AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCK

• US 3,830,332 A
• Filed: 12/01/1972
• Issued: 08/20/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: John G. Fontaine
• Original Assignee: John G. Fontaine
• Inventors: Fontaine, John G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Spar, Robert J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Weaver, Ross
• Application Number:
  US05/311,305
• Time in Patent Office: 627 Days
• Field of Search: 180/111,112,113 70/256,257
• US Class Current: 180/281
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/50 by pneumatic or hydraulic means
• 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: Y10T 70/5978 With switch

Abstract

An automatic door lock for use in an automotive vehicle in which an electrical control system operated by power supplied from the battery of the vehicle activates an actuator which is responsive to the control system, and the actuator in turn operates a locking device for locking and unlocking a door of the vehicle.

Claims

1. In an automatic door lock for use In an automotive vehicle having a battery and a door, comprising electrical control means operable by power supplied from said battery for controlling said door lock, a locking means for said door for locking and unlocking said door, and actuator means responsive to said control means for operating said locking means to lock and unlock said door, the improvement wherein said control means comprises the combination of:

a first circuit including an intermittent current conductor and a first relay having contacts, means for energizing said first relay from the battery through said intermittent current conductor when the vehicle speed is above a predetermined level, a second circuit including a second relay having contacts and a coil connected to the contacts of said first relay and said first circuit, and a third circuit connected to the contacts of said second relay and to said actuator means for operating said actuator means.

2. An automatic door lock according to claim 1, and further comprising a fourth circuit connected between said battery and said third circuit and including a holding relay for keeping said third circuit energized, said vehicle having an ignition switch for opening and closing said fourth circuit.

3. An automatic door lock according to claim 2, wherein said holding relay has a coil connected to be energized initially through the contacts of said second relay, and said holding relay has contacts which close in response to the initial energization of said last-mentioned coil to connect the battery to said actuator means and to connect the battery to said last-mentioned coil to maintain both said third circuit and said last-mentioned coil energized independent of the contacts of said second relay.

4. An automatic door lock according to claim 2, wherein said control means comprises further circuit means coupled between said battery and said intermittent current conductor and including relay means for controlling said third circuit.

5. An automatic door lock according to claim 4, and further comprising a normally-open, manually operated switch connected to the coil of said holding relay and controlling the latter'"'"''"'"'s energization.

6. An automatic door lock according to claim 1, wherein said intermittent current conductor has a rotary contact and two fixed contacts that are engageable separately by said rotary contact in different rotational positions of the latter, and said first relay is connected to one of said fixed contacts to be energized in response to the latter'"'"''"'"'s engagement by one of said fixed contacts, and further comprising additional relay means connected to be energized in response to the engagement of said rotary contact with the other of said fixed contacts and including normally-open relay contacts connected in said third circuit and controlling the latter'"'"''"'"'s energization.