Global Side Door Latch

• US 20080203737A1
• Filed: 03/22/2006
• Published: 08/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Closures Company Limited (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Closures Company Limited (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Cetnar, Roman, Tomaszewski, Kris
• Granted Patent: US 8,141,916 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 292/216
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2015/0493 Overcenter springs
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/26 specially adapted for child safety
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/265 hand actuated, e.g. by a lever at the edge of the door
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/28 for anti-theft purposes, e.g. double-locking or super-locking
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/32 allowing simultaneous actuation of locking or unlocking elements and a handle, e.g. preventing interference between an unlocking and an unlatching action
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/06 using rotary motors
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/14 operating on bolt detents, e.g. for unlatching the bolt
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/16 operating on locking elements for locking or unlocking action
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/18 to effect movement of a bolt or bolts E05B81/20 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/34 of geared transmissions
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/56 Control of actuators
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 85/02 Lock casings
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 85/26 Cooperation between bolts and detents
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 19/12 pivotally mounted around an axis E05C3/045, E05C3/40 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 3/12 with latching action devices in which the securing part is formed or merely carried by a spring and moves only by distortion of the spring, e.g. snaps, E05C19/06; tilt-plate latches E05C19/007
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1047 Closure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1048 Lever
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1082 Motor

Abstract

The latch includes a ratchet and pawl operable to move between an engaged position to hold a striker and a released position to permit the striker from exiting the latch. In addition, a release lever and a lock lever are pivotally mounted to the opposite surface of the latch housing. A lock link lever connects the release lever to the lock lever, having a first end pivotally mounted to the lock lever and a second end slidably located in a slot on the release lever. Actuating the release lever while the second end of the lock link lever is in its locked position pivots the lock link lever in a first arc and actuating the release lever while the lock link lever is in its unlocked position pivots the lock link lever in a second arc to actuate the pawl into its released position.

Claims

1. A latch for an automotive door, comprising:

a housing;

a ratchet and pawl mounted to the housing, the ratchet and pawl cooperatively operable to move between an engaged position operable to hold a striker and a released position;

a lock lever mounted to the housing and operable to move between a locked and an unlocked position;

a lock link lever, kinematically coupled to the lock lever and operable to move between a corresponding locked and unlocked position when the lock lever moves between its respective locked and unlocked positions, the lock link lever operable to actuate the pawl when actuated from its unlocked position;

a release lever, pivotally mounted to the housing; and

operable to actuate the lock link lever; and

a double lock motor connected to the lock link lever so that the double lock is operable to kinematically decouples the lock link lever from the lock lever and kinematically recouple the lock link lever to the lock lever.

2. The latch of claim 1, wherein the lock lever is pivotally mounted to the housing, and further including

an outside lock lever, pivotally mounted to the lock lever, and movable between a locked and an unlocked position, and wherein pivoting the outside lock lever into one of the locked and unlocked positions moves the lock lever into its corresponding one of its locked and unlocked positions.

3. The latch of claim 2, wherein moving the outside lock lever into the unlocked position while the lock link lever is decoupled from the lock lever kinematically recouples the lock link lever to the lock lever.

4. The latch of claim 3, wherein the lock link lever has a first end pivotally mounted to the lock lever and a second end slidably retained in a slot on the release lever, the second end being movable between a locked and an unlocked position in the slot by pivoting the lock lever between its corresponding locked and unlocked positions;

and

wherein actuating the release lever while the lock link lever is in its unlocked position pivots the lock link lever in an arc to actuate the pawl into its released position.

5. The latch according to claim 4, wherein:

said housing has a first and second surface, the first surface having a channel adapted to receive the striker;

each of the ratchet and pawl pivotally mounted to the first surface with a portion of the pawl extending through an opening in the housing to the second surface, the ratchet and pawl cooperatively operable to move between an engaged position to hold the striker in the channel, and a released position to permit the striker from exiting the channel, the ratchet and pawl further being biased towards the engaged position

said release lever is pivotally mounted to the second surface of the housing;

said lock lever is pivotally mounted to the second surface of the housing; and

actuating the release lever while the second end of the lock link lever is in its locked position pivots the lock link lever in a second arc that is clear of the pawl.

6. The latch of claim 5, wherein the first end of the lock link lever includes a depending tab that is retained within a slot located in the lock lever and is slidable between a first and a second position within the slot and whereby sliding the depending tab into its second position moves the second end of the lock link lever into its locked position.

7. The latch of claim 6, wherein the depending tab on the first end of the lock link lever is biased towards its first position.

8. The latch of claim 7, wherein the outside lock lever is operable to move the depending tab on the first end of the lock link lever from its first position into its second position when pivoted into the locked position.

9. The latch of claim 8, wherein the latch further includes a lock motor and at least one gear interconnecting the lock motor to a switch cam, the switch cam operable to pivot the lock lever between its locked and unlocked positions, so that so activating the lock motor pivots the lock lever from one of its locked and unlocked positions into the other of its locked and unlocked positions.

10. The latch of claim 8, wherein the latch further includes at least one gear interconnecting the double lock motor and a deadbolt arm, the deadbolt arm operable to move the depending tab on the first end of the lock link lever between its first position and second positions in the slot on the lock lever, so that activating the double lock motor moves the depending tab from one of its first and second positions into its other of its first and second positions.

11. The latch of claim 10, wherein pivoting the outside lock lever into the unlocked position moves the deadbolt arm away from the first end of the lock link lever so that the depending tab on the first end of the lock link lever returns to its first position.

12. The latch of claim 5, wherein the latch further includes a latch cover in a fit engagement with a perimeter of the housing, thereby covering the second side of the housing.

13. The latch of claim 12, wherein the latch further includes an inside release lever pivotally mounted to the latch cover and operable to be connected to an inside door handle and kinematically coupled to the release lever so that actuating the inside release lever actuates the release lever.

14. The latch of claim 12, wherein the latch further includes an outside release lever pivotally mounted to the latch housing and operable to be connected to an outside door, the outside release lever being kinematically coupled to the release lever so that actuating the outside release lever actuates the release lever.

15. The latch of claim 12, wherein the latch further includes an inside lock lever mounted to the latch cover and pivotal between a locked and an unlocked position, the inside lock lever being kinematically connected to the lock lever so that moving one of the inside lock lever and the lock lever to either the locked or unlocked position move the other of the inside lock lever and the lock lever to the same position.

16. The latch of claim 15, wherein the latch further includes a toggle spring biasing the inside lock lever towards the nearest of the locked and unlocked positions.

17. The latch of claim 12, wherein the ratchet and pawl are operable to cooperatively move to a secondary engagement position operable to retain a striker between the engagement position and the released position.

18. The latch of claim 17, wherein a plurality of switch sensors are mounted within the latch cover.

19. The latch of claim 18, wherein each of the plurality of switch sensors is activated by a switch cam that is pivotally mounted to a ratchet rivet that pivots in tandem with the ratchet.

20. The latch of claim 19, when the plurality of switch sensors includes at least one of an outside lock switch, an outside unlock switch, a door ajar switch, and a door open switch.

21. The latch of claim 20, wherein the switch cam includes a lockout tab extending out radially from the ratchet rivet so that when the ratchet is in its released position, the lockout tab blocks the lock lever from pivoting from its unlocked to its locked position.

25. The latch of claim 6, wherein the latch further includes a power release actuator, the power release actuator including:

a power release motor operable to be engaged by an electrical signal;

a cam, rotatably driven by an output on the motor;

a pawl engage lever, operatively connected to the cam, and extending outwards towards the pawl; and

wherein activating the power release motor translates the position of the pawl engage lever so that the pawl engage lever actuates the pawl, thereby releasing the latch.

26. The latch of claim 25, wherein the pawl engage lever is selectively operable to actuate the pawl, the pawl engage lever being pivotally mounted to a set of linkages that is pivotally mounted to the cam, the set of linkages being movable between an engage position where the pawl engage lever abut against and is operable to actuate the pawl, and a bypass position wherein the pawl engage lever is displaced away from the pawl and so is inoperable to actuate the pawl.

27. The latch of claim 26, wherein the set of linkages is further operatively connected to the outside release lever so that moving the outside release lever from its resting position to its actuated position moves the set of linkages to the engage position, and that returning the outside release lever to its resting position moves the set of linkages to the bypass position.

28. The latch of claim 27, wherein the latch further includes:

at least one gear interconnecting the double lock motor and a deadbolt arm, the deadbolt arm operable to move the depending tab on the first end of the lock link lever between its first position and second positions in the slot on the lock lever, so that activating the double lock motor moves the depending tab from one of its first and second positions into its other of its first and second positions; and

an override rod operatively connecting the set of linkages to the at least one gear interconnecting the double lock motor and the deadbolt arm so that engaging the power release motor moves the at least one gear to move the deadbolt arm into its second position.

22. A latch for an automotive door, comprising:

a housing;

a ratchet and pawl mounted to the housing, the ratchet and pawl cooperatively operable to move between an engaged position operable to hold a striker and a released position;

a lock lever mounted to the housing and operable to move between a locked and an unlocked position;

a lock link lever, kinematically coupled to the lock lever and operable to move between a corresponding locked and unlocked position when the lock lever moves between its respective locked and unlocked positions, the lock link lever operable to actuate the pawl when actuated from the unlocked position;

a release lever, pivotally mounted to the housing; and

operable to actuate the lock link lever;

an inside release lever, operably connected to an inside door handle;

an inside auxiliary release lever operable to actuate the release lever; and

a motorized child lock assembly, selectively operable to kinematically couple and kinematically decouple the inside release lever and the auxiliary inside release lever.

23. The latch of claim 22, wherein the motorized child lock assembly includes

a child lock lever, pivotally mounted to a latch cover and movable between a locked position and an unlocked position;

a child lock link lever, pivotally connected at a first end to the child lock lever, and slidably retained within a slot on the inside auxiliary release lever at a second end;

the second end being movable between a locked position where the second end is displaced away from the inside release lever, and an unlocked position in the slot where the second end abuts against an edge of the inside release lever by pivoting the child lock lever between its corresponding locked and unlocked positions;

a child lock motor operable to move the child lock lever to kinematically couple and kinematically decouple the inside release lever and the auxiliary inside release lever; and

wherein actuating the inside release lever while the second end of the child lock link lever is in its unlocked position pivots the child lock link lever, thereby pivoting the inside auxiliary release lever to actuate the release lever.

24. The latch of claim 23, wherein the child lock lever includes a tab extending through an aperture in the latch cover to the outside of the latch, the tab being operable to manually pivot the child lock lever between its locked and unlocked positions.

29. A latch, comprising:

a housing;

a ratchet and pawl mounted to the housing, the ratchet and pawl cooperatively operable to move between an engaged position operable to hold a striker and a released position;

a power release actuator operable to be engaged by an electric signal and selectively operable to release the pawl, the power release actuator having a default state in which the power release actuator is mechanically disconnected from the pawl, and an active state in which the power release actuator is mechanically connected to the pawl, and wherein

actuating an outside release lever on the latch mechanically moves the power release actuator from the default state to the active state and connects the power release actuator to the pawl to permit power actuation of the latch.

30. The latch of claim 29, wherein the ratchet and pawl remain in the engaged position if the power release actuator is accidentally triggering while in the default state.

31. The latch of claim 30, further including:

a lock lever mounted to the housing and operable to move between a locked and an unlocked position;

a lock link lever, kinematically coupled to the lock lever and operable to move between a corresponding locked and unlocked position when the lock lever moves between its respective locked and unlocked positions, the lock link lever operable to actuate the pawl when actuated from its unlocked position;

a release lever, pivotally mounted to the housing; and

operable to actuate the lock link lever;

a double lock motor connected to the lock link lever by at least one gear so that the double lock is operable to kinematically decouples the lock link lever from the lock lever and kinematically recouple the lock link lever to the lock lever.

an override rod operatively connecting the power release actuator to the at least one gear so that engaging the power release actuator moves the at least one gear and returns lock link lever to its unlocked position.

32. The latch of claim 31, wherein the power release actuator includes:

a power release motor operable to be engaged by an electrical signal;

a cam, rotatably driven by an output on the motor;

a pawl engage lever, operatively connected to the cam, and extending outwards towards the pawl; and

wherein activating the power release motor translates the position of the pawl engage lever so that the pawl actuates the pawl, thereby releasing the latch.

33. The latch of claim 32, wherein the pawl engage lever is selectively operable to actuate the pawl, the pawl engage lever being pivotally mounted to a set of linkages that is pivotally mounted to the cam, the set of linkages being movable between an engage position where the pawl engage lever abut against and is operable to actuate the pawl, and a bypass position wherein the pawl engage lever is displaced away from the pawl and so is inoperable to actuate the pawl.

34. The latch of claim 33, wherein the set of linkages is further operatively connected to the outside release lever so that moving the outside release lever from its resting position to its actuated position moves the set of linkages to the engage position, and that returning the outside release lever to its resting position moves the set of linkages to the bypass position.

35. The latch of claim 34, wherein:

the at least one gear includes a deadbolt arm operable to move a depending tab on a first end of the lock link lever between a first position and a second positions in a slot on the lock lever, so that activating the double lock motor moves the depending tab from one of its first and second positions into its other of its first and second positions; and

the override rod operatively connects the set of linkages to the at least one gear interconnecting the double lock motor and the deadbolt arm so that engaging the power release motor moves the deadbolt arm into its second position.

36. The latch of claim 35, wherein the electric signal is an RF signal transmitted from a key fob.