Motor vehicle door lock

Abstract

The invention relates to a motor vehicle door lock with a locking mechanism comprising a rotary latch and a pawl, a trigger lever which acts on the pawl, a blocking lever which acts on the trigger lever, a first actuating lever which acts on the trigger lever and which acts on the blocking lever via a first leg spring, and a second actuating lever which acts on the trigger lever and which acts on the blocking lever via a second leg spring.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle door latch that resists opening in the event of an impact caused by the accident, the motor vehicle door latch comprising: a catch having a closed position; a pawl operable to hold the catch in the closed position; a triggering lever operable to move the pawl; a blocking lever operable to hold the triggering lever in a position where the triggering lever cannot move the pawl, wherein the blocking lever has a mass having a mass inertia that resists movement of the blocking lever; a first activation lever operably connected to a first handle and operably connected to the triggering lever; a first leg spring operatively connecting the first activation lever to the blocking lever, wherein the first leg spring creates a first delay between movement of the first activation lever and movement of the blocking lever, wherein the first delay is longer than a first duration of movement of the first activation lever caused by the impact, and wherein, after the first delay, the first leg spring moves the blocking lever out of the position where the triggering lever cannot move the pawl; a second activation lever operably connected to a second handle and operably connected to the triggering lever; and a second leg spring operatively connecting the second activation lever to the blocking lever, wherein the second leg spring creates a second delay between movement of the second activation lever and movement of the blocking lever, wherein the second delay is longer than a second duration of movement of the second activation lever caused by the impact, and wherein, after the second delay, the second leg spring moves the blocking lever out of the position where the triggering lever cannot move the pawl.

2. The motor vehicle door latch of claim 1, further comprising a slider that operatively connects the second activation lever to the second leg spring.

3. The motor vehicle door latch of claim 2, wherein the slide defines a notch that accommodates the second leg spring.

4. Motor vehicle door latch in accordance with claim 1, wherein an axis of the first leg spring corresponds to a rotational axis of the blocking lever.

5. Motor vehicle door latch in accordance with claim 4, wherein the rotational axis of the blocking lever is parallel to the rotational axis of the triggering lever.

6. Motor vehicle door latch in accordance with claim 5, wherein an axis of the second leg spring is parallel to the axis of the first leg spring.

7. Motor vehicle door latch in accordance with claim 6, wherein a rotational axis of the pawl, of the triggering lever and the first activation lever are identical.

8. Motor vehicle door latch in accordance with claim 7, further comprised by a recess in the blocking lever, which accommodates the first leg spring.

9. Motor vehicle door latch in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a connecting lever via which the second activation lever acts on the second leg spring.

10. Motor vehicle door latch in accordance with claim 9, wherein the connecting lever defines a notch which accommodates the second leg spring.

11. Motor vehicle door latch in accordance with claim 1, wherein an axis of the first leg spring corresponds to a rotational axis of the blocking lever.

12. Motor vehicle door latch in accordance with claim 1, wherein a rotational axis of the blocking lever is parallel to a rotational axis of the triggering lever.

13. Motor vehicle door latch in accordance with claim 1, wherein an axis of the second leg spring is parallel to an axis of the first leg spring.

14. Motor vehicle door latch in accordance with claim 1, wherein a rotational axis of the pawl, of the triggering lever and the first activation lever are identical.

15. Motor vehicle door latch in accordance with claim 1, further comprised by a recess in the blocking lever, which accommodates the first leg spring.

16. A method of operating a motor vehicle door latch, the method comprising: providing the motor vehicle door latch of claim 1; by an operator actuating the first handle, moving the first activation lever which compresses the first leg spring; after the first delay, moving the locking due to the compression of the first leg spring thereby moving the blocking lever out of the position where the triggering lever cannot move the pawl.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising: by the accident, moving the first activation lever which compresses the first leg spring; before the first delay, moving the first activation lever back to a starting position due to the compression of the first leg spring.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

(1) The FIGURE illustrates a perspective view of a motor vehicle door latch.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

(2) The motor vehicle door latch 1 demonstrates a latch case 2 which acts as a carrier for further components of the motor vehicle door latch 1. A catch 3 is pivotably arranged on the latch case 2, which demonstrates a recess to accommodate a locking clip not depicted in the FIGURE. Arranged around a common rotational axis 12 on the latch case 2 there is therefore a pawl 4, a triggering lever 5 and an external activation lever 6as a first activation lever. Of these three components, the pawl 4 is located nearest to the latch case 2, the external activation lever 6 is furthest from the latch case 2 and the triggering lever 5 is between the pawl 4 and the external activation lever 6. The pawl 4 is designed and arranged in such a way that it can prevent a rotation of the catch 3 from its closure position depicted in the FIGURE in a clockwise direction by it being engaged with the catch 3.

(3) An internal activation lever 8 as a second activation lever is pivotably located on a non-depicted latch housing. The direction of the rotational axis of the internal activation lever 8 is vertical to the direction of the rotational axis of the external activation lever 6.

(4) The triggering lever 5 is designed and arranged in such a way that a rotation in an anti-clockwise direction around its rotational axis 12 loosens the pawl 4 from the engagement with the catch 3. To this end, the triggering lever 5 is equipped for example with a pin as a type of tappet which is engaged into a recess in the pawl 4.

(5) Such a rotation of the triggering lever 5 is generated by the activation of at least one of the activation levers 6 and 8. To this end, each of the activation levers 6 and 8 demonstrates a functional surface which can interact with a corresponding functional surface of the triggering lever 5 in order to rotate it around its rotational axis in an anti-clockwise direction. A relevant activation of an activation lever 6 or 8 occurs in the installed state of the motor vehicle door latch 1 by means of the activation of a relevant door handle 13 or 14 which causes activation of the pertaining activation lever 6 or 8.

(6) Arranged further on the latch case 2 there is a blocking lever 11 which is pivotably located around a rotational axis 15. The rotational axis 15 of the blocking lever 11 is parallel to the rotational axis of the pawl 4, the triggering lever 5 and the external activation lever 6. The blocking lever 11 can also assume a release position in addition to its blocking position depicted in the FIGURE. In its blocking position, the blocking lever 11 prevents a rotation of the triggering lever 5 in an anti-clockwise direction and thus a triggering of the engagement of the pawl 4 into the catch 3.

(7) Around the same rotational pin and axis 15 as the blocking lever 11 a first leg spring 7 is arranged, the central axis of which coincides with the rotational axis of the blocking lever 11. An angular end of a leg of the first leg spring 7 stretches in an interlocking manner into a recess of the blocking lever 11. An angular end of another leg of the first leg spring is adjacent to a surface of the external activation lever 6.

(8) Analogously to the external activation lever 6 the internal activation lever 8 is also connected to the blocking lever via a leg spring. In the present execution example, a second leg spring 10 is arranged on the latch case 2. The axis of the second leg spring 10 is parallel to the axis of the first leg spring 7. The motor vehicle door latch 1 further demonstrates a connecting slider 9 which can execute a one-dimensional translational relative movement vis--vis the latch case 2. In the FIGURE this relative movement occurs from left to right and vice versa.

(9) The connecting slider 9 demonstrates a notch running diagonally vis--vis its direction of movement which accommodates an angular end of the second leg spring 10. The other leg of the leg spring 10 is adjacent on a lateral surface of the blocking lever 11.

(10) An activation of the internal activation lever 8 causes a one-dimensional translational shifting of the connecting slider 9, in the present depiction to the left. Thus, the leg of the second leg spring 10 connected to the connecting slider 9 is rotated around its axis. In the process, the wound end of this leg glides in the notch in the connecting slider 9.

(11) During activation of the external activation lever 6 this initially only exerts a force on the adjacent leg of the first leg spring 7, the mass inertia of the blocking lever 11 exerts a force on the other leg of the first leg spring 7. The external activation lever 6 is not yet in contact with the triggering lever 5. Thus, the external activation lever 6 tenses the first leg spring 7 against the mass inertia of the blocking lever 11. It is noted that a frictional force is also additional to the mass inertia force. Consequently, a counterforce of the blocking lever 11 can be spoken of overall.

(12) From a limiting stress of the first leg spring 7 the force exerted by the leg spring 7 on the blocking lever 11 exceeds its counterforce and causes a rotation of the blocking lever 11 from its blocking position depicted in the FIGURE into its release position. If this transition occurs before the external activation lever 6 comes into contact with the triggering lever 5, the triggering lever 5 can rotate around its rotational axis. This is with an activation speed which is below the activation speed limit.

(13) With a greater activation speed the blocking lever 11 is still in its blocking position when the external activation lever 6 comes into contact with the triggering lever 5, and thus prevents rotation of the triggering lever 5. Thus, in the case of a greater activation speed, as generated during a lateral impact, for example, a release of the catch 3 is prevented by the pawl 4 because the triggering lever 5 is blocked by the blocking lever 11.

(14) Analogously to the process in the activation of the external activation lever 6 an activation of the internal activation lever 8 initially leads solely to a tensioning of the second leg spring 10 before the internal activation lever 8 comes into contact with the triggering lever 5. If the force exerted on the blocking lever 11 by the tensioned second leg spring 10 exceeds its counterforce, this thus moves from its blocking position into its release position. Only following a further activation of the internal activation lever 8 does this come into contact with the triggering lever 5 and it rotates around its rotational axis, if the blocking lever 11 is in its release position until then.

(15) A very short, jerky activation of an activation lever with an activation speed above an activation speed limit therefore leads to the triggering lever 5 being blocked by the blocking lever 11 during the activation period and thus a triggering of the locking mechanism consisting of a catch 3 and a pawl 4 is prevented.

(16) In the present execution example, the activation levers 6 and 8 and the triggering lever 5 are arranged and designed in such a manner that an activation of an activation lever exerts an (additional or increased) force on the pertaining leg spring before the functional surface of the activation lever interacts with a pertaining functional surface of the triggering lever 5 in order to rotate the triggering lever 5 around its rotational axis. The start of the activation of the activation levers 6 or 8 thus initially acts only on the leg spring 7 or 10 and thus on the blocking lever 11, however still not on the triggering lever 5. Thus, a slow activation of an activation lever 6 or 8 initially causes rotation of the blocking lever from its blocking position into its release position, before a rotation of the triggering lever 5 around its rotational axis.

(17) A core aspect of the present invention is that both activation levers 6 and 8 respectively act via a leg spring 7 or 10 on a single, common blocking lever 11. Thus, also in the case of a motor vehicle door which demonstrates a door handle on the inside and the outside respectively, an unintentional unbolting of the motor vehicle door latch by the mass inertia of a door handle during a lateral impact can be prevented.