EP2820216B1 - Motor-vehicle door lock - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a motor vehicle door lock, with a locking mechanism, further comprising at least one locking lever, and with an electric drive for the locking mechanism, wherein the electric drive in normal operation acts on the locking mechanism for electrical opening and additionally provides at least in emergency operation for a mechanical opening of the locking mechanism, and wherein the locking lever consistently in normal operation - even when electrically open - its position "locked" maintains.

In a motor vehicle door lock according to the EP 1 320 652 B1 The electric drive not only ensures the electrical opening of the locking mechanism. But in addition, the electric drive ensures that, for example, an external operating lever in emergency operation, that is, in the case of an emergency opening, with the pawl and / or the catch as components of the locking mechanism is mechanically connected. For this purpose, a controllable by the electric drive intermediate lever is provided in detail. The intermediate lever engages in the emergency opening or in emergency operation by means of a through-pin acted upon by the external actuating lever trigger lever with the pawl. As a result, in the emergency opening or in emergency operation, the external actuating lever can lift the pawl directly mechanically. In this way, a total reliable operation with a simple and inexpensive construction is guaranteed.

When electrically opening motor vehicle door locks, the procedure is typically such that a handle, for example an external operating lever and / or an internal operating lever, is not mechanically connected to the locking mechanism. Rather, in normal operation, one of the respective handle provides acted upon sensor that the electric drive is energized in order to open the locking accordingly motor - and not manually -. As a result, operating forces are reduced and a secure and reliable opening of the locking mechanism is ensured. This has proven itself in principle.

In addition to the normal operation, an emergency operation or a so-called emergency opening is also covered. Such emergency operation occurs, for example, when the electric drive is no longer reliable or no longer works due to a voltage drop of the battery in the motor vehicle. Likewise, the emergency operation is typically set when it is expected in the immediate aftermath of an accident with a failure of the electric drive or must be expected. Emergency operation ensures in this context that the locking mechanism can be opened mechanically. That is, at least in emergency operation, a mechanical connection between the handle and the locking mechanism is realized.

In the generic state of the art according to the US 2008/0224482 A1 In turn, a distinction is made between normal operation and emergency operation. In normal operation, the electric drive via a spindle drive ensures that a spindle nut lifts the pawl from the catch. The emergency operation corresponds to an opposite linear movement of the spindle nut, which lifts a locking lever from its abutment on the locking lever, so that in this way again releases the pawl of the rotary latch. Corresponding movements can also be carried out by attacking forces. The further prior art according to the EP 1 225 290 B1 relates to a motor vehicle door lock with a pawl drive. The pawl drive works with the help of a driven pulley on an extension to release the catch.

Finally, the subject of the DE 695 11 357 T3 an electrically operated lock, in which the central locking function and an electric opening function can be realized with a common drive.

In the prior art after the EP 1 320 652 B1 In the course of the emergency opening, a mechanical connection between the external operating lever, the inner operating lever and the locking mechanism is produced primarily. In this way, a kind of "temporary redundancy" is realized in the course of the emergency opening. Since this emergency opening is often associated with an accident or "crash" or is connected to it, one speaks in practice also of the so-called "TCR", the "temporary Crashredundanz". This has proven itself, but can still be improved under safety aspects.

In fact, in the prior art, the mechanical coupling is ensured by means of an intermediate lever which can be controlled by the electric drive. This intermediate lever is disposed between the outer operating lever and the release lever cooperating with the pawl. An additional locking function or a locking lever as such is not addressed.

The invention is based on the technical problem of further developing such a motor vehicle door lock in such a way that the functional reliability is increased even further compared with the prior art.

To solve this technical problem, a generic motor vehicle door lock within the scope of the invention is characterized in that the electric drive is equipped with an unlocking lock provided on its driven pulley and its position "locked" occupies the electrical opening of the locking lever, in which it is held by the unlocking wherein the unlocking lock is designed as a locking contour interacting with a projection on the locking lever.

In the context of the invention, therefore, initially at least one locking lever is used. This locking lever deviates from the intermediate lever according to the EP 1 320 652 B1 For that reason already, because the intermediate lever ultimately couples the outside actuating lever and the inside operating lever with the trigger lever, so how does a kind of clutch lever work.

In contrast, the locking lever works according to the invention in such a way that its position "locked" the usual function following ensures that a mechanical actuation of a handle is empty in any case. Only when the handle is pulled twice in the internal operation, for example, or a so-called "double stroke" is performed, the locking lever can be transferred to the "unlocked" position. However, this is not mandatory, but ultimately due to the generally required mechanical redundancy of electrically opening motor vehicle door locks.

Because usually ensures an action on the handle that an associated signal generator is acted upon, which in turn initiates the control of the electric drive in the sense of "opening". That is, the handle is mechanically with the locking mechanism - at least in normal operation - not connected. Rather, only the admission of the signal transmitter assigned to the handle ensures that the locking mechanism is opened electrically. For this purpose, the electric drive typically acts on a release lever, which in turn lifts the pawl or one of a plurality of pawls relative to the rotary latch.

Normally, opening the ratchet requires that the locking lever has previously taken its "unlocked" position. In the context of the invention, however, the locking lever maintains its position "locked" throughout during normal operation and also during electrical opening. This ensures that even in the event of an accident, the locking lever assumes its "locked" position unchanged. In this way, any unintentional door openings are prevented in any case. Because even unintentionally acted upon as a result of forces acting handle the locking mechanism can not therefore just because the "locked" in the position or in normal operation persistent locking lever for the desired mechanical interruption of the operating lever chain from the handle to the lock provides.

Only when switching from normal operation to emergency operation, the locking lever is transferred to the "unlocked" position by the electric drive. Then the handle is able to mechanically open the locking mechanism. Thus, a temporary mechanical redundancy is again provided, which typically engages in respectively immediately after an accident or crash as described above. As a result, the security is increased enormously, because the change from normal operation to emergency operation typically occurs after triggering example of an airbag sensor with time delay.

When changing from normal operation to emergency operation, the electric drive ensures that the locking lever assumes its "unlocked" position. However, this only happens after any safety-relevant sensors have been triggered and, as a result thereof, for example side airbags, steering wheel airbags, passenger airbags, a possible belt tensioner, crash sensor, etc. have been activated.

That is, the transition from normal operation to emergency operation is only then carried out as it were automatically with the help of the electric drive when all safety-related systems have been activated and ensure optimal occupant protection and can also provide. If, in such a case, the electrical supply of the drive still can not be guaranteed and this does not automatically switch from normal operation to emergency mode to "unlock" to transfer the locking lever in its position, unlocking and an adjoining manual opening operation are still possible , Eventually arriving rescue workers, namely after having been unlocked from the inside, can mechanically open the motor vehicle door lock. The occupants can unlock the lock in the first stroke via the "double lift operation" and then open the lock and door in the second stroke. Here are the main benefits.

To achieve this in detail, the electric drive is equipped with the unlocking lock. The unlocking lock ensures that the locking lever is held in its "locked" position during electrical opening. This means that the unlocking lock ensures that unlocking does not occur when an opening signal is generated during normal operation via the inside operating lever. In the context of the invention, however, it is ensured that the locking lever during electric opening assumes its position "locked", since the functions "electrical opening" and "locking" have the same direction of rotation.

In order to achieve this in detail, the unlocking lock is designed as a locking contour interacting with a projection on the locking lever. According to the invention, the unlocking lock or the locking contour is located on the drive disc of the electric drive.

The electric drive as such is generally composed of at least one electric motor, a worm wheel driven therefrom, and the driven pulley meshing with the worm wheel. In this way, the electric drive can define a first drive direction corresponding to normal operation and a second drive direction associated with emergency operation. In general, the first drive direction belongs to a counterclockwise rotation of the driven pulley, while the second drive direction corresponds to a clockwise movement of the driven pulley. However, it is also a reversal of the drive directions feasible.

In addition, the electric drive is typically equipped with an opening contour, which interacts with the electrical opening with a locking lever acting on the locking lever. This opening contour may be an opening cam or the like.

In addition, the electric drive is equipped with a return spring. This return spring may be a center / zero spring, which is advantageously integrated in the driven pulley. With the help of the return spring ensures that the electric drive assumes a neutral position after its application in the first or the second drive direction and can take.

In addition, a blocking lever is additionally provided, which interacts with the electric drive optionally. For this purpose, the electric drive is additionally equipped with a recess which is advantageous on the driven pulley - as well as the opening contour - finds.

In general, a signal generator is assigned to the blocking lever. This signal generator may be the interacting with the handle signal generator. Because regularly the blocking lever is acted upon and deflected by means of the handle. As soon as the handle is acted upon, therefore, not only the signal generator is actuated, but at the same time the blocking lever is pivoted away from the electric drive. As a result, the locking lever is able to catch or block any Fehlbestromungen the electric drive. Because such Fehlbestromungen correspond to the fact that the handle is not acted upon when they occur. In this case, the blocking lever also experiences no loading, thus can block the electric drive, so that it does not unintentionally electrically opens the locking mechanism.

Due to the mechanical coupling of the blocking lever with the handle, situations may arise in which the handle and consequently the blocking lever are acted upon during an already initiated electrical opening operation. In order to process such a case or a renewed action on the handle and thus the blocking lever as well as the signal generator in such a situation, the already mentioned recess on the electric drive or the local driven pulley is provided. In fact, the blocking lever plunges with a blocking lug in the recess in question in this described scenario, so that the already initiated during the first operation electrical opening operation ultimately not disturbed. The signal generator is free and can process signals.

Finally, the electric drive and / or the locking lever is assigned in each case a stop. This stop may be a combined stop or an associated stop contour that is designed to interact with both the electric drive and the lock lever. Typically, the stop or the stop contour can be connected to a door lock housing (made of plastic) and, in turn, may be produced, for example, from a thermoplastic such as PUR (polyurethane).

Fig. 1

den erfindungsgemäßen Kraftfahrzeugtürverschluss in einer Frontansicht,

Fig. 2

den Gegenstand nach Fig. 1 in Rückansicht und

Fig. 3

die Abtriebsscheibe und den Verriegelungshebel in vergrößerter Darstellung.

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

the motor vehicle door lock according to the invention in a front view,

Fig. 2

the object after Fig. 1 in rear view and

Fig. 3

the driven pulley and the locking lever in an enlarged view.

In the figures, a motor vehicle door lock is shown, which is equipped with a not explicitly shown locking mechanism. As a rule, the locking mechanism is composed of a catch and a pawl as usual. On the pawl operates a release lever 1 which is rotatably mounted about an axis 2 in a lock housing or lock case. As soon as the release lever 1 a in Fig. 1 indicated rotation in a clockwise direction around his Axis 2 performs or can perform, the trigger lever 1 is able to lift the pawl of the catch. The functionality is comparable to that described in the introduction EP 1 320 652 B1 is explained in more detail.

In addition, it can be seen a locking lever 3 which is pivotally mounted about an axis 4. As part of the presentation after Fig. 1 the locking lever 3 assumes its "locked" position (VR). In addition, in the Fig. 1 nor the position "unlocked" (ER) of the locking lever 3 shown.

The electric drive 5, 6, 7 is composed of an electric motor 5, an applied by the electric motor 5 screw 6 and finally a meshing with the screw 6 driven pulley 7 together. The driven pulley 7 is able to perform rotational movements about its axis A, with reference to the Fig. 1 in the counterclockwise direction or a first drive direction and in a clockwise direction corresponding to a second drive direction.

In normal operation, a handle 9 in conjunction with a signal generator 10 ensures that opening movements are registered on the handle 9 of the signal generator 10 and transmitted to a control unit 8. The control unit 8 interprets a corresponding actuation of the signal generator 10 in such a way that an associated motor vehicle door is to be opened. Accordingly, the control unit 8 ensures that the electric motor 5 is energized in such a way that the driven pulley 7 in the illustration of the Fig. 1 executes there indicated by an arrow counterclockwise movement. This counterclockwise movement during normal operation of the locking mechanism during electrical opening with the aid of the electric drive 5, 6, 7 corresponds to an opening contour 11 or an opening cam 11 the trigger lever 1 is applied and pivoted about its axis of rotation 2 in a clockwise direction as indicated by an arrow. As a result, the release lever 1 ensures that the pawl is lifted from the rotary latch, which in turn opens spring-assisted (see. Fig. 1 and 2 ).

The opening contour 11 or the opening cam 11 is associated with the electric drive 5, 6, 7. In addition, the electric drive 5, 6, 7 associated return spring 12 ensures that the electric drive 5, 6, 7 after the actuation of the trigger lever 1 again in a Neutral position returns. For this purpose, the said spring 12 is designed in the embodiment as a center / zero spring and integrated into the driven pulley 7.

In the electrical opening described a locking contour 13 on the driven pulley 7 ensures that the locking lever 3 continuously in the Fig. 1 position shown and retained there "locked" (VR) maintains. Because the locking contour 13 interacts with a projection 14 on the respective locking lever 3 during the described electrical opening operation. In this way, the electric drive 5, 6, 7 and its driven pulley 7 is equipped with an unlocking lock, which as described in the electrical opening of the locking lever 3 ensures that this is "locked" in its position (VR) is held. For this purpose, the unlocking lock or the locking contour 13 already described on the driven pulley 7 as part of the electric drive 5, 6, 7 is provided.

The handle 9 not only works on the signal generator 10, but also acts on an additionally illustrated blocking lever 15. This locking lever 15 is mounted coaxially with the release lever 1 about the common axis 2. As soon as the handle 9 is acted upon in the opening sense by an operator, the blocking lever 15 is pivoted about the axis 2 in the clockwise direction. As a result, a blocking lug 16 on the blocking lever 15 is disengaged from the electric drive 5, 6, 7 or its driven pulley 7.

However, if the handle 9 and thus the blocking lever 15 is not acted upon, then the blocking lug 16 remains in engagement with the electric drive 5, 6, 7 and ensures that the electric drive 5, 6, 7 is faulty decelerated counterclockwise movement is decelerated. For in this process, a stop 17 moves against the respective blocking lug 16. The hitherto carried out by the driven pulley 7 rotary motion is designed so that such Fehlbestromung does not lead to the opening of the locking mechanism, respectively can lead. In addition, the stop 17 in conjunction with the blocking lug 16 on the blocking lever 15 ensures that the rotational movement of the electric drive 5, 6, 7 is limited for transferring the locking lever 3 from its unlocked to the locked position.

For example, is the locking lever 3 in its "unlocked" position (ER) according to the dashed line in FIG Fig. 1 Thus, an actuation of the electric drive 5, 6, 7 or its driven pulley 7 in a counterclockwise direction causes a locking contour 18 on the driven pulley 7 on the blocking lug 14 of the locking lever 3 attacks and this from the position "unlocked" (ER) the axle 4 is pivoted clockwise in the "locked" position (VR). The associated rotational movement of the driven pulley 7 in the counterclockwise direction is limited by the fact that the blocking stop 17 moves against the blocking lug 16 of the blocking lever 15 on the driven pulley 7.

Once switched from normal operation to emergency, this emergency ensures that via the control unit 8 and the electric motor 5, the driven pulley 7 now no counterclockwise movement (first drive direction) performs more, but rather is acted upon in a clockwise direction. As a result, the locking or unlocking contour 18 on the driven pulley 7 engages with an unlocking lug 19 on the locking lever 3, because the locking lever 3 is in its "locked" position (VR). Since in this process the driven pulley 7 is pivoted clockwise about its axis A, the interaction between the unlocking or locking lug 19 and the unlocking contour 18 ensures that the locking lever 3 is pivoted about its axis 4 in the counterclockwise direction. In this process, the locking lever 3 leaves a stop 20 and moves against a stop 21. Concomitantly, the locking lever 3 changes its position "locked" (VR) "unlocked" (ER).

Both stops 20, 21 are part of a stop contour 23, which is additionally equipped with a stop 22. This stop 22 is used as soon as the electric drive 5, 6, 7 moves with its stop 17 during electric opening against it. This is possible because in this electric opening the blocking lever 15 is pivoted away with the aid of the handle 9, consequently, the stop 17 on the driven pulley 7 can pass the blocking lever 15.

In addition, it can be seen that the driven pulley 7 is equipped with a recess 24. This recess 24 ensures that re-actuation of the handle 9 or a release and re-applying the handle 9 processed by the blocking lever 15 associated signal generator 10 at already initiated electrical opening operation can be. - The stop contour 23 may be made in total of a plastic and connected to the motor vehicle door lock housing.

Claims (12)

1. Motor vehicle door lock with a locking mechanism, further with at least one locking lever (3) and with an electric drive (5, 6, 7) for the locking mechanism, wherein during normal operation the electric drive (5, 6, 7) acts upon the locking mechanism for electric opening and also ensures mechanical opening of the locking mechanism at least in emergency operation, and wherein the locking lever (3) retains its "locked" position in normal operation at all times - including during electric opening,
   wherein

   - the electric drive (5, 6, 7) is equipped with a safety lock (13) provided on the driven pulley (7) thereof and during electric opening the locking lever (3) assumes its "locked" position, in which it is retained by the safety lock (13), wherein

   - the safety lock (13) has the form of a blocking contour (13) which cooperates with a projection (14) on the locking lever (3).
2. Motor vehicle door lock according to Claim 1, characterized in that the electric drive (5, 6, 7) comprises at least one electric motor (5), a worm gear (6) driven by said motor and the driven pulley (7) which meshes with the worm gear (6).
3. Motor vehicle door lock according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the electric drive (5, 6, 7) has a first drive direction corresponding to normal operation and a second drive direction associated with emergency operation.
4. Motor vehicle door lock according to Claim 3, characterized in that the first drive direction corresponds to a counter-clockwise rotation of the driven pulley (7) and the second drive direction corresponds to a clockwise rotation of the driven pulley (7), or vice versa.
5. Motor vehicle door lock according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the electric drive (5, 6, 7) is furnished with an opening contour (11) that cooperates with the triggering lever (1) which impinges on the locking mechanism during electric opening.
6. Motor vehicle door lock according to Claim 5, characterized in that the opening contour (11) is designed as an opening cam (11) provided on the driven pulley (7).
7. Motor vehicle door lock according to any one of Claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the electric drive (5, 6, 7) is equipped with a return spring (12), particularly a centre/zero spring (12), which is mounted in the driven pulley (7).
8. Motor vehicle door lock according to any one of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that a blocking lever (15) is provided, which cooperates selectively with the electric drive (5, 6, 7).
9. Motor vehicle door lock according to Claim 8, characterized in that a signal generator (10) is assigned to the blocking lever (15).
10. Motor vehicle door lock according to Claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the blocking lever (15) is mechanically coupled to a handle (9).
11. Motor vehicle door lock according to any one of Claims 1 to 10, characterized in that a stop contour (23) is assigned to the electric drive (5, 6, 7) and/or the locking lever (3).
12. Motor vehicle door lock according to Claim 11, characterized in that the stop contour (23) has one stop (22) for the electric drive (5, 6, 7) and at least one stop (20, 21) for the locking lever (3).

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