Vehicle door lock

Abstract: A vehicle door lock (1) presenting a lock mechanism (3); an outside release lever (5); a safety lever (8) movable between a first stable position disabling outside release, and a second stable position enabling outside release; and an inside release lever (6) movable between a first idle position (a), and a second position (b) wherein it cooperates with and releases the lock mechanism (3); the safety lever (8) presenting a shaped slot (22) engaged in sliding manner by a pin (21) on the inside release lever (6), so that the safety lever (8) is moved between the first and second stable positions when the inside release lever (6) is rotated between the idle position (a) and a third intermediate position (c).

Description: The present invention relates to a vehicle door lock. Locks are known comprising a lock mechanism; an outside release lever connected to the outside door handle; an inside release lever connected to the inside door handle and movable between an idle position and a release position; and a safety lever movable between a first stable position disabling release of the lock by the outside handle, and a second stable position enabling release. Italian Patent Application n. TO 93A000353 (corresponding to EP-A-0 632 178 which constitutes prior art in the sense of Art. 54(3) EPC) relates to a lock of the above type, which also comprises articulated connecting means interposed between the inside release lever and the safety lever, so that, when the inside release lever is moved from the idle position to an intermediate position and vice versa, the safety lever moves from the first to the second position and vice versa. This provides for connecting or disconnecting the safety lever from the inside door handle and so eliminating the traditional safety knob, with obvious advantages in terms of cost. It is an object of the present invention to provide a lock of the type briefly described above, which provides for extremely straightforward, low-cost connection of the inside release lever and the safety lever. According to the present invention, there is provided a vehicle door lock comprising a lock mechanism; an outside release lever connected to the outside door handle; a safety lever movable between a first stable position disabling release by said outside release lever, and a second stable position enabling release by said outside release lever; an inside release lever connected to the inside door handle and movable between a first idle position, and a second position in which it cooperates with and releases said lock mechanism; and connecting means for connecting said safety lever and said inside release lever, and for moving said safety lever between said first and second positions when the inside release lever is moved from said idle position to a third intermediate position and vice versa, wherein said connecting means comprise a thrust element on one of said levers; and guide means on another of said levers, and for guiding and cooperating in sliding manner with said thrust element. A preferred non-limiting embodiment of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a side view of a vehicle door lock connected to the inside door handle; Figures 2 and 3 show side views of the Figure 1 lock in different operating positions. Number 1 in the accompanying drawings indicates a lock for a vehicle door (not shown). Lock 1 comprises a structure 2 fitted to the vehicle door and for supporting a number of movable elements as described below. In particular, lock 1 comprises a known fork and catch type lock mechanism 3 cooperating with a striker element 4 fixed to the door post (not shown) when the door is closed. Lock 1 also comprises an outside release lever 5 connected to the outside door handle (not shown); an inside release lever 6 connected to the inside door handle 7; and a safety lever 8. Lever 5 is hinged to structure 2 by a pin (not shown), and is movable between an idle position, and an operating position (not shown) in which it releases the catch of lock mechanism 3 in known manner. Lever 6 is hinged to structure 2 by a pin 13, and is movable between a first idle position a maintained stably by a known spring 14 associated with lever 6, and a second position b rotated clockwise in relation to position a (Figure 3). In a final portion of its travel between positions a and b , a substantially radial appendix 15 of lever 6 cooperates with and releases lock mechanism 3 in known manner (not shown). Lever 6 comprises a first arm 18 connected to handle 7 by a rigid rod 16, so that handle 7 is movable between a stable idle position A corresponding to position a of lever 6, and an unstable release position B corresponding to position b of lever 6; and a second arm 19 connected to safety lever 8 as described below. Safety lever 8 is hinged to structure 2 by a pin 17, and is movable in known manner between a first safety-on position (Figure 1) wherein lever 5 is made ineffective by conventional mechanisms not described in detail, and a second position (Figures 2, 3) rotated clockwise in relation to the first position and enabling outside release of lock 1 by lever 5. The first and second positions of the lever are defined by stop elements (not shown) fitted to supporting structure 2 and with which lever 8 cooperates, and are made stable by a known bistable spring 10 connecting lever 8 to structure 2. According to the present invention, the second arm 19 of lever 6 presents a pin 21 with its axis parallel to that of pin 13, and which engages in sliding manner a guide slot 22 formed in lever 8. Slot 22 is substantially V-shaped, and comprises two portions 23, 24 coming together at an intermediate elbow 25 which defines a stable support for pin 21, with the aid of spring 14, when lever 6 is set to an intermediate angular position c . More specifically, portion 23 of slot 22 extends from elbow 25 to the end 26 of the slot furthest away from pin 17 and which is engaged by pin 21 when lever 6 is set to the idle position a (Figure 1); and portion 23 is inclined in relation to the radial direction through end 26 and the axis of pin 17, so as to generate a tangential thrust component on lever 8 by which to rotate it from the first to the second position when lever 6 is rotated from position a to position c and pin 21 slides along slot 22 from end 26 to elbow 25. Second portion 24 of slot 22 is in the form of an arc of a circle with its center at the axis of pin 13 when lever 8 is set to the second position, so that rotation of lever 6 from position c to position b and vice versa has no effect on lever 8. Operation of lock 1 will now be described as of the locked, safety-on condition shown in Figure 1, wherein handle 7 and lever 6 are set to respective positions A , a , and lever 8 is set to said first position. When handle 7 is rotated towards position B , pull is exerted on rod 16 which, being connected to inside release lever 6, rotates it through a first portion of its travel; pin 21, for the reasons stated above, slides along portion 23 of slot 22 and rotates lever 8 into the second safety-off position stabilized by spring 10; and, on reaching position c , lever 6 is arrested by pin 21 contacting elbow 25 and by the action of spring 14, which position of lever 6 corresponds to the intermediate position C of the handle, which is also stable by virtue of rod 16 being rigid. When handle 7 is rotated further into position B , inside release lever 6 is rotated into position b (Figure 3), in the course of which rotation, appendix 15 cooperates with and releases lock mechanism 3. This last configuration is unstable, due to inside release lever 6 being subjected to the action of spring 14 which tends to restore it to position c in Figure 2. The safety lever is reconnected by simply moving the handle from position C to position A , in which case also, rotation of lever 6 is transmitted by pin 21, via portion 23 of slot 22, to lever 8 which moves into the safety-on position (Figure 1). The advantages of lock 1 in accordance with the teachings of the present invention will be clear from the foregoing description. In particular, connection of levers 6 and 8, which provides for also connecting and disconnecting the safety lever by means of handle 7, is achieved in a particularly straightforward, low-cost manner. Clearly, changes may be made to lock 1 as described and illustrated herein without, however, departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, pin 21 may be formed on lever 8; and slot 22 may be formed in lever 6 suitably shaped for the purpose.

Claims: A vehicle door lock (1) comprising a lock mechanism (3); an outside release lever (5) connected to the outside door handle; a safety lever (8) movable between a first stable position disabling release by said outside release lever (5), and a second stable position enabling release by said outside release lever (5); an inside release lever (6) connected to the inside door handle (7) and movable between a first idle position (a), and a second position (b) in which it cooperates with and releases said lock mechanism (3); and connecting means (21, 22) for connecting said safety lever (8) and said inside release lever (6), and for moving said safety lever (8) between said first and second positions when the inside release lever (6) is moved from said idle position (a) to a third intermediate position (c) and vice versa, wherein said connecting means comprise a thrust element (21) on one (6) of said levers (6, 8); and guide means (22) on another (8) of said levers (6, 8), and for guiding and cooperating in sliding manner with said thrust element (21). A lock as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that said guide means (22) comprise a first portion (23) so oriented as to transmit to said safety lever (8), when said inside release lever (6) is moved between said first position (a) and said third position (c), a tangential thrust component for rotating said safety lever (8) between said first position and said second position. A lock as claimed in Claim 2, characterized in that said guide means (22) comprise a second portion (24) enabling said inside release lever (6) to rotate freely between said third position (c) and said second position (b) when said safety lever (8) is set to said second position. A lock as claimed in one of the foregoing Claims, characterized in that said thrust element is a pin (21) on one (6) of said levers (6, 8); and said guide means comprise a slot (22) formed in said other lever (8). A lock as claimed in Claim 4, characterized in that said pin (21) is formed on said inside release lever (6); and said slot (22) is formed in said safety lever (8). A lock as claimed in Claim 4 or 5, characterized in that said slot (22) is substantially V-shaped; said first (23) and second (24) portions coming together at an intermediate elbow (25) defining said third position (c) of said inside release lever (6). A lock as claimed in one of the foregoing Claims, characterized in that said handle (7) is connected to said inside release lever (6) by a rigid rod (16); said handle (7) being movable between an idle position (A) and a release position (B) respectively corresponding to said first position (a) and said second position (b) of said inside release lever (6); and said handle (7) presenting a third stable intermediate position (C) corresponding to said third position (c) of said inside release lever (6).

Inventors: GIACOMELLI MAURIZIO, OTTINO FRANCO GIOVANNI, GIACOMELLI, MAURIZIO, OTTINO, FRANCO GIOVANNI
Applicants: ATOMA ROLTRA SPA, ATOMA ROLTRA S.P.A.
Application year: 1995
Main classification: E05B65
IPC codes: E05B65, E05B13