Door latch arrangement

• US 6,879,058 B2
• Filed: 08/22/2002
• Issued: 04/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Meritor Technology, Inc. (Cummins Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Arvinmeritor Light Vehicle Systems FRA (Meritor, Inc. (Nevada))
• Inventors: Ottolini, Philippe, Lorenz, Lutz
• Primary Examiner(s): Sircus, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shin, Marc L
• Application Number:
  US10/226,368
• Publication Number:
  US 20030052538A1
• Time in Patent Office: 964 Days
• Field of Search: 292/216, 292/201, 307/10.1, 307/9.1
• 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) includes 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, comprising:

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

a detection device for detecting when the inside release member is operated; and

the first actuator and the second actuators controllable by a control device, the control device operable in response to a signal from the detection device to provide for override unlocking.

2. The 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 and causes the door latch arrangement to unlatch.

3. The 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 the unlocked condition and causes the door latch arrangement to unlatch.

4. The 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. The door latch arrangement as defined in claim 1 in which the control device is configured to receive an input indicating a required security condition of the door latch equipment.

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

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

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

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

11. The door latch arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein at least one of the first transmission path and the second transmission path comprises a first path portion and a second path portion, the at least one of the first transmission path and the second transmission path interruptible by preventing motion along at least one of the first path portion and the second path portion.

12. The door latch arrangement as defined in claim 11 wherein the at least one of the first transmission path and the second transmission path is interruptible by preventing motion along both the first path portion and the second path portion.

13. The door latch arrangement as defined in claim 11 wherein the at least one of the first transmission path and the second transmission path is interruptible by creating a break between the first path portion and the second path portion.