Unit carrier comprising an integrated lock fixing system for a motor vehicle door

• US 20070126259A1
• Filed: 07/28/2004
• Published: 06/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Carcoustics Tech Center GmbH
• Original Assignee: Carcoustics Tech Center GmbH
• Inventors: Almeida, Pedro, Kreitz, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US10/579,187
• Publication Number:
  US 20070126259A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 296/146.100
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 5/0416 Assembly panels to be installed in doors as a module with components, e.g. lock or window lifter, attached thereto
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 17/0012 for lock parts held in place before or during mounting on the wing
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 79/04 Mounting of lock casings to the vehicle, e.g. to the wing

Abstract

The invention relates to a unit carrier (1) for a motor vehicle door, with at least one fixing section for a door lock (3) and fixing points for securing the unit carrier to a motor vehicle door, wherein the door lock can be connected by a lock holding angle (4) to the unit carrier. According to the invention a snap-in connection is provided between the lock holding angle (4) and the unit carrier (1) so that the lock holding angle (4) can be secured by means of a catch mechanism to the unit carrier (1). Consequently the assembly work in securing the door lock (3) to the unit carrier (1) is considerably reduced.

Claims

1-15. -15. (canceled)

16. A unit carrier (1) for a motor vehicle door, with at least one fixing section for a door lock (3) and fixing points for securing the unit carrier to a motor vehicle door, wherein the door lock can be connected to the unit carrier by a lock holding angle (4, 4′

, 4″

) wherein a snap-in connection designed as a detachable clip connection is provided between the lock holding angle (4, 4′

, 4″

) and the unit carrier (1) so that the lock holding angle (4, 4′

, 4) can be secured to the unit carrier (1) by means of a catch mechanism, wherein the snap-in connection is formed by a plurality of insert openings (6, 7, 8, 9;

6′

, 7′

) and at least one lockable plug-in element (10, 11;

10′

, 11′

;

10″

) formed on the lock holding angle; and

wherein the insert openings (6, 7, 8, 9;

6′

, 7′

) are contained in ribs (12, 13;

12′

, 13′

) formed on the unit carrier, which ribs are spaced a certain distance apart in the direction of insertion of the plug-in element.

17. The unit carrier according to claim 16, wherein the snap-in connection is formed by a plurality of plug-in elements (10, 11;

10′

, 11′

) that are formed on the lock holding angle (4, 4′

) and can be locked in the insert openings.

18. The unit carrier according to claim 17, the lock holding angle (4, 4′

) is of fork-shaped design, wherein a fork-shaped end of the lock holding angle is formed by the plug-in elements (10, 11;

10′

, 11′

).

19. The unit carrier according to claim 16, wherein at least one snap-in projection (14, 15;

14′

, 15′

;

14″

) that can be deflected by spring elasticity is formed on the at least one plug-in element (10, 11;

10′

, 11′

, 10″

).

20. The unit carrier according to claim 19, wherein the plug-in element (10, 11) is of a catwalk-shaped design, wherein the snap-in projection (14, 15) has a pressure face (16) that is inclined in the direction of insertion and runs obliquely to the catwalk-shaped outer surface of the plug-in element (10, 11), and a stop surface (17) that runs essentially perpendicularly to the catwalk-shaped outer surface of the plug-in element.

21. The unit carrier according to claim 19, wherein the plug-in element (10′

, 11′

) is of a catwalk-shaped design, wherein the snap-in projection (14′

) has a pressure face (16′

) that is inclined in the direction of insertion and runs obliquely to the catwalk-shaped outer surface of the plug-in element, and a stop face (17′

) that runs obliquely to the catwalk-shaped outer surface of the plug-in element, wherein the stop face (17′

) has a greater inclination to the catwalk-shaped outer surface of the plug-in element than the pressure face (16′

) and is inclined so that it is opposed to the direction of insertion.

22. The unit carrier according to claim 16, wherein the lock holding angle (4, 4′

) is rigidly connected to the door lock (3).

23. The unit carrier according to claim 16, wherein the lock holding angle (4, 4′

, 4″

) is designed integrally with a cover (5) that can be connected to, in particular locked to the door lock (3).

24. The unit carrier according to claim 16, wherein the lock holding angle (4, 4′

, 4″

) is designed integrally with a housing of the door lock (3).

25. The unit carrier according to claim 16, wherein it consists at least partially of plastic manufactured in the injection moulding-foaming process.