US 5,277,461 A · Vehicle door latch

Abstract

A vehicle door latch has a fork bolt lever that is latched by a detent lever. The detent lever is operated by an intermittent lever that is operated by a transfer lever that is actuated by inside and outside door handles via operating levers. The door latch includes with a locking lever that disconnects the door handles from the intermittent lever when it is in the locked position. The door latch also includes an interlock between the intermittent lever and the locking lever that is automatically engaged in response to the position of the detent so that the door latch cannot be locked when the fork bolt lever is in an unlatched position. Consequently the door latch can only be locked when the door is closed and the fork bolt lever is in a latched position. This prevents the driver from locking his or her keys in the vehicle.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A vehicle door latch having a free wheel lock mechanism and an interlock mechanism that prevents engagement of the free wheel lock mechanism when the vehicle door latch is in an unlatched condition comprising;

a fork bolt that is moveable between a latched position and an unlatched position, the fork bolt having a latch shoulder that is engaged by a detent to hold it in the latched position and a conformation that engages and repositions the detent when it is in the unlatched position,
an intermittent member that is positioned by the detent and operatively connected to the detent for disengaging the detent from the latch shoulder of the fork bolt,
a moveable locking member that is moveable relative to the intermittent member and operatively connected to the intermittent lever for moving the intermittent member between an unlocked position and a locked position, and
an interlock conformation on one of the intermittent member and the locking member that limits movement of the intermittent member relative to the locking member when the detent engages the conformation of the fork bolt so that the locking member cannot move the intermittent member to the locked position when the fork bolt is in the unlatched position.

1 more element

a fork bolt lever that is rotatable between a latched position and an unlatched position and that has a radially projecting foot,
a detent lever that is rotatable between a first position holding the fork bolt lever in the latched position and a second position engaging the radially projecting foot of the fork bolt lever when the fork bolt lever is in the unlatched position,
an intermittent lever that is pivoted on and positioned by the detent lever,
a locking lever that is rotatable between an unlocked position and a locked position and that is connected to the intermittent lever by an arrangement that allows these two parts to translate and pivot with respect to each other, and
an integral interlock projection on one of the intermittent lever and the locking lever that limits movement of the intermittent lever with respect to the locking lever when the detent lever is in the second position so that the locking lever cannot be rotated to the locked position when the fork bolt lever is in the unlatched position.

2 more elements

a fork bolt lever that is rotatable between a latched position and an unlatched position and that has a radially projecting foot,
a detent lever that is rotatable between a first position holding the fork bolt lever in the latched position and a second position engaging the radially projecting foot of the fork bolt lever when the fork bolt lever is in the unlatched position,
an intermittent lever that is pivoted on and positioned by the detent lever,
a locking lever that is rotatable between an unlocked position and a locked position and that is connected to the intermittent lever by an arrangement that allows these two parts to translate and pivot with respect to each other,
the intermittent lever being lowered with respect to the locking lever by the detent lever when the detent lever rotates from the first position to the second position, and
an integral interlock projection on one of the intermittent lever and the locking lever that limits movement of the intermittent lever with respect to the locking lever when the detent lever is in the second position so that the locking lever cannot be rotated to the locked position when the fork bolt lever is in the unlatched position.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Vehicle door latch

Life of this patent

Vehicle door latch

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims15