UNIVERSAL GLOBAL LATCH SYSTEM

• US 20100235059A1
• Filed: 03/12/2009
• Published: 09/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Krishnan, Venky, Papanikolaou, Kosta
• Granted Patent: US 8,544,901 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/49
• 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 81/14 operating on bolt detents, e.g. for unlatching the bolt
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/54 Electrical circuits for locking several wings simultaneously E05B77/48
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/64 Monitoring or sensing, e.g. by using switches or sensors
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/90 Manual override in case of power failure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1047 Closure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1078 Closure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1082 Motor

Abstract

A latch system for a door of a vehicle including a latch assembly having a catch and a pawl, an actuatable inside handle, and an actuator engaged with the pawl and being configured to be activated by actuation of the inside handle. The catch is configured to be moved to an open position by activating the actuator to thereby move the pawl to stop the pawl from maintaining the catch in the closed position. The catch is also configured to be moved to the open position after actuation of the inside handle by having the inside handle mechanically move the toggle lever to stop the pawl from maintaining the catch in the closed position to when the vehicle does not have power.

Claims

1. A latch system for a door of a vehicle comprising:

a latch assembly for maintaining the door in a closed location, the latch assembly including a catch and a pawl, the catch having a closed position wherein the catch is configured to grasp a portion of the vehicle to maintain the door in the closed location and an open position wherein the catch is configured to release the portion of the vehicle to allow the door to move to an open location, the pawl being configured to maintain the catch in the closed position;

an actuatable inside handle;

an actuator engaged with the latch assembly, the actuator being configured to be activated by actuation of the inside handle;

an emergency release lever being movable between an on position and an off position, the emergency release lever being engaged with the actuatable inside handle;

wherein the catch is configured to be moved to the open position after actuation of the inside handle by activating the actuator to thereby move the pawl to stop the pawl from maintaining the catch in the closed position when the vehicle has power;

wherein the catch is configured to be moved to the open position after actuation of the inside handle by moving the emergency release lever to the on position to mechanically interconnect the inside handle with the pawl to stop the pawl from maintaining the catch in the closed position; and

wherein the inside handle is not mechanically interconnected to the pawl when the emergency release lever is in the off position such that actuation of the inside handle will not mechanically move the pawl when the emergency release lever is in the off position.

2. The latch system for a door of a vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the latch assembly has a locked condition wherein the pawl is prevented from releasing the catch; and

if the latch assembly is in the locked condition, the actuator prevents actuation of the inside handle from actuating the pawl to stop the pawl from maintaining the catch in the closed position.

3. The latch system for a door of a vehicle as claimed in claim 1, further including:

a key unlatch cylinder configured to be accessible from an exterior of the vehicle, the key unlatch cylinder being configured to be actuated after engagement with a key, the key unlatch cylinder being engaged with the pawl; and

wherein the catch is configured to be moved to the open position after actuation of the key unlock cylinder to thereby move the pawl to stop the pawl from maintaining the catch in the closed position.

4. The latch system for a door of a vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the actuator is configured to be able to maintain the pawl in a stationary position whereby the pawl maintains the catch in the closed position.

5. The latch system for a door of a vehicle as claimed in claim 1, further including:

an actuatable outside handle;

wherein the latch assembly has a locked condition wherein the pawl is prevented from releasing the catch; and

wherein the catch is configured to be moved to the open position after actuation of the outside handle by activating the actuator to thereby move the pawl to stop the pawl from maintaining the catch in the closed position when the vehicle has power and when the latch assembly is in the locked condition.

6. The latch system for a door of a vehicle as claimed in claim 1, further including:

an inside release switch activated by actuation of the inside handle, the inside release switch sending a signal to the actuator to move the pawl.

7. The latch system for a door of a vehicle as claimed in claim 6, further including:

a door module electronically connected between the inside release switch and the actuator, the door module selectively activating the actuator.

8. The latch system for a door of a vehicle as claimed in claim 7, wherein:

the door module only activates the actuator to move the pawl after the inside handle has been actuated twice within a predetermined time period.

9. A method of controlling a location of a door of a vehicle comprising:

providing a latch assembly for maintaining the door in a closed location, the latch assembly including a catch and a pawl, the catch having a closed position wherein the catch is configured to grasp a portion of the vehicle to maintain the door in the closed location and an open position wherein the catch is configured to release the portion of the vehicle to allow the door to move to an open location, the pawl being configured to maintain the catch in the closed position;

providing an actuatable inside handle;

engaging an actuator with the latch assembly;

providing an emergency release lever being movable between an on position and an off position, the emergency release lever being engaged with the actuatable inside handle;

opening the door when the vehicle has power by moving the catch to the open position by actuating the inside handle to activate the actuator to thereby move the pawl to stop the pawl from maintaining the catch in the closed position; and

opening the door by moving the catch to the open position after actuation of the inside handle by moving the emergency release lever to the on position and mechanically interconnecting the inside handle with the pawl to stop the pawl from maintaining the catch in the closed position;

wherein the inside handle is not mechanically interconnected to the pawl when the emergency release lever is in the off position such that actuation of the inside handle will not mechanically move the pawl when the emergency release lever is in the off position.

10. The method of controlling a location of a door of a vehicle as claimed in claim 9, wherein:

the latch assembly has a locked condition wherein the pawl is prevented from releasing the catch; and

if the latch assembly is in the locked condition, the actuator prevents actuation of the inside handle from actuating the pawl to stop the pawl from maintaining the catch in the closed position.

11. The method of controlling a location of a door of a vehicle as claimed in claim 9, further including:

providing a key unlatch cylinder configured to be accessible from an exterior of the vehicle, the key unlatch cylinder being configured to be actuated after engagement with a key, the key unlatch cylinder being engaged with the pawl; and

wherein the catch is configured to be moved to the open position after actuation of the key unlock cylinder to thereby move the pawl to stop the pawl from maintaining the catch in the closed position.

12. The method of controlling a location of a door of a vehicle as claimed in claim 9, wherein:

the actuator is configured to be able to maintain the pawl in a stationary position whereby the pawl maintains the catch in the closed position.

13. The method of controlling a location of a door of a vehicle as claimed in claim 9, further including:

providing an actuatable outside handle;

wherein the latch assembly has a locked condition wherein the pawl is prevented from releasing the catch; and

wherein the catch is configured to be moved to the open position after actuation of the outside handle by activating the actuator to thereby move the pawl to stop the pawl from maintaining the catch in the closed position when the vehicle has power and when the latch assembly is in the locked condition.

14. The method of controlling a location of a door of a vehicle as claimed in claim 9, further including:

activating an inside release switch by actuation of the inside handle; and

sending a signal from the inside release switch to the actuator to move the pawl.

15. The method of controlling a location of a door of a vehicle as claimed in claim 14, further including:

electronically connecting a door module between the inside release switch and the actuator; and

selectively activating the actuator with the door module.

16. The method of controlling a location of a door of a vehicle as claimed in claim 15, wherein:

the door module only activates the actuator to move the pawl after the inside handle has been actuated twice within a predetermined time period.

17. A latch system for a door of a vehicle comprising:

a latch assembly for maintaining the door in a closed location, the latch assembly including a catch and a pawl, the catch having a closed position wherein the catch is configured to grasp a portion of the vehicle to maintain the door in the closed location and an open position wherein the catch is configured to release the portion of the vehicle to allow the door to move to an open location, the pawl being configured to maintain the catch in the closed position, the latch assembly having a locked condition wherein the pawl is prevented from releasing the catch;

an actuatable inside handle;

an actuatable outside handle;

an actuator engaged with the latch assembly, the actuator being configured to be activated by actuation of the inside handle and actuation of the outside handle;

an emergency release lever being movable between an on position and an off position, the emergency release lever being engaged with the actuatable inside handle;

wherein the catch is configured to be moved to the open position after actuation of the inside handle by activating the actuator to thereby move the pawl to stop the pawl from maintaining the catch in the closed position when the vehicle has power;

wherein the catch is configured to be moved to the open position after actuation of the inside handle by moving the emergency release lever to the on position to mechanically interconnect the inside handle with the pawl to stop the pawl from maintaining the catch in the closed position;

wherein the inside handle is not mechanically interconnected to the pawl when the emergency release lever is in the off position such that actuation of the inside handle will not mechanically move the pawl when the emergency release lever is in the off position;

if the latch assembly is in the locked condition, the actuator prevents actuation of the inside handle from actuating the pawl to stop the pawl from maintaining the catch in the closed position; and

wherein the catch is configured to be moved to the open position after actuation of the outside handle by activating the actuator to thereby move the pawl to stop the pawl from maintaining the catch in the closed position when the vehicle has power and when the latch assembly is in the locked condition.

18. The latch system for a door of a vehicle as claimed in claim 17, further including:

an inside release switch activated by actuation of the inside handle, the inside release switch sending a signal to the actuator to move the pawl.

19. The latch system for a door of a vehicle as claimed in claim 18, further including:

a door module electronically connected between the inside release switch and the actuator, the door module selectively activating the actuator.

20. The latch system for a door of a vehicle as claimed in claim 19, wherein:

the door module only activates the actuator to move the pawl after the inside handle has been actuated twice within a predetermined time period.

21. A latch system for a vehicle'"'"'s door comprising:

an assembly for maintaining the door closed;

a handle;

a lever selectively engaged with the handle and the assembly;

an actuator engaged with the assembly;

the assembly being opened after actuation of the handle when the vehicle has power via the actuator;

the assembly can only be opened mechanically after actuation of the handle by moving the lever to mechanically interconnect the handle with the assembly.

22. A method of controlling a vehicle'"'"'s door comprising:

providing an assembly for maintaining the door closed;

providing a handle;

engaging an actuator with the assembly;

selectively engaging a movable lever with the handle and the assembly;

opening the door when the vehicle has power with the handle via the actuator; and

opening the door mechanically only after actuation of the handle by moving the lever to mechanically interconnecting the handle with the assembly.