Emergency release device for a vehicle trunk

• US 9,284,757 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2012
• Issued: 03/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Kempel, Anton, Ikker, Marco, Lowak, Heiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Fulton, Kristina
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ahmad, Faria
• Application Number:
  US13/693,677
• Publication Number:
  US 20130140831A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,197 Days
• Field of Search: 292/216, 292/92, 292/201, 292/251.5, 292/DIG.23, 292/DIG.24, 292/DIG.42, 292/DIG.65, 292/95, 292/3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 79/20 using flexible connections, e.g. Bowden cables
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/08 using electromagnets or solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/14 operating on bolt detents, e.g. for unlatching the bolt
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 83/24 for car bonnets
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 83/26 Emergency opening means for persons trapped in the luggage compartment
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/0801 Multiple

Abstract

An emergency release device for a trunk of a vehicle includes an arrestor device for limiting an opening movement of the trunk, a trunk lock and a coupling module including first and second coupling elements, each shiftably supported in the coupling housing, wherein the first and second coupling elements respectively operatively couple an emergency actuation device of the vehicle to the arrestor device, and an actuation device of the vehicle to the trunk lock, and are detachably coupled to each other during a first stroke of the first coupling element caused by an actuation of the emergency actuation device, wherein the first stroke causes the second coupling element to open the locking device and causes the first coupling element to perform an idle stroke relative to the arrestor device, and wherein the coupling between the first and second coupling elements is released in response to a second stroke advancing past the first stroke and is caused by the actuation of the emergency actuation device.

Claims

1. An emergency release device for a trunk of a vehicle, comprising:

a locking device;

an arrestor device limiting an opening movement of the trunk, said arrestor device including an arrestor hook for reversing said limiting;

an emergency actuation device arranged in the trunk and being operatively connected to the arrestor device and the locking device, said emergency actuation device when actuated successively opening the locking device and releasing the arrestor device;

an actuation device; and

a coupling module including a coupling housing, and first and second coupling elements shiftably supported in the coupling housing, said first coupling element operatively coupling the emergency actuation device to the arrestor device, said second coupling element operatively coupling the actuation device to the locking device, wherein during a first stroke of the first coupling element caused by an actuation of the emergency actuation device, the first and second coupling elements are releasably coupled to each other, wherein the first stroke causes the second coupling element to open the locking device, and is an idle stroke in relation to the arrestor device, and wherein in response to a second stroke of the first coupling element, caused by the actuation of the emergency actuation device and extending past the first stroke, the first and second coupling elements are decoupled from each other so that the first coupling element is moved by the emergency actuation device independent of the second coupling element, and the first coupling element releases the arrestor device.

2. The emergency release device of claim 1, wherein the coupling housing further includes a holding magnet, and wherein upon completion of the second stroke an anchor plate of the holding magnet is connected with the first coupling element and rests against the holding magnet.

3. The emergency release device of claim 2, wherein the holding magnet is constructed as permanent holding magnet.

4. The emergency release device of claim 1, wherein the second coupling element has a pivotally supported coupling lever which is spring loaded in a direction of the first coupling element.

5. The emergency release device of claim 4, wherein the first coupling element has a detent nose, wherein the first and second coupling elements are coupled to each other by engagement of an end of the coupling lever behind said detent nose, and wherein the coupling housing includes a stop which at initiation of the second stroke of the first coupling element causes the coupling lever to pivot out of the detent nose.

6. The emergency release device of claim 1, wherein an actuation of the actuation device causes a shifting of the second coupling element in the coupling housing independent of the first coupling element for opening the locking device.

7. The emergency release device of claim 5, wherein an actuation of the actuation device causes a shifting of the second coupling element in the coupling housing independent of the first coupling element for opening the locking device, and wherein the shifting of the second coupling element in the coupling housing causes the coupling lever to pivot backwards as a result of sliding of the coupling lever along the first coupling element and the stop, thereby de-coupling the second coupling element from the first coupling element.

8. The emergency release device of claim 1, wherein the first coupling element is connected to the emergency actuation device by a pulling means for transmitting a pulling force.

9. The emergency release device of claim 1, wherein the first coupling element is pre-tensioned in the coupling housing by a spring element in a direction of a pulling force defined by the emergency release device.

10. The emergency release device of claim 2, wherein the holding magnet is constructed as electromagnet and is supplied with current as a function of a driving speed of the vehicle, said current causing the anchor plate to detach from the holding magnet and a pre-tension of the spring element causing a shifting of the first coupling element into a starting position.

11. The emergency release device of claim 1, wherein the coupling housing further includes an electrically actuatable arresting element which prevents a shifting of the first coupling element past the first stroke as a function of a speed of the vehicle.

12. The emergency release device of claim 1, wherein the first coupling element is connected by non positive engagement with the arrestor device via a pulling-force transmitting pulling means.

13. The emergency release device of claim 1, wherein the second coupling element is connected by non positive engagement with the actuation device via a pulling-force transmitting pulling means.

14. The emergency release device of claim 12;

wherein the second coupling element is configured for non engaging movement in relation to the pulling-force transmitting pulling means during the first stroke.

15. The emergency release device of claim 1, wherein the second coupling element is connected by non positive engagement with the locking device via a pulling-force transmitting pulling means.

16. The emergency release device of claim 12, wherein the pulling means is configured as Bowden cable including a pulling cable and a cable sleeve.

17. The emergency release device of claim 13, wherein the pulling means is configured as Bowden cable including a pulling cable and a cable sleeve.

18. The emergency release device of claim 14, wherein the pulling means is configured as Bowden cable including a pulling cable and a cable sleeve.

19. The emergency release device of claim 15, wherein the pulling means is configured as Bowden cable including a pulling cable and a cable sleeve.

20. The emergency release device of claim 19, wherein for forming the idle stroke an end of the pulling cable is provided with a cable nipple which is supported in an oblong groove which extends in a pulling direction of the pulling means for shifting along a length which corresponds to an extent of the idle stroke.