Door lock for motor vehicles

• US 5,497,641 A
• Filed: 08/25/1993
• Issued: 03/12/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: Wolf, Peter, Bauer, Franz, Wimmer, Manfred, Wegge, Martin, Eckrich, Michael, Schackmann, Horst, Schuch, Siegmund, Seeser, Gunter, Linde, Hansjurgen, Weishaupt, Walter
• Primary Examiner(s): Gall, Lloyd A.
• Application Number:
  US08/112,300
• Time in Patent Office: 930 Days
• Field of Search: 70/279, 70/257, 70/256, 70/264, 70/277, 180/281, 180/289, 340/825.31, 307/10.1, 307/66
• US Class Current: 70/257
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/14 operating on bolt detents, e.g. for unlatching the bolt
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/82 using batteries other than the vehicle main battery
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/84 using manually operated generator means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00642 by battery
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00769 with data transmission performed by wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00182 operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5978 With switch
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/65 Central control
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7062 Electrical type [e.g., solenoid]

Abstract

A door lock for motor vehicles having a control element which is driven by an electric motor, is controlled by an electronic control unit and can be moved, upon a control signal emitted by a transmitter, into a position which at least prepares the opening of the door lock. An energy accumulator, which is independent of the wiring of the motor vehicle and which, as required, can be connected to a signal receiver, is assigned to the electronic control system so that the signal receiver will then activate the control element directly.

Claims

1. In a motor vehicle having wiring and at least one locking element, a door lock comprising:

a control element for operating the locking element;

an electric motor for driving the control element;

a transmitter for emitting a control signal;

a signal receiver for receiving the control signal and being coupled to the control element;

an electronic control system coupled via the wiring of the motor vehicle to the signal receiver and an exterior energy supply to control the control element, the control element being movable into a position which prepares the opening of the locking element, in response to the control signal;

an energy accumulator assigned to the electronic control system, said energy accumulator being directly connectable to the signal receiver independent of the wiring of the motor between the signal receiver, exterior energy supply and electronic control system; and

wherein the energy accumulator is connectable to the signal receiver to allow the signal receiver to activate the control element without said exterior energy supply.

2. A motor vehicle door lock according to claim 1, wherein the signal receiver, includes means for recognizing when energy supply by the wiring is below a minimum requirement.

3. A motor vehicle door lock according to claim 2, further comprising a switch which is coupled with a door handle and the energy accumulator, the energy accumulator being activatable by the switch.

4. A motor vehicle door lock according to claim 3, further comprising an energy generator coupled to the energy accumulator and the door handle, wherein the energy accumulator is chargeable by the energy generator.

5. A motor vehicle door lock according to claim 4, wherein the door handle is adjustable into an energy generating mode.

6. A motor vehicle door lock according to claim 1, wherein the energy accumulator supplies energy to activate the control element of at least one other locking element.

7. A motor vehicle door lock according to claim 1, further comprising a switch which is coupled with a door handle and the energy accumulator, the energy accumulator being activatable by the switch.

8. A motor vehicle door lock according to claim 1, further comprising an energy generator coupled to the energy accumulator and a door handle, wherein the energy accumulator is chargeable by the energy generator.

9. A motor vehicle door lock according to claim 8, wherein the door handle is adjustable into an energy generating mode.