Control assembly for a motor vehicle lock system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12460453-B2
Application number	US-202117797579-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 2, 2021
Priority date	Feb 5, 2020
Publication date	Nov 4, 2025
Grant date	Nov 4, 2025

Abstract

A control assembly for a motor vehicle lock system including a first and a second motor vehicle lock are associated with a closure element of a motor vehicle, the motor vehicle locks each can be brought into a main locking position for a retaining engagement between a lock latch of the motor vehicle lock and a locking part and into an opened position, the motor vehicle lock system comprises a sensor assembly which determines sensor values for the respective positions of the motor vehicle locks, the first and the second motor vehicle lock each have a closing assembly, the motor vehicle lock system has at least one electric closing drive for the closing assemblies, the control assembly triggers a closing routine on fulfilment of a starting criterion by the sensor values.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A control assembly for use in a motor vehicle lock system provided with a first motor vehicle lock and a second motor vehicle lock each associated with a closure element of a motor vehicle and configured to move to a main locking position, in which a lock latch of the first and second motor vehicle locks engages a locking part to retain the closure element, and an opened position, wherein the motor vehicle lock system includes a sensor assembly configured to determine sensor values indicative of a number of positions of the first and second motor vehicle locks, wherein the first and the second motor vehicle locks each include a closing assembly, wherein the closing assembly of the first and second motor vehicle locks is configured to perform a number of closing processes, in which the closing assembly of the first and second motor vehicle locks act on at least one of the lock latch of the first and second motor vehicle locks and the locking part, wherein the motor vehicle lock system includes at least one electric closing drive configured to operate the closing assemblies, the control assembly configured to:
perform a closing routine to control the at least one closing drive, in response to fulfillment of a starting criterion by the sensor values, wherein the control assembly is further configured to generate a control specification for each of the number of closing processes according to the sensor values and in accordance with a coordination specification, wherein a first motor vehicle lock closing process of the number of closing processes and a second motor vehicle lock closing process of the number of closing processes are based on the coordination specification, wherein the closing process of the first motor vehicle lock and the closing process of the second motor vehicle lock are each based on a position of the first motor vehicle lock and on a position of the second motor vehicle lock, wherein the control assembly is configured to control the at least one closing drive based on the control specifications, and wherein the starting criterion is fulfilled in response to at least one of the first and second motor vehicle locks reaching a predetermined starting position.

2 . The control assembly of claim 1 , wherein the coordination specification predetermines a substantially simultaneous start of the closing processes of the first and second motor vehicle locks, or the coordination specification predetermines chronologically consecutive closing processes of the motor vehicle locks.

3 . The control assembly of claim 1 , wherein according to the coordination specification the control specification includes a predetermined waiting time, provided between the fulfillment of the starting criterion and a start of the closing process.

4 . The control assembly of claim 1 , wherein the coordination specification relates to speed of the closing processes of the first and second motor vehicle locks.

5 . The control assembly of claim 4 , wherein the control assembly determines the speed of the closing processes based on the sensor values.

6 . The control assembly of claim 4 , wherein the control assembly determines the speed of the closing processes based on a drive variable of the at least one closing drive, and/or the control assembly determines the speed of the number of closing processes using movement sensor values of a movement sensor assembly of the motor vehicle lock system.

7 . The control assembly of claim 4 , the coordination specification defines a first speed of the closing process for the first motor vehicle lock and a second speed of the closing process for the second motor vehicle lock, wherein the first and second speeds are substantially the same.

8 . The control assembly of claim 5 , wherein the speed is based on a time period extending between the first and second motor vehicle locks move between two predetermined positions.

9 . The control assembly of claim 1 , wherein in the closing routine the control assembly is configured to trigger an error routine in response to fulfillment of an error criterion, wherein during error routine, the control assembly is configured to control the at least one closing drive to return the first and second motor vehicle locks in a direction towards the opened position.

10 . The control assembly of claim 1 , wherein the control assembly is configured to control the at least one closing drive based on a path of a respective speed in at least one previous closing routine.

11 . The control assembly of claim 9 , wherein the error criterion is at least partially fulfilled in response to the control assembly receiving an obstacle detection signal which fulfills a predetermined obstacle criterion.

12 . The control assembly of claim 9 , wherein the coordination specification predetermines a substantially simultaneous start of the return of the first and second motor vehicle locks, or the coordination specification predetermines a chronologically consecutive return of the first and second motor vehicle locks.

13 . The control assembly of claim 9 , wherein the error criterion is at least partially fulfilled in response to at least one of the first and second motor vehicle locks reaching a predetermined starting position, and absence of the fulfillment of the starting criterion within a predetermined time period.

14 . The control assembly of claim 1 , wherein the closure element includes an electric drive assembly configured to adjust the closure element, wherein the control assembly is configured to control the electric drive assembly during a locking routine, in which the control assembly commands the electric drive assembly to move the closure element in a locking direction.

15 . The control assembly of claim 14 , wherein during an error routine the control assembly commands the electric drive assembly to move the closure element in an opening direction based on an opening specification.

16 . A motor vehicle lock system for use in a motor vehicle provided with a body and a closure element, the motor vehicle lock system comprising:
a first motor vehicle lock; a second motor vehicle lock, the first and second motor vehicle locks each associated with a closure element of a motor vehicle and configured to move to a main locking position, in which a lock latch of the first and second motor vehicle locks engage a first and second locking part, respectively, to retain the closure element to a body of the motor vehicle, and an opened position wherein the first and second motor vehicle locks each include a closing assembly configured to perform a closing process, in which close the closing assembly cooperates with the lock latch of the first and second motor vehicle locks or; a sensor assembly configured to determine sensor values indicative of a number of positions of the first and second motor vehicle locks; an electric closing drive configured to power closing assemblies of the first and second motor vehicle locks; and the control assembly of claim 1 .

17 . The control assembly of claim 1 , wherein the closing process of one of the first and second motor vehicle locks starts after an end of the closing process of the other of the first and second motor vehicle locks.

18 . The control assembly of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined starting position is a pre-locking position, in which a lock latch of at least one of the first and second motor vehicle locks engage and retain the locking part.

19 . A method of operating a motor vehicle lock system pro

Assignees

• Brose Fahrzeugteile Se & Co Kg Bamberg

Inventors

• Pohl Florian
• Herrmann Christian
• Rosales David

Classifications

• E05B63/143

  Arrangement of several locks, e.g. in parallel or series, on one or more wings · CPC title

• E05B81/22 Primary

  by movement of the striker · CPC title

• E05B81/20 Primary

  for assisting final closing or for initiating opening · CPC title