Motor vehicle door latch, in particular a tailgate latch

Abstract

A motor vehicle door latch, in particular a tailgate latch, which is equipped with a locking mechanism comprising a catch and a pawl. Furthermore, a triggering element working on the pawl is provided for which is set up at least to lift the pawl. Furthermore, a memory element, which at least guarantees an unimpeded opening movement of the catch when the pawl is lifted. The memory element maintains the pawl in its elevated position.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle door latch for a tailgate, the motor vehicle door latch comprising: a locking mechanism including a catch and a pawl; a triggering element arranged to lift the pawl; a memory element configured to ensure an unhindered opening movement of the catch when the pawl is lifted to an elevated position, the memory element being operative to maintain the pawl in the elevated position when in a working position of the memory element, wherein the memory element at least partly encircles the pawl; and a spring configured to bias the memory element toward the working position, wherein the spring is connected to the triggering element and to the memory element, the spring being connected to the memory element at an end of the memory element that is opposite of the end of the memory element that engages the catch.

2. The motor vehicle door latch according to claim 1, wherein the catch is configured to detach the memory element from the pawl in a completely open position.

3. The motor vehicle door latch according to claim 1, wherein the memory element is configured to be transferred from a basic position assumed in a closed position of the locking mechanism with an opening movement of the catch translationally and/or rotationally into the working position in which the memory element maintains the pawl in the elevated position.

4. The motor vehicle door latch according to claim 1, wherein the spring is connected with one end to the triggering element and is adjacent to the memory element with another end.

5. The motor vehicle door latch according to claim 1 further comprising: a latch case having a slit; and a pin that is movable along the slit, wherein the memory element is accommodated in the slit of a latch case via the pin.

6. The motor vehicle door latch according to claim 1, wherein the memory element is fork-shaped, wherein a fork end is adjacent on the catch when the catch is in a completely open position.

7. The motor vehicle door latch according to claim 1, wherein the memory element has a ratchet recess, in which a ratchet hook on the pawl engages during the opening movement of the catch.

8. The motor vehicle door latch according to claim 1, wherein the catch is equipped with a jib.

9. The motor vehicle door latch according to claim 8, wherein a spring is adjacent on the jib of the catch.

10. The motor vehicle door latch according to claim 1, wherein a first rotatable axis of the pawl is arranged closer to a second rotatable axis of the memory element as compared with a third rotatable axis of the catch.

11. The motor vehicle door latch according to claim 1, wherein the memory element is arranged to surround at least a side of the pawl.

12. The motor vehicle door latch according to claim 1, wherein the memory element extends around a rotatable axis of the pawl.

13. The motor vehicle door latch according to claim 1, wherein a first rotational axis of the pawl is arranged between a second rotational axis of the memory element and the opposite end of the memory element that engages the catch.

14. The motor vehicle door latch according to claim 1 further comprising a connecting pin connected between the pawl and the triggering element.

15. The motor vehicle door latch according to claim 14, wherein the connecting pin extends parallel relative to a rotational axis of the pawl.

16. The motor vehicle door latch according to claim 1, wherein a first rotational plane of the pawl is parallel with a second rotational plane of the triggering element.

17. A motor vehicle door latch for a tailgate, the motor vehicle door latch comprising: a locking mechanism including a catch and a pawl; a triggering element arranged to lift the pawl; a memory element configured to ensure an unhindered opening movement of the catch when the pawl is lifted to an elevated position, the memory element being operative to maintain the pawl in the elevated position when in a working position of the memory element; a spring configured to bias the memory element toward the working position, wherein the spring is connected to the triggering element and to the memory element, the spring being connected to the memory element at an end of the memory element that is opposite of the end of the memory element that engages the catch; a latch case having a slit; and a pin that is movable along the slit, wherein the memory element is accommodated in the slit of a latch case via the pin.

18. A motor vehicle door latch for a tailgate, the motor vehicle door latch comprising: a locking mechanism including a catch and a pawl; a triggering element arranged to lift the pawl; a memory element configured to ensure an unhindered opening movement of the catch when the pawl is lifted to an elevated position, the memory element being operative to maintain the pawl in the elevated position when in a working position of the memory element; a connecting pin connected between the pawl and the triggering element; and a spring configured to bias the memory element toward the working position, wherein the spring is connected to the triggering element and to the memory element, the spring being connected to the memory element at an end of the memory element that is opposite of the end of the memory element that engages the catch.

19. The motor vehicle door latch according to claim 18, wherein the connecting pin extends parallel relative to a rotational axis of the pawl.

Description

(1) Hereinafter, the invention is explained in further detail on the basis of drawings which only depict one design example. It shows:

(2) FIG. 1 The motor vehicle door latch according to the invention in a perspective view,

(3) FIG. 2 a top view of the object according to FIG. 1 with the locking mechanism in a closed position and

(4) FIG. 3 the locking mechanism according to FIG. 2 during an opening process.

(5) In FIG. 1 a motor vehicle door latch is depicted in a perspective view with the components crucial for the invention. One recognizes an U-shaped latch case or a latch plate 1 initially as a component of a latch housing, not outlined in further detail, to which a non-illustrated latch hood which may be made of plastic may also belong. A locking mechanism 2, 3 fundamentally comprising a catch 2 and a pawl 3 is accommodated on the latch case 1. Furthermore, a triggering element 9 working on the pawl 2 and a connecting pin 10 are also recognized. The triggering element 9 including the connecting pin 10 is acted on according to the design example and not restrictedly with the aid of a drive 4, 5, 6 7, 8.

(6) The drive 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 comprises an electromotor 6, a worm 7 connected on the output side to a pinion shaft of the electromotor 6 and a gearwheel 8 combing with the worm 7, which is formed on an output element 4, 5, 8. Pivoting movements or rotational movements of the pinion shaft and consequently the worm 7 on the output side on the electromotor 6 ensure that the output element 4, 5, 8 in FIG. 1 can execute indicated rotational movements in both directions.

(7) The output element 4, 5, 8 is not only equipped with the relevant gearwheel 8, but also with an output tappet 5 which is coaxially connected to the gearwheel 8 via a connecting shaft 4. The output tappet 5 can work on the connecting pin 10.

(8) The connecting pin 10 in the design example ensures that the pawl 3 and the triggering element 9 are connected to one another in a torque-proof manner. Therefore, as soon as the drive tappet 5 travels against the connecting pin 10 the triggering element 9 and also the pawl 3 are pivoted around their common axis 11. This means that the opening of the locking mechanism 2, 3 fundamentally comprising a catch 2 and a pawl 3 starts from the closed state illustrated in FIG. 2 with the aid of the electromotor drive 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.

(9) A memory element 12, which is recognized in particular in FIGS. 2 and 3 is now crucial for the invention. The memory element 12 is fork-shaped in the execution example. As explained in further detail hereinafter, a fork end 12a can interact with the catch 2, as during the opening process in FIG. 3 and is illustrated there. Another fork end 12b opposite is acted on by a spring 13 on the contrary. The spring 13 is connected or adjacent to the triggering element 9 with one end and to the relevant memory element 12 with its other end or the pertaining fork end 12b. With the aid of the spring 13 the memory element 12 is impinged in the direction of its working position, to the left according to the execution example in FIG. 2, as depicted by an arrow there.

(10) The memory element 12 is equipped with a ratchet recess 14 which can interact with a ratchet hook 15 on the pawl 3, as explained in further detail hereafter. Furthermore, the memory element 12 has a pin 16, with the aid of which the memory element 12 is accommodated in a slit in the latch housing or latch case 1.

(11) If one initially starts from the closed position of the locking mechanism 2, 3 according to the illustration in FIG. 2, one recognizes that the pawl 3 maintains the catch 2 in its closed position. Thus, a locking bracket or locking bolt inserted into an infeed section 17 illustrated there can be maintained with the aid of the catch 2 or the locking mechanism 2, 3 overall in the closed position. The pertaining motor vehicle door or tailgate is closed. The pawl 3 is adjacent to the catch 2 with a relatively large contact surface.

(12) Due to the pawl 3 being in a closed position adjacent to the catch 2 the ratchet hook 15 on the pawl 3 cannot interact with the ratchet recess 14 of the memory element 12.

(13) To open the locking mechanism 2, 3 the drive or electromotor drive 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 is now energized and acted on in such a way that the output tappet 5 impinges the triggering element 9 and the pawl 3 connected in a torque-proof manner via the connecting pin 10 starting from the position in FIG. 2 in such a way that the pawl 3 executes a slight clockwise direction movement until it assumes the position according to the illustration in FIG. 3 and consequently the catch 2 is detached from the pawl 3.

(14) The catch 2 is equipped with a tappet 2a. A spring or catch spring 18 touches the tappet 2a which acts on the catch 2 starting from the closed position according to FIG. 2 in a clockwise direction around its axis 19 as depicted by a relevant arrow in FIG. 2.

(15) As soon as the pawl 3 releases the catch 2, the catch 2 is opened with the aid of the spring 18 and releases the previously caught locking bracket or locking bolt. At the same time, the rotated position of the pawl 3 ensures that the ratchet hook 15 on the pawl 3 engages into the ratchet recess 14 of the memory lever 12 or can reach behind the ratchet recess 14. Thus, the memory element 12 is transferred from its basic position illustrated in FIG. 2 into the working position without interaction with the pawl 3. In this working position, the ratchet hook 15 on the pawl 3 can reach behind the ratchet recess 14 of the memory element 12.

(16) Thus, the memory element 12 is initially translationally and/or rotatory transferred from the basic position according to FIG. 2 into the working position, as already depicted by the arrow pointing to the left in FIG. 2. The working position of the memory element 12 is assumed before the locking mechanism 2, 3 is completely opened, as illustrated in FIG. 3. The memory element 12 is conducted into the slit of the latch case 1 with the aid of the pin 16. At the same time, the working position of the memory element 12 ensures that the pawl 3 is maintained in the elevated position and consequently cannot (can no longer) interact with the catch 2 during its opening movement.

(17) As soon as the catch assumes its completely open position illustrated in FIG. 3, the catch 2 ensures that the memory element 12 is triggered by the pawl 3. Because in this case the fork end 12a of the fork-shaped memory element 12 travels against the catch 2 and the catch 2 in the completely open position ensures that the memory element 12 is lifted from the pawl 3 via the fork end 12a. The memory element 12 now once again assumes its basic position already illustrated in FIG. 2.

(18) Starting from the completely open position according to FIG. 3 a locking bracket or locking bolt entering the catch 2 can once again ensure that the locking mechanism 2, 3 is closed and subsequently the pawl 3 which is free from the memory element 12 engages into the catch 2, as illustrated in FIG. 2.