UNIVERSAL GLOBAL LATCH SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A door latch system for vehicle front doors, the door latch system comprising:
- a controller configured to determine if the door latch system is in an unlocked state;
a latch assembly configured to maintain a vehicle front door in a closed position when the latch assembly is latched, and the latch assembly is configured to permit opening of the vehicle front door when the latch assembly is unlatched, the latch assembly including a catch and a pawl, the catch having a closed position wherein the catch is configured to grasp a post to maintain the vehicle front door in a closed position, and the catch having an open position wherein the catch is configured to release the post to allow the vehicle front door to move to an open position, the pawl being configured to maintain the catch in the closed position when the pawl is in a latched position, and the pawl is configured to permit movement of the catch from the closed position to the opened position when the pawl is in an unlatched position;
an inside front release switch that is configured to be actuated by a user seated inside the vehicle, wherein the front inside release switch is configured to send a signal to the controller when the front inside release switch is actuated;
an actuatable outside front handle;
an emergency inside release member;
a linkage assembly mechanically interconnecting the emergency inside release member to the latch assembly such that actuation of the emergency inside release member moves the pawl from the latched position to the unlatched position to permit manual mechanical unlatching of the latch assembly without actuation of a powered actuator if the vehicle does not have electrical power;
an electrically powered actuator operably connected to the pawl and selectively shifting the pawl from the latched position to the unlatched position when the electrically powered actuator is actuated;
and wherein the controller is configured to actuate the electrically powered actuator to unlatch the latch assembly when the controller receives the signal from the inside front release switch only when the door latch system is in an unlocked state.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A powered latch system for a door of a vehicle including a latch assembly, actuatable inside and outside handles, a powered actuator and a door controller that causes the powered actuator to unlatch the latch assembly upon actuation of the inside and outside door handles. The latch assembly may be mechanically unlatched by a user within a vehicle interior even if the powered actuator does not actuate due to a loss of electrical power or other failure. The controller can be programmed to unlatch the latch assembly according to various criteria as required to meet the specific requirements of different markets.
13 Citations
10 Claims
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1. A door latch system for vehicle front doors, the door latch system comprising:
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a controller configured to determine if the door latch system is in an unlocked state; a latch assembly configured to maintain a vehicle front door in a closed position when the latch assembly is latched, and the latch assembly is configured to permit opening of the vehicle front door when the latch assembly is unlatched, the latch assembly including a catch and a pawl, the catch having a closed position wherein the catch is configured to grasp a post to maintain the vehicle front door in a closed position, and the catch having an open position wherein the catch is configured to release the post to allow the vehicle front door to move to an open position, the pawl being configured to maintain the catch in the closed position when the pawl is in a latched position, and the pawl is configured to permit movement of the catch from the closed position to the opened position when the pawl is in an unlatched position; an inside front release switch that is configured to be actuated by a user seated inside the vehicle, wherein the front inside release switch is configured to send a signal to the controller when the front inside release switch is actuated; an actuatable outside front handle; an emergency inside release member; a linkage assembly mechanically interconnecting the emergency inside release member to the latch assembly such that actuation of the emergency inside release member moves the pawl from the latched position to the unlatched position to permit manual mechanical unlatching of the latch assembly without actuation of a powered actuator if the vehicle does not have electrical power; an electrically powered actuator operably connected to the pawl and selectively shifting the pawl from the latched position to the unlatched position when the electrically powered actuator is actuated; and wherein the controller is configured to actuate the electrically powered actuator to unlatch the latch assembly when the controller receives the signal from the inside front release switch only when the door latch system is in an unlocked state. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification