Lock for a flap or door

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10012013-B2
Application number	US-201314398839-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 2, 2013
Priority date	May 4, 2012
Publication date	Jul 3, 2018
Grant date	Jul 3, 2018

Abstract

The invention relates to a door lock or flap lock comprising a locking mechanism that consists of a latch ( 1 ) and at least one pawl ( 2 ) for locking the latch ( 1 ). The locking surface of the pawl is so narrow that even slight pivoting movements are sufficient to unlock a locked locking mechanism, thus allowing for a reduction in volume and weight.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A lock for a door or flap comprising a locking mechanism having a locked state and an unlocked state, the locking mechanism comprising:
a rotary latch having a first locking surface; and
a pawl having a second locking surface that is engageable with the first locking surface for locking the rotary latch, wherein engagement of the second locking surface of the pawl with the first locking surface of the rotary latch creates an overlapping surface area between the pawl and rotary latch, the second locking surface extending between a first end and a second end distally opposite the first end, the rotary latch being pivotable past the first end of the second locking surface for moving the locking mechanism from the locked state to the unlocked state,
wherein when the locking mechanism is in the locked state, the rotary latch is deformable by excessive stressing and the overlapping surface area between the pawl and the rotary latch is increasable by way of deformation of the rotary latch to maintain the engagement between the pawl and the rotary latch, and
wherein the rotary latch has a support point located at a central location along the first locking surface, wherein a length between the support point and the first end of the second locking surface is less than a length between the first end and the second end of the second locking surface when the second locking surface is engaged with the first locking surface, wherein pivoting of the pawl by 16.1° or less allows the rotary latch to be pivoted to move the locking mechanism from the locked state to the unlocked state.

2. The lock according to claim 1 , wherein the rotary latch includes a collecting arm and the support point is located on the collecting arm with the first end of the second locking surface being the end past which the collecting arm of the rotary latch has to be moved when the rotary latch is pivoted to move the locking mechanism from the locked state to the unlocked state.

3. The lock according to claim 2 , wherein the rotary latch contains a predetermined bending point, causing the distance between the support point of the collecting arm and a load arm of the rotary latch to increase when exposed to excessive stressing whilst the locking mechanism is in its locked state thereby deforming the rotary latch to increase the overlapping surface area.

4. The lock according to claim 3 , wherein the predetermined bending point is arranged on the collecting arm and contains a recess arranged on a side of the collecting arm of the rotary latch which in the locked state of the locking mechanism is positioned on a side facing away from a locking bolt of a door or of a flap.

5. The lock according to claim 1 , wherein the length between the support point and the first end of the second locking surface is up to 40% of the length between the first end and the second end of the second locking surface.

6. The lock according to claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism cannot be opened by forces between 10 kN and 30 kN.

7. The lock according to claim 1 , wherein the rotary latch comprises an arm by which the rotary latch can be locked in an intermediate closed position and with the arm ending outside of a main plane of the rotary latch.

Assignees

• Kiekert Ag

Inventors

• Scholz Michael
• Handke Armin
• Herrmann Michael
• Barth Karsten

Classifications

• E05B85/26 Primary

  Cooperation between bolts and detents · CPC title

• E05B85/20 Primary

  Bolts or detents · CPC title

• Y10T292/1075

  Operating means · CPC title

• E05B77/04 Primary

  Preventing unwanted lock actuation, e.g. unlatching, at the moment of collision · CPC title

• E05B17/0062

  with destructive disengagement · CPC title