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(11) | EP 1 508 660 A2 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Lock for the bonnet of a vehicle |
| (57) Lock (1) for the bonnet (2) of a vehicle, the lock (1) being provided with a fork
(4) and a control lever (5) which are engaged in relation to each other, and with
an elastic traction device (6) in order to maintain the fork (4) and the control lever
(5) in contact with each other, and with a passive collapse device (10) which is associated
with the fork (4) and which is interposed between the control lever (5) and the fork
(4) itself in order to permit a controlled supplementary rotation of the fork (4)
in the case that the vehicle should undergo an impact or crash. |
[0002] In general, locks for bonnets of vehicles comprise:
- a boxed body which is integral with the vehicle;
- a fork which is supported by the boxed body in such a way that it can rotate around a first axis, and comprising a contrast finger which is suitable for entering in collision with a striker of the bonnet for rotating the fork, and a hook finger which is parallel to the contrast finger and which is suitable for blocking the striker with the contrast finger itself;
- a control lever which is supported by the boxed body in such a way that it can rotate around a second axis, and which is arranged so as to abut the fork in order to block the fork itself in a closed operating position; and
- a first and a second traction spring which are interposed between the boxed body and, respectively, the fork and the control lever, of which the first spring is suitable for contrasting the rotation of the fork against the action of the striker, and the second spring is suitable for maintaining the control lever in a position which abuts the fork itself.
[0003] According to a new European Union regulation which has been issued regarding the field of road accidents, in the future locks for the bonnets of vehicles must be capable of ensuring that there is a controlled collapse of the striker in the case that the vehicle should hit a pedestrian, and the aim of the present invention is to produce a lock for the bonnet of a vehicle, which will respond to the requirements of the new European Union regulation.
[0004] According to the present invention, a lock for the bonnet of a vehicle will be produced, the lock comprising:
- a boxed body, which is integral with the vehicle;
- a fork which is supported by the boxed body in such a way that it may rotate around a first axis, and comprising a contrast finger which is suitable for entering in collision with a striker of the bonnet in order to rotate the fork, and a hook finger which is parallel to the contrast finger and which is suitable for blocking the striker with the contrast finger itself;
- a control lever which is supported by the boxed body in such a way that it may rotate around a second axis, and is arranged so as to abut the fork in order to block the fork itself in a closed operating position; and
- elastic traction means which are associated with the fork and the control lever in order to contrast the rotation of the fork against the action of the striker, and to maintain the control lever in a position which abuts the fork itself;
[0005] The present invention will now be described with reference to the attached drawings, which illustrate a non-limiting form of embodiment of the present invention, in which :
- FIGURE 1 is a perspective view, with some parts removed for reasons of clarity, of a preferred form of embodiment of the lock for a bonnet of a vehicle which is the subject of the present invention;
- FIGURE 2 is a perspective view, on an enlarged scale, of a detail which is shown in FIGURE 1; and
- FIGURE 3 is a schematic view, on a lateral elevation, of the lock which is shown in FIGURE 1 in different functional operating configurations.
[0006] With reference to FIGURES 1 and 2, the number 1 indicates, in its entirety, a lock for a bonnet 2 of a vehicle (which is not illustrated).
[0007] The lock 1 comprises a boxed body 3 which is integral with the above-cited vehicle, a fork 4 and a control lever 5 which is supported by the body 3 in such a way that it can rotate around respective rotation axes F and L, and which are arranged co-planar to each other, with one abutting the other. The lock 1 also comprises an elastic traction device 6 which is associated with the fork 4 and the control lever 5 in order to contrast the rotation of the fork 4 against the action of a striker 7 which is integral with the bonnet 2, and in order to maintain the control lever 5 in contact with the fork 4 itself.
[0008] Finally, the lock 1 comprises a passive collapse device 10 which is associated with the fork 4 and which is interposed between the control lever 5 and the fork 4 itself in order to permit a controlled supplementary rotation of the fork 4 in the case of any impact or crash of the above-cited vehicle.
[0009] The boxed body 3 comprises a base wall 11 which is transverse to the axes F and L, a major lateral wall 12 which is integral with and transverse to the wall 11, and two minor lateral walls 13, which are arranged facing and parallel to each other, and which are integral with and transverse to the walls 11 and 12. The walls 13 and the wall 11 define a window 14, inside of which extends, partially and parallel to the wall 12, a bracket 15 which is provided with a free shaped end 16.
[0010] The body 3 also comprises, for each lateral wall 12, 13, a respective plate 17 which is provided with a central slot 18 for fixing the lock 1 to the above-cited vehicle.
[0011] The fork 4 is suitable for rotating around the axis F according to a closing rotation, in which the fork 4 itself rotates in a clockwise direction under the push of the striker 7 during the closure of the bonnet 2, and as far as a closed position, and according to an opening rotation, in which the fork 4 itself rotates in an anti-clockwise direction starting from the closing position in order to unblock the lock 1 and also permit the opening of the bonnet 2 itself.
[0012] The fork 4 comprises a contrast finger 19 which is suitable for entering into collision with the striker 7 in order to rotate the fork 4 itself towards a closed operating position of the lock 1, and a hook finger 20, which is substantially suitable for blocking the striker 7 in a closed operating position, and which forms with the finger 19 an oblong housing 21 for the striker 7.
[0013] The finger 19 and the finger 20 are both facing the outside of the body 6 across the window 14, and are both arranged transverse to a radial passing direction D for the axis F, and are connected to each other by a bridge 22 which substantially extends along the direction D. The finger 19 is arranged nearer the axis F than the finger 20 along the direction D, and presents a substantially linear shape. The finger 20 forms, together with the bridge 22, a blocking hook 23, which delimits part of the housing 21, and is suitable for blocking the striker 7 inside the housing 21 itself.
[0014] The fork 4 also comprises a detent 24, which is arranged along a peripheral edge 25 of the fork 4 itself opposite the axis F in relation to the finger 19, and which extends outside the edge 25 itself in a direction which is opposite that of the opening rotation.
[0015] Finally, the fork 4 comprises a shaped pin 26, which is arranged in such a way as to abut the hook 23 at the end of the hook 23 itself in the clockwise direction of rotation of the fork 4 itself, and which extends parallel to the axis F.
[0016] The control lever 5 is suitable for being selectively rotated around the axis L away from and towards the fork 4, and is arranged co-planar to and abutting the fork 4 in order to block the fork 4 itself in the closed position.
[0017] The lever 5 comprises an articulated end 28 on the body 4 in correspondence with the axis, a free end 29 which is integral with the device 6, and a catch 30, which is interposed between the two ends 28 and 29, and is maintained by the device 6 itself in contact with the fork 4 in order to also engage with the detent 24. The catch 30 presents a substantially triangular shape and extends towards the fork 4 in such a way that it can hook onto the detent 24 of the fork 4 itself in such a way as to block the opening rotation.
[0018] The elastic device 6 comprises two springs 31 and 32, of which the spring 31 presents a rigidity K1 of a determined value, and is interposed between the fork 4 and the boxed body 3 in order to contrast the closing rotation of the fork 4 itself, while the spring 32 presents a rigidity K2 of a determined value, and is interposed between the lever 5 and the boxed body 3 in order to maintain the lever 5 itself in contact with the fork 4.
[0019] In particular, the spring 31 is constrained on one side to the pin 26, and on the other side to the wall 12, and is suitable for being placed in traction by the closing rotation of the fork 4, while the spring 32 is constrained on one side to the bracket 15, and on the other side to the free end 29 of the lever 5, and is suitable for being placed in traction by a distancing rotation of the fork 4.
[0020] The passive collapse device 10 is suitable for permitting a collapse stroke C of the striker 7, the stroke C of which develops parallel to the window 14 for a length which is of between 50 mm and 100 mm, and which starts from a blocking position, in which the striker 7 is arranged in the oblong housing 21 and the fork 4 is arranged in its own closed position.
[0021] The device 10 comprises a shaped cam 40 which is integral with the fork 4 and which is engaged in sliding fashion by the lever 5, and a guide extension 41 which is integral with the contrast finger 19 in order to guide the striker 7 during any impact or crash of the vehicle maintaining the fork 4 and the striker 7 themselves in contact with each other.
[0022] The shaped cam 40 is suitable for being engaged by the catch 30 when, following any impact or crash of the vehicle, the striker 7 is further pushed against the finger 19 determining a supplementary rotation in line with the closing rotation of the fork 4, and presents an outline 42 of determined run, which evolves around the axis F starting from the detent 24, and defines, together with the rigidity K1 of the spring 31, a resistance law of the controlled supplementary rotation of the fork 4.
[0023] In particular, and as is better illustrated in FIGURE 2, the outline 42 is defined by an initial ramp 43 which is suitable for increasing in linear fashion the resistance to rotation of the fork 4 when the stroke C increases, and a number of depressions 44, which are arranged one after the other, and which are suitable for modulating according to a progress which is substantially sinusoidal in form the amount of resistance to rotation when the stroke C increases.
[0024] The guide extension 41 is an integral part of the finger 19, and is instrumental in determining its shape, which, therefore, is elongated and which has a length which is greater than a length of the finger 20 measured transverse to the direction D. The extension 41 can end in a hook 45, which is arranged transverse to the finger 19 on the side of the oblong housing 21, and defines a stop of the stroke C of the striker 7.
[0025] Finally, the device 6 comprises a reset tooth 46, which is arranged along the edge 25 of the fork 4, at the end of the succession of depressions 44 in the direction of the closing rotation of the fork 4, and which defines an end-of-impact position of the lock 1, or rather a position in which the catch 30 is suitable for blocking again the opening rotation of the fork 4, and in which the lever 5 can again be disengaged from the fork 4 permitting the opening of the lock 1.
[0026] The functioning of the lock 1 is easily understandable from the above description and does not require any further explanation, however, with reference to FIGURE 3, it should be pointed out that during the closure of the bonnet 2, the fork 4 rotates around its own axis F starting from a release position, which is indicated with the letter A, in which the finger 41 is arranged transverse to the stroke C of the striker 7 in order to be intercepted by the striker 7 itself, until it is positioned in the closed position, which is indicated with the letter B, in which the striker 7 is blocked by the hook 23 determining the complete closure of the bonnet 2.
[0027] In the case of any impact of the vehicle against a pedestrian, the force of impact exerted by the latter on the bonnet 2 will be transmitted by the bonnet 2 itself to the striker 7 and from the latter to the fork 4, or rather to the device 10.
[0028] In this case, in fact, the striker 7 must be able to follow the stroke C to the extent necessary which corresponds to the above-mentioned European Union regulation, and such stroke C will be controlled by the device 10 by means of the reciprocal engagement of the catch 30 with the cam 40, and the elastic action of the spring 31. During its stroke C, the striker 7 will determine a further rotation, in a clockwise direction in FIGURE 3, of the fork 4 until the finger 41 is arranged parallel to the stroke C itself and taking the fork 4 to its end-of-impact position, which is indicated with the letter U.
[0029] The further rotation of the fork 4 from the position B to the position U is controlled according to the above-mentioned law of resistance, and ends when the striker 7 engages the hook 45 and with the catch 30 engaged in the tooth 46, from which it may again be disengaged in order to open the lock 1 by activating the lever 5.
[0030] It is intended that the present invention should not be limited to the form of embodiment which is herein described and illustrated, which is to be considered as an example of a form of embodiment of the lock for a bonnet of a vehicle and which may instead be subject to further modifications regarding the shape and disposition of the parts, as well as to details pertaining to construction and assembly.
1. Lock (1) for a bonnet (2) of a vehicle, the lock (1) comprising:
- a boxed body (3), which is integral with the vehicle;
- a fork (4) which is supported by the boxed body (3) in such a way that it may rotate around a first axis (F), and comprising a contrast finger (19) which is suitable for entering in collision with a striker (7) of the bonnet in order to rotate the fork (4), and a hook finger (20) which is parallel to the contrast finger (19) and which is suitable for blocking the striker (7) with the contrast finger (19) itself;
- a control lever (5) which is supported by the boxed body (3) in such a way that it may rotate around a second axis (L), and is arranged so as to abut the fork (4) in order to block the fork (4) itself in a closed operating position; and
- elastic traction means (6) which are associated with the fork (4) and the control lever (5) in order to contrast the rotation of the fork (4) against the action of the striker (7), and to maintain the control lever (5) in a position which abuts the fork (4) itself;
the lock (1) being characterised by the fact that it comprises passive collapse means (10) which are associated with the fork (4) and which are interposed between the control lever (5) and the fork (4) itself in order to permit a controlled supplementary rotation of the fork (4) in the case that the vehicle should undergo an impact or crash.2. Lock according to Claim 1, characterised by the fact that the said passive collapse means (10) comprise a shaped cam (40) which
is integral with the fork (4) and which may be engaged in sliding fashion by the control
lever (5), and a guide extension (41) which is integral with the contrast finger (19)
in order to maintain the fork (4) and the striker (7) in contact with each other.
3. Lock according to Claim 2, characterised by the fact that the said elastic traction means (6) comprise a spring (32) which is
of determined rigidity and which is interposed between the control lever (5) and the
boxed body (3) and which is suitable for maintaining the control lever (5) in contact
with the fork (4); the shaped cam (40) presenting a determined outline (42) which
evolves around the first axis (F) and which defines, together with the rigidity of
the said spring (32), a law of resistance regarding the controlled supplementary rotation
of the fork (4).
4. Lock according to Claim 3, characterised by the fact that the said outline (42) is defined by an initial ramp (43) in order to
determine a linear growth of a resistance to rotation of the fork (4) when an impact
stroke (C) of the striker (7) increases.
5. Lock according to Claim 4, characterised by the fact that the said outline (42) comprises a number of depressions (44) which
are arranged one after the other in relation to each other and to the said ramp (43)
in order to modify the amount of the resistance to rotation as the stroke (C) increases.
6. Lock according to Claim 5, characterised by the fact that the said control lever (5) is a second generation lever (5), and comprises
a first end (28) which is articulated to said boxed body (3), a second end (29) which
is free and which is integral with said spring (32), and a catch (30) which is interposed
between the first and second ends (28, 29) and which is arranged in contact with the
fork (4).
7. Lock according to Claim 6, characterised by the fact that the fork (4) comprises a detent (24) which is arranged, along an outline
(42) which is external to the fork (4) itself, at the beginning of said shaped cam
(40) in the direction of rotation for closing the fork (4); the detent (24) defining
a closed position of the lock (1).
8. Lock according to Claim 7, characterised by the fact that the fork (4) comprises a reset tooth (46) which is arranged, along
an outline (42) which is external to the fork (4) itself, at the end of said shaped
cam (40) itself, in the direction of rotation for closing the fork (4); the reset
tooth (46) defining an end of impact position of the lock (1).
9. Lock according to Claim 8, characterised by the fact that the said catch (30) is suitable for being engaged in selective fashion
with the detent (24) and with the reset tooth (46).