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

• US 6,341,807 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2001
• Issued: 01/29/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Atoma International Corp.
• Original Assignee: Atoma International Corp.
• Inventors: Frommer, Thomas P., Cetnar, Roman
• Primary Examiner(s): Browne, Lynne H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Walsh, John B.
• Application Number:
  US09/865,480
• Publication Number:
  US 20010035654A1
• Time in Patent Office: 245 Days
• Field of Search: 292/DIG.23, 292/201, 292/216
• 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 for installation on a vehicle door that is movable between open and closed positions with respect to a vehicle body opening, the vehicle door having inner and outer manually movable actuators, said assembly comprising:

a housing constructed and arranged to be mounted on the vehicle door;

a door latch assembly carried by said housing, said latch assembly having a striker engaging member, said latch assembly being constructed and arranged to be moved (1) into a door latching position in response to engagement thereof with a striker at the vehicle body opening during movement of the door into its closed position wherein in said door latching position said striker engaging member cooperates with the striker to releasably retain the vehicle door in its closed position and (2) from the door latching position to a door unlatching position wherein said striker engaging member is released from the striker to allow the door to be moved into the open position thereof;

an outer door latch releasing mechanism constructed and arranged to be moved (1) from an inoperative position into a latch releasing position responsive to manual movement of the outer actuator of the vehicle door and (2) from the latch releasing position thereof into the inoperative position thereof, said outer door latch releasing mechanism being constructed and arranged such that, when the vehicle door is in its closed position, manually moving the outer actuator of the door to responsively move the outer latch releasing mechanism to the latch releasing position thereof moves said door latching assembly from the door latching position thereof to the door unlatching position thereof;

an outer door locking mechanism constructed and arranged to be moved between (1) an outer door locking position disabling said outer door latch releasing mechanism from moving to the latch releasing position thereof and (2) an inoperative position permitting said outer door latch releasing mechanism to move into the latch releasing position thereof;

an inner door latch releasing mechanism constructed and arranged to be moved (1) from an inoperative position into a latch releasing position responsive to manual movement of the inner actuator of the door and (2) from the latch releasing position thereof into the inoperative position thereof, said inner door latch releasing mechanism being constructed and arranged such that, when the vehicle door is in the closed position thereof, manually moving the inner actuator of the door to responsively move said inner door latching mechanism from the inoperative position thereof to the latch releasing position thereof moves said door latching assembly from the door latching position thereof to the door unlatching position thereof;

an inner door locking mechanism constructed and arranged to be moved between (1) an inner door locking position disabling said inner door latch releasing mechanism from moving to the latch releasing position thereof and (2) an inoperative position permitting said inner door latching releasing mechanism to move to the latch releasing position thereof;

a locking mechanism operating member constructed and arranged to be selectively moved through a plurality of positions corresponding to combinations of the inoperative and inner door locking position of said inner door locking mechanism and the inoperative and outer door locking positions of said outer door locking mechanism, said combinations including;

a first combination wherein said inner and outer door locking mechanisms are in the respective inoperative positions thereof;

a second combination wherein said inner door locking mechanism is in the inner door locking position thereof and said outer door locking mechanism is in said inoperative position thereof;

a third position combination wherein said inner door locking mechanism is in the inoperative position thereof and said outer door locking mechanism is in the outer door locking position thereof; and

a fourth combination wherein said inner and outer door locking mechanisms are each in the respective door locking positions thereof; and

an electrically operable system adapted to convert electricity into movement of said locking mechanism operating member through said plurality of positions;

said electrically operable system including a position sensor adapted to detect a position of said locking mechanism operating member within said plurality of positions and output a position signal indicative of said position;

said electrically operable system including a processor communicated to said position sensor, said processor being adapted to process said position signal and control selective movement of said locking mechanism operating member through said plurality of positions based on the position signal.

2. A power-operated door locking assembly according to claim 1, wherein said position sensor comprises:

a plurality of trigger elements mounted for movement with said operating member; and

a stationary detector operable to detect the movement of said trigger elements to thereby detect the movement of said operating member.

3. A power-operated door locking assembly according to claim 2, wherein said operating member is a rotatable shaft, said plurality of trigger elements are provided on a disk affixed to said shaft, and said stationary detector is a magnetic field sensor operable to transmit an electrical signal each time one of said magnets passes adjacent said sensor.

4. A power-operated door locking assembly according to claim 3, wherein the electrical signal transmitted by said sensor is an electrical pulse signal.

5. A power-operated door locking assembly according to claim 2, further comprising a key actuated door locking and unlocking assembly movable between a locked mode and an unlocked mode in response to manual movement of a key therein.