EP3800310B1 - Motor vehicle lock - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a motor vehicle lock, in particular a motor vehicle door lock, with a locking mechanism consisting essentially of a rotary latch and a pawl, and with an electric motor drive for the locking mechanism and a safety lever, the electric motor drive working on the locking mechanism to open it in an opening direction and in an unlocking direction that deviates from this, the locking lever is acted upon to assume an unlocked position, and a stop is provided for the electric motor drive, which limits the movement of the drive at least when it is acted upon in the opening direction to cancel the unlocked position and thereby prevents the locking mechanism from opening.

Motor vehicle locks are used in a variety of forms on and in motor vehicles, for example as motor vehicle door locks in or on a motor vehicle door, tailgate locks, bonnet locks, tank flap locks, but also as locks for a seat lock, a glove compartment, etc. Nowadays, motor vehicle locks are often used for reasons of convenience with an electric opening drive, which cause a motorized opening of the locking mechanism, essentially consisting of a rotary latch and a pawl. The electric motor drive for the locking mechanism and for opening the locking mechanism is in the prior art according to DE 10 2012 003 743 A1 additionally used for other functions. In fact, the electric motor drive in the above teaching also ensures that mechanical opening of the locking mechanism is guaranteed in emergency operation. For this purpose, a locking lever retains its "locked" position throughout normal operation. In addition, the well-known electrical or electromotive drive equipped with an unlocking lock. In this way, the functional reliability should be increased.

In addition, it is all about realizing a kind of "temporary redundancy" in the course of the emergency opening. Such an emergency opening is often associated with an accident or crash. So that the emergency opening described can also be implemented in this case, one also speaks of the so-called "TCR", the "temporary crash redundancy".

In the generic prior art according to DE 10 2017 124 529 A1 an additional temporary stop for the drive is provided in this context. The stop ensures that the movement of the electric motor drive is limited in the opening direction to cancel the unlocked position. At the same time, the temporary stop ensures that the locking mechanism cannot be opened electrically. The stop that acts temporarily is, for example, a pin with a drive, with the aid of which a temporary blockage of a driven element is implemented as part of the electric motor drive. For this purpose, said pin interacts with an outer circumference of the driven element.

The well-known motor vehicle door lock has basically proven itself, but still offers room for further improvements. Because the pin for temporarily blocking the output element of the electric motor drive not only has an associated actuator. Instead, the pin is also moved in accordance with signals transmitted to a control unit by at least one sensor. As a result of this, the design effort is relatively high. This is where the invention aims to remedy the situation overall. In the known motor vehicle door lock, the stop is arranged on the electric motor drive and interacts with a blocking element to limit the movement of the electric motor drive.

The invention is based on the technical problem of further developing such a motor vehicle lock and in particular a motor vehicle door lock in such a way that a structurally simple solution is made available.

To solve this technical problem, a generic motor vehicle lock and in particular a motor vehicle door lock is characterized within the scope of the invention in that the blocking element is arranged on the safety lever.

For this purpose, the procedure is usually such that the blocking element is mounted coaxially with the safety lever. As a result, a design that is particularly simple in terms of design is initially made available, because the temporary crash redundancy already mentioned can be implemented and realized with particularly few functional elements. In particular, an additional actuator for the blocking element is unnecessary.

In fact, the design is usually such that the safety lever is usually designed as a locking lever. The safety lever or locking lever is in its “secured” or “locked” position during normal operation. An additional operating lever system provided in this connection is consequently empty or is blocked, so that the locking mechanism cannot be opened. If, on the other hand, the motor vehicle lock and with it the safety lever or locking lever is in its “unlocked” or “unlocked” position, mechanical loading of the actuating lever mechanism regularly means that the locking mechanism can be opened mechanically and manually. In this way, the actuating lever system can be used redundantly, so to speak, for opening the locking mechanism. An emergency opening or an emergency opening may correspond to this.

A distinction is made between this normal operation and, for example, emergency operation after a crash or following the failure of a vehicle battery to act on the electric motor drive in such a way that the electric motor drive in such a case in the unlocking direction acts on the safety lever to assume the unlocked position , specifically the safety lever, starting from its "secured" position assumed during normal operation, into the "unsecured" position. As a result of this, the actuating lever system can then ensure a redundant mechanical and manual opening of the locking mechanism.

Specifically, this means that the safety lever designed as a locking lever consistently assumes its “locked” position. Only in special situations, such as in the event of a crash, if the motor vehicle body is undervoltage or if it fails completely, is the electromotive drive acted upon in the deviating unlocking direction to unlock the locking lever. As soon as the safety lever or locking lever has assumed its “unlocked” or “unlocked” position, the motor vehicle lock according to the invention can be opened mechanically redundantly.

If, for example, the motor vehicle lock is to be put back into operation following an undervoltage or a failure of the motor vehicle battery, the invention ensures that the motor vehicle lock is still in the initial state and that this initial state has been restored. This is because the stop on the drive, in interaction with the blocking element, prevents the movement of the drive from being limited by the stop in order to cancel the unlocked position. At the same time, this procedure prevents the locking mechanism from opening. Only when the electric motor drive is acted upon again a second time after the initial state has been restored should the usual electrical opening then occur, which is caused by the interaction between the stop and the blocking element is guaranteed according to the invention. All of this is achieved using a structurally particularly simple design, because the stop is arranged on the drive and is moved with it. Due to the interaction with the blocking element mounted coaxially to the safety lever or a blocking lever realized at this point and acted upon by a spring, the design effort is kept within limits, so that a particularly cost-effective variant can also be expected. This is where the main advantages can be seen.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the stop is arranged on a driven pulley of the drive. Typically, the drive has an electric motor with an output worm on its output shaft. The driven worm engages in a toothing of the driven pulley on the outside and ensures that this - and thus the electric motor drive as a whole - can be acted upon both in the opening direction and in the unlocking direction. In fact, the opening direction corresponds, for example, to a clockwise rotation of the driven pulley, whereas the unlocking direction is accompanied by a counterclockwise movement of the driven pulley. Of course, the reverse procedure can also be used.

The stop generally has a U-shaped receptacle for the blocking element. The invention is based on the finding that the blocking element, which is typically designed as a blocking lever acted upon by the spring, can interact particularly advantageously with such a U-shaped receptacle. In fact, the end of the blocking lever that is remote from the axis engages in the socket in question to block the drive. As soon as the blocking element or the blocking lever is released from the U-shaped receptacle and thus the stop of the drive, the blocking lever can be returned to the starting position by its spring-loaded design. In this starting position and to Restoring the initial state takes the safety lever or locking lever back into its "secured" or "locked" position.

In order to move the safety lever from its “secured” position to the “unlocked” position, the safety lever generally has an adjusting contour that interacts with a pin on the drive. The adjusting contour is usually a U-shaped recess into which the pin in question can move in and out to act on the safety lever.

The design is also such that, in addition to the pin and the stop, the drive also has an actuating cam for electrically opening the locking mechanism. The stop, the pin and also the actuating cam are generally found on a matching side of the driven pulley as part of the electric motor drive.

As a result, a motor vehicle lock and in particular a motor vehicle door lock that is structurally astonishingly simple is made available, which is particularly suitable and set up for implementing the temporary crash redundancy already described in the introduction. In this case, for example, following a crash or a failure or voltage drop in the motor vehicle battery, an emergency opening can nevertheless be effected. Because in such a case, the safety lever is acted upon with the aid of the electromotive drive and in the opposite direction to the opening direction, namely in the unlocking direction. As a result, the safety lever assumes its unlocked position, in which an additional, for example, provided actuating lever system can be manually and mechanically acted upon for emergency opening.

So that, following such an emergency operation, the motor vehicle lock is also returned to its normal position and the initial state again can be produced, the drive ensures that the locking mechanism is prevented from opening when the safety lever is returned to its "secured" position and in the opening direction then completed. This ensures the interaction between the stop on the drive and the blocking element.

As soon as the safety lever has assumed its "secured" position to restore the initial state and the stop in connection with the blocking element has ensured the blocking of the drive, a reverse movement of the drive into the unlocked position causes the stop to move away from the blocking element and that Blocking element by the action of the spring assumes its initial position as well as the safety lever. Now the motor vehicle lock is again in its initial position or normal position and can be opened electrically as usual starting from this with the help of the electric motor drive. This is where the main advantages can be seen.

Fig. 1A - 1C

Das erfindungsgemäße Kraftfahrzeug-Schloss und insbesondere Kraftfahrzeug-Türschloss bei einem Vorgang "elektrisch öffnen",

Fig. 2A, 2B

den Vorgang "entriegeln" des Kraftfahrzeug-Schlosses,

Fig. 3A, 3B

das Rücküberführen des Kraftfahrzeug-Schlosses in den Ausgangszustand und die Blockade des elektromotorischen Antriebes und

Fig. 4

die Rückstellbewegung des elektromotorischen Antriebes im Anschluss an die Blockade zur Einnahme der Ausgangsstellung entsprechend der Darstellung in der Fig. 1A.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to a drawing that merely represents an exemplary embodiment; show it:

Figures 1A - 1C

The motor vehicle lock according to the invention and in particular motor vehicle door lock in an "electrically open" process

Figures 2A, 2B

the process of "unlocking" the motor vehicle lock,

Figures 3A, 3B

the return of the motor vehicle lock to the initial state and the blocking of the electric motor drive and

4

the return movement of the electric motor drive following the blockade to take the Starting position as shown in the Figure 1A .

In the figures, a motor vehicle lock is shown, which is a motor vehicle door lock. In fact, the motor vehicle door lock has only one in the Figure 1C indicated locking mechanism 1, 2 from rotary latch 1 and pawl 2. In a comparative consideration of the Figures 1A to 1C one recognizes that in the "open electrical" shown there, an indicated release lever 3 is pivoted about its axis counterclockwise and in this case the pawl 2 in engagement with the rotary latch 1 in the Figure 1C pivoted indicated clockwise. In the same way, the pivoting of the pawl 2 ensures that the rotary latch 1 pivots clockwise about its axis and releases a previously caught and not shown locking bolt.

An electric motor drive 4, 5, 6, 7 provides for the movement of the release lever 3 in the counterclockwise direction during the described "electrical opening" of the motor vehicle lock and in particular the motor vehicle door lock electric motor shown, which acts on a driven pulley 4 shown via a worm on its output shaft. The driven pulley 4 can rotate about its axis both in, for example, in the Figure 1B and 1C and 3A and 3B indicated counterclockwise (opening direction Ö) as well as clockwise movements perform, as in the Figure 2A and 2 B and 4 are shown (arming direction E).

In the course of the Figures 1A to 1C illustrated "electrical opening" of the locking mechanism 1, 2 and thus the motor vehicle door lock moves on the driven pulley 4 arranged and coaxially oriented to the driven pulley 4 actuating cam 5 against the release lever 3. Since in this process the driven pulley 4 in the Figure 1B and 1C depicted movement counterclockwise (opening direction Ö), the release lever 3 is also pivoted counterclockwise about its axis, which in turn corresponds to the pawl 2 being lifted off the rotary latch 1 in a clockwise direction. The rotary latch 1 then opens automatically and is acted upon by spring forces (not shown) also in a clockwise direction, so that the locking bolt that has already been addressed and caught is released. This includes the rotary movement of the driven pulley 4 counterclockwise, ie the opening direction Ö.

The electric motor drive 4, 5, 6, 7 also ensures that an additionally provided safety lever 8 is acted upon in the unlocking direction E, which deviates from the opening direction Ö. According to the exemplary embodiment, this unlocking direction E corresponds to the already mentioned movement of the driven pulley 4 in the clockwise direction. The safety lever 8 is now acted upon with the help of the electric motor drive 4, 5, 6, 7 to take an unlocked position, as in the end in the functional sequence in the Figure 2A and 2 B is shown. According to the exemplary embodiment, the safety lever 8 is a locking lever 8. Taking up the unlocked position as shown in FIG Figure 2B now corresponds to the fact that the safety lever or locking lever 8 the position "unlocked" or "unlocked" according to the functional position after Figure 2B takes. In this position "unlocked" the locking lever 8 after Figure 2B an emergency opening or an emergency operation of the motor vehicle door lock is possible. Here, a not expressly shown actuating lever system may act on the release lever 3 in the same way as in the illustration according to FIG Figure 1C work to lift the pawl 2 from its latching engagement with the ratchet 1. In this "unlocked" or "unlocked" position, the safety lever or locking lever 8 is at a distance from a stop 13 on which the locking lever 8 rests in the "locked" position (cf., for example Figures 1A to 1C ).

In fact, taking the functional position "unlocked" of the locking lever 8 according to the Figure 2B ensure that the actuating lever mechanism in question is closed mechanically, so that starting from a handle, not shown, the now closed actuating lever mechanism release lever 3 in the Figure 1C can act counterclockwise shown, so that this lifts the pawl 2 from its engagement with the rotary latch 1 mechanically redundant. A temporary crash redundancy is thus implemented.

Such an emergency operation or the emergency opening described can take place, among other things, following a crash or a voltage drop or even the complete failure of a motor vehicle battery, at least when the locking mechanism 1, 2 cannot (any longer) be opened electrically, as is shown in the Figures 1A to 1C is shown.

In the context of the invention, the motor vehicle door lock can now "unlocked" starting from the position of the locking lever 8 in the position after Figure 2B be returned to its starting position. For this purpose, the electromotive drive 4, 5, 6, 7 is acted upon in the opening direction Ö in order to transfer the locking lever 8 back into the "locked" position, as it is in the normal state and also for electrical opening in the Figures 1A to 1C takes. To this movement in the opening direction Ö and according to the illustrations in the Figure 3A and 3B to prevent the locking mechanism 1, 2 from opening, a stop 7 is provided on the electric motor drive 4, 5, 6, 7, which interacts with a blocking element 9.

The stop 7 is arranged on the driven pulley 4 of the electric motor drive 4, 5, 6, 7. In addition, the driven pulley 4 also has a pin 6 . The pin 6, the previously mentioned actuating cam 5 and the stop 7 are all and together on a matching surface, according to the embodiment of the top, of the driven pulley 4 arranged and connected to the driven pulley 4 so that they follow the rotary movements of the driven pulley 4.

With the help of the pin 6, the safety lever or locking lever 8 is "locked" starting from the position according to the Figure 2A to the "unlocked" position after the Figure 2B transferred. For this purpose, the safety lever or locking lever 8 has an interacting with the pin 6 adjusting contour 10. The adjusting contour 10 in turn has a U-shaped recess, in which the pin 6 at the transition from the Figure 2A to the Figure 2B immerses and in doing so moves to the rear edge of the U-shaped recess in the actuation direction or unlocking direction E. As a result, the locking lever 8 is "locked" starting from its position in the Figure 2A to the "unlocked" position after the Figure 2B transferred. Here, the locking lever 8 performs a counterclockwise rotation about its axis, as indicated by an arrow in FIG Figure 2A is indicated.

The blocking element or the blocking lever 9 is mounted coaxially with the safety lever or locking lever 8 . In addition, the stop 7 has a U-shaped receptacle 7 'for the blocking element or the blocking lever 9. As soon as the locking lever 8 starting from its in the Figure 2B assumed position "unlocked" is to be transferred back to its initial position or is acted upon in the "locked" position with the aid of the electromotive drive 4, 5, 6, 7, this corresponds to an actuation of the electromotive drive 4, 5, 6, 7 starting from the functional position after the Figure 2B clockwise, namely in the opening direction Ö, as in the Figure 3A is shown.

The loading of the electric motor drive 4, 5, 6, 7 in the opening direction Ö now means that an end of the blocking lever 9 remote from the axis and the stop 7 or its U-shaped recess 7' come closer together. This can be seen in the functional sequence according to the Figure 3A and 3B . This then leads to the blocking lever 9 being pushed into the U-shaped recess 7' in the functional position after the Figure 3B moves, so that the electric motor drive 4, 5, 6, 7 is stopped as a result. The movement of the electric motor drive 4, 5, 6, 7 in said opening direction Ö when canceling the unlocked position or the "unlocked" position is thus limited. The blockage of the electric motor drive 4, 5, 6, 7 is in accordance with the functional position in the Figure 3B dimensioned in such a way that the locking mechanism 1, 2 is prevented from opening, because the actuating cam 5 drives almost against the release lever 3, but does not act upon it in a lifting sense in the pawl 2 of the rotary latch 1.

To now, starting from the functional position in the Figure 3B the motor vehicle lock or motor vehicle door lock again in its original position after Figure 1A to convert back, the electric motor drive 4, 5, 6, 7 starting from the Figure 3B acted upon again in the unlocking direction E, as in the transition from the Figure 3B to the 4 recognizes. The stop 7 moves away together with its U-shaped recess 7' from the end of the blocking lever 9 remote from the axis. Since the locking lever 8 has already returned to its "locked" position, the blocking lever 9 can then also return to the starting position. This is ensured by a spring, which is not expressly shown, which the blocking lever 9 starting from the functional position in the Figure 3B applied in relation to its common axis with the locking lever 8 in the direction of a pivoting movement in the clockwise direction, so that ultimately the motor vehicle lock in the 4 its original starting position after the Figure 1A reached again.

The transition of the locking lever 8 from the "locked" position in the Figure 3A to the "unlocked" position according to the position in the Figure 3B is accomplished in that the movement of the electric motor drive 4, 5, 6, 7 in the opening direction Ö causes the pin 6 previously inserted into the U-shaped recess of the setting contour 10 to move counterclockwise during the movement associated with the opening direction Ö the right edge of the U-shaped recess travels, thereby causing the locking lever 8 to its axis clockwise when passing from the Figure 3A to the Figure 3B is pivoted. This corresponds to taking the position "locked" according to the Figure 3B .

In the Figure 2B one can also see a stop 11 fixed to the housing, which limits the movement of the pin 6 when the electric motor drive 4, 5, 6, 7 is acted upon in the unlocking direction E, after this has interacted with the actuating contour 10 of the locking lever 8 and moves the locking lever 8 into the Position "unlocked" after the Figure 2B transferred.

Another stop 12 ensures in this context that the locking lever 8 safely in the Figure 2B shown position "unlocked" occupies. Finally, an additional toggle spring (not shown) ensures that both positions “unlocked” and “locked” of the locking lever 8 are bistable. <b>Reference List</b> 1, 2 lock O opening direction 1 rotary latch E arming direction 2 pawl 3 release lever 4, 5, 6, 7 electromotive drive 4 driven pulley 5 actuating cam 6 cones 7 attack 7' U-shaped receptacle/recess 8th Safety lever / locking lever 9 Blocking element / blocking lever 10 positioning contour 11 attack 12 attack 13 attack

Claims (9)

1. Motor vehicle latch, in particular motor vehicle door latch, having a locking mechanism (1, 2) consisting substantially of a catch (1) and a pawl (2), and having an electromotive drive (4, 5, 6, 7) for the locking mechanism (1, 2) as well as a safety lever (8), the electromotive drive (4, 5, 6, 7) working on the locking mechanism (1, 2) in order to open it in an opening direction (Ö) and, in a different unlocking direction (E), acting on the safety lever (8) in order to assume an unlocking position, it being possible for an operating lever system to ensure a mechanical and manual redundant opening of the locking mechanism (1, 2) in the unlocking position, and a stop (7) being provided for the electromotive drive (4, 5, 6, 7), which stop limits the movement of the electromotive drive (4, 5, 6, 7) at least when it is acted upon in the opening direction (Ö) in order to release the unlocking position and thereby prevents the locking mechanism (1, 2) from opening, the stop (7) being arranged on the electromotive drive (4, 5, 6, 7) and interacting with a blocking element (9) in order to limit the movement of the electromotive drive when the unlocking position is released, characterized in that the blocking element (9) is arranged on the safety lever (8).
2. Motor vehicle latch according to claim 1, characterized in that the stop (7) is arranged on a driven pulley (4) of the electromotive drive (4, 5, 6, 7).
3. Motor vehicle latch according to either claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the stop (7) has a U-shaped receptacle (7') for the blocking element (9).
4. Motor vehicle latch according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the blocking element (9) is mounted coaxially with the safety lever (8).
5. Motor vehicle latch according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the blocking element (9) is formed as a blocking lever (9) which is acted upon by a spring.
6. Motor vehicle latch according to any of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the safety lever (8) is designed as a locking lever (8).
7. Motor vehicle latch according to any of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the safety lever (8) has an actuating contour (10) which interacts with a pin (6) on the electromotive drive (4, 5, 6, 7).
8. Motor vehicle latch according to claim 7, characterized in that the actuating contour (10) is designed as a U-shaped recess.
9. Motor vehicle latch according to any of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the electromotive drive (4, 5, 6, 7) additionally has an operating cam (5) for electrically opening the locking mechanism (1, 2).

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