WO2015090273A2

WO2015090273A2 - Motor vehicle door lock

Info

Publication number: WO2015090273A2
Application number: PCT/DE2014/100435
Authority: WO
Inventors: Michael OCHTROP
Original assignee: Kiekert Ag
Priority date: 2013-12-18
Filing date: 2014-12-10
Publication date: 2015-06-25
Also published as: WO2015090273A3; DE102013114300A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a motor vehicle door lock comprising a ratchet-type mechanism (1, 2) substantially consisting of a rotary latch (1) and a pawl (2). In addition, at least one spring element (7) having at least one elongate spring leg (8) is provided. The spring leg (8) interacts with the rotary latch (1) for damping the movement thereof. To this end, a contact surface (9) of the rotary latch (1) can be made to contact the spring leg (8) substantially tangentially thereto. According to the invention, the spring leg (8) generates a force (F) at the level of said contact surface (9), which force acts in the opening direction (Ö) of the rotary latch (1).

Description

Power key lock Description:

The invention relates to a motor vehicle door lock, with a locking mechanism consisting essentially of catch and pawl, and with at least one spring element with at least one elongated spring leg, wherein the spring leg interacts with the catch to their motion damping by the rotary latch with a contact surface largely tangential to the spring leg is adjustable ,

Spring elements in Kraftfah rzeugtü r locks are typically used to dampen the movement of the locking mechanism, in particular in the course of a closing movement of the associated motor vehicle door. In this way, noise associated with such a closing movement should be suppressed as effectively as possible or at least reduced in volume. This serves to increase the comfort especially in such motor vehicle doors that are not equipped with an electric closing aid.

FR 2 852 622 describes a motor vehicle door lock equipped with a helical spring which is fastened to a counter-plate. With the help of the coil spring, the closing movement of the rotary latch is limited or damped.

The generic motor vehicle door lock according to DE 44 20 185 A1 uses a leaf spring, which acts in conjunction with a cam on the rotary latch shortly before reaching the closed position of the rotary latch as the pivotal movement of the rotary latch retarding friction brake. The leaf spring is arranged above the catch in a lock housing. In addition, the leaf spring is held in the not yet assembled door lock by a catch outside the path of movement of the cam on the catch. Such an embodiment is structurally relatively complex and carries the risk in itself, that in particular the so-called main rest position or main closed position of the locking mechanism and consequently the associated motor vehicle door is not always taken safely. This is where the invention starts. The invention is based on the technical problem of further developing such a motor vehicle door lock so that, with a simple construction, the closed position and, in particular, the main closing position or main locking position are reliably assumed. To solve this technical problem, the invention proposes in a generic motor vehicle door lock, that the spring leg generates a force acting in the opening direction of the rotary latch force on the contact surface of the rotary latch. In the context of the invention, therefore, the contact surface on the catch and the spring leg] as part of the spring element aligned with each other so that when mechanical contact between the elongated spring leg on the one hand and the contact surface as part of the rotary latch on the other hand generates a force or torque on the rotary latch is, which respectively which acts in the opening direction of the Drehfatle. In contrast, the spring element and with it the elongated Federschenkei works in the generic state of the art according to DE 44 20 185 A1 so that ultimately a force acting in the closing direction of the rotary latch force is generated by the friction effect and the topological arrangement. The force direction in the prior art is therefore exactly opposite compared to the invention.

In this way, a particularly effective motion damping of the catch is initially provided. In fact, this motion damping is not achieved in the present case by friction as in the prior art according to DE 44 20 185 A1, but in that one of Closing direction and thus closing force of the rotary latch opposite force is built up by the interaction between the spring leg and the contact surface. This opposite force is provided by the spring leg in conjunction with the contact surface. For as soon as the contact surface mechanically interacts with the spring leg, the spring leg is pivoted in the increasing closing movement of the rotary latch. As a result, the desired counter-torque or the force generated according to the invention is built up in the opening direction of the rotary latch. All of this succeeds considering a structurally simple construction. At the same time, the force acting in the opening direction of the rotary latch ensures that the rotary latch and, together with it, the locking mechanism can, without fail, reliably reach and even achieve a main locking position or main locking position. This is possible because the catch in this context can basically complete a so-called overtravel, so can be pivoted to a position beyond the main rest position during the closing process. As a result, the rotary latch when returning from its overstroke position runs perfectly against the pawl and no indifferent functional states are observed. In this context, it has proven particularly useful if the spring element is designed metallic, although embodiments of the spring element wholly or partially made of plastic are covered by the invention. Most preferably, the spring element is a leaf spring, which can be produced by a simple and cost-effective punching process, for example, from sheet steel. Basically, however, in this context, a coil spring can be used or can be combinations of coil spring and leaf spring think. The arrangement of the spring leg and the spring element is taken altogether so that the spring leg according to a first alternative with a bearing surface having the rear edge of the rotary latch circumferentially interacts. That is, the spring leg on the one hand and the rear edge of the rotary latch on the other hand, the rear circumference of the rotary trap on the other hand abut each other, so that the spring leg in this way initiates the desired force in the opening direction of the rotary latch in this and can also initiate.

In the context of a further second alternative, it is also conceivable that the spring leg interacts with a contour having the contact surface on or on the rotary latch. In this case, the spring leg is not circumferentially on the circumference of the rotary latch or at the rear edge, but rather on an additional contour. This contour can be provided on the circumference of the rotary latch or even get up on the rotary latch or abnagen from this angle, typically at right angles. In this case, the spring element and the Drehfaile are not arranged in a matching plane, rather stretch the contour and the spring leg, for example, a parallel plane compared to the plane defined by the locking mechanism.

A particularly compact and cost-effective embodiment is observed in the event that the spring element also acts as a rotary latch spring. Typically, a Drehfaile is equipped with a so-called opening spring, which ensures that the catch is biased in the opening direction with the pawl lifted. As a result, the associated motor vehicle door is at least slightly exposed when the locking mechanism is open. In principle, such a rotary latch spring can also be omitted if the one or more door rubber seals provide sufficient spring action.

As a rule, however, the design is such that the rotary latch spring simultaneously acts as a spring element for damping the movement of the rotary latch. In this case, the rotary latch spring or the spring element so on the one hand used when the pawl is lifted from the catch and ensures for biasing the catch in its opening direction. On the other hand, the spring element or the spring leg as part of the rotary latch spring in this context ensures that when the catch is moved in the closing direction, the rotary latch experiences the desired movement damping.

The design in all cases is such that the spring leg comes as part of the spring element with the contact surface of the rotary latch generally mechanically (briefly) before reaching a main latching position in contact. As a result, the spring element, even before reaching the main locking position of the locking mechanism, ensures that the rotary latch experiences the movement damping in the desired direction.

An embodiment of particular importance in the context of the invention is characterized in that the spring element in a plastic (block) is at least partially embedded. Here, in principle, the procedure can be such that the spring element and in particular the spring leg is completely received in the plastic or in the plastic block. In this case, the plastic block and the spring leg act together as a spring to provide the desired damping of movement of the rotary latch. In this context, it is also possible that the spring element or the spring leg on one or both sides protrudes from the plastic block.

The plastic block is advantageously an elastomer block, that is to say a block made of an elastomer, thus a rubber-elastic plastic. With the help of the plastic block or Elastomerblockes an acoustically particularly favorable embodiment variant is provided. Because the typically metallic designed rotary latch does not apply to the also mostly metallic trained spring element or the spring taps !. Rather, at this point the plastic or advantageous one Elastomer interposed for noise reduction. Incidentally, with the aid of the plastic or elastomer, the force acting on the rotary latch in the opening direction can be increased. The invention is based on the finding that the spring element or the spring leg on the one hand and the plastic block on the other hand can be equipped with their own spring constant, which can be superimposed additively, so that in the end a particularly high force on the catch in the opening direction with a thus designed spring element can be generated.

According to another embodiment, it has been proven, if in addition to the spring element, a stop is provided. With the help of the stop a complementary movement limitation of the catch can be realized. That is, the catch is attenuated not only by means of the spring element in their movement, so learns the desired motion damping, but in particular their closing movement undergoes a limitation. The stop thus serves to limit the movement of the Drehfalie. In this case, the stop is usually positioned in a locking mechanism typically stored lock case that the Drehfalie moves only in the overstroke on the stop in question or against this stop.

As a result, a motor vehicle door lock is provided, which can be implemented in a particularly simple and cost-effective manner. Because for damping movement of Drehfalie in their closing movement is a spring element, which is constructed in the simplest case as a metallic leaf spring. Such a leaf spring can be produced and mounted particularly cost-effective. By embedding this leaf spring in a plastic or elastomer, moreover, an acoustically damped embodiment is provided.

Moreover, it has proven useful if the spring element and the already provided rotary latch spring functionally fall into each other, that is, the rotary latch spring not only provides the resilient opening of the catch with the pawl lifted, but at the same time provided with the rotary latch spring spring leg for the desired motion damping in Frame the closing movement of the rotary latch responsible. Here are the main benefits. In the following the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to a drawing showing only one exemplary embodiment; show it:

1A and 1B the motor vehicle door lock according to the invention in various functional positions,

2 shows a variant of the motor vehicle door lock according to the

FIGS. 1A and 1B,

3A and 3B show a variant of the invention, in which the rotary latch spring and the spring element coincide in different functional positions,

4A to 4C show a further embodiment of the invention in various functional positions and finally

FIGS. 5A to 5C show a further variant in different positions.

In all figures, a motor vehicle door lock is shown, which is constructed in its basic structure with a locking mechanism 1, 2 of essentially a rotary latch 1 and a pawl 2 interacting therewith.

As usual, the rotary catch 1 serves to catch a locking bolt 4, which enters into the illustrated motor vehicle door lock when closing the associated motor vehicle door via an inlet opening 3, in the main locking position or main locking position. Because in this main closed position or main detent position, the pawl 2 spring-assisted falls into the catch 1 or interacts with this such that the catch 1 does not perform (spring assisted) by a subsequently to be discussed rotary latch spring 5 movement in the opening direction ö about its axis 6 (Clockwise movement about axis 6).

For further basic and essential for the invention structure next to the locking mechanism 1, 2 then still belongs a spring element 7 with an elongated spring leg 8. The spring leg 8 interacts with the rotary latch 1 to the movement damping. In fact, it comes to this interaction between the elongated spring leg 8 on the one hand and the rotary latch 1 on the other hand, when the rotary latch 1 is made with a contact surface 9 largely tangential to the spring leg 8. The contact surface 9 is in the variants according to FIGS. 1A, 1B and 3A, 3B and finally 5A to 5C respectively formed on a contour 10, which is located on or on the catch 1 in the context of the embodiment of FIGS. 1A, 1B, 3A, 3B and 5A to 5C is in the contour 10 to one that stands upright or predominantly perpendicular to the rotary latch 1.

Alternatively, the contact surface 9 can also be provided on a rear edge 11 of the rotary latch 1. In this case, the spring leg 8 interacts with the questionable rear edge 11 of the rotary latch 1, namely, the spring leg 8 rests on the circumference of the rotary latch 1 at the questionable rear edge. This is shown in FIGS. 4A to 4C.

In the context of the embodiment, the spring element 7 is designed to be metallic overall, although variants are also covered by the invention that the spring element 7, for example, consists of plastic. In the variant according to FIGS. 1A, 1B and 4A, 4B, the spring element 7 is a leaf spring. The same applies to the embodiment of FIG. 2. In contrast, the spring element 7 is designed in the embodiments of FIGS. 3A, 3B and 5A to 5C as a spiral spring or leg spring. Basically, combinations of a leaf spring with a coil spring or leg spring are encompassed by the invention.

In the context of the embodiment according to FIGS. 3A and 3B, the rotary latch spring 5 is at the same time designed as a spring element 7 for dampening the movement of the rotary trap 1 in accordance with the invention. In this case, the rotary latch spring 5 thus has the respective spring leg 8, which constitutes a part of the rotary latch spring 5.

The variant according to FIG. 2 is characterized in that the spring element 7 is plastic or at least partially embedded in a plastic block 12. The plastic block 12 is an elastomer block 12, that is to say a block made of an elastomer or rubber-like plastic.

In addition, one recognizes in the figures, a stop 13, which is mounted in the lock box 14. In fact, the lock case 14 serves to support the locking mechanism 1, 2 or to receive a bolt 6 defining the axis or axis of rotation 6 for the rotary latch 1 on the one hand and a further bolt 15 for defining a corresponding pivot 15 for the locking pawl 2 on the other hand. The stop 13 is in the Frame of the embodiment by a Überhubanschiag, so a stop 13, which limits an overstroke movement of the catch 1.

A corresponding overstroke area Ü is shown by way of example in FIGS. 4C and 5C and, as usual, in the closing direction S of the rotary latch 1, located beyond the main latching position corresponding to the position in FIGS. 4B and 5B. Corresponding Überhubbereiche Ü can be realized in the other variants of FIGS. 1A, 1 B and 2 or also in accordance with FIGS. 3A and 3B, if the movement of the catch 1 in the counterclockwise direction and consequently continues in the closing direction S.

All embodiments have in common that the spring leg 8 mechanically comes into contact with the contact surface 9 as soon as the locking mechanism 1, 2 is shortly before reaching the main locking position. This can be seen, for example, in the transition from FIG. 1A to FIG. 1B or in the transition from FIG. 3A to FIG. 3B. The same applies to the functional sequence of FIGS. 4A, 4B and finally 5A and 5B.

In the embodiment according to FIGS. 1A and 1B, the spring element 7 is finally composed almost completely of the spring leg 8, which in this case is equipped with corresponding stationary spring receivers 16 at its two ends. The spring receptacles 16 may be bolts that fix the ends of the spring leg 8 in the lock case 14. The design is such that the spring leg 8 designed as a leaf spring is predominantly convexly bulged in the opening direction 6 of the rotary catch 1. As soon as the rotary catch 1 comes into mechanical contact with the spring leg 8 with its contact surface 9 during its closing movement in the transition from FIG. 1A to FIG. 1B, the spring leg 8 is compressed and accordingly generates a force opposing this closing direction S in FIG Opening direction ö of the catch.

Comparably, the embodiment according to FIG. 2 is constructed. Also in this case, two stationary spring receivers 16 are provided, with the aid of which designed as a leaf spring spring leg 8 is fixed in the lock case 14. In addition, the leaf spring or the spring leg 8 in the plastics lock or elastomer block 12 is inserted. In a mechanical contact of the catch 1 with the correspondingly constructed spring element 7 consequently not only the elastomer block 2, but also the embedded leaf spring respectively the spring leg 8 are compressed and generate corresponding opposing forces in the opening direction ö of the rotary latch 1. These regularly result from an addition of both such provided springs. In addition, the elastomer or plastic block 12 provides a noise attenuation at this point. In the variant according to FIGS. 3A and 3B, the spring leg 8 is connected to the rotary latch spring 5 or constitutes a component of the rotary latch spring 5. The rotary key spring 5 in conjunction with the spring leg 8 therefore functions as a total spring element Spring leg 8 on the stop 13 with one end. Another end of the spring leg 8 is practically fixed by means of the axis or axis of rotation 6 defining bolt 6 for the catch 1. In fact, the respective bolt 6 carries a spiral of the rotary latch spring fifth

Also in this case, the spring leg 8 is elastically deformed between the stop 13 and the pin 6, which act similar to the spring receivers 16 in the variant of FIGS. 1A, 1B. The closing movement of the rotary latch 1, in conjunction with the contact surface 9 on the contour 10, causes the spring leg 8 to be deformed and, in turn, generates a force F acting in the opening direction of the rotary latch 1, as indicated by corresponding force arrows in FIGS. 3B indicate. The stop 13 acts as an overstroke stop and prevents the Drehfalie 1 can be pivoted over the Überhubbereich Ü out in the closing direction S by the retracting locking pin 4. The embodiment according to FIGS. 4A to 4C operates with a spring leg 8, which is clamped between two stationary spring receivers 16 on one side, while the other side of the spring leg 8 is free. Against this free end of the spring leg 8, the Drehfalie 1 moves in the course of its closing movement in the transition from Fig. 4A to Fig. 4B. As a result, the spring leg 8 is deformed again and builds up the already discussed with reference to the other Ausführungsbeispieien force F in the opening direction Ö of the rotary latch 1. Also in this case or in all cases, the spring leg 8 may be sheathed or embedded in a plastic or elastomer block 12, as has already been described with reference to the variant of FIG.

The finally still to be discussed embodiment of FIGS. 5A to 5C is characterized by a spring element 7, which is equipped with a coil spring portion respectively a leg spring, which is located in the region of the coil spring or leg spring receiving pin 6. The questionable coil spring or the See keifederabschnitt is again equipped with the elongated spring leg 8, which interacts during the closing movement of the rotary latch 1 with the contour 10 respectively provided on the contour 10 Anlagefiäche 9 Drehfalie 1. In this case, the spring leg 8 is elastically deformed in this closing movement corresponding to the sequence of figures in FIGS. 5B and 5C and again generates a force F in the opening direction Ö of Drehfalie 1. In Fig. 5C, the effect of the stop 13 to limit the overreaching 0 to recognize.

Claims

claims:

1. Motor vehicle door lock, comprising a locking mechanism (1, 2) consisting essentially of a rotary latch (1) and a pawl (2), and having at least one spring element (7) with at least one elongated spring leg (8), wherein the spring leg (8) with the Rotary latch (1) interacts with the motion damping by the rotary latch (1) with a contact surface (9) largely tangential to the spring leg (8) is adjustable, characterized in that the spring leg (8) on the contact surface (9) in an opening direction (ö ) of the rotary latch (1) acting force (F) generated.

2. Motor vehicle door lock according to claim 1, characterized in that the spring element (7) is designed metallic.

3. Motor vehicle door lock according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it is the spring element (7) is a leaf spring, a coil spring, a leg spring or combinations of such springs.

4. Motor vehicle door lock according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the spring leg (8) with a contact surface (9) having rear edge (1 1) of the rotary latch (1) circumferentially interacts.

5. Motor vehicle door lock according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the spring leg (8) interacts with a contact surface (9) having contour (10) on or on the rotary latch (1).

6. Motor vehicle door lock according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the spring element (7) at the same time as a rotary latch spring (5) acts.

7. Motor vehicle door lock according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the spring element (7) in a plastic {block) (12) is at least partially embedded.

8. Motor vehicle door lock according to claim 7, characterized in that the plastic (block) (12) as an elastomer (block) (12) is formed.

9. Motor vehicle door lock according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that a stop (13) for additional movement limitation of the rotary latch (1) is provided.

10. Motor vehicle door lock according to one of claims 1 to 9, character- ized in that the spring leg (8) with the contact surface (9) comes mechanically in contact before taking a main rest position.