Latch detector for automotive door locks

• US 6,428,059 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2001
• Issued: 08/06/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsui Kinzoku Act Corporation (Mitsui Mining & Smelting Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Ohi Seisakusho Co., Ltd. (Mitsui Mining & Smelting Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Fumio, Nakamura, Hitoshi, Akahori, Masakazu
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu, Teri Pham
• Application Number:
  US09/796,228
• Publication Number:
  US 20010050484A1
• Time in Patent Office: 524 Days
• Field of Search: 292/201, 292/216
• US Class Current: 292/216
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/66 the bolt position, i.e. the latching status
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 85/26 Cooperation between bolts and detents
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/23 Vehicle door latches
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1047 Closure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1082 Motor

Abstract

A latch detector for automotive door locks is provided. The latch detector includes a detector body 1 having a recess 1a, a latch 4 rotating in the receiving recess 1a, a detecting switch 10 attached to the detector body 1, for detecting the latch 4 being in its full-latching position or the opening position and a detecting member 9 having a first arm 9c extending into the recess 1a to be engageable with a cam part 4c of the latch 4 and a second arm 9e exposing on the other side of the detector body 1. The detecting switch 10 is positioned on the other side of the detector body 1 so as to be operated by the second arm 9e of the detecting member 9. With this waterproof arrangement, it is unnecessary to construct the detecting switch by a waterproof and expensive element.

Claims

1. A latch detector for automotive door locks, comprising:

a detector body shaped so as to be fixed on a movable end of an automotive door panel, the detector body being provided, on its one side opposing a vehicle body, with a receiving recess;

a latch rotatably accommodated in the receiving recess so as to move to both a full-latching position to engage with a striker secured to the vehicle body and an opening position to separate from the striker, the latch being provided with a cam part;

a detecting switch attached to the detector body, for detecting the latch being in the full-latching position or the opening position; and

a detecting member pivoted to the detector body so as to communicate the receiving recess with the other side of the detector body, the detecting member having a first arm extending into the recess to be engageable with the cam part of the latch and a second arm exposing on the other side of the detector body, the detecting member also being rotatable in cooperation with the latch moving from the opening position to the full-latching position, and vice versa;

wherein the detecting switch is positioned on the other side of the detector body so as to be operated by the second arm of the detecting member.

2. The latch detector for automotive door locks as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the cam part is identical to a recess formed on a lateral face of the latch, while the detecting member has a projection formed at a tip of the first arm to engage with the cam part.

3. The latch detector for automotive door locks as claimed in claim 2,

wherein the detector body has a communication hole formed to communicate the receiving recess with the other side of the detector body, for allowing the first arm of the detecting member to enter from the other side of the detector body to the recess therethrough.

4. The latch detector for automotive door locks as claimed in claim 2,

wherein the cam part is curved around a rotating center of the latch.

5. The latch detector for automotive door locks as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the detector body is made of synthetic resin.

6. The latch detector for automotive door locks as claimed in claim 5,

wherein the cam part of the latch is made of synthetic resin.

7. The latch detector for automotive door locks as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the cam part is formed by an uneven periphery of the latch.