IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,559,994
Granted Patent B2
US 12,559,994 · App. 18/042,521 · Granted Feb 24, 2026

Opening apparatus for a motor vehicle door element

Inventors: Uwe Reddmann (Essen, DE); Holger Schiffer (Meerbusch, DE); Ömer Inan (Dorsten, DE); Christian Sturm (Krefeld, DE); Peter Szegeny (Engelskirchen, DE)
Assignee: Kiekert AG
E05B81/14E05B81/16E05B81/90
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,559,994
App. No.
18/042,521
Granted
Feb 24, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A motor vehicle lock having a locking mechanism with a rotary latch and at least one pawl, wherein a rotary movement of the rotary latch can be locked by means of the pawl, an electric drive device with which the pawl can be transferred from a locking position into a release position for the locking mechanism, and an opening device, wherein a vehicle part interacting with the motor vehicle lock can be moved by means of the opening device from a closed position into an open position, and wherein a safety means is provided, wherein the safety means makes it possible to hold the vehicle part in the event of a power failure.

Claims (19)

1. A motor vehicle lock comprising:

a locking mechanism with a rotary latch and a pawl, wherein a rotary movement of the rotary latch is locked by the pawl,

an electric drive device that transfers the pawl from a locking position into a release position for the locking mechanism,

an opening device, wherein a vehicle part interacting with the motor vehicle lock is moved by the opening device from a closed position into an open position,

a safety lever, wherein the safety lever holds the vehicle part in the event of a power failure to the electric drive, and

a lock strike,

wherein the safety lever is spring-biased toward engagement with the lock strike, wherein the safety lever is held in a release position separated from the lock strike during the locking mechanism moving from a locking position of the locking mechanism to a release position of the locking mechanism during normal operation, and wherein the safety lever is released from the release position of the safety lever in the event of a power failure of the motor vehicle lock and the safety lever is biased into engagement with the lock strike.

2. The motor vehicle lock according to claim 1 , wherein the safety lever comprises a rotatably-mounted blocking lever.

3. The motor vehicle lock according to claim 2 , wherein the blocking lever is pivotably received on an axis of the rotary latch of the locking mechanism.

4. The motor vehicle lock according to claim 2 , further comprising a lock strike, wherein the blocking lever is form-fittingly connected to the lock strike.

5. The motor vehicle lock according to claim 4 , wherein the blocking lever is released from engagement with the lock strike by an internal door handle.

6. The motor vehicle lock according to claim 4 , wherein the blocking lever is released from engagement with the lock strike by a release lever.

7. The motor vehicle lock according to claim 4 , wherein the blocking lever has a hook shaped end for encompassing the lock strike.

8. The motor vehicle lock according to claim 4 , wherein the blocking lever is latched in the lock strike.

9. The motor vehicle lock according to claim 4 , wherein the lock strike is configured as a bracket, and both the rotary latch and the blocking lever engage with the lock strike bracket.

10. The motor vehicle lock according to claim 2 , wherein the blocking lever has a hook shaped end for encompassing the lock strike, and wherein the blocking lever has a predetermined breaking point at the hook shaped end where the blocking lever is breakable to release engagement with the vehicle part.

11. The motor vehicle lock according to claim 2 , further comprising a spring element,

wherein the blocking lever is released from the vehicle part by a latching force being exceeded, and wherein the latching force is introduced into the blocking lever by the spring element.

12. The motor vehicle lock according to claim 2 , wherein the blocking lever includes a metal material and at least a portion of the blocking lever includes a plastic cover.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 28, 2023
From: REDDMANN, UWE; SCHIFFER, HOLGER; INAN, ÖMER; STURM, CHRISTIAN; SZEGENY, PETER
To: KIEKERT AG
Reel/Frame 062822/0410 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2020 124 240.9 · Sep 17, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230332442A1 · Oct 19, 2023
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