EP0989264B1 - Improved electric lock for a motor vehicle door - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a door lock for motor vehicle, in particular an unlocking lock automatic upon opening, and more particularly a lock electric opening assistance and / or opening assistance conviction.

In electric locks with assisted opening, the mechanism for opening the lock is driven by a gear motor, an electromagnetic system or any other device equivalent which is incorporated in a sealed part of the housing lock, to isolate electrical components and gears from 1a dust, water and any foreign body that may enter in the lock when using the vehicle. The mechanism electric opening assistance is generally controlled by door handles or exterior door opening paddles which are equipped with a contactor, sensor, microswitch or any other detector which is connected by an electric cable to the assistance device when opening the lock, to transmit the opening order.

Document FR-A-2 656 030 discloses a lock electrical according to the preamble of claim 1.

The object of the present invention is to provide a electric lock with assisted opening, the arrangement of mechanisms is perfected.

To achieve the above object, the invention has for object an electric lock for vehicle door automotive according to claim 1.

In a particular embodiment, the gear train comprises a first pinion secured to the motor shaft of the motor electric, and meshing with a second pinion secured to a screw without end which meshes peripherally with said toothed wheel, said screw endless being linked to a spiral return spring which is intended to turn the auger in the opposite direction when the power to the engine stops, causing the crankpin to return toothed in its initial position.

According to yet another characteristic of the invention, the locking mechanism includes a second electric motor reversible for assistance with conviction / unlocking of the lock during a central locking or unlocking controlled from outside or inside, the drive shaft of the second electric motor being provided with a pinion meshing with a toothed sector of the locking lever.

Advantageously, the electric motor for assistance to the opening is intended to drive the opening lever in response to a control signal emitted by an external opening contactor, when an external control means, such as a handle or door outer paddle, is operated by a user.

In this case, the lock may include a mechanical means of external connection of which an external portion is intended to be connected by means of external control and of which another internal portion extends into the second sealed compartment of the lock, said lock external opening contactor being disposed in said second sealed compartment on the path of said interior portion of the means mechanical external connection, so as to emit a signal external opening control, when the connecting means mechanical is moved over an opening stroke determined during actuation of the external control means.

According to yet another characteristic, the pawl is connected to a interior control means, such as an interior handle or pallet door, by means of a mechanical connection means, such that a cable or a rod, to bring the pawl in a position of release of the bolt.

In a particular embodiment, the lever conviction has three arms, a first arm to put a mechanical means of connection to an external control means in a condemned or unlocked position, a second arm for the possible connection with a lock cylinder, and a third arm for possible connection with an internal operating member of the door. This internal operating member is intended to replace the frieze zipper usually used.

In an alternative embodiment, the opening mechanism includes an emergency lever for mechanical opening, in case of electrical failure or vehicle battery failure, this lever rescue comprising a first branch intended to cooperate with a protruding pin on the control lever and a second branch intended to cooperate with a mechanical means of connection to a means of external control, when the lock is in the unlocked position.

The description given below, purely by way of illustration and not limiting, of an embodiment will allow, with reference to the drawings appended, to better understand the invention.

• la figure 1 est une vue en perspective éclatée de la serrure conforme à l'invention, du côté de son compartiment de rétention ;
• la figure 2 est une vue analogue à la figure 1, mais partiellement assemblée ;
• la figure 3 est une vue de dessus de la figure 2, en position complètement assemblée de la serrure ;
• la figure 4 est une vue analogue à la figure 3, la contre-plaque étant omise ;
• la figure 5 est une vue en perspective éclatée de la serrure de l'invention, du côté de son compartiment de cinématique ;
• la figure 6 est une vue de dessus de la figure 5, le couvercle du compartiment de cinématique étant omis, et la serrure étant dans une position fermée et décondamnée ;
• la figure 7 est une vue analogue à la figure 6, mais représentant la serrure dans une position fermée et condamnée ;
• la figure 8 est une vue analogue à la figure 6, mais représentant la serrure dans une position ouverte et décondamnée, sous l'action du dispositif électrique d'assistance à l'ouverture ; et
• la figure 9 est une vue analogue à la figure 8, la serrure étant également en position ouverture et décondamnée, sous l'action du moyen mécanique de secours à l'ouverture.

On this drawing :

• Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of the lock according to the invention, from the side of its retention compartment;
• Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, but partially assembled;
• Figure 3 is a top view of Figure 2, in the fully assembled position of the lock;
• Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3, the counter plate being omitted;
• Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of the lock of the invention, from the side of its kinematics compartment;
• Figure 6 is a top view of Figure 5, the cover of the kinematics compartment being omitted, and the lock being in a closed and unlocked position;
• Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6, but showing the lock in a closed and locked position;
• Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 6, but showing the lock in an open and unlocked position, under the action of the electric device for assisting the opening; and
• FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8, the lock also being in the open and unlocked position, under the action of the mechanical means for emergency opening.

Referring to Figure 1, the lock of the invention comprises a lock housing B, for example, of plastic and a metal counter plate 1 substantially square-shaped and having an opening 2 for the passage of a keeper (not shown) which is fixed, in a manner known per se, to a vertical upright of the chassis of a motor vehicle. The plywood 1 has a substantially L-shaped profile, the longer wing of which extends in the transverse direction of the vehicle, in the closed door position, and the smaller wing 1b of which extends in the longitudinal direction. of the vehicle.

As shown in Figure 1, the housing B has a shape substantially rectangular rectangle with the largest dimension extends substantially in the vertical direction of the door. The housing B has a first compartment 3 called retention, because it contains a fork bolt 4 capable of retaining the strike and a pawl 5 to lock the bolt 4 in the strike retainer position. The retention compartment 3 has a recess 6 forming the door of the lock, to accommodate the strike, in the closed position from the door. The compartment 3 is closed by the counter plate 1 which is the part of the lock that is flush with the edge of the door. The latch 4 and pawl 5 are respectively articulated on ends shafts 7 and 8 which are inserted between the bottom of compartment 3 and the part of the counter plate 1.

The retention compartment 3 further comprises an external opening lever 9 which is articulated on a cylindrical sleeve 10 on the bottom of the compartment 3, the external opening lever 9 comprising an arm 9 a extending substantially radially for cooperate with a finger 5 a of the pawl 5. The external opening lever 9 has a passage of square section 9 b in alignment with the axis of the cylindrical sleeve 10, to make it integral in rotation with a lever command 11 which will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 5.

The pawl 5 further comprises a protruding pin 5 b intended to be connected to a rod or a cable (not shown) for its connection to an interior door handle or pallet.

As best seen in Figures 1 and 4, a light 12 is formed through the bottom of the compartment 3 in the vicinity of the periphery of the bolt 4. Inside this light 12, is able to pivot a lever 13 provided at its free end of a protruding pin 13 a which forms a cam follower element in contact with a peripheral portion 4 a on the periphery of the bolt, this peripheral portion 4 a forming a cam profile whose radius of curvature is adapted to cause the displacement of the pin 13 a , during the rotation of the bolt 4 between its closed position illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4 and its open position (not shown) pivoted anti-clockwise.

An open door switch 14 is mounted on the bottom of the compartment 3 near the protruding pin 13 a of the lever 13, so that at the end of the pivoting stroke of the bolt 4 towards its open position, the pin 13 has come a push button 14a of the switch 14 for initiating the transmission of a door open signal.

In a manner known per se, the drain 6 has an elastic tab 6 a which is intended to dampen the entry of the keeper in the drain.

We will now refer to FIG. 5, to describe the components of a second compartment 15 called kinematics of the lock housing B. This second compartment 15 is separated from sealed compartment 3 by a partition which forms the bottom common to both compartments.

The control lever 11 has an end of axis 11 a which projects perpendicularly towards the bottom of compartment 15 and which is inserted through the cylindrical sleeve 10 of first compartment 3, this end of axis 11 a comprising at its free end a square section to fit into the corresponding square section opening 9b of the external opening lever 9, for their fastening in rotation.

The second compartment 15 contains a first electric motor 16 on the motor shaft of which is coaxially mounted a first pinion 17 which meshes with a pinion of larger diameter 18 which is coaxially integral in rotation with an endless screw 19. The assembly 16 to 19 forms a geared motor group which is carried by support bearings 20, 21, which are anchored on the bottom of the compartment 15. The worm 19 meshes with the circumference of a toothed wheel 22 which has on its upper face a stub shaft 22 is intended to be inserted in a suitable housing in the cover (not shown) for closing the second compartment 15. in its underside, the gear 22 is connected to a plate 23 by two crank pins 24, 25 diametrically opposite with respect to the axis of rotation of the wheel 22. The plate 23 further comprises a finger 23 a perpendicularly projecting from its plane and coming to be embedded in the underside of the a wheel 22. This finger 23 a is radially more eccentric than the crank pins 24 and 25. Although this is not visible in FIG. 5, the plate 23 has on its underside an end of an axis aligned with the end of axle 22 a of the wheel 22, and intended to be inserted in a suitable housing 26 in the bottom of the compartment 15.

One of the two aforementioned crank pins, namely the crank pin 24 furthest from the finger 23 a of the plate 23, is intended to cooperate with an arm 11 b of the control lever 11, to cause it to rotate, during the rotation of the wheel 22. The rotation of the control lever 11 simultaneously causes the rotation of the external opening lever 9 in the retention compartment 3, to move the pawl 5 to the bolt release position. The rotation of the wheel 22 continues until the finger 23 a of the plate 23 comes into contact with an elastic end-of-travel stop 27 provided on the bottom of the compartment 15. This stop 27 is advantageously made of rubber, for dampen the pressing of the finger 23 a against this stop 27, because the drive by the motor 16 is relatively powerful.

Although not shown, the control lever 11 is subjected to a return spring, to return the lever control 11 to its initial position, once the gear motor assembly has returned to its original position as it will explained further. A rubber stop 28 can also be provided in compartment 15 to dampen the return of the control 11 towards its rest position, as visible in FIGS. 6 at 9.

The control lever 11 comprises at the free end of another arm, extending substantially in the direction opposite to the arm 11b , a pin 30 intended to cooperate with a downwardly curved tab 31 provided at the free end d 'an arm of an emergency lever 32. The emergency lever 32 is pivotally mounted on a shaft end 33 projecting from the bottom of the compartment 15 and comprises at the free end of another arm 34, arranged substantially in a direction opposite to the arm carrying the folded tab 31, a fork 35, the two branches of which are provided at their free end with a guide ramp 35 a .

As shown in Figure 6, a cable C passes between the branches of the fork 35 and has at its free end a end piece 36 which has a substantially spherical shape, the diameter is greater than the spacing of the branches of the fork 35, so as to be able to cause the pivoting of the emergency lever 32 around its axis 33, by pulling on the cable C, from a means external control, for example an external handle or pallet door. Cable C is integral with a slider 37 arranged on the other side of the fork 35, relative to the end piece 36. The cursor 37 can advantageously be molded onto cable C. Two guide rails parallel 38, 39 are arranged on the bottom of compartment 15 for used to guide the cursor 37 when moving the cable C. The cable C extends outside the housing B, crossing, so waterproof, a sleeve 40.

The kinematics compartment 15 further comprises a locking lever 41 which is articulated on a shaft end 42 projecting from the bottom of the compartment 15. The locking lever 41 comprises a first arm 43 provided at its free end with a pin 43a which engages in a helical groove 44a formed on a rotary drum 44. This rotary drum 44 is intended to be connected to a lock cylinder for a front door. The locking lever 41 includes a second arm 45 extending substantially radially outward from the housing B, through an opening 46.

The locking lever 41 has a third arm 47 which is intended to cooperate with the end piece 36 of the cable C, to do so escape the fork 35, as visible in FIG. 7. In the cable rest position C, the end piece 36 is located in a recess of the locking lever 41 defined between the first arm 43 and the third arm 47.

The locking lever 41 further comprises a sector toothed 48 which is extended at one end by a projecting stop 49. The toothed sector 48 meshes with a pinion 50 carried by the motor shaft 51 a second electric motor 52 for electric assistance to the locking / unlocking. The second electric motor 52 is carried by a support piece 53 having a substantially C-shaped profile, which is mounted on the bottom of compartment 15.

The stop 49 of the locking lever 41 is intended to cooperate with a second lever comprising an arm 54 extending radially from a shaft 55 which is mounted in a tubular sleeve 56 which protrudes from the bottom of compartment 15. The shaft 55 crosses, from tightly, the bottom of compartment 15 and presents at its lower end a square section to be secured in rotation lever 13 above.

Along the rail 39, is arranged an external opening contactor 60 which comprises a button 60 is adapted to be pushed by an inclined portion 37 a of the slider 37, during the traction of the cable C, for sending a control signal to opening to the first motor 16, by an electrical connection not shown.

We will now describe the operation of the lock the invention with reference to Figures 4 to 9.

In the position illustrated in Figure 6, the lock is in its closed state and mechanically unlocked. Indeed, the lever of condemnation 41 is in a position where his arm 47 has placed the endpiece 36 of the cable C opposite the fork 35 of the emergency lever 32, this which allows a mechanical opening, by pulling on the cable C, as explained further.

In this closed position of the lock, we see on the Figure 4 that one of the branches of the fork of the bolt 4 is blocked by a spout of the pawl 5, for retaining a keeper not shown.

• soit il se trouve à l'intérieur de l'habitacle du véhicule et il actionne un organe de manoeuvre situé sur l'intérieur de la portière pour commander le déplacement du bras 45 du levier de condamnation 41 ;
• soit l'utilisateur se trouve à l'extérieur du véhicule et il condamne la serrure avec sa clé en l'introduisant dans le barillet de serrure d'une portière avant pour entraíner, par l'intermédiaire du tonneau 44, le déplacement du bras 43 du levier de condamnation ;
• soit, enfin, de l'extérieur du véhicule, il actionne un boítier de télécommande portatif pour envoyer un signal de commande de condamnation au moteur électrique 52 d'assistance à la condamnation, lequel moteur 52 entraíne le pivotement du levier de condamnation 41, en agissant sur le secteur denté 48.

From the position illustrated in Figure 6, when the user wishes to lock the lock, there are several possibilities:

• either it is inside the passenger compartment of the vehicle and it actuates an operating member located on the inside of the door to control the movement of the arm 45 of the locking lever 41;
• either the user is outside the vehicle and he locks the lock with his key by introducing it into the lock cylinder of a front door to cause, through the barrel 44, the movement of the arm 43 locking lever;
• or, finally, from outside the vehicle, it actuates a portable remote control unit to send a condemnation control signal to the electric motor 52 for assisting with locking, which motor 52 causes the pivoting of the locking lever 41, acting on the toothed sector 48.

Whatever the means for controlling the locking of the lock, the locking lever 41 pivots counterclockwise, as illustrated in FIG. 7. In this figure, the lock is in its closed state and mechanically locked, because the arm 47 of the locking lever 41 has pushed the end piece 36 of the cable C in a direction substantially perpendicular to the actuating stroke of the cable C, so as to make the end piece 36 escape from the fork 35 of the emergency lever 32 Thus, if an unauthorized person fully actuates the exterior door handle, to drive the cable C, the end piece 36 will slide along the arm 47 and the guide ramp 35 a of the fork 35, without driving the lever emergency 32, the lock can not be mechanically unlocked from the outside. When moving the cable C under the action of the exterior door handle, the cursor 37 linked to the cable C will move along the guide rails 38 and 39 and will come by its inclined face 37 to push the switch button 60 a of the external opening switch 60, but since the general power supply of the vehicle has not been activated, the electric motor 16 for assistance with the opening will remain inactive, thus also prohibiting electric opening.

It can be seen, in FIG. 7, that in the locked position of the lock, the stop pin 49 of the locking lever 41 comes into contact with the arm 54 of the automatic unlocking means at the opening.

When the user wishes to return to the position of FIG. 6, it activates one of the aforementioned control means to rotate the locking lever 41 clockwise from Figure 7 to Figure 6. In this case, the end piece 36 of the cable C follows the pivoting of the arm 47 of the locking lever 41, because it is recalled by the own elasticity of the cable C in its rest position illustrated in FIG. 6.

We will now describe the passage of the lock from its unlocked closed position illustrated in FIG. 6 to its open position, thanks to the electric device for assisting the opening, in FIG. 8. Thus, when the user grasps the handle outside of the door and actuates it slightly, the cable C moves over a short stroke, as illustrated between FIGS. 6 and 8. At the end of the actuation stroke of the cable C, the end piece 36 of the cable comes into contact at most with the fork 35 of the emergency lever, without actuating the latter. The cursor 37 which is integral with the cable C moves with a corresponding stroke and retracts the button 60 a of the contactor 60. Since the general power supply of the vehicle will have been previously energized by the recognition system, the contactor 60 can send an opening control signal to the electric motor 16 which causes the rotation of the wheel 22 clockwise. During the rotation of the wheel 22, the crank pin 24 bears against the arm 11b of the control lever 11 and pushes it back, so as to rotate the control lever 11 counterclockwise in FIG. 5 The crank pin 24 pushes the arm 11 b of the control lever 11 until the finger 23 a comes to bear against the elastic end-of-travel stop 27.

The pivoting of the control lever 11 causes the pivoting of the external opening lever 9 in the retention compartment 3, clockwise in FIG. 4. When it is pivoted, the external opening lever 9 is pushed back by its arm 9 has the finger 5 has the pawl 5 to rotate anti-clockwise the pawl 5 which thus releases the bolt 4 which can pivot, in turn, anti-clockwise to release the keeper.

When the finger 23 a comes to bear against the stop 27, the pawl 5 will have released the bolt 4.

The drive torque exerted by motor 16 will be maintained for a period of time determined by a time delay, to ensure that the crank pin 24 causes the pivoting of the control lever 11. As soon as the drive by the motor 16 stops, the worm 19 will be returned in opposite direction by a spiral spring (not shown), to bring back the wheel 22 and therefore, the crankpins 24 and 25 in their initial positions, to allow later opening. The spiral spring is linked to the worm 19 and is wound up during driven by the motor 16. Advantageously, the return spring in spiral for the worm 19 is arranged in the bearing 20. In this configuration, the control lever 11 returns to its position rest under the action of a return spring not shown.

Referring again to Figure 4, when the bolt 4 is pivoted in the counterclockwise direction to release the latch, the cam follower pin 13a of the lever 13 follows the cam profile 4a of the bolt 4, which causes the pivoting of the lever 13 clockwise in FIG. 4. Noticeably at the end of the pivoting stroke of the bolt 4, the pin 13 a of the lever 13 pushes the button 14 a of the open door switch 14 to signal to a central unit door opening treatment. The pivoting of the lever 13 causes the simultaneous pivoting of the arm 54 in the kinematics compartment 15 counterclockwise, as shown in Figure 8, to bring the arm 54 of this lever in contact with the stop 49 of the locking lever 41.

Thus, it is not possible to lock the lock, while the door is open, because any pivoting of the locking lever 41 in the counterclockwise direction is prevented by the arm 54 which is locked in position by the lever 13 whose the cam follower pin 13 a bears against the cam profile 4 a of the bolt 4.

The electric opening assistance device works in the same way from the position of FIG. 7, in which the lock is in its closed state and mechanically locked. To this end, the authorized user wearing a badge provided with a transmitter for transmitting a determined coded signal, approaches the vehicle which is provided with a recognition system comprising a receiver capable of decoding the signal and turning on the power the vehicle's power supply, when the authorized user has been duly identified. When the user pulls on the cable C over a short stroke to trigger the emission of an opening control signal by the contactor 60, the electric motor 16 causes the lock to open, and the bolt 4 by its cam profile 4 a causes the arm 54 to pivot anti-clockwise to push the stop pin 49 of the locking lever 41, by pivoting the latter clockwise, to bring it into a unlocked position. In other words, from FIG. 6 or from FIG. 7, one arrives at the same position shown in FIG. 8, when the opening assistance device is activated. An automatic unlocking is thus obtained on opening, when the external control means are actuated. This is made possible by the fact that we have separated the two kinematic chains of the opening mechanism and the locking mechanism.

Contactor 60 sends a control signal simultaneously to the motor 16 and to the motor 52, to cause simultaneously assistance in opening the door and unlocking others doors.

Finally, if the opening assistance device does not work, due to an electrical failure or insufficient supply of the vehicle battery, the user can mechanically open the lock after having unlocked it mechanically, for example, by the lock barrel, by pulling on the cable C on an overtravel, to drive through the end piece 36 the fork 35 of the emergency lever 32 which pivots clockwise in Figure 9 and repels by the curved tab 31 of its arm opposite the pin 30 of the control lever 11, to rotate it counterclockwise, which causes the pivoting of the external opening lever 9, and therefore, the release of the bolt. Similarly, the arm 54 comes into contact with the stop 49 of the locking lever 41, due to cooperation between the cam 4a of the bolt 4 and the cam follower pin 13a of the lever 13.

It should be noted that the crank pin 25 shown in Figure 5 does not present no particular utility here.

The electric motor 52 is reversible, in order to rotate the locking lever 41 in both directions, to bring it respectively in its condemned or unlocked position.

The motor shaft 51 of the electric motor 52 has its axis of rotation parallel to the pivot axis of the locking lever 41, while the motor shaft of the electric motor 16 has its axis of rotation perpendicular to the axis of the opening lever 9.

Although the invention has been described in connection with a mode of particular achievement, it is obvious that it is by no means limited and that it includes all the technical equivalents of the means described as well as their combinations if these fall within the scope of the invention.

Claims (10)

1. Electric lock for a motor vehicle door comprising a lock housing (B), of which a first compartment (3) known as the retaining compartment contains a latch (4) able to hold a striker and a pawl (5) for immobilizing the latch in the position in wh ich it retains the striker, and of which a second compartment (15) known as the dynamic compartment contains, in a sealed manner, a locking mechanism comprising a locking lever (41) able to place the lock in the locked/unlocked position, characterized in t hat the second compartment also contains, in a sealed fashion, an opening mechanism comprising an electric motor (16) to provide assistance with opening, and that, in the second, dynamic, compartment (15), the electric motor (16) is able to drive, in rotation, via a set of gears (17-19), a gearwheel (22) equipped with at least one radially eccentric wrist pin (24), the said wrist pin being intended, as the toothed wheel (22) rotates, to drive a control lever (11) of the second compartment (15) until a peg o r finger (23 a), radially eccentric on the said toothed wheel (22) comes into contact with an end-of-opening-travel elastic stop (27), the electrical supply to the motor being timed for long enough, for example 100 ms to make sure that the said peg reaches the elastic stop, the said control lever (11) rotating as one with an opening lever (9) arranged in the first, retaining, compartment (3) and able to collaborate with the pawl (5) to move it into the position of releasing the latch (4).
2. Lock according to Claim 1, characterized in that the set of gears comprising a first pinion (17) secured to the drive shaft of the electric motor (16), and meshing with a second pinion (18) secured to a worm (19) which meshes peripherally with the toothed wheel (22), the said worm being connected to a spiral return spring which is intended to cause the worm to rotate in the opposite direction when the supply to the motor is stopped, thus causing the wrist pin (24) of the toothed wheel (22) to return to its initial position.
3. Lock according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the locking mechanism comprises a reversible second electric motor (52) for assisting with locking/unlocking the lock, the drive shaft (51) of the second electric motor being equipped with a pini on (50) meshing with a toothed sector (48) of the locking lever (41).
4. Lock according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the electric motor (16) for assistance with opening is intended to drive the opening lever (9) in response to a control signal emitted by an external opening contact switch (60) when an external control means, such as a door exterior handle or paddle handle is actuated by a user.
5. Lock according to Claim 4, characterized in that it comprises a mechanical external connect ing means (C) an external portion of which is intended to be connected to the external control means and an internal other portion of which extends into the sealed second compartment (15) of the lock, the said external opening contact switch (60) being arr anged in the said sealed second compartment in the path of the said interior portion of the mechanical external connection means (C), so as to emit an external opening control signal when the mechanical connecting means is moved over a determined opening t ravel upon actuation of the external control means.
6. Lock according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the locking lever (41) has three arms, a first arm (47) for placing a mechanical means (C) of connection to an external control means in a locked or unlocked position, a second arm (43) for possible connection with a lock cylinder, and a third arm (45) for possible connection to an internal member for operating the door.
7. Lock according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the opening mechanism comprises a backup lever (32) for mechanical opening, in the event of an electrical fault or failure of the vehicle battery, this back up lever comprising a first branch (31) intended to collaborate with a peg (30) projecting from the co ntrol lever (11) and a second branch (34) intended to collaborate with a mechanical means (C) of. connection to an external control means, when the lock is in the unlocked position.
8. Lock according to one of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it comprises a means of automatic unlocking upon opening, comprising a first lever (13) equipped with a cam follower element (13 a) arranged in the first, retaining, compartment (3) to collaborate with a cam profile (4 a) provided on the latch (4), and a second lever (54) arranged in the sealed second compartment (15) and able to collaborate with a stop (49) provided on the locking lever (41) so that as the latch rotates into its open position, the cam profile drives a movement of the cam follower element and, consequently, of the second lever (54) which rotates as one with the first lever (13) so as automatically to bring the locking lever (41) into its unlocked position.
9. Lock according to Claim 8, characterized in that the second lever (54) of the means of autom atic unlocking upon opening is able, when the latch is in the open position, to block the stop (49) of the locking lever (41) so as to prevent the lock from being locked in the door-open position.
10. Lock according to one of Claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the pawl (5) is connected to an internal control means such as an internal door handle or paddle handle, via a mechanical connecting means, such as a cable or a linkage, to bring the pawl into a position in which the latch (4) is released.

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