Device for unlocking and locking to spaced apart tilting hoods of a motor vehicle

• US 5,535,608 A
• Filed: 08/25/1994
• Issued: 07/16/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dr Ing hc F Porsche AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Dr Ing hc F Porsche AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Brin, Constantin
• Primary Examiner(s): Boucher, Darnell M.
• Application Number:
  US08/295,462
• Time in Patent Office: 691 Days
• Field of Search: 70/103, 70/113, 70/198, 70/199, 70/224, 70/14, 70/239, 70/256, 70/257, 292/35, 292/36, 292/38, 292/40, 292/100, 292/166-168, 292/171, 292/141, 292/225, 292/226, 292/DIG. 3, 292/DIG. 5, 292/DIG. 14, 292/DIG. 16 , 292/DIG. 25, 292/DIG. 21, 292/DIG. 30, 292/DIG. 43
• US Class Current: 70/256
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 13/002 locking the handle E05B13/10, E05B47/0657 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/46 Locking several wings simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 79/20 using flexible connections, e.g. Bowden cables
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 83/16 Locks for luggage compartments, car boot lids or car bonnets
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/14 Hood latches
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/25 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/43 Rear deck lid latches
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5721 Externally mounted locking device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5832 Lock and handle assembly
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5898 With switch
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5973 Remote control

Abstract

An automobile with a body passenger compartment open at the top has two tilting hoods located at a distance from one another, with each hood being provided with a lock that is connected by a connecting element with an operating handle of an operating device. Both hoods are unlockable from the passenger compartment. Provision is made such that both operating handles are associated with a common operating device, which comprises a bearing housing with a central cylinder lock. Molded notches on both operating handles cooperate with outside walls of the lock housing of the cylinder lock.

Claims

1. A locking system for first and second tilting hoods of a convertible automobile having an open top passenger compartment, said first and second tilting hoods being spaced from one another and from said passenger compartment, said locking system comprising:

a first locking latch engageable with the first tilting hood and movable between a locking and an unlocking position with respect to the first tilting hood,

a second locking latch engageable with the second tilting hood and movable between a locking and an unlocking position with respect to the second tilting hood,

a first movable handle which is operably connected to said first locking latch such that when said first handle is in a locking position, said first locking latch is held in its locking position, and when said first handle is in an unlocking position, said first locking latch is moved to its unlocking position,

a second movable handle which is operably connected to said second locking latch such that when said second handle is in a locking position, said second locking latch is held in its locking position, and when said second handle is in an unlocking position, said second locking latch is moved to its unlocking position, and

a common bearing housing supporting the first and second movable handles and containing a central cylinder lock having a lock housing and a lock cylinder movable therein,

wherein each of said movable handles includes a notch engageable with the lock housing of the cylinder lock with said cylinder lock and lock housing holding the handles in their respective locking positions when said cylinder lock is in a locking position and such that said handles are released from their locking positions when said cylinder lock is moved to its unlocking position.

2. A locking system according to claim 1, wherein the notches of both operating handles positively abut exterior surfaces of outside walls of the lock housing to secure the operating handles in their respective locking positions when the lock cylinder is in the locking position.

3. A locking system according to claim 1, comprising a compression spring for pressing the lock housing towards its unlocking position, wherein the notches of both operating handles cooperate with recesses of the lock housing in such fashion that the operating handles can be pivoted to their unlocking positions when the lock housing is in said unlocking position.

4. A locking system according to claim 2, wherein the cylinder lock is operable by means of a key.

5. A locking system according to claim 4, wherein said key is a vehicle ignition key.

6. A locking assembly according to claim 5, wherein said key is also operable to operate other locking devices on a vehicle.

7. A locking system according to claim 1, wherein the operating handles are located on opposite sides of an upper area of the lock housing.

8. A locking system according to claim 1, wherein the lock cylinder has on its lower end an eccentric which cooperates with a spring loaded displaceable locking member, said locking member being displaceably mounted in a recess of the lock housing.

9. A locking system according to claim 8, wherein the locking member fits behind a bottom segment of the bearing housing when the cylinder lock is in the locking position.

10. A locking system according to claim 9, wherein a roller is mounted on the locking member, said roller limiting movement of the lock housing in such manner that the locking member abuts an underside of the bottom segment when the lock housing is moved upward by a compression spring.

11. A locking system according to claim 3, wherein each notch is formed by wall segments placed at substantially right angles to one another, said segments being connected by stepped or rounded transitional areas to flat manual gripping segments and widened cross sections of the respective associated operating handle.

12. A locking system according to claim 1, wherein said lock housing includes recesses engageable with the respective locking handle notches, wherein each recess is composed of a first lower segment extending diagonally with respect to a center axis of the cylinder lock and a second circular upper segment, with a wall segment of a respective pivoted operating handle resting in use on the first segment, while the second circular segment forms a gap with respect to the second wall segment of a respective notch.

13. A locking system according to claim 3, wherein the cylinder lock is operable by means of a key.

14. A locking system according to claim 13, wherein said key is a vehicle ignition key.

15. A looking system according to claim 14, wherein said key is also operable to operate other locking devices on a vehicle.

16. A locking system according to claim 2, wherein the lock cylinder has on its lower end an eccentric which cooperates with a spring-loaded displaceable locking member, said locking member being displaceably mounted in a recess of the lock housing.

17. A locking system according to claim 3, wherein the lock cylinder has on its lower end an eccentric which cooperates with a spring-loaded displaceable locking member, which locking member is displaceably mounted in a recess of the lock housing.

18. A locking system according to claim 1, comprising cables operatively linking said movable handles with respective ones of said locking latches.

19. A convertible passenger car comprising an open passenger space, and a locking system for first and second tilting hoods disposed at opposite ends of the passenger compartment, said locking system comprising:

a first locking latch engageable with the first tilting hood and movable between a locking and an unlocking position with respect to the first tilting hood,

a second locking latch engageable with the second tilting hood and movable between a locking and an unlocking position with respect to the second tilting hood,

a first movable handle which is operably connected to said first locking latch such that when said first handle is in a locking position, said first locking latch is held in its locking position, and when said first handle is in an unlocking position, said first locking latch is moved to its unlocking position,

a second movable handle which is operably connected to said second locking latch such that when said second handle is in a locking position, said second locking latch is held in its locking position, and when said second handle is in an unlocking position, said second locking latch is moved to its unlocking position, and

a common bearing housing supporting the first and second movable handles and containing a central cylinder lock having a lock housing and a lock cylinder movable therein,

wherein each of said movable handles includes a notch engageable with the lock housing of the cylinder lock with said cylinder lock and lock housing holding the handles in their respective locking positions when said cylinder lock is in a locking position and such that said handles are released from their locking positions when said cylinder lock is moved to its unlocking position.

20. A car according to claim 19, wherein said common bearing housing and movable handles are disposed in the passenger space.

21. A car according to claim 19, comprising cables operatively linking said movable handles with respective ones of said locking latches.

22. A car according to claim 21, wherein the notches of both operating handles positively abut exterior surfaces of outside walls of the lock housing to secure the operating handles in their respective locking positions when the lock cylinder is in the locking position.

23. A car according to claim 21, comprising a compression spring for pressing the lock housing towards its unlocking position, wherein the notches of both operating handles cooperate with recesses of the lock housing in such fashion that the operating handles can be pivoted to their unlocking positions when the lock housing is in said unlocking position.

24. A car according to claim 21, wherein the operating handles are located on opposite sides of an upper area of the lock housing.

25. A car according to claim 21, wherein the cylinder lock is operable by means of a key.

26. A car according to claim 25, wherein said key is a vehicle ignition key.

27. A car according to claim 26, wherein said key is also operable to operate other locking devices on a vehicle.