EP3513020B1 - Vehicle door lock - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a motor vehicle door lock, in particular a motor vehicle front hood lock, with a locking mechanism consisting essentially of a rotary latch and a pawl, which interacts with a lock holder bracket on a hood, and with a memory element which holds the pawl in a storage position lifted from the rotary latch when the hood is unlocked holds.

Motor vehicle door locks and in particular motor vehicle front hood locks are known in various embodiments from practice and are exemplified in the DE 199 38 687 B4 described. This is a so-called catch hook lock which, in addition to a pawl to secure the rotary latch of the locking mechanism, also has a catch hook. When closing a hood, a door or a cover with the lock holder bracket arranged thereon, the catch hook in question is pivoted into its closed position in which it engages behind the locking bolt or lock holder bracket. The locking bolt or lock holder bracket is thus secured twice, on the one hand by the rotary latch held in the closed position with the aid of the pawl and on the other hand by the aforementioned catch hook.

In order to open such a hook lock, the usual practice in practice is to provide an unlocking / opening device to act on the locking mechanism. The unlocking / opening device generally has a handle provided in the interior of a motor vehicle body. With the help of the handle, the lock can be unlocked and opened.

In order to now be able to open the hood or front hood, it is also necessary to pivot the catch hook which still secures the lock holder bracket, so that the lock holder bracket and thus the hood are released. The pivoting of the catch hook is carried out regularly by a vehicle driver, who for this purpose has to reach through a gap between the body and the hood at the front of the motor vehicle in order to operate the catch hook. This gap is established in that the hood is set up after unlocking and opening the locking mechanism with the aid of at least one spring while defining the gap. Such a procedure is complex.

For this purpose, for example, in the DE 10 2014 012 112 A1 a closing device for a front hood is proposed, in which the hood can be opened simply by actuating an actuating lever twice inside the motor vehicle. This is intended to provide a particular suitability for front hoods of motor vehicles. The solution proposed for this purpose makes use of, among other things, a drive for a rocker arm, with the aid of which the locking mechanism can be moved completely or partially so that a door gap or hood gap can be reduced or enlarged. In addition, the actuation device for unlocking the locking mechanism is also equipped with a clutch. This results in a relatively expensive and complicated mechanical construction, which under certain circumstances can lead to functional impairments.

In the largely generic prior art according to WO 2014/036991 A2 the procedure is such that the motor vehicle door lock there has a release element for the locking mechanism and a memory element is equipped. The storage element ensures an unimpeded opening movement of the rotary latch from a closed to an open position. For this purpose, the storage element holds the release element during the opening movement of the rotary latch in an ineffective position with respect to the locking mechanism. The same applies to the pawl, because the release element is assigned a blocking lever that interacts with the pawl. In this way, the greatest possible functional reliability is to be made available with a structurally simple structure.

A comparable prior art describes the DE 10 2006 032 033 A1 , in which the storage element ensures that in the storage position the pawl is held in its release position when the rotary latch is turned out of its closed position until it has passed the storage position.

From the DE 10 2011 114 148 A1 is a motor vehicle door lock with a locking mechanism consisting of a rotary latch and a pawl that interacts with a lock holder bracket, and with a memory element that holds the pawl in a storage position lifted from the rotary latch during an unlocking process, the lock holder bracket still falling into the rotary latch in the storage position and during a first opening process starting from the storage position, the storage element is transferred into a release position that releases the pawl.

The prior art cannot be satisfactory in all respects. With motor vehicle hood locks, for example, there is the problem that operators often tend to put down the relevant door, hood or flap so slowly after an opening process that it is generally in the front area of the Motor vehicle door lock or motor vehicle front hood lock provided does not occur. In this case, the lock retainer bracket is not secured on the hood. This is problematic insofar as such a state of the front hood is often not recognized and the operator drives or tries to drive the motor vehicle. This can result in safety problems in such a way that the front hood is swiveled up during operation by the wind or gusts of wind and suddenly prevents the vehicle driver from seeing to the front.

In addition to such safety problems, nowadays, for reasons of convenience, embodiments are preferred in which the hood or front hood can be opened as part of the unlocking / opening device for the locking mechanism simply by operating an actuating lever or the handle. At this point, a double-click is usually used, as was the case previously mentioned DE 10 2014 012 112 A1 describes. However, the construction there is complex. The invention aims to provide a remedy here overall.

The invention is based on the technical problem of further developing such a motor vehicle door lock in such a way that the functional reliability is increased while at the same time being structurally simple.

In a generic motor vehicle door lock and in particular motor vehicle front hood lock, the lock retainer bracket arranged on the hood in the storage position continues to fall into the rotary latch and the storage element is transferred to a release position releasing the pawl in a first opening process starting from the storage position. In this way, during a subsequent closing process of the hood, the pawl can fall into the rotary latch which can be pivoted into the storage position without force from the lock holder bracket.

In general, the procedure within the scope of the invention is such that the locking mechanism is acted upon with the aid of an unlocking / opening device. The unlocking / opening device typically has a handle provided inside the motor vehicle body. At a first When the handle is operated, the locking mechanism is generally transferred into a pre-latching position. In this pre-locking position, the lock retainer bracket is still like held and secured in front of with the help of the rotary latch and the pawl located in the preliminary position. The same goes for the hood.

The term hood in the context of the invention includes any flap element on or in a motor vehicle, i.e. not just a front hood, but also a motor vehicle door, a motor vehicle side door, a tailgate, a trunk lid and even a fuel filler flap. In any case, a first actuation of the handle provided in the interior of the motor vehicle body ensures that the locking mechanism assumes its pre-latching position. In the pre-locking position, the hood or front hood is still secured.

The pre-load position corresponds to the fact that the locking mechanism has been opened slightly or that the rotary latch has carried out a slight opening movement. The hood or front hood is accordingly set up opposite the motor vehicle body and defines a gap. The pre-latching position consequently corresponds to the fact that the sealing pressure of a circumferential seal that seals the front hood in the example with respect to the motor vehicle body is reduced. As a result, the hood or front hood can be unlocked by actuating the handle a second time and then opened without any problems. Since the first and second actuation of the handle are carried out from inside the motor vehicle body, the hood or front hood can consequently be opened completely by internal actuation. This is particularly convenient compared to the hook locks used in practice up to now.

In addition, a clear increase in safety is observed. Because if an operator puts down the open hood - even if this takes place very slowly - the lock holder bracket is able to force the open rotary latch into at least to pivot the memory position. The storage position corresponds to the pre-latching position of the locking mechanism or the rotary latch. Since the pawl previously in the storage position and lifted from the rotary latch has been transferred to its releasing release position during the previous opening process of the hood, the pawl can be moved into the supply position or without force during the described closing process of the hood in the lock-holder bracket Storage position pivoted rotary latch fall. A situation such that the hood or front hood is put down without the locking mechanism engaging and holding and securing the lock retainer bracket at least in the pre-locked position is consequently not possible.

This can be justified as follows. After the first actuation of the handle inside the motor vehicle body, the locking mechanism is moved into the pre-latching position. In the pre-latching position, the lock retainer bracket still falls into the rotary latch. The hood is relieved and can be opened slightly by defining the previously mentioned gap between the motor vehicle body and the hood. This is ensured by at least one spring acting on the hood or the rotary latch.

The force of the spring is now such that the lock retainer bracket still falls into the rotary latch even in the storage position. Starting from the pre-latching position, the storage position is reached or assumed in that the hood is unlocked. For this purpose, the handle provided in the interior of the motor vehicle body is actuated a second time.

The second actuation of the handle results in the pawl being lifted from the preliminary catch on the rotary latch. Due to the specific design of the spring acting on the hood in the opening direction, the lock retainer bracket still falls into the rotary latch in the storage position assumed in this way. The hood thus virtually floats above this vehicle body while maintaining the gap to the motor vehicle body. The storage element now ensures in the storage position that the pawl is held in the storage position lifted from the rotary latch during the unlocking process of the hood in question.

If the unlocked hood is now to be opened, an operator can easily grasp the hood through the gap and swing it open. The catch is pivoted into its open position. Since the pawl is held in the storage position raised from the rotary latch with the aid of the storage element, the rotary latch can pivot freely and immediately releases the lock retainer. The same goes for the hood.

During this first opening process starting from the storage position, the lock retainer bracket, which has fallen into the rotary latch in the storage position, ensures that the pawl is transferred into the releasing release position. That is, the lock retainer bracket that has fallen into the rotary latch controls the pawl in such a way that it relinquishes its lifted storage position and is transferred to the releasing release position. Since during the first opening process in question, the rotary latch is pivoted from the pre-latched position into the open position with the aid of the lock-holder bracket that is acted upon in the opening direction, the pawl transferred into the release position can no longer interact with the rotary latch, but lies on the outside of it without the possibility of interaction.

During a closing process of the hood following the described opening process, the lock retainer bracket falls without force at least into the rotary latch which can be pivoted into the pre-latching position. This is because this pre-latching position corresponds to the position in which the hood or front hood is held, as it were, suspended in relation to the motor vehicle body. As a result, it is ensured that even when the hood is put down particularly slowly, the lock retainer bracket pivots the rotary latch at least into the pre-locking position. Since the pawl is in the releasing release position, it can at least snap into the preliminary catch on the rotary latch. This will secure the lock retainer bracket and with it the hood. Unintentional swiveling open of the hood or front hood is not possible even during subsequent driving.

It goes without saying that the rotary latch or the locking mechanism and consequently the hood lifted off from the motor vehicle body, taking into account the gap, can also be queried with the aid of a sensor or switch. Its signal can be output visually and / acoustically inside the motor vehicle as a warning for the vehicle driver. Such a warning signal can at least be emitted when the motor vehicle is to be started in this pre-locked position of the locking mechanism. This is where the essential advantages of the invention can be seen.

According to the invention, the motor vehicle door lock has a switching lever designed as a two-arm lever with a stop arm resting on the lock holder bracket and a bearing arm carrying the storage element, on which the storage element is mounted, the storage element being designed as a storage lever with a blocking arm interacting with the pawl and a control arm interacting with the switching lever. The shift lever for its part mostly protrudes into an inlet mouth of the locking mechanism and rests against the lock holder bracket (continuously). A spring that prestresses the shift lever in the direction of its contact on the lock holder bracket may provide for this.

The storage lever is generally biased towards the storage position with the aid of a spring. After the pawl is lifted from the rotary latch during the unlocking process, starting from the pre-latching position of the locking mechanism, the storage element moves with its blocking arm supported by the spring against the pawl. This holds the pawl in this storage position. For this purpose, the pawl is equipped with a stop pin.

The stop pin on the pawl ensures that the storage element or the storage lever cannot pivot into the storage position in the pre-latching position of the locking mechanism following the first actuation of the handle inside the motor vehicle body. For this purpose, the stop pin of the pawl in question interacts with a side surface of the blocking arm of the storage element in question. However, as soon as the pawl is acted upon by the second actuation of the handle provided in the interior of the motor vehicle body, starting from the pre-latching position, the stop pin on the pawl moves along the side surface of the blocking arm of the storage element. At the end of this movement, the storage element is pivoted into the storage position with the aid of the spring. At the same time, the stop pin of the pawl rests on a front surface of the blocking arm. As a result, the storage element now in the storage position ensures that the pawl is held in this raised position with respect to the rotary latch. This is ensured by the stop pin on the front surface of the blocking arm. The blocking arm of the storage element is therefore advantageously in the storage position on the described stop pin of the pawl.

As soon as the hood is opened starting from this storage position, the lock holder bracket, which is still in the storage position in the rotary latch, ensures that the pawl is transferred into its released release position. To this end, the lock holder bracket not only swivels the rotary latch from the pre-latching position into the open position, but the switching lever, which is spring-supported on the lock holder bracket, follows the opening movement of the lock holder bracket.

The storage lever or storage element mounted thereon is also pivoted together with the switching lever which is pivoted at the same time as the lock holder bracket moved in the opening direction. This pivoting movement of the storage element together with the shift lever has the consequence that the front surface of the blocking arm of the storage element moves away from the stop pin of the pawl. As soon as the stop pin of the pawl comes free from the front surface of the blocking arm, the pawl is brought into its released release position with the assistance of a spring.

As a result, a motor vehicle door lock, and in particular a motor vehicle front hood lock, is made available which brings considerable security advantages and at the same time is of simple construction. Because next to The locking mechanism only requires the gear lever and the storage lever mounted on it. Additional drives are not required. This also increases the functional reliability. This is where the main advantages can be seen.

Fig. 1 A und 1 B

das erfindungsgemäße Kraftfahrzeugtürschloss einerseits von der Drehfallenseite her (Fig. 1A) und andererseits von der Speicherhebelseite her (Fig. 1B) in geschlossenem Zustand bzw. in der Hauptraststellung,

Fig. 2A und 2B

das Kraftfahrzeugtürschloss nach den Fig. 1A und 1B in der Vorraststellung, erneut mit Blick auf die Drehfallenseite (Fig. 2A) und die Speicherhebelseite (Fig. 2B) und

Fig. 3A und 3B

das Kraftfahrzeugtürschloss in der Speicherstellung und bei einem angedeuteten Öffnungsvorgang, wiederum mit Blick auf die Drehfallenseite (Fig. 3A) und die Sperrhebelseite (Fig. 3B).

In the following the invention is explained in more detail with reference to a drawing showing only one embodiment; show it:

Figures 1 A and 1 B

the motor vehicle door lock according to the invention on the one hand from the rotary latch side ( Figure 1A ) and on the other hand from the storage lever side ( Figure 1B ) when closed or in the main detent position,

Figures 2A and 2B

the motor vehicle door lock according to the Figure 1A and 1B in the pre-locking position, again with a view of the rotary latch side ( Figure 2A ) and the memory lever side ( Figure 2B ) and

Figures 3A and 3B

the motor vehicle door lock in the storage position and with an indicated opening process, again with a view of the rotary latch side ( Figure 3A ) and the lock lever side ( Figure 3B ).

In the figures, a motor vehicle door lock is shown, which is not restrictively a motor vehicle front hood lock. The motor vehicle door lock in question is consequently located in the front area of a motor vehicle (not shown). The motor vehicle door lock has a locking mechanism 1, 2 consisting essentially of a rotary latch 1 and a pawl 2. The rotary latch 1 is a fork latch with two fork arms 1a, 1b and a slot 1c defined between the fork arms 1a and 1b for receiving and holding one Lock holder bracket 3 equipped. The lock holder bracket 3 is only in the Figure 1A indicated hood 4 or front hood 4 of the motor vehicle not shown connected.

The rotary latch 1 is rotatably mounted with the aid of a mandrel or step mandrel with respect to a lock plate 5, defining an axis 6. The pawl 2 is also rotatably mounted relative to the lock plate 5. In this case, too, a mandrel or step mandrel that receives the pawl 2 defines a corresponding axis or axis of rotation 7. The lock plate 5 is equipped with an inlet mouth 8 via which the lock holder bracket 3 moves into and out of the motor vehicle door lock or the locking mechanism 1, 2.

In addition, the basic structure includes a, especially in the rear view according to the Figures 1B to 3B Storage element 9 to be recognized, which is a storage lever 9. The storage element or the storage lever 9 has a blocking arm 9a and a control arm 9b. The blocking arm 9a can interact with the pawl 2 or a stop pin 2a on the pawl 2, as in particular in FIG Figures 1B to 3B can be seen. For this purpose, the stop pin 2a extends through the lock plate 5 in the area of a recess 10.

The storage element or the storage lever 9 is rotatably mounted on a switching lever 11. This is ensured by an axis of rotation 12. In addition, the storage element or the storage lever 9 is pretensioned with the aid of a spring, which is not expressly shown, in the direction of its storage position to be explained below. For this purpose, the spring in question ensures that the storage element or the storage lever 9 in the direction of a Clockwise movement about its axis or axis of rotation 12 on the shift lever 11 is biased. This is indicated by a corresponding arrow in the Figures 1B to 3B on.

The pawl 2 is held in an unlocking operation of the hood 4 in a storage position lifted from the rotary latch 1, as shown in FIG Figure 3A and 3B is shown. In this memory position, the locking mechanism 1, 2 is still in its pre-locked position, which is in the Figure 2A and 2 B is reproduced. In the pre-latching position of the locking mechanism 1, 2 or the storage position of the pawl 2, the lock retainer bracket 3 has still fallen into the rotary latch 1. You can see that when you compare the Figure 2A , 3A respectively 2B and 3B.

The already mentioned shift lever 11, which is part of the basic structure, is designed as a two-arm lever. In fact, the switching lever 11 has a stop arm 11a resting on the lock holder bracket 3 and a bearing arm 11b carrying the storage element 9. According to the exemplary embodiment, the shift lever 11 is additionally equipped with a sensor arm 11c, which interacts with a sensor 13 in certain positions of the shift lever 11. In the exemplary embodiment, the sensor 13 is a microswitch and is not restrictive.

Finally, an unlocking / opening device 16, 17 for actuating the locking mechanism 1, 2 is also provided. The unlocking device 16, 17 is only in the Figure 1A indicated. In fact, the unlocking / opening device 16, 17 engages the pawl 2 as part of the locking mechanism 1, 2.

In the exemplary embodiment, the unlocking / opening device 16, 17 has a handle 16 provided in the interior of a motor vehicle body on the one hand and a connecting element 17 mechanically coupling the handle 16 to the pawl 2 on the other. The connecting element 17 is a cable or Bowden cable. With the aid of the handle 16, the locking mechanism 1, 2 or the locking pawl 2 can be acted upon from inside the motor vehicle body. A respective actuation of the handle 15 corresponds to a pulling action on the connecting means 17, which corresponds to the pawl 2 about its axis or axis of rotation 7 in the Figure 1A indicated counterclockwise is applied.

According to the exemplary embodiment and particularly preferably, the handle 16 is actuated twice. When the handle 16 is actuated for the first time, the locking mechanism 1, 2 moves from the main locking position Figure 1A , 1B in the in the Figure 2A and 2 B pre-locking position shown above. In the pre-locking position, the hood 4 is slightly exposed. This is ensured by a spring, not shown, which may act on the hood 4 directly in the opening direction. In principle, the spring can also act on the rotary latch 1. The overall design is such that the hood 4 is in the pre-locked position according to the Figure 2A and 2 B is held in suspension, so to speak, is no longer acted upon by the spring in an opening sense. As a result, the lock holder bracket 3 remains in the slot 1c between the two fork arms 1a, 1b of the rotary latch 1. The lock holder bracket 3 and therefore the hood 4 are consequently in the pre-latching position according to Figure 2A and 2 B still secured.

For the transition from the closed position of the motor vehicle door lock to the Figure 1A and 1B in the pre-locking position according to the Figure 2A and 2 B the handle 16 is operated for the first time. This will release the pawl 2 is applied counterclockwise about its axis 7 and leaves a main detent 14 on the fork arm or main detent arm 1a of the rotary latch 1. After the first actuation of the handle 16, the handle 16, together with the connecting means 17 and the pawl 2, is spring-backed, so that the pawl 2 in the pre-latching position then reached after Figure 2A and 2 B can interact with a preliminary catch 15 on the further fork arm or preliminary catch arm 1b of the rotary latch 1. The lock holder bracket 3 is still located in the slot 1c between the two fork arms 1a, 1b of the rotary latch 1. The locking mechanism 1, 2 thus secures the lock holder bracket 3 and consequently the hood 4 unchanged in the pre-locked position.

To take the memory position after the Figure 3A and 3B the hood 4 is unlocked. A second actuation of the handle 16 corresponds to this. As a result of this unlocking, the memory position is changed to the Figure 3A and 3B taken. In fact, this second actuation of the handle 16 of the unlocking / opening device 16, 17 corresponds to the fact that the pawl 2, starting from the pre-latching position, to the Figure 2A and 2 B is again pivoted counterclockwise about its axis 7. After the handle 16 has been actuated for the second time, the pawl 2 returns, however, not with the aid of a spring, into its into the Figure 1A and 2A shown starting position back. This is ensured by the storage element or the storage lever 9. This can be seen in the functional sequence in the rear views or when looking at the storage lever side after the Figures 1B to 3B .

When moving from the closed position to the Figure 1B up to the storage position as shown in the Figure 3B the shift lever 11 executes a clockwise pivoting movement about its axis 18. In fact, the shift lever 11 is mounted in the lock plate 5 on the storage lever side. This may again be ensured by a mandrel or bolt which defines the axis or axis of rotation 18 for the two-armed shift lever 11.

The switching lever 11 protrudes into the inlet mouth 8 of the lock plate 5 and can thus interact with the lock holder bracket 3 or is in continuous contact with the lock holder bracket 3. This is ensured by a spring acting on the shift lever 11, which moves the shift lever 11 in the Figure 1B indicated clockwise with regard to rotations about its axis 18, as indicated by a corresponding arrow. By contrast, the corresponding spring is not shown.

When transitioning the locking mechanism 1, 2 from the closed position to the Figure 1A and 1B for pre-locking after the Figure 2A and 2 B the lock holder bracket 3 moves in the opening sense, that is, out of the inlet mouth 8, as indicated by arrows. This is ensured by the spring already mentioned, which acts on the hood 4 or the rotary latch 1 accordingly. As a result, between the hood 4 and the motor vehicle body, not shown, in the pre-locked position according to the Figure 2A and 2 B observed a gap through which an operator can grasp the hood 4 and open it completely, starting from the pre-locking position.

When moving from the closed position of the locking mechanism 1, 2 to the Figure 1A , 1B for pre-locking after the Figure 2A and 2 B the shift lever 11 follows the upward movement of the lock holder bracket 3 in the exemplary embodiment. As a result, the switching lever 11 here performs a pivoting movement in the clockwise direction about its axis 18. The storage lever or the storage element 9 mounted on the switching lever 11 rotatably about its axis 12 follows this Pivoting movement of the switching lever 11. As already explained above, the storage element or the storage lever 9 is pretensioned by a spring in the direction of the storage position, that is to say in a clockwise direction about its axis 12.

The storage lever 9 is now blocked in its position opposite the switching lever 11 during the transition from the closed position to the pre-latching position, because on the one hand its control arm 9b rests against a stop 19 of the switching lever 11 and, on the other hand, a side surface of the blocking arm 9a on the stop pin 2a of the pawl 2. That makes especially the functional position after Figure 2B clear.

In the pre-locking position after the Figure 2A and 2 B the completed clockwise movement of the shift lever 11 has also resulted in the sensor arm 11c actuating the microswitch 13 in the exemplary embodiment. The signal of the sensor or microswitch 13 can be emitted inside the motor vehicle as a kind of warning signal that the hood 4 is not completely closed. In addition, this signal can be evaluated to the effect that the associated motor vehicle cannot drive off, for example.

As already explained, the transition from the closed position to the Figure 1A and 1B towards the pre-locking position as shown in the Figure 2A and 2 B initiated and initiated by the first actuation of the handle 16 provided in the interior of the motor vehicle body. Because this first actuation of the handle 16 ensures that the pawl 2 is lifted off the rotary latch 1 or the main catch 14. As a result, the hood 4 is set up slightly with the help of the spring and the locking mechanism 1, 2 goes into the pre-latching position according to the Figure 2A and 2 B about. Because following the first When the handle 16 is actuated, the pawl 2 can fall into the first catch 15 of the rotary latch 1.

If now starting from the pre-locking position after the Figure 2A and 2 B the hood is unlocked or is to be unlocked, the handle 16 must be actuated a second time. This second actuation of the handle 16 starting from the pre-locked position according to the Figure 2A and 2 B has the consequence that the pawl 2 is again pivoted in the counterclockwise direction about its axis 7 and consequently leaves the preliminary catch 15. Since the force of the spring acting on the hood 4 is dimensioned such that the hood 4 is held in suspension, as it were, in the pre-locked position, the hood 4 opens, starting from the pre-locked position, towards the Figure 2A and 2 B in the transition to the memory position after the Figure 3A and 3B no more). Rather, the lock holder bracket 3 falls in the storage position after Figure 3A and 3B still in the rotary latch 1. The rotary latch 1 thus retains its pre-locking position.

By the second actuation of the handle 16 starting from the pre-latching position after Figure 2A and 2 B the pawl 2 is now lifted off the rotary latch 1 in the pre-latching position. This pivoting movement of the pawl 2 in the counterclockwise direction about its axis or axis of rotation 7 has in the rear view or when looking at the storage lever side and when comparing the Figure 2B and 3B As a result, the stop pin 2a on the pawl 2 migrates along the side surface of the blocking arm 9a of the blocking lever 9 and at the end of the counterclockwise movement of the pawl 2 about its axis 7 reaches a front surface of the blocking arm 9a of the storage lever 9. This is ensured by the spring acting on the locking lever 9 in a clockwise direction about the axis 12. The storage lever 9 maintains this position through the interaction of its control arm 9b with the stop 19 on the switching lever 11. Since the Stop pin 2a of the pawl 2 is driven against the front surface of the blocking arm 9a of the storage element 9 and the storage element 9, the storage position according to the Figure 3A and 3B maintains, the pawl 2 is lifted from the rotary latch 1 in this storage position.

When the hood 4 is opened for the first time, starting from the storage position according to the Figure 3A and 3B the lock retainer bracket 3 ensures that the pawl 2 is transferred to a releasing release position. In this release position, the pawl 2 is free from the storage element or storage lever 9 and is again in its starting position, as in the Figure 1A and 2A is shown.

In order to achieve this in detail, the opening process of the hood 4, starting from the storage position after the Figure 3A and 3B first of all that the lock holder bracket 3 is moved upwards. For this purpose, an operator reaches through the gap between the hood 4 and the motor vehicle body. This gap has in the pre-locking position after Figure 2A and 2 B result automatically or has been set, as has already been explained above. As a result of the opening movement of the hood 4 and therefore of the lock holder bracket 3 connected to it, the shift lever 11 is also pivoted further clockwise about its axis 18, as shown in FIG Figure 3B is indicated. The pivoting movement of the switching lever 11 clockwise about its axis 18 is followed by the storage element 9 rotatably mounted on the switching lever 11. As a result, the blocking arm 9a of the storage element or storage lever 9 moves away from the stop pin 2a of the pawl 2. Consequently, the storage element or the storage lever can 9 no longer hold the pawl 2 in its lifted storage position. The pawl 2 reverses consequently spring-assisted in your in the Figure 1A and 2A starting position shown.

In the case of a closing process of the hood 4 following the opening described or the first opening process starting from the storage position, the lock retainer bracket 3 can now collapse into the locking mechanism 1, 2 without force. Because the hood 4 is in the pre-locking position after Figure 2A and 2 B in a quasi-floating or force-free state with respect to the motor vehicle body. Even when moving from the stock position to the Figure 2A and 2 B towards the storage position according to the Figure 3A and 3B the rotary latch 1 is not pivoted any further. As a result, the lock holder bracket 3 still falls into the rotary latch 1 in the storage position.

Conversely, this means that, following the described first opening process, a closing process of the hood 4 corresponds in any case to the fact that the lock holder bracket 3 without force moves the rotary latch 1 into the pre-latching position as shown in FIG Figure 2A and 2 B pivoted. Since the pawl 2 has previously been transferred to its releasing release position and consequently its basic position after the Figure 1A and 2A assumes, the pawl 2 can fall directly into the first catch 15 of the rotary latch 1. This applies even if the hood 4 is put down very slowly by an operator and is not subjected to an additional force. Because no spring forces have to be overcome during this process, the lock retainer bracket 3 only ensures that the rotary latch 1 is in the Figure 3A indicated open position is transferred into at least the position associated with the pre-latching position. Since the pawl 2 can collapse immediately in the pre-locked position, the lock retainer bracket 3 is secured in any case. At the same time, the microswitch or sensor 13 actuated in the pre-latching position ensures that that the warning signal already described above is emitted or undergoes a corresponding evaluation.

Claims (7)

1. Motor vehicle door latch, in particular a motor vehicle front hood latch, comprising a locking mechanism (1, 2) which substantially consists of a catch (1) and pawl (2) and interacts with a latch holder bracket (3) on a hood (4), and comprising a retaining element (9) which, during an unlocking process of the hood (4), holds the pawl (2) in a retaining position in which it is raised from the catch (1), the latch holder bracket (3) continuing to engage in the catch (1) in the retaining position, and, during a first opening process which proceeds from the retaining position, the retaining element (9) transferring into a release position which releases the pawl (2), characterized by a switch lever (11) which is designed as a two-arm lever having a stop arm (11a) abutting the latch holder bracket (3), and a bearing arm (11b) supporting the retaining element (9), on which switch lever the retaining element (9) is mounted, the retaining element (9) being designed as a retaining lever (9) having a blocking arm (9a) which interacts with the pawl (2), and a control arm (9b) which interacts with the switch lever (11).
2. Motor vehicle door latch according to claim 1, characterized in that the switch lever (11) projects into an inlet opening (8) of the locking mechanism (1, 2) and abuts the latch holder bracket (3).
3. Motor vehicle door latch according to either claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the retaining element (9) is pretensioned in the direction of the retaining position by means of a spring.
4. Motor vehicle door latch according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, after lifting the pawl (2) from the catch (1), the blocking arm (9a) of the retaining element (9) moves against the pawl (2) in a spring-supported manner, and holds said pawl in the retaining position.
5. Motor vehicle door latch according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the blocking arm (9a) of the retaining element (9), in the retaining position, abuts a stop pin (2a) of the pawl (2).
6. Motor vehicle door latch according to any of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that an unlocking/opening device (14, 15) is provided to act on the locking mechanism (1, 2).
7. Motor vehicle door latch according to claim 6, characterized in that the unlocking/opening device (16, 17) has a handle (16) which is provided in the interior of a motor vehicle body and which, when actuated for the first time, transfers the locking mechanism (1, 2) into a pre-ratchet position and, in a further, second actuation, unlocks the locking mechanism so that the retaining position is assumed.

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