Door latch assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12221817-B2
Application number	US-202017003225-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 26, 2020
Priority date	Aug 26, 2020
Publication date	Feb 11, 2025
Grant date	Feb 11, 2025

Abstract

A latch feature for a door is disclosed herein. The latch feature includes an input body that is operable to move linearly between first and second positions relative to the door. The latch feature also includes an output body. The output body is coupled to the input body by a pivot member that is configured to pivot relative to the output body and the input body to allow the output body to move linearly toward the input body from an outboard position to an inboard position as the input body moves from the first position to the second position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A door latch assembly, comprising:
a door operable between open and closed positions;
a housing coupled to the door; and
a latch feature coupled to the housing and operable, if the door is in the closed position, between an engaged condition, wherein the latch feature is engaged with a receiver to retain the door in the closed position, and a disengaged condition, the door being pivotably coupled to a center console of a vehicle and configured to provide access to a receptacle of the center console in the open position, wherein the receiver is coupled to the center console, the latch feature comprising:
an input body operably coupled to the housing and movable between first and second positions relative to the housing, wherein movement of the input body between the first and second positions is constrained to generally linear movement by the housing; and
an output body coupled to the input body by at least one pivot member configured to pivot to allow the output body to move toward the input body from an outboard position to an inboard position as the input body moves from the first position to the second position, wherein movement of the output body from the outboard position to the inboard position is constrained to generally linear movement by the housing and prompts the latch feature to enter the disengaged condition if the door is in the closed position,

wherein the at least one pivot member comprises:
a proximal living hinge coupled to the input body; and
a leaf coupled to the proximal living hinge and extending to a distal living hinge coupled to the output body, wherein the leaf is configured to pivot relative to the input body via the proximal living hinge and pivot relative to the output body via the distal living hinge to accommodate the linear movement of the output body from the outboard position to the inboard position, and

wherein the housing comprises:
at least one guide feature configured to abut the output body, such that movement of the output body from the outboard position to the inboard position is constrained by the guide feature to linear movement; and
a brace feature that abuts the leaf of the at least one pivot member and exerts a force on the leaf as the input body moves toward the second position to induce pivotal movement of the leaf relative to the input body via the proximal living hinge.

2. The door latch assembly of claim 1 , wherein the input body includes an engagement surface configured to be pushed by a user to move the input body from the first position to the second position.

3. The door latch assembly of claim 1 , wherein the linear movement of the input body from the first position to the second position is generally perpendicular to the linear movement of the output body from the outboard position to the inboard position.

4. The door latch assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one pivot member comprises:
a plurality of pivot members that couple the input body to the output body.

5. The door latch assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one pivot member is configured to bias the input body toward the first position and the output body toward the outboard position.

6. The door latch assembly of claim 1 , wherein the output body comprises a pawl configured to engage the receiver in the outboard position of the output body.

7. The door latch assembly of claim 1 , wherein the input body is integrally coupled to the at least one pivot member and the at least one pivot member is integrally coupled to the output body.

8. A latch feature, comprising:
an input body operable to move linearly relative to a housing between first and second positions;
at least one first pivot member, comprising:
a first proximal living hinge coupled to the input body; and
a first leaf coupled to the first proximal living hinge and extending outward to a first distal living hinge; and

a first output body coupled to the first distal living hinge and operable to move linearly toward the input body from an outboard position to an inboard position as the input body moves from the first position to the second position, wherein the first leaf is configured to pivot relative to the input body via the first proximal living hinge and pivot relative to the first output body via the first distal living hinge to accommodate the linear movement of the first output body, wherein the first leaf abuts a brace feature of the housing as the input body moves toward the second position, and wherein the abutment between the brace feature and the first leaf is configured to induce pivotal movement of the first leaf relative to the input body via the first proximal living hinge.

9. The latch feature of claim 8 , wherein the movement of the input body from the first position to the second position is generally perpendicular to the movement of the first output body from the outboard position to the inboard position.

10. The latch feature of claim 8 , further comprising:
at least one second pivot member, comprising:
a second proximal living hinge coupled to the input body; and
a second leaf coupled to the second proximal living hinge of the at least one second pivot member and extending outward to a second distal living hinge; and

a second output body coupled to the second distal living hinge and operable to move linearly toward the input body from an outboard position to an inboard position as the input body moves from the first position to the second position, wherein the second leaf is configured to pivot relative to the input body via the second proximal living hinge and pivot relative to the second output body via the second distal living hinge to accommodate the linear movement of the second output body, and wherein the first and second output bodies move nearer to each other as the first and second output bodies move from the respective outboard positions to the respective inboard positions.

11. The latch feature of claim 8 , wherein the at least one first pivot member comprises:
a plurality of first pivot members that extend between the input body and the first output body.

12. The latch feature of claim 8 , wherein the first proximal and distal living hinges are configured to elastically deform with movement of the input body from the first position to the second position and movement of the first output body from the outboard position to the inboard position and are configured to resiliently bias the input body from the second position toward the first position and the first output body from the inboard position toward the outboard position.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Mandelbaum Dylan
• Selvasekar Siddharthan
• Puckett Sydney
• Senatore Andres Almeida
• Medoro Michael Steven

Classifications

• E05B83/28 Primary

  Locks for glove compartments, console boxes, fuel inlet covers or the like · CPC title

• E05C9/04

  with two sliding bars moved in opposite directions when fastening or unfastening · CPC title

• E05Y2600/46

  in or on the wing · CPC title

• E05Y2201/686

  Rods, links · CPC title

• B60R7/04 Primary

  in driver or passenger space {, e.g. using racks (B60R7/005, B60R7/08 take precedence)} · CPC title