EP3271534B1 - Vehicle door lock - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a motor vehicle door lock and a method for its production according to the preamble of the independent claims.

In the context of the invention, therefore, the rotary latch or the pawl or even both aforementioned ratchet members may have the previously described three-component structure. This consists of at least the metallic body, the sheath of a high-strength plastic and finally the flexible damping element together. The three components are each referred to as component elements, that is, as elements of the correspondingly designed Gesperrebauteils.

DE 10 2006 025 719A1 describes a motor vehicle door lock, which in particular in Fig. 3 recognizable pawl is equipped with a steel core. In addition, a steel core encasing layer is realized, which is or can be made of polyurethane. In the context of the terminology according to the invention, this layer constitutes the casing of the high-strength plastic. In addition, the known teaching also makes it possible to recognize a flexible damping element which has a rubber-elastic character.

In fact, the known damping element comprises a flexible reversible sheath containing a gel. In this context, a gel is understood as meaning a finely dispersed system comprising at least one solid and one liquid phase.

Such a design is relatively complex and expensive of the materials used, if only because the known damping element with the rubber-elastic character on the flexible reversible shell with gel located therein. In addition, this implies that the individual components or component elements of the known pawl obviously (have) to be connected together adhesively.

This in turn requires special manufacturing steps and allows (not) subsequent corrections. In addition, adhesive bonds typically must cure for a certain time, and thus can not be further worked during this curing time, and most often require mutual fixation. This is a total of consuming.

A similarly elaborate production and methodology describes DE 103 55 576 A1 , Also in this case, a pawl is provided, which is equipped with a sheath made of a hard elastic plastic. In addition, an elongated cavity is provided, in which an elastic damping material is introduced. This may be, for example, a soft plastic or foam. The manufacture is such that the pawl is produced in a two-component injection molding process in which the sheath and either the damping material introduced into the cavity or the damping layer forming a cavity are simultaneously brought into the respective position. That is, the individual components or component elements of the known Gesperrebauteils are in turn connected adhesively. This again results in complex production steps.

The above-described ratchet components of the three components, namely the metallic base body, the sheath made of the high-strength plastic and the flexible damping element as respective component elements have basically proven themselves. Here, the metallic base body provides the required mechanical stability and also the storage of the relevant Gesperrebauteils in a (also metallic) lock case. In fact, the metallic body absorbs all forces occurring in this context, especially in an accident. The sheath made of high-strength plastic has primarily to provide the function for damping the operation of the motor vehicle door lock and to allow the lowest possible operation. It prevents, for example mutual sanding of the metallic base body and the metallic lock case.

Finally, the flexible damping element ensures to cushion a mutual impact between the ratchet components and the clashing sounds and to provide a smooth deceleration. In this respect, the described three components or component elements of the respective Gesperrebauteils nowadays has a special importance, which still grows by the fact that motor vehicles are typically inside and lower and quieter, so that previously unnoticed noises increasingly come to the fore.

Although other methods of production exist in the further state of the art instead of the described adhesive compounds or injection molding. That's how it teaches DE 10 2008 034 640 A1 a jacketed Gesperrebauteil for a motor vehicle door lock in which a detachable connection between the metallic base body and the jacket element is propagated. The releasable connection can be designed as a clip connection. As a result, on the one hand a quiet and safe operation of the motor vehicle door lock to be made possible, at the same time and on the other hand, a cost-effective integration of the sheathing process when the mass production succeed. However, the known Gesperrebauteil engages only on two components, namely the metallic body and the sheath of the plastic high strength back, so is compared to the generic doctrine is a step back. Here, the invention aims to provide a total remedy.

US 4,538,845 A describes a motor vehicle door lock and a method for its production according to the preambles of the independent claims. In this known motor vehicle door lock, the Gesperrebauteil catch the main body, the sheath and the damping element, the shell is made of rubber and the damping element is monolithically connected to the sheath.

WO 2014 090 216 A2 describes a motor vehicle lock with a locking mechanism from the locking parts catch and pawl. In this known motor vehicle lock the locking parts are made of sheets and the edges of the rotary latch are provided with a plastic sheath. In the area of the contact surface between the rotary latch and the shackle leg, this sheathing does not exist. In the area of the main catch of the rotary latch a puzzle-shaped contour is formed in the rotary latch, in which an adapted puzzle component is used in a positionally secure manner.

DE 7 247 283 U describes a motor vehicle door lock with a fork latch and a pawl. In this known motor vehicle door lock the fork bolt is equipped with a noise attenuator, which is designed as aufschiebtarer, elastic locking hose. This noise attenuator is located on the stop fork web of the fork trap. The stop fork leg forms a substantially T-shaped head portion at the free end. The locking hose, which is adapted in the interior of the contour of the stop fork web, has an undercut corresponding to the T-shaped head shape of the stop fork bridge. When mounting the locking hose by placing it on the stop fork, the head snaps behind the undercuts of the locking hose so that a secure hold is achieved.

US 4,235,462 describes a motor vehicle door lock with a rotary latch and a pawl, which is made of metal. In this known motor vehicle lock, a damping element is firmly inserted into an engagement groove which is formed on the entire axial portion which brings the pawl into contact with the rotary latch. The damping element is made of plastic, which has a predetermined flexibility characteristic.

The invention is based on the technical problem of further developing such a motor vehicle door lock so that a simple construction and a cost-effective production are observed.

The invention proposes the subject matters of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are described in the dependent claims.

The invention proposes according to a first aspect, a motor vehicle door lock with a locking mechanism of at least two Gesperrebauteilen such as rotary latch and pawl, wherein at least one Gesperrebauteil has at least one metallic base body, a sheath made of a plastic and a flexible damping element as component elements; wherein the body and the sheath are coupled together by a releasable male / female connection; wherein the plastic of the sheath is a high strength plastic; wherein the sheath and the damping element are coupled together by a releasable male / female connection; wherein the damping element is locked with the sheath; and wherein the damping element is equipped with locking nubs, which engage in recesses of the casing in the installed state.

In the context of the invention, therefore, first of all the individual component elements or components of the considered ratchet component are not adhesively coupled to one another. Rather, it has been found that at this point releasable connectors are sufficient. Alternatively or additionally, however, it is also possible to work with detachable thrust connections and, in particular, detachable slide-in connections. As a result, the production of the Gesperrebauteils can be easily integrated into the mass production of motor vehicle door locks and can be used on conventional manufacturing methods. In particular, complex injection molding, Adhäsiwerbindungen etc. are not (anymore) required. As a result, the appropriately constructed Gesperrebauteil is directly available for further processing. The locking component in question may be the catch or the pawl or the catch and the pawl. As a rule and according to the invention, the correspondingly constructed ratchet component is designed as a pawl. In this case sets the locking mechanism of at least one rotary latch and the pawl composed of the described three components or three component elements together.

In the context of the invention, the sheath of the high-strength plastic typically means a prefabricated component made of a thermoplastic such as, for example, polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polyoxymethylene (POM), etc. Particularly preferred at this point is polyester (PES) particularly favorable and resistant to wear.

In contrast, the flexible damping element is a rubber-elastic element, as a rule a rubber-elastic plastic such as natural rubber (NR), styrene-butadiene rubber (EPDM), etc. .. The flexible damping element is also designed as a prefabricated component.

Since the flexible damping element is made of a rubber-elastic plastic, the locking connection described between one hand, the rubber-elastic and flexible damping element and on the other hand, the rigid sheath made of high-strength plastic can be realized easily.

To connect the three components or component elements of the Gesperrebauteils is recourse to plug and / or push connections as described. According to an advantageous embodiment of the metallic base body can be inserted into the sheath. For this purpose, the sheath may be equipped with a pocket for receiving the metallic base body.

In contrast, the flexible damping element is coupled to the sheath via a plug connection. In fact, the flexible damping element is inserted in the casing.

The flexible damping element is regularly formed as an extension of the metallic base body. In fact, the flexible damping element provides as it were for an extension of the metallic base body in the direction of a stop for the Gesperrebauteil respectively the pawl in the example. As a result, the metallic base body does not touch the stop in question, which is connected to the lock case. Rather, it comes here to a mechanical interaction between the flexible damping element as an extension of the metallic base body and the stop in question.

This has the consequence that a direction of the stop directed movement of the pawl is attenuated by the flexible damping element of the rubber-elastic plastic particularly effective. The pawl is thus effectively braked when starting against the stop by means of the flexible damping element of the rubber-elastic plastic. Any sounds caused by a hard hit are not observed.

So that the sheath can accommodate both the metallic base body in its interior and the flexible damping element, it advantageously has two pockets. The one bag provides for the inclusion of the body, while the other pocket receives the damping element in its interior. The two pockets are open to the same edge side of the jacket. A divider between the two pockets ensures that in particular the metallic base body is properly held in the interior of the associated pocket and can also be held. In fact, the metallic base body has a front-side nose, which engages behind the divider in question, so that in this way the metallic body is rotatably received inside the bag and thus enclosed by the sheath.

An additional assurance of the flexible damping element with respect to the sheathing is realized on the other hand by the interaction between the locking nubs on the flexible damping element on the one hand and the associated recesses in the sheath on the other hand. In addition, the design is such that an axis and a latching projection of the metallic base body are free on the one hand for rotatable mounting and on the other hand for interaction with the other Gesperrebauteil of the sheath. For this purpose, the axis in question and the latching projection are arranged in an associated recess of the casing. In this way, the latching projection of the exposed in this area metallic base body properly interact with an associated latching recess or also a latching projection on the other and hereby cooperating Gesperrebauteil. As a result, defined positions and functional states of the locking mechanism are made available and achieved, which is of particular importance for security.

If the ratchet component constructed in accordance with the invention is the pawl, the latching projection of the metallic base body which is exposed in the region of the recess of the casing interacts with a corresponding latching recess on the rotary latch. This latching recess may be the Vorrastausnehmung or the Hauptrastausnehmung, which also exposed, so that two metallic components can interact properly with each other and the locking mechanism for receiving the necessary closing forces and accident forces is available.

The invention proposes according to a second aspect of a method for producing a motor vehicle door lock with a locking mechanism of at least two Gesperrebauteilen such as rotary latch and pawl, wherein at least one Gesperrebauteil has at least one metallic base body, a sheath made of a plastic and a flexible damping element as component elements; wherein the main body and the sheath be coupled together by a releasable plug / push connection; wherein the plastic of the sheath is a high strength plastic; wherein the sheath and the damping element are coupled together by a releasable male / female connection; wherein the damping element is locked with the sheath; and wherein the damping element is equipped with locking knobs and installed such that the locking knobs engage in recesses of the sheath in the installed state. In fact, in this context, the procedure is such that first the metallic base body is inserted into the associated main body pocket in the sheath. In this process, the front-side nose of the metallic base body engages behind the divider already described on the casing, which separates the base body pocket for receiving the metallic base body of a damping element pocket, which is subsequently used to receive the flexible damping element.

After the metallic base body is inserted into the base body pocket of the sheath and both components are rotatably coupled together, finally the flexible damping element is inserted into the associated damping element pocket respectively locked in this damping element pocket with the sheath. The flexible damping element additionally serves to secure the metallic base body in the main body pocket of the sheath. For the flexible damping element is an extension of the metallic base body, which prevents the metallic base body can be moved linearly. At the end, that's how it is prepared pawl equipped with a bearing pin, which passes through aligned and corresponding holes in one hand, the sheath and on the other hand, the metallic body.

As a result, a motor vehicle door lock and an associated manufacturing method for its production are described, which enable a particularly cost-effective and rapid production. In particular, complex process steps such as injection molding, adhesive bonding, etc. are dispensed with. Rather, the assembly of the relevant Gesperrebauteils succeeds by the production of simple and detachable plug / push connections.

In this way, subsequent corrections are possible and the individual component elements must not be fixed against each other, for example, to cure an adhesive. Rather, it is in each case to each other coupled prefabricated components that are available directly for further processing and also the installation in the motor vehicle door lock according to the invention. At the same time, special advantages are achieved in that the operation of the locking mechanism constructed in this way is carried out in a particularly low-noise manner by the implemented sheathing. In addition, hard stops are deliberately avoided, because in this context, the flexible damping element ensures a soft start to a stop. These functional advantages are combined with a cost-effective and particularly simple production process, in which the main advantages can be seen.

Fig. 1

das erfindungsgemäße Kraftfahrzeugtürschloss mit dem in einem Schlosskasten gelagerten Gesperre und

Fig. 2A bis 2C

die schrittweise Herstellung der Sperrklinke.

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

the motor vehicle door lock according to the invention with the stored in a lock case locking mechanism and

Fig. 2A to 2C

the gradual production of the pawl.

In the figures, a motor vehicle door lock is shown, which has a rotary latch 1 and a pawl 2, 3, 4 in its basic structure. The catch 1 and the pawl 2, 3, 4 taken together form a locking mechanism 1, 2, 3, 4, which in total in a metallic and in the Fig. 1 merely indicated lock case 5 is mounted. For this purpose, the rotary latch 1 has a pivot axis defining and anchored in the lock case 5 bearing pin 6. The pawl 2, 3, 4 has a bearing pin 7 which defines a rotation axis and this is anchored in or on the lock case 5.

One recognizes in the Fig. 1 In addition, a stop 8 for the pawl 2, 3, 4 and a motion damper 9 for the catch 1. At the motion damper 9, the catch 1 rolls in its opening and closing movement. As a result, the movement of the rotary latch 1 is damped, which is not relevant to the following considerations.

The pawl 2, 3, 4 can be lifted from the catch 1 by, for example, by a release lever, not shown, initiated pivoting movements in the Fig. 1 indicated counterclockwise around her defined by the bearing pin 7 axis of rotation performs. When the pawl 2, 3, 4 in a in the Fig. 1 represented catch recess or Hauptrastausnehmung 1a of the catch 1, the stop 8 ensures that the corresponding movement of the pawl 2, 3, 4 is damped. This corresponds to a clockwise movement about the axis defined by the bearing pin 7 axis of rotation.

The already mentioned and not shown release lever engages to lift the pawl 2, 3, 4 of the catch 1 on a pin 10 at. The pin 10 is exposed as well as a interacting with the recess 1a on the catch 1 latching projection 2a. That is, an additionally provided sheath 3 of the pawl 2, 3, 4 is equipped in this area with a recess 11 to be described in more detail below. As a result, the metallic rotary latch 1 or its latching recess 1a respectively main latching recess 1a on the one hand and in this case also exposed metallic Basic body 2 of the pawl 2, 3, 4 in the region of the recess 11 interact with each other in the sense of the previously described metallic detent work.

As already explained, the pawl 2, 3, 4 in the exemplary embodiment of a total of three components or component elements 2, 3, 4 constructed. This is first of all the already mentioned metallic base body 2, which also carries the pin 10 for interaction with the release lever, not shown. In addition, the sheath 3 is still realized, which is made of a high-strength plastic. Finally, the basic structure of the pawl 2, 3, 4 still belongs to the flexible damping element 4, which interacts primarily with the previously already referred to stop 8 for the pawl 2, 3, 4.

According to the invention, the components or component elements 2, 3, 4 of the locking component 2, 3, 4 already described above-in the exemplary embodiment of the pawl 2, 3, 4-are each coupled to one another by a releasable plug-in / push connection. That will be based on the Fig. 2A to 2C clear.

Here one recognizes first of all in a comparative consideration of the FIGS. 2A and 2B in that the metallic basic body 2 is inserted into the casing 3. For this purpose, the casing 3 has a base body pocket 3a. In addition to this basic body pocket 3 a, another pocket 3 b, the damping element pocket 3 b, is realized, which in the exemplary embodiment functions to accommodate the flexible damping element 4. In fact, the flexible damping element 4 is inserted into the casing 3.

For this purpose, the damping element 4 has locking nubs 12 which engage in associated recesses 13 of the casing 3 in the installed state. It can be seen that the two pockets 3a, 3b of the casing 3 are each opened to the same edge side of the casing 3. In addition, a divider 14 between the two pockets 3a, 3b realized.

A nose 15 front of the metallic body 2 engages behind the divider 14 in the assembled state. As a result, the inserted into the casing 3 metallic base body 2 rotatably held in the interior of the base body pocket 3a. In addition, this design ensures that respective openings 16, 17 in one hand, the metallic base body 2 and the other part of the casing 3 are aligned with each other, as soon as the metallic base body 2 is inserted into the casing 3 and is received in the base body pocket 3a of the casing 3. By the aligned holes 16, 17 is finally the bearing pin 7 for the storage of the pawl 2, 3, 4 inserted through or on the lock case 5, as the Fig. 2C makes it clear.

The sheath 3 is, just like the damping element 4, in each case prefabricated components which are detachably coupled to one another and to the metallic base body 2 by the described push / push connections. Both the sheath 3 and the damping element 4 can each be made as a plastic injection molded parts and can therefore be realized particularly cost-effective. The materials used for the sheath 3 made of a high-strength plastic typically thermoplastic materials, as already described in the introduction. In contrast, the flexible damping element 4 is made of a rubber-elastic material.

It can be seen that the casing 3 as a whole is elongated cuboid with the two pockets 3a, 3b formed on a matching narrow edge side and a foot-side circular ring area, which surrounds the opening 17 for receiving the bearing pin 7. The circular ring area is partially opened for reasons of material savings, so that in the Fig. 2B recognizes the metallic body 2 in this open area 18. In addition, the casing 3 still has the already described recess 11, which ensures that the latching projection 2a on the one hand and the stopper 10 on the other hand are free to interact with other lock components of the casing 3.

In the exemplary embodiment, these other lock components are exemplified by the already mentioned, but not shown release lever, with the aid of which the pawl 2, 3, 4 can be lifted off the catch 1 so that the catch 1 for the opening of the lock 1, 2 , 3, 4 spring-supported swing open and can release a previously captured and also not shown locking bolt. In this process, the rotary latch 1 moves about its axis of rotation in the Fig. 1 indicated counterclockwise direction compared to the bearing pin. 6

When comparing the FIGS. 2A and 2B it can be seen that the flexible damping element 4 is formed as an extension of the metallic base body 2. In fact, the damping element 4 closes practically to the nose 15 as soon as the metallic base body 2 is inserted into the casing 3 and in addition the damping element 4 with the casing 3 receives the already described plug connection. That is, the flexible damping element 4 inserted into the damping element pocket 3b additionally ensures a securing of the metallic base body 2 in the interior of the jacket 3.

In addition, the flexible damping element 4 made of rubber-elastic plastic ensures that at a start of the pawl 2, 3, 4 in the course of a closing operation of the locking mechanism 1, 2, 3, 4 against the stop 8 beating noise completely avoided in this context. Because in the closed state of the locking mechanism 1, 2, 3, 4, the flexible damping element 4 is completely against the stop in question 8, so that in this area a transition metal (stop 8) and rubber (flexible damping element 4) is observed. As a result, the pawl 2, 3, 4 damped in their movement and a hard abutment against the stop 8 is prevented.

Claims (8)

1. Motor vehicle door latch with

   • a locking mechanism (1, 2, 3, 4) comprising at least two locking mechanism components (1, 2, 3, 4) such as a catch (1) and a pawl (2, 3, 4), whereby

   • at least one locking mechanism component (2, 3, 4) has at least one metallic base body (2), a plastic coating (3), and a flexible damping element (4) as component elements (2, 3, 4);

   • the base body (2) and the coating (3) are coupled to one another by means of a detachable io push/pull connection;

   characterized in that

   • the plastic of the coating (3) is a high strength plastic;

   • the coating (3) and the damping element (4) are coupled to one another by means of a detachable push/pull connection;

   • the damping element (4) is latched to the coating (3);

   • the damping element (4) is equipped with ratchet studs (12) that engage in ratchet recesses (13) of the coating (3) in the installed state.
2. Motor vehicle door latch according to claim 1, characterized in that the metallic base body (2) is inserted into the coating (3).
3. Motor vehicle door latch according to claim 2, characterized in that the coating (3) is equipped with at least one pocket (3a, 3b) for receiving the metallic base body (2).
4. Motor vehicle door lock according to one of the claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the flexible damping element (4) is inserted into the coating (3).
5. Motor vehicle door latch according to one of the previous claims, characterized in that the flexible damping element (4) is designed as an extension of the metallic base body (2).
6. Motor vehicle door latch according to one of the previous claims, characterized in that the coating (3) is equipped with two pockets (3a, 3b) for receiving, on the one hand, the base body (2) and, on the other hand, the damping element (4).
7. Motor vehicle door latch according to one of the previous claims, characterized in that a pin (10) and a ratchet projection (2a) of the base body (2) are free from the coating (3), on the one hand for interaction with another latch component and on the other hand for interaction with the other locking mechanism component (1), and are arranged in an associated recess (11).
8. Method for producing a motor vehicle door latch with a locking mechanism (1, 2, 3, 4) comprising at least two locking mechanism components (1; 2, 3, 4) such as a catch (1) and a pawl (2, 3, 4), whereby

   • at least one locking mechanism component (2, 3, 4) has at least one metallic base body (2), a coating (3) made of a plastic, and a flexible damping element (4) as component elements (2, 3, 4);

   • the base body (2) and the coating (3) can be coupled to one another by means of a detachable push/pull connection;

   characterized in that

   • the plastic of the coating (3) is a high strength plastic;

   • the coating (3) and the damping element (4) can be coupled to one another by means of a detachable push/pull connection;

   • the damping element (4) can be latched to the coating (3);

   • the damping element (4) is equipped with ratchet studs (12) and can be installed in such a way that the ratchet studs (12) engage in ratchet recesses (13) of the coating (3).

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