Electronic child security door lock system

• US 5,896,768 A
• Filed: 05/15/1997
• Issued: 04/27/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lear Automotive Dearborn, Incorporated (Lear Corporation)
• Original Assignee: UT Automotive Dearborn, Inc.
• Inventors: Mittelbrun, Daniel, Cranick, John, Wiersing, Jeffrey K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gall, Lloyd A.
• Application Number:
  US08/857,208
• Time in Patent Office: 712 Days
• Field of Search: 70/257, 70/264, 200/4, 200/7, 200/339, 307/10.2
• US Class Current: 70/264
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/48 by electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/54 Electrical circuits for locking several wings simultaneously E05B77/48
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/65 Central control

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and a device for selectively controlling the lock condition of the doors of a vehicle. The door lock control device includes a set of at least three switch contacts incorporated into a single switch device which allows a user to activate each contact through the use of a single handle. Closure of the three switch contacts provides the user the ability to lock all doors and to selectively unlock subsets of all the doors through the use of the single switch handle. A first switch contact is activated when the switch handle is moved in a desired direction. A second switch contact is activated when the switch handle is further moved in the same direction. A third switch contact is activated when the switch handle is moved in an opposite direction. The second switch contact includes a generally flexible conductive member supported adjacent a printed circuit board.

Claims

1. A method for selectively controlling the lock condition of a plurality of doors from inside a vehicle, said method comprising the steps of:

locating inside a vehicle a control having a user manipulatable switch handle and three contacts, said control capable of sending a set of at least three distinct input signals based on the position of said switch handle, a first of said input signals associated with locking all of said doors, a second of said input signals associated with unlocking only a first portion of said doors and with a second portion of said doors remaining locked, and a third of said input signals associated with unlocking only said second portion of said doors, said second portion not including any of said doors in said first portion;

providing each of said doors with a door lock module capable of both locking and unlocking said door;

manually moving said switch handle from inside the vehicle from a rest position into engagement with one of three contact positions thereby selecting one of said three distinct input signals whereby movement from a second of said contact positions to a third of said contact positions engages said switch handle with both said second contact position and said third contact position;

transmitting the selected input signal to at least one of said door lock modules thereby locking each of said doors if said first signal is selected, unlocking said first portion of said doors and leaving said second portion of said doors locked if said second signal is select, and unlocking said second portion of said doors if said third signal is selected.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein moving said switch handle from a rest position to one of said contact positions includes the step of moving said switch handle a first direction a first distance to select said first of said input signals, moving said switch handle a second direction a first distance to select said second of said input signals, and moving said switch handle said second direction a second distance wherein said second distance is further than said first distance in said second direction to select said third of said input signals.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the method further includes the step of providing an electronic control capable of detecting and distinguishing each of said input signals, said electronic control detecting an input signal and then transmitting one of a plurality of corresponding output signals to at least one of said door lock modules to thereby lock or unlock the associated door based on said input signal.

4. A door lock control system for selectively controlling the lock condition of a plurality of doors from inside a vehicle, each door having a door lock and a door lock module, said system comprising:

a set of at least three switch contacts mounted in a single switch mechanism, an electronic control, an electrical power supply, and at least one user manipulatable switch handle for selecting between said switch contacts;

said switch handle comprising a first plunger, a second plunger, and an actuator;

said first plunger engaging a first of said switch contacts when said switch handle is moved a first direction a first distance to thereby selectively couple said first switch contact with said power supply to send a first input signal to said electronic control, said second plunger engaging a second of said switch contacts when said switch handle is moved a second direction a first distance thereby selectively coupling said second switch contact with said power supply to send a second input signal to said electronic control, said actuator engaging a flexible conductive member when said switch handle is moved said second direction a second distance, wherein said second distance is further than said first distance of said second direction to thereby selectively couple a signal generator with said power supply to send a third input signal to said electronic control;

said electronic control for detecting said input signals sent from each of said switch contacts and for transmitting one of a plurality of output signals to each of the door lock modules of the doors;

said first input signal and a first of said output signals for being transmitted to the door lock modules of each of the doors for locking all of the doors;

said second input signal and a second of said output signals being transmitted to only a first set of door lock modules thereby unlocking each door associated with the first set of door lock modules but not all doors being unlocked by said second output signal;

said third input signal and a third of said output signals being transmitted to a second set of the door lock modules thereby unlocking each door associated with the second set of door lock modules.

5. A door lock control system as set forth in claim 4, wherein said input signals are electrical signals.

6. A door lock control system as set forth in claim 4, wherein said output signals are electrical signals.

7. A door lock control system as set forth in claim 4, wherein said signal generator is a printed circuit board and wherein movement of said single switch handle said second direction flattens said flexible conductive member to thereby selectively couple said circuit board with said power supply.

8. A vehicle door lock system for controlling the lock condition of the doors from inside a vehicle, said vehicle door lock system comprising:

a plurality of doors each having a door lock and a door lock module;

a switching module mounted interior to one of said doors and comprising at least three switch contacts, an electronic control, a power supply, and at least one user manipulatable switch handle mounted to said switching module for selecting between said at least three switch contacts, said switch handle including a first plunger for engaging a first switch contact and a second plunger for engaging a second switch contact and an actuator for engaging a third switch contact, said electronic control for detecting input signals sent from each of said switch contacts and for transmitting one of a plurality of output signals to each of said door lock modules of said doors, a first of said input signals and a first of said output signals being transmitted to said door lock modules of each of said doors causing locking of all said doors, a second of said input signals and a second of said output signals being transmitted to only a first set of said door lock modules thereby unlocking doors associated with said first set of said door lock modules, with not all of said doors being unlocked by said second output signal, and a third of said input signals and a third of said output signals being transmitted to a second set of said door lock modules thereby unlocking each said door associated with said second set of door lock modules, said first and second set of door lock modules containing at least some door lock modules which are not common.

9. A vehicle door lock system as set forth in claim 8, wherein said second output signal causing unlocking of only front doors, and said third output signal causing unlocking of only rear doors.