Vehicle door latch with release linkage bypass device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10240370-B2
Application number	US-201514678410-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 3, 2015
Priority date	Apr 3, 2015
Publication date	Mar 26, 2019
Grant date	Mar 26, 2019

Abstract

A latch system for vehicle doors includes a bypass mechanism that mechanically disconnects a linkage assembly if an exterior door handle is moved towards an open position at a high speed. The bypass mechanism ensures that the door latch mechanism does not unlatch in the event a crash causes the exterior door handle to move open at a high speed, while providing for normal unlatching operation if the exterior door handle is opened at a relatively low velocity by a user.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A latch system for vehicle doors, the latch system comprising:
a movable door handle;
a door latch mechanism having latched and unlatched configurations;
a first linkage connected to the door handle such that movement of the door handle moves the first linkage;
a second linkage connected to the door latch mechanism such that movement of the second linkage causes the latch mechanism to shift from the latched configuration to the unlatched configuration;
a bypass mechanism having an engaged configuration in which the bypass mechanism interconnects the first and second linkages such that movement of the first linkage causes movement of the second linkage to shift the latch mechanism from the latched configuration to the unlatched configuration, and wherein the bypass mechanism disconnects the first and second linkages when the bypass mechanism is in a bypassed configuration such that movement of the first linkage does not cause movement of the second linkage to shift the latch mechanism from the latched configuration to the unlatched configuration, the bypass mechanism further defining a home configuration, and wherein when the bypass mechanism is in its home configuration, movement of the first linkage at a first velocity relative to the second linkage causes the bypass mechanism to shift from its home configuration to its engaged configuration and wherein, when the bypass mechanism is in its home configuration, movement of the first linkage relative to the second linkage at a second velocity that is greater than the first velocity causes the bypass mechanism to shift from its home configuration to its bypassed configuration such that the movement of the first linkage at the second velocity does not shift the latch mechanism from the latched configuration to the unlatched configuration, the bypass mechanism including:
a locking member connected to a selected one of the first and second linkages, the locking member including a first engagement surface and a retaining surface;
a lever support connected to the other of the first and second linkages;
a rigid lever pivotably connected to the lever support, the lever including a second engagement surface configured to engage the first engagement surface, whereby the lever interconnects the lever support and the locking member when the bypass mechanism is in its engaged configuration, and wherein the lever engages the retaining surface to prevent the second engagement surface from engaging the first engagement surface when the bypass mechanism is in its disengaged configuration, and wherein the lever support is disconnected from the locking member when the bypass mechanism is in its bypassed configuration.

2. The latch system of claim 1 , wherein:
the locking member includes a recess, and wherein the first engagement surface comprises a side surface of the recess.

3. The latch system of claim 2 , wherein:
the recess is in the form of an annular groove.

4. The latch system of claim 3 , wherein:
the locking member includes a cylindrical first outer surface, adjacent the annular groove, which forms the retaining surface.

5. The latch system of claim 4 , wherein:
the locking member defines an end portion that includes a cylindrical second outer surface, and wherein the annular groove is disposed between the cylindrical first and second outer surfaces.

6. The latch system of claim 5 , wherein:
the cylindrical second outer surface has a diameter less than a diameter of the cylindrical first outer surface.

7. The latch system of claim 6 , wherein:
the lever includes a base portion that is pivotably connected to the lever support.

8. The latch system of claim 7 , wherein:
the lever includes a central portion extending from the base portion, and a transversely extending portion that forms the second engagement surface.

9. The latch system of claim 8 , wherein:
the transversely-extending portion forms a hooked tip that is received in the annular groove when the lever is in an engaged position, in which the lever engages the first engagement surface.

10. The latch system of claim 1 , wherein:
the first and second linkages comprise elongated flexible cables.

11. A latch system for vehicle doors, the latch system comprising:
a movable door handle;
a door latch mechanism;
a bypass mechanism defining an engaged configuration, a bypassed configuration, and a home configuration;
a linkage assembly including first and second linkages connected to the bypass mechanism and operably interconnecting the door handle and the door latch mechanism when the bypass mechanism is in its engaged configuration;
the bypass mechanism including a locking member connected to the first linkage, the locking member defining a first axis and including an end and a cylindrical outer first surface that is spaced from the first axis at a first distance comprising a first radius, the locking member further including an outer second surface at the end of the locking member that is spaced from the first axis at a second distance that is less than the first distance, the locking member further including a recess between the outer first and second surfaces, and wherein the bypass mechanism further includes a lever pivotably connected to the second linkage for rotation about a second axis that is transverse to the first axis, and wherein the lever includes a hooked end portion that slidably engages the cylindrical outer first surface when the bypass mechanism is in its home configuration;
and wherein, when the bypass mechanism is in its home configuration and the door handle is moved from a rest position to an actuated position by a user, the hooked end portion rotates into engagement with the recess to interconnect the lever with the locking member such that the bypass mechanism is in its engaged configuration in which the first and second linkages are interconnected and the movement of the door handle shifts the first and second linkages and unlatches the door latch mechanism;
and wherein, when the bypass mechanism is in its home configuration and the door handle is moved from the rest position to the actuated position at a high velocity due to a vehicle crash, the hooked end portion of the lever slides on the cylindrical outer first surface and moves across the recess without engaging the recess, and slidably engages the outer second surface, such that the bypass mechanism is in its bypassed configuration in which the first and second linkages are disconnected, and the movement of the door handle does not unlatch the door latch mechanism.

12. The latch system of claim 11 , wherein:
the outer second surface is cylindrical, and the second distance comprises a second radius.

13. The latch system of claim 12 , wherein:
the recess is in the form of an annular groove disposed between the cylindrical outer first and second surfaces.

14. The latch system of claim 13 , wherein:
the hooked end portion defines a tip that engages the outer first surface of the locking member when the bypass mechanism is in its home configuration.

15. The latch system of claim 14 , including:
a torsion spring rotatably biasing the lever into engagement with the locking member when the bypass mechanism is in its home configuration and when the bypass mechanism is in its engaged configuration.

16. The latch system of claim 15 , wherein:
the locking member includes a tapered tip portion adjacent the cylindrical outer second surface whereby the tip of the hooked end portion of the lever slidably engages the tapered tip portion as the first and second linkages move toward

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Puscas Livianu Dorin
• Papanikolaou Kosta

Classifications

• E05B85/00

  Details of vehicle locks not provided for in groups E05B77/00 - E05B83/00 · CPC title

• E05B77/04

  Preventing unwanted lock actuation, e.g. unlatching, at the moment of collision · CPC title

• E05B79/16 Primary

  characterised by the means for linking the rods to other lock parts, e.g. to levers · CPC title

• E05B79/22 Primary

  Operative connections between handles, sill buttons or lock knobs and the lock unit (mounting of non-movable base elements of a handle to a lock E05B79/06) · CPC title

• E05B85/16

  a longitudinal grip part being pivoted at one end about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the grip part · CPC title