KR102709045B1 - Car door lock - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a car door lock, which is equipped with an electric opening drive (1, 2, 3, 4, 5; 5a, 5b; 16) for a locking mechanism (7, 8) and also with a safety unit (10, 11, 12, 13) and a handle (H). The handle (H) can be mechanically coupled to the locking mechanism (7, 8) in particular via a coupling element (14) which can be closed in the event of a crash. According to the invention, in order to adopt the "safe on" position, the electric opening drive (1, 2, 3, 4, 5; 5a, 5b; 16) is reversed, so that the opening drive closes the coupling element (14) and acts on the safety unit (10, 11, 12, 13) to block the opening drive while allowing a free-running action.

Description

Car door lock

The present invention relates to a motor vehicle door lock having an electric opening drive for the locking mechanism, and also a safety unit, and in particular a handle which can be mechanically coupled to the locking mechanism via a coupling element capable of closing in the event of a crash.

A vehicle door lock of the above-described construction is described by way of example in DE 10 2012 020 424 A1. Here, a safety unit in the form of a child safety device is implemented. With regard to the opening drive acting on the locking mechanism, the safety device ensures that opening of the locking mechanism is prevented at least in the "safe" or "safety on" setting.

For example, it is becoming increasingly popular in practice to interrogate sensors to open locking mechanisms electrically or electromechanically or purely electrically, often referred to herein as "opening-by-wire". For this purpose, sensors can be implemented on the associated handle and can document the operator's desire to open it. In the case of electrical opening of the locking mechanism, a comfortable and low-noise operation is particularly advantageous, so that the associated car door can be opened. Another advantage is that in this context the safety unit can be implemented entirely or partially purely in terms of circuit technology or by means of appropriate software specifications.

For example, if the safety unit is a child safety unit, the additional child safety sensor can, for example, only be used to differentiate between the two function settings "child safety on" and "child safety off", as described in detail in the further prior art according to DE 10 2015 108 738 A1. In the "child safety on" setting, the electromechanical opening drive for the locking mechanism is usually deactivated, so that normally neither a child nor a vehicle occupant can open the relevant vehicle door lock from the inside, even if the steering wheel is operated and the relevant sensor is triggered.

The implementation in terms of the described opening drive and control technology has basically proven its worth. However, in addition to this electric opening drive, mechanical redundancy is generally required, especially in the event of a crash. The case of a crash corresponds in practice to the fact that in the simplest case the vehicle typically experiences an abnormal deceleration of several g (>5 g) associated with a collision with an obstacle. In such a crash, there is a risk that the electric opening drive will fail, since the associated battery and/or the electrical supply line will be destroyed.

For this reason, and in order to still allow incoming safety forces to open a vehicle door equipped with such an electric opening drive, mechanical redundancy is necessary. In this respect, a further prior art according to WO 2014/079411 A2 proposes a vehicle door lock having an electromechanical opening drive for said locking mechanism with a locking mechanism and an additional drive. With the help of this additional drive, the operating lever chain can be moved into the "locked" setting if required. Only then is an opening signal generated in order for the drive to electrically open the locking mechanism. Only in the event of an emergency opening or a collision is the operating lever chain moved into the "unlocked" setting in advance. However, an additional drive is required for this.

Besides the fact that these drives are prone to malfunctioning under certain circumstances, they also lead to significant costs in construction, especially financially. The present invention seeks to improve this overall.

The present invention is based on the technical problem of further developing such an automobile door lock in such a way that the manufacturing effort is reduced and in particular allows a simple construction.

To solve these technical problems, the present invention proposes a conventional automotive door lock in which the electric opening drive is reversed to adopt a "safe on" position, thereby closing the coupling element and acting on a safety unit to block the opening drive, thereby allowing a free-running action.

According to the invention, the electric opening drive initially assumes a dual or multiple function. On the one hand, the electric opening drive ensures that the locking mechanism is continuously "electrically opened". The opening direction of the opening drive generally corresponds to this. On the other hand, if the opening drive is reversed in the opposite direction, the safety unit switches to the "safe on" position. At the same time, this causes the coupling element to close. As a result, the locking mechanism can be actuated mechanically, in particular opened, with the help of the handle via the now closed coupling element. However, the coupling element is usually opened, so that there is no continuous mechanical connection from the handle to the locking mechanism, which is also not necessary in this case, since the electric opening drive ensures that the locking mechanism is opened.

However, in the event of a collision, the safety unit moves to the "safe on" position and the coupling elements are simultaneously closed, so that the locking mechanism can be mechanically opened with the help of the handle, thereby achieving the desired mechanical redundancy.

In general and additionally, the electromechanical opening drive ensures that the safety unit blocks the electric opening drive. According to the invention, this blocking is implemented so as to allow a free-running action. This means that the safety unit basically ensures that the electric opening drive is blocked, but allows the above-described free-running action, which means that at least a slight movement of the electric opening drive is permitted without changing the "safe on" setting.

As a result, not only can a closed configuration of the coupling element be safely adopted in the event of a collision, but also a collision-free operation of the release lever, which opens the locking mechanism even in the event of any deformation caused by the collision, is adopted. This improves safety and, in particular, improves functionality.

The safety unit can typically be a central locking system which, for example, only closes the operating lever mechanism of the driver's door via a closable coupling element, so that the locking can be released, if necessary, via a provided locking cylinder. Alternatively or additionally, the safety unit is a "TCR" safety unit, i.e. a unit which provides "temporary crash redundancy" (TCR). Of course, this does not apply in a restrictive manner, since the safety unit can in principle also be designed as a child safety unit or as a locking unit in general or even as an anti-theft safety unit.

The electric opening drive generally has a return spring. By means of the return spring, the electric opening drive can easily return to its home position after being actuated. As a result, the safety unit can be engaged and disengaged without any problems and the electric opening drive can immediately initiate the electric opening process for the locking mechanism by assuming its home position, for example, when the safety unit is disengaged. This means that no delay in this electric opening process is explicitly observed according to the invention.

The electric opening drive is advantageously equipped with a worm wheel having an opening contour which acts on a release lever for the locking mechanism. In the opening direction of the electric opening drive, the opening contour connected to the worm wheel ensures that the release lever pivots. The pivoted release lever acts on a pawl which, in its part, is usually lifted out of engagement with a catch as an additional component of the locking mechanism in the closed position of the locking mechanism. As a result, the catch can be opened with the aid of the spring and the previously held locking bolt can be released. The relevant vehicle door can then be opened as desired.

The safety unit for that part is advantageously equipped with a blocking lever. In the "safe on" setting, the blocking lever pivots into a position in which it interacts with a blocking contour for the opening drive, if applicable. This means that as soon as the safety unit adopts its "safe on" setting, the blocking lever in its pivoted-in position ensures that the opening drive or its blocking contour blocks at least when the opening drive is moved in the direction of the limitation for the free-running action defined in this way.

In addition to the blocking lever, the safety unit is also equipped with a transmission lever. Likewise, in the "Safety On" setting, the transmission lever is also pivoted into a position in which it interacts with the above-described blocking contour for the opening drive, if appropriate. As a result, the blocking contour for the opening drive is equipped with a blocking lever stop surface for the blocking lever and, in addition, a transmission lever stop surface for the transmission lever. As a rule, the two above-described stop surfaces are opposed to each other in the blocking contour. As a result, a free-running action of the opening drive can still be implemented in the "Safety On" setting.

The electric opening drive also has a control lever. With the help of the control lever, the transmission lever can be pivoted into a position in which it interacts with the blocking contour for the opening drive at least in the "Safety On" setting. In practice, the control lever is moved into a position in which the transmission lever pivots in the "Safety On" setting of the safety unit or, if necessary, interacts with the stop surface of the transmission lever in relation to the blocking contour of the opening drive.

The transmission lever is usually articulated with the locking lever. The locking lever is also actuated with the help of the opening drive to assume the "safe on" position and then ensures via the articulated transmission lever that the transmission lever pivots into a position where it interacts with the blocking contour for the opening drive, if appropriate. The adoption of each of these functional settings is additionally and advantageously supported by a leg spring coupled to the blocking lever, as will be explained in more detail below with reference to exemplary embodiments.

As a result, a car door lock is created that does not require an additional drive for the safety unit as compared to prior art, but is responsible not only for the electric opening of the locking mechanism, but also for ensuring that the safety unit can be engaged and disengaged as required. As a result, the overall design effort is reduced.

In addition, in the 'Safe On' setting, the electric opening drive provides a specific free-running action, so that in the event of a crash the operating lever system, which is simultaneously closed, operates perfectly, so that a redundant mechanical opening is possible without any problems and in a functionally adequate manner. This is where the essential advantage lies.

The present invention is described in more detail below with reference to the drawings, which illustrate only one exemplary embodiment, in which:
Figure 1 is an outline of an automobile door lock according to the present invention.
Figures 2a to 2c illustrate the opening process with the help of an electric opening drive.
Figures 3a to 3c illustrate the return to the basic position after electrical release.
Figure 4 illustrates the combination of safety units.
Figures 5a to 5c illustrate the disengagement of the safety unit.

A car door lock is shown in the drawing. It initially has an electric opening drive (1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 5a, 5b; 16). The electric opening drive (1 to 5; 5a, 5b; 16) is actuated by a release lever (6) on a locking mechanism (7, 8) which is only shown in Fig. 1 and consists of a pawl (7) and a catch (8). Also, the depicted closing bolt (9) is secured with the help of the locking mechanism (7, 8). As soon as the locking mechanism (7, 8) is opened by a clockwise movement of the pawl (7) shown in Fig. 1 - which is caused by a counterclockwise movement of the release lever (6) - since the pawl (7) is free from engagement with the latch (8), the closing bolt (9) is released from the locking mechanism (7, 8). The associated car door can then be opened.

The illustrated car door lock also has a safety unit (10, 11, 12, 13). In addition, only illustrated in Fig. 4, a handle (H) is implemented which can also act on the release lever (6) when the operating lever mechanism (14, 15) is closed in order to act on the lever again in a counterclockwise direction for manual opening of the locking mechanism (7, 8), as shown in Fig. 4.

The handle (H) can be mechanically coupled to the locking mechanism (7, 8) via a closable coupling element (14) as shown in FIG. 4, in particular as a component of the operating lever (14, 15) in the event of a crash. For this purpose, the coupling element (14) is closed, as indicated by the corresponding arrow in FIG. 4. Only in this case, the operating lever mechanism (14, 15) connected to the handle (H) is mechanically and continuously closed, so that the release lever (6) can act to open the locking mechanism (7, 8). However, in the normal case, the coupling element (14) is open, so that the actuation on the handle (H) has no effect in this case. That is to say, in normal operation, the electric opening drives (1, 2, 3, 4, 5; 5a, 5b; 16) perform an opening movement for the locking mechanism (7, 8), so that the operating lever mechanism (14, 15) is mechanically closed and otherwise only opens in the event of a crash.

In detail, the electric opening drive (1, 2, 3, 4, 5; 5a, 5b; 16) has an electric motor (1) which sets a worm wheel (2) to rotate both counterclockwise and clockwise around the associated axis via an output shaft and a worm attached thereto, as shown by the double arrow in Fig. 1. According to the exemplary embodiment, a clockwise movement of the worm wheel (2), which can be seen in particular in Figs. 2a to 2c, corresponds to the fact that the locking mechanism (7, 8) is opened. For this purpose, the electric opening drive is equipped not only with the worm wheel (2), but also with an opening contour (3) (on the rear side), which is connected to the worm wheel (2) and acts on a release lever (6) for the locking mechanism (7, 8). The opening contour (3) is a cam. Furthermore, the contour (4) is connected to a worm wheel (2) (on the rear side), with the help of which an adjusting lever (16), which will be described in more detail below, can be actuated. Finally, the worm wheel (2) also has a blocking contour (5) having two stop surfaces (5a, 5b) (on the front side). In practice, the two stop surfaces (5a, 5b) are positioned opposite each other on two sides of the blocking contour (5). The stop surface (5a) is a blocking lever stop surface (5a) for a blocking lever (10), which will be described in more detail below. In contrast, the additional, second stop surface (5b) is also designed as a transmission lever stop surface (5b) for a transmission lever (11), which will be described in more detail below (see FIG. 2a).

The safety unit (10, 11, 12, 13) has the above-described blocking lever (10) which pivots into a position where it interacts with the blocking contour (5) for the opening drive (1, 2, 3, 4, 5; 5a, 5b; 16) in the “safe on” setting according to the representation in Fig. 4, if appropriate.

In addition to the blocking lever (10), the safety units (10, 11, 12, 13) are also equipped with the already mentioned transmission lever (11). Likewise, in the “safety on” setting according to Fig. 4, the transmission lever (11) pivots into a position in which it can possibly interact with the blocking contour (5) for the opening drives (1, 2, 3, 4, 5; 5a, 5b; 16), if appropriate.

As an additional component of the electric opening drive (1, 2, 3, 4, 5; 5a, 5b; 16), the above-described adjusting lever (16) ensures that at least in the "safety on" setting according to FIG. 4, the transmission lever (11) pivots into a position in which it interacts with the blocking contour (5). For this purpose, the transmission lever (11) is articulated as an additional component of the safety unit (10, 11, 12, 13) to the locking lever (12). Finally, the safety unit (10, 11, 12, 13) also comprises a leg spring (13) which is coupled to the blocking lever (10) and can pivot on the same axis.

The mode of operation is as follows. In Fig. 1, the basic position of the automobile door lock according to the invention is shown without an inserted safety unit (10, 11, 12, 13). Normal operation corresponds to this. Starting from the basic position according to Fig. 1, the locking mechanism (7, 8) can now be opened by an electric motor with the aid of an opening drive (1, 2, 3, 4, 5; 5a, 5b; 16), as can be seen in the sequence of functions in Figs. 2a to 2c. The clockwise movement of the worm wheel (2) shown in the drawing corresponds to this.

In practice, first the worm wheel (2) is moved clockwise with the help of the opening drives (1 to 5; 5a, 5b; 16). For example, starting from the basic position according to Fig. 1, after an adjustment path of 40°, a return spring, which is not shown in detail, is tensioned. Furthermore, in this case the opening drives (1 to 5; 5a, 5b; 16) pass through a leg spring (13) which is connected to the blocking lever (10) on the same axis. This can be seen in the transition from Fig. 2a to Fig. 2b. In the setting according to Fig. 2b, the opening contour (3) acted on the release lever (6). A further movement of the worm wheel (2) clockwise from Fig. 2b to Fig. 2c now causes the release lever (6) to pivot counterclockwise, thereby lifting the pawl (7) out of its engagement with the catch (8).

At the same time, during the transition from Fig. 2b to Fig. 2c, the transmission lever (11) is shifted and moved radially outward with the help of the control lever (16), so that the blocking contour (5) cannot collide with the transmission lever (11) during the transition from Fig. 2b to Fig. 2c. The pivoting of the transmission lever (11) occurs at the end of the locking lever (12) due to the articulated coupling implemented there. Finally, in the example according to Fig. 2c, the opening drives (1, 2, 3, 4, 5; 5a, 5b; 16) are braked because the blocking contour (5) moves against the stop (17) on the housing, which can be seen in Fig. 2c.

The sequence of functions of Fig. 3a to Fig. 3c now illustrates the return after the electrical opening process described above. Starting from the opening position of Fig. 2c, the worm wheel (2) is actuated by the motor in a counterclockwise direction so that the opening contour (3) gradually leaves the release lever (6). At the same time, the transmission lever (11) can be reset as a result, as can be seen in the transition from Fig. 3a to Fig. 3b. A further return takes place with the aid of a pre-tensioned return spring until the basic position is reached, as shown in Fig. 3c, corresponding to the basic position according to Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 shows the insertion of the safety unit (10 to 13) in the direction "safe on". For this purpose, the electric opening drive (1, 2, 3, 4, 5; 5a, 5b; 16) is inverted, i.e., contrary to the opening process according to Figs. 2a to 2c, starting from the basic position according to Figs. 1 to 3c, it acts counterclockwise. This can be seen in the transition from Fig. 1 or Fig. 3c to Fig. 4. As a result, the blocking contour (5) moves together with the stop surface (5b) against the transmission lever (11). Since the transmission lever (11) is actuated, the described counterclockwise movement of the worm wheel (2) simultaneously pivots the locking lever (12), which is articulated to the transmission lever (11), thereby closing the coupling element (14), as shown in Fig. 4.

As a result, since the previously opened operating lever chain (14, 15) in normal operation is no longer mechanically interrupted, the release lever (6) can now be mechanically actuated redundantly counterclockwise via the handle (H) in order to open the locking mechanism (7, 8) in the described "TCR run". At the same time, during this process the leg spring (13) and the blocking lever (10) connected thereto and rotatably fixed therein are pivoted clockwise. As a result, the blocking lever (10) and the safety unit (10, 11, 12, 13) are transferred as a whole into a position where they interact with the blocking contour (5). The return spring, which is then tensioned again during the described and not illustrated counterclockwise movement of the worm wheel (2), ensures that the worm wheel (2) returns to the starting position or basic position according to FIG. 1 and FIG. 3c.

In Fig. 5a to Fig. 5b the transition to the "safety off" position or "TCR disengagement" is now shown. Starting from the "safety on" setting in Fig. 4, in the transition to Fig. 5A the electric opening drive (1, 2, 3, 4, 5; 5a, 5b; 16) or the worm wheel (2) moves clockwise. This will tension the return spring. The blocking lever (10) still assumes its pivot-in position and is fixed there if necessary. As the worm wheel (2) continues to run clockwise, the leg spring (13) is tensioned and resets the locking lever (12), as can be seen in the transition from Fig. 5a to Fig. 5b. At the same time, this causes the coupling element (14) to open again starting from the closed position in Fig. 4 and thus the operating lever chain (14, 15) to be interrupted.

As the worm wheel (2) continues to move clockwise, the blocking contour (5) runs against the blocking lever (10). Then, the previously tensioned return spring ensures that the worm wheel (2) is reset in the counterclockwise direction, so that the blocking contour (5) is released from the blocking lever (10) and the blocking lever (10) is pivoted back into the starting position with the help of the leg spring (13). Now (in Fig. 5c) the safety units (10, 11, 12, 13) are again in the “safety off” setting and the basic position according to Fig. 1 or Fig. 3c is again adopted as a whole.

Afterwards, the electrical opening process can be initiated again with the help of the opening drive (1, 2, 3, 4, 5; 5a, 5b; 16). The angle of rotation of the worm wheel (2) can be shortened when initially opening, so that the return spring (not shown) is tensioned not only after the above-mentioned approximately 40° of rotation, but immediately.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5; 5a, 5b; 16: Open Drive
1: Electric motor
2: Worm wheel
3: Open Contour
4: Contour
5: Blocking Contour
5a: Stop lever stop surface
5b: Transmission lever stop surface
6: Release lever
7, 8: Locking mechanism
7: Paul
8: Catch
9: Closed bolt
10, 11, 12, 13: Safety Unit
10: Shutoff lever
11: Transmission lever
12: Lock lever
13: Leg Spring
14, 15: Action lever mechanism
14: Coupling Elements
16: Adjustment lever
17: Stop
H: Handle

Claims (10)

A car door lock equipped with an electric opening drive for a locking mechanism and also equipped with a handle which can be mechanically coupled to said locking mechanism via a safety unit and a coupling element which can be closed in the event of a crash, characterized in that in order to adopt a "safety on" position of said safety unit, said electric opening drive is reversed such that said electric opening drive closes said coupling element and acts on said safety unit, thereby blocking said electric opening drive while allowing a free-running action,
A car door lock, wherein said safety unit has a blocking lever which, in said "safe on" setting, pivots into a position to interact with a blocking contour relative to said electric opening drive, and a transmission lever which, in said "safe on" setting, pivots into a position to interact with said blocking contour relative to said electric opening drive. In the first paragraph,
An automobile door lock, characterized in that the above electric opening drive is designed with a return spring. In paragraph 1 or 2,
An automobile door lock, characterized in that the electric opening drive has a worm wheel having an opening contour which acts on a release lever for the locking mechanism. delete delete In the first paragraph,
An automobile door lock, characterized in that the blocking contour for the electric opening drive has a blocking lever stop surface for the blocking lever and a transmission lever stop surface for the transmission lever. In the first paragraph,
An automobile door lock, characterized in that the above electric opening drive has a control lever. In Article 7,
A vehicle door lock, characterized in that at least in the "safe on" setting, the control lever pivots the transmission lever into a position where it interacts with the blocking contour for the electric opening drive. In the first paragraph,
An automobile door lock, characterized in that the transmission lever is articulated to the locking lever as an additional component of the safety unit. In the first paragraph,
An automobile door lock, characterized in that a leg spring coupled to the above-mentioned blocking lever is provided.