Deck lid latch and remote release

• US 4,962,955 A
• Filed: 10/16/1989
• Issued: 10/16/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Ferrara, Randy, Dow, Ian J., May, Carl D.
• Primary Examiner(s): MOORE, RICHARD
• Application Number:
  US07/422,398
• Time in Patent Office: 365 Days
• Field of Search: 292/DIG. 25, 292/DIG. 43, 292/DIG. 14, 292/216, 292/225, 292/DIG. 27, 292/214, 292/199, 292/280
• US Class Current: 292/216
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 79/20 using flexible connections, e.g. Bowden cables
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 83/16 Locks for luggage compartments, car boot lids or car bonnets
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/25 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/43 Rear deck lid latches
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1047 Closure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1057 Flexible
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1079 Gear

Abstract

A luggage compartment lid openable upon release of the deck lid latch and a release handle mounted in the operator compartment and connected to the latch by a cable for remotely releasing the latch upon operator actuation of the release handle. A drive gear is rotatably mounted on the latch to release the latch upon rotation of the drive gear. An actuator gear is also rotatably mounted on the latch and has gear teeth meshing with gear teeth of the drive gear. The actuator gear is connected to the cable so that operator actuation of the release handle rotates the actuator gear and the drive gear to release the latch. A shift bar is located inside the luggage compartment and is operable to selectively shaft the actuator gear away from the drive gear so that the gear teeth are disengaged and operator actuation of the release handle is thereby disconnected from the latch so that the deck lid cannot be opened without the use of a key to operate the conventional key cylinder release of the deck lid.

Claims

1. In a vehicle having a luggage compartment lid openable upon release of a latch, and a release handle mounted in the operator compartment and connected to the latch by a cable for releasing the latch upon operator actuation of the release handle, the improvement comprising:

a drive member rotatably mounted on the latch and operable to release the latch,

an actuator member rotatably mounted and being rotatable by the cable upon operator actuation of the release handle,

gear teeth acting between the actuator member and the drive member so that rotation of the actuator member rotates the drive member,

and shift means located inside the luggage compartment and operable to selectively shift one of the members relative the other member to disengage the gear teeth acting therebetween so that operator actuation of the release handle is disconnected from the latch.

2. In a vehicle having a luggage compartment lid openable upon release of a latch, and a release handle mounted in the operator compartment and connected to the latch by a cable for releasing the latch upon operator actuation of the release handle, the improvement comprising:

a drive gear having gear teeth and being rotatably mounted on the latch and operable to release the latch upon rotation thereof,

an actuator gear being rotatably mounted on the latch and having gear teeth meshing with the gear teeth of the drive gear, said actuator gear being connected to the cable so that operator actuation of the release handle rotates the actuator gear and the drive gear to release the latch,

and shift means located inside the luggage compartment and operable to selectively shift the actuator gear away from the drive gear so the the gear teeth are disengaged and operator actuation of the release handle is disconnected from the latch.

3. In a vehicle having a luggage compartment lid openable upon release of a latch, and a release handle mounted in the operator compartment and connected to the latch by a cable for releasing the latch upon operator actuation of the release handle, the improvement comprising:

a drive gear having gear teeth projecting axially therefrom and being rotatably mounted on the latch and operable to release the latch upon rotation thereof,

an actuator gear having gear teeth projecting axially therefrom toward the drive gear and adapted to mesh therewith, said actuator gear being connected to the cable so that operator actuation of the release handle rotates the actuator gear,

means mounting the actuator gear on the latch for both rotary movement and axial movement relative to the drive gear and including shift means located inside the luggage compartment and operable to selectively shift the actuator gear axially away from the drive gear so the the gear teeth are disengaged and operator actuation of the release handle is disconnected from the latch.

4. The improvement of claim 3 further characterized by the shift means including spring means urging the actuator gear axially apart from the drive gear and shift bar movably mounted on the latch and slidable between a first position acting against the bias of the spring means to hold the gears in engagement and a second position permitting the spring means to disengage the actuator gear from the drive gear.

5. In a vehicle having a luggage compartment lid openable upon release of a latch, and a release handle mounted in the operator compartment and connected to the latch by a cable for releasing the latch upon operator actuation of the release handle, the improvement comprising:

a molded plastic housing mounted on the latch,

a drive gear rotatably mounted on the housing and having an operating arm engageable with the latch and operable to release the latch upon rotation thereof,

an actuator gear rotatably mounted on the housing and being rotatable by the cable upon operator actuation of the release handle,

gear teeth acting between the actuator member and the drive member so that rotation of the actuator member rotates the drive member,

and operator actuatable shift means mounted on the housing and located inside the luggage compartment and operable to selectively shift one of the actuator gear relative the drive gear to disengage the gear teeth acting therebetween so that operator actuation of the release handle is disconnected from the latch.

6. In a vehicle having a luggage compartment lid openable upon release of a latch, and a release handle mounted in the operator compartment and connected to the latch by a cable for releasing the latch upon operator actuation of the release handle, the improvement comprising:

a molded plastic housing mounted on the latch,

a drive gear rotatably mounted on the housing and operable to release the latch upon rotation thereof,

a key operated mechanism operable to rotate the drive gear to release the latch,

an actuator gear rotatably mounted on the housing and being rotatable by the cable upon operator actuation of the release handle,

gear teeth acting between the actuator member and the drive member so that rotation of the actuator member rotates the drive member,

and operator actuatable shift means mounted on the housing and located inside the luggage compartment and operable to selectively shift one of the actuator gear relative the drive gear to disengage the gear teeth acting therebetween so that operator actuation of the release handle is disconnected from the latch.