Closure fasteners – Bolts – Swinging
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-17
2002-02-26
Estremsky, Gary (Department: 3627)
Closure fasteners
Bolts
Swinging
C292S216000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06349983
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to a lock for a motor vehicle door, particularly to a lock which is automatically unlocked upon opening, and more specifically, to an electric lock providing assistance with opening and/or assistance with locking.
In electric locks with assistance with opening, the mechanism for opening the lock is driven by a geared motor unit, an electromagnetic system or any other equivalent device which is built into a sealed part of the lock casing, so that the electrical components and gears can be isolated from dust, water and any foreign body which could enter the lock, when the vehicle is in use. The electric mechanism for assisting with opening is generally operated via the exterior handles or paddles for opening the door, which are fitted with a contactor, sensor, microswitch or any other detector which is connected by an electric cable to the device for assisting with opening the lock, in order to transmit the command to open. Given that the exterior handles or paddles are exposed to adverse weather conditions, it is necessary to make the opening detectors, and their electric cables and connectors, completely sealed, and this increases the cost of the lock.
A first object of the invention is to provide an electric lock with assistance with opening which minimizes the electrical connections and the sealing constraints, in order to reduce the cost of the lock.
The second object of the present invention is to provide an electric lock with assistance with opening, the layout of the mechanisms of which is improved.
For safety reasons, locks for front doors and sometimes for rear doors are generally equipped with a mechanism for automatically unlocking on opening, when the user actuates the interior door handle. This is because, if a user is driving along in the locked position, for example, so that he or she runs no risk of being attacked when he or she stops at traffic lights, it is important that, in the event of an accident, he or she can easily get out of his or her vehicle without having first of all to unlock the door before being able to open it.
Another advantage is that the user, by actuating the interior door handle, is able, in a single action, both to unlock and to open the door, whereas it would be somewhat troublesome, for a user, to have to unlock the door before being able to open it.
Furthermore, in instances when the driver of the vehicle, having got out, closes the door again leaving the keys inside, he or she can go back into the vehicle because the door will have automatically unlocked upon opening, something which would not have been the case if it had been possible for the door to be opened from the inside without unlocking the lock.
However, this function of automatically unlocking upon opening, also known by the name of “override” does consume energy, because the energy needed for unlocking is in addition to the energy required for opening the lock. This energy may be supplied via manual effort on the part of the user, in the case of an entirely mechanical lock, or by mechanisms providing electrical assistance with opening and unlocking, in the case of an electric lock.
The third object of the invention is to provide a lock with automatic unlocking on opening, which reduces the energy that has to be supplied in order to fulfill such a function.
Customarily, locks, both electric and mechanical, comprise a great many levers: a lever for opening from the outside, a lever for opening from the inside, a lever for locking from the inside, a lever for locking from the outside, and one or more intermediate levers. Furthermore, these levers are connected by linkage means, for example linkages, cables and cable sheaths, to operating means, such as the lock barrel and the interior and exterior handles or paddles.
The fourth object of the invention is to provide a simplified lock for a vehicle door, which minimizes the number of levers and linkage means for fulfilling the various functions of the lock.
In order to achieve the first aforementioned objective, the first subject of the invention is an electric lock for a motor vehicle door comprises a lock casing, of which a first compartment, known as the retention compartment, contains a latch capable of retaining a striker, and a pawl for locking the latch in the striker-retaining position, and of which a second compartment, known as the driveline transmission compartment, contains, in sealed manner, a mechanism for locking the lock, comprising a locking lever capable of placing the lock in the locked/unlocked position, and an opening mechanism comprising an electric motor for assisting with opening, capable of driving a lever for opening from the outside, so as to actuate the pawl into its position for releasing the latch, in response to a control signal for opening from the outside emitted by a contactor for opening from the outside, when an external operating means, such as an exterior door handle or paddle, is actuated by a user, characterized in that it comprises an outside mechanical linkage means, an outer portion of which is intended to be connected to the means for operating from the outside, and another, inner, portion of which extends into the sealed second compartment of the lock, the said contactor for opening from the outside being arranged in the said sealed second compartment on the path of the said inner portion of the outside mechanical linkage means, so as to emit an opening-from-the-outside control signal when the mechanical linkage means is moved over a determined opening travel when the means for operating from the outside is being actuated.
Thus, all the electrical connections between the exterior door handle and the lock are dispensed with, and it is no longer necessary to seal the contactor, because it is located in a compartment of the lock which is already sealed.
In a particular embodiment, the inner portion of the mechanical linkage means is secured to a slider which is guided by a slideway inside the sealed second compartment, along the opening travel of the mechanical linkage means, and which is capable of cooperating, at the end of opening travel, with the contactor to trigger the emission to the electric motor of the opening control signal.
Advantageously, the lock of the invention is associated with a so-called “hands free” remote recognition system which is intended to supply power to the electric motor when an authorized user has been identified by the said recognition system, near to the vehicle. Such a recognition system is known per se and consists in providing a badge fitted with an emitter worn or carried by the user and a receiver implanted in the vehicle which controls the supply of electrical power to the vehicle when it receives an appropriate coded signal emitted by the badge. Thus, when the authorized user actuates the exterior door handle, opening is triggered automatically, without the lock having necessarily to have been unlocked beforehand. Specifically, the lock may be unlocked before, at the same time as, or after electrically controlled opening. Given that it is not necessary for the lock to be unlocked in order for the lock to be opened from the outside, opening may occur more quickly. The fact that prior unlocking of the lock is not necessary does not constitute a drawback, because the lock can be opened directly only if an authorized user has been identified by the recognition system, failing which the electric motor will not be powered, and opening will therefore be impossible.
Unlike known locks, in which action on the exterior handle first of all brings about unlocking then brings about opening, the lock of the invention has two parallel driveline transmission lines, one for electrical opening, the other for unlocking.
It will be noted that the opening travel of the linkage means for triggering electrical opening may be short, for example of the order of 5 mm.
According to another feature of the invention, the inner portion of the mechanical linkage means comprises, at its free end, an endpiece capable of causing an emergency opening l
Dupont Patrick
Jacquinet Philippe
Connolly Bove & Lodge & Hutz LLP
Estremsky Gary
Valeo Securite Habitacle
LandOfFree
Electric lock for a motor vehicle door does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Electric lock for a motor vehicle door, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Electric lock for a motor vehicle door will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2958581