EP0811101B1 - Motor vehicle flap lock, especially tailgate flap lock - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a motor vehicle flap lock or the like, in particular a rear flap lock, with the features of the preamble of claim 1.

The well-known motor vehicle flap lock or the like, from which the invention is based (FR - A - 2 554 898), is described there as a door lock, but especially for rear doors or tailgates can be used. Those with a have special meaning Electromotive opening drive motor vehicle locks namely for Rear doors of estate cars or for tailgates of normal sedans. In principle, however, the applicability also applies to motor vehicle side doors.

In the known motor vehicle flap lock or the like. The pawl has on her end away from the axis of rotation a lifting projection on which a as Actuator slide executed attacks. The electric motor drive with the drive element and the driver pin arranged eccentrically thereon acts on the actuator. The actuator is in its upper, the pawl lifting position shifted and remains in this, because the pawl of the Lock latch actively held in its open position even in its open position becomes. On the actuating part, the driver pin can laterally on a driver stop surface start up. This is in the collapse position of the pawl outside of Movement path of the driver pin. By starting the driver pin the stop surface, the electric motor drive is switched off.

The known motor vehicle flap lock or the like is therefore already expedient because there is no need for a return spring with a control of the electric motor without microswitch, just by starting the driver pin on the Stop area works. If the driver pin runs against the stop surface, it increases the power consumption of the electric drive motor on and after a certain The switch-off can be delayed. Returns the lock latch when closing the tailgate in the rest position, so the pawl returns to the Return position. She takes the actuator down with it and moves the driver stop surface from the movement path of the driver pin out. This means that it is no longer blocked and can be opened the next time it is opened rotated freely in its working direction by means of the drive element will.

The construction known from the prior art is dangerous if the electric motor drive should fail for whatever reason. Stands the driver pin then namely in an unfavorable position, so the The pawl can no longer be moved to the lifting position even by manual emergency operation be moved. This problem has already been recognized in the prior art has been provided, because there is an emergency operating part that in such a case the driver pin again mechanically out of engagement with the actuating part brings and at the same time then moves the actuator and the pawl in the Lift position moved. To make this possible, the driver pin itself relative to the drive element in the direction of rotation, is therefore in one Direction relative to the drive element limited relative movement.

The previously described construction for manual emergency operation requires one Plurality of components that reflect the special features of the linearly displaceable actuating part are adjusted. The invention is therefore based on the object. the known Motor vehicle flap lock or the like. To simplify construction.

A structurally simple motor vehicle flap lock is also from the State of the art known (DE - C - 39 32 268). In this known motor vehicle flap lock is an elastic for the pawl and its lifting position Stop provided. Once the pawl the elastic stop and thus has reached its lifting position, the electric motor drive is switched off. The representing a worm wheel of an electromotive worm drive, as Washer-driven element is held in place by a preloaded return spring Reverse direction rotated about its axis of rotation and in this way to its starting position returned. The driver pin thus sweeps on the same Reverse paths back to its starting position on which it approached the actuating surface of the pawl on the way there and this in the lifting position has moved. If the tailgate is then closed, the lock latch is released the pawl free so that it can return to the collapsed position, and under the action of the spring located between the two.

In the previously described motor vehicle flap lock, the electromotive Drive not only lift the pawl, but also the return spring at the same time tension the worm wheel. It must therefore be executed accordingly powerfully be.

A corresponding motor vehicle flap lock is also known from the prior art or motor vehicle door lock (DE - A - 32 42 527). where the digging the pawl takes place by means of an eccentric driver pin so that that the drive element always only rotates in one direction, i.e. is not reset, the driver pin after lifting the pawl on its actuating surface passes by. The driver pin does not sweep in one here Backward movement back to its starting position, but runs through one complete 360 ° arc back to its starting position when it is reached a microswitch switches off the electric motor drive.

The task shown above is od in a motor vehicle flap lock. Like, with the features of the preamble of claim 1 by the features of characterizing part of claim 1 solved.

When approaching the driver stop surface (but also the actuating surface) the driver pin is initially opposed to the effect of the spring force stop the drive element, so this will over a certain Continue moving until the positive connection between the driver pin and Drive element of this further movement puts an end. Only then will the electric motor Drive switched off. Now the pawl returns when closing the Tailgate back into the collapsed position, so the driver pin moves under Effect of the spring force continues automatically to a point beyond the location of the Driver stop surface on the pawl. The angle of the circular arc must be corresponding be measured. No matter what now with the electric motor drive The next time it is pressed, the pawl is blocked mechanical emergency operation is excluded in any case.

The automatic release of the driver pin to a mechanical emergency actuation Allow is for a one-piece pawl and one for this simple Realized design adapted and integrated into the drive element. In order to the claimed motor vehicle flap lock or the like is structurally particularly simple designed.

Fig. 1

ein besonders bevorzugtes Ausführungsbeispiel eines erfindungsgemässen Kraftfahrzeug-Heckklappenschlosses in Ausgangsstellung, nämlich in Raststellung der Schloßfalle, der elektrische Antriebsmotor abgeschaltet,

Fig. 2

das Schloß aus Fig. 1 bei Erreichen der Aushebestellung der Sperrklinke, die Schloßfalle den Öffnungs-Schwenkhub beginnend,

Fig. 3

das Schloß aus Fig. 1, jetzt mit der Schloßfalle in Öffnungsstellung und der Sperrklinke in Aushebestellung, den Mitnehmerzapfen an der Mitnehmer-Stoppfläche, der elektromotorische Antrieb abgeschaltet.

Fig. 4

das Antriebselement aus Fig. 2 in einer Ansicht aus Richtung IV.

In the following, the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to a drawing showing only one embodiment. In the drawing shows

Fig. 1

a particularly preferred embodiment of a motor vehicle tailgate lock according to the invention in the starting position, namely in the latching position of the lock latch, the electric drive motor switched off,

Fig. 2

1 upon reaching the lifting position of the pawl, the lock latch starting the opening pivot stroke,

Fig. 3

the lock from Fig. 1, now with the lock latch in the open position and the pawl in the raised position, the driver pin on the driver stop surface, the electric motor drive switched off.

Fig. 4

2 in a view from the direction IV.

Fig. 1 shows the example of a motor vehicle tailgate lock, but in so far not to be understood as restrictive, that is to say also for all other flap locks, hood locks or door locks on motor vehicles, first a lock housing 1 and stored therein a lock latch 2 designed as a rotary latch on a bearing axis 3. The location of a striker 4 is indicated, which of the lock latch 2 with the Fork mouth is detected when the tailgate is closed.

In the illustrated locking position, the lock latch 2 is held by a pawl 5, which is shown in Fig. 1 in its collapsed position. The pawl 5 is one In the illustrated embodiment, the bearing axis 6 located at the bottom left is pivotable. The pawl 5 and the lock latch 2 are in the illustrated and preferred embodiment biased towards each other by means of a spring 7. A is shown rubber-elastic buffer element 8 for the two end positions of the lock latch 2, that is Rest position and the open position. The lock latch 2 itself can with one rubber-elastic material can be coated.

The pawl 5 holds the lock latch 2 in the latching position by means of a latch 9 a corresponding latch 10 corresponds to the lock latch 2. In the illustrated Exemplary embodiment of a tailgate lock, the lock latch 2 has only one Main detent, locking lug 10. Of course there are also variants with main detent and pre-detent the lock latch 2.

At a distance from the latch 9, the pawl 5 has an actuating surface 11 on. In addition, one recognizes at the pawl 5 a connection point 12 for an emergency opening element 12a, which is the mechanical / manual emergency opening of one Lock cylinder ago serves. A pull to the left in Fig. 1 on the emergency opening element 12a causes the pawl 5 to be lifted out of the lock latch 2.

In Fig. 1 only an electric motor drive 13 is indicated with a Disk drive element 14 (worm wheel in the illustrated embodiment) and a drive spindle 15. The drive element 14 is eccentric arranged driver pin 16 equipped together with the drive element 14 forms a kind of crank mechanism. All of this is in itself from the state of the Technology known.

The arrow in Fig. 1 indicates the direction of rotation of the drive element 14 and the direction of movement of the driver pin 16.

A comparison of Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 shows that the driver pin 16 by rotation of the drive element 14 in the direction shown by the arrow to the Actuating surface 11 starts and thus the pawl 5 counter to its bearing axis 6 pivots clockwise. As a result, the locking lug 9 of the pawl 5 excavated from the latch 10 of the lock latch 2. This position is shown in FIG. 2.

Fig. 3 shows that the lock latch 2 is in the open position, the pawl 5 in holds the lifting position, this is on the pawl 5 in a conventional manner a holding surface 17 is formed, which is on a counter surface 17a on the leg of the Lock latch 2 supports.

Fig. 1, Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 in context show that the electric motor drive 13 the drive element 14 only rotates in one direction, the drive element 14 So not, not even by spring force, that the driver pin is reset 16 after the pawl 5 has been lifted past the actuating surface 11, that seen on the pawl 5 in the running direction of the driving pin 16 A driver stop surface 18 is arranged at a distance behind the actuating surface 11 is that in the raised position pawl 5 in the movement path of the Driver pin 16 is located and this stops when in the collapsed position Pawl 5 is however outside the path of movement of the driver pin 16, and that the electromotive drive 13 by the start of the driver pin 16 is switched off at the stop surface 18 (block operation). The driver pin 16 causes the pawl 5 to make a slight overstroke over the actual one Lifting position so that it can run past the actuating surface 11. This ensures that the lock latch 2 opens really unproblematically.

Fig. 3 makes it clear that the pivotal movement of the pawl 5 to their Bearing axis 6 counterclockwise the pawl arm 19 with the driver stop surface 18 pivoted into the movement path of the driver pin 16 becomes. After a few hundred milliseconds at this driver stop surface 18 stopped, the electric motor drive 13 is switched off. Through this Block operation of the electric motor drive 13 can dispense with microswitches will. At the same time, however, it is also possible to use the conventional technology in the prior art two-stage worm gears necessary return spring are dispensed with. Of the Electromotive drive 13 can therefore be made much less powerful be as in the prior art, since he only has to move the pawl 5.

In all motor vehicle locks provided with actuators, a failure of the electromotive drive is a particular problem. This is the connection point 12 provided for the emergency opening. But should the electric motor drive 13 in the position shown in Fig. 2 or a little further in the drawn Block direction of rotation leading position, the pawl 5 could not return to their collapsed position. Accordingly, there is a blockage the electromotive drive 13 in a position with the driver pin 16 between the positions shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 3 would cause the Pawl 5 is completely blocked, so not even a mechanical emergency opening would be more possible.

To solve the problem explained above is in the illustrated embodiment now provided that the driver pin 16 relative to the drive element 14 over a limited to a small angle, preferably an angle of 45 ° Circular arc is relatively movable that the drive element 14 this relative movement of the driving pin 16 has free cut 20 and that the driver pin 16 by means of a spring 21 in the direction of rotation of the drive element 14 leading end position E is biased. The free cut 20 can be used as Arc-shaped elongated hole or executed as a circular section open on the circumference be or have another functionally appropriate form, such as in present embodiment is shown. The spring 21 is a spiral spring here.

The driver pin 16 can, for example, with an annular flange in a circular arc Elongated hole exposed, only from the spring 21 in the direction of End position E biased, arranged. The illustrated and so far preferred In this respect, the embodiment also shows a special construction as namely it is provided that the drive element 14 two in the direction of it Bearing axis 14a has sub-elements 22, 23 arranged one behind the other and that a Sub-element 22 is firmly coupled to the electric motor drive 13 and the Has free cut 20 and the other sub-element 23 carries the driver pin 16. This technique shown in Fig. 4 with division of a disk-shaped drive element 14 in two coaxially lying sub-element 22, 23 is in itself in an actuator for a motor vehicle door lock, albeit in a different context, is known (DE - A - 40 15 522). This is a constructively easy to implement Solution.

A comparison of FIGS. 3 and 1 makes it clear that the spring loading of the driver pin 16 the driver pin 16 initially runs against the stop surface 18, however, without immediate effect on the drive element 14. This runs initially further, the electric motor drive 13 rotates it further in the direction of the arrow Driver pin 16 evades under load of the spring 21, so it simply remains on the stop surface 18. Only when the rear end of the cutout 20th (i.e. the trailing end) is reached, there is a positive connection between the driver pin 16 and drive element 14 and the electromotive drive 13 runs in the Block. Now the electric motor drive 13 switches according to the set one Delay time from.

If the pawl 5 now returns to the collapsed position shown in FIG. 1, there are the pawl arm 19 with the driver stop surface 18, the driver pin 16th free, this snaps under the action of spring 21 in the direction of the arrow to the end position E, i.e. the leading end of the cutout 20 (as shown in dashed lines in FIG. 3). The driver pin 16 thus has the critical point with the blocking the pawl arm 19 under spring force, that is, without starting the electromotive Drive 13 happens. A failure of the electric motor drive 13 is therefore in in any case not critical. The same applies, as in FIG. 2 in connection with FIG. 1 makes clear, also for the passage of the driver pin 16 on the actuating surface 11 of the pawl 5.

Claims (6)

1. Motor-vehicle hinged-closure lock or the like, in particular tailgate lock, having a latch (2), which can be displaced from an open position into a latching position and vice versa, and a catch (5), which latches the latch (2) in the latching position, it being the case that, at a distance from a latching nose (9) for the latch (2), the catch (5) is assigned an actuating surface (11), and the latch (2) in the open position retains the catch (5) in the disengaged position, having an electromotor drive (13) with a drive element (14) and a carry-along pin (16) arranged eccentrically thereon, it being the case that, by rotation of the drive element (14) in one direction, the carry-along pin (16) runs onto the actuating surface (11) and disengages the latching nose (9) of the catch (5) from a latching nose (10) of the latch (2), it being the case that the electromotor drive (13) only rotates the drive element (14) in one direction, and the drive element (14) is thus not even returned by spring force, it being the case that, once the catch (5) has been disengaged, the carry-along pin (16) runs past the actuating surface (11), it being the case that at a distance downstream of the actuating surface (11), as seen in the running direction of the carry-along pin (16), the catch (5) is assigned a carry-along-element stop surface (18) which is located in the movement path of the carry-along pin (16), and stops the latter, when the catch (5) is in the disengaged position, but is located outside the movement path of the carry-along pin (16) when the catch (5) is in the engaged position, and it being the case that the electromotor drive (13) is switched off by the carry-along pin (16) running on the stop surface (18), characterized in that the actuating surface (11) and the carry-along-element stop surface (18) are arranged on the catch (5), in that the carry-along pin (16) can be moved relative to the drive element (14) over a circle arc which is limited to a small angle, in that the drive element (14) has a cutout (20) which allows the carry-along pin (16) to move relative to it, and in that the carry-along pin (16) is prestressed by means of a spring (21) into the leading end position (E), as seen in the direction of rotation of the drive element (14).
2. Motor-vehicle hinged-closure lock according to Claim 1, characterized in that the drive element (14) has two sub-elements (22, 23) arranged one behind the other in the direction of its bearing axis (14a), and in that one sub-element (22) is fixedly coupled to the electromotor drive (13) and contains the cutout (20), and the other sub-element (23) bears the carry-along pin (16).
3. Motor-vehicle hinged-closure lock according to Claim 1, characterized in that a spring (7) which prestresses the latch (2) and the catch (5) towards one another is provided.
4. Motor-vehicle hinged-closure lock according to Claim 1, characterized in that the drive element (14) is designed as a disc.
5. Motor-vehicle hinged-closure lock according to Claim 2, characterized in that the drive element (14) is designed as a disc.
6. Motor-vehicle hinged-closure lock according to Claim 1, characterized in that the circle arc is limited to an angle of 45°.

Images