Latch for a vehicle door

• US 20030222463A1
• Filed: 04/02/2003
• Published: 12/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meritor Technology, Inc. (Cummins Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: ArvinMeritor Light Vehicle Systems (UK) Ltd. (Meritor, Inc. (Nevada))
• Inventors: Mejean, Veronique, Madeddu, Marc
• Granted Patent: US 6,863,318 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 292/216
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/14 operating on bolt detents, e.g. for unlatching the bolt
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/23 Vehicle door latches
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/0999 Spring retracted
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1047 Closure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1079 Gear
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1082 Motor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/388 Sliding catch

Abstract

A latch of a vehicle door includes a retention plate having a shut face portion and a perpendicular inside face portion. The latch further includes a rotatable claw, a pawl resiliently biased into contact with the claw, and an intermediate release lever. The intermediate release lever has an axis of rotation substantially perpendicular to the axes of rotation of the claw and the pawl. During power release of the latch, a controller signals a power release actuator to rotate the intermediate release lever. The power release actuator is positioned in the plane of the inner face portion of the retention plate. As the intermediate release lever rotates, the cam surface of the intermediate release lever operatively rotates the pawl to disengage the claw and release the striker. If there is a failure of the power release mechanism, the mechanical linkage from the inside or outside door handle can be used to rotate the intermediate release lever and release the claw.

Claims

1. A latch for a vehicle door comprising:

a first portion arranged substantially parallel to a shut face plane of the latch;

a second portion arranged substantially parallel to an inside face plane of the latch; and

a power release mechanism to release the latch wherein said power release mechanism is provided in said second portion of the latch.

2. The latch according to claim 1 further including an intermediate release lever, and said power release mechanism drives said intermediate release lever.

3. The latch according to claim 2 wherein said intermediate release lever is pivotable about an axis substantially parallel to said shut face plane.

4. The latch according to claim 2 further including a resilient member that biases said intermediate release lever.

5. The latch according to claim 2 further including an inside release lever pivotably mounted co-axially with said intermediate release lever.

6. The latch according to claim 5 further including an inside door handle, and actuation of said inside door handle pivots said inside release lever to transmit drive to said intermediate release lever.

7. The latch according to claim 5 further including a superlocking mechanism that engages and disengages drive from said inside release lever to said intermediate release lever.

8. The latch according to claim 2 further including a pawl lifter, and said intermediate release lever engages said pawl lifter as said intermediate release lever is driven by said power release mechanism to rotate said pawl lifter.

9. The latch according to claim 8 wherein said pawl lifter is pivotable about an axis substantially parallel to said inside face plane.

10. The latch according to claim 8 further including a pawl that is pivotable about an axis substantially parallel to said inside face plane, and said pawl lifter rotates said pawl as said pawl lifter rotates.

11. The latch according to claim 10 wherein said pawl and said pawl lifter are coaxially mounted.

12. The latch according to claim 10 wherein a pawl engages a rotatable latch bolt pivotable about an axis substantially parallel to said inside face plane, and said pawl releases said latch bolt as said pawl is rotated by said pawl lifter.

13. The latch according to claim 1 wherein said first portion is arranged substantially parallel to a shut face of the vehicle door and said second portion is arranged substantially parallel to an inside face of the vehicle door.

14. The latch according to claim 2 wherein said power release mechanism includes a motor and a reduction gear that engages said intermediate release lever, and said motor drives said reduction gear to pivot said intermediate release lever.

15. The latch according to claim 14 wherein said intermediate release lever includes a cam surface that engages a projection on a pawl lifter to rotate said pawl lifter as said motor drives said intermediate release lever, and said pawl lifter rotates a pawl.

16. The latch according to claim 1 further including a control, and said power release mechanism is actuated by said control.

17. A latch for a vehicle door comprising:

a first portion arranged substantially parallel to a shut face plane of said latch;

a second portion arranged substantially parallel to an inside face plane of said latch;

a power release mechanism to release a latch bolt, and said power release mechanism is provided in said second portion of the latch;

an intermediate release lever pivotable about an axis substantially parallel to said shut face plane and driven by said power release mechanism;

a pawl lifter pivotable about an axis substantially parallel to said inside face plane, and said intermediate release lever rotates said pawl lifter as said intermediate release lever is driven by said power release mechanism;

a pawl mounted co-axially with said pawl lifter, and said pawl lifter rotates said pawl as said intermediate release lever rotates said pawl lifter; and

said latch bolt pivotably mounted about an axis substantially parallel to said inside face plane, and said pawl rotates to release said latch bolt when said pawl lifter rotates said pawl.

18. The latch according to claim 17 further including an insider release lever coaxially mounted with said intermediate release lever to manually release the latch.

19. The latch according to claim 18 further including a superlocking mechanism that engages and disengages drive from said inside release lever to said intermediate release lever.

20. The latch according to claim 17 wherein said first portion is arranged substantially parallel to a shut face of the vehicle door and said second portion is arranged substantially parallel to an inside face of the vehicle door.