MOTOR VEHICLE CLOSING DEVICE

Abstract

A motor vehicle closing device, which is provided with at least one closing element, e.g. a rotary latch and/or a pawl as components of a motor vehicle lock. At least one sensor unit is also provided, which detects movements of the closing element. According to the invention, the sensor unit is designed for three-dimensionally detecting the movements of the closing element.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle closing device comprising: a motor vehicle lock having at least one closing element, and a sensor unit which detects movements of the closing element, wherein the sensor unit is designed for three-dimensionally detecting the movements of the closing element.

2. The motor vehicle closing device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor unit works without contact with the closing element.

3. The motor vehicle closing device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor unit has a sensing element and a sensor.

4. The motor vehicle closing device according to claim 3, wherein the sensing element and the sensor work optically.

5. The motor vehicle closing device according to claim 3, wherein the sensing element includes a permanent magnet and the sensor includes a Hall sensor, and the sensing element and the sensor work inductively.

6. The motor vehicle closing device according to claim 3, wherein the sensing element is attached on or in the closing element .

7. The motor vehicle closing device according to claim 3, wherein the sensor includes a lateral sensor that detects movements of the closing element in a lateral direction and a vertical sensor that detects movements of the closing element in a vertical direction.

8. The motor vehicle closing device according to claim 3, wherein the sensor is arranged on a semiconductor chip .

9. The motor vehicle closing device according to claim 1, further comprising a control unit, wherein the sensor unit is connected to the control unit and the control unit evaluates the-signals of the sensor unit.

10. The motor vehicle closing device according to claim 9, wherein the control unit evaluates the signals of the sensor unit including one or more of position determination, speed, and acceleration of the closing element .

11. The motor vehicle closing device according to claim 3, wherein the sensing element entirely or partially coincides with the closing element.

12. The motor vehicle closing device according to claim 10, wherein the control unit evaluates the one or more of the position determination, speed, and acceleration of the closing element based on compliance with respect to at least one of a setpoint value and a threshold value.

13. The motor vehicle closing device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one closing element includes at least one of a rotary latch and a pawl.

14. The motor vehicle closing device according to claim 4, wherein the sensing element includes a reflective surface with markings on the closing element, and the sensor scans the sensing element with a light beam to detect the movements of the closing element.

15. The motor vehicle closing device according to claim 7, wherein the sensor includes a Hall sensor arrangement and the sensing element includes a permanent magnet, whereby the lateral sensor and the vertical sensor measure a magnetic flux generated by the permanent magnet.

Description

[0021] The invention is explained in greater detail below with reference to drawings, which show only one example of an embodiment. In the drawings:

[0022] FIGS. 1A, 1B show the motor vehicle closing device according to the invention during the transition from an open position (FIG. 1A) into a pre-ratchet position and the main ratchet position indicated by dashed lines (FIG. 1B) and

[0023] FIGS. 2A, 2B schematically show the sensor unit in detail (FIG. 2A) and a signal on the output side (FIG. 2B).

[0024] In the drawings, a motor vehicle closing device is shown. According to the embodiment and not by way of limitation, the motor vehicle closing device is part of a motor vehicle lock and is equipped with at least one closing element 1, 2 for this purpose. In fact, two closing elements 1, 2 are implemented according to the embodiment, namely a rotary latch 1 and a pawl 2 that together define a locking mechanism 1, 2 that interacts with a lock holder 3 in a known manner during a closing process of an associated motor vehicle door. For this purpose, the two closing elements 1, 2 are arranged in or on the relevant motor vehicle door, whereas the lock holder 3 is located on the body side.

[0025] A sensor unit 4, 5 or 4 implemented according to the invention is also of particular importance; 5a, 5b. According to the embodiment and according to the invention, the sensor unit 4, 5 is designed for three-dimensionally detecting the movements of the closing element 1, 2. The embodiment shows that in the present case the sensor unit 4, 5 detects both movements of the rotary latch 1 and movements of the pawl 2 in three dimensions. In principle, however, a plurality of sensor units 4, 5 can also be implemented for this purpose.

[0026] The sensor unit 4, 5 operates overall without contact and, according to the embodiment, has at least one sensing element 4 and a sensor 5 or 5a, 5b. According to the embodiment, a plurality of sensing elements 4 are implemented, namely two sensing elements 4 on the rotary latch 1 and a further, third sensing element 4 on or in the pawl 2. In the embodiment, the sensing elements 4 are each permanent magnets. In contrast, the sensor 5 or 5a, 5b is in the present case embodied as a 3D Hall sensor.

[0027] It can be seen that the sensor 5a, 5b is equipped in two parts with a lateral sensor element 5a and, in addition, a vertical sensor element 5b. It is clear from FIG. 2A that movements of the associated sensing element or the two sensing elements 4 in or on the rotary latch 1 in the X direction indicated there can be detected using the lateral or laterally detecting sensor element 5a. The X direction corresponds in the present case and not by way of limitation to the vehicle longitudinal direction. In addition, the lateral sensor element 5a is capable of optionally additionally recording movements of the relevant sensing element 4 in the Y direction or vehicle transverse direction. For this purpose, a plurality of sensors 5 arranged in the X direction and optionally in the Y direction can be provided, as indicated in FIG. 2A.

[0028] In contrast, the vertical sensor element 5b primarily ensures that, with its help, the movements of the sensing elements 4 in question on or in the rotary latch 1 are also detected in the Z direction or the vehicle vertical axis direction. According to the embodiment, the vertical sensor element 5b is additionally designed and able to sense pivoting movements of the pawl 2 and of the associated sensor 4 attached thereto or embedded therein in precisely this Z-direction.

[0029] In any case, signals for the magnetic flux density B in the Z direction Bz or also in the Y direction B.sub.Y are observed schematically, as indicated in principle in FIG. 2B. Comparable signals that are not shown are registered for the X direction of the flux density Bx. These signals of the individual sensors 5 or the sensor elements 5a, 5b thereof can be recorded and evaluated by a control unit, which is not shown in detail. The control unit evaluates the signals of the sensor 5 not only to determine the position of the relevant closing element 1, 2. Rather, speeds of the relevant closing element 1, 2 or even the acceleration thereof can also be derived from this. Compliance with any threshold values or setpoint values during the movement of the closing element 1, 2 can also be checked using the control unit.

[0030] As a result, the control unit can check whether the rotary latch 1 has maintained a predetermined path, for example, starting from the open position in FIG. 1A in the transition to the pre-ratchet position according to FIG. 1B. Only then, in the example, is a closing drive acted upon by a corresponding signal of the control unit in order to move the rotary latch 1 from the pre-ratchet position according to FIG. 1B into the main ratchet position. The main ratchet position is shown in dashed lines in FIG. 1B.

[0031] The closing process has been successfully completed when, in the example under consideration, the rotary latch 1 has completed a path of 15 mm during the transition from the pre-ratchet position to the main ratchet position. If the path detected using the sensor unit 4, 5 and evaluated by the control unit is below this setpoint value, this indicates that the closing process is not complete. As a result of this, a signal is emitted, for example, that indicates that the main ratchet position has not been reached properly.

[0032] In addition, such comprehensive detection of the movement of the closing elements 1, 2 can also be used, for example, to activate safety devices such as airbags in the event that the rotary latch 1 in the example has not reached its main ratchet position but rather its pre-ratchet position according to the solid line in FIG. 1B. This increases safety enormously because, according to the invention, there is now the possibility of ensuring optimal protection for the vehicle passengers during operation and when the rotary latch 1 has not reached the main ratchet position.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0033] 1, 2 closing elements [0034] 3 lock holder [0035] 4, 5 sensor unit