Motor vehicle door lock

• US 6,522,095 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2001
• Issued: 02/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Brose Schliesssysteme GmbH & Company
• Inventors: Kachouh, Checrallah
• Primary Examiner(s): Fletcher, Marlon T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Smith, Tyrone
• Application Number:
  US09/794,242
• Publication Number:
  US 20010030426A1
• Time in Patent Office: 720 Days
• Field of Search: 318/430, 318/432, 318/434, 318/280, 318/10, 318/445, 318/282, 318/466, 318/468, 292/201, 292/341.16, 292/3, 292/66, 292/169
• US Class Current: 318/445
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/14 operating on bolt detents, e.g. for unlatching the bolt
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/34 of geared transmissions
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/42 Cams
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/56 Control of actuators
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/0801 Multiple
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/089 Lever
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/0977 Cam
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/699 Motor controlled

Abstract

A motor vehicle door lock including a diode for operating an electric motor drive in one direction of drive rotation. To minimize the electric motor turning back against the direction of drive rotation in the off state, the diode is connected in parallel to the electric motor drive which provides essentially for short circuiting of the electric motor drive when it turns back. In this way, rebound of the electric motor drive is prevented or reduced.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle door lock comprising:

an electric motor rotatably uni-directionally driven by a DC drive voltage;

an actuating element rotatably driven by said electric motor via a gear which is not completely self-locked in a direction opposite the direction of rotation of said gear;

an abutment stop for temporarily blocking the rotation motion of said actuating element, said electric motor being turned off when said actuating element is blocked by said abutment stop; and

a diode with a blocking voltage which exceeds the DC drive voltage;

wherein said diode is electrically connected in parallel to said electric motor in a forward biased orientation which blocks the DC drive voltage so that reversal rotation of said electric motor against the direction of drive rotation in an off state when said actuating element is blocked by said abutment stop, is minimized by the low-resistance connection provided by said forward biased diode.

2. A process of using a diode in a motor vehicle door lock:

providing an electric motor uni-directionally driven by a DC drive voltage,

providing an actuating element rotatably driven by said electric motor via a gear which is not completely self-locked in a direction opposite the direction of rotation of said gear;

temporarily blocking the rotation motion of said actuating element;

turning off said electric motor when said actuating element is blocked;

providing a diode with a blocking voltage which exceeds said DC drive voltage,

electrically connecting said diode in parallel to said electric motor in a forward biased orientation which blocks said DC drive voltage such that reversal rotation of said electric motor against a direction of drive rotation in an off state when said actuating element is blocked by said abutment stop, is minimized by the low-resistance connection provided by said forward biased diode.