GB2604645A

GB2604645A - Vehicle side door latch apparatus comprising a pulley-connected electrical release actuator

Info

Publication number: GB2604645A
Application number: GB2103424.4A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Edwards Sean
Original assignee: Jaguar Land Rover Ltd
Current assignee: Jaguar Land Rover Ltd
Priority date: 2021-03-12
Filing date: 2021-03-12
Publication date: 2022-09-14
Anticipated expiration: 2041-03-12
Also published as: GB2604645B; GB202103424D0

Abstract

A vehicle latch apparatus 400 comprising: a claw 402 receiving a striker and a retaining pawl 404; an electrical release actuator 438, preferably a rotary motor with shaft 444, configured to actuate the pawl via a pawl release mechanism (440) to release the claw from the pawl, in response to an electrical signal, and wherein the pawl release mechanism comprises a pulley arrangement 442 coupling the electrical release actuator to the pawl. Preferably drive motor 438 is coupled to the pulley 446 via a cable 542, the pulley including a cam surface 460 engaging with lever to actuate pawl. A status sensor may be included to detect status of a function of the latch mechanism. The apparatus may be housed in a casing and may further include two lock actuators - central locking actuator and a double locking actuator.

Description

VEHICLE SIDE DOOR LATCH APPARATUS COMPRISING A PULLEY-CONNECTED ELECTRICAL RELEASE ACTUATOR

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a vehicle side door latch apparatus comprising a pulley-connected electrical release actuator.

BACKGROUND

Traditionally, a vehicle side door will comprise exterior and interior door handles and a latch apparatus. Typically, the latch apparatus comprises a door-mounted movable claw comprising a mouth configured to receive a vehicle-mounted striker as the door is closed. The claw can rotate into a primary latched position to hook around the received striker, keeping the door closed.

A traditional exterior or interior door handle is mechanically connected to the latch apparatus by a lever arrangement or a Bowden cable. User actuation of the door handle causes movement of the claw away from the primary latched position, if permitted by a vehicle locking system, until the striker is released. The latch apparatus has therefore been 'released' and the door can be opened.

An electrical release actuator replicates the function of a door handle but is actuated in response to an electrical signal. A problem with electrical release actuators is their added weight and bulkiness, for producing sufficient torque to release the latch apparatus.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an aim of the present invention to provide an improved vehicle side door latch apparatus.

The invention is as defined in the appended independent claims.

According to an aspect of the invention there is provided a vehicle side door latch apparatus, the side door latch apparatus, or latch apparatus, comprising: a claw configured to receive a striker; a pawl configured to retain the claw when the latch apparatus is in a locked state; an electrical release actuator; and a pawl release mechanism, wherein the electrical release actuator is configured to actuate the pawl via the pawl release mechanism to release the claw from the pawl, in response to an electrical signal, and wherein the pawl release mechanism comprises a pulley arrangement coupling the electrical release actuator to the pawl.

An advantage is that the latch apparatus is easy to package. The pulley arrangement enables a compact design, and flexibility over where to locate the electrical release actuator.

In some examples, the latch apparatus comprises a carrier housing the electrical release actuator, the pulley arrangement and a first locking actuator.

In some examples, the carrier houses a second locking actuator, wherein one of the first and second locking actuators is a central locking actuator and wherein the other of the first and second locking actuators is a double locking actuator.

In some examples, the carrier houses a status sensor configured to detect a status of a function of the latch apparatus.

In some examples, the pulley arrangement is configured to provide a mechanical advantage of greater than one for releasing the claw from the pawl.

In some examples, the pulley arrangement comprises a drive shaft rotatable by the electrical release actuator, and a driven pulley wheel coupled to the drive shaft via a line.

In some examples, the drive shaft has a smaller diameter than the driven pulley wheel.

In some examples, the drive shaft is rotatable about a first axis, wherein the driven pulley wheel is rotatable about a second axis, and wherein the first axis is nonparallel to the second axis.

In some examples, the pulley arrangement is configured to enable release of the claw from the pawl by winding the line or is configured to enable release of the claw from the pawl by unwinding the line. An advantage is more compact packaging than a belt-driven design, without the possibility of belt slip.

In some examples, the pulley arrangement comprises a return spring configured to return the pulley arrangement to a first position after release of the claw from the pawl.

In some examples, the pulley arrangement comprises a cam configured to actuate the pawl to release the claw from the pawl.

In some examples, the pulley arrangement is configured to rotate by an angle of more than approximately 60 degrees but less than 360 degrees to release the claw from the pawl.

According to an aspect of the invention there is provided a vehicle side door latch assembly comprising the latch apparatus and a striker.

According to an aspect of the invention there is provided a vehicle side door comprising the latch apparatus.

According to an aspect of the invention there is provided a vehicle comprising the vehicle side door latch assembly or the vehicle side door.

Within the scope of this application it is expressly intended that the various aspects, embodiments, examples and alternatives set out in the preceding paragraphs, in the claims and/or in the following description and drawings, and in particular the individual features thereof, may be taken independently or in any combination that falls within the scope of the appended claims. That is, all embodiments and/or features of any embodiment can be combined in any way and/or combination that falls within the scope of the appended claims, unless such features are incompatible. The applicant reserves the right to change any originally filed claim or file any new claim accordingly, including the right to amend any originally filed claim to depend from and/or incorporate any feature of any other claim although not originally claimed in that manner.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

One or more embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a vehicle; FIG. 2A illustrates an example of a vehicle side door latch assembly with a claw in a released position; FIG. 2B illustrates an example of the vehicle side door latch assembly with the claw in a primary latched position; FIG. 3A illustrates an example of a latch apparatus comprising an electrical release actuator connected to a pawl via a pulley arrangement; FIG. 3B illustrates an example of the electrical release actuator actuating the pawl via the pulley arrangement; FIG. 4A illustrates an example front perspective view of an electronic component carrier of a latch apparatus; and FIG. 43 illustrates an example rear perspective view of the electronic component carrier.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a vehicle 10 in which embodiments of the invention can be implemented. In some, but not necessarily all examples, the vehicle 10 is a passenger vehicle, also referred to as a passenger car or as an automobile. In other examples, embodiments of the invention can be implemented for other applications, such as commercial vehicles.

The vehicle 10 comprises side doors 12, 14 such as the illustrated rear side door 12 and front side door 14. Each side door 12, 14 has a respective exterior door handle 120, 140. The side doors 12, 14 enable access to seats of the vehicle 10. Each side door 12, 14 comprises a vehicle side door latch assembly as described herein.

FIG. 2A illustrates an example of a vehicle side door latch assembly 200. The latch assembly 200 comprises a latch apparatus 400 and a striker 300. Various known features of the latch apparatus 400 are omitted for simplicity of the drawings. The latch apparatus 400 can be connected to a vehicle side door 12 or 14. In the following examples, the front door 14 is referred to for illustrative purposes. The striker 300 can be connected to a body of the vehicle 10. Alternatively, the striker 300 can be door-connected and the latch apparatus 400 can be body-connected. The illustrated striker 300 is loop-shaped or can have another shape.

The latch apparatus 400 comprises a claw 402 and a pawl 404 which function together as a ratchet device. The claw 402 comprises a mouth 420 configured to receive the striker 300.

The claw 402 is rotatable about a claw pivot 406 defining a claw axis. The claw 402 is rotatable between a released position shown in FIG. 2A and a primary latched position as shown in FIG. 28. In the primary latched position, the striker 300 is inside the mouth 420 and the claw 402 has rotated to hook around the striker 300, preventing the door 14 from swinging open. In other words, the striker 300 is 'latched'. In the released position, the claw 402 does not hook around the striker 300 so the door 14 can swing open. In other words, the striker 300 is 'released/unlatched.

The claw 402 comprises a toothed edge 418 which contacts a tooth 416 of a pawl 404 to function as a ratchet. The toothed edge 418 of the claw 402 comprises a plurality of teeth 412, 414 (steps in the toothed edge 418) each configured to prevent rotation of the claw 402 away from a respective latched position.

The toothed edge 418 of the claw 402 can comprise a release position tooth 410 which engages with the pawl tooth 416 when the claw 402 is in the released (unlatched) position.

The toothed edge 418 of the claw 402 can comprise a secondary latch position tooth 412 which engages with the pawl tooth 416 when the claw 402 is in a secondary latch position. In this position, the striker 300 is latched although the door 14 may not be sealed closed.

The toothed edge 418 of the claw 402 can comprise a primary latch position tooth 414 which engages with the pawl tooth 416 when the claw 402 is in a primary latch position. In this position, the striker 300 is latched and the door 14 is fully closed.

The pawl 404 is rotatable about a pawl pivot 408 defining a pawl axis. If the pawl 404 is rotated away from the tooted edge of the claw 402 far enough to disengage the pawl tooth 416 from one of the teeth 410, 412, 414 of the toothed edge 418 of the claw 402, the claw 402 may spring back into its release position, aided by a claw return spring 458 (FIGS. 4A-4B).

Therefore, an actuator that is able to cause this rotation of the pawl 404 can be defined as a release actuator because it enables release of the latch apparatus 400. A locking system (not illustrated) can be operable to prevent at least one actuator from causing this rotation of the pawl 404, to prevent release.

If the latch apparatus 400 is in a central-locked state, an exterior release mechanism (not shown) actuated in response to movement of an exterior door handle 140 will fail to actuate the pawl 404 and therefore will fail to rotate the pawl 404 away from the toothed edge 418 of the claw 402.

If the latch apparatus 400 is double-locked/child-locked, an interior release mechanism (not shown) actuated in response to movement of an interior door handle will fail to actuate the pawl 404 and therefore will fail to rotate the pawl 404 away from the toothed edge 418 of the claw 402.

If the latch apparatus 400 is in an unlocked state, the exterior and interior release mechanisms will each be able to actuate the pawl 404 to rotate the pawl 404 away from the toothed edge 418 of the claw 402, so that the claw 402 springs back to its release position.

FIGS. 3A-3B illustrate an example of a compact electrical release actuator 438 and an accompanying pawl release mechanism 440 that can actuate to release the latch apparatus 400.

The electrical release actuator 438 can comprise a rotary actuator. The rotary actuator can comprise an electric motor have a torque rating of less than 10Nm, such as approximately 0.4N m.

The electrical release actuator 438 can be controlled by an electrical signal from a controller (not shown).

In some examples, the latch apparatus 400 can be configured to actuate the electrical release actuator 438 when requested by user actuation of an exterior door handle 140 of the door, wherein the exterior door handle 140 is not mechanically coupled to the latch apparatus 400. This design enables the removal of heavy mechanisms connecting traditional door handles to the latch apparatus 400. This also means that the exterior door handle 140 could be replaced with a different type of human-machine interface such as a switch.

In some examples, the latch apparatus 400 can be configured to actuate the electrical release actuator 438 in dependence on a request from a radio signal transmitted by a user's key fob or portable electronic device (e.g., smartphone). This enables remote user release of the latch apparatus 400 without having to directly actuate the exterior door handle 140. In some examples, a separate door-opening actuator (not shown) can then push the door 14 open in dependence on the request and upon release of the latch apparatus 400.

FIGS. 3A-3B also illustrate the pawl release mechanism 440 mechanically connecting the electrical release actuator 438 to the pawl 404.

The pawl release mechanism 440 comprises a pulley arrangement 442. The pulley arrangement 442 is a compact pulley wheel mechanism configured to provide a high mechanical advantage (torque multiplication), taking up less space than a lever arrangement.

The pulley arrangement 442 comprises a drive shaft 444 (motor shaft) rotatable by the electrical release actuator 438, and a driven pulley wheel 446 coupled to the drive shaft 444 via a line 452.

In the illustrated example, but not necessarily in all examples, the pulley wheel 446 comprises a spool (flanged as shown), the line 452 comprises a cord, and actuation of the electrical release actuator 438 winds the cord 452 around the drive shaft 444 to rotate the spool-type pulley wheel 446 in a first direction. The output of the pulley wheel 446 is connected to the pawl 404 so that rotation of the pulley wheel 446 in the first direction to a release position causes rotation of the pawl 404 to cause release of the latch apparatus 400.

In an alternative example, the latch apparatus 400 is released by unwinding, rather than winding, of the cord 452.

The torque multiplication of the pulley arrangement 442 is a function of the relative diameters of the drive shaft 444 and of the spool. The torque multiplication can be greater than one, meaning that the drive shaft 444 has a smaller diameter than the pulley wheel 446. This enables selection of a small, low-torque electrical release actuator 438. In some examples, the torque multiplication of the pulley arrangement 442 is a value greater than two. In some examples, the torque multiplication is greater than 10. In an implementation, the diameter of the drive shaft 444 can be in the order of 1-5mm. The diameter of the pulley wheel 446 can be in the order of 10-50mm.

The cord-winder example described above is more compact than an equivalent belt-driven pulley arrangement 442. This is because a belt-driven arrangement would require the drive shaft axis 450 (first axis) of the drive shaft 444 to be substantially parallel to the pulley wheel axis 448 (second axis) which increases the depth of the latch apparatus 400. This is not a requirement for a cord-winder. The illustrated drive shaft axis 450 can be oriented nonparallel to the pulley wheel axis 448, such as perpendicular in the illustration. Therefore, the longest dimension of the electrical release actuator 438 can be oriented perpendicularly to the pulley wheel axis 448, to minimise the total depth of the latch apparatus 400. In other examples, the angle between the pulley wheel axis 448 and the drive shaft axis 450 could be a different, nonparallel angle to each other such as within 40 degrees of perpendicular.

The cord-winder design not only enables more compact packaging than a belt-driven design, but also obviates the possibility of belt slip which can occur with belt-driven designs.

FIG. 38 illustrates how the pulley wheel 446 connects to the pawl 404. The pulley wheel 446 can connect to the pawl 404 via a cam 460 as illustrated. The illustrated cam 460 is provided to the pawl-facing side of the pulley wheel 446. The cam 460 may be integral with the pulley wheel 446 or can be connected to the pulley wheel 446 via a shaft. The illustrated cam 460 is a snail cam having an axis of rotation coaxial with the pulley wheel 446. The contact surface of the cam 460 represents a sliding contact point of increasing radius from the pulley wheel axis 448. In other examples, the cam 460 is another type of cam such as an eccentric.

There are various ways of connecting the cam 460 to the pawl 404. In the illustrated example, the cam 460 is configured to make slidable contact with a pawl leg 424 of the pawl 404. The illustrated pawl leg 424 is a protrusion (e.g. cylinder) extending parallel to the axis of the pawl pivot 408. The pawl leg 424 is radially offset from the axis of the pawl pivot 408 so that a normal force applied to the pawl leg 424 that is at least partially tangential to the pawl axis can cause the pawl 404 to rotate and release. The force should be high enough to impart torque on the pawl 404 exceeding a torque of at least a pawl return spring 466, an end of which is visible in FIG. 3B. The normal force can be applied by rotation of the cam 460. The pawl return spring 466 biases the pawl 404 towards the claw 402.

In some examples, the electrical release actuator 438 can bypass one or more locking states of the latch apparatus 400. In some examples, the latch apparatus 400 is configured so that the pawl leg 424 is: -actuatable by a separate exterior release mechanism (not shown) when an exterior door handle 140 is actuated when the latch apparatus 400 in the unlocked state but not when the latch apparatus 400 is in the central-locked state and not when the latch apparatus 400 is in the double-locked state; -actuatable by a separate interior release mechanism (not shown) when an interior door handle is actuated when the latch apparatus 400 is in the unlocked state and when the latch apparatus 400 is in the central-locked state but not when the latch apparatus 400 is in the double-locked state; and -actuatable by the electrical release actuator 438, via the cam 460, regardless of whether the latch apparatus 400 is in the unlocked state, the central-locked state or the double-locked state The illustrated pulley wheel 446 can be connected to a pulley return spring 456 configured to rotate the pulley arrangement 442 from a second, actuated position to a first, non-actuated position. The illustrated pulley return spring 456 is a coil spring that is coaxial with the pulley wheel axis 448. One end of the pulley return spring 456 is connected to the pulley wheel 446 and the opposite end of the pulley return spring 456 is connected to an immovable part (not shown) of the latch apparatus 400. The pulley return spring 456 means that the electrical release actuator 438 does not have to consume electrical energy to return/reset the pulley arrangement 442 to the first, non-actuated position.

The illustrated pulley wheel 446 can comprise a full travel stop buffer 464, and optionally a home position stop buffer 462. The full travel stop buffer 464 stops the pulley wheel 446 from travelling (rotating) past its actuated position. The home position stop buffer 462 stops the pulley from travelling past its first, non-actuated (home) position. The stop buffers 462, 464 may each be configured to hit an immovable part (not shown) of the latch apparatus 400 when the relevant position is reached. The stop buffers 462, 464 can comprise a material, such as rubber, that is more resiliently deformable than the material of the pulley wheel 446.

The angular separation between the stop buffers 462, 464 affects how far the pulley wheel 446 is capable of rotating (analogous to a stroke length). Depending on the implementation, the pulley wheel 446 can be configured to rotate by an angle of more than approximately 60 degrees but less than 360 degrees from its first, non-actuated position to its second, actuated position, without hitting either stop buffer 462, 464. According to an example, the angle is a value between approximately 135 degrees and approximately 225 degrees. This is a good range of angles for minimising the required torque and energy consumption of the electrical release actuator 438. The cam profile of the above-described cam 460 can have the above angle as its minimum angular length from its base circle to its peak, for a shallower ramp.

The compactness of the above-described design enables the electrical release actuator 438 and the pulley arrangement 442 to share a common housing with many other components of the latch apparatus 400. FIGS. 4A-4B illustrate a compact electronic component carrier ECC 422 (carrier') that is only a few centimetres thick, but houses the electrical release actuator 438, the pulley arrangement 442 and other actuators 428, 430 and/or sensors 432.

FIG. 4A illustrates a front-perspective view of the ECC 422 and FIG. 4B illustrates a rear-perspective view of the ECC 422. The ECC 422 can comprise a moulded material. The moulded material can comprise a polymeric material.

The ECC 422 can act as the main latch moulding to which other secondary components such as a striker guide (not shown) are connected. In summary, a striker guide can be a separate moulding that supports the claw 402 and pawl 404 by providing attachment surfaces for the claw pivot 406 and for the pawl pivot 408. The term 'striker guide' refers to the moulding comprising a channel at an edge in which the striker 300 can enter, where the striker 300 is hooked/retained by the claw 402 in the latched position so that the striker 300 cannot leave the channel if latched. In use, the striker guide attaches to the front face of the ECC 422 shown in FIG. 4A to substantially enclose the interior space of the ECC 422.

The interior space of the ECC 422, as shown in FIG. 4A, can comprise a pulley recess 426 shaped to house the pulley wheel 446. The illustrated pulley recess 426 comprises a rounded recess having a central hub about which the pulley wheel 446 can rotate.

The ECC 422 is also sized and configured to house the electrical release actuator 438. The electrical release actuator 438 can comprise a pair of flat sides, visible in FIGS. 3A-3B, to fit within the depth of the ECC 422 of FIG. 4A.

The illustrated ECC 422 is also sized and configured to house a pair of locking actuators 428, 430. The first locking actuator 428 is a central-locking actuator configured to actuate a central-locking mechanism (not shown) to transition the latch apparatus 400 to and/or from the central-locked state. The second locking actuator 430 is a double-locking actuator configured to actuate a double-locking mechanism (not shown) to transition the latch apparatus 400 to and/or from the double-locked state. The locking actuators 428, 430 can comprise electrical actuators such as electric motors.

The illustrated ECC 422 is also sized and configured to house one or more status sensors 432. An example of a status sensor 432 is an electric switch configured to be depressed by a mechanism of the latch apparatus 400, causing the status sensor 432 to output an electrical signal indicating a status (e.g. position) associated with said mechanism. Another example of a status sensor is a hall effect sensor. The ECC 422 can comprise a plurality of status sensors 432, each status sensor 432 configured to detect a status of one or more of the mechanisms of the latch apparatus 400 described herein, or other mechanisms associated with the latch apparatus 400.

In an example, one of the status sensors 432 within the ECG 422 is a latch status sensor configured to detect whether or not the latch apparatus 400 is latched. A signal from this status sensor 432 can be processed to determine whether to actuate the electrical release actuator 438, for example.

The ECC 422 can also comprise an electrical interface 436 such as an electrical socket, enabling a single electrical plug to connect to some or all of the above status sensors 432 and actuators 428, 430, 438.

It will be appreciated that various changes and modifications can be made to the present invention without departing from the scope of the present application.

Although embodiments of the present invention have been described in the preceding paragraphs with reference to various examples, it should be appreciated that modifications to the examples given can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as claimed.

Features described in the preceding description may be used in combinations other than the combinations explicitly described.

Although functions have been described with reference to certain features, those functions may be performable by other features whether described or not.

Although features have been described with reference to certain embodiments, those features may also be present in other embodiments whether described or not.

Whilst endeavoring in the foregoing specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A side door latch apparatus for a vehicle, the side door latch apparatus comprising: a claw configured to receive a striker; a pawl configured to retain the claw when the side door latch apparatus is in a locked state; an electrical release actuator; and a pawl release mechanism, wherein the electrical release actuator is configured to actuate the pawl via the pawl release mechanism to release the claw from the pawl, in response to an electrical signal, and wherein the pawl release mechanism comprises a pulley arrangement coupling the electrical release actuator to the pawl.
2. The side door latch apparatus of claim 1, comprising a carrier housing the electrical release actuator, the pulley arrangement and a first locking actuator.
3. The side door latch apparatus of claim 2, wherein the carrier houses a second locking actuator, wherein one of the first and second locking actuators is a central locking actuator and wherein the other of the first and second locking actuators is a double locking actuator.
4. The side door latch apparatus of claim 2, 3 or 4, wherein the carrier houses a status sensor configured to detect a status of a function of the side door latch apparatus.
5. The side door latch apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the pulley arrangement is configured to provide a mechanical advantage of greater than one for releasing the claw from the pawl.
6. The side door latch apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the pulley arrangement comprises a drive shaft rotatable by the electrical release actuator, and a driven pulley wheel coupled to the drive shaft via a line.
7. The side door latch apparatus of claim 5 and 6, wherein the drive shaft has a smaller diameter than the driven pulley wheel
8. The side door latch apparatus of claim 6 or 7, wherein the drive shaft is rotatable about a first axis, wherein the driven pulley wheel is rotatable about a second axis, and wherein the first axis is nonparallel to the second axis.
9. The side door latch apparatus of claim 6, 7 or 8, wherein the pulley arrangement is configured to enable release of the claw from the pawl by winding the line or is configured to enable release of the claw from the pawl by unwinding the line.
10. The side door latch apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the pulley arrangement comprises a return spring configured to return the pulley arrangement to a first position after release of the claw from the pawl.
11. The side door latch apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the pulley arrangement comprises a cam configured to actuate the pawl to release the claw from the pawl.
12. The side door latch apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the pulley arrangement is configured to rotate by an angle of more than approximately 60 degrees but less than 360 degrees to release the claw from the pawl.
13. A vehicle side door latch assembly comprising the side door latch apparatus of any preceding claim and a striker.
14. A vehicle side door comprising the side door latch apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 12.
15. A vehicle comprising the vehicle side door latch assembly of claim 13 or the vehicle side door of claim 14.