Motor-vehicle door lock

Abstract

The subject matter of the present invention is a motor-vehicle door lock which is equipped with a locking mechanism, further with an opening drive (3, 4) which acts on the locking mechanism, and also with an operating lever mechanism (6, 7). At least one sensor (8) for checking an operator opening request is further provided. Finally, a safety device (9, 10, 11), which prevents the locking mechanism (3, 4) from opening at least in its safe position, is provided. The invention makes provision for an intermediate lever (7) of the operating lever mechanism (6, 7), which intermediate lever mechanically converts the operator opening request, to selectively act on or not act on the sensor (8) which actuates the opening drive (3, 4), depending on the position of the safety device (9, 10, 11).

Claims

1. A motor vehicle door lock with a locking mechanism comprising a rotary latch and a paw, the door lock further comprising an opening drive comprising an electric motor and a driven pulley, the driven pulley comprising a driven gear acted upon by the electric motor, and said opening drive acting on the locking mechanism and, an operating lever mechanism comprising at least one sensor for checking an operator opening request, and one safety device which prevents the locking mechanism from opening at least in a safe position of the safety device, wherein an intermediate lever of the operating lever mechanism acts as a blocking lever in a first position of the intermediate lever to block said driven gear and the intermediate lever is pivotable around an axis in a clockwise direction, and said intermediate lever mechanically converts the operator opening request by a clockwise movement of the intermediate lever around its respective axis to a second position causing an actuating cam to selectively act on the sensor which actuates the opening drive depending on the position of the safety device.

2. The motor vehicle door lock according to claim 1, wherein the safety device contains an actuating journal, which depending on its position (released or safe) acts on the intermediate lever after an operator opening request in order to actuate the sensor or freewheel in relation to the intermediate lever.

3. The motor vehicle door lock according to claim 2, wherein the safety device operates manually.

4. The motor vehicle door lock according to claim 3, wherein the safety device contains a manual actuating element and an actuator supporting the actuating journal.

5. The motor vehicle door lock according to claim 4, wherein the actuating element is an actuating cam and the actuator is flexibly connected to the actuating element.

6. The motor vehicle door lock according to claim 5, wherein the actuator is an actuating slider.

7. The motor vehicle door lock according to claim 6, wherein blocking lever in the released position of the safety device is mechanically coupled to a handle and/or an electric motor drive, whilst in the safe position of the safety device the handle and or the electric motor drive freewheel in relation to the blocking lever.

8. The motor vehicle door lock according to claim 7, wherein the safety device is a child lock.

9. The motor vehicle door lock according to claim 8, wherein the additional at least one locking lever is provided as part of the operating lever mechanism.

10. The motor vehicle door lock according to claim 4, wherein the actuator is an actuating slider.

11. The motor vehicle door lock according to claim 2, wherein the intermediate lever is a blocking lever interacting with the opening drive.

12. The motor vehicle door lock according to claim 11, wherein blocking lever in the released position of the safety device is mechanically coupled to a handle and/or an electric motor drive, whilst in the safe position of the safety device the handle and or the electric motor drive freewheel in relation to the blocking lever.

13. The motor vehicle door lock according to claim 1, wherein the safety device is a child lock.

14. The motor vehicle door lock according to claim 1, wherein the additional at least one locking lever is provided as part of the handle mechanism.

15. A door lock for a door on a motor vehicle, the door having an operating lever that generates an opening request, the door lock comprising: a locking mechanism having a closed state for locking the door and an opened state for unlocking the door, the locking mechanism comprising a rotary latch and a paw; a safety device having a safe position, which prevents the locking mechanism from opening at least in its safe position; an opening drive comprising an electric motor and a pulley, the pulley comprising a gear mechanically coupled to said electric motor, wherein said opening drive acts on said locking mechanism to lock or unlock said locking mechanism depending on the state of said safety device; an intermediate lever movable between a first position and a second position, wherein said opening request mechanically moves said intermediate lever to the second position, and wherein said intermediate lever blocks movement of said gear when said intermediate lever is in the first position; a sensor that detects when said intermediate lever is in the second position to actuate said opening drive.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows the inventive motor vehicle door lock in the released and locked position of the safety device and

(2) FIG. 2 shows the object of FIG. 1 in the released and unlocked position;

(3) FIG. 3 shows the motor vehicle door lock and the safety device in the safe and unlocked position and

(4) FIG. 4 shows the object of FIG. 3 in the safe and locked position

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(5) The figures show a motor vehicle door lock containing a locking mechanism that is not expressly shown. As usual, the locking mechanism essentially comprises a rotary latch and a pawl. A release lever 1 is acting on the locking mechanism that can be pivoted around an axle 2. Pivoting movements of the release lever 1 in the shown clockwise direction in FIG. 1 around its axis 2 cause a pawl to be lifted off a rotary latch and the rotary latch is opened with the aid of a spring. In the shown embodiment an opening drive 3, 4, essentially comprising an electric motor 3 and a driven pulley 4 acted upon by the electric motor 3.

(6) The driven pulley 4 contains an actuating cam at its rearnot shown in the drawingacting upon the release lever 1 for opening the locking mechanism. For this purpose, the electric motor 3 acts on the driven pulley 4 in a manner that it carries out a counterclockwise movement around its axis 5 as indicated by an arrow in FIG. 1. As soon as the driven pulley 4 carries out this counterclockwise movement and the actuating cam at its rear pivots the release lever 1 around its axis 2, the locking mechanism is opened with the aid of the opening drive 3, 4.

(7) The further basic design of the shown motor vehicle door lock contains an operating lever mechanism 6, 7. Only a locking lever 6 and an intermediate lever 7 or blocking lever 7 are shown of the operating lever mechanism. Naturally the operating lever mechanism 6, 7 also includes other levers not expressly listed, which are, however, not relevant for the below description.

(8) The figures furthermore show a sensor 8, being in this case a switch or micro switch 8. The switch 8 can be acted upon with the aid of an intermediate lever or blocking lever 7. In order to achieve this, the intermediate lever or blocking lever 7 must be pivoted around its axis 2 in clockwise direction.

(9) The intermediate lever or blocking lever 7 is actually mounted on the same axis as the release lever 1 on a common axis 2. A clockwise movement of the intermediate lever or of the blocking lever 7 around the respective axis 2 causes the actuating cam 7a of the blocking lever 7 to act on the sensor or switch 8. The associated switch position or change to the switch position is interpreted by a connected control unit as a switch position or change of switch position and causes the opening drive 3, 4 to be acted upon in the embodiment.

(10) This does indeed cause an opening movement of the locking mechanism. This means that after actuating the sensor or switch 8, the opening drive 3, 4 is acted upon by the control unitnot shownin such a way that the driven pulley 4 carries out its counterclockwise movement around the axis 5, as indicated in FIG. 1, pivoting the release lever 1 in clockwise direction during this process. As a result, the pawl is lifted off the rotary latch so that the locking mechanism is then opened.

(11) Finally, the figures also show a safety device 9, 10, 11, which in this case is a child lock 9, 10, 11. The safety device 9, 10, 11 can generally assume two positions. In FIGS. 1 and 2, the safety device or child lock 9, 10, 11 is in the released child lock off position. In contrast, the functional position in FIGS. 3 and 4 corresponds to the safe position of the safety device 9, 10, 11, or child lock on.

(12) At least in the safe position of the safety device 9, 10, 11 (see FIGS. 3 and 4), the safety device or child lock 9, 10, 11 prevents opening of the locking mechanism. With the aid of a sensor or switch 8 an operator opening request is checked, as explained in detail below. This operator opening request is actually mechanically implemented with the aid of the intermediate lever 7 of the operating lever mechanism 6, 7. In the invention this is implemented in accordance with the position of the safety device 9, 10, 11.

(13) At the same time, the overall design is such that the intermediate lever or blocking lever 7 mechanically converts the operator opening request to selectively act or not act on the sensor 8 which actuates the opening drive 3, 4 depending on the position of the safety device 9, 10, 11.

(14) If the safety device or child lock 9, 10, 11 is in its released or child lock off position (see FIGS. 1 and 2), the intermediate lever or blocking lever 7, mechanically implementing the operator opening request, can act on the sensor 8. For this purpose, the safety device 9, 10, 11 contains an actuating journal 11. In the released position of the safety device 9, 10, 11 the actuating journal 11 acts on the intermediate lever or blocking lever 7 in case of an operator opening request in the direction shown by the arrow in the figures and in the sense of an upwards movement. As a result, the actuating journal 11 moves against the intermediate lever or blocking lever 7 or a blocking catch 7b, so that as a result of this movement, the intermediate lever or blocking lever 7 is pivoted around its axis 2 in clockwise direction and operates the sensor or switch 8.

(15) During this process, a blocking catch 7c of the intermediate lever or blocking lever 7 disengages from the driven pulley 4. As a result, the sensor or switch 8 can act on the opening drive 3, 4 which then moves the driven pulley 4 in counter-clockwise direction, as described so that the release lever 1, moved in clockwise direction, lifts the pawl off the locking mechanism. At the end off this process, the locking mechanism is open.

(16) As long as the blocking catch 7c engages the driven pulley 4, such opening movements are not possible, as the blocking catch 7c respectively blocks the movement of the driven pulley 4. This ensures that incorrect energizing of the opening drive 3, 4 does or can not cause unwanted opening of the locking mechanism.

(17) The safety device 9, 10, 11 contains a manual actuating element 9 in form of an actuating cam 9. Also an actuator 10 is provided on which the actuating journal 11 is mounted, said actuator in this case being an actuating slider 10. The actuating slider or the actuator 10 is flexibly connected to the actuating element or the actuating cam 9.

(18) In the released position of the safety device 9, 10, 11 or child lock off (see FIGS. 1 and 2), the blocking lever 7 is mechanically coupled to a handlenot shownand/or an electric motor connectionalso not shown. Both, the handle and the electric motor drive converts an operator opening request in such a way that the actuating journal 11 of the safety device 9, 10, 11 is acted upon in the direction of the arrow indicated in the figures in the sense of an upward movement. For this purpose, the handle can act on the actuating journal 11 using respective actuators. A similar process applies for the electrical motor drive. As already described, the operator opening request in the released position of the safety device 9, 10, 11 or the child lock off position of the child lock 9, 10, 11 causes the blocking lever 7 to be pivoted around its axis 2 in clockwise direction with the aid of the actuating journal 11, being acted upon in the sense of an upward movement. As a result, the sensor or switch 8 is activated and the opening drive 3, 4, is triggered to open the locking mechanism.

(19) In contrast, the handle or the electric motor drive freewheels in relation to the blocking lever 7 or the electric motor drive in the safe position of the safety device 9, 10, 11 or in the position child lock on of the child lock (see FIGS. 3 and 4). Respective acting on the actuating journal 11 in the sense of an upwards movement results in the associated FIGS. 3 and 4 in freewheeling in relation to the blocking lever 7. This is due to the fact that during this process the actuating journal 11 does not reach the actuating cam 7b of the blocking lever 7 and moves past it.

(20) For the purpose of the description, the operating lever mechanism 6, 7 does not only include the intermediate lever or blocking lever 7 but also the aforementioned locking lever 6. In FIGS. 1 and 4, the locking lever 6 is in its locked position. In contrast, the position in FIGS. 2 and 3 corresponds to the unlocked position of the locking lever 6. In standard operation and when the safety device 9, 10, 11 is in the released or child lock off position, the locking lever 6 constantly maintains its locked position. As a result, the described safety lock of the opening drive 3, 4 has been implemented. As long as the safety device 9, 10, 11 maintains its released or child lock off position, the position of the locking lever 6 (unlocked or locked) is of no importance for the implementation of the operator opening request.

(21) This means that with the aid of the intermediate lever 7, the operator opening request is always mechanically converted to an opening of the locking mechanism when the handle is acted upon and/or the electric motor drive is operated, as soon as the safety device 9, 10, 11 assumes its released position. The position of the locking lever 6 is immaterial for this purpose. This becomes apparent when comparing FIGS. 1 and 2. The figures show that the actuating journal 11, converting the operator opening request, acts on the actuating cam 7b of the blocking lever 7 when the locking lever 6 is in the locked position and when the locking lever 6 is in its unlocked position as shown in FIG. 2. In this context it is important that the safety device 9, 10, 11 assumes or has assumed its released position.

(22) If the safety device 9, 10, 11 is, however, in its safe position or the child lock 9, 10, 11 is in the child lock on position, the actuating journal 11 constantly freewheels in relation to the actuating cam 7b of the blocking lever 7 and irrespective of the position of the locking lever 6. In FIG. 3 said locking lever 6 is in its unlocked and in FIG. 4 in its locked position. In both situations, the position of the safety device 9, 10, 11 safe ensures that the actuating journal 11 moves past the actuating cam 7b of the blocking lever 7 resulting in said freewheeling.