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
  • E05B81/16—Power-actuated vehicle locks characterised by the function or purpose of the powered actuators operating on locking elements for locking or unlocking action
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E05—LOCKS; KEYS; WINDOW OR DOOR FITTINGS; SAFES
  • E05B—LOCKS; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR; HANDCUFFS
  • E05B83/00—Vehicle locks specially adapted for particular types of wing or vehicle
  • E05B83/36—Locks for passenger or like doors
• • 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
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E05—LOCKS; KEYS; WINDOW OR DOOR FITTINGS; SAFES
  • E05B—LOCKS; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR; HANDCUFFS
  • E05B85/00—Details of vehicle locks not provided for in groups E05B77/00 - E05B83/00
  • E05B85/01—Mechanical arrangements specially adapted for hands-free locking or unlocking

Definitions

• the present invention relates to door latches and in particular to door latches for motor vehicles.
• Door latches are known which include a release lever operable between a first closed position and a second released position, a pawl lifter operable between a first closed position and a second released position, and a lock-link operable between a first locked position and a second unlocked position.
• a release lever operable between a first closed position and a second released position
• a pawl lifter operable between a first closed position and a second released position
• a lock-link operable between a first locked position and a second unlocked position.
• a door latch including a latching means, a release lever operable between a first closed position and a second released position, a pawl lifter operable between a first closed position and a second released position, and a lock-link operable between a first locked and second unlocked position characterized in that movement of the lock-link from the first locked position to the second unlocked position when the release lever is in its second position and the pawl lifter is in its first position causes unlatching of the latch means.
• abutments on the lock-link engage with corresponding abutments on the pawl lifter and release lever so as to cam them (the pawl lifter and release lever abutments) apart to cause movement of the pawl lifter relative to the release lever to unlatch the latch means.
• the lock-link is at least moved from its first locked position to its second unlocked position by an actuator.
• the lock-link is moved from its second unlocked position to its first locked position by the actuator.
• the actuator is an electrical actuator.
• the latch means is a latch claw.
• Figure 1 is a cut away view of a door latch according to the present invention with the release lever and pawl lifter in their respective first closed positions and with the lock-link in its first locked position;
• Figure 2 is a view similar to figure 1 with the release lever in its second released position, the pawl lifter in its first closed position and the lock-link in its first locked position;
• Figure 3 is a view similar to figure 1 showing the release lever and pawl lifter in their respective second release positions and the lock-link in its second unlocked position.
• a latch assembly including a rotatable latch claw (12) which engages a pin or striker bar (not shown) of a door (not shown) in a known manner.
• the latch claw (12) is held in a closed position (as shown in figure 1) by a latch pawl (14) acting on abutment (12A) when the associated door is in a fully closed position, and on abutment (12B) when the associated door is in a first safety position.
• the pawl (14) is connected to a pawl lifter (16), rotation of pawl lifter (16) anti-clockwise as shown in figure 1 causing anti-clockwise rotation of the pawl (14) thus disengaging the pawl from the abutment (12A) or (12B) as appropriate to allow the associated door to open.
• pawl (14) and pawl lifter (16) both rotate about axis A (see figure 3).
• the latch assembly (10) also includes a release lever (20) which is also capable of pivoting about axis A and is connected, in this case via cable (22) to an outside door handle (not shown) of the associated door. Operation of the outside door handle causes movement of the release lever (20) from its first closed position as shown in figure 1 to its second release position as shown in figures 2 and 3.
• Release lever (20) includes adjacent abutment faces (24) and (26).
• Pawl lifter (16) includes adjacent abutment faces (17) and (18).
• Latch assembly also includes a lock-lever (30) pivoted about axis B.
• a lock-link (32) is pivotally connected to the lock-lever at pivot (34).
• Lock- link (32) includes abutments (36) and (38) on its opposite sides remote from pivot (34).
• Lock-lever (30) can be moved between a first locked position as shown in figure 1 and 2 to a second unlocked position as shown in figure 3 by an electrical actuator (not shown).
• lock-link (32) being mounted on lock-lever (30) is moved between a first locked position as shown in figures 1 and 2 to a second unlocked position as shown eg.in figure 3.
• the latch assembly is locked from opening via the outside door handle since operation of the outside door handle only causes the release lever to move between its first and second positions without affecting the pawl lifter.
• the lock-lever (30) is caused to rotate anti-clockwise thus moving abutments (36) and (38) of lock-link (32) to a position between abutments (17) and (24) of pawl lifter (16) and release lever (20) respectively (this position is not shown).
• Operation of the outside door handle causes the release lever to rotate about axis A which results in abutment (24) pushing on abutment (38) which in turn causes abutment (36) to push on abutment (17) causing rotation of the pawl lifter and hence disengagement of the pawl from abutment (12A) or (12B) as the case may be.
• the lock-link rotates about pivot (34).
• lock-lever and lock-link being in a locked position means that abutments (36) and (38) cannoi contact respective abutments (17) and (24) (see figure 1).
• abutments (36) and (38) are positioned between abutments (17) and (24) and this is the case irrespective of the position of the outside door handle.
• the lock-link (32) can be in its second unlocked position with the release lever and pawl lifter in their respective first closed positions, and the lock-link can still be in a second unlocked position whilst the release lever and pawl lifter are in their respective second released positions.
• the invention is particularly useful when used in conjunction with passive entry systems for automotive vehicles.
• passive entry systems operate as follows:
• a The vehicle is left in a locked condition with the lock-lever and lock- link being positioned in their first locked position.
• B Operation of the outside door handle will activate the passive entry system whereby the system attempts to recognize the person operating the door handle eg. by identification means carried about their person.
• the lock-lever and lock-link are moved by the electrical actuator from the first locked position to the second unlocked position thus unlocking the door.
• the unlocking operation can occur whether the release lever (20) is in its first closed position, second released position or any position intermediate these two extremes.
• the invention enables unlocking of the latch irrespective of the speed of operation of the outside door handle or the speed of operation of the electrical actuator in moving the lock- link from its first locked position to its second unlocked position. This allows the door to be unlocked and unlatched with a single operating movement of the release lever (20), and in a preferred embodiment such unlocking and unlatching is achieved by a single actuator.

Landscapes

• Lock And Its Accessories (AREA)
• Closing And Opening Devices For Wings, And Checks For Wings (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (3)

Family

ID=10840099

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (6)

Families Citing this family (14)

Family Cites Families (2)

• 1998
  • 1998-10-06 GB GB9821782A patent/GB2342383B/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 1999
  • 1999-10-06 WO PCT/GB1999/003297 patent/WO2000020710A1/en active IP Right Grant
  • 1999-10-06 DE DE69928954T patent/DE69928954T2/de not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1999-10-06 ES ES99949159T patent/ES2255762T3/es not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1999-10-06 EP EP99949159A patent/EP1121503B8/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1999-10-06 AT AT99949159T patent/ATE312988T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation

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