Actuator

• US 6,652,009 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2001
• Issued: 11/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Inteva Products USA LLC (Intevac)
• Original Assignee: Meritor Light Vehicle Systems - France
• Inventors: Birdi, Jagjiwan, Fisher, Sidney
• Primary Examiner(s): ESTREMSKY, GARY WAYNE
• Application Number:
  US09/911,920
• Publication Number:
  US 20020014775A1
• Time in Patent Office: 854 Days
• Field of Search: 292/216, 292/201, 292/251.5, 702/64, 702/76
• US Class Current: 292/251.5
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0038 using permanent magnets
• 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 81/08 using electromagnets or solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1047 Closure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/11 Magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/57 Operators with knobs or handles

Abstract

An actuator including a device for providing a magnetic field including a magnetic field generator, the actuator further including an output element being moveable between a first position where it blocks or breaks an associated mechanical transmission path and a second position where it unblocks or forms part of an associated mechanical transmission path, the output element being moveable as a result of changes in its local magnetic field as generated by the magnetic field generator, at least a part of the device being moveable to change said local magnetic field to effect movement of the output element.

Claims

1. An actuator comprising:

a powered actuator;

a device for providing a magnetic field including a magnetic field generator; and

an output element being moveable between a first position where the output element disables an associated mechanical transmission path and a second position where the output element enables an associated mechanical transmission path, the output element being moveable as a result of changes in a local magnetic field as generated by the magnetic field generator, at least a part of the device being moveable by the power actuator to change said local magnetic field to effect movement of the output element.

2. An actuator as defined in claim 1 in which said part of the device includes the magnetic field generator, said magnetic field generator being movable by the power actuator to change said local magnetic field to effect said movement of the output element.

3. An actuator as defined in claim 1 in which said device further includes a magnetic shield, the shield being moveable to change said local magnetic field to effect said movement of the output element.

4. An actuator as defined in claim 1 in which the magnetic field generator is a permanent magnetic.

5. An actuator as defined in claim 1, in which the magnetic field generator is an electromagnet.

6. A latch mechanism comprising;

a power actuator;

a device for providing a magnetic field having a magnetic field generator; and

an output element being moveable between a first position where the output element disables an associated mechanical transmission path and a second position where the output element enables an associated mechanical transmission path, the output element being moveable as a result of changes in its local magnetic field as generated by the magnetic field generator, at least a part of the device being moveable by the power actuator to change said local magnetic field to effect movement of the output element,

the latch mechanism including a housing, a pawl movably mounted in the housing to release the latch mechanism, the output element forming a lock link mounted for movement with the pawl with the output element in a first position, operation of an associated release means causes movement of the pawl to release the latch, and with the output element in the second position operation of the associated release means does not cause movement of the pawl.

7. A latch mechanism as defined in claim 6 in which the pawl is rotatably mounted in the housing.

8. A latch mechanism as defined in claim 6 in which a pawl lifter is connected to a pawl and the lock link is mounted on the pawl lifter.

9. A latch mechanism as defined in claim 6 in which the lock link is pivotally mounted for rotational movement between its first and second positions.

10. A latch mechanism as defined in claim 6 further including a further actuator having a further output element forming another of an inside or outside lock link in which the inside and outside lock link are both mounted for movement with the pawl.

11. A latch mechanism as defined in claim 6 in which indexing of the magnetic field generator effects movement of the at least one lock link between its first and second positions.

12. A latch mechanism as defined in claim 11, in which the magnetic field generator is rotationally mounted for indexing.

13. A latch mechanism as defined in claim 12 in which the magnetic field generator is rotationally mounted co-axially with the pawl.

14. A latch mechanism as defined in claim 11 in which the magnetic field generator includes at least two discrete equivalent magnetic poles which position the at least one lock link in one of the first and second positions, with the at least two discrete equivalent magnetic poles being separated by an alternate magnetic pole which positions the at least one lock link in the other of the first and second positions.

15. A latch mechanism as defined in claim 10 in which the magnetic field generator of the actuator is common with the magnetic field generator of the further actuator to effect movement of both the inside and outside lock links.

16. A latch mechanism as defined in claims 11 in which the release means is capable of indexing the magnetic field generator to move at least one of the lock links between the first and second positions.

17. A latch mechanism as defined in claim 16 in which the release means is capable of indexing the magnetic field generator to move at least one of the lock links from its second position to its first position.

18. A latch mechanism as defined in claim 6 in which movement of the at least one lock link between its first and second position is effected by a power actuator.

19. A latch mechanism as defined in claim 6 in which the pawl is capable of being moved to release the latch by a power actuator.

20. A latch mechanism as defined in claim 19 in which the power actuator further effects movement of the at least one lock link between its first and second positions.

21. A latch mechanism as defined in claim 20 in which the power actuator drives the magnetic field generator such that an abutment on the magnetic field generator operatively co-acts with an abutment fast with the pawl to release the latch mechanism.

22. A latch mechanism comprising;

a power actuator;

a device for providing a magnetic field including a magnetic field generator; and

an output element being moveable between a first position where it inhibits an associated mechanical transmission path and a second position where the output element allows function of an associated mechanical transmission path, the output element being moveable as a result of changes in a local magnetic field as generated by the magnetic field generator, at least part of the device being movable by the power actuator to change said local magnetic field to effect movement of the output element, in which said output element is caused to move during subsequent operation of said associated transmission path,

the latch mechanism includes a housing, a pawl movably mounted in the housing to release the latch, the output element forming a lock link mounted for movement with the pawl with the output element in a first position, operation of an associated release means causes movement of the pawl to release the latch, and with the output element in the second position operation of the associated release means does not cause movement of the pawl.

23. A latch mechanism as defined in claim 22 in which the pawl is rotatably mounted in the housing.

24. A latch mechanism as defined in claim 22 in which a pawl lifter is connected to a pawl and the lock link is mounted on the pawl lifter.

25. A latch mechanism as defined in claim 22 in which the lock link is pivotally mounted for rotational movement between its first and second positions.

26. A latch mechanism as defined in claim 22 further including a further actuator arrangement according to claim 22 having a further output element forming another of an inside or outside lock link in which the inside and outside lock link are both mounted for movement with the pawl.

27. A latch mechanism as defined in claim 22 in which indexing of the magnetic field generator effects movement of the at least one lock link between its first and second positions.

28. A latch mechanism as defined in claim 27 in which the magnetic field generator is rotationally mounted for indexing.

29. A latch mechanism as defined in claim 28 in which the magnetic field generator is rotationally mounted co-axially with the pawl.

30. A latch mechanism as defined in claim 27 in which the magnetic field generator includes at least two discrete equivalent magnetic poles which position the at least one lock link in one of the first and second positions, with the at least two discrete equivalent magnetic poles being separated by an alternate magnetic pole which positions the at least one lock link in the other of the first and second positions.

31. A latch mechanism as defined in claim 26 in which the magnetic field generator of the actuator is common with the magnetic field generator of the further actuator to effect movement of both the inside and outside lock links.

32. A latch mechanism as defined in claims 27 in which the release means is capable of indexing the magnetic field generator to move at least one of the lock links between the first and second positions.

33. A latch mechanism as defined in claim 32 in which the release means is capable of indexing the magnetic field generator to move at least one of the lock links from its second position to its first position.

34. A latch mechanism as defined in claim 22 in which movement of the at least one lock link between its first and second position is effected by a power actuator.

35. A latch mechanism as defined in claim 22 in which the pawl is capable of being moved to release the latch by a power actuator.

36. A latch mechanism as defined in claim 35 in which the power actuator further effects movement of the at least one lock link between its first and second positions.

37. A latch mechanism as defined in claim 36 in which the power actuator drives the magnetic field generator such that an abutment on the magnetic field generator operatively co-acts with an abutment fast with the pawl to release the latch mechanism.