Release for closure panel pull down mechanism

• US 4,968,073 A
• Filed: 06/27/1989
• Issued: 11/06/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Motors Corporation (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Kuhlman, Howard W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Moore, Richard E.
• Application Number:
  US07/372,440
• Time in Patent Office: 497 Days
• Field of Search: 292/201, 292/216, 292/341.16, 292/DIG. 14, 292/DIG. 43, 292/280
• US Class Current: 292/201
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 15/022 movable, resilient or yieldable adjustable into different discrete positions E05B15/024; yieldable striker for emergency opening E05B65/1026
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 17/0037 Spring-operated
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/00 Operating or controlling locks or other fastening devices by electric or magnetic means electric permutation locks E05B49/00
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/22 by movement of the striker
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 83/16 Locks for luggage compartments, car boot lids or car bonnets
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1047 Closure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1082 Motor

Abstract

A vehicle body compartment is closed by a closure panel movable between an open positiion and a closed position. A latch assembly mounted on the panel has a latch bolt spring biased to an unlatched position and normally maintained in the latched position by a detent lever. A pull down mechanism includes a housing mounted on a vehicle body and a striker mounted thereon by a motorized vertically reciprocating drive unit for moving the striker between extended position and a retracted position. When the panel is moved toward the closed position, the latch bolt engages with the extended striker to interconnect the panel with the striker. The drive unit is energized and retracts the striker, thereby pulling the panel to its fully closed position. To open the panel, the operator energizes the drive unit to move the striker from the retracted position to the extended position. A plunger is mounted on the latch assembly and engages with the vehicle body so that progressive opening movement of the panel by the extension of the striker permits a spring to extend the plunger. A cam device acts between the plunger and the detent lever of the latch assembly to cam the detent lever to the position releasing the latch bolt, thereby disconnecting the panel from the striker and freeing the panel for movement to the open position.

Claims

1. In a vehicle body including a closure panel mounted for movement between open and closed positions with respect to a compartment defined by a body panel, a latch and pull down mechanism comprising:

a latch assembly mounted on one of the panels and having a latch bolt spring biased to an unlatched position and a detent lever for holding the latch bolt in the latched position;

a striker assembly mounted on the other panel and adapted for engagement by the latch bolt of the latch assembly to latch the striker assembly to the latch assembly;

a pulldown mechanism mounting one of the assemblies on its associated panel and having a motorized drive unit for moving the one assembly between an extended position where the striker and the latch bolt are engageable together upon partial closing movement of the closure panel, and a retracted position in which the latch assembly and the striker assembly cooperate to establish the closure panel in the closed position;

means adapted to operate the motorized drive unit to move the one assembly to the retracted position to pull the closure panel to the closed position in response to latching engagement between the striker assembly and the latch bolt;

remote opening means actuatable by the user for selectively operating the motorized drive unit to move the one assembly toward the extended position so that the closure panel is moved in the opening direction;

and cam means acting in response to motorized movement of the one assembly from its retracted position toward its extended position to cam the detent lever to a position releasing the detent lever from the latch bolt, said cam means including a plunger movably mounted on the latch assembly and projecting into engagement with the other panel when the closure panel is in the closed position and spring means urging extension of the plunger so that the plunger is extended relative the latch assembly upon opening movement of the closure, whereby the latch bolt is spring biased to the unlatched position thereby disconnecting the latch assembly from the striker and freeing the closure panel for spring-loaded movement to the open position.

2. The combination of claim 1 in which the cam means including the plunger is effective to maintain the released position of the detent lever and the unlatched position of the latch bolt until the opening movement of the panel carries the latch bolt a distance from the striker so that the latch bolt does not become reengaged with the striker prior to a subsequent closing movement of the closure panel.

3. In a vehicle body including a closure panel mounted for movement between open and closed positions with respect to a compartment defined by a body panel, a latch and pull down mechanism comprising:

a latch assembly mounted on one of the panels and having a latch bolt spring biased to an unlatched position and a detent lever for holding the latch bolt in the latched position;

a pull down mechanism mounted on the other panel and including a striker mounted thereon by a motorized drive unit for movement between an extended position where the striker is engageable by the latch bolt of the latch assembly to latch the panels together upon partial closing movement of the closure panel, and a retracted position in which the closure panel is in the closed position;

means adapted to operate the motorized drive unit to move the striker to the retracted position to pull the closure panel to the closed position upon latching engagement between the striker and the latch assembly,

remote opening means actuatable by the user for selectively operating the motorized drive unit to move the striker from the retracted position toward the extended position,

and cam means acting in response to motorized movement of the striker from its retracted position toward its extended position to cam the detent lever to a position releasing the detent lever from the latch bolt, said cam means including a plunger movably mounted on the latch assembly and projecting into engagement with the other panel when the closure panel is in the closed position and spring means urging extension of the plunger so that the plunger is extended relative the latch assembly upon opening movement of the closure panel, whereby the latch bolt is spring biased to the unlatched position thereby disconnecting the latch assembly from the striker and freeing the closure panel for spring-loaded movement to the open position.

4. In a vehicle body including a closure panel spring-loaded for movement between open and closed positions with respect to a compartment defined by a body panel, a latch assembly mounted on one of the panels and having a latch bolt for engaging a striker assembly mounted on the other panel and a motorized drive unit mounting one of the assemblies for movement between an extended position where the striker is engageable by the latch bolt to latch the panels together upon partial closing movement of the closure panel and a retracted position in which the closure panel is in the closed position, and remote opening means actuatable by the user for selectively operating the motorized drive unit to move the one assembly from the retracted position toward the extended position, the improvement comprising:

a plunger movably mounted on the latch assembly and projecting into engagement with the other panel when the closure panel is in the closed position,

spring means urging extension of the plunger so that the plunger is extended relative the latch assembly upon opening movement of the closure panel,

and release means acting between the plunger and the latch bolt and effective to release the latch bolt from the striker in response to extension of the plunger by the spring means upon opening movement of the closure panel thereby disconnecting the latch assembly from the striker and freeing the closure panel for spring-loaded movement to the open position.

5. In a vehicle body including a closure panel spring-loaded for movement between open and closed positions with respect to a compartment defined by a body panel, and a latch assembly mounted on one of the panels and having a latch bolt for engaging a motorized striker mounted on the other panel for movement between an extended position where the striker is engageable by the latch bolt to latch the panels together upon partial closing movement of the closure panel and a retracted position in which the closure panel is in the closed position, and remote opening means actuatable by the user for selectively operating the motorized drive unit to move the striker from the retracted position toward the extended position, the improvement comprising:

a plunger movably mounted on the latch assembly and projecting into engagement with the other panel when the closure panel is in the closed position,

spring means urging extension of the plunger so that the plunger is extended relative the latch assembly upon opening movement of the closure panel,

lever means pivotally mounted on the latch assembly and pivotal to release the latch bolt from the striker,

and cam means acting between the plunger and the lever means to pivot the lever means in response to extension of the plunger by the spring means upon opening movement of the closure panel thereby disconnecting the latch assembly from the striker and freeing the closure panel for spring-loaded movement to the open position.