EP1039078A1 - Electric lock, in particular for motor vehicle doors - Google Patents

Abstract

The lock assembly comprises of a first motor drive assembly (1) that is linked to a locking lever (13) that displaces an exterior opening lever between locked and unlocked positions. A second motor assembly (11) enables the lock to be places in a super locked position in that the second motor assembly engages an internal locking lever (13) that displaces the levers within one another.

Description

The present invention relates to an electric lock in particular for the door of a motor vehicle, and more particularly a electric lock / unlock control lock.

We know a lock for a motor vehicle door, comprising a first electric motor capable of driving, by via a gear train, a locking lever to move an external opening lever between a position in which the external opening lever is inactive and a unlocked position in which the external opening lever is capable of causing the opening of the lock, under the action of a means external opening control, for example a handle or a exterior door pallet. This lock has a second electric lockout motor, suitable for driving, by via a second gear train, the overlocking of the lock, vis-à-vis the exterior handles and door interior and vis-à-vis the frieze zipper.

However, such a lock requires the design of two chains completely different kinematics, for the locking function and for the super-conviction function. Therefore, it is necessary to place the motors in an electrical compartment separate from the kinematics compartment containing the various levers opening and locking the lock.

The object of the invention is to propose an electric lock, the kinematic chains for the condemnation and the super-condemnation are simplified.

To this end, the invention relates to an electric lock, especially for the door of a motor vehicle, comprising a first external electric lockout motor capable of driving an external locking lever to move a lever external opening between an external locked position in which the external opening lever is inactive and a position outer unlocked in which the outer opening lever is capable of causing the opening of the lock, under the action of a means external opening control, and a second electric motor allowing the lock to be placed in the super-locked position, characterized by the fact that said second electric motor is capable of drive an interior locking lever to move a lever of internal opening between an internal locked position in which the interior opening lever is inactive and a position inner unlocked, in which the inner opening lever is capable of causing the opening of the lock, under the action of a means interior opening control, the two aforementioned motors being suitable for being supplied jointly to override the lock vis-à-vis the exterior and interior, while the first engine electric is able to be powered alone to lock the lock opposite from the outside.

In a first variant, for a front door of a vehicle automotive, powering the second electric motor causes jointly supplying the first motor.

In another variant, for a rear door lock, the second electric motor is able to be powered alone to put the lock in locked-out position for the child.

Advantageously, the interior locking lever and the external locking lever are superimposed and mounted on the same axis of articulation.

According to another characteristic, a worm gear is mounted on the motor shaft of each electric motor, each gear meshing with a toothed sector at one end of a branch of the associated locking lever.

According to another characteristic, the branch of one of the levers of conviction that carries a toothed sector is shorter than the branch of the other locking lever which carries the other toothed sector, the the longest branch having, in addition, a recess so that the two toothed sectors are arranged in two parallel planes and distant from each other.

According to yet another characteristic, the two motors, the two locking levers and the two opening levers are housed in the same compartment of the lock case.

Advantageously, the interior locking lever comprises a branch which is able to cooperate with a boss on the housing of lock, to define two stable positions on either side of said boss, by elastic crossing of said boss by said lever inner condemnation.

To better understand the object of the invention, we will describe now, as a purely illustrative example and not limiting, an embodiment shown in the accompanying drawing.

• la figure 1 est une vue partielle de dessus et en plan du compartiment de cinématique du boítier de serrure de l'invention, dans la position décondamnée de la serrure ;
• la figure 2 est une vue analogue à la figure 1, mais dans la position supercondamnée de la serrure, et
• la figure 3 est une vue en élévation latérale suivant la flèche III de la figure 1.

On this drawing :

• Figure 1 is a partial top view and in plan of the kinematics compartment of the lock housing of the invention, in the unlocked position of the lock;
• FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but in the super-locked position of the lock, and
• FIG. 3 is a side elevation view along arrow III of FIG. 1.

The kinematics compartment of the lock housing B of the invention comprises, in FIG. 1, a first electric external locking motor 1, the motor shaft 1 a of which is integral in rotation with a worm gear 2. L gear worm 2 engages peripherally with a toothed sector 3 has provided at the end of a branch of a 5 outside locking lever 3. the outside locking lever 3 is articulated substantially at its center on an axis of rotation 4 and comprises at the end of its opposite branch 6 an opening 3 b intended to cooperate with an external opening lever (not shown). The external locking lever 3 has a substantially T or Y shape.

The kinematics compartment further comprises a second electric internal locking motor 11, the motor shaft 11 a of which is integral in rotation with a worm gear 12. All of the elements 11 and 12 may be identical to the elements 1 and 2 above.

The worm gear 12 meshes with a toothed sector 13 has provided at the end of a branch 15 of an inner locking lever 13. The internal locking lever 13 has a substantially square shape when viewed from above , and is articulated substantially in its center on the same axis of rotation 4 above. The opposite branch 16 of the internal locking lever 13 comprises an oblong opening 13b, which is intended to cooperate with an inner opening lever (not shown).

The interior opening lever and the opening lever are intended to actuate a ratchet located in the lock housing retention compartment, the pawl being intended to block a latch retaining bolt fixed at an amount of the door frame. The ratchet and the bolt of the compartment retention are not described in more detail, as they are known per se.

Box B has in the kinematics compartment a boss 20 intended to cooperate with the end of branch 16 of inner locking lever 13. This branch 16 of the lever condemnation 13 is intended, when passing between the position interior unlocked and interior condemned, to be crossed resiliently the boss 20, which defines two stable positions for the inner locking lever 13, on either side of the boss 20.

We see in Figures 1 to 3, that all of the motors 1, 11 and locking levers 3, 13 are assembled compactly, which limits their size and allows them to be stay in the same compartment. We can thus obtain a lock two compartments, namely a retention compartment and a kinematic and electric compartment, instead of a three-way lock compartments, namely a retention compartment, a kinematics compartment, and an electrical compartment.

The branch 5 of the external locking lever 3, which carries the toothed sector 3 a , is shorter by a distance d than the branch 15 of the internal locking lever 13, which carries the toothed sector 13 a , so as to be able to offset the position of the two electric motors 1, 11, as visible in FIGS. 1 and 2. The motors 1 and 11 are also offset by a distance h in the height direction, as visible in FIG. 3, so that the driving a locking lever is not hindered by driving another lever. The branch 15, which carries the toothed sector 13 a , has a recess 15 a downwards, so as not to interfere with the branch 5 of the other lever 3 which is positioned vertically.

The operation of the lock of the invention will now be briefly described.

When the user wishes to lock the lock against outside, it causes the power supply to the first motor electric 1, which has the effect of moving the locking lever outside 3 towards its locked position illustrated in FIG. 2. To electrically unlock the lock, the electric motor 1, which is reversible provided, causes the movement of the locking lever outside 3 towards its position illustrated in FIG. 1.

For a front door of a motor vehicle, it is not necessary to be able to electrically lock the lock the interior, and in this case, the power supply to the second motor 11 automatically drives the power supply to the first engine 1, so as to override the vehicle, that is to say condemn it as well with respect to the interior as to the exterior. The super lock position of the lock is illustrated in figure 2.

On the other hand, for a rear door, it is desirable to ability to lock the lock only from the inside to avoid a child accidentally opening the door by operating the interior door handle when the vehicle is moving. In this case, it it is possible to power only the second electric motor 11, to move the inner locking lever 3 to its position locked which disengages the actuation of the interior opening lever.

We therefore understand that we can use the same motors, and the same locking levers for a front door lock or rear, by simply providing a separate supply from the second electric motor 11, for a rear door. Well of course, for a rear door, it is also possible to override the lock, by supplying the two electric motors 1 and 11.

Although the invention has been described in connection with a mode of particular achievement, it is obvious that it is by no means there 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 (7)

Electric lock, especially for vehicle door automobile, comprising a first electric motor (1) of external condemnation capable of driving a locking lever exterior (3) for moving an exterior opening lever between a external locked position in which the opening lever outside is inactive and an unlocked outside position in which the external opening lever is capable of causing the opening of the lock, under the action of a control means opening, and a second electric motor (11) allowing the lock to be placed in the super-locked position being able to drive an interior locking lever (13) to move a interior opening lever between an interior locked position in which the interior opening lever is inactive and a position inner unlocked, in which the inner opening lever is capable of causing the opening of the lock, under the action of a means interior opening control, the two aforementioned motors (1, 11) being able to be fed jointly to override the lock vis-à-vis the outside and inside, while the first electric motor (1) is capable of being powered alone to condemn the lock vis-à-vis the outside, the locking lever inside (13) and the external locking lever (3) being superimposed, mounted on the same articulation axis (4) and cooperating by a branch (5, 15) with the associated motor, characterized in that the branch (5), associated with the motor (1), of one (3) of the locking levers is shorter than the branch (15), associated with the other motor (11), of the other locking lever (13), so that the position of the two electric motors. Lock according to claim 1, characterized in that the the longest branch (15) has a step (15a) so that the two branches are arranged in two parallel and distant planes each other, so that the drive of a locking lever does not is not bothered by the drive of another lever. Lock according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that a worm gear (2, 12) is mounted on the motor shaft (1 a , 11 a ) of each electric motor (1, 11 ), each gear meshing with a toothed sector (3 a , 13 a ) at one end of a branch (5, 15) of the associated locking lever (3, 13). Lock according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by the fact that the two motors (1, 11), the two locking levers (3, 13) and the two opening levers are housed in the same lock box compartment (B). Lock according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by the fact that, for a front door of a motor vehicle, the supply of the second electric motor (11) causes jointly supplying the first motor (1). Lock according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by the fact that, for a rear door lock, the second motor electric (11) is able to be powered alone to put the lock in position condemned child vis-à-vis the interior. Lock according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized by the fact that the interior locking lever (13) has a branch (16) which is able to cooperate with a boss (20) on the housing lock (B), to define two stable positions on either side of said boss, by elastic crossing of said boss by said interior locking lever.

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