Motor vehicle door lock

Abstract

The invention relates to a motor vehicle door lock, having a lock case (1), and also a locking mechanism (2, 3) which is supported in the lock case (1) and consists substantially of a rotary latch (2) and a pawl (3), and having an additional reinforcing element (7), wherein the reinforcing element (7) is formed as a reinforcing plate (7) which couples the two axes of rotation of both the rotary latch (2) and the pawl (1) at a distance from the lock case (1).

Claims

1. A motor vehicle door lock comprising, a lock case, wherein the lock case includes a center part having a first arm that extends away from the center part and a second arm that extends away from the center part, wherein the first and second arms extend away from the center part in the same direction; a locking mechanism which is supported in the lock case, wherein the locking mechanism is directly mounted to the center part and comprises a rotary latch and a pawl; and a reinforcing plate, wherein the reinforcing plate couples two axes of rotation of both the rotary latch and the pawl at a distance from the lock case, wherein at least a portion of the reinforcing plate is arranged parallel to the center part; wherein one of the first and second arms of the lock case and a supporting framework plane spanned by the reinforcing plate are arranged substantially parallel to one another; wherein the reinforcing plate has side members; and wherein each of the side members extend at one end up to the first arm and at another end are connected to one another by a cross member that touches the center part.

2. The motor vehicle door lock according to claim 1, wherein each axis of rotation is defined by a bearing bolt anchored in the center part of the lock case.

3. The motor vehicle door lock according to claim 2, wherein each of the bearing bolts engages at one end through the center part of the lock case and at another end through the reinforcing plate.

4. The motor vehicle door lock according to claim 2, wherein the reinforcing plate is arranged parallel to a bearing plane of the locking mechanism and the bearing plane is parallel to the center part.

5. The motor vehicle door lock according to claim 4, wherein the reinforcing plate and the center part, in conjunction with the bearing bolts define a supporting framework that is rectangular in cross-section.

6. The motor vehicle door lock according to claim 5, wherein both of the bearing bolts are arranged along edges of the supporting framework or are arranged as short sides thereof.

7. The motor vehicle door lock according to claim 1, wherein the side members are arranged substantially parallel to one another, and extend predominantly perpendicular in relation to at least another portion of the reinforcing plate.

8. The motor vehicle door lock according to claim 1, wherein the side members are connected to one another at respective ends by a respective cross member.

9. The motor vehicle door lock according to claim 1, wherein the side members are formed as an L-shape in cross-section in such a manner that a long arm of the L-shaped cross-section of each side member extends up to the first arm and a short arm of the L-shaped cross-section of each side member is perpendicular to the center part, and the short arms of the side members are connected to each other by a cross member that touches the second arm.

10. The motor vehicle door lock according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing plate with the side members, in conjunction with the lock case, defines a bearing cage for the locking mechanism.

11. The motor vehicle door lock according to claim 1, wherein the lock case is made of metal or steel.

12. The motor vehicle door lock according to claim 1, wherein the lock case is a monoblock or monolithic or one-piece part or component.

13. The motor vehicle door lock according to claim 2, wherein the lock case is made of metal or steel.

14. The motor vehicle door lock according to claim 2, wherein the lock case is a monoblock or monolithic or one-piece part or component.

15. The motor vehicle door lock according to claim 4, wherein the reinforcing plate has an L-shaped cross-section.

16. A motor vehicle door lock comprising, a lock case, wherein the lock case includes a center part having a first arm that extends away from the center part and a second arm that extends away from the center part, wherein the first and second arms extend away from the center part in the same direction; a locking mechanism which is supported in the lock case, wherein the locking mechanism is directly mounted to the center part and comprises a rotary latch and a pawl; and a reinforcing plate, wherein the reinforcing plate couples two axes of rotation of both the rotary latch and the pawl at a distance from the lock case, wherein at least a portion of the reinforcing plate is arranged parallel to the center part; wherein one of the first and second arms of the lock case and a supporting framework plane spanned by the reinforcing plate are arranged substantially parallel to one another; wherein the reinforcing plate has side members; wherein the side members are arranged substantially parallel to one another, and extend predominantly perpendicular in relation to at least another portion of the reinforcing plate; wherein the side members are connected to one another at respective ends by a respective cross member; and wherein each of the side members extend at one end up to the first arm and the cross member touches the center part.

17. A motor vehicle door lock comprising, a lock case, wherein the lock case is equipped with a center part, a first arm, and a second arm, wherein the first and second arms extend away from the center part in the same direction; a locking mechanism which is supported in the lock case, wherein the locking mechanism is directly mounted to the center part and comprises a rotary latch and a pawl; and a reinforcing plate, wherein the reinforcing plate couples two axes of rotation of both the rotary latch and the pawl at a distance from the lock case, wherein at least a portion of the reinforcing plate is arranged parallel to the center part, wherein the reinforcing plate and the center part, in conjunction with two bearing bolts, define a supporting framework which is rectangular in cross-section, wherein a length dimension of the rectangular cross-sectional shape of the supporting framework spans a supporting framework plane, which extends substantially parallel to the first arm; wherein the reinforcing plate has side members; wherein each of the side members extend at one end up to the first arm and at another end are connected to one another by a cross member that touches the center part.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the following, the invention will be specified in greater detail in reference to a set of drawings representing only one embodiment; the drawings show:

(2) FIGS. 1 and 2 various configurations of a motor vehicle door lock according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(3) The motor vehicle door lock represented in FIGS. 1 and 2 is equipped with a lock case 1 made of metal, in particular steel. Also represented is a locking mechanism 2, 3 comprising substantially a rotary latch 2 and a pawl 3. With the help of the rotary latch 2, a striker, which is not shown and is attached, for example, to a B-pillar of a motor vehicle body, is captured, said striker descending into the locking mechanism 2, 3 via a receiving slot or a receiving opening 4, and being released again when the locking mechanism 2, 3 is opened. This is the standard functioning method, and therefore will not be described in any greater detail in this context.

(4) The rotary latch 2 and the pawl 3 are each supported in the lock case 1. For this purpose, the lock case 1 is equipped with bearing bolts 5, 6 anchored therein, which define respective axes of rotation for the rotary latch 2 and the pawl 3.

(5) Actually, bearing bolt 5 is a rotary latch bearing bolt 5, on which rotary latch 2 is rotatably mounted. Bolt 6 is embodied and provided as a pawl bearing bolt 6 for the rotatable mounting of pawl 3. Both bearing bolts 5, 6 are anchored in lock case 1, and extend with one end through lock case 1. The other end of each of bearing bolts 5, 6 extends through a reinforcing plate 7.

(6) Reinforcing plate 7 represents a reinforcing element 7, which couples the axes of rotation of both rotary latch 2 and pawl 3 with one another, at a distance from lock case 1. Actually, each of the bearing bolts 5, 6 is equipped with a groove 8 at its head end, with the help of which the reinforcing element or reinforcing plate 7 is positioned in relation to the bearing bolt 5, 6 and held in place on the relevant bearing bolt 5, 6 at a distance from lock case 1. The reinforcing plate 7 is arranged as coplanar to, i.e. in the same plane as, a bearing plane 9.

(7) It is clear that, within the scope of the two embodiments according to FIGS. 1 and 2, lock case 1 is designed as substantially U-shaped in cross-section. Actually, lock case 1 is equipped with a center part 1a, an arm 1b and an arm 1c. Bearing plane 9 is formed by the center part 1a of the substantially U-shaped lock case 1. As has already been described, reinforcing plate 7 is arranged as coplanar with, i.e. in the same plane as, said bearing plane 9, and therefore as coplanar with the center part 1a of the substantially U-shaped lock case 1.

(8) The reinforcing plate 7 and the bearing plane 9, in conjunction with the two bearing bolts 5, 6, define a supporting framework 5, 7, 6, 9 which is rectangular in cross-section. This rectangular framework 5, 7, 6, 9 spans a supporting framework plane, which extends substantially parallel to arm 1b of lock case 1. Moreover, the two bearing bolts 5, 6 are each arranged along the edge of said rectangular supporting framework 5, 7, 6, 9, and therefore define the short sides of said rectangle. The long sides, in contrast, are formed by reinforcing plate 7 and bearing plane 9 or by center part 1a and arm 1c. The aforementioned supporting framework plane and arm 1b of the lock case are arranged substantially parallel to one another. This results in particularly favorable kinematics.

(9) As a result, any deformation forces acting on the lock case in the transverse or Y-direction of the vehicle can be withstood more or less easily. If, under such deformation forces, for example during a crash, the locking mechanism 2, 3 is located in its main latching position as represented in the figures, this position will be substantially maintained because the respective bearing bolts 5, 6 are additionally aligned and anchored relative to one another by means of the reinforcing plate 7.

(10) In a lateral impact and under the deformation forces in the transverse or Y-direction of the vehicle associated with this, the locking mechanism 2, 3 will not open unintentionally. This is because such forces are absorbed by the supporting framework 5, 7, 6, 9 in such a way that the associated bearing bolts 5, 6 undergo aligned deformations in this Y-direction, which generally do not correspond to an unintended opening of the locking mechanism 2, 3. In addition, any forces in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle or along the vertical axis or in the Z-direction of the vehicle are reliably absorbed and overcome by the rectangular supporting framework 5, 7, 6, 9 in question.

(11) Within the scope of the developed variant according to FIG. 2, reinforcing plate 7 is also equipped with additional side members 10. These additional side members 10 are arranged substantially parallel to one another. Moreover, the side members 10 in question extend substantially perpendicular in relation to reinforcing plate 7, which connects the two side members 10 to one another. As is further clear from FIG. 2, the two side members 10 are connected to one another at their respective ends by a respective cross member 11.

(12) The two side members 10 extend at one end up to arm 1b, with the other end of each side member extending along center part 1a and up to the second arm 1c of substantially U-shaped lock case 1. In this case, the side members 10 are embodied as L-shaped in cross-section, in contrast to the substantially U-shaped lock case 1. In this manner, the long L-arm 10a of the respective side member 10 extends up to arm 1b of lock case 1, whereas the short L-arm 10b of the L-shaped side member 10 stands vertically in relation to the center part 1a of the L-shaped lock case 1, and touches arm 1c.

(13) The lengths of the respective arms 1a, 10b on one side and those of center part 1b and arm 10a on the other side are adapted to one another, so that reinforcing plate 7 in conjunction with side members 10 and lock case 1, together define a bearing cage 1, 7, 10 for the locking mechanism 2, 3. This bearing cage 1, 7, 10 is capable of absorbing deceleration forces acting on the locking mechanism 2, 3 or the respective bearing bolts 5, 6 in any (three-dimensional) direction, without the position of the rotary latch 2 and the pawl 1 relative to one another being altered substantially, so that in practical terms, the locking mechanism 2, 3 will not open unintentionally. As a consequence, safety during a crash is increased tremendously, while at the same time, the stability of the lock case 1 is increased significantly over that of previous designs.