GB2312237A

GB2312237A - A manual or central locking motor vehicle door lock comprising a theft protection device.

Info

Publication number: GB2312237A
Application number: GB9706666A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael Strathmann
Original assignee: Kiekert AG
Current assignee: Kiekert AG
Priority date: 1996-04-20
Filing date: 1997-04-02
Publication date: 1997-10-22
Anticipated expiration: 2017-04-02
Also published as: GB9706666D0; DE19615764C1; MX9702836A; ES2156651A1; ES2156651B1; GB2312237B

Description

2312237 "A motor vehicle door lock which is designed to be operated

manually or via a central locking device and which comprises a theft protection device" This invention relates to a motor vehicle door lock which is designed to be operated manually or via a central locking device and which comprises a theft protection device, - having a rotary latch, 10 a pawl, a locking lever which acts directly or indirectly on the pawl, an exterior locking lever which acts on the locking lever, an interior locking lever which acts on the locking lever, an interior operating lever, and having idle-running devices on the interior locking lever and on the interior operating lever, and having a quadrupole epicyclic gear comprising a sun wheel, a planet wheel carrier, planet wheels and a ring gear with which the planet wheels mesh, wherein the sun wheel is driven by a single electric motor which can be switched to rotate clockwise or anticlockwise and whCrein a locking power take-off and a theft protection power take-off are provided, wherein the locking power take-off is derived from the planet wheel carrier and comprises a driver plate which is disposed on a locking spindle running parallel to the spindle of the sun wheel for operating the locking lever and which can be entrained to and fro by the planet wheel carrier, via a pin and slot system, between the "locked" and "unlocked" polarisation positions according to the direction of rotation of the electric motor, wherein the theft protection power take-off is derived from the ring gear and comprises a toothed wheel segment which is disposed on a theft protection spindle running parallel to the spindle of the sun wheel for operating the theft protection lever and which can be entrained to and fro by an external toothed ring of the ring gear between the "theft protection on" and "theft protection off" polarisation positions according to the direction of rotation of the electric motor, wherein a locking gear is provided between the locking power take-off and the theft protection power take-off, and wherein the arrangement is effected so that in the fixed "theft protection on" polarisation position a locking component directly or indirectly positively locks the planet wheel carrier of the locking is power take-off.

The known motor vehicle door lock from which the present invention stems (DE 43 34 522 Cl) has been proven in practice. In this motor vehicle door lock, as in motor vehicle door locks which operate similarly, an emergency unlocking device is put into effect, e.g. in the event that the electric motor drive has failed. The term "emergency unlocking" means that if the power supply to the central locking drive has failed, locking also has to be possible manually via the lock cylinder with the associated key, particularly from the "theft protection on" polarisation position.

This is also possible for this known form of construction. For this purpose, the exterior locking lever is fitted with an arm which moves the theft protection lever from the "theft protection on" position into the "theft protection ofP position. This emergency operation is sluggish.

A basic object of the present invention is to make emergency unlocking easier, as regards the operating technique employed, for a motor vehicle door lock of the construction described at the outset.

According to the present invention, there is provided a motor vehicle door lock which is designed to be operated manually or via a central locking device and which comprises a theft protection device, having a rotary latch, a pawl, a locking lever which acts directly or indirectly on the pawl, 10 an exterior locking lever which acts on the locking lever, an interior locking lever which acts on the locking lever, an interior operating lever, and having idle-running devices on the interior locking lever and on the interior operating lever, and having a quadrupole epicyclic gear comprising a sun wheel, a planet wheel carrier, planet wheels and a ring gear with which the planet wheels mesh, wherein the sub wheel is driven by a single electric motor which be switched to rotate clockwise or anticlockwise and wherein a locking power take-off and a theft protection power take-off are provided, 25 wherein the locking power take-off is derived from the planet wheel carrier and comprises a driver plate which is disposed on a locking spindle running parallel to the spindle of the sun wheel for operating the locking lever and which can be entrained to and fro by the planet wheel carrier, via a pin and slot system, between the "locked" and "unlocked" polarisation positions according to the direction of rotation of the electric motor, 30 wherein the theft protection power take-off is derived from the ring gear and comprises a toothed wheel segment which is disposed on a theft protection spindle running parallel to the spindle of the sun wheel for operating a theft protection lever and which can be entrained to and fro by an external toothed ring of the ring gear between the "theft protection on" and "theft protection off" polarisation positions according to the direction of rotation of the electric motor, wherein a locking gear is provided between the locking power take-off and the theft protection power take-off, and wherein the arrangement is effected so that in the fixed "theft protection on" polarisation position a locking component directly or indirectly positively locks the planet wheel carrier of the locking power take-off, characterised in that the theft protection lever is joined to the theft protection spindle via a non-positive connection, 15 that the theft protection lever can be moved by means of the quadrupole epicyclic gear, by the theft protection power take-off and via the non-positive connection, into the "theft protection on" and "theft protection off" mechanical polarisation positions, and that 20 in addition the theft protection lever can be moved via the locking lever, with the nonpositive connection being overcome and the quadrupole epicyclic gear and its drive being by-passed, from the "theft protection on" polarisation position into the "theft protection ofP polarisation position. 25 In the motor vehicle door lock according to the invention, the non-positive connection described above can be put into effect in various ways. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the arrangement is effected for this purpose so that the non-positive connection is produced by means of a longitudinally extending groove in the theft protection spindle and of a driver rib of the toothed wheel segment, which driver rib is elastic for the purpose of latching 30 and unlatching. For this purpose, the toothed wheel segment may consist, at least regionally, of an elastically movable synthetic material which comprises a cavity in the region above the driver rib, which cavity determines the elastic mobility of the driver rib.

The invention stems from the recognition that for a motor vehicle door lock of the construction described at the outset it is possible without difficulty to replace the positive connection between the theft protection lever and the theft protection spindle, which in this respect is a rigid connection, by a non-positive connection which can be designed without problems so that the theft protection lever can be moved as described above into the "theft protection on" and "theft protection ofP mechanical polarisation positions by an electric motor, but so that it can also easily be moved via the exterior locking lever, on which the lock cylinder of the motor vehicle door lock acts directly or indirectly for example, with the non-positive connection being overcome and with the quadrupole epicyclic gear thus being by-passed, from the "theft protection on" polarisation position into the "theft protection off" polarisation position. A procedure similar to that described above may also be employed with respect to the locking lever which is operated via the locking spindle, wherein the non-positive connection, which operates as described above, is disposed between the locking lever and the locking spindle.

The invention is described in more detail below with reference to the drawings, which merely illustrate an example of an embodiment, where:

Figure 1 is a schematic illustration of the motor vehicle door lock according to the invention; Figure 2 is a view of a portion of the subject of Figure 1 in the direction A; Figure 3 shows a portion of the subject of Figure 1 in another operating position; Figure 4 is a schematic illustration of a quadrupole epicyclic gear according to the invention, viewed in the direction of the planet wheels; Figure 5 is a section, in the direction B-B, through the subject of Figure 4; Figure 6 is a schematic illustration, corresponding to that of Figure 3, showing the "theft protection on" polarisation position, where the non- positive connection is effective; Figure 7 shows the subject of Figure 6, where the non-positive connection has been overcome; Figures 8 to 10 show details of the non-positive connection, on an enlarged scale compared with that of Figures 6 and 7; and Figures 11 and 12 show the constructional form of the non-positive connection, corresponding to sections B-C in Figure 9 and D-E in Figure 10, respectively.

The motor vehicle door lock which is illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 is designed to be operated manually or via a central locking device, and additionally comprises a theft protection device. It basic construction firstly comprises a rotary latch 1, a pawl 2, a locking lever 3 which acts directly or indirectly on the pawl 2, an exterior locking lever 4 which acts on the locking lever 20 3, an interior locking lever 5 which acts on the locking lever 3, and an interior operating lever 6. In addition, customary idle-running devices, which do not require special explanation, are put into effect on the interior locking lever 5 and on the interior operating lever 6. A quadrupole epicyclic gear 7 is provided in the motor vehicle door lock. This is specially 25 designed and performs a special function. Whereas in Figures 1 and 3 the quadrupole epicyclic gear 7 is illustrated without constructional details, its basic construction can be seen in Figure 4. The quadrupole epicyclic gear 7 comprises a sun wheel 8, a planet wheel carrier 9, planet wheels 10 and a ring gear 11 with which the planet wheels 10 mesh. The sun wheel 8 is driven by a single electric motor 12 which can be switched to rotate clockwise or anticlockwise. The 30 quadrupole epicyclic gear 7 comprises a locking power take-off 13 and a theft protection power take-off 14. Figure 4 also illustrates the polarisation positions I to IV of the motor vehicle door lock, which are explained in detail below.

The locking power take-off 13 is derived from the planet wheel carrier 9 and comprises the "locked" (I) and "unlocked" (I1) mechanical polarisation positions, with respect to which reference is made to Figures 4 and 6. The theft protection power take-off 14 is derived from the ring gear 11 and comprises the "theft protection on" (III) and "theft protection off" (IV) mechanical polarisation positions. Reference is made in particular to Figure 4 in this respect also.

A locking gear 15 is provided between the locking power take-off 13 and the theft protection power take-off 14. This can be seen in Figure 4. 'Me arrangement is effected so that in the fixed "theft protection on" polarisation position (HI) a locking component, namely the locking tongue 16, positively locks the planet wheel carrier 9 of the locking power takeoff 13. The locking power take-off 13 is provided with a driver plate 17 which is disposed on a locking spindle 18 running parallel to the spindle of the sun wheel 8 for the direct or indirect operation of the locking lever 3 and which can be entrained to and fro by the planet wheel carrier 9, via a pin and slot system 19a, 19b, between the "locked" (I) and "unlocked" (H) polarisation positions according to the direction of rotation of the electric motor 12. In the embodiment exemplified, and according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the theft protection power take-off 14 comprises a toothed wheel segment 19 which is disposed on a theft protection spindle 20 running parallel to the spindle of the sun wheel 8 for the direct and indirect operation of a theft protection lever 21 and which can be entrained to and fro by an external toothed ring 22 of the ring gear 11 between "theft protection on" (III) and "theft protection off" (M polarisation positions according to the direction of rotation of the electric motor 12. The planet wheel carrier 9 has a locking gear recess 23 in which the locking tongue 16 of the toothed wheel segment 19, which tongue is complementary to the locking recess 23, engages in the "theft protection on" polarisation position (M). The "locked" (I) and "unlocked" (H) polarisation positions, as well as the "theft protection on" (III) and "theft protection off" (M polarisation positions, are constructed as limit stops on the quadrupole epicyclic gear 7 and/or on the lock plate or lock housing; this is only indicated schematically.

Figure 1 shows the locked position (I) of the motor vehicle door lock. The electric motor 12 and the planet wheel carrier 9 have come to a stop. The planet wheel carrier 9 is stopped by the driver pin 19a striking the driver plate 17. The electric motor 12 is stopped via the switch 24 which can be seen in Figure 1, by a corresponding polarity of the switch 24. In the locked state of the motor vehicle door lock, the locking recess 23 on the planet wheel carrier 9 assumes a position which permits a free rotational movement of the toothed wheel segment 19 with the theft protection power take-off 14.

If the switch 24 in Figure 1 is supplied with current so that voltage is supplied to the electric motor outside the 1ockeT polarisation position, the ring gear 11 of the quadrupole epicyclic gear 7 is driven because further rotation of the planet wheel carrier 9 is prevented via the pin 19a, which is seated against the driver plate 17. Because the locking recess 23 on the planet wheel carrier 9 is placed, as described above, so that the toothed wheel segment 19 can move and is freely rotatable with the theft protection power take-off 14 or the corresponding spindle, the toothed wheel segment is likewise driven. The rotary movement of the toothed wheel segment 19 is effected as far as the "theft protection on" polarisation position (Ill) and is stopped in this position by a limit stop. The locking tongue 16 on the toothed wheel segment 19 engages in the locking recess 23 of the planet wheel carrier 19. The latter is thereby locked, and rotation or partial rotation of the planet wheel carrier 19 is no longer possible. This is important for the reverse operating procedure, namely from the "theft protection on" position (III) of the motor vehicle door lock, via the "locked" polarisation position (I), as far as the "unlocked" position (II).

A few remarks will suffice for the reverse operating procedure: the electric motor 12 is supplied with current so that it moves in the reverse direction of rotation to that employed previously, and is driven correspondingly. Since the planet wheel carrier 9 is still locked, the ring gear 11, and with it the toothed wheel segment 19, is driven until it strikes the limit stop for the "theft protection ofC polarisation position (M.

Thereafter the planet wheel carrier 9 is driven in rotation via the characteristic of the quadrupole epicyclic gear 7. The driver pin 19a engages in the slot 19b, which is open at the edge of the driver plate 17. The driver plate 17 is moved in rotation as far as the limit stop for the "unlocked" polarisation position (II). The planet wheel carrier 9 rotates further until the driver pin 19a strikes the driver plate 17. The current supply to the electric motor 12 is switched off by a time control system which is not illustrated. The driver plate 17 can be freely moved manually.

Levers of the motor vehicle door lock are coupled to the locking power take-off 13 and to the theft protection power take-off 14. Coupling is effected to the corresponding spindles. A lever arm 25, with a forked opening 26 at the end of the lever arm, is attached rotationally fixed to the locking power take-off 13. A pin 27, which is fixedly attached to the locking lever 3, engages in this forked opening 26. The locking lever 3 is therefore moved by the driver plate 17 from an unlocked position (II) into a locked position (I) and vice versa. In the locked position (I), an attached coupling lever 28 comprising a pin 29 is swivelled into a position such that the pin 29 is situated outside the region of the pawl 2 and thus the lock cannot be released via the exterior operating lever 30. The locking lever 3 interacts with a customary exterior locking lever 4, which is attached to a lock cylinder by a rod 31, for example, and interacts with a customary interior locking lever 5, which is attached to an interior locking button for example.

An extension arm 32 comprising an angled portion 33 is attached rotationally fixed to the theft protection power take-off 14. In the "theft protection on" position (H1), in the sequence of operations after locked position (I) has been reached, the angled portion 33 is situated in front of the pin 29 on the coupling lever 28, so that an unauthorised attempt at unlocking via the interior locking lever 5 or the exterior locking lever 3 does not make it possible for the coupling lever 28 to be swivelled into the region of the pawl 2. Consequently, the motor vehicle door lock cannot be released. The manner in which the motor vehicle door lock according to the invention reaches the position, via the quadrupole epicyclic gear and the "theft protection off" polarisation position (IV), in which the theft protection function is no longer activated and is no longer effective, is self-evident.

With the motor vehicle door lock which is illustrated and which was described above, it is possible, according to the teaching of the invention, to effect a special emergency unlocking operation from the theft protection position (III). It can be seen in Figures 3, 4 and 5, and it can be seen in greater detail in Figures 6 to 10, that the theft protection lever 21 is joined to the theft protection spindle 20 via a non-positive connection 34. The theft protection lever 21 can be moved by means of the quadrupole epicyclic gear 7, by the theft protection power take-off 14 and via the non-positive connection 34, into the "theft protection on" mechanical polarisation position (III) and in the reverse direction into the "theft protection off " mechanical polarisation position (TV), which positions have been described above. However, the non-positive connection 34 is also designed so that the theft protection lever 21 can be moved, via the exterior locking lever 4 on which the lock cylinder of the motor vehicle door lock acts directly or indirectly for example, from the "theft protection on" polarisation position (III) into the "theft protection ofP polarisation position (IV), with the non-positive connection 34 being overcome and thus with the quadrupole epicyclic gear 7 and its drive being by-passed. In the embodiment exemplified, and according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the non-positive connection 34 is put into effect by means of a groove 35, a driver rib 36 and a cavity 37. Reference is also made to Figures 11 and 12 in this respect. These latter Figures show how the non-positive connection 34 is produced by means of the longitudinally extending groove 35 in the theft protection spindle 20 and of the driver rib 36 on the toothed wheel segment 19, which driver rib is elastically movable is for the purpose of latching and unlatching. The toothed wheel segment 19 is constructed, at least regionally, of an elastic synthetic material for this purpose; this material comprises the cavity 37, which determines the elastic mobility of the driver rib 36, in the region above the driver rib 36.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle door lock which is designed to be operated manually or via a central locking device and which comprises a theft protection device, having a rotary latch, a pawl, a locking lever which acts directly or indirectly on the pawl, an exterior locking lever which acts on the locking lever, an interior locking lever which acts on the locking lever, an interior operating lever, and having idle-running devices on the interior locking lever and on the interior operating lever, - and having a quadrupole epicyclic gear comprising a sun wheel, a planet wheel carrier, planet wheels and a ring gear with which the planet wheels mesh, wherein the sub wheel is driven by a single electric motor which can be switched to rotate clockwise or anticlockwise and wherein a locking power take-off and a theft protection power take-off are provided, wherein the locking power take-off is derived from the planet wheel carrier and comprises a driver plate which is disposed on a locking spindle running parallel to the spindle of the sun wheel for operating the locking lever and which can be entrained to and fro by the planet wheel carrier, via a pin and slot system, between the "locked" and "unlocked" polarisation positions according to the direction of rotation of the electric motor, wherein the theft protection power take-off is derived from the ring gear and comprises a toothed wheel segment which is disposed on a theft protection spindle running parallel to the spindle of the sun wheel for operating a theft protection lever and which can be entrained to and fro by an external toothed ring of the ring gear between the "theft protection on" and "theft protection off" polarisation positions according to the direction of rotation of the electric motor, wherein a locking gear is provided between the locking power take-off and the theft protection power takeoff, and wherein the arrangement is effected so that in the fixed "theft protection on" polarisation position a locking component directly or indirectly positively locks the planet wheel carrier of the locking power take-off, characterised in that the theft protection lever is joined to the theft protection spindle via a non-positive connection, 15 that the theft protection lever can be moved by means of the quadrupole epicyclic gear, by the theft protection power take-off and via the non-positive connection, into the "theft protection on" and "theft protection ofP mechanical polarisation positions, and that 20 in addition the theft protection lever can be moved via the locking lever, with the nonpositive connection being overcome and the quadrupole epicyclic gear and its drive being by-passed, from the "theft protection on" polarisation position into the "theft protection off" polarisation position. 25

2. A motor vehicle door lock according to Claim 1, the non-positive connection is produced by means of a longitudinally extending groove in the theft protection spindle and of a driver rib of the toothed wheel segment, which driver rib is elastically movable for the purpose of latching and unlatching.

3. A motor vehicle door lock according to Claim 2, wherein the toothed wheel segment consists at least regionally, of an elastic synthetic material which comprises a cavity in the region above the driver rib, which cavity determines the elastic mobility of the driver rib.

4. A motor vehicle door lock substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.