Abstract:
The invention relates to a closing device for a vehicle comprising a lock, a drive for determining the locking state of the locking device, by means of which the locking device may be placed in at least four different locking states and a rotating shaped disc on the drive, which may be rotated by the drive to determine the individual locking states, whereby the individual locking states are each assigned a particular angular position for the shaped disc. According to the invention, the shaped disc ( 1 ) is of such a form that said disc may be taken from each angular position, corresponding to one of the various states (V, K, S) and different to the unlocked state (E), without a third locking state occurring on performing the above.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
   This application is a National Phase Patent Application of International Application Number PCT/DE01/03436, filed on Sep. 4, 2001, which claims priority of German Patent Application Number 100 46 188.3, filed Sep. 12, 2000. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention relates to a closing device for a vehicle. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   A closing device for a vehicle may include at least one lock; a drive for determining the locking states of the closing device (i.e. the locking states of the lock or locks), and through which the closing device can be brought into multiple different locking states such as the unlocked, locked, dead-lock and child-lock states; and a rotary mounted shaped disc on the drive which can be rotated by the drive to determine the individual locking states, whereby the different locking states are each assigned specific angular positions of the shaped disc. 
   A closing device of this kind is provided in DE 199 17 789 A1. The shaped disc is formed by a drive disc which is provided with internal and external protrusions and is scanned by one end of a lever. The other end of the lever is coupled to the lock (that is the locking parts of the closing device such as e.g. the rotary latch and locking pawl) and coordinates the interaction of an operating device such as an inside door handle or outside door handle, with the lock. In the dead-lock state of the closing device, for example, the lock cannot be actuated by either the inside handle or by means of the outside handle. This means that any actuation of the inside door handle or outside door handle is not transferred to the corresponding lock elements, for example, the locking pawl and rotary catch. Conversely, in the unlocked state of the closing device, the door can be opened both by means of the inside handle and by means of the outside handle. The same is true for further locking states, such as the locked or child-lock state, for example. 
   It would be desirable to provide such a closing device that operates with improved ease. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention provides a shaped disc through which the closing device can be brought into at least four different locking states, according to one exemplary embodiment. The shaped disc is designed so that it can be brought from any angular position which corresponds to a state different from the unlocked state, for example, the locked state, the dead-lock state or the child-lock state, directly into an angular position which corresponds to the unlocked state without passing through a third locking state. 
   In one exemplary embodiment, the present invention provides that the individual locking states correspond to specific angular regions on the shaped disc whereby the angular regions are arranged in succession around the circumference of the shaped disc and each angular region of the shaped disc which corresponds to a state other than the unlocked state and is adjoined directly by an angular region which corresponds to the unlocked state. 
   According to an exemplary embodiment, the present invention provides individual locking states that are not simply arranged one behind the other on the shaped disc but next to each angular region which corresponds to a state other than (i.e., different from) the unlocked state, there is at least one defined angular region which corresponds to the unlocked state. For this purpose several angular regions that correspond to the unlocked state are provided on the shaped disc. 
   The present invention advantageously provides a very rapid change-over from each locking state which is different from the unlocked state, into the unlocked state. The present invention can be used with particular advantage in the case of so-called keyless-entry or passive-entry systems where the closing device is changed automatically into the unlocked state when a person who has been identified by the system as an authorized user, approaches a vehicle, for example, and actuates the outside door handle thereof. The authorized user can be identified for example by a signal transmitter which the user carries around. With such a closing system, after the authorized user has been identified and actuates the outside door handle, the closing device is brought very rapidly into the unlocked state according to the present invention. In conventional systems, the door would not open immediately when the outside door handle is actuated. Such delay would be seen by the user as a defect or at least as a nuisance. Problems of this kind can arise particularly when the closing device is located in a locking state which is separated from the unlocked state by further locking states, as in conventional systems. The rapid and direct change into the unlocked state which is desirable to overcome these problems, is provided by the present invention. 
   The closing device of the present invention can be configured in various ways and can be used both in closing systems which have only one lock (e.g. closing device for a single vehicle door) and also in closing systems which are used for actuating several locks, for example, a central locking system in motor vehicles. 
   According to another exemplary embodiment, the present invention provides a closing device having a drive with which the closing device can be brought into at least three different locking states. The shaped disc is designed so that as the disc is rotated along a predetermined rotary direction, the unlocked state always follows a state which is different from the unlocked state. In other words, there is at least one rotary direction having the property where as the shaped disc rotates along this rotary direction a region corresponding to the unlocked state always follows each region of the shaped disc which has a state different from the unlocked state. 
   In this case it is ensured that each state which is different from the unlocked state on the shaped disc is adjoined by a region which corresponds to the unlocked state. Furthermore, as the shaped disc rotates along the predetermined rotary direction, a direct change from a state other than the unlocked state, to the unlocked state is possible each time. 
   The shaped disc according to the invention can be simply formed by a disc-like body which extends in one plane, i.e., a generally planar disc-like body, and the shaped disc can be formed in particular in one piece. As such, the shaped disc can be formed by a cam disc in which outer and/or inner guideways represent the different locking states. 
   The unlocked state of the closing device preferably corresponds to a locking state in which each lock is unlocked. There is then only one single clearly defined unlocked locking state, namely the state of the closing device in which all locks are unlocked so that the corresponding flaps of the vehicle (e.g. vehicle doors in the case of door locks) can be opened and are not in the dead-lock, child-lock or anti-theft lock state. 
   The shaped disc interacts with a coupling element which scans the shaped disc and couples an actuating device (e.g. outside handle or inside handle) to the lock or uncouples it from the lock, depending on the angular position of the shaped disc. Only when the relevant actuating device is coupled to the lock can the lock be actuated to open the door. 
   By using two coupling elements which scan the shaped disc and couple or uncouple the actuating device with or from the lock depending on the angular position of the shaped disc, the locking states which are defined by the shaped disc can be transferred to two different actuating devices such as to an outside door opener and an inside door opener, for example. 
   According to one exemplary embodiment, two guideways can be provided radially spaced from each other on the shaped disc, each interacting with one of the two coupling elements. In another exemplary embodiment, two coupling elements can scan the same guideway on the shaped disc whereby in this case the two coupling elements are disposed spaced from each other along the circumferential direction of the shaped disc. 
   The shaped disc itself can be rotated by means of a drive which can be set in motion by actuating a closing cylinder of the lock, remote control (e.g. through a passive-entry system) or by some other closing element. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     Further features and advantages of the invention will now be explained with reference to the following description of the embodiment shown in the drawings in which: 
       FIG. 1   a  shows diagrammatically a shaped disc which can be driven by a motor and through which four different locking states of one closing device can be defined; 
       FIG. 1   b  shows a physical, plan view of the embodiment of the shaped disc shown in  FIG. 1   a;    
       FIG. 1   c  shows a diagrammatic view of a shaped disc which can be rotated by means of a drive and through which three different locking states of a closing device can be defined; 
       FIG. 2   a  shows a cross-section through a part of an exemplary embodiment of the shaped disc of  FIG. 1   b  that has two coupling elements which scan the shaped disc; 
       FIG. 2   b  shows a plan view of the shaped disc shown in  FIG. 2   a;    
       FIG. 3  shows a plan view of another exemplary embodiment of the shaped disc having two coupling elements that scan the shaped disc; 
       FIG. 4  shows a diagrammatic view of a motor vehicle door; and 
       FIGS. 5   a  and  5   b  each show a diagrammatic view of the structure of a door lock. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIG. 4  shows part of the side of a vehicle body with a door T, including a closing device having a conventional inside door opener in the form of an inside door handle  6 , an internal locking button  65 , an outside door opener in the form of an outside door handle  7  as well as a closing cylinder  75  and a door lock  9 . The door lock  9  corresponds to a holder  8  which is mounted on the side of the body and which engages parts of the door lock  9  to lock the door T. 
   A diagrammatic illustration of a door lock and the associated holder in  FIGS. 5   a  and  5   b  shows the lock parts of the door lock, namely a locking pawl  3  with hook  31  capable of swivelling about an axis  30 , and a rotary catch  2  which is capable of swivelling about an axis  20  and interacts with the locking pawl  3 . Rotary catch  2  includes recess  21  associated with a locking pin  80  of the holder  8 . Furthermore a measuring scanner  25  is provided which scans the external contour of the rotary catch  2  to determine the rotary angle thereof. The lock parts  2 ,  3  (rotary catch and locking pawl) which make up the lock are mounted in a lock housing  90  which is fixed on the door panel. 
   Other aspects of the above-described exemplary closing device are conventionally known and therefore are not explained further. 
   One aspect of the present invention is the configuration of a shaped disc by means of which the different locking states of the closing device can be established. The essential locking states are the unlocked state, the locked state, the “child-lock” locking state and the “dead-lock” locking state, but other locking states may be used in other exemplary embodiments. The unlocked state is the locking state in which the lock can be actuated to open the door both by means of the inside door handle and the outside door handle. In the locked state however the outside door handle is uncoupled from the lock so that the door cannot be opened by actuating the outside door handle but may be actuated by the inside door handle. Conversely in the “child-lock” locking state the inside door handle is uncoupled from the lock so that the door cannot be opened by actuating the inside door handle. In the “dead-lock” locking state both the inside door handle and the outside door handle are uncoupled from the door lock so that the door lock cannot be actuated by either the inside door handle nor by the outside door handle to open the door. 
   With a closing device for controlling several locks, often the rear doors of a vehicle will be in the “child-lock” locking state while the front doors remain in the unlocked state. The child-lock state of the closing device clearly differs from the unlocked state, namely with regard to the state of the locks of the rear doors. 
     FIG. 1   a  shows diagrammatically a shaped disc  1  with which the locking states listed above can be established. The shaped disc  1  consists of a disc-shaped base body  10  mounted rotatably about an axis A and capable of being rotated by means of a drive M. The drive M can be triggered for example by operating the closing cylinder or by means of remote control in order to change the actual locking state through rotation of the shaped disc  1 . 
   The shaped disc  1  is divided along its circumference into 6 identical sections or angular regions  16 ,  17 ,  16 ″,  18 ,  16 ′ and  19  which are arranged sequentially and adjacent each other around the circumference  15  of the disc-shaped base body  10  and which each cover an angular range of about 60°. 
   The three sections  16 ,  16 ′,  16 ″ correspond to the unlocking state E, one section  17  corresponds to the “locked” locking state V, one section  18  corresponds to the “dead-lock” locking state S and section  19  corresponds to the “child-lock” locking state K. The sections or angular regions  16 ,  17 ,  16 ″,  19 ,  16 ′ and  18 , respectively, of the shaped disc  1  corresponding to the individual locking states E, V, E, S, E, K are thereby arranged in succession along the circumferential direction, so that as the shaped disc  1  is rotated about its axis A along clockwise direction D, the unlocked state E each time directly follows a locking state K, S, V which is different from the unlocked state E. This also applies when the shaped disc  1  is rotated in the opposite counter-clockwise direction. Each of locking states K, S and V may be referred to as a locking state which is different from the unlocked state, or a locking state other than the unlocked state, throughout the specification. A section corresponding to the unlocked state E is interposed between each of angular regions  17  and  19 , angular regions  19  and  18 , and angular regions  18  and  17 , each of which represent locking states other than the unlocked state. 
   From  FIG. 1   a  it is clear that one section or angular region, for example angular region  16 ″, corresponding to the unlocked state E could be omitted and that nevertheless for each of the sections or angular regions  17 ,  18 , and  19  which respectively represent locking states V, S or K which are different from the unlocked state E, a section or angular region  16 ,  16 ′ which corresponds to the unlocked state E lies adjacent, i.e., adjoins the locking state other than the unlocked state. In this exemplary embodiment, the direct change from the locking state V (locked) or from the locking state K (child-lock) into the locking state E (unlocked) does not occur in each rotary direction of the shaped disc  1 . The direct change from the locking state K (child-lock) into the locking state E (unlocked) would rather be possible only when the shaped disc  1  is rotated clockwise and the direct change from the locking state V (locked) into the locking state E (unlocked) would only be possible when the shaped disc is rotated counter-clockwise. 
   In the exemplary embodiment in which each of the three sections or angular regions  16 ,  16 ′,  16 ″ of the shaped disc represent the unlocked state E, it is ensured that with a rotary movement along either rotary direction, the unlocked state E each time directly follows each locking state V, S, K which is different from the unlocked state E. 
     FIG. 1   b  shows an embodiment of a concrete design of the shaped disc  1  shown diagrammatically in  FIG. 1   a . The shaped disc  1  illustrated in  FIG. 1   b  has in its disc-shaped base body  10  two radially spaced contours  11 ,  12  running in the circumferential direction (see circumference  15 ) of the shaped disc  1 . Contours  11 ,  12  may be alternatively referred to as guideways  11 ,  12 . In one exemplary embodiment, as will be shown in  FIG. 2   a , the guideways  11  and  12  may be grooves formed within the shaped disc. The guideways  11 ,  12  are each formed by a circumferential guideway section  11   a  and  12   a  respectively which are provided with radially projecting protrusions  11   b ,  12   b  respectively. The protrusions  11   b ,  12   b  are each arranged spaced from each other along the circumferential direction of the corresponding guideway  11 ,  12  and form a constituent part of the corresponding guideway  11  and  12 . 
   The two guideways  11 ,  12  of the shaped disc  1  are each scanned by a coupling element as explained further below with reference to  FIGS. 2   a  and  2   b.    
   A coupling element may be received in one of the guideways  11 ,  12  and is guided along the corresponding guideway as the shaped disc  1  rotates about its axis. The coupling element is moved outward in a radial direction when it encounters one of the protrusions  11   b ,  12   b  of the corresponding guideway. In one embodiment, when outer guideway  11  is scanned by means of a coupling element, the inside door handle of the closing device is coupled with the lock or uncoupled from the lock when the coupling element detects a protrusion  11   b . By scanning the inner guideway  12  by means of a further coupling element, the outside door handle is uncoupled from the door lock or coupled with same when the coupling element detects a protrusion  12   b . A coupling between the corresponding actuating device such as an outside door handle or inside door handle, and the door lock should then exist whenever the associated coupling element detects a protrusion  11   b ,  12   b.    
   In this embodiment the unlocked state E is characterised each time by the corresponding angular region  16 ,  16 ′,  16 ″ of the shaped disc  1  having a protrusion  11   b ,  12   b  within guideways  11  and  12 , respectively. In this arrangement in the unlocked state, both the outside door handle and the inside door handle are coupled to the lock so that the door can be opened both by actuating the outside door handle and by actuating the inside door handle. 
   In the angular region  17  of the shaped disc  1  which represents the locked state V only the outer guideway  11  has a protrusion  11   b . Correspondingly, the door can only be opened by actuating the inside door handle while opening the door by actuating the outside door handle is not possible. 
   Conversely in the “child-lock” locking state which is represented by the angular region  19  of the shaped disc  1  only the inner guideway  12  has a protrusion  12   b  so that the door can only be opened by actuating the outside door handle and not however by actuating the inside door handle. 
   In the section or angular region  18  of the shaped disc  1  which corresponds to the “dead-lock” state, finally neither of the two guideways  11 ,  12  has a protrusion. Therefore in this state the door lock cannot be actuated to open the door by either the outside door handle or inside door handle. 
     FIGS. 2   a  and  2   b  illustrate an exemplary embodiment in which the shaped disc  1  illustrated in  FIG. 1  is scanned by means of two coupling elements  4 ,  5  whereby the one coupling element  4  scans the outer guideway  11  and the other element  5  scans the inner guideway  12 . 
   Each of the two coupling elements  4 ,  5  consists of a coupling rod  40 ,  50  which is mounted radially relative to the shaped disc  1  and which includes at its end facing the shaped disc  1 , a pin  41 ,  51  respectively engaging corresponding guideways  111  and  12 . At their respective ends remote from the shaped disc  1 , the coupling rods  40 ,  50  include T-shaped recesses  42  and  52 , respectively. T-shaped recess  42  is not visible in  FIG. 2   b  as it is hidden below coupling rod  50  and T-shaped recess  52 . Connecting members  60 ,  70  include corresponding pins  61 ,  71  that run through corresponding recesses  42 ,  52  across the extension direction of the coupling rods  40 ,  50 . Through the one connecting member  60  the door inside handle is coupled to the door lock and through the other connecting member  70  the outside door handle is coupled to the door lock in this exemplary embodiment. When the inside door handle or outside door handle is actuated for the purpose of opening the door, the control movement is transferred through the corresponding connecting member  60 ,  70  to the door lock in order to enable the door to be opened through action by the door lock. The corresponding connecting member  60 ,  70  is moved in an actuating direction B across the extension direction of the coupling rods  40 ,  50 . The extension direction of coupling rods  40 ,  50  may also be referred to as the longitudinal direction. Actuating direction B is shown to be generally orthogonal to the extension/longitudinal direction. 
   This movement in the actuating direction is in any case only possible when the pin  61 ,  71  of the relevant connecting member  60 ,  70  projects in a section  43 ,  53  of the recess  42 ,  52  (see also  FIG. 3 ) which permits movement of the connecting member  60 ,  70  in the actuating direction B across the extension direction of the coupling rods  40 ,  50 . 
   The plan view of  FIG. 2   b  shows the coupling rod  50  that corresponds to the outside door handle. T-shaped recess  52  includes a first section  53  which permits a movement of the connecting member  70  in the actuating direction B across the extension direction of the coupling rod  50 , as well as a second section  54 , which does not permit a movement of the connecting member  70  in the actuating direction B. The pin  71  which protrudes from the connecting member  70  down into the recess  52  is blocked as far as movement in the actuating direction B is concerned when it is located in the second section  54  of the recess  52 . 
     FIGS. 2   a  and  2   b  also show that the coupling rods  40 ,  50  are guided outwards in a radial direction when their pins  41 ,  51  are located in a protrusion  11   b ,  12   b  of the relevant guideway  11 ,  12 . In this state which is shown in the exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 2   b , the coupling rod  50  is associated with the outside door handle, and pin  71  of associated connecting member  70  engages section  53  of the recess  52  which enables the connecting member  70  to move into the actuating direction B. Then the outside door handle is coupled through the connecting member  70  to the lock so that the door can be opened by actuating the outside door handle. 
   With respect to the exemplary state shown in  FIGS. 2   a  and  2   b , the same applies for the inside door handle since the pin  41  of coupling rod  40  associated with the inside door handle also engages a protrusion  11   b  of the associated guideway  11  on the shaped disc  1  and influences the position of pin  61  of connecting member  60 . 
   If now by rotating the shaped disc  1  along the rotary direction D the pin  41 ,  51  of one of the coupling elements  4 ,  5  is guided into a section of the associated guideway  11 ,  12  which forms no protrusion, then the corresponding pin  61 ,  71  of the associated connecting member  60 ,  70  respectively engages in a section  44 ,  54  of the relevant recess  42 ,  52  which blocks movement of the connecting member in the actuating direction B. The corresponding actuating device (inside door handle or outside door handle) is then uncoupled from the door lock so that the door cannot be opened by actuating the said actuating device. 
     FIG. 3  shows a plan view of another exemplary embodiment of the shaped disc  1  shown diagrammatically in  FIG. 1   a  This exemplary embodiment is a modification of the embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 1   b ,  2   a  and  2   b . Therefore only the differences between the embodiments will be explained below. Like reference numerals represent like features as described above. 
   In the exemplary embodiment of a shaped disc  1  illustrated in  FIG. 3 , only one guideway  13  is provided in its disc-shaped base body  10  which consists of a circumferential guideway section  13   a  which has a number of circumferentially spaced out radially outwardly projecting protrusions  13   b.    
   Two coupling elements  4 ,  5  are set spaced out along the circumference  15  of the shaped disc  1  and each engage guideway  13  by a pin  41  and  51  respectively. The two coupling elements  4 ,  5  thereby scan different regions of the guideway  13  at any given time. 
   In the state shown in  FIG. 3 , pins  41 ,  51  of the two coupling elements  4 ,  5  engage a protrusion  13   b  of the guideway  13 . The closing device is therefore located in the unlocked state in which the lock can be actuated both by means of the inside door opener and outside door opener for the purpose of opening the door. This can be seen in  FIG. 3  whereby corresponding pins  61  and  71  of both connecting members  60 ,  70  each engage a section  43 ,  53  of the associated T-shaped recesses  42 ,  52  of a coupling rod  40 ,  50  such that movement of the relevant connecting member  60 ,  70  in the actuating direction B is possible. 
   If the shaped disc  1  is rotated sufficiently clockwise in the rotary direction D such that the two coupling elements  4 ,  5  engage in the guideway  13  of the shaped disc  1  in the manner shown by dotted lines in  FIG. 3 , then another situation arises regarding the coupling of the actuating devices of the closing device with the door lock. For reasons of clarity, the illustration of  FIG. 3  shows the position of the two coupling elements  4 ,  5  rotated counter-clockwise relative to the shaped disc  1 . In practice, the shaped disc  1  may be rotated clockwise with respect to the two coupling elements  4 ,  5  which remain spatially unchanged. The locking states, however, are determined by the position of the shaped disc  1  relative to the coupling elements  4 ,  5  as represented in FIG.  3 . 
   In the state illustrated by dotted lines in  FIG. 3  a coupling element  4  engages in a section  13   a  of the guideway  13  which forms no protrusion and the other coupling element  5  engages in a section  13   b  of the guideway  13  which forms a radial protrusion. One of the actuating devices is therefore uncoupled from the door lock while the door lock can be actuated with the other actuating device for the purpose of opening the door. 
   Since in the state indicated by dotted lines in  FIG. 3  only the coupling element  5  assigned to the outside door opener engages in a protrusion  13   b  of the guideway  13 , in this state the door can only be opened by actuating the outside door handle. This then represents the “child-lock” locking state. 
     FIG. 1   c  shows diagrammatically another exemplary embodiment of a shaped disc  1  with which only three different locking states can be fixed, namely for example the unlocked state E, the locked state V and the “dead-lock” locking state S. Each of these states E, V, S corresponds to a section or angular region  16 ,  16 ′,  17 ,  18  of the shaped disc  1 . In particular, angular regions  16 ,  17 ,  16 ′ and  15  correspond to locking states E, V, E and S, respectively. Thus for the unlocked state E two sections or angular regions  16 ,  16 ′ are provided so that in one rotary direction D of the shaped disc  1  every other section or angular region is assigned to the unlocked state E. It is hereby ensured that as the shaped disc  1  is rotated in the rotary direction D the unlocked state E always directly follows each locking state V, S which is different from the unlocked state E. The same is true for rotation in the opposite rotary direction. Drive M is coupled to the shaped disc  1  and provides for rotating the shaped disc  1 .