Lock for a motor vehicle

• US 9,534,425 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2013
• Issued: 01/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kiekert AG (Lingyun Industrial Corporation Limited)
• Original Assignee: Kiekert AG (Lingyun Industrial Corporation Limited)
• Inventors: Hunt, Robert J., Julien, Keith
• Primary Examiner(s): MERLINO, ALYSON MARIE
• Application Number:
  US14/097,529
• Publication Number:
  US 20150159408A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,125 Days
• Field of Search: 292/201, 292/216, 292/DIG.22, 292/DIG.23, 292/DIG.65, 292/92, 292/194, 292/196, 292/198
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/06 by means of inertial forces
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 85/26 Cooperation between bolts and detents
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/702 Pivoted or swinging

Abstract

A lock for a motor vehicle includes a locking mechanism with a rotatably mounted rotary catch for receiving a locking bolt, and a pawl with which the rotary catch can be engaged for retaining the locking bolt. The lock further includes a blocking lever that blocks the pawl when the pawl is located in a catching position, and a releasing lever for disengaging the locking mechanism. A first spring interconnects the blocking lever and the releasing lever, wherein the blocking lever and the releasing lever move either together or independently relative to the first spring based on a magnitude of acceleration of the releasing lever.

Claims

1. A lock for a motor vehicle comprising:

a locking mechanism comprising a rotatably mounted rotary catch for receiving a locking bolt, and a pawl with which the rotary catch can be engaged for retaining the locking bolt,

a blocking lever that blocks the pawl when the pawl is located in a main catching position, wherein the blocking lever blocks the pawl by a surface of the blocking lever contacting a surface of the pawl,

a releasing lever for placing the locking mechanism in a disengaged state, and

a first spring that interconnects the blocking lever and the releasing lever,

wherein the blocking lever and the releasing lever move together in response to a first acceleration of the releasing lever, and the releasing lever moves independently relative to the blocking lever in response to a second acceleration of the releasing lever, wherein a magnitude of the second acceleration is greater than a magnitude of the first acceleration;

and a second spring which moves the blocking lever into a blocking position in which the blocking lever blocks the pawl in the main catching position.

2. The lock of claim 1, wherein the mass of the blocking lever is more than two times larger than the mass of the releasing lever.

3. The lock of claim 1, wherein the blocking lever and the releasing lever rotate around the same axis.

4. The lock of claim 3, wherein one leg of the first spring is attached to or rests against the releasing lever, and another leg of the first spring is attached to or rests against the blocking lever.

5. The lock of claim 1, wherein the rotary catch introduces an opening moment onto the pawl in at least one of a main locking position and a preliminary locking position.

6. The lock of claim 1, wherein the blocking lever comprises an elevation which acts as a stop for the releasing lever.

7. The lock of claim 1, wherein the second spring comprises a first leg which rests against the blocking lever and a second leg which rests against an arm of the pawl adjacent an axis of the pawl.

8. The lock of claim 1 comprising a third spring which enters a notch between the releasing lever and the blocking lever when the releasing lever moves independently of the blocking lever due to the second acceleration.

9. The lock of claim 8, wherein an overlapping area of the blocking lever is below an arm of the releasing lever when the arm of the releasing lever rests against an elevation of the blocking lever.

10. The lock of the claim 1, wherein the blocking lever comprises a tongue which enters a dent of the rotary catch in a preliminary locking position of the rotary catch.

11. The lock of claim 10, wherein the tongue rests against a ramp portion of the dent in the preliminary locking position.

12. The lock of the claim 1, wherein the blocking lever may block the pawl in the main catching position and in a preliminary catching position.

13. A lock for a motor vehicle comprising:

a locking mechanism comprising a rotatably mounted rotary catch for receiving a locking bolt, and a pawl with which the rotary catch can be engaged for retaining the locking bolt;

wherein the rotary catch is rotatable between a main catching position and a preliminary catching position, and the pawl engages the rotary catch in the main catching position and the preliminary catching position;

a blocking lever that blocks the pawl when the rotary catch is located in the main catching position and in the preliminary catching position, and

a releasing lever for causing the pawl to move out of engagement with the rotary catch in the main catching position and the preliminary catching position such that the locking mechanism is placed in a disengaged state, wherein the rotary catch introduces an opening moment onto the pawl when the pawl is in the main catching position and the preliminary catching position;

wherein the blocking lever comprises a tongue which enters a dent formed in the rotary catch in the preliminary catching position.

14. The lock of the claim 13, wherein the tongue rests against a ramp portion of the dent in the preliminary catching position.