EP1001119B1 - Vehicle door lock with internal and/or external electrical locking/unlocking device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to locks for motor vehicle and, more particularly, locks with exterior and / or interior electrical locking / unlocking.

Such locks comprise, in a known manner, a latch fork intended to cooperate with a keeper, a pawl ensuring normally locking the bolt in the closed position, a locking mechanism release of the bolt comprising a control member undergoing a actuation movement in response to actuation, by the user, a handle of the corresponding door of the vehicle automobile. The control unit can take an active position for which it acts, during its actuation movement, on the ratchet to put it in an "escaped" or "erased" position (in which said pawl releases the bolt), and an inhibited position for which said control member, during its movement actuation, has no effect on said pawl. The lock has, in addition, an electromechanical locking / unlocking device responding at least to an unlocking signal by moving said control member from its inhibited position to its active position.

We know vehicle door closing systems in which the unlocking signal is generated by actuation of a lock cylinder. In other known systems, this unlocking signal is provided by an electronic device for recognition in response to an infrared remote control signal or of radio remote control produced by the user by means of a suitable remote control. With these known systems, if the lock is in a condemned state, i.e. if the organ of control, which is part of the bolt release mechanism, is in its position inhibited, two successive actions are then necessary to open the door: first of all, unlock the lock using suitable means (key, remote control, etc.), then open the door, for example by pulling on the outer handle thereof.

It is obvious that, during frequent uses of the vehicle, always having two actions to unlock the lock and access to your vehicle may appear as a constraint. In addition, insofar as these known systems require the use of either a key or a remote control, which occupies a hand of the user, this can also appear as discomfort.

This is why, we have already proposed so-called systems "hands-free vehicle access" which is intended to allow a user to directly open a door of his vehicle in one action on the outside handle of the corresponding door, whatever either the state of condemnation or unlocking of the lock of said door, without having a key, remote control or similar to unlock the lock. To this end, these systems known are equipped with an electronic recognition device fitted with a radio transmitter and designed to be able to communicate with a radio device, called "electronic identifier", incorporated in a watch, credit card, badge or the like worn by the user. The electronic recognition device does not produce its unlocking signal only after identification of the correct owner.

In such known systems, known as hands-free systems, the transmission of the unlocking signal controlling the device electromechanical locking / unlocking, on the one hand, and the actuation of the release mechanism, on the other hand, take place simultaneously. Now, the difference between the response time, relatively long, of the electromechanical device and that, very short, of the release mechanism is such that it frequently happens that said control member, which is part of the release mechanism of the bolt, has completed its actuation movement when it still has not put into active position by the electromechanical device of locking / unlocking. As a result, the first action of the user on the door handle does not cause the opening of the latter and that said user must act again on said handle to open the door. This need for double action on the door handle obviously constitutes a disadvantage for a system that was supposed to allow the opening of the door in one action.

French patent application n ° 98 05604 filed on May 4, 1998 provides two solutions to remedy this drawback. These two solutions consist in using a catch-up means opening which, when the unlocking signal is emitted substantially at the end of the actuation movement of the control member, brings the pawl to its "escaped" position. Concretely, in these two known solutions, the control, which acts on the pawl to move it into its position "breakaway" or an actuation lever, which is also part of the bolt release mechanism, is shaped so as to present a ramp-shaped surface portion, which is inclined relative to to the direction of movement of the control member and which, at the end of stroke of the actuating movement of said control member, acts directly or indirectly, depending on the first or second solution above, like a cam on the pawl to pass it in its "escaped" position.

The present invention therefore aims to provide a solution to avoid the user having to exercise a double action on the door handle to open the door, without have to use a powerful electric actuator to unlock the lock and move the ratchet to its position "Escaped".

a) un pêne à fourche destiné à coopérer avec une gâche ;

b) un cliquet assurant le blocage du pêne en position fermée et pouvant prendre une position "échappée" pour laquelle il n'agit plus sur le pêne ;

c) un mécanisme de libération du pêne comportant un organe de commande extérieur qui peut subir un mouvement d'actionnement en réponse à l'actionnement d'une poignée extérieure de ladite porte par un utilisateur et qui, dans un état décondamné vis-à-vis de l'extérieur de la serrure, peut agir, au cours de son mouvement d'actionnement, sur le cliquet pour le mettre dans ladite position "échappée" ;

d) un dispositif électromécanique de condamnation/décondamnation incluant un dispositif électrique d'actionnement extérieur réagissant au moins à un signal de condamnation ou décondamnation extérieure pour faire passer la serrure dans ledit état condamné ou décondamné extérieur ;

e) un dispositif électronique de reconnaissance apte à produire ledit signal de décondamnation lorsqu'il reçoit un signal de commande approprié, en provenance par exemple d'une télécommande ou d'un dispositif identifiant électronique approprié porté le propriétaire du véhicule ou par un utilisateur autorisé ;

caractérisée par le fait qu'elle comprend en outre un dispositif à accumulation d'énergie, qui comporte un moyen à ressort et qui est interposé entre ledit organe de commande et ledit cliquet de telle façon que, dans l'état condamné extérieur de la serrure, ledit moyen à ressort accumule de l'énergie en étant bandé par ledit organe de commande au cours de son mouvement d'actionnement en réponse à l'actionnement de ladite poignée extérieure de porte, et que, lorsque la serrure passe à l'état décondamné vis-à-vis de l'extérieur en réponse audit signal de décondamnation, sensiblement en fin de course du mouvement d'actionnement dudit organe de commande, l'énergie emmagasinée dans ledit moyen à ressort est libérée et le dispositif à accumulation d'énergie fait passer ledit cliquet dans sa position "échappée".To this end, the invention provides an electric locking / unlocking lock for a door of a motor vehicle with hands-free access, comprising:

a) a fork bolt intended to cooperate with a keeper;

b) a pawl ensuring the locking of the bolt in the closed position and which can take an "escaped" position for which it no longer acts on the bolt;

c) a bolt release mechanism comprising an external control member which can undergo an actuating movement in response to the actuation of an external handle of said door by a user and which, in a unlocked state with respect to screw from the outside of the lock, can act, during its actuation movement, on the pawl to put it in said "escaped"position;

d) an electromechanical locking / unlocking device including an electrical external actuation device reacting at least to an external locking or unlocking signal to move the lock into said exterior locked or unlocked state;

e) an electronic recognition device capable of producing said unlocking signal when it receives an appropriate control signal, coming for example from a remote control or from an appropriate electronic identifying device worn by the owner of the vehicle or by an authorized user ;

characterized in that it further comprises an energy storage device, which comprises a spring means and which is interposed between said control member and said pawl in such a way that, in the external locked state of the lock , said spring means accumulates energy by being bandaged by said control member during its actuation movement in response to the actuation of said exterior door handle, and that, when the lock changes to the state unlocked from the outside in response to said unlocking signal, substantially at the end of the movement of actuation of said control member, the energy stored in said spring means is released and the accumulation device energy causes said pawl to pass into its "escaped" position.

Under these conditions, when the electronic device of recognition identifies the correct owner or an authorized user and that the latter pulls the door handle, the pawl is automatically brought into its "escaped" position and the bolt released, thanks to the energy "free" accumulated in the spring means upon actuation of the door handle. As a result, the electrical device training, planned for the conviction / unlocking of the lock and constituted for example by an electromagnet or by a electric motor, may have reduced size and power since it is no longer used to move the pawl into its position "escape" to release the bolt, but only to unlock the lock.

In one embodiment of the present invention, said energy storage device has a first lever which is attached to said control member and swings around of a first axis under the action of said control member, a second tilting lever which is pivotally mounted on said first axis and who cooperates with the ratchet so as to drag him with him in his tilting movement, and said spring means which is mounted between the two tilting levers.

In the unlocked outside state of the lock, the electro-mechanical coupling / unlocking device the first and second rocking levers so that they rock jointly around said first axis under the action of said organ of ordered. In the locked external state of the lock, said electromechanical locking / unlocking device prevents the second lever to tilt, so that the spring is bandaged by the first lever when it rocks under the action of said organ control.

In one embodiment of the invention, the second tilting lever may have first and second legs, which are spaced from each other in a tangential direction from the tilting movement of said second lever and which protrude from one face of this second lever at a distance from said first axis. The second lever also has a first oblong lumen which extends in the longitudinal direction of the second lever, between said first axis and first and second legs.

In this embodiment, the first tilting lever passes between the first and second legs of the second rocking lever and has a third tab which projects from one side of this first lever remote from said first axis and which is supported on the first second lever tab in the absence of action on the door handle. The first tilting lever also has a second light having two substantially L-shaped parts, one of the two parts coincides with the first oblong light of the second lever when said third leg is supported on said first leg. said spring means can then be disposed between said seconds and third legs, and it can be constituted by a helical spring.

The electromechanical locking device / unlocking may include an external locking lever which is coupled to the external electrical actuation device and which is pivotally mounted on a second axis which is parallel to said first axis. In this case, the external locking lever may have a locking finger which, in the locked external condition of the lock, cooperates with the second leg of the second rocking lever for prevent it from tipping over. Preferably in the condemned state outside of the lock, said first and second legs of the second tilting lever, said locking finger and the center of said second axis are aligned.

The electromechanical locking device / unlocking may also include a link, one of which first end is coupled to the first and second levers tilting by a first stud which is engaged in the first and second lights of said first and second tilting levers and which makes them integral in rotation with each other in the unlocked state outside of the lock. The second end of the link is coupled to said locking lever by a second stud which is engaged in a third oblong light provided in this lever conviction. This third light is, at least approximately, aligned with the first oblong light of the second lever tilting in the external unlocked state of the lock. The second stud is movable in the third light at against the return force of a spring which urges the link in a direction such that its first nipple tends to come to be placed with that of two ends of said first oblong lumen which is the most distant from said first axis.

Advantageously, the electromechanical device of locking / unlocking includes an electrical device internal actuation reacting to a unlocking signal inside to put the lock in an unlocked state interior, in which the actuation of an interior handle of carried by a user acts on the bolt release mechanism, to put the pawl in the escaped position, and at a signal inner lock, to get the lock into a state inner condemned, in which the actuation of the inner handle door and the frieze zipper have no effect on the said release, said electromechanical locking device / unlocking including an inner locking lever which is coupled to said electric internal actuation device, said inner locking lever being pivotally mounted on an axis and having a first oblong opening substantially in an arc of circle, crossed by a training piece which is also received in a second oblong opening, extending substantially perpendicular to the first oblong opening, in the lever of external condemnation, so that the pivoting of one of said interior locking lever and exterior locking lever causes free movement of the drive pin in the opening oblong from the other of said interior locking lever and lever of external condemnation.

In a particular embodiment, the lock has an additional lever for external unlocking automatic upon internal opening, said additional lever being pivotally mounted on said second axis and comprising a first branch able to cooperate with the interior door handle, said lever additional cooperating with the external locking lever to rotate it to its outer unlocked position, when actuation of the interior door handle. In this case, said additional lever may include a second branch capable of cooperate with an interior frieze zipper, to rotate the lever external condemnation to its external condemned position, when of the actuation of the frieze zipper towards its locked position exterior.

According to another characteristic, the additional lever and the external locking lever are coupled in rotation in the inner unlocked position and are decoupled in rotation in interior condemned position. In this case, the additional lever may include a third substantially L-shaped opening, one of which first part corresponds to said second oblong opening of the external locking lever and a second part of which corresponds to the first oblong opening of the lever inner lock, in the inner locked position, said third opening being crossed by the aforementioned drive pin. Preferably, the additional lever is interposed between the lever inner lock and the outer lock lever. Advantageously, the electromechanical locking device / unlocking is able to react to an unlocking signal for change the lock from a super-locked state to a unlocked state vis-à-vis the interior and exterior.

The power supply of the device electric actuation can be obtained by a switch normally open, closing of which is ordered in response to the transmission of the unlocking signal, this switch closing a electrical supply circuit of the electrical actuating device.

Preferably, the electronic recognition device is electrically powered only during the opening action exerted on the door handle by the user. This prevents the device recognition electronics is permanently powered and consumes energy unnecessarily.

To this end, the supply of electric current to the electronic recognition device can be obtained by a control system, such as a microswitch, normally open, the closing of which is controlled by said opening action exerted on the door handle, this microswitch closing a electrical supply circuit of the electronic device recognition.

• la figure 1 représente une vue partielle d'un premier mode de réalisation de la serrure en partie en élévation et en partie sous la forme d'un schéma fonctionnel, en position décondamnée ;
• la figure 2 est une vue analogue à la figure 1, représentant la serrure en position condamnée vis-à-vis de l'extérieur ;
• la figure 3 est une vue analogue à la figure 2, mais représentant la serrure en fin d'actionnement de la poignée extérieure de portière ;
• la figure 4 est une vue analogue à la figure 3, représentant le mouvement de décondamnation de la serrure ;
• la figure 5 est une vue analogue à la figure 4, montrant la serrure en position décondamnée et ouverte ;
• la figure 6 est une vue partielle d'un deuxième mode de réalisation de la serrure de l'invention dans un état décondamné ;
• la figure 7 est une vue analogue à la figure 6, mais dans la position condamnée de la serrure vis-à-vis de l'extérieur ;
• la figure 8 est une vue analogue à la figure 7, la serrure étant dans un état supercondamné ;
• la figure 9 est une vue analogue à la figure 8, en fin de mouvement d'actionnement d'une poignée extérieure de portière ;
• la figure 10 est une vue analogue à la figure 9, lors du mouvement de décondamnation de la serrure ;
• la figure 11 est une vue analogue à la figure 10, mais représentant la serrure dans un état décondamné et ouvert ; et
• la figure 12 est une vue partielle, agrandie et en coupe suivant la ligne XII-XII de la figure 6.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the description, given below by way of indication and not limitation, of two preferred embodiments of the lock according to the invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which :

• FIG. 1 represents a partial view of a first embodiment of the lock partly in elevation and partly in the form of a functional diagram, in the unlocked position;
• Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, showing the lock in the locked position vis-à-vis the outside;
• Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, but showing the lock at the end of actuation of the exterior door handle;
• Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3, showing the unlocking movement of the lock;
• Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 showing the lock in the unlocked and open position;
• Figure 6 is a partial view of a second embodiment of the lock of the invention in an unlocked state;
• Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6, but in the locked position of the lock vis-à-vis the outside;
• Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 7, the lock being in a super-locked state;
• Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 8, at the end of actuation movement of an exterior door handle;
• Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 9, during the unlocking movement of the lock;
• Figure 11 is a view similar to Figure 10, but showing the lock in an unlocked and unlocked state; and
• FIG. 12 is a partial view, enlarged and in section along the line XII-XII of FIG. 6.

Referring to Figure 1, we can see that the first embodiment of the lock according to the invention comprises a latch fork 1, the fork of which delimits a housing 2, substantially in V shape, which is intended to receive a keeper 3 which cooperates with the lock. In a known manner, the keeper 3 can be constituted by a stud which protrudes from a fixed amount of a door of a motor vehicle opposite the lock which is carried by said door. Movement relative of the door with respect to the door jamb, in the direction of the door closing, corresponds to a relative movement of the striker 3 according to arrow F1 in FIG. 1.

The bolt 1 is capable of pivoting about an axis 4 and, in the closed state of the lock, it cooperates with a pawl 5, which can pivot around an axis 6. The pawl 5 is subjected to a restoring force elastic which pushes it towards the bolt 1. This elastic return force can be produced by a spring (not shown), for example a spring of torsion carried by the axis 6.

When, when the door is closed, the bolt 1 is pushed back against an elastic restoring force which acts on it, in the position in which it is located in FIG. 1, the pawl 5 comes to bear by its beak 5 has against a notch 1 has formed on the bolt 1. In this way, the bolt 1 is retained in the position it occupies in FIG. 1 and the keeper 3 is trapped in the recess 2, which maintains the door in closed state.

In known manner, the bolt 1 may comprise a second notch 1b, which corresponds to a slightly open, but the locked position, the door, when this notch cooperates with the spout 5 has the pawl 5.

The lock further includes a release mechanism which, under certain conditions which will be described later, makes it possible to release the bolt 1 by passing the pawl 5 into a position "escaped" or "erased" for which it no longer blocks the bolt 1 and therefore allows the door to be opened. This mechanism, which is only partially shown in FIG. 1, comprises, in a known manner, a control member 7, which is mechanically connected to the handle door (not shown) so that it can be operated by this handle when the user pulls on it, more precisely on a movable pallet of said handle.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the control member 7 is constituted by a rod, the end of which upper is attached to a rocker lever 8 which can rock around an axis 9 under the action of the control rod 7. In FIG. 1, arrow F2 indicates the direction of movement of the control rod 7 when the user exerts traction on the door handle.

A second lever 11 is mounted tilting on the axis 9 and is coupled to the pawl 5 so as to drive it with it in its tilting movement. In the most preferred embodiment simple, the two axes 6 and 9 can for example be combined or aligned with each other. In this case, the pawl 5 and the lever 11 can be made in one piece or as two pieces separate which are joined to each other during the assembly of parts of the lock which are provided with complementary elements (for example a tenon and a mortise) which are fitted one in the other during said assembly of these two parts in order to make them united in rotation. In another embodiment of the invention, the two axes 6 and 9 can be separated and arranged in parallel one to the other and the lever 11 can act on the pawl 5 either directly, by example by pushing, either through a means of transmission of movement, such as a connecting rod link forming a hinged parallelogram with the pawl 5 and the lever 11, or a set of gears carried by axes 6 and 9.

The lever 11 has, projecting on one of its faces and at a distance from the axis 9, two legs 11 a , 11 b which are spaced from one another in a tangential direction relative to the tilting movement of this lever 11 around the axis 9. The lever 11 further comprises an oblong slot 12 which extends roughly in the longitudinal direction of said lever 11, between the axis 9 and the pair of lugs 11 a , 11 b .

As shown in the figures, the lever 8 passes between the two tabs 11 a and 11 b of the lever 11 and it itself has a tab 8 a which projects on one of its faces at a distance from the axis 9 and which, in the absence of any action on the door handle, is held pressed against the lug 11a of the lever 11 by a spring means 13, for example a helical spring. The opposite end of the spring 13 bears on the tab 11 b of the lever 11. The lever 8 also includes a slot 14 having two parts 14 a and 14 b arranged at right angles. The part 14 has light 14 coincides with the oblong light 12 of the lever 11 when the tab 8 a is in contact with the tab 11 a , as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

As will be explained in detail later in the course of the description of the operation of the lock, the two levers 8 and 11 and the spring 13 together constitute an accumulation device of energy which couples the control rod 7 to the pawl 5.

The lock according to the invention further comprises, so known, an electromechanical device for locking / unlocking 15 comprising an electrical actuating device 16 which allows to selectively put the lock either in a state condemned, either in a unlocked state. This electrical device actuator 16 can be constituted, in a manner known per se, by example by an electromagnet which is coupled, for example by a connecting rod 17, to a locking lever 18, which can pivot on an axis 19. Thus, the lever 18 can be selectively placed either in the position shown in Figure 1, which corresponds to the state unlocked from the lock, either in the position shown in the Figure 2, which corresponds to the locked state of the lock.

In the locked state of the lock, a blocking finger 18 a of the lever 18 is located opposite the tab 11 b of the lever 11 and prevents the latter from tilting around the axis 9. The tab 11 b of the lever 11, the locking finger 18 a and the center of the axis 19 are preferably aligned so as to provide rigid support for the lever 11 in the locked state of the lock, if an unauthorized person exercises a pull on the door handle. Under these conditions, the actuation of the control rod 7 in response to the actuation of the door handle has no effect on the pawl 5 and the lock remains locked, so that the door cannot be opened.

The electromechanical locking / unlocking device 15 further comprises a link 21 whose ends are respectively provided with studs 22 and 23. One end of the link 21 is coupled to levers 8 and 11 by the stud 22 which is engaged in lights 12 and 14 of said levers. In the unlocked state of the lock (FIG. 1), the stud 22 is located at the end of the lumen 12 of the lever 11 and at the corresponding end of the part 14 a of the lumen 14 of the lever 8, which are furthest from the axis 9. In this position, the stud 22 of the link 21 couples the two levers 8 and 11 so that they can tilt together around the axis 9 under the action of the rod command 7.

In the locked state of the lock (Figure 2), the stud 22 of the link 21 is located at the end of the slot 12 closest to the axis 9. In this position, the two levers 8 and 11 are uncoupled. Indeed, if the lever 8 is tilted around the axis 9 by the control rod 7 in response to the actuation of the door handle, the stud 22 engages in the part 14 b of the light 14, of so that the lever 11 is not driven with the lever 8. Of course, the total amplitude of the tilting movement of the lever 8 around the axis 9, corresponding to the total stroke of movement of the control rod 7 in response to the actuation of the door handle, must be such that the stud 22 of the link 21 never comes into contact with the end of the part 14 b of the light 14 and that the lever 8 never comes into contact with the tab 11 b of the lever 11.

The other end of the link 21 is coupled to the locking lever 18 by the stud 23 which is engaged in an oblong opening 24 of the lever 18. As shown in FIG. 1, the oblong opening 24 is at least approximately aligned with the opening oblong 12 of lever 11 and also with part 14 a of light 14 of lever 8, in the unlocked state of the lock. The stud 23 of the link 21 is movable in the light 24 against the return force of a spring 25 which biases the link in a direction such that its stud 22 tends to come to be placed at the end of the light 12 which is furthest from axis 9.

In order to allow hands-free access to the vehicle, i.e. to allow the user to open the door of their vehicle by a single action on the door handle, without the user having use a key or remote control to unlock the the lock if it was in a condemned state, a device recognition electronics 26 (figure 1) is associated with the lock to put it in an unlocked state when it recognizes a appropriate electronic identification device 27 worn by the owner vehicle or by an authorized user. This electronic device recognition 26 comprises, in known manner, a radio transmitter equipped with an antenna 28, which can for example be housed in the door handle and by means of which it can interact, according to a appropriate predefined protocol, with a radio device, also equipped with an antenna 29, with the device identifying electronic device 27. This device 27 can be incorporated, in a known manner, in a watch or card or badge worn by the user.

When the electronic recognition device 26 recognizes the correct owner or an authorized user, it transmits on its an unlocking signal which is sent by line 31 to the electromechanical locking / unlocking device 15 described above, in order to unlock the lock. For example, in the embodiment shown in Figure 1, in response to the signal unlocking present on line 31, a switch 32 closes and thus establishes a supply circuit for the electrical device actuator 16, for example an electromagnet, from a voltage source Vc1.

Usually, the emission of the unlocking signal which controls the electrical actuation device 16, on the one hand, and actuation of the bolt release mechanism, i.e. actuation of the door handle and, consequently, actuation of the control rod 7, on the other hand, take place simultaneously or more or less close simultaneously. This is especially true when, in order avoid unnecessary consumption of electrical energy, the device recognition electronics 26 is not supplied with electric current that during the action exerted on the door handle by the user to open the door. To this end, as shown in Figure 1, the electronic recognition device 26 is electrically connected to a DC voltage source Vc2 for example by a microswitch 33, which is normally open and can be closed by response to said action on the door handle, as is symbolized by arrow 34.

The total time taken by the electronic device recognition 26 to interact with the device 27, identify the correct owner and send the unlocking signal, the longer the time taken by the electromechanical locking / unlocking device 15 to move the lever 18 and the stud 22 from their position corresponding to the condemned state (figure 2) at their position corresponding to the unlocked state of the lock (Figure 1), in response when issuing the unlocking signal, is generally longer that the response time of the bolt release mechanism 1, i.e. the time taken by the control rod 7 to run its course actuation in response to actuation of the door handle. The control rod 7 has therefore generally finished its movement actuation while the lever 18 and the stud 22 have not yet been put in their position corresponding to the unlocked state of the lock. At this time, despite the emission of the unlocking signal, the actuation movement of the control rod 7 has no effect on the pawl 5.

The energy storage device formed by the levers 8 and 11 and by the spring 13 makes it possible to remedy this, as we will now see it during the description of how the lock according to the invention.

If the lock is in the unlocked state (Figure 1), the two levers 8 and 11 are made integral with each other by the link 21 and its nipple 22, as indicated above. Therefore, if the user pulls on the door handle, the control rod 7 moves in the direction of arrow F2 and toggles, in the direction of arrow F3, the lever 8 which carries with it lever 11, which itself drives the ratchet 5 by rotating it in the direction of arrow F4 around axis 6, thus releasing the bolt 1. The door can then be opened by continuing to pull the door handle.

If the lock is in the locked state (Figure 2) and if an unauthorized person pulls on the door handle, the control rod 7 again causes the lever 8 to tilt in the direction of the arrow F3 around the axis 9 (figure 3). However, in this case, due to the fact that the stud 22 of the link 21 is now at the end of the lumen 12 closest to the axis 9, opposite the part 14b of the lumen 14 of the lever 8 , the latter does not cause, during its tilting movement, the lever 11 because the stud 22 enters said portion 14b of the light 14. In addition, during the tilting movement of the lever 8, the spring 13 is compressed and thus tends to rotate the lever 11 in the direction of the arrow F3 around the axis 9, but this lever 11 does not rotate since the locking lever 18 prevents it by its finger 18 a in abutment on the tab 11 b of the lever 11. The latter is therefore blocked and the pawl 5 cannot be brought into its "escaped" or "erased" position, so that the keeper 3 remains trapped in the bolt 1 and the door does not can be opened.

If the lock is in a locked condition (Figure 2) and the owner of the vehicle or an authorized person wearing an appropriate electronic identification device 27 pulls on the door handle, in the first phase exactly the same thing happens as in the previous case. The lever 8 rocks around the axis 9, the spring 13 is compressed, but the lever 11 remains blocked by the finger 18 a of the locking lever 18. In a second phase which follows very quickly after the first phase, the person having been recognized by the electronic recognition device 26, this activates the electrical actuation device 16 (for example an electromagnet) which acts by the connecting rod 17 on the locking lever 18 to rotate it in the direction arrow F5 around axis 19 (Figure 4) and bring it into the unlocked position (Figure 5). During this rotation movement of the lever 18, as soon as his finger 18 has released the tab 11b of the lever 11 (FIG. 4), the latter is almost instantaneously rotated in the direction of the arrow F6 around the axis 9, thanks to the free energy which had been supplied by the user and stored in the spring 13 during the first phase. By tilting in the direction of arrow F6, the lever 11 drives with it the pawl 5. The latter therefore releases the bolt 1, so that the door can be opened.

It will be noted that shortly after the beginning of the movement of rotation of the lever 18 in the direction of the arrow F5 around the axis 19, the tab 11 b , the finger 18 a , and the center of the axis 19 cease d '' be aligned and, under the action of the spring 13 which pushes the tab 11 b against the end of the finger 18 a , of the lever 18, this finger 18 a is subjected to a force whose moment relative to the axis 19 is no longer zero and also tends to rotate the lever 18 in the direction of the arrow F5, thus helping the electrical actuating device 16 to rotate the lever 18 to bring it into its unlocked position. As a result, the electric actuating device 16 does not need to provide significant energy, since it suffices to overcome, in addition to the locking function, the small friction between the tab 11 b and the end of the finger 18 has lever 18 at the beginning of the unlocking movement of this lever 18.

At the same time as the lever 18 begins to rotate towards its unlocked position (FIG. 4), its light 24 moves and compresses the spring 25, since the link 21 cannot rotate given that, at this moment, its stud 22 is in abutment against the edge of the part 14 b of the light 14 of the lever 8. As soon as the tab 11 b of the lever 11 is released by the finger 18 a of the locking lever 18, and that the lever 11 rocks in the direction arrow F6, its light 12 acts on the stud 22 of the link 21 in order to bring it back towards the branch 14 a of the light 14 of the lever 8. As soon as the light 12 of the lever 11 coincides with said part 14 a of the light 14, the stud 22 of the link 21 is pushed back by the spring 25 to the end of the part 14a of the light 14 furthest from the axis 9 (FIG. 5). When the door handle is then released, the lock is in an unlocked state.

So that the user, when he pulls on the door handle, has substantially the same feeling that the lock is locked or unlocked, the spring 13 is preferably installed between the two tabs 8 a and 11 b so that , when the lock is in the state shown in FIG. 1 or 2, it is in a pre-bandaged or pre-stressed state such as the effort to be provided by the user to compress the spring when the lock is at 'condemned state, either the same or substantially the same as the effort to be provided by the user to overcome the friction between the pawl 5 and the bolt 1 when the lock is unlocked.

With the lock described above, we can see that the bolt 1 can be safely released by a single action on the handle the vehicle door, in response to the transmission of the signal unlocking produced by the electronic recognition device 26, regardless of the condemned or unlocked state of the lock.

In case the vehicle is equipped with a system central locking / unlocking, the unlocking signal issued on line 31 can also be used to unlock the locks on other doors or doors of the vehicle.

Referring now to Figures 6 to 12, a second embodiment of the lock of the invention will be described, for which elements identical or analogous to those of the first mode of achievement has the same reference numbers increased by hundred.

In these figures, only the actuating pin 105 of the pawl is represented. In a manner known per se, this pin 105 crosses a elongated opening, formed in a wall separating the compartment of retention of the lock, containing in particular the bolt and the ratchet, kinematics compartment, containing the opening and locking the lock.

In Figure 6, the exterior door handle is intended to be connected by a control member, consisting of example by a rod, at one end 107 of a rocking lever 108. This rocking lever 108 is pivotally mounted on an axis 109, opposite from the end 107. The lever 108 is intended to tilt in the direction anti-clockwise, when the user pulls the handle door.

A second lever 111 is mounted tilting on the axis 109 and comprises a branch 110 capable of cooperating with the pawl pin 105 to train him with him in his tilting movement.

The lever 111 comprises, projecting, on one of its faces and at a distance from the axis 109, two tabs 111 a and 111 b which are spaced from one another, to receive the aforementioned lever 108 between them . The lever 111 further comprises an oblong slot 112 which extends substantially in a radial direction relative to the axis 109. The lever 108 also has a tab 108 a which projects on one of its remote faces of the axis 109 and which is held in abutment against the tab 111 a of the lever 111 by an elastic compression means 113, for example a helical spring. The spring 113 is supported, at its opposite end, on the tab 111 b of the lever 111. The lever 108 also includes a light 114 substantially L-shaped, comprising two parts 114 a and 114 b . Part 114 coincides with the oblong slot 112, when the legs 108a and 111a are pressed against each other, as shown in Figures 6 to 8.

The electromechanical locking / unlocking device 115 comprises here an actuating external electrical device 116 which comprises for example an electric motor driving, through a gear train, a worm 116 is represented by a axis in FIG. 6, on which axially slides a nut 117 carrying a pair of branches forming a fork capable of moving a lug folded at right angles 118 b of an external locking lever 118 (LCE), said lug 118 b passing through a wall separating the kinematics compartment and the electrical compartment of the lock, in which the above-mentioned electromechanical device 115 is housed.

This electromechanical device 115 further comprises an electrical internal actuation device 148 which comprises, in a manner known per se, an electric motor connected by a chain of gears, to a lever 148a shown in broken lines in FIG. 6, located in the electrical compartment of the lock, this lever 148 a being integral in rotation, by an axis passing through said separating wall, with a fork 148 b , able to move an internal locking lever 144 (LCI) whose operation will be explained further.

The LCE 118 is pivotally mounted on an axis 119, parallel to the aforementioned axis 109, and includes a locking finger 118 a which is located opposite the tab 111 b of the lever 111, in the locked state outside of the lock, as illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8, thus preventing the lever 111 from tilting around the axis 109.

A link 121 has at its two ends nipples 122 and 123, the nipple 122 being engaged in the slots 112 and 114 of levers 111 and 108, while the other stud 123 is engaged in an oblong lumen 124 of the LCE 118. The stud 123 is movable in the light 124 against the return force of a spring 125.

The LCE 118 comprises, on its branch opposite to that provided with the light 124, an oblong opening 120, substantially in an arc, extending substantially radially between the axis 119 and the lug 118 b of the LCE 118. The opening 120 is substantially at right angles to the locking finger 118 a .

The LCI 144 is pivotally mounted on an axis 145 parallel to the aforementioned axis 119 and has an eccentric finger 147 capable of being moved by the fork 148 b of the internal actuating device 148, in order to tilt the LCI 144 between a unlocked position interior illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, and an interior locked position illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9. The LCI 144 has, on one branch, an oblong opening 146 extending substantially at right angles to the opening 120 of the LCE 118. As best seen in FIG. 12, the opening 120 of the LCE 118 and the opening 146 of the LCI 144 are crossed by a drive or coupling pin 149.

The lock according to this second embodiment of the invention further comprises an additional lever 140, mounted pivoting on the aforementioned axis 119 and interposed between the LCE 118 and the LCI 144, as illustrated in FIG. 12. The lever 140 has a fork 141 into which can be inserted a means of connection to a interior door panel. The lever 140 comprises, in in addition, an actuating ramp 142 capable of cooperating with a member door opening control switch lever 140 counterclockwise. The lever 140 comprises, in in addition, a substantially L-shaped opening 143, part of which corresponds to opening 120 of LCE 118 and of which the other part corresponds to opening 146 of LCI 144, in the locked position interior.

It can be noted that in the absence of the actuating device interior 144 to 149, the LCE 118 can integrate the ramp 142 and the fork 141, without additional lever. In this case, the lock does not does not have the function of super-conviction, in which the lock is condemned vis-à-vis the interior and exterior.

The training pin 149 has a flange intermediate 150, larger diameter, sandwiched between LCI 144 and the additional lever 140, to lock the pin in axial position 149 with respect to the various levers.

The operation of this lock will now be described with reference to Figures 6 to 11.

In Figure 6, the lock is in a unlocked state vis-à-vis the interior and exterior. Under the manual action of the user located inside the vehicle, on an internal frieze zipper of the door acting on the fork 141, the lever 140 is pivoted clockwise, which drives through the drive pin 149 tilting clockwise of the LCE 118, until its locking finger 118 a is opposite the tab 111 b of the lever 111, as illustrated in FIG. 7. The pivoting of the LCE 118 causes the nut 117 to slide on its worm 116 a which can rotate freely relative to its electric motor, and the drive pin 149 can freely slide in the oblong opening 146 of LCI 144, without moving this latest.

From the position illustrated in Figure 7, a user can operate the interior door handle, which causes the pawl 105 to move towards its escaped position, while by acting on the ramp 142 of the lever 140, to make it tilt in counterclockwise. This tilting of the lever 140 causes the anti-clockwise tilting of the LCE 118 to its position unlocked illustrated in FIG. 6. The ramp 142 therefore constitutes a automatic unlocking means when the door is opened, when the door is not condemned vis-à-vis the interior.

To go from figure 6 to figure 7, it is also possible to send an external condemnation signal to the vehicle, to cause, through the electric motor, the displacement of the nut 117, causing the tilting of the LCE 118 clockwise to its outer locked position. In this case, the fork 141 of the lever 140 causes the movement of the zipper frieze to its doomed position.

On the other hand, when the vehicle receives an interior locking signal, the associated electric motor causes the fork 148 b to tilt to rotate the LCI 144 counterclockwise to its position illustrated in FIG. 8. tilting of the LCI 144, the drive pin 149 slides freely in the superimposed oblong openings 120 and 143 of the levers 118 and 140. In the inner locked position, the drive pin 149 is opposite the other portion of the opening 143 in L of the lever 140. Thus, if a user actuates the interior door handle or the frieze zipper, the pivoting of the lever 140 counterclockwise does not cause the pivoting of the LCE 118, so that the automatic unlocking on opening was eliminated. The kinematic chain of the opening and interior locking mechanism is not shown and is known per se.

From the position illustrated in FIG. 8, if a user actuates the exterior door handle, the lever 108 swings counterclockwise, which compresses the spring 113, because the lever 111 is locked in rotation by the finger 118 a of LCE 118, as illustrated in Figure 9.

When the vehicle receives an unlocking signal, the electric motors are powered to unlock both vis-à-vis from the inside and from the outside, as illustrated in figure 10. In Indeed, in this figure, we see that the LCI 144 rocks in the direction clockwise at the same time as the LCE 118 switches clockwise towards their respective unlocked position.

After sufficient movement of the lever 118 so that its locking finger 118 a is no longer facing the tab 111 b , the lever 111 is free to pivot, and tilts under the action of the energy stored by the spring 113, which causes the displacement of the pawl pin 105, by the branch 110 of the lever 111, as illustrated in FIG. 11. Simultaneously the lever 144 continues its tilting towards its unlocked state position without hindering the tilting of the lever 118.

When the user releases the outer handle of door, the lock returns to the state illustrated in FIG. 6.

It may happen that a user, for example a child, pulls on the outside door handle, before another user, for example a parent, activates a unlocking button on his remote control unit. In this case, opening the door will be carried out, without having to perform a second pull on the handle door exterior.

It goes without saying that the embodiment of the invention which has been described above was given as a purely indicative example and in no way limitative, and that many modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention {as defined by the claims}. Thus, in particular, that the helical spring 13 can be replaced by another type of spring, for example a spring pneumatic.

Claims (16)

1. Lock with electrical locking/unlocking for a motor vehicle door with hands-free access, comprising:

   a) a catch (5, 105) for locking a fork bolt (1) able to move between a closed position and an "escaped" position;

   b) a release mechanism for the bolt (1) comprising an external control member (7, 107) intended to be connected to an external handle of the said door and serving, in an unlocked state vis-à-vis the outside of the lock, to move the catch into the said "escaped" position;

   c) external locking lever (18,118), controlled by an electrical external - actuation device (16,116) of an electromechanical locking / unlocking device (15, 115), reacting to an external locking or unlocking signal in order to make the lock go to the said external locked or unlocked state ;

   d) said unlocking signal being produced by an electronic recognition device (26) associated to the latch at the reception of an appropriate control signal,

   characterised by the fact that it also comprises an energy accumulation device (8, 11, 13; 108, 111, 113) which comprises a spring means (13, 113) and which is interposed between the said control member (7, 107) and the said catch (5, 105) so that, in the external locked state of the lock, the said energy accumulation means (8, 11, 13; 108, 111, 113) accumulates energy whilst being tensioned by said control member during its actuation movement in response to the actuation of the said external door handle, and by the fact that, when the lock goes to the unlocked state vis-à-vis the outside in response to the said unlocking signal, substantially at the end of the travel of the actuation movement of said control member, the energy in said spring means is released and the energy accumulation device makes the said catch go to its "escaped" position.
2. Lock according to Claim 1 , characterised in that said spring means (13; 113) is a helical spring.
3. Lock according to Claim 2, characterised by the fact that the spring (13, 113) is pre-tensioned with a force corresponding substantially to the force necessary for overcoming the friction between the catch (5, 105) and the bolt (1) in the closed state of the lock.
4. Lock according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, characterised by the fact that the said energy accumulation device (8, 11, 13; 108, 111, 113) comprises a first tilting lever (8, 108), which is attached to the said control member (7, 107) and tilts about a first spindle (9, 109) under the action of the said control member, and a second tilting lever (11, 111) which cooperates with the catch (5, 105) so as to drive it with it in its tilting movement.
5. Lock according to Claim 4, characterised by the fact that the second tilting lever (11, 111) is mounted so as to tilt on the said first spindle (9, 109).
6. Lock according to one of Claims 4 or 5, characterised in that the said spring means (13, 113) is mounted between the two tilting levers (8, 11, 108, 111).
7. Lock according to any one of Claims 4 to 6, comprising a locking lever (18) able to be moved by an electrical actuation device (16), characterised in that the locking lever (18) is mounted so as, in the locked state of the lock, to prevent the second lever (11, 111) from tilting, so that the energy accumulation device (8, 11, 13; 108, 111, 113) is tensioned by the first lever (8, 108) when it tilts under the action of the said control member (7, 107).
8. Lock according to Claims 4 to 7, characterised by the fact that the second tilting lever (11, 111) has first and second lugs (11a, 11 b, 111 a, 111 b) which are spaced apart from each other in a tangential direction with respect to the tilting movement of the said second lever and which project on one face of this second lever at a distance from the said first spindle (9, 109), and a first oblong aperture (12, 112) which extends in the longitudinal direction of the second lever, between the said first spindle and the first and second lugs.
9. Lock according to Claim 8, characterised by the fact that the first tilting lever (8, 108) passes between the first and second lugs (11a, 11 b, 111a, 111 b) of the second tilting lever (11, 111) and has a third lug (8a, 108a) which projects on said first and second tilting levers and which makes them integral with each other with respect to rotation in the external unlocked state of the lock, and a second end of which is coupled to the said locking lever (18, 118) by a second stud (23, 123) which is engaged in a third oblong aperture (24, 124) which is provided in the locking lever and which is at least approximately aligned with the first oblong aperture (12, 112) in the second tilting lever (11, 111) in the external unlocked state of the lock, the said second stud being able to move in the said third aperture counter to the return force of a spring (25, 125) which forces the link (21, 121) in a direction such that its first stud (22, 122) tends to come to be positioned at the one of the two ends of the first oblong aperture which is furthest away from the said first spindle.
10. Lock according to Claim 9, characterised in that it comprises an internal locking lever (144) intended to be coupled to an electric internal actuation device (148), the said internal locking lever being mounted so as to pivot on a spindle (145) and having a first oblong opening (146) substantially in the form of an arc of a circle, through which a drive pin (149) passes which is also received in a second oblong opening (120) extending substantially perpendicular to the first oblong opening, in the external locking lever (118), so that the pivoting of one of the said internal locking lever and external locking lever causes the free sliding of a drive pin in the oblong opening in the other of the said internal locking lever and external locking lever.
11. Lock according to any one of Claims 1 to 10, characterised by the fact that the lock comprises a supplementary lever (140) for automatic external unlocking on internal opening, the said supplementary lever being mounted so as to pivot on the said second spindle (119) and comprising a first arm (142) able to cooperate with the internal door handle, the said supplementary lever cooperating with the external locking lever (118) in order to make it pivot to its external unlocked position when the internal door handle is actuated.
12. Lock according to Claim 11, characterised by the fact that the said supplementary lever (140) comprises a second arm (141) able to cooperate with an internal knob on the capping, in order to make the external locking lever (118) pivot to its external locked position when the knob on the capping is actuated to its external locked position.
13. Lock according to Claim 11 or 12, characterised by the fact that the supplementary lever (140) and the external locking lever (118) are rotationally coupled in the internal unlocked position and are rotationally decoupled in the internal locked position.
14. Lock according to Claim 13, characterised by the fact that the supplementary lever (140) comprises a third substantially L-shaped opening (143), a first part of which corresponds to the said second oblong opening (120) in the external locking lever (118) and a second part of which corresponds to the first oblong opening (146) in the internal locking lever (144), in the internal locked position, the said third opening having the aforementioned drive pin (149) passing through it.
15. Lock according to Claim 14, characterised by the fact that the supplementary lever (140) is interposed between the internal locking lever (144) and the external locking lever (118).
16. Lock according to any one of Claims 1 to 15, characterised in that it is able to be connected to an electronic recognition device (26) able to produce an unlocking signal when it receives an appropriate control signal, coming for example from a remote control or a suitable electronic identifying device (27) carried by the owner of the vehicle or by an authorised user.

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