Electrical latch with an emergency actuation

0001The present invention relates to an electric lock motor vehicle door, in particular for a tailgate.

0002We know from EP 812 972 for an electric lock motor vehicle door, comprising a rotary bolt in the form fork, movable between an open position and a position of closure, wherein the bolt is capable of retaining a striker, a pawl pivoting subjected to an elastic return which pushes it towards a position restraint, wherein the pawl is capable of cooperating with at least one notch of the bolt to hold the bolt in the closed position, and a chain motorized kinematic comprising an electrical actuator, a wheel driven in rotation by said actuator and at least a common crankpin fixedly by the wheel, the pin projecting relative to the wheel. During the rotation of the wheel race, said crank pin is by through a coach on said pawl so as to deviate from the retaining position and to cause the opening of the lock.

0003Also known manner, a lock of this kind can include a manual control means able to cooperate directly or indirectly with the pawl to open the lock.

0004These locks have drawbacks: if accidental blockage of the chain motor kinematics, eg failure of the electrical actuator, by power failure electric actuator or by mechanical failure of a part of the Chain motor kinematics, the crank pins can be blocked in a position in which they hamper the movements of the pawl in the direction of opening or closing, or in both directions, of so that the lock can not be opened or closed respectively. This results in a lack of security in the event of failure locks CHAIN ​​motorized cinematic, opening the vehicle carrying the faulty lock can no longer be opened or respectively closed.

0005The invention aims to provide an electric lock does not have the abovementioned disadvantages.

0006For this, the invention provides an electric lock for motor vehicle door, said lock comprising a rotary bolt fork-shaped, movable between an open position and a closed position in which said bolt is adapted to retain a striker, a pawl pivotable subjected to an elastic return which pushes it towards a retaining position, wherein said pawl is adapted to cooperate with at least one notch of said bolt to retain said bolt in position closure, and a manual control means able to cooperate directly or indirectly with said pawl for opening said lock ; said lock comprising a motorized drive train comprising an electric actuator, a rotationally driven wheel by said actuator and at least one crank carried by said wheel, said pin projecting with respect to said wheel for at least a active part of a rotation travel of said wheel, during which active part said crank acts directly or indirectly on said pawl so as to separate it from said retaining position to cause the opening of said lock, characterized in that said crankpin is mounted mobile in translation relative to said wheel, said crank pin being able to retract into said wheel during opening Manual said lock to disengage said kinematic chain motorized with respect to said pawl so that said lock remains capable to be opened and closed manually in the event of locking of said chain Motorized Kinematic.

0007Advantageously, the lock according to the invention comprises a ramp to cause a translation of said pin during the rotational travel of said wheel.

0008Advantageously, the pin has a committed body through said wheel, a lower end of said body being adapted to bear on said ramp.

0009Advantageously, the said crank carries an end piece on said lower end of body to limit friction on said body said ramp.

0010Preferably, a resilient biasing means biasing said pin to said ramp.

0011Preferably the lower face of said wheel has a housing crown about its axis to receive said ramp.

0012According to a particular characteristic of the invention, said translation takes place substantially parallel to the axis of said wheel, said ramp being helical, or said translation is done substantially radially with respect to said wheel, ladte ramp being spiral.

0013Advantageously, the ramp has a section inclined traversed by said lower end of body for a bottom end towards a top end before the said active part of rotation stroke, so take out the said crank projecting relative to said wheel.

0014Advantageously, the ramp has a low section situated in the continuity of said bottom end of sloped section and connected to said top end by a step.

0015Preferably, said step is arranged substantially at the said active part early running of the pin, said lower section being arranged substantially in said active part of the race pin.

0016According to another characteristic of the invention, the lock includes an intermediate member arranged training so connecting said motorized kinematic chain said pawl, said member Intermediate drive being movable between a rest position, in which one arm of said intermediate drive member cuts the stroke of said crank and an active position, wherein said member Intermediate drive away said pawl from said position restraint so as to open the said lock, the said crank pushing the said arm during said active portion so as to move said race intermediate drive member to said rest position to said active position.

0017Advantageously, said crank comprises a head adapted to bear on said arm for retaining said pin projecting to said wheel during said active part of the pin race.

0018Preferably, said manual control means is adapted to cooperate with said intermediate drive member to move in said active position, so that in case of stopping of said actuator electric, manual movement of said intermediate body drive is capable of removing said arm below said head retract said pin in the wheel.

0019Advantageously, the said crank comes into contact with said arms substantially when crossing the said step, said crank being retained by its head bearing on said arm and not being in contact with said ramp after crossing the said step.

0020Preferably, at the end of the said active part of said race pin, said arm escapes audit pin, said pin falling on said ramp substantially at the bottom end of said sloping section.

0021Advantageously, the course of said inclined section corresponds to an inactive part of the rotation stroke of the crankpin wherein said m Aneton does not cooperate with said member through training.

0022The invention will be better understood and other aims, details, characteristics and advantages thereof will appear more clearly During the following description of a particular embodiment of the invention, given only for illustrative and not limiting, with reference to the accompanying drawing. On this drawing :<ul><li>Figure 1 is a partial perspective view a lock according to the invention in closed position, motorized drive train being early its opening travel,</li><li>Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a gear, a crank pin, a spring recall and a ramp of the lock of Figure 1,</li><li>Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 in a Step through the opening race of the Chain motorized kinematic</li><li>Figure 4 is a plan view of the organs of kinematics of the lock according to arrow IV of Figure 3</li><li>Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3 a emergency opening stage of the lock,</li><li>Figure 6 is a plan view of the bodies kinematics of the lock according to arrow VI of 5.</li></ul>

0023Referring to Figure 1, the lock comprises a housing piece not shown, for example of molded plastic, having two wings arranged perpendicularly in the form of an L. A wing base forms a wall of a containing compartment of the lock, which contains the retention components, namely the bolt 7 and the pawl 8 rotatable about their respective axes 13a and 13b.

0024A not shown spring reminds bolt 7 to its open position. Another spring 14 recalls the pawl 8 to its bolt holding position 7. The bolt 7 is fork-type and molded plastic. On a branch of the fork of the bolt 7, two notches 7a and 7b are exposed to avoid bursting during overmolding Contact these notches 7a and 7b with the pawl 8, as a burst can cause friction of the bolt 7 on the housing. At position of the lock closing, the notch 7a comes into contact with a tooth 8a 8 the pawl to retain the bolt 7 in the closed position. The screen comes 7b contacting said tooth 8a when the lock is partially open.

0025A second flange of the housing (not shown) carries the the lock kinematic members, namely an intermediate lever opening 21 rotatably mounted about an axis perpendicular to said wing, an outside opening lever 22 rotatably mounted around the same axis, and motorized kinematic chain lock comprising an electric motor 23 whose shaft 33 parallel to the second door wing a worm 34 meshing with the toothed edge 35 of a wheel 31.

0026The intermediate lever opening 21 comprises four arms 21a, 21b, 21c and 21d each extending substantially radially from the axis of rotation 20 of the lever 21. The arm 21a has one end bent towards the end portion 26 of arm 16. When the lever via opening 21 is rotated from its rest position, visible in Figure 1, in the direction of opening of the lock, shown by the arrow G1, the arm 21a pushes the end portion 26 of the arm 16 and rotates the pawl 8 to its open position. A spring point 24 mounted about the axis 20 recalls the lever 21 towards its position rest.

0027The arm 21b arranged substantially 90 degrees from the arm 21a in the opening direction has an end lug bent 21st perpendicularly along a side edge of the arm 21b. At the position of rest, 21b arm is substantially superimposed on the opening lever 22. The outside end of the outer open lever 22 has a lug 28 perpendicularly bent to be connected to a system manual operation, for example a rod, to cause manually opening the lock. When actuated manually in the direction of opening, according to the arrow G1, the lever outer opening 22 abuts laterally on the end tab 21st so as to drive the intermediate lever 21 to its opening active position.

0028The arm 21c is substantially diametrically opposite to the arm 21b. As best seen in Figure 4, the arm has a 21c first part 29 bent substantially parallel to the axis 20 towards the high relative to the support lever 21 and a second portion 30 bent at right angles to the first portion 29 extend parallel to the support lever 21 above the wheel gear 31 rotatably mounted around an axis 32 parallel to axis 20.

0029The motor 23 is to sense single rotation so as to cause the gear 31 in the direction of the arrow G2, opposite to the direction G1 opening lever 21.

0030Referring to Figure 2, the gearwheel 31 comprises a body 36 disc-shaped carrying at its periphery, the toothed edge 35 in shaped skirt. Under the body 36, a housing 37 shaped crown is defined between the axis of rotation 32 and the skirt 35. The bracket (not shown) of the toothed wheel 31 carries in line with the housing 37 a helical ramp 38 which is housed in the housing 37 when the wheel 31 is placed on said support.

0031The ramp 38 has the shape of a section of a torus rectangular whose height varies along its periphery. traveled in the rotation direction G2 of the wheel 31, the ramp 38 has successively lower section 39 of substantially constant height extending over an angular sector, for example substantially 90 °, corresponding to the portion of lower height of the ramp 38. The Lower section 39 extends from an inclined section 40 extending on a angular sector that complements the angular sector has a tower by example of substantially 270 °. The height of the inclined section 40 grows continuously since the height of the bottom section 39 to a height maximum, for example substantially twice the height of the section low 39. The top 41 of the inclined section 40 is connected to the section low 39 by a vertical step 42.

0032The toothed wheel 31 has, molded on the body 36, a protruding block 46 having a first circular rib 47 surrounding pin 32 and a second circular rib 48 surrounding a bore 49 formed in the body 36 for receiving the cylindrical body 45 a crank pin 43 for guiding in translation parallel to the axis 32. The crank pin 43 comprises a head 44 substantially disc-shaped with the upper end of the stem 45. The head 44 has a diameter greater than that of the bore 49.

0033The rod 45 of the crank pin 43 through the body 36 of the wheel 31. Its lower end projecting into the housing 37 carries an endpiece 50 fitted in fixed manner on the rod 45 and having an end face 51 intended to come into sliding contact with the ramp 38. A spring booster 52 is engaged on the stem of the pin 45 in the housing 37 with an end bearing on the underside of the body 36 and the other end on the nozzle 50, so as to exert a return force on the pin 43 towards the ramp 38.

0034The operation of the electric lock will now be explained. The lock being initially closed, as seen in 1, the bolt 7 is held by the pawl 8, the pawl 8 is held closed by its return spring, the intermediate lever 21 is held in the rest position by the spring 24 so that the arm 21a key not the pawl 21c and the arm extends above the wheel 31 to close to the crank pin 43, so that the head 44 overlaps the portion 30. At its initial position, the pin 43 is substantially at the apex of the right 41 of the ramp 38 with the lower end of the rod 45 bears on the top 41. The maximum height of the boom is chosen so that the rod 45 protrudes above the wheel 31, the head 44 being above the second part 30 of the arm 21c. The motor 43 is adapted to be controlled in a manner known per se to make a turn complete with the gear 31 in the G2 direction to open the lock.

0035Referring to Figure 3, the motor 23 is omitted. In the beginning the wheel rotating race 31, the rod 45 comes into contact laterally with the edge 53 of the second part 30 of the arm 21c, which marks the beginning of the active part of the race of the pin. Substantially the same time, the pin 43 crosses the step 42 of the ramp. By turning the crank rotates the intermediate lever 21 in G1 direction by sliding against the side edge 53. The lever Intermediate 21 turns the ratchet 8 in the direction of opening G3 by contact between the arm 21a and the end portion 26. From the crossing walking 42, the rod 45 is no longer held by its lower end and begins to retract to the bottom section of the ramp 38 under the effect of spring 52. The head 44 overlapping the arm 21c, it takes support on the latter and stops the downward movement of the pin 43.

0036The rotation of the sprocket continues, the pin pushes the intermediate lever 21 which pushes the pawl 8 to release the bolt 7, which is pivoted in the open position under the effect of its spring recall or a movement of the opening on which the lock is mounted relative to the keeper (not shown), so that the lock opens. After opening the lock, the pin reaches the end 54 of arm 21c, the intermediate lever 21 is in the maximum pivot position in the direction G1. When the pin has reached the end 54, the head 44 21c escapes from the arm so that the pin 43 falls onto the ramp 38 under the effect of the spring 52, substantially to the lower end of the inclined section 40. The intermediate lever 21 is no longer in contact with the pin 43, it returns to its rest position under the effect of spring 24. The fallout of the crank pin 43 marks the end of the active part of its travel. Thus, the bottom section 39 of the ramp 38 is arranged substantially in the entire active stroke of the crank pin 43.

0037The angle of rotation of the toothed wheel 31 continues until completion of the full turn, the pin being pushed progressively upwards with its lower end abutting on the inclined section 40 of the ramp 38. In this part of the race, the crank pin is inactive. At the end of the round, the crank pin 43 and the lever 21 returned in their respective initial positions.

0038Alternatively, the initial position of the crank pin 43 is not necessarily in line with the top 41 of the ramp 38 and can be a any level of the inclined section 40.

0039In a manner known per se, a not shown stop lever is mounted coaxially with the intermediate lever 21 to stop the motor 23 after one full turn of the wheel 31.

0040A lock backup actuation mode will now be described with reference to Figures 5 and 6.

0041Referring to Figure 5, the toothed wheel has proceeded cycle of opening under the action of motor 23, omitted in FIG 5, and is stopped during the active stroke of the pin 43. The pin 43 having 42 crossed the march is held by the head 44 of the arm 21c. The lever Intermediate 21 turned and pushed the pawl 8, but not enough to release the bolt 7, the notch 7a abuts the tooth 8a of the pawl 8. The wheel gear 31 is locked in this position due to a failure electric motor, failure of the power supply, or another accidental cause.

0042By manually performing a pull, indicated by the arrow T on the outside open lever 22, it is possible to pivot the intermediate lever 21 in the direction to cause G1 the opening of the lock. During this pivoting the intermediate lever 21, the arm 21c escapes from under the head 44 of the pin 43, said pin being immobilized with the wheel 31. The crank pin 43 is retracted under the effect of spring 52. The pin 43 is to the right of the bottom section 39 of the ramp 38. The height of the bottom section 39 is chosen rather low for the rod 45 retracts completely into the wheel 31 without come into contact with the ramp 38 until head 44 comes into pressing the rib 48, as shown in Figure 6. Thus, the crankpin in the retracted position no longer cooperates with the intermediate lever 21, which can rotate freely over the head 44. The lever Intermediate 21 is completely disengaged from the drivetrain motor so that the lock remains functional and openable and closed manually.

0043The width of the head 44 may be selected in a size enough small for a retraction of the pin 43 from rotating few degrees of the intermediate lever 21 in the direction G1, e.g. 10 °. Thus, the amplitude of the T pulling movement necessary for release the head of the pin 43 and thus disengage the intermediate lever 21 the motor 23 can be chosen smaller than the amplitude of movement required to cause the opening of the pawl 8. The lock therefore has not necessarily need to be opened manually to become functional.

0044Although the invention has been described in connection with a mode particular implementation, it is obvious that it is not limited and that it comprises all technical equivalents of the means described and their combinations if these fall within the invention. In particular, the crank pin of the translational motion can be oriented in any direction. This translational movement the crankpin is not necessarily straight and may, for example, combine to a circular translatory movement or a movement of rotation.