Vehicular door latch operation control device

• US 20020021010A1
• Filed: 06/15/2001
• Published: 02/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Hirota, Koichi, Kobayashi, Norikazu, Aiyama, Takaya
• Granted Patent: US 6,717,290 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 292/201
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/26 specially adapted for child safety
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/28 for anti-theft purposes, e.g. double-locking or super-locking
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/48 by electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/06 using rotary motors
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/76 Detection of handle operation; Detection of a user approaching a handle; Electrical switching actions performed by door handles
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00222 by more than one push button
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00769 with data transmission performed by wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00182 operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1082 Motor

Abstract

To expand the versatility of the design specification for a vehicle door, a vehicle door latch operation control device includes a controller which operates a latch release actuator to allow the door to open. The controller has a lock/unlock setting portion which sets an unlock state and a lock state for allowing the latch release actuator to operate and prohibiting the latch release actuator from operating in such a manner that establishing the unlock and lock states at the inside of a vehicle is made independent of establishing the unlock and lock states outside the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle door latch operation control device comprising:

a latch release actuator driving a latch mechanism which holds the door relative to a vehicle body so as to allow the door to be opened;

trigger means for alternatively turning on and off the latch release actuator; and

a controller controlling operation of the latch release actuator based on an operation signal issued from the trigger means, the controller being provided with a lock/unlock setting portion which establishes a lock state and an unlock state at each of an inside and an outside of the vehicle body independently.

2. The vehicular door latch operation control device as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a memory in which a program for establishing the lock and unlock states is stored.

3. A vehicle door latch operation control device comprising:

a latch release actuator operable to drive a latch mechanism which holds a door of a vehicle relative to a body of the vehicle to move the latch mechanism to a position allowing the door to be opened;

means issuing an operation signal to turn the latch release actuator on or off;

a driving circuit for operating the latch release actuator; and

a controller controlling the driving circuit to operate the latch release actuator based on the operation signal issued from said means to establish a lock state and an unlock state at an inside of the vehicle while also independently establishing the lock state and the unlock state at an outside of the vehicle

4. The vehicular door latch operation control device as set forth in claim 3, further comprising a memory in which is stored a control program for establishing the lock and unlock states.

5. The vehicular door latch operation control device as set forth in claim 3, further comprising a memory in which is stored a current locked or unlocked state at the inside of the vehicle and a current locked or unlocked state at the outside of the vehicle.

6. The vehicular door latch operation control device as set forth in claim 3, further comprising a memory in which is stored a current state of whether or not a double lock function is active.

7. The vehicular door latch operation control device as set forth in claim 3, further comprising a memory in which is stored a current state of whether or not a child-proof lock function is active.