GB2142078A - Electrically-operated vehicle door latch - Google Patents

Electrically-operated vehicle door latch Download PDF

Info

Publication number
GB2142078A
GB2142078A GB8317062A GB8317062A GB2142078A GB 2142078 A GB2142078 A GB 2142078A GB 8317062 A GB8317062 A GB 8317062A GB 8317062 A GB8317062 A GB 8317062A GB 2142078 A GB2142078 A GB 2142078A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
latch
lever
outside handle
locking
levers
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
GB8317062A
Other versions
GB8317062D0 (en
GB2142078B (en
Inventor
Philip Swingewood Jeavons
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
ArvinMeritor Light Vehicle Systems UK Ltd
Original Assignee
Wilmot Breeden Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Wilmot Breeden Ltd filed Critical Wilmot Breeden Ltd
Priority to GB8317062A priority Critical patent/GB2142078B/en
Publication of GB8317062D0 publication Critical patent/GB8317062D0/en
Priority to PCT/GB1984/000203 priority patent/WO1985000191A1/en
Priority to EP19840902463 priority patent/EP0148874A1/en
Priority to EP84304087A priority patent/EP0130726A1/en
Publication of GB2142078A publication Critical patent/GB2142078A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of GB2142078B publication Critical patent/GB2142078B/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • EFIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E05LOCKS; KEYS; WINDOW OR DOOR FITTINGS; SAFES
    • E05BLOCKS; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR; HANDCUFFS
    • E05B81/00Power-actuated vehicle locks
    • E05B81/02Power-actuated vehicle locks characterised by the type of actuators used
    • E05B81/04Electrical
    • E05B81/06Electrical using rotary motors
    • EFIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E05LOCKS; KEYS; WINDOW OR DOOR FITTINGS; SAFES
    • E05BLOCKS; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR; HANDCUFFS
    • E05B81/00Power-actuated vehicle locks
    • E05B81/12Power-actuated vehicle locks characterised by the function or purpose of the powered actuators
    • E05B81/14Power-actuated vehicle locks characterised by the function or purpose of the powered actuators operating on bolt detents, e.g. for unlatching the bolt

Description

1 GB 2 142 078 A 1
SPECIFICATION
Electrically-operated vehicle door latch This invention relates to door latches for motor vehicles and has for its object the provision of an improved form of door latch.
More particularly the invention relates to a motor vehicle door 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 is displaceable electrically between a locking position in which drive cannot be transmitted from the outside handle release leverto the pawl and a release position in which drive can be transmitted from the outside handle release lever to the pawl. A latch of the kind referred to above will hereinafter be referred to as an electrically operated latch of the kind specified.
In many existing forms of electrically operated latch of the kind specified, 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 motor output element and the locking element for displacement of the locking element between its locking and release positions. A disadvantage 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 of the latch, it may be necessary to mount the solenoid or motor remote from and separately of the latch thereby involving the use of extended linkages and additional installation operations. Afurther disadvantage is that the weight of the latch and its electrical actuator is substantial thus having an adverse effect on fuel economy.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an improved form of electrically operated latch of the kind specified, which offers space and weight-saving advantages as compared to existing latches.
In accordance with the invention there is provided 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 forthe two levers.
The locking dog preferably includes a generally cylindrical portion which fits overthe motor output shaft and is formed with a helical slot which receives a pin projecting radially of the output shaft wuch that 130 rotation of thepin is effective to produce axial movement of the dog. In addition to the generally cylindrical portion, 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.
In addition to the outside handle release lever for effecting movement of the pawl to release the latch when the locking dog is in its release position, 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.
The invention will now be described byway of example with reference to one embodiment thereof which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:- Figure 1 is a front view of a motor vehicle door latch, Figure 2 is a side view of the door latch, and 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 first pivot pin 12 providing a mounting for a Ushaped 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 a lobe 16 which cooperates with electrical contact means 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 whih 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 2 GB 2 142 078 A 2 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 29 is rotated with the sleeve 30 held againt 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. 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 95 locking dog 34 couples the two levers 22 and 25 together.
When the locking dog 34 is positioned to couple the two levers 22 and 25 together, rotation of the outside handle release lever 25, an operation of the vehicle outside door handle, is transmitted to the pawl operating lever 22. The plunger 21 transmits movement of the operating lever 22 to the nose portion 20 of the pawl 15 to effect rotation of the pawl in the clockwise direction whereby the hook formation 19 of the pawl 15 is moved clear of the adjacent arm of the U-shaped latch bolt 14 to permit opening of the latch.
The pawl operating lever 22 is formed with a projecting lug 35 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 has an arm 41 formed with an aperture 42 for connection by means of a linkto the inside door handle. Thus, when the inside door handle is operated to rotate the remote control lever 39, such rotation is transmitted to the pawl operating lever 22 and then, via the plunger 21, to the pawl 15 to release the latch bolt 14. It is to be noted that, as the rotation of the remote control lever 39 is transmitted directly to the pawl operating lever 22 and not via the outside handle release lever 25, rotation of the remote control lever 39 will always be transmitted to the pawl 15 to release the latch regardless of the position of the locking dog 34. Thus the vehicle door can be opened from inside the 130 vehicle, regardless of whether or not the door has been locked by operation of the motor 24.
The pawl operating lever 22 and the outside handle release lever 25 are provided with cooperat- ing abutments 43 and 44 to ensure alignment of the channels in which the blade 33 of the locking dog 34 is received, the release lever 25 also including a projecting limb 45 which, in the at rest condition of the lever 25, bears against the back plate 11. The spring 26 biases the lever 25 into the position shown in the drawings in which the 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 operated by a solenoid or motor. This means that 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.

Claims (12)

1. An electrically operated latch of the kind soecified 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.
2. A latch as in Claim 1 wherein a portion of the locking dog is in surrounding relationship to the common axis, the dog being displaceable therealong.
3. A latch as in Claim 1 or2 including an electric motor having a rotatably driven output shaft, the common axis being the axis of the shaft.
4. A latch as in Claim 3 including a housing ofthe motor having a generally cylindrical portion surrounding the output shaft, the two levers being pivoted on said portion.
5. A latch as in Claim 2 or3 wherein the locking dog includes a generally cylindrical portion carried on the output shaft and formed with a helical formation coacting with a radially projecting formation of the shaft whereby rotation of the latter causes axial movement of the dog along the shaft.
6. A latch as in Claim 5 wherein the locking dog includes a blade portion projecting radiaily from the cylindrical portion to engage inwardly facing channels formed in each lever, the blade portion being continuously engaged in the channel of the pawl operating lever but engaging the channel of the outside handle release lever only when axially moved to the release position.
7. A latch as in any preceding claim including a remote control lever positioned to actuate the pawl operating lever independently of the positioning of the locking dog.
8. A latch as in any precding claim including resilient means acting to bias the outside handle release lever to a normal non-operated position.
9. A latch as in Claim 8sofaras dependenton 3 GB 2 142 078 A 3 Claim 7 wherein the outside handle release lever and the pawl operating lever are provided with cooperating abutments arranged to ensure that when the operating lever is actuated by the remote control lever the outside handle release lever vVill also be displaced and that the three levers will be returned together to their original positions.
10. A motor vehicle door assembly including a latch as in Claim 7, 8 or 9, an outside door handle linked to the outside handle release lever, and an inside door handle linked to the remote control lever.
11. An electrically operated latch substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in a accompanying drawings.
12. A motor vehicle including a latch as in any of Claims 1 to 9 or 11, or a door assembly as in Claim 10.
Printed in the UK for HMSO, D8818935,11184j7102. PublIshed by The Patent Office, 25 Southampton Buildings, London, WC2A lAY, from which copies may be obtained.
GB8317062A 1983-06-23 1983-06-23 Electrically-operated vehicle door latch Expired GB2142078B (en)

Priority Applications (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB8317062A GB2142078B (en) 1983-06-23 1983-06-23 Electrically-operated vehicle door latch
PCT/GB1984/000203 WO1985000191A1 (en) 1983-06-23 1984-06-14 Electrically-operated vehicle door latch
EP19840902463 EP0148874A1 (en) 1983-06-23 1984-06-14 Electrically-operated vehicle door latch
EP84304087A EP0130726A1 (en) 1983-06-23 1984-06-18 Electrically-operated vehicle door latch

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB8317062A GB2142078B (en) 1983-06-23 1983-06-23 Electrically-operated vehicle door latch

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB8317062D0 GB8317062D0 (en) 1983-07-27
GB2142078A true GB2142078A (en) 1985-01-09
GB2142078B GB2142078B (en) 1986-10-01

Family

ID=10544677

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB8317062A Expired GB2142078B (en) 1983-06-23 1983-06-23 Electrically-operated vehicle door latch

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (2) EP0148874A1 (en)
GB (1) GB2142078B (en)
WO (1) WO1985000191A1 (en)

Cited By (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4652027A (en) * 1984-07-16 1987-03-24 Quantz Norman G Electrically actuated lock mechanism
DE3625068C1 (en) * 1986-07-24 1987-09-17 Daimler Benz Ag Cylinder lock actuator assembly
GB2188971A (en) * 1986-04-11 1987-10-14 Walter Wilson Hugh Clarke Electromagnetic gate lock
US5058258A (en) * 1990-02-16 1991-10-22 Harvey Steve M Retrofit electric truck door lock
US5267769A (en) * 1991-07-16 1993-12-07 Mercedes-Benz Ag Manually operable folding top for vehicles using automatic-ejection snap-action closures
GB2333319A (en) * 1998-01-14 1999-07-21 Meritor Light Vehicle Sys Ltd Vehicle door latch with powered pawl release
US6027148A (en) * 1998-06-12 2000-02-22 Shoemaker; Rodney Security device for a movable closure and method therefor
GB2343217A (en) * 1998-10-30 2000-05-03 Meritor Light Vehicle Sys Ltd Bolt mechanism with latching detent
US6089626A (en) * 1998-06-12 2000-07-18 Shoemaker; Rodney Security device for a movable closure and method therefor
US6834464B2 (en) 2002-04-09 2004-12-28 Rodney T. Shoemaker Overhead door lock system and control unit therefor
US6863318B2 (en) 2002-04-02 2005-03-08 Arvinmeritor Light Vehicle Systems (Uk) Limited Latch for a vehicle door

Families Citing this family (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2635137B1 (en) * 1988-08-02 1990-10-26 Vachette Sa IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO LOCKS, ESPECIALLY FOR MOTOR VEHICLE DOORS
US5298400A (en) * 1989-09-05 1994-03-29 Biotechnology Australia Pty. Ltd. Polynucleotide constructs for secreted glycosylated plasminogen activator inhibitor-2 (PAI-2)
US5204256A (en) * 1989-09-06 1993-04-20 Behringwerke Aktiengesellschaft Process for the purification of plasminogen activator inhibitor 2 (pai-2)
GB2285476B (en) * 1994-01-11 1997-09-24 Rockwell Body & Chassis Syst Vehicle door lock actuator
GB2307271A (en) * 1995-11-20 1997-05-21 John Phillip Chevalier Automobile door latch
AU4575097A (en) * 1997-06-26 1999-01-19 Hyun Gyu Cho Electric door latch and locking system of automobiles
JP3758929B2 (en) * 2000-03-17 2006-03-22 アイシン精機株式会社 Door lock device for automobile
US7878560B1 (en) 2004-09-20 2011-02-01 Hanchett Entry Systems Electromechanical locking device intended for remote access control

Family Cites Families (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3384405A (en) * 1966-08-22 1968-05-21 Gen Motors Corp Closure latch
US3649061A (en) * 1970-10-16 1972-03-14 Gen Motors Corp Vehicle body door lock
US3848909A (en) * 1973-06-01 1974-11-19 Gen Motors Corp Closure latch assembly
JPS57197381A (en) * 1981-05-29 1982-12-03 Mitsui Mining & Smelting Co Lock apparatus
US4518181A (en) * 1982-05-28 1985-05-21 Mitsui Kinzoku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Locking device

Cited By (15)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4652027A (en) * 1984-07-16 1987-03-24 Quantz Norman G Electrically actuated lock mechanism
GB2188971A (en) * 1986-04-11 1987-10-14 Walter Wilson Hugh Clarke Electromagnetic gate lock
GB2188971B (en) * 1986-04-11 1989-11-22 Walter Wilson Hugh Clarke Electromechanical gate lock
DE3625068C1 (en) * 1986-07-24 1987-09-17 Daimler Benz Ag Cylinder lock actuator assembly
US4815306A (en) * 1986-07-24 1989-03-28 Daimler-Benz Aktiengesellschaft Cylinder lock/actuator subassembly
US5058258A (en) * 1990-02-16 1991-10-22 Harvey Steve M Retrofit electric truck door lock
US5267769A (en) * 1991-07-16 1993-12-07 Mercedes-Benz Ag Manually operable folding top for vehicles using automatic-ejection snap-action closures
GB2333319A (en) * 1998-01-14 1999-07-21 Meritor Light Vehicle Sys Ltd Vehicle door latch with powered pawl release
GB2333319B (en) * 1998-01-14 2002-04-03 Meritor Light Vehicle Sys Ltd Vehicle door latch
US6386600B1 (en) 1998-01-14 2002-05-14 Meritor Light Vehicle Systems (Uk) Ltd. Vehicle door latch
US6027148A (en) * 1998-06-12 2000-02-22 Shoemaker; Rodney Security device for a movable closure and method therefor
US6089626A (en) * 1998-06-12 2000-07-18 Shoemaker; Rodney Security device for a movable closure and method therefor
GB2343217A (en) * 1998-10-30 2000-05-03 Meritor Light Vehicle Sys Ltd Bolt mechanism with latching detent
US6863318B2 (en) 2002-04-02 2005-03-08 Arvinmeritor Light Vehicle Systems (Uk) Limited Latch for a vehicle door
US6834464B2 (en) 2002-04-09 2004-12-28 Rodney T. Shoemaker Overhead door lock system and control unit therefor

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0148874A1 (en) 1985-07-24
WO1985000191A1 (en) 1985-01-17
GB8317062D0 (en) 1983-07-27
EP0130726A1 (en) 1985-01-09
GB2142078B (en) 1986-10-01

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PCNP Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee

Effective date: 20000623