Securing device for front hoods, comprising an electric drive

Abstract

The invention relates to a securing device (1; 101) for a motor vehicle, having a front hood (2, 102) and a hood lock (3, 103) with a lock holder (10, 110). The hood lock (3, 103) has a rotary latch (4, 104) with a pre-locking position and a main locking position and an electric drive (5, 105) which causes a switchover of the rotary latch (4, 104) from the main locking position into the pre-locking position. In the main locking position, a release of the lock holder (10, 110) is blocked, and the front hood (2, 102) is closed. In the pre-locking position, the lock holder (10, 110) can be manually moved between a closed position, in which the lock holder (10, 110) is engaged with the rotary latch (4, 104) and the front hood (2, 102) is locked, and an open position, in which the lock holder (10, 110) is released from the rotary latch (4, 104) and the front hood (2, 102) is unlocked.

Claims

1. A safety device for a front hood of a motor vehicle, the safety device comprising: a hood latch having a latch holder that is arranged on the front hood and movable between an opening position in which the front hood is opened and a closure position in which the front hood is bolted, respectively, and a catch that is movable between a pre-ratchet position and a main ratchet position in which the catch is directly engageable with the latch holder in the closure position, an electrical drive which includes an electromotor that causes switching of the catch from the main ratchet position into the pre-ratchet position, wherein when the catch is in the pre-ratchet position, the latch holder is in an intermediate position between the closure position in which the front hood is bolted and the opening position, in which the latch holder is released from direct engagement with the catch and the front hood is unbolted and manually movable, and a handle directly attached to the latch holder which enables manual operation of the latch holder to the opening position when the catch is in the pre-ratchet position, wherein an entire opening operation of the front hood is constituted by an initial electrical opening operation performed by only the electrical drive in which the electrical drive switches the catch into the pre-ratchet position without a manual operation, and a subsequent manual opening operation that occurs independently from the initial electrical opening operation and without operation of the electrical drive after the electrical drive switches the catch into the pre-ratchet position, wherein the electrical drive includes a gear that is engageable with the catch for moving the catch to the main ratchet position.

2. The safety device according to claim 1, wherein the safety device, during switching of the catch from the main ratchet position to the pre-ratchet position, has a mechanical operative connection between the electrical drive and the catch.

3. The safety device according to claim 1, wherein the safety device, during switching of the catch from the pre-ratchet position to the main ratchet position, has a mechanical operative connection between the electrical drive and the catch.

4. The safety device according to claim 1, wherein the latch holder is pivotably executed.

5. The safety device according to claim 1, wherein the latch holder is shifted in a direction of a lengthwise extension of the front hood.

6. The safety device according to claim 1, wherein the handle is transferred into an accessible operating position during switching of the catch from the main ratchet position to the pre-ratchet position.

7. The safety device according to claim 1, wherein the latch holder is a locking clip arranged on the front hood by a coupling element.

8. The safety device according to claim 1 further comprising a pawl that is engageable between the electrical drive and the catch, wherein the catch has a pre-ratchet contour in which the pawl engages when the catch is in the pre-ratchet position, and a main ratchet contour in which the pawl engages when the catch is in the main ratchet position.

9. The safety device according to claim 8, wherein the pre-ratchet contour and the main ratchet contour are formed adjacent an infeed section formed in the catch that receives the latch holder.

10. The safety device according to claim 1, wherein the gear of the electrical drive includes an output socket gear that is engageable with a pinion gear drive of the catch for moving the catch to the main ratchet position.

11. The safety device according to claim 1 further comprising a pawl engageable with the catch, wherein the electromotor of the electrical drive includes a first electromotor having an output socket gear that is engageable with a pinion gear drive of the catch, and a second electromotor having a pawl output socket gear that is engageable with a pawl pinion gear drive of the pawl.

12. The safety device according to claim 1, wherein the handle has a splitter slit.

13. The safety device according to claim 1, wherein the handle has a knob on an end of the handle opposite to where the handle is attached to the latch holder.

14. The safety device according to claim 1, wherein the handle is configured to pivot the latch holder from the closure position to the opening position.

15. The safety device according to claim 1, wherein the handle is configured to shift the latch holder from the closure position to the opening position.

16. A safety device for a front hood of a motor vehicle, the safety device comprising: a hood latch having a latch holder that is arranged on the front hood and movable between an opening position in which the front hood is opened and a closure position in which the front hood is bolted, respectively, and a catch that is movable between a pre-ratchet position and a main ratchet position in which the catch is directly engageable with the latch holder in the closure position, an electrical drive which causes switching of the catch from the main ratchet position into the pre-ratchet position, wherein when the catch is in the pre-ratchet position, the latch holder is in an intermediate position between the closure position in which the front hood is bolted and the opening position, in which the latch holder is released from direct engagement with the catch and the front hood is unbolted and manually movable, a handle directly attached to the latch holder which enables manual operation of the latch holder from the closure position to the opening position when the catch is in the pre-ratchet position, and a pawl engageable with the catch, wherein the electrical drive includes a first electromotor having an output socket gear that is engageable with a pinion gear drive of the catch, and a second electromotor having a pawl output socket gear that is engageable with a pawl pinion gear drive of the pawl.

17. A safety device for a front hood of a motor vehicle, the safety device comprising: a hood latch having a latch holder that is arranged on the front hood and movable between an opening position in which the front hood is opened and a closure position in which the front hood is bolted, respectively, and a catch that is movable between a pre-ratchet position and a main ratchet position in which the catch is directly engageable with the latch holder in the closure position, an electrical drive which causes switching of the catch from the main ratchet position into the pre-ratchet position, wherein when the catch is in the pre-ratchet position, the latch holder is in an intermediate position between the closure position in which the front hood is bolted and the opening position, in which the latch holder is released from direct engagement with the catch and the front hood is unbolted and manually movable, a handle directly attached to the latch holder which enables manual operation of the latch holder from the closure position to the opening position when the catch is in the pre-ratchet position, and a pawl engageable with the catch, wherein the electrical drive includes a first electromotor having an output gear that is engageable with a gear drive of the catch, and a second electromotor having a pawl output gear that is engageable with a gear drive of the pawl.

Description

(1) Other advantages, characteristics and details of the invention result from the following description of at least a preferred execution example to which the invention is not limited however and on the basis of the figures.

(2) These show in:

(3) FIG. 1 a sectional view of a safety device;

(4) FIG. 2 a sectional view of a section of the safety device according to FIG. 1 with a catch in an opening end position;

(5) FIG. 3 a sectional view of a section of the safety device according to FIG. 1 with the catch in a pre-ratchet position

(6) FIG. 4 a sectional view of a section of the safety device according to FIG. 1 with the catch in a main ratchet position;

(7) FIG. 5 a sectional view of a section of the safety device according to FIG. 1 with a handle;

(8) FIG. 6 a sectional view of a section of the safety device according to FIG. 1 with a pivotable latch holder;

(9) FIG. 7 a sectional view of a further safety device;

(10) FIG. 8 a sectional view of a section of the safety device according to FIG. 7 with a shiftable latch holder;

(11) FIG. 1 shows a sectional view of a safety device 1 with a front hood 2, a hood latch 3 and a handle 51. The hood latch 3 has a catch 4 and an electrical drive 5 which comprises a first electromotor 6 and a second electromotor 7. The front hood 2 is closed in the position shown in FIG. 1 by means of solid lines, i.e. it is situated in a closure position. In the closure position, an elastic element 8, such as a sealing rubber which is arranged in the closure position between a static component 9 of the safety device 1 and the front hood 2 is compressed. The open position of the front hood 2 is illustrated in FIG. 1 in dot dashes. Furthermore, the safety device 1 has a latch holder 10 which is designed as a locking clip and is arranged on the front hood 2 by means of a coupling element 11. The catch 4 and a pawl 12 are respectively pivotably arranged on a non-illustrated component fixed to the chassis. The catch 4 is located in the main ratchet position shown in FIG. 1.

(12) FIG. 2 shows a sectional view of a section of the safety device 1. The catch 4 has a rotational point 23, an opening rotational direction 21 and an opposite closure rotational direction 22 and is shown in an opening end position in FIG. 2. The catch is adjacent to a non-illustrated stop in the opening end position. Furthermore, the catch 4 has a pre-ratchet contour 24 and a main ratchet contour 25 respectively in the form of a protrusion and an infeed section 27 which is formed by a collecting arm 28 and a load arm 29. The pre-ratchet contour 24 and the main ratchet contour 25 can respectively interact with a counterratchet contour 26 of the pawl 12. The front hood 2 is located in the position shown in FIG. 2 in an intermediate position between the opening position and the closure position and is unbolted and released.

(13) FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of a section of the safety device according to FIG. 1, whereby the catch 4 is located in a pre-ratchet position In the pre-ratchet position the pawl 12 is kept compressed with the aid of a pawl spring element 31, such as a tensioning, compression or spiral spring against the catch 4.

(14) Advantageously, the catch 4 is acted on by a spring in the pre-ratchet position by means of a catch spring element 32, such as a tensioning, compression or spiral spring, in the opening rotational direction 21, whereby in the pre-ratchet position the pre-ratchet contour 24 is positioned in a pressing manner against the counterratchet contour 26.

(15) Starting from the opening end position of the catch 4 shown in FIG. 2 during a movement of the front hood 2 in the direction of the closure position of the front hood 2 the latch holder 10 impacts the collecting arm 28 and is conducted by means of the collecting arm 28 in the direction of an internal end 30 of the infeed section 27, whereby the catch 4 rotates in the closure rotational direction 22. During rotation of the catch 4 in the closure rotational direction 22 until at least beyond the pre-ratchet position of the catch 4 the pre-ratchet contour 24 passes the counterratchet contour 26 and the pre-ratchet contour 24 is located viewed from the closure rotational direction 22 in front of the counterratchet contour 26, whereby the counterratchet contour 26 can ratchet into the pre-ratchet contour 24 and the catch 4 assumes the pre-ratchet position. In the pre-ratchet position the pawl 12 blocks a rotation of the catch 4 in an opening rotational direction 21, whereby the front hood 2 is bolted and blocked in the direction of the opening position, whereby the load arm 29 acts on the latch holder 10.

(16) FIG. 4 shows a sectional view of a section of the safety device according to FIG. 1, whereby the catch 4 is located in the main ratchet position. The main ratchet position is attained by the catch 4 being rotated from the pre-ratchet position according to FIG. 3 further in the closure rotational direction 22. This can be caused in one embodiment by a depression of the front hood 2 and in another embodiment by an impulsion of the catch 4 by means of the first electromotor 6. A movement of the catch 4 in the direction of the main ratchet position can also be caused by a combination of manual depression and electrical impulsion of the first electromotor 6. Thus, for example, a torque can be transferred via an output socket gear 34 of the first electromotor 6 to a pinion gear drive 35 of the catch 4, whereby the torque is oriented in the closure rotational direction 22.

(17) In an advantageous design, the first electromotor 6 is activated to impel the catch in the closure rotational direction as soon as a movement of the catch 4 is recorded in the closure rotational direction, for example by means of a sensor which can be executed as a multiturn potentiometer. A recording of the movement of the catch 4 in the closure rotational direction can furthermore be enabled by means of operation of the first electromotor 6 in generator operation, whereby rotation of the catch 4 in the closure rotational direction generates a current flow in the first electromotor 6.

(18) During rotation of the catch 4 in the closure rotational direction 22 until at least beyond the main ratchet position of the catch 4 the main ratchet contour 25 passes the counterratchet contour 26 and the main ratchet contour 25 is located viewed from the closure rotational direction 22 in front of the counterratchet contour 26, whereby the counterratchet contour 26 can ratchet into the main ratchet contour 24 and the catch 4 then assumes the main ratchet position. FIG. 4 furthermore shows a circular brake block attached to the chassis to brake the catch 4 in the closure rotational direction, whereby in the main ratchet position play is present between the catch 4 and the brake block in order to enable a ratcheting of the catch into the main ratchet position.

(19) In the main ratchet position the infeed section 30 encompasses the latch holder 10 and the pawl 12 blocks a rotation of the catch 4 in an opening rotational direction 21, whereby the front hood 2 is bolted, locked and blocked in the direction of the open position. The load arm 29 is preferably designed in such a way that in the main ratchet position of the catch 4 at least at a point of the infeed section 30 an area of the load arm 29 assumes an angle 41 of at least 10 degrees with an underside of the front hood 2. In the case of a frontal impact in which the catch 4 is shifted in the direction of travel compared to the front hood 2, this can cause increased pulling of the front hood 2 in the direction of the catch 4 and thus a firmer pressing of the front hood 2 onto a further chassis element, for example the static component 9, and thus reduce the risk of accidental unbolting of the front hood 2 and provide a more compact and thus crash-safe unit consisting of a front hood 2 and the further chassis element. This advantage is guaranteed by an arched infeed section 30 of the catch 4 and by the catch 4 as such as a component of the safety device 1.

(20) After the counterratchet contour 26 is ratcheted into the main ratchet contour 24, the first electromotor 6 is deactivated where this was activated to switch from the pre-ratchet position into the main ratchet position. The first electromotor 6 can be operated to record the catch position in a generator mode in the short term, preferably operated intermittently between motor mode and generator mode, whereby in the generator mode a current signal is generated differently from zero where the catch has not yet reached the main ratchet position. After the catch has assumed the main ratchet position the catch rests and the current signal attains a zero value in generator mode. Such an operating mode of the first electromotor 6 enables dispensation with a sensor for recording of the catch position or to exact finetuning of the first electromotor 6 to the geometry of the catch 4.

(21) Should the front hood 2 be unbolted starting from the main ratchet position, the catch 4 is initially transferred from the main ratchet position into the pre-ratchet position. This is caused in the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 4 by the second electromotor 7, by means of a pawl output socket gear 36 and a pawl pinion gear drive 33, moving the pawl 12 into the dot-dashed release position illustrated in FIG. 4 in which the catch 4 is released in the opening rotational direction.

(22) Advantageously, the first electromotor 6 causes switching of the catch 4 from the main ratchet position shown in FIG. 4 into the pre-ratchet position shown in FIG. 3, whereby the safety device 1 has a mechanical operative connection during this switching. The mechanical operative connection is formed by the output socket gear 34 which is positively connected to the pinion shaft of the first electromotor 6 and the pinion gear drive 35 which is positively connected to the catch 4, whereby the output socket gear 34 combs with the pinion gear drive 35. In this switching of the catch 4 impelled by the first electromotor 6 as described above an intermittent operation of the first electromotor 6 is possible which alternates between motor mode and generator mode, whereby it is recordable when the catch 4 has reached the pre-ratchet position.

(23) In a different embodiment, the catch 4 rotates in a spring-impinged manner by means of the catch spring element 32 from the main ratchet position into the pre-ratchet position after the pawl 12 has reached the release position. A further design can envisage an interactive impulsion of the catch 4 by means of the electromotor 6 and the catch spring element 32. The theory according to the invention does not inevitably envisage an electrical impulsion of the catch 4 or 104 during switching of the catch 4 or 104 from the main ratchet position into the pre-ratchet position. Consequently, an embodiment of the teaching according to the invention according to FIGS. 1 to 8 is also possible without the first electromotor 6 or 106. The switching of the catch 4 from the main ratchet position into the pre-ratchet position is caused in this case by the second electromotor 7 as described above.

(24) FIG. 5 shows a sectional view of a section of the safety device 1 with a handle 51, which is kinematically connected to the latch holder 10. In the main ratchet position of the catch 4 in which the latch holder 10 and the front hood 2 assume the position illustrated in FIG. 5 by means of dot-dashed lines the handle 51 is manually inaccessible externally for an operator of the safety device 1. The handle 51 has a splitter slit 53 and is conducted in a splitter-controlled manner to a splitter pin 54 which is firmly arranged on the front hood 2 and clamps down on the splitter slit 53. During switching of the catch from the main ratchet position into the pre-ratchet position the collecting arm 28 moves the front hood 2 starting from the position shown in FIG. 5 with solid lines into the elevated position illustrated with dot-dashed lines. Advantageously, the first electromotor 6 assists this movement of the front hood 2 by means of a driving of the catch 4 whereby the load arm 28 elevates the front hood 2. In the elevated position an engagement area is formed for an operator of the safety device 1 between a front end 52 of the front hood 2 and the handle 51. The handle 51 is also elevated in the pre-ratchet position of the catch 4 in the same way as the front hood 2 and brought into an accessible position by provision of the engagement area which is illustrated in dot dashes in FIG. 5. On the end of the handle 51 facing the front end 52 of the front hood 2 the handle preferably has a knob.

(25) FIG. 6 shows a sectional view of a section of the safety device 1, whereby the latch holder 10 is pivotably executed. In this embodiment, the coupling element 11 has a joint 61 which pivotably connects the latch holder 10 with the front hood 2. In FIG. 6 the closure position of the latch holder 10 is illustrated by means of solid lines in which the latch holder 10 can be manually moved by means of the handle 51. Starting from the closure position, the latch holder 10 can be manually transferred into the opening position by means of the handle 51 which is illustrated by means of dot-dashed lines. Especially advantageously, the latch holder 10 is spring-impinged in the direction of the internal end 30 of the infeed section 27. As shown in FIG. 6, in the closure position the latch holder 10 is adjacent on the load arm 29 of the catch 4, i.e. the latch holder 10 is engaged with the catch 4, whereby the front hood 2 cannot be moved in the direction of the open position of the front hood 2, i.e. is bolted. In the opening position of the latch holder 10 the latch holder 10 is released from the catch 4 and the front hood 2 can be moved in the direction of the open position, i.e. the front hood 2 is unbolted. During a movement of the latch holder 10 from the closure position to the opening position the front hood 2 can be slightly elevated dependent on a shape of the infeed section 27 which is not shown in FIG. 6 to retain an overview.

(26) In order to transfer the catch 4 back into the opening end position shown in FIG. 2 the pawl 12 is operated so that the counterratchet contour 26 no longer interacts with the pre-ratchet contour 24. For example, the handle 51 can have a cam which works on a boom of the pawl during movement of the latch holder 10 from the closure position to the opening position by the handle 51 and the counterratchet contour moves out of the pre-ratchet contour, whereby a rotation of the catch 4 is released in an opening rotational direction 21. It is also possible that a sensor in the pre-ratchet position of the catch 4 records the position of the front hood 2 and, as soon as the front hood 2 performs a movement from the closure position to the opening position releases an unlocking signal to a control device. As soon as the control device receives the unlocking signal the second electromotor 7 can be operated by means of the control device and impel the pawl 12 and move into the release position illustrated in dot dashes. The catch 4 is then released in the opening rotational direction 21. Subsequently, the catch 4 is impelled in a spring-impinged manner via the catch spring element 32 in the direction of the opening rotational direction 21 and moves into the opening end position in which the latch holder can be collected by means of the collecting arm 28 in the case of a closure movement of the front hood 2.

(27) FIG. 7 shows a sectional view of a further safety device 101 with a front hood 102, a hood latch 103 and a handle 151. The hood latch 103 has a pawl 104 and an electrical drive 105 which has a first electromotor 106 and a second electromotor 107. The front hood 102 is closed in the position shown in FIG. 7, i.e. it is situated in the closure position. In the closure position, an elastic element 108, such as a sealing rubber which is arranged in the closure position between a static component 109 of the safety device 101 and the front hood 102 is compressed. The open position of the front hood 102 is illustrated in FIG. 1 in dot dashes. Furthermore, the safety device 101 has a latch holder 110 which is designed as a locking clip, for example, and is arranged on the front hood 102 by means of a coupling element 111. The catch 104 and a pawl 112 are respectively arranged on a non-illustrated component fixed to the chassis. The catch 104 is located in the main ratchet position shown in FIG. 7. All components of the safety device 101 shown in FIG. 7 are identical to the components of the safety device 1 shown in FIG. 1 and have the same functionality as the components of the safety device 1 shown in FIG. 1 with the exception of the coupling element 111 and the latch holder 110. Furthermore, the safety device 101 has the same functionality as described in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 for the safety device 1 and furthermore possesses these same components described in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 for the safety device 1, with the exception of the coupling element 111 and the latch holder 110.

(28) FIG. 8 shows a sectional view of a section of the safety device 101, whereby the latch holder 110 is shiftably executed. In this embodiment, the coupling element 111 has a guide rail 120 which the latch holder 110 glides along on transfer from the closure position to the opening position.

(29) In FIG. 8, the closure position of the latch holder 110 is illustrated by means of dot-dashed lines in which the latch holder 110 can be manually moved by means of the handle 151. Starting from the closure position, the latch holder 110 can be manually transferred into the opening position which is illustrated by means of dot-dashed lines by means of the handle 151. Especially advantageously, the latch holder 110 is spring-impinged in the direction of an internal end 130 of an infeed section 127 of the catch 104. As shown in FIG. 8, in the closure position the latch holder 110 is adjacent on the load arm 129 of the catch 104, i.e. the latch holder 110 is engaged with the catch 104, whereby the front hood 102 cannot be moved in the direction of the open position of the front hood 102, i.e. is bolted. In the opening position of the latch holder 110 the latch holder 110 is released from the catch 104 and the front hood 102 can be moved in the direction of the open position, i.e. the front hood 102 is unbolted. During a movement of the latch holder 110 from the closure position to the opening position the front hood 102 can be slightly elevated dependent on a form of the infeed section 127 which is not shown in FIG. 8 to retain an overview. In particular, the latch holder 110 is executed as a rigid component and has a constant length, width and height during transfer from the closure position to the opening position.