Vehicle door lock with a centrally-operated locking unit

• US 5,762,384 A
• Filed: 10/25/1996
• Issued: 06/09/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kiekert AG (Lingyun Industrial Corporation Limited)
• Original Assignee: Kiekert AG (Lingyun Industrial Corporation Limited)
• Inventors: Bartel, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Lindsey, Rodney M.
• Application Number:
  US08/736,923
• Time in Patent Office: 592 Days
• Field of Search: 292/216, 292/DIG. 27, 292/201, 292/DIG. 23, 292/DIG. 3, 70/264, 70/279, 318/685, 318/696
• US Class Current: 292/216
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/48 by electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/06 using rotary motors
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/16 operating on locking elements for locking or unlocking action
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/40 Nuts or nut-like elements moving along a driven threaded axle
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 85/02 Lock casings
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 6/005 using digital thermal images
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 7/0851 for motors actuating a movable member between two end positions, e.g. detecting an end position or obstruction by overload signal
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 8/36 Protection against faults, e.g. against overheating or step-out; Indicating faults
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/27 Disconnectable handle
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1047 Closure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1082 Motor

Abstract

A vehicle door lock having a closing element component, a locking element component and an actuating element component, the latter having a component actuating element and a securing actuating element, is connected to a central locking unit for remote controlled actuation of the securing actuation element. The actuation is effected with an electric motor and, in addition, a position monitoring is provided. The electric motor, for drive by the central locking unit is a reversible polyphase stepping motor with a phase confirming stator winding and which acts via a transmission on the lock component. The locking component is designed for a drive power which is greater than the nominal power of the polyphase stepping motor when it is permanently energized. The stepping motor is driven with a working voltage which is greater than the design voltage corresponding to the drive power for the centrally operable unit. For the position monitoring, a step monitor system is used. The polyphase stepping motor is controlled with the aid of a computer.

Claims

1. A motor-vehicle door lock comprising:

a closure-element component provided with a pivotable bolt engageable with a door-frame pin and a keeper for said bolt;

a locking-element component adjacent said closure-element component and operatively connected therewith;

an actuating-element component comprised of opening actuation elements and of a securing actuation element, at least one of said components being provided with a main element operable by a central lock unit;

a polyphase reversible stepping motor having a phase-conforming stator winding and provided with a step-down transmission operatively connected to said main element for operating same in response to a signal from a remote source said motor, said transmission and said main element forming a centrally operable unit,

the polyphase reversible stepping motor being designed to have a certain nominal power L_N at an output of said polyphase stepping motor under constant energization,

the centrally operable unit being designed to have a required drive power L_ANZ greater than said nominal power L_N of said polyphase stepping motor whereby L_N is less than L_ANZ ;

means for energizing said polyphase reversible stepping motor with a working voltage U_AR which is greater than a design voltage U_AU of said polyphase reversible stepping motor and corresponding to the drive power of the centrally operable unit; and

a computer controlling said polyphase reversible stepping motor and provided with position-monitoring means for monitoring a position of at least one of said elements as a motor-stepping monitor.

2. A motor-vehicle door lock according to claim 1 wherein the polyphase reversible stepping motor is equipped with an operating temperature monitor for cutting out the polyphase stepping motor when the operating temperature thereof exceeds a predetermined limiting temperature above which overheating of the motor occurs.

3. A motor-vehicle door lock according to claim 1 wherein the drive power L_ANZ of the centrally operable unit is at least 50% greater than the nominal power L_N of the polyphase stepping moor.

4. A motor-vehicle door lock according to claim 2 wherein said operating temperature monitor includes an up/down counter counting up with current flow to the polyphase stepping motor and counting down in the absence of current flow through the motor and connected to apply a forced pause in the operation of the motor when required.

5. A motor-vehicle door lock according to claim 1 wherein said motor-stepping monitor includes means for measuring a drive current of the polyphase stepping motor and for checking stator windings which are not supplied with current.