Power-closing motor-vehicle door latch

• US 6,659,515 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2002
• Issued: 12/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kiekert AG (Lingyun Industrial Corporation Limited)
• Original Assignee: Kiekert AG (Lingyun Industrial Corporation Limited)
• Inventors: Czekanski, Marek, Raymond, Raja, Hrnjak, Aleksandar
• Primary Examiner(s): ESTREMSKY, GARY WAYNE
• Application Number:
  US10/282,920
• Publication Number:
  US 20030080569A1
• Time in Patent Office: 406 Days
• Field of Search: 292/216, 292/201, 292/DIG.23, 292/DIG.43, 491/79, 492/80
• US Class Current: 292/201
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/14 operating on bolt detents, e.g. for unlatching the bolt
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/20 for assisting final closing or for initiating opening
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/21 with means preventing or detecting pinching of objects or body parts
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/58 including time control, e.g. for controlling run-time of electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/66 the bolt position, i.e. the latching status
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1082 Motor

Abstract

A motor-vehicle door latch has a pair of engageable parts one of which is movable between a pair of end positions and through an intermediate position and a pair of end-position sensors and an intermediate position sensor operable when the parts reach the respective positions. A drive engages at least one of the parts for displacing the parts from one end position through the intermediate position into the other end position. A controller operates the drive to displace the parts from the one end position to the intermediate position only when travel of the parts from the one end position to the intermediate position takes place in less than a predetermined first time and displaces the parts from the intermediate position to the other end position only when travel of the parts from the intermediate position to the other end position takes place in less than a predetermined second time different from the first time.

Claims

1. A motor-vehicle door latch comprising:

a pair of engageable parts one of which is movable between a pair of end positions and through an intermediate position between the end positions;

a pair of end-position sensors and an intermediate position sensor operable when the parts reach the respective positions for generating respective outputs;

drive means engaging at least one of the parts for displacing the parts from one end position through the intermediate position into the other end position; and

control means connected to the drive means and to the sensors for operating the drive means to

displace the parts from the one end position to the intermediate position only when travel of the parts from the one end position to the intermediate position takes place in less than a predetermined first time and

displace the parts from the intermediate position to the other end position only when travel of the parts from the intermediate position to the other end position takes place in less than a predetermined second time different from the first time.

2. The motor-vehicle door latch defined in claim 1 wherein the control means reverses the drive means when travel of the parts from the one end position to the intermediate position exceeds the first time and when travel of the parts from the intermediate position to the other end position exceeds the second time.

3. The motor-vehicle door latch defined in claim 1 wherein the one end position corresponds to a partially latched position of the latch, the intermediate position corresponds to a latched position of the latch, and the other end position corresponds to an overtravel position of the latch.

4. The motor-vehicle door latch defined in claim 1 wherein the one part is a pivotal fork, the other part is a bolt engageable therewith, and the drive means includes:

a motor having a rotary output;

a wheel carried on the output;

a link connected between the wheel and the one part for pivoting of the one part on rotation of the wheel.

5. The motor-vehicle door latch defined in claim 4 wherein the fork is pivotal about an axis and two of the sensors are axially spaced from one another but angularly aligned, the fork having a pair of axially spaced arms of angularly different lengths engageable with the two sensors.