Classifications

• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E05—LOCKS; KEYS; WINDOW OR DOOR FITTINGS; SAFES
  • E05B—LOCKS; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR; HANDCUFFS
  • E05B81/00—Power-actuated vehicle locks
  • E05B81/02—Power-actuated vehicle locks characterised by the type of actuators used
  • E05B81/04—Electrical
  • E05B81/06—Electrical using rotary motors
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E05—LOCKS; KEYS; WINDOW OR DOOR FITTINGS; SAFES
  • E05B—LOCKS; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR; HANDCUFFS
  • E05B81/00—Power-actuated vehicle locks
  • E05B81/12—Power-actuated vehicle locks characterised by the function or purpose of the powered actuators
  • E05B81/14—Power-actuated vehicle locks characterised by the function or purpose of the powered actuators operating on bolt detents, e.g. for unlatching the bolt

Definitions

• This Invention relates to door latches for motor vehicles and has for its object the provision of an improved form of door latch.
• a motor vehicle door 5 latch of the kind which includes a latch bolt for engagement with a striker * a pawl which cooperates with the latch bolt when engaged with the striker to hold the latch bolt in its latching condition, a release lever having means for connection to an outside handle of the vehicle door, and a locking element which
• a latch of the kind referred to above will hereinafter be referred
• displacement of the locking element is effected by means.of a solenoid or motor mounted on a bracket attached to the latch with a linkage interconnecting the solenoid plunger or 20 motor output element and the locking element for displacement of the locking element between its locking and release positions.
• a disadyantage of this arrangement is that the space requirements for mounting the solenoid or motor are substantial so that, because of the restrictions on availablity of space in the region 25 of th ⁇ latch, it may be necessary to mount the solenoid or motor remote from ana separately of the latch thereby involving the use of extended linkages and additional installation operations.
• a further disadvantage is that the weight of the latch and its v electrical actuator is substantial thus having an adverse effect
• an electrically operated latch of the kind specified in which the outside handle release lever and a pawl operating lever are arranged for rotation about a common axis and the locking element is in the form of a locking dog displaceable between a release position in which the two levers are coupled together and a locking position in which the two levers are not coupled together.
• the common axis of rotation of the two levers is preferably the axis of rotation of the output shaft of an electric motor, the motor being contained within a moulded plastics housing which includes a generally cylindrical portion surrounding the motor output shaft and providing bearing mountings for the two levers.
• the locking dog preferably includes a generally cylindrical portion which fits over the motor output shaft and is formed with a helical slot which receives a pin projecting radially of the out ⁇ put shaft wuch that rotation of the pin is effective to produce axial movement of the dog.
• the locking dog preferably also includes a blade portion which projects radially for engagement within inwardly facing channels formed in the outside handle release lever and the pawl operating lever, the blade being arranged so that it is continuously disposed within the channel in the pawl'operating lever but is movable between a release position in which it projects into the channel in the' outside handle release lever and a locking position in which it does not so project.
• movement of the pawl can preferably also be effected by an internal door handle, the latch including a remote control lever connectible by a linkage to the internal handle with the remote control lever positioned in abutting engagement with the pawl operating lever.
• the outside handle release lever is preferably acted upon by a return spring to bias it into its normal, non-operated position, the outside handle release lever and the pawl operating lever being provided with cooperating abutments which ensure that, when the operating lever is rotated by means of the remote control lever, the outside handle release lever will also be rotated and the three levers will be returned together to their original positions.
• Figure 1 is a front view of a motor vehicle door latch
• Figure 2 is a side view of the door latch
• Figure 3 is a plan view of the door latch.
• the latch shown in the drawings includes a front cover plate 10 and a back plate 11 between which first and second pivot pins 12 and 13 extend, the fi st pivot pin 12 providing a mounting for a U-shaped latch bolt 14 and the second pivot pin 13 providing a mounting for a pawl 15.
• the latch bolt 14 is shaped for engagement with the pawl 15 in either its fully latched position (as shown) or in its first safety position in which the pawl 15 engages " the other arm of the U-shaped bolt 14.
• the bolt 14 is also formed with lobe 16 which cooperates with electrical contact mean? to generate an electrical signal when the latch is in its fully latched condition.
• the latch bolt 14 and pawl 15 are mounted within a moulded plastics housing 17 which includes cooperating guide wall portions 18 which together define a channel to receive the head of a striker for engagement with the bolt 14 between the two arms of the U- shape of the bolt 14.
• the pawl 15 is in the form of a two-armed lever, one arm terminating " in a hook formation 19 and the other arm terminating in a nose formation 20 on which rests a moulded plastics plunger 21, the plunger 21 being located within a guide passage formed in the housing 17.
• the plunger 21 acts as a thrust-transmitting element acting on the nose formation 20 of the pawl 15 for application of forces generated by rotation of a lever 22.
• the lever 22 is one of a pair of moulded plastics levers mounted on a generally cylindrical portion of a housing 23 for a small D.C. motor 24.
• the * pawl operating lever 22 is mounted adjacent the motor 24 and the other lever of the pair, namely an outside handle release lever 25, is acted upon by a return spring 26 which surrounds the end of the cylindrical portion of housing 23.
• the release lever 25 is provided with a projecting arm'27 formed with an aperture 28 for connection by a link (not shown) to the outside handle of the vehicle door.
• the output shaft 29 of the motor 24 carries a sleeve 30 in which a helical slot 31 is formed, the slot 31 receiving a radial pin 32 such that, when the output shaft- ⁇ 9 is rotated with the sleeve 30 held against rotation, the sleeve 30 is moved axially of the shaft 29.
• the sleeve 30 is formed integrally with a blade 33, the sleeve 30 and blade 33 together forming a locking dog 34. When the dog 34 is in one of its limit positions, the blade 33 is contained within a .channel in the pawl operating lever 22, this being the locking condition of the latch.
• the locking dog 34 When, however, the motor 24 is energised to turn the output shaft 29 through one revolution, the locking dog 34 is moved axially into its other limit position in which the blade 33 is contained partly within the channel in the pawl operating lever 22 and partly within an aligned channel in the outside handle release lever 25. This is the release condition of the latch in which the locking dog 34 couple? the two levers 22 and 25 together.
• the pawl operating lever 22 is formed with a projecting lug 35 5 and the outside handle release lever 25 is formed with a projecting lug 36, the two lugs 35 and 36 being positioned for engagement by abutment formations 37 and 38 of a remote control lever 39 pivotally mounted on an extension 40 of the back plate 11.
• the remote control lever 39 is formed as a plastic moulding and 10 has an arm 41 formed with an aperture 42 for connection by means of a link to the inside door handle.
• the pawl operating lever 22 and the outside handle release lever 25 are provided with cooperating abutments 43 and 44 to ensure 25 alignment of the channels in which the blade 33 of the locking
• the release lever 25 also including a projecting limb 45 which, in the at rest condition of the lever r f 25, bears against the back plate 11.
• the spring 26 biases the lever 25 into the position shown in the drawings in which the 30 levers 22 and 25 are positioned with the channels vertically oriented.
• the part which is moved by the motor 24 to effect the locking/ unlocking action is a small locking dog 34.
• This is in contrast with prior arrangements in which complete linkage systems are ⁇ E operated by a solenoid or motor.
• a very small motor can be employed, the motor being contained between the two plates 10 and 11 of the latch. Space and weight-saving is thus achieved and installation of the latch in a vehicle is simplified.

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• Lock And Its Accessories (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=10544677

Family Applications (2)

Family Applications After (1)

Country Status (3)

Families Citing this family (19)

Family Cites Families (5)

• 1983
  • 1983-06-23 GB GB8317062A patent/GB2142078B/en not_active Expired
• 1984
  • 1984-06-14 WO PCT/GB1984/000203 patent/WO1985000191A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 1984-06-14 EP EP19840902463 patent/EP0148874A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 1984-06-18 EP EP84304087A patent/EP0130726A1/de not_active Withdrawn

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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