VEHICLE DOOR LATCH
First Claim
1. A vehicle door latch assembly, comprising:
- a fork bolt movably secured to the latch assembly, the fork bolt being capable of movement between a latched position and an unlatched position;
a detent lever movably secured to the latch assembly, the detent lever being capable of movement between an engaged position and a disengaged position, the detent lever retains the fork bolt in the latched position when the detent lever is in the engaged position and a engagement surface of the detent lever contacts an engagement surface of the fork bolt; and
a spring member integrally formed with the detent lever, the spring member being deflected by a bumper secured to the latch assembly when the detent lever is moved to the engaged position.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle door latch assembly is provided, the latch assembly having: a fork bolt movably secured to the latch assembly, the fork bolt being capable of movement between a latched position and an unlatched position; a detent lever movably secured to the latch assembly, the detent lever being capable of movement between an engaged position and a disengaged position, the detent lever retains the fork bolt in the latched position when the detent lever is in the engaged position and a engagement surface of the detent lever contacts an engagement surface of the fork bolt; and a spring member integrally formed with the detent lever, the spring member being deflected by a bumper secured to the latch assembly when the detent lever is moved to the engaged position.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A vehicle door latch assembly, comprising:
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a fork bolt movably secured to the latch assembly, the fork bolt being capable of movement between a latched position and an unlatched position; a detent lever movably secured to the latch assembly, the detent lever being capable of movement between an engaged position and a disengaged position, the detent lever retains the fork bolt in the latched position when the detent lever is in the engaged position and a engagement surface of the detent lever contacts an engagement surface of the fork bolt; and a spring member integrally formed with the detent lever, the spring member being deflected by a bumper secured to the latch assembly when the detent lever is moved to the engaged position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for absorbing stopping forces in a latch assembly, the method comprising:
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pivotally securing a forkbolt to the latch assembly for movement in a first plane between an unlatched position and a latched position; pivotally securing a detent lever to the latch assembly for movement in the first plane between an engaged position and a disengaged position wherein a contact surface of the detent lever engages a contact surface of the forkbolt when the detent lever is in the engaged position and the forkbolt is in the latched position; and adsorbing a stopping force of the detent lever by integrally molding a spring member to a surface of the detent lever, the spring member being capable of being deflected when the detent lever is in the engaged position and the spring member contacts a bumper secured to the latch assembly. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification