MOTOR VEHICLE DOOR LOCK

• US 20140035295A1
• Filed: 02/08/2012
• Published: 02/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kiekert AG (Lingyun Industrial Corporation Limited)
• Original Assignee: Kiekert AG (Lingyun Industrial Corporation Limited)
• Inventors: Bendel, Thorsten, Tpfer, Claus
• Granted Patent: US 9,243,429 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 292/100
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/06 by means of inertial forces
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 85/26 Cooperation between bolts and detents
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/22 Inertia operated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/0949 Lever

Abstract

The invention relates to a motor vehicle door lock equipped with a locking mechanism (1, 2, 3), an actuation lever unit that acts on the locking mechanism (1, 2, 3) and includes a release lever (4), and a catch lever (10). The catch lever (10) blocks the locking mechanism (1, 2, 3) at least when acceleration forces of a given magnitude occur, e.g. in case of an accident (crash). According to the invention, the catch lever (10) blocks the locking mechanism (1, 2, 3) in the event of a crash while releasing the locking mechanism (1, 2, 3) only for normal opening operation.

Claims

1. Motor vehicle door lock equipped with a locking mechanism, an actuation lever unit with a release lever, acting on the locking mechanism and a catch lever, blocking the locking mechanism at least when subjected to acceleration forces of a given magnitude, for instance during an accident (crash), wherein the catch lever compared to the locking mechanism is in a blocked position during normal operation and blocks said mechanism in case of a crash and only releases it for normal operation.

2. Motor vehicle door lock according to claim 1, wherein the catch lever is designed as a swivel lever rotatable around an axis.

3. Motor vehicle door lock according to claim 1, wherein the catch lever and the locking mechanism are arranged in a lock case.

4. Motor vehicle door lock according to claim 1, wherein the catch lever is a double-arm lever with a blocking arm and a compensation arm.

5. Motor vehicle door lock according to claim 1, wherein the catch lever is coupled with the release lever.

6. Motor vehicle door lock according to claim 5, wherein an elastic coupling is provided.

7. Motor vehicle door lock according to claim 5, wherein the catch lever rand the release lever are elastically coupled at least by means of a spring.

8. Motor vehicle door lock according to claim 1, wherein the catch lever contains a blocking contour, cam, deformation etc., interacting with the locking mechanism.

9. Motor vehicle door lock according to claim 1, wherein the catch lever interacts with a catch blocking pawl of the locking mechanism.

10. Motor vehicle door lock according to claim 1, wherein the moment of inertia of the catch lever does not allow any relative movement in case of a crash.

11. Motor vehicle door lock according to claim 1, wherein the inertia forces of the catch lever occurring in case of a crash more or less definitively exceed any coupling forces to the release lever.