Vehicle door latch assembly

• US 8,196,974 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2008
• Issued: 06/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Konchan, Jeffrey L., Arabia, Frank J. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): ESTREMSKY, GARY WAYNE
• Application Number:
  US12/145,009
• Publication Number:
  US 20090033104A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,449 Days
• Field of Search: 292/216, 292/201, 495/02, 495/03, 296/146.1, 296/146.5, 296/146.6, 296/146.7
• US Class Current: 292/216
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 5/0416 Assembly panels to be installed in doors as a module with components, e.g. lock or window lifter, attached thereto
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/34 Protection against weather or dirt, e.g. against water ingress closures or guards for keyholes E05B17/14
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 85/02 Lock casings
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 85/08 Sill-buttons, garnish buttons or inner door lock knobs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1047 Closure

Abstract

A vehicle door and a vehicle door latch assembly is disclosed. The vehicle door includes a door outer panel; a door inner panel affixed to the door outer panel and defining a door wet cavity, with the door inner panel including an access hole; and a door trim panel mounted to the door inner panel and defining a door dry cavity. A door latch is located in the door wet cavity; a latch locking lever is exposed to the door dry cavity and shielded from the door wet cavity, with the latch locking lever engaging the door latch; and a lock rod has a first end attached to the latch locking lever, with the lock rod extending through the access hole and between the door inner panel and the door trim panel, whereby the lock rod is not exposed to the door wet cavity.

Claims

1. A vehicle door comprising:

a door outer panel;

a door inner panel affixed to the door outer panel and defining a door wet cavity therebetween, the door inner panel including an access hole;

a door trim panel mounted to the door inner panel and defining a door dry cavity between the door trim panel and the door inner panel;

a door latch located in the door wet cavity;

a latch locking lever exposed to the door dry cavity and shielded from the door wet cavity, the latch locking lever operatively engaging the door latch;

a lock rod having a first end attached to the latch locking lever, the lock rod extending through the access hole and between the door inner panel and the door trim panel toward a second end spaced from the latch locking lever, whereby the lock rod is not exposed to the door wet cavity; and

a seal extending around a periphery of the access hole, the seal in sealing engagement with the door inner panel and the door latch, wherein the seal is spaced from the lock rod.

2. The vehicle door of claim 1 wherein the latch locking lever is inboard of the door inner panel in the door dry cavity.

3. The vehicle door of claim 1 wherein the lock rod is a sill lock rod that extends generally vertically to an inside manual lock button protruding through the door trim panel.

4. The vehicle door of claim 1 including an electrical connector mounted to the door latch, the electrical connector being adjacent to the access hole and the latch locking lever, exposed to the door dry cavity and shielded from the door wet cavity.

5. The vehicle door of claim 1 wherein the door latch includes a flange defining a pass-through chamber adjacent to the access hole and the seal extends around a periphery of the flange, and the latch locking lever being located in the pass-through chamber.

6. The vehicle door of claim 5 including an electrical connector mounted to the door latch, the electrical connector being adjacent to the access hole in the pass-through chamber, exposed to the door dry cavity and shielded from the door wet cavity.

7. A vehicle door comprising:

a door outer panel;

a door inner panel affixed to the door outer panel and defining a door wet cavity therebetween, the door inner panel including an access hole;

a door trim panel mounted to the door inner panel and defining a door dry cavity between the door trim panel and the door inner panel;

a door latch located in the door wet cavity;

a latch locking lever exposed to the door dry cavity and shielded from the door wet cavity, the latch locking lever operatively engaging the door latch; and

a lock rod having a first end attached to the latch locking lever, the lock rod extending through the access hole and between the door inner panel and the door trim panel toward a second end spaced from the latch locking lever, whereby the lock rod is not exposed to the door wet cavity, the lock rod being a sill lock rod that extends generally vertically to an inside manual lock button protruding through the door trim panel.

8. The vehicle door of claim 7 including a seal extending around a periphery of the access hole, the seal in sealing engagement with the door inner panel and the door latch.

9. The vehicle door of claim 7 wherein the door latch includes a flange defining a pass-through chamber adjacent to the access hole and a seal extending around a periphery of the flange, the seal in sealing engagement with the door inner panel and the door latch, and the latch locking lever being located in the pass-through chamber.

10. The vehicle door of claim 9 including an electrical connector mounted to the door latch, the electrical connector being adjacent to the access hole in the pass-through chamber, exposed to the door dry cavity and shielded from the door wet cavity.

11. A vehicle door comprising:

a door outer panel;

a door inner panel affixed to the door outer panel and defining a door wet cavity therebetween, the door inner panel including an access hole;

a door trim panel mounted to the door inner panel and defining a door dry cavity between the door trim panel and the door inner panel;

a door latch located in the door wet cavity, the door latch including a flange defining a pass-through chamber adjacent to the access hole and a seal extending around a periphery of the flange, the seal in sealing engagement with the door inner panel and the door latch;

a latch locking lever exposed to the door dry cavity and shielded from the door wet cavity, the latch locking lever operatively engaging the door latch and being located in the pass-through chamber; and

a lock rod having a first end attached to the latch locking lever, the lock rod extending through the access hole and between the door inner panel and the door trim panel toward a second end spaced from the latch locking lever, whereby the lock rod is not exposed to the door wet cavity.

12. The vehicle door of claim 11 wherein the seal is spaced from the lock rod.

13. The vehicle door of claim 11 wherein the lock rod is a sill lock rod that extends generally vertically to an inside manual lock button protruding through the door trim panel.

14. The vehicle door of claim 13 including an electrical connector mounted to the door latch, the electrical connector being adjacent to the access hole in the pass-through chamber, exposed to the door dry cavity and shielded from the door wet cavity.