Electricity: motive power systems – Automatic and/or with time-delay means – Movement – position – or limit-of-travel
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-27
2001-08-21
Nappi, Robert E. (Department: 2837)
Electricity: motive power systems
Automatic and/or with time-delay means
Movement, position, or limit-of-travel
C318S266000, C292SDIG002
Reexamination Certificate
active
06278252
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to an electric motor-driven servo-drive for a motor vehicle lock with an electric drive motor, a servo-drive disk or other servo-drive element which is driven by the electric drive motor, an operating lever, or another mechanical operating element, which can be moved back and forth by the servo-drive element between at least two operating positions, and with an electric motor control with which the electric drive motor can be turned on and can be turned off, especially short circuited, by an electrical or electronic switch connected to the electric motor control in a certain free position of the servo-drive element and with simultaneous occurrence of the operating position of the operating lever
2. Description of Related Art
In known electric motor-driven servo-drives for motor vehicle locks, two electrical or electronic switches are connected to the electric motor control, in any case, specifically a first switch for the servo-drive element and a second switch for the operating lever (U.S. Pat. No. 5,240,296). In the sense of a series connection of the two switches which leads in terms of computer engineering to an AND gate, the electric drive motor is turned off when the two switches are activated. Generally, the electric drive motor is turned off by short circuiting it in order to achieve a motor braking action, and thus, rapid shutdown of the servo-drive element (see, also German Patent DE - C - 43 34 522).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A primary object of the present invention is to reduce the circuit engineering cost in the above described electric motor-driven servo-drive for a motor vehicle lock.
This object is achieved in an electric motor-driven servo-drive for a motor vehicle lock of the type described at the outset by the provision of only one electric switch and this switch being mechanically arranged such that it can be influenced both by the servo-drive element and the operating element, and by a mechanical actuating element being assigned to the switch. Alternatively, the object of the invention can be obtained by the provision of only one electric switch and this switch being mechanically arranged such that it can be influenced both by the servo-drive element and the operating element, and by the switch being a proximity-activated sensor, the servo-drive element and the operating element being influencing elements of the proximity-activated sensor, and wherein an operating function of the switch takes place only when the sensor is influenced by the both influencing elements.
Motor vehicle locks can be used in many areas in a motor vehicle, especially as motor vehicle side door locks, rear door locks, rear hatch locks, sliding door locks, hood locks, and the like. In this sense, the concept of a motor vehicle door lock should therefore be understood comparatively comprehensively. In the specification of this patent application, the servo-drive disk is described as the servo-drive element, but all other types of servo-drive elements, for example, also spindle drives, are usable and are also intended to be encompassed by the term servo-drive element. Broad freedom likewise applies to the operating element which is described here as a mechanical operating lever. Thus, the operating element can be a linearly shifted operating element, a swiveling or pivoting operating element, or also a rotating operating element.
It has been recognized in accordance with the present invention that the series connection provided in the prior art, which leads in terms of computer engineering to an AND gate, also requires the existence of two microswitches, can be replaced by a mechanical actuating element for the AND gate or by choosing an operating threshold of a proximity actuated sensor as the switch. This saves a comparatively expensive switch.
The electrical or electronic switch can be, first of all, a microswitch with a first position which is assumed under a spring load and a second position which is reached against the spring load. However, also proximity-actuated electromagnetic or electronic switches (Reed relays, Hall sensor switches, etc.) can be used. Here, there are a host of possibilities which can be taken from the prior art and which will not be explained individually here.
In a first alternative, a mechanical actuating element, preferably in the form of a rocker, allows the switch to be influenced only when it has been actuated by two influencing elements. This mechanically accomplishes the AND gate.
The second alternative, especially in implementation of the switch as a sensor sensitive to magnetic fields, accomplishes the AND gate by an operating threshold of the sensor such that only the simultaneous influence by the two influencing elements causes the operating threshold to be exceeded and thus results in operation.
In the following the invention is explained in detail using drawings which show representative embodiments of the invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4502718 (1985-03-01), Sasaki et al.
patent: 5240296 (1993-08-01), Kobayashi
patent: 5453671 (1995-09-01), Baier et al.
patent: 5656899 (1997-08-01), Kuroda
patent: 5762384 (1998-06-01), Bartel
patent: 5786675 (1998-07-01), Niki et al.
patent: 6114821 (2000-09-01), Kachouh
patent: 43 34 522 C1 (1995-01-01), None
patent: 44 33 042 (1995-10-01), None
Leykin Rita
Nappi Robert E.
Nixon & Peabody LLP
Robert & Bosch GmbH
Safran David S.
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