MXPA99007418A - Closure assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a door lock for securing a sliding door in a transit vehicle. The lock has a base for joining the Transit Vehicle, and a lock cam having a slot for engaging with a door lock element attached to the door. A pivot is connected to the base and to the lock cam, in order to provide a rotary connection of the lock cam with the base. An insurance driver is attached to the base. The lock actuator includes a movable actuator portion for engaging the lock cam, in order to prevent rotation of the lock cam to secure the door. The actuator also has an energized driver portion for removing the movable actuator portion from its engagement with the lock cam, in order to release the lock cam and unlock the door. The energized actuator portion can be connected to a control system for the door of the transit vehicle. The lock also has a manual release mounted to engage with the movable actuator portion, in order to move it from its engagement with the lock cam, to release the lock cam and thus unsecure the door.

Description

LOCK ASSEMBLY FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates, in general, to door locks for passenger-type vehicle doors, and more particularly, this invention relates to door locks for sliding doors used in a passenger vehicle. passengers BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The design and construction of passenger car doors is crucial for the safety of the traveling public. These doors must operate in a hostile environment, which includes at least heavy use, relatively large temperature extremes, vibration loads, acceleration loads, and noisy electrical signals. These noisy electrical signals can be caused by lightning, by the interrupted contact with a third rail, and / or by strong radio signals. They must operate reliably during a very large number of cycles. For many applications, they must be designed to operate quickly and safely, without direct observation by an operator of the vehicle in transit. The doors must have locks, in such a way that they can not be opened by applying opening forces to the doors, when the doors are closed and secured. For example, without the energization of the locks in the direction to unlock. For reliable and safe operation, the doors also require sensors to indicate if they are locked or not in the closed position. No credible failure mode should cause a door to open sufficiently for a person to fall out of the transit vehicle, when the transit vehicle is moving. In general, it is necessary that the doors have an element to unlock manual, so that, in the case of a failure of a control system that controls a door, or a failure of an actuator to unlock, the door can be unlocked. unlock manually for the emergency exit from the transit vehicle. It is desirable that the unsecure element first unlock the door, and then move the door a small distance in the opening direction, to provide a hold for a person to open the door fully. Some door locks of the prior art use the mechanism that opens and closes the door to keep the door closed. This approach has the drawback that when the door is closed and secured, the forces on the door in the opening direction of the door react by the opening and closing mechanism. Some of these prior art door locks have the additional drawback that, if a noisy signal is received to open the door, the door will be unlocked and opened.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a door lock for securing a sliding door of a passenger transit vehicle. The lock has a base member to be attached to the transit vehicle, and a lock cam having a slot formed therein to engage with an element of the door lock attached to the door. A pivot is connected to the base member and to the cam of the lock to provide a rotatable connection of the lock cam with the base member. A lock actuator is attached to the base member. This lock actuator includes a movable actuator portion for engaging the cam of the lock, in order to prevent undesired rotation of the lock cam to secure the door. The actuator also has an energized driver portion for removing the movable actuator portion from its engagement with the cam of the lock, in order to release the cam from the lock and unlock the door. The energized actuator portion is attached to a control system for the door of the transit vehicle. The lock also includes a manual release that can be operated by a person. The manual release is mounted to engage with the movable actuator portion, in order to move it from its engagement with the lock cam, to release the lock cam and thereby unlock the door.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is one of the primary objects of the present invention to provide a door lock for a passenger transit vehicle, which provides a positive lock, wherein the forces to open the door on a secured door are supported. by the lock itself, and are not carried by the actuator that opens and closes the door. Another object of the present invention is to provide a passenger vehicle door lock that requires a uninsurance signal, and that can not be unlocked by a noisy signal to the actuator that opens and closes the door. A further object of the present invention is to provide a passenger traffic vehicle door lock that requires minimal modification of the door to be installed. A further object of the present invention is to provide a transit vehicle door lock that engages with a bolt on the door. Still another object of the present invention is to provide a transit vehicle door lock employing a lock cam to capture a bolt over the door. Still another object of the present invention is to provide a transit vehicle door lock that is positively immobilized in the secured position by a lock actuator. A further object of the present invention is to provide a transit vehicle door lock having a manual unlocking element to unlock the door. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a manual unlocking element that unlock a transit vehicle door, and then move it a small distance in the direction of uninsurance, such that a person can see that the door is unlocked, and get a hold to open the door completely. Another object of the present invention is to provide a transit vehicle door lock having a manual unsecure element that must be restored before the door can be secured.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a transit vehicle door lock having a manual unlocking element and a manual resetting element to reset the lock, in such a way that the door can be secured. A further object of the present invention is to provide a transit vehicle door lock having a manual unsecure element that remains inside the original envelope after manual unsecure, so as not to protrude towards the door opening. Still another object of the present invention is to provide a transit vehicle door lock having at least one sensor to provide a signal indicating that the door is secured. Still another object of the present invention is to provide a transit vehicle door lock having at least one sensor to provide a signal indicating that the door has been manually unlocked. A still further object of the present invention is to provide a transit vehicle door lock having a sensor mounted to indicate that the door is in the closed position. It is also an object of the present invention to provide a transit vehicle door lock, wherein an opening force applied to the door increases the coupling force of the lock. In addition to the different objects and advantages of the present invention, which have been generally described in the foregoing, there will be other different objects and advantages of the invention that will become more clear to the expert in the pertinent matter, starting from the following more detailed description of the invention, particularly when the detailed description is taken in conjunction with the figures of the attached drawing, and with the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a schematic front raised view of a currently preferred embodiment of the door lock of the invention in an unlocked position, with the door open and moving towards the closed position. Figure 2 is a schematic front raised view of the door lock illustrated in Figure 1, showing the lock cam engaging with the door lock on the door, when the door is being secured. Figure 3 is a schematic front raised view of the door lock illustrated in Figure 1, in the safe position.

Figure 4 is a schematic front raised view illustrating a lower cutting angle on the cam of the lock, such that when the door is secured, any force tending to open the door will increase the locking forces. Figure 5 is a schematic front elevational view showing the door lock illustrated in Figure 1, when the lock actuator is energized to unlock the door. Figure 6 is a schematic front raised view illustrating a manual release lever to enable the door to be unlocked manually, by rotating the manual release lever. Fig. 7 is a schematic front elevational view illustrating the manual release lever shown in Fig. 6, further rotated to a position where a chock contacts the cam of the lock. Figure 8 is a schematic front raised view illustrating the manual release lever shown in Figure 6, rotated to a position to unlock the door. Figure 9 is a schematic front elevational view illustrating the manual release lever shown in Figure 6, rotated to a fully rotated position. Figure 10 is a schematic front elevated view illustrating the manual release lever shown in Figure 6, returned to its original position, and the door lock held in the unlocked position. Figure 11 is a vertical view partially in cross section through the pivot, illustrating the springs for the lock cam, the manual release lever, and the shim. Figure 12 is a front elevation view of the tensioner assembly used in the door lock illustrated in Figure 1. Figure 13 is a plan view of the tensioner assembly illustrated in Figure 12. Figure 14 is a partial front elevational view with a cutout, showing a pair of actuator sensors used in the door lock illustrated in Figure 1. Figure 15 is a perspective view illustrating an alternative embodiment of the invention, incorporating a position sensor of the invention. door.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DIFFERENT ALTERNATIVE AND CURRENTLY PREFERRED MODALITIES OF THE INVENTION Before proceeding to the much more detailed description of the present invention, it should be noted that the identical components having identical functions, have been identified with identical reference numerals through the different views illustrated in the figures of the drawing, for greater clarity and understanding of the invention. Reference is now made, in a more particular manner, to Figures 1, 2 and 3, where most of the features of a currently preferred embodiment of the invention are illustrated. The present invention provides a door lock, generally designated 10, for securing a door 2 in a passenger transit type vehicle (not shown). The door lock 10 includes a base member 12 for joining the transit vehicle, and a lock cam 20. This lock cam 20 has a slot 24 for engaging a door lock element, such as pin 4, attached to the door 2. A pivot 14 is connected to both the base member 12 and the lock cam 20, in order to provide a rotary connection of the lock cam 20 with the base member 12. A lock actuator 40 is attached to the base member 12. This lock actuator 40 includes a movable actuator portion 50 for engaging the cam cam. lock 20, in order to prevent rotation of the lock cam 20 to secure the door 2. In the preferred embodiment shown, the movable actuating portion 50 has a safety bar 44 which engages with a safety step 26 on the lock cam 20, in order to prevent rotation of the lock cam 20 when the door 2 is secured. The lock actuator 40 also includes an energized actuator portion 42 for removing the movable actuator portion 50 from its engagement with the cam lock 20, in order to release the lock cam 20 and unlock the door 2. The energized actuator portion 42 is an electrical actuator which, in the currently preferred mode erida, it's a solenoid. The energized actuator portion 42 can be connected to a control system (not shown) for the door of the transit vehicle 2. The energized actuator portion 42 includes a control connection 43. This control connection 43 is preferably a connection electric It is currently preferred that the lock cam 20 has a forcing element, preferably a torsion spring (not shown in these Figures), to force it against a lock cam stop, preferably the bolt 18, in order to place the lock cam 20 in an unlocked position. The process of securing the door for the door lock 10 illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3 is believed to be evident. Figure 1 shows both the door 2 and the door lock bolt 4 in an unlocked position. This door 2 can be moved in a closing direction of the door, as indicated by arrow 8.

In Figure 2, the lock bolt of the door 4 is shown in a position of engagement with the slot, where it engages with this slot 24 formed in the lock cam 20. In this Figure, the lock cam 20 is illustrated in a position that engages with the latch bolt of the door 4, and the latch bar 44 is also shown in an unlocked position. It is currently preferred that the safety bar 44 includes a safety bar roller 48 which engages with the lock cam 20, in order to substantially minimize undesirable friction with the lock cam 20. In Figure 3 it is shown the lock pin of the door 4 in a secured position, and has rotated the lock cam 20 to a lock position of the lock cam. The safety bar 44 is in a safe position of the safety bar adjacent to the safety step 26 arranged on the lock cam 20. In the secured position, the safety bar 44 makes contact with the safety step 26. Currently it is preferred that the movable driving portion 50 which includes the lock bar 44 has a biasing element, preferably a coil spring 45, mounted in compression, for forcing the lock bar 44 against the lock cam 20. It is now reference is made to Figure 4, which illustrates in detail the safety step 26 which, preferably, includes a lower cutting angle 25. This lower cutting angle 25 is provided in such a way that the force to open the door exerted on the door 2, which would tend to rotate the lock cam 20, increase the coupling force of the lock bar 44 with the lock cam 20. Referring now to Figure 5, as can be seen in FIG. ma, the energized actuator portion 42 has caused removal of the lock bar 44 from its engagement with the lock cam 20. Then the lock cam 20 is free to rotate, and allows the door lock bolt to move. 4 in the opening direction of the door, as indicated by arrow 9, from the secured position to the unlocked position. It is believed that the operation of a manual release, preferably a lever 60, of the door lock 10 is evident for the door lock 10, as illustrated in Figure 3 and Figures 6 to 9. The lever manual release 60 operates to engage the movable actuator portion 50, in order to move the lock bar 44 from its engagement with the lock cam 20, to release the lock cam 20, and consequently, unlock the door 2. The manual release lever 60 is used to unlock the door 2 in the event that this energized actuator portion 42 is not available to remove the movable actuator portion 50 from its engagement with the lock cam 20. The manual release lever 60 normally is in a position where the manual release lever 60 does not engage with the safety bar 44. It is preferred that this manual release lever 60 have a handle 61 for ease of use by the operator. a person A chock 80 is mounted on the pivot 81, and serves to retain the lock cam 20 in its unlocked position 21 after manual unsecure. The shim 80 is connected to the manual release lever 60 by a shim spring 86. Figure 3 illustrates the manual release lever 60 in its normal position. In this position, the wedge spring 86 preferably forces the shim 80 into its normal position, as seen in Figure 1. Figure 6 shows the manual release lever 60 moved to a position where the shim spring 86 reaches an unstable position aligned with the wedge pin 81. Another movement of the manual release lever 60, to the position shown in Figure 7, forces the wedge 80 towards the lock cam 20, and causes this wedge 80 to move to a position where it travels over the lock cam 20. Preferably a shim sensor 126 is included to indicate the position of the shim 80, and to indicate whether the manual release lever 60 has been used. The shim sensor 126 can be connected to a control system (not shown) for the door lock 10. In the position 'shown in Figure 7, the manual release lever 60 begins to engage with the roller 48 on the safety bar 44, to move the safety bar 44 from its coupling with lock cam 20. Other movement of manual release lever 60 to the position illustrated in Figures 8 and 9, enables the lock cam 20 to be unlocked. In the 'currently preferred embodiment of the invention, the lever of manual release 60 of the lock cam, has a lock engaging portion, which is preferably a bolt 72. This bolt 72 on the manual release lever 60 engages with one end 30 of the arched slot 28 formed in the lock cam 20, when the lever of "l5 manual release 60 is in the position shown in the Figure 8. On the rotation of the manual release lever 60 from the position illustrated in Figure 8 to the position shown in Figure 9, the bolt 72 rotates the lock cam 20 from the secured position to a unsecured position. This causes the latch bolt of the door 4 and the door 2 to move a small distance in the opening direction 9. This is so that a person operating the manual release lever 60 can see that it has been presented the uninsured, and obtain a hold on the door 2 in order to open it. When the manual release lever 60 is in the position shown in Figure 9, the pin 72 of the manual release lever 60 encounters the end 17 of the arcuate slot 13 in the base member 12. This prevents further movement of the lever. manual release 60. This arcuate groove 13 is seen in Figures 1 and 15. When the manual release lever 60 has reached the position shown in Figure 9, the socket 80 will have fallen behind the unsecure step 27 on the lock cam 20, in such a way that the lock cam 20 is held in the unlocked position by this shim 80. The shim 80 is held in position by a shim spring 86. In the presently preferred embodiment, an elastic element is connected, such as a torsion spring 70, to the manual release lever 60, to return the manual release lever 60 to its normal position. In order to make it possible for the lock of the door 10 to be secured after the manual release, a wedge release 94 (Figure 10) is provided, in the presently preferred embodiment of the invention. When the wedge release 94 is pulled down, the wedge 80 moves from the unlocked position to its normal position. Then, the door lock 10 is configured as shown in Figure 1.

Reference is now made to Figure 11, which is a vertical section cut through the axis of the bolt 14 which is preferably fixed to the base member 12. In the presently preferred embodiment shown, the lock cam 20 and the The manual release lever 60 is both mounted in a rotatable manner on the bolt 14. A lock-out camming element, which is preferably a torsion spring 29, urges the lock cam 20 towards the stop bolt 18. This it establishes a previously determined angular position for the lock cam 20. In the same way, the wedge spring 86 connects the chock 80 to the manual release lever 60. A chock pin 81 is fixed to the base member 12. Figure 11 also shows a manual release return spring 70. To improve the smoothness of the operation, it is preferred that at least one fixed guide roller 102 be engageable with the lock bar 44, illustrated in Figure 10. In the mo Currently preferred variety shown, two fixed guide rollers 102 are provided. It is also currently preferred that at least one movable guide roller 104, forced to engage with the lock bar 44. As shown in greater detail in Figures 12 and 13, preferably a tensioner assembly 100 is mounted to rotate about the pivot 106, in order to press a movable guide roller 104 against the lock bar 44. The force is provided by the spring pin 108. An actuator sensor 120, as seen in Figure 1, it preferably includes a movable portion of the sensor 122, to provide a signal indicating the position of the movable actuator portion 50. Figure 14 shows a portion of the actuator sensor 120 cut to show a second actuator sensor 124, which is preferably included to provide a second signal indicating the position of the movable actuator portion 50. The actuator sensors 120 and 124 are connected to the control system for the door lock 10. In the mode currently preferred of the invention, there is a door position sensor 128 (Figure 15), provided to indicate the position of the door 2. This position sensor of the door 128 is connected to the control system for the door lock 10. Although a presently preferred embodiment has been described in detail above and various additional alternative embodiments of the present invention, in accordance with the patent statutes, it must be recognized that persons having experience in the relevant art can make other different modifications and adaptations of the invention, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (29)

NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION Having described the foregoing invention, it is considered as a novelty and, therefore, the content of the following is claimed as property: CLAIMS

1. A door lock for securing a door in a passenger transit type vehicle, said door lock comprising: (a) a base member that can be coupled with the passenger type vehicle; (b) a lock cam having a groove formed therein, for engaging with a door lock member attd to the door; (c) a pivot element connected to the base member and to the lock cam to provide a rotatable connection of the lock cam with the base member; (d) an insurance actuator attd to the base member, including this safety actuator: (i) a movable actuator portion for engaging the lock cam, in order to prevent rotation of the lock cam to secure the door; and (ii) an energized actuator portion for withdrawing the movable actuator portion from its engagement with the lock cam, in order to release the lock cam and unlock the door, the energized actuator portion being able to be connected to a control system for the vehicle door of passenger transit type; and (e) a manual release element positioned to engage with the movable actuator portion, in order to move it from its engagement with the lock cam, in order to release the lock cam and unlock the door.

2. A door lock, in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the door lock further includes a locking member of the lock cam, and a lock cam stop which cooperate to orient the lock cam to a previously determined angular position when the door is unlocked, and this predetermined angular position tends to be coupled to the door lock element when the door is being secured.

3. A door lock, according to claim 2, characterized in that the locking element of the lock cam is a torsion spring.

4. A door lock, according to claim 1, characterized in that the door lock further includes a forcing element coupled with the movable actuator portion, for forcing this movable actuator portion up to its engagement with the lock cam, and for prevent rotation of the lock cam.

5. A door lock, according to claim 4, characterized in that the forcing element is a coil spring mounted in compression.

A door lock, in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the movable driving portion has a drive roller for frictionless engagement with a perimeter of the lock cam, when the lock cam is rotated.

7. A door lock, according to claim 6, characterized in that the movable driving portion includes a safety bar on which the drive roller is mounted.

A door lock, according to claim 7, characterized in that the door lock further includes at least one fixed guide roller mounted on the base member, for guiding the safety bar.

9. A door lock, according to claim 8, characterized in that the door lock includes a pair of fixed guide rollers.

A door lock, in accordance with claim 7, characterized in that the door lock further includes at least one movable guide roller, the at least one guide roller forcing itself into engagement with the safety bar, in order to improve the smoothness of the operation.

11. A door lock, according to claim 1, characterized in that a perimeter of the lock cam includes a lock step that can be coupled with the movable actuator portion, in order to prevent rotation of the lock cam, when secure the door.

A door lock, according to claim 11, characterized in that the safe step includes a hanging angle, in such a way that an opening force of the door exerted on this door, and to which the cam reacts of lock, will tend to increase the force that engages the movable actuator portion with the lock cam.

13. A door lock, according to claim 1, characterized in that the energized actuator portion of the safety actuator is an electrical actuator.

14. A door lock, in accordance with claim 13, characterized in that the electric actuator includes an electrical control connection for connecting the electric actuator to the control system.

15. A door lock, according to claim 1, characterized in that the manual release element is a lever, this lever having a first position where the door does not unlock, and a second position to unlock the door.

16. A door lock, according to claim 15, characterized in that the lever is mounted for a rotational movement about the pivot element.

17. A door lock, according to claim 15, characterized in that the lever also includes a handle portion to facilitate its manual operation.

A door lock, according to claim 1, characterized in that the manual release element includes a coupling portion with the lock cam, for rotating the lock cam in order to move the door in an opening direction of the door, after the movable actuator portion has released the lock cam.

19. A door lock according to claim 18, characterized in that the coupling portion with the lock cam is a bolt member mounted on the manual release element.

20. A door lock, in accordance with claim 19, characterized in that the lock cam includes an arched slot for engaging the bolt member on the manual release element.

21. A door lock, in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the lock cam includes a step of unsecure to maintain the lock cam in an unlocked position, after the manual release element has been used. .

22. A door lock, in accordance with claim 21, characterized in that the door lock further includes a chock coupled with the manual release element, to be coupled with the unsecure step, when the door lock element is used. manual release.

23. A door lock, in accordance with claim 22, characterized in that the shim is normally forced away from the lock cam, and forced towards the lock cam to engage with the lock step, after which the manual release element has been used, so that the fit must be restored after the manual release element has been used, and before the door lock can be secured.

24. A door lock, according to claim 23, characterized in that the fit includes a reset of manual fit, to restore the fit after the manual release element has been used.

25. A door lock, according to claim 15, characterized in that the door lock further includes an elastic element connected to the manual release element, to return the manual release element to the first position, after it has been manually unlocked. the door.

26. A door lock, in accordance with claim 22, characterized in that the door lock further includes a shim sensor for detecting a shim position, in order to provide an indication that the shifter has been used. manual release element, being able to connect the fit sensor with the control system.

27. A door lock, in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the door lock further includes a safety actuator sensor for determining a position of the movable actuator portion, the safety actuator sensor being connectable with the system of control.

28. A door lock, in accordance with claim 27, characterized in that the safety actuator sensor is a first safety actuator sensor, and the door lock further includes a second safety actuator sensor, the second sensor safe actuator with the control system.

29. A door lock, in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the door lock further includes a door sensor, to detect this door when it is closed, and the door sensor can be connected to the control system .