Device for actuating locks on doors or hatches of vehicles

• US 20060012185A1
• Filed: 06/30/2005
• Published: 01/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huf Hulsbeck & Furst GmbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: Huf Hulsbeck & Furst GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Kiehl, Erik
• Granted Patent: US 7,261,339 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 292/216
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2015/0493 Overcenter springs
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/15 with means preventing the detent to return to its latching position before the bolt has moved to the unlatched position
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 85/26 Cooperation between bolts and detents
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1047 Closure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1082 Motor

Abstract

A device for actuating locks on a vehicle door has a rotary latch spring-loaded into an open position. When the door is closed, the rotary latch receives a lock member of the lock and is rotated into a defined locked position. The rotary latch has a detent into which a pivotable catch drops in a blocking position for securing the locked position of the rotary latch. A catch spring forces the catch into the blocking position. An actuation is provided for lifting the catch from the blocking position into a release position for releasing the rotary latch. The catch spring is an over-center helper spring that reverses a direction of action of the spring force. The catch spring acts as a snow load device that holds the catch in the release position until the rotary latch has reached the open position.

Claims

1. A device for actuating locks on a door of a vehicle, the device comprising:

a rotary latch arranged in a lock on a door and spring-loaded into an open position, wherein the rotary latch, when the door is closed, receives a stationary lock member of the lock and is rotated into at least one defined locked position, wherein the rotary latch has at least one detent;

a catch pivotably and stationarily supported in the lock, wherein the catch, upon rotation of the rotary latch, drops into the at least one detent of the rotary latch and defines a blocking position of the catch for securing the locked position of the rotary latch;

a catch spring having a spring force and forcing the catch into the blocking position;

an actuation for lifting the catch from the blocking position into a release position in which release position the rotary latch is released;

a snow load device arranged in the lock, wherein the snow load device, when actuated, holds the catch in the release position until the rotary latch has reached the open position;

wherein the catch spring is an over-center helper spring that, when the catch moves between the blocking position and the release position, reverses a direction of action of the spring force; and

wherein the snow load device consists only of the over-center helper spring that interacts with the catch and with the rotary latch.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the over-center helper spring has a first spring end and a second spring end, wherein the first spring end engages the catch and provides a moving end of the over-center helper spring which moving end is moved together with the catch, wherein the second spring end is stationary within the lock and provides a fixed spring end of the over-center helper spring, wherein an imaginary straight connecting line between a pivot bearing of the catch and the fixed spring end determines a dead-center line of the over-center helper spring, wherein the moving end of the over-center helper spring upon pivoting of the catch crosses the dead-center line and defines on opposed sides of the dead-center line a first stable end position and a second stable end position of the over-center helper spring, wherein the over-center helper spring in the first stable end position generates a first torque acting on the catch and in the second stable end position generates a second torque acting on the catch, wherein the second torque is oppositely oriented relative to the first torque, wherein the first torque forces the catch into the blocking position and the second torque forces the catch into the release position.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the catch has a control surface and wherein the rotary latch has a counter control surface, wherein in the release position the control surface of the catch projects into a rotary path of the counter control surface of the rotary latch, wherein in the blocking position the control surface of the catch is located outside of the rotary path of the counter control surface of the rotary latch.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the rotary latch has a circumferential contour that forms the counter control surface of the rotary latch.

5. The device according to claim 3, wherein the catch has a dead center position in which the moving end of the over-center helper spring is located on the dead center line, wherein in the dead center position the control surface of the catch is already located in the rotary path of the counter control surface of the rotary latch.

6. The device according to claim 3, wherein the control surface of the catch is a projection provided on the catch.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein the catch has a pivot axis and, relative to the pivot axis, has a first arm and a second arm, wherein the first arm has a counter detent engaging the at least one detent of the rotary latch in the blocking position, wherein the projection is provided on the second arm.

8. The device according to claim 2, wherein the catch in the release position rests against a stationary stop of the lock, wherein the stationary stop takes up the second torque and determines the second stable end position of the over-center helper spring.

9. The device according to claim 2, wherein the catch has a shoulder and the first torque causes the catch in the blocking position to be supported by the shoulder on a circumferential contour of the rotary latch.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the over-center helper spring is a tangentially loaded helical spring.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein the over-center helper spring is a pressure spring.

12. The device according to claim 1, wherein the over-center helper spring is a tension spring.