Actuating device

• US 6,923,480 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2003
• Issued: 08/02/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intier Automotive Closures, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intier Automotive Closures, Inc.
• Inventors: Shafry, Gavriel
• Primary Examiner(s): ESTREMSKY, GARY WAYNE
• Application Number:
  US10/460,902
• Publication Number:
  US 20040046399A1
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: 292/201, 292/216, 292/341.16, 702/77
• US Class Current: 292/201
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/38 Cushion elements, elastic guiding elements or holding elements, e.g. for cushioning or damping the impact of the bolt against the striker during closing of the wing
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/25 Actuators mounted separately from the lock and controlling the lock functions through mechanical connections
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/90 Manual override in case of power failure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1047 Closure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1082 Motor

Abstract

An actuating device, particularly for a vehicle door lock, having a cam wheel (11) comprising at least one cam (13), the cam wheel being selectively rotatable about a rotation axis (11a) in two directions, and an adjustment lever (12) comprising a dog (14), the lever (12) being pivotable about a rotation axis (12a) by interaction between the at least one cam (13) and the dog (14), between two stop or end positions. The dog (14) has a first actuation curve (14a) and at least one second actuation curve (14b). Interaction between the at least one cam (13) and the first actuation curve (14a) on the dog (14) causes no pivoting of the adjustment lever (12), and interaction of the at least one cam (13) with the at least one second actuation curve (14b) on the dog (14) initiates pivoting of the adjustment lever (12) between the two stops.

Claims

1. An actuating device, particularly for a vehicle door lock, having:

a cam wheel (11), selectively rotatable about a rotation axis (11a) in two directions;

at least one cam (13) extending out from the cam wheel, the at least one cam being at least one of rectangular and triangular;

an adjustment lever (12) having a dog (14) having a first actuation curve (12a) and at least one second actuation curve (14b), the adjustment lever being pivotable about a rotation axis (12a) between two positions defined by two stops through interaction between the at least one cam (13) and the dog (14);

wherein interaction between the at least one cam (13) and the first actuation curve (14a) on the dog causes no pivoting of the adjustment lever (12), and interaction of the at least one cam (13) with the at least one second actuation curve (14b) initiates pivoting of the adjustment lever (12) between the two stops, the dog (14) moving in the direction of a plane extending through the rotation axis (12a) of the adjustment lever (12) and the rotation axis (11a) of the cam wheel (11).

2. The actuating device of claim 1, wherein the at least one cam (13) is a plurality of cams (13a to 13d), and each cam of the plurality of cams is distributed around the circumference of the cam wheel (11).

3. The actuating device of claim 2, the actuating device further comprising a buffer, formed on one of the at least one cam (13) and the dog (14), and operable to reduce noise caused by interaction of the at least one cam (13) and the dog (14).

4. The actuating device of claim 1, wherein the first actuation curve (14a) on the dog (14) runs substantially along a circular path around the rotation axis (12a) of the adjustment lever (12), and the at least one second actuation curve (14b) on the dog (14) runs substantially at an angle to the circular path.

5. The actuating claim of claim 4, wherein the dog (14) on the adjustment lever (12) is substantially trapezoidal.

6. An actuating device, particularly for a vehicle door lock, having:

a cam wheel (11), selectively rotatable about a rotation axis (11a) in two directions;

a plurality of cams (13ato 13d) extending out from the cam wheel, each cam of the plurality of cams is distributed around the circumference of the cam wheel (11),

an adjustment lever (12) having a dog (14) having a first actuation curve (12a) and at least one second actuation curve (14b), the adjustment lever being pivotable about a rotation axis (12a) between two stops (15a, 15b) by interaction between the at least one cam (13) and the dog (14), so that the dog remains between at least two cams of the plurality of cams;

wherein interaction between the at least one cam (13) and the first actuation curve (14a) on the dog causes no pivoting of the adjustment lever (12), and interaction of the at least one cam (13) with the at least one second actuation curve (14b) initiates pivoting of the adjustment lever (12) between the two stops, the dog (14) moving in the direction of a plane extending through the rotation axis (12a) of the adjustment lever (12) and the rotation axis (11a) of the cam wheel (11).

7. The actuating device of claim 6, wherein the first actuation curve (14a) on the dog (14) runs substantially along a circular path around the rotation axis (12a) of the adjustment lever (12), and the at least one second actuation curve (14b) on the dog (14) runs substantially at an angle to the circular path.