WO1999016991A1

WO1999016991A1 - Door lock incorporating a re-setting device

Info

Publication number: WO1999016991A1
Application number: PCT/IB1998/001537
Authority: WO
Inventors: Raymond Grimm
Original assignee: Meritor Light Vehicle Systems - France
Priority date: 1997-09-26
Filing date: 1998-09-24
Publication date: 1999-04-08
Also published as: FR2769035B1; FR2769035A1; KR20010030732A; JP2001518583A; EP1017917A1; AU9181398A

Abstract

A lock for a vehicle door (2) consisting of an external opening lever (5) pivotally mounted on a base module (1) containing a locking mechanism, and a spring (8) designed to co-operate with this lever in order to immobilise it in the set non-operating position when fitting and adjusting the lock in order to ensure that said lever travels its full course when adjusting and connecting a linking element (6) between said lever and an exterior manual handle, this lock having a lever for re-setting (15) the external opening lever (5), mechanically linked to the spring and designed so that it can be tipped simply by pushing with a tool (14) through a cut-out portion (3) in the door (2); this pushing action enabling the spring to be moved from the position in which the external opening lever is not set to the position in which said lever is set by the spring (8) and immobilised in its non-operating position. The lever (15) may be operated simply by pushing through the cut-out portion (3) in the door (2) made accessible by taking off the exterior opening handle and by doing so using any tool such as a screwdriver, which avoids a considerable loss of time when touching up the paintwork.

Description

Door Lock Incorporating a Re-setting Device

The present invention relates to a door lock for a vehicle of the type consisting of an external opening lever pivotally mounted on a base module and an electric module including a casing containing a locking mechanism, as well as a spring designed to co-operate with this lever in order to immobilise it when set in the non-operating position whilst the lock is being fitted and adjusted.

With these locks, the external opening lever is provided with an element to which the end of the cable providing a link with an exterior manual handle is secured.

The external opening lever is set in its non-operating position by means of what is referred to as a "one-off" spring, the sole function of which is to ensure that the external opening lever travels its full course controlled by the cable. It is therefore a calibrating spring, the purpose of which is to ensure that the external opening lever is immobilised in the non-operating position by exerting a force on it when required, which is useful when adjusting the link between the external opening lever and the exterior handle.

To this end, the spring has a branch, one end of which can be placed in a jaw or slot provided on the external opening lever. When the branch of the spring is located in this jaw, it exerts a resilient force on the lever, retaining it in its non- operating position. Once the lock has been fitted and these various elements adjusted, the cable is pulled by operating the external lever until the spring is released from the jaw of the external opening lever. This spring then remains inoperative throughout the useful life of the lock, which explains why it is referred to as a "one-off" spring.

From time to time, however, it may prove necessary to touch up the paintwork. This being the case, the exterior opening handle will have to be dismantled, which means that the original adjustment of the element linking the external opening lever and the exterior opening handle will be lost, this linking element consisting, as explained above, of a cable and its end-piece secured to the end of the lever. The paintwork is touched up but the adjustment process has to be carried out again, which will mean re-setting the "one-off" spring on the jaw of the external cpening lever. The only remaining access to the lock is via the orifice through which the exterior opening hancle is inserted in the exterior door panel.

The operator will therefore either nave to dismantle everything, or hook the spring with a special tool, in order to re-locate it in the jaw, this latter solution requiring a certain amount of dexterity and incurring a loss of time.

The objective of the invention, t erefore, is to overcome this problem in a simple manner whilst avoiding having to dismantle the lock, and to do so without the need for a specific tool that is likely to cause difficulty in re-positioning the spring to the position in which the lever can be re-εet.

As proposed by the invention, the door lock of the vehicle has a member for re-setting the external opening lever, '.vnich is mechanically linked to the spring and designed so that it can be tipped by ousmng a tool through a cut-out portion in the door, this pushing action enabling the scπng tc ce moveα from the position in which the external opening lever is not set to the position in which said lever is set by the spring and immobilised in its non-operating position.

By providing this member to operate the spring used to set the external opening lever, it is possible to re-εet this lever simply by pushing with a tool through the passage opening in the bodywork, made accessible by taking off the exterior opening handle. Several types of tool can be used, such as a screwdriver, a punch, etc.

The operation is therefore rendereα particularly easv and eliminates any loss of time caused by the procedure used until now.

In one embodiment, the re-setting member is a lever supported on the casing of the lock module between guide means, and a first end part thereof has a hole in it through which is passed one end of the spring, this being designed so that it can be located, by tipping the re-setting lever, in a jaw ot the external opening lever in order to immobilise the latter in its set position.

Other features and advantages cf the invention will become clear from the description below and with reference to the appended drawings, depicting an illustrative but not restrictive example of one embodiment. Figure 1 is a perspective view of a ooor icck for a vehicle, fitted with a re^¬ setting lever as proposed by the invention, as well as the corresponding exterior door panel, the re-setting lever being in the triDpeα cosition. before re-setting.

Figure 2 is a view similar to that of figure 1 . showing the mechanism of the resetting lever in the re-set or delivery position, after tne re-setting lever has been manoeuvred by a tool from the position in wnich it is illustrated in figure 1 .

Figure 3 is a partial perspective view of the lock of figures 1 and 2 from a different angle, specifically showing the two Dossicle positions of the re-setting lever and the associated spring.

Figure 4 is a perspective view on a reduced scale of the lock of figures 1 to 3, with its re-setting lever in tne set position.

The αrawmgs illustrate a lock 1 designed for a venicle door, not illustrated except for its exterior panel 2, in which an opening 3 is arranged to provide a passage for an exterior manual opening handle, not illustrated.

The lock 1 consists of a base module and an electric module, the casing 4 of which contains a locking mechanism of a known type and therefore requires no description. The lock also has an external opening lever 5, pivotally mounted to rotate on the base modulo about an axis XX ano be returned to its non-operating position by moans of a spring, not illustrated. The end 5α of the lover 5 is provided with an end-piece 6, to wnich one end of a caole 7 nrovidmg a link to the exterior opening hanαle is secured.

The lock is also provided with a spring 8, having a central portion contained in a compartment 9 which stands out from the casing 4 and two branches 1 1 , 12 projecting out to the exterior of the compartment 9. The branch 1 1 is fixed, being supported on a metal piece 10 which is in turn fixed to the pivot-bearing 20 of the lever and joined to the base module. The end of the second branch 12 can be located in a jaw 13 forming a hooking nose, arranged on the external opening lever 5 and visible particularly clearly in figure 3.

The lock has a member for re-setting the external opening lever 5, mechanically linked to the spring 8 and designed so that it can be tipped when pushed by means of any tool 14, such as a screwdriver or a punch, through the cut_¬ out portⁱon 3 in the door 2. In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, this re- setting member is a lever 15 positionoα so that it bears en the casing 4 at its median region between guide means consisting, for example, of two parallel plates 16 joined to the casing 4, as illustrated, extending on either side of said lever 15.

A first end-part 17 of this lever (15) has a hole 18 through it providing a passage for the angled end 19 oτ branch 12 of the spring 8. This end 19 is designed so that it can be located, by tipping tne re-setting leve^r 15 out from its non-set position (figure 1 ), in the jaw 13 so that lever 5 can e immobilised in its set, non-operating position.

Beyond the guide plates 16 relative to its end 17. the re-setting lever has a second end part 21 formed by an arm on which a notch 22 is provided for receiving the end 14a of the tool 14 (of which the shaft only is illustrated), In addition, the lever 5 is provided with a side tab 23 extending transversely to the re-setting lever 15 which itself extends in a plane sunstantiaily parallel wnn the general plane of the external opening lever 5

Figure 3 illustrates the two possible positions of the re-setting lever 15, namely the set non-operating position 15A of the lever 15 in which the end 19 of spring 8 is located in the jaw 13, the lever 15 being lowered in the direction of the casing 4, and its non-set. raised position 15B, in which the lever has been tipped about an axis essentially located on a level with the guiαe plates 15. In this second position, the end 19 of spring 8 has been rpmovcα from tne jaw 13 and is positioned underneath it, the external opening lever 5 thus r ing retained in its non-operating position solely by its return spring (not illustrated) since the spring 8 is no longer acting on it.

The external opening lever 5 must be immobilised in the set, rear non- operating position illustrated in figure 1 . The lever 5 is sufficiently immobilised once the end 19 of the spring 8 is located in the jaw 13, which forms an integral part of the lever 5. The branch 19 is located by tipping this branch 19. which is controlled from the exterior through the cut-out portion by pushing on the notch 22 of the lever 15 with a tool 14, which may be of any type, as mentioned above. The end 14a of this tool bears on the inside of the nick or notch 22, By pushing on the tool 14, the lever will be tipped between the guide plates 16 so that its end 17 is raised from the lowered position on the casing X. corresponding to the non-set position 15B of the lever (figure 3).

The end of the branch 19 positioned underneath the jaw 13 raises the latter so that it slides on its external surface and raises the lever 5, causing it to tilt about its axis XX until the end 19 moves into the jaw 13. The elastic stress of branch 19 then moves the external opening lever back to its initial position, in which it is securely immobilised by the spring 8 (position 15A, figure 3).

In this position 15A, the lever 15 has therefore re-set the external opening lever 5, enabling a known process of adjusting and mounting the exterior opening handle to proceed. In order to release the lever 5 from the spring 8, the cable 7 merely has to be puiled. which causes the lever 5 to tip, removing the end 19 of the spring 8 from the jaw 13.

The tab 23 projecting out from the side of the lever 5 forms a stop which will limit any rebounding of the mechanism when tripped and ensure that the positions remain stable, particularly that illustrated in figure 2, corresponding to a delivery position.

As mentioned above, the re-setting lever 15 allows re-setting to proceed by means of an extremely simple manipulation of the external opening lever 5, merely by pushing with any tool through the opening 3 in the bodywork of the door 2 after taking off the exterior opening handle. This avoids the time wasted by the technique of the prior art as a result of having to dismantle the lock or undertake complicated manoeuvres with the spring 8 using a special tool.

The invention is not restricted to the embodiment described here and may incorporate different operating features. For example, the re-setting lever 15 may also be guided by means other than the plates 16. GLOSSARY

= lock = exterior panel = opening = casing = exterior opening lever a = lever end = end-piece s= cable = spring = compartment 0 = metal part 1 = spring branch 2 = spring branch 3 = jaw 4 = tool 4a = tool end 5 = re-setting lever 6 - guide plates 7 = end-part 8 = hole = end (branch 12) = bearing 1 = second end-part = notch = side tab

Claims

1 , A door lock (1 ) for a vehicle consisting of an external opening lever (5) pivotally mounted on a base module and an electric module including a casing (4) containing a locking mechanism, and a spring (8) designed to co-operate with this lever in or╬▒er to immobilise it in the set. non-ooerating oosition whilst fitting and adjusting the lock in order to ensure that said lever travels its full course whilst adjusting and connecting a linking element (6) between aid lever and an exterior opening handle, this spring being designed so tnat it can be operated to release the lever (5) and place it in the non-set position, characterised in that it has a member for re-setting ( 1 5) the external opening lever (5), mechanically linked to the spring and designed so that it can be tipped with a tool ( X through a cut-out portion (3) in the door (2). this tipping action allowing the sp╧Ç╧Ç *o be moved from the position in which the external opening lever is not set to tne Dosition in which said lever is set by the spring (S) and immobilised in its nc╧Ç-operat'ng position.

2. A lock as claimed in claim 1 , characterised in that the re-setting member is a lever (15) positioned so that it bears on the casing (4) between guide means (16), a first end part (17) thereof having a hole (18) through it to provide a passage for one end (19) of the spring (8), and in that the latter is designed to that it can be located, by tipping the re-setting lover ( 15), in a iri M 3) of the external opening lever (5) so as to immobilise the latter >n its set Dc╬╡ cn

3 A lock as claimed in claim 2. characterised in that the re-setting lever (15) has a second end-part (21 ) formed by an arm on which a notch (22) is arranged for receiving the end (14a) of a pushing tool (14) such as a screwdriver.

4. A lock as claimed in one of claims 2 and 3, characterised in that the external opening lever (5) is provided witn a side ta╧â (23) extending transversely to the re-setting lever (14) and forming a step for said lever when it is being operated.

5. A lock as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 4, characterised in that the re_┬¼ setting lever (15) extends in a plane substantially parallel with that of the external opening lever (5).

6. A lock as claimed in one of claims 2 to 5. characterised in that the guide means for the re-setting lever (15) are a pair of parallel plates (16) joined to the casing (9), extending on each side of said lever