Rotational element position detector for door latch assembly

• US 7,448,237 B2
• Filed: 09/01/2005
• Issued: 11/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsui Kinzoku Act Corporation (Mitsui Mining & Smelting Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Ohi Seisakusho Co., Ltd. (Mitsui Mining & Smelting Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Gotou, Shingo, Shimada, Junichi, Takai, Hirotsugu, Ogawa, Takasi
• Primary Examiner(s): BARRETT, SUZANNE LALE DINO
• Application Number:
  US11/216,072
• Publication Number:
  US 20060108811A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,167 Days
• Field of Search: 702/37, 702/64, 702/782, 702/791, 701/90, 292/201, 292/216
• US Class Current: 70/237
• 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: Y10T 292/1047 Closure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1082 Motor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/308 Swinging catch
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5681 Gear
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5889 For automotive vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/65 Central control
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7073 Including use of a key
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7107 And alternately mechanically actuated by a key, dial, etc.

Abstract

To prevent an erroneous installation of a rotational detection lever and a rotational element, one of a plurality of toothed portions of a rotational element is made into a larger toothed portion which is larger in pitch and/or tooth height, and one of a plurality of tooth grooves of a rotation detection lever is made into a larger tooth groove which can mesh with the larger toothed portion when the rotational element and the rotation detection lever are positioned so as to correspond to each other.

Claims

1. A rotational element position detector for a door latch assembly comprising:

a plurality of toothed portions provided on a rotational element being capable of moving between two different positions; and

a plurality of toothed portions provided on a rotation detection lever of an electric switch,

wherein one of the plurality of toothed portions of either of the rotational element and the rotation detection lever is made into a larger toothed portion which is larger in at least one of pitch or tooth height than the other toothed portions;

wherein one of a plurality of tooth grooves of the other of the rotational element and the rotation detection lever is made into a larger tooth groove that can be brought into mesh engagement with the larger toothed portion when the rotational element and the rotation detection lever are positioned so as to correspond to each other; and

wherein the larger toothed portion and the larger tooth groove are capable of meshing with each other when the rotational element is situated at one of the two positions and the rotation detection lever is situated at a position which corresponds to the one of the two positions on the rotational element.

2. The rotational element position detector for a door latch assembly according to claim 1, wherein the rotational element is made to constitute a key lever that is capable of rotating to two positions of a locking position and an unlocking position in synchronism with the operation of a key cylinder provided on an exterior side of a door.

3. The rotational element position detector for a door latch assembly according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of toothed portions provided on the rotational element and the plurality of toothed portions provided on the rotation detection lever are made to mesh with each other, so that the rotation detection lever is made to rotate while following the rotation of the rotational element, whereby a rotational position of the rotational element can be detected.

4. The rotational element position detector for a door latch assembly according to claim 1, wherein the larger toothed portion is provided next to a toothed portion situated at a most distal end.

5. The rotational element position detector for a door latch assembly according to claim 1, wherein the larger tooth groove is brought into mesh engagement with the larger toothed portion when the rotational element and the rotation detection lever are both positioned at unlocking positions.

6. The rotational element position detector for a door latch assembly according to claim 1, wherein the larger tooth portion and the larger tooth groove mesh with each other only at proper positions and disable normal meshing engagement at other positions.

7. The rotational element position detector for a door latch assembly according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of toothed portions provided on the rotational element and the plurality of toothed portions provided on the rotation detection lever are coplanar.

8. A rotational element position detector for a door latch assembly comprising:

a plurality of toothed portions provided on a rotational element being capable of moving between two different positions; and

a plurality of toothed portions provided on a rotation detection lever of an electric switch,

wherein one of the plurality of toothed portions of either of the rotational element and the rotation detection lever is made into a larger toothed portion which is larger in at least one of pitch or tooth height than the other toothed portions;

wherein one of a plurality of tooth grooves of the other of the rotational element and the rotation detection lever is made into a larger tooth groove that can be brought into mesh engagement with the larger toothed portion when the rotational element and the rotation detection lever are positioned so as to correspond to each other; and

wherein the larger toothed portion is provided next to a toothed portion which is situated at a most distal end.