Vehicle latch
First Claim
1. A latch assembly, comprising:
- a fork bolt movably secured to the latch assembly, the fork bolt being capable of movement between a latched position and an unlatched position;
a detent lever movably secured to the latch assembly, the detent lever being capable of movement between an engaged position and a disengaged position, the detent lever retains the fork bolt in the latched position when the detent lever is in the engaged position and the detent lever has a stop member and a guide member each protruding away from a surface of the detent lever, the stop member being in a spaced relationship with respect to the guide member; and
an actuator for moving the detent lever from the engaged position to the disengaged position by contacting the guide member, the stop member being positioned so that the actuator will contact the stop member and prevent further movement of the actuator when the fork bolt is in the unlatched position and the detent lever is in the disengaged position, wherein at least a portion of the detent lever and at least a portion the fork bolt rotate in a similar plane and the actuator rotates in a plane that is not parallel to the plane in which the portion of the fork bolt and the portion of the detent lever rotate and the guide member and the stop member extend away from the detent lever in a direction parallel to the plane the actuator rotates in, wherein the actuator is coupled to a motor configured to move the actuator.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A latch assembly is provided, the latch assembly having a fork bolt movably secured thereto for movement between a latched position and an unlatched position. A detent lever is also provided. The detent lever is capable of movement between an engaged position and a disengaged position, wherein the detent lever retains the fork bolt in the latched position when the detent lever is in the engaged position. The detent lever has a stop member and a guide member each protruding away from a surface of the detent lever and the stop member is in a spaced relationship with respect to the guide member. The latch assembly also includes an actuator for moving the detent lever from the engaged position to the disengaged position by contacting the guide member while the stop member is positioned so that the actuator will contact the stop member and prevent further movement of the actuator when the fork bolt is in the unlatched position and the detent lever is in the disengaged position.
27 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A latch assembly, comprising:
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a fork bolt movably secured to the latch assembly, the fork bolt being capable of movement between a latched position and an unlatched position; a detent lever movably secured to the latch assembly, the detent lever being capable of movement between an engaged position and a disengaged position, the detent lever retains the fork bolt in the latched position when the detent lever is in the engaged position and the detent lever has a stop member and a guide member each protruding away from a surface of the detent lever, the stop member being in a spaced relationship with respect to the guide member; and an actuator for moving the detent lever from the engaged position to the disengaged position by contacting the guide member, the stop member being positioned so that the actuator will contact the stop member and prevent further movement of the actuator when the fork bolt is in the unlatched position and the detent lever is in the disengaged position, wherein at least a portion of the detent lever and at least a portion the fork bolt rotate in a similar plane and the actuator rotates in a plane that is not parallel to the plane in which the portion of the fork bolt and the portion of the detent lever rotate and the guide member and the stop member extend away from the detent lever in a direction parallel to the plane the actuator rotates in, wherein the actuator is coupled to a motor configured to move the actuator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of operating a latch assembly, the method comprising:
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rotating a fork bolt into a latched position from an unlatched position; engaging a detent lever with the fork bolt when the fork bolt is in the latched position; releasing the detent lever from the fork bolt by rotating an actuator with a motor until it engages a guide member of the detent lever and moves the detent lever into a disengaged position with respect to the fork bolt; rotating the fork bolt from the latched position to the unlatched position; and preventing the actuator from contacting the guide member by locating a stop member of the detent lever such that rotation of the actuator in a first direction is limited by the stop member when the detent lever is in the disengaged position, wherein at least a portion of the detent lever and at least a portion of the fork bolt rotate in a similar plane and the actuator rotates in a plane that is not parallel to the plane in which the portion of the fork bolt and the portion of the detent lever rotate and the guide member and the stop member extend away from the detent lever in a direction parallel to the plane the actuator rotates in. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification