Motor vehicle door lock with a controlled actuating element

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6536814
  • Patent Number
    6,536,814
  • Date Filed
    Thursday, March 8, 2001
    23 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, March 25, 2003
    21 years ago
Abstract
A motor vehicle door lock with a drive mechanism and an assigned actuating element for moving a detent pawl, the drive mechanism being coupled to the detent pawl via a coupling mechanism. Good functionality and high fault tolerance are achieved by the coupling mechanism being coupled only when the inside handle and/or the outside handle assigned to the motor vehicle door lock is actuated.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




1. Field of the Invention




The present invention is directed to a lock for a motor vehicle door such as a side door lock, a rear door lock, a rear hatch lock, a hood lock or the like.




2. Description of the Prior Art




Published German Patent Application DE 196 14 122 A1 discloses a conventional motor vehicle door lock which has an electric motor for driving the actuating element. The motor vehicle door lock has worm gearing which can be rotated by a drive, an assigned worm wheel which as the actuating element bears a driving journal which can be moved along a peripheral section against spring force. The driving journal can pivot out the detent pawl of the motor vehicle door lock to release an assigned lock latch. Once the detent pawl is pivoted out, the driving journal strikes a stop on the detent pawl which blocks further motion of the driving journal. When the driving journal reaches a trailing position along the peripheral section, the drive is blocked again and thereupon shut off. Only when the detent pawl executes an overstroke motion does the stop clear the path of motion of the driving journal which then continues to move by spring force along the peripheral section into a leading position which does not limit the motion of the detent pawl. The movable support of the driving journal on the worm wheel can be regarded as a coupling between the drive and the actuating element.




In the conventional motor vehicle door lock, it is a disadvantage in that failure of the drive with the detent pawl partially pivoted out can lead to permanent blocking of the detent pawl so that it can no longer block the lock latch in the closed state. Furthermore, it is disadvantageous that the drive for the motor vehicle door lock can be used solely for actuating the detent pawl. In addition to the problem that “dummy” closing must be reliably prevented, in motor vehicle door locks with an electrical opening aid, there is an additional problem that occurs due to a defect in the controller. This defect results in the electric motor drive being triggered when the motor vehicle is in operation, and thus, the motor vehicle door can open while the motor vehicle is being driven.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




An object of the invention is to provide a motor vehicle door lock which precludes unwanted blocking of a lock element, such as a detent pawl, even when the drive fails, and has higher functionality.




These and other objects are achieved by providing a motor vehicle door lock including a coupling which couples only when the inside handle or outside handle assigned to the motor vehicle door lock is actuated, and thus, establishes a dynamic connection between the drive and the lock element. Otherwise, the coupling remains preferably opened. Accordingly, a lock element such as a detent pawl, even with the drive failed, and regardless of the failure position of the drive or an assigned actuating element, can assume a desired position, such as blocking an assigned lock latch. As a result of the aforementioned functionality, a defect in the controller while driving which leads to unwanted starting of the drive does not lead to a malfunction, and thus, to opening of the motor vehicle door during operation of the motor vehicle. Accordingly, a door handle such as an outside handle, will not actuate and coupling and lifting of the detent pawl does not occur.




Moreover, due to the coupling, the use of the drive for other functions is enabled regardless of the motion of the actuating element or the lock element. Accordingly, a greater diversity of functions of the motor vehicle door lock is enabled. In practice, it has been found to be especially feasible to integrate the coupling into the gearing which is connected anyway to the drive and via which the actuating element can be driven. To accomplish this, the gearing is made as planetary gear system with three gear shafts, the third gear shaft of which is blocked when at least one of the inside handle and the outside handle is actuated by the control means.




Other details, features, objectives and advantages of this invention are detailed below using the drawings of one preferred embodiment.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

shows a schematic side view of a first embodiment of a motor vehicle door lock in accordance to the present invention;





FIG. 2

shows an overhead view of the motor vehicle door lock from

FIG. 1

; and





FIG. 3

shows a schematic side view of another embodiment of a motor vehicle door lock in accordance to the present invention.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS





FIGS. 1 and 2

show in a simplified schematic a motor vehicle door lock


1


in accordance to the present invention including a electric motorized drive


2


. The drive


2


is connected to gearing


3


by which the drive


2


drives an actuating element


4


which is made like a journal. Preferably, the actuating element


4


is moved along a peripheral, circular path of motion by the drive


2


to actuate via an actuating lever


5


a lock element such as a detent pawl


6


. The motor vehicle door lock I also includes a lock latch


7


which is made as a fork latch or rotary latch and which is assigned to the detent pawl


6


.

FIGS. 1 and 2

shows the motor vehicle door lock


1


in a closed state, i.e., with the lock latch


7


blocked.

FIG. 1

shows that the detent pawl


6


in a latched state latches into a catch


8


, such as a main catch or a preliminary catch, of the lock latch


7


, and thus, blocks the lock latch


7


against opening. A clamp (not shown) is held by the fork area


9


of the lock latch


7


having a bearing axis and pivot axis


10


.




The drive line formed by the drive


2


as far as the lock element, here the detent pawl


6


, to be moved or actuated has a coupling


11


which is used for interrupting the drive line. In particular, the coupling


11


is positioned between the drive


2


and the actuating element


4


, preferably, between the worm gear


3


and the actuating element


4


. However, the coupling


11


may also encompass at least one of the actuating element


4


, the lock element and the detent pawl


6


, and thus, form a single coupling element. A control means


12


is assigned to the coupling


11


and is provided to control coupling and uncoupling of the coupling


11


.

FIG. 1

shows that an inside handle


13


assigned to at least one of the motor vehicle door lock


1


and an outside door handle


14


is coupled to the coupling


11


via the control means


12


so that the coupling


11


couples when at least one of the inside handle


13


, the outside handle


14


and a switch assigned to the handles


13


,


14


is actuated, and thus, establishes a dynamic connection between the drive


2


and the actuating element


4


. The coupling


11


or the control means


12


can be electrically coupled to at least one of the inside handle


13


and the outside handle


14


. Preferably, the coupling is done mechanically, as in the preferred embodiment detailed below.




The control means


12


acts mechanically on the coupling


11


and has a coupling lever


15


which can cause coupling (closing) of the coupling


11


. The coupling lever


15


is actuated by at least one of the inside actuating lever


16


and the outside actuating lever


17


of the motor vehicle door lock


1


.

FIG. 1

shows the inside actuating lever


16


by a broken line for greater clarity. The inside actuating lever


16


is coupled to the inside handle


13


, as shown in

FIG. 1

by the broken line, via a rod, a Bowden cable or the like. Accordingly, the outside actuating lever


17


can be coupled to the outside handle


14


. The inside actuating lever


16


is made as a two-armed lever and is pivotably mounted about an axis


18


which is also used as a pivot support for the detent pawl


6


. The inside actuating lever


16


on one lever end has a transversely overhanging projection


19


which extends over or under the coupling lever


15


for pivoting the latter.




The outside actuating lever


17


is pivotably mounted about an axis


20


which is also used for pivot support of the coupling lever


15


. The outside actuating lever


17


is likewise made as a two-armed lever and has a transversely overhanging projection


21


which extends over or under the coupling lever


15


so that when the outside actuating lever


17


is pivoted the coupling lever is pivoted accordingly. When the coupling lever is pivoted out of the pivoting position shown in

FIG. 1

, the coupling


11


is closed (i.e., coupled) as a result of actuating at least one of the inside handle


13


and the outside handle


14


via the inside actuating lever


16


or the outside actuating lever


17


. In the operating state shown in

FIG. 1

, with the inside handle


13


not actuated and with the outside handle


14


not actuated, the coupling


11


is open, therefore, uncoupled. The coupling lever


15


is made essentially L-shaped and has a contact surface


22


which faces the coupling


11


, with a contact bevel


23


which interacts with the coupling element


24


such that the coupling


11


is closed or opened depending on the pivot position of the coupling lever


15


. The coupling element


24


is made like a journal, and the contact surface


22


or bevel


23


acts on the end face of the coupling element


24


such that the coupling


24


is moved axially depending upon the pivoting position of the coupling lever


15


. This axial motion or displacement controls the coupling and uncoupling of the coupling


11


.




The coupling


11


has two gear wheels


25


,


26


which each have axial teeth


27


and are located coaxially on a common axis


28


so that the gear wheels


25


,


26


engage one another via the teeth


27


when axially pushed together. The coupling


11


in this state is closed or coupled. The gear wheels


25


,


26


are not engaged when axially pushed away from one another, as in the operating state shown in

FIGS. 1 and 2

. The coupling is thus, opened or uncoupled so that no drive connection exists between the drive


2


and the actuating element


4


. The teeth


27


of the gear wheels


25


,


26


are preferably formed very fine and matched to one another such that coupling in any relative position of the gear wheels


25


,


26


is made possible. Engagement occurs only in the drive direction or drive rotation direction, therefore, the coupling


11


transfers forces at least essentially only in one drive direction to the actuating element


4


.




In an exemplary embodiment, a function element


24


is located centrally on the gear wheel


26


and extends along the axis


28


, and projects toward the coupling lever


15


or its contact surface


22


. The gear wheel


26


bears the actuating element


4


which is located eccentrically and solidly on the driven-side gear wheel


26


. A spring (not shown), acts between the gear wheels


25


,


26


in the axial direction and presses the gear wheels


25


,


26


apart so that the coupling


11


is normally opened. Only when by pivoting the coupling lever


15


do the teeth


27


engage, with the coupling


11


closed its contact bevel


23


and contact surface


22


via the function element


24


shift the gear wheel


26


axially to the gear wheel


25


as the spring force is overcome. The gear wheel


25


in this embodiment forms an element of the gearing


3


. The gear wheel


25


is made as a worm wheel which can be turned by the drive


2


via the engaging worm


29


of the gearing


3


.




Of course other designs are also possible for the electric motor drive


2


, the gearing


3


and the coupling


11


. In particular, it is not necessary for the coupling


11


to be made for transmission of rotary motions, for example, translational movements can be transmitted or coupled. Instead of an electric motor, the drive


2


can have either a magnetic actuating drive, a pneumatic actuating drive, a hydraulic actuating drive, a linear motor, or the like. Depending upon the execution and requirements the gearing


3


can be matched or omitted.




When the inside handle


13


or the outside handle


14


is actuated, the coupling


11


is closed via the control means


12


and the pivoting coupling lever


15


. At the same time, the drive


2


is turned on by a switch, a sensor or the like (not shown) and is assigned to the inside handle


13


, the outside handle


14


, or by a controller (not shown) which evaluates the corresponding signals. Accordingly, the drive


2


works in one direction of rotation which as a result of the closed coupling


11


leads to actuation or movement of the actuating element


4


. The actuating element


4


executes circular motion and pivots the assigned actuating lever


5


such that the lever


5


lifts the detent pawl


6


and unlatches the pawl


6


from the catch


8


and thus releases the lock latch


7


. The motor vehicle door lock


1


is then opened. After the detent pawl


6


is lifted the drive


2


can be turned off. This can be done for example by means of a sensor, a switch, or the like which is not shown, or by the actuating element


4


striking a stop which is not shown. But the drive


2


can also remain off, so that the actuating element


4


continues to move along its path of motion in order for the actuating lever


5


to pivot back and thus the detent pawl


6


to be released.




The actuating lever


5


is preferably made with two arms and is supported to be able to pivot around an axis A. The detent pawl


6


and/or the actuating lever


5


are spring-loaded such that with the coupling


11


opened, the actuating element


4


is moved or pressed away, or the actuating lever


5


and/or the detent pawl


6


can be reset by spring force. Accordingly, when the drive


2


fails or the gearing


3


is blocked, the detent pawl


6


engages, and in the closed state of the motor vehicle door lock


1


, blocks the lock latch


7


. The coupling


11


opens, and thus, the detent pawl


6


or another lock element which is actuated by the drive


2


is released when the handles


13


,


14


are no longer actuated and the coupling lever


15


, especially by the corresponding pretensioning by means of a spring (not shown), assumes its neutral position which is shown in

FIG. 1

, the position which does not close the coupling.




In order to enable opening of the motor vehicle door lock


1


even when the drive


2


has failed, the gearing


3


is blocked to provide or the like an emergency opening function. This can be done by the inside handle


13


, the outside handle


14


, a lock cylinder (not shown) being coupled to the detent pawl


6


, preferably, over sufficient play, by the actuation of the inside handle


13


, the outside handle


14


or a lock cylinder (not shown), which actuation goes above and beyond the normal opening position, leading to lifting of the detent pawl


6


, and thus, to release of the lock latch


7


. The drive


2


can be used, if necessary, for other functions of the motor vehicle door lock


1


, especially actuating functions. This is especially possible by the coupling


11


being only closed or coupled when the handles


13


,


14


are actuated. Otherwise, the coupling


11


is open or uncoupled so that without actuating or moving the actuating element


4


or the assigned lock element, the drive


2


can be turned on and can execute other functions via the gearing


3


or other gearing. The corresponding applies when the drive


2


is operating in the opposite drive direction, the coupling in this drive direction not acting in the coupled or closed state or not exerting noteworthy forces on the actuating element


4


or the assigned lock element, here the detent pawl


6


. A very compact structure of the motor vehicle door lock


1


is achieved by axes


10


,


18


, and


20


running in parallel, conversely the axis


28


of the coupling


11


and the axis of rotation of the drive


2


being perpendicular thereto and preferably also to one another.





FIG. 3

shows another preferred embodiment of a motor vehicle door lock


1


whereby the gears


3


is connected to the drive


2


and the actuating element


4


is driven by the drive


2


via the gears


3


. However, in this embodiment, the coupling


11


is integrated into the gears


3


since the gears


3


are made as a planetary gear train. A planetary gear train is a gear system with three gear shafts which are kinematically of equal rank. If one of the gear shafts is fixed, there results forced geared coupling of the other two gear shafts. If one gear shaft is driven and none of the other two gear shafts is fixed, there results a state which is determined by the driven torques which act as brakes on the other two gear shafts. The properties of the planetary gear train are exploited by the coupling


11


being coupled by the blocking of one gear shaft of the planetary gear train. Therefore, the gearing


3


and the coupling


11


are combined in a highly compact manner in one assembly. At the same time, high multiplications can be achieved with a planetary gear train, which is advantageous for small-power electric motors with high rpm, the types which are commonly used in motor vehicle doorlocks.




In operation, one gear shaft


25


of the planetary gear train is connected to the drive


2


and another gear shaft


4


′ is connected to the actuating element


4


. The third gear shaft shown as


30




a


,


30




b


,


30




c


, first runs freely, therefore, without an element which is driven by it. However, the control means


12


is assigned to the third gear shaft. The coupling


11


is coupled by the control means


12


blocking the third gear shaft when the outside handle


14


here is actuated. The electric motor drive


2


can therefore start, wanted or unwanted, without the actuating element


4


initially being moved. The starting of the drive


2


initially moves only the first gear shaft


25


, via worm


29


, and its motion is followed by the third gear shaft


30




a


,


30




b


,


30




c


which can run freely in this state. The driven torque on the second gear shaft


4


′ which is connected to the actuating element


4


is specifically much higher than the driven torque of the freely running gear shaft. Consequently, the actuating element


4


remains stationary, the lock element, especially the detent pawl


6


, is not moved. When the coupling


11


engages, and, due to the fact that the control means


12


as moved by the outside handle


14


now blocks the third gear shaft, the drive motion of the electric motor drive


2


is necessarily transmitted to the actuating element


4


.




The embodiment shown in

FIG. 3

shows one embodiment in which the third gear shaft


30




a


,


30




b


,


30




c


has a gear wheel


30


and can be adjusted by blocking for coupling of the control means


12


to the gear wheel


30


. In particular, the outside actuating lever


17


is coupled via an actuating rod


31


to a driver


33


which is pivotally mounted on the pivoting axis


32


. The outside actuating lever


17


is pretensioned in the direction shown by the arrow by means of a pretensioning spring


34


, against a stop


35


. On the driver


33


a catch


37


which is pretensioned in the illustrated direction by a spring


36


, is supported on the same pivoting axis


32


which ultimately then engages or is caused to engage the gear wheel


30


. The actuating element


4


which is connected to the second gear shaft


4


′, also acts on an actuating lever


5


which lifts the detent pawl


6


.




As shown in

FIG. 3

, the pretensioning spring


34


pretensions the control means


12


against the adjustment direction. For this reason, without the actuation of the outside handle


14


, the control means is not engaged with the gear wheel


30


which is connected to the third gear shaft. Only by the actuation of the outside handle


14


is the catch


37


caused to engage the gear wheel


30


so that the gear wheel


30


is blocked. In this way, drive coupling of the drive


2


to the actuating element


4


is accomplished. The catch


37


acts with respect to the gear wheel


30


as a supporting detent pawl. The dot-dash line shows the engaged position of the catch


37


. It is recognized that the line of force action is directed from the tooth of the gear wheel


30


exactly to the pivot axis


32


of the catch


37


and the driver


33


so that the supporting forces are accommodated at that point. The contour of the catch


37


and of the teeth of the gear wheel


30


is chosen such that pivoting-out of the catch


37


when the outside handle


14


is released under the spring force of the pretensioning spring


34


is ensured.




In

FIG. 3

, the spring


36


which pretensions the catch


37


counterclockwise against the driver


33


ensures that the catch


37


under spring force with the outside handle


14


pulled also engages when it comes into contact first with the greater outside periphery of one tooth of the gear wheel


30


. As the gear wheel


30


continues to turn then the catch


37


springs in and performs its support function. When the outside handle


14


is actuated, first the coupling


11


is closed via the control means


12


in that the control means


12


or its catch


37


engages the gear wheel


30


by blocking. At the same time, or immediately thereafter, the drive


2


is turned on by a switch (not shown) on the outside handle


14


. Accordingly, the drive


2


works via the gearing


3


on the actuating element


4


, because the third gear shaft is already blocked by the control means


12


. For example, the actuating element


4


is then moved or pivoted against the force of the suggested (reset) spring


38


in the direction


39


of the arrow. In this way, the actuating lever


5


is actuated and the detent pawl


6


is lifted. The pretensioning spring


34


on the outside actuating lever


17


or the outside handle


14


should be so strong in this embodiment such that it can overcome the frictional forces to pivot the control means


12


away from the gear wheel


30


. This ensures that the gearing


3


is always released when the outside handle


14


is not actuated.




It may also be provided that the electric drive


2


is already turned on when the outside handle


14


is actuated before the control means


12


has blocked the gear wheel


30


. Accordingly, the catch


37


with the gear wheel


30


already turning would have to be able to engage. This requires a corresponding configuration of the mechanical structure, which however is feasible. This concept would have the advantage that the starting delay of the electric drive


2


could be taken into account for purposes of actuating the motor vehicle door lock


1


as fast as possible. The electric motor drive


2


can stop after the lifting of the detent pawl


6


with the overstroke which is accordingly required structurally, it, therefore, need not turn back. This is due to the fact that the control means


12


is pivoted by the force of the pretensioning spring


34


away from the gear wheel


30


as soon as the outside handle


14


is released. Then, the third gear shaft is again free and the detent pawl


6


can be reset under the force of its own pretensioning spring back into the engagement direction. The (reset) spring


38


is used for additional support of the reset motion of the actuating lever


5


or of the actuating element


4


which can thus follow the motion of the detent pawl


6


. If the electric motor drive


2


is stopped by its being blocked, the voltages which are formed in the system lead to the fact that the catch


37


cannot be pivoted out from the gear wheel


30


by means of the pretensioning spring


34


. When these difficulties arise, the electric motor drive


2


can be stopped by a switch. Then the paths can be dimensioned such that the indicated pretensioning does not occur or is so small that the pretensioning springs


34


can be easily pivoted free under a force.




The illustrated embodiment shows the planetary gear train as an eccentric gear system. Of course, the planetary gear train can also be made as an epicyclic gear, the classical example of a planetary gear train. All types of planetary gear trains can be used in principle here when they meet the boundary conditions for installation at this point.



Claims
  • 1. A motor vehicle door lock for an inside and an outside handle of a motor vehicle, said motor vehicle lock comprising:a drive mechanism; a lock element including a detent pawl; an actuating element for moving said detent pawl, said actuating element being driven by said drive mechanism; coupling mechanism for coupling said drive mechanism to said actuating element; and a control means for activating said coupling mechanism, wherein the coupling mechanism is open with the actuating element decoupled from the drive mechanism as long as the coupling mechanism is not activated, and wherein the coupling mechanism is activated with the actuating element coupled to the drive when at least one of the inside handle and the outside handle is actuated.
  • 2. The motor vehicle door lock as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control means mechanically interacts with said coupling mechanism.
  • 3. The motor vehicle door lock as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a coupling for connecting said control means to the inside handle and the outside handle.
  • 4. The motor vehicle door lock as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a coupling for connecting said control means to the inside handle and the outside handle.
  • 5. The motor vehicle door lock as claimed in claim 4, wherein said control means has a coupling lever for mechanical actuating said coupling mechanism in a closed position.
  • 6. The motor vehicle door lock as claimed in claim 5, further comprising an actuating lever for mechanically connecting said coupling lever to the inside handle and the outside handle via an actuating lever.
  • 7. The motor vehicle door lock as claimed in claim 6, wherein said coupling lever and said actuating lever are pivotably supported about the same axis.
  • 8. The motor vehicle door lock as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an electrical coupling for connecting said control means to the inside handle and the outside handle.
  • 9. The motor vehicle door lock as claimed in claim 7, wherein said coupling mechanism is formed of parts which are engageable by force-fit.
  • 10. The motor vehicle door lock as claimed in claim 8, wherein said coupling mechanism is formed of parts which are engageable by form-fit.
  • 11. The motor vehicle door lock as claimed in claim 9, wherein said coupling mechanism acts to couple said drive mechanism to said actuating element in one drive direction.
  • 12. The motor vehicle door lock as claimed claim 11, wherein said coupling mechanism is constructed to transmit rotary motion.
  • 13. The motor vehicle door lock as claimed in claim 12, wherein said coupling mechanism has two axially toothed gear wheels engageble with one another by axial displacement.
  • 14. The motor vehicle door lock as claimed in claim 13, wherein said two axially toothed gear wheels are engageble with one another via said coupling lever.
  • 15. The motor vehicle door lock as claimed in claim 13, wherein said two axially toothed gear wheels are engageable with one another via said coupling lever when said coupling mechanism is in the closed position.
  • 16. The motor vehicle door lock as claimed in claim 15, wherein said two axially toothed gear wheels are engageable by form-fit in one drive direction.
  • 17. The motor vehicle door lock as claimed in claim 16, further comprising a spring acting upon said coupling mechanism acts in a direction away from said closed position.
  • 18. The motor vehicle door lock as claimed in claim 15, wherein said coupling mechanism includes a spring which pretensions said two axially toothed gear wheels to disengage from each other.
  • 19. The motor vehicle door lock as claimed in claim 18, wherein said coupling mechanism includes a gear wheel which carries said actuating element.
  • 20. The motor vehicle door lock as claimed in claim 19, wherein said actuating element comprises a journal and is mounted eccentrically on said gear wheel.
  • 21. The motor vehicle door lock as claimed in claim 20, further comprising an actuating lever, said actuating lever being pivotably engageable by said actuating element to actuate said the lock element by unlatching said detent pawl from a lock latch.
  • 22. The motor vehicle door lock as claimed in claim 21, wherein at least one of said actuating lever and said detent pawl is pretensioned by spring force into a position in which said coupling mechanism is placed in an opened position.
  • 23. The motor vehicle door lock as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a gear system mechanically connected to said drive mechanism and said actuating element for enabling said actuating element to be driven by said drive mechanism via said gear system, said gear system being a planetary gear train.
  • 24. The motor vehicle door lock as claimed in claim 23, wherein said coupling mechanism is integrated into said planetary gear train.
  • 25. The motor vehicle door lock as claimed in claim 24, wherein said planetary gear train includes a first gear shaft connected to said drive mechanism, a second gear shaft connected to said actuating element, and a third gear shaft running freely.
  • 26. The motor vehicle door lock as claimed in claim 25, wherein said control means is assigned to said third gear shaft and wherein said coupling mechanism is placed in the closed position when said control means blocks said third drive shaft upon actuation of the inside handle or the outside handle.
  • 27. The motor vehicle door lock as claimed in claim 26, wherein said third gear shaft has a gear wheel which is engageable by said control means for displacement of said gear wheel in a displacement direction.
  • 28. The motor vehicle door lock as claimed in claim 27, wherein said planetary gear train is an eccentric gearing system.
  • 29. The motor vehicle door lock as claimed in claim 27, wherein said planetary gear train is an epicyclic gearing system.
  • 30. The motor vehicle door lock as claimed in claim 29, wherein said control means is spring-pretensioned in direction counter to said displacement direction.
  • 31. The motor vehicle door lock as claimed claim 1, further comprising a switch and wherein said drive mechanism is an electric motor drive, said switch being adapted to turn off said electric motor drive when said detent pawl is lifted.
  • 32. The motor vehicle door lock as claimed in claim 31, wherein said drive mechanism is adapted to be actuated before said coupling mechanism is placed in a closed position when either of the inside handle and the outside handle is actuated.
Priority Claims (3)
Number Date Country Kind
200 10 664 U Mar 2000 DE
100 28 797 Jun 2000 DE
100 42 191 Aug 2000 DE
US Referenced Citations (6)
Number Name Date Kind
4762348 Matsumoto Aug 1988 A
5411302 Shimada May 1995 A
5474338 Buscher Dec 1995 A
5938251 Watanabe Aug 1999 A
5947536 Mizuki Sep 1999 A
20010013236 Weyerstall et al. Aug 2001 A1
Foreign Referenced Citations (3)
Number Date Country
38 36 771 Jan 1990 DE
196 14 122 Oct 1997 DE
197 14 992 Sep 1998 DE