Continuously adjustable power-actuated door lock for a motor vehicle door

• US 5,873,622 A
• Filed: 10/11/1996
• Issued: 02/23/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ED Scharwachter GmbH & Company KG
• Original Assignee: ED Scharwachter GmbH & Company KG
• Inventors: Klingelhofer, Friedrich G., Kluting, Bernd-Alfred
• Primary Examiner(s): Pedder, Dennis H.
• Application Number:
  US08/729,131
• Time in Patent Office: 865 Days
• Field of Search: 296/146.1, 296/146.4, 296/146.11, 296/202, 16/82, 16/337
• US Class Current: 296/146.11
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/082 with substantially radial friction, e.g. cylindrical friction surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/1007 with positive locking
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 5/062 specially adapted for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 5/00 Braking devices, e.g. checks; Stops; Buffers construction of pneumatic or liquid braking devices E05F3/00; braking devices, buffers or end stops on drawers for tables, cabinets or like furniture A47B88/473; combined with devices for holding wings open E05C17/00; devices for limiting opening of wings or for holding wings open by a movable member extending between frame and wing E05C17/04
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/21 Brakes
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/26 Mechanical friction
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/266 rotary
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/72 Planetary gearing
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/531 Doors

Abstract

A continuously adjustable power-actuated door lock for a motor vehicle door attachable to a motor vehicle with at least two hinges, and including a locking device connected, with a door pillar and a door and having a braking element movable between a braking position, in which the door is locked, and a release position, and a drive for displacing the braking element between the braking and release positions and including an electric motor controllable in accordance with an actual open position of the door, a direction of door movement, an instantaneous speed of the door movement, and movement characteristics of the door including door weight, inner resistance of a door attachment, with the locking device being formed integrally with one of two door attaching hinges.

Claims

1. A continuously adjustable power-actuated door lock for a motor vehicle door attachable to a motor vehicle body with at least two hinges, the door lock comprising:

braking means for arresting door movement and including a rotatable part coaxial with a hinge axis of one of the at least two door attaching hinges and connected with one of the door and a part associated with the door, the rotatable part being rotatable in accordance with the door movement, and a braking member cooperating with the rotatable part for arresting the door movement; and

an electric motor for displacing the braking member between a braking position in which the braking member engages the rotatable part for arresting the door movement, and a release position in which the braking member is disengaged from the rotatable part, enabling a free movement of the door.

2. A door lock as set in claim 1, wherein the rotatable part is connected with a door flap of the one door hinge.

3. A door lock as set forth in claim 1, wherein the rotatable part is supported by a hinge pin of the one door hinge.

4. A door lock as set forth in claim 2, wherein the braking member is supported on a one of the door pillar and a part associated with the door pillar.

5. A door lock as set forth in claim 1, comprising a transmission located between a locking part connected with a door hinge half of the one hinge and the rotatable part of the braking means.

6. A door lock as set forth in claim 5, wherein the transmission is formed as a planetary gear, in which the locking part is formed by a ring gear of the planetary gear, wherein a planetary carrier forms part of the rotatable part of the braking means, and a sun wheel of the planetary gear is connected with the hinge pin without a possibility of rotation relative thereto.