Motor vehicle door latch

Abstract

A motor vehicle latching system with a locking mechanism 9, which comprises at least a catch and at least a pawl for ratcheting of the catch, with an operating lever 1 which can be rotated to open a motor vehicle door and with a transmission element 2 by means of which rotation of the operating lever 1 can be transmitted into pivoting of a triggering lever 3 to disengage the locking mechanism 9. For the coupling of the transmission element 2 with the operating lever 1, the transmission element 2 shiftably reaches through a coupling opening 5 of the operating lever 1. A coupling section 4 of the transmission element 2 which is located in the coupling opening 5 is arch-shaped. Especially reliable operation of the motor vehicle latching system can thus be enabled.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle latching system comprising: a locking mechanism having at least a catch and at least a pawl provided for ratcheting of the catch, a triggering lever that is pivoted to engage the pawl to disengage the pawl from the catch during an opening operation of the locking mechanism, an operating lever which is rotated during opening of a motor vehicle door, and a transmission element for transmitting rotation of the operating lever into pivoting of the triggering lever for engaging the pawl, wherein the transmission element extends through a coupling opening of the operating lever to couple the transmission element with the operating lever, wherein a coupling section of the transmission element is supported in the coupling opening and the coupling section is arch-shaped along an entire length of the coupling section, the coupling section having a diameter that is less than a diameter of the coupling opening so as to allow for a full extent of play of movement of the coupling section within the coupling opening, whereby the coupling section is received in the opening and, during operational use of the locking mechanism, the coupling section is shiftable in a lengthwise direction of the coupling opening, wherein the arch-shaped coupling section glides along the coupling opening, and the coupling section is at least partly spiral-shaped or coil-shaped as a winding segment.

2. The motor vehicle latching system of claim 1, wherein the majority or the entire coupling section has the shape of a spiral-shaped or coil-shaped winding segment.

3. The motor vehicle latching system of claim 1, wherein the coupling section is arched around an angular difference (α, β) of a maximum of 50° and/or of a maximum of one fifth of a circumferential arch.

4. The motor vehicle latching system of claim 1, wherein during rotation of the operating lever, the arch-shaped coupling section is shifted relatively to the coupling opening.

5. The motor vehicle latching system of claim 1, wherein a relative shifting of the coupling section to the coupling opening is limited by at least one stop of the transmission element.

6. The motor vehicle latching system of claim 5, wherein one or two stops are formed by an area at an angle to the coupling section.

7. The motor vehicle latching system of claim 5, wherein two stops are provided that are at a distance from one another whereby the relative shifting of the coupling section to the coupling opening can occur over a section length as a maximum which corresponds to at least 30% and/or a maximum of 50% of a length of the coupling opening.

8. The motor vehicle latching system of claim 1, wherein the coupling opening is provided by a component firmly connected to the operating lever.

9. The motor vehicle latching system of claim 1, wherein the transmission element performs a translational movement into a translational direction in order to transmit the rotation of the operating lever into pivoting of the triggering lever to engage the pawl.

10. The motor vehicle latching system of claim 8, wherein the component is a sleeve.

11. The motor vehicle latching system of claim 1, wherein the transmission element includes two stop portions engageable against the coupling opening, wherein the coupling section extends between the two stop portions and shifting of the coupling section is limited by the two stop portions.

12. The motor vehicle latching system of claim 11, wherein the transmission element includes a first turning area arranged between a first stop portion and the coupling section and a second turning area arranged between a second stop portion and the coupling section, wherein the transmission element has angular deflection in the first turning area and in the second turning area.

13. The motor vehicle latching system of claim 11, wherein the first stop portion forms an end of the transmission element.

14. The motor vehicle latching system of claim 11, wherein the two stop portions are straight, the coupling section being curved between the two stop portions.

15. The motor vehicle latching system of claim 14, wherein a curvature of the coupling section between the two stop portions is smooth without a sharp corner.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1: Diagram of a motor vehicle latching system during transmission of the rotation of an operating lever into pivoting of a triggering lever by a transmission element;

(2) FIG. 2: Diagram of the transmission element of FIG. 1 in a lateral view;

(3) FIG. 3: Diagram of the transmission element of FIGS. 1 and 2 in a top view;

(4) FIG. 4: Diagram of a coupling connection according to the state of the art;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A VARIANT OF THE INVENTION

(5) FIG. 1 shows a motor vehicle latching system with a locking mechanism 9, which encompasses a catch and a pawl for ratcheting of the catch, and with an operating lever 1 which can be rotated to open a motor vehicle door from a starting position into an end position. FIG. 1 shows an opening process in which the operating lever 1 has been set into motion, specifically into a clockwise rotation around a rotational axis 15, via manual operation of an external operating lever (not depicted in the Figures). FIG. 1 shows motor vehicle latching system at a time during operation when the operating lever 1 is already located approximately halfway between the starting position and the end position. In particular, a protrusion 18 of the connection acts with the external operating lever or a return spring. The operating lever 1 is preferably illustrated as depicted in FIG. 1 due to installation space, i.e. a lengthwise end 16 is at an angle of 30° to 90° to a basic part 17 rotatably accommodated around the rotational axis 15.

(6) The motor vehicle latching system comprises a transmission element 2 in form of an operating rod. The rotation of the operating lever 1 is transformed into a translational movement of the transmission element 2 by means of a coupling connection. If the operating lever 1 rotates in the clockwise direction, the transmission element 2 moves in a translational direction 10 predominantly in a linear manner in the direction of a triggering lever 3. Due to a further coupling connection 19 with the triggering lever 3 the translational movement is transformed into a pivoting of the triggering lever 3 in turn.

(7) If the operating lever 1 rotates in the clockwise direction, the triggering lever 3 is pivoted in an anti-clockwise direction. In one design, the pivoting of the triggering lever 3 in an anti-clockwise direction leads to the disengagement of the locking mechanism 9. The locking mechanism 9 is arranged in the latch housing 11 together with the pawl and the catch. The catch rotational axis 12 and the pawl rotational axis 13, in particular in the form of a pin or a bolt are attached to the metal latch plate 14 and are externally visible, as shown in FIG. 1. The latch plate 14 which also has an inlet slot for a locking bolt (not included in the excerpt from FIG. 1), borders the plastic latch housing 11 and is firmly connected thereto. In order to disengage the locking mechanism, the triggering lever 3 can act on the pawl within the latch housing 11 in order to release the pawl from the catch if the catch is located in a closure position.

(8) In order to form the coupling connection of the transmission element 2 with the operating lever 1 the transmission element 2 shiftably reaches through a coupling opening 5 of the operating lever 1. A coupling section 4 of the transmission element 2, shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 and found in the coupling opening 5, is arched. The coupling opening 5 is provided by a separate sleeve 8 which is firmly connected to the lengthwise end 16. The sleeve 8 extends through a passage opening of the lengthwise end 16 and lines this internally. The sleeve 8 is in particular at least twice as long as the passage opening. The length of the passage opening corresponds to the thickness of the operating lever, i.e. in particular the sheet thickness.

(9) FIG. 2 shows the transmission element 2 of FIG. 1 embodied as an operating rod in a lateral view. The viewing direction is shown in the direction of a y-axis. The z-axis and x-axis form a Cartesian coordinate system together with the y-axis. The coupling section 4 is arched around an angular difference α which is less than 50° in FIG. 2. The angular difference α of the arch is measured between an initial tangent 20 at a start of the coupling section 4 and an end tangent 21 at one end of the coupling section 4.

(10) The coupling section 4 lies between a first stop 6 and a second stop 7 which define the part 22 of the transmission element 2 reaching through the coupling opening 5 to form the coupling connection and a relative shifting of this part 22 to the coupling opening 5 limit in the lengthwise direction 23 of the coupling opening 5. In particular, the lengthwise direction 23 and the rotational axis 15 are situated in a plane and/or include an angle between 20° and 90°. If the operating lever is located in a rotational position approximately halfway between the starting position and the end position, the translational direction 10 and the lengthwise direction 23 of the coupling opening 5 are located approximately vertically to one another. In particular, the alignment changes, i.e. the included angle, the lengthwise direction 23 of the coupling opening 5 relatively to the translational direction 10 with rotation of the operating lever 1 between the central rotational position and any malpositioning of the operating lever 1. An approximately central rotational position is shown in FIG. 1.

(11) As the first stop 6 and the second stop 7 were produced by turning of the rod-shaped transmission element 2, a first turning area 24 is located between the coupling section 4 and the first stop 6 and/or a second turning area 25 is located between the coupling section 4 and the second stop 7. In particular, the first stop 6 and/or the second stop 7 are straight sections of the rod-shaped transmission element 2. The stop 6 preferably forms the end of the transmission element.

(12) FIG. 3 shows the transmission element 2 of FIG. 2 executed as an operating rod in a top view. The viewing direction points in the direction of the z-axis. The coupling section 4 is arched around an angular difference β which is less than 50° in FIG. 3. The angular difference β of the arch is measured between the initial tangent 26 at a start of the coupling section 4 and an end tangent 27 at one end of the coupling section 4. If the coupling section 4 is a coiled section, the angular difference can also be a gradient according to the alignment of the Cartesian coordinate axes x, y, z.

(13) The coupling section 4 shown in the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 2 and 3 is coil-shaped and has the shape of a coil segment. The coil segment winds around a central axis or winding axis which runs approximately parallel to the translational direction 10. In particular, the coupling section 4 extends in the form of the coil segment by less than one fifth of a circumferential arch around the central axis or winding axis.

(14) The part 22 is connected to the part for further coupling connection 19 with the triggering lever 3 by a connecting section 28. In particular, the connecting section 28 has a V-shape sweeping in a translational direction 10, i.e. a flat angle in order to attain a mechanically advantageous alignment in view of the rotation of the operating lever 1 on the one hand and pivoting of the triggering lever 3 on the other hand.

(15) The further coupling connection 19 on the transmission element 2 is formed by a turning area 29, which is adjacent to the connecting section 28 in particular, a coupling area 30 extending in a linear manner, a further turning area 31 and/or an end area 32. The aforementioned areas 28 to 32 are preferably directly adjacent to one another in the stated sequence. The end area 32 preferably forms the end of the transmission element 2 opposite the first stop 6. The coupling area 30 is located in a passage opening 33 of the triggering lever 3.

(16) When the operating lever 1 rotates, relative shifting of the coupling section 4 or the entire part 22 occurs relatively to the coupling opening 4. Starting from the approximate central position of the operating lever 1 shown in FIG. 1 and with continued rotation in a clockwise direction, the coupling opening 5 or the sleeve 8 moves in particular in the direction of the first stop 6. In one design, the lengthwise end 16 or an external edge of the sleeve 8 impacts in a lengthwise direction 23 against the first stop 6 and/or the first turning area 24 on attainment of the end position of the operating lever 1. It can be that the first stop 6 is not directly touched and thus acts as a stop in the case of misuse, wear, deformation, excess load or in the case of a crash.

(17) Starting from the approximate central position of the operating lever 1 shown in FIG. 1 and with rotation in an anti-clockwise direction back into the starting position, the coupling opening 5 or the sleeve 8 moves in particular in the direction of the second stop 6. In one design, the lengthwise end 16 or an external edge of the sleeve 8 impacts in a lengthwise direction 23 against the second stop 7 and/or the second turning area 25 on attainment of the end position of the operating lever 1. It can be that the second stop 7 is not directly touched and thus acts as a stop in the case of misuse, wear, deformation, excess load or in the case of a crash.

(18) By relative shifting in conjunction with the bent shape of the coupling section 4, in particular in the design of a coil section, a thrust movement is assisted by the coupling section 4 so that the changing alignment of the coupling opening 5 is caught by the coupling section 4 or the partial section of the coupling section 4 surrounded by the coupling opening 5.

(19) FIG. 4 shows a diagram of a coupling connection according to the state of the art; An operating lever 1′ rotating around the rotational axis 15′ has a coupling opening 5′ in the form of a passage opening. FIG. 4 shows a sectional view through the passage opening.

(20) A straight coupling area 4′ of a transmission element 2′ is surrounded by the coupling opening 5′. If the operating lever 1′ is rotated around the rotational axis 15′ (depicted in dot dashes), there is a risk of catching or jamming of the transmission element 2′.