Vehicle door latch with double lock

• US 6,511,106 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2000
• Issued: 01/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Inteva Products LLC (Renco Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hamilton, Maxwell Walter, Arabia, Frank Joseph Jr., Perkins, Donald Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): ESTREMSKY, GARY WAYNE
• Application Number:
  US09/737,171
• Publication Number:
  US 20020074806A1
• Time in Patent Office: 775 Days
• Field of Search: 292/216, 292/201, 292/DIG.23, 702/64, 702/791, 702/80, 702/82
• US Class Current: 292/216
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 63/0056 Locks with adjustable or exchangeable lock parts adjustable strikers E05B15/024; adjustable to different keys E05B35/083; adjustable bolt or backset E05B63/06; adjustable coupling means for bars, rods, cables E05C9/20
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/245 by blocking the movement of a movable element
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/28 for anti-theft purposes, e.g. double-locking or super-locking
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/32 allowing simultaneous actuation of locking or unlocking elements and a handle, e.g. preventing interference between an unlocking and an unlatching action
• 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 81/40 Nuts or nut-like elements moving along a driven threaded axle
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/90 Manual override in case of power failure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/23 Vehicle door latches
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/0801 Multiple
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/0814 Double acting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1047 Closure

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 and a lock mechanism for disabling the release mechanism. The detent is moved by an intermittent lever that is part of the release mechanism and part of the locking mechanism. A 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 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. The door latch also includes a motor driven actuator assembly for operating the lock mechanism, a motor driven double lock assembly for disabling the lock assembly so that the door latch cannot be unlocked by the inside lock lever, and a mechanical override lever for operating the double lock assembly in the event of power failure.

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 composite lock lever forming part of the lock mechanism, the composite lock lever having an upper lock lever and a lower 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 back and forth between an unlocked position and a locked position to move 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 so that the door latch cannot be unlocked by the inside lock lever,

the double lock assembly having a rotary double lock block-out that rotates back and forth between a by-pass position and a double lock position where the double lock block-out blocks movement of the upper lock lever from the locked position to the unlocked position 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.

2. 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 p art 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 back and forth between an unlocked position and a locked position to move 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,

the double lock assembly having a rotary double lock block-out that rotates back and forth between a by-pass position and a double lock position where the double lock block-out blocks movement of the lock lever from the locked position to the unlocked position,

the double lock assembly including a rotary cam drive that rotates the rotary double lock block-out back and forth between the bypass position and the double lock position.

3. 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,

lock lever forming part of the lock mechanism, the lock lever moving back and forth between an unlocked position and a locked position to move 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,

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

the double lock assembly having a rotary double lock block-out that rotates back and forth between a by-pass position and a double lock position where the double lock block-out blocks movement of the lock lever from the locked position to the unlocked position,

the double lock assembly including a rotary cam drive that rotates the rotary double lock block-out back and forth between the by-pass position and the double lock position, and

the rotary double lock block-out and the rotary cam drive rotating on a common axis and the double lock block-out being supported on the rotary cam drive.

4. The vehicle door latch as defined in claim 3 wherein the rotary cam drive has a drive ramp that engages a shoulder of the double lock block-out to drive the double lock block-out from the by-pass position to the double lock position.

5. The vehicle door lock as defined in claim 4, wherein the double lock assembly includes an electric motor that drives the rotary cam drive and a rotatable mechanical override lever that engages the double lock block-out and rotates to move the double block lock out from the double lock position to the by-pass position, the shoulder being on a resilient portion of the double lock block-out so that the shoulder snaps past the drive ramp when the mechanical override lever moves the double lock block-out from the double lock position to the by-pass position.

6. 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 back and forth in a path between an unlock lock position and a lock position to move 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 so that the door latch cannot be unlocked by the inside lock lever,

the double lock assembly having an electric motor that drives a rotary cam drive back and forth between a by-pass position and a block-out position, a rotary double lock block-out that rotates back and forth between a bypass position and a double lock position where the double lock block-out is in the path and blocks movement of the upper lock lever from the locked position to the unlocked position,

the rotary cam drive having a drive ramp that engages a shoulder of the double lock block-out to drive the double lock block-out from the by-pass position to the double lock position, and

the double lock assembly having a rotatable mechanical override lever that engages the double lock block-out to rotate the double block-lock out from the double lock position to the by-pass position and out of the path of the upper lock lever, the shoulder being on a resilient skirt of the double lock block-out so that the shoulder snaps past the drive ramp when the mechanical override lever moves the double lock block-out from the double lock position to the by-pass position.

7. The vehicle door latch as defined in claim 6 wherein the rotary cam drive and the double lock block-out rotate about a common axis with the double lock block-out being supported by the rotary cam drive, the double lock block-out has a tangential ear that protrudes into the path and blocks movement of the upper lock lever from the locked position to the unlocked position, the rotatable mechanical override lever engages a radial boss of the double lock block-out to rotate the double block lock out from the double lock position to the by-pass position and out of the path of the upper lock lever and the shoulder is part of a resilient skirt of the double lock block-out so that the shoulder snaps past the drive ramp when the mechanical override lever moves the double lock block-out from the double lock position to the by-pass 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 that includes a lock lever that moves back and forth between an unlock position where the release mechanism is operative and a lock position where the release mechanism is disabled, 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 so that the door latch cannot be unlocked by the inside lock lever, the double lock assembly comprising:

an electric motor that drives a rotary cam drive back and forth between a by-pass position and a block-out position,

a rotary double lock block-out that is supported on the rotary cam drive and that rotates back and forth between a by-pass position and a double lock position about a common axis with the rotary cam drive,

the double lock block-out permitting movement of the lock lever back and forth between the unlock position and the lock position in the by-pass position, and the double lock block-out having a tangential ear that blocks movement of the lock lever from the locked position to the unlocked position when the double lock block-out is in the double lock position,

the rotary cam drive having a drive ramp that engages a shoulder of the double lock block-out to drive the double lock block-out from the by-pass position to the double lock position, and

a rotatable mechanical override lever that engages a radial boss of the double lock block-out to rotate the double lock block-out from the double lock position to the by-pass position, the shoulder being on a resilient skirt of the double lock block-out so that the shoulder snaps past the drive ramp when the mechanical override lever moves the double lock block-out from the double lock position to the by-pass position to permit unlocking of the door latch when the electric motor is inoperative.