EP3385482A1 - Lock assembly for a vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a lock arrangement (1), in particular for vehicle doors or vehicle flaps, preferably for a tailgate, with a lock housing (13), a rotary latch (3) rotatably mounted on the lock housing (13) and movable at least between an open position and a main lock position is, one of the lock housing (13) pivotally mounted pawl (5) which is movable between a with the rotary latch (3) engaged locking position and a release position.

Disposed on the lock housing (13) is a pivotally mounted locking and blocking lever (2), which is pivotable between a standby position in which the locking and blocking lever (2) and the rotary latch (3) are not in engagement with one another , The locking and blocking lever can assume a blocking position in order to prevent a movement of the rotary latch (3) beyond the main locking position.

Description

The invention relates to a lock arrangement, in particular for vehicle doors or vehicle doors, preferably for a tailgate. The lock assembly of the type in question has a lock housing on which a rotary latch is rotatably mounted, which is movable at least between an open position and a main latching position. Further, the lock assembly on a pivotally mounted on the lock housing pawl which is movable between a locking position in engagement with the locking position and a release position.

A lock assembly of the type described is, for example, from the DE 10 2013 113 384 A1 known. In this known lock arrangement, the pawl by means of a control element, which comprises a gear and is in driving connection with a motor drive, moved from the blocking position in the direction of the release position to release the catch for opening the vehicle door or vehicle door. The control element is moved by the motor drive, wherein the drive after opening the vehicle door or vehicle door also ensures that the control element for a new opening operation is moved back to its original position. During the closing process, a locking bolt engaging in the jaw of the rotary latch ensures that the rotary latch is rotated from its open position into its main locking position, with the rotary latch engaging the locking pawl during this rotary movement. In the main locking position of the rotary latch, a movement of the rotary latch into its open position is then only possible again when the locking pawl is moved from its locking position into its release position, which is realized by the control element described above. In the main position of the catch, however, the catch in rotate over the main latching position overstroke position, whereby a game is generated to the pawl and the catch can move relative to the latch bolt, causing a perceivable rattling noise for the user. In particular, in lock assemblies that are used in flat-mounted tailgates, the sealing forces are low, whereby only a very little to no tension on the lock assembly of catch and pawl acts whereby the catch is possible to rotate in the above-described overstroke position, which leads to the described as well as unwanted rattle noise. For this reason, known from the prior art, a solution in which the mouth of the rotary latch is provided with rubber-like buffers to reduce unwanted rattling noise due to the relative movement between the locking pin and rotary latch. However, such bumpers wear quite heavily and moreover increase the force required to be used to close the lock assembly.

The invention has for its object to develop a lock assembly in a structurally simple manner and cost, in which an undesirable noise due to a relative movement between the catch and latch bolt is effectively avoided. In particular, a solution is to be created by the rotational movement of the catch is avoided in an overstroke after the catch and the pawl are already locked.

In a lock arrangement of the type described, this object is achieved in that a pivotally mounted locking and locking lever is disposed on the lock housing, which is pivotable between a standby position and a Verschließstellung. In the standby position locking and locking lever and the catch are without engagement with each other, which in addition to the positioning of the two by the interpretation of Sizing and approved angles of rotation can be ensured.

The rotary latch has a stop element. Closing and blocking lever and stop element are designed coordinated with each other so that upon pivoting of the locking and blocking lever in the direction of Verschließstellung a nose of the locking and locking lever comes into action with the stop element. Furthermore, it is ensured that with continued pivoting of the locking and locking lever in the direction towards the closing position, the nose moves the catch in the main latching position by the closing and blocking lever exerts a force on the stop element and moves it. In the main locking position, the pawl enters its locking position and ensures in this blockage of movement of the rotary latch in the direction of its open position.

Further, the invention provides that when located in the main locking position catch a bearing surface of the catch is positioned such that the locking and blocking lever assumes a blocking position in a pivoting of the Verschließstellung in the direction of standby position and acts in this on the contact surface, for example at least in the case a present torque of the catch beyond the main detent position exerts a force on it to block movement of the catch beyond the main detent position.

Advantageous and expedient refinements and developments of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims.

The invention provides a lock assembly in a structurally simple manner and cost, which is characterized by a simple structure and yet effective prevents rotation of the catch from its main latching position in a so-called Überhubposition when or after the pawl has reached its locked position and the closing and blocking lever has taken its blocking position after the closure has been brought about. The fact that a rotational movement of the rotary latch is prevented or at least limited to an overstroke position beyond the main latching position in the sequence, the problem of unwanted rattling noise known from the prior art is effectively avoided. The invention is characterized by a purely mechanical solution, which makes do without any rubbery and wear-prone buffer elements in contrast to known prior art lock arrangements. Due to the fact that the catch due to the blocking of the catch by the locking and blocking lever - depending on the design of the lock assembly - can not reach or at most slightly in an overstroke position, the advantage is achieved that even with jerky closing of the lock, such as by throwing a vehicle door on which the lock is arranged, a hard stop of the vehicle door or its seal is avoided.

According to a further development it can be provided that a pre-locking position of the rotary latch is provided between the open position and the main detent position of the rotary latch, in which a movement of the rotary latch is prevented in the open position by a pre-locking lever pivotally mounted on the lock housing, which pivots in a pre-engaged position in stop is operatively connected to a counter element of the rotary latch or with a mating element coupled to the rotary latch. The counter element is preferably designed as a stop pin.

An advantageous development consists in that the stop element is positioned on the catch in such a way that, when the catch is in the pre-locking position, the nose moves in the direction of the stop element in the direction of the stop element, preferably at least in force, when the closing and blocking lever is pivoted and with continued pivoting of the closure and Blocking lever the catch is pressed by the nose in the direction of its main latching position. This solution is structurally particularly advantageous since it requires no further components and at the same time a favorable for taking the blocking position starting position is created by causing the closing by the locking and blocking lever.

A particularly advantageous development comprises that the nose and the stop element are designed such that the movement of the rotary latch in the direction of the main latching position by pressing the nose, for example, on a shell-side stop surface of the stop element is made.

Preferably, the rotary latch is designed such that it is movable exclusively by the force in its main latching position, which exerts the nose of the locking and blocking lever when pivoting the locking and blocking lever in the direction of Verschließstellung on the rotary latch, preferably by pressing against a stop surface , Alternatively, however, it is also possible for a further torque acting in the direction of the main latching position to be additionally exerted on the rotary latch, which is provided, for example, by an actuator coupled to the rotary latch.

If the stop element is an integral part of the rotary latch, good mechanical properties and low production costs are achieved.

Preferably, the locking and blocking lever is spring-biased in the direction of the ready position. As a result, with a suitable design of the lock arrangement, a targeted application of force to the closing and blocking lever, for example by means of an actuator, can be limited to the closing operation.

Furthermore, it can be provided according to an advantageous embodiment, that the locking and blocking lever is coupled to a rotation axis with the lock housing for rotational pivoting of the locking and locking lever. With In other words, it can be provided that the coupling of the locking and blocking lever on the lock housing has an axis of rotation, with which and about which the locking and locking lever is rotatably mounted. According to the advantageous embodiment, therefore, the possible movements of the locking and blocking lever exclusively on a rotational movement and no translational components.

According to a variant, the closing and blocking lever is coupled to an actuator. This is preferably designed as an electric motor, but may also be operated only mechanically in a variant. The actuator is arranged engaging according to the development at a coupling point of the locking and blocking lever, wherein the coupling point is positioned at one end of the locking and blocking lever, which is further spaced from the axis of rotation than the nose, wherein the axis of rotation between the coupling point and the nose is arranged. By this solution, a large lever arm is provided, whereby the forces to be provided can be dimensioned comparatively small.

It can be provided that the contact surface of the rotary latch has a concavely curved surface relative to a rotation axis of the rotary latch, by which is meant that at least one region of the contact surface has a mathematically negative radius starting from the axis of rotation of the rotary latch.

It is understood that the features mentioned above and those yet to be explained can be used not only in the respectively indicated combination but also in other combinations or in isolation, without departing from the scope of the present invention. The scope of the invention is defined only by the claims.

Further details, features and advantages of the subject matter of the invention will become apparent from the following description in In connection with the drawings, in which an exemplary preferred embodiment of the invention is shown.

• Figs. 1 bis 4: Verschiedene Stadien des kinematischen Ablaufs einer Bewegung einer beispielhaften Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemäßen Schlossanordnung.
• Fig. 1 ist eine beispielhafte Ausführungsform einer erfindungsgemäßen Schlossanordnung 1 zu entnehmen. Diese wird bevorzugt, jedoch nicht ausschließlich, bei Heckklappen von Fahrzeugen eingesetzt.

Show it

• Figs. 1 to 4 Various stages of the kinematic sequence of a movement of an exemplary embodiment of the lock arrangement according to the invention.
• Fig. 1 an exemplary embodiment of a lock assembly 1 according to the invention can be seen. This is preferred, but not exclusive, used in tailgates of vehicles.

In a lock housing 13, of which only a part is shown for reasons of illustration, rotary latch 3 is arranged, which can rotate about a rotation axis 12. In the position shown, the rotary latch 3 is in a pre-locking position, in which the rotary latch 3 is prevented by a pre-locking lever 4 from moving back to its open position. In the illustration shown, the rotary latch is biased in the direction of the open position, whereby the illustrated configuration of the Vorrasthebels 4 is sufficient to prevent the backward movement of the rotary latch 3. The supply lever 4 is pivotally mounted on the lock housing 13 and is located on a stopper 16 formed as a counter element of the rotary latch 3. The triggering of the Vorrasthebels 4, which in the stage of the representation of the Fig. 1 has already occurred is done in many cases by a microswitch; In principle, however, mechanical release mechanisms are possible.

A closing and blocking lever 2 is likewise arranged on the lock housing 13. The latter is rotatably mounted on the lock housing 13 about an axis of rotation formed as a closing and blocking lever pivot axis 14 and is, in the embodiment shown, in the direction of its illustration shown in the illustration Ready biased position, namely in a direction along the arrow P. In the standby position shown is a further movement in the direction of Spring preload prevented by the holding element 11. In the position shown, the pawl 5 is in its release position and is pressed due to a corresponding spring bias with its locking surface 5 'against a lateral surface of the rotary latch 3. At the coupling point 15, an unillustrated actuator engages the locking and blocking lever 2. The coupling point 15 is further spaced from the locking and blocking lever pivot axis 14 than the nose 7.

In Fig. 2 is shown that with the actuator, not shown, a rotational movement of the closing and locking lever 2 in the direction of arrow A is brought about. The nose 7 of the locking and blocking lever 2 is pivoted as a result of the rotational movement of the locking and blocking lever 2 and in the course of the pivotal movement in action with the stop element 6. In other words, the nose 7 with a shell-side nose surface 8 on a coat-side stop surface. 8 'brought the stop element 6 and presses from the moment of contact on further rotation of the locking and blocking lever 2, the rotary latch 3 in the direction of its main latching position, the in Fig. 2 already reached. In the main locking position, the pawl 5 enters its blocking position and engages in a pawl recess of the rotary latch 3. As a result of the blockage exerted on the shell-side pressure surface 9, a movement of the rotary latch in the direction of the open position is prevented. In the illustrated embodiment, the pivoting of the pawl is a superposition of rotational and translational movement. Alternatively, however, purely rotational or purely translatory movements are conceivable in corresponding embodiments.

Although a movement of the rotary latch 3 in the direction of its open position is blocked by the pawl in the main latching position; However, there is in principle still the risk of an overstroke of the catch 3 over the Main rest position addition, so in the illustration shown in the counterclockwise direction. In order to prevent such an overstroke, there is a pivoting of the locking and locking lever 2 in the direction of its standby position, but the blocking lever covers only part of the way to the ready position until it reaches the position in which it enters the blocking position with the rotary latch 3 ,

In the in Fig. 3 illustrated stage of movement of the closing and blocking lever 2 assumes a blocking position. In the blocking position, the nose 7 cooperates with the rotary latch 3 on the contact surface 10, wherein at least one non-positive component of the action is present, and wherein the contact surface 10 in the illustrated embodiment is part of a lateral surface of the rotary latch 3. The action is designed in the illustrated embodiment such that in the main locking position of the rotary latch 3, the locking and locking lever 2 touches the contact surface 10 and exerts a force on it, which comprises at least one tangential force component in relation to the axis of rotation 12 of the rotary latch. The action of the locking and blocking lever prevents the further movement of the rotary catch 3 in the direction of the overstroke movement (ie beyond the main locking position). The contact surface 10 may alternatively or in addition to the embodiment shown also partially or completely parts of one or both of the other surfaces, ie the oriented parallel to the paper plane surfaces, the rotary latch 3 include. It is also conceivable that a specially arranged on the catch 3 element provides the contact surface 10, wherein the element may be integral or multi-piece with the catch. The determination of the nose in the blocking position of contact surface 10 may be provided either by inhibition with the catch 3, which can be achieved by skillful interpretation of the spring forces for the spring bias of the proposed elements. Alternatively or additionally, a positioning of the closing and Blocking lever 2 can be achieved by the actuator, which engages the coupling point 15 already described above.

In Fig. 4 is shown as a preparatory measure for opening the tailgate of the locking and locking lever 2 is pivoted back into its standby position, which was accomplished by providing a sufficiently large force on the locking and locking lever 2 in the direction of the ready position.

Claims (7)

Lock arrangement (1), in particular for vehicle doors or vehicle flaps, preferably for a tailgate, with a lock housing (13), a rotatably mounted on the lock housing (13) rotary latch (3) which is movable at least between an open position and a main detent position, one the lock housing (13) pivotally mounted pawl (5) which is movable between a locked position with the catch (3) and a release position,
characterized in that
on the lock housing (13) a pivotally mounted locking and locking lever (2) is arranged, which between a standby position in which the locking and blocking lever (2) and the rotary latch (3) are not engaged with each other and a Verschließstellung is pivotable,
wherein the rotary latch (3) has a stop element (6) and closing and blocking lever (2) and stop element (6) are formed such that upon pivoting of the locking and blocking lever (2) in the direction of the closing position a nose (7) of the Closing and blocking lever (2) in action with the stop element (6) occurs, and that with continued pivoting of the locking and blocking lever (2) to the Verschließstellung the nose (7), the rotary latch (3) by movement of the stop element (6) moved into the main locking position, in which the pawl (5) enters the locking position to block a movement of the rotary latch (3) in the direction of the open position,
wherein in the main catch position located rotary latch (3) a bearing surface (10) of the rotary latch (3) so positioned in that the locking and blocking lever (2) assumes a blocking position in the event of pivoting from the closing position in the direction of the ready position into engagement with the contact surface (10) to block a movement of the rotary latch (3) beyond the main locking position. Lock assembly (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that between the open position and the main latching position of the rotary latch (3) a pre-locking position of the rotary latch (3) is provided, in which a movement of the rotary latch (3) in the open position by one on the lock housing pivotally arranged Vorrasthebel (4) is prevented, which pivoted into a pre-locking position in abutment with a counter element (16), preferably stop pin, the rotary latch (3) or with a with the rotary latch (3) coupled counter element (16), preferably stop pin, operatively connected is. Lock assembly (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the stop element (6) on the rotary latch (3) is positioned such that when in pre-locking position catch (3) the nose (7) upon pivoting of the locking and locking lever (2 ) from its ready position in the direction of the closing position in the direction of the stop element (6) moving with this in action, preferably at least in adhesion, occurs, and that with continued pivoting of the locking and blocking lever (2), the rotary latch (3) of the in Acting with the stop element (6) standing nose (7) in the direction of the main latching position of the rotary latch (3) is pressed. Lock arrangement (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the closure and Blocking lever (2) is spring-biased towards the ready position. Lock assembly (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the locking and blocking lever (2) on an axis of rotation (14) with the lock housing (13) is coupled to the rotational pivoting of the locking and locking lever (2). Lock arrangement (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the locking and blocking lever (2) is coupled to an actuator, which is preferably designed as an electric motor, and at a coupling point (15) of the locking and blocking lever (2 ) positioned at one end of the locking and blocking lever (2), which is farther from the axis of rotation (14) than the nose (7), the axis of rotation (14) being located between the coupling point and the nose , Lock assembly (1) one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the contact surface of the rotary latch relative to a rotational axis of the rotary latch (3) has a concave curved surface.

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