POWER ACTUATION MECHANISM FOR OPERATION OF CLOSURE PANEL OF A VEHICLE

• US 20200131836A1
• Filed: 10/29/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Closures Inc (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Closures Inc (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: OTTINO, Franco Giovanni
• Granted Patent: US 11,697,952 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/06 using rotary motors
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/14 operating on bolt detents, e.g. for unlatching the bolt
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/20 for assisting final closing or for initiating opening
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 1/105 with a compression spring
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/616 operated by push-pull mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/234 direction dependent
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/426 for the initial opening movement
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/686 Rods, links
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/296 Slots
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/75 intermediate
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/531 Doors

Abstract

A powered actuation mechanism for operating a closure panel device coupled to a closure panel of a vehicle, the closure panel operated between a closed position and a partially open position, the mechanism including: a motor operatively coupled to a control member; a lever body mounted at a pivot end to a body of the vehicle by a first pivot connection and coupled at an output end to a closure panel device by a second pivot connection, the lever body for driving the closure panel device; the control member having a control connection coupling the control member to the lever body, the control connection moveable between the first pivot connection and the second pivot connection such that the lever body has an opening to provide a releasable engagement of the control connection between the lever body and the control member.

Claims

1. A powered actuation mechanism (100) for operating a closure panel device (102) coupled to one of a closure panel (14) and a vehicle body (11) of a vehicle (10), the closure panel operated between a closed position and a partially open position, the mechanism including:

a motor (104) operatively coupled to a control member (120); and

a lever body (106) comprising an input end (110) and an output end (108), the output end coupled to the closure panel device for driving the closure panel device in response to driving of the input end by the control member, the input end coupled to either the closure panel or the vehicle body;

wherein operation of the motor causes movement of the control member over a first range of motion in order to couple with the input end for driving the closure panel device in a first direction, and over a second range of motion in order to couple with the input end for driving the closure panel device in a second direction opposite the first direction.

2. The powered actuation mechanism of claim 1, wherein operation of the motor causes movement of the control member over a third range of motion between the first and second ranges of motion in order to decouple from the input end for allowing the closure panel device to operate independently of the control member.

3. The power actuation mechanism of claim 1, wherein the control member is a control disk comprising a pin configured to engage and disengage the lever body when rotated.

4. The power actuation mechanism of claim 1, wherein the lever body comprises a pivot connection (112) about its input end, the control member configured to couple to the lever body between the output end and the pivot connection.

5. The power actuation mechanism of claim 1 further comprising the lever body mounted at the first end as a pivot end by a first pivot connection (112) and coupled at the output end by a second pivot connection (114), the lever body for driving the closure panel device;

and

the control member having a control connection (128) coupling the control member to the lever body, the control connection moveable between the first pivot connection and the second pivot connection such that the lever body has an opening (118) to provide a releasable engagement of the control connection between the lever body and the control member.

6. The mechanism of claim 5, wherein the lever body has a slot (116) positioned between the opening and the output end, such that the control connection is coupled to the slot when engaged.

7. The mechanism of claim 6, wherein the control connection is a pin (128) positioned in the slot during said engaged.

8. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein the closure panel device is a door presenter (90) used during said driving for moving the closure panel between the closed position and the partially open position.

9. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein the closure panel device is a ratchet (21) of a latch assembly (20) used during said driving for moving a striker (97) in order to position the closure panel between the closed position and the partially open position.

10. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein the closure panel device is a release lever (25) of a latch assembly used during said driving to release a ratchet of the latch assembly.

11. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein the control member is a disk coupled to the motor via a set of gears (121, 122).

12. The mechanism of claim 4, wherein the pivot connection is mounted on the body of the vehicle, the body hinged to the closure panel.

13. The mechanism of claim 4, wherein first pivot connection is mounted on the closure panel.

14. The mechanism of claim 4, wherein the pivot connection is mounted on a latch back plate (19), the latch back plate coupled to the closure panel.

15. A method for operating a powered actuation mechanism coupled to a closure panel device connected to one of a closure panel and a vehicle body of a vehicle, the closure panel operated between a closed position and a partially open position, the method including:

operating a motor during a first stage of actuation, the motor operatively coupled to a control member having a control connection engaged with a pivotal lever body coupled to the closure panel device, in order to move the control connection to pivotally drive the lever body to drive the closure panel device in a first direction; and

operating the motor during a second stage of actuation in order to move the control connection to pivotally drive the lever body to drive the closure panel device in a second direction opposite the first direction.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of operating the motor during the first stage of actuation includes engaging the control connection with the pivotal lever body along a first portion (106′

) of the lever body, wherein the step of operating the motor during the second stage of actuation includes engaging the control connection with the pivotal lever body along a second portion (106″

) of the lever body, wherein the second portion is provided between a pivotal connection of the lever body and the first portion.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising operating the motor during the first stage of operation by moving the control member to disengage the control connection between the control member and the lever body by providing for exit of the control connection from an opening in the lever body, and

operating the motor during the second stage of actuation in order to reengage the control connection between the control member and the lever body, such that the closure panel device is operated independently of the control member during said disengage.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising operating the motor causes movement of the control member over a third stage of actuation between the first stage of actuation and the second stage of actuation in order to decouple from the input end for facilitating the closure panel device to operate independently of the control member.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the control member is a control disk comprising a pin configured to engage and disengage the lever body when rotated.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the lever body comprises an input end and an output end, the output end coupled to the closure panel device for driving the closure panel device in response to driving of the input end by the control member, the input end coupled to either the closure panel or the vehicle body.