WO2023151739A1

WO2023151739A1 - One-piece lock striker for a motor vehicle locking device

Info

Publication number: WO2023151739A1
Application number: PCT/DE2023/100021
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ulrich Weichsel; Tobias Klocke; Thorsten Bendel; Bernhard Drost
Original assignee: Kiekert Aktiengesellschaft
Priority date: 2022-02-10
Filing date: 2023-01-13
Publication date: 2023-08-17
Also published as: DE102022103163A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a one-piece lock striker for a motor vehicle locking device and in particular a motor vehicle lock and preferably a motor vehicle door lock, the lock striker being a predominantly solid component with different cross-sectional thicknesses (Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4). The lock striker comprises a base plate (3) and a shackle element (2, 4, 5) standing thereon, and the shackle element (2, 4, 5) has a front bar (2), an upper connecting piece (5) and a rear base (4). The bar (2) and the base (4) also connect the connecting piece (5) to the base plate (3). According to the invention, a reinforcing element (6) connecting the bar (2) and the base (4) is also provided.

Description

One-piece lock holder for a motor vehicle locking device

The invention relates to a one-piece lock holder for a motor vehicle locking device, in particular for a motor vehicle lock and preferably for a motor vehicle door lock, which is predominantly designed as a solid component with different cross-sectional thicknesses, with a base plate and a bracket standing on it, the bracket having a front bolt, a top web and a rear base, and wherein the bolt and base connect the web to the base.

Lock holders are typically used to be able to interact with a hook of the motor vehicle locking device in general and mostly with a locking mechanism of the motor vehicle locking device consisting of a rotary latch and a pawl. In the closed state of the locking mechanism, the rotary latch usually reaches through an eye surrounded by the bracket. The rotary latch is locked with the aid of the pawl, so that the motor vehicle door equipped with the motor vehicle locking device is securely locked in relation to the body. For this purpose, the lock holder is firmly attached to the body.

In principle, however, the motor vehicle locking device can also be arranged on the bodywork side and the lock holder is then located on the relevant motor vehicle door. The term motor vehicle door is to be interpreted broadly in this context and includes not only and by way of example motor vehicle side doors, but generally also front hoods, tailgates, tank flaps, loading flaps, etc.

In particular, in motor vehicle side doors, it is necessary that the previously described locked state of the motor vehicle door compared to the Motor vehicle body is maintained even in an accident or in the event of a crash. Only in this way, for example, can the structural forces that deform the entire motor vehicle body be reliably absorbed and the occupants inside experience optimal accident protection. This also applies when considering the fact that, for example, side airbags present in or on motor vehicle side doors or side impact protection can naturally only be effective when the motor vehicle door is locked relative to the motor vehicle body.

In the event of an accident or in the event of a crash, tearing forces act on the motor vehicle locking device and consequently also on the lock holder, which forces generally attempt to open the motor vehicle door in question. Such tearing forces run, for example, in the vehicle in the longitudinal or X-direction, but can also be observed transversely to this in the Y-direction. For this reason, tearing forces are simulated on test benches, which can correspond to a weight of half a ton and more. In order to be able to absorb these tearing forces, the locking mechanism consisting of the rotary latch and pawl on the one hand and the lock holder on the other hand must be particularly solid and are usually made of high-strength steel.

In order to be able to absorb particularly high tearing forces at this point, the generic prior art according to EP 2 607 579 B1 proposes a one-piece lock holder, ie one that is produced in one piece or in one piece. For this purpose, in the known teaching, at least one rib serving as a surface contour is formed in the area of the web of the lock holder and an undercut is provided underneath, which is not a continuous opening. In this way, and when viewed in a main demolding direction normal to the top and bottom of the baseplate, the undercut area cannot be demolded with a simple open-close tool. This is a particularly cheap Production of the well-known lock holder observed with improved mechanical properties.

The state of the art has proven itself in principle, but still offers room for improvement. In fact, due to today's increasing and continuing increase in vehicle weight and in particular also the increasing mass of motor vehicle doors, the inertial forces observed in the event of a crash also increasingly attack the motor vehicle door in particular. Since the speeds reached by today's motor vehicles also increase, this phenomenon also leads to increased forces acting on the motor vehicle door in the event of a crash. These non-linearly increasing tearing forces have been taken into account in principle by the generic prior art. However, improvements are still required at this point with regard to an increase in the tearing forces that can be absorbed.

The invention is therefore based on the technical problem of further developing such a one-piece lock retainer for a motor vehicle locking device in such a way that the tearing forces absorbed are once again significantly increased compared to the prior art.

In order to solve this technical problem, the invention proposes, in the case of a generic one-piece lock holder for a motor vehicle locking device, that a reinforcing element additionally connecting the bolt and the base to one another be provided.

In principle, this reinforcing element can connect the bolt and the base to one another at practically any height. As a rule, however, the bracket encloses the eye already mentioned, in which ießeinrichtung during a closing process of the motor vehicle locking device and thus the If, for example, the rotary latch dips into the motor vehicle door in relation to the motor vehicle body and encompasses the front bolt, the procedure is generally such that the reinforcing element stands on an upper side of the base plate. As a result, the eye is available with an almost unchanged cross-section compared to the prior art. Consequently, the reinforcement element connects seamlessly to the upper side of the base plate and stands on this predominantly perpendicularly.

Since the reinforcement element is generally designed as a reinforcement web running parallel to the web, the invention achieves that the eye in question is surrounded on the circumference overall by the front bolt, the rear base and the upper web running in between and the reinforcement web. In conjunction with the fact that the lock retainer is designed in one piece overall, increased tearing forces can also be absorbed in this way compared to the prior art according to EP 2 607 579 B1.

This can essentially be attributed to the fact that, for example, tearing forces or tearing forces acting on the front bolt surrounded by the rotary latch in the closed state of the locking mechanism lead to the rear base or the bolt being subjected to more or less pronounced tension. Due to the additional material-uniform connection of the bolt and the base not only by the upper web, but also by the reinforcement element according to the invention or the reinforcement web and therefore also the base plate connected to the reinforcement web, particularly high tensile forces can result in this context, especially in the event of an accident or in the event of a crash. This is where the main advantages can be seen.

In general, the reinforcement element has a material thickness adapted to the bolt and the base. In this case, the front bolt is usually predominantly cylindrical, because it is in an inlet mouth of the rotary latch for a closing process of the motor vehicle locking device retracts relative to the motor vehicle body and the rotary latch is pivoted as a result and in the closed state engages around the front bolt. For this reason, the bolt is also characterized as "front", because it defines the front surface of the lock holder, which interacts with the motor vehicle locking device or the locking mechanism provided there during a locking process and moves into it.

As already explained, the front bolt is predominantly cylindrical. In contrast, the base, the web and the reinforcement element have a largely rectangular cross-sectional shape. The design is additionally made in such a way that the cross section of the base consistently exceeds both the cross section of the front bolt and that of the web as well as the cross section of the reinforcing element. As a result, the base is designed to be particularly solid and can effectively absorb forces acting on it (particularly in the direction of pull) in the event of a crash, without a tear occurring in the connection area of the base to the base plate and if so, then only at significantly higher levels than in the prior art tearing forces or tearing forces.

A further stabilization of the base is achieved in that the base is equipped with a sloping limb on the inside that delimits the eye and an obtuse angled limb on the outside. This measure also takes into account the tearing forces or tearing forces acting on the lock holder in that the base is not only acted upon by tensile forces running in the longitudinal direction of the base and possibly detaching it from the base plate, but also tensile forces oriented parallel to the base plate, to which the inner side running in the opposite direction oblique legs into account. The stud and base each generally arc into the web. At this point, a smaller radius of the observed arc is typically used compared to the prior art.

Due to the additional reinforcement of the bracket with the aid of the reinforcement element or reinforcement web, the upper web, which is not exposed to large tearing forces in contrast to the front bolt and the rear base, can be equipped with additional functions. Here it has proven to be advantageous if the web has at least one notch on the front. In principle, two longitudinally extending indentations lying opposite one another can also be provided in the web. These notches can be used to provide an additional catch on the lock holder according to the invention at this point, which is used, for example, to be able to interact with a closing drive, an opener or the like.

Alternative or additional measures of the invention aim in a similar direction, according to which the web has a hook guided in a longitudinal cavity. The hook can be designed to be adjustable relative to the web. In this case, too, the hook may be part of a closing device or also a positioning device for the relevant motor vehicle door and in this context ensures particularly functional operation.

Up to now, for example, installation devices have only been supported on the front bolt, whereas the optionally implemented catch or also using the hook can now be used to at least temporarily fix or define the position of the installation device relative to the front bolt and thus the lock holder. For the production of the one-piece lock holder, the invention recommends that this be designed as a cast part and in particular a precision cast part. In principle, however, it is also possible for the lock holder to be a forged part, in whole or in part, and in particular a drop forged part. In addition, it is also possible to proceed in such a way that only the bracket is cast or drop-forged. In this way, only a single material (usually high-strength steel) is used for production and only a minimum of work steps are required for production. The lock holder can generally also be cold-formed as a solid component, which increases its overall strength. Since the front bolt and the base in connection with the reinforcement element or reinforcement web are not riveted to the base plate, as is the case with known lock holders that are designed in two parts, for example, high shearing forces are avoided in the connection area. In principle, a subsequent heat treatment can also be dispensed with in order to reduce the costs of production.

As a result, a one-piece lock retainer is made available which, compared to the prior art, is able to absorb increased tearing forces or tearing forces. This is essentially achieved by the reinforcement element or the reinforcement web connecting the front bolt and the base in addition to the base plate. This is where the main advantages can be seen.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to a drawing that merely represents an exemplary embodiment; show it:

1 shows the one-piece lock holder according to the invention in perspective,

Fig. 2 shows the lock holder in a modified embodiment, also in perspective and in plan and 3 shows a further modified variant in a side view and in a top view.

In the figures, a one-piece lock holder for a motor vehicle locking device is shown. The motor vehicle locking device interacting with the lock holder shown is generally a motor vehicle lock which is equipped with a locking mechanism consisting essentially of a rotary latch and a pawl. The design is such that the lock holder shown in FIG. 1 moves into an inlet mouth of the rotary latch and pivots it until the associated pawl can engage and holds the rotary latch in place. During this process, the rotary latch dips into an eye 1 of the lock holder.

In order to pivot the rotary latch, the lock holder shown moves with a front bolt 2 into the inlet mouth of the rotary latch, which engages around the front bolt 2 in the closed state of the locking mechanism. This retraction process into the inlet mouth of the locking mechanism is indicated in FIG. 1 by an arrow.

The lock holder shown is predominantly designed as a solid component with different cross-sectional thicknesses Qi, Q2, Q3 and Q4. Structurally, the lock holder has a base plate 3 on which a shackle 2, 4, 5 stands, specifically according to the exemplary embodiment, vertically. The bracket 2 , 4 , 5 is equipped with the already mentioned front bolt 2 , a rear base 4 and a web 5 on the upper side. The bolt 2 and the base 4 connect the web 5 with the base plate 3.

According to the invention, a reinforcing element 6 connecting the bolt 2 and the base 4 to one another is additionally provided. According to the exemplary embodiment, the reinforcement element 6 is a reinforcement web 6. The reinforcing web 6 runs parallel to the web 5 and connects the front bolt 2 to the rear base 4 according to the exemplary embodiment, in each case on the foot side. In addition, the design is such that the reinforcement bar 6 stands on an upper side of the base plate 3, also vertically, like the bracket 2, 4, 5. For this purpose, the reinforcement element or the reinforcement bar 6 has a bolt 2 and the base 4 adjusted material thickness Q4.

The front bolt 2 is predominantly cylindrical because the front bolt 2 enters the inlet mouth of the rotary latch and pivots the rotary latch and the rotary latch engages around the front bolt in the closed state of the locking mechanism. In contrast, the base 4, the web 5 and also the reinforcement element or the reinforcement web 6 have a largely rectangular cross-sectional shape. According to the exemplary embodiment, the front bolt 2 is equipped with a cross-sectional area Qi. The rear base 4, on the other hand, has a cross-sectional area Q3. The top web 5 is provided with a cross-sectional area Q2, while the reinforcing web 6 has the cross-sectional area Q4.

In the context of the exemplary embodiment, the design is such that the cross-sectional area Q3 of the rear base 4 exceeds all other cross-sectional areas Qi, Q2 and Q4 overall, so that the base 4 is able to attack it for the reasons already mentioned in the description instructions To absorb tearing forces or tearing forces particularly effectively and to be able to introduce them into the base plate 3.

The fact that the base 4 is equipped with an inner sloping leg 4a delimiting the eye 1 also contributes to this. On the outside, on the other hand, the base 4 has an obtuse angle leg 4b. In this way, not only are attacking vertically on the base 4 in its longitudinal direction and attempting to lift it off the base plate 3 Tearing forces recorded, but just as effective tearing forces, which run parallel to the base plate 3 and deform the base 4 in the direction of the front bolt 2. Such forces are taken into account in particular by the inner oblique leg 4a in connection with the outer obtuse angle leg 4b.

It can be seen that the front bolt 2 and the rear base 4 each merge into the web 5 in an arc shape. In this case, work is usually carried out with a respective arc of a small radius.

In the context of the variant according to FIG. 2, the design is such that the web 5 has a notch 7 on the front. According to the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 2, two front notches 7 are provided, each of which is designed as a rectangular notch and extends in the longitudinal extent of the web 5 and is arranged on the front of the web 5 and connects to the front bolt 2 on the head side. These indentations 7 can act as a detent for, for example, a closing drive or a positioning device, as has already been described in the introduction.

A variant with comparable functionality is shown in FIG. In this case, the web 5 is equipped with a longitudinal cavity in which a hook 8 is guided. The hook 8 can be adjusted relative to the web 5. Depending on the installation conditions, the hook 8 may then be fixed in its desired position. This corresponds to the hook 8 projecting beyond the front bolt 2 by a certain amount B on its front side. As explained, this amount or projection B can be varied. As a result, the lock holder can be adapted to different installation conditions, different installation devices, closing devices, etc. reference list

1 eye

2 bolts 3 base plate

2, 4, 5 hangers

4 back base

4a oblique leg

4b obtuse angle leg 5 upper web

6 reinforcement element, reinforcement bar

Qi cross-sectional area bolt 2

Q2 cross-sectional area top web 5

Q3 Cross-sectional area of rear base 4 Q4 Cross-sectional area of reinforcement bar 6

7 front indentation

8 hooks

B amount, excess

Claims

patent claims

1. One-piece lock holder for a motor vehicle locking device, in particular a motor vehicle lock, preferably a motor vehicle door lock, mainly designed as a solid component with different cross-sectional thicknesses (Qi, Q2, Q3, Q4), with a base plate (3) and a bracket standing on it (2, 4, 5), wherein the bracket (2, 4, 5) comprises a front stud (2), a top web (5) and a rear base (4), and wherein the stud (2) and the base (4) connect the web (5) to the base plate (3), d a r c h e n n n e n t d i c h n e t that an additional reinforcing element (6) connecting the bolt (2) and the base (4) is provided.

2. Lock holder according to claim 1, characterized in that the reinforcing element (6) stands up on an upper side of the base plate (3).

3. Lock holder according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the reinforcing element (6) has a material thickness (Q4) adapted to the bolt (2) and the base (4).

4. Lock holder according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the front bolt (2) is predominantly cylindrical, while the base (4), the web (5) and the reinforcing element (6) have a largely rectangular cross-sectional shape (Q2 , Q3 and Q4).

5. Lock holder according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the base (4) is equipped with an eye (1) delimiting the inside oblique leg (4a) and an outside obtuse angle leg (4b).

6. Lock holder according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the bolt (2) and the base (4) each merge into the web (5) in an arc shape.

7. Lock holder according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the web (5) has at least one front notch (7).

8. Lock holder according to claim 7, characterized in that two opposing elongate notches (7) are provided in the web (5).

9. Lock holder according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the web (5) has a guided in a longitudinal cavity hook (8).

10. Lock holder according to claim 9, characterized in that the hook (8) relative to the web (5) is designed to be adjustable.