# US 12,595,689 B2 · Motor vehicle lock, in particular motor vehicle side door lock > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,595,689 B2 - Document ID: US12595689B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/363,938 - Filed: 2023-08-02 - Published: 2025-02-06 - Granted: 2026-04-07 - Earliest claimed: 2023-08-02 - Assignees: Kiekert AG - Applicants: Kiekert AG - Inventors: Robert J. Hunt; Scott Brown - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12595689B2 ## CPC - E05B 81/06: using rotary motors - E05B 81/14: operating on bolt detents, e.g. for unlatching the bolt - E05B 81/30: Rotary elements - E05B 81/34: of geared transmissions - E05B 77/36: Noise prevention; Anti-rattling means - E05B 81/90: Manual override in case of power failure - E05B 85/02: Lock casings - E05Y 2201/224: Stops - E05Y 2900/531: Doors - E05B: LOCKS; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR; HANDCUFFS - E05Y: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES E05D AND E05F, RELATING TO CONSTRUCTION ELEMENTS, ELECTRIC CONTROL, POWER SUPPLY, POWER SIGNAL OR TRANSMISSION, USER INTERFACES, MOUNTING OR COUPLING, DETAILS, ACCESSORIES, AUXILIARY OPERATIONS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, APPLICATION THEREOF ## Abstract A motor vehicle door lock having a locking mechanism with a rotary latch and at least one pawl, wherein the rotary latch can be engaged in at least one engaging position by means of the pawl; a release lever, wherein the locking mechanism can be transferred from the engaging position to a release position by means of the release lever; an electrical drive unit and an actuating lever, wherein the actuating lever can be actuated by the drive unit and the locking mechanism can be unlocked at least indirectly by means of the actuating lever, wherein the actuating lever and a gearwheel of the drive unit can be mounted on a common shaft. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A motor vehicle lock comprising: a locking mechanism with a rotary latch and a pawl, wherein the rotary latch is engaged in at least one engaging position by the pawl; a release lever, wherein the locking mechanism is transferred from the engaging position to a release position by the release lever; and an electrical drive unit and an actuating lever, wherein the actuating lever is actuated by the drive unit and the locking mechanism is unlocked at least indirectly by the actuating lever, and wherein the actuating lever and a gearwheel of the drive unit are mounted on a common shaft such that the common shaft is a bearing point for the actuating lever and the gearwheel, wherein the pawl is pivotably mounted on the common shaft such that the common shaft is further a bearing point for the pawl. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The motor vehicle lock according to claim 1, wherein the actuating lever is formed integrally with the gearwheel. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The motor vehicle lock according to claim 1, wherein the gearwheel is part of a worm gear mechanism. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The motor vehicle lock according to claim 1, wherein the common shaft is held in a housing and/or a reinforcement plate and/or a lock case of the motor vehicle lock. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The motor vehicle lock according to claim 1, further comprising a reinforcement plate and a lock case, wherein the bearing surface for the pawl is arranged between the reinforcement plate and the lock case. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The motor vehicle lock according to claim 1, wherein the common shaft is formed at least in regions from a metallic material. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The motor vehicle lock according to claim 1, wherein the common shaft has at least one shoulder for bearing the pawl. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The motor vehicle lock according to claim 1, wherein the common shaft is formed at least in regions from plastic. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The motor vehicle lock according to claim 1, further comprising a stop surface for the gearwheel and the actuating lever. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The motor vehicle lock according to claim 9, wherein the stop surface is an extension on the gearwheel and/or the actuating lever. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The motor vehicle lock according to claim 10, further comprising a reinforcement plate, and the extension extends toward the reinforcement plate. ### Claim 12 (depends on 5) The motor vehicle lock according to claim 5, wherein the common shaft is unreleasably connected to the lock case. ### Claim 13 (depends on 7) The motor vehicle lock according to claim 7, wherein the shoulder is an enlarged diameter portion of the common shaft that provides an abutment surface for bearing the pawl. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The motor vehicle lock according to claim 13, further comprising a reinforcement plate, wherein the shoulder further provides another abutment surface for supporting the reinforcement plate. ### Claim 15 (depends on 8) The motor vehicle lock according to claim 8, further comprising a plastic cover, and at least a portion of the common shaft is part of the plastic cover. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The motor vehicle lock according to claim 1, further comprising a lock case including a depression, wherein the depression is shaped to accommodate a rivet head of the common shaft such that the lock case forms a plane with the rivet head. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The motor vehicle lock according to claim 16, wherein the common shaft has at least one shoulder for bearing the pawl, and wherein the pawl is arranged between the depression of the lock case and the shoulder such that the depression provides a guide surface for the pawl through the lock case.