FR2495210A1 - DEVICE FOR MANEUVERING AN INTERNAL DOOR LATCH ASSEMBLY HAVING A BUTTON INTERCONNECTED TO THE LOCK ENTRY BY A COUPLING MEMBER THAT CAN BE BROKEN - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for operating an internal door lock comprising a panel having an opening with a peripheral edge around this opening. According to the invention, a keyhole 21 is mounted on the peripheral edge of the panel and it has an opening corresponding to that of the panel, an internal locking button 26 is received partially axially movable in the opening, a coupling member 32 interconnects the keyhole entry and the button and can be broken off to allow the button to release from the entry and move axially into opening 3 when an impact is applied to the button towards the lock assembly, and a Locking member 33 is fixedly received in the button and is in fixed engagement with the locking assembly when the button is released from the inlet and moved towards the locking assembly. The invention applies in particular to the doors of motor vehicles. (CF DRAWING IN BOPI)

Description

The present invention relates to a device

  operating an internal locking assembly of

  for use in a vehicle door.

  According to the present invention, provision is made

  apparatus for operating an inner door interlock assembly for use in a vehicle door comprising a panel member having a

  opening, the panel member having a peripheral edge

  around the opening, which comprises: a key-entry member mounted on the peripheral edge of the panel member for engagement therewith and having an opening corresponding to the opening of the panel member; locking

  partially axially movable door in the opening

  ture, a cutting member interconnecting the lock input member and the internal button of

  door lock and can be broken to allow

  the inner door lock button to release from the lock input member and to move axially in the opening when an impact force is applied to the button toward the inner door lock assembly, and a blocking member fixedly received in the button and in fixed engagement with the inner door lock assembly when the button is released from the lock input member and moved to the inner door lock assembly. The invention will be better understood, and other purposes, features, details and advantages thereof

  will become clearer during the description

  following explanatory reference made with reference to several appended schematic drawings given solely by way of example illustrating several embodiments of the invention and in which: - Figure 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle door equipped with a internal door latch assembly - Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing parts of an antirad operating device for an internal vehicle door latch assembly; FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a preferred embodiment of an operating device according to the invention; - Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line IV - IV of Figure 3 and showing a coupling member forming part of the operating device illustrated in Figure 3; - Figure 5 is a sectional view similar to Figure 4, but showing another embodiment of a coupling member forming part of the device ilustrated in Figure 3; Figure 6 is a front view showing, on an enlarged scale, a locking member making. part of the operating device illustrated in Figure 3; FIG. 7 is a side view of the locking member illustrated in FIG. 6; and FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of an operating device similar to FIG. 3 but showing the blocking member held in engagement with the end portion of a push rod forming part of FIG.

  the internal door lock assembly.

  In order to pocket the doors of a vehicle

  tomobile to accidentally open due to the lack of care of a passenger while the vehicle is moving, it has been proposed and put into practice the use of a vehicle door equipped with an internal locking assembly of the door and of a maneuvering device of this set. Referring to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, a representative example of the vehicle door is

  illustrated as comprising a panel member

  1 and an outer panel member 2 which is partially spaced from the member 1 to form therebetween

  a hollow space. The internal panel member 1 presents

  te, at its upper rear end, an opening 3 which is respectively open on the inner and outer surfaces of the inner panel 1. In the hollow space formed by the inner and outer panel members 1 and 2 is received an internal set of door latch which consists, roughly speaking, of an internal door locking mechanism (not shown) and a push rod 4. The push rod 4 has an upper end portion 5 having a thread at a predetermined pitch and is movable downward or upwardly relative to the vehicle door in the axial direction, to shift the door latch internal mechanism from its locking position to its unlocked position and vice versa. An operating device according to the prior art for operating the inner pore locking assembly is illustrated herein as comprising a lock input member 6 having a body portion 7 with an opening 8 having a central axis. The lock input member 6 further has two stick-b9 portions which protrude from the lower end of the body portion 7 in parallel and spaced relation and are arranged substantially symmetrically with respect to a plane passing through the hole. central axis of the opening 8. The parts forming

  hooks 9 are configured to engage the peripheral edge.

  The actuating device according to the prior art further comprises an inner door locking button 10 having a head portion 11 and a portion thereof.

  forming stem 12 forming a body and projecting from the former

  lower end of the head portion 11i The stem portion 12 has a cylindrical recess which opens at its lower end and is internally threaded at a predetermined pitch substantially equal to the thread pitch of the upper end portion 5 of the push rod 4 The rod portion 12 of the button

  internal door lock 10 can come into engagement

  by being screwed with the upper end portion 5 of the push rod 4 through the opening 8 when the lock entry forming member 6 is mounted on and is held in engagement with the inner panel member 1

by the hook parts9.

  In order to assemble the operating device on the vehicle door equipped with the internal door locking assembly, it is necessary that the lock input member 6 is first mounted on and held in engagement with the body member. forming an inner panel 1 by the hook portions 9 and that the stem portion 12 of the door inner lock button 10 is then brought into engagement with the end portion 5 of the push rod 4 forming part of the internal locking assembly of door. This is disadvantageous because it takes two steps to assemble the maneuvering device on the vehicle door, thus resulting in a time consumption and consequently an increase in the production price. The object of the present invention is to provide an improved device for maneuvering to overcome the

  disadvantages of the traditional device described above.

  In Fig. 3 of the drawings an operating device according to the invention is illustrated as comprising a lock input member 21 which is assumed, by way of example, to comprise a body portion 22 with a cylindrical opening 23 having a central axis The lock entry member 21 further comprises two hook portions 24 projecting downwardly from the body 22 in parallel and spaced relation to each other, and these hook portions are arranged substantially symmetrically relative to each other. at

  a plane passing through the central axis of the opening 23.

  The body portion 22 of the lock entry has, at its ex-

  lower end, a part of the contact surface 22a to come in contact with the peripheral edge 1a of the inner panel member 1 around the opening 3 Each of the arcuate hook portions 24 has a portion

  protruding surface 24a which is formed in its internal part

  intermediate and spaced apart and substantially parallel to the contact surface 22a of the body portion 22 to form between them a groove 25 which may correspond to the aritheric edge 1a of the panel member 1, and a wedge surface portion 24b which is formed at its free end to allow each hook portion 24 to be deformed mechanically when each of said hook portions 24 is forced into the opening 3. The operating device further comprises an internal door lock button 26 having a head portion 27 and a stem portion 28 integral with and projecting from the lower end of the head portion 27. The stem portion 28 is partially received in the opening 23 with an annular space therebetween in order to it can be axially movable in this opening 23. In addition, the rod portion 28 has a recess 29 open at its lower end andfisa facing the push rod 4, and having a cross section of rectangular or square configuration. The stem portion 28 has a

  an inner wall portion 28a and a lower wall portion

  re 28b which define in combination the recess 29.

  As can be seen in FIG. 4 of the drawings, the operating device according to the invention is illustrated as further comprising an annduced and thinned band 30 which has inner and outer peripheral ends respectively integrally connected to the body portion 22 of the lock input member 21 and the part

  28 of the internal door lock button 26.

  The lock entry member 21, the inner lock button 26 and the thinned annular band 30 are constructed of a suitable synthetic resin. The strip 30 must be of such thickness that it can break to release the door inner lock button 26 from the lock entry member 21 when an impact force is applied to the door lock member 26.

  head portion 27 of the button 26 towards the push rod

  In place of the inner and thinned web 30 just mentioned, a number of thin and elongated strips 31 may be formed between the body portion 22 of the housing. lock inlet of lock member member 21 and rod portion 28 of knob 26 such that each thinned and elongate strip 31 has inner and outer ends integrally integrally connected to body portion 22 and stem portion respectively 28 of the inner knob 26 as can clearly be seen in Figure 5 of the drawings. In this case, the elongate and thin strips 31 as well as the lock input member 21 and the door internal lock button 26 are

  also constructed of a suitable synthetic resin.

  Furthermore, each of the thin and elongated strips 31 must also have a thickness such that these strips 31 can be concurently broken to release the button 26 of the lock input shaft 21 when the impact force is applied to the head portion 27 of the internal door lock button 26 towards the push rod 4 of the door internal locking assembly. The aforementioned thinned annular and lengthened strips 30 and 31 constitute a coupling member 32 interconnecting the lock entry member 21 and the button 26 and being able to break to allow the button 26 to release from the input member 21 and move axially in the opening 3 when the impact force is applied to knob 26 to the push rod 4 of the internal locking assembly

door.

  The operating device according to the invention is better illustrated in Figures 6 and 7 as further comprising a clamping member 33 made of a suitable metal and having two side walls 33a which are spaced apart from each other and parallel to each other. one to the other and a bottom wall 33b to engage the bottom wall 28b of the stem portion 28 of the button 26. The clamping member 33 further has a number of external protuberances 33c which protrude outwardly from each of the sidewalls 33a to engage with the inner wall 28a of the rod 28 of the button 26 and a number of inner protuberances 33d protruding inwardly from each sidewall 33a for engagement with the stem. 4 of the internal door locking assembly when the rod 4 is received in the clamping member 33. Each external protrusion 33c is inclined away from the bottom wall portion 33b of the clamping member 3 3 and each of the internal protuberances 33d is inclined towards the part of the bottom wall 33b of the clamping member 33. In addition, each of the external protuberances

  33c tapers towards its free end and each of the protuberances

  bncesixteims335aue extreme flat face. The push rod 4 which is axially aligned with the internal door lock button 26, as can be seen in FIG. 3,

  has an end portion 5 with a thread at a predetermined pitch

  and the inner protuberances 33d are arranged at a predetermined interval which is substantially equal to one or

several steps of the thread.

  Upon reading the description above, one can

  thus to understand that the clamping or locking member. 33 is fixedly received in the recess 29 of the rod portion 23 of the knob 26 so that the outer and tapered protuberances 33c engage with the inner wall 28a of the rod portion 28 of the knob 26 and the pushrod 4 is. in fixed engagement with the clamping member 33 so that the internal protuberances 33d are in engagement with the push rod 4 of the assembly forming

internal door lock.

  The maneuvering device thus constructed according to the invention is assembled on a vehicle door

149S210

  equipped with the internal door lock assembly.

  For this purpose, the clamping or locking member 33 is first forced into the recess 29 of the rod portion 28 of the button

  26 until the bottom wall 33b of the locking member

  cage or clamp 33 comes into contact with the bottom wall 23b of the rod portion 28 in the recess 29. At this time, the external and tapered protuberances 33c engage, deforming, with the inner wall 28a of the part of the rod 23 of the button 26. This means that the clamping member 33

  is fixedly received in the shank portion 28 of the button 26.

  The hook portions 24 of the lock input member 21 are then forced into the opening 3 while being elastically deformed by the peripheral edge 1a of the inner panel member 1 until the peripheral edge the inner panel member 1 is brought into correspondence with the groove 25. The lock input member 21 is thus mounted on the inner panel member 1 with the contact surface portion 22a held in contact with the peripheral edge 1a and the opening 23 corresponding to the opening 3. At this moment, the button 26 is supported on the internal panel member 1 by the coupling member 32 and the body 21. In addition, the button 26 is axially aligned with the push rod 4 of the assembly of

  internal door lock and thus the service member

  rage or blockage 33 is maintained in face-to-face relation

with the push rod 4.

  When the lock input member 21 and the button 26 are mounted and supported on the forming member

  internal panel 1, an impact force is applied to the -

  head portion 27 of the knob 26 to the push rod 4> for example, by a suitable hammer or the like until the coupling member 32 is broken to allow the clamping or locking member 33 to move to the threaded end portion 5 of the push rod 4. The rod 4 is thus in fixed engagement and fiabb with the clamping member 33, the internal protuberances 33'd being in engagement with the thread of the push rod 4 as it can be seen in Figure 8 because the pitch of the thread of the push rod 4 is sensibLement equal to the interval of the internal protuberances 33d. It is therefore not required to screw the rod portion 28 of the knob 26 to the threaded end portion 5 of the push rod 4 as was necessary in a maneuvering device.

  according to art. prior. This results in a provision

  tif of maneuvering which is quickly and easily assembled on b internal panel 1 and the intane door lock assembly without lost time and accordingly this

  allows a reduction of the production price.

  As in the usual way, the button 26 can be easily brought out of engagement with the threaded end portion 5 of the past rod 4 by turning the knob 26 in a predetermined direction around

its central axis.

  While the foregoing description has

  been given with reference to an opening 3 formed in the inner panel 1, 15 opening can of course be

  formed in the outer panel 2 according to the invention.

24952t0

Claims (11)

R E V E N D I C A T I 0 N S   An apparatus for operating an inner door interlock assembly for use in a vehicle door, comprising a panel having an opening, said panel having a peripheral edge around the aperture, characterized in that it comprises a lock input member (21) mounted on the peripheral edge of said panel member for engagement therewith and having an opening corresponding to the opening of said panel; - an internal door lock button   (26) received partially axially movable in said opening   ture; a coupling member (32) interconnecting said lock input member and said button and being breakable to allow said button to release from said lock input member and to move   axially towards said opening (3) when a force of   pact is applied to said button to said internal lock assembly; and - a locking member (33) fixedly received in said button and in fixed engagement with said locking assembly when said button is released from said lock input member and is moved to said assembly internal locking.   2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the aforementioned lock input member, the aforementioned button and the aforementioned coupling member.   are constructed of a synthetic resin.   3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the aforementioned coupling member comprises an annular band and thinned (30) having inner and outer peripheral ends respectively integrally connected to the aforementioned lock inlet member and the aforementioned button , said band being breakable to release said button dulit input member 24952 10   lock when the impact force is applied to the audit   button to the internal lock set.   4. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the aforementioned coupling member comprises a number of thinned strips (31) each having   internal and external ends respectively integral-   connected to said lock input member and said one of said ruptured thin strips to release said internal knob from said lock input member when said impact force is applied to said button to the assembly   internal door lock.   5. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the aforementioned lock inlet member comprises a body (22) in contact with the peripheral edge of said panel with the opening (23) corresponding to the opening (3). , and at least two hooks (24) protruding from said body in parallel relation and spaced from each other for engagement with the edge   peripheral of said panel by said opening.   The device according to claim 5 characterized in that the aforesaid body of the aforementioned lock entry member has a contact surface portion (22a) in contact with the peripheral edge of said panel member, and that each of hook portions having a projecting surface portion (24Q at its intermediate portion and being spaced apart and parallel to the contact surface portion to form therebetween a groove (25) corresponding to the peripheral edge of the panel member, and a a wedge-forming surface portion (24b) which is formed at its free end portion to allow the hook portion to elastically deform inwardly when said hook portion is forced into the said open.   7. Device according to claim 1 characterized in that the aforementioned button has a recess (29) formed therein and which is open at its lower end, facing the aforementioned internal locking assembly, said button having an inner wall and a bottom wall in the recess, and in that said blocking member has two sidewalls spaced parallel to each other and bottom contacting the bottom of said button, said clamping member having a number of external protuberances (33c) which protrude outwardly from each of said side walls for engagement with the inner wall of said knob and a number of internal protuberances (33d) projecting inwardly from each of said side walls for engagement with the internal locking assembly when said frame is in fixed engagement with said clamping member. 8. Device according to claim 7 characterized in that each of the aforementioned external protuberances is inclined away from the bottom of the aforementioned clamping member and in that each internal protuberance   is inclined towards the bottom of the clamping member.   9. Device according to claim 7 characterized in that the aforesaid internal locking assembly co - takes a push rod (4) which is axially aligned with the aforesaid button and which has a threaded end portion (5) at a step predetermined, and in that the aforementioned internal protuberances are arranged at a predetermined interval substantially equal to one or several steps of said threading.   10. Device according to claim 8 characterized in that each of the external protuberances   aforementioned is tapered towards its free end.   11. Device according to claim 9, characterized in that each of the internal protuberances   aforementioned has an extreme flat face.