Apparatus for heating a door latch

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020370331-A1
Application number	US-201916420647-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 23, 2019
Priority date	May 23, 2019
Publication date	Nov 26, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

An apparatus includes a latch assembly, having a housing and a latch carried in the housing, a heating feature, and a rechargeable battery connected to the heating feature. That heating feature includes a thermoelectric cooler controller and a resistive heating element. The resistance heating element may be a heater film molded to a face of the housing.

First claim

What is claimed:

1 . An apparatus, comprising:
a latch assembly including a housing and a latch carried in said housing; a heating feature at least partially carried on said housing; and a rechargeable battery connected to said heating feature.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said heating feature includes a thermoelectric cooler controller and a resistive heating element.

3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein said resistive heating element is a heater film molded to a face of said housing.

4 . The apparatus of claim 3 , further including a control module controlling operation of said heating feature.

5 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein said control module includes a controller having control logic configured to activate and deactivate said heating feature.

6 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein said control module further includes a latch assembly temperature sensor providing current latch assembly temperature data to said controller.

7 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein said control logic is configured to activate said heating feature in response to said current latch assembly temperature data indicating a first current latch assembly temperature below a first threshold latch assembly temperature.

8 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein said control logic is configured to deactivate said heating feature in response to said current latch assembly temperature data indicating a second current latch assembly temperature above a second threshold latch assembly temperature.

9 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein said first threshold latch assembly temperature is lower than said second threshold latch assembly temperature.

10 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein said first threshold latch assembly temperature is equal to said second threshold latch assembly temperature.

11 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein said control module further includes an outside ambient temperature sensor providing current outside ambient air temperature data to said controller.

12 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein said control logic is configured to activate said heating feature in response to said current outside ambient air temperature data indicating a current outside ambient air temperature below a predetermined outside ambient threshold temperature.

13 . The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein said control logic is configured to activate said heating feature in response to a remote start signal received by said controller from a remote start actuator for a vehicle.

14 . An apparatus, comprising:
a latch assembly including a housing and a latch carried in said housing; and a heating feature including a thermoelectric cooler controller and a resistive heating element wherein said resistive heating element is carried on said housing.

15 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein said resistive heating element is a heater film molded to a face of said housing.

16 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein said housing includes an outer face oriented away from said latch, said heater film being molded to said outer face.

17 . An apparatus, comprising:
a latch assembly including a housing and a latch carried in said housing; and a heating feature including a thermoelectric cooler controller and a resistive heating element wherein said resistive heating element is carried on a face of said housing.

18 . The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein said resistive heating element is a heater film molded to a face of said housing.

19 . The apparatus of claim 18 , further including a control module controlling operation of said heating feature.

20 . The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein said control module includes a controller having control logic configured to activate and deactivate said heating feature in response to changes in current ambient air temperature and changes in current latch assembly temperature.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Dubey Prashant
• Brown Laron Michelle
• Rogers David Manuel
• Papanikolaou Kosta
• Puscas Livianu Dorin

Classifications

• H05B3/00

  Ohmic-resistance heating · CPC title

• E05B85/02

  Lock casings · CPC title

• E05B17/0016 Primary

  Defrosting, e.g. heating devices · CPC title

• H05B1/0236

  for vehicles · CPC title