Vehicle door locking system with separate power operated inner door and outer door locking mechanisms

• US 6,102,453 A
• Filed: 02/04/1998
• Issued: 08/15/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Atoma International Corp.
• Original Assignee: Atoma International Corp.
• Inventors: Cetnar, Roman
• Primary Examiner(s): Boucher, Darnell M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Walsh, John B.
• Application Number:
  US09/018,467
• Time in Patent Office: 923 Days
• Field of Search: 292/201, 292/DIG. 42, 292/199, 292/216, 292/DIG. 23, 292/DIG. 27, 292/DIG. 43
• US Class Current: 292/201
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2015/0496 Springs actuated by cams or the like
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/12 Automatic locking or unlocking at the moment of collision
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/26 specially adapted for child safety
• 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 81/36 Geared sectors, e.g. fan-shaped gears
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/42 Cams
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/64 Monitoring or sensing, e.g. by using switches or sensors
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 83/36 Locks for passenger or like doors
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 85/02 Lock casings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/23 Vehicle door latches
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/27 Disconnectable handle
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1047 Closure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1079 Gear
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1082 Motor

Abstract

A power-operated vehicle door locking assembly including separate inner and outer door locking mechanisms connected with a housing assembly and an electric motorized system operable to selectively move (1) the inner door locking mechanism between an inoperative and an inner door locking position in response to inner manual electric motor energizing actuations and (2) the outer door locking mechanism between an inoperative and an outer door locking positions in response to outer manual electric motor energizing actuations. The arrangement is such that an outer manual electric motor energizing actuation without a corresponding inner manual electric motor energizing actuation causes a door latching assembly when in a door latching position to be incapable of being moved into a door unlatching position by an outer door latch releasing mechanism while at the same time the door latching assembly is capable of being moved into the door unlatching position thereof by an inner door latch releasing mechanism.

Claims

1. A power-operated vehicle door locking assembly comprising:

a housing assembly constructed and arranged to be mounted to a vehicle door,

a door latching assembly carried by said housing assembly, said door latching assembly being constructed and arranged to be moved between a door latching position and a door unlatching position,

said door latching assembly including a holding and releasing lever movable between (1) a holding position wherein said lever prevents said door latching assembly from moving from said door latching position thereof and (2) a releasing position wherein said lever permits said door latching assembly to move from said door latching position thereof to said unlatching position thereof,

an outer door latch releasing mechanism including an outer releasing arm movably mounted and biased to engage with said lever,

an outer reversible electric motor,

an inner door latch releasing mechanism including an inner releasing arm movably mounted and biased to engage with said lever,

an inner reversible electric motor, and

separate inner and outer door locking mechanisms,

said outer door locking mechanism has an outer cam that moves between unlocked and locked positions so as to responsively move said outer releasing arm (1) into engagement with said lever to thereby enable said outer door latch releasing mechanism to responsively affect movement of said lever to said releasing position, and (2) out of engagement with said lever thereby disabling said outer door latch releasing mechanism, said outer reversible electric motor cooperating with said outer cam to effect said movement thereof in response to an outer manual electrical energizing actuation,

said inner door locking mechanism has an inner cam that moves between unlocked and locked positions to responsively move said inner releasing arm (1) into engagement with said lever to thereby enable said inner door latch releasing mechanism to responsively affect movement of said lever to said releasing position, and (2) out of engagement with said lever thereby disabling said inner door latch releasing mechanism, said inner reversible electric motor cooperating with said inner cam to effect said movement thereof in response to an inner manual electrical energizing actuation,

said outer door locking mechanism includes a first shaft on which said outer cam is fixed, an outer motion transmitting member constructed and arranged with respect to said housing assembly to be moved between unlocked and locked positions, an outer speed reduction gear train operatively connected between said outer electric motor and said outer motion transmitting member and an outer arm fixed to said first shaft and operatively connected to said outer motion transmitting member, said inner door locking mechanism includes a second shaft on which said inner cam is fixed, an inner motion transmitting member constructed and arranged with respect to said housing assembly to be moved between unlocked and locked positions, an inner speed reduction gear train operatively connected between said inner electric motor and said inner motion transmitting member, and an inner arm fixed to said second shaft and operatively connected to said inner motion transmitting member,

said outer and inner speed reduction gear trains include outer and inner worm gears fixed to output shafts of said outer and inner electric motors, respectively, and outer and inner sector gears meshing with said outer and inner worm gears, the arrangement being such that motion imparted to said sector gears will move said worm gears and motors when said motors are without a source of electricity.

2. A power-operated vehicle door locking assembly comprising:

a housing assembly constructed and arranged to be mounted to a vehicle door,

a door latching assembly carried by said housing assembly, said door latching assembly being constructed and arranged to be moved between a door latching position and a door unlatching position,

said door latching assembly including a holding and releasing lever movable between (1) a holding position wherein said lever prevents said door latching assembly from moving from said door latching position thereof and (2) a releasing position wherein said lever permits said door latching assembly to move from said door latching position thereof to said unlatching position thereof,

an outer door latch releasing mechanism including an outer releasing arm movably mounted and biased to engage with said lever,

an outer reversible electric motor,

an inner door latch releasing mechanism including an inner releasing arm movably mounted and biased to engage with said lever,

an inner reversible electric motor, and

separate inner and outer door locking mechanisms,

said outer door locking mechanism has an outer cam that moves between unlocked and locked positions so as to responsively move said outer releasing arm (1) into engagement with said lever to thereby enable said outer door latch releasing mechanism to responsively affect movement of said lever to said releasing position, and (2) out of engagement with said lever thereby disabling said outer door latch releasing mechanism, said outer reversible electric motor cooperating with said outer cam to effect said movement thereof in response to an outer manual electrical energizing actuation,

said inner door locking mechanism has an inner cam that moves between unlocked and locked positions to responsively move said inner releasing arm (1) into engagement with said lever to thereby enable said inner door latch releasing mechanism to responsively affect movement of said lever to said releasing position, and (2) out of engagement with said lever thereby disabling said inner door latch releasing mechanism, said inner reversible electric motor cooperating with said inner cam to effect said movement thereof in response to an inner manual electrical energizing actuation,

said outer door locking mechanism includes a first shaft on which said outer cam is fixed, an outer motion transmitting member constructed and arranged with respect to said housing assembly to be moved between unlocked and locked positions, an outer speed reduction gear train operatively connected between said outer electric motor and said outer motion transmitting member and an outer arm fixed to said first shaft and operatively connected to said outer motion transmitting member, said inner door locking mechanism includes a second shaft on which said inner cam is fixed, an inner motion transmitting member constructed and arranged with respect to said housing assembly to be moved between unlocked and locked positions, an inner speed reduction gear train operatively connected between said inner electric motor and said inner motion transmitting member, and an inner arm fixed to said second shaft and operatively connected to said inner motion transmitting member,

said outer and inner speed reduction gear trains include outer and inner relatively small outer and inner spur gears fixed to output shafts of said outer and inner electric motors, relatively large outer and inner spur gears meshing with said outer and inner small spur gears respectively, outer and inner pinions fixed to turn said outer and inner relatively large spur gears respectively and outer and inner rack teeth on said outer and inner motion transmitting members respectively, said outer and inner pinions meshing with said outer and inner rack teeth respectively.

3. A power-operated vehicle door locking assembly comprising:

a housing assembly constructed and arranged to be mounted to a vehicle door,

a door latching assembly carried by said housing assembly, said door latching assembly being constructed and arranged to be moved between a door latching position and a door unlatching position,

said door latching assembly including a holding and releasing lever movable between (1) a holding position wherein said lever prevents said door latching assembly from moving from said door latching position thereof and (2) a releasing position wherein said lever permits said door latching assembly to move from said door latching position thereof to said unlatching position thereof,

an outer door latch releasing mechanism including an outer releasing arm movably mounted and biased to engage with said lever,

an electrically operable system comprising an outer reversible electric motor and an inner reversible electric motor,

an inner door latch releasing mechanism including an inner releasing arm movably mounted and biased to engage with said lever, and

separate inner and outer door locking mechanisms,

said outer door locking mechanism has an outer cam that moves between unlocked and locked positions so as to responsively move said outer releasing arm (1) into engagement with said lever to thereby enable said outer door latch releasing mechanism to responsively affect movement of said lever to said releasing position, and (2) out of engagement with said lever thereby disabling said outer door latch releasing mechanism, said outer reversible electric motor cooperating with said outer cam to effect said movement thereof in response to an outer manual electrical energizing actuation,

said inner door locking mechanism has an inner cam that moves between unlocked and locked positions to responsively move said inner releasing arm (1) into engagement with said lever to thereby enable said inner door latch releasing mechanism to responsively affect movement of said lever to said releasing position, and (2) out of engagement with said lever thereby disabling said inner door latch releasing mechanism, said inner reversible electric motor cooperating with said inner cam to effect said movement thereof in response to an inner manual electrical energizing actuation,

said electrically operable system includes a single motor constructed and arranged to move said outer and inner door locking mechanisms between the unlocked and locked positions thereof, said single motor being operatively connected through a speed reduction gear train to drive a shaft on which said inner and outer cams are fixed through four indexed positions including (1) an indexed position where said outer and inner cams are both in unlocked positions, (2) an indexed position where said outer cam is in a locked position and said inner cam is in an unlocked position, (3) an indexed position in which said outer and inner cams are both in locked positions, and (4) an indexed position in which said outer cam is in an unlocked position and said inner cam is in a locked position.

4. A power-operated vehicle door locking system for a vehicle having a plurality of vehicle doors movable between open and closed positions with respect to a corresponding plurality of vehicle body openings, said locking system comprising:

an electrically operable system; and

a power-operated vehicle door locking assembly being carried by each of said plurality of vehicle doors and operatively connected with said electrical operable system, each of said power-operated vehicle door locking assemblies comprising;

a housing assembly constructed and arranged to be mounted to a vehicle door,

a door latching assembly carried by said housing assembly constructed and arranged to be moved between a door latching position and a door unlatching position,

said door latching assembly includes a holding and releasing lever movable between (1) a biased holding position wherein said lever prevents said door latching assembly from moving from said door latching position thereof and (2) a releasing position wherein said lever permits said door latching assembly to move from said door latching position thereof to said unlatching position thereof,

an outer door latch releasing mechanism including an outer releasing arm movably mounted and biased to engage with said lever,

an outer door locking mechanism having an outer cam movable between unlocked and locked positions to responsively move said outer releasing arm (1) into engagement with said lever thereby enabling said outer door latch mechanism to responsively affect movement of said lever to said releasing position, and (2) out of engagement with said lever thereby disable said outer latch releasing mechanism, and

an inner door latch releasing mechanism including an inner releasing arm movably mounted and biased to engage with said lever,

an inner door locking mechanism having an inner cam movable between unlocked and locked positions to responsively move said inner releasing arm (1) into engagement with said lever thereby enabling said inner door latch releasing mechanism to responsively affect movement of said lever to said releasing position and (2) out of engagement with said lever to thereby disable said inner latch releasing mechanism;

said electrically operable system comprising;

an outer reversible electric motor associated with each of said door locking assemblies, each of said outer reversible electric motors cooperating with an associated outer cam to affect said movement thereof in response to an outer manual electrical energizing actuation, and

an inner reversible electric motor associated with each of said door locking assemblies, each of said inner reversible electric motors cooperating with an associated inner cam to affect said movement thereof in response to an inner manual electrical energizing actuation, and

a processor capable of selectively activating, based on a programmed operation scheme, each motor to achieve one of four position combinations for each vehicle door locking assembly in a manner dependent upon input signals, said four position combinations including (1) a first position combination wherein said inner and outer cams are in the locked positions, (2) a second position combination wherein said inner and outer cams are in the unlocked positions, (3) a third position combination wherein said inner cam is in the unlocked position and said outer cam is in the locked position, (4) a fourth position combination wherein said inner cam is in the locked position and said outer cam is in the unlocked position,

said electrically operable system is further responsive to said manually actuatable lock switch such that a second kind of actuation of said manually actuatable lock switch causes said electrically operable system to move at least one of said outer door locking mechanism and said inner door locking mechanism of said at least one assembly into another one of said four position combinations which is different from that which is achieved by said first kind of actuation,

said electrically operable system is further responsive to said manually actuatable lock switch such that a third kind of actuation of said manually actuatable lock switch causes said electrically operable system to move at least one of said outer door locking mechanism and said inner door locking mechanism of said at least one of said assemblies into yet another one of said four position combinations which is different from that which is achieved by said first and second kinds of actuation,

said electrically operable system is further responsive to said manually actuatable lock switch such that a fourth kind of actuation of said manually actuatable lock switch causes said electrically operable system to move at least one of said outer door locking mechanism and said inner door locking mechanism of said at least one of said assemblies into a last one of said four position combinations which is different from that which is achieved by said first, second and third kinds of actuation, and

said manually actuatable switch is a single switch, wherein said first kind of actuation involves pressing said single switch in a first direction, said second kind of actuation involves successively pressing said single switch twice in said first direction, said third kind of actuation involves pressing said single switch in a second direction, and said fourth kind of actuation involves successively pressing said single switch twice in said second direction.