Vehicle compartment latch

• US 6,247,732 B1
• Filed: 08/09/1999
• Issued: 06/19/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/1999
• 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: Alton, Darrel M.
• Primary Examiner(s): ESTREMSKY, GARY WAYNE
• Application Number:
  US09/370,230
• Time in Patent Office: 680 Days
• Field of Search: 292/336.3, 292/216, 292/DIG.43, 292/DIG.63, 292/DIG.65, 292/125, 292/225, 292/171
• 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: E05B 83/26 Emergency opening means for persons trapped in the luggage compartment
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 85/12 Inner door handles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/43 Rear deck lid latches
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1047 Closure

Abstract

A vehicle closure has a compartment latch and a handle for operating the compartment latch. The compartment latch includes a reset member that is automatically engaged to disable the compartment latch when the compartment latch is unlatched. The reset member must be reset manually to restore normal operation of the compartment latch. Manual resetting is difficult to avoid inadvertent operation by children.

Claims

1. A vehicle compartment latch comprising:

a support that is adapted for fastening to a closure,

a fork bolt that moves between an open position and a closed position,

a detent lever that moves between a detent position and a release position, the detent lever retaining the fork bolt in the closed position when in the detent position and releasing the fork bolt for return to the open position when in the release position, and

a reset member that moves between an engaged position and a reset position, the reset member holding the detent lever in the release position when in the engaged position and allowing the detent lever to return to the detent position when in the reset position,

the reset member being slideable on the support member and biased toward the engaged position.

2. The vehicle compartment latch as defined in claim 1 wherein the reset member is moved to the engaged position when the compartment latch is unlatched and the reset member has a reset storm for engaging a striker to prevent the reset member from being moved to the engaged position when the compartment latch is latched by the striker.

3. The vehicle compartment latch as defined in claim 1 wherein the reset member has a ramp that is operatively associated with the detent lever.

4. A vehicle compartment latch comprising:

a support that is adapted for fastening to a closure,

a fork bolt that moves between an open position and a closed position,

a detent lever that moves between a detent position and a release position, the detent lever retaining the fork bolt in the closed position when in the detent position and releasing the fork bolt for return to the open position when in the release position,

a reset member that moves between an engaged position and a reset position, the reset member holding the detent lever in the release position when in the engaged position and allowing the detent lever to return to the detent position when in the reset position, and

the reset member having a ramp that has a first detent at a lower end and a second detent at an upper end that are engaged by a catch attached to the detent lever to hold the detent in the release position and the detent position respectively.

5. The vehicle compartment latch as defined in claim 4 wherein the catch has a handle for lifting the catch out of the upper detent and the reset member has a thumb pad for pushing the reset member to the reset position when the catch is lifted out of the upper detent.

6. The vehicle compartment latch as defined in claim 4 further including a cable assembly having a core wire that is attached to the catch at one end for moving the detent lever from the detent position to the release position.

7. The vehicle compartment latch as defined in claim 6 wherein the core wire is attached to the catch by a lost motion cleat.

8. The vehicle compartment latch as defined in claim 6 further including a closure and a handle assembly, the support of the vehicle compartment latch and the handle assembly being attached to the closure and the core wire being attached to a moveable handle of the handle assembly at the opposite end.

9. The vehicle compartment latch as defined in claim 8 wherein the core wire is attached to the catch by a lost motion cleat.