Locking unit for a motor vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a motor vehicle door lock, comprising a locking mechanism, an electric drive, a locking unit and a coupling lever, said coupling lever acting on the locking unit. The coupling lever can be actuated by the electric drive counter to the force of the spring. The locking unit has a control contour, the coupling lever cooperating with said control contour.

Claims

1. Motor vehicle door latch, comprising: a locking mechanism, an electric drive, a rotatable actuating means rotated by the electric drive, a locking unit comprising a control contour, wherein the control contour has a base position and a moved position, a first coupling lever rotatably mounted on the rotatable actuating means, wherein the first coupling lever is adapted to act on the control contour of the locking unit, wherein the control contour defines a first recess that aligns with the first coupling lever in the base position and a second recess that aligns with the first coupling lever in the moved position and wherein operating the electric drive to rotate the rotatable actuating means moves the first coupling lever from the base position to the moved position or from the moved position to the base position, a spring that biases the first coupling lever away from the control contour, wherein operation of the electric drive rotates the rotatable actuating means and moves the first coupling lever to act on the control contour counter the biasing force of the spring.

2. Motor vehicle door latch according to claim 1, wherein the control contour is part of a second lever.

3. Motor vehicle door latch according to claim 2, wherein the locking unit is rotatably mounted, with a first end position of the locking unit determining a locked position and a second end position an unlocked position.

4. Motor vehicle door latch according to claim 3, wherein the control contour is designed in such a way that during each actuation of the locking unit by means of the first coupling lever, the first end position or the second end position is attained.

5. Motor vehicle door latch according to claim 4, wherein the control contour has a shape corresponding to a pointed cone; wherein the first coupling lever impinges on one side of the cone to actuate the locking unit in the respective end position and positively rotates the locking unit into the end position.

6. Motor vehicle door latch according to claim 3, wherein the control contour has a shape corresponding to a pointed cone; wherein the first coupling lever impinges on one side of the cone to actuate the locking unit in the respective end position and positively rotates the locking unit into the end position.

7. Motor vehicle door latch according to claim 6, wherein the first coupling lever engages in a radiused recess defined by the control contour in order to rotate the locking unit.

8. Motor vehicle door latch according to claim 7, wherein the first coupling lever is designed as a push rod guided at least in parts or as a transmission lever.

9. Motor vehicle door latch according to claim 8, wherein the rotatable actuating means is a gear wheel or an actuating lever.

10. Motor vehicle door latch according to claim 1, wherein a function of the locking unit is selected from the group consisting of an electric opening, an anti-theft lock, a child lock, a central locking, an internal locking and an external locking.

11. Motor vehicle door latch according to claim 1, wherein the first coupling lever is designed as a push rod guided at least in parts or as a transmission lever.

12. Motor vehicle door latch according to claim 1, wherein the rotatable actuating means is a gear wheel or an actuating lever.

13. Motor vehicle door latch of claim 1, further comprising: a worm drive; and a gear wheel, wherein the electric drive rotates the worm drive which rotates the gear wheel which rotates the rotatable actuating means.

14. Motor vehicle door latch comprising: a locking mechanism; a locking unit comprising a control contour, wherein the control contour has a base position and a moved position; an electric drive; an actuating lever that is rotatable by the electric drive; a coupling lever that is rotatably mounted on the actuating lever and is movable relative to the control contour to selectively act on the control contour, wherein the control contour defines a first recess that aligns with the coupling lever in the base position and a second recess that aligns with the coupling lever in the moved position and wherein operating the electric drive to rotate the rotatable actuating lever moves the coupling lever from the base position to the moved position or from the moved position to the base position; and a first spring that biases the actuating lever to retain the actuating lever in a starting position with the coupling lever spaced apart from the control contour, wherein the electric drive acts counter the biasing force of the first spring to bring the coupling lever into contact with the control contour.

15. Motor vehicle door latch of claim 14, further comprising a second spring that acts between the actuating lever and the coupling lever.

16. Motor vehicle door latch of claim 15, further comprising: a worm drive; and a gear wheel, wherein the electric drive rotates the worm drive which rotates the gear wheel which rotates the actuating lever.

17. Motor vehicle door latch of claim 16, further comprising a toothed segment that is rotated by the gear wheel, wherein rotation of the toothed segment rotates the actuating lever.

18. Motor vehicle door latch comprising: a locking mechanism; a locking unit comprising a control contour; an electric drive; an actuating lever that is rotatable by the electric drive, wherein the actuating lever rotates about an actuating lever axis; a coupling lever that is rotatably mounted on the actuating lever and is movable relative to the control contour to selectively act on the control contour, wherein the coupling lever rotates relative to the actuating lever about a coupling lever axis and wherein the coupling lever axis is radially spaced apart from the actuating lever axis; and a first spring that biases the actuating lever to retain the actuating lever in a starting position with the coupling lever spaced apart from the control contour, wherein the electric drive acts counter the biasing force of the first spring to bring the coupling lever into contact with the control contour.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows the control element in its locked position with the coupling rod in its starting position and the push rod being acted upon by a gear wheel element.

(2) FIG. 2 shows the control element in its locked position with the coupling rod positively interlocking with a recess formed by a radius.

(3) FIG. 3 shows the control element in its unlocked position with the coupling rod positively interlocking with a recess formed by a radius.

(4) FIG. 4 shows the control element in its unlocked position with the coupling rod in its starting position and the push rod being acted upon by a gear wheel element.

(5) FIG. 5 shows the base position of a locking unit.

(6) FIG. 6 shows the FIG. 5 locking unit in a neutral position.

(7) FIG. 7 shows the FIG. 5 locking unit moved.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(8) FIG. 4, FIG. 6, FIG. 7 show a section of the motor vehicle door latch. The locking mechanism comprises the catch and pawl. The pawl must be released from the catch for the motor vehicle door latch to open. This is, for instance, achieved with the aid of the actuating lever. The starting point for this is a mechanical actuating lever chain.

(9) In FIG. 1, the motor vehicle door latch is locked. The alignment of the locking lever 1 is predefined by the alignment of the locking element 2, whilst the push rod 4, acted upon by an actuating means 3a gear wheel in this embodimentis in starting position A. In addition, a spring element 5, in this case a centre-zero spring, acts on the actuating means 3 with the spring element 5 holding the actuating means 3 in the starting position of the push rod 4.

(10) In FIG. 2, a push rod 4 is driven by a motor 6 unidirectional in the sense of a forward movement. The push rod 4 positively engages in a recess 7 formed as a radius with an interim position Z being attained. The spring element 5 is tensioned.

(11) In FIG. 3, the motor still drives the push rod 4. Said rod rotates the locking element 2 into its other end position E, unlocked, so that the mechanical actuation chain from the triggering lever up to the internal or external actuation lever exists again. The latch can be opened using the internal or external actuation lever, i.e. the locking mechanism can be unlocked.

(12) In FIG. 4 the locking element 2 remains in the unlocked position. The motor 6 is switched off at the reversal point. The spring element 5 pulls the push rod 4 back into its starting position A. The spring 5 relaxes, simultaneously moving the push rod 4 back into its starting position A. By uncoupling push rod 4 and locking element 2, the locking unit of the invention is able to actuate several functions in the latch with only one drive.

(13) The drawings also show another embodiment of the invention which is explained in detail below.

(14) FIG. 5 shows the base position of the locking unit. The control or locking element 2 is in neutral position. The coupling rod, in this case a transmission lever 10, is in base position. The spring element 5 retains the actuating meansin this embodiment an actuating leverin its starting position in relation to the actuating lever. The toothed segment 11, with a lever 17 being formed by the control contour, is in neutral position.

(15) In FIG. 6 the control or locking element is in neutral position. The coupling rod, in this case a transmission lever 10, is in the base position. The spring element 5 retains the actuating meansin this embodiment an actuating lever 13in its starting position in relation to the transmission lever 10. The lever of the toothed segment formed by the control contour was moved.

(16) FIG. 7 shows the moved control or locking element 2. The coupling rodin this case a transmission lever 10is in its base position. The spring element 5 is tensioned. The toothed segment 11, with a lever 17 being formed by the control contour, is in neutral position.

(17) The figures show a section of a motor vehicle door latch. The locking mechanism comprises the catch and pawl. The pawl must be released from the catch for the motor vehicle door latch to open. This is, for instance, achieved with the aid of the actuating lever. The starting point for this is a mechanical actuating lever chain, with the actuating lever chain in this embodiment being actuated by the lever-shaped control contour of the toothed segment 11.

(18) FIG. 5 shows the motor vehicle door latch in its base position. The control or locking element 2 is in its neutral position. The coupling rodin this case a transmission lever 10is in its neutral base position. The transmission lever 10 is held in its base position by a return spring, the positioning spring 9. The positioning spring 9 rests against the actuating lever 13, arranged at a defined angle to the actuating lever. The actuating lever 13 and the toothed segment 11 are held in position by a spring element 5, a return spring. The spring element 5 is fixed to the below latch housing. The toothed segment is driven by a drive consisting of a gear wheel 27, worm 8 and motor 6.

(19) During electric opening as shown in FIG. 6, the toothed segment is moved by the drive. The lever formed from the control contour can engage with the mechanical actuation chain. The spring element 5 is tensioned. The actuating lever 13, the positioning spring 9, the transmission lever 10 and the locking element 2 are still in their base position.

(20) FIG. 7 shows a function, such as the central locking function. By means of the drive, the actuating lever 13 is moved out of its base position so that the transmission lever 10 positively engages in a recess 7 formed in a radius whilst the locking element 2 is tilted. This causes an actuation of a lever chain, actuating a function. This example embodiment shows that the locking unit of the invention is able to actuate several functions in the latch with only one drive.