CN111188543A

CN111188543A - Automobile lock

Info

Publication number: CN111188543A
Application number: CN201811363219.2A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 刘玉会
Original assignee: Kiekert AG
Current assignee: Kiekert AG
Priority date: 2018-11-15
Filing date: 2018-11-15
Publication date: 2020-05-22
Also published as: WO2020099961A1

Abstract

The subject matter of the invention is a vehicle lock (1) having a locking mechanism (11) consisting of a rotary pawl (14) and at least one pawl (15), wherein the rotary pawl (14) can be fixed in a locking position, in particular a pre-locking position and a main locking position, by means of the pawl (15), and the pawl (15) cooperates in at least one end position with a damping element (19), wherein the damping element (19) can be placed directly on the pawl (15).

Description

Automobile lock

Technical Field

The invention relates to a motor vehicle lock having a locking mechanism comprising a rotary pawl and at least one pawl, wherein the rotary pawl can be fixed in a locking position, in particular a pre-locking position and a main locking position, by means of the pawl, wherein the pawl cooperates with a damping element in at least one end position.

Background

In today's automobiles, comfort plays an increasingly important role. Therefore, the handling convenience plays an important role in comfort on the one hand; on the other hand, the noise performance during operation of the vehicle may significantly affect the comfort.

For example, the automotive industry strives to emphasize comfortable operating tones to assist in promoting comfort. Especially when the lock noise corresponds to the vehicle type, the lock noise may improve the value and the sense of security at this time. The latch sound occurs when moving parts in the vehicle engage each other and/or reach a predetermined position.

Sound can also occur as a result of the parts being disengaged, particularly when the parts are under tension when engaged. For example, in a car latch closing movement, a locking mechanism located in the lock is locked against pressure, e.g. a door seal, where a pawl engages a rotary pawl and the pawl holds the rotary pawl in a locked position. If the locking mechanism is now opened, a sudden unlocking of the locking mechanism occurs because of the biasing force of the seal, whereby on the one hand noise is generated and on the other hand the locking mechanism parts are accelerated strongly.

Various solutions are known in order to minimize the noise performance of the lock.

DE 102010003483 a1 discloses a lock with a pre-locking position and a main locking position, in which the mutually engaging components of the locking mechanism are made of different materials. The metal part is in contact with a component, for example made of plastic and/or having a plastic coating. The plastic coating then allows a reduction in noise, so that metal rattling can be avoided.

In order to minimize noise, it is known from DE 102010003500 a1 to provide the parts of the latching mechanism that engage with each other or that are in engagement with the latching mechanism with a plastic housing. For reasons of stability, the locking mechanism and the locking lever are then substantially made of metal. The metal piece is at least partially coated with plastic to minimize opening and closing noise and friction. It is then preferred that in the case of a pre-locking pawl, a sleeve made of plastic separates the shaft for the pre-locking pawl from the metal part of the pre-locking pawl. Noise and friction are minimized, but other significant drawbacks are not necessarily tolerated. If the detent lever is moved into the release position by operation of the release lever, noise can be associated with the meeting of the release position. In order to minimize the noise generated during the meeting, the stop consists of a metal pin covered with a rubber ring.

The solutions known from the prior art are not completely convincing. In particular these solutions are architecture-specific solutions, which sometimes involve architecture setting. In addition, many receptacles and structural components are required to optimize noise performance. The invention is addressed herein.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the invention is to provide an improved vehicle lock. The object of the invention is, in particular, to provide an optimized noise performance of the locking mechanism with a minimum number of components. Furthermore, the object is to provide a motor vehicle lock which is simple in construction and low in cost.

This object is achieved by the features of independent claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims. It is to be noted that the embodiments described below are not limitative, but rather any possible variation of the features described in the description and in the dependent claims is possible.

The object of the invention is achieved according to claim 1 by providing a motor vehicle lock having a locking mechanism consisting of a rotary pawl and at least one pawl, wherein the rotary pawl can be fixed in a locking position, in particular a pre-locking position and a main locking position, by means of the pawl, wherein the pawl cooperates in at least one end position with a damping element, wherein the damping element is arranged directly on the pawl. By designing the vehicle lock according to the invention with a damping element placed on the pawl, it is now provided that an optimized noise performance can be obtained with a minimum number of components.

On the one hand, the damping piece can buffer the impact; on the other hand, the damping element is accommodated in the pawl itself on the pawl and directly performs the function of reducing noise. The solid sound in the pawl is then significantly reduced, or can be completely eliminated, directly by the damping element located on the pawl. In addition, a damped pawl motion can be achieved with as few components as possible.

If a vehicle lock is mentioned in the sense of the present invention, all vehicle locks or locks installed in a vehicle are included here. The lock may be used, for example, in a hood, sliding door, side door, roof and/or trunk lid, such as a cover panel. That is anywhere the movable part is to be held in a fixed position for use with the vehicle.

The vehicle lock according to the invention has a locking mechanism comprising a rotary pawl and at least one pawl. At this time, the pawl is engaged with the rotary jaw, wherein the pawl can lock (i.e., hold) the rotary jaw in the pre-lock position and/or the main lock position. In this case, a locking mechanism with one or two pawls is conceivable. The locking mechanism is matched with the lock seat. The locking base can be fixed to the vehicle body or also to the movable part. If the lock is, for example, a lock for a foldable rear seat, the lock can be accommodated in the movable seat or, for example, in the vehicle body. Both solutions now have a locking mechanism which is inserted into the lock housing by means of a rotary pawl, wherein the rotary pawl is rotated by the lock housing and the pawl can be brought into locking engagement with the rotary pawl, for example because of a spring bias. Depending on the field of application, systems with one pre-locking position and one main locking position or systems with only one main locking position are used and covered.

In a variant embodiment of the invention, the damping element cooperates with another component of the vehicle lock, in particular a movable component. When, for example, a pawl or a damping member located on the pawl is in operative engagement with a release lever, there is interaction between the damping member and another component. With the aid of the release lever, the pawl can be brought out of engagement with the rotary jaw. That is, the pawl engages the rotary pawl in the locked position, and the pawl may be disengaged from the rotary pawl by the release lever and the locking mechanism unlocked.

If the release lever now has a bearing surface for the damping element, the opening noise and the deceleration of the accelerated pawl are reduced by the pawl encountering the release lever in a damping manner. Furthermore, the damping element can also abut against another lever provided in the vehicle, so that no further damping element is arranged in the vehicle lock to obtain a gentle deceleration of the pawl movement.

A further advantageous variant of the invention results if the damping element can be guided in an opening of the vehicle lock housing. The pawl and the rotary jaw are preferably arranged in one plane of the vehicle lock. The locking mechanism components, i.e. the rotary pawl and the pawl, are usually mounted on a metal shaft on the lock housing and execute a pivoting movement of the lock housing. If the lock housing is now connected to the lock-slot box, for example, the shaft of the rotary pawl and/or the pawl passes through the lock housing, so that further components of the vehicle lock, such as the release lever, the locking lever or the child guard, can be supported on the shaft of the pawl and/or of the rotary pawl.

Advantageously, the housing may have an opening which cooperates with a damping element mounted on the pawl. The opening can be designed such that, on the one hand, a free guidance of the damping element is ensured and, on the other hand, a guide region and/or a stop can be provided by the opening. The damping member is mounted on the pivotable pawl to effect arcuate movement. The opening in the lock housing also preferably defines an arcuate opening. If the damping element is formed in the form of a roller damping element, it is also possible to realize a rolling movement of the damping element along the opening with a swinging movement of the pawl. It is of course also conceivable for the lock housing to bear against the lock housing box and for the pawl to act with a damping element in the lock housing mounted in the direction of the lock housing box.

In a variant embodiment of the invention, stops for the damping element are formed by means of the housing. The damping element projects from a pawl which is pivotably mounted in the lock into the region of an opening formed by the lock housing, so that the damping element can be moved in the opening. Advantageously, at least one stop for the pawl can be obtained through the opening, i.e. through the lock housing. That is, the damping member cooperates with the lock housing to limit movement of the pawl. This makes it possible to provide a space-saving and therefore compact embodiment of the vehicle lock. In particular, no other components are required to limit the pawl movement. It is also conceivable that the damping element cooperates with a wall and/or a projection formed on the housing in order to damp and/or limit the movement of the pawl.

An advantageous variant embodiment results when the damping element is in the form of a separate component that can be fastened to the pawl. The pawl can preferably be made of a metallic material, in particular steel. In this case, the pawl can have a plastic coating, wherein the engagement zone between the pawl and the rotary jaw is preferably formed from a bare metal material in order to achieve a long-lasting stable fit between the pawl and the rotary jaw. The damping element can then be mounted on the pawl, preferably as a separate damping element. The pawl can have a mounting axis, for example, on which the damping element can be mounted. In particular in the embodiment in which the damping element is formed as a roller damping element, it is advantageous for the damping element to be accommodated on a shaft mounted on the pawl. In addition, other components of the vehicle, such as a release lever, can also be mounted on the shaft. Thus, a cylindrical extension or shaft on the pawl can serve many functions. On the one hand, the shaft mounted on the pawl serves to support the damping element and at the same time serves to accommodate and/or support other functional units of the vehicle lock. However, it is also conceivable for the damping element to be produced separately and to be connected to the pawl in a material-bonded, form-fitting and/or force-fitting manner.

A further variant embodiment of the invention results if the damping element can be fixed to a cylindrical extension of the pawl, where the pawl can be actuated by means of the cylindrical extension. The cylindrical formation of the extension on the pawl and in particular the cylindrical extension oriented perpendicular to the plane of rotation of the pawl provides the advantage that the pawl can be operated by means of the cylindrical extension. In particular, the release lever may act on the cylindrical extension, thus allowing unlocking of the locking mechanism. Furthermore, an emergency operating mechanism can also act on the cylindrical extension, for example, which allows the locking mechanism to be opened, in particular in the case of an electric lock, in which case the conventional opening mechanism for unlocking the locking mechanism fails. By means of the cylindrical extension, the emergency operating member can thus allow the pawl to move and thus the locking mechanism to unlock.

A further variant embodiment of the invention results if the damping element can be designed in the form of a ring, preferably a plastic ring, more preferably a rubber-elastic ring. The annular design of the damping element offers the advantage that a continuous guidance of the pawl, for example along the housing or along the housing opening or along another component, such as a lever in a vehicle lock, can be achieved. The annular damping element can be mounted on the pawl so as to be rotatable, so that on the one hand a guidance of the damping element and on the other hand a rolling of the damping element is possible.

The fact that the damping element is formed in a symmetrical ring shape, for example on the shaft, furthermore has the advantage that incorrect mounting can be suppressed. By means of the continuously changing contact area between the damping element and the guide element, the stop or the rolling surface, different regions of the damping element come into contact with the vehicle lock, thereby contributing to the long life of the damping element.

Advantageously, the damping element cooperates in one embodiment with the release lever. The release lever preferably acts on the pawl and disengages the pawl from engagement with the rotating jaw. The release lever can be designed such that it can, on the one hand, disengage the pawl from the rotary pawl and, on the other hand, provide a guide surface and/or a stop for the latching mechanism damper or pawl damper. In particular, the recess in the release lever can correspond to an opening in the lock housing, so that a joint guidance and/or stopping by means of the release lever and/or the lock housing can be achieved. The damping element in this embodiment cooperates alternately and/or continuously with the release lever and the lock housing.

Advantageously, the damping element can be arranged at a radial end of the pawl. Mounting the damping element at the radial end of the pawl (i.e. on the end of the pawl opposite the axis of rotation of the pawl) provides the advantage of providing as large a lever ratio as possible to reduce the noise originating from the interaction between the rotating pawl and the pawl. In particular, the noise performance of the locking mechanism and thus of the lock can be optimized thereby. A sudden rattling noise thus occurs as a result of the disconnection, i.e. sliding of the rotary pawl out of the pawl engagement zone, which noise can be reduced or eliminated by means of a damping element fixed to the pawl and advantageously by means of a damping element with an advantageous lever ratio and engagement condition provided at the radial end of the pawl. In this case, for example, a sudden disconnection of the engagement can be suppressed in that, at the moment when the pawl and the rotary pawl are disengaged, the damping element bears against a guide contour of the housing and/or of the release lever. Abrupt slip-off can thus be slowed, thereby mitigating or eliminating noise.

Drawings

The invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings in conjunction with preferred embodiments. It is basically true that the exemplary embodiments of the invention are not limitative, but merely represent advantageous embodiments. The features shown may be described individually or in combination in the description, or with other features of the description and the claims. Wherein:

figure 1 shows a perspective view of a part of a car lock and in particular of an opening in a lock housing and a release lever,

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the locking mechanism secured to the keyway box, with the rotary pawl shown only partially, and

figure 3 shows the assembly of the component parts of the automotive lock according to figures 1 and 2, illustrating the condition of engagement between the damping member and the other lock part.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a vehicle lock, only a part of which is shown. A release lever 2 is shown which can be pivoted in a vehicle lock 1, wherein it can be pivoted about a pivot axis 3 in the direction of arrow P. The lock housing 4 forms a projection 5, wherein the projection 5 limits the clockwise pivoting movement of the release lever 2 about the axis 3. Movement of the release lever in the direction of arrow P may cause the arm 6 of the release lever 2 to swing through the opening 7. While the other arm 8 is used, for example, to receive a bowden cable, so that the release lever can be rotated, for example, by means of an inner or outer actuating element. The release lever 2 has a recess 9 formed therein, which corresponds to the ring-segment-shaped opening 7 in the lock housing 4. In other words, the size of the recess 9 and the size of the opening 7 at least partially coincide. Here, the term "partially" means that the recess 9 has a corresponding (i.e., uniform) geometry at least in the region where the recess 9 surrounds the opening 7.

Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of a further component part of the vehicle lock 1. A lockslot box 10 made of sheet metal is shown with a locking mechanism 11 mounted thereon. The threaded hole 12 in the fastening plate 10 is used for example for mounting the vehicle lock 1 in a vehicle. The locking mechanism 11 is formed in the region of the insertion mouth 13 of the lock groove box 10. The locking mechanism now has a rotary pawl 14 and a pawl 15. The illustrated locking mechanism position shows the locking mechanism 11 open, for example, and movable into a not illustrated lock receptacle. By co-operation with the lock housing, the rotary jaw 14 can be swung anticlockwise about the axis 16, so that the pawl 15, which is under spring bias, can also be swung anticlockwise about the axis 17 and can thus engage with the rotary jaw 14. Subsequently, the locking mechanism 11 is locked, where it can take up a pre-locking position and a main locking position of the locking mechanism 11.

At the radial end 18, an annular damping member 19 is mounted on the cylindrical extension 20. During the pivoting movement of the pawl 15 about the axis of rotation 17, the damping element 19 pivots about the axis of rotation 17 along a circulating path of movement. The damping element 19 is in this embodiment formed as a separate rubber-elastic damping element 19 and is mounted on a cylindrical extension 20 on the pawl 15.

Fig. 3 shows the assembly position of the components of the vehicle lock 1 as shown in fig. 1 and 2. At this point, the lock housing 4 with the release lever 2 is mounted on the lock housing box 10, so that the damping element 19 extends with a cylindrical extension 20 through the opening 7 of the lock housing. Like parts carry like reference numerals. An annular damping element 19 can be pivoted through the opening 7, which is also arcuate, and about the axis 17 in the opening 7 of the lock housing 4. The ends 21, 22 of the opening 7 now form stops 21, 22 for the damping element 19. When the pivoting movement takes place about the axis 17 in the direction of the arrow P2, the damping element and thus the pawl 15 follow a circular path.

The guiding or limiting of the movement of the pawl 15 is advantageously performed through an opening 7 in the lock housing 4, where the mutual engagement between the arm 6 of the release lever 2 and the cylindrical extension 20 is simultaneously achieved through the cylindrical extension 20. On the one hand, therefore, it is possible to apply the release lever 2 directly to the pawl 15 and at the same time to allow the notch 7 in the lock housing 4 to guide and limit the movement of the pawl 15. In particular, movements can be damped and noise reduced.

List of reference numerals

1 automobile lock

2 release lever

3. 16, 17 axes

4 lock case

5 projection

6. 8 arm

7 opening

9 hollow part

10 lock groove box

11 locking mechanism

12 screw hole

13 introducing nozzle

14 rotating jaw

15 pawl

18 radial end

19 damping element

20 column extension

21. 22 stop, end

P, P2 arrow

Claims

1. A vehicle lock (1) having a locking mechanism (11) comprising a rotary pawl (14) and at least one pawl (15), wherein the rotary pawl (14) can be fixed in a locking position, in particular a pre-locking position and a main locking position, by means of the pawl (15), and the pawl (15) cooperates in at least one end position with a damping element (19), characterized in that the damping element (19) can be placed directly on the pawl (15).

2. Automotive lock (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the damping element (19) interacts with another component of the automotive lock (1), in particular a movable component (2).

3. The motor vehicle lock (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the damping element (19) can be guided in an opening (7) of a lock housing (4) of the motor vehicle lock (1).

4. Automotive lock (1) according to one of the claims 1 to 3, characterised in that by means of the lock housing (4) stops (21, 22) for the damping element (19) can be formed.

5. The vehicle lock (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the damping element (19) can be fixed as a separate component on the pawl (15).

6. The vehicle lock (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the damping element (19) can be fixed on a cylindrical extension (20) of the pawl (15), wherein the pawl (15) can be operated by means of the cylindrical extension (20).

7. The vehicle lock (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the damping element (19) can be formed in a ring shape, preferably as a plastic ring, more preferably as a rubber-elastic plastic ring.

8. The vehicle lock (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the damping member (19) cooperates with the releasing lever (2).

9. The vehicle lock (1) according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the damping element (19) can be arranged on a radial end (18) of the pawl (15).

10. Automotive lock (1) according to one of the claims 1 to 9, characterised in that the lock housing (4) and the release lever (2) have cooperating openings (7, 9) and that the damping element (19) can be guided at least in the openings (7, 9).