Abstract:
A commercial vehicle, rail or bus vehicle entry door comprising: a grip recess; a door lock; a closing device; a latching mechanism having at least one latch; a lock carrier area; and a latching mechanism carrier; wherein the door lock is held on the door and the closing device acts upon the latching mechanism in order to move the at least one latch of the latching mechanism into a closed or opened position; and wherein the lock carrier area can be fastened on the door and which, together with the grip recess, forms a one-piece basic component on which the latching mechanism carrier carries the latching mechanism in a detachable and reversible manner for the optional mounting of the door lock for a door hung by one of a right side mounting and one of a left side mounting.

Description:
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    Priority is claimed to German Patent Application, Ser. No. 101 33 438.9, filed Jul. 10, 2001.  
           [0002]    The invention relates to a commercial vehicle, rail or bus vehicle entry door.  
           [0003]    Such a door is known from the prior art and has a grip recess and a door lock held on the door frame, the grip recess and the door lock representing separate components. The door lock contains a closing device acting upon a latching mechanism in order to move at least one latch of the latching mechanism into the closing or opening position. According to the type of the selected door lock, a correspondingly constructed receiving device must be worked into the door frame. In addition, different door locks are provided for doors hung on the left or on the right.  
           [0004]    The present invention is directed to a commercial vehicle, rail or bus vehicle entry door comprising: a grip recess; a door lock; a closing device; a latching mechanism having at least one latch; a lock carrier area; and a latching mechanism carrier; wherein the door lock is held on the door and the closing device acts upon the latching mechanism in order to move the at least one latch of the latching mechanism into a closed or opened position; and wherein the lock carrier area can be fastened on the door and which, together with the grip recess, forms a one-piece basic component on which the latching mechanism carrier carries the latching mechanism in a detachable and reversible manner for the optional mounting of the door lock for a door hung by one of a right side mounting and one of a left side mounting.  
           [0005]    Because of the one-piece basic component, in which the grip recess as well as the lock carrier are integrated, the number of components to be manufactured, to be stored and to be mounted is reduced. As a result of the latching mechanism carrier being fastened in a reversible manner on the basic component, a door lock for a right-hung door as well as for a left-hung door can be produced by means of identical components because, by reversing the latching mechanism, the latch will then project either to the right or to the left. On the whole, variants of the door according to the invention can thereby be produced at low cost.  
           [0006]    Special preferable embodiments may provide that the basic component is constructed as a standardized carrier element for different door locks. Every door can therefore, on the one hand, be provided with identical connection measurements for the basic component, whereby the tool and manufacturing costs are lowered. On the other hand, because of the standardized construction of the basic component, several door lock variants can be presented by means of a single structural element.  
           [0007]    According to a further possible development, the latching mechanism carrier contains at least one plate with bores which can be fitted onto at least one carrying pin projecting away from the basic component. As a result, the latching mechanism carrier can be mounted and demounted on the basic component in a simple and rapid manner. Furthermore, a mounting is also easily possible in a reversed position.  
           [0008]    According to another possible embodiment, the door lock may have a receiving device for different closing devices, such as a 90-degree or a 180 degree closing device. This may be accomplished by a nut which is rotatably disposed between two parallel plates forming the latching mechanism carrier. The receiving device has a center opening on whose radially interior circumferential surface a polygonal surface is provided for the engagement of different connection elements or inserts of closing devices. As a result, the door lock can be provided with different closing devices without additional changes, which results in a cost-effective manufacturing of variants.  
           [0009]    According to another possible embodiment, the door may have a door frame surrounding the door circumference, at which door frame a door glass pane is fastened which essentially extends along the entire door height and door width. The basic component can then be fixed at the door glass pane without any direct connection to the door frame, and can preferably be glued to the door glass pane. Advantageously, the previously customary high-expenditure machining of the door frame for producing an individual receiving device for the door lock can be eliminated. Only a passage bore, as a passage for the latch and which is aligned with the latch, is to be provided in the door frame.  
           [0010]    Additionally, the glass pane can have an area of a blackening extending around in the immediate vicinity of the door frame, wherein a latch position indicator may be provided which is integrated in the latching mechanism and by means of which the currently existing latched or unlatched position of the latch is visible through a gap in the blackening.  
           [0011]    As an additional possible measure, an opening device acting upon the latching mechanism is provided for unlatching the latched door lock from the inside, which opening device is preferably formed by a handwheel. This complies with the requirements of ECE-R 36, according to which it must be possible to open the door from the inside in the event of an emergency situation.  
           [0012]    Other aspects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detail description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1 is a perspective exterior view of a door lock, according to the principles of the present invention;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 2 is a perspective interior view of the door lock of FIG. 1;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 3 is a broken-open interior view of the door lock of FIG. 1;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 4 is a sectional view along Line IV-IV of FIG. 3. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0017]    For reasons of scale, FIG. 1 shows only a door lock  1  of a bus door in a view from the outside as a preferred embodiment of an entry door according to the invention. In the following, the interior side is the side of the bus door pointing to the vehicle occupant compartment and the exterior side is the side of the bus door pointing to the open air.  
         [0018]    As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the door lock  1  comprises a lock carrier area  2  which, together with a grip recess  4 , is constructed as a one-piece basic component  6  preferably in the form of an injection-molded blank.  
         [0019]    Viewed in an installed position in the bus door (not shown), the grip recess  4  has a preferably oval or rectangular grip recess opening  10  arranged above the lock carrier area  2  and constructed in a plate-shaped screen  8 . Grip recess  4  has a surrounding grip recess wall  12 , which has a rectangular cross-section, projects away from the screen  8  toward the interior side and is spaced laterally with respect to the edge of the grip recess opening  10 , so that a hand can reach behind the grip recess  4 , as illustrated particularly in FIG. 2. The lock carrier area  2  of the basic component  6 , arranged below the grip recess  4 , comprises an essentially oval section  14  projecting toward the exterior side. The basic component  6  is axially symmetrical with respect to its vertical enter axis  16  and can therefore be used for doors hung on the left as well as for doors hung on the right, as will be explained later. In addition, the basic component  6  is constructed as a standardized carrier element for different door locks.  
         [0020]    The oval section  14  of the lock carrier area  2  is provided in its lower area with a passage bore  18  which tapers in a funnel shape toward the interior side and leads into a cylindrical section  20 , as indicated in FIG. 4. This cylindrical section  20  forms a receiving device for a closing device (not identified) which is constructed as connection elements or an insert  22  and which, at its end pointing to the exterior side, has a square application surface  24  for a square wrench. The other end of the insert  22  pointing to the interior side has a connection element in the form of another square application surface  26  which engages in a coaxial, polygonal passage opening  28  of a nut  30  and, as a result, is non-rotatably connected with the latter. The passage opening  28  of the nut  30  and the cylindrical section  20  in the basic component  6  are constructed such that, instead of an insert  22  with a square application surface  24 , other closing devices can also be inserted into the door lock  1 , as, for example, a closing cylinder of the Type YMOS, BN or PS with a 90 degree or 180 degree angle of rotation.  
         [0021]    The bus door (not shown) has a door frame  32  extending around the door circumference in a rectangular manner with a hollow door profile (not identified) illustrated in its cross-section in FIG. 4. At the hollow door profile, a door glass pane  34  is fastened to a surface pointing toward the exterior side and extends essentially along the entire door height and door width. In this case, the door glass pane  34  preferably completely covers the door frame  32  although such is not necessary.  
         [0022]    The basic component  6  of the door lock  1  is not fixed directly to the door frame  32  but to the door glass pane  34 . For this purpose, the door glass pane  34  has, close to the door frame  32 , a receiving device in the form of a vertically extending oblong hole  36 , which is preferably arranged in the area of a blackening  38  of the door glass pane  34  extending around preferably in the area of a direct vicinity of the door frame  32 . At an edge of the oblong hole  36  pointing to the interior side, the basic component  6  is preferably fastened by means of a glued connection  39 , although other types of connections can be used. In this case, a center axis  40  of the oblong hole  36  and the center axis  16  of the basic component  6  are superimposed. In addition, the oblong hole  36  is dimensioned such that a gripping into the grip recess  4  of the basic component  6  is possible from the exterior side. The oval section  14  of the basic component  6  projects as a centering collar through the oblong hole  36  of the door glass pane  34 , a surrounding lip seal  42 , which is arranged between the basic component  6  and the edge of the oblong hole  36 , to provide that splashing water cannot penetrate to the interior side. On its side pointing to the door glass pane  34 , a flat screen  8  of the basic component  6  has a pulled-back groove-like surrounding area  44  for receiving the glue of the glued connection  39  as well as contact points  46  (see FIG. 1). The contact points  46  are constructed as short pins to contact the door glass pane  34 , which contact points  46  act as spacers, permitting a gluing of the essentially flat basic component  6  to slightly curved door glass pane  34 .  
         [0023]    As illustrated in FIG. 4, a transverse bore  48  is provided in the door frame  32  which is used as a passage opening for a basic latch  50  of a latching mechanism  52  of the door lock  1 . Latch  50  extends transversely to the longitudinal direction of the basic component  6 . The passage opening or bore  48  aligned with the latch  50  permits the latch  50  to engage beyond the door frame  32  in a door portal engaging device, which is not shown, in the closed position of the latch. A latching mechanism carrier (not identified) carrying or supporting the latching mechanism  52  is fixed to the basic component  6 . For this purpose, the latching mechanism carrier preferably has two plates  54 , which are arranged at a parallel distance from one another, are provided with bores  56  and can be fitted onto at least two carrying pins  58  projecting away from the basic component  6  toward the interior side. The two plates  54 , act as a bearing point, with a bore  60  therebetween aligned with the passage opening  28  of the nut  30  to hold the nut  30  rotatably so that rotating movements introduced into the insert  22  by way of the square application surface  24  can be transmitted to the nut  30 .  
         [0024]    As illustrated in a right-handed hung door of FIG. 3, the nut  30  has a radially projecting lever  62  which can strike by means of its face onto inclined stop surfaces  64 ,  66  of latch holder  68  of the latching mechanism  52 , which latch holder  68  acts upon the latch  50 . According to FIG. 3, the lever  62  of the nut  30  is caused to impact, for example, on the right stop surface  64  by the right-hand rotation of the insert  22 , whereby the assigned latch holder  68  transports the latch  50  toward the right into a moved-in position, in which it can no longer engage with its free end in the door portal engaging device and the door lock  1  is therefore opened. In contrast, by means of a left-hand rotation of the insert  22 , the lever  62  of the nut  30 , by resting against the left stop surface  66 , moves the latch  50  into a moved-out position, in which it locks the door lock  1 . According to the preferred embodiment, the insert  22  is a 90-degree closing device, that is, for an opening or closing operation, the insert  22  must be rotated 90 degrees. However, a 180-degree closing device can also be used, in which case the lever  62  of the nut  30  will then rotate empty after the implemented stop on the stop surfaces  64 ,  66  until its angular end position is reached.  
         [0025]    For a left-handed pivoting door, the latch  50  extends out the other side of the lock carrier area  2  and the latching mechanism  52  is appropriately reversed.  
         [0026]    Alternatively, in some constructions, the lock  1  could be mounted with the grip recess opening  10  located in a reverse position from that shown.  
         [0027]    A bolt position indicator  72 , which can be operated by the latch holder  68  by means of a lever mechanism  70  to permit the recognition of the locked or unlocked condition of the door lock  1  from the exterior side. For example, for the unlocked condition, an indicating surface  74  with a green color field and, for the locked condition, an indicating surface  76  with a red color field is transported into a bottom-side recess  78  of the screen  8  arranged in the area of the center axis  16  of the basic component  6  (see FIGS. 1 and 3). The bottom-side recess  78  of the screen  8  is situated opposite a gap in the blackening  38  of the door glass pane  34 , so that the surface with color fields  74 ,  76  are easily visible from the exterior side. Lever mechanism  70  is operated by the latching mechanism  52  to move surface  76  into the location shown by surface  74  in FIG. 3 when the latch  50  is extended.  
         [0028]    The latching mechanism carrier, preferably formed by the two plates  54 , is detachably fastened on the carrying pins  58  of the basic component  6  and can also be fitted onto the carrying pins  58  in the reverse position, in which the latch  50  points in the opposite direction. The door lock  1  can then optionally be mounted for a door hung on the right or for a door hung on the left. The indicating surfaces  74 ,  76  are each provided on both sides with a color field so that, also in the case of a reversed latching mechanism  52 , the color fields will be visible in the center recess  78  of the screen  8 . Toward the exterior side, the latching mechanism  52  is covered by the screen  8  and, toward the interior side, it is covered by a covering  86  fastened on the door frame  32 . When the latching mechanism support, including plates,  54  is removed from the basic component  6 , the insert  22 , instead of being inserted from the exterior side, can also be inserted from the interior side into the cylindrical section  20  of the basic component  6 .  
         [0029]    Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 4, an opening device  80 , which acts upon the latching mechanism  52 , is provided for unlocking the latched door lock  1  from the inside. Opening device  80  is formed, for example, by a handwheel  82  which, by means of its cylindrical end, is rotatably disposed in the nut  30  and is non-rotatably connected with a disk  84  which acts upon the latch holder  68  of the latching mechanism  52 . By rotating the handwheel  82 , the door lock  1 , which is in the locked position, can therefore be unlocked from the interior side, for example, in the event of emergencies.  
         [0030]    Although the present invention has been described and illustrated in detail, it is to be clearly understood that this is done by way of illustration and example only and is not to be taken by way of limitation. The spirit and scope of the present invention are to be limited only by the terms of the appended claims.