EP3464764B1 - Motor vehicle lock - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a motor vehicle lock according to claim 1 and a method for assembling such a motor vehicle lock according to claim 13.

The motor vehicle lock in question can be assigned to all types of locking elements of a motor vehicle. These include doors, in particular side or rear doors, trunk lids, tailgates, bonnets, load compartment floors or the like.

The compactness of the motor vehicle lock in question is of particular importance. In this sense, the motor vehicle lock is equipped with bearing domes on each of which a plurality of axially spaced levers are mounted. The resulting set of levers is often supported on housing components via spacer sleeves.

One challenge is to maintain a defined axial position of the levers of the lever assembly, as geometrical tolerances of the components involved must always be expected.

From the DE 102 32 184 A1 a bayonet lock in a force chain of a motor vehicle lock is known. Also the DE 10 2013 208 652 A1 and the DE 20 2007 007 077 U1 show bayonet locks in motor vehicle locks.

The invention is based on the problem of specifying a motor vehicle lock which allows a tolerance-insensitive mounting of, in particular, a plurality of levers on a geometrical lever axis with little manufacturing effort.

The above problem is solved by a motor vehicle lock with the features of claim 1.

The proposed motor vehicle lock is equipped with a lock mechanism and with a lock housing to accommodate the lock mechanism.

The lock mechanism has at least one actuating lever pivotable about a geometric lever axis, a bearing sleeve element being provided on which the actuating lever is radially supported.

The actuating lever is not only mounted radially on the bearing sleeve element, but also mounted axially. It is essential that the actuating lever is coupled to the bearing sleeve element via a bayonet lock for axially bilateral mounting. It is also essential that, within the framework of the assembly of the motor vehicle lock, the actuating lever can be preassembled together with the bearing sleeve element to form a separate unit by producing the bayonet lock.

What is interesting in the proposed solution is the fact that a bearing sleeve element is provided which can be used on the one hand as a spacer in the above sense and on the other hand as an axially bilateral bearing for the actuating lever. This dual use of the bearing sleeve element means that bearing components can be saved. Furthermore, the creation of the bayonet lock in the context of pre-assembly basically results in the possibility of parallelization of assembly processes.

The design of the axial lock between the actuating lever and the bearing sleeve element as a bayonet lock is advantageous in that the bayonet lock can be generated with simple assembly movements, in particular in an automated manner, and that the bayonet lock ensures a secure, axially two-sided mounting of the actuating lever without great mechanical effort can be implemented.

The preferred configurations according to claims 2 to 5 relate to preferred variants for producing the bayonet lock. The particularly preferred embodiment according to claim 5 offers the possibility of a simple pre-assembly of the actuating lever and bearing sleeve element in that no precise and therefore complex assembly movements are required during pre-assembly and with a suitable design. In a further preferred embodiment according to claim 5, in the installed state of the motor vehicle lock, it is ensured solely by restricting the movement of the actuating lever and the bearing sleeve element that unlocking of the bayonet lock is blocked. A separate locking element for locking the bayonet lock is accordingly not required.

In the further preferred embodiment according to claim 6, the bearing sleeve element is axially supported on two sides and can in this respect serve as a spacer. This shows the possible double function of the bearing sleeve element, namely on the one hand as a spacer and on the other hand as a bearing for the actuating lever.

The likewise preferred embodiments according to claims 8 and 9 relate to preferred interactions of the bearing sleeve element with a bearing dome of the motor vehicle lock.

An axial support of the bearing sleeve element on a shoulder of the bearing dome ensures that the position of the actuating lever is only determined by the geometric tolerances of the bearing dome and not by geometric tolerances of any additional levers (claim 9).

Such additional levers are the subject of claims 10 to 12. The bearing sleeve element provides an axial support, that is, an axial bearing, for at least one additional lever. Because the bearing sleeve element, which is preferably mounted on the bearing dome, simultaneously provides an axial bearing for at least one additional lever, the build-up of undesired tolerance chains from one lever to the other lever can be reliably avoided.

According to a further teaching according to claim 13, which is of independent significance, a method for assembling a motor vehicle lock according to the first-mentioned teaching is claimed. In this respect, reference may be made to all statements on the first-mentioned teaching.

According to the further teaching, it is essential that in a pre-assembly step the actuating lever and the bearing sleeve element form a pre-assembled unit with the formation of the bayonet lock, the pre-assembled unit then being otherwise mounted on the motor vehicle lock.

The pre-assembly of the actuating lever and the bearing sleeve element allow the parallelization of process steps, the proposed construction of the bearing sleeve element ensuring compliance with predetermined tolerances.

In particular, it is proposed according to claim 14 that in a first step the at least one additional lever is attached to a bearing dome of the motor vehicle lock and that in a second step the preassembled unit mentioned above is attached to the bearing dome. Both process steps require assembly movements along the common, geometric lever axis so that automated assembly is easily possible.

Fig. 1

eine Kraftfahrzeugtür mit einem vorschlagsgemäßen Kraftfahrzeugschloss in einer Ansicht vom Innenraum des Kraftfahrzeugs aus,

Fig. 2

eine Ausführungsform des Kraftfahrzeugschlosses gemäß Fig. 1 in einer Explosionsdarstellung mit den für die Erfindung wesentlichen Komponenten,

Fig. 3

das Kraftfahrzeugschloss gemäß Fig. 2 bei der Montage des Kraftfahrzeugschlosses nach der Vormontage von Betätigungshebel und Lagerhülsenelement und

Fig. 4

das Kraftfahrzeugschloss gemäß Fig. 3 nach der Montage der vormontierten Einheit am Kraftfahrzeugschloss im Übrigen.

The invention is explained in more detail below with the aid of a drawing that shows only one exemplary embodiment. In the drawing shows

Fig. 1

a motor vehicle door with a proposed motor vehicle lock in a view from the interior of the motor vehicle,

Fig. 2

an embodiment of the motor vehicle lock according to Fig. 1 in an exploded view with the components essential for the invention,

Fig. 3

the motor vehicle lock according to Fig. 2 during the assembly of the motor vehicle lock after the pre-assembly of the operating lever and bearing sleeve element and

Fig. 4

the motor vehicle lock according to Fig. 3 after the assembly of the pre-assembled unit on the vehicle lock, otherwise.

The motor vehicle lock 1 shown in the drawing is assigned to a side door 1a of a motor vehicle. The motor vehicle lock 1 can in principle be used on all types of locking elements of a motor vehicle. In this respect, reference may be made to the introductory part of the description.

The basic structure of the motor vehicle lock 1 comprises the locking elements lock latch 2 and pawl 3, which interact in a conventional manner. The latch 2 can be brought into at least one closed position in which it is in holding engagement with a closing element 4, in particular a striker or a striker. The latch 2 is held in its closed position by the pawl 3. The excavation of the The pawl 3 is connected to the release of the latch 2 into its open position, which is associated with the release of the locking element 4.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, which is preferred in this respect, the side door 1a receives the motor vehicle lock 1, while the locking element 4 is arranged on the motor vehicle body. The reverse can also be provided.

Fig. 1 further shows that an outside door handle 5 and an inside door handle 6 are provided which are each coupled to the motor vehicle lock 1 via Bowden cables 5a, 6a. Depending on the closed state of the motor vehicle lock 1, the pawl 3 can be lifted out by actuating the outside door handle 5 or the inside door handle 6.

The illustrated motor vehicle lock 1 is equipped with a lock mechanism 7, which here includes all the mechanical components required to implement the lock functions. The lock mechanism 7 is accommodated in a lock housing 8, which does not necessarily have to be designed to be closed. In this respect, the term "lock housing" is to be understood broadly. In principle, it can also be that a rear panel or a locking plate is part of the lock housing 8a in this sense.

The proposed solution is explained below with the aid of a lever assembly 9 of the lock mechanism 7. It is initially essential that the lock mechanism 7 has at least one actuating lever 11 that can be pivoted about a geometric lever axis 10. Here and preferably, the operating lever 11 is an external operating lever which is coupled to the outside door handle 5 via the Bowden cable 11a. Fig. 2 shows that a bearing sleeve element 12 is provided on which the actuating lever 11 is mounted radially. This is best seen by looking at the Fig. 2 , 3 and 4th .

It should be pointed out that the terms “radial” and “axial” are always to be understood here with regard to the geometric lever axis 10 of the actuating lever 11, without explicit reference to this in each case.

It results from the sectional view according to Fig. 4 that the actuating lever 11 is axially supported on two sides on the bearing sleeve element 12. This means that the axial adjustability of the actuating lever 11 in both axial directions is defined by the axially bilateral bearing. For this purpose, the actuating lever 11 is coupled to the bearing sleeve element 12 via a bayonet catch 13. This in turn results from a synopsis of the Fig. 2 , 3 and 4th .

What is interesting about the proposed solution is the fact that in the course of assembling the motor vehicle lock 1, the actuating lever 11 and the bearing sleeve element 12 can be preassembled to form a separate unit 14 by producing the bayonet catch 13, as shown in FIG Fig. 3 shown. The term "assembly of the motor vehicle lock" relates to the manufacture of the motor vehicle lock 1, and not the installation of the motor vehicle lock 1 in the side door la or the like. The term "separate" means that the preassembled unit 14 consisting of the actuating lever 11 and bearing sleeve element 12 as such, separately from the other components of the motor vehicle lock 1, can be generated.

In principle, at least two actuation levers 11, preferably more than two actuation levers 11, can also be mounted on the bearing sleeve element 12.

It is also conceivable that more than one bearing sleeve element 12, preferably more than two bearing sleeve elements 12, are provided, each of which supports at least one actuating lever 11.

In order to prevent the bayonet catch 13 from being inadvertently released when handling the preassembled unit 14, a fixing arrangement (not shown) is preferably provided between the actuating lever 11 and the bearing sleeve element 12. For example, the fixing arrangement can be a latching arrangement which has to be locked in place when the bayonet catch 13 is produced. It is also conceivable that during the manufacture of the bayonet lock 13 crushing ribs have to be traversed, which ensure that the bayonet lock cannot be released without an increased expenditure of force.

A synopsis of the Fig. 3 and 4th shows that the bearing sleeve element 12 is designed to be non-rotatable with the lock housing 8 in relation to the lever axis 10. This is implemented here and preferably in that the bearing sleeve element 12 has a support arm 15 which is supported against the lock housing 8 in a rotationally fixed manner with respect to the lever axis 10. For this purpose, the support arm 15 has an opening 15a which is pushed onto a bearing dome 16 when the unit 14 is assembled. The fact that the bearing dome 16 is spaced from the lever axis 10 results in the desired support effect.

In the illustrated and thus preferred embodiment, the bayonet lock 13 is formed by a bayonet recess 17 on the bearing sleeve element 12 on the one hand and by a bayonet counter-recess 18 on the actuating lever 11 on the other hand. The components operating lever 11 and bearing sleeve element 12 can be derived from the in Fig. 2 Slide out the position shown axially into one another. By pivoting the actuating lever 11 relative to the bearing sleeve element 12 about the lever axis 10, the bayonet lock 13 can be moved into the positions shown in FIG Fig. 3 Bring shown, locked state in which the bayonet recess 17 and the bayonet counter-recess 18 form an undercut. Pivoting back leads to the bayonet catch 13 assuming its unlocked state. It is essential that only in the locked state ( Fig. 3 ) the axially bilateral bearing between the actuating lever and the bearing sleeve element 12 is provided. In the unlocked state ( Fig. 2 ) on the other hand, an axial adjustment of the actuating lever 11 and the bearing sleeve element 12 is possible.

By using a bayonet lock 13, the proposed solution enables a particularly secure axially two-sided mounting of the actuating lever 11 on the bearing sleeve element 12. In detail, the actuating lever 11 and the bearing sleeve element 12 in the installed state of the motor vehicle lock 1 ( Fig. 4 ) assume a locking pivot position with respect to one another with respect to the bayonet catch 13, so that the bayonet catch 13 is in its locked state as discussed above. The arrangement is furthermore preferably such that the actuating lever 11 and the bearing sleeve element 12 in the installed state of the motor vehicle lock 1 are restricted in movement in such a way that unlocking of the bayonet catch 13 is blocked.

The sectional view according to Fig. 4 shows that the bearing sleeve element 12 is axially supported on two sides. There is a support point on part of the lock housing 8, here on an in Fig. 4 only indicated housing cover 8a.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, which is preferred in this respect, the bearing sleeve element 12 has an axial extension 19, on which the bayonet recess 17 is arranged here and preferably. In the embodiment shown in the drawing, the axial extension 19 has a further function, namely the function of the axial support of the bearing sleeve element 12 on the lock housing 8, here on the housing cover 8a. In the exemplary embodiment shown, which is preferred in this respect, the axial extension 19 takes on a further function, namely the function of receiving a spring element 20, which in a particularly preferred embodiment is a helical spring element, in particular a leg spring element, for the actuating lever 11. In principle, however, it is also conceivable that the spring element 20 is assigned to another component of the lock mechanism 7.

Fig. 4 shows that the bearing sleeve element 12 has the function of a spacer, by means of which the actuating lever 11 is held at a predetermined distance from the housing cover 8a.

For the storage of the lever assembly 9, which will still be explained in detail, the motor vehicle lock 1 has a further bearing dome 21, the bearing sleeve element 12, as in FIG Fig. 4 is arranged coaxially to the bearing dome 21. Here and preferably, the bearing sleeve element 12 is pushed onto the bearing dome 21. Alternatively, the bearing sleeve element 12 can be inserted into the bearing dome 21 or attached to the bearing dome 21. The bearing dome 21 is connected to a part of the lock housing 8, preferably with a housing trough 8b, here and preferably in one piece.

The above-mentioned plugging of the bearing sleeve element 12 onto the bearing dome 21 results in a particularly good centering of the bearing sleeve element 12 on the geometric lever axis 10.

It has already been pointed out that the bearing sleeve element 12 is supported on the housing cover 8a via its axial extension 19. Here and preferably it is provided that the bearing sleeve element 12 is supported axially at its end facing away from the housing cover 8a on the bearing dome 21, here and preferably on a radial shoulder 22 of the bearing dome 21. This preferably results in the bearing sleeve element 12 being fixed, in particular clamped, between the housing cover 8a of the lock housing 8 and the bearing dome 21. Additional measures for fastening the bearing sleeve element 12, which can be, for example, an additional riveted connection or the like, are thus omitted.

The lock mechanism 7 preferably has at least one additional lever 23, 24, here and preferably two additional levers 23, 24, which can be pivoted about the geometric lever axis 10 and which is or are pivotable about the geometric lever axis 10. The additional levers 23, 24 are supported here and preferably on the bearing dome 21. The bearing points of the additional levers 23, 24 are axially spaced from the bearing point of the actuating lever 11. The additional levers 23, 24, like the bearing sleeve element 12, are pushed onto the bearing dome 21.

The additional lever 23 is the internal operating lever which, when the motor vehicle lock 1 is installed, is coupled to the inside door handle 6 via the Bowden cable 6a. The additional lever 24 is a so-called release lever which, depending on the state of the lock, can be actuated by the external actuating lever 11 and / or the internal actuating lever 23 and acts on the pawl 3.

The two additional levers 23, 24 are arranged between a further radial shoulder 25 of the bearing dome 21 and a circumferential collar 26 of the bearing sleeve element 12 and are thereby axially supported on two sides. The axial mounting of the actuating lever 11 on the one hand and the additional levers 23, 24 on the other hand have no alternating, tolerance-related influence on one another.

Next is in Fig. 4 shown that the bearing sleeve element 12 has a further axial extension 27, which is designed as an internal operating lever with the Additional lever 23 is in engagement or can be brought, and which supports this additional lever 23 axially on one side.

As a result, the levers 11, 23, 24 of the lever assembly 9 can be kept in an axially defined position with the solution according to the proposal, without this leading to a high level of manufacturing complexity. The axial extension 27 protrudes through openings 28 in the release lever 24, which further increases the compactness of the structure overall.

According to a further teaching, which is of independent importance, the method for producing the proposed motor vehicle lock 1 is claimed as such.

According to the proposed method, it is essential that, in a pre-assembly step, the actuating lever 11 and the bearing sleeve element 12 form the above-mentioned pre-assembled unit 14 while forming the bayonet lock 13, the pre-assembled unit 14 then subsequently being mounted on the motor vehicle lock 1. The pre-assembly results from the transition from Fig. 2 on Fig. 3 . The assembly of the preassembled unit 14 on the motor vehicle lock 1 also results from the transition from Fig. 3 on Fig. 4 .

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the motor vehicle lock 1 has a bearing dome 21 mentioned above, the at least one additional lever 23 being attached to the bearing dome 21 in a first step, the preassembled unit being attached to the bearing dome 21 in a second step. Subsequently, it is preferably provided that in a third step the housing cover 8a is otherwise placed on the lock housing 8, whereby the bearing sleeve element 12 is axially supported.

In a particularly preferred and easy-to-manufacture embodiment, the bearing sleeve element 12 is made from a plastic material. The bearing dome 21 is preferably also made from a plastic material. The bearing sleeve element 12 and / or the bearing dome 21 can, however, also be reinforced by other materials, in particular by steel materials. In particular it can be provided that the bearing dome 21 has a steel mandrel for mechanical reinforcement.

Claims (15)

1. Motor vehicle lock with a lock mechanism (7) and with a lock housing (8) for accommodating the lock mechanism (7), wherein the lock mechanism (7) has at least one actuating lever (11) which is pivotable about a geometrical lever axis (10), wherein a bearing sleeve element (12) is provided on which the actuating lever (11) is mounted radially, wherein the actuating lever (11) is mounted on the bearing sleeve element (12) axially on two sides and, for this purpose, is coupled to the bearing sleeve element (12) via a bayonet closure (13), and in that, within the scope of the production of the motor vehicle lock (1), the actuating lever (11) and the bearing sleeve element (12) can be preassembled, by production of the bayonet closure (13), to form a separate unit (14).
2. Motor vehicle lock according to Claim 1, characterized in that the bearing sleeve element (12) is formed together with the lock housing (8) so as to be rotationally fixed with respect to the lever axis (10), preferably in that the bearing sleeve element (12) has a supporting arm (15) which is supported in relation to the lock housing (8) so as to be rotationally fixed with respect to the lever axis (10).
3. Motor vehicle lock according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the bayonet closure (13) is formed on the one hand by a bayonet formation (17) on the bearing sleeve element (12) and on the other hand by a bayonet mating formation (18) on the actuating lever (11).
4. Motor vehicle lock according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bayonet closure (13) can be brought into a locked state and into an unlocked state by pivoting of the actuating lever (11) in relation to the bearing sleeve element (12) about the lever axis (10), and in that the bayonet closure (13) only in the locked state provides the two-sided mounting axially between actuating lever (11) and bearing sleeve element (12) and in the unlocked state permits an axial adjustment of actuating lever (11) and bearing sleeve element (12) in relation to each other.
5. Motor vehicle lock according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the actuating lever (11) and the bearing sleeve element (12) take up a locking pivoting position with respect to each other in the installed state of the motor vehicle lock (1) with respect to the bayonet closure (13), preferably in that the actuating lever (11) and the bearing sleeve element (12) are restricted in movement in the installed state of the motor vehicle lock (1) in such a manner that unlocking of the bayonet closure (13) is blocked.
6. Motor vehicle lock according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bearing sleeve element (12) is supported axially on two sides, preferably in that the bearing sleeve element (12) is supported axially on a part of the lock housing (8), in particular on a housing cover (8a).
7. Motor vehicle lock according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bearing sleeve element (12) has an axial extension (19), preferably in that the bayonet formation (17) is arranged on the axial extension (19), and/or in that the axial extension (19) serves for axially supporting the bearing sleeve element (12) on the lock housing (8), in particular on the housing cover (8a), and/or in that the axial extension (19) serves for receiving a spring element (20), in particular a helical spring element, for the actuating lever (11) or for another component of the lock mechanism (7).
8. Motor vehicle lock according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a bearing dome (21) is provided, and in that the bearing sleeve element (12) is arranged coaxially with respect to the bearing dome (21), preferably in that the bearing sleeve element (12) is plugged onto the bearing dome (21) or is plugged into the bearing dome (21) or is fitted onto the bearing dome (21), preferably in that the bearing dome (21) is connected, in particular integrally, to a part of the lock housing (8).
9. Motor vehicle lock according to Claim 8, characterized in that the bearing sleeve element (12) is supported axially on the bearing dome (21), in particular on a radial step (22) of the bearing dome (21), preferably in that the bearing sleeve element (12) is fixed, in particular clamped, between the housing cover (8a) of the lock housing (8) and the bearing dome (21).
10. Motor vehicle lock according to Claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the lock mechanism (7) has at least one additional lever (23, 24) which is pivotable about the geometrical lever axis (10), preferably two further additional levers (23, 24) which are pivotable about the lever axis (10), and in that the at least one additional lever (23, 24) is mounted on the bearing dome (21).
11. Motor vehicle lock according to Claim 10, characterized in that at least one additional lever (21) is mounted axially on two sides on the one hand by means of the bearing sleeve element (12), in particular a radial step (26) on the bearing sleeve element (12), and on the other hand by means of the bearing dome (21), in particular a radial step on the bearing dome (21) .
12. Motor vehicle lock according to Claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the bearing sleeve element (12) has an axial extension (27) which can be brought into engagement with an additional lever (23, 24) mounted on the bearing dome (21) and which supports said additional lever (23, 24) axially on one side.
13. Method for installing a motor vehicle lock (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein, in a preassembly step, the bayonet lever (11) and the bearing sleeve element (12) form a preassembled unit (14) forming the bayonet closure (13), and wherein the preassembled unit (14) is furthermore subsequently installed on the motor vehicle lock (1).
14. Method according to Claim 13, characterized in that the motor vehicle lock (1) has a bearing dome (21), and in that, in a first step, the at least one additional lever (23, 24) is plugged onto the bearing dome (21), and in that, in a second step, the preassembled unit (14) is plugged onto the bearing dome (21) .
15. Method according to Claim 13 or 14, characterized in that, in a third step, a housing cover (8a) is furthermore placed onto the lock housing (8) and the bearing sleeve element (12) is thereby supported axially.

Images