Closing device

• US 6,082,158 A
• Filed: 12/19/1997
• Issued: 07/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Wegner, Torsten
• Primary Examiner(s): BARRETT, SUZANNE LALE DINO
• Application Number:
  US08/995,066
• Time in Patent Office: 928 Days
• Field of Search: 70/277, 70/278.7, 292/201, 292/215, 292/216, 292/DIG. 23, 292/DIG. 42, 292/DIG. 43
• US Class Current: 70/277
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/26 specially adapted for child safety
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/28 for anti-theft purposes, e.g. double-locking or super-locking
• 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 81/42 Cams
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/23 Vehicle door latches
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1082 Motor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7062 Electrical type [e.g., solenoid]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7102 And details of blocking system [e.g., linkage, latch, pawl, spring]

Abstract

A lock device, in particular for doors of motor vehicles, has lock elements such as at least a rotary latch and a pawl, wherein at least one lock element (a pawl) can be connected via connecting elements with at least one handle or such connection can be eliminated. An actuator device has a cam disk of the lock device, the connection being made or eliminated as a function of the cam disk.

Claims

1. A closing device comprising a first handle means, a second handle means, an actuator and a cam assembly driven by the actuator, a latch and a pawl engagable with the latch for effecting a locking of the closing device, a first connecting element, and a second connecting element;

wherein said first and said second connecting elements are positioned respectively along force transmission paths between said pawl and respective ones of said first and said second handle means for control of engagement between said latch and said pawl;

said cam assembly comprises first and second cam surfaces positioned for engagement with respective ones of said first and said second connecting elements; and

movement of said cam assembly activates said first and said second cam surfaces for deflecting respective ones of said first and said second connecting elements from their respective force transmission paths for selection of control of engagement between said latch and said pawl by said first and said second handle means.

2. A closing device according to claim 1, wherein said actuator is an electric motor which bears the cam disk on an actuator shaft of the motor.

3. A closing device according to claim 1, wherein said cam assembly is drivable, in stepped-down fashion, by said actuator.

4. A closing device according to claim 1, further comprising a lever element connecting with said first handle means, wherein said cam assembly actuates said lever element by coming into contact or not coming into contact with one of said connecting elements as a function of a position of a cam disk of said cam assembly.

5. A closing device according to claim 4, wherein said cam assembly has two at least partially different planes, each in the form of a cam shaft, which differ at least partially from each other, and their cam contours act in each case on said lever element.

6. A closing device according to claim 4, further comprising an actuating lever, wherein said first handle means is connected with said actuating lever and said lever element is rotatably mounted on said actuating lever.

7. A closing device according to claim 4, wherein said pawl has at least a first extension (20) which contacts said lever element.

8. A closing device according to claim 4, further comprising an actuation device, wherein said pawl has second extension (21) on which said lever element rests upon actuation of said actuating device.

9. A closing device according to claim 4, wherein said lever element contacts said cam disk, and said lever element comes to rest or not to rest against said pawl as a function of a position of said cam disk.

10. A closing device according to claim 6, wherein said handle is connected with said actuating lever, said lever element being turnably mounted on said actuating lever.

11. A closing device according to claim 4, wherein said lever element is a first lever element, said closing device further comprises a second lever element, wherein said pawl has a first extension (20) against which both of said first and said second levers can come to rest.

12. A closing device according to claim 11, wherein said pawl has a further extension (21) against which either or both of said levers can come to rest by actuation of said actuator.

13. A closing device according to claim 4, wherein said lever element is a slider.