Motor-vehicle door latch

• US 6,568,722 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2001
• Issued: 05/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kiekert AG (Lingyun Industrial Corporation Limited)
• Original Assignee: Kiekert AG (Lingyun Industrial Corporation Limited)
• Inventors: Dragon, Marek, Raffelsiefer, Kurt
• Primary Examiner(s): ESTREMSKY, GARY WAYNE
• Application Number:
  US09/920,613
• Publication Number:
  US 20020017792A1
• Time in Patent Office: 664 Days
• Field of Search: 292/216, 292/201, 292/DIG.23, 702/64
• US Class Current: 292/216
• 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 77/30 allowing opening by means of an inner door handle, even if the door is locked
• 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: Y10T 292/1047 Closure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1082 Motor

Abstract

A motor-vehicle door latch has a housing, a part displaceable relative to the housing to release the latch, and mechanism on the housing operable to displace the part and release the latch. An actuating lever is pivotal on the housing between an unactuated position and an actuated position and a locking lever is also pivotal on the housing between a locked position coupling the actuating lever with the mechanism to displace same and an unlocked position uncoupling the actuating lever from the mechanism. Respective formations directly formed on the actuating lever and on the locking lever are directly engageable with each other for displacing the locking lever into the unlocked position on displacement of the actuating lever into the actuated position.

Claims

1. In combination with an inside motor-vehicle door handle, a motor-vehicle door latch comprising:

a housing;

a part displaceable relative to the housing to release the latch;

mechanism including a coupling link operable to displace the part and release the latch;

an actuating lever connected to the handle and pivotal on the housing by the handle between an unactuated position and an actuated position;

a locking lever carrying the coupling line and pivotal on the housing between an unlocked position coupling the actuating lever with the mechanism to displace same and a locked position uncoupling the actuating lever from the mechanism; and

respective formations directly formed on the actuating lever and on the locking lever and directly engageable with each other for displacing the locking lever into the unlocked position on displacement of the actuating lever into the actuated position.

2. The motor-vehicle door latch defined in claim 1 wherein the formations include a finger formed directly on one of the levers and an abutment formed on the other of the levers.

3. The motor-vehicle door latch defined in claim 2 wherein the levers are pivotal about respective axes and the finger extends radially of the axis of the respective lever.

4. The motor-vehicle door latch defined in claim 3 wherein the abutment has an edge directly engageable with the finger.

5. The motor-vehicle door latch defined in claim 1, further comprising

antitheft means engageable with the mechanism to prevent coupling of the actuating lever with the part.

6. The motor-vehicle door latch defined in claim 1, further comprising

antitheft means movable into an antitheft-on position for preventing the coupling link from operatively connecting the locking lever to the part.

7. The motor-vehicle door latch defined in claim 1 wherein the mechanism includes

a release lever formed with an L-shaped slot having one leg extending angularly of a pivot axis of the locking lever and another leg extending radially of the pivot axis and directly engageable with the part;

and

a coupling lever slidable on the locking lever and having a pin engaged in the slot for, when engaged in the one leg, connecting the locking lever to the release lever and, when engaged in the other leg, for allowing the locking lever to pivot relative to the release lever.

8. A motor-vehicle door latch comprising:

a housing;

a part displaceable relative to the housing to release the latch;

an actuating lever pivotal on the housing between an unactuated position and an actuated position;

a locking lever pivotal on the housing between an unlocked position coupling the actuating lever with the mechanism to displace same and a locked position uncoupling the actuating lever from the mechanism;

mechanism on the housing operable to displace the part and release the latch, the mechanism including

a release lever formed with an L-shaped slot having one leg extending angularly of a pivot axis of the locking lever and another leg extending radially of the pivot axis and directly engageable with the part, and

a coupling lever slidable on the locking lever and having a pin engaged in the slot for, when engaged in the one leg, connecting the locking lever to the release lever and, when engaged in the other leg, for allowing the locking lever to pivot relative to the release lever; and

respective formations directly formed on the actuating lever and on the locking lever and directly engageable with each other for displacing the locking lever into the unlocked position on displacement of the actuating lever into the actuated position.