A functional component of a motor vehicle lock arrangement, the functional component has a drive arrangement with a motor and an adjustment element coupled to the drive arrangement. The adjustment element can be deflected out of a predetermined engaged position in a deflecting movement, and the deflected adjustment element can be reset into the engaged position in a resetting movement. The deflecting movement can be produced by means of the drive arrangement and the drive motor operates in the motor mode, and the resetting movement is spring-driven and the drive motor operates in the generator mode. The functional component may include a monitoring unit which determines the position of the adjustment element reached in the resetting movement from the motor voltage of the drive motor in accordance with a monitoring rule.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of German Patent Application No. DE 10 2019 114 540.6 filed May 29, 2020, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated in its entirety by reference herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a functional component of a motor vehicle lock arrangement and a method for operating same.

BACKGROUND

A motor vehicle lock arrangement may include a functional component of “motor vehicle lock” and optionally further functional components, such as an external motorized closing unit or an external motorized opening unit for the motor vehicle lock. The motor vehicle lock may be configured to lock any closure element of the motor vehicle. These include tailgates, rear covers, front hoods, side doors or the like. All of the closure elements may be configured in the manner of swing doors or in the manner of sliding doors.

SUMMARY

According to at least one embodiment, an adjustment element, such as a catch may be deflected out of a predetermined engaged position in a deflecting movement, and the deflected adjustment element may be reset to move to the engaged position in a resetting movement. As an example, the deflecting movement may be produced by means of the drive arrangement, and the drive motor then operates in the motor mode, while the resetting movement may be provided in a spring-driven manner, and the drive motor operates in the generator mode.

In one or more embodiments, adjustment of the adjustment element in the resetting movement may be derived from the motor voltage of the drive motor. This is because the drive motor operates in the generator mode during the resetting movement. In the case of a direct current motor, this means that the drive motor has waves, generally halfwaves, in the motor voltage, which provide information about the extent of the rotation of the motor shaft. Alternatively, a conclusion may be drawn regarding the adjustment speed of the motor shaft and therefore of the adjustment element via the magnitude of the motor voltage. From integration over time, a conclusion may then be drawn regarding the position of the adjustment element. In each case, the position of the adjustment element that has actually been reached in the resetting movement is determined from the motor voltage of the drive motor.

As an example, the functional component may include a monitoring unit that may determine the position of the adjustment element that has actually been reached in the resetting movement from the motor voltage of the drive motor in accordance with a monitoring rule.

For the situation in which the functional component according to the proposal is a motor vehicle lock, an apparent locking of the motor vehicle lock attributed to an incomplete resetting movement of the catch may be identified and reduced by suitable connection measures. The solution according to the proposal may be used without an additional sensor being required.

Simply for clarification, it should be pointed out that the functional component here is claimed as such, i.e. furthermore without the motor vehicle lock arrangement.

As an example, the reaction of the monitoring unit to the identification of an incomplete resetting movement are the subject matter of claim2. In the simplest case, a corresponding warning message may be issued to the vehicle operator within the scope of an alarm routine.

The determination of the position of the adjustment element that has actually been reached in the resetting movement may be undertaken with respect to a reference position such as the position of the adjustment element that has actually been reached in the deflecting movement. For example, the deflecting movement may be defined by an end stop or an end switch, and therefore the reference position of the adjustment element is reached in a correspondingly reproducible manner.

In one or more embodiments. The ripple of the motor voltage and the magnitude of the motor voltage may each supply a starting point for a solid monitoring of the position of the adjustment element that has actually been reached in the resetting movement. This applies in particular if the drive motor is a direct current motor.

In one or more embodiments, a monitoring rule, such as the relationship represented by the monitoring rule between the motor voltage and the position of the adjustment element that has actually been reached in the resetting movement, depends on certain ambient conditions, such as the ambient temperature.

The monitoring rule may be based on certain conditions and capable of learning. In one or more embodiments, the monitoring rule, such as the above relationship represented by the monitoring rule is then learned such that a precise determination of the position of the adjustment element is ensured in the resetting movement. The starting point here is that the deflecting movement and/or the resetting movement is/are mechanically fixedly predetermined.

In one or more embodiments, the functional component may be a motor vehicle lock of the motor vehicle lock arrangement. The catch of the motor vehicle lock is the adjustment element. It may therefore be checked in an elegant manner with the solution according to the proposal whether the catch has or has not reached its completely engaged position.

In one or more embodiments, the drive arrangement may include a flexible traction means. As an example, the flexible traction means may be wound on the drive shaft of the drive motor. The resetting movement of the adjustment element may be associated with an unwinding of the flexible traction means and therefore with driving back of the drive motor, and therefore the monitoring function according to the proposal may be used without further structural measures.

According to a yet another embodiment, a method of operating a functional component may be provided.

As an example, the position of the adjustment element that has actually been reached in the resetting movement may be determined by means of a monitoring unit of the motor voltage of the drive motor in accordance with a monitoring rule. In this respect, reference should be made to all of the statements regarding the manner of operation of the functional component according to the proposal.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A known functional component which is configured as a motor vehicle lock (EP 1 536 090 A2) and on which the present disclosure is based is equipped with the conventional locking elements—“lock latch” and “catch”. The motor vehicle lock has a drive arrangement with an electric drive motor for lifting out the catch. The drive arrangement acts via a drive cable on the catch by the drive cable being wound up on the motor shaft of the drive motor. After the catch has been lifted out by the drive cable, the catch spring drives the entire drive train back, which is associated with the drive cable unwinding from the motor shaft.

There is a challenge in the case of the known motor vehicle lock to detect an incomplete resetting movement. In such a case, the catch, for example due to mechanical sluggishness, does not reach its original engaged position, and the correct engagement between the lock latch and the catch is correspondingly not present. In order to detect such a lock state, a corresponding catch sensor is provided in the known motor vehicle lock.

The sensorless monitoring of drive arrangements of a motor vehicle lock for adjustment element movements that are produced in a motorized manner by a drive arrangement is basically known (DE 100 21 186 A1). Use is made here of what is referred to as the current wave count or what is referred to as the ripple count method. However, this can be used only if a corresponding drive current also closes down, which is generally not the case especially during the resetting movement in the foreground here.

The present disclosure is based on the problem of configuring and developing the known functional component of a motor vehicle lock arrangement in such a manner that the reaching of the engaged position of the adjustment element in the resetting movement can be monitored with little outlay.

The illustrated functional component1is configured as a motor vehicle lock of a motor vehicle lock arrangement2. The functional component1, here the motor vehicle lock, can be assigned to any closure element of a motor vehicle. In this respect, reference should be made to the introductory part of the description.

The functional component1, here the motor vehicle lock, has a drive arrangement3with an electric drive motor4and has an adjustment element5which is coupled or can be coupled to the drive arrangement3. The adjustment element5is configured here and preferably as a catch, as will also be explained.

The adjustment element5can be deflected out of a predetermined engaged position (FIG. 1) in a deflecting movement6, and the deflected adjustment element5(FIG. 2) can be reset into the engaged position in a resetting movement7.

It is apparent from an overall view ofFIG. 1andFIG. 2that the deflecting movement6can be produced by means of the drive arrangement3, and the drive motor4then operates in the motor mode. It is furthermore apparent from this overall view that the resetting movement7is, here and may be exclusively, spring-driven, and the drive motor4then operates in the generator mode.

It is now essential that the functional component1, here the motor vehicle lock, has a monitoring unit8which determines the position of the adjustment element5that has actually been reached in the resetting movement7from the motor voltage UMof the drive motor4in accordance with a monitoring rule9.

A starting point according to the proposal is therefore that the adjustment element5can be adjusted in the resetting movement into the predetermined engaged position which is illustrated by a solid line inFIG. 1. However, it has also been identified according to the proposal that the resetting movement can also be incomplete in such a manner that an erroneous position upstream of the predetermined engaged position is reached rather than the predetermined engaged position. This may be attributed, for example, to soiling, icing or the like, which leads to the spring force which has yet to be explained and which acts on the adjustment element5not being of a sufficient magnitude to overcome such an obstruction.

A predetermined deviation of the position of the adjustment element5that has actually been reached in the resetting movement7from the engaged position may be, using the example of the functional component1configured as a motor vehicle lock, that there is an apparent locking, i.e. an incomplete locking. This is illustrated by a dashed line inFIG. 1. As indicated above, this apparent locking is attributed to the fact that the resetting movement7is an incomplete resetting movement. Upon such a deviation being detected, the monitoring unit8carries out an alarm routine which carries out a corresponding measure. In a first variant, it is provided that the alarm routine issues a warning message to the vehicle operator. Alternatively or additionally, it can be provided that the alarm routine locks the continued operation of the drive arrangement3in order to remove further risks.

The monitoring unit8determines the position of the adjustment element5that has actually been reached in the resetting movement7with respect to a reference position of the adjustment element5in accordance with the monitoring rule9. Here as an example, the reference position in accordance with the monitoring rule9is the position of the adjustment element5that has actually been reached in the deflecting movement and that is illustrated inFIG. 2. The reference position may be defined in the above context by the end stop10.

A robust determination of the position of the adjustment element5that has actually been reached in the resetting movement7arises by the fact that the position of the adjustment element5is determined from the profile of the motor voltage UMin accordance with the monitoring rule9. This is illustrated inFIG. 2. The starting point here is that, during the resetting movement7, the supply connections11,12of the drive motor4are free from a supply voltage. As an example, in the configuration of the drive motor, a sequence of halfwaves13then arises in the motor voltage UM, and the term “halfwave” can be interpreted widely here.

It can be gathered from the illustration according toFIG. 2that a conclusion can be drawn regarding the distance covered by the drive motor4and therefore by the adjustment element5from the number of halfwaves13. A counting mechanism merely has to be provided here in the monitoring unit8.

Alternatively, it can be provided that the monitoring unit8determines the position of the adjustment element5that has actually been reached in the resetting movement7from the magnitude of the motor voltage UMin accordance with the monitoring rule9. The term “magnitude of the motor voltage” can represent the maximum of the halfwaves13illustrated inFIG. 2, an average value via the halfwaves13illustrated inFIG. 2, or the like. Irrespective of the specific definition, the magnitude of the motor voltage UMis proportional to the adjustment speed of the drive motor4and therefore to the adjustment speed of the adjustment element5. Accordingly, it may be provided that the monitoring unit8determines the adjustment speed of the adjustment element5that actually prevails in the resetting movement7from the magnitude of the motor voltage UMin accordance with the monitoring rule9and determines the position of the adjustment element5that has actually been reached, with respect to the above reference position, from the determined, actually prevailing adjustment speed of the adjustment element5. The position of the adjustment element5may arise by integration of the adjustment speed and/or of the motor voltage UMover time. This variant can be used insofar as an above-discussed counting mechanism for the halfwaves in the motor voltage UMis not required. However, this determination is dependent on ambient conditions, such as the ambient temperature, which requires additional compensation measures. This will be explained further below.

In one or more embodiments, the drive motor4is configured as a direct current motor may be separately excited. Other types of electric machines can be used here. These include in particular brushless direct current motors.

FIG. 1shows that the monitoring unit8is part of a control unit14which, in addition to the monitoring unit8, has a driver unit15for supplying the drive motor4with electric driving power. The control unit14ensures that the drive motor4is free of a supply voltage, such as from the driver unit15, during the resetting movement7. The supply connections11,12of the drive motor4may not be coupled electrically to one another during the resetting movement7, are not short-circuited, in order to avoid a braking action in the manner of short-circuit braking.

In very general terms, the above monitoring rule9represents the relationship between the motor voltage UMand the position of the adjustment element5that has actually been reached in the resetting movement7. The above alternative mentioned second here involves the relationship between the motor voltage UMand the adjustment speed of the drive motor4, and therefore of the adjustment element5, that actually prevails in the resetting movement7. As an example, this relationship is dependent on ambient conditions, such as an ambient temperature. In one or more embodiments, the monitoring unit8determines the ambient temperature and adapts the monitoring rule9to the ambient temperature. The adaptation is indicated in the drawing by reference sign16. In the simplest case, the ambient temperature can be determined by the monitoring unit8via the CAN bus of the motor vehicle, since it is assumed that, in modern motor vehicles, a corresponding temperature sensor is accessible via the CAN bus.

The monitoring rule9can be adapted, for example, on the basis of a physical motor model of the drive motor4. However, it is also conceivable that the monitoring unit8is configured for this purpose to be capable of learning within a certain extent. For this purpose, it may be provided that the monitoring unit8determines the ambient temperature from the motor current IMin a reference run of the adjustment element5. In the simplest case, the known temperature dependency of the ohmic resistance of the motor winding of the drive motor4can be used here.

Alternatively or additionally, it can be provided that the relationship between the motor voltage UMand the position of the adjustment element5that has actually been reached in the resetting movement7, such as the adjustment speed of the adjustment element5that actually prevails in the resetting movement7, is determined from the motor current IMin a reference run. The reference run here may be the deflecting movement of the adjustment element5, i.e. the movement of the adjustment element5produced in a motorized manner by the drive arrangement3. Alternatively or additionally, the reference run can also be the resetting movement of the adjustment element5. If a physical motor model of the drive motor4is at the basis of the above relationship, a parametrization of the motor model can be determined from such a reference run and the determination of the resulting motor current IM, in particular in the first-mentioned case, the parameterization then being able to be at the basis of the determination of the position of the adjustment element5that has actually been reached in the resetting movement.

Alternatively or additionally, it can be provided that the monitoring unit8determines the motor voltage UMof the drive motor4in a reference run and produces or adapts the monitoring rule depending on the determined motor voltage UM. As an example, the monitoring unit8determines the relationship between the motor voltage UMand the position that has actually been reached in the resetting movement7, in particular the adjustment speed of the adjustment element5that actually prevails in the resetting movement7, from the motor voltage UM, in particular from the voltage profile. In the simplest case, a characteristic voltage profile can be stored in the monitoring unit8, and a conversion factor for determining the position of the adjustment element5that has actually be reached that may be determined from the deviation of the voltage profile determined in the reference run from the characteristic voltage profile. However, the conversion factor can also arise simply from the number of the above halfwaves in the motor voltage UM. A system for determining the conversion factor can be determined, for example, in a series of tests. As discussed above, the starting point may be that the deflecting movement and/or the resetting movement is/are fixedly predetermined mechanically, for example by corresponding blocking stops.

As discussed above, the functional component1may be a motor vehicle lock of the motor vehicle lock arrangement, as shown in the drawing. The functional component1may include the locking elements lock latch17and catch18, which interact with each other in a manner which is customary per se.

Furthermore, the motor vehicle lock may include a lock housing19, and the monitoring unit8, as an example, is arranged in the lock housing19. In principle, it can also be provided that the entire control unit14is arranged in the lock housing19. Furthermore, it is conceivable that the monitoring unit8and optionally the entire control unit14is or are furthermore arranged outside the lock housing and spatially separately from the motor vehicle lock.

As an example, the adjustment element5is furthermore the catch18of the motor vehicle lock, and the deflecting movement6is lifting out of the catch18within the scope of a motorized opening function. The catch18here may be assigned a catch spring20which ensures the spring-driven resetting movement7indicated above.

Alternatively and not illustrated, it can be provided that the adjustment element5is the lock latch17of the motor vehicle lock, and the deflecting movement6is a locking movement of the lock latch17within the scope of a motorized closing function.

Furthermore alternatively, it can be provided that the adjustment element5is a functional lever for setting a lock state. The functional lever includes, for example, a central locking lever, a theft protection lever or a child safety lock lever. Other use fields for the solution according to the proposal are conceivable.

It emerges from the above explanation that the drive arrangement3is considered in the manner such that it can be driven back, and the drive arrangement3is coupled to the adjustment element5in such a manner that the spring-driven resetting movement of the adjustment element5is associated with a driving back of the drive motor4. This corresponds to the manner of operation of the exemplary embodiment which is illustrated in the drawing. The drive arrangement3here has a flexible traction means21which directly or indirectly connects the drive motor4to the adjustment element5and can be wound up by the drive motor4in order to produce the deflecting movement6. The flexible traction means21can be, for example, a cable, a belt, a chain or the like. The flexible traction means21can be configured from a plastics material, from a metal material or the like.

As an example, the flexible traction means21can be wound up on a drive shaft22, such as on the motor shaft of the drive motor4, by means of the drive motor4. It can be gathered in the drawing that the spring-driven movement back out of the situation shown inFIG. 2leads to an unwinding of the flexible traction means21from the drive shaft22, as a result of which a corresponding motor voltage UMis produced at the supply connections11,12of the drive motor4.

According to a further teaching which obtains independent importance, a method for operating a functional component1according to the proposal of a motor vehicle lock arrangement2is claimed as such.

According to the method according to the proposal, the functional component1has a drive arrangement3with an electric drive motor4and an adjustment element5which is coupled or can be coupled to the drive arrangement3. The adjustment element5is deflected out of a predetermined engaged position in a deflecting movement6, and the deflected adjustment element5is reset into the engaged position in a resetting movement7. Furthermore, the deflecting movement6is produced by means of the drive arrangement3while the resetting movement is spring-driven.

An essential feature of the method according to the proposal is that the position of the adjustment element5that has actually been reached in the resetting movement7is determined from the motor voltage UMof the drive motor4by means of a monitoring unit8in accordance with a monitoring rule9. In this respect, reference should be made to all of the statements regarding the manner of operation of the functional component1according to the proposal.

The following is a list of reference numbers shown in the Figures. However, it should be understood that the use of these terms is for illustrative purposes only with respect to one embodiment. And, use of reference numbers correlating a certain term that is both illustrated in the Figures and present in the claims is not intended to limit the claims to only cover the illustrated embodiment.

PARTS LIST

2motor vehicle lock arrangement