ELECTRONIC INTERIOR DOOR RELEASE SYSTEM

• US 20170074006A1
• Filed: 11/23/2016
• Published: 03/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Patel, Rajesh K., Papanikolaou, Kosta
• Granted Patent: US 10,494,838 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0657 by locking the handle, spindle, follower or the like
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/245 by blocking the movement of a movable element
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/54 Automatic securing or unlocking of bolts triggered by certain vehicle parameters, e.g. exceeding a speed threshold triggered by vehicle collision E05B77/12
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 79/20 using flexible connections, e.g. Bowden cables
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/08 using electromagnets or solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/77 comprising sensors detecting the presence of the hand of a user
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/90 Manual override in case of power failure
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 85/12 Inner door handles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1082 Motor

Abstract

A powered door latch may be actuated by a capacitive sensor or by movement of a mechanical release device. A controller may be utilized to prevent unlatching of the powered latch unless the vehicle is in Park and/or certain operating conditions are present.

Claims

1. A vehicle door assembly including a powered latch release device, the door assembly comprising:

a vehicle door having inner and outer opposite sides;

a latch mounted to the vehicle door, the latch having a movable latch member and an electrically powered actuator that is configured to shift the movable latch member between a retaining position and a released position;

a movable release member movably disposed on the inner side of the vehicle door such that a user can push on the release member to cause movement of the release member into the doors;

a mechanical member operably interconnecting the release member to the movable latch member such that outward movement of the release member causes the movable latch member to move from the retaining position to the released position without actuation of the electrically powered actuator; and

a proximity sensor positioned adjacent the release member, wherein the proximity sensor is configured to detect an object moved to within a predefined vicinity of the sensor

a controller operably connected to the electrically powered actuator and the proximity sensor, and wherein the controller actuates the electrically powered actuator and shifts the latch member from the retaining position to the released position if the proximity sensor determines that an object is within the predefined vicinity, even if the release member is not moved.

2. The vehicle door assembly of claim 1, including:

a support member movably supporting the release member for linear reciprocating motion in the outward direction and an inward direction that is opposite the outward direction.

3. The vehicle door assembly of claim 2, wherein:

the proximity sensor is mounted to the release member and moves with the release member;

the mechanical member comprises an elongated cable that shifts between a rest position and an actuated position upon movement of the release member; and

the latch defines a locked mode in which the movable latch member is in its latched position, and wherein a single longitudinal shifting of the elongated cable from its rest position to its actuated position causes the latch to change from the locked mode to an unlocked mode with the movable latch member remaining in its latched position, and wherein shifting of the elongated cable from its rest position to its actuated position a second time causes the movable latch member to shift from its latched position to its unlatched position.

4. The vehicle door assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the predefined vicinity includes contact with the proximity sensor.

5. The vehicle door assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the predefined vicinity does not include contact with the proximity sensor.

6. The vehicle door assembly of claim 1, including:

a controller configured such that the powered actuator only releases the latch member if the proximity sensor senses the presence of an object twice within a predefined time interval.

7. The vehicle door assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the controller is configured to prevent shifting of the movable latch member from the retaining position to the released position if the vehicle is moving.

8. The vehicle door assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the controller prevents shifting of the movable latch member from the retaining position to the release position upon movement of the release member into the door if the vehicle is not in Park.

9. The vehicle door assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the controller prevents shifting of the movable latch member from the retaining position to the release position if the vehicle is moving.

10. A vehicle door assembly, comprising:

a door having an interior surface with an opening, and a latch that unlatches mechanically and electrically;

a release member disposed in the opening, the release member mechanically unlatching the latch only upon two successive movements of the release member within a predefined time interval;

a controller causing electrically powered unlatching of the latch when the release member does not move upon receiving a signal from a proximity sensor.

11. The vehicle door of claim 10, wherein:

the opening is circular; and

the release member moves between a rest position and an actuated position, and wherein the release member has a circular end surface.

12. The vehicle door of claim 11, including:

a resilient member biasing the release member towards the rest position.

13. The vehicle door of claim 12, including:

a rotating member rotatably mounted to the door;

a flexible cable extending between the rotating member and the latch; and

wherein;

the release member engages the rotating member and rotates the rotating member upon inward movement of the release member, and wherein rotation of the rotating member shifts the cable whereby the cable mechanically unlatches the latch.

14. The vehicle door of claim 13, including:

an electrically powered lock member that shifts between an engaged position preventing inward movement of the release member, and a disengaged position permitting inward movement of the release member.