Motor vehicle locking system with an electrical opening device

Abstract

A motor vehicle locking system for a door or hatch, comprising a locking mechanism with a rotary latch and a pawl for latching the rotary latch, a drive pulley for an electrical opening means, which drive pulley can be rotated in a motorized manner in an operating direction for tripping the locking mechanism, and a return spring for rotating the drive pulley in the direction opposite the operating direction, wherein the drive pulley can be rotated in the operating direction without being influenced by the return spring or at least without spring load. Therefore, higher loads can be moved by the drive pulley.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle locking system for a door or flap, the motor vehicle locking system comprising: a locking mechanism having a catch and a pawl for latching the catch, an electric motor, a drive pulley for an electrical opening means, wherein the drive pulley can be rotated, in a motorized manner by the electric motor, in an operating direction from a basic position to an end position to trigger the locking mechanism, and a return spring for rotating the drive pulley in a second direction counter to the operating direction, wherein the drive pulley is rotated in the operating direction without influence by the return spring or any spring load to a freewheel end position between the initial position and the end position; wherein: during a normal operation the drive pulley is rotated in the motorized manner by the electric motor from the basic position to the end position in the operating direction to release the locking mechanism, and the drive pulley is rotated back in the motorized manner by the electric motor in the second direction counter to the operating direction to the basic position; and during an emergency operation in which there is no power to the electric motor, the return spring rotates the drive pulley back in the second direction counter to the operating direction to the freewheel end position.

2. The motor vehicle locking system according to claim 1, wherein the freewheel end position has a freewheel rotational angle range relative to the basic position that is at least 30° and at most 180°.

3. The motor vehicle locking system according to claim 2, wherein a spring load rotational angle range during which the spring is loaded directly adjoins the freewheel rotational angle range in the operating direction.

4. The motor vehicle locking system according to claim 2, wherein the drive pulley comprises a carrier for carrying along the return spring for pre-tensioning the return spring, upon rotation of the drive pulley in the operating direction.

5. The motor vehicle locking system according to claim 4, wherein the carrier is a cam or a tappet.

6. The motor vehicle locking system according to claim 4, wherein the carrier can carry along the return spring, in the operating direction, only into a freewheel end position that limits the freewheel rotational angle range in the operating direction, and the return spring can rotate the drive pulley back in the second direction counter to the operating direction only as far as the freewheel end position.

7. The motor vehicle locking system according to claim 1, wherein, in the basic position and in the freewheel end position of the drive pulley the pawl can latch together with the catch, and in thean end position of the drive pulley the pawl cannot latch together with the catch.

8. The motor vehicle locking system according to claim 1, wherein the drive pulley comprises or forms a control contour for a lever for releasing the locking mechanism, wherein the lever can be pivoted, depending on a rotational angle position of the drive pulley, by rotating the drive pulley and thus the control contour.

9. The motor vehicle locking system according to claim 8, wherein the control contour protrudes on an axial surface of the drive pulley, and the lever can slide along the control contour radially during rotation of the drive pulley.

10. The motor vehicle locking system according to claim 8, wherein the lever is the pawl or is movably coupled to the pawl whereby pivoting of the lever can lead to pivoting of the pawl.

11. The motor vehicle locking system according to claim 8, wherein during a rotation of the drive pulley in the operating direction, the lever is pivoted before or after the return spring is carried along.

12. The motor vehicle locking system according to claim 1, wherein the drive pulley is a gearwheel or a worm wheel having teeth around the periphery thereof in order to be able to be driven by the electric motor.

13. The motor vehicle locking system according to claim 2, wherein the freewheel rotational angle range is at most 90°.

14. The motor vehicle locking system according to claim 2, wherein the freewheel rotational angle range is at least 90° and/or at most 180°.

15. The motor vehicle locking system according to claim 8, wherein a lever pivot axis of the lever is oriented to be parallel with a drive pulley axis of rotation of the drive pulley.

16. The motor vehicle locking system according to claim 8, wherein a free end of the lever is movable along a lateral face of the drive pulley.

17. The motor vehicle locking system according to claim 16, wherein the drive pulley includes a protruding annular collar arranged about a drive pulley axis of rotation of the drive pulley, wherein the free end rests radially on the protruding annular collar.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) Exemplary embodiments of the invention will be explained in greater detail in the following, with reference to the figures. Features of the exemplary embodiments can be combined, individually or as a plurality.

(2) In the figures:

(3) FIG. 1: is a schematic view of a drive pulley that can be rotated in a motorized manner, that acts on a locking mechanism (not shown) by means of a lever, and that can be rotated back by means of a hidden return spring;

(4) FIG. 2: is a schematic view of the rotational angle ranges of a drive pulley, in particular of the drive pulley shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(5) FIG. 1 shows an operating means comprising a drive pulley 1 which can be rotated in a motorized manner by an electric drive comprising an electric motor 17, and which, by means of the rotation, can pivot a lever 11 in order to release a locking mechanism (not shown). In particular a worm drive is provided, in order to transfer the drive torque from the electric motor 17, via a worm 15 and teeth 16, provided on the periphery of the drive pulley 1 and meshing with the worm 15, to the drive pulley 1.

(6) The worm 15 and/or the drive shaft of the electric motor 17 rotate about an axis that is oriented so as to be perpendicular to the drive pulley axis of rotation 21. In contrast, the lever pivot axis 12 is preferably oriented so as to be in parallel with the drive pulley axis of rotation 21. Therefore, a free end 13 of the lever 11 may be moved along an axial surface 20, i.e. a lateral face, of the drive pulley 1. In particular, the free end 13 extends in a manner overlapping with the drive pulley 1 to such an extent that the free end 13 extends from the lever pivot axis 12 as far as the drive pulley axis of rotation 21.

(7) On the surface at which the free end 13 can move over the side face of the drive pulley 1, the drive pulley 1 comprises a protruding, annular collar 18 about the drive pulley axis of rotation 21, for the purpose of rotatable mounting about an axis or a shaft. The free end 13 can therefore rest in particular radially on said annular collar 18, from the outside. Proceeding from an annular segment of the collar 18, a control contour 10 that protrudes beyond the axial surface 20 extends in the radial direction, i.e. in the direction of the outer periphery of the control disc 1.

(8) In one embodiment, the angular range of the annular segment or the angular range of the extension of the control contour 10 in the peripheral direction about the drive pulley axis of rotation 21 is at least 90°, preferably at least 110°, and/or at most 150°, preferably at most 130°. The lower limit ensures reliable release of the locking mechanism, and the upper limit ensures a short operating time.

(9) In one embodiment, the basic position 4 of the drive pulley 1 is provided at or in front of a starting point of the control contour 10, i.e. on the collar 18, such that the starting point of the control contour 10 is achieved only after a particular rotational angle range, in the event of rotation from the basic position 4, in the operating direction 3.

(10) In one embodiment, at the starting point the control contour 10 emerges tangentially from the collar 18.

(11) In other words, at the starting point on the collar 18 the control contour 10 forms a tangential extension of the collar 18. Uniform pivoting of the lever 11 can thus be made possible.

(12) In one embodiment, the end position 6 of the drive pulley 1 is provided at an end point of the control contour 10.

(13) In one embodiment, the control contour 10 strikes the collar 18 perpendicularly, at an end point of the control contour 10. Particularly stable retention of the lever 11 in the release position can thus be made possible.

(14) In one embodiment, the control contour 10 corresponds to a radial peripheral surface of an axial projection on the axial surface 20 of the drive pulley 1.

(15) In particular, the control contour 10 does not protrude radially beyond the outer periphery of the drive pulley 10, on which the teeth 16 are preferably arranged. In particular, fastening means 19 for fastening a spring or a lever spring is provided. The fastening means 19 is preferably arranged between the free end 13 and the lever pivot axis 12.

(16) The free end 13 of the lever 11 is pushed, by the lever spring, in the direction of the drive pulley axis of rotation 21, the collar 18 and/or the control contour 10. The lever 11 can therefore slide along the control contour 10 in the event of rotation of the drive pulley 1, a pivot angle of the lever 11 correlating with the radius of the control contour 10. The opposite end 14 of the lever 11 is designed such that it can release the locking mechanism. If the free end 13 of the lever 11 is located radially to a region of the collar 18 without a control contour 10 therebetween, or is located in the region of the starting point of the control contour 10, the lever 11 can be pivoted essentially counter to the lever spring force, and/or can rise up from the collar 18 or the control contour 10. This is the case in particular if the locking mechanism or the catch is in the open position, and for example the lever 11 is either the pawl or is movably coupled to the pawl in both pivot directions. Specifically, the pawl then has not dropped or latched into the catch, but is instead dragged on the outer periphery of the catch, under spring preload, and drops into the catch only if the catch has been moved into the closed position by a locking pin.

(17) In one embodiment, the locking mechanism is in an open position when the free end 13 of the lever 11 rests directly on the collar 18 or on the control contour 10, in a particular angular range of the starting point.

(18) In one embodiment, the collar 18 is an extension of the control contour 10 or is a part thereof. The collar 18 can thus fulfil a dual function.

(19) In particular, the return spring is arranged on the opposite side (hidden in FIG. 1) of the axial surface 20 of the drive pulley 1. An in particular eccentrically arranged cam is preferably fastened on the opposing side of the axial surface 20 of the drive pulley 1, which cam protrudes axially beyond the opposing side. If, upon rotation in the operating direction 3, the drive pulley 1 has reached the freewheel end position, the cam strikes the return spring or a free part of the return spring for the purpose of carrying along in the operating direction 3.

(20) FIG. 2 shows the rotational angle range of a drive pulley 1 of an operating means, in particular the operating means of FIG. 1.

(21) In normal operation, the drive pulley 1 essentially rests in the basic position 4, as a starting position or prepared position, when the locking mechanism and/or the catch are in the open position or in the closed position. If the operating means, in particular electrical opening means 2, is activated for opening the door or flap, the drive pulley 1 is rotated about the freewheel rotational angle range 7, into the freewheel end position, in a motorized manner, where the return spring is carried along, and rotated further about the spring load rotational angle range 8, into the end position 6, preferably without slowing of the rotational movement, i.e. at a continuous rotational movement. In particular, the drive pulley 1 cannot be rotated beyond the basic position 4 and/or the end position 6, or the operating means is not configured therefor. The basic position 4 and the end position 6 preferably define the total rotational angle range 9 of the operating means. In the end position 6, the lever 11 is already pivoted so far that the locking mechanism is released. Upon release, the pawl is lifted from the catch. In particular, the pivot position and/or the lifted position of the pawl correlates with the rotational angle position of the drive pulley 1, such that, in the end position of the drive pulley 1 the pawl can no longer drop into the catch for the purpose of latching, even if the catch reaches the closed position, in a subsequent opening and closing cycle, in order to be latched there, by means of the pawl.

(22) However, in order that the pawl can latch the catch, as planned, in the closed position, in a subsequent opening and closing cycle, the drive pulley is rotated back, counter to the operating direction 3 into the basic position 4, in a motorized manner, in normal operation, and/or approximately into the freewheel end position, by means of the return spring, in emergency operation.

(23) In one embodiment, the pawl assumes a first ratchet deflection for latching together with the catch, in the closed position, when the drive pulley is in the basic position 4.

(24) In a further embodiment, the pawl assumes a second ratchet deflection for latching together with the catch, in the closed position, when the drive pulley is in the freewheel end position 5, the first ratchet deflection differing from the second ratchet deflection. In particular, there are two different, planned, contact ratchet points, which are associated with the first and second ratchet deflection, respectively.

(25) In the following, an opening and closing cycle of the locking mechanism in normal operation, and the difference from emergency operation, are described.

(26) The locking mechanism is in an open position. In normal operation, the drive pulley 1 has been rotated into the basic position 4, in a motorized manner.

(27) The pawl rests on the periphery of the catch in a spring-preloaded manner. A locking pin rotates the catch into the closed position. The pawl drops into the catch under a spring preload, and latches together with the catch. The locking mechanism is then reliably closed.

(28) The user activates the operating means for opening the locking mechanism, in order that the door or flap can be opened.

(29) The drive pulley 1 is rotated from the basic position 4 into the end position 6, in a motorized manner, the return spring being carried along by the drive pulley 1 in the rotational angle position of the freewheel end position 5.

(30) Prior to the spring being carried along, freewheeling of the drive pulley 1 from the basic position 4 takes place, i.e. rotation without influence by the return spring and without spring load, i.e. unbraked rotation in order to achieve momentum.

(31) Carrying the return spring along between the freewheel end position 5 and the end position 6 causes the return spring to be pretensioned.

(32) When the end position 6 is reached, the lever 11 has been pivoted into a release position, and the pawl has thus been lifted from the catch, such that the catch is rotated back, out of the closed position and into the open position, in particular by means of a catch spring.

(33) In normal operation, the drive pulley is then rotated back into the basic position 4, essentially independently of the return spring, in order to be ready for the next opening and closing cycle.

(34) However, if the power fails in this situation, then the return spring brings about the rotation back of the drive pulley 1, but not back into the basic position 4, but instead back into the freewheel end position 5. However, since the pawl no longer remains raised in the release position, simply when the drive pulley 1 is rotated back into the freewheel end position 5, the pawl can be lowered, in a subsequent opening and closing cycle, in order to latch together with the catch in the closed position even in emergency operation, for example without a supply of power from the electric motor 17.