Securing Arrangement for a Flap or Cover of a Vehicle

Abstract

A locking arrangement for a vehicle includes at least two locks for locking a flap or cover, in particular a single flap or cover, of the vehicle, and an opening device with an actuating device, in particular a single actuating device, for unlocking the two locks. The opening device is designed.

Claims

1.-12. (canceled)

13. A locking arrangement for a vehicle, comprising: at least two locks for locking a flap of the vehicle; an opening apparatus having an activation apparatus for unlocking the at least two locks, wherein the opening apparatus is configured such that the activating apparatus opens just a single one of the at least two locks, by a respective actuation of the activation apparatus.

14. The locking arrangement according to claim 13, wherein the activation apparatus is in the form of a rotatably supported lever which is connected to the at least two locks in order to unlock the at least two locks.

15. The locking arrangement according to claim 13, wherein the opening apparatus comprises a rotary lever and a coupling, the rotary lever is configured and arranged for manual activation, and the coupling is switchable, and in the coupled state connects the rotary lever to the activation apparatus so as to transmit torque and in the uncoupled state transmits no torque from the rotary lever to the activation apparatus.

16. The locking arrangement according to claim 15, wherein the coupling has an electrically controllable actuator for switching the coupling.

17. The locking arrangement according to claim 13, wherein the actuator is controlled via a central locking system of the vehicle.

18. The locking arrangement according to claim 15, wherein the coupling comprises a pin which is extendable and which, for coupling, is introduced into a recess of the rotary lever and/or into a recess of the activation apparatus.

19. The locking arrangement according to claim 13, wherein the activation apparatus is connected to the two locks by way of two opposing force transfer devices.

20. The locking arrangement according to claim 19, wherein the force transfer devices are displaceably received in the activation apparatus so that no thrust can be transmitted to the force transfer device.

21. The locking arrangement according to claim 15, wherein the rotation axes of the rotary lever and the activation apparatus are coaxial.

22. The locking arrangement according to claim 13, wherein an extendable extension lever is arranged on the rotary lever.

23. The locking arrangement according to claim 13, wherein the arrangement is for only a single flap, and the opening apparatus has only a single activation apparatus.

24. A vehicle, comprising: a flap; and a locking arrangement according to claim 13.

25. The vehicle according to claim 24, wherein the flap is a front flap.

26. The vehicle according to claim 24, wherein the coupling is switched by a central locking system of the vehicle.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] FIG. 1 shows a vehicle with a locking arrangement according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention;

[0032] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the locking arrangement according to the exemplary embodiment in a basic position;

[0033] FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the locking arrangement according to the exemplary embodiment in the uncoupled state;

[0034] FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the locking arrangement according to the exemplary embodiment in the uncoupled state; and

[0035] FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of the section designated A-A in FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] FIG. 1 shows a vehicle 100 having a flap 101. The flap 101 is the front flap (hood) of the vehicle 100.

[0037] The vehicle 1 comprises a locking arrangement 1 according to the exemplary embodiment shown here. The locking arrangement 1 comprises two locks 2 which are spaced apart from each other for locking the flap 101. The locking arrangement 1 further comprises an opening apparatus 3 which is connected to the two locks by way of two force transfer devices 4.

[0038] FIGS. 2 to 5 show, as schematic illustrations, the locking arrangement 1. Unless stated otherwise, reference is always made to FIGS. 2 to 5 below. FIG. 2 shows in this instance the locking arrangement 1 in a basic position. FIG. 3 shows the locking arrangement 1 in an activated but uncoupled statewithout activation of the lock. FIG. 4 shows the locking arrangement 1 in an activated, coupled state, wherein one of the locks has been activated. FIG. 5 shows the section designated A-A in FIG. 2.

[0039] The locking arrangement 1 comprises a base 5. The base 5 is mounted in the body of the vehicle 100 or is an integral component of the body. On the base 5 there is a rotary lever 6 which is supported in a rotationally movable manner about a rotation axis 11. From the rotary lever 6, an extension lever 7 may be retracted in order to increase the lever length and consequently to reduce the operating force. It is not illustrated that the extension lever 7 may be able to be reset in a resiliently loaded manner.

[0040] There is further located on the base 5 an activation apparatus 8 in the form of a rotatably supported lever. The activation apparatus 8 is also rotatably supported about the rotation axis 11.

[0041] The activation apparatus 8 has a receiving groove 9. This receiving groove 9 extends in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis 11. The receiving groove 9 may alternatively also be circular. Force transfer device heads 10 of the two force transfer devices 4 are located in the receiving groove 9. From the activation apparatus 8 or from the receiving groove 9, the two force transfer devices 4 extend in opposite directions to the two locks 2 illustrated in FIG. 1.

[0042] Furthermore, the Figures show a coupling 12, the function of which is schematically illustrated in FIG. 5. Accordingly, the rotary lever 6 and the activation apparatus 8 each have a recess 15. In the basic position according to FIG. 2, the two recesses 15 are congruent. The coupling 12 has an actuator 13 which can be controlled. For example, the actuator 13 is an electric motor or an electromagnetic actuator. The coupling 12 comprises a pin 14 which can be inserted and retracted by means of the actuator 13. When the pin 14 protrudes through both recesses 15, the rotary lever 6 and the activation apparatus 8 are coupled to each other; a rotational movement of the rotary lever 6 leads to a rotational movement of the activation apparatus 8. When the pin 14 is retracted and in this instance moves at least out of the recess 15 of the rotary lever 6, the rotary lever 6 and the activation apparatus 8 are uncoupled and a rotational movement cannot be transmitted. The actuator 13 is secured to the base 5 and the pin 14 also moves through the offset arrangement always with the activation apparatus 8; or in the coupled state with respect to the rotary lever 6 and the activation apparatus 8.

[0043] In the schematic illustration according to FIG. 5, the coupling 12 is located on the activation apparatus 8. However, any other arrangement of the coupling is also possible, as explained in the general portion of the description.

[0044] In the illustration according to FIG. 3, the coupling 12 is uncoupled. A movement of the rotary lever 6 consequently leads to no movement of the activation apparatus 8 and consequently to no force transmission via the force transfer devices 4 to the two locks. The two locks 2 thereby remain in the locked state.

[0045] FIG. 4 explains the coupled state. A rotational movement of the rotary lever 6 leads in this instance to a rotational movement of the activation apparatus 8. During the rotation illustrated in FIG. 4, the force transfer devices 4 illustrated at the bottom in the Figure is subjected to tension. The head 10 of the upper force transfer devices 4 slides in the receiving groove 9 so that no thrust or pressure is transmitted to this force transfer devices 4. In order to open the second lock 2, the rotary lever 6 is moved in the opposite direction so that the activation apparatus 8 is moved downward with respect to the illustration in FIG. 4 and consequently the upper force transfer device 4 is also pulled. The return springs which independently move the rotary lever 6 and the activation apparatus 8 back into the starting position thereof are not illustrated. Such resettings are, for example, known in vehicle door locking cylinders, where the key can be removed only in one position, and are not explained in greater detail here. Consequently, it is ensured that the rotary lever 6 and the activation apparatus 8 always maintain the correct position with respect to each other when the rotary lever 6 is not activated and consequently the pin 14 can couple when the actuator 13 is activated.

[0046] The exemplary embodiment shows schematically two coaxially supported elements, that is to say, the rotary lever 6 and the activation apparatus 8 which can be connected to each other by means of a coupling 12 having a pin 14. In the context of the invention, however, there is not necessarily provision for the rotary lever 6 and the activation apparatus 8 to be supported coaxially. The transmission of the torque from the rotary lever 6 to the activation apparatus 8 also does not have be carried out directly via the coupling 12 or the pin 14. Other components may also be arranged between the rotary lever 6 and the activation apparatus 8 so that the torque can be transmitted via these additional components indirectly to the activation apparatus 8.

[0047] One of the two locks 2 (or both locks 2) may have a sensor for interrogating the locking state. This at least one sensor is connected to a control device of the vehicle so that the locking state of the lock or the two locks in the vehicle can be indicated and/or used in another manner.

[0048] With the invention shown here, the front flap can be unlocked from the interior (for example, by means of a switch) and then opened from the outside. Furthermore, the front flap can be opened when the vehicle is unlocked and can be unlocked via the remote-control system when the vehicle is locked. When the vehicle is locked, everything is always lockedincluding the front flap (anti-theft security).

[0049] Furthermore, regulations with regard to storage space can be complied with; when the space below the front flap is used as other storage space (for example, with vehicles having a rear engine or small electric motor or hub motors, etc.), by directly fitting an activation means which can be activated only from the storage space to the activation apparatus 8 (similar use to use in tailgates) it becomes possible for the locking arrangement to be able to be opened from the storage space.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0050] 1 Locking arrangement [0051] 2 Locks [0052] 3 Opening apparatus [0053] 4 Force transfer device [0054] 5 Base [0055] 6 Rotary lever [0056] 7 Extension lever [0057] 8 Activation apparatus [0058] 9 Receiving groove [0059] 10 Force transfer heads [0060] 11 Rotation axis [0061] 12 Coupling [0062] 13 Actuator [0063] 14 Pin [0064] 15 Recesses [0065] 100 Vehicle [0066] 101 Flap