GB2323889A

GB2323889A - Motor vehicle door lock with swivel mounted locking element

Info

Publication number: GB2323889A
Application number: GB9802282A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Horst Brackmann; Andreas Siekierka
Original assignee: Kiekert AG
Current assignee: Kiekert AG
Priority date: 1997-04-04
Filing date: 1998-02-04
Publication date: 1998-10-07
Anticipated expiration: 2018-02-04
Also published as: GB9802282D0; GB2323889B; DE19713864A1; DE19713864C2

Abstract

The lock has a central locking element 7 which includes a forked receiver 11 with control faces 12 associated with eccentric control pins 9 rotatably driven by a reversible electric motor 8. As the pins rotate until they reach stop faces 13, control movements are transmitted to the locking element. Consequently, a central locking lever 5 connected to the locking element is moved into either an "unlocked" (Fig.2) or "locked" (Fig.1) operating position. The locking element has swivel mounted spreader arms 14 that are movable apart from each other (Fig.5) to ensure that the pins can cover curved ascents (20,Fig.5) and that the motor is not switched off prematurely. The arms have cam-like stops 18 at their ends which can be spread apart by a key lever 19. In an emergency, the locking element and in turn the locking lever can be moved into the operating positions by merely using the key lever.

Description

"A MOTOR VEHICLE DOOR LOW 2323889 This invention relates to a motor

vehicle door lock having a locking lever system which comprises at least one central locking lever, and having a central locking drive as well as a central locking element connected to the central locking lever, wherein the central locking drive is constructed as a reversible electric motor drive which comprises a power take-off element having at least one eccentric control pin, the control pin can be controlled to execute anti-clockwise and clockwise control movements on an arc of circulation, thereby moving the central locking element into "unlocked" and "locked" operating positions, and the central locking element comprises a forked receiver having control faces which are disposed at the sides in the forked receiver and which are associated with the control pin.

A motor vehicle door lock of this type is known in which the central locking element is constructed as a one-piece element, and the forked receiver is consequently constructed as a closed receiver. The electric motor drive has two control pins with which the control faces in the forked receiver are associated. If the door lock or its closing cylinder is operated with a key, the electric motor drive is actuated simultaneously via a switch, so that the power take-off 20 element with the two control pins rotates by way of an unlocking or locking operation, and the control pins execute either anti-clockwise or clockwise control movements on an arc of circulation, whereby the central locking lever is moved, via the central locking element, into the "unlocked" or "locked" operating positions. In this connection, the electric motor drive serves the purpose of taking over the function of the key, or at least of assisting the operation of the key 25 and making it considerably easier. However, it is not impossible for the electric motor drive prematurely to become blocked and consequently to be switched off, if the respective control pin in the forked receiver becomes blocked. This depends on the construction of the control faces, for example if the respective control pin has to cover a steeper curved ascent. If the electric motor drive is switched off before the control pins strike against stop faces which delimit their control movements, the central locking element or the central locking lever is then situated in an undefined position, so that a further operation of the key has to be effected in order definitely to reach the "unlocked" or "locked" operating positions. The present invention is employed here.

A basic object of the present invention is to create a motor vehicle door lock of the form of construction described at the outset, with which it is ensured that the electric motor drive is not switched off until the "unlocked" or "locked" operating positions have definitely been reached.

According to the present invention, there is provided a motor vehicle door lock having a locking lever system which comprises at least one central locking lever, and having a central locking drive as well as a central locking element connected to the central locking lever, wherein the central locking drive is constructed as a reversible electric motor drive which comprises a power take-off element having at least one eccentric control pin, is the control pin can be controlled to execute anti-clockwise and clockwise control movements on an arc of circulation, thereby moving the central locking element into 46 unlocked" and "locked" operating positions, and the central locking element comprises a forked receiver having control faces which are disposed at the sides in the forked receiver and which are associated with the control pin, with the central locking element constructed as a divided spreader element having spreader arms which surround the forked receiver, that the spreader arms are swivel- mounted at one of their arm ends against the action of a pull-back spring and can be spread apart from each other at their other arm ends, and that a key output acts between the spread-apart arm ends.

The result of these measures according to the invention is that after the operation of the key and the operation of the switch have been initiated in the course of unlocking or locking, the electric motor drive no longer switches off prematurely, because there is no longer the risk of the control pins becoming blocked in contact with the control faces. This applies even when relatively steep curved ascents are covered, because in a situation such as this the spreader arm with the respective control face spreads out by a predetermined extent and is consequently non-rigid, as it were. However, the spreading and restoring forces are matched to each other, by correspondingly sizing the pull-back spring, so that the control pins are in fact prevented from becoming blocked, but nevertheless a perfect transmission of the control movements of the control pins to the central locking element or spreader element, and consequently from the spreader element to the central locking lever, is ensured, so that the "unlocked" and "locked" operating positions are definitely reached before the electromagnetic drive switches off.

Other measures which are essential to the invention are listed below. Thus, according to the invention, the spreader arms are swivel-mounted at one of their arm ends on a common bearing pin, and have extensions which project beyond the bearing pin and which are connected to each other via the pull-back spring. Within the scope of the invention, however, a coil spring or torsion spring can also be used as a pull-back spring. The spreader arms advantageously have cam-like stops on their arm ends which can spread apart from each other for the key output which acts between the stops, and which may be an operating lever which is rotatably mounted on the cylinder lock side. The stops ensure that there is a perfect frictional engagement between the operating lever and the central locking element.

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

Figure 1 is a view in the direction of the plane of the lock plate, of a motor vehicle door lock according to the invention, in the "locked" operating position; Figure 2 shows the subject of Figure 1 in the "unlocked" operating position; Figure 3 shows the subject of Figure 2 with the operating lever system actuated; Figure 4 is a side view of a motor vehicle door lock according to the invention, with the central locking element and the central locking lever; and Figure 5 illustrates various operating steps of the central locking element in the course of an unlocking operation.

It can be seen from Figures 1 to 3 that the motor vehicle door lock comprises a rotary latch 1, a pawl 2 and a release lever 3, wherein an operating lever system acts on the release lever 3, which operating lever system has at least one interior operating lever 4. In addition, a locking lever system is provided, which has at least one central locking lever 5. In the embodiment exemplified, the rotary latch 1, the pawl 2, and the release lever 3, as well as parts of the operating lever system and of the locking lever system, are disposed on a lock plate.

Figure 1 shows the motor vehicle door lock closed and in the "locked" operating position. The rotary latch 1 then fits round a striker pin 6 which is situated on the door pillar. Figure 2 shows the motor vehicle door lock closed and in the "unlocked" operating position. It can be seen from Figure 3 that in the "unlocked" operating position of the locking lever system, the release lever 3 can be operated by means of the operating lever system. It can clearly be seen from Figures 1 to 3 that the arrangement is designed so that in the "unlocked" operating position of the locking lever system, the operating lever system is coupled to the release lever 3, and in the "locked" operating position of the locking lever system, the operating lever system is uncoupled from the release lever 3 and can be moved with inoperative travel.

In addition, a central locking drive and a central locking element 7, which is connected to the locking lever system, are provided. The central locking drive is constructed as a reversible electric motor drive or as an electric motor, which comprises a power take-off element 8 with two eccentric control pins 9. The control pins 9 can be controlled to execute anti-clockwise and clockwise control movements on an arc of circulation 10, and thereby move the central locking element 7 as well as the central locking lever 5 into the "unlocked" and "locked" operating positions.

The central locking element 7 comprises a forked receiver 11 with control faces 12 which are disposed at the sides in the forked receiver and which are associated with the control pins 9.

Moreover, the central locking element 7 has a stop face 13 for the control pins 9 on both sides of the forked receiver 11 in each case. The control movements of the control pins 9 are limited by the control pins 9 striking one of the stop faces 13 in each case. The electric motor drive is switched off when the control pins 9 strike the stop faces 13. The central locking element 7 and the central locking lever 5 are attached rotationally fixed to each other.

The central locking element 7 is constructed as a divided spreader element comprising spreader arms 14 which surround the forked receiver 11, and the spreader arms 14 are swivel-mounted at one of their arm ends against the action of a pull-back spring 15, and can be spread apart from each other at their other arm ends when the control pins have to cover curved ascents which are predetermined by the control faces 12. 'Ilie control pins 9 are thereby prevented from becoming prematurely blocked and the electric motor drive is prevented from being switched off prematurely, namely before the control pins 9 have reached the stop faces 13. The "locked" and "unlocked" operating positions are always definitely reached, with the assistance of the electric motor drive, and are consequently positions which are defined in this respect. The spreader arms 14 are swivel-mounted at one of their arm ends on a common bearing pin 16, and have extensions 17 which project beyond the bearing pin 16 and which are connected to each other via the pull-back spring 15. In addition, the spreader arms 14 have cam- like stops 18, at their arm ends which can be spread apart, for a key output 19 which acts between the stops. The key output 19 is an operating lever which is rotatably mounted on the cylinder lock side, so that the central locking element 7, and consequently the central locking lever 5 can - in an emergency - also be moved into the "unlocked" and "locked" operating positions merely by operating the key.

Starting from the locked position shown in Figure 4, the central locking element 7 is first swivelled by a predetermined extent on the actuation of a switch for the electric motor drive in the course of an anti-clockwise operation of the key according to arrow a. The subsequent control movements of the central locking element 7 are transmitted to the central locking element 7 and consequently to the central locking lever 5 indicated in Figure 4, by the control pin 9 which rotates to the left and consequently rotates anti-clockwise according to arrow b in the embodiment exemplified, until the definite "unlocked" operating position is reached and until the key output 19 is then also situated in this operating position. Whilst the curved ascent 20 is being covered, a temporary spreading-out of the respective spreader arm 14 occurs; this spreader arm is subsequently moved back into the closed position by the pull-back spring 15. The rotary movements of the key output 19 of the central locking element 7, and the spreading-out movement of one spreader arm 14 are represented by arrows. The reverse procedure of operation and movement occur in the course of a locking operation.

Claims

A motor vehicle door lock having a locking lever system which comprises at least one central locking lever, and having a central locking drive as well as a central locking element connected to the central locking lever, wherein the central locking drive is constructed as a reversible electric motor drive which comprises a power take-off element having at least one eccentric control pin, - the control pin can be controlled to execute anti-clockwise and clockwise control movements on an arc of circulation, thereby moving the central locking element into "unlocked" and "locked" operating positions, and the central locking element comprises a forked receiver having control faces which are disposed at the sides in the forked receiver and which are associated with the control pin, with the central locking element constructed as a divided spreader element having spreader arms which surround the forked receiver, that the spreader arms are swivel- mounted at one of their arm ends against the action of a pull-back spring and can be spread apart from each other at their other arm ends, and that a key output acts between the spread-apart arm ends.
2. A motor vehicle door lock according to Claim 1, wherein the spreader arms are swivelmounted at one of their arm ends on a common bearing pin, and have extensions which project beyond the bearing pin and which are connected to each other via the pull-back spring.
3. A motor vehicle door lock according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the spreader arms have cam-like stops on their arm ends which can spread apart from each other for the key output which acts between the stops.
4. A motor vehicle door lock according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the key output is constructed as an operating lever which is rotatably mounted on the cylinder lock side.
5. A motor vehicle door lock substantially as hereinbefore described with references to the accompanying drawings.