VEHICLE LATCH WITH PENDULUM STOP ON RELEASE LEVER

• US 20110304162A1
• Filed: 06/14/2010
• Published: 12/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Inteva Products LLC (Renco Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Inteva Products LLC (Renco Group Incorporated)
• Inventors: Dow, Ian J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,342,581 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 292/226
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/30 allowing opening by means of an inner door handle, even if the door is locked
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 83/36 Locks for passenger or like doors
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 85/12 Inner door handles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1043 Swinging
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1047 Closure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1051 Spring projected
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1059 Lever
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/108 Lever

Abstract

A vehicle door latch assembly is provided, the vehicle door latch assembly having: a release lever pivotally secured to the latch assembly for movement between a locked position and an unlatched position; a pendulum stop pivotally secured to the release lever for movement between a blocking position and an unblocking position, wherein the release lever is prevented from moving to the locked position when the pendulum stop is in the blocking position; and a spring for biasing the pendulum stop into the unblocking position wherein the pendulum stop is configured such that movement of the release lever from the unlatched position towards the locked position will cause the pendulum stop to move from the unblocking position to the blocking position such that movement of the release lever from the unlatched position towards the locked position is limited to a predetermined position between the locked position and the unlatched position.

Claims

1. A vehicle door latch assembly, comprising:

a release lever pivotally secured to the latch assembly for movement between a locked position and an unlatched position;

a pendulum stop pivotally secured to the release lever for movement between a blocking position and an unblocking position, wherein the release lever is prevented from moving to the locked position when the pendulum stop is in the blocking position; and

a spring for biasing the pendulum stop into the unblocking position wherein the pendulum stop is configured such that movement of the release lever from the unlatched position towards the locked position will cause the pendulum stop to move from the unblocking position to the blocking position such that movement of the release lever from the unlatched position towards the locked position is limited to a predetermined position between the locked position and the unlatched position.

2. The vehicle door latch assembly as in claim 1, wherein the release lever is coupled to an inner door release lever via a cable.

3. The vehicle door latch assembly as in claim 2, wherein the cable pushes the release lever into the locked position and the cable pulls the release lever into the unlatched position.

4. The vehicle door latch assembly as in claim 1, wherein the spring moves the pendulum from the blocking position to the unblocking position after the release lever has stopped at the predetermined position.

5. The vehicle door latch assembly as in claim 1, further comprising a release lever spring for biasing the release lever towards the locked position.

6. The vehicle door latch assembly as in claim 1, further comprising:

a locking lever pivotally mounted to the latch assembly for movement between a first position, wherein an intermediate lever is coupled to a detent lever, and a second position wherein the intermediate lever is uncoupled from the detent lever, the locking lever being moved from the first position to the second position by the release lever as it is moved to the locked position.

7. The vehicle door latch assembly as in claim 6, wherein the intermediate lever is pivotally mounted to a linkage member at one end and a feature of the locking lever at another end, wherein the linkage member is moved by the release lever as the release lever is moved towards the unlatched position.

8. The vehicle door latch assembly as in claim 7, wherein the intermediate lever moves the detent lever to a disengaged position such that a fork bolt may be moved to an open position when the intermediate lever is coupled to the detent lever and the release lever is moved to the unlatched position.

9. The vehicle door latch assembly as in claim 8, further comprising a bell crank coupled to the detent lever at one end and the intermediate lever at another end.

10. The vehicle door latch assembly as in claim 8, wherein the release lever is coupled to an inner door release lever via a cable and wherein the cable pushes the release lever into the locked position and the cable pulls the release lever into the unlatched position.

11. The vehicle door latch assembly as in claim 10, wherein the spring moves the pendulum from the blocking position to the unblocking position after the release lever has stopped at the predetermined position.

12. The vehicle door latch assembly as in claim 11, further comprising a release lever spring for biasing the release lever towards the locked position.

13. A method of limiting movement of a release lever of a vehicle latch assembly, the method comprising:

pivotally securing the release lever to the vehicle latch assembly for movement between an unlatched position and a locked position;

pivotally securing a pendulum stop lever to the release lever for movement between a blocking position and an unblocking position, wherein the release lever is prevented from moving to the locked position when the pendulum stop is in the blocking position;

biasing the pendulum stop into the unblocking position wherein the pendulum stop is configured such that movement of the release lever from the unlatched position towards the locked position will cause the pendulum stop to move from the unblocking position to the blocking position such that movement of the release lever from the unlatched position towards the locked position is limited to a predetermined position between the locked position and the unlatched position.

14. The method as in claim 13, wherein the release lever is coupled to an inner door release lever via a cable and wherein the spring moves the pendulum from the blocking position to the unblocking position after the release lever has stopped at the predetermined position.

15. The method as in claim 13, wherein the release lever is spring biased towards the locked position.

16. The method as in claim 13, further comprising:

pivotally mounting a locking lever to the latch assembly for movement between a first position, wherein an intermediate lever is coupled to a detent lever, and a second position wherein the intermediate lever is uncoupled from the detent lever, the locking lever being moved from the first position to the second position by the release lever as it is moved to the locked position.

17. The method as in claim 16, wherein the intermediate lever is pivotally mounted to a linkage member at one end and a feature of the locking lever at another end, wherein the linkage member is moved by the release lever as the release lever is moved towards the unlatched position.

18. The method as in claim 17, wherein the intermediate lever moves the detent lever to a disengaged position such that a fork bolt may be moved to an open position when the intermediate lever is coupled to the detent lever and the release lever is moved to the unlatched position.

19. The method as in claim 18, further comprising a bell crank coupled to the detent lever at one end and the intermediate lever at another end.

20. The method as in claim 18, wherein the release lever is coupled to an inner door release lever via a cable and wherein the spring moves the pendulum from the blocking position to the unblocking position after the release lever has stopped at the predetermined position.