Electronic interior door release system

• US 10,494,838 B2
• Filed: 11/23/2016
• Issued: 12/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Patel, Rajesh K., Papanikolaou, Kosta
• Primary Examiner(s): Kelly, Catherine A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Massad, Abe
• Application Number:
  US15/359,767
• Publication Number:
  US 20170074006A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,105 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0657 by locking the handle, spindle, follower or the like
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/245 by blocking the movement of a movable element
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/54 Automatic securing or unlocking of bolts triggered by certain vehicle parameters, e.g. exceeding a speed threshold triggered by vehicle collision E05B77/12
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 79/20 using flexible connections, e.g. Bowden cables
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/08 using electromagnets or solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/77 comprising sensors detecting the presence of the hand of a user
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/90 Manual override in case of power failure
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 85/12 Inner door handles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1082 Motor

Abstract

A powered door latch may be actuated by a capacitive sensor or by movement of a mechanical release device. A controller may be utilized to prevent unlatching of the powered latch unless the vehicle is in Park and/or certain operating conditions are present.

Claims

1. A vehicle having a vehicle structure and a door assembly pivotably mounted to the vehicle structure for rotation about a front edge of the door assembly, the door assembly comprising:

a powered latch release device;

a vehicle door having inner and outer opposite sides;

a latch mounted to the vehicle door, the latch having a movable latch member and an electrically powered actuator that is configured to shift the movable latch member between a retaining position and a released position;

a movable release member movably disposed on the inner side of the vehicle door such that a user can push on the release member to cause movement of the release member into the door;

a mechanical member operably interconnecting the release member to the movable latch member such that movement of the release member into the door causes the movable latch member to move from the retaining position to the released position without actuation of the electrically powered actuator; and

a proximity sensor mounted to the release member, wherein the proximity sensor is configured to detect an object moved to within a predefined vicinity of the sensor, and wherein the proximity sensor moves with the release member when the release member is actuated, and

a controller operably connected to the electrically powered actuator and the proximity sensor, and wherein the controller actuates the electrically powered actuator and shifts the latch member from the retaining position to the released position if the proximity sensor determines that an object is within the predefined vicinity, even if the release member is not moved.

2. The vehicle door assembly of claim 1, including:

a support member movably supporting the release member for linear reciprocating motion in an inward direction and an opposite outward direction.

3. The vehicle door assembly of claim 2,

wherein:

the mechanical member

comprises an elongated cable that shifts between a rest position and an actuated position upon movement of the release member; and

the latch defines a locked mode in which the movable latch member is in its latched position, and wherein a single longitudinal shifting of the elongated cable from its rest position to its actuated position causes the latch to change from the locked mode to an unlocked mode with the movable latch member remaining in its latched position, and wherein shifting of the elongated cable from its rest position to its actuated position a second time causes the movable latch member to shift from its latched position to its unlatched position.

4. The vehicle door assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the predefined vicinity includes contact with the proximity sensor.

5. The vehicle door assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the predefined vicinity does not include contact with the proximity sensor.

6. The vehicle door assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the controller is configured such that the powered actuator only releases the latch member if the proximity sensor senses the presence of an object twice within a predefined time interval.

7. The vehicle door assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the controller is configured to prevent shifting of the movable latch member from the retaining position to the released position if the vehicle is moving.

8. The vehicle door assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the controller prevents shifting of the movable latch member from the retaining position to the release position upon movement of the release member into the door if the vehicle is not in park.

9. The vehicle door assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the controller prevents shifting of the movable latch member from the retaining position to the release position if the vehicle is moving.

10. A vehicle door assembly including a powered latch release device, the door assembly comprising:

a vehicle door having a window and a beltline below the window, the vehicle door further including inner and outer opposite sides, the inner side having a substantially planar portion below the beltline;

a latch mounted to the vehicle door, the latch having a movable latch member and an electrically powered actuator that is configured to shift the movable latch member between a retaining position and a released position;

a movable release member movably disposed on the inner side of the vehicle door within the substantially planar portion such that a user can push on the release member to cause movement of the release member into the door;

a mechanical member operably interconnecting the release member to the movable latch member such that movement of the release member into the door causes the movable latch member to move from the retaining position to the released position without actuation of the electrically powered actuator; and

a proximity sensor mounted to the release member, wherein the proximity sensor is configured to detect an object moved to within a predefined vicinity of the sensor, and wherein the proximity sensor moves with the release member when the release member is actuated, and

a controller operably connected to the electrically powered actuator and the proximity sensor, and wherein the controller actuates the electrically powered actuator and shifts the latch member from the retaining position to the released position if the proximity sensor determines that an object is within the predefined vicinity, even if the release member is not moved.

11. The vehicle door assembly of claim 10, wherein;

the vehicle door is configured to be pivotably mounted to a vehicle structure for rotation about a front edge of the vehicle door.

12. The vehicle door assembly of claim 10, including:

a support member movably supporting the release member for linear reciprocating motion in an inward direction and an opposite outward direction.

13. The vehicle door assembly of claim 10,

wherein:

the mechanical member

comprises an elongated cable that shifts between a rest position and an actuated position upon movement of the release member; and

the latch defines a locked mode in which the movable latch member is in its latched position, and wherein a single longitudinal shifting of the elongated cable from its rest position to its actuated position causes the latch to change from the locked mode to an unlocked mode with the movable latch member remaining in its latched position, and wherein shifting of the elongated cable from its rest position to its actuated position a second time causes the movable latch member to shift from its latched position to its unlatched position.

14. The vehicle door assembly of claim 10, wherein:

the predefined vicinity includes contact with the proximity sensor.