Abstract:
A closing device includes a cylinder core with followers and a closing cylinder with a freewheel sleeve and a housing accommodating the sleeve. Normally, a coupling slider is coupled to the cylinder core by a restoring force, but is decoupled therefrom in the event of overcharge. An axial connection is provided between the coupling slider and a locking and controlling member. The slider and the locking and controlling member can be radially moved, however, can be rotated between various rotational positions of the closing cylinder when the cylinder core is actuated using a key. The closing cylinder has two key removal positions. The coupling slider is displaced in the angle thereof by turning the key between at least two rotational positions which correspond to the key removal positions. The coupling slider can be radially displaced in the direction of the rotational positions. At least one locking and controlling member is allocated to each of the rotational positions.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention pertains to a closing device for performing closing functions especially in motor vehicles. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     In comparison with similar closing devices of the older design (DE 44 12 609 A1), devices of this type (DE 198 53 543 A1, DE 197 49 329 C1) offer the advantage of being more compact in the axial direction. 
     The closing cylinder of these known devices (DE 198 53 543 A1, DE 197 49 329 C1) has only a single key withdrawal position, that is, only one position in which the key can be inserted freely into the cylinder core and pulled back out again. In DE 198-53,543 A1, for example, the key withdrawal position is in the starting position of the closing cylinder, which is determined for a defined rotational angle of the cylinder core by an impulse spring of the return spring. By rotating the key, the cylinder core can be moved to various other positions, which correspond to various other working positions of the working element. 
     In many practical applications, there is a need to be able to insert and withdraw the key in other rotational positions of the cylinder core. Thus, for example, in the case of the closing devices on the rear sliding or swinging doors or lids of motor vehicles, it is desirable to have the ability to pull the key out both in the starting position of the closing cylinder, i.e., when the lock is open, and also in a rotational position of the cylinder core characterizing the locked position of the lock. In the case of the known devices of the present type, it did not seem possible to realize this goal with an acceptable amount of effort. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is based on the task of developing an inexpensive, reliable device of the type indicated in the introductory clause, which has at least two key-withdrawal positions rotationally offset from each other and which nevertheless have a compact design. This is accomplished according to the invention by the measures listed below, to which the following special meaning belongs: 
     In the normal case, the coupling slider is engaged with the cylinder core, so that, when the cylinder core is rotated by the turning of the key, the slider is carried along between one of the desired key withdrawal positions and at least one other key withdrawal position, thus arriving at one of the rotationally offset angles thus determined. In addition, several locking control elements are provided according to the invention, one of which is assigned to each of the rotational angles determining the various key withdrawal positions. On transition from the normal case to the overload case, the locking control elements move in the radial direction, as in the case of the devices of the type described in the introductory clause; this radial movement is transmitted to the coupling slider via an axial connection. In the invention, the radial movement of these rotationally offset radial elements occurs in the same direction as the associated rotational angle of the coupling slider when it is in one of the various key withdrawal positions. In the case of the device according to the invention, therefore, only a single coupling slider is needed, which, as a function of the selected key withdrawal position, cooperates with the locking control element or control elements assigned to it at the rotational angle in question, whereas none of the other locking elements participates in the overload case. 
     Additional measures and advantages of the invention can be derived from the following description, and especially from the drawings. The drawings illustrate the invention on the basis of a closing device unit comprising the closing cylinder, which is shown in various working positions: 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal section through the closing cylinder unit according to the invention in a first key withdrawal position characterizing the starting position, where, for reasons of clarity, the components in this longitudinal section are rotated in comparison with the cross section of the following figures; 
     FIG. 2 shows a side view of the unit shown in FIG. 1, that is, in a cross-sectional plane perpendicular to that of FIG. 1, in this same starting position; 
     FIGS. 3-7 show various cross-sectional views through the unit shown in FIG. 1 in the starting position, these cross sections being taken along the lines III—III, IV—IV, V—V, VI—VI, and VII—VII of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 8 shows an axial cross section, similar to FIG. 1, of the unit in the overload case, the components being in the positions which correspond to the starting position of the cylinder core; 
     FIGS. 9-13, in analogy to FIGS. 3-7, show various cross-sectional views of the operating case shown in FIG. 8, where, as a result of forcible rotation by a picking tool suggested in the cross section, the cylinder core has been rotated toward the left by about 45° relative to the starting position, the locations of the cross sections being indicated by the lines IX—IX, X—X, XI—XI, XII—XII, and XIII—XIII in FIG. 8; 
     FIG. 14 shows a partial axial cross section of the unit, similar to FIG. 1, in which a second key withdrawal position is present and the rotating parts are now at a different angle, determined by this second withdrawal position; 
     FIGS. 15-19, in analogy to FIGS. 3-7, show cross sections through the unit in the second key withdrawal position of FIG. 14, the cross sections being taken along the lines XV—XV, XVI—XVI, XVII—XVII, XVIII—XVIII, and XIX—XIX in FIG. 14; 
     FIG. 20 again shows the overload case of the closing cylinder, but here the unit is in the second key withdrawal position according to FIGS. 14-19, and the rotating components have been forcibly turned by a picking tool, suggested in the cross section, by about 45° to the left; and 
     FIGS. 21-25, finally, in analogy to FIGS. 3-7, show five cross sections-along the cross-sectional lines indicated there, namely, lines XXI—XXI, XXII—XXII, XXIII—XXIII, XXIV—XXIV, and XXV—XXV, from which the relationships resulting in this case can be derived. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     In the invention, two key withdrawal positions  45 ,  46  are provided, which usually have a rotational offset  49  of 90° from each other. For this purpose, the invention uses at least two locking control elements, which are designed here as rollers  21 ,  22 . These rollers  21 ,  22  must be positioned so that they move in the same direction as that in which a coupling slider  30  moves when it couples. When force is applied, which is characteristic of the overload case (FIG. 9, FIG.  21 ), one of the rollers  21 ,  22  takes over the job of transporting the coupling slider  30 , while the other roller  22 ,  21  does nothing. Both rollers  21 ,  22 , however, always participate in the unlocking moment which allows the freewheel sleeve  12  to freewheel (FIGS. 11,  23 ). 
     The closing device shown in FIGS. 1-25 is especially suitable for use in the doors of vehicles. The closing cylinder  10  consists, first, of a free-wheel sleeve  12  and a cylinder core  11 , supported in the cylinder with freedom of rotation but not of axial movement. The axially-immovable connection is produced by the contact between shoulder surfaces of the two components. The cylinder core  11  holds spring-loaded tumblers  15 ,  15 ′ and has an axial extension  23  and a key channel  17  for accepting a key (not shown). Once the key has been withdrawn, the springs acting on the tumblers  15 ,  15 ′ push them radially outward so that they engage in locking channels  25 ,  25 ′ as shown at  15 ,  15 ′ in FIG.  5 . Then the cylinder core  11  is locked to the freewheel sleeve  12 . Because of the space required to accommodate the springs, the tumblers  15 ,  15 ′ are preferably designed to move in opposite directions, as indicated in FIG.  1 . The tumbler  15  thus engages in the locking channel  25 , and the adjacent tumbler  15 ′ engages in the locking channel  25 ′ (FIG.  5 ). 
     The freewheel sleeve  12  is supported with freedom to rotate in a stationary, cylindrical housing  13 . An assembly aid  16  passes through a certain part of the housing  13  and fits into a circumferential groove in the freewheel sleeve  12 . In the normal case (FIGS.  1 - 7 ), however, the freewheel sleeve  12  is prevented from rotating freely by two locking control elements, which are designed here as rollers  21 ,  22 . A one-piece annular spring  20  surrounds both of these two rollers  21 ,  22 , as a result of which a spring-loading force  28 ,  29  is produced, which is directed toward the axis  14 . The turns  58  of the annular spring  20  are held in a circumferential groove  54  in the housing  13 . In the normal case  55 , the turns  58  remain within the circumferential area  44  of the housing  13 . In the case of an unauthorized intervention, the annular spring  20  is pushed out of the circumferential area  44  of the housing  13  by the movement of the rollers  21 ,  22  (FIG.  9 ). 
     FIGS. 1-7 show the normal case  55  of the closing cylinder  10  in the vertical key withdrawal position  45 . In this withdrawal position  45 , a properly fitting key can be inserted into the key channel  17  and pulled back out again. This is also true in FIGS. 14-19, which show the horizontal key removal position  46 , which therefore does not require any further discussion. 
     When the key is inserted, the tumblers  15 ,  15 ′ (not shown here) are sorted on the circumference of the cylinder core  11 . The cylinder core  11  is now free to rotate in the freewheel sleeve  12  around the axis  14 . A working element  40 , which consists here of a gear wheel, is mounted on the axial extension  23  of the cylinder core  11 . 
     When the key is turned, the cylinder core  11  can be moved to various rotational positions  47 ,  48 , which correspond to certain working positions of the gear wheel  40  and of the lock in engagement with it. This rotation of the cylinder core  11  is transmitted in the following way to the gear wheel. The previously mentioned coupling slider  30  is located between the working element  40 , the end surface of the freewheel sleeve  12 , and the housing  13 . In the bottom of the working element  40 , a diametric channel  39  is provided, which serves to guide the coupling slider  30  radially (FIGS.  2  and  4 ). For this purpose, the plate of the coupling slider  30  has a suitable outline  59 . Because of the way the working element  40  and the coupling slider  30  fit together, they are unable to rotate relative to each other. The coupling slider  30  is subjected to a force acting in the direction of the arrow  33  in FIG.  4 . The same is also true in the rotational position  48  of the slider  30 ′ in FIG. 22, illustrated by the arrow  33 ′. Thus the coupling elements  18 ,  38  shown in FIG. 3 engage with each other. The coupling projection  38 , belonging to the coupling slider  30  and located on the circular central shoulder  34 , engages in the radial recess  18  in the axial extension  23  of the cylinder core  11 . When the key causes the cylinder core  11  to rotate, the engagement between  18  and  38  and the radial guidance of the coupling slider  30  in the channel  39  allow the working element  40  to be rotated by the cylinder core  11 , which thus allows the lock components to perform the desired closing function. 
     The end surface  50  of the coupling slider  30  is also equipped with a first and a second segment  31 ,  32 , and the end surface  19  of the housing  13  is equipped with opposing segments  43 . These segments determine between them a first and a second segment gap  41 ,  42 . These segments and gaps are placed in such a way that, in the overload case with the working element  40  disconnected, the coupling slider  30  is locked to the housing  13 . This situation is shown for the two key withdrawal positions  45 ,  46  in FIG.  9  and in FIG.  21 . 
     The segments  31 ,  32 , the opposing segments  43 , and the segment gaps  41 ,  42  also fulfill a radial retention function for the coupling slider  30  during the rotation of the cylinder core  11  between the two key withdrawal positions, as can also be derived from FIG.  3  and FIG. 15 in the two key withdrawal positions  45 ,  46 . Before the first segment  31  of the coupling slider  30  leaves the axial shoulder  35  of the roller  21 , which functions as a connecting point, a diametrically opposing second segment  32  arrives in an intermediate position outside the segment gap  41 . As the slider continues to turn, it is then guided by one of the three opposing segments  43  provided. This continues until the end position shown in FIG. 15 is reached. Then the first segment  31  of the coupling slider  30  is located at the axial shoulder  36  of the second locking control element  22 . This position of the coupling slider is designated by the number  30 ′ in FIGS. 14-25. In this second key withdrawal position  46 , shown in FIGS. 14-19, the second segment  32  of the coupling slider  30 ′ is aligned with the second segment gap  42  created by the three provided opposing segments  43 . 
     The overload case  56  of the closing device is shown in FIGS. 8-13 and FIGS. 20-25. A lock-picking tool  27  acting on the cylinder core  11  has been used forcibly to rotate the cylinder core  11 . In this case, the tumblers  15 ,  15 ′ are in locking engagement with the freewheel sleeve  12 , as shown in FIGS. 11 and 23. As a result of this forcible rotation, therefore, the freewheel sleeve  12  is carried along with the cylinder core  11 . Between the slanted sides of the rollers  21 ,  22  on the one hand and the radial recesses  51 ,  52  on the other, there arises an axial force opposing the spring-loading  28 ,  29 , which lifts the rollers  21 ,  22  out of the stationary recesses  51 ,  52  in the freewheel sleeve  12 . The freewheel sleeve  12  continues to rotate within the housing  13 , so that the rollers  21 ,  22  are now supported on the outside surface of the freewheel sleeve  12  (FIG.  11 ), over which they slide as the forcible rotation continues. As a result of this process, the rollers  21 ,  22  are pushed toward the outside by the distance indicated by the motion arrow  57  in FIG.  8 . The annular spring  20  enclosing the rollers  21 ,  22  extends beyond the circumferential area  44  of the housing  13 , as can be seen in FIG.  9 . 
     The coupling slider  30  is also carried along by this same distance  57  by the shoulder  35  of the roller  21  or by the shoulder  36  of the roller  22  and thus arrives in the axially offset thrust position illustrated by the auxiliary line  56  in FIG.  8 . The displacement paths  37 ,  37 ′ of the coupling element  30  are illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 22. It can be seen from FIGS. 9 and 10 that the forced movement of the coupling slider  30  along the displacement path  37  leads to the situation in which the axial extension  23  of the cylinder core  11  is now in a new position in the slot  64  in the coupling slider  30 . In this position, as can be seen in FIG. 9, the coupling projection  38  of the coupling slider  30  is no longer engaged in the recess  18  in the axial extension  23  of the cylinder core  11 . The forcible rotation of the cylinder core  11  is not transmitted to the coupling slider  30  and thus not to the working element  40 . 
     For the sake of a compact design, it is highly advantageous for the two locking recesses  51 ,  52  in the freewheel sleeve  12  for the two rollers  21 ,  22  to be located between the two pairs of tumbler channels  25 ,  25 ′ and  26 ,  26 ′ also provided there, as can best be seen in FIG.  11 . The pairwise arrangement of these tumbler channels  25 - 26 ′ is necessary to accommodate the opposite directions in which the tumblers  15 ,  15 ′ move to arrive in their locking positions after the key has been withdrawn, as shown for the two normal cases according to FIGS. 5 and 17. These tumblers  15 ,  15 ′, for the sake of clarity, have been illustrated by the fine and coarse shading in the figures. The first pair of tumbler channels  25 ,  25 ′ is active in the key withdrawal position of FIGS. 1-13, characterizing the starting position, whereas the other pair of tumbler channels  26 ,  26 ′, locks the cylinder core in the second key withdrawal position according to FIGS. 14-25. 
     As can be seen in FIG. 6, a retaining element  60  is provided in a radial bore  53  in the freewheel sleeve  12  between the tumbler channels  26  and  25 ′. A recess  62  on the inside wall of the housing  13  and two opposing recesses  61 ,  63  on the circumferential surface of the cylinder core  11  are assigned to this radial bore  53 , into which recesses the retaining element  60 , designed here as a disk, can alternately escape upon transitions between the normal case and the overload case. The one opposing recess  61  is active when the overload case occurs in the starting key withdrawal position  45  according to FIG. 12, whereas the other opposing recess  63  performs its locking function in the other key withdrawal position  46  of the unit, as shown in FIG.  24 . 
     FIGS. 8-13 show the use of a lock-picking tool  27  in the key channel  17  during the overload case starting from the key withdrawal position  45 , whereas FIGS. 20-25 show the analogous situation starting from the key withdrawal position  46 . By the exertion of force, the cylinder core  11  can be turned along with the freewheel sleeve  12  into any desired position. Upon insertion of the correct key, not shown in detail in the figures, the tumblers  15 ,  15 ′ are disengaged from the freewheel sleeve  12 . The freewheel sleeve  12  remains connected to the cylinder core  11  by the retaining element  60 , however, until the turning of the key has brought the core back to one of the starting positions, i.e., either the position according to FIG. 6 or the position according to FIG.  18 . It is for this reason that the two opposing recesses  61 ,  63  are provided. 
     As the retaining element  60 , it is also possible to use a slider or a pin instead of the disk mentioned above. The retaining element  60  is under the positive control of the cylinder core  11 , the freewheel sleeve  12 , and the housing  13 . There is therefore no need to install a spring or the like on the retaining element  60 . In the normal case, the freewheel sleeve  12  and the housing  13  automatically form a connection with each other, whereas, in the freewheeling case produced by the use of force, the cylinder core  11  and the freewheel sleeve  12  automatically form a connection with each other. These connections are formed when the system is turned from the key withdrawal positions  45 ,  46 . It is only in the two key withdrawal positions  45 ,  46  that there no need for any of the three parts  11 - 13  to be connected to each other. The normal case is illustrated by the auxiliary line  55  for the roller  21  in FIG. 1, and the freewheeling case is illustrated by the auxiliary line  56  in FIG.  8 . 
     LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS 
       10  closing cylinder 
       11  cylinder core 
       12  freewheel sleeve 
       13  housing 
       14  axis of  10  or  11   
       15 , 15 ′ tumbler 
       16  assembly aid between  13 ,  12   
       17  key channel in  11   
       18  coupling recess for  38  in  11  (FIG. 3) 
       19  end surface of  13  (FIG. 3) 
       20  spring means, annular spring, helical spring 
       21  first locking control element, roller 
       22  second locking control element, roller 
       23  axial extension of  11  (FIG. 1) 
     
       24 
     
       25 ,  25 ′ tumbler channel in  12  for  15 ,  15 ′ at  45  (FIGS. 1-13) 
       26 ,  26 ′ tumbler channel in  12  for  15 ,  15 ′ at  46  (FIGS. 14-25) 
       27  lock-picking tool 
       28  arrow of the spring loading of  21  (FIG. 5) 
       29  arrow of the radial spring loading of  22  (FIG. 5) 
       30  coupling slider (first rotational position, FIG. 4) 
       30 ′ second rotational position of  30  (FIG. 16) 
       31  first segment on  19  of  13  (FIG. 3) 
       32  second segment on  19  of  13  (FIG. 3) 
       33  restoring force on  30  (first rotational position, FIG. 4) 
       33 ′ restoring force on  30 ′ (second rotational position, FIG. 22) 
       34  circular central shoulder of  30   
       35  axial connection between  30 ,  21 , axial shoulder 
       36  axial connection between  22 ,  30 , axial shoulder 
       37  displacement path of  30  at  47  (FIG. 10) 
       37  ′ displacement path of  30  at  48  (FIG. 10) 
       38  coupling projection on  30  for  18   
       39  radial guide for  30 , diametric channel in  40   
       40  working element, gear wheel 
       41  first segment gap between  43  for  32  at  45  (FIG. 3) 
       42  second segment gap for  32  at  46  (FIG. 15) 
       43  opposing segment, guide surface for  41 ,  42   
       44  circumferential area of  13  (FIG. 9) 
       45  auxiliary line for the first key withdrawal position (FIG. 3) 
       46  auxiliary line for the second key withdrawal position (FIG. 15) 
       47  rotational position of  30  at  45   
       48  rotational position of  30 ′ at  46   
       49  angular shift between  30 ,  30 ′, angular offset between  21 ,  22  (FIG. ( 9 ) 
       50  end surface of  30   
       51  radial recess in  12  for  21   
       52  radial recess in  12  for  22   
       53  radial bore in  13  for  60   
       54  circumferential groove in  44  for  20   
       55  auxiliary line for the normal case of  21   
       56  auxiliary line for the overload case of  21   
       57  radial movement of  21  between  55 ,  56  (FIG. 8) 
       58  turn of  20   
       59  plate outline of  30  (FIG. 4) 
       60  retaining element, disk 
       61  first opposing recess in  11  for  60  at  45  (FIG. 6) 
       62  recess in  13  for  60  (FIG. 6) 
       63  opposing recess in  11  for  60  at  46  (FIG. 18) 
       64  slot in  30  (FIG. 4)