Lock unit having a multi-part pawl and a spring-loaded blocking pawl

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9057211-B2
Application number	US-200913119957-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 18, 2009
Priority date	Sep 24, 2008
Publication date	Jun 16, 2015
Grant date	Jun 16, 2015

Abstract

The present invention relates to a lock unit ( 1 ) comprising at least one catch ( 2 ), wherein the catch ( 2 ) has a primary position ( 8 ) and a first position ( 9 ), a main pawl ( 3 ) having an axis of rotation ( 4 ), a blocking pawl ( 5 ), which blocks the main pawl ( 3 ) upon engagement with the catch ( 2 ), and a first pawl ( 6 ), which is rotatably disposed on the axis of rotation ( 4 ) of the main pawl and is engageable with the catch ( 2 ), wherein the lock unit ( 1 ) comprises at least one elastic element ( 7 ) that biases the blocking pawl ( 5 ) and the first pawl ( 6 ) against each other, at least part of the time, such that the tension between the blocking pawl ( 5 ) and the first pawl ( 6 ) is preferably the largest in the open position of the catch.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A lock unit comprising
at least one catch movable between an open position and a closed position, wherein said catch has a primary position and a first position,
a main pawl having an axis of rotation, the main pawl movable between a locking position engaging the primary position of the catch for holding the catch in its closed position and a release position out of engagement with the primary position for allowing the catch to move toward its open position,
a blocking pawl movable between a blocking position and an unblocking position, the blocking pawl in its blocking position being directly engaged with the main pawl and blocking said main pawl from movement out its locking position when the main pawl is engaged with the primary position of said catch, and the blocking pawl in its unblocking position allowing the main pawl to move out of its locking position,
a first pawl, which is rotatably disposed on said axis of rotation of said main pawl and is engageable with the first position of said catch, and
at least one elastic element that provides tension between said blocking pawl and said first pawl, at least during part of the time that the catch moves between its open and closed positions,
wherein said main pawl is engageable with said primary position and said first pawl is engageable with said first position, wherein said main pawl and said primary position are disposed in a first plane and said first pawl and said first position are disposed in a second plane, and
wherein a first leg of said elastic element contacts with a first backdrop of said first pawl, at least during part of the time the catch moves between its open and closed positions, and a second leg of said elastic element contacts with a second backdrop of said blocking pawl, at least during part of the time the catch moves between its open and closed positions, wherein said first leg of said elastic element is disposed in said second plane and said second leg of said elastic element is disposed in said first plane.

2. The lock unit of claim 1 , wherein said at least one elastic element transfers a moment of rotation both onto said blocking pawl as well as onto said first pawl, at least during part of the time that the catch moves between its open and closed positions.

3. The lock unit of claim 1 , wherein said elastic element comprises a spring, and wherein said spring is preferably mounted together with said blocking pawl.

4. The lock unit of claim 1 , wherein said blocking pawl and/or said first pawl is connected to an actuating element.

5. The lock unit of claim 1 , wherein the catch will cause the main pawl to move out of its locking position when the blocking pawl sets free the main pawl.

6. The lock unit of claim 1 , wherein said first pawl comprises an arm for limiting the rotational angle, which contacts, at least part-time, a stop for limiting the rotational angle.

7. A motor vehicle, comprising at least one lock unit of claim 1 .

8. The lock unit of claim 1 , wherein the tension is the largest when the catch is in its open position.

Assignees

• Scholz Michael
• Kiekert Ag

Inventors

• Scholz Michael

Classifications

• E05B85/26 Primary

  Cooperation between bolts and detents · CPC title

• Y10T292/1052

  Operating means · CPC title

• Y10T292/1051

  Spring projected · CPC title