GB2173542A - A device for detecting imperfect closure of a vehicle door - Google Patents

Abstract

A device for detecting imperfect closure of a vehicle door comprises a permanent magnet (24) and a switch element (26) operable by such magnet (24) in dependence on its position and disposed in a fixed support body (5) of a lock for the door, and in which the permanent magnet (24) is carried by a support element (21) which is directly linked to the movement of a movable latch fork (15) of the lock such that this support element (21) with the magnet (24) is disposed in such away as to open the switch element (26) in a first latching position of the fork (15), corresponding to complete closure of the door, and is disposed in such a way as to close the switch element (26) in a second latching position, or the release position, of the fork (15), corresponding to incomplete closure or to opening of the door respectively. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A device for detecting imperfect closure of a vehicle door The present invention relates to a device for detecting imperfect closure of a vehicle door pa rticularly a motorvehicle door, with optical and/or acoustic indication.

As is known, such detector devices generally comprise a permanent magnet and a switch element (generally constituted by a reed relay) operable by this magnet in dependence on the position of a screen element, conveniently offerro-magnetic material which-is linked to actuation ofthe control devices of a lockforsuch doors. The position of such screen elements istherefore dependent on the position of a movable latching fork of the lock such that this screen element is interposed between the permenent magnet and the switch element only when the movable latching fork is in the complete closure position ofthe door, and therefore of the lock, whilst when the closure of the door is incomplete or if it is entirely open the screen element is displaced and allows magnetic actuation ofthe switch element by means of the permanent magnet.In particular, in current systems, the permanent magnet and switch element are mounted in the control part of the lock which is disposed in the interior ofthe door, and the screen element is connected to or constituted by a part of a main control lever or one ofthe various return mechanisms which actto determine the position of the movable latching fork, which is generally disposed in the part ofthe lock on the exterior ofthe door; this necessarily introduces errors in correspondence between the position of the movable screen and the effective position of the fork as a result ofwhich there is a possibility of a false indication being given if the device has notbeen assembled accurately.Moreover, in currentsystems,the useof return mechanisms limits the available stroke of such screen element with the result that even small errors in the positioning of the components ofthe device have a marked influence on the precision of response of the detector.

The object ofthe present invention is that of providing a device for detecting imperfect closure of a vehicle door, ofthetype comprising a permanent magnet and a switch element actuable in dependence on the position ofthis magnet, which overcomes the above listed disadvantages of known devices, that is to say, which is of simplified construction such as to allow an absolute security and precision of indication to be obtained, associated with a great ease of assembly and adjustment.

Other objects and advantages obtained with the device ofthe present invention will become apparent fromthefollowing description.

According to the present invention there is provided a device for detecting imperfect closure of a vehicle door, comprising a permanent magnet and a switch elementactuable bythe said magnet in dependence on its position and disposed in a fixed support body of a lock ofthe said door, characterised by the factthat the said permanent magnet is carried bya support element which is directly linked to the movement of a movable latching fork of the said lock such thatthe said support element with the said magnet is disposed in such a way as to open the said switch element in a first latching position ofthe said fork corresponding to complete closure of the said door, and is disposed to close the said switch element in a second latching position or in the release position ofthe said fork, corresponding to incomplete closure orto opening of the said door.

For a better understanding of the present invention a particular embodiment is now described purely by way of non-limitative example, with reference to the attached drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an upperviewofan outer part of a lockfor a vehicle door, in which has been shown in solid outline the inner elements of the detector device according to the present invention and the latching fork; and Figure 2 is a section view taken on the line ll-ll of Figure 1.

With reference to Figures 1 and 2, the reference numeral 2 indicates an outer latch part of a lock of substantially known type (for example described in PatentApplication No.67 720-A/83 by the same applicant) which is mounted in a known way on the outside of a wall 3 of a vehicle door, within which there are mounted various control and actuation devices for the lock (known and not illustrated).This outer part 2 has a support body 5, conveniently made of moulded plastics material, which constitutes a housing and positioning elementforthe various outer parts of the lock and forthe elements of the detector device of the present invention as will be described in more detail below; this support body 5 has a substantially rectangular box-like form and on it is disposed a metal plate 6 which is fixed by bevelling ofthe upper edge of two hollowcylindrical bushes7and8which atthe lower end are embedded in a base portion 9 of the support body 5. Into these bushes 7 and 8there are threaded screws (not shown) forfixing the outer part tothewall 3 ofthe door and to the inner part ofthe lock.

On the bush 7 there is pivoted, in a known way, a hook 11 having a tooth 12 operable to cooperate with a first or second end respectively 13 or 14 of a movable latching fork 15 into the innerspace 16 of which can be introduced a fixed pin (not illustrated) ofthe vehicle with which the latching action of the lock is to be exercised. Still in a known way, towards the end ofthe hook 11 there is fixed a pin 17 which projectsthrough a slot 18formed in the base portion 9 ofthe support body 5 and, as can be seen in Figure 2, through the wall 3 of the door so as to be actuable by lock control devices within the door itself. A helical spring 19 is wound around the bush 7 and its ends engage on the interior of the support body 5 the pin 17 respectively.

The fork 5 is pivoted on the bush 8 and also on this latterthere is further pivoted a central portion 20 of a supportelement21 in theform of a plate and having a shaped projection 22 which is bent such as to face a switch element 26 (conveniently constituted by a reed type relay) which is connected to the ends 31 of leads which projectfrom an insulating resin block32 cast around the assembly comprising the switch element 26 and its connection to the leads 31 and lodged in a cavity 33 also formed in the support body 5.As can be seen in Figure 2 the projection 22 has an end 41 bent towardsthe switch 26 and a tongue 42 pressed out and bent in the same direction, which defines a seat for housing à permanent magnet 24 having a substantially prismaticform. This support element21 is positioned axially between an annular projection 34 ofthe bush 8 and the fork 15, and furtherhas a second radial projection 35 in which is threaded a pin 36 which is fixed to the fork 15 and traverses a slit 37 ofthe base portion 9 ofthe support body 5 to pass through the wall 3 ofthe door and enter into the region ofthe lock control devices: this pin 36 is normally present in locks and constitutes the element which prevents the insertion ofthe safety catch when the door is open.

Around the bush 8 there is then disposed, in the usual way, a helical spring 38 the two ends of which engage respectively, the interior ofthe support body 5 and a pin 36. The leads 31 are then connected to an acoustic and/or optical indicating device 39 (Figure 2) for providing acousticand/oroptical indication in dependence on the condition ofthe switch element 26.

In the plate 6 there is formed, in a known way, a central slot40 forthe passage ofthe engagement elementintothe interior space l6ofthe movable fork 15, and this slot 40 is also defined below byverticai walls43 and 44ofthe support body 5, which has further slots 41 and 42 respectively, for the passage of the first and second ends 13 and 1 4 of this fork 15.

The operation ofthe described detector device of the present invention is as follows.

When the door is in the completely closed condition the movable fork 15 is disposed on the position illustrated in solid outline in Figure 1 so that the end 14 is held latched by the tooth 12 ofthe hook 11. In this position the pin 36 maintains the support element 21 in the position illustrated in darker solid outline (Figure 1), in which the projection 22 which-carriesthe magnet 24 is angularly displaced with respect two the switch element 26. The magnetic flux ofthe permanent magnet 24therefore does notflowthrough the switch 26 which is thus open, which causes a corresponding condition forthe indicator device 39.

When, by means ofthe inner mechanism of the lock, the pin 17 is actuated in a known wayso that anti-clockwise rotation ofthe hook 11 takes place, the tooth 12 becomes released from the end 14 ofthe fork 15 so thatthis, underthe action ofthe spring 38 turns in a clockwise sense until the first end 13 ofthe fork 15 engages with this tooth 12 (this position is indicated in broken outline,with the elements being indicated by the same reference numerals with the prime index (') in Figure 1).Correspondingly, by means ofthe pin 36 there isa rotation of the support element21 which is also disposed in the position indicated in broken outline, such thatthe projection 22 with the permanent magnet 24 is carried to facethe switch element 26, this latter is therefore subjected to the action of the magneticflux and closes, thus providing by means of the device 39, an indication ofthe condition of imperfectclosure ofthe door and the lock.

With a subsequent actuation ofthe hook 11 there is complete release ofthefork 15 such thatthis completelyfreesthefirstend 13 and is disposed in the configuration indicated in dot and dash line in Figure 1 (the elements are indicated with the same reference numerals with the second index (")): in this position there is a further clockwise rotation ofthe support element 21, in which the projection 22 still remains facing the switch element 26, which therefore remains closed,and by means ofthe device 39 indicates the condition of opening of the door and the lock.

Upon closure ofthe door, ifthefork 15 assumes the imperfect closure position (that indicated with broken lines and the prime index), the projection 22 is again in a position facing the switch 26 which is thus again closed, indicating the condition ofimperfectclosure; whilstthecondition of perfect closure is determined only by the condition of engagementofthe end 140f the fork 15 with the tooth 12 ofthe hook11, in which the projection 22 with the magnet 24 is completely displaced awayfromtheswitch element 26.

The advantages obtained with the detector device of the present invention are apparentfrom the above description. In particular, with a substantially simplified construction an absolute security and precision of indication is obtained in thatthe element 21 which carries the permanent magnet 24 is directlytied by means ofthe pin to the movement of the movable latch fork 15; moreover, bythis direct angular linking between thefork 15 and the support element 21 it is obtained thatthis latter is subjected to a relatively long stroke so thatsmall errors in positioning ofthe elements ofthe device have substantially no effect.

The arrangement ofthe present invention, with the component elements housed in the support body 5 of the outer hook part2 ofthelockfurther provides both ease of adjustment of the positions ofthe components and ease ofassembly.

The integration of the components ofthe outer part ofthe lock2 with those of the detector device according to the present invention and the actuation ofthesupportelement21 obtained with members of the closure device involves a very small increase in the external dimensions which, moreover, does not require the involvement ofthe outer partofthe lock 2 onthewall 3 ofthe door,this support body5can thus besubstantiallyformed in an identical marinerwith external lock parts 2 which may include the imperfect door closure detector device or not: :this outer part 2 is different, in fact, only bythe presence or otherwise of the support element 21 with the permanent magnet 24 and the switch element26. The said arrangement moreover hasthe advantage of being extremely economical in thatthe detector device employs, among others, elements such as the pin 36 and the spring 38 which are already usually present on the locks.

Finally, it is dearth at the described and illustrated embodiment ofthe detector device of the present invention can be modified andvariedwithoutdepart- ing from the scope ofthe invention itself. For example, the lock could be ofthe type also having lock parts 2 disposed within the wall 3 ofthe door, which would have a slotforthe passage ofthe associated engagement member.

Claims (9)

1. A device for detecting im perfectclosure of a vehicle door, comprising a permanentmagnetand a switch elementactuable by the said magnet in dependence on its position and disposed in a fixed support body of a lock for the said door, characterised by the fact that the said permanent magnet is carried by a support elementwhich is directly linked to the movement of a movable latch fork ofthe said lock, such that the said support element with the said magnet is arranged in such a way as to open the said switch element in a first latch position of the said fork, corresponding to complete closure of the said door, and is arranged in such away as to close the said switch element in a second latching position or the release position ofthe said fork, corresponding to incomplete closure orto opening ofthe said door.

2. A device according to Claim 1, characterised by the fact that the said support element is subjected to the same angular movement asthe said fork.

3. A device according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, characterised by the fact that the said permanent magnet the said switch element and the said support element are disposed in the said fixed support body containing the said movable latching fork.

4. A device according to one ofthe preceeding Claims, characterised by the fact that the said support element is disposed coaxially ofthe axis of rotation of the said movable latching fork and is angularly linked to a pin fixed to the said fork.

5. A device according to Claim 4, characterised by the factthatthe said pin is the pin enabling operation of the safety catch of the lock.

6. A device according to Claim 4, orClaim 5, characterised by the fact that the said support element has an annular crown portion from which radially extend a first projection to which is connected the said pin arid a second, shaped projection to carry the said permanent magnet.

7. A device according to any ofthe preceeding Claims, characterised by the fact that the said lock is of the type having a hookcontrollableto turn by control means ofthe said lock, and operable to engage with an end ofthe said movable latching forkto determine the said first and second latching position.

8. A device according to any preceeding Claim, characterised by the factthatthe said switch element is connected in an electrical circuit for optical and/or acoustic indication.

9. A device for detecting imperfect closure of a vehicle door, as described with reference to the attached drawings.