Vehicle door lock
First Claim
1. A vehicle door lock (1) releasably connectable to a striker (15) and comprising a fork (2) which rotates about a first axis (A) between a release position and at least one lock position engaging the striker (15), and a latch (3) which rotates about a second axis (B), is loaded elastically towards said fork (2), and has a catch portion (25) which clicks onto a tooth (11) of said fork (2) to releasably lock the fork (2) releasably in said lock position;
- said fork (2) comprising a main body (6) made of rigid material, and an outer coating (7) made of relatively yielding material and having, adjacent to said tooth (11), a slot (33) defining a peripheral edge (34) which flexes inwards of the slot (33) when struck by said catch portion (25) of said latch (3) engaging said tooth (11) of said fork (2);
characterized in that said main body (6) comprises a recess (36) close to the root of said tooth (11);
wherein said slot (33) is at least partly superimposed over said recess (36) to allow said edge (34) to flex inwards of the slot (33) wherever said catch portion (25) of said latch (3) strikes said fork (2).
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle door lock (1) having a fork (2) which rotates about a first axis (A) between a release position and at least one lock position engaging a fixed striker (15), and a latch (3) which rotates about a second axis (B), is loaded elastically towards the fork (2), and has a catch portion (25) which clicks onto a tooth (11) of the fork (2) to lock the fork (2) releasably in the lock position. The fork (2) is defined by a main body (6) made of rigid material, and by an outer coating (7) made of relatively yielding material and having, adjacent to the tooth (11), a slot (33) defining a peripheral edge (34) which flexes inwards of the slot (33) when struck by the catch portion (25) of the latch (3) engaging the tooth (11) of the fork (2). The main body (6) has a recess (36) close to the root of the tooth (11); and the slot (33) is at least partly superimposed over the recess (36) to allow the peripheral edge (34) to flex inwards of the slot (33) wherever the catch portion (25) of the latch (3) strikes the fork (2).
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Citations
5 Claims
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1. A vehicle door lock (1) releasably connectable to a striker (15) and comprising a fork (2) which rotates about a first axis (A) between a release position and at least one lock position engaging the striker (15), and a latch (3) which rotates about a second axis (B), is loaded elastically towards said fork (2), and has a catch portion (25) which clicks onto a tooth (11) of said fork (2) to releasably lock the fork (2) releasably in said lock position;
- said fork (2) comprising a main body (6) made of rigid material, and an outer coating (7) made of relatively yielding material and having, adjacent to said tooth (11), a slot (33) defining a peripheral edge (34) which flexes inwards of the slot (33) when struck by said catch portion (25) of said latch (3) engaging said tooth (11) of said fork (2);
characterized in that said main body (6) comprises a recess (36) close to the root of said tooth (11);
wherein said slot (33) is at least partly superimposed over said recess (36) to allow said edge (34) to flex inwards of the slot (33) wherever said catch portion (25) of said latch (3) strikes said fork (2). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
- said fork (2) comprising a main body (6) made of rigid material, and an outer coating (7) made of relatively yielding material and having, adjacent to said tooth (11), a slot (33) defining a peripheral edge (34) which flexes inwards of the slot (33) when struck by said catch portion (25) of said latch (3) engaging said tooth (11) of said fork (2);
Specification