A vehicle lock in which an opening force is transmitted to a catch by means of a bar is already known. In this case the latter is usually fixed to a reversing arm, to which a mechanical operating device is designed to impart a torsional movement about its axis between a locked position and an unlocked position, in such a way that in the unlocked position the bar is directed towards a seat arranged for release of the catch, and in the locked position is directed alongside the seat. Re-alignment of a rigid bar means that forces can occur when the bar is secured in the reversing arm. Such forces can generate torque that counteracts the torsion of the reversing arm between the respective positions. Such forces may be large and can occur, in particular, in the context of a collision, when deformation of the vehicle adjacent to the lock devices may mean that the opening function is jeopardised as a result of undue displacement or deformation of the bar, the said forces possibly being so great that they cannot be overcome by the mechanical operating device, so that the locking and opening function cannot be guaranteed.

An object of the present invention is to produce a device in a vehicle lock, which eliminates or at least reduces the problem described above.

According to one embodiment of the present invention a device is produced in a vehicle lock, as specified by claim 1.

Preferred embodiments furthermore have any or some of the characteristics specified in the subordinate claims.

The invention will be explained in more detail below with the aid of the attached figures, which illustrate examples of embodiments of the device according to the present invention.

Fig. 1 shows how an operating device is used in order to position a cable end for engagement with a cable seat in a catch or alongside the latter.

Fig. 2 shows how an operating device is used in order to position a cable end for engagement with or alongside a cable seat in a catch by way of a reversing arm and an actuating element for the cable end arranged therein.

Figure 1 shows a general sketch drawing of a preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention in a vehicle lock 1. The vehicle lock comprises a lock casing 2, in which the other parts of the lock are arranged. The figure shows only those parts that are relevant to the invention.

A cable sheath 3 is fixed in relation to the lock casing 2. A cable 4 is displaceably arranged in the cable sheath 3. A free cable end 4a protrudes from that end 3a of the cable sheath fixed in relation to the lock casing and points towards the lock casing 2.

The other end of the cable (not shown) may be designed to be pushed down into the cable sheath 3, for example when acted upon by a door handle or some other operating device for opening the door.

The lock 1 further comprises a catch 5, which is rotatably arranged in connection with an elongated recess 6 in the lock casing 2. The elongated recess 6 in the lock casing 2 is designed to receive a lock pin 7, which may be arranged, for example, on an openable part of the vehicle, such as a door. On the opposite side of the elongated recess a rotary bolt 8 with a recess 8a designed to receive the lock pin 7 is rotatably arranged in connection with the elongated recess. In the position shown the rotary bolt 8 is engaged with the catch 5, this being intended to prevent the lock pin 7 (not shown), when it is in the recess 8a of the rotary bolt, from leaving the recess 6 in the lock casing 2, thereby keeping the openable part of the vehicle locked in the vehicle.

Adjacent to the free end 4a of the cable pointing towards the lock casing is an operating device 9, for example a mechanical operating device designed, when shifted by the vehicle lock 1 from a locked position to an unlocked position, to position the free cable end 4a or the sheath 3 so that the free cable end 4a in the

unlocked position is directed for engagement with a cable seat 10 arranged in the catch 5, which cable seat may also be formed on a moveable part operatively connected to the catch 5. As the cable 4 is further displaced the cable seat 10 will to take up the free end 4a of the cable and is made to impart a torsional movement to the catch 5, the catch 5 being disengaged from the rotary bolt 8. thereby releasing the latter. With the operating device 9 in the locked position, the free end 4a of the cable pointing towards the lock casing 2, or the cable sheath 3 is designed to assume an orientation such that the cable end 4a is directed to the side of the cable seat 10 when it is forced out of that end 3a of the cable sheath directed towards the lock casing, for example when acted upon by a door handle for pushing down the other end of the cable in the cable sheath 3. Since this means that the cable seat 10 is not acted upon, the catch 5 and hence the rotary bolt 8 will remain unaffected and the lock pin 7 of the openable part of the vehicle will remain locked in the recess 6 of the lock casing.

Figure 2 shows a general sketch drawing of an alternative embodiment of the device according to the invention in a vehicle lock 1. The vehicle lock comprises a lock casing 2, in which the other parts of the lock are arranged. The figure shows only those parts that are relevant to the invention.

A cable sheath 3 is fixed in the lock casing 2. A cable 4 is displaceably arranged in the cable sheath 3. A free cable end 4a protrudes from that end 3a of the cable sheath fixed in the lock casing and points towards the lock casing 2. The other end of the cable (not shown) may be designed to be pushed down into the cable sheath 3, for example when acted upon by a door handle or some other operating device for opening the door.

As previously, the lock 1 comprises a catch 5, which is rotatably arranged in connection with an elongated recess 6 in the lock casing 2. The elongated recess 6 in the lock casing 2 is designed to receive a lock pin 7, which may be arranged, for example, on an openable part of the vehicle, such as a door. On the opposite side of the elongated recess a rotary bolt 8 with a recess 8a designed to receive the lock pin 7 is rotatably arranged in connection with the elongated recess 6. In the position shown the rotary bolt 8 is engaged with the catch 5, this being intended to prevent the lock pin 7, when it is in the recess 8a of the rotary bolt, from leaving the recess 6 in the lock casing 2, thereby keeping the openable part of the vehicle locked in the vehicle.

A shaft 11, to which a reversing arm 12 is rotatably fixed, is arranged in connection with the free end of the 4a of the cable pointing towards the lock casing. A mechanical actuating element (not shown), such as a central locking motor, is designed to impart a torsional movement to the reversing arm 12 about the shaft 11 between a locked position and an unlocked position.

On the reversing arm 12 in connection with the shaft 11 thereof is an element 13 designed, when the reversing arm 12 rotates, to act upon the free cable end 4a, pointing towards the lock casing, in the direction of the shaft. The element 13 for acting upon the free cable end 4a pointing towards the lock casing may be designed, for example, as a radially elongated recess arranged perpendicular to the axis of rotation 11, through which recess the cable end 4a passes. When the reversing arm 12 rotates the element 13 for actuating the free cable end 4a pointing towards the lock casing will move around the cable 4 between positions A and B shown diagramatically in the figure.

The cable sheath 3 is fixed to the lock casing 2 at an angle to the shaft 11 of the reversing arm. When the reversing arm 12 rotates between the unlocked position and the locked position the actuating element 13 will thereby cause the free cable end 4a pointing towards the lock casing 2 to be displaced in the direction of the shaft.

By designing the actuating element 13 as a radially elongated recess arranged perpendicular to the axis of rotation 11 it can be ensured that when the reversing arm 12 rotates the cable end 4a does not come into radial contact with the actuating element 13. This means that any force which might give rise to a torque on the reversing arm 12 about the shaft 11 thereof will not be transmitted from the cable end 4a to the reversing arm 12 by way of the actuating element 13, when the actuating element 13 is shifted between positions A and B.

A cable seat 10 is integrally formed with the catch 5. The cable seat 10 may also be formed on a moveable part operatively connected to the catch 5. When the cable 4 is pushed down in the cable sheath 3, at the other end the free cable end 4a pointing towards the lock casing will be displaced out of that end 3a of the cable sheath fixed to the lock casing. When the reversing arm 12 is in the unlocked position the actuating element 13 directs the cable end 4a for engagement with the cable seat 10.

With further displacement of the cable 4, the cable seat 10 will take up the free end 4a of the cable and will be made to impart a torsional movement to the catch 5, the

catch 5 being disengaged from the rotary bolt 8, thereby releasing the latter. Thus released, a torsional movement may thereby be imparted to the rotary bolt 8. allowing the locking pin 7 to leave the recess 6 in the lock casing 2.

As the actuating element is moved about the shaft 11 of the reversing arm into the locked position, the free end 4a of the cable pointing towards the lock casing will be deflected in the direction of the shaft. Due to the fact that the deflection of the cable end 4a occurs only in the direction of the shaft and the cable end 4a does not act upon the actuating element 13 in a radial direction, any forces that might generate torque counteracting the rotation of the reversing arm between the unlocked and the locked position, will thereby not be transmitted from the cable 4 to the reversing arm 12.

Due to the axial deflection, the cable end 4a in the locked position is oriented in such a way that the cable end 4a is directed to the side of the cable seat 10, when it is forced out of that end of the cable sheath fixed in the lock casing 2, for example when acted upon by a door handle for pushing down the other end of the cable in the cable sheath 3. Since this means that the cable seat 10 is not acted upon, the catch 5 and hence the rotary bolt 8 will remain unaffected and the lock pin 7 of the openable part of the vehicle will remain locked in the recess 6 of the lock casing.

It will be obvious to the person skilled in the art that the element for actuation of the free cable end 4a pointing towards the lock casing can be designed in a number of alternative ways whilst still retaining the positive characteristics according to the invention. In the embodiment according to figure 1, for example, the actuating element may be an electrical, pneumatic or hydraulic operating device, and in the embodiment according to figure 2 the actuating element may be designed as a loop or the like fixed to the reversing arm. A thermal, magnetic, electrochemical or piezoelectric operating device or an operating device that uses a memory metal may also be used as operating device.