EP1418300B1

EP1418300B1 - Lock and latch coupling structure having control mechanism in vehicular tail gate locking system

Info

Publication number: EP1418300B1
Application number: EP20020025117
Authority: EP
Inventors: Choong-Kyung Lee
Original assignee: Kia Motors Corp
Current assignee: Kia Corp
Priority date: 2002-11-08
Filing date: 2002-11-08
Publication date: 2006-09-06
Anticipated expiration: 2022-11-08
Also published as: EP1418300A1; DE60214565T2; DE60214565D1

Description

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a tail gate locking system, and more particularly, to a rotation-absorbing device capable of absorbing rotational force of a lock lever to prevent the rotational force of the lock lever from being transmitted to a tail gate latch in a locking system.

Description of the Prior Art

In a coupling structure between a tail gate lock and a tail gate latch which are components of a tail gate locking system, the tail gate lock and latch are directly connected via a single rod, or via two rods and an intermediate crank lever for connection of the rods.
As a lock lever is rotated right or left for a proper angle, the tail gate lock is locked to or unlocked from the tail gate latch via the rod(s) connected therebetween.
Fig. 1 shows conventional coupling structures, i.e. a conventional coupling structure in which a lock lever and a latch section are connected via a single rod and another conventional coupling structure in which a lock lever and a latch section are connected via two rods and a crank lever.
As shown in Fig. 1, the first coupling structure of the prior art has a lock lever 3 and a latch section 7 connected via a single rod 5. The second coupling structure of the prior art has the lock lever 3 and the latch section 7 which are connected with assistance of first and second rods 9 and 11 via a crank lever 13 serving as an intermediate connecting lever.
In the operation of the conventional coupling structures having the above constructions, as the lock lever 3 is rotated right or left by a proper angle α, the latch is actuated by the rod connected thereto or by the rods and the crank lever.
However, as shown in Fig. 2, where each of the conventional coupling structures has any further function in addition to the above function of controlling the locking/unlocking between the lock and latch, e.g., where it is necessary to increase the rotation angle of the lock lever by an angle β in addition to the previously rotated angle α in order to control a window latch, the coupling structures each may have a potential problem in operation.
In other words, as the lock lever is rotated further, i.e., rotated further by the angle β which is unnecessary to the operation of the latch, the rod(s) and the crank lever, if any, transmit the further rotational force to the latch without absorbing the further unnecessary rotational force.
US-A-4 773 683 discloses a lock system for an automotive back door of a type having an auxiliary door hinged thereto. The lock device has a case; latching means arranged in said case and having selectively latched and unlatched conditions; a first lever pivotal about a first pivot axis between its latch position taken when said latching means assumes the latched condition and its unlatched position taken when said latching means assumes the unlatched condition; a second lever pivotal about said first pivot axis between its first and second angular positions; a third lever pivotal about a second pivot axis and having first, second and third angular positions in this order; and link means comprising: first, second and third arms formed on said first lever, said first arm being linked to said latching means, said second arm having at its leading end a driven end and said third arm having at its leading end a stopper end; means defining in said second lever a generally T-shaped slot which consists of first and second arcuate sections and a sectoral section; and a slide pin slidably received in said T-shaped slot, wherein when said first lever assumes its latch position and said third lever is in its first angular position, pivoting of said second lever from its first angular position to its second angular position induces a pivoting movement of said first lever toward its unlatch position thereby releasing a latched condition of the latching means, and when said first lever is in its latch position and said third lever is in either one of its second and third angular positions, pivoting of said second lever from its first angular position to its second angular position has no effect on said first lever thereby holding said latching means in its latched condition, and when said first lever is in its unlatch position, pivoting of said second lever from its first angular position to its second angular position has substantially no effect on said first lever irrespective of angular positions which said third lever assumes and said third lever is prevented from assuming its third angular position.
US-A-4157844 discloses a lock and control assembly for a vehicle tailgate having releasable means including a bolt and a striker on a frame and a window portion respectively for holding the window portion in closed position in relation to the gate portion, a first actuating lever pivotally mounted on said frame; connector means attaching said first lever to said releasable window means so that pivotal movement of the first lever in one rotational direction releases the window portion for movement, a second actuating lever pivotally mounted on said frame adjacent said first operating lever, gate latching means moveable between latched and unlatched operative positions to maintain the gate portion in a closed position when latched and to release the gate portion for movement when in unlatched position; connecting means between said second lever and said gate latching means so that pivotal movement of the second lever in another direction actuates said gate latching means; a remote external actuator on the tailgate portion for rotating the first and second levers respectively by opposite rotation thereof; and blockout means between first and second levers preventing rotation of the second lever prior to rotation of the first lever.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been made to solve the foregoing problems and it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a vehicular tail gate locking system having a latch liberated from any effect of further rotational force of a lock lever even though a separate function such as window latch is also provided.
In order to obtain the above object, the present invention provides a vehicular tail gate locking system having the features of claim 1. In place of a crank lever mounted in the prior art, the invention includes the mounting of a control latch capable of absorbing the further rotational force of the lock lever caused by a user so that both a tail gate latch and a window latch can be controlled in common with one lock without further mounting any additional device for controlling the window latch and the like.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 illustrates conventional coupling structures between a lock and a latch;
Fig. 2 illustrates change of rotation angle in the lock lever in which an additional function is further provided;
Fig. 3 illustrates a general coupling structure between a lock lever and a latch section in which a control latch is further provided according to the present invention;
Fig. 4 is a detailed view illustrating the control latch according to the invention;
Fig. 5A illustrates the entire configuration of a key lever;
Fig. 5B illustrates the detailed configuration of an opening in the key lever;
Fig. 6 illustrates a remote lever; and
Figs. 7A to 7E severally illustrate aspects of the operational position of the control latch depending on locking, unlocking and further rotational force of a lock.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The following detailed description will present a preferred embodiment of the invention in reference to the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 3 generally shows a coupling structure between a lock lever and a latch section of a tail gate in which a control latch is also provided.
As shown in Fig. 3, the coupling structure further comprises a window latch 21 connected to the lock section 1 via a window rod 19 in addition to conventional components including a lock lever 3 and the first and second rods 9 and 11, in which the lock lever 3 is connected to one end of the first rod 9 and the latch section 7 is connected to one end of the second rod 11.
In the above construction, a control latch 23 is provided which is so connected to the other ends of the first rod 9 and the second rod 11 that rotational force of the lock lever 3 caused by the window latch 19 may not be transmitted to the latch section 7.
Fig. 4 is a detailed view illustrating a construction of the control latch.
As shown in Fig. 4, the control latch 23 includes a base 25, an actuator 27, a key lever 29 and a remote lever 31. The base 25 is mounted on the tail gate, and serves to fix other components.
The key lever 29 rotatable about an axis P1 is axially rotated and restricted in position by the first rod 9 connected thereto, and controls axial rotation of the remote lever 31 coupled at a portion to the key lever 29 so as to restrain the position of the remote lever 31.
Fig. 5A is a plan view of the key lever 29 separated from the control latch 23 for the purpose of illustrating the configuration of an upper portion of the key lever 29.
Fig. 5B illustrates the configuration of an opening in the key lever 29.
As shown in Fig. 5B, the periphery of the opening partially corresponds to arcs of concentric circles which are described, respectively, from the axis P1 as their common center or origin.
Fig. 6 illustrates the remote lever 31 separated from the control latch 23.
The remote lever 31 rotatable about an axis P2 is axially rotated and restricted in position owing to axial rotation of the key lever 29 so as to restrain the position of the second rod 11 coupled thereto.
With the above construction, the control latch 23 shifts the second rod 11 for a given distance when the lock lever 3 is rotated right or left by an angle α, and however, has no effect on the position of the second rod 11 when the lock lever 3 is further rotated by any angle β.
Figs. 7A and 7E illustrate several aspects of the operation of the above control lever 23.
Fig. 7A shows the relative position between the key lever and the remote lever in when the lock is locked from an unlocked position.
Displacing the lock lever to the left by an angle α from the unlocked position shifts the position of the second rod 11 with a distance X.
Fig. 7B shows the relative position between the key lever and the remote lever when a key is removed in the locked position.
In this case, even though the lock lever is displaced to the right by the angle α toward its original position, the second rod 11 maintains its position, shifted with the distance X, without any change in position.
Fig. 7C shows the relative position between the key lever and the remote lever when the tail gate is unlocked from the locked position.
Displacing the lock lever to the right by the angle α from the locked position shifts the position of the second rod 11 by the distance X so as to return the second rod 11 into its original position.
Fig. 7D shows the relative position between the key lever and the remote lever if the key is removed in an opened position.
In this case, even though the lock lever is displaced to the left by the angle α , the second rod 11 maintains its position.
Fig. 7E shows the relative position between the key lever and the remote lever when a window is opened in the locked position.
In this case, the lock lever is displaced to the left by the angle β, whereas the second rod 11 maintains its position.
As a result, further rotational force by the angle β does not even have any effect on the position of the second rod 11.
According to the coupling structure having the above construction and operation, both the tail gate latch and the window latch can be controlled in common with one lock for the convenience's sake. Further, since it is unnecessary to mount any additional device for controlling the window latch, components can be reduced in number so as to save cost as well as simplify assembly process.
While the present invention has been shown and described in connection with the preferred embodiment, it is intended that the present invention is not limited to the foregoing embodiment but those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations without departing from the principle of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

A vehicular tail gate locking system having a tail gate lock (1), a tail gate latch (7) and a coupling structure between the tail gate lock (1) and the tail gate latch (7), the coupling structure characterised by
a control latch (23) having a base (25) mounted on the tail gate, a key lever (29) pivotally supported on the base (25), and a remote lever (31) pivotally supported on the base (25) and engaged with the key lever (29) to co-rotate therewith in a controlled manner;
a first rod (9) connected at one end to the tail gate lock (1) and connected at the other end to the key lever (29) so that the key lever (29) can be rotated by rotation of the tail gate lock (1) via the first rod (9); and
a second rod (11) connected at one end to the tail gate latch (7) and connected at the other end to the remote lever (31) so that the tail gate latch (7) can be operated via shifting of the second rod (11) by rotation of the remote lever (31); wherein
the engagement between the key lever (29) and the remote lever (31) is provided such that,
as the tail gate lock (1), with the tail gate latch (7) being in its unlocked position, is rotated from a neutral position in one direction about a first angle (-α) to correspondingly rotate the key lever (29), the remote lever (31) co-rotates with the key lever (29) to shift the second rod (11) at a predetermined distance (x) so as to lock the tail gate latch (7) and is then released from the key lever (29) in a manner allowing the key lever (29) to be further rotated in the one direction about a second angle (-β) and in the other direction back to the neutral position without further shifting the second rod (11), and,
as the tail gate lock (1), with the tail gate latch (7) being in its locked position, is rotated from the neutral position in the other direction about the first angle (α) to correspondingly rotate the key lever (29), the remote lever (31) co-rotates with the key lever (29) to oppositely shift the second rod (11) at the predetermined distance (x) so as to unlock the tail gate latch (7) and is then released from the key lever (29) in a manner allowing the key lever (29) to be rotated in the one direction back to the neutral position without further shifting the second rod (11).