Memory levers for latch mechanisms of vehicle compartment closure assemblies

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10704304-B2
Application number	US-201715794054-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 26, 2017
Priority date	Oct 26, 2017
Publication date	Jul 7, 2020
Grant date	Jul 7, 2020

Abstract

Latch mechanisms for vehicle compartment closure assemblies, methods for making or using such latch mechanisms, and motor vehicles with a latch system for sensing latching/unlatching of a closure assembly are presented. A latch mechanism includes a forkbolt that attaches to the vehicle body and moves between a latched position, engaging a striker and thereby latching a compartment closure assembly in a closed position, and an unlatched position, disengaging the striker. A detent lever attaches to the vehicle body adjacent the forkbolt and moves between a locked position, locking the forkbolt in the latched position, and an unlocked position, disengaging the forkbolt. A memory lever adjacent the forkbolt moves between a catching position, retaining the detent lever in the unlocked position, and a releasing position, disengaging the detent lever. The forkbolt, when moving from the unlatched to the latched position, moves the memory lever from the catching to the releasing position.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A latch mechanism for a compartment closure assembly of a motor vehicle, the compartment closure assembly being movably mounted to a vehicle body of the motor vehicle to transition between an open position and a closed position, the motor vehicle including a striker attached to the vehicle body or the compartment closure assembly, the latch mechanism comprising:
a forkbolt configured to rotatably attach to the motor vehicle and rotate about a first axis between a latched position, whereat the forkbolt engages the striker and thereby latches the compartment closure assembly in the closed position, and an unlatched position, whereat the forkbolt disengages the striker such that the compartment closure assembly is movable to the open position;
a detent lever configured to rotatably attach to the motor vehicle adjacent the forkbolt and rotate about a second axis, substantially perpendicular to the first axis, between a locked position, whereat the detent lever engages and locks the forkbolt in the latched position, and an unlocked position, whereat the detent lever disengages the forkbolt; and
a rigid memory lever configured to rotatably attach to the motor vehicle adjacent the forkbolt and rotate about a third axis, substantially parallel to the second axis, between a catching position, whereat the memory lever engages and catches the detent lever in the unlocked position, and a releasing position, whereat the memory lever disengages the detent lever,
wherein the forkbolt, when moving from the unlatched position to the latched position, moves the memory lever from the catching position to the releasing position.

2. The latch mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the memory lever includes a memory lever body with a catch shelf, and the detent lever includes a detent lever body with a detent pin projecting therefrom, the detent pin seating on the catch shelf when the memory lever is in the catching position and the detent lever is in the unlocked position.

3. The latch mechanism of claim 2 , wherein the detent pin projects transversely from the detent lever body and is substantially perpendicular to the first axis.

4. The latch mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the memory lever includes a memory lever body with a toe projecting therefrom, and the forkbolt includes a forkbolt lever body with a finger projecting therefrom, the finger pressing against the toe and pushing the memory lever to the releasing position when the forkbolt moves from the unlatched to the latched position.

5. The latch mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the detent lever includes a detent lever body with a ramped surface, and the forkbolt includes a forkbolt body with a finger projecting therefrom, the finger pressing against the ramped surface and disengaging the detent lever from the memory lever when the forkbolt moves from the unlatched to the latched position.

6. The latch mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the detent lever includes a detent lever body with a recessed cavity, and the forkbolt includes a forkbolt body with a finger projecting therefrom, the finger seating in the recessed cavity and pressing against the detent lever body when the detent lever is in the locked position and the forkbolt is in the latched position.

7. The latch mechanism of claim 1 , further comprising a housing with a stop shoulder, wherein the memory lever includes a memory lever body rotatably mounted to the housing and including a stop tab projecting therefrom, the stop tab engaging the stop shoulder to thereby limit rotation of the memory lever to the catching position.

8. The latch mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the third axis is substantially perpendicular to the first axis.

9. The latch mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the motor vehicle includes an ajar switch actuable to generate an electronic signal indicating the compartment closure assembly is in the open position, and the detent lever includes a detent lever body with a cam surface, the cam surface being configured to engage and actuate the ajar switch when the detent lever is moved to the unlocked position.

10. The latch mechanism of claim 1 , further comprising a first bias member biasing the detent lever to the locked position.

11. The latch mechanism of claim 10 , further comprising a second bias member biasing the memory lever to the catching position.

12. The latch mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the forkbolt includes a forkbolt body rotatably attached to the vehicle body and defining a throat configured to receive and capture therein the striker attached to the compartment closure assembly.

13. The latch mechanism of claim 1 , further comprising a latch housing configured to mount on the vehicle body of the motor vehicle, the forkbolt, the detent lever, and the memory lever each being rotatably mounted to the latch housing at a respective pivot position.

14. A motor vehicle comprising:
a vehicle body with a compartment;
a compartment closure assembly movably mounted to the vehicle body to transition between an open position, providing access to the compartment, and a closed position, obstructing access to the compartment;
a striker attached to either the vehicle body or the compartment closure assembly;
a release mechanism located within the passenger compartment; and
a latch mechanism, including:
a latch housing mounted to either the compartment closure assembly or the vehicle body;
a forkbolt rotatably mounted to the latch housing to selectively rotate about a first axis between a latched position, whereat the forkbolt engages the striker and thereby latches the compartment closure assembly in the closed position, and an unlatched position, whereat the forkbolt disengages the striker such that the compartment closure assembly is movable to the open position;
a detent lever rotatably mounted to the latch housing adjacent the forkbolt to rotate about a second axis, substantially perpendicular to the first axis, between a locked position, whereat the detent lever engages and locks the forkbolt in the latched position, and an unlocked position, whereat the release mechanism disengages the detent lever from the forkbolt; and
a rigid memory lever rotatably mounted to the latch housing adjacent the detent lever to rotate about a third axis, substantially parallel to the second axis, between a catching position, whereat the memory lever engages and catches the detent lever in the unlocked position, and a releasing position, whereat the memory lever disengages the detent lever,
wherein the forkbolt, when moving from the unlatched position to the latched position, disengages the detent lever from the memory lever and concurrently moves the memory lever from the catching position to the releasing position.

15. A method of assembling a latch mechanism for a compartment closure assembly of a motor vehicle, the compartment closure assembly being movably mounted to a vehicle body of the motor vehicle to transition between an open position and a closed position, the motor vehicle including a striker attached to the vehicle or the compartment closure assembly, the method comprising:
attaching a forkbolt to the motor vehicle to rotate about a first axis between a latched position, whereat the forkbolt engages the striker and thereby latches the compartment closure assembly in the closed position, and an unlatched position, whereat the forkbolt disengages the striker such that the compartment closure assembly is movable to the open position;
attaching a detent lever to the motor vehicle adjacent the forkbolt to rotate about a second axis, substantially perpendicular to the first axis, between a locked position, whe

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc
• Pyeonghwa Automotive

Inventors

• Nelsen James N
• Kim Sung Han

Classifications

• E05B81/14

  operating on bolt detents, e.g. for unlatching the bolt · CPC title

• E05B81/68

  by sensing the position of the detent · CPC title

• E05B85/26 Primary

  Cooperation between bolts and detents · CPC title

• E05B83/24 Primary

  for car bonnets · CPC title