment shown in the figures, the locking element 17 is embodied by a ball which is located in a housing 19 the pusher 3 which is an open housing on the upper part adjacent to the housing 2 and whose walls prevent axial displacement of the ball 17 parallel to the axis 11. The actuating element 15 has a generally elongated shape constituting a rod and comprises an opening 20 on the axial portion and a gripping portion 21 at one end. The actuating element 15 is mounted in a location 23 of the pusher 3 which serves as guiding so that it is movable in translation parallel to the axis 11 of translation of the pusher 3 and that the gripping portion 21 can come to press on one end 22 of the pusher 3. The gripping portion 21 can also serve as a cover button.

The housing 2 also comprises a cavity 25 facing the open housing 19 of the pusher 3 and a dedicated space 27 in which is housed a return spring 29, one end of the return spring 29 bearing on the end of the actuating element 15 opposite the end comprising the gripping portion 21, said end protruding into the dedicated space 27.

The lock also comprises a bearing surface 30 at the front face 9 which has an end which is in contact with the gripping portion 21 of the actuating element 15 so that the application of a force by a user on the bearing surface 30 causes the displacement of the actuating element 15. In addition, the bearing surface 30 is arranged so that, in the passive position, it is aligned with the gripping portion 21 of the actuating element 15 to form a substantially flat surface. The front face 9 of the lock 1 thus has a smooth and flat surface.

Thus, the locking mechanism 7 cooperates with the pusher 3 so that in the passive position (represented on the figure 1 ), the locking mechanism 7 blocks the translational movement of the pusher 3 preventing the opening of the opening. Indeed, as shown in detail on the figure 2 in the passive position, the opening 20 formed in the actuating element 15 has a center offset from the center of the housing 19 of the pusher 3.

The ball 17 is positioned above, rests and is raised by the actuating element 15 so that the ball 17 protrudes outside the housing 19 of the pusher 3 towards the cavity 25 formed in the housing 2 thus blocking the movement in translation of the pusher 3 relative to the casing 2. In addition, in the passive position, the actuating element 15 is positioned so that the gripping portion 21 is axially offset along the axis 11 relative to one end of the pushbutton 3 of a predefined length corresponding to an over-stroke which will be defined in the remainder of the description.

The locking mechanism 7 is operated by pressing a user on the gripping portion 21 of the actuating element 15. The user's support corresponds to the creation a force parallel to the translation axis 11, directed towards the inside of the vehicle and which is strong enough to compress the return spring 29. The actuation of the locking mechanism 7 causes the element to slide. actuation 15 in the location 23 and the center of the opening 20 is placed in relation to the center housing 19 of the pusher 3. The ball 17 is then attracted by gravity in the opening 20 so that in the active position of the locking mechanism 7, that is to say when actuated by a user, the ball 17 is no longer raised by the actuating element 15 and retracts into the housing 19. In Consequently, the ball 17 no longer projects towards the cavity 25 of the casing 2, thus releasing the translational movement of the pusher 3.

When the locking mechanism 7 ceases to be actuated by a user, the return spring 29 returns the actuating element 15 to the initial position, corresponding to the passive position described on FIG. figure 1 , which causes the ball 17 to move towards the outside of the housing 19 and towards the cavity 25 of the casing 2. The passage of the ball 17 from the active position to the passive position is facilitated by the presence of a chamfer 31 on the edge of the opening 20 of the actuating element 15.

Moreover, once the locking mechanism 7 is actuated, that is to say, once the ball 17 retracts into the housing 19 and releases the translational movement of the pusher 3, the actuating element 15 comes press the end 22 of the pusher 3 located on the side of the front face 9 so that the support of the user then causes the translational movement of the pusher 3 and therefore the opening of the opening. However, so that the actuating element 15 bears on the end of the pusher only when the locking mechanism 7 is activated, in the passive position, the actuating element 15 has an over-stroke 33 with respect to the end 22 of the pusher 3 as shown on the figure 3 . This over-stroke 33 corresponds to the distance allowing the ball 17 to move from the position in which it projects towards the cavity 25 to the retracted position in the opening 20 of the actuating element 15, this corresponding to the passage from the passive position to the active position of the locking mechanism.

On the other hand, the locking mechanism 7 and in particular the actuating element 15 as well as the bearing surface 30 of the latch have a lower inertial mass, or even much smaller, relative to the inertial mass of the pusher 3.

The actuating element 15 and the bearing surface 30 are made of plastic, for example, other materials may be used. The choice of material is based on the deceleration factor and the mass of the pusher.

The pusher 3 may be made of a metallic material.

Indeed, the inertial mass of the assembly comprising the actuating element and the smallest possible bearing surface makes it possible to prevent a translational movement of the actuating element 15 under the effect of a sudden deceleration of the vehicle on which the latch 1 is mounted. The stiffness of the return spring 29 is also determined as a function of the inertial mass of the assembly comprising the actuating element 15 and the bearing surface 30 in order to prevent the actuation of the locking mechanism 7 in case of deceleration. A stiffness of the return spring 29 too large would cause a difficulty of use for the user.

According to another embodiment, the locking element 17 is made by a lever whose axis of rotation is fixed to the pusher 3.

The locking element may be any other element such as a key, a peg or a barrel, having a shape capable of blocking the axial displacement of the pusher in the passive position, that is to say in the absence of a support by a user.

In the case of the lever, the lever can move from a passive position in which it is raised by the actuating element 15 and protrudes into the cavity 25 of the housing 2 to a retracted position in the housing 19 of the pusher 3 under the effect of the displacement by a user of the actuating element 15. The retracted position of the lever releasing the translational movement of the pusher 3.

In operation, in the passive position of the locking mechanism, for example when the vehicle is moving, the locking element 17 prevents any movement in translation of the pusher 3 and thus prevents any opening of the opening. In case of accident and shock, the vehicle undergoes a strong deceleration. However, because of the low inertial mass of the actuating element 15 and the bearing surface 30, the return spring 29 is not compressed under the effect of this deceleration. The locking mechanism 7 therefore remains in the passive position so that the blocking element 17 continues to block any opening of the opening.

When the user wants to open the opening, he presses on the bearing surface 30 which causes the displacement of the actuating element 15. The displacement is carried out initially on the over-stroke 33. This over-stroke 33 has a length such that it is not felt by the user. Once the over-travel 33 traversed by the actuating element 15, the locking mechanism is in the active position so that the locking element 17 is retracted into the opening 20 which releases the translational movement of the pusher 3. The effort of the user on the bearing surface 30 then causes the displacement of the pusher 3, the actuating element 15 is now in contact with the end 22 of the pusher 3. This causes the opening of opening.

Thus, the embodiments of the present invention relate to a bolt opening of a motor vehicle with pusher which makes it possible to avoid any unintentional opening of the sash even in the event of shock and sudden deceleration of the vehicle, whatever the direction of the shock. In addition, such a lock 1 is easy to install and does not require tedious focus. Finally, the voluntary opening of the door by a user remains easy and does not require special effort.

Claims (13)

1. A lock (1) with a pusher for a door leaf of a motor vehicle comprising:

   - a pusher (3) capable to be actuated in translation by a user in order to open a door leaf,

   characterized in that said lock (1) comprises a mechanism (7) for blocking the pusher (3) having an inertial mass lower than that of the pusher (3) and cooperating with the latter so that, in a passive position, the mechanism (7) for blocking the pusher (3) blocks the axial displacement of the pusher (3) thereby preventing the opening of the door leaf and, in an active position, during an actuation of both the pusher (3) and the blocking mechanism (7), the latter releases the pusher (3) in axial translation thereby allowing the opening of the door leaf
2. The lock (1) according to claim 1, wherein the blocking mechanism (7) includes an actuating element (15) and a blocking element (17),
   the blocking element (17) and the actuating element (15) being shaped so as to prevent the lateral displacement of the pusher (3) when the blocking mechanism (7) is in the passive position, and to cooperate so as to enable the axial displacement of said pusher (3) when the actuating element is actuated together with the pusher in an active position of the blocking mechanism (7).
3. The lock (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein:

   - the blocking mechanism (7) comprises an actuating element (15) and a blocking element (17),

   - the pusher (3) comprises a location (23) intended to accommodate the actuating element (15) and a housing (19) intended to accommodate the blocking element (17),

   the actuating element (15) being movable in translation relative to the pusher (3) and along the same axis of translation (11) as the pusher (3) and comprising:

   - a gripping portion (21) allowing the actuation of the blocking mechanism (7) by a user,

   - an opening (20), arranged in the actuating element (15), which is shifted with respect to the housing (19) of the pusher (3) when the blocking mechanism (7) is in the passive position and which is facing said housing (19) of the pusher (3), in the active position, during an actuation of the blocking mechanism (7) by a user,

   the blocking element (15) protruding towards a cavity (25) arranged in a casing (2) of the lock (1) under the effect of the actuating element (15) in the passive position of the blocking mechanism (7) and retracting in the opening of the actuating element (15) in the active position of the blocking mechanism (7) subsequently to a push of the actuating element (15) by the user.
4. The lock (1) according to claim 3, wherein the actuating element (15) is disposed so that, said actuating element (15) is displaced through an overstroke (33) before the pusher (3) is actuated by said actuating element (15), the overstroke (33) corresponding to the length necessary to make the blocking element (17) pass from the position in which it protrudes in the cavity (25) of the casing (2) to the retracted position corresponding to the passage of the blocking mechanism (7) from a passive position to an active position.
5. The lock (1) according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the actuating element (15) is a rod sliding in a guide formed by the location (23) of the pusher (3) of the lock (1), said rod carrying said gripping portion (21) at one end.
6. The lock (1) according to claims 4 and 5, comprising a bearing surface (30) intended to cooperate with the blocking mechanism (7) and to actuate the pusher (3) wherein the displacement of said bearing surface (30) under the effect of a pressing by a user causes the actuation of the blocking mechanism (7) towards the active position, then the actuation of the pusher (3) when the displacement corresponding to the overstroke (33) has been passed through and wherein the gripping portion (21) of the actuating element (15) forms, in the passive position, a substantially planar surface with said bearing surface (30) of the lock (1).
7. The lock (1) according to any of claims 4 to 6, also comprising a spring (29) for returning the actuating element (15), said return spring (29) causing the return of the blocking mechanism (7) in the passive position in the absence of actuation by a user.
8. The lock (1) according to claims 5 and 7, wherein the return spring (29) is housed in a dedicated space (27) of the lock (1), the rod protruding in this dedicated space (27) and the return spring (29) pressing on the end of the rod opposite to the end presenting the gripping portion (21).
9. The lock (1) according to any of claims 3 to 8, wherein the actuating element (15) comprises a chamfer (31) at an edge of the opening (20) in order to facilitate the passage of the blocking element (17) from the retracted position in the opening (20) of the actuating element (15), in the active position of the blocking mechanism (7), towards the passive position of said blocking mechanism (7) in which the blocking element (17) protrudes towards an arranged cavity (25) of the casing (2) of the lock (1).
10. The lock (1) according to claim 6 considered together with any of claims 7 to 9, wherein the return force of the return spring (29) of the actuating element (15) is determined based on the mass of the set comprising the actuating element (15) and the bearing surface (30) so as to retain said set under the effect of a deceleration of the motor vehicle on which the lock (1) is attached in the event of an impact.
11. The lock (1) according to any of claims 5 to 10, wherein the rod is made of a plastic material.
12. The lock (1) according to any of claims 2 to 11, wherein the blocking element (17) rests on the actuating element (15) when the blocking mechanism (9) is in the passive position.
13. The lock (1) according to any of claims 2 to 12, wherein the blocking element (17) is a ball, a lever whose axis of rotation is attached to the pusher (3), a key, a pin gauge or still a barrel.

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