Motor vehicle door lock

Abstract

The invention relates to a motor vehicle door lock, comprising a lock case (1) and also comprising at least one locking mechanism (2, 3) supported in the lock case (1), which locking mechanism consists essentially of a rotary latch (2) and a pawl (3). In addition, a lock housing (5) connected to the lock case (1) is realized. The lock case (1) is mostly L-shaped in the cross-section. In addition, the lock case (1) describes a locking-mechanism plane (G) and an end-plate plane (S) different from the locking-mechanism plane. The end-plate plane (S) is equipped with a bridge part (7), which spans at least one inlet opening (E), and two side parts (6). According to the invention, the lock case (1) is equipped with merely the two side parts (6) bordering the inlet opening (E), without a bridge part. In contrast, the lock housing (5) acts completely or partially as a bridge part (7).

Claims

1. A motor vehicle door latch comprising: a latch case; at least one locking mechanism located in the latch case and essentially comprising a catch and a pawl; and a latch housing connected with the latch case, wherein the latch case has an L-shaped cross-section and defines a locking mechanism plane and a front panel plane different therefrom, wherein the front panel plane is defined by a bridging component spanning two lateral components of the latch case and an infeed section defined by an area between the two lateral components with the infeed section being open from the area defined between the two lateral components to past a length of the two lateral components extending along the front panel plane, wherein the latch case is configured in a bridging component-free manner without the latch case having any bridging part that connects the two lateral components along the front panel plane, with solely the two lateral components bordering the infeed section, and wherein the latch housing wholly or partially defines the bridging component that bounds the infeed section between the two lateral components, wherein during an impact on the motor vehicle door latch, the bridging component of the latch housing is configured to absorb forces occurring during the impact whereby a shear force occurring in the area between the two lateral components bordering the infeed section on the front panel plane is reduced or eliminated.

2. The motor vehicle door latch according to claim 1, wherein the two lateral components are connected to the latch housing.

3. The motor vehicle door latch according to claim 2, wherein a section of the latch housing connecting the two lateral components of the latch case functions as the bridging component.

4. The motor vehicle door latch according to claim 1, wherein the latch housing is undetachably connected to the two lateral components of the latch case.

5. The motor vehicle door latch according to claim 4, wherein a clip connection is provided for an undetachable connection between the latch housing and the two lateral components.

6. The motor vehicle door latch according to claim 1, wherein the two lateral components are respectively equipped with an aperture for a clip bridge on the latch housing.

7. The motor vehicle door latch according to claim 1, wherein the latch housing is configured as two components with a lower shell and an upper shell.

8. The motor vehicle door latch according to claim 7, wherein the lower shell of the latch housing connects the two lateral components of the latch case and has the bridging component.

9. The motor vehicle door latch according to claim 8, wherein the lower shell defines a dividing plane with the bridging component elevated in contrast.

10. The motor vehicle door latch according to claim 1, wherein the latch case is made of steel, while the latch housing is made of plastic.

Description

(1) Hereinafter, the invention is explained in further detail on the basis of a sketch which only depicts an execution example. It shows:

(2) FIG. 1 the motor vehicle door latch according to the invention in one aspect and

(3) FIG. 2 the latch case in detail.

(4) A motor vehicle door latch is depicted in the figures. In the present case, the motor vehicle door latch is not restrictedly a motor vehicle lateral door latch. The relevant motor vehicle door latch is consequently attached inside a motor vehicle door and in particular a motor vehicle lateral door. A locking bolt arranged on a pertaining motor vehicle chassis interacts with the depicted motor vehicle door latch. The locking bolt is usually located on a B pillar or a C pillar of the relevant motor vehicle chassis.

(5) The motor vehicle door latch is regularly attached to a front panel and/or an internal panel of the motor vehicle door. As is known, the front panel of a motor vehicle door or a motor vehicle lateral door connects an external panel to an internal panel. In principle, attachment to the external panel is naturally also conceivable. However, the reproduced motor vehicle door latch is generally fixed on the front panel and/or internal panel of the relevant motor vehicle door. The front panel of the motor vehicle door essentially runs on the same plane as the plane of the motor vehicle door latch depicted in one aspect in FIG. 1.

(6) The motor vehicle door latch as such essentially comprises a latch case 1 and a locking mechanism 2, 3 located in the latch case 1. The locking mechanism 2, 3 is only depicted in FIG. 2 and comprises a catch 2 and a pawl 3. A latch housing 5 which is connected to the latch case 1 belongs to the further fundamental construction.

(7) The latch case 1 mainly has an L-shaped cross-section. In fact, the latch case 1 describes a locking mechanism plane G which is best recognized in FIG. 2 and a front panel plane S different therefrom. The front panel plane S of the L-shaped latch case 1 essentially coincides with the plane spanned by the front panel of the motor vehicle door or is arranged parallel to this, as clarified in a comparison of FIGS. 1 and 2.

(8) In the front panel plane S one recognizes an infeed section E, via which the locking bolt attached to the B-pillar in the example enters the depicted motor vehicle door latch and can then interact with the locking mechanism 2, 3. On the basis of FIG. 1, it is recognized that the front panel plane S is equipped with at least a bridging component 7 spanning the infeed section E and two lateral components 6.

(9) Both lateral components 6 border the infeed section E. i.e. the infeed section E is arranged between the two lateral components 6. According to the invention and of special significance is now the circumstance that the front plate plane S of the latch case 1 or the latch case 1 as such is of a bridging component-free design and has only the two lateral components 6 bordering the infeed section E. In other words, the front panel plane S is only spanned by the two lateral components 6 of the latch case 1 according to the invention. In contrast, a bridging component 7 of the latch case 1 compulsorily realised according to the state of the art which previously connected the two lateral components 6 is absent.

(10) In fact, the latch housing 5 assumes the function of this bridging component 7 within the scope of the invention. I.e. the latch housing 5 functions wholly or partially as a bridging substitute component or defines the bridging component 7. The bridging component 7 is still arranged in the front panel plane S.

(11) For this purpose, the two lateral components 6 are connected to the latch housing 5. Thus, a section 7 of the latch housing 5 connecting the two lateral components 6 of the latch case 1 can function as a bridging component substitute section or as a bridging component 7.

(12) In order that the bridging component substitute section or the bridging component 7 fulfills and can also fulfill its described function as a component of the latch housing 5, the latch housing 5 is undetachably connected with the two lateral components 6 in the design example. In the present case, a clip connection 8, 9 is executed for the undetachable connection of the two lateral components 6 with the latch housing 5. The clip connection 8, 9 in the design example comprises an aperture 9 in the respective lateral component 6 and a bridge 8 respectively engaging into the aperture 9. The bridge 8 is a clip bridge 8 which is arranged on the latch housing 5 and within the scope of the design example is molded to the latch housing 5.

(13) It is recognized on the basis of a comparative view of FIGS. 1 and 2 that the cross-section of the bridge or clip bridge 8 molded on the latch housing 5 is triangular, in such a way that the bridge or clip bridge 8 forms a leg which protrudes almost vertically from the latch case 5. This protruding leg and a bevel connected to it define the bridge or clip bridge 8 in its lengthwise extension. In fact, the bridge 8 demonstrates a shape which is rectangular in the top view. The aperture 9 is equipped with a rectangular shape adapted to the rectangular shape of the bridge 8.

(14) The bevel executed by the bridge or the clip bridge 8 allows the latch case 5 to be connected with the latch case 1 in the mounting direction depicted by an arrow in FIG. 1 in such a way that initially the bevel glides along the lateral component 6 and the bridge 8 with its leg essentially protruding vertically opposite the latch housing 5 reaching behind an upper edge of the aperture 9. Thus, the clip connection 8, 9 is produced and the latch case 1 is undetachably connected to the latch housing 5.

(15) In the design example, the latch housing 5 comprises a lower shell 5a depicted in FIG. 1 and an upper shell 5b only depicted in FIG. 1. The configuration is such that the latch case 1 is undetachably connected to the lower shell 5a of the latch housing 5, namely in the design example with the aid of the clip connection 8, 9, as already described. The upper shell 5b is then connected to the constructional unit consisting of the latch case 1 and the lower shell 5a. This can be made again via non-depicted clip connections or screw connections or however else, whereby simultaneously a seal to be inserted between the lower shell 5a and the upper shell 5b ensures a media-tight sealing of the latch housing 5.

(16) The lower shell 5 demonstrates the bridging component substitute section or the bridging component 7 which connects the two lateral components 6 of the latch case 1. With the aid of the bridging component substitute section or the bridging component 7 as a component of the latch housing 5 or the lower shell 5a any movements of the lateral components 6 against one another are intercepted in a crash or a safety test simulating a crash and the two lateral components 6 are stiffened together in a bridge-like manner. To this end, conceivable deformities are depicted in FIG. 2 by double arrows in each instance. According to the invention, the deformities predominantly correspond to an impingement of the latch housing 5 in its lengthwise extension. Particular stiffness is observed in this regard. The circumstance that the lower shell 5a as a component of the latch housing 5 generally describes a dividing plane 10 with the opposite elevated bridging component substitute section or the bridging component 7 also contributes to this.

(17) The latch case 1 is typically made of steel. This is usually a sheet metal component made of steel which is stamped and L-shaped as depicted. In contrast, the latch housing 5 is made of plastic. It has been proven here when the latch housing 5 is configured as an injection-molded plastic component. This applies namely for both the lower shell 5a and the upper shell 5b.