Modular electrical circuit carrier for vehicle latch and vehicle latch with modular electrical circuit carrier
AssigneeInteva Products, LLC
InventorsDaniel Alexander Ney, Adam Mather, Donald Michael Perkins
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A modular electrical circuit carrier (ECC) configured to be directly secured to an exterior surface of a vehicle latch housing, the modular electrical circuit carrier (ECC) including: a housing; a printed circuit board located within the housing, the printed circuit board having a connector configured for securement with a wire harness connector and a series of connectors, wherein the printed circuit board includes a microprocessor capable of operating as a latch controller, wherein the housing and the series of connectors are configured for direct securement to the exterior surface of the vehicle latch housing.
Claims18
A modular electrical circuit carrier configured to be directly secured to an exterior surface of a vehicle latch housing associated with a vehicle latch, the exterior surface of the vehicle latch housing enclosing components of the vehicle latch, the modular electrical circuit carrier comprising:
- a housing;
- a printed circuit board located within the housing, the printed circuit board having a connector configured for securement with a wire harness connector and a series of connectors, wherein the printed circuit board includes a microprocessor capable of operating as a latch controller, wherein the housing and the series of connectors are configured for direct securement to the exterior surface of the vehicle latch housing, the series of connectors of the printed circuit board interfacing with complementary terminals or connectors of the vehicle latch when the modular electrical circuit carrier is secured to the exterior surface of the vehicle latch housing;
- and
- wherein the modular electrical circuit carrier is detachably connected to the exterior surface of the vehicle latch housing, to convert the vehicle latch associated with the vehicle latch housing from a non-electronic latch to an electronic latch.
In combination, a vehicle latch and a modular electrical circuit carrier configured to be directly secured to an exterior surface of a housing of the vehicle latch, the exterior surface of the housing of the vehicle latch enclosing components of the vehicle latch, the modular electrical circuit carrier comprising:
- a housing;
- a printed circuit board located within the housing, the printed circuit board having a connector configured for securement with a wire harness connector and a series of connectors, wherein the printed circuit board includes a microprocessor capable of operating as a latch controller, wherein the housing and the series of connectors are configured for direct securement to the exterior surface of the housing of the vehicle latch, the series of connectors of the printed circuit board interfacing with complementary terminals or connectors of the vehicle latch when the modular electrical circuit carrier is secured to the exterior surface of the vehicle latch housing;
- and
- wherein the vehicle latch is a common latch design configured for use as a non-electronic-latch without the electrical circuit carrier and the vehicle latch is converted to an electronic-latch when the electrical circuit carrier is secured thereto.
A method of converting a non-electronic-latch for a vehicle into an electronic-latch for a vehicle, comprising:
- providing the non-electronic-latch;
- providing a modular electrical circuit carrier configured to be detachably secured to an exterior surface of a housing of the non-electronic-latch, the exterior surface of the housing of the non-electronic-latch enclosing components of the non-electronic-latch, the modular electrical circuit carrier including:
- a housing;
- a printed circuit board located within the housing, the printed circuit board having a connector configured for securement with a wire harness connector and a series of connectors, wherein the printed circuit board includes a microprocessor capable of operating as a latch controller, wherein the housing and the series of connectors are configured for direct securement to the exterior surface of the housing of the non-electronic-latch, the series of connectors of the printed circuit board interfacing with complementary terminals or connectors of the non-electronic latch when the modular electrical circuit carrier is secured to the exterior surface of the non-electronic-latch;
- and
- converting the non-electronic latch to an electronic latch when the modular electrical circuit carrier is detachably secured to the exterior surface of the housing of the non-electronic-latch.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.