MOTOR-VEHICLE DOOR LOCK

Abstract

A motor-vehicle door lock, which is equipped with a locking mechanism, comprising a rotary latch and at least one pawl, and with a closing drive and an opening drive for the locking mechanism. The rotary latch can be transferred into an overtravel position by means of the closing drive. According to the invention, in order to open the locking mechanism, the rotary latch is held in the overtravel position by means of the closing drive. In this way, the opening drive can open the pawl and subsequently the closing drive can travel back when the locking mechanism is open.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle door latch comprising: a locking mechanism including a catch and at least one pawl; a closing drive; and an opening drive for the locking mechanism, wherein the closing drive is configured to to transfer the catch to an overtravel position, wherein, wherein during opening of the locking mechanism, the catch is held in the overtravel position by the closing drive when the opening drive moves the at least one pawl to an open position of the pawl, wherein the opening drive holds the at least one pawl in the open position when the closing drive moves back to a position in which the closure drive is configured to enable the catch to move from the overtravel position to an open position of the catch when the locking mechanism is open.

2. The motor vehicle door latch according to claim 1, wherein the opening drive moves back into a starting position when the locking mechanism is open.

3. The motor vehicle door latch according to claim 1 further comprising a release lever, wherein the opening drive acts on the release lever.

4. The motor vehicle door latch according to claim 3 further comprising an internal operating lever and/or an external operating lever for mechanically acting on the locking mechanism.

5. The motor vehicle door latch according to claim 4, wherein the opening drive and the internal operating lever and/or the external operating lever engage on a common stop edge of the release lever.

6. The motor vehicle door latch according to claim 3, wherein the release lever is mounted coaxially with the at least one pawl.

7. The motor vehicle door latch according to claim 3, wherein the release lever interacts with a pin of the at least one pawl during opening of the locking mechanism.

8. The motor vehicle door latch according to claim 1, wherein the closing drive has a drive pawl and a transfer lever.

9. The motor vehicle door latch according to claim 8, wherein one end of the drive pawl is rotatably connected to the transfer lever, and another end of the drive pawl interacts with a pin of the catch.

10. The motor vehicle door latch according to claim 9, wherein the drive pawl converts a motorized pivoting movement of the transfer lever into a pushing movement that works on the pin of the catch to move the catch to a close position.

11. The motor vehicle door latch according to claim 8 further comprising a release lever wherein the drive pawl has a guide contour that interacts with the release lever, and an ejection contour that interacts with an internal operating lever/external operating lever.

12. The motor vehicle door latch according to claim 11, wherein the guide contour interacts with a guide pin on the release lever.

13. The motor vehicle door latch according to claim 11, wherein the ejection contour interacts with the internal operating lever/external operating lever via the release lever.

14. The motor vehicle door latch according to claim 11, wherein the guide contour and the ejection contour are spaced apart from one another to distinguish a motorized and a manual movement range of the release lever from one another.

15. The motor vehicle door latch according to claim 12, wherein the drive pawl is formed as a frame pawl which encloses a cavity together with the guide pin of the release lever which can be moved therein, wherein the frame pawl includes internal longitudinal legs that define the guide contour and the ejection contour.

16. The motor vehicle door latch according to claim 1, wherein the at least one pawl includes a convenience pawl and a pre-ratchet pawl.

17. The motor vehicle door latch according to claim 16 further comprising a release lever that is acted on by the opening drive, wherein the release lever and the convenience pawl are mounted coaxially, wherein movement of the release lever in a first rotational direction causes movement of the convenience pawl in the first rotational direction.

18. The motor vehicle door latch according to claim 17 further comprising a connecting pin connected to the convenience pawl.

19. The motor vehicle door latch according to claim 17, wherein during the opening of the locking mechanism, the catch is released from the convenience pawl and the release lever simultaneously pivots the pre-ratchet pawl.

Description

[0023] The invention is explained in greater detail below with reference to drawings, which show just one exemplary embodiment, and in which:

[0024] FIG. 1 is a first perspective view of the motor vehicle door latch according to the invention reduced to the components essential to the invention,

[0025] FIG. 2 is a different perspective view of the subject matter according to FIG. 1,

[0026] FIG. 3 is a front view of the subject matter according to FIGS. 1 and 2,

[0027] FIG. 4 is an associated rear view, and

[0028] FIG. 5A to 5C show different functional positions when closing or electrically opening the locking mechanism.

[0029] FIGS. 1 to 4 show a motor vehicle door latch which is reduced to the components and elements essential to the invention. Firstly, a locking mechanism 1, 2, 3 consisting of a catch 1 and a pawl 2, 3 can be seen. According to the exemplary embodiment, two pawls 2, 3 are implemented. The invention is therefore not limited to a multi-pawl locking mechanism 1, 2, 3. The first pawl 2 is designed as a convenience pawl 2, in accordance with the terminology in the aforementioned DE 10 2013 103 245 A1. In contrast, the second pawl 3 is a pre-ratchet pawl 3 (see in particular FIG. 4).

[0030] In FIGS. 3 and 4, the locking mechanism 1, 2, 3 is in a main ratchet position and interacts with a locking pin (not shown), which may be arranged on a motor vehicle body. Both pawls 2, 3 are each rotatably and stationarily mounted in a latch case (not shown). In the main ratchet position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the first pawl or convenience pawl 2 ensures that the catch 1 is held in this position. The second pawl or pre-ratchet pawl 3 ensures that the convenience pawl 2 is not moved out of its position in which it is retracted into a main ratchet of the catch 1. In the following, the focus is mainly on the first pawl or convenience pawl 2.

[0031] To open the locking mechanism 1, 2, 3, an opening drive 4 works on a release lever 5, as is indicated in FIG. 1. In addition, the locking mechanism 1, 2, 3 can be opened mechanically and independently of the electromotive opening drive 4 with the aid of an internal operating lever or external operating lever 6, independently of the electromotive opening drive 4. For this purpose, an internal door handle or external door handle (not expressly shown) ensures that the internal operating lever or external operating lever 6 works on the release lever 5 in a direction similar to that of the opening drive 4 (see FIG. 2).

[0032] The release lever 5 is correspondingly acted on in the opening direction in the direction of the arrow indicated in FIG. 1, which results in a stop edge 7 on the release lever 5 being moved to the right, and moved upward in the front view according to FIG. 3 and the rear view of FIG. 4, as indicated by an associated arrow in FIGS. 3 and 4.

[0033] The opening movement of the release lever 5 implemented in this way results the release lever 5 executing a clockwise pivoting movement about its axis 8, as shown in FIG. 3. The release lever 5 and the first pawl or convenience pawl 2 are actually mounted coaxially, taking into account the common axis 8 in the latch housing (not shown in more detail). In any case, the clockwise rotational movement of the release lever 5 as shown in FIG. 3, which movement accompanies an opening process of the locking mechanism 1, 2, 3, results in the first pawl or convenience pawl 2 also being moved in the direction of the clockwise movement. This is ensured by a connecting pin 9, which is connected to the first pawl or convenience pawl 2 in question and toward which the release lever 5 moves during its described (clockwise) pivoting movement in the course of an opening process in FIG. 3.

[0034] As a result, the first pawl or convenience pawl 2 is lifted off the catch 1. This is because the first pawl 2 in question executes a corresponding counterclockwise movement, which can be seen in the rear view according to FIG. 4, about the common axis 8 with the release lever 5. As a result, the catch 1 is released from the first pawl or convenience pawl 2, because during this process the release lever 5 simultaneously pivots the pre-ratchet pawl 3 about its axis 10 in the clockwise direction also indicated in FIG. 4. The catch 1, which has now been released, can consequently pivot open about its axis 11 with the aid of a spring in the counterclockwise direction indicated in FIG. 4, and thereby releases the previously captive locking pin. The locking mechanism 1, 2, 3 is open.

[0035] In principle, it does not matter whether this opening process takes place via the electromotive opening drive 4 or via the internal door handle or external door handle and the internal operating lever or external operating lever 6. This is because both approaches result overall in the release lever 5 executing the pivoting movement described and thereby lifting the first pawl or convenience pawl 2 out of its engagement with the catch 1 as described. Furthermore, the release lever 5 lifts the pre-ratchet pawl 3 from the convenience pawl 2.

[0036] In addition to the aforementioned opening drive 4, the motor vehicle door latch according to the invention is also equipped with a closing drive 12, 13, 14. The closing drive 12, 13, 14 has a drive pawl 14. A transfer lever 13 is also provided. The transfer lever 13 is mounted in a stationary and rotatable manner within the motor vehicle door latch or a motor vehicle housing, specifically about an axis 15. One end of the drive pawl 14 is rotatably connected to the transfer lever 13. A further axis of rotation 16 is provided for this purpose. At its other end, the drive pawl 14 interacts with a pin 17 on the catch 1 for closing the locking mechanism 1, 2, 3, as will be explained in more detail below.

[0037] The drive pawl 14 converts a motorized pivoting movement of the transfer lever 13 into a pushing movement that works on the pin 17 on the catch 1, so that the catch 1 and thus the locking mechanism 1, 2, 3 as a whole can be closed in this way. This can be seen in particular in FIG. 5A to 5C. A pivoting movement of the transfer lever 13 about the associated axis 15 in the clockwise direction indicated in FIG. 5A results in the drive pawl 14 mounted on the transfer lever 13 being moved toward the pin 17 on the catch 1. For this purpose, a drive or electric motor 12 works on the transfer lever 13, as shown in FIG. 3. The movement is guided by the axis 16 and by a pin or guide pin 18 on the release lever 5.

[0038] For this purpose, the drive pawl 14 according to the exemplary embodiment is designed as a frame pawl enclosing a cavity 19. The associated longitudinal legs define a guide contour 20 and an ejection contour 21 on the inside, the design and mode of operation of which will be explained in more detail below. In any case, a guided pushing movement of the transfer lever 14 is generated during the closing process with the aid of the aforementioned pivoting movement of the transfer lever 13 caused by the closing drive 12, 13, 14, with the aid of which transfer lever the drive pawl 14 works on the pin 17 on the catch 1 and thereby moves the catch 1 in the closing direction, as can be seen in FIG. 5A and 5B. The locking mechanism 1, 2, 3 is shown in the pre-ratchet position in FIG. 5A. As a result of the drive pawl 14 abutting the pin 17 of the catch 1, the aforementioned pushing movement occurs during the transition from the pre-ratchet position according to FIG. 5A in the transition to FIG. 5B, and the catch 1 and therefore the locking mechanism 1, 2, 3 are closed.

[0039] In the transition from FIG. 5B to FIG. 5C, the locking mechanism 1, 2, 3 finally reaches the overtravel position described at the beginning in this way. To open the locking mechanism 1, 2, 3, the catch 1 is held in this overtravel position with the aid of the closing drive 12, 13, 14. As a consequence, the opening drive 4 can open the pawl or first pawl 2. For this purpose, the opening drive 4 is acted upon in such a way that the guide pin 18 on the release lever 5 adopts its position in the cavity 19 shown in FIG. 5. Since the guide pin 18 on the release lever 5 is spaced apart from the ejection contour 21 when the pawl or first pawl 2 is in this open position and consequently does not act on the ejection contour 21, the drive pawl 14 is unchanged and still abuts the pin 17 of the catch 1 as part of the closing drive 12, 13, 14 as before. In the overtravel position of FIG. 5C, the opening drive 4 can now open the pawl 2, 3. For this purpose, the pawl 2 is lifted from the spaced-apart catch 1 with the aid of the release lever 5 in accordance with the clockwise movement indicated in FIG. 5C.

[0040] Starting from the overtravel position shown in FIG. 5C, the closing drive 12, 13, 14 can now be moved back when the locking mechanism is open. The opening drive 4 still acts on the pawl or first pawl 2 in the opening direction here. Since the pawl 2 is consequently lifted off the catch 1, the closing drive 12, 13, 14 can move back into its starting position. The catch 1 is opened. The opening drive 4 for the pawl 2 can now also be moved back into its starting position. This is because the catch 1, which is in the open position, ensures that the pawl 2 cannot engage in a ratchet position, but rather abuts the open catch 1.

[0041] In the closing process of the locking mechanism 1, 2, 3 shown in FIG. 5A to 5C, a distinction can be made between an electrical and a mechanical movement range of the release lever 5. The electrical movement range of the release lever 5 corresponds to the fact that the guide pin 18 on the release lever 5 adopts a position which corresponds approximately to its arrangement in the cavity 19 of the drive pawl 14. This is to be distinguished from the mechanical movement range, which corresponds to the fact that the guide pin 18 in question on the release lever 5 can interact with the ejection contour 21. This can be understood by way of example using the functional sequences according to FIGS. 5B and 5C. The closing process can be interrupted mechanically at any time. For this purpose, it is only necessary for the internal operating lever or external operating lever 6 to be acted on via the aforementioned internal door handle or external door handle in such a way that the release lever 5 is pivoted, specifically to the extent that its guide pin 18 comes to abut the ejection contour 21. As a result, the drive pawl 14 can be ejected and the closing process is consequently interrupted. This is because the closing drive 12, 13, 14 is then mechanically separated from the catch 1, because the drive pawl 14 can no longer act on the pin 17 on the catch 1 with the described pushing movement.

TABLE-US-00001 Reference sign Name 1 catch 2 convenience pawl 3 pre-ratchet pawl 4 opening drive 5 release lever 6 internal operating lever/external operating lever 7 stop edge 8 axis 9 connecting pin 10 axis of the pre-ratchet pawl 11 axis of the catch 12 closing drive 13 transfer lever 14 drive pawl 15 axis of the transfer lever 16 axis of rotation 17 pin on the catch 18 guide pin on the release lever 19 cavity 20 guide contour 21 ejection contour