FR3082221A1 - PROTECTIVE DEVICE FOR UNLOCKING MECHANISM OF A DOOR LOCK OF THE FLUSH HANDLE TYPE - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a protective device (10) for the unlocking mechanism (11) of a lock (12), in particular of a door (13) with a handle (35) mounted to slide in an opening (36) of the door (13 ) between a rest position and a working position, the unlocking mechanism (11) comprising an unlocking element (14) of the lock (12) and an operating member (15) of the unlocking element (14) , said operating member (15) being able to carry out a stroke between a locking position and an unlocking position, the protection device (10) comprising a protection element (18), such as a plate, configured to be disposed between the operating member (15) and the door (13), the protective element (18) being configured to screen the entire travel of the operating member (15).

Description

The present invention relates to a protection device for the unlocking mechanism of a door lock, more particularly of a door lock with a handle of the flush type, in particular of a motor vehicle.

By unlocking mechanism is meant a locking and unlocking mechanism.

By door is meant any opening having an internal wall and an external wall.

A door handle of the flush type is mounted to slide in an opening of the door between a rest position in which the handle is flush with the door, and more precisely the outer wall of the door, and a working position in which the handle is projecting from the door, and more precisely the outer wall of the door. A motorization is generally provided ensuring the passage from the rest position to the working position after identification of the person attempting to open the door.

The opening of the door can be compared to a housing arranged in the door.

The working position is the position in which the handle can be operated by the user.

The lock of such a door comprises an unlocking mechanism capable of unlocking said lock, so that the door can be opened by a user.

Such an unlocking mechanism can be either electrical or mechanical.

In the case of a mechanical unlocking mechanism, this comprises in a known manner a cylinder comprising a passage for the introduction of an unlocking key, the cylinder being connected to an element for unlocking the lock via of an operating member of the unlocking element of the lock.

Access to the unlocking mechanism is generally concealed for aesthetic and security reasons, either by a lock cover suitable for being removed manually, or in the door opening, behind the handle which can be moved by sliding .

In addition, in order to reinforce the security of the locking, the unlocking mechanism is arranged in a box equipped with means for fixing to the door, the box comprising a light allowing the operating member to move to perform its unlocking function. when activated.

However, despite the concealment of access to the unlocking mechanism and the presence of the housing, there is a risk of forced opening of the door by access to the operating member of the unlocking element at the level of the lumen housing.

An object of the invention is to ensure locking security by limiting access to the operating member of the unlocking element.

To this end, a protection device is provided according to the invention for the unlocking mechanism of a lock, in particular of a door of the type with a handle mounted to slide in an opening of the door between a rest position in which the handle is flush with the door. and a working position in which the handle is projecting relative to the door, the unlocking mechanism comprising an element for unlocking the lock and a member for operating the member for unlocking the lock, said operating member being able to carry out a stroke between a locking position and an unlocking position, in which the protection device comprises a protection element, such as a plate, configured to be disposed between the operating member and the door, the protective element being configured to screen the entire travel of the operating member.

Thus, the protective element makes it possible to protect access to the operating member and thus to ensure the security of the locking.

In one embodiment, the protection device further comprises a covering element configured to cover the operating member by cooperating with the protection element. The operating member being configured to cover the operating member over the entire travel of the operating member, while allowing the operating member to travel between the locked position and the unlocked position.

The cover element is able to cooperate with the protection element for example by complementarity of form or clipping.

The cover element is preferably made of metal.

It advantageously has an elastic tab allowing cooperation by clipping with the protective element.

In one embodiment, the protection device further comprises a housing intended to receive the unlocking mechanism, the housing comprising a light allowing the operating member to move in order to perform its unlocking function when it is actuated.

According to this embodiment, the cover element is adapted to cover the lumen of the housing while allowing the operating member to carry out its travel between the locked position and the unlocked position.

In addition, the protective element is fixed to the housing.

Alternatively, the protective element is an integral part of the housing.

According to this variant, the protective element is secured to the housing. The protective element and the housing are in one piece or even one-piece.

The protective element is preferably made of metal.

The cover element is fixed to the housing by a hinge so that it is movable between a cover position in which it covers the operating member and an access position in which the operating member is accessible.

The cover position can be compared to an assembled position of the protection device.

According to this configuration, the cover element has two substantially perpendicular walls, one of the walls being fixed to the housing via the hinge, while the other wall cooperates with the protective element, for example by form complementarity or clipping.

The invention further relates to a door assembly, comprising:

- an opening,

a handle mounted to slide in the opening of the door between a rest position in which the handle is flush with the door and a working position in which the handle is projecting relative to the door,

- a lock,

a mechanism for unlocking the lock, comprising a member for unlocking the lock and a member for operating the member for unlocking the lock, said member for operating being capable of carrying out a stroke between a locked position and a position unlocking, and

- a protection device as described above.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the detailed description which follows for the understanding of which reference will be made to the appended drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a protection device of an unlocking mechanism seen from its rear face, the cover element is in the access position;

Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of the device of Figure 1, the cover member being in the cover position;

Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view of the protection device of Figure 2 seen from its front face, the unlocking mechanism not being shown;

Figure 4 is a schematic view of the rear of the protection device of Figure 1, the rear face not being shown and the unlocking mechanism being partially shown;

Figure 5 is a schematic view of the rear face of the protection device, seen from the front of the device, the locking mechanism and the cover element also being shown; FIG. 6 illustrates a door handle of the flush type, the handle being in a working position, projecting from the door, so that the door lock is visible.

In the present application, the front face or the front of the protection device is considered, when the device is integrated in a door of a motor vehicle and the latter is closed, like the face closest to the outside of the vehicle. , while the rear or rear side is considered to be the side closest to the interior of the vehicle.

The terms "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", and their derivatives refer to the position or orientation of an element or component, this position or orientation being considered when the vehicle is in service configuration on horizontal ground.

FIG. 1 represents a protection device 10 of an unlocking mechanism 11 of a lock 12 (FIG. 6) of a door 13 (FIG. 6) of a motor vehicle (not shown).

The unlocking mechanism 11 comprises an unlocking element 14 of the lock 12, an operating member 15 of the unlocking member 14, and a cable 16 which connects the operating member 15 to the unlocking member 14.

The operating member 15 of the unlocking element 14 of the lock 12 is a lever.

The protection device 10 comprises a housing 16, a protection element 18 and a cover element 19.

The housing 17 is substantially parallelepipedic and has an upper face 20, a lower face 21, a front face 22, a rear face 23 and two lateral faces 24.

The front 22, upper 20, lower 21 and lateral 24 faces form a first piece 25 in one piece, while the rear face 23 forms a second piece 26, nested in the first piece 25.

The housing 17 includes a light 27 arranged on its upper face 20, and more precisely attached to its rear face 23.

The housing 17 is made of plastic.

In a variant not shown, the housing 17 is made of metal, such as steel.

The unlocking mechanism 11 is housed in the housing 17.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the operating member 15 and the cable 16 protrude from the housing 17, from the lumen 27.

The protective element 18 is configured to be disposed between the operating member 15 and the door 13 (Figure 6), to protect the operating member 15. It is in the form of a plate perpendicular to the face upper 20 of the housing 17, extending over the entire length L of the light 27.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the protective element 18 is an integral part of the housing 17, and more specifically of the first part 25 of the housing 17. Thus, the protective element 18 is a projecting element of the upper face 20 of the housing 17, disposed along the opening 27.

The protective element 18 has a rounded upper edge 28.

As shown in Figure 2, the cover member 19 is intended to cover the operating member 15 (Figure 1). It has two walls 19a and 19b substantially perpendicular, one of the walls 19b being fixed to the second part 26 of the housing 17 by a hinge 29, while the other wall 19a is intended to cooperate with the rounded upper edge 28 (FIG. 1) of the protective element 18 (Figure 1), by clipping.

The cover element 19 is therefore movable between a cover position (Figure 2) in which it covers the operating member 15 and an access position (Figure 1) in which the operating member 15 is uncovered.

The rear face 23 of the housing 17 has an upper side 30, a lower side 30 and two lateral sides 32, and the cover element 19 is fixed, via the hinge 29, to the upper side 30 of said rear face 23, at the level light 27, by the hinge 29 with an axis parallel to the upper 30 and lower 31 sides.

The cover element 19 is configured to pivot about an axis B parallel to the upper side 30 of the rear face 23 of the housing 17.

In a variant not shown, the cover element 19 is fixed to the housing 17 by any other means allowing it to pivot about the axis B parallel to the upper side 30 of the rear face 23 of the housing 17. For example, the element cover 19 may have a reduced thickness at its line of attachment with the housing 17, along the axis B parallel to the upper side 30 of the rear face 23 of the housing 17.

The dimensions and the shape of the lumen 27 of the housing 17, and the dimensions and the shape of the protective element 18 and of the covering element 19, are such that the operating member 15 is able to perform a stroke. between a locked position and an unlocked position.

The light 27 allows the operating member 15 to move to ensure its unlocking function when actuated.

In addition, the dimensions and the shape of the protective element 18 are such that it forms a screen over the entire travel of the operating member 15, between the locked position and the unlocked position.

The cover element 19 is made of metal, such as steel.

FIG. 3 illustrates the protection device 10, the unlocking mechanism not being shown. The second part 26 of the housing 17 is fitted into the first part 25 of the housing 17 by clipping means.

Furthermore, the cover element 19 is fitted into the protective element 18 by clipping means.

FIG. 4 illustrates the operating member 15 projecting through the lumen 27 of the first part 25 of the housing 17. The operating member 15 is movable in rotation about an axis A. The protective element 18 forms a screen over the entire travel of the operating member 15, from the front of the protection device 10.

FIG. 5 illustrates in more detail the unlocking mechanism 11. This comprises a cylinder 33 comprising a passage 34 for the introduction of an unlocking key 37, the cylinder 33 being connected to the unlocking element 14, the lock 12 (FIG. 6) by means of an operating member 15, presented in the form of a lever, of the unlocking element 14 of the lock 12. The cable 16 connects the operating member 15 to the unlocking element 14.

The cover element 19 is able to cover the operating member 15 over its entire stroke allowing locking / unlocking.

FIG. 6 illustrates a door handle 35, the handle 35 being of the flush type, and being in a working position, projecting from the door 13, so that the lock 12 of the door is visible.

The door 13 has an internal wall (not visible in FIG. 6) and an external wall 38, opposite the internal wall, an opening 36 being configured in the door 13 from the external wall 38.

The handle 35 is mounted to slide in the opening 36 of the door 13 between a rest position (not shown) in which the handle 35 is flush with the external wall 38 of the door 12 and a working position (Figure 6) in which the handle 35 projects from the external wall 38 of the door 13.

The protection device 10 as described above is arranged in the opening 36 of the door 13, behind the handle 35, set back relative to the external wall 38 in the direction of the opposite internal wall.

The first part 25, and more precisely the front face 22, of the housing 17 of the protection device 10 is visible to the user when the handle 35 projects from the door 13.

The lock 12, comprising the unlocking mechanism 11 (not shown in FIG. 6), is arranged in the housing 17, the passage 34 for the key 37 (FIG. 5) flush with the front face 22 of the housing.

Claims (10)

1. Protection device (10) for the unlocking mechanism (11) of a lock (12), in particular of a door (13) of the handle type (35) mounted to slide in an opening (36) of the door (13) between a rest position in which the handle (35) is flush with the door (13) and a working position in which the handle (35) projects relative to the door (13), the unlocking mechanism (11) comprising an unlocking element (14) of the lock (12) and an operating member (15) of the unlocking element (14) of the lock (12), said operating member (15) being capable of carrying out a stroke between a locking position and an unlocking position, characterized in that the protection device (10) comprises a protection element (18), such as a plate, configured to be disposed between the operating member (15) and the door (13), the protective element (18) being configured to screen all the stroke of the operating member (15). 2. Protection device (10) according to the preceding claim, further comprising a cover element (19) configured to cover the operating member (15) by cooperating with the protection element (18), over the entire stroke. of the operating member (15), while allowing the operating member (15) to travel between the locked position and the unlocked position. 3. Protective device (10) according to the preceding claim, wherein the cover element (19) is able to cooperate with the protective element (18) for example by complementary shape or clipping. 4. Protective device (10) according to any one of claims 2 to 3, wherein in which the cover element (19) is made of metal. 5. Protective device (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a housing (17) intended to receive the unlocking mechanism (11), the housing (17) comprising a light (27) allowing the 'operating member (15) to move to ensure its unlocking function when actuated. 6. Protective device (10) according to the preceding claim, wherein the cover element (19) is adapted to cover the light (27) of the housing (17) while allowing the operating member (15) to travel between the locked position and the unlocked position. 7. Protective device (10) according to any one of claims 5 to 6, wherein the protective element (18) is an integral part of the housing (17). 8. Protective device (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the protective element (18) is made of metal. 9. Protective device (10) according to any one of claims 5 to 8, wherein the cover element (19) is fixed to the housing (17) by a hinge (29) so that it is movable between a cover position in which it covers the operating member (15) and an access position in which the operating member (15) is uncovered. 10. Door assembly (13), comprising: - an opening (36), - a handle (35) mounted to slide in the opening (36) of the door (13) between a rest position in which the handle (35) is flush with the door (13) and a working position in which the handle ( 35) is projecting from the door (13), - a lock (12), - an unlocking mechanism (11) of the lock (12), comprising an unlocking element (14) of the lock (12) and an operating member (15) of the unlocking element (14) of the lock ( 12), said operating member (15) being able to carry out a stroke between a locking position and an unlocking position, and - a protection device (10) according to any one of the preceding claims.