Abstract:
A lock having a locking rod that is displaced in a longitudinal direction. The rod is driven by an actuator via a rotor. The internal section of the locking rod is flexible so as to have the properties of a flexural section. The locking rod, together with the flexural section and the rotor are configured in one piece from plastic so as to permit transfer between the rotor and the locking rod that is devoid of play.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
   The invention pertains to a lock. At least one longitudinally movable locking bar is provided, which moves in a direction determined by a longitudinal guide. The locking bar is driven by an actuator, which operates by way of a rotor. The outer end of the bar engages in a locking opening in the stationary part of the lock. 
   In the known lock of this type (WO 95/27115 A1), the two locking bars and the rotor are made as a single piece of plastic, but elastic tabs are used to connect the rotor to the bars. In the assembled lock, these tabs are intended to exert elastic force on the locking bars to keep them in their locking position. This is achieved by producing the two locking bars, the two tabs, and the rotor located between the bars in a stretched-out state and by bringing the tabs into a bent position upon installation in the door, as a result of which they act as leaf springs. A manipulator, which presses against a transverse wall molded onto one of the locking bars and which pivots the rotor by way of the associated tab out of the locking position, is used as an actuator for moving the locking bar. To increase the flexibility of the tabs at the points where they are connected to the rotor, the tabs are made very thin. This negatively affects the strength of the lock; the tabs can break easily at these sensitive connecting points. If this happens, the known lock becomes unusable. The longitudinal guides for the two locking bars consist of strips a certain distance apart, which enclose between them a cross section of the locking bar. No guides are provided in the area of the elastic tabs or in the area of the rotor. 
   In a lock of a different type (DE 44 00 628 A1), so-called “film hinges” are provided between rigid sections of the locking bars, two rotors, and the connecting bars; these hinges produce a flexible connection between these parts, which are rigid in and of themselves. Film hinges of this type are susceptible to breakage. If a film hinge breaks, the lock is unusable. 
   In a lock with three bars (DE 23 19 315 A), the two locking bars which move in opposite direction are attached to the bearing ends of two connecting rods, which are connected by elastic bands to a rotor, which can be turned by a key. The rotor, the two elastic bands, and the connecting rods are produced as a single unit out of plastic. When the rotor is turned, the connecting rods can execute a limited pivoting movement inside the lock housing, whereas their bearing ends are guided longitudinally in grooves in the lock housing. The elastic bands extend along radial slots in the rotor and merge with the inner ends of the associated connecting rods. These transition points tend to break easily, however, because of their thinness and because of the load exerted on them during the pivoting movements. The connecting rods have a grooved profile adjacent to their ends, into which the rotor can fit when the connecting rods pivot to the maximum extent. In the minimum pivot position of the connecting rods, their ends are designed to be supported on flattened circumferential areas on the rotor, in which case the elastic bands are bent at a right angle. The locking bars in this case are components which are independent in any case of the gear assembly, and they must be produced separately and then connected in an articulated manner to the two bearing ends of the gear assembly. Play must be allowed between the connecting rods and the locking bars and between the bearing ends and the housing grooves, but this play causes noise when the vehicle is moving. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention is based on the task of developing a low-cost lock which operates reliably, withstands strong loads, and survives many actuating cycles without damage. 
   In the invention, the inner section of the locking bar is used as an elastic element. This inner section of the locking bar is designed to be flexible and will therefore be referred to in the following as the “flexing section”. The flexing section obtains its flexibility through the longitudinal guide of the locking bar, which has a curved course in the area of the rotor. This curvature of the longitudinal guide produces the desired bending of the flexing section upon actuation of the rotor. The rotor itself is molded at a circumferential point onto the lateral flank of the flexing section. The molded connection is not subject to any bending stress and can therefore be made thick enough to be sufficiently sturdy. There is therefore no fear that this connecting point between the flexing section of the locking bar and the circumference of the rotor will break. Upon actuation of the rotor, the flexing section of the locking bar travels to a varying extent into the curved area of the longitudinal guide. The length of the bent part of the flexing section therefore changes. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Additional measures and advantages of the invention can be derived from the following description, and from the drawings. The invention is illustrated in the drawings on the basis of an exemplary embodiment: 
       FIG. 1  shows a longitudinal section through the housing with the most essential parts of the inventive lock, which is shown in its locking position; 
       FIG. 2  shows a view corresponding to  FIG. 1 , in which the lock is in its released position; 
       FIG. 3  shows an enlarged view of the central area of this lock, designated “III” in  FIG. 1 ; and 
       FIGS. 4 ,  5 , and  6  show cross sections through the lock along lines IV—IV, V—V, and VI—VI, respectively, of  FIG. 3 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   The exemplary embodiment illustrated in the drawings represents a lock, which, with respect to its most important components, can be divided into two units  10  and  30 , which, even though they comprise several elements, are each formed as a single unit. The one unit  10  comprises two locking bars  11 ,  12 , and a rotor  20 , located between the bars. Because these components are movable when actuated, they will be referred to in brief below as the “movable unit”. 
   To accept this movable unit  10 , a housing-like part is used, which, as can be seen in  FIG. 1 , can be divided into the following components. First, there is a first guide  31  and a second guide  32  for the two locking bars  11 ,  12 . Between the guides is a carrier  33 . Mounting flanges  34  can also be provided on the guides  31 ,  32  to attach this second unit  30 . On the carrier  33  there is a bearing pin  35 , which serves as a pivot bearing for the rotor  20 . All these components  31  to  35  are designed to form a single unit in the present case, thus forming a common structural unit  30 . Because, upon actuation of the lock, the elements of this structural unit  30  remain stationary, this unit will be referred to in brief in the following as the “stationary unit”. 
   As can be seen in  FIG. 1 , the movable unit  10  is integrated into the stationary unit  30 . This integration is accomplished after the two units  10 ,  30  have been fabricated. For this purpose, the housing-like components of the stationary unit  30  can be opened, e.g., by means of a removable cover, so that the movable unit  10  can be introduced as a whole into the stationary unit  30 . After units  10  and  30  have thus been combined, a preassembled combination unit  40  is obtained, which can be attached as a whole either to the movable part or to the stationary part of a door or hatch in a vehicle. In the present case, as  FIG. 1  illustrates, the combination unit  40  is attached to the door  41  of a glove compartment. The stationary part  42  consists in the present case of parts of the glove compartment housing. Locking openings  43  are provided in the housing, into which the ends  13  of the bars engage when the lock moves into the locking position shown in  FIG. 1 . Here, as usual, the locking ends of the bars are located at the outer ends of the bars. 
   In the present case, the two locking bars  11 ,  12  are designed as mirror images of each other. It is therefore sufficient to describe their design on the basis of only the one locking bar  11 , which will be done with the help of  FIG. 2 . The description applies analogously to the second locking bar  12 . 
   In the illustrated exemplary embodiment according to  FIG. 2 , the locking bar  11  can be divided into two main sections  14 ,  15 , the dimensional stabilities of which differ from each other. Whereas the inner section  15  is designed to be flexible, the adjacent, remaining section  14  is essentially rigid. Because of its deformability, the inner section  15  will therefore be referred to in brief as the “flexing section”. 
   The remaining section  14  of the locking bar is provided with a cranked part  16 , which is provided here in the center of the remaining section  14  and therefore divides this section into three subsections  17 ,  18 ,  19 . The first subsection  17  is adjacent to the outer end of the flexing section  15  and forms a linear extension of it; as can be seen in the enlarged view of  FIG. 3 , this subsection is essentially tangential to the rotational movement of the rotor, to be described in greater detail later. This movement is illustrated here by the rotational arrow  25 . 
   The third subsection  19  of the rigid remaining section projects straight out at a lateral offset from but parallel to the first subsection  17 . The subsection  19  is oriented in such a way that it lies in the radial plane indicated in dash-dot line in  FIG. 1 , which passes through the axis of rotation  23 , marked in the figure, of the rotor  20 . The result is that, even though the initial subsections  17  of the two locking bars  11 ,  12  are laterally offset from each other as indicated at  37  in  FIG. 2 , their ends  13  nevertheless lie in the previously mentioned radial plane  24 . 
   The previously mentioned cranks  16  allow the subsections  18  to bridge this lateral offset  37 . This is achieved by angling the course of these subsections  18 , for which reason this section  18  is referred to in brief in the following as the “angled section”. 
   The way in which the three elements  11 ,  12 ,  20  of the movable unit  10  are held together can be seen most clearly in  FIG. 3 . This is done, first, in that the two diametrically opposing circumferential points  21 ,  22  of the rotor  20  are molded onto the flexing sections  15  of the two bars  11 ,  12 . This is done by means of the two radial arms  26 ,  27 , which proceed from a common hub  28  and which are a component of the rotor  20 . The previously mentioned circumferential points  21 ,  22  are in the present case formed by the free ends of these arms, onto which the flexing sections  15  are molded. The flexing sections continue tangentially from there in the form of the straight subsections  17  of the locking bars  11 ,  12 . The two arms  26 ,  27  lie on the same diameter. 
   One possibility of fabricating the movable unit  10  consists in forming the flexing sections  25  of the two locking bars  11 ,  12  out of one type of material and the remaining sections  14  out of a different material. In this case, the material used for the flexing sections  25  would be more flexible than that used for the rigid remaining sections  14 . The rotor  20  between the bars would also be molded of this rigid material. The production of components from two different materials by injection molding is known and is referred to as the “two-component process”. 
   According to an exemplary embodiment, it is easier in terms of production to use the same material for both the flexing sections  25  and the remaining sections  14  plus the rotor  20 , this material being rigid in and of itself. In this case, the different dimensional rigidities are obtained by providing the components with different profilings. This can be explained best by reference to  FIGS. 3–6 . 
   A comparison of  FIG. 4  with  FIG. 6  shows that the width  44  and the height  45  of the profile in the flexing section  25  are essentially the same as those in the rigid sections  17 . The deformability of the flexing section  25  is achieved by a special longitudinal profiling  46  of the flexing section  15 . In this area, the cross section is reduced in certain areas, namely, at  47 . Here there is a web  47 , as can be seen in  FIG. 4 , which extends down the center of the profile. This web  47  connects two transverse plates  48 , the outside edges of which, as can be seen in  FIG. 5 , are in contact with the inside surfaces of the associated guides  31 ,  32 , to be described in greater detail below. One can think of this longitudinal profiling  46  as consisting of a row of H-shaped pieces  48 , which are connected to each other in a polymer-like manner by central webs  47  on both sides. 
   As previously mentioned, the adjacent subsection  17  already belongs to the remaining, rigid part of the bar, the structure of which can be derived from  FIG. 6 . Here the bar has a fissured cross section  50 , which extends over the entire length of the previously described remaining section  14 . In the present case, a cross-shaped profile is provided, consisting of the crossbars  51 ,  52 , which extend in the width and height directions. By dividing the cross section  50  into elements in this way, a large geometrical moment of inertia is obtained with minimal use of material, which ensures the desired rigidity of these remaining sections  14 . 
   Instead of the previously described structure of the movable unit  10 , it would also be possible, as an alternative, to provide a flexible connection between the main sections  14  of the two locking bars  11 ,  12 , which are rigid in and of themselves, and the connecting points  21 ,  22  with the rotor  20 . One could, in fact, consider the transition area of the flexing section  15  characterized by the number  53  in  FIG. 3  as already representing a “flexible connection” of this type. This connection could alternatively consist of a so-called “film hinge” between the rotor  20  and the rigid initial section  17  of the rigid locking bar  11 ,  12 . One could then either dispense completely with the guides  31 ,  32  or limit these guides to certain areas of support for the rigid remaining sections  14  of the two locking bars. 
   As can be seen in  FIGS. 4–6 , each guide  31 ,  32  consists of a channel  54 , which encloses the previously described cross sections  48 ,  50  on all sides. In the present case, as will be explained in greater detail on the basis of the second guide  32  of  FIG. 2 , the guide is designed in the following special way. Each of the two guides  32  has, first, a curved section  55 , which is concentric to the axis of rotation  23  of the rotor. The curved section  55  is made just long enough to accommodate the flexing section  15  after the movable unit  10  and thus the ends  13  of the bars have been brought into the release position, as illustrated by the auxiliary line  10 . 2  in  FIG. 2 . In this situation, the rotor  20  has completed the previously mentioned rotational movement  25  away from the starting position shown in  FIG. 1 . The movable unit  10  is in its locking position in  FIG. 1 , as marked by the auxiliary line  10 . 1 . In this case, the previously described connecting piece  53  of the flexing section  15  projects into the adjacent channel piece  57  according to  FIG. 1 , which, as can be seen in  FIG. 2 , is tangential to the curved section  55 . This channel piece  57  serves primarily to accommodate the initial rigid section  17  of the associated locking bar  12 ,  11 . 
   This is followed by a channel piece  58 , which accepts the previously described angled section  18  and therefore has a larger open width  56 . The width  56  is greater than/equal to the length of the stroke  60  shown in  FIG. 2  between the two end positions  10 . 1 ,  10 . 2  of the movable unit  10 . If necessary, the lateral channel walls  36  can serve to limit this longitudinal stroke  60 . 
   This expanded third channel section  58  is followed, finally, by a last section  59 , which serves as a longitudinal guide for the outermost section  19  of the locking bar, at the end of which the previously mentioned bar end  13  is located. This last channel section  59  lies on the previously described radial plane  24  of  FIG. 1 , which passes through the rotor  20 . 
   The one-piece movable unit  10  is subject to the action of a restoring force, which tries to move the two locking bars  11 ,  12  in opposite directions as indicated by the force arrows  61 ,  62  of  FIG. 1 . The restoring spring used for this purpose can act at any desired point. Because of the special one-piece design of the entire unit  10 , it is recommended for this purpose that a common shank spring  38  be used, the first shank  29  of which is supported on the rotor  20 , whereas the second shank  39  is supported on the carrier  33 . This shank spring  38  wraps around the bearing pin  35 , which, as previously mentioned, is seated on the carrier  33  and forms an integral part of the stationary unit  30 . The carrier  33  ensures that the two guides  31 ,  32  are held in position, and it is also provided with mounting holes  63 . Similar mounting holes  63  are also located in the mounting flanges  34 , which, according to  FIG. 2 , are provided at the end of each of the guides  32 , that is, on the last channel sections  59 . 
   A common actuator, which is not shown but which can consist of, for example, a handle to be pulled or turned, is provided for the two locking bars. It is sufficient for the actuator to act on one of the two locking bars  12  or  11 , because they are both connected to the rotor  20 , which synchronizes the movement of the two bars  11 ,  12 . Because of the special one-piece design of the movable unit, this synchronized movement is free of play and free of rattling. In the present case, the attack point for the actuating end of an actuator of this type is a shoulder  64 , which is seated in an axially fixed position on the second locking bar  12 . In the normally present locking position  10 . 1  of the movable unit  10 , the shoulder  64  is located in its rest position, marked by the auxiliary line  64 . 1  in  FIGS. 1 and 3 . By means of the previously mentioned actuator, the shoulder is moved as illustrated in  FIG. 2  into its working position, indicated by the auxiliary line  64 . 2 . As a result, the locking bars are moved in opposite directions, as indicated by the motion arrows  65 ,  66 , and enter the associated channels  31 ,  32  of the stationary unit  30 . 
   To make it possible for the mounted rotor  20  to rotate in the guides  31 ,  32 , openings  67 ,  68  are provided in the walls of the guides for the two arms  26 ,  27 . In a similar manner, a cutout  69  is provided in the guide  32  to allow the longitudinal displacement of the shoulder  64 ; this cutout is made long enough to allow the longitudinal movement  70  shown in  FIG. 2  between the two positions  64 . 1  and  64 . 2  of  FIG. 2 . 
   LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS 
   
       
         10  first structural unit, one-piece movable unit 
         10 . 1  locking position of  10  ( FIGS. 1 ,  3 ) 
         10 . 2  release position of  10  ( FIG. 2 ) 
         11  first locking bar of  10   
         12  second locking bar of  10   
         13  ends of locking bars  11 ,  12   
         14  rigid main sections of  11 ,  12 , remaining sections ( FIG. 2 ) 
         15  flexible main sections of  11 ,  12 , inner flexing sections ( FIG. 2 ) 
         16  cranked sections of  11 ,  12   
         17  first subsection of  14 , inner section ( FIG. 2 ) 
         18  second subsection of  14 , central angled section ( FIG. 2 ) 
         19  third subsection of  14 , outer section ( FIG. 2 ) 
         20  rotor 
         21  first circumferential point of  20  ( FIG. 3 ) 
         22  second circumferential point of  20  ( FIG. 3 ) 
         23  axis of rotation of the rotor  20  ( FIGS. 1 ,  2 ) 
         24  radial plane passing through  23 , for  19  ( FIG. 1 ) 
         25  arrow of the rotation of  20  ( FIG. 3 ) 
         26  first radial arm of  20  at  21  ( FIG. 3 ) 
         27  second arm of  20  at  22  ( FIG. 3 ) 
         28  hub of  20   
         29  first shank of spring  38 , on  20  ( FIG. 3 ) 
         30  second structural unit, stationary unit 
         31  first guide of  30 , for  11   
         32  second guide of  30 , for  12   
         33  carrier between  31  and  32  ( FIG. 3 ) 
         34  mounting flanges on  31 ,  32  ( FIG. 1 ) 
         35  bearing pin for  20  ( FIG. 3 ) 
         36  inner channel wall at  58  ( FIG. 2 ) 
         37  lateral offset between sections  17  of  11  and  12  ( FIG. 2 ) 
         38  shank spring for  61 ,  62  ( FIG. 3 ) 
         39  second shank of spring  38 , on  33  ( FIG. 3 ) 
         40  combination unit consisting of  10  and  30  ( FIG. 1 ) 
         41  movable part, door 
         42  stationary part, housing 
         43  locking opening in  42  for  13  ( FIG. 1 ) 
         44  outside width of profile of  25  or  17  ( FIGS. 4 ,  5 ) 
         45  outside height of profile of  25  or  17  ( FIGS. 4 ,  5 ) 
         46  longitudinal profiling of  15  ( FIG. 3 ) 
         47  web of  46  in  15  ( FIG. 3 ) 
         48  transverse plate of  46  in  15  ( FIG. 3 ) 
         49  H-shaped piece consisting of  47 ,  48  ( FIG. 3 ) 
         50  fissured cross section of  14 ,  17  ( FIG. 6 ) 
         51  first crossbar of  50  ( FIG. 6 ) 
         52  second crossbar of  50  ( FIG. 6 ) 
         53  flexible connection at  15  ( FIG. 3 ) 
         54  channel for  31 ,  32  ( FIGS. 5 ,  6 ) 
         55  first channel piece of  32  or  31 , curved section ( FIG. 2 ) 
         56  open width of  58  ( FIG. 2 ) 
         57  second channel piece, for  17 , tangential piece ( FIG. 2 ) 
         58  third channel piece, for  18 , expanded channel piece ( FIG. 2 ) 
         59  fourth channel piece, for  19 , last channel piece ( FIG. 2 ) 
         60  stroke of  13  ( FIG. 2 ) 
         61  force arrow for  11  ( FIG. 1 ) 
         62  force arrow for  12  ( FIG. 1 ) 
         63  mounting holes in  33  and  34  for  30  and  40  ( FIG. 1 ) 
         64  shoulder on  12  ( FIG. 1 ) 
         64 . 1  rest position of  64  ( FIGS. 1 ,  2 ) 
         64 . 2  working position of  64  ( FIG. 2 ) 
         65  arrow of the inward travel of  11  ( FIG. 2 ) 
         66  arrow of the inward travel of  12  ( FIG. 2 ) 
         67  cutout in  31  for  26  ( FIG. 3 ) 
         68  cutout in  32  for  27  ( FIG. 3 ) 
         69  cutout in  32  for  34  ( FIG. 3 ) 
         70  longitudinal movement of  64  ( FIG. 2 )