DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a double-pull lock for a vehicle door and/or lid, particularly for the hood of a vehicle.

Car manufacturers usually prefer to use a double safety lock for the hood of their vehicles. Such a type of locks is actuated by the user for a first time to obtain a partial opening, wherein the hood is lifted by a few millimeters (25-30 mm) and is still retained by the lock, and is actuated by the user for a second time in order to open and lift the hood completely.

This type of locks is generally known as “double-pull locks”.

US8,419,114 discloses a lock for a vehicle hood that comprises a first catch that holds the hood in closed position, and a second catch that holds the hood in partially open position. The two catches are actuated by a cam connected to a release mechanism that is actuated by the user in the passenger compartment. In such a way, a first actuation of the release mechanism releases the first catch, and a second actuation of the release mechanism releases the second catch.

Such a closing device is impaired by some drawbacks in terms of safety. In fact, the cam is inserted between the two catches and is connected to a cable actuated by means of a mechanical or electronic system. Therefore, such a closing device can be easily tampered and forced. Additionally, the rotation of the cam that is pulled by the cable requires the exertion of a high force on the cable. Therefore, the mechanical actuation is rather cumbersome for the user, who needs to exert a certain force on an actuation lever connected to the cable of the cam. The electronic actuation requires the provision of an electric actuator with a certain power to exert a force that is adequate to pull the cable. DE102016117282 discloses a vehicle double-pull lock according to the preamble of claim 1.

US2019/017291 discloses a vehicle double-pull lock provided with an ejection spring that pushes the catch and the striker. KR20150124850 discloses a complicated lock comprising a mechanism with a plurality of parts.

WO201 5/077549 discloses a lock that is not a double-pull lock, wherein, after being disposed in closed position, the catch makes an extra downward travel, it being pushed by the striker.

The purpose of the present invention is to eliminate the drawbacks of the prior art by disclosing a double-pull lock for a vehicle hood that is safe, versatile, reliable and easy to make and operate.

These purposes are achieved according to the invention with the characteristics of the independent claim 1.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention appear from the dependent claims.

The lock according to the invention is defined by claim 1.

Additional features of the invention will be manifest from the following detailed description, which refers to merely illustrative, not limiting embodiments, as shown in the appended figures, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a top view of the lock according to the invention in a closing position;

Fig. 2 is an exploded view of three parts of the lock of Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 3 is a view of the lock according to the invention during a first actuation;

Fig. 4 is a view of the lock according to the invention in an intermediate closing position;

Fig. 5 is a view of the lock according to the invention after a second actuation;

Fig. 6 is a view of the lock according to the invention in opening position.

With reference to the Figures, a lock according to the invention is disclosed, which is generally indicated with reference numeral 100.

With reference to Figs. 1 and 2, the lock (100) comprises a base plate (1) where a catch (2) and a pawl (3) are hinged. The base plate (1 ) comprises a U-shaped slot (10) suitable for receiving a striker (4). The lock (100) may be integral with the body of the vehicle and the striker (4) may be integral with the lid of the hood or vice versa.

A first pivoting pin (P1 ) and a second pivoting pin (P2) are disposed in the base plate (1 ) for pivoting the catch (2) around a first pivoting axis (X1 ) and the pawl (3) around a second pivoting pin (X2). The two pivoting axes (X1 , X2) are parallel and orthogonal to the base plate (1 ).

The catch (2) comprises a central portion (20) disposed around the first pivoting pin (P1 ). An arm (21 ) protrudes from the central portion. A fastening seat (22) with a U-shape is obtained in the arm (21 ) for fastening the striker (4) when the striker (4) is in the slot (10) of the base plate in order to close the lock, as shown in Fig. 1 .

A first stop tooth (23) is disposed above the fastening seat (22). A second stop tooth (24) is disposed in the entrance of the fastening seat (22). The first stop tooth (23) has a cam surface (27) directed towards the fastening seat (22). The second stop tooth (24) has a cam surface (28) disposed outside the fastening seat (22).

A stop lever (25) projects from the arm (21 ) under the fastening seat (22) and towards the pawl (3).

A stop block (26) projects from the arm (21 ) above the fastening seat

(22).

The catch (2) can rotate around the first pivoting axis (X1 ) to go from a closing position (Fig. 1 ), wherein the striker (4) is locked, to an opening position (Fig. 6), wherein the striker (4) is released. The catch (2) can be in an intermediate closing position (Fig. 4), between the closing position and the opening position.

A first spring (5) pushes the catch and/or the striker (4) in such a way to push the catch (2) towards the opening position.

The first spring (5) is disposed in the base plate (1 ), in peripheral position relative to the first pin (P1 ). The first spring (5) has an arm (50) that is disposed on the slot (10) of the base plate, in such a way to push the striker (4) outwards when the striker (4) is disposed in the slot (10) of the base plate. Therefore, the first spring (5) acts as ejector for the striker (4).

The first spring (5) comprises a helical portion (51 ) connected to the arm (50), in such a way that the arm (50) protrudes tangentially from the helical portion (51 ). The helical portion (51 ) of the first spring is disposed in a housing (11 ) of the base plate that is shaped as an arc of circle, in correspondence of a corner of the base plate.

The pawl (3) comprises a central portion (30) disposed around the second pivoting pin (P2). A first arm (31 a) and a second arm (31 b) protrude from the central portion (30) of the pawl in opposite directions.

A stop tooth (32) is provided on the first arm of the pawl. The stop tooth (32) of the pawl is suitable for being stopped against the first stop tooth (23) of the catch disposed above the fastening seat (20) of the catch to lock the catch (2) in closing position.

The stop tooth (32) of the pawl is suitable for being also stopped against the second stop tooth (24) of the catch to lock the catch (2) in the intermediate closing position (Fig. 4).

The stop tooth (32) of the pawl has a cam surface (38) suitable for cooperating with the cam surface (27) of the first stop tooth of the catch and with the cam surface (28) of the second stop tooth of the catch.

The pawl (3) can rotate around the second pivoting axis (X2) to go from a locking position (Fig. 1 ), wherein the catch (2) is locked, to a release position (Fig. 3), wherein the catch (2) is released. The pawl (3) can be disposed in an intermediate locking position, wherein the catch is locked in the intermediate closing position.

The pawl (3) is pushed to the locking position by a second spring (6). The second spring (6) of the pawl has a helical portion (60) disposed around the second pivoting axis (P2), a first end (61 ) fastened to the base plate (1 ) and a second end (62) that pushes the pawl (3). For instance, a second end (62) of the second spring pushes a first flange (33) of the pawl disposed behind the stop tooth (32) of the pawl. The first flange (33) of the pawl receives a ball (70) of a first Bowden cable (7) connected to actuation means (not shown), such as a manually operated actuation lever or an electrically operated actuator. With reference to Fig. 1 , the first Bowden cable (7) comes out of the base plate (1 ) towards the right-hand side.

A second flange (34) is disposed in the second arm (31 b) of the pawl. The second flange (34) of the pawl receives a ball (80) of a second Bowden cable (8) connected to actuation means (not shown), such as a manually operated actuation lever or an electrically operated actuator. With reference to Fig. 1 , the second Bowden cable (8) comes out of the base plate (1 ) towards the left-hand side.

The pawl (3) comprises a stop lever (35) that projects from the second arm (31 b) of the pawl towards the catch (2) in order to cooperate with the stop lever (25) of the catch.

This description continues with an illustration of the operation of the lock

(100).

With reference to Fig. 1 , the lock (100) is in completely closed position.

The striker (4) is locked in the fastening seat (22) of the catch. The catch (2) is in closed position and is locked by the pawl (3) that is in locked position. The first spring (5) has the arm (15) under the striker (4) and pushes the striker (4) in order to eject it from the slot of the base plate.

In order to open the lock (100), the user performs a first actuation by pulling one of the Bowden cables (7, 8) of the pawl in the direction of the arrow F1. Consequently, the pawl (3) rotates around the second pivoting pin (P2), going from the locking position to the unlocking position shown in Fig. 3. The stop tooth (32) of the pawl releases the stop tooth (23) of the catch. Meanwhile, the second spring (6) is loaded.

Being released from the pawl (3), the catch (2) can rotate around the first pivoting pin (P1 ) in the direction of the arrow F2, under the thrust of the first spring (5) that pushes the striker (4) that, in turn, pushes the catch (2), in such a way to partially disengage the striker (4) from the fastening seat (22) of the catch. During the rotation of the catch (2) around the first pivoting pin (P1 ), the stop lever (25) of the catch is stopped against the stop lever (35) of the pawl, preventing the catch (2) from going to the completely opening position. In such a situation, the stop tooth (32) of the pawl is disposed in the fastening seat (22) of the catch between the second stop tooth (24) and the first stop tooth (23) of the catch.

When the Bowden cable of the pawl is released, the pawl (3) rotates in the direction of the arrow F3, under the thrust of the second spring (6), returning to an intermediate locking position, wherein the stop tooth (32) of the pawl is engaged with the second stop tooth (24) of the catch that is disposed in the intermediate closing position.

The striker (4) has made a travel of a few millimeters in the slot (10) of the base plate.

During such an upward movement of the striker (4), the arm (50) of the first spring rotates, following the striker (4).

Now the hood is in partially closing condition. In fact, the striker (4) has made an upward travel of a few millimeters, slightly lifting the hood, but the striker (4) is still retained in the fastening seat (22) of the catch, and the catch is locked by the pawl in intermediate locking position, preventing a total opening of the hood.

In order to open the hood completely, the user performs a second actuation of one of the two Bowden cables (7, 8) of the pawl in the direction of the arrow F4, rotating the pawl around the second pivoting pin (P2). Such a rotation of the pawl determines a disengagement of the stop tooth (32) of the pawl from the second stop tooth (24) of the catch.

As shown in Fig. 5, in such a situation, the catch (2) is free. The arm (50) of the first spring pushes the striker (4) that in turn pushes the catch (2) that rotates in the direction of the arrow F5 until the opening position, wherein the striker (4) is out of the slot (10) of the box.

It must be noted that, when the striker (4) starts to be ejected from the fastening seat (22), the arm (50) of the first spring is stopped against the stop block (26) of the catch, pushing the catch (2) to the opening position. The arm (50) of the first spring (5) is stopped in an opening position, in front of the entrance of the slot (10) of the base plate, being stopped against an edge (12) of the base plate.

When the catch (2) is in opening position, the stop block (26) of the catch is disposed between the arm (50) of the first spring and a projection (13) of the base plate in such a way not to move from said position.

When the Bowden cable is released, the pawl (3) rotates in the direction of the arrow F6, pushed by the second spring (6).

With reference to Fig. 6, the cam surface (38) of the stop tooth (32) of the pawl is stopped against the cam surface (28) of the second stop tooth (24) of the catch.

In order to close the lock (100), the striker (4) is pushed inside the slot (10) of the base plate in the direction of the arrow F7, loading the spring (5) and pushing the catch (2) that rotates around the first pivoting pin (P1) in the direction of the arrow F8. Consequently, the cam surface (28) of the second stop tooth (24) of the catch slides on the cam surface (38) of the stop tooth of the pawl, and the pawl rotates in the direction of the arrow F9, in such a way that the stop tooth (32) of the pawl passes beyond the second stop tooth (24) of the catch. By pushing the striker (4) into the slot (10) of the base plate, the cam surface (27) of the first stop tooth (24) of the catch slides on the cam surface (38) of the stop tooth of the pawl, and the pawl continues its rotation in the direction of the arrow F9 until the stop tooth (32) of the pawl passes beyond the first stop tooth (23) of the catch. Now, the second spring (6) pushes the pawl that rotates in the opposite direction, in such a way that the stop tooth (32) of the pawl is engaged with the first stop tooth (23) of the catch in the completely closing position of Fig. 1.