Locking mechanism for a vehicle seat

1. A locking mechanism that is for a vehicle seat, and for interacting with a mating element, the locking mechanism comprising:

a pivotably mounted pawl for locking to the mating element in a locked state of the locking mechanism, and for being unlocked with respect to the mating element in an opened state of the locking mechanism, with the pawl including a first functional surface and a second functional surface; and

at least one securing element operatively associated with the pawl for

(a) interacting with the first functional surface of the pawl while the locking mechanism is in the locked state, to exert a force on the pawl and thereby at least partially secure the locking mechanism in the locked state, and

(b) interacting with the second functional surface of the pawl while the locking mechanism is in the opened state, to exert an opening moment on the pawl and thereby at least partially secure the locking mechanism in the opened state,

wherein

the at least one securing element comprises a spring-loaded clamping eccentric and an intercepting component,

the clamping eccentric includes a clamping surface,

the clamping surface acts on the first functional surface of the pawl while the locking mechanism is in the locked state, to exert the force on the pawl and thereby at least partially secure the locking mechanism in the locked state,

the intercepting component includes an intercepting surface, and

the intercepting component is operative so that, in response to a crash having predetermined characteristics, the intercepting surface supports the pawl by way of the pawl's first functional surface to secure the locking mechanism in the locked state.

2. The locking mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein an axis extending normal to the second functional surface extends between:

the pawl's axis of rotation, and

the pawl's region that interacts with the mating element.

3. The locking mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein:

the at least one securing element includes a bearing surface, and

the bearing surface bears, in a tangential manner, against the second functional surface of the pawl while the locking mechanism is in the opened state, to exert at least some of the opening moment on the pawl and thereby at least partially secure the locking mechanism in the opened state.

4. The locking mechanism according to claim 1 , further comprising a spring for biasing the intercepting component, wherein the spring is fitted on the pawl or on a housing of the locking mechanism.

5. The locking mechanism according to claim 4 , wherein the intercepting component has a corner that is positioned at an end of the intercepting surface, and the intercepting component is configured so that the corner is in front as the intercepting surface approaches the first functional surface.

6. The locking mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the intercepting component has a corner that is positioned at an end of the intercepting surface, and the intercepting component is configured so that the corner is in front as the intercepting surface approaches the first functional surface.

7. The locking mechanism according to claim 6 , wherein:

the intercepting component is pivotably mounted, and

the corner is farther from the intercepting component's axis of rotation than any other point of the intercepting surface.

8. The locking mechanism according to claim 6 , wherein the intercepting component is configured so that while the intercepting component pivots and the corner approaches the first functional surface:

the corner travels along a path, and

the portion of the intercepting surface that is adjacent the corner travels tangentially with respect to the corner's path.

9. The locking mechanism according to claim 1 in combination with the vehicle seat, wherein the locking mechanism is mounted to the vehicle seat.

10. A locking mechanism that is for a vehicle seat, and for interacting with a mating element, the locking mechanism comprising:

a pivotably mounted pawl for locking to the mating element in a locked state of the locking mechanism, and for being unlocked with respect to the mating element in an opened state of the locking mechanism, with the pawl including a first functional surface and a second functional surface; and

at least one securing element operatively associated with the pawl for

(a) interacting with the first functional surface of the pawl while the locking mechanism is in the locked state, to exert a force on the pawl and thereby at least partially secure the locking mechanism in the locked state, and

(b) interacting with the second functional surface of the pawl while the locking mechanism is in the opened state, to exert an opening moment on the pawl and thereby at least partially secure the locking mechanism in the opened state,

wherein:

the at least one securing element comprises a spring-loaded clamping eccentric and an intercepting component,

the intercepting component interacts with the second functional surface of the pawl while the locking mechanism is in the opened state, to exert a first portion of the opening moment on the pawl, and

the clamping eccentric interacts with the second functional surface of the pawl while the locking mechanism is in the opened state, to exert a second portion of the opening moment on the pawl.

11. The locking mechanism according to claim 10 , wherein:

the clamping eccentric includes a clamping surface,

the clamping surface acts on the first functional surface of the pawl while the locking mechanism is in the locked state, to exert the force on the pawl and thereby at least partially secure the locking mechanism in the locked state,

the intercepting component includes an intercepting surface, and

the intercepting component is operative so that, in response to a crash having predetermined characteristics, the intercepting surface supports the pawl by way of the pawl's first functional surface to secure the locking mechanism in the locked state.

12. A locking mechanism that is for a vehicle seat, and for interacting with a mating element, the locking mechanism comprising:

a pivotably mounted pawl for locking to the mating element in a locked state of the locking mechanism, and for being unlocked with respect to the mating element in an opened state of the locking mechanism, with the pawl including a first functional surface a second functional surface; and

at least one securing element operatively associated with the pawl for

(a) interacting with the first functional surface of the pawl while the locking mechanism is in the locked state, to exert a force on the pawl and thereby at least partially secure the locking mechanism in the locked state, and

(b) interacting with the second functional surface of the pawl while the locking mechanism is in the opened state, to exert an opening moment on the pawl and thereby at least partially secure the locking mechanism in the opened state,

wherein:

the at least one securing element comprises a spring-loaded clamping eccentric and an intercepting component,

the spring-loaded clamping eccentric has a clamping surface, wherein the clamping surface acts on the first functional surface of the pawl while the locking mechanism is in the locked state, to exert the force on the pawl and thereby at least partially secure the locking mechanism in the locked state, and

the intercepting component has

(a) an intercepting surface, wherein the intercepting component is operative so that, in response to a crash having predetermined characteristics, the intercepting surface supports the pawl by way of the pawl's first functional surface to secure the locking mechanism in the locked state, and

(b) a corner that is positioned at an end of the intercepting surface, whereby a portion of the intercepting surface is adjacent the corner, wherein the corner is in front as the intercepting surface approaches the first functional surface, and the corner is farther from the intercepting component's axis of rotation than any other point of the intercepting surface.

13. The locking mechanism according to claim 12 , wherein the intercepting component is configured so that while the intercepting component pivots and the corner approaches the first functional surface of the pawl:

the corner travels along a path, and

the portion of the intercepting surface that is adjacent the corner travels tangentially with respect to the corner's path.

14. The locking mechanism according to claim 12 , wherein:

the intercepting component interacts with the second functional surface of the pawl while the locking mechanism is in the opened state, to exert at least some of the opening moment on the pawl.

15. The locking mechanism according to claim 14 , wherein the pawl includes a corner, and the first functional surface and the second functional surface are connected to each other via the corner of the pawl.

16. The locking mechanism according to claim 14 , wherein an axis extending normal to the second functional surface extends between:

the pawl's axis of rotation, and

the pawl's region that interacts with the mating element.

17. The locking mechanism according to claim 12 , wherein:

the intercepting component includes a bearing surface, and

the bearing surface bears, in a tangential manner, against the second functional surface of the pawl while the locking mechanism is in the opened state, to exert at least some of the opening moment on the pawl.

18. The locking mechanism according to claim 17 , wherein:

the bearing surface and the intercepting surface are connected to each other via the corner of the intercepting component.

19. The locking mechanism according to one of claims 12 , further comprising a spring for biasing the intercepting component, wherein the spring is fitted on the pawl or on a housing of the locking mechanism.

20. A locking mechanism that is for a vehicle seat, for interacting with a mating element, and for operating advantageously in the event of a crash having predetermined characteristics, the locking mechanism comprising:

a pivotably mounted pawl for locking to the mating element in a locked state of the locking mechanism, and for being unlocked with respect to the mating element in an opened state of the locking mechanism, with the pawl including a first functional surface;

a spring-loaded clamping eccentric having a clamping surface, wherein the clamping surface acts on the first functional surface of the pawl while the locking mechanism is in the locked state, to exert a force on the pawl and thereby at least partially secure the locking mechanism in the locked state; and

a pivotably mounted intercepting component having

(a) an intercepting surface, wherein the intercepting component is operative so that, in response to the crash having predetermined characteristics, the intercepting surface supports the pawl by way of the pawl's first functional surface to secure the locking mechanism in the locked state, and

(b) a corner that is positioned at an end of the intercepting surface, whereby a portion of the intercepting surface is adjacent the corner, wherein the corner is in front as the intercepting surface approaches the first functional surface, and the corner is farther from the intercepting component's axis of rotation than any other point of the intercepting surface.

21. The locking mechanism according to claim 20 , wherein the intercepting component is configured so that while the intercepting component pivots and the corner approaches the first functional surface of the pawl:

the corner travels along a path, and

the portion of the intercepting surface that is adjacent the corner travels tangentially with respect to the corner's path.

22. The locking mechanism according to claim 21 , wherein:

the pawl includes a second functional surface; and

the intercepting component interacts with the second functional surface of the pawl while the locking mechanism is in the opened state, to exert an opening moment on the pawl and thereby at least partially secure the locking mechanism in the opened state.

23. The locking mechanism according to claim 20 , wherein:

the pawl includes a second functional surface; and

the intercepting component interacts with the second functional surface of the pawl while the locking mechanism is in the opened state, to exert an opening moment on the pawl and thereby at least partially secure the locking mechanism in the opened state.

24. The locking mechanism according to claim 23 , wherein an axis extending normal to the second functional surface extends between:

the pawl's axis of rotation, and

the pawl's region that interacts with the mating element.

25. The locking mechanism according to claim 20 , wherein:

the pawl includes a second functional surface,

at least one of the intercepting component and the clamping eccentric includes a bearing surface, and

the bearing surface bears, in a tangential manner, against the second functional surface of the pawl while the locking mechanism is in the opened state, to exert an opening moment on the pawl and thereby at least partially secure the locking mechanism in the opened state.

26. The locking mechanism according to claim 25 , wherein the intercepting component includes the bearing surface, and the bearing surface and the intercepting surface are connected to each other via the corner of the intercepting component.

27. The locking mechanism according to claim 25 , wherein the pawl includes a corner, and the first functional surface and the second functional surface are connected to each other via the corner of the pawl.

28. The locking mechanism according to claim 20 , further comprising a spring for biasing the intercepting component, wherein the spring is fitted on the pawl or on a housing of the locking mechanism.

29. The locking mechanism according to claim 20 in combination with the vehicle seat, wherein the locking mechanism is mounted to the vehicle seat.