Vehicle door latch with double lock

• US 6,019,402 A
• Filed: 07/21/1998
• Issued: 02/01/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Inteva Products LLC (Renco Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Moury, Michael Todd, Arabia, Frank Joseph Jr., Perkins, Donald Michael, Paulik, Jerry, Paulik, Rita Margarete
• Primary Examiner(s): Boucher, Darnell M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Walsh, John B.
• Application Number:
  US09/121,070
• Time in Patent Office: 560 Days
• Field of Search: 292/201, 292/216, 292/DIG. 62, 292/DIG. 23, 292/DIG. 65, 70/262, 70/263, 70/150, 70/283
• US Class Current: 292/216
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/28 for anti-theft purposes, e.g. double-locking or super-locking
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/06 using rotary motors
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/16 operating on locking elements for locking or unlocking action
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/34 of geared transmissions
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/62 for opening or closing of a circuit depending on electrical parameters, e.g. increase of motor current
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/23 Vehicle door latches
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/62 Lost motion connections
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1047 Closure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1082 Motor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/713 Dogging manual operator

Abstract

A vehicle door latch has a forkbolt, a detent that holds the forkbolt in a latched position, a release mechanism that moves the detent to release the forkbolt, a lock mechanism for disabling the release mechanism, an inside lock lever for operating the lock mechanism and a double lock for disabling the inside lock lever. The detent is moved by an intermittent lever that is part of the release mechanism and part of the locking mechanism. A composite lock lever forming part of the lock mechanism moves the intermittent lever back and forth between an unlock position where the intermittent lever drives the detent to release the forkbolt and a lock position where the intermittent lever free wheels with respect to the detent. The intermittent lever is pivotally connected to an unlatching lever of the release mechanism that is operated by inside and outside release levers. The composite lock lever includes a lower lock lever, an upper lock lever and a spring that stores energy when the lower lock lever pivots with respect to the upper lock lever. The lock mechanism includes an inside lock lever and an outside lock lever for operating the lower lock lever. When engaged, the double lock assembly blocks the upper lock lever so that the vehicle door latch cannot be unlocked by the inside lock lever.

Claims

1. A vehicle door latch having a forkbolt that moves between a latched position and an unlatched position, a detent for holding the forkbolt in the latched position, a release mechanism for moving the detent to release the forkbolt and a lock mechanism for disabling the release mechanism comprising:

an intermittent lever for moving the detent to release the forkbolt forming part of the release mechanism and part of the lock mechanism,

the intermittent lever moving from a latch position to an unlatch position for moving the detent to release the forkbolt,

a lock lever forming part of the lock mechanism, the lock lever moving the intermittent lever back and forth between an unlock position where the intermittent lever drives the detent to release the forkbolt and a lock position where the intermittent lever moves from the latch position to the unlatch position without driving the detent,

an inside lock lever forming part of the lock mechanism for operating the lock lever, and

a double lock assembly for disabling the lock mechanism so that the door latch cannot be unlocked by the inside lock lever.

2. The vehicle door latch as defined in claim 1 wherein the lock lever includes a lower lock lever and an upper lock lever that pivot on a stud and a spring for storing energy when the lower lock lever pivots with respect to the upper lock lever wherein the upper lock lever is drivingly connected to the intermittent lever, and wherein the double lock assembly blocks the upper lock lever so that the inside lock lever cannot unlock the door latch.

3. The vehicle door latch as defined in claim 1 wherein the vehicle door latch further includes an outside lock lever that forms part of the lock mechanism for operating the lock lever and that overrides the double lock assembly.

4. The vehicle door latch as defined in claim 2 wherein the vehicle door latch further includes an outside lock lever that forms part of the lock mechanism for operating the lock lever and that overrides the double lock assembly.

5. A vehicle door latch having a forkbolt that moves between a latched position and an unlatched position, a detent for holding the forkbolt in the latched position, a release mechanism for moving the detent to release the forkbolt and a lock mechanism for disabling the release mechanism comprising:

an intermittent lever for moving the detent to release the forkbolt forming part of the release mechanism and part of the lock mechanism,

the intermittent lever moving from a latch position to an unlatch position for moving the detent to release the forkbolt,

a composite lock lever forming part of the lock mechanism and including a lower lock lever and an upper lock lever that pivot on a stud and a spring for storing energy when the lower lock lever pivots with respect to the upper lock lever, the upper lock lever moving the intermittent lever back and forth between an unlock position where the intermittent lever drives the detent to release the forkbolt and a lock position where the intermittent lever moves from the latch position to the unlatch position without driving the detent,

an inside lock lever forming part of the lock mechanism for operating the lower lock lever, and

a double lock assembly for disabling the lock mechanism by blocking the upper lock lever so that the inside lock lever pivots the lower lock lever with respect to the upper lock lever whereby the vehicle door latch cannot be unlocked by the inside lock lever.

6. The vehicle door latch as defined in claim 5 wherein the double lock assembly includes a motor driven lock block that moves between an engaged position and a disengaged position, the lock block blocking movement of the upper lock lever to the unlock position when the double lock is engaged.

7. The vehicle door latch as defined in claim 6 wherein the double lock assembly includes a reversible electric motor for moving the lock block between the engaged position and the disengaged position.

8. A vehicle door latch having a forkbolt that moves between a latched position and an unlatched position, a detent for holding the forkbolt in the latched position, a release mechanism for moving the detent to release the forkbolt and a lock mechanism for disabling the release mechanism comprising:

an intermittent lever for moving the detent to release the forkbolt forming part of the release mechanism and part of the lock mechanism,

a composite lock lever forming part of the lock mechanism and including a lower lock lever and an upper lock lever that pivot on a stud and a spring for storing energy when the lower lock pivots with respect to the upper lock lever, the upper lock lever moving the intermittent lever back and forth between an unlock position where the intermittent lever drives the detent to release the forkbolt and a lock position where the intermittent lever moves without driving the detent,

an inside lock lever forming part of the lock mechanism for operating the lower lock lever, and

a double lock assembly for disabling the lock mechanism by blocking the upper lock lever so that the vehicle door latch cannot be unlocked by the inside lock lever,

the double lock assembly including a motor driven lock block that moves between an engaged position and a disengaged position, the lock block blocking movement of the upper lock lever to the unlock position when the double lock is engaged,

the double lock assembly including a reversible electric motor for moving the lock block between the engaged position and the disengaged position, and

an outside lock lever that pivots on the stud for operating the inside lock lever and that overrides the double lock assembly by moving the lock block to the unlock position when the double lock is engaged and the electric motor is deenergized.

9. The vehicle door latch as defined in claim 8 wherein the lock block has a stop wall and a contiguous ramp wall, the stop wall blocking the upper lock lever when the lock block is in the engaged position and the ramp wall cooperating with the upper lock lever to move the lock block to the disengaged position after the outside lock lever moves the lock block toward the disengaged position by a predetermined amount.

10. The vehicle door latch as defined in claim 9 wherein the outside lock lever is connected to the intermittent lever by a pin and slot arrangement and the intermittent lever is connected to the detent lever by another pin and slot arrangement and pivotally connected to a pivotally mounted unlatching lever.

11. A vehicle door latch having a forkbolt that moves between a latched position and an unlatched position, a detent for holding the forkbolt in the latched position, a release mechanism for moving the detent to release the forkbolt and a lock mechanism for disabling the release mechanism comprising:

an intermittent lever for moving the detent to release the forkbolt forming part of the release mechanism and part of the lock mechanism,

the intermittent lever moving from a latch position to an unlatch position for moving the detent to release the forkbolt,

a lock lever forming part of the lock mechanism, the lock lever including a lower lock lever and an upper lock lever that pivot on a stud and a spring for storing energy when the lower lock lever pivots with respect to the upper lock lever, the upper lock lever being drivingly connected to the intermittent lever by a pin and slot arrangement for moving the intermittent lever back and forth between an unlock position where the intermittent lever drives the detent to release the forkbolt and a lock position where the intermittent lever moves from the latch position to the unlatch position without driving the detent,

an inside lock lever forming part of the lock mechanism for operating the lock lever, and

a double lock assembly for disabling the lock mechanism by blocking the upper lock lever so that the door latch cannot be unlocked by the inside lock lever.

12. A vehicle door latch having a forkbolt that moves between a latched position and an unlatched position, a detent for holding the forkbolt in the latched position, a release mechanism for moving the detent to release the forkbolt and a lock mechanism for disabling the release mechanism comprising:

an intermittent lever for moving the detent to release the forkbolt forming part of the release mechanism and part of the lock mechanism,

the intermittent lever moving from a latch position to an unlatch position for moving the detent to release the forkbolt,

a composite lock lever forming part of the lock mechanism and including a lower lock lever and an upper lock lever that pivot on a stud and a spring for storing energy when the lower lock lever pivots with respect to the upper lock lever, the upper lock lever being drivingly connected to the intermittent lever for moving the intermittent lever back and forth between an unlock position where the intermittent lever drives the detent to release the forkbolt and a lock position where the intermittent lever moves from the latch position to the unlatch position without driving the detent,

an inside lock lever forming part of the lock mechanism for operating the lower lock lever, and

a double lock assembly for disabling the lock mechanism by blocking the upper lock lever so that the vehicle door latch cannot be unlocked by the inside lock lever.

13. A vehicle door latch having a forkbolt that moves between a latched position and an unlatched position, a detent for holding the forkbolt in the latched position, a release mechanism for moving the detent to release the forkbolt and a lock mechanism for disabling the release mechanism comprising:

an intermittent lever for moving the detent to release the forkbolt forming part of the release mechanism and part of the lock mechanism,

a composite lock lever forming part of the lock mechanism and including a lower lock lever and an upper lock lever that pivot on a stud and a spring for storing energy when the lower lock pivots with respect to the upper lock lever lock lever, the upper lock lever moving the intermittent lever back and forth between an unlock position where the intermittent lever drives the detent to release the forkbolt and a lock position where the intermittent lever moves without driving the detent,

an inside lock lever forming part of the lock mechanism for operating the lower lock lever, and

a double lock assembly including a lock block that moves between an engaged position and a disengaged position, the lock block blocking movement of the upper lock lever to the unlock position when the double lock is engaged so that the vehicle door latch cannot be unlocked by the inside lock lever,

the double lock assembly including an electric motor for moving the lock block between the engaged position and the disengaged position, and

an outside lock lever that pivots on the stud for operating the inside lock lever and that overrides the double lock assembly by moving the lock block to the unlock position when the double lock is engaged and the electric motor is deenergized.

14. The vehicle door latch as defined in claim 13 wherein the lock block has a stop wall and a contiguous ramp wall, the stop wall blocking the upper lock lever when the lock block is in the engaged position and the ramp wall cooperating with the upper lock lever to move the lock block to the disengaged position after the outside lock lever moves the lock block toward the disengaged position by a predetermined amount.

15. The vehicle door latch as defined in claim 14 wherein the outside lock lever is connected to the intermittent lever by a pin and slot arrangement and the intermittent lever is connected to the detent lever by another pin and slot arrangement and pivotally connected to a pivotally mounted unlatching lever.