Door latch arrangement

• US 20030052538A1
• Filed: 08/22/2002
• Published: 03/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meritor Technology, Inc. (Cummins Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Arvinmeritor Light Vehicle Systems FRA (Meritor, Inc. (Nevada))
• Inventors: Ottolini, Philippe, Lorenz, Lutz
• Granted Patent: US 6,879,058 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/10.1
• 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 81/06 using rotary motors
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/56 Control of actuators
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1047 Closure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1082 Motor

Abstract

A door latch arrangement (10) including a latch bolt (12) releasably retainable in a closed position by a pawl (14). The pawl is connected to an inside release member (26) by a first transmission path (28). The first transmission path is interruptible by operation of a first actuator (32). The pawl is further connected to an outside release member (16) by a second transmission path (18), the second transmission path being interruptible by operation of a second actuator (22). The door latch arrangement further includes a detection device for detecting when the inside release member is operated. The first and second actuators are controlled by a control device (36), operable in response to signals from the detection device to provide for override unlocking.

Claims

1. A door latch arrangement including a latch bolt releasably retainable in a closed position by a pawl, the pawl being connectable to an inside release member by a first transmission path, the first transmission path being interruptible by operation of a first actuator;

the pawl further being connected to an outside release member by a second transmission path, the second transmission path being interruptible by operation of a second actuator;

the door latch arrangement further including a detection device for detecting when the inside release member is operated; and

the first and second actuators being controlled by a control device, operable in response to signals from the detection device in order to provide for override unlocking.

2. A door latch arrangement as defined in claim 1 in which, starting from a locked condition, a first operation of the inside release member causes door latch arrangement to change to an unlocked condition and causes the latch arrangement to unlatch.

3. A door latch arrangement as defined in claim 2 in which starting from a locked child safety on condition the first operation of the inside release member causes the door latch arrangement to change to an unlocked condition and causes the door latch arrangement to unlatch.

4. A door latch arrangement as defined in claim 1, in which starting from a locked condition, a first operation of the inside release member causes the door latch arrangement to change to an unlocked condition, but the door latch arrangement remains latched, and a further operation of the inside release member causes the door latch arrangement to unlatch.

5. A door latch arrangement as defined in claim 1 in which the control device further provides for independent unlocking.

6. A door latch arrangement as defined in claim 1 in which the control device further provides for super locking.

7. A door latch arrangement as defined in claim 1 in which the control device further provides for a child safety condition.

8. A door latch arrangement as defined in claim 1 in which the control device is programmable so as to provide for at least one pull override unlocking.

9. A door latch arrangement as defined in claim 1 in which the inside release member is an inside door handle.

10. A door latch arrangement as defined in claim 1 in which the outside release member is an outside door handle.