Vehicle door lock

• US 7,475,923 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2006
• Issued: 01/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intier Automotive Closures, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intier Automotive Closures, Inc.
• Inventors: Ottino, Franco Giovanni, Bigazzi, Luca
• Primary Examiner(s): ESTREMSKY, GARY WAYNE
• Application Number:
  US11/435,180
• Publication Number:
  US 20060279090A1
• Time in Patent Office: 973 Days
• Field of Search: 292/216, 292/DIG.56
• US Class Current: 292/216
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2015/165 for bolts
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/38 Cushion elements, elastic guiding elements or holding elements, e.g. for cushioning or damping the impact of the bolt against the striker during closing of the wing
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/40 Lock elements covered by silencing layers, e.g. coatings
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 85/26 Cooperation between bolts and detents
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/56 Silencers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1047 Closure

Abstract

A vehicle door lock (1) having a fork (2) which rotates about a first axis (A) between a release position and at least one lock position engaging a fixed striker (15), and a latch (3) which rotates about a second axis (B), is loaded elastically towards the fork (2), and has a catch portion (25) which clicks onto a tooth (11) of the fork (2) to lock the fork (2) releasably in the lock position. The fork (2) is defined by a main body (6) made of rigid material, and by an outer coating (7) made of relatively yielding material and having, adjacent to the tooth (11), a slot (33) defining a peripheral edge (34) which flexes inwards of the slot (33) when struck by the catch portion (25) of the latch (3) engaging the tooth (11) of the fork (2). The main body (6) has a recess (36) close to the root of the tooth (11); and the slot (33) is at least partly superimposed over the recess (36) to allow the peripheral edge (34) to flex inwards of the slot (33) wherever the catch portion (25) of the latch (3) strikes the fork (2).

Claims

1. A vehicle door lock (1) releasably connectable to a striker (15) and comprising a fork (2) which rotates about a first axis (A) between a release position and at least one lock position engaging the striker (15), and a latch (3) which rotates about a second axis (B), is loaded elastically towards said fork (2), and has a catch portion (25) which clicks onto a tooth (11) of said fork (2) to releasably lock said fork (2) in said lock position;

said fork (2) comprising a main body (6) made of rigid material, and an outer coating (7) made of relatively yielding material and having, adjacent to said tooth (11), an enclosed slot (33) defining a peripheral edge (34) which flexes inwards of said slot (33) when struck by said catch portion (25) of said latch (3) engaging said tooth (11) of said fork (2);

characterized in that said main body (6) comprises a recessed surface (14) adjacent to said tooth (11) having a generally U-shaped recess (36) at the root of said tooth (11), said recess (36) extending into said tooth (11);

wherein said enclosed slot (33) is disposed along said recessed surface (14) and extends at least partly into said recess (36) to allow said edge (34) to flex inwards of said enclosed slot (33) wherever said catch portion (25) of said latch (3) strikes said fork (2).

2. A lock as set forth in claim 1, further characterized in that said fork (2) can be set to two distinct, respectively, partial and full, lock positions;

said partial-lock position being defined by said tooth (11) and being interposed between said release position and said full-lock position as said fork (2) travels from said release position.

3. A lock as set forth in claim 2, further characterized in that said slot (33) is elongated defining a continuous and elongated peripheral edge (34), and wherein said elongated slot (33) comprises an end portion (37) contained inside said recess (36).

4. A lock as set forth in claim 3, further characterized by said fork including a second slot (28) defining a peripheral edge (29) which flexes inwards of said slot (28) when struck by the striker (15) to actuate said lock (1) between said release position and one of said partial-lock and full lock positions.

5. A lock as set forth in claim 4, further characterized by said fork (2) including a generally C-shaped seat (8) for receiving and retaining the striker (15) therein in each of said partial-lock and full lock positions.

6. A vehicle door lock (1) releasably connectable to a striker (15) comprising:

a fork (2) rotatably coupled to said door lock (1) for rotation about a first axis (A) between a release position and at least one lock position engaging the striker (15), said fork (2) including a main body (6) having a tooth (11) and a recessed surface (14), said tooth (11) defining a tooth face (20), said recessed surface (14) adjacent to said tooth (11) and including an undercut (36) at the root of said tooth (11) extending into said tooth (11) past said tooth face (20);

a latch (3) rotatably coupled to said door lock (1) for rotation about a second axis (B), said latch (3) loaded elastically towards said fork (2), and including a catch portion (25) for engaging said tooth face (20) of said tooth (11) to releasably lock said fork (2) in said lock position; and

wherein said fork (2) includes an outer coating (7) made of relatively yielding material, said outer coating (7) defining an enclosed slot (33) extending along said recessed surface (14) and at least partly into said undercut (36), said enclosed slot (33) having a peripheral edge (34), wherein said peripheral edge (34) flexes inwards of said enclosed slot (33) when struck by said catch portion (25) of said latch (3).

7. A vehicle door lock (1) releasably connectable to a striker (15) comprising:

a fork (2) rotatably coupled to said door lock (1) for rotation about a first axis (A) between a release position and at least one lock position engaging the striker (15), said fork (2) including a main body (6) having a first tooth (10) disposed between a second tooth (11) and a third tooth (12), said first tooth (10) and said third tooth (12) defining a seat (8) for receiving the striker (15), a first recessed surface (13) extending along said first tooth (10) adjacent said seat (8), a second recessed surface (14) extending along said first tooth (10) adjacent said second tooth (11), said second recessed surface (14) including an undercut (36) at the root of said second tooth (11) extending into said second tooth (11) past a tooth face (20);

a latch (3) rotatably coupled to said door lock (1) for rotation about a second axis (B), said latch (3) loaded elastically towards said fork (2), and including a catch portion (25) for engaging said tooth face (20) of said second tooth (11) to releasably lock said fork (2) in said lock position; and

wherein said fork (2) includes an outer coating (7) made of relatively yielding material, said outer coating (7) defining an enclosed slot (33) extending along said recessed surface (14) and including an end portion (37) contained inside said undercut (36), said enclosed slot (33) having a peripheral edge (34), wherein said peripheral edge (34) flexes inwards of said enclosed slot (33) when struck by said catch portion (25) of said latch (3).