Rotary latch lock, especially for motor vehicles

• US 6,419,286 B1
• Filed: 07/17/2000
• Issued: 07/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Huf Hulsbeck & Furst GmbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: Huf Hulsbeck & Furst GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Szablewski, Piotr
• Primary Examiner(s): Browne, Lynne H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Walsh, John B
• Application Number:
  US09/581,667
• Time in Patent Office: 729 Days
• Field of Search: 292/201, 292/216, 292/DIG.27, 292/DIG.25, 292/DIG.23, 702/37
• US Class Current: 292/216
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/24 preventing use of an inner door handle, sill button, lock knob or the like
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/245 by blocking the movement of a movable element
• 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 81/08 using electromagnets or solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/14 operating on bolt detents, e.g. for unlatching the bolt
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 85/01 Mechanical arrangements specially adapted for hands-free locking or unlocking handles with means for initiation of a hands-free locking or unlocking process E05B81/78
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/23 Vehicle door latches
• 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 lock has a rotary latch and a closing member cooperating with the rotary latch that is rotatable between a closing position receiving the closing member and an open position releasing the closing member. A pivotable pawl is spring-loaded toward a locking position for securing the rotary latch in the closing position. The pawl has a release position for releasing the rotary latch. Interior, exterior, and safety handles can transfer the pawl into the release position. A common control lever switches the lock between first, second, and third states. The first state is the closing state; vehicle access is authorized via the interior and external handles. The second state is the locking state; access is denied via the exterior handle. The third state is the secured state; access is denied via the external and internal handles. A release lever connected to the control lever transfers the pawl into the release position when actuated by an access-authorized handle.

Claims

1. A rotary latch lock for a vehicle, arranged between two vehicle parts, one of the vehicle parts being movable and the other vehicle part being stationary, the rotary latch lock comprising:

a rotary latch (20) and a closing member (10) connected opposed to one another on one of the two vehicle parts, respectively, the closing member (10) cooperating with the rotary latch (20), wherein the rotary latch (20) is configured to be rotatable between a closing position in which the rotary latch receives the closing member (10) and an open position in which the rotary latch releases the closing member (10′

), wherein the rotary latch is configured to be spring-loaded toward the open position;

a pivotable pawl (30) configured to be spring-loaded (33) toward a locking position, wherein in the locking position the pivotable pawl secures the rotary latch (20) in the closing position, wherein the pivotable pawl has a release position in which release position the pivotable pawl releases the rotary latch;

handles (24, 25, 26) configured to transfer the pivotable pawl (30) by a one or more drive devices into the release position releasing the rotary latch (20), wherein the handles comprise an interior handle (24) arranged in the interior of the vehicle, an exterior handle (25) positioned externally to the vehicle, a safety handle (26) actuatable from the interior of the vehicle, and locking means (70) actuatable from the exterior of the vehicle;

a common control lever (28) configured to switch the lock between first, second, and third states by pivoting between first, second, and third pivot positions, and wherein the safety handle (26) and the locking means (70), when actuated, are configured to act on the common control lever;

wherein the first state is the closing state of the lock and the common control lever is in the first pivot position (28), wherein in the first state access to the vehicle is authorized via the interior handle (24) and via the external handle (25),

wherein the second state is the locking state of the lock and the common control lever is in the second pivot position (28′

), wherein in the second state access via the exterior handle (25) is denied;

wherein the third state is the secured state of the lock and the common control lever is in the third pivot position (28″

), wherein in the third state access via the external handle (27) and the internal handle (24) is denied;

a release lever connected to the common control lever (28), wherein the release lever, when actuated by one of the handles (24 through 26) authorized to provide access to the vehicle, transfers (55) the pivotable pawl (30) into the release position.

2. The lock according to claim 1, further comprising:

two actuating levers, wherein a first one of the two actuating levers is an interior actuating lever (45) connected to the interior handle (24) and wherein a second one of the two actuating levers is an outer actuating lever (46) connected to the outer handle (25);

a driver (44) guided (38, 69) on the release lever (35) and connected (42) to the common control lever (28);

wherein the common control lever, when in one of the first, second, and third pivot positions (28, 28′

, 28″

), is configured to move the driver (44) into a first, second, and third driver position, respectively;

wherein the driver (44) in the first driver position is aligned with the two actuating levers, in the second driver position is aligned with one of the two actuating levers, and in the third driver position is aligned with none of the two actuating levers (45, 46);

wherein in the second driver position the driver (44) receives a working movement of the aligned actuating lever (45 or 46) and transmits it onto the release lever (35), and the release lever then pivots (55) the pivotable pawl (30) into the release position.

3. The lock according to claim 2, wherein the driver comprises a connecting member (42) having a first end connected to a gate (38, 69) of the release lever (35) and second end connected (43) to the common control lever (28).

4. The lock according to claim 2, comprising a bearing pin (47) on which the two actuating levers (45, 46) are seated.

5. The lock according to claim 4, wherein the release lever (35) is seated on the bearing pin (47).

6. The lock according to claim 4, wherein the bearing pin (47) is coaxial to an axle (34) of the pivotable pawl (30).

7. The lock according to claim 1, comprising a multi-functional component support (11), wherein a first one of the one or more drive devices is a mechanical device arranged on a first side (17) of the component support (11) and wherein the rotary latch (20) and the pivotable pawl (30) are arranged on a second side (16) of the component support (11), wherein the release lever (35) has an angled release finger (36) and penetrates with the release finger (36) a cutout (54) provided in the component support (11), wherein the pivotable pawl (30) has a nose (39) and the release finger (36) engages behind the nose (39) of the pivotable pawl (30).

8. The lock according to claim 7, wherein a second one of the one or more drive devices is a motoric device arranged on the second side (16) of the component support (11), wherein the motoric device (14) is configured to return the pivotable pawl (30) into a ready position, wherein the pivotable pawl (30), when closing the door of the vehicle, is moved from the ready position into the locking position.

9. The lock according to claim 1, wherein the locking means (70) acts on a pivot axle (27) of the common control lever (28) and pivots (58) the common control lever (28), wherein the common control lever (28) has a first lever end connected to the safety handle (26) and a second lever end (29) configured to be locked (29) as needed.

10. The lock according to claim 1, further comprising a control device (60) and a rotary stop (56), wherein the control device (60) is configured to move the rotary stop (56) into an activated position or a deactivated position, wherein the rotary stop (56), when in the activated position, projects into a movement path (58) of the common control lever (28) so that pivoting of the common control lever (28) between some of the first, second, and third pivot positions (28′

, 28″

) is blocked, and wherein the rotary stop (56), when in the deactivated position, is moved out of the movement path (58) of the common control lever (28).

11. The lock according to claim 10, wherein the rotary stop (56), when in the activated position, prevents the common control lever (28) from reaching the third pivot position (28″

) from the second pivot position (28′

).

12. The lock according to claim 11, wherein the common control lever (28) is configured to return from the third pivot position (28″

) into the second pivot position (28′

) even when the rotary stop (56) is in the activated position.

13. The lock according to claim 10, wherein the rotary stop (56) is force-loaded into the activated position in the movement path (58) and wherein the control device (60) is configured to move the rotary stop (56) against the force load (59) into the deactivated position.

14. The lock according to claim 10, wherein the control device is a solenoid (60) with an armature (61) and wherein the rotary stop (56) is connected to the armature (61) of this solenoid (60).

15. The lock according to claim 14, wherein the solenoid (60) is integrated into the component support (11).

16. The lock according to claim 15, wherein the component support (11) is comprised of plastic material (64) and wherein the solenoid has a coil member (62) connected to wall parts (65) of the component support (11).

17. The rotary latch lock according to claim 1, wherein the one or more drive devices are selected from the group consisting of a mechanical device, a motoric device, and an electro-motoric device.

18. The rotary latch lock according to claim 1, wherein the locking means is a closing cylinder configured to be actuated by a key, a remote control device, or a keyless entry.