Abstract
A motor vehicle lock, in particular a motor vehicle door lock, which is provided with a locking mechanism consisting substantially of a rotary latch and a pawl. In addition, a latching element, which is arranged in the engagement region between two locking mechanism components is provided, wherein said latching element is pivotably mounted on the rotary latch and/or the pawl for the most part in a plane of the locking mechanism (E). According to the invention, the latching element has a guide extension, which projects relative to the plane of the locking mechanism (E), for additional axial and/or radial guidance.
Claims
1. A motor vehicle lock comprising: a locking mechanism including locking mechanism components, the locking mechanism components including at least a rotary latch and a pawl; and a latching element arranged in an engagement region between two of the locking mechanism components, the latching element being pivotably mounted on the rotary latch and/or the pawl and arranged in a plane of the locking mechanism, wherein the latching element has a guide extension which projects relative to the plane of the locking mechanism for additional axial and/or radial guidance.
2. The motor vehicle lock according to claim 1, wherein the guide extension is formed in one piece with the latching element.
3. The motor vehicle lock according to claim 1, wherein the guide extension is formed as a separate element relative to the latching element.
4. The motor vehicle lock according to claim 1, wherein the guide extension engages in a recess in one of the locking mechanism components which supports the guide extension.
5. The motor vehicle lock according to claim 4, wherein the recess is provided in a casing of the one of the locking mechanism components.
6. The motor vehicle lock according to claim 1, wherein the guide extension engages in a recess in a housing accommodating the locking mechanism.
7. The motor vehicle lock according to claim 6, wherein the guide extension rests against the housing accommodating the locking mechanism.
8. The motor vehicle lock according to claim 1, wherein the latching element has a projection.
9. The motor vehicle lock according to claim 8, wherein the projection is formed as an end stop which interacts with the pawl.
10. The motor vehicle lock according to claim 8, wherein the projection is formed as an opening lever for the latching element.
11. The motor vehicle lock according to claim 6, wherein a stop for the latching element is provided on the housing.
12. The motor vehicle lock according to claim 1, wherein the latching element and/or the pawl have reinforcement in a region of a mutual contact surface.
13. The motor vehicle lock according to claim 1, further comprising a pre-latching pawl and/or comfort pawl.
14. The motor vehicle lock according to claim 1, wherein the pawl and/or the latching element have an undercut.
15. The motor vehicle lock according to claim 1, wherein the latching element is mounted in a casing of one of the locking mechanism components which supports the latching element.
16. The motor vehicle lock according to claim 2, wherein the guide extension is formed as an embossing on the latching element.
17. The motor vehicle lock according to claim 3, wherein the guide extension is formed as a separate push-through pin and/or a component of a cover of the latching element.
18. The motor vehicle lock according to claim 15 further comprising a damping element formed on the casing.
19. The motor vehicle lock according to claim 18, wherein the damping element is a spring pocket.
Description
[0032] The invention is explained in greater detail below with reference to drawings showing only one embodiment, which show:
[0033] FIG. 1 A, B the motor vehicle lock according to the invention reduced to the essential components, schematically and in a side view,
[0034] FIG. 2 A, B a modified embodiment, again in perspective and in a side view,
[0035] FIG. 3 A, B, C another variant, again in perspective and in a side view,
[0036] FIG. 4 a fourth embodiment variant having an additional pre-latching pawl,
[0037] FIG. 5 A, B, C another embodiment having a projection on the latching element in different functional positions,
[0038] FIG. 6 another sixth embodiment variant,
[0039] FIG. 7 another embodiment of the invention, having a projection on the latching element,
[0040] FIGS. 8A and 8B two variants having an undercut on the pawl (FIG. 8A) and an undercut on the latching element (FIG. 8B),
[0041] FIG. 9 a further ninth embodiment of the invention and
[0042] FIG. 10 a tenth embodiment variant according to the invention.
[0043] In the drawings, a motor vehicle lock is shown, which is not limited to a motor vehicle door lock. The motor vehicle lock or motor vehicle door lock has a locking mechanism 1, 2, 3, which, in the variant according to FIGS. 1 A, B to 3 A, B, C and 5 A, B, C and 7 to 10, is a simple locking mechanism 1, 2 having a rotary latch and a pawl 2. In the variant according to FIGS. 4 and 6, however, a multi-pawl locking mechanism or a multiple locking mechanism 1, 2, 3 having a rotary latch 1 and two pawls 2, 3 is used.
[0044] In fact, the multi-pawl locking mechanism 1, 2 3 operates using the rotary latch 1, a first pawl 2, which is designed as a pre-latching pawl, and a second pawl 3, as shown in FIG. 4. The first pawl 2 in this case interacts with a pre-latching bolt 4 on the rotary latch 1. The second pawl 3 in this case only comes to interact with the rotary latch 1 or a latching element 5, which is to be described in more detail below, in a main latching position (not shown here).
[0045] In the case of the multi-pawl locking mechanism 1, 2, 3 according to FIG. 6, a rotary latch 1, a first pawl 2 designed as a comfort pawl and a second pawl 3 are provided. In this case, the first pawl 2 interacts with the pawl 3 via the latching element 5 mounted in or on the first pawl 2. The individual locking mechanism components 1, 2, 3 are usually made of steel. However, there is also the possibility of providing individual locking mechanism components 1, 2, 3 made of cast zinc or plastics material, for example the second pawl 3 in the multi-pawl locking mechanism 1, 2, 3 according to FIG. 6. The latching element 5, which is to be described in more detail below, can also be made of cast zinc or plastics material.
[0046] All of the basically shown variants of the locking mechanism 1, 2, 3 are characterized by the latching element 5 which, in the simple locking mechanism 1, 2, is arranged in the engagement region between the rotary latch 1 and the pawl 2 or, in the multi-pawl locking mechanism 1, 2, 3 according to FIG. 4, is arranged in the engagement region between the rotary latch 1 and the pawl 3. In the multi-pawl locking mechanism 1, 2, 3 according to FIG. 6, the latching element 5 is arranged between the comfort pawl 2 and the pawl 3. As a result, the latching element 5 is generally located in the engagement region between two locking mechanism components 1, 2; 1, 3 or 2, 3.
[0047] For this purpose, the latching element 5 in question is mounted on the locking mechanism component 1, 2 which accommodates said latching element. In the context of the embodiments according to FIGS. 1 A, B to 5 A, B, C and 7 to 10, the locking mechanism component 1, 2 in question is the rotary latch 1. By contrast, in the multi-pawl locking mechanism 1, 2, 3 according to FIG. 6, the latching element 5 is mounted in or on the first pawl 2 as the locking mechanism component 2. In addition, the latching element 5 for the most part performs pivoting movements in a plane E of the locking mechanism, i.e. a plane spanned by the relevant locking mechanism 1, 2 or 1, 2, 3.
[0048] According to the invention, the latching element 5 is now additionally equipped with a guide extension 6 projecting from the plane E of the locking mechanism. The guide extension 6 is used for additional axial and/or radial guidance of the latching element 5, as will be explained in more detail below. The projecting design of the guide extension 6 relative to the plane E of the locking mechanism can best be seen in the relevant side view of the locking mechanism 1, 2, 3 in FIGS. 1 A, B and 3 A, B, C.
[0049] In this case, the guide extension 6 can in principle be formed in one piece with the latching element 5, for example as an embossing. This is shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. It can be seen here that, in the side view, partially in section, the latching element 5 is equipped with the guide extension 6 or the embossing which projects relative to the plane E of the locking mechanism. As a result, the latching element 5 can, in the example, rest against a housing 7 accommodating the locking mechanism 1, 2, 3. According to the embodiment, the housing 7 is a lock housing 7 which is used to close a lock case (not shown in detail) for mounting the locking mechanism 1, 2, 3. In any case, it can be seen from the side view, partially in section, according to FIG. 1B, that the embossing or the guide extension 6 is formed on one side of the latching element 5, such that the latching element 5 can rest against the housing 7 or the lock housing 7 on one side and, in this way, a desired axial guidance in the axial direction A, i.e. in the direction of a defined axis or axis of rotation A, is supported relative to the associated locking mechanism component 1, 2 for mounting the latching element 5.
[0050] Instead of the embossing for providing the guide extension 6 in the context of the variant according to FIG. 1 A, B, the guide extension 6 can also be a different material than the latching element 5 for its implementation. For example, the guide extension 6 may be implemented as a molded portion of a plastics casing of the latching element 5, which molded portion protrudes in the same way relative to the plane E of the locking mechanism. In an alternative embodiment, the guide extension 6 can also be designed as a separate component which is connected to the latching element 5 by means of clipping or a press fit. Combinations are of course also conceivable. A variant of the guide extension 6 is shown in FIG. 2 A, B. In this case, the guide extension 6 is a push-through pin which is guided in a recess 8 of the rotary latch 1 in the example. The push-through pin may be inserted into a recess in the latching element 5 for this purpose. The recess 8 of the rotary latch 1 is in this case realized and provided in a casing 9 of the rotary latch 1 made of, for example, plastic.
[0051] In order to manufacture this variant according to FIG. 2 A, B, the rotary latch 1 and the latching element 5 can be placed together in an injection molding tool. By means of the pocket formed in this way for accommodating the latching element 5, the casing 9 in this case firstly ensures that the latching element 5 is pivotably mounted on the rotary latch 1, the rotary latch 1 being equipped with a mounting point 1a for this purpose, which can in particular be seen in FIGS. 8A and 8B and is designed as a recess. The casing 9 made of plastics material, in conjunction with the recess or mounting point 1a in the rotary latch 1, now ensures the pivotable mounting of the latching element 5 on the rotary latch 1 in the example.
[0052] As a result of the interplay between the push-through pin or guide extension 6 and the recess 8, a radial guidance of the latching element 5 is now additionally realized and implemented. For this purpose, the recess 8 is arcuate, such that the extension 5 follows the arcuate recess 8 during a pivoting movement relative to the mounting point 1a thereof in the rotary latch 1, or the push-through pin 8 is guided in an arcuate manner in the recess 8. The latching element 5 is also provided with the desired radial guidance as a result. In addition, the walls which delimit the recess 8 form an end stop for the push-through pin 8.
[0053] In the embodiment variant according to FIG. 3, the guide extension 6 located there, which is also designed, by way of example, as a pin or push-through pin, enters a recess 10 in the housing or lock housing 7. In this case, too, the guide extension 6 is guided by the interaction with the recess 10 in the housing or lock housing 7. This can take place again radially and/or axially, comparable to that already described above in detail. In principle, the guide extension 6 can, however, also rest, in a planar manner, against the housing 7 or lock housing 7 which accommodates the locking mechanism 1, 2, 3, as shown by the embodiment variant according to FIG. 1 A, B.
[0054] In the context of the fifth embodiment variant according to FIG. 5, it can be seen that the latching element 5 has a projection 5a. In the context of this variant, the latching element 5 is again mounted in the region of the mounting point 1a or an associated recess in or on the rotary latch 1. The projection 5a on the latching element 5, in conjunction with the pawl 2, in this case ensures that an end stop for the latching element 5 is realized and implemented in this way. This can be seen when comparing the different functional positions according to FIG. 5.
[0055] In fact, the closed state of the simple locking mechanism 1, 2 is shown in this case in the left-hand view in FIG. 5A. In this closed state, a contact surface 5b of the latching element 5 rests against the rotary latch 1. If, proceeding from this closed state shown in the left-hand view in FIG. 5A, the pawl 2 is opened by a motor or manually, for example by lifting off the rotary latch 1 with the aid of a release lever, this corresponds to the fact that the pawl 2 performs a counterclockwise rotation about the axis thereof. As a result, the latching element 5 also moves relative to the mounting 1a thereof on the rotary latch 1 with the contact surface 5b, moving away from the rotary latch 1 until the projection 5a on the latching element 5 comes to rest against the pawl 2, as shown in the functional view according to FIG. 5 B, C. That is to say, the projection 5a in this case acts as an end stop interacting with the pawl 2 during the opening process of the locking mechanism 1, 2.
[0056] Alternatively, however, the projection 5a on the latching element 5 can also act and be designed as an opening lever for the latching element 5, as is illustrated in the embodiment according to FIG. 7. Then, for example, an application of force in the indicated direction of the arrow of the projection 5a of the latching element 5 supports an opening process of the locking mechanism 1, 2. In fact, in this case the latching element 5 is equipped with two projections 5a, specifically a projection 5a acting as an end stop at the pawl-side end of the latching element 5 and a further projection 5a at the opposite end of the latching element 5 as an opening lever for the latching element 5. In any case, in this way the latching element 5 can be used via the opening lever or the projection 5a to support an opening process of the locking mechanism 1, 2 in the example. For this purpose, the previously mentioned release lever may not only ensure that the pawl 2 is lifted from the rotary latch 1 by a pivoting movement in the counterclockwise direction, but this opening process is additionally supported by the release lever (or another lever) acting on the projection 5a in the direction of force shown in FIG. 7 and ensuring that the latching element 5 is pivoted relative in the clockwise direction relative to the mounting point 1a thereof on the rotary latch 1.
[0057] A comparable stop 11 or end stop for limiting the pivoting movement of the latching element 5 and as an alternative to the projection 5a is also shown in the embodiment variant according to FIG. 3B. The stop 11 which is formed in or on the housing or lock housing 7 is provided and shown in said figure. The stop 11 in this case again ensures that any pivoting movements of the latching element 5 relative to the rotary latch 1 that supports said latching element are limited in the example.
[0058] FIG. 9 shows a further variant of a simple locking mechanism 1, 2 having a rotary latch 1 and a pawl 2 in such a way that the latching element 5 or the pawl 2 mounted on the rotary latch 1 at the mounting point 1a have a reinforcement 12 in the region of the relevant mutual contact surface. According to the embodiment in FIG. 9, the design is such that both the latching element 5 and the pawl 2 have the reinforcement 12 in question in the region of the mutual contact surface. The reinforcement 12 can be a welded-on plate or a sheet of steel, for example. In addition, it is advantageous in this case to work with a particularly friction-optimized surface in order to make the opening process of the locking mechanism 1, 2 as low-effort and low-noise as possible.
[0059] In the embodiment according to FIGS. 8A and 8B, an undercut is also shown. In this case, FIG. 8A shows an undercut on the pawl 2, whereas, in the variant according to FIG. 8B, an undercut on the latching element 5 in the relevant simple locking mechanism 1, 2 shown in said figure is shown and drawn in. In both cases, the latching element 5 is again pivotably mounted on the rotary latch 1 in the locking plane E of the locking mechanism, specifically at the mounting point 1a.
[0060] The undercut of the pawl 2 shown in FIG. 8A means that the pawl 2 is acted upon in the region of the mutual contact surface between the latching element 5 and the pawl 2 with a force vector originating from the axis A of the latching element 5, which force vector extends below a connecting line between the two axes of rotation, such that the pawl 2 is acted upon by a closing torque in the direction of the latching element 5. By contrast, the undercut of the latching element 5 according to FIG. 8B is designed such that the pawl 2 acts on the latching element 5 with a force vector directed below the axis A of the latching element 5, which in this case causes the contact surface 5b of the latching element 5 to rest against the rotary latch 1 or presses the latching element 5 into contact with the rotary latch 1.
[0061] Finally, a further and particularly acoustically favorable variant is shown in the further embodiment according to FIG. 10. In fact, it can be seen here that the latching element 5, which is again mounted in or on the rotary latch 1, only has a load contact 13, which is shown in FIG. 10, when the latching element 5 is acted upon with a significant force in the direction of the rotary latch 1. In fact, the metal latching element 5 then comes into contact with a likewise metal core of the rotary latch 1. Otherwise, the casing 9 of the rotary latch 1 supporting the latching element 5 ensures that such a metal contact is not observed during normal operation; rather, the latching element 5 is only mounted in the interior of the pocket formed in the casing 9 and relative to the mounting point 1a.
[0062] In addition, a spring pocket 14 can also be seen in this embodiment, which is formed in or on the casing 9 of the rotary latch 1. The spring pocket 14 ensures a low-noise end stop of the latching element 5. In addition, a backlash-free mounting of the latching element 5 is provided by the spring pocket 14, even without force transmission by the pawl 2.
REFERENCE SIGNS
[0063] locking mechanism 1, 2, 3 [0064] rotary latch 1 [0065] mounting 1a [0066] mounting point 1a [0067] locking mechanism components 1, 2, 3 [0068] locking mechanism component 2 [0069] multi-pawl locking mechanism/multiple locking mechanism 1, 2, 3 [0070] simple lock 1, 2 [0071] pre-latching pawl 2 [0072] comfort pawl 2 [0073] pawl 2 [0074] pawl 2, 3 [0075] pre-latching bolt 4 [0076] latching element 5 [0077] projection 5a [0078] contact surface 5b [0079] guide extension 6 [0080] housing 7 [0081] lock housing 7 [0082] recess 8 [0083] push-through pin 8 [0084] casing 9 [0085] recess 10 [0086] stop 11 [0087] reinforcement 12 [0088] load contact 13 [0089] spring pocket 14 [0090] axial direction A [0091] axis A [0092] locking mechanism plane E
