Motor vehicle door lock with an electromechanical central locking system drive

• US 6,936,983 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2003
• Issued: 08/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brose Schließsysteme Gmbh & Co. Kg
• Original Assignee: Brose Schließsysteme Gmbh & Co. Kg
• Inventors: Kachouh, Checrallah, Hentsch, Ingmar, Bartel, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Ip, Paul
• Application Number:
  US10/456,902
• Publication Number:
  US 20040012352A1
• Time in Patent Office: 813 Days
• Field of Search: 318/280, 318/283, 318/286, 318/282, 318/602, 318/603, 318/266, 318/466, 307/10.1, 307/10.2, 49/26, 492/80, 701/45, 292/201, 292/216, 702/57, 74/892.5
• US Class Current: 318/272
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/26 specially adapted for child safety
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/36 Noise prevention; Anti-rattling means
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/54 Automatic securing or unlocking of bolts triggered by certain vehicle parameters, e.g. exceeding a speed threshold triggered by vehicle collision E05B77/12
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/06 using rotary motors
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/16 operating on locking elements for locking or unlocking action
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/25 Actuators mounted separately from the lock and controlling the lock functions through mechanical connections
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/34 of geared transmissions
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/62 for opening or closing of a circuit depending on electrical parameters, e.g. increase of motor current
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/64 Monitoring or sensing, e.g. by using switches or sensors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1082 Motor

Abstract

A motor vehicle door lock with an electromechanical central locking system drive (1) and a mechanical central locking system element (2) driven by it, the central locking system drive (1) having an electric drive motor (3) and a motor control (5) with a motor state sensor (6). The central locking system element (2) can be moved by the central locking system drive (1) at least into a locked position and the motor control (5) is designed such that it triggers the electric drive motor (3) for driving the central locking system element (2) into the locked position after receiving an actuation signal from an actuation unit, such as a closing cylinder, a locking button, a remote control receiving unit or a handle (inside door handle, outside door handle). Preferably, the motor control 5 is also designed such that it automatically triggers the electric drive motor (3) for driving the central locking system element (2) into the locked position as soon as a certain operating state of the motor vehicle has been reached. Furthermore, significantly, the motor control (5) has a control circuit that includes the motor state sensor (6) and this control circuit is designed such that, when the electric drive motor (3) is triggered, the electric drive motor (3) runs with a low rpm that is controlled using the signal of the motor state sensor (6).

Claims

1. Motor vehicle door lock, comprising:

an electromechanical central locking system drive and

a mechanical central locking system element in driven connection with electromechanical central locking system drive, the central locking system drive having an electric drive motor and a motor control having a control circuit with a motor state sensor,

wherein the central locking system drive comprises a means for moving the central locking system element at least into a locked position, and

wherein the motor control comprises a means far triggering the electric drive motor for driving the central locking system element into the locked position after receiving an actuating signal from an actuation unit,

wherein the control circuit comprises a means for causing the electric drive motor to run at an rpm which is a minimum possible rpm for a then existing instantaneous operating state in accordance with a signal of the motor state sensor; and

wherein the motor control further comprises a means for automatically triggering the electric drive motor for driving the central locking system element into the locked position as soon as a predetermined operating state of the motor vehicle has been reached.

2. Motor vehicle door lock as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control circuit is adapted, upon automatic triggering of the electric drive motor by reaching of the predetermined operating state, to cause the electric drive motor to run at an rpm which is much less as compared to an rpm occurring upon normal triggering of the electric drive motor by the actuating signal from the actuation unit.

3. Motor vehicle door lock as claimed in claim 2, wherein the predetermined operating state is attainment of a preset driving speed after starting of the motor vehicle.

4. Motor vehicle door lock as claimed in claim 2, wherein the control circuit has means for controlling of the rpm of the electric drive motor only with automatic triggering of the electric drive motor and not during motion of the central locking system element due to said triggering of the electric drive motor by the actuating signal from the actuation unit.

5. Motor vehicle door lock as claimed in claim 4, further comprising means for activating the motor control by manual triggering from the interior of a motor vehicle passage compartment.

6. Motor vehicle door lock as claimed in claim 2, wherein control of the rpm is activated only with automatic triggering of the electric drive motor, control of the rpm of the electric drive motor not occurring during motion of the central locking system element when the electric drive motor is triggered after receiving an actuation signal.

7. Motor vehicle door lock as claimed in claim 6, further comprising means for activating the motor control by manual triggering from the interior of a motor vehicle passage compartment.

8. Motor vehicle door lock as claimed in claim 1, wherein the motor state sensor is a motor current sensor.

9. Motor vehicle door lock as claimed in claim 1, wherein the motor state sensor is a rpm sensor.

10. Motor vehicle door lock as claimed in claim 1, further comprising at least one stop positioned to block rotation of the electric drive motor to thereby turn off the electric drive motor and wherein the motor control is operative for turning off the electric drive motor in response to a signal from the motor state sensor which indicates that the locked position has been reached.

11. Motor vehicle door lock as claimed in claim 1, wherein the motor control composes a microcomputer.

12. Motor vehicle door lock as claimed in claim 1, wherein the actuation unit is one of a closing cylinder, a locking button, a remote control receiving unit, and a door handle.

13. Process for controlling the central locking system drive of a motor vehicle door lock which has an electric drive motor and a motor control with a motor state sensor, comprising the steps of:

triggering the electric drive motor by means of the motor control for driving the central locking system element into a locked position after receiving an actuating signal from an actuation unit,

using the motor control for automatically triggering the electric drive motor for driving the central locking system drive into the locked position as soon as a predetermined operating state of the motor vehicle has been reached, and

controlling the electric drive motor to operate at an rpm which is a minimum rpm for a then existing, instantaneous operating state by means of the motor control, the motor rpm being determined in accordance with a signal of a motor state sensor, when the electric drive motor is triggered.

14. Process as claimed in claim 13, comprising the step of generating the actuating signal by an actuation unit that is one of a closing cylinder, a locking button, a remote control receiving unit, and a door handle.

15. Process as claimed in claim 13, comprising using the signal of the motor state sensor to cause the electric drive motor to run at an rpm which is much less as compared to a rpm at which the motor is run upon a normal triggering of the electric drive motor after receiving the actuating signal from the actuation unit.

16. Process as claimed in claim 15, wherein control of the rpm is activated only with automatic triggering of the electric drive motor, control of the rpm of the electric drive motor not occurring during motion of the central locking system element when the electric drive motor is triggered after receiving the actuating signal from the actuation unit.

17. Process as claimed in claim 15, wherein controlling of the electric drive motor is activated with manual triggering of the electric drive motor from the interior of the vehicle.

18. Process as claimed in claim 15, wherein controlling of the electric drive motor is activated with manual triggering of the electric drive motor from the interior of the vehicle.

19. Process as claimed in claim 13, wherein the predetermined operating state is attainment of a preset driving speed after starting of the motor vehicle.

20. Process as claimed in claim 19, wherein controlling of the rpm is activated only with automatic triggering of the electric drive motor, controlling of the rpm of the electric drive motor not occurring during motion of the central locking system element when the electric drive motor is triggered by the actuating signal from the actuation unit.