Closing device for a motor-vehicle hood, and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10094148-B2
Application number	US-201515307940-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 30, 2015
Priority date	Apr 30, 2014
Publication date	Oct 9, 2018
Grant date	Oct 9, 2018

Abstract

A closure device comprises a locking mechanism, which has a rotary latch and a pawl, and an electrical drive for opening the locking mechanism. The closure device has an actuating apparatus for actuating the electrical drive, such that the locking mechanism can be opened exclusively electrically. Thus, there is no mechanical system for enabling the locking mechanism to be opened exclusively in a mechanical manner. In the non-actuated state, the electrical drive is completely disconnected from the current-carrying electrical conductors. Thus, there is then no voltage on the drive, which must be used to open the locking mechanism. The actuating apparatus includes one or more electrical contacts that are closed to contact the electrical drive to a current source and put the electrical drive into operation such that an associated door or flap can be opened.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A closure device having an opening state of operation and a closing state of operation, the closure device comprising:
a locking mechanism having a catch and a pawl, the locking mechanism moveable between an open position, a pre-ratchet position, and a main ratchet position;
a first electrical drive that is operable in a first direction to move the locking mechanism from the pre-ratchet position towards the main ratchet position during the closing state of operation, and is operable in a second direction opposite the first direction to move the locking mechanism from the pre-ratchet position towards the open position;
a second electrical drive that moves the locking mechanism from the main ratchet position towards the pre-ratchet position during the opening state of operation; and
an activation device that initiates the opening state of operation, the activation device having a power source for activation of the second electrical drive during the opening state of operation, wherein during the opening state of operation, the second electrical drive is connected to the power source, wherein the second electrical drive is disconnected from the power source when the locking mechanism is in the main ratchet position,
wherein the locking mechanism can only be moved to the open position electrically.

2. The closure device according to claim 1 , wherein the activation device is an electrical switch.

3. The closure device according to claim 1 , wherein the first electrical drive is activated after the locking mechanism has moved to the pre-ratchet position during the closing state of operation.

4. The closure device according to claim 1 , wherein the power source includes current-conducting electrical conductors and the second electrical drive is disconnected from the current-conducting electrical conductors when the locking mechanism is in the main ratchet position.

5. The closure device according to claim 1 , wherein the closure device is arranged between a hood or a door for a vehicle and an adjacent chassis to the hood or the door, wherein during the closing state of operation the first electrical drive is activated to reduce a gap between the adjacent chassis and the hood or the door to less than 1 mm.

6. The closure device according to claim 1 further comprising a closure aid, wherein the locking mechanism is shifted from the pre-ratchet position to the main ratchet position using the closure aid.

7. The closure device according to claim 6 , wherein the closure aid includes a stop for the catch, and wherein the stop has a stop position, in which the stop prevents the locking mechanism from being manually moved to the main ratchet position.

8. The closure device according to claim 7 , wherein the stop is moved out of the stop position by the second electrical drive when the locking mechanism has been latched in the pre-ratchet position.

9. A hood comprising the closure device according to claim 1 .

10. The hood according to claim 9 , wherein at least one of the first electrical drive and the second electrical drive can move the locking mechanism completely or partially to reduce a hood gap.

11. The hood according to claim 10 , wherein the hood gap in the main ratchet position is not more than 1 mm.

12. A method for the closure of a locking mechanism for a hood latch of a motor vehicle, in which a closure device, according to claim 1 , is used.

Assignees

• Kiekert Ag

Inventors

• Bendel Thorsten

Classifications

• Y10S292/23

  Vehicle door latches · CPC title

• B62D25/105

  for motor cars · CPC title

• E05B81/20

  for assisting final closing or for initiating opening · CPC title

• E05B83/24 Primary

  for car bonnets · CPC title

• E05B81/06 Primary

  using rotary motors · CPC title