Lock for a motor vehicle door

Abstract

The invention relates to a lock for a motor vehicle door with: a locking mechanism; an actuating lever assembly which acts upon the locking mechanism; and a drive unit for at least one lever of the actuating lever assembly. The drive unit comprises at least one motor and a bolt which is acted upon by the motor and is provided with a recess for at least one output shaft of the motor.

Claims

1. Motor vehicle door latch including a locking mechanism, the motor vehicle door latch comprising an actuating lever assembly, which acts on the locking mechanism, and a drive unit for driving at least one lever of the actuating lever assembly, in which the drive unit comprises a motor, an output shaft extending from the motor, an output pinion mounted on the output shaft, and a sliding member operatively connected to the motor, wherein the sliding member includes a plurality of teeth and a longitudinal groove that defines a U-shaped cross section seat that receives the output shaft of the motor, wherein the output pinion engages the teeth of the sliding member, wherein a head of the output shaft has a cylindrical section received in the U-shaped seat and radially supported thereof.

2. Motor vehicle door latch according to claim 1, wherein the sliding member is designed as a toothed rod arrangement.

3. Motor vehicle door latch according to claim 2, wherein the output pinion is arranged on the output shaft behind a head accommodated in the seat.

4. Motor vehicle door latch according to claim 3, wherein the seat is a slotted hole.

5. Motor vehicle door latch according to claim 4, wherein an axial length of the slotted hole defines a travel of the sliding member.

6. Motor vehicle door latch according to claim 5, wherein the seat has an internal width adjusted to a diameter of the output shaft.

7. Motor vehicle door latch according to claim 1, wherein the output pinion is arranged on the output shaft behind a head accommodated in the seat.

8. Motor vehicle door latch according to claim 1, wherein the seat is a slotted hole.

9. Motor vehicle door latch according to claim 8, wherein an axial length of the slotted hole defines a travel of the sliding member.

10. Motor vehicle door latch according to claim 1, wherein the seat has an internal width adjusted to a diameter of the output shaft.

11. Motor vehicle door latch according to claim 1, wherein a cross section of the sliding member is essentially L-shaped with a drive leg and a guide leg.

12. Motor vehicle door latch according to claim 11, wherein an underside of the output pinion contains the teeth into which the output pinion engages.

13. Motor vehicle door latch according to claim 12, wherein the U-shaped seat is located in the guide leg with the U-shaped seat spaced apart from the plurality of teeth with the plurality of teeth positioned adjacent to the guide leg.

14. Motor vehicle door latch according to claim 11, wherein the front of the guide leg contains the seat for the output shaft.

15. Motor vehicle door latch according to claim 11, wherein a cross section of the output pinion essentially fills the space between the two L legs.

16. Motor vehicle door latch according to claim 1, wherein the sliding member is made from plastic and/or metal.

17. Motor vehicle door latch according to claim 1, wherein the sliding member acts on a locking lever and/or coupling lever as a component of the actuating lever assembly in order to move said lever.

18. Motor vehicle door latch according to claim 1, wherein the drive unit moves the sliding member linearly.

19. Motor vehicle door latch according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of teeth on the sliding member define a straight rack.

20. Motor vehicle door latch according to claim 1, wherein engagement of the output shaft in the U-shaped seat resists movement of the output shaft away from the plurality of teeth.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a drive unit for a motor vehicle door latch of the invention,

(2) FIG. 2 shows a partially sectional side view of the object of FIG. 1 and

(3) FIG. 3 shows a section of the motor vehicle door latch of the invention with the drive unit as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(4) The figures show a motor vehicle door latch containing as usual a locking mechanism—not shown in the embodiment—which is generally located or arranged on a level below the level shown in FIG. 3. In the shown embodiment, a release lever 1 acts on the locking mechanism which ensures or can ensure that a pawl is lifted off a catch as a respective component of the locking mechanism. FIG. 3 also shows a locking lever 2 that can be pivoted with the aid of a drive unit 3, 4.

(5) In order to achieve this, a motor 3 of the drive unit 3, 4 acts on a sliding member 4—starting from the “locked” functional state in FIG. 3—in such a way that the sliding member 4 carries out an upwards movement. As a result, the sliding member 4 is released from the engagement with the locking lever 2. In the “locked” position shown in FIG. 3, the release lever 1 is unable to open the locking mechanism. A mechanical coupling of a handle to the shown actuating lever assembly by means of the release lever 1 and the locking lever 2 up to the locking mechanism, is interrupted. Any activation of the handle results in an idle stroke.

(6) In contrast, the “unlocked” position not shown, corresponds to the sliding member 4 being moved “up” compared to its functional position in FIG. 3 and releases the locking lever 2. The lever can assume its “unlocked” position and ensures, as a whole, a continuous mechanical connection from the handle and the release lever 1 up to the locking mechanism. As a result, activation of the handle is directly translated into opening of the locking mechanism. This is the usual function.

(7) The drive unit 3, 4 is now explained in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. The motor 3 is an electric motor. The motor 3 acts on the sliding member 4, which as a result carries out linear movements, as indicated by the double arrows in FIG. 3. During such movements it can occur that radial forces R act on the sliding member 4 as indicated by respective arrows in FIG. 1. In order to ensure that the motor 3 can still move the sliding member 4 correctly when exposed to such radial forces R, an output shaft 5 of the motor 3 is equipped with an output pinion 6, engaging in the teeth 7 of the sliding member 4. The sliding member 4 is thus a toothed rod arrangement.

(8) Particularly significant for the invention is the fact that the sliding member 4 contains a seat 8 for the output shaft 5 of the motor 3. This seat 8 accommodates the head of the output shaft 5 or a head 5a of the output shaft 5 enters the respective seat 8.

(9) As the output shaft 5 is generally cylindrical or is a cylindrical pin, the head 5a of the output shaft 5 is thus a cylindrical section. This cylindrical section is accommodated in the U-shaped seat 8 and is radially supported. This means that any radial forces R acting on the output pinion 6 and/or the sliding member 4 as indicated in FIG. 1 do as a result of the invention not (no longer) cause the radial distance between the output shaft 5 and the teeth 7 or the sliding member 4 to be changed. Instead it is ensured that even under such radial forces R, the output pinion 6 meshes correctly with the teeth 7.

(10) All in all the arrangement is such that the output pinion 6 is arranged after the head 5a on the output shaft 5 of the motor 3 in the direction of the motor 3. The head 5a of the output shaft 5 on the other hand engages in the seat 8 in the sliding member 4. The seat 8 is in this case designed as a slotted hole, as apparent when comparing FIGS. 2 and 3. The seat or slotted hole also has an axial length L, defining a respective travel of the sliding member 4, also of the length L (see FIG. 3). In addition, the slotted hole or seat 8 has an internal width that is adapted to a diameter of the output shaft 5. This is apparent from the cross sectional view of FIG. 2.

(11) As a result the already described radial support of the output shaft 5 is provided, at the same time defining and restricting the travel of the length L of the slider 4, thus increasing functional reliability.

(12) This is also aided by the fact that the sliding member 4 essentially has an L-shaped cross section. The figures actually show a drive leg 4a and a guide leg 4b. The drive leg 4a contains the teeth 7 on is underside into which the output pinion 6 engages. In contrast, the front side of the guide leg 4b contains the seat or slotted hole 8 for the output shaft 5 or the head 5a of the output shaft 5. The L-shaped cross section of the sliding member 4 defines a space between the two L-legs 4a, 4b. The output pinion 6 essentially fills this room between the two L-legs 4a, 4b and is consequently protected and arranged below the sliding member 4. The same applies for the teeth 7, so that any damage, soiling, etc. of the teeth 7 and of the output pinion 6 are restricted to a minimum.

(13) The output pinion 6 and/or the sliding member 4 can thus be made of plastic or can be designed as an injection-molded plastic part. Generally it is, however, alternatively or in addition also possible to produce the output pinion 6 and/or sliding member 4 from metal, for instance by metal die casting.