Patent ID: 12203300

DESCRIPTION OF THE REFERENCE NUMERALS

100: lock tongue;101: first locking surface;102: second locking surface;200: first pawl;201: first engagement surface;202: first limit surface;203: first drive surface;300: second pawl;301: second engagement surface;302: clamping slot part;303: second drive surface;400: control member;401: control member engagement surface;402: control member limit surface;403: drive part;404: plane part;405: cylindrical part;406: limit part;500: elastic part;501: elastic arm;600: limit block;601: limit fitting surface;1000: lock device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure is further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and implementations. It can be understood that the specific implementations described herein are only used to explain related content, but are not intended to limit the present disclosure. It should be further noted that, for ease of description, only a part related to the present disclosure is shown in the accompany drawings.

It should be noted that, on the premise of no conflict, the implementations in the present disclosure and features in the implementations may be combined with each other. Technical solutions of the present disclosure are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings in conjunction with the implementations.

Unless otherwise specified, the illustrated exemplary implementations/embodiments are understood as providing exemplary features of various details of some ways in which technical concepts of the present disclosure may be implemented in practice. Therefore, unless otherwise specified, the features of various implementations/embodiments may be additionally combined, separated, interchanged, and/or rearranged without departing from the technical concepts of the present disclosure.

The use of crosshatch and/or shade in the accompanying drawings is generally used to make a boundary between adjacent parts clear. In this case, unless otherwise specified, the presence or absence of the crosshatch or shade does not express or indicate any preference or requirement for a specific material, material property, size, proportion of a part, commonality between illustrated parts, and/or any other characteristic, attribute, property, and the like of the part. In addition, in the accompanying drawings, a size and a relative size of a part may be exaggerated for clarity and/or a purpose of description. When exemplary embodiments may be implemented differently, a specific process sequence may be performed in an order different from an order described. For example, two consecutively described processes may be performed substantially simultaneously or in an order reverse to an order described. In addition, the same reference numerals denote the same part.

When a part is referred to as being “on” or “over”, “connected to”, or “coupled to” another part, this part may be directly on, connected to, or coupled to the another part, or an intermediate part may exist. However, when a part is referred to as being “directly on”, “directly connected to”, or “directly coupled to” another part, an intermediate part does not exist. Therefore, the term “connected” may refer to physically connected, electrically connected, and the like, and an intermediate part exists or does not exist.

For a purpose of description, the present disclosure may use spatially relative terms such as “beneath . . . ”, “below . . . ”, “under . . . ”, “lower”, “above . . . ”, “upper”, “on . . . ”, “higher”, and “side (for example, in a “sidewall”)” to describe a relationship between one part and another (other) part as shown in the accompanying drawings. The spatially relative terms are intended to include different orientations of a device in use, operation, and/or manufacturing in addition to the orientations depicted in the accompanying drawings. For example, if the device in the accompanying drawings is turned over, a part that is described as “below” or “beneath” another part or feature is then located “above” the other part or feature. Therefore, the exemplary term “below . . . ” may include two orientations: “above” and “below”. In addition, the device may be further located (for example, the device is rotated 90 degrees or at another orientation). In this case, the spatially relative terms used herein are explained accordingly.

The terms used herein are for a purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to put a limit. As used herein, unless otherwise clearly specified in the context, singular forms “one” (“a” and “an”) and “said (the)” are intended to include plural forms as well. In addition, when used in this specification, the terms “comprise” and/or “include” and variations thereof indicate presence of the described features, entireties, steps, operations, parts, assemblies and/or a combination thereof, but does not exclude presence or addition of one or more other features, entireties, steps, operations, parts, assemblies and/or a combination thereof. It should be further noted that, as used herein, the terms “substantially” and “about”, and other similar terms are used as approximate terms rather than degree terms, and therefore, they are used to explain an inherent deviation that is of a measured value, a calculated value, and/or a provided value and that will be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art.

First, a structure of a lock device1000of the present disclosure is described in detail with reference toFIG.1toFIG.10. “+” in each accompanying drawing is a label of a rotation center.

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a lock device is provided. Refer toFIG.1. A lock device1000according to an implementation of the present disclosure includes: a lock tongue100, a first pawl200, a second pawl300, a control member400, and an elastic part500.

The first pawl200can engage the lock tongue100in a first locking position (primary locking position).

The second pawl300can engage the lock tongue100in a second locking position (secondary locking position). A rotating action of the second pawl300can be partially transmitted to the first pawl200through the control member400, so that the first pawl200unlocks the lock tongue100from the first locking position.

The elastic part500applies an elastic force to the control member400, so that the control member400drives the first pawl200to the first locking position.

The first pawl200and the second pawl300have different rotation centers.

According to the lock device1000of this implementation, the rotating action of the second pawl300is transmitted to the first pawl200through the control member400, so that the first pawl200unlocks the lock tongue100from the first locking position, that is, the first pawl200is separated from the first locking position, to unlock the lock tongue100.

The lock device1000of this implementation is provided with the elastic part500. The elastic part500applies the elastic force to the control member400, so that the control member400drives the first pawl200to the first locking position, to implement a locking process.

Refer toFIG.2andFIG.3. For the lock device1000of the present disclosure, the lock tongue100of the lock device1000includes a first locking surface101and a second locking surface102, the first pawl200locks the lock tongue100in the first locking position through the first locking surface101, and the second pawl300locks the lock tongue100in the second locking position through the second locking surface102.

Preferably, the first locking surface101and the second locking surface102are not in a same plane.

Preferably, a plane in which the first locking surface101is located is parallel or roughly parallel to the second locking surface102.

According to an alternative implementation of the present disclosure, the first locking surface101may include a part of an arc-shaped surface, and the second locking surface102may also include a part of an arc-shaped surface.

Preferably, refer toFIG.4. For the lock device1000of each of the foregoing implementations, the first pawl200includes a first engagement surface201. The first pawl200is engaged with the first locking surface101through the first engagement surface201, to lock the lock tongue100at the first locking position. The second pawl300includes a second engagement surface301. The second pawl300is engaged with the second locking surface102through the second engagement surface301, to lock the lock tongue100at the second locking position.

The overall shape of the first pawl200inFIG.4is only a preferred shape of the first pawl200of the present disclosure, and adjustment on the shape of the first pawl200made by those skilled in the art based on a full understanding of the technical solutions of the present disclosure falls within the protection scope of the present disclosure.

Refer toFIG.1andFIG.2. For the lock device1000of each of the foregoing implementations, the first engagement surface201is an arc-shaped surface, and a center of the first engagement surface201does not coincide with the rotation center of the first pawl200, so that in an event that pressed, the first engagement surface201generates torque that enables the first pawl200to rotate towards a direction of unlocking the lock tongue100.

For the lock device1000of each of the foregoing implementations, the center (B) of the first engagement surface201is located at an outer position of the rotation center of the first pawl200, and the outer position is not located in a position area between a rotation center of the lock tongue100and the rotation center of the first pawl200.

FIG.4shows the rotation center A of the first pawl200, and exemplarily shows the center B of the first engagement surface201.

A position of the center of the first engagement surface201is set by setting a shape of the first engagement surface201of this implementation, so that the center of the first engagement surface201is shifted to an outer side of the first pawl200to reduce unlocking force.

For the lock device1000of each of the foregoing implementations, the first pawl200locks the lock tongue100in the first locking position based on a first driving action of the control member400, and the first pawl200releases the lock tongue100from the first locking position based on a second driving action of the control member400.

Refer toFIG.4. For the lock device1000of each of the foregoing implementations, the first pawl200further includes a first limit surface202, and the control member400applies the first driving action to the first limit surface202, so that the first engagement surface201of the first pawl200is engaged with the first locking surface101of the lock tongue100to maintain the lock tongue100at the first locking position.

Refer toFIG.4. For the lock device1000of each of the foregoing implementations, the first pawl200further includes a first drive surface203, and the control member400applies the second driving action to the first drive surface203, so that the first engagement surface201of the first pawl200is disengaged from the first locking surface101of the lock tongue100to release the lock tongue100from the first locking position.

Refer toFIG.1. According to a preferred implementation of the present disclosure, the lock device1000further includes a limit block600. In an event that the first pawl200locks the lock tongue100in the first locking position based on the first driving action of the control member400, the limit block600limits the control member400at a first limit position, so that the control member400maintains engagement of the first engagement surface201of the first pawl200with the first locking surface101of the lock tongue100.

Preferably, in an event that the first pawl200releases the lock tongue100from the first locking position based on the second driving action of the control member400, the control member400separates from the first limit position.

According to the lock device1000of the preferred implementation of the present disclosure, in an event that the control member400is limited in the first limit position by the limit block600, the elastic part500applies the elastic force to the control member400, to maintain the control member400at the first limit position.

The elastic part500may be a spring. Refer toFIG.7. The spring has an elastic arm501(clamping pin), and the spring applies elastic force to the control member400through the elastic arm501.

Refer toFIG.5andFIG.6. For the lock device1000of each of the foregoing implementations, the second pawl300includes a clamping slot part302, the control member400includes a driven part, and the driven part is disposed in the clamping slot part302, so that the control member400can be driven by an action of the second pawl300.

According to the lock device1000of this implementation, the clamping slot part302is disposed on the second pawl300, so that the second pawl300can drive the control member400to move.

Preferably, the driven part of the control member400is clamped in the clamping slot part302, and can slide/move in a slot of the clamping slot part302.

Refer toFIG.5. For the lock device1000of each of the foregoing implementations, the second pawl300includes a second drive surface303, and the second drive surface303is used for receiving a driving action of an external drive mechanism.

Refer toFIG.6. For the lock device1000of each of the foregoing implementations, the driven part of the control member400includes a cylindrical part405and a limit part406, the cylindrical part405is disposed in the clamping slot part302through insertion, and the limit part406limits the cylindrical part405in the clamping slot part302, to prevent the driven part from separating from the clamping slot part302.

The structure of the control member400shown inFIG.6is only a structure of the control member in the preferred implementation of the present disclosure, and adjustment on the structure of the control member made by those skilled in the art based on a full understanding of the technical solutions of the present disclosure falls within the protection scope of the present disclosure.

Refer toFIG.6andFIG.8. The control member400includes a control member engagement surface401and a control member limit surface402, the control member400applies the first driving action to the first limit surface202of the first pawl200through the control member engagement surface401, and the limit block600limits the control member400through the control member limit surface402.

For the lock device1000of each of the foregoing implementations, the control member400includes a control member drive part403, and the control member400applies the second driving action to the first drive surface203of the first pawl200through the control member drive part403.

According to the preferred implementation of the present disclosure, the control member drive part403is in a cylindrical shape.

Preferably, the control member drive part403is coaxial or substantially coaxial with the cylindrical part405.

According to the preferred implementation of the present disclosure, the first drive surface203is in a concave shape.

For the lock device1000of each of the foregoing implementations, a plane part404is formed on the control member drive part403, and the elastic part500applies the elastic force to the control member400through the plane part404.

For the lock device1000of each of the foregoing implementations, the second driving action described above separates the first pawl200from the first locking position (that is, from the first limit position).

For the lock device1000of each of the foregoing implementations, preferably, the elastic part500applies the elastic force to the plane part404of the control member400through the elastic arm501, to push the control member400to the first limit position (that is, the first locking position).

Refer toFIG.8. For the lock device1000of each of the foregoing implementations, the limit block600includes a limit fitting surface601, and the limit block600limits, through the limit fitting surface601, the control member400in the first limit position.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a motor vehicle is provided, including: a cover or door. The cover or door is provided with the lock device1000of any of the foregoing implementations.

An unlocking process of the lock device of the present disclosure is described in detail below with reference toFIG.11toFIG.15.

Initially, the lock tongue100is locked in the primary locking position (the first locking position) by the first pawl200. In an event that the second drive surface303of the second pawl300is pushed by an unlocking mechanism (not shown), the second pawl300drives the control member400to rotate counterclockwise, so that the control member400separates from the limit block600, as shown inFIG.11. Then, the second pawl300continues to drive the control member400to rotate clockwise, and the drive part403(which may be in a form of a drive surface) pushes, through the first drive surface203, the first pawl200to rotate clockwise, so that the first pawl200is separated from the first locking surface101, and the lock tongue100is unlocked, as shown inFIG.12. After that, the lock tongue100rotates clockwise to a full open position, as shown inFIG.13. After the second drive surface303of the second pawl300is released, the first pawl200and the second pawl300stop against the lock tongue100under the action of the elastic part500(which functions as a return spring), and the control member400stops against the limit block600under the action of the elastic part500, so that the lock device implements unlocking. As shown inFIG.14andFIG.15,FIG.14andFIG.15show an unlocked state of the lock device from different perspectives.

A locking process of the lock device of the present disclosure is described in detail below with reference toFIG.16toFIG.21.

FIG.16andFIG.17show, from different perspectives, the lock tongue100in the full open position and the first pawl200and the second pawl300stopping against the lock tongue100.

In an event that the lock tongue100is pushed to rotate to the secondary locking position (the second locking position), the second pawl300rotates clockwise (inFIG.16) to enter the secondary locking position, so that the lock device1000implements locking at the secondary locking position, as shown inFIG.18. Then, in an event that the lock tongue100continues to rotate to the primary locking position (the first locking position), the first pawl200enters the primary locking position to lock the lock tongue100in the primary locking position, and meanwhile, the control member400is inserted between the first pawl200and the limit block600under the action of a control member spring (the elastic part500), so that the first pawl200is limited in the primary locking position, to improve reliability of the lock device, as shown inFIG.19toFIG.21.

According to the lock device of the present disclosure, for example, locking reliability of the first pawl and the lock tongue is improved by designing the control member, the elastic part (the control member spring), and the limit block on the outer side of the first pawl, and the first pawl is released through a connection between the second pawl and the control member, and the unlocking force is reduced. The lock device of the present disclosure has a compact and simple structure and high execution efficiency, and is suitable for various cover or door systems, particularly for a cover or door of an automobile system.

In the description of this specification, reference to the description of “one embodiment/implementation”, “some embodiments/implementations”, “example”, “specific example” or “some examples”, and the like means that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in conjunction with the embodiment/implementation or example is included in at least one embodiment/implementation or example of the present disclosure. In this specification, the schematic descriptions of the foregoing terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment/implementation or example. In addition, the specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described may be combined in any one or more embodiments/implementations or examples in an appropriate manner. In addition, on the premise of no conflict, those skilled in the art may combine different embodiments/implementations or examples and features of the different embodiments/implementations or examples described in this specification.

In addition, the terms “first” and “second” are only intended for a purpose of description, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the quantity of indicated technical features. Therefore, a feature limited by “first” or “second” may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of the features. In the descriptions of the present disclosure, unless otherwise explicitly and specifically limited, the term “a plurality of” means at least two, for example, two, three, and the like.

Those skilled in the art should understand that the foregoing implementations are only for clearly describing the present disclosure and not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. For those skilled in the art, other changes or variations may further be made based on the foregoing disclosure, and these changes or variations also fall within the scope of the present disclosure.