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(11) | EP 1 197 620 A2 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Vehicle door latch |
| (57) An operating handle support (270) is secured to a door latch housing (212, 214, 216).
An operating handle (278) is pivotally attached to the handle support and a stud (286)
on the operating handle engages an unlatching lever (243) pivotally mounted on the
door latch housing. A bowden wire assembly (298) has a cable (300) with a latch end
(304) anchored on the door latch housing. A cable conduit receives the cable and has
a conduit latch end (316) in contact with a conduit abutment on the operating handle
(278). Pulling cable from a door handle end of the cable conduit forces the conduit
latch end to move toward the latch end of the cable, pivots the operating handle and
unlatches the door latch. |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to a vehicle door latch and more particularly to a door latch that can be unlatched by a bowden wire from a remote location.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Automotive closures such as doors for a passenger compartment are connected to a vehicle body by hinges and swing between open and closed positions. A door latch assembly is provided to latch the door in the closed position. The latch assembly can be operated from inside the passenger compartment as well as from outside the passenger compartment. A handle or push button on the outside of the passenger compartment is connected to the latch assembly by a rod. A handle on the inside passenger compartment is also connected to the latch assembly by a rod. Latch assemblies are provided with a linkage system that allows the inside and the outside handle to be moved independently of each other.
[0003] The linkage connecting the outside handle or push button to the latch assembly is an outer rod. The linkage connecting the inside handle to the latch assembly is an inner rod. Both the outer rod and the inner rod are housed inside the door between an outer door panel and an inner door panel. Window and window regulator assemblies are also housed between the inner and outer door panels. The inner rod and the outer rod generally have a plurality of bends required for the rods to remain outside the space in the door that is used by the window and the window regulator assembly. Door locks and door lock linkages are also housed inside doors.
[0004] Various accessories may be employed, with a vehicle, that are housed inside a door. Such accessories include rear view mirror adjusters and heaters, sound system speakers, power operated window regulator controls, lights, and seat adjustment controls to name a few. All of these devices require space. Safety equipment such as side impact beams, air bags and passenger restraints may also require space within doors.
[0005] Vehicle designers need to keep doors as thin as possible to maximize passenger compartment interior space. They also need to reduce door weight when possible to reduce the weight of door support structures and total vehicle weight. Vehicle designers also need to locate door handles in easy to reach and easy to operate locations.
[0006] The rods placed inside door panels to operate door latches operate satisfactorily and are substantially maintenance free. However, the rods are relatively heavy and limit the location of both inside and outside door handles.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The object of this invention is to provide a door latch that is operated by a bowden wire assembly instead of rods.
[0008] The door latch has a housing. A transfer lever assembly that is pivotally secured to the housing is operable to unlatch the vehicle door latch. An operating handle support is secured to the latch housing. An operating handle has an end pivotally supported by the operating handle support. A cable passage passes through a free end of the operating handle and has a conduit abutment surface within the cable passage. A cable holder is fixed to the latch housing. A bowden wire assembly includes a cable passing through the cable passage. A fixed cable end is anchored to the cable holder. A movable cable end is secured to a door handle. A conduit telescopically receives the cable. A fixed end of the conduit engages a conduit holder near the door handle. A movable end of the conduit is seated on the conduit abutment surface in the cable passage through the operating handle.
[0009] A bowden wire assembly provides flexibility in locating door handles as well as in the orientation of the door handles. A door handle can move the movable cable end in any desired direction.
[0010] The movable conduit end is in a passage through the operating handle. This protects the movable conduit end and tends to keep dirt and moisture out. By protecting the conduit end and keeping dirt and moisture out, the bowden wire assembly has a long life and is substantially maintenance free.
[0011] The bowden wire assembly is lighter than the rods it replaces. The flexible conduit permits routing around vehicle components and accessories within a vehicle door.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] Presently preferred embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the following description and in the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Figure 1 is an exploded perspective front view of a vehicle door latch that can be unlatched by a bowden wire assembly in accordance with the invention;
Figure 2 is a perspective rear view of another vehicle door latch that can be unlatched by a bowden wire assembly in accordance with the invention.;
Figure 3 is a perspective rear view of a conduit unlatching sub-assembly and a door handle shown schematically for operating the sub-assembly;
Figure 4 is a perspective rear view of the vehicle door latch of figure 2 with the conduit unlatching sub-assembly of figure 3 attached:
Figure 5 is an elevational rear view of the vehicle door latch of figure 2 with the operating handle in a latched position; and
Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 with the operating handle in an unlatched position.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0013] Referring now to Figure 1, the vehicle door latch 10 has a multi-piece enclosure that comprises a plastic housing 12, a metal face plate 14 and a metal back plate 16. The plastic housing 12 and the metal back plate 16 are held together by three flanged, internally threaded bushings 18, 20, and 22 that are inserted into three holes in the plastic housing 12, then through three aligned holes in the back plate 16 and then flanged over the back plate. The metal face plate 14 has three bolt holes 24 that are aligned with the bushings 18, 20 and 22 when the metal face plate is attached to the plastic housing 12 by a screw 26. The metal face plate 14 and the metal back plate 16 have lower portions below the plastic housing 12 that are held together by a flanged stud 28 that has projecting pins at each end that are inserted in holes in the plates and peened or headed over.
[0014] The latch mechanism of the vehicle door latch 10 comprises a fork bolt 30 and a cooperating detent 32 that are pivotally mounted on bushings 20 and 18 respectively and located in a chamber of the plastic housing 12 behind the metal face plate 14. The fork bolt 30 is biased clockwise, toward an unlatched position, by a coil spring 29. Coil spring 29 is disposed in a curved slot in the plastic housing 12 behind the fork bolt 30 and it engages a depending pine 31 of the fork bolt 30 at one end. Detent 32 is biased counterclockwise into engagement with the fork bolt 30 by a coil spring 33 that surrounds the bushing 18 and that has one end engaging an ear 35 of the detent 32. Detent 32 engages shoulder 60 and holds the fork bolt lever 30 in a primary latched position against the bias of spring 29 as shown in Figure 1. Detent 32 also can engage fork bolt 30 at shoulder 62 and hold it in an intermediate secondary latched position. Detent 32 engages the fork bolt 32 on its foot 64 in its unlatched position.
[0015] The latch mechanism further comprises an intermittent lever 34 for operating detent 32. Intermittent lever 34 is located in the chamber of the plastic housing 12 behind detent 32. It has two integral pivot pins 36 and 38. Pivot pin 36 is journaled in a hole 32a in detent 32 so that the detent 32 rotates clockwise from the latched position shown in Figure 1 (and out of latched engagement with the fork bolt 30) to an unlatched position when the intermittent lever 34 is pulled down. The pivot pin 38 is disposed in a slot 41 of a locking lever 40 that pivots the intermittent lever 34 counterclockwise about pivot pin 36 from the unlock position shown in Figure 1 to a lock position shown in Figure 3. The locking lever 40 is journaled on the stud 28 between flange 42 and face plate 14. Briefly the locking lever 40 is rotated clockwise to lock the door latch 10 or counterclockwise to unlock the door latch. Clockwise rotation of the locking lever 40 from the unlocked position shown in Figure 1, pivots intermittent lever 34 counterclockwise about pivot pin 36 to a position where it is uncoupled from and out of the path of travel of transfer or unlatching lever 44 described below. A more complete description of the locking lever 40 and locking mechanism is given after the latch mechanism is described.
[0016] The latch mechanism further comprises a transfer or unlatching lever 44 that is journaled on a reduced diameter portion of the stud 28 spaced rearwardly of the flange 42. The transfer lever 44 has an ear 46 at one end that is engageable with an integral, rearwardly projecting tab 48 of the intermittent lever 34 so that the intermittent lever 34 is pulled down when the transfer level 44 is rotated clockwise as viewed in Figure 1.
[0017] The latch mechanism further comprises an outside latch operating lever 50 and a coil return spring 52. The outside latch operating lever 50 is also journaled on the reduce diameter portion of the stud 28 behind transfer level 44. It has a bent tab 54 that engages ear 46 of the unlatching lever 44 when it is rotated clockwise on the stud 28. Outside latch operating lever 50 has an aperture 51 that is connected by suitable linkage for rotation by an outside door handle (not shown).
[0018] The coil return spring 52 is disposed around the stud 28 and located between the flange 42 and the unlatching lever 44. One end of the coil spring 52 engages the bottom of transfer lever 44 and the other end engages the bottom of the plastic housing 12 about transfer lever 44 so that transfer lever 44 and outside operating lever 50 are biased counterclockwise to a rest position where tab 54 engages a stop at the bottom of plastic housing 12.
[0019] The latch mechanism further comprises an inside latch-operating lever 56 that is pivotally mounted on a flange 15 of the metal face plate 14. The inside latch operating lever 56 has a tab 57 that engages a second ear 61 of transfer lever 44 so that the inside latch operating assembly 56 also rotates the transfer lever 44 clockwise when it is rotated counterclockwise. The inside latch operating lever 56 shown in figure 2 is connected to a suitable actuator assembly or linkage system (not shown) for rotation by an inside door handle or other operator (not shown).
[0020] Fork bolt 30 has a conventional slot or throat 58 for receiving and retaining striker pin 91 of a striker assembly 93 that is attached to the vehicle door pillar to latch the vehicle door in the closed position (not shown). Fork bolt 30 also includes a primary latch shoulder 60, an intermediate secondary latch shoulder 62 and a radially projecting foot 64. Fork bolt 30 preferably has a plastic coating that covers a surface of the slot 58 that is engaged by a striker pin 91 for energy absorption and quiet operation when the vehicle door is slammed shut.
[0021] Detent 32 has a sector shaped catch 68 that engages the radially projecting foot 64 when the fork bolt 30 is in the unlatched position (not shown). The sector shaped catch 68 positively engages the primary and secondary latch shoulders 60 and 62 to hold the fork bolt 30 in either the primary or the intermediate secondary latched positions shown in Figure 1 and not shown, respectively. Detent 32 also preferably includes a plastic coating that has an integral bumper. The bumper engages the bushing 22 to stop counterclockwise pivoting of the detent lever 32 under the bias of spring 33. This bumper also absorbs energy and quiets operation when the door is slammed shut.
[0022] The conventional latch mechanism described above operates as follows. When the door latch 10 is in an unlatched and unlocked condition, fork bolt 30 is poised to receive striker pin 91 that projects into aligned fish mouth slots 74 and 75 of plastic housing 12 and metal face plate 14 when the door is shut. The entering striker pin 91 engages the back of the throat 58 and rotates fork bolt 30 counterclockwise against the bias of spring 29 until fork bolt 30 is rotated to the primary latch position shown n Figure 1 where fork bolt 30 captures the striker pin 91 in the throat 58. Fork bolt 30 is held in the primary latch position by catch 68 of detent 32 engaging the primary latch shoulder 60 of fork bolt 30.
[0023] Catch 68 rides along the periphery of the fork bolt 30 under the bias of spring 33 as fork bolt 30 rotates counterclockwise from the unlatched position to the primary latch position shown in Figure 1. During this travel, catch 68 rides under the foot 64 into engagement with the intermediate secondary latch shoulder 62 and then into engagement with primary latch shoulder 60. Engagement of catch 68 with the intermediate secondary latching shoulder 62 is sufficient to hold the vehicle door closed in the event that the vehicle door is not shut with sufficient force so that catch 68 engages primary latch shoulder 60.
[0024] The vehicle door latch 10 can be unlatched by rotating outside latch operating lever 50 clockwise about the stud 28 as shown in Figure 1. The vehicle door latch 10 can also be unlatched by rotating the unlatching lever 44 clockwise about the stud 28. Clockwise rotation of the unlatching lever 44 moves the ear 46 into engagement with the tab 48 on the intermediate lever 34, moves the intermediate lever downward, rotates the detent 32 clockwise about bushing 18 and disengages the catch 68 from the forked bolt 30. Clockwise rotation of the outside latch operating lever 50 moves the bent tab 54 into contact with the ear 46 and rotates the unlatching lever 44 as described above.
[0025] The door latch 210 shown in Figure 2 is slightly different than the door latch 10 shown in Figure 1 and described above. However the interior parts are substantially identical. Corresponding parts are identified by adding 200 to the identifying numerals for the respective parts shown in figure 1 The latch 210 has a metal face plate 214, a plastic housing 212 and a back plate 216. The back plate 216 has been modified to include a cable holder 215 that is integral with the back plate. The cable holder 215 as shown in Figure 2 is a cable slot 217. The intermittent lever 234 has tab 248. The tab 248 is contacted by the unlatching lever assembly 243 to unlatch a fork bolt 30 as described above. The unlatching lever assembly 243 is identical to the unlatching lever 44 described above and includes an outside latch operating lever 250 and an unlatching lever 244. The unlatching lever assembly 243 can be activated to unlatch the door by connecting an activator to the aperture 251 of lever 250 or to the inside latch operating lever 256.
[0026] Locking lever 240 pivots about flanged stud 28 to pivot the intermittent lever 234 about the axis of pivot pin 36. Pivoting the intermittent lever 234 in one direction moves the tab 248 out of the path of movement of the unlatching lever 244 and locks the door latch 210. Pivoting the tab 248 into the path of movement of the unlatching lever 244 unlocks the door latch 210. The locking lever 240 can be pivoted about the axis of the flanged stud 28 by lever 263 or by lock operating lever 80.
[0027] An operating handle support 270 is clamped to the door latch 10 by threaded fasteners 272 that screw into threaded bores 274 in the housing 212. A stud 276 is integral with the operating handle support 270 and is in axial alignment with the flanged stud 28.
[0028] An operating handle 278 is journaled on the stud 276. A retainer 280 holds the operating handle 278 on the stud 276. A stop pin 282 is integral with the support 270 and projects through an arcuate slot 284 in the operating handle 278. The function of the stop pin 282 and the slot 284 is to limit pivotal movement of the operating handle 278 in both directions. An unlatching stud 286 is integral with the free end 288 of the operating handle 278 and is received in the aperture 251 of the latch operating lever 250.
[0029] A cable passage 290 passes through the free end 288 of the operating handle 278. The cable passage 290 has a small diameter end 291 facing the cable holder 215. The diameter of the end 291 is slightly larger than the diameter of a cable that is to pass through the passage 290. The opposite end of the cable passage 290 has a conical surface 294. A transverse conduit abutment surface 296 is between the conical surface 294 and the small diameter cylindrical portion 291 of the passage 290.
[0030] A bowden wire assembly 298 includes a cable 300 that passes through a conduit 302. A latch end 304 of the cable 300 is received in the cable slot 217 and anchored to the cable holder 215 by a pin 306 that is fixed to cable 300 thereby fixing the cable latch end. A movable cable end 308 of the cable 300 is attached to a door handle 310. The handle 310 is pivotally attached to a fixed mounting plate 312. The handle end 314 of the conduit 302 is fixed to the mounting plate 312. The latch end 316 of the conduit 302 engages the movable conduit abutment surface 296 on the operating handle 278.
[0031] Rotating the handle 310 to pull cable 300 from the conduit 302 removes cable from the handle end 314 of the conduit. Pulling cable 300 from the handle end 314 of the conduit 302 pulls cable into the latch end 316 of the conduit. Since the latch end 304 of the cable 300 is fixed, the conduit 302 moves towards the pin 306 and rotates the operating handle 278 about the stud 276 from the latched position shown in figure 5 to the unlatched position shown in figure 6. This pivotal movement of the operating handle 278 rotates the unlatching lever assembly 244 and unlatches the door latch 210.
[0032] The conduit 302 is held in a U-shaped channel 318 by a pair of flexible spurs 320 and 322. These spurs 320 and 322 retain the conduit 302 in the U-shaped channel 318 while leaving the conduit free to slide parallel to the axis of the channel and the conduit. The channel 318 is formed in the operating handle support 270 as shown in the drawing.
1. A vehicle door latch (210) having a latch housing (212, 214, 216) having a fork bolt
30 that engages a striker (91) and holds the striker (91) in a closed position relative
to the latch housing (212, 214, 216) a detent (32) pivotally mounted in the latch
housing (212, 214, 216), that engages the fork bolt (30) and holds the fork bolt (30)
in a fork bolt closed position an intermittent lever (234), with an integral tab (248),
pivotally attached to the detent (32); and an unlatching lever assembly (243) pivotally
attached to the housing (212, 214, 216), and including an outside latch operating
lever (250) and an unlatching lever (244) that can be pivoted relative to the latch
housing (212, 214, 216) to move the integral tab (248) and the intermittent lever
(234) to disengage the detent (32) from the latch bolt (30) characterized in that:
an operating handle support (270) is secured to the latch housing (212, 214, 216);
an operating handle (278) has an end pivotally supported by the operating handle support (270) and a handle unlatching stud (286) that engages the unlatching lever assembly (243) and transfers torque from the operating handle (278) to the unlatching lever assembly (243);
a cable passage (290) extends through a free end (288) of the operating handle (278),
a conduit abutment (296) is within the cable passage (290);
a cable holder (215) is fixed to the latch housing (212, 214, 216); and
a bowden wire assembly (298) includes a cable (300) passing through the cable passage (290), a fixed cable end (304) anchored to the cable holder (215), a movable cable end (308) secured to a door handle (310), a conduit (302) that receives the cable (300) and that has a fixed conduit end (314) engaging a conduit holder adjacent to the door handle (310), and a movable conduit end (316) seated on the conduit abutment surface (296) in the operating handle (278).
2. A vehicle door latch (210) as set forth in claim 1 wherein the handle unlatching stud
(286) engages the outside latch operating lever (250) of the unlatching lever assembly
(243).
3. A vehicle door latch (210) as set forth in claim 1 or 2 including a stop (282) that
limits pivotal movement of the operating handle (278).
4. A vehicle door latch (210) as set forth in any of the preceding claims wherein the
stop includes a pin that is secured to the operating handle support (270) and extends
through a slot (284) through the operating handle (278).
5. A vehicle door latch (210) unlatching method comprising:
anchoring a latch end (304) of a bowden wire assembly cable (300) relative to a door latch housing (212, 214, 216);
placing a cable conduit (302) of the bowden wire assembly (298) over the bowden wire assembly cable (300);
moving a latch end (316) of the cable conduit (302) into contact with a conduit abutment surface (296) on a lever (278) pivotally attached to the door latch housing (212, 214, 216);
pulling a door handle end (308) of the bowden wire assembly cable (300) from the cable conduit (302);
forcing the latch end (316) of the cable conduit (302) toward the latch end (304) of the bowden wire assembly cable (300);
pivoting a lever (250) pivotally attached to the door latch housing (212, 214, 216); and
unlatching the vehicle door latch (210).