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DE-102025145571-A1 - POWER-OPERATED RELEASE MECHANISM FOR A LOCK WITH MECHANICAL EMERGENCY MODE FOR MOTOR VEHICLES

DE102025145571A1DE 102025145571 A1DE102025145571 A1DE 102025145571A1DE-102025145571-A1

Abstract

A locking release mechanism (100) comprising: a gear (102); a clutch (106) coupled to the gear (102), the clutch (106) having a clutch body (106a); and a pawl release lever (142) having a first mechanical coupling to the clutch (106) and a second mechanical coupling to the gear (102); wherein a first release mode of the pawl release lever (142) is caused by the movement of the first mechanical coupling, which controls the movement of the pawl release lever (142), and a second release mode of the pawl release lever (142) is caused by the movement of the second mechanical coupling, which controls the movement of the pawl release lever (142).

Inventors

  • Csaba Szente

Assignees

  • MAGNA CLOSURES INC.

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20251105
Priority Date
20241108

Claims (10)

  1. Locking release mechanism (100) comprising: a gear (102); a clutch (106) coupled to the gear (102), the clutch having a clutch body (106a); and a pawl release lever (142) having a first mechanical coupling (106b) to the clutch (106) and a second mechanical coupling (102d, 107, 109, 114) to the gear (102); wherein a first release mode of the pawl release lever (142) is caused by the movement of the first mechanical coupling, which controls the movement of the pawl release lever (142), and a second release mode of the pawl release lever (142) is caused by the movement of the second mechanical coupling, which controls the movement of the pawl release lever.
  2. Locking release mechanism (100) after Claim 1 , furthermore comprising the first mechanical coupling which includes a coupling mechanism (106f) which provides a rotary motion coupling of the coupling body (106a) with the rotary motion of the gear (102).
  3. Locking release mechanism (100) after Claim 2 , further comprising the coupling mechanism comprising a coupling element (106d) which is connected to the coupling body (106a) via an elastic element (106e).
  4. Locking release mechanism (100) after Claim 3 , further comprising the coupling mechanism which has a ramp surface (102a) arranged on the gear next to the coupling element (106d).
  5. Locking release mechanism (100) after Claim 4 , wherein the first release mode includes the joint rotation of the gear (102) and the coupling body (106a) while the ramp surface (102a) pushes the coupling element (106d); and/or wherein the second release mode includes a relative rotation between the gear and the coupling body while the coupling element (106d) moves over the ramp surface (102a).
  6. Locking release mechanism (100) according to one of the Claims 1 until 5 , further comprising the second mechanical coupling, which includes an input gear (107) and an output gear (109), such that the input gear (107) and the output gear (109) are connected to each other.
  7. Locking release mechanism (100) after Claim 6 , wherein the movement of the gear (102) causes the output gear (109) to provide the movement of the pawl release lever (142).
  8. Locking release mechanism (100) according to one of the Claims 4 until 7 , wherein the ramp surface (102a) has different inclinations which are related to the release of the pawl release lever (142) and the return of the pawl release lever (142) to the initial position.
  9. Locking release mechanism (100) according to one of the Claims 1 until 8 , wherein the gear is configured to rotate in one direction during the first release mode and is configured to rotate in the same direction during the second release mode, the second release mode being initiated by a mechanical slippage of the clutch (106).
  10. A method for using a locking release mechanism (100) to release a lock, comprising: rotating a gear (102); causing the gear (102) to rotate a clutch (106), wherein the clutch is coupled to the gear and the clutch has a clutch body (106a); and releasing a pawl release lever (142) either by a first mechanical coupling of the pawl release lever (142) to the clutch (106) or by a second mechanical coupling of the pawl release lever (142) to the gear (102); wherein a first release mode of the pawl release lever (142) is caused by the movement of the first mechanical coupling that controls the movement of the pawl release lever (142) and a second release mode of the pawl release lever (142) is caused by the movement of the second mechanical coupling that controls the movement of the pawl release lever (142).

Description

AREA OF INVENTION The present invention relates to a power-operated release mechanism for a locking device. STATE OF THE ART Unwantedly high force and complexity when opening a door lock can result from the need for different operating modes/directions for release motors. Therefore, these current systems still suffer from disadvantages regarding the extent and nature of the release effort, the undesirable speed of actuation/release, and the complexity of manufacturing. SUMMARY One object of the present invention is to provide a release mechanism for a locking device in order to avoid or mitigate at least one of the problems mentioned above. As a first aspect, a locking release mechanism is provided, comprising: a gear; a clutch coupled to the gear, the clutch having a clutch body; and a pawl release lever having a first mechanical coupling to the clutch and a second mechanical coupling to the gear; wherein a first release mode of the pawl release lever is caused by the movement of the first mechanical coupling controlling the movement of the pawl release lever, and a second release mode of the pawl release lever is caused by the movement of the second mechanical coupling controlling the movement of the pawl release lever. As a second aspect, a method for using a locking release mechanism to release a lock is provided, the method comprising: rotating a gear; causing a clutch to rotate through the gear, the clutch being coupled to the gear and the clutch having a clutch body; and releasing a pawl release lever either by means of a first mechanical coupling of the pawl release lever to the clutch or by means of a second mechanical coupling of the pawl release lever to the gear; wherein a first release mode of the pawl release lever is caused by the movement of the first mechanical coupling controlling the movement of the pawl release lever, and a second release mode of the pawl release lever is caused by the movement of the second mechanical coupling controlling the movement of the pawl release lever. FIGURES The above and further aspects are now described only by way of example with reference to the attached drawings, in which: 1 a perspective view of a vehicle; 2 a perspective view of a locking mechanism on the in 1 The vehicle shown is; 3 an exploded view of a power-operated release mechanism for the in 2 The locking mechanism shown is; 4 an assembled view of the power-operated release mechanism for the in 2 The locking mechanism shown is; 4a the power-operated release mechanism of the 3 , 4 coupled with the in 2 shown locking mechanism; the 5a , b an enlarged view of the power-operated release mechanism of the 3 , 4 show; 6 a normal operation of the power-operated release mechanism of the 3 , 4 shows; 7 an emergency activation of the power-operated release mechanism of the 3 , 4 shows; and the 8a , 8b , 8c the activation of the power-operated release mechanism of the 3 , 4 from an open position to a starting position. DESCRIPTION Referring to 1 A vehicle 14 with a vehicle body 15 is shown, with one or more locking flaps 16 attached to the vehicle body 15. It is understood that the locking flap(s) 16 can be as shown or different from those shown. For example, the locking flap 16 can be a hood 16 with a hood latch 20, a door 16 with a door latch 20, a trunk 16 with a trunk latch 20, a seat latch 20, etc. The locking flap 16 is connected to the vehicle body 15 via one or more hinges 18 and a latch 20 (e.g., to hold the locking flap 16 in the closed position after closing). It is also possible that the hinge 18 can be configured as a pre-tensioned hinge 18 to pre-tension the locking flap 16 towards an open position and/or towards the closed position. Therefore, the hinge 18 can also include one or more actuated struts to assist the opening and closing of the locking flap 16 as desired. A locking counterpart 17 (e.g., a locking bar) is mounted on the locking flap 16 and is coupled to the locking mechanism 20 mounted on the vehicle body 15. Alternatively, the locking mechanism 20 can be mounted on the locking flap 16 and the locking counterpart 17 can be mounted on the vehicle body 15 (see Figure 1). 1 ). The movement of the locking flap 16 (e.g., between the open and closed positions of the flap) can be controlled electronically and/or manually by a locking control unit 12. Servo-operated locking flaps 16 are commonly found in minivans, luxury cars, sport utility vehicles (SUVs), and the like. Therefore, it is understood that the movement of the locking flap 16 during operation can be manually or electrically assisted (e.g., by means of an electronic locking control unit 12), for example: between fully closed (e.g., locked) and fully open (e.g., unlocked); between locked/locked and partially open (e.g., unlocked); and/or between partially open (e.g., unlocked) and fully open (e.g., unlocked). It is understood that the partially open configuration of the locking flap 16 may also include a secondary locking devic