EP2478174B1 - Supporting structure for a locking cylinder for a motor vehicle door or tailgate - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a support for holding a lock on a panel of a vehicle opening. The invention also relates to a locking device comprising such a support, a latch and a discharge pipe.

The invention finds a particularly advantageous application for trunk locks.

A lock cylinder with a holding means on a panel of an opening is known from the document FR 2 729 701 A1 .

In a known manner, a lock has a key entry through which a compliant key can rotate the rotor to lock / unlock the lock mechanism of the opening.

However, during heavy rain or during the cleaning of the vehicle, water can enter the opening through this key entry. Water can also be introduced between the latch and a cutout of the panel, especially on the trunk locks. In order not to lock the lock in the event of freezing, escape holes are provided on the lock. The water is then stuck between the inner panel and the outer panel of the opening.

In addition, when opening the opening, this water may deteriorate mechanical or electrical components in the opening, such as actuators, lighting or wiper motor, or it may flow on the user.

In addition, the water trapped in the trunk is transformed into a humid environment and degrades the electrical and mechanical components and mechanisms.

According to a known solution, a room retrieves water in an area of the lock to bring it to a pipe that transfers water to the outside of the opening.

However, this solution requires additional parts which complicates the implementation in the opening and increases production costs.

The invention therefore aims to provide a simple solution at lower cost to protect the organs present in the opening against the water likely to be introduced by the lock key input.

For this purpose, the subject of the invention is a support for holding a latch on a panel of an opening leaf of a motor vehicle, in particular a vehicle boot. automobile, the lock having a key entry accessible from the outside of the vehicle, and a first water discharge orifice may be introduced by the key inlet, characterized in that said support support is configured for to be attached to the panel and includes a housing for receiving the latch, and in that said holding bracket has an evacuation channel communicating with the first bolt outlet to collect water introduced through the key inlet and between the latch and a cutout of the panel (10), and having a second discharge port for discharging the collected water, the second outlet of the holding bracket communicating with a discharge pipe.

Such a support support ensures both the maintenance of the lock on the panel and the evacuation of water that can be introduced into the lock.

• le support de maintien présente un tube de raccordement sur lequel se fixe une première extrémité du tuyau d'évacuation,
• le tuyau d'évacuation comporte un embout de fixation sur l'ouvrant, de manière à évacuer l'eau vers l'extérieur du véhicule,
• ledit support de maintien est réalisé sous la forme d'une bague de maintien de forme générale cylindrique entourant le verrou,
• ledit support de maintien comporte au moins un crochet pour coopérer avec au moins un ergot prévu sur le verrou,
• ledit support de maintien comporte au moins une zone pentue pour coopérer avec ledit au moins un ergot du verrou,
• ledit support de maintien comporte quatre zones pentues et le verrou quatre ergots,
• ledit support de maintien présente au moins un joint d'étanchéité agencé sur au moins une extrémité dudit support de maintien,
• ledit joint d'étanchéité est surmoulé sur ladite extrémité dudit support de maintien.

Said holding support may further comprise one or more of the following characteristics, taken separately or in combination:

• the holding support has a connection tube to which a first end of the discharge pipe is attached,
• the discharge pipe comprises a fastener on the opening, so as to evacuate the water towards the outside of the vehicle,
• said holding support is in the form of a generally cylindrical retaining ring surrounding the lock,
• said holding support comprises at least one hook for cooperating with at least one lug provided on the lock,
• said holding support comprises at least one sloping zone to cooperate with said at least one lock pin,
• said holding support has four sloping zones and the latch four pins,
• said holding support has at least one seal arranged on at least one end of said holding support,
• said seal is overmolded on said end of said holder.

• un verrou présentant une entrée de clé accessible depuis l'extérieur du véhicule, et un premier orifice d'évacuation de l'eau susceptible de s'introduire par l'entrée de clé, et de l'eau susceptible de s'introduire entre le verrou et une découpe du panneau,
• un support maintien configuré pour être fixé au panneau et comportant un logement pour recevoir le verrou, ledit support de maintien présentant un canal d'évacuation communiquant avec le premier orifice d'évacuation du verrou pour recueillir l'eau introduite par l'entrée de clé, et entre le verrou et une découpe du panneau, et comportant un second orifice d'évacuation pour évacuer l'eau recueillie, et
• un tuyau d'évacuation fixé d'une part audit support de maintien en communiquant avec ledit second orifice d'évacuation, et d'autre part à l'ouvrant, de manière à évacuer l'eau recueillie vers l'extérieur du véhicule.

The invention also relates to a device for locking an opening leaf of a motor vehicle, in particular a trunk of a motor vehicle, characterized in that that it comprises:

• a lock having a key entry accessible from the outside of the vehicle, and a first water evacuation orifice capable of being introduced by the key inlet, and water likely to be introduced between the latch and a panel cutout,
• a holding bracket configured to be attached to the panel and having a housing for receiving the latch, said holding bracket having an evacuation channel communicating with the first bolt evacuation port for collecting water introduced by the key entrance , and between the latch and a cutout of the panel, and having a second discharge orifice for discharging the collected water, and
• a discharge pipe fixed on the one hand to said holding support by communicating with said second discharge port, and on the other hand to the opening, so as to evacuate the collected water to the outside of the vehicle.

• la figure 1a est une vue en perspective d'un support de maintien d'un verrou monté sur un panneau d'un ouvrant de véhicule automobile,
• la figure 1b est une vue en perspective éclatée des éléments représentés sur la figure 1a,
• la figure 2 est une vue en coupe longitudinale du support de maintien enveloppant le verrou,
• la figure 3a est une vue de côté avec une découpe partielle du support de maintien et du verrou avant assemblage,
• la figure 3b est une vue de derrière du verrou avant le serrage du support de maintien,
• la figure 3c est une vue de côté avec une découpe partielle du support de maintien et du verrou lors de l'assemblage du support de maintien et du verrou,
• la figure 3d est une vue de côté avec une découpe partielle du support de maintien et du verrou après assemblage, et
• la figure 4 est une vue partielle en coupe longitudinale d'un tuyau d'évacuation.

Other features and advantages of the invention will emerge more clearly on reading the following description, given by way of illustrative and nonlimiting example, and the appended drawings among which:

• the figure 1a is a perspective view of a support for holding a latch mounted on a panel of an opening leaf of a motor vehicle,
• the figure 1b is an exploded perspective view of the elements represented on the figure 1a ,
• the figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the holding support surrounding the lock,
• the figure 3a is a side view with a partial cutout of the holding bracket and the lock before assembly,
• the figure 3b is a rear view of the lock before tightening the support,
• the figure 3c is a side view with a partial cut of the holding support and the lock during the assembly of the holding support and the lock,
• the figure 3d is a side view with a partial cut of the holding support and the lock after assembly, and
• the figure 4 is a partial view in longitudinal section of a discharge pipe.

In these figures, identical elements bear the same references.

We have shown on Figures 1a and 1b , a lock 1 of an opening 2 ( figure 4 ) of a motor vehicle, more particularly of a vehicle trunk.

This lock 1, better visible on the figure 2 , comprises a rotor 3 which is rotatably mounted around the axis A1, inside a fixed stator 5.

The rotor 3 is intended to be rotated by means of a key (not shown) introduced axially inside the rotor 3 through a key inlet 7. This key input 7 is arranged in a front face 9 of the rotor 3 flush with the outer panel 10 of the opening, so that the key input 7 is accessible from outside the vehicle for a user.

In order to avoid blocking of the lock for example in the event of freezing, the lock 1 has a first orifice (not shown) for evacuating the water that can be introduced into the keyway 7.

In addition, the rear end 11 of the rotor 3 is intended to drive in rotation a control lever 13, otherwise called a threshing machine, for example by means of a driver 15. As can be seen in the example of FIG. figure 2 , the rear end 15a of the driver 15 is clipped into a corresponding housing 17 ( Figures 1b and 2 ) of the control lever 13.

This control lever 13 is connected to a lock mechanism (not shown), to act on the latter to allow the locking / unlocking of the leaf.

For safety, the rotor 3 conventionally comprises flakes 19 ( figure 2 ) to allow the rotation of the rotor 3 when a suitable key is introduced into the key inlet 7, and block the rotation of the rotor 3 otherwise.

More specifically, the rotor 3 comprises housings arranged in transverse planes which succeed each other at regular intervals in the direction of the axis A1 of the latch 1 to receive the flakes 19. These flakes 19 are movable radially in the rotor 3.

When a suitable key is introduced inside the rotor 3, the flakes 19 are entirely retracted radially inwards in the rotor 3 to cooperate with the correct key.

On the other hand, when a non-compliant key or any other tool is introduced into the rotor 3, the flakes 19 are not entirely retracted and are biased towards a protruding position in which they protrude outside the housings of the rotor 3 and are received inside corresponding housings of the stator 5. Thus, the flakes 19 immobilize the rotor 3 in rotation with respect to the stator 5.

In addition, a holding support 21 fixed to the panel 10 and comprising a housing 23 ( figure 1b ) in which the latch 1 is received, keeps the latch 1 on the panel 10. The latch is then enveloped by this housing 23 which ensures its retention on the panel 10.

As we see on the figure 2 , the holding support 21 can be fixed by its front end 21a to the panel 10 and its rear end 21b can be arranged facing the control lever 13.

According to the embodiment described, this holding support 21 is made in the form of a generally cylindrical holding ring 21 of generally cylindrical shape to surround the latch 1.

In the example shown on the figure 3c , the holding support 21 further comprises at least one hook 25, to cooperate respectively with at least one associated lug 27 provided on the latch 1, to ensure the pre-hold. The lug 27 acts here as a counter-hook.

Thus, for the mounting of the holding support 21 around the latch 1, the holding support 21 slides on the latch 1 in a direction D parallel to the axis A1 of the latch to fit the latch 1 ( figure 3a ). As we see on the figure 3c the hook 25 is then clipped into the associated lug 27, which ensures a pre-hold.

Then, the support support 21 is rotated until it comes to a stop ( figure 3d ). During this operation, the premaintening support is rotated and the hook 25 then disengages from the lug 27. Then, the sloped zones 26 come to interface with the lugs 27 of the latch 1 allowing the complete clamping of the latch 1 .

Also advantageously sloping areas 26 and lugs 27 are four in number.

The four lugs 27 of the lock then come to interface with the four sloping zones 26 of the holding support 21 to ensure clamping during the rotation of the holding support 21.

Referring again to Figures 1a to 2 , the holding support 21 has a discharge channel 29 communicating with the first discharge port of the lock 1 in order to collect the water introduced into the lock 1 by the key inlet 7. This exhaust channel 29 comprises a second discharge port 31 for discharging this collected water.

The holding support 21 thus ensures both a function of holding and evacuating the water introduced into the lock 1.

The second discharge orifice 31 of the holding support 21 may for example communicate with a discharge pipe 33.

According to the embodiment described, the discharge pipe 33 is on the one hand fixed to the holding support 21 ( Figures 1a to 3d ) and secondly on the opening 2 ( figure 4 ).

In the example shown on the figure 2 it is noted that the holding support 21 has a connection tube 35 arranged opposite the second discharge orifice 31, and a first end 33a of the discharge pipe 33 is fixed on this connecting tube 35 by deformation of the first end 33a.

Referring to the figure 4 the second end 33b of the discharge pipe may comprise a nozzle 37 through which the discharge pipe 33 is fixed on the opening 2.

Thus, this discharge pipe 33 conveys the water to the outside of the vehicle preventing the water remains stuck between the outer panel 10 and the inner panel (not shown) of the opening.

In addition, in order to seal between the outer panel 10 and the lock 1, a seal 39 may be overmoulded on the front end 21a of the support 21.

Similarly, a seal 41 may be overmolded on the rear end 21b of the holding support 21 to seal with the control lever 13.

Thus, the holding support 21 can combine several functions, namely a function for holding the lock 1 on the panel 10, a function for discharging the water introduced into the lock 1, and possibly a sealing function with on the one hand the panel 10 and on the other hand the control lever 13.

Claims (11)

1. Bracket for retaining a latch (1) on a panel (10) of a motor vehicle door leaf (2), in particular a luggage compartment of a motor vehicle, the latch (1) having a keyhole (7) accessible from the outside of the vehicle, and a first opening for discharging water that is capable of entering into the keyhole (7), characterised in that:

   - said retaining bracket is configured to be attached to the panel (10) and comprises a recess (23) for receiving the latch (1), and in that

   - said retaining bracket has a discharge channel (29) in communication with the first discharge opening of the latch (1) for collecting the water that has entered into the keyhole (7), and between the latch (1) and a cutout of the panel (10), and comprising a second discharge opening (31) for discharging the collected water, the second discharge opening (31) of the retaining bracket being in communication with the discharge pipe (33).
2. Retaining bracket according to claim 1, characterised in that the retaining bracket exhibits a connection tube (35) on which is secured a first end (33a) of the discharge pipe (33).
3. Retaining bracket according to claim 1, characterised in that the discharge pipe (33) comprises an end-fitting (37) on the door leaf (2) for discharging the water outside of the vehicle.
4. Retaining bracket according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterised in that it is produced in the form of a retaining ring (21) with an overall cylindrical shape surrounding the latch (1).
5. Retaining bracket according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that it comprises at least one hook (25) for engaging with a pin (27) provided on the latch (1).
6. Retaining bracket according to claim 5, characterised in that it comprises at least one sloped area (26) for engaging with the pin (27) of the latch (1).
7. Retaining bracket according to claim 6, characterised in that it comprises four sloped areas (26) and the latch (1) has four pins (27).
8. Retaining bracket according to any one of the previous claims, characterised in that it has at least one seal (39, 41) arranged on at least one end (21a, 21b) of said retaining bracket.
9. Retaining bracket according to claim 8, characterised in that said seal (39, 41) is moulded from a casting of said end (21a, 21b) of said retaining bracket.
10. Locking device of a motor vehicle door leaf (2), in particular a luggage compartment of a motor vehicle, characterised in that it comprises:

    - a latch (1) having a keyhole (7) accessible from the outside of the vehicle, and a first opening for discharging water that is capable of entering into the keyhole (7), and water that is capable of entering between the latch (1) and a cutout of the panel (10),

    - a retaining bracket (21) configured to be attached to the panel (10) and comprising a recess (23) for receiving the latch (1), said retaining bracket (21) having a discharge channel (25) in communication with the first discharge opening of the latch (1) for collecting the water that has entered into the keyhole (7), and between the latch (1) and a cutout of the panel (10), and comprising a second discharge opening (31) for discharging the collected water, and

    - a discharge pipe (33) attached on the one hand to said retaining bracket (21) in communication with said second discharge opening (31), and on the other hand to the door leaf, for discharging the collected water outside of the vehicle.
11. Locking device according to claim 10, characterised in that said retaining bracket (21) complies with any one of claims 1 to 8.

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