WO2016058589A1

WO2016058589A1 - Motor vehicle door lock and associated method for producing such a motor vehicle door lock

Info

Publication number: WO2016058589A1
Application number: PCT/DE2015/100379
Authority: WO
Inventors: Armin Handke; Carsten Fuchs
Original assignee: Kiekert Ag
Priority date: 2014-10-15
Filing date: 2015-09-04
Publication date: 2016-04-21
Also published as: DE102014114930A1

Abstract

The object of the present invention is a motor vehicle door lock comprising a lock housing (1) made from a first plastic and a second plastic being of a different material. According to the invention, the lock housing (1) is composed of a dimensionally stable base part (1a) made of a thermoplastic and/or duroplastic for receiving internal lock components as well as, in addition, of an elastic guide part made of an elastomer for interaction with one or more external closure components (6).

Description

Motor vehicle door lock and associated method for producing such a motor vehicle door lock

The invention relates to a motor vehicle door lock, with a lock housing made of a first and a material-different second plastic.

Motor vehicle door locks are generally composed of the motor vehicle door lock and an associated lock holder. While the motor vehicle door lock is typically mounted in or on a motor vehicle door, the lock holder generally finds a location on an associated vehicle body, such as in the area of a B pillar there. Basically, of course, the reverse can be done. In this case, the vehicle door lock is fixed to the vehicle body, whereas the lock holder is fixed to the associated vehicle door. This is often the procedure for tailgates.

The motor vehicle door lock as such is further and generally composed of the lock housing or lock cover made of plastic and an associated lock case made of metal. The lock case made of metal is typically used for storage of a locking mechanism of the catch and pawl. In contrast, other lock components can be arranged or stored in the lock housing or lock cover made of plastic, for example, one or more levers of the operating lever mechanism. Also elements of a locking lever chain, an electric drive motor, etc. are typically placed in the lock housing made of plastic.

In the context of the generic state of the art according to WO 2013/1 10262 A1 of the Applicant, the lock housing is made of plastic and has at least one lever arranged in the lock housing. The lever protrudes through an opening at least partially out of the lock housing and can be moved along the opening. To prevent the ingress of dirt and / or moisture at this point, is the Opening equipped with at least one opening gap, which is largely closed by a seal.

While the lock housing is made of a thermoplastic, the seal is generally made of an elastomeric plastic. In addition, the lock housing and the seal can be produced in a common manufacturing process. This has proven itself in principle. In addition, WO 201 1/091775 A1 discloses a lock with an inlet buffer for the lock holder. The inlet buffer is equipped with an insert or a cover on the side facing the lock holder. The insert may be made of polyoxymethylene (POM) while an associated buffer housing is made of polyurethane (PUR). In this way, the inlet buffer is to be optimized with regard to its inlet guide for the lock holder.

In a damping element and housing member for a locking system according to the applicant's DE 20 2007 017 195 U1, the procedure is such that the damping element is equipped with at least one damping surface and at least one guide surface for the incoming locking pin. The guide surface has a plurality of elevations. This prevents the formation of unwanted noise with the same or improved damping effect.

The state of the art has proven itself in principle. However, improvements are still sought in terms of the design of the lock housing, which aim at a weight and especially price reduction. So far there are no convincing approaches in the state of the art at this point. Here, the invention aims to provide a total remedy. The invention is based on the technical problem of further developing such a motor vehicle door lock so that the costs are reduced and as far as possible also weight savings are observed. To solve this technical problem, a generic motor vehicle door lock in the invention is characterized in that the lock housing of a dimensionally stable base part of a thermoplastic and / or thermosetting plastic for receiving internal lock components and an elastic guide member made of an elastomer for interaction with one or more external Locking components is constructed.

In the context of the invention, the lock housing is initially composed of two essential housing components, namely the dimensionally stable base part and additionally the elastic guide part. In addition to these two housing components, in principle also further housing components can be realized. In general, however, the lock housing according to the invention is finally composed of only the dimensionally stable base part and the elastic guide part. Since the dimensionally stable base part is adapted and suitable for receiving internal lock components, a plastic of significant strength, namely a thermoplastic and / or thermosetting plastic, is used for its production. Such plastics typically have a modulus of elasticity of more than 100 N / mm ² , in most cases even one with values of more than 500 N / mm ² . For thermosets, one observes alternatively flexural strengths which are above 50 N / mm ² .

According to the invention, the strength of the dimensionally stable base part can be increased even further by equipping the base part with intrinsic or extrinsic reinforcements. The intrinsic reinforcements are typically introduced into the plastic glass fibers, carbon fibers or rock flour. Anyway, for example significantly increase the strength values of thermoplastics or thermoplastics by adding glass fibers.

In fact, for example, for polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), which is used regularly at this point, a modulus of elasticity of 1700 N / mm ² without incorporated glass fibers is observed. If polybutylene terephthalate is added with glass fibers having a grammage of, for example, 30% by weight, on the other hand the modulus of elasticity can be increased to values of 4500 N / mm ² , that is more than 2.5 times compared to the design without glass fibers.

In addition or as an alternative to such intrinsic reinforcements, the base part can also be equipped with extrinsic reinforcements. Reinforcing ribs, reinforcing beads, etc. are conceivable at this point. Of course, such reinforcing ribs and / or reinforcing beads can also be combined with introduced glass fibers in the relevant plastic. In any case, a base part of significant strength is available, which is suitable for example for the storage of internal lock components. These internal lock components can be, for example, an external locking lever, as already described in the prior art according to DE 20 2013 1 10 262 A1. Also, an external operating lever or other levers of the operating lever mechanism can be stored on or in the base part. The same applies to components of a locking lever chain, a motor for, for example, the central locking system, switch for checking the rotary latch, etc.

In any case, has the base part as part of the lock housing according to the invention on the necessary dimensional stability in order to record and store the mentioned internal lock components in the example case. These internal lock construction parts or at least their storage and connection to the housing are consequently all located inside the lock housing. - To distinguish this is the one or more external locking components, which interact with the elastic guide part as a further part of the lock housing according to the invention. The external closing component means components of the entire motor vehicle door lock, which are arranged outside the lock housing. As a rule, it is an external locking component, namely the lock holder. This will be explained in detail below.

In contrast to the dimensionally stable base part, the elastic guide part is made of an elastomer. At this point, elastomers such as NBR (acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber), EPDM (ethylene-polypropylene rubber), NR (natural rubber) or even SBR (styrene-butadiene rubber) can be advantageously used. These elastomers or elastomeric plastics have a Shore A hardness of typically more than 20, usually even more than 40.

The fact that the lock housing is constructed as a two-component plastic component of the two material-different plastics, namely the thermoplastic and / or thermoset one hand and the elastomer on the other hand and the production typically takes place in a common plastic injection molded part, so the two plastics for the production of the lock housing in Be co-extruded, special benefits can be claimed. Because the elastomeric plastic is basically equipped with cost advantages over a thermoplastic or thermoset with embedded glass fibers. That is, the invention equips only the dimensionally stable base part for receiving and supporting the internal lock components with the required strength by resorting to the plastic suitable for this purpose (thermoplastic and / or thermoset with mostly embedded glass fibers). In contrast, the elastic guide part of the elastomer interacts typically with one or more external closing components, advantageously the lock holder. In this interaction virtually no forces between the relevant external locking member and the elastic guide member are transmitted as part of the lock housing. Rather, the elastic guide member takes over in this context predominantly damping function, that is used for noise reduction and / or as a stop damping for the external closing member or the lock holder in the example.

As a result, the entire elastic guide member can be made of the elastomer in question, which are already observed special cost advantages over the situation that the guide member is also made of the thermoplastic or thermosetting plastic, as is the case in the prior art. In addition, the elastic design of the guide part makes a basically possible and additional damping buffer for the external closing component or the lock holder dispensable, as described in the prior art according to DE 20 2007 017 195 U1 as mandatory.

By eliminating the additional damping component further cost advantages are observed because an additional production step is omitted, namely for insertion or for attachment of the damping component in question. In addition, the omission of the damping component not only brings cost advantages, but also leads to the total that the motor vehicle door lock according to the invention is reduced in terms of its total weight compared to the prior art. Such weight reductions play a special role in today's ever-increasing vehicle weights.

Another advantage is to be considered that the two plastics are co-extruded, that is processed in a common injection molding tool to the lock housing. The lock housing with the specific properties of the dimensionally stable base part and of the elastic guide part is, after this coextrusion, as a coherent two-component plastic component composed of the two material-different synthetic materials. Substances immediately available and can be equipped without further attachments or internals directly to the internal lock components.

In this case, the design is usually also additionally made such that the base part and the guide part with individual housing walls mostly directly adjoin one another. This topological interpretation can be realized because the plastics used are compatible with each other and can be processed as two components in the common injection molding.

In addition, the design is usually made so that the base part describes at least one receiving level for example, bearings, mounting receivers, guides, etc. for the internal lock components. That is, in the dimensionally stable base part, for example, single or multiple bearings for different levers can be formed directly. In this case, the relevant lever is attached directly to the hollow pin formed in the base part, which acts in this context as a bearing pin. In addition, in the base part fastening receptacles may be provided for example, a central locking motor. Also guides for example, a connected Bowden cable are conceivable.

In any case, the base part describes at least one receiving plane in which the internal lock components in question are arranged or mounted in or on the base part. In principle, two recording levels can also be realized, for example. In this case, the base part usually has a cross-sectionally L-shaped form.

The guide part is now typically aligned with its base plane largely coplanar with the at least one receiving plane of the base part. In addition, the guide member is regularly formed as outwardly open hollow body. The hollow body is a three-dimensional dimensional polyhedra, ie a three-dimensional body, which is bounded exclusively by straight surfaces or planes. In addition, the guide part is usually formed closed to the lock inside. This is to prevent ingress of dirt or moisture via the guide member to the lock interior.

According to a preferred embodiment, the guide part is an open on its longitudinal side cuboid hollow body. This hollow body also has tapered side walls. Opposite the open longitudinal side of the cuboid hollow body, the base plane is provided, which mainly provides for the sealing of the guide member relative to the lock interior.

Particularly preferred is a variant in which the guide member is formed as an inlet mouth for the lock holder as an external closing member. That is, in the guide member is the inlet mouth for the lock holder, which in turn represents the external closing member which interacts with the elastic guide member made of the elastomer or the inlet mouth.

Since the entire inlet mouth for the lock holder according to the invention is made of the elastomer, additional damping measures, a damping buffer, etc. are typically not required. Rather, the guide part or inlet mouth assumes as such the desired noise-damping function. In principle, of course, an additional damping buffer is possible and is encompassed by the invention.

In addition, since a rotary latch as part of the locking mechanism is typically stored above the inlet mouth in the lock case, the lock holder can retract into the inlet mouth and interact with the catch in the usual manner, this example in their pre-locking and then main locking position (and possibly into an overstroke division) to lead. A required in this context elastic stop for the lock holder is inventively provided by the inlet mouth available, which is made entirely of the elastomer. As a result, a comparatively favorable noise behavior is observed as in the prior art, and at the same time at significantly reduced production and production costs. Because the production of the lock housing according to the invention is usually carried out by coextrusion in one go, without additional production steps are required. In addition, elastomers are typically more cost-effective as materials than thermoplastics reinforced with glass fibers or thermosetting plastics, so that cost advantages are also observed in the material consumption. Here are the main benefits. - The invention is also a method for producing such a motor vehicle door lock, as described in claim 10.

In the following the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to a drawing showing only one exemplary embodiment; show it:

Fig. 1 shows an inventive motor vehicle door lock schematically in a first variant and

Fig. 2 shows a modified embodiment of the article according to

Fig. 1. In the figures, a motor vehicle door lock is shown, which is equipped with a lock housing 1 of a first and a material-different second plastic. In the lock housing 1, various internal lock components can be stored and recorded. In fact, FIGS. 1 and 2 show individual bearing points 2, which act as bearing bolts for lockable and pivotable levers acting as lock components. The levers in question may be operating levers of an actuating lever mechanism and / or locking levers of a locking lever mechanism. act as a lever. In addition, the lock housing 1 is still equipped with mounting receivers 3 for other internal lock components, such as an electric motor. - The internal lock components are thus found inside the lock housing. 1

The lock housing 1 closes a metallic lock case, not shown, and is composed of a base part 1 a and a guide part 1 b together. For this purpose, the lock housing 1 has a sealing surface 4, which bears against the lock case, not shown. Inside the lock case, a likewise not shown locking mechanism is stored. The locking mechanism is composed of a catch and a pawl. In the figures can be seen a rotary latch axis 5, about which the rotary latch is pivotally mounted. The lock case and the locking mechanism are located above the illustrated lock housing 1 and have been omitted for the sake of clarity.

The dimensionally stable base part 1 a describes at least one receiving plane for the already mentioned bearing points 2 and the mounting receptacles 3 for the internal lock components. Reference to the embodiment can be seen that the base part 1 a - as the lock housing 1 in total - is designed in cross-section L-shaped. In this case, the bearings already previously referred to bearing 2 and also the mounting receptacle 3 are arranged on the longer L-leg and extend in the associated receiving plane. In contrast, the rotary latch moves about its associated rotary axis 5 in the vertical receiving plane, which corresponds to the short leg L. Coplanar or parallel to this recording plane, the guide part 1 b is aligned.

According to the invention, the dimensionally stable base part 1 a is made of a thermoplastic and / or thermosetting plastic. At this point PBT with embedded glass fibers is mostly used, as already described in the introduction. In contrast, the elastic guide part 1 b made of an elastomer manufactured, which is for example EPDM or the other listed in the introduction introduction conceivable elastomeric materials. While the dimensionally stable base part 1 a is used to hold the internal lock components, the elastic guide part 1 b interacts with one or more external closing components 6. In the exemplary embodiment, the external closing component 6 is a lock holder, which is merely indicated.

The lock housing 1 is constructed overall as a two-component plastic component of the two aforementioned material-different plastics. In addition, it can be seen that the base part 1 a and the guide part 1 b connect directly to each other with individual housing walls. This is possible because the plastics used in this context are compatible with each other and can be processed directly adjacent to each other. In fact, according to the invention, the lock housing 1 is produced by coextrusion of the two mentioned plastics in a single tool, which considerably reduces the production costs.

As already explained, the guide part 1 b with its in the figures to be recognized lower-side base plane 8 is largely coplanar aligned with the receiving plane of the base part 1 a, which is parallel to the pivot plane of the rotary latch, not shown, which is known to rotate about the rotary latch axis 5. In the example case, the pivoting plane in question predominantly coincides with an upper edge of a circular opening surrounding the rotary latch axis 5. As a result, the lock holder or locking bolt 6 or, in general, the external closing component 6 interact directly with the rotary latch. For this purpose, the lock holder or locking pin 6 moves into the advantageously formed as an inlet mouth guide part 1 b in the direction of arrow shown in Fig. 1. In this process, the lock holder pivots or locking pin 6 which is arranged in a view above the rotary latch about its rotary latch axis. 5

In this process, the assembled from the addressed rotary latch and an associated pawl locking typically takes the Vorraststeilung and then the main latching position and optionally an overstroke division. At the end of the closing movement of the locking pin 6 moves against an end wall 10 of the elastic guide member 1 b in the context of the variant of FIG. 1 and against a damping element 7 in the embodiment according to the Fig. 2. The damping element 7 is in the present case a spring lip 7, which - like the elastic guide part 1 b - is also made of an elastomeric plastic. As a result, any rattling noises, locking noises, etc. are avoided. It can be seen that the guide part 1 b is designed as an outwardly open hollow body in the form of a three-dimensional polyhedron. In fact, the guide member is open at its upper side plane parallel to the lower-side base plane 8 to the outside. In addition, the guide part 1 b is open at its one end wall, which faces the incoming locking pin 6. At the same time, the underside base plane 8, in conjunction with the conically tapering side walls 9, ensures a tight closure of the lock housing 1. That is, the guide part 1 b is designed closed to the lock interior. As a result, neither dirt nor water can penetrate into the lock interior via the openings described.

In addition to the base plane 8 and the two conically tapered side walls 9 which project into the end wall 10, the guide part 1 b made of the elastomer is additionally equipped with a receiving chamber 11 in the variant according to FIG. 2, in which the Damping element or the spring lip 7 is plugged and stored. The receiving chamber 1 1 is also made as part of the guide member 1 b of the elastomer. Since, according to the invention, the entire elastic guide part or inlet mouth 1b is manufactured from the elastomer, both production costs and material costs can be significantly reduced compared with the prior art. Because the dimensionally stable base part 1 a is typically made of a thermoplastic material with embedded glass fibers, resulting in not inconsiderable material costs, at least with significantly higher material costs compared to an elastomer is connected. In addition, in the variant according to FIG. 1, it is possible to dispense with the additional damping element or the spring lip 7 because the guide part or the inlet mouth 1b is equipped with the damping properties required at this point. Here are the main benefits.

Claims

claims:

1 . Motor vehicle door lock, comprising a lock housing (1) made of a first and a material-different second plastic, characterized in that the lock housing (1) consists of a dimensionally stable base part (1 a) of a thermoplastic and / or thermosetting plastic for receiving internal lock components and an elastic guide member ( 1 b) is constructed of an elastomer for interaction with one or more external closing components (6).

2. Motor vehicle door lock according to claim 1, characterized in that the base part (1 a) has reinforcements such as embedded glass fibers.

3. Motor vehicle door lock according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the lock housing (1) is constructed as a two-component plastic component of the two material-different plastics.

4. Motor vehicle door lock according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the base part (1 a) and the guide part (1 b) with individual

Connect housing walls to each other.

5. Motor vehicle door lock according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the base part (1 a) describes at least one receiving plane for example bearing points (2), fastening receptacles (3), guides, etc. for the internal lock components.

6. Motor vehicle door lock according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the guide part (1 b) is designed as outwardly open hollow body in the form of a three-dimensional polyhedron.

7. Motor vehicle door lock according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the guide part (1 b) is formed as on a longitudinal side open cuboid hollow body with tapered side walls (9).

8. Motor vehicle door lock according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the guide part (1 b) as an inlet mouth (1 b) for a lock holder (6) as an external closing member (6) is formed.

9. Motor vehicle door lock according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the guide part (1 b) is designed to be closed to the lock interior.

10. A method for producing a motor vehicle door lock, comprising a lock housing (1) of a first and a material-different second plastic, characterized in that the lock housing (1) of a dimensionally stable base part (1 a) of a thermoplastic and / or thermosetting plastic Receiving internal lock components and an elastic guide member (1 b) of an elastomer for interaction with one or more external closing components (6) is coextruded.