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US 12,221,817 B2Granted
Door latch assembly
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsDylan Mandelbaum, Siddharthan Selvasekar, Sydney Puckett, Andres Almeida Senatore, Michael Steven Medoro
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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.
Claims12
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.
12 more elements
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.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.