Latch mechanism

• US 8,573,657 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2009
• Issued: 11/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Papanikolaou, Kosta, Krishnan, Venky
• Primary Examiner(s): Lugo, Carlos
• Assistant Examiner(s): MERLINO, ALYSON MARIE
• Application Number:
  US12/402,768
• Publication Number:
  US 20100235058A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,699 Days
• Field of Search: 292/112, 292/199, 292/201, 292/216, 292/279, 292/280, 292/336.3, 292/DIG.12, 292/DIG.23, 292/DIG.25, 292/DIG.65, 492/80, 702/37
• US Class Current: 292/201
• 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 77/30 allowing opening by means of an inner door handle, even if the door is locked
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/42 Means for damping the movement of lock parts, e.g. slowing down the return movement of a handle E05B77/38 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/14 operating on bolt detents, e.g. for unlatching the bolt
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/54 Electrical circuits for locking several wings simultaneously E05B77/48
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/64 Monitoring or sensing, e.g. by using switches or sensors
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/90 Manual override in case of power failure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1047 Closure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1078 Closure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1082 Motor

Abstract

A latch system for a door of a vehicle a latch assembly having a catch and a pawl, an actuatable inside handle, a linkage assembly mechanically linked between the inside handle and the latch assembly, and an actuator interconnected to the pawl and being configured to be activated by actuation of the inside handle. The catch is configured to be moved to the open position by activating the actuator to thereby move the pawl to stop the pawl from maintaining the catch in the closed position or by actuating the inside handle when the vehicle has power. The catch is also configured to be moved to the open position after actuation of the inside handle by having the inside handle mechanically move the linkage assembly to stop the pawl from maintaining the catch in the closed position when the vehicle does not have power.

Claims

1. A latch system for a door of a vehicle comprising:

a latch assembly for maintaining the door in a closed position, the latch assembly including a catch and a pawl, the catch having a closed position wherein the catch is configured to grasp a portion of the vehicle to maintain the door in the closed position and an open position wherein the catch is configured to release the portion of the vehicle to allow the door to move to an open position, the pawl being configured to maintain the catch in the closed position;

an actuatable inside handle movable from a rest position to an actuated position;

a linkage assembly mechanically linked between the inside handle and the latch assembly; and

an actuator interconnected to the pawl, the actuator being configured to be activated by actuation of the inside handle;

wherein, when the vehicle has power, the catch is configured to be moved to the open position after actuation of the inside handle by activating the actuator to thereby move the pawl to stop the pawl from maintaining the catch in the closed position;

wherein, when the vehicle has power, the catch is also configured to be moved to the open position after actuation of the inside handle by having the inside handle mechanically move the linkage assembly to stop the pawl from maintaining the catch in the closed position; and

wherein, when the vehicle does not have power, the catch is configured to be moved to the open position by having the inside handle mechanically move the linkage assembly to stop the pawl from maintaining the catch in the closed position upon first and second actuations of the inside handle, each of the first and second actuations comprising movement of the inside handle from the rest position to the actuated position, whereby the catch is allowed to move the open position upon the second actuation of the inside handle.

2. The latch system for a door of a vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the linkage assembly includes at least one rotary gear located between the inside handle and the pawl of the latch assembly;

the at least one rotary gear includes a first gear and a second gear; and

the second gear engages the pawl to stop the pawl from maintaining the catch in the closed position.

3. The latch system for a door of a vehicle as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

the linkage assembly further includes a linearly movable member configured to move linearly, the movable member being engaged with the first gear to rotate the first gear, and the first gear being engaged with the second gear to rotate the second gear.

4. The latch system for a door of a vehicle as claimed in claim 3, wherein:

the actuator engages with at least one of the first gear, the second gear and the linearly movable member to move the linkage assembly.

5. The latch system for a door of a vehicle as claimed in claim 1, further including:

a key unlatch cylinder configured to be accessible from an exterior of the vehicle, the key unlatch cylinder being configured to be actuated after engagement with a key, the key unlatch cylinder being engaged with the linkage assembly; and

wherein the catch is configured to be moved to the open position after actuation of the key unlatch cylinder to thereby move the linkage assembly to stop the pawl from maintaining the catch in the closed position.

6. The latch system for a door of a vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the actuator is configured to be able to move the linkage assembly to engage the pawl to thereby have the pawl maintain the catch in the closed position.

7. A method of controlling a position of a door of a vehicle comprising:

providing a latch assembly including a catch and a pawl, the catch having a closed position wherein the catch is configured to grasp a portion of the vehicle to maintain the door in a closed position and an open position wherein the catch is configured to release the portion of the vehicle to allow the door to move to an open position;

providing an actuatable inside handle movable from a rest position to an actuated position;

mechanically linking a linkage assembly between the inside handle and the latch assembly; and

interconnecting an actuator to the pawl;

wherein, when the vehicle has power, allowing the door to move to the open position by actuating the inside handle to activate the actuator to move the pawl to thereby stop the pawl from maintaining the catch in the closed position;

wherein, when the vehicle has power, allowing the door to move to the open position by actuating the inside handle to directly mechanically move the linkage assembly to thereby stop the pawl from maintaining the catch in the closed position; and

wherein, when the vehicle does not have power, allowing the door to move to the open position by actuating the inside handle a first time by moving the inside handle from the rest position to the actuation position and a second time by moving the inside handle from the rest position to the actuation position to mechanically move the linkage assembly to thereby stop the pawl from maintaining the catch in the closed position and allow the catch to move to the open position.

8. The method of controlling a location of a door of a vehicle as claimed in claim 7, wherein:

the linkage assembly includes a linearly movable member configured to move linearly, a first gear and a second gear;

the inside handle is engaged with the movable member to move the movable member;

the movable member is engaged with the first gear to rotate the first gear; and

the first gear being engaged with the second gear to rotate the second gear.

9. A vehicle door system comprising:

an assembly for maintaining a door closed;

a handle mechanically connected to the assembly;

an actuator interconnected to the assembly;

the assembly being placed in an open condition after actuation of the handle via the actuator or mechanically when the vehicle has power; and

the handle mechanically placing the assembly in the open condition only after two full actuations of the handle when the vehicle does not have power.