Lock, especially for the doors, flaps or the like, of motor vehicles

• US 7,059,640 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2002
• Issued: 06/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Huf Hulsbeck & Furst GmbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: Huf Hulsbeck & Furst GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Tensing, Matthias, Hildebrandt, Petra
• Primary Examiner(s): ESTREMSKY, GARY WAYNE
• Application Number:
  US10/481,383
• Publication Number:
  US 20040174021A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,460 Days
• Field of Search: 292/216, 292/201, 292/DIG.23
• US Class Current: 292/201
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/14 operating on bolt detents, e.g. for unlatching the bolt
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/20 for assisting final closing or for initiating opening
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/66 the bolt position, i.e. the latching status
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/68 by sensing the position of the detent
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1047 Closure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1082 Motor

Abstract

A lock especially for the doors, flaps or the like, of motor vehicles. The lock includes a rotating latch (11) into which a closing element (20) is inserted, when the door is closed. The rotating latch (11) is pivoted out of an open position into a main locking position, via a pre-locking position. The lock also comprises a catch (21) which, in the pre-locking position, engages in a pre-stop notch provided on the rotating latch (11), and in the main locking position, engages in the main stop notch (14) positioned on the rotating latch. The lock also includes a motor-driven closing/opening auxiliary unit for the door, having a drive part (29) and a drive device (30) with at least two output elements (37, 38) which act on the rotating latch (11) or the catch (21). The lock further comprises a control for positioning the closing and opening auxiliary unit in an active or passive position, wherein the output elements (37, 38) are continuously coupled to the drive part (29) in such a way that the two output elements (37, 38) are displaced in an isochronous manner when the drive part (29) is switched on.

Claims

1. Lock, especially for the doors, hinged lids, etc., of motor vehicles,

with a rotary latch (11), into which a closing part (20) travels when the door, hinged lid, etc., is closed and thus pivots the rotary latch (11) from an open position via a secondary latching position into a primary latching position;

with a catch (21), which drops into a secondary stop notch (15) provided on the rotary latch (11) to establish the secondary latching position and then drops into a primary stop notch (14) on the rotary latch (11) to establish the primary latching position;

with a motorized auxiliary closing/opening means for the door, comprising a drive unit (29) and a gear assembly (30);

wherein the gear assembly comprises at least two gear wheels (34, 35) and two power takeoff elements (37, 38), wherein one power takeoff element (37) act on the rotary latch (21) and the other power takeoff element acts on the catch (21);

with drive control means for activating and deactivating the auxiliary closing and the auxiliary opening means; and

wherein

the first power takeoff element (37) acts as the auxiliary opening means on the catch (21) in a first operating direction of the drive unit (29); and

the second power takeoff element (38) acts on the rotary latch (11) as the auxiliary closing means in an operating direction of the drive unit (29) opposite the first direction;

where the power takeoff elements (37, 38) are connected to the drive unit (29) at all times, so that the two power takeoff elements (37, 38) are made to move simultaneously when the drive unit (29) is operating,

wherein the first power takeoff element (37) is connected so as to rotate with the first gear wheel (34) and the second power takeoff element (38) is connected so as to rotate with the second gear wheel (35);

wherein the first gear wheel (34) is mounted ahead of the second gear wheel (35); and

wherein the gear assembly (30) comprises two axes (33) and (36), the first gear wheel (34) and the first power takeoff element (37) are mounted on the first axis (33), and the second gear wheel (35) and the second power takeoff element (38) are mounted on the second axis (36).

2. Lock according to claim 1, wherein the power takeoff element functioning as an auxiliary opening means comprises a connecting element (37), which, upon actuation as an auxiliary opening means, meets a flank (22) of the catch (21) and thus lifts the catch (21) out of the primary stop notch (14) on the rotary latch (11) in opposition to the restoring force.

3. Lock according to claim 2, wherein a blocking element (25) is provided on the flank (22) of the catch (21), against which the connecting element (37) moves during a movement in the auxiliary opening direction and stops the motor (29);

wherein

when the connecting element (37) comes to rest against the blocking element (25), it triggers a drive stop signal and/or a signal for returning the gear assembly (30) to its home position.

4. Lock according to claim 1, wherein one of the power takeoff element (38) has a connecting element (39, 39′

), which, when actuated as an auxiliary closing means, cooperates with a shoulder (12) on the rotary latch (11) and thus moves the rotary latch (11) in the closing direction into an overstroke position (53);

wherein

when the connecting element (39, 39′

) has reached the overstroke position (53), it triggers a drive stop signal and/or a signal for returning the gear assembly (30) to its home position.

5. Lock according to claim 1, wherein the rotational speed of the gear wheel (34), which drives the first power takeoff element (37), and the rotational speed of the gear wheel (35), which drives the second power takeoff element (38), satisfy the following formula:

V_a=V_b×

I_b/a

where V_a is the rotational speed of gear wheel a (34);

V_b is the rotational speed of gear wheel b (35); and

I_b/a is the ratio between the number of teeth of gear wheel a (35) and the number of teeth of gear wheel b (34); and

where V_a>

V_b.

6. Lock according to claim 1, wherein one of the power takeoff elements (37) is comprised of a cam (37′

), which is seated on the axis (33) of the first gear wheel (34).

7. Lock according to claim 1, wherein the second power takeoff element (38) is comprised of an arm (39), which is seated on the axis (36) of the second gear wheel (35), and in that

a cam (39′

) is mounted on the free end of the arm (39).