VEHICLE DOOR SWITCH ACTUATION SYSTEM

• US 20110144868A1
• Filed: 12/15/2009
• Published: 06/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Control Solutions Incorporated (ADAMA Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Control Solutions Incorporated (ADAMA Ltd.)
• Inventors: Brown, James E., Scholtes, Nicholas J., Tezak, Robert J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,746,756 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/49
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/54 Electrical circuits for locking several wings simultaneously E05B77/48
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 83/01 Locks for military or armoured vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 83/36 Locks for passenger or like doors
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 3/041 rotating about an axis perpendicular to the surface on which the fastener is mounted
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 9/02 with one sliding bar for fastening when moved in one direction and unfastening when moved in opposite direction; with two sliding bars moved in the same direction when fastening or unfastening
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/60 using electrical actuators
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/531 Doors
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 5/226 Doors on armoured vehicles or structures F41H5/263 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/0853 Link and lever
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1022 Rigid
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1047 Closure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1082 Motor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/57 Operators with knobs or handles

Abstract

A vehicle door switch actuation system is provided. The system includes an exterior handle mechanically coupled with a rotatable shaft. The shaft is mechanically coupled with a door latch. Rotation of the exterior handle to an open door position moves the door latch to release a vehicle door. A first arm and a second arm are mounted to the shaft. The first arm engages a close switch in response to rotation of the exterior handle to a close door position. The second arm engages an open switch in response to rotation of the exterior handle to the open door position.

Claims

1. A system for opening and closing a vehicle door, comprising:

an exterior handle mechanically coupled with a rotatable shaft, the shaft being mechanically coupled with a door latch such that rotation of the exterior handle to an open door position moves the door latch to release the vehicle door; and

a first arm mounted to the shaft; and

a second arm mounted to the shaft, wherein the second arm engages an open switch in response to rotation of the exterior handle to the open door position and the first arm engages a close switch in response to rotation of the exterior handle to a close door position.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the open switch signals a controller to initiate an open door operation upon activation of the open switch and the close switch signals the controller to initiate a close door operation upon activation of the close switch.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising a third arm mounted to the shaft, the third arm being mechanically coupled to the first arm and the second arm;

and

a spring connected to the third arm and to a frame of the vehicle door such that the first arm returns to a neutral position upon release of the exterior handle from the close door position and the second arm returns to the neutral position upon release of the exterior handle from the open door position.

4. The system of claim 3 further comprising a fourth arm secured to a rotatable latch, the rotatable latch mounted to the shaft such that in response to rotation of the rotatable latch the fourth arm engages a lockout switch wherein the lockout switch is adapted to prevent activation of a controller from the open switch or the close switch.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the first arm and the second arm are mounted to the shaft such that both the first arm and second arm rotate in response to rotation of the exterior handle to the open door position and only the first arm rotates in response to rotation of the exterior handle to the close door position.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the shaft rotates the first arm when the exterior handle is moved to the open door position and the first arm contacts the second arm causing the second arm to rotate and engage the open switch.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the first arm is meshed to the shaft such that the first arm rotates as the shaft rotates, and the

wherein the second arm is mounted to the shaft such that it does not rotate as the shaft rotates.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the first arm has a square-shaped portion that meshes with a corresponding square-shaped portion of the shaft, and

wherein the second arm has a round hole such that the shaft passes through the round hole.

9. The system of claim 6 wherein the second arm has a heel that abuts a frame of the vehicle door to limit the range of rotation of the second arm.

10. The system of claim 6 wherein the second arm is connected to the third arm, and further comprising

a spring, wherein one end of the spring is connected to the third arm and another end of the spring is connected to a frame of the vehicle door such that the spring expands when the third arm rotates in one direction.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the spring retracts rotating the second arm and the third arm in an opposite direction upon release of the exterior handle from the open door position.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the second arm pushes the first arm in the opposite direction as the second arm rotates in the opposite direction.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the third arm includes a heel that abuts the frame of the vehicle door as the third arm rotates in the opposite direction to limit the range of rotation of the third arm.

14. The system of claim 6 further comprising a rod attached to the second arm and to the door latch, the door latch adapted to engage a mechanical door opening mechanism wherein the mechanical door opening mechanism is adapted to release the vehicle door in response to rotation of the second arm.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein the first arm is mounted to the shaft such that the first arm rotates in one direction as the exterior handle is moved to the close door position.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the first arm has a square-shaped portion that meshes with a corresponding square-shaped portion of the shaft.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the first arm is connected to the second arm, the second arm is mounted on the shaft such that the second arm remains stationary as the first arm rotates in the one direction.

18. The system of claim 17 further comprising a spring connected between the first arm and the second arm, wherein the spring extends as the first arm rotates in the one direction and the spring retracts rotating the first arm in the opposite direction upon release of the exterior handle from the close door position.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the second arm has a round hole such that the shaft passes through the round hole.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein the second arm is connected to a third arm, the third arm has a heel that abuts the frame of the vehicle door to prevent rotation of the second arm and the third arm in the one direction.

21. The system of claim 1 further comprising an interior handle mechanically coupled to a rotatable latch mounted to the shaft such that movement of the interior handle to an open position rotates the rotatable latch causing the second arm to rotate and engage the open switch.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the second arm is secured to a rod connected to the door latch such that rotation of the second arm moves the rod and the door latch, the door latch engages a mechanical door opening mechanism adapted to release the vehicle door.

23. The system of claim 21 further comprising a bolt connected between the second arm and a third arm mounted to the shaft, the rotatable latch pushes against the bolt causing rotation of the second arm and the third arm in one direction in response to movement of the interior handle to the open position.

24. The system of claim 23 further comprising a spring, and

wherein one end of the spring is connected to the third arm and another end of the spring is connected to a frame of the vehicle door such that the spring expands when the second and third arms rotate in the one direction.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein the spring retracts rotating both the second and third arms in an opposite direction upon release of the interior handle from the open position.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the third arm includes a heel that abuts the frame of the vehicle door as the third arm rotates in the opposite direction to limit the range of rotation of the third arm.

27. The system of claim 21 further comprising a rod connected to the interior handle and to the rotatable latch such that movement of the interior handle to the open position moves the rod and rotates the rotatable latch in one direction.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein the rotatable latch includes a heel that abuts a frame of the vehicle door as the rotatable latch rotates in the one direction to limit the range of rotation of the rotatable latch.

29. The system of claim 1 further comprising an interior handle mechanically coupled to a rotatable latch mounted to the shaft, wherein movement of the rotatable latch causes a lockout switch to be activated in response to movement of the interior handle to a lockout position.

30. The system of claim 29 wherein the lockout switch is adapted to create an open circuit between a controller and at least one of the open switch and the close switch.

31. The system of claim 29 wherein the lockout switch is adapted to prevent activation of a powered door assist system.

32. The system of claim 29 further comprising a rod connected to the interior handle and to the rotatable latch such that movement of the interior handled to the lockout position moves the rod in an upward direction and rotates the rotatable latch in one direction.

33. The system of claim 32 wherein one end of the rod is connected to another rotatable latch such that the other rotatable latch rotates in the one direction as the rod moves in the upward direction.

34. The system of claim 33 wherein the rotatable latch and the other rotatable latch are combat latches that rotate into corresponding slots in the frame of the vehicle door to secure the vehicle door.

35. The system of claim 29 further comprising a lockout arm secured to the rotatable latch such that the lockout arm moves as the latch rotates.

36. The system of claim 29 wherein the lockout arm engages the lockout switch as the rotatable latch and lockout arm rotate.