Motor vehicle door lock

Abstract

A motor vehicle door lock comprising a locking mechanism (1, 2) and a mechanical lever gear (4, 5) as well as a motor-driven opening unit (7 to 9), which are respectively individually arranged for opening of a locking mechanism (1, 2), wherein in the normal mode, the motorized opening unit (7 to 9) provides a free movement of the lever gear (4, 5) in relation to the locking mechanism (1, 2) and the engagement of the lever gear with the locking mechanism (1, 2) in the opening mode.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle door lock comprising: a locking mechanism having a pawl is moveable between a closed position and an open position; a mechanical lever gear that is a arranged on a common axis with the pawl and pivotable to move the pawl to the open position; a journal mechanically connected between the pawl and the mechanical lever gear, wherein the mechanical lever gear includes an L-shaped profile for the journal to engage therein and the pawl includes a slot-shaped profile for the journal to engage therein; a swiveling lever arranged between the pawl and the mechanical lever gear, the swiveling lever having a guiding area for receiving the journal, the journal following pivoting movement of the swiveling lever; and a motorized opening unit having a unidirectional motor and a pulley that is driven by the unidirectional motor and rotatable from a first position to a second position, wherein when the pulley is in the first position, the pulley acts on the swiveling lever to prevent the swiveling lever from acting on the journal, the journal being freely moveable within a first leg of the L-shaped profile of the mechanical lever gear, and the journal being located at a first end of the slot-like profile of the pawl, the mechanical lever gear being freely moveable relative to the locking mechanism without moving the pawl towards the open position, and wherein when the pulley is in the second position, the pulley releases the swiveling lever, the swiveling lever having pivoting movement and the journal following the pivoting movement to move to a second leg of the L-shaped profile of the mechanical lever gear and a second end of the slot-like profile of the pawl, enabling the mechanical lever gear to move the pawl towards the open position via the journal carrying the pawl.

2. The motor vehicle door lock according to claim 1, wherein the first leg of the L-shaped profile of the mechanical lever gear includes a free-movement area and the second leg of the L-shaped profile includes an engagement area.

3. The motor vehicle door lock according to claim 1, wherein a spring acting against a drive direction is assigned to the motorized opening unit.

4. The motor vehicle door lock according to claim 1, wherein the pulley contains a cam.

5. The motor vehicle door lock according to claim 4, wherein the pawl has a stop element and wherein the cam is configured as a drive cam interacting with the stop element on the pawl and with the swiveling lever.

6. The motor vehicle door lock according to claim 1, wherein the swiveling lever mechanically couples the cam of the pulley to the journal.

7. The motor vehicle door lock according to claim 1, wherein a return spring is assigned to the motorized opening unit.

8. The motor vehicle door lock according to claim 1, wherein the swiveling lever is u-shaped and the guiding area that accommodates the journal is u-shaped.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Below, the invention is explained in detail with reference to exemplary drawings showing only one embodiment, as follows:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a section of the motor vehicle door lock normal mode; and

(3) FIG. 2 shows the object of FIG. 1 in the opening operation.

(4) Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(5) The figures show a motor vehicle door lock, the basic arrangement of which contains a locking mechanism 1, 2 comprising a rotary latch 1 and a pawl 2 interacting in the usual manner with the rotary latch 1. In general, the locking mechanism 1, 2 can also contain a pawl lever 2 instead of the shown pawl 2, which then interacts in the usual manner with the pawl, not shown in the drawing. The functionality of the pawl lever 2 is the same as that of the pawl 2 described below. In other words, the lever with reference number 2 can generally be a pawl lever 2 acting on a pawl, not show, which in turn interacts with the rotary latch 1. The described example does not contain this pawl lever 2 but instead pawl 2, as shown in the figures. All functions described below are, however, feasible when using pawl 2 and, alternatively, pawl lever 2 as part of the example not shown and are part of the invention.

(6) FIG. 1 shows the normal mode of the motor vehicle door lock with the pawl 2 engaged with the rotary latch 1. As a result, a locking bolt 3only indicatedis caught and an associated motor vehicle doornot shownis locked. In contrast, FIG. 2 shows the opening operation. In this case, the pawl 2 has been lifted off the rotary latch 1 and can open the rotary latch 1 by means of a springnot shownand release the locking bolt 3. The same applies to the motor vehicle door.

(7) Part of the further general arrangement of the motor vehicle door lock is a mechanical lever gear 4, 5. The mechanical lever gear 4, 5 contains one actuating lever 4 and one or several levers 5 acting on the actuating lever 4. In order to be able to lift the pawl 2 off the closed rotary latch 1 with the aid of the actuating lever 4, the actuating lever 4 must be pivoted clockwise around its axis 6, as shown by the arrow indicated in FIG. 1. This means that the mechanical lever gear 4, 5 is configured for opening the locking mechanisms 1, 2.

(8) A motorized opening unit 7 to 9 is also able to open the locking mechanisms 1, 2. For this purpose, the motorized opening unit 7 to 9 contains an electric motor 7 and a driving pulley 8 driven by the electric motor in the embodiment. The driving pulley 8 contains a cam 9. The cam 9 is designed as a drive cam.

(9) Starting from the functional position shown in FIG. 1 or the normal mode, an anticlockwise pivoting movement of the driving pulley 8, initiated by the electric motor 7, around its axis 10 according to the drive direction 11, ensures that the cam or the drive cam 9 interacts with a stop element 12 on the pawl 2.

(10) This stop element 12 may be a stop edge, a stop profile, etc., which enters into the adjustment range of the drive cam 9 in normal mode. As a result, the drive cam 9 is, after completing a certain adjustment, able to act upon the pawl 2 at its stop element 12. As a result, the pawl 2 is pivoted around its axis 6 in clockwise direction as shown by an arrow in FIG. 1. The pawl 2 is consequently lifted off the rotary latch 1 and the locking mechanism 1, 2 is opened.

(11) The pawl 2 and the actuating lever 4 are arranged on a common axis 6 in a lock case 13, only indicated in the drawing. The motorized opening unit 7 to 9 and the driving pulley 8 with its respective axis or axis of rotation 10 is also housed in the lock case 13. The electric motor 7 acts on the driving pulley 8 by means of a known worm drive gear, with the worm drive gear engaging in external teeth on the driving pulley 8 in the known manner.

(12) Before the described motorized opening of the locking mechanism 1, 2 or before the drive cam 9 lifts the pawl 2 of the rotary latch 1 by means of the stop element 12 or also at the same time, the drive cam 9 ensures that an actuator 14 is acted upon. This actuator 14 is designed as a swiveling lever. In the embodiment, the actuator or the swiveling lever 14 is functionally and topologically arranged between the pawl 2 and the actuating lever 4. A connecting link 15, supporting a journal 16, is also arranged between said levers 2, 4. The journal 16 is in this case a mechanical connecting journal 16 between the pawl 2 and the actuating lever 4. Also apparent is an L-shaped and thus at least two-part profile 17 in the actuating lever 4 for the journal 16 to engage therein.

(13) The L-shaped profile 17 in the actuating lever 4 contains a free-movement area 17a in the vertical leg 17a and an engagement area 17b in the horizontal other L-leg 17b. The pawl 2 has a profile 18, which as a whole is, however, horizontal and slot-shaped. The journal or the connecting journal 16 extends through the profile 18 of the pawl 2, the connecting link 15 and then the profile 17 in the actuating lever 4, in this sequence. Naturally, this is not mandatory and only applies to the shown embodiment. As a result, the journal or connecting journal 16 extends perpendicularly to the plane of projection and thus also perpendicularly to the two levers 2, 4.

(14) The arrangement functions as follows. In the normal mode shown in FIG. 1, the motorized opening unit 7 to 9 ensures that the lever gear 4, 5 carries out a free movement in relation to the locking mechanism 1, 2. The normal mode corresponds with the drive cam 9 on the driving pulley 8 abuts on the stop journal 19 of the actuator or swiveling lever 14 in such a way that the actuator or the swiveling lever 14 does not act upon the connecting journal 16. Like the drive cam 9, the actuator or the swiveling lever 14 is in its base position.

(15) In this base position, the electric motor 7 is not energized. Also, a spring 20 acting against the drive direction 11, assigned to the motor-driven opening unit 7 to 9 ensures that the drive cam 9 takes up and maintains the respective base position. The same applies to the actuator or the swiveling lever 14 to which also a springnot shownis assigned and which holds said actuator or lever in the base position shown in FIG. 1.

(16) In this base position of the motor-driven opening unit 7 to 9 and thus of the actuator or of the swiveling lever 14, the journal 16 supported on the connecting link 15 is in the free-movement area 17a of profile 17 of the actuating lever 4. Also, the respective journal 16 is arranged on the left end of the horizontal slot-like profile 18 in the pawl 2. As soon as the mechanical lever gear 4, 5 is being acted upon in this normal mode, the connecting journal 16 moves along the vertical L-leg or the free-movement area 17a of the actuating lever 4. The mechanical lever gear 4, 5 is acted upon in the normal mode in such a way that the actuating lever 4 carries out a clockwise movement around its axis 6 shared with pawl 2 and indicated by the arrow in FIG. 1. During this process, the pawl 2 consequently rests and is thus not lifted off the rotary latch 1.

(17) If, however, the motor vehicle door lock moves into the opening operation, the functional position shown in FIG. 2 is reached at the end of the associated actuation movement of the motor-driven opening unit 7 to 9 The opening operation can, for instance, be initiated by the activation of a switch, activation of a handle, etc., which as a whole corresponds to the electric motor 7 of the motor-driven opening unit 7 to 9 being acted upon.

(18) Due to the unidirectional design of the motor-driven opening unit 7 to 9, the energizing of the electric motor 7 ensures that the driving pulley 8 is moved in the drive direction 11 in clockwise direction around its axis 10. As a result, the drive cam 9 leaves the stop journal 19 on the swiveling lever 14. Consequently, the swiveling lever 14 turns around its axis 21 in clockwise direction with the aid of a spring. This is apparent when comparing the functional positions of the swiveling lever 14 in the transition from FIG. 1 to FIG. 2.

(19) As the swiveling lever or the actuator 14 contains a U-shaped guiding area 14a for the journal 16 accommodated therein, the journal 16 follows the pivoting movement of the swiveling lever 14. In this way, the connecting journal 16 is moved from the free-movement area 17a of profile 17 in the actuating lever 4 into the engagement area 17b. At the same time, the connecting journal 16 moves from the left end of the slot-like profile 18 in the pawl 2 to the right end. This is shown by the dashed lines in FIG. 1, with FIG. 2 showing the final position. To initiate the movement of the swiveling lever or actuator 14 in the described sense, a return spring may be assigned to the actuator or swiveling lever 14.

(20) As soon as the drive cam 9 releases the swiveling lever or the actuator 14, the swiveling lever or the actuator 14 canas a result of being acted upon by the return springcarry out the movement of the transition from FIG. 1 to FIG. 2. As part of this process, the connecting journal 16 is moved into the engagement area 17b. The motorized opening unit 7 to 9 thus ensures the engagement of the mechanical lever gear 4, 5 directly at the start of the opening operation. The further rotary movement of the drive cam 9 now causes the drive cam 9 to interact with the stop element 12 on the pawl 2, lifting it off the rotary latch 1. In this context the mechanical lever gear 4, 5 can assistwhere requiredas the mechanical lever gear 4, 5 is in engagement with the locking mechanism 1, 2.

(21) Indeed the fact that the actuating lever 4 of the mechanical lever gear 4, 5 is moved around its axis 6 in clockwise direction ensures that the connecting journal 16 located in the engagement area 17b carries along the pawl 2. If, for instance the force of the electric motor 7 does not suffice to lift the pawl 2 off the rotary latch 1, the mechanical lever gear 4, 5 can assist at this point. For this purpose, the actuating lever 4 or the lever gear 4, 5 can be acted upon by a door handlenot expressly shownsuch as an internal door handle and/or external door handle.

(22) It is to be understood that the above-described embodiment is illustrative of only one of the many possible specific embodiments which can represent applications of the principles of the invention. Numerous and varied other arrangements can be readily devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.