Vehicle door latch

• US 6,520,548 B1
• Filed: 02/24/2000
• Issued: 02/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Inteva Products LLC (Renco Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Arvinmeritor Light Vehicle Systems FRA (Meritor, Inc. (Nevada))
• Inventors: Kalsi, Gurbinder Singh, Fisher, Sydney Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): ESTREMSKY, GARY WAYNE
• Application Number:
  US09/424,570
• Time in Patent Office: 1,090 Days
• Field of Search: 292/201, 292/216, 292/DIG.23, 492/80
• US Class Current: 292/201
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/20 for assisting final closing or for initiating opening
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1082 Motor

Abstract

Vehicle door latch assembly includes power closing mechanism (FIG.1) for driving a latching claw 10 from an outer position at which it has engaged a coacting striker 14 for hold the related door at first-safety position to an inner position drawing the door to fully closed position, the claw being retained at either position by a conventional latching pawl 16 selectively releasable by unlatching means 20. The closing mechanism includes a drive pawl 24 pivoted on a powered drive lever 22 to turn the claw to the inner position, a disabling rocker 36 coupled to the arm latching means preventing engagement of the drive pawl when the latching pawl is disengaged so that release of the closed door is not obstructed.

Claims

1. A vehicle door latch assembly comprising:

a pivotally mounted latch claw having a mouth for operatively co-acting with a striker as a door on which the latch assembly is mounted nears a closed position, a latching pawl self-engaging with the claw to hold the claw releasably at an outer position operatively latched to the striker to retain the door at a near-closed first safety position and at an inner position so latched to retain the door at a fully closed position, unlatching means selectively operable to disengage the latching pawl for opening the door, a power closing mechanism operable to turn the claw inwardly from the outer position to engagement with the striker to draw the door to the fully closed position, wherein the power closing mechanism comprises a movable drive input element carrying a drive pawl that is pivotally attached to the drive input element and biased towards an engaged position and which, as said movable drive input element is powered from a position of rest, by reason of being urged in the one pivot direction, engages the claw to turn it from its outer to its inner position, and disabling means linked to the unlatching means and including a disabling formation co-acting with the drive pawl to prevent engagement of the drive pawl with the claw when the latching pawl is disengaged to ensure that the closing mechanism does not obstruct release of the latched door.

2. An assembly as in claim 1 characterised in that the drive input element is a lever (22) carrying the drive pawl (24) on an arm (26) thereof to engage a ratchet tooth (32) of the claw.

5. An assembly as in claim 1 characterised in that the closing mechanism (22,24) is electrically powered.

6. An assembly as in claim 5 characterised in that it includes switch means energising said mechanism (22,24) automatically in response to shifting of the claw (10) to the outer position on closure of the door to the first safety position.

7. An assembly as in claim 6 characterised in that said switch means further operates to de-energize the mechanism (22,24) in response to latching of the door at the fully closed position.

3. A vehicle door latch assembly including a pivotally mounted latch claw having a mouth operatively co-acting with a striker as a door nears its closed position, a latching pawl self-engaging with the claw to hold it releasably at an outer position operatively latched to the striker to retain the door at a near-closed first safety position and at an inner position so latched to retain the door at a fully closed position, unlatching means selectively operable to disengage the latching pawl for opening the door, and power closing mechanism operable to turn the claw inwardly from the outer position to engagement with the striker to draw the door to the fully closed position, wherein the power closing mechanism comprises a movable drive input element carrying a drive pawl which, as said element is powered from its position of rest, self-engages the claw to turn it from its outer to its inner position, and disabling means linked to the unlatching means and including a disabling formation co-acting with the drive pawl to prevent engagement of the latter with the claw when the latching pawl is disengaged to ensure that the closing mechanism does not obstruct release of the latched door, wherein the drive input element is a lever carrying the drive pawl on an arm thereof to engage a ratchet tooth of the claw, wherein the lever is pivoted co-axially with the claw.

4. A vehicle door latch assembly including a pivotally mounted latch claw having a mouth operatively co-acting with a striker as a door on which the latch assembly is mounted nears its closed position, a latching pawl self-engaging with the claw to hold it releasably at an outer position operatively latched to the striker to retain the door at a near-closed first safety position and at an inner position so latched to retain the door at a fully closed position, unlatching means selectively operable to disengage the latching pawl for opening the door, and power closing mechanism operable to turn the claw inwardly from the outer position to engagement with the striker to draw the door to the fully closed position, wherein the power closing mechanism comprises a movable drive input element carrying a drive pawl which, as said element is powered from its position of rest, self-engages the claw to turn it from its outer to its inner position, and disabling means linked to the unlatching means and including a disabling formation co-acting with the drive pawl to prevent engagement of the latter with the claw when the latching pawl is disengaged to ensure that the closing mechanism does not obstruct release of the latched door, wherein the drive input element is a lever carrying the drive pawl on an arm thereof to engage a ratchet tooth of the claw, wherein the disabling formation is a rocker lever pivoted on said lever and coupled to the unlatching means, said rocker lever being shifted to a position at which it holds the drive pawl out of engagement with the claw when the unlatching means disengage the latch pawl form the claw.