Lock for a motor vehicle door or hatch

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9243430-B2
Application number	US-201013383639-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 8, 2010
Priority date	Jul 13, 2009
Publication date	Jan 26, 2016
Grant date	Jan 26, 2016

Abstract

A lock for a motor vehicle door or hatch with a plastic lock housing ( 2 ) attached to the vehicle door or hatch, which is provided with a guide slot ( 6 ) for a latch bracket ( 5 ) or latch bolt and at least one spring lip ( 8 ), attached at the entrance side of the guide slot ( 6 ) extending longitudinally therein and formed as a single piece with the lock housing, for elastically supporting the latch bracket ( 5 ) or latch bolt in the closed position of the lock as well as during insertion of the latch bracket ( 5 ) or latch bolt into and retraction of the latch bracket ( 5 ) or latch bolt out of the guide slot ( 6 ) and the catch ( 3 ), and wherein at least one said spring lip ( 8 ) at least in a region of its free end, which free end corresponds to an end position and a support position ( 9 ) of the latch bracket ( 5 ) or latch bolt in the closed position of the lock, includes an overlay ( 10 ) having a low-friction, wear-resistant surface.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A lock for a motor vehicle door or hatch comprising: a lock housing attached to the vehicle door or hatch, to which is rotatably attached a catch, and with a latch bracket or latch bolt attached to a vehicle body, which in a closed position of the door or hatch is received by said catch at least in a positively-fitting manner, wherein said lock housing is provided with a guide slot for said latch bracket or latch bolt and at least one spring lip at an entrance side of said guide slot extending longitudinally therein for elastically supporting said latch bracket or latch bolt in said closed position of the lock as well as during insertion of said latch bracket or latch bolt into and retraction of said latch bracket or latch bolt out of said guide slot and said catch, and wherein the at least one said spring lip has a free end and the free end corresponds to an end supportive position of said latch bracket or latch bolt in said closed position of the lock, and the free end features an overlay having a low-friction, wear-resistant surface;
wherein said overlay is a plate element or profile element having a low-friction, wear-resistant surface, and wherein said plate element or said profile element is rigidly connected to said at least one spring lip in a form-locking, force-fitting, and/or material-bonded manner; and
wherein the overlay has a hollow box profile having an open cross-section in a first direction and a closed cross-section in a second direction, and wherein said profile comprises a profile wall adapted to come into contact with said latch bracket or said latch bolt.

2. The lock of claim 1 , wherein said plate element or said profile element is a metal, a plastic, a ceramic, or any other suitable material having a low friction and wear-resistant surface.

3. The lock of claim 1 , wherein said plate element or said profile element is a separate ad-on part.

4. The lock of claim 1 , wherein said plate element or said profile element is integrated as a single part with said at least one spring lip, and said single part is formed during production of said lock housing.

5. The lock of claim 1 , wherein said low-friction, wear-resistant surface of said plate element or said profile element is surface-treated to yield as low as possible surface roughness, by introducing a friction coating by electrolytically coating with a low-friction, wear-resistant material and/or by any other suitable type of coating with a low-friction and wear-resistant material.

6. The lock of claim 1 , wherein said plate element or said profile element is a steel metal, and particularly stainless steel.

7. The lock of claim 1 , wherein said at least one spring lip is implemented such and said plate element or said profile element is attached to said at least one spring lip such that surfaces that come into contact with said latch bracket or said latch bolt form a step-free connection with both said at least one spring lip and said plate element or said profile element.

8. The lock of claim 1 , wherein said at least one spring lip and said lock housing are a single piece.

9. The lock of claim 2 , wherein said plate element or said profile element is a separate ad-on part.

10. The lock of claim 2 , wherein said plate element or said profile element is integrated as a single part with said at least one spring lip, and said single part is formed during production of said lock housing.

11. The lock of claim 2 , wherein said low-friction, wear-resistant surface of said plate element or said profile element is surface-treated to yield as low as possible surface roughness, by introducing a friction coating by electrolytically coating with a low-friction, wear-resistant material and/or by any other suitable type of coating with a low-friction and wear-resistant material.

12. The lock of claim 3 , wherein said low-friction, wear-resistant surface of said plate element or said profile element is surface-treated to yield as low as possible surface roughness, by introducing a friction coating by electrolytically coating with a low-friction, wear-resistant material and/or by any other suitable type of coating with a low-friction and wear-resistant material.

13. The lock of claim 4 , wherein said low-friction, wear-resistant surface of said plate element or said profile element is surface-treated to yield as low as possible surface roughness, by introducing a friction coating by electrolytically coating with a low-friction, wear-resistant material and/or by any other suitable type of coating with a low-friction and wear-resistant material.

14. A lock for a motor vehicle door or hatch comprising: a lock housing attached to the vehicle door or hatch, to which is rotatably attached a catch, and with a latch bracket or latch bolt attached to a vehicle body, which in a closed position of the door or hatch is received by said catch at least in a positively-fitting manner, wherein said lock housing is provided with a guide slot for said latch bracket or latch bolt and at least one spring lip at an entrance side of said guide slot extending longitudinally therein for elastically supporting said latch bracket or latch bolt in said closed position of the lock as well as during insertion of said latch bracket or latch bolt into and retraction of said latch bracket or latch bolt out of said guide slot and said catch, and wherein the at least one said spring lip has a free end and the free end corresponds to an end supportive position of said latch bracket or latch bolt in said closed position of the lock, and the free end features an overlay having a low-friction, wear-resistant surface; wherein said overlay is a plate element or profile element having a low-friction, wear-resistant surface, and wherein said plate element or said profile element is rigidly connected to said at least one spring lip in a form-locking, force-fitting, and/or material-bonded manner; wherein said plate element or said profile element is a metal, a plastic, a ceramic, or any other suitable material having a low friction and wear-resistant surface; wherein said plate element or said profile element is integrated as a single part with said at least one spring lip, and said single part is formed during production of said lock housing; wherein said overlay has a hollow box profile having an open cross-section in a first direction and a closed cross-section in a second direction, and wherein said profile comprises a profile wall adapted to come into contact with said latch bracket or said latch bolt; wherein said low-friction, wear-resistant surface of said plate element or said profile element is surface-treated to yield as low as possible surface roughness, by introducing a friction coating by electrolytically coating with a low-friction, wear-resistant material and/or by any other suitable type of coating with a low-friction and wear-resistant material; and wherein said at least one spring lip is implemented such and said plate element or said profile element is attached to said at least one spring lip such that surfaces that come into contact with said latch bracket or said latch bolt form a step-free connection with both said at least one spring lip and said plate element or said profile element.

Assignees

• Meyer Dieter
• Loock Kay-Olaf
• Schrenke Kai
• Dragon Marek
• Kiekert Ag

Inventors

• Meyer Dieter
• Loock Kay-Olaf
• Schrenke Kai
• Dragon Marek

Classifications

• E05B85/26

  Cooperation between bolts and detents · CPC title

• E05B77/38 Primary

  Cushion elements, elastic guiding elements or holding elements, e.g. for cushioning or damping the impact of the bolt against the striker during closing of the wing · CPC title

• Y10T292/1051

  Spring projected · CPC title

• E05B2015/0468

  made of one piece with a lock part · CPC title

• E05B2015/0458

  Leaf springs; Non-wound wire springs · CPC title