Motor vehicle door lock

Abstract

A motor vehicle door lock comprising a locking mechanism (1, 2) and a closing/opening device (7 to 16) with at least one drive (7 to 11 and 13, 14), at least one transfer element (12, 15) and a driving pawl (16), in which the drive acts on the driving pawl with the assistance of the transfer element to open and close the locking mechanism, wherein a mechanical and/or electrical opening drive (7 to 11) and a mechanical and/or electrical closing drive (13, 14) each with a respective opening transfer lever (12) and closing transfer lever (15) are provided, in which the opening drive (7 to 11) including the opening transfer lever (12) in addition to the opening function for the locking mechanism (1, 2) is also designed to interrupt a closing function initiated by the closing drive (13, 14) in connection with the closing transfer lever (15).

Claims

1. A motor vehicle door lock comprising: a locking mechanism having a rotary latch and a pawl; a driving pawl that rests on the rotary latch and is rotatable about an axis; a mechanical and/or electrical opening drive; a mechanical and/or electrical closing drive; a closing transfer lever, wherein the closing drive acts on the closing transfer lever which acts on the driving pawl to rotate the rotary latch and close the locking mechanism; an opening transfer lever that has an opening function for opening the locking mechanism and is also configured to interrupt a closing function initiated by the closing drive in connection with the closing transfer lever, wherein the opening transfer lever contains an actuating element that is configured as an actuating journal which during the opening function, lifts the pawl off the rotary latch of the locking mechanism; and an upstream ejector lever that is rotatable about the axis of the driving pawl, the upstream ejector lever being independently rotatable about the axis relative to the driving pawl, wherein during the interruption of the closing function, the actuating element is moved via rotation of the opening transfer lever to engage and rotate the upstream ejector lever and the upstream ejector lever rotates to engage the driving pawl and lift the driving pawl off of the rotary latch while, at the same time, the actuating element also engages the pawl to lift the pawl off the rotary latch.

2. The motor vehicle door lock according to claim 1, wherein the opening drive ejects the driving pawl in order to interrupt the closing function by means of the opening transfer lever.

3. The motor vehicle door lock according to claim 1, wherein the upstream ejector lever and the driving pawl are mounted on an axis of the closing transfer lever.

4. The motor vehicle door lock according to claim 1, wherein the opening transfer lever contains at least a drive arm and an actuating arm.

5. The motor vehicle door lock according to claim 1, wherein an electrical opening drive and a mechanical opening drive are provided.

6. The motor vehicle door lock according to claim 5, wherein the opening transfer lever interacts with a drive wheel of the electrical opening drive and/or a coupling element of the mechanical opening drive.

7. The motor vehicle door lock according to claim 6, wherein the drive wheel contains a cam acting upon a drive arm of the opening transfer lever.

8. The motor vehicle door lock according to claim 6, wherein the opening transfer lever interacts with the coupling element of the mechanical opening drive and the opening transfer lever is equipped with a connecting arm for the coupling element of the mechanical opening drive.

9. The motor vehicle door lock according to claim 1, wherein the opening drive is equipped with a lever accessible in a passenger compartment and/or an electrical switching element for actuating the opening drive.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Below, the invention is described in detail with reference to exemplary drawings showing only one embodiment, as follows:

(2) FIG. 1 shows the motor vehicle door lock of the invention during the closing process;

(3) FIG. 2 shows the locking mechanism in the closed state; and

(4) FIG. 3 shows the motor vehicle door lock according to FIG. 1 during the interruption of the closing function (emergency interruption).

(5) Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(6) The exemplary figures show a motor vehicle door lock equipped in the usual manner with a locking mechanism 1, 2 consisting of a rotary latch 1 and a pawl 2. As soon as the rotary latch 1 has assumed its main locking position shown in FIG. 2 or its closed position, the pawl 2 engages and blocks the rotary latch 1. In the shown example no latched connection occurs strictly speaking between the pawl 2 on one hand and the rotary latch 1 on the other hand in the main locking position or a preceding intermediate locking position. These terms should, however, be used for the below explanations. The main locking position is usually identified by a main closing position or closed position, whilst the intermediate locking position is part of an initial closed position.

(7) Once the rotary latch 1 is no longer blocked by the pawl 2, the rotary latch 1 can mum anticlockwise around its axis 3 due to the force of the spring—not expressly shown—and assumes the open position. During this operation, a previously captured locking bolt 4, only indicated in FIG. 2, is released, which is mechanically connected to a motor vehicle door—not shown—in the usual manner. Some of this process is shown in FIG. 3.

(8) The pawl 2 is rotatably mounted on an axis 5. The rotary latch 1 and the pawl 2 as well as the other elements of the motor vehicle door lock still to be described are all housed and mounted in an indicated lock case 6.

(9) Of particular significance for the invention is a closing/opening device 7 to 16, comprising at least one drive 7 to 11 and 13, 14 one transfer element 12, 15 and one driving pawl 16. The at least one drive 7 to 11 and 13, 14 acts on the driving pawl 16 by means of the transfer element 12, 15. In this way, the locking mechanism 1, 2 can be opened or closed.

(10) According to the invention, a mechanical opening drive 10, 11 and/or an electrical opening drive 7 to 9 and additionally a mechanical and/or electrical closing drive 13, 14 is provided. The mechanical opening drive 10, 11 and/or electrical opening drive 7 to 9 include a common opening transfer lever 12. In contrast, a closing transfer lever 15 is assigned to the mechanical and/or electrical closing drive 13, 14. Of particular significance is the circumstance that the opening drive 7 to 11 including the opening transfer lever 12 apart from providing the opening function for the locking mechanism 1, 2 also interrupt a closing function initiated by the closing drive 13, 14 in connection with the closing transfer lever 15.

(11) To explain this further, the opening drive 7 to 11 is first of all explained in more detail. The opening drive 7 to 11 actually consists of the electrical opening drive 7 to 9 and the mechanical opening drive 10, 11. The electrical opening drive 7 to 9 has an electric motor 7, rotating a worm gear in the known manner with the aid of its drive shaft, said worm gear acting upon the circumference of the drive wheel 8. The drive wheel 8 is rotatably mounted around an axis 17 in the lock case 6.

(12) The drive wheel 8 contains a cam 9. The cam 9 acts on the opening transfer lever 12 in the functional position shown in FIG. 3. Together with the opening transfer lever 12 the cam 9 also produces the opening function. In other words, the electrical opening drive 7 to 9 provides in connection with the opening transfer lever 12 the function “electric opening EO”.

(13) For this purpose, the drive wheel 8 of the electric motor 7 is acted upon in such a way that the drive wheel 8 starting from the function position shown in FIG. 2, the closed position of the locking mechanism 1, 2, makes a clockwise turn around axis 17. During this process, the cam 9 interacts with the opening transfer lever 12 or its drive arm 12a.

(14) The opening transfer lever 12 comprises indeed the drive arm 12a, a connecting arm 12b and finally an actuating arm 12c n. As soon as the cam 9 acts upon the drive arm 12a of the at least two-arm opening transfer lever 12 by the described clockwise movement of the drive wheel 8 around axis 17, the opening transfer lever 12 is pivoted around its axis 5 in anticlockwise direction, as shown by a respective arrow. The opening transfer lever 12 is indeed arranged on the same axis as the pawl 2 on the common axis 5.

(15) The anticlockwise movement of the opening transfer lever 12 around its axis 5, indicated in FIG. 3 by the arrow, causes the pawl 2 in the closed position, as shown in FIG. 2, to be lifted off the rotary latch 1. In order to achieve this, an actuating element 21, described in detail below, interacts with pawl 2 and lifts it off the rotary latch 1. As a result, the rotary latch 1 can assume its open position with the aid of the spring and release the previously retained locking bolt 4 and thus also a motor vehicle door. This process corresponds with the opening function or the already described “electrical opening EO”.

(16) The closing function is produced with the aid of the closing drive 13, 14. For this purpose, an electric motor 13, only shown schematically, acts on the transfer element 14, which in case of the example is a Bowden cable or another transfer element 14. During this process the Bowden cable 14 is in fact acted upon in such a way that the closing transfer lever 15 pivots around its axis 3 in clockwise direction as shown by the arrow indicated in FIG. 1.

(17) FIG. 1 actually shows the respective motor vehicle door lock during a closing operation.

(18) As the closing pawl 16 is mounted on the same axis as the ejector lever 18 and together with the ejector lever 18 on the closing transfer lever 15 on a common axis 19, this process causes the rotary latch 1 during the transition from FIG. 1 to FIG. 2 to be moved into its main locking position or closed position as shown in FIG. 2.

(19) Before, the closing pawl 16 extended around a journal 20 on the rotary latch 1, as soon as the rotary latch 1 has assumed its initial or intermediate locking position as shown in FIG. 1. As soon as, starting from this initial locking position, the closing transfer lever 15 is pivoted around its axis 3 in clockwise direction as indicated by the arrow, the closing pawl 16 also follows this pivot movement. As a result, the rotary latch 1 is also pivoted in clockwise direction around the common axis 3. This is indicated by an arrow in FIG. 1. In this way, the rotary latch 1 moves from its Initial locking position shown in FIG. 1 to the main locking position or closed position shown in FIG. 2.

(20) The described closing process during the transition from the functional position of FIG. 1 to FIG. 2 can be interrupted. This is, for instance necessary, where a hand, finger or coat, etc. becomes jammed between the slowly closed motor vehicle door and the respective motor vehicle body. Typically, this is called an emergency interruption. To execute this emergency interruption in detail, the opening drive 7 to 11 ensures that the closing pawl 16 is ejected. This means that the mechanical connection from the closing drive 13, 14 to the closing transfer lever 15, the closing pawl 16 and up to the rotary latch 1 is interrupted with the aid of the opening drive 7 to 11.

(21) For this purpose, the opening transfer lever 12 contains the aforementioned actuating element 21. The actuating element 21 ensures—as described—that during the opening function the pawl 2 is lifted off the rotary latch 1 of the locking mechanism 1, 2. In addition, the actuating element 21 is also designed to interrupt the closing function, as explained in detail below. The actuating element 21 does indeed interact either directly with the closing pawl 16 or via the upstream ejector lever 18 with the respective closing pawl 16 to interrupt the closing function, as shown in this embodiment.

(22) The actuating element 21 is designed as an actuating journal extending vertically in comparison to the opening transfer lever 12. To interrupt the closing function, the actuating journal 21 arranged on the actuating arm 12c of the transfer lever 12 acts on the ejector lever 18 so that the closing pawl 16 is removed from its engagement with the rotary latch 1. At the same time, the actuating journal 21 ensures that the pawl 2 is lifted off the rotary latch 1. To initiate this process, a lever may be provided in a passenger compartment, not shown, acting as a mechanical opening drive 10, 11 and which mechanically engages with the opening transfer lever 12 via a coupling element 11. Alternatively, the opening transfer lever 12 can also be acted upon with the aid of an electrical opening drive 7 to 9.

(23) The system functions as follows. As soon as the locking mechanism 1, 2 is pulled closed, the closing transfer lever 15 ensures that the closing pawl 16 follows this process. Indeed the closing transfer lever 15, the closing pawl 16 mounted on said lever and the rotary latch 1 turned as the closing pawl 16 abuts the journal 20 all pivot in clockwise direction. This also applies for the ejector lever 18. This process is shown in FIG. 1.

(24) To interrupt the closing process, the opening transfer lever 12 in its entirety must carry out a pivoting movement around its axis 5 in anticlockwise direction, as shown in FIG. 3. This is either achieved with the aid of the cam 9 operated by the electric motor 7 or, by the fact, that the mechanical opening drive 10, 11 acts accordingly on the connecting arm 12b of the opening transfer lever 12 via the coupling element 11. In any case, each interruption of the closing process by the mechanical and/or electrical opening drive 7 to 11 corresponds with the opening transfer lever 12 carrying out the described anticlockwise pivoting movement around axis 5.

(25) As a result, the actuating journal 21 acts on the ejector lever 18, pivoted clockwise around axis 19 shared with the closing pawl 16. During this process, the ejector lever 18 acts on a journal 22 on the closing pawl 16, so that the closing pawl 16 is lifted in its entirety off the journal 20 on the rotary latch 1. The rotary latch 1 is released (see arrow indicated in FIG. 3, indicating the associated anticlockwise movement of the rotary latch 1 around its axis 3). According to the invention, the ejector lever rests against the actuating journal 21 during the entire closing process, where applicable as a result of a spring force.

(26) During the described process the actuating journal 21 ensures that the pawl 2 resting against the rotary latch 1 or engaging in the rotary latch 1 is lifted off the rotary latch 1. For this purpose, the end of the actuating journal 21 acts on the pawl 2, ensuring that pawl 2 pivots anticlockwise around axis 5. As a result, the pawl 2 is lifted off the rotary latch 1.

(27) Both described processes occurring practically simultaneously, cause the rotary latch 1 to be opened by the force of a spring, by pivoting anticlockwise around its axis 3. As a result, the previously captured locking bolt 4 is released. The same applies to a motor vehicle door, not expressly shown, mechanically connected to the locking bolt 4.

(28) This means that the interruption of the closing aid with the aid of the mechanical and/or electrical opening drive 7 to 11 also causes the pawl 2 to be lifted off the rotary latch 1. As a result, the rotary latch 1 can pivot upwards without colliding and through the force of a spring to release the locking bolt 4. This produces a direct and reliable emergency interruption of the closing function with the aid of the opening drive 7 to 11.

(29) It is to be understood that the above-described embodiment is illustrative of only one of the many possible specific embodiments which can represent applications of the principles of the invention. Numerous and varied other arrangements can be readily devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.