Electric lock comprising actuating device for a motor vehicle lock

Abstract

The aim of the invention is to be able to constantly open a locking mechanism of an electrically actuated lock of a motor vehicle with sufficiently large force, without having to provide an excessively large electric motor and/or an excessively large gearing transmission ratio for this purpose. In order to solve the problem, a lock for a motor vehicle comprises a locking mechanism (3) and an actuator device for opening the locking mechanism (3). The actuation device comprises a rotatable actuator (1) which can be rotated by a motorised drive (15), in particular by an electric drive. A rotating of the actuator (1) brings about an unlocking, i.e. an opening, of the locking mechanism (3). The locking mechanism (3) can be opened independently of the direction of rotation of the actuator (1). Opening of the locking mechanism (3) is therefore not dependent upon a defined direction of rotation. The force with which the locking mechanism (3) is opened depends on the direction of rotation of the actuator (1). Opening can therefore be achieved with different force depending on the direction of rotation. In this way, in regular operation opening is possible with a lower force compared to a case requiring a greater force for opening. In regular operation, in which a conventional force is used for opening the locking mechanism (3), opening is achieved quickly and with low expenditure of energy. However, it is still possible, if necessary, albeit with delay, to be able to open with greater force for this purpose.

Claims

1. A latch for a motor vehicle, the latch comprising: a locking mechanism, a rotatable actuator configured to be pivoted by a drive, whereby the locking mechanism is configured to be opened by rotation of the rotatable actuator, wherein the locking mechanism is opened independently of rotational directions of the rotatable actuator, wherein the force with which the locking mechanism is opened depends on the rotational direction of the rotatable actuator, wherein the rotatable actuator opens the locking mechanism with a first force when the rotatable actuator rotates in a first direction of rotation, wherein the locking mechanism is opened by a pulling means in the first direction of rotation of the rotatable actuator, and wherein the rotatable actuator opens the locking mechanism with a second force that is smaller than the first force when the rotatable actuator rotates in a second direction of rotation that is opposite the first direction of rotation.

2. The latch according to claim 1, wherein the pulling means encompasses a rope or a rod or is a rope winch.

3. The latch according to claim 2, wherein the rope winch or an attachment for the rope or the rod is arranged about the axis of the rotatable actuator.

4. The latch according to claim 1, wherein the pulling means is connected to a transmission lever which is capable of transmitting its pivoting movement to a pawl of the locking mechanism for opening.

5. The latch according to claim 4, wherein the pulling means is attached at the free end of the transmission lever.

6. The latch according to claim 4, wherein the transmission lever encompasses a tappet by which a pivoting movement of the transmission lever is transmitted to the pawl for opening of the locking mechanism.

7. The latch according to claim 6, wherein the tappet is arranged between the free end of the transmission lever on which the pulling means is attached and the axis, by which the transmission lever is pivotably accommodated.

8. The latch according to claim 1, wherein the force supplied by the rotatable actuator in a first rotational direction is at least four times greater than the force supplied by the rotatable actuator in a second rotational direction opposite to the first rotational direction.

9. The latch according to claim 1, wherein by rotation of the rotatable actuator in a rotational direction a triggering lever is pivoted which is capable of opening the locking mechanism by pivoting with little force.

10. The latch according to claim 9, wherein the rotatable actuator encompasses a bolt that is configured to pivot the triggering lever.

11. The latch according to claim 10, wherein the bolt is arranged on an external edge of the rotatable actuator.

12. The latch according to claim 10, further comprising an electrical drive that is configured to drive the rotatable actuator.

13. The latch according to claim 1, wherein the locking mechanism encompasses a catch and a pawl for ratcheting of the catch.

14. The latch according to claim 1, wherein the latch is an electrically operated latch.

Description

(1) The invention is explained in further detail hereafter on the basis of figures. The following are shown:

(2) FIG. 1 Operating device with two levers for unratcheting of a pawl of a locking mechanism;

(3) FIG. 2 Operating device with a lever for unratcheting of a pawl of a locking mechanism;

(4) FIG. 1 shows an operating device with which a pawl can be opened as an example. An actuator 1 is shown which can fundamentally be a wheel or a disk pivotably accommodated by an axis 2. By rotating the actuator 1 a pawl 3 can be moved out of its ratchet position, namely by rotation in an anti-clockwise direction around its axis 4. The force with which the pawl 3 is moved out of its ratchet position depends on the rotational direction of the actuator 1. If the actuator 1 is pivoted in a clockwise direction around its axis 2, an actuator bolt 5 attached at the edge of the wheel thus grasps a lever end of a triggering lever 6 and thus pivots the triggering lever 6 in an anti-clockwise direction around its axis 7. The actuator bolt therefore acts as a tappet. This pivoting movement of the triggering lever 6 is transmitted to the pawl 3, for example due to rodding 8 which is attached on the one hand to the triggering lever 6 and on the other hand to the free end of the pawl 3. Instead of rodding 8 a rod or similar can also be provided which connects or couples the triggering lever 6 and the pawl 3 such that a pivoting movement of the triggering lever 6 is transmitted to the pawl 3.

(5) The actuator 1 has a rope winch 9, which is arranged on the axis 2. If the actuator 1 is rotated in an anti-clockwise direction, the rope 10 is wound onto the rope winch 9. One end of the rope 10 is connected to the end of a transmission lever 11. The transmission lever 11 is rotatably accommodated by the axis 4. The pawl 3 and the transmission lever 11 are therefore pivotably accommodated by a common axis 4. If the rope 10 is wound on, the transmission lever 11 is pivoted around the axis 4 in an anti-clockwise direction. This pivoting movement of the transmission lever 11 is transmitted to the pawl 3 by means of a tappet 12 of the transmission lever 11. The tappet 12 is arranged within the first half of the transmission lever 11 viewed from the axis 4 in the direction of the attachment for the pulling means 10. The pawl 3 is moved out of its ratchet position by the tappet 12, namely with significantly greater force compared to the force which acts on the pawl 3 when the actuator 1 is rotated in a clockwise direction.

(6) Pivoting movements of the lever can be suitably limited by stops. A stop 13 is shown as an example in FIG. 1 which limits a pivoting movement of the triggering lever 6 in an anti-clockwise direction.

(7) The respective position of the operating device can be monitored or detected by one or several sensors. A microswitch 14 with which the position of the actuator 1 can be detected is shown as an example in FIG. 1. In return, on the edge of the actuator, one or several elevations can be provided for which operate the microswitch or alternatively several microswitches and can thus display the position of the actuator. One or several sensors can be used to control and/or monitor the opening. A lesser force is initially used for opening in principle as an example. If it is ascertained by means of the one or several sensors that the pawl 3 could not be moved out of its ratchet position with the lesser force, a greater force is subsequently used for opening by the actuator 1 then being rotated in the opposite direction. A non-illustrated control device is present in principle which controls opening in the pre-stated manner.

(8) The actuator 1 can be rotated around its axis 2 by an electrical drive 15, namely in both directions. The electrical drive 15 generally encompasses an electromotor which is capable of driving the actuator 1 by means of a gearbox. The actuator 1 can be a gearwheel which is driven by means of a further gearwheel or a wormgear of the electrical drive 15.

(9) The embodiment according to FIG. 1 enables relatively rapid opening in the normal case, for example with 16 N. If this force proves to be insufficient, a force of 100 N and more can be provided subsequently by reverse rotation in order to be able to open the latch with sufficient force in a time-delayed, but reliable, manner.

(10) One or several levers can be pre-tensioned by non-illustrated springs, thus, for example, the pawl 3 by a spring in the direction of its ratchet position and/or the transmission lever 11 by a spring in the direction of its starting position, from where opening of the locking mechanism can be pivoted for opening of the locking mechanism.

(11) FIG. 2 shows an alternative embodiment with only one transmission lever 11. This transmission lever 11 is connected on the edge with the wheel of the actuator 1 by means of a further rope. The axis 2 of the actuator 1 is arranged between the two ropes 8 and 10 such that the transmission lever 11 is either pivoted by rope 8 or rope 10 dependent on the rotational direction of the actuator 1. The rope 8 can be attached by means of a second rope winch which reaches to the circumference of the actuator 1 wheel. The attachment or rope winch for the rope 8 is attached to the reverse of the actuator 1 if advantageous for reasons relating to construction space. A flexible belt or a rod or rodding can also be provided, for example, instead of a rope.

(12) The embodiment according to FIG. 2 encompasses fewer components compared to the embodiment according to FIG. 1 and is thus of a simpler technical construction. However, the embodiment of FIG. 1 enables greater differences in force and in this regard has a crucial advantage compared to the embodiment according to FIG. 2.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

(13) 1: Actuator 2: Actuator axis 3: Pawl 4: Pawl axis 5: Actuator tappet; actuator bolt 6: Triggering lever 7: Axis of the triggering lever 8: Rod, rope 9: Rope winch 10: Rope of the rope winch 11: Transmission lever 12: Tappet of the transmission lever 13: Stop 14: Microswitch 15: Electrical drive