FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a locking system. More particularly relates to door central locking system using actuator for automobiles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The Central Locking Unit (CLU) - Rotary Actuators are mainly used in car to lock and unlock the doors. Normally either by key or Remote will give the input for the Actuation of the Actuator at the driver end.

This Central Locking Unit consist One Electronic Control unit, Master Actuator and three-slave actuators.

The Master Actuator will be placed in the driver side door with its mating parts and other three-slave actuator is placed in the Front Left, Rear Left and Rear Right Doors with its Mating parts. Control unit will be mounted in the passenger compartment of the car.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

The primary object of the present invention is to provide actuator bottom housing designed with integrated connector profile to a void the wiring harness in the design.

Yet another object of the present invention is to eliminate experience branded connector, thus reducing product cost.

STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention provides for a system for locking comprising; a control unit; at least one master actuator connected to the control unit, and plurality of slave actuators connected to the master actuator and to the control unit, wherein said master actuator generates input signals to the control unit for locking and also provides for a method of operating locking system, said method comprising acts of; generating input signal for the control unit by master actuator; obtaining angular displacement of predetermined degree for micro switch placed inside the master actuator; moving the displaced micro switch from open state to close state and sensing current state signal of switch by control unit to allow to flow current to slave actuator; and activating the slave
actuator by the current flow with predetermined degree of rotary movement to move the door to open state.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS

Figure 1 shows top view of central locking unit,

Figure 2 shows bottom view of central locking unit,

Figure 3 shows integrated connector profile with housing bottom,

Figure 4 shows terminal with insert bottom mold condition - housing,

Figure 5 shows integrated connector profile with split type — housing bottom and top
views,

Figure 6 shows housing outer profile - left actuator,

Figure 7 shows housing inner profile - left actuator,

Figure 8 shows central locking unit with sector arm,

Figure 9 shows central locking unit with polyethylene cross linked foam,

Figure 10 shows micro switch profile,

Figure 11 shows torsion spring with circular or square cross section,

Figure 12 shows sector arm profile and micro switch arrangement,

Figure 13 shows new 'S' shape terminal with 'L' shape profile for motor connectivity.

Figure 14 shows motor with knurling shaft,

Figure 15 shows the block diagram of the system setup which includes arrangements of actuators with electronic control unit,

Figure 16 shows micro switch position used in master actuator, Figure 17 shows the motor in the present invention, and

Figure 18 shows Master Actuator Connector Design Modified from Two Pole Connector profile to Four Pole Connector Profile.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The primary embodiment of the present invention is a system for locking comprising; a control unit; at least one master actuator connected to the control unit, and plurality of slave actuators connected to the master actuator and to the control unit, wherein said master actuator generates input signals to the control unit for locking In yet another embodiment of the present invention the master actuator is connected with the control unit through a four pole-integrated connector and the slave actuators are connected with the control unit through a two-pole integrated connector.

In still another embodiment of the present invention the integrated connector preferably comprises 'S' shape terminal' with 'L' shape profile for motor connectivity and is being adopted to avoid wiring harness in design and eliminates rattling noise in vehicle during operating condition.

In still another embodiment of the present invention the master actuator and slave actuators are connected with electronic control unit optionally through a split type- integrated connector.

In still another embodiment of the present invention the actuators are provided with polyethylene cross linked foam to configure as sealing ring to avoid water entry into the actuators.

In still another embodiment of the present invention actuators are embedded with torsion spring having circular or square cross section, wherein said springs are configured to produce damping effect of pinion gear at both directions of rotation.

In still another embodiment of the present invention system for locking is a central locking system and said master actuator and slave actuators are mounted at doors of an automobile for locking of doors.

Another principal embodiment of the present invention a method of operating locking system, said method comprising acts of; generating input signal for the control unit by master actuator; obtaining angular displacement of predetermined degree for micro switch placed inside the master actuator; moving the displaced micro switch from open state to close state and sensing current state signal of switch by control unit to allow to flow current to slave actuator; and activating the slave actuator by the current flow with predetermined degree of rotary movement to move the door to open state.

In still another embodiment of the present invention the input signal for the control unit is generated using rotary movement of key or remote control system.

The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the predetermined degree of angular movement for the micro switch and the slave actuator is in the range of 20 Degrees to 30 Degrees, preferably 26 Degrees.

The Central Locking Unit (CLU) - rotary Actuators are mainly used in Car to lock and unlock the doors. Normally either by key or Remote will give the input for the Actuation of the Actuator at the driver end.

This Central Locking Unit (figures 1 and 2) consist One Electronic Control unit, Master Actuator and three-slave actuators.

The Master Actuator will be placed in the driver side door with its mating parts and other three-slave actuator is placed in the Front Left, Rear Left and Rear Right Doors with its Mating parts. Control unit will be mounted in the passenger compartment of the car.

Input signal for the Control Unit will be generated with Master Actuator by using rotary movement of the key. Due to movement of the key the micro switch arm placed inside the master actuator will get angular displacement of the 26Deg based on the outer profile of the Sector Arm.

The master Actuator connected with Electronic control unit through Four Pole integrated connector design. Other three slave actuators are also connected with Electronic control unit with each two pole integrated connector.

When the Master Actuator Plunger gets the rotary action of 26 Deg and due to this the Micro switch Sector arm also will have 30 Deg of Angular Movement, then the Micro switch will move to Normally open state to Normally close stage. The signal will be sensed by the control unit, since the control unit connected with slave actuators, the CLU will allow to flow the current to Salve Actuators and the same will get activated with 26Deg of rotary movement because of Gear Mechanism. The rotary movement always connected with door pop up knob through the latch assembly, so the door will be moved to open state.

The reverse action will be taken place for the Door lock Function.

The rotary movement always connected with door pop up knob through the latch assy, so the door will be moved to open state.

The same will be taken place for the Door lock Function also.

The Central Locking Unit contains the following components, will serve the door lock and unlock function of the Vehicle.

1. Master Actuator - 1 No
a. No Gear Mechanism are used
2. Slave Actuator - 3 No
3. Electronic Control Unit

Advantage of Integrated Connector

a. Actuator bottom housing designed with integrated connector profile (figure 3) to avoid the wiring harness in the design.

b. Eliminates Experience branded connector

c. Eliminates additional wiring harness, thus reducing product cost through part and process elimination

d. Enhances reliability with reduced parts

e. Eliminates detail requirement for holding the connector. When the connector in loose weld contributes to rattling noise and possibilities for loose connection.

f. Since the terminals are insert mould with housing (figure 4), thus water and dust entry into the actuator will be avoided

g. Integrated connector profile requiring no complex side core molding

Advantage of split type Integrated Connector (figure 5)

1. Simplifying the tool design for molding
2. Advantages for easy assy of tool
3. Eliminates use experience molding process requiring for side cores

The outer profile (figure 6) of the Master Actuator, Slave Actuator and Control unit are carefully designed to keep the design functionality in positive and the Customer logo also placed in the outer profile of the Actuator. The Inner profile (figure 7) of the Master Actuator, Slave Actuator and Control unit are carefully designed to keep the design functionality in positive during its Life time specified by the customer. The Central locking unit can able to deliver 4.0 kgf forces at plunger (20 kgf-cm at Sector arm) with length of 50mm from the sector Arm output point of the Actuator (figure 8). Polyethylene Cross linked foam (figure 9) is used as sealing ring to avoid the water entry in to the Actuator. Reducing the product cost and enhancing the reliability Polyactal Material used for Actuator and CLU's body for reducing the product cost and enhances the reliability. The Micro switch (figure 10) used for the Master Actuator can able to withstand up to 1, 00, 000 Cycles of operation. Torsion Spring with Circular Cross section (figure 11) with different profiles is used in the CLU to produce the damping effect of the pinion Gear at the both direction of rotation. Torsion Springs are used in all slave Actuators to keep the Helical Gear to the Nominal Condition. This helps end user to manually operate the Door Open and Closer functions without any support from the Central Locking unit when the Central the Locking unit attached to the Vehicle. Sector Arm (used in Master Actuator) outer profile carefully designed to avoid the damage on the detector switch (figure 12). New CS' Shape terminal with 'L' shape profile for motor connectivity has been used for integrated connector (figure 13) to avoid the wiring harness in the design and eliminating the rattling noise in the vehicle end during operating condition. High performance motor (figure 14) used to obtain the 4 kgf force in the plunger point of the Actuator Assy (Stall Torque of the motor is 38mNm).

The Motor is attached to all Slave Actuators and once the Motor gets the signal from the Control unit, It Starts rotating either Clockwise or Anti Clock wise direction and drives the Worm gear attached to it. Then worm gear drives the Helical gear and Helical gear drives the Sector Arm for 26 Deg of Angular Moment. Figure 15 shows the block diagram of the system setup which includes arrangements of actuators with electronic control unit. The figure 16 shows micro switch position used in master actuator. The figure 17 shows the motor in the present invention. The figure 18 shows Master Actuator Connector Design Modified from Two Pole Connector profile to Four Pole Connector Profile.

The invention has been described in connection with its preferred embodiments. However, it is not limited thereto. Changes, variations and modifications to the basic design may be made without departing from the inventive concepts in this invention. In addition, these changes, variations and modifications would be obvious to those skilled in the art having the benefit of the foregoing teachings. All such changes, variations and modifications are intended to be within the scope of this invention. The technology of the instant Application explained with the examples should not be construed to limit the scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. A system for locking comprising;

a. a control unit;

b. at least one master actuator connected to the control unit, and

c. plurality of slave actuators connected to the master actuator and to the control unit,

wherein said master actuator generates input signals to the control unit for locking.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the master actuator is connected with the control unit through a four pole-integrated connector and the slave actuators are connected with the control unit through a two-pole integrated connector.

3. The system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the integrated connector preferably comprises 'S* shape terminal with 'L' shape profile for motor connectivity and is being adopted to avoid wiring harness in design and eliminates rattling noise in vehicle during operating condition.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the master actuator and slave actuators are connected with electronic control unit optionally through a split type-integrated connector.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the actuators are provided with polyethylene cross linked foam to configure as sealing ring to avoid water entry into the actuators.
6. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein actuators are embedded with torsion spring having circular or square cross section, wherein said springs are configured to produce damping effect of pinion gear at both directions of rotation.

7. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said system for locking is a central locking system and said master actuator and slave actuators are mounted at doors of an automobile for locking of doors.

8. A method of operating locking system, said method comprising acts of;

a. generating input signal for the control unit by master actuator;

b. obtaining angular displacement of predetermined degree for micro switch placed inside the master actuator;

c. moving the displaced micro switch from open state to close state and sensing current state signal of switch by control unit to allow to flow current to slave actuator; and

d. activating the slave actuator by the current flow with predetermined degree of rotary movement to move the door to open state.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the input signal for the control unit is generated using rotary movement of key or remote control system.

10. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the predetermined degree of angular movement for the micro switch and the slave actuator is in the range of 20 Degrees to 30 Degrees, preferably 26 Degrees.