The invention relates to a locking device for a car locking system according to the first part of claim 1.

Since some years the keyless access of cars is triggered by a sensor in a door handle, which the user has to touch to unlock the door. Therefore an electronic module with a touch sensor is integrated into the door handle, which has an electrical interface to an electronic control unit for access control to communicate the touch event to the electronic control unit for access control.

Furthermore movable car handles are known to build a flat outside surface of the car door in the closed and locked position .

An object of the present invention is to provide a locking device, which can be operated without any door handle.

Starting from a car locking system according to the first part of claim 1 this object is achieved by the characters of the characterizing part of claim 1.

According to the invention instead of a movable handle there is a latched intermediate position of the car door, into which the door is moved depending on a correct access authorization and which allows to grip behind the outside surface of the door, i.e. into a gap between the door and the car body. Since this

intermediate position is latched, it is a safe position. The car door cannot push against obstacles like other cars, walls, etc., if there is not enough space to open the door.

Accidents for example collisions with passing cyclist are

prevented because the car door cannot open surprisingly, but is latched in the intermediate position.

The final opening of the door can be executed by an authorized person, who can grip behind the door, unlock the intermediate position and bring then the door into the open end position i.e. by manually pulling, pushing a drive button, etc.

Preferably there are an electronic control unit and driving means to move the car door from the closed end position into the intermediate position. Since in the closed end position there is no possibility for a user to pull the door, since there is no car handle, the user must first initiate the authorization to access, i.e. by a NFC-communication, a radio transmitter and/or a proximity sensor for a car key or another keyless entry system. Then the control unit initiates the movement of the car door into the intermediate position by the driving means. In this position the user is able to unlatch and open the door

completely. Since the intermediate position first is latched the movement into this door position is safe, i.e. against any

damage caused by objects in the environment of the car door like walls, other cars or passing persons, cyclists, etc. Advantageously an electronic control unit is provided to initiate the movement of the car door from the closed end position into the intermediate position dependent on an

appearing proximity signal and a correct access authorization.

Advantageously driving means are provided to move the car door from the intermediate position into the open end position and/or from the open position into the closed end position. This feature increases the comfort for the user, because this movements are then executed automatically. This movements can be started by another sensor operation, by a short pulling of the door or other actions.

In an enhancement of the invention there are driving means and a control unit to move the car door from the intermediate position into the closed end position. This is important in the situation when there is no further operation of the car door in the intermediate position. Closing again in this case can be

controlled dependent on defined closing criteria.

Such a criteria can be a time interval without manually door movement, a disappearing proximity signal, an operation of a close sensor, a closing signal via NFC-communication, etc.

Any door movement can be driven by a motor, especially an electric motor, or energy storage devices like a spring, an air bottle, etc. In a further enhancement of a car locking device, especially according to the invention a control unit is adopted to generate an acoustic and/or light signal to indicate that the car door is moving into or located in the intermediate position. This signal enables a user to note, that the opening routine of the car is started or that the car is not totally closed when he is nearing or leaving the car.

A further improvement of this embodiment has the signaling device located in the area of the narrow side of the door, which is only noticeable in the intermediate position of the car door. For example the signal device has a light source and a control unit for generating at least one light signal, which is only visible in the intermediate position of the car door.

In this location of the signaling device it is ensured, that the car door is indeed in the intermediate position when the signal is noted. Furthermore the signal device is located in a shielded area .

To enhance the protection against outer influence in the closed end position of the car door, the area of the signal device can be sealed in the closed end position of the car door.

In an appropriate position of the signal device the sealing can be achieved without a separate sealing only by the regular door sealing in the closed end position.

An embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawings. In detail show

Fig. 1 a schematic illustration of three different door

positions ,

Fig. 2 a schematic drawing of a car key,

Fig. 3 a schematic drawing of a smartphone and

Fig. 4 an illustration of the different door positions inside the proximity zones.

The car door 1 in Fig. 1 is shown in three positions 2, 3, 4, the closed end position 2, the intermediate position 3 and the open end position 4.

The car key 5 has different buttons, i.e. one button 6 to open the driver door, one button 7 for the trunk and one button 8 to close the car. The functions of this key can also be realized in a smartphone 5', a smart card, etc. When the button 6 is pushed the control unit of the locking device releases the closed end position 2 and starts the movement of the car door 1 into the latched intermediate position 3. In the intermediate position 3 the car door 1 can be unlatched and pulled into the open end position 4 without a door handle. In improved versions the movements of the car door 1 are

partially or completely operated automatically by driving means.

Also the intermediate position 3 can be unlatched automatically by a control unit, i.e. when the key button 6 is pushed again.

In the described embodiment the access authorization is made by the key 5 or the smartphone 5 'or the smartcard. A keyless entry is possible i.e. using a proximity sensor detecting and

identifying an authorized device like the key 5, the smartphone 5', the smartcard, etc. In this case the different door

positions 2, 3, 4 can be associated to different, preferably configurable distances as shown in Fig. 4.

For example in the middle distance 9 the intermediate position 3 can be activated and in the near distance 10 the movement into the open end position 4 can be started. This movement can then be stopped by the user near by the door. On the other hand the movement from the open end position 4 or from the intermediate position 3 into the closed end position 2 can be started when the authorizing device or person is leaving the car 12,

especially the spaced distance 11. This distance can also be a welcome distance in which the car gives signals when the user is nearing to the car 12. 1 car door

2 closed end position

3 intermediate position

4 open end position

5 car key

5 ' smartphone

6 key button

7 key button

8 key button

9 middle distance

10 near distance

11 spaced distance

12 car