Fuel filler door actuator assembly with integral kick-out spring

A door assembly comprising:

• a first housing;
• a door pivotably coupled to said first housing for movement between an open position and a closed position, said door having a striker bar with a distal end;
• a latch assembly including a second housing coupled to said first housing, a latch member movable along a first axis from an engaged position wherein said latch member is lockingly engageable with said striker bar when said door is in said closed position to a disengaged position, one of said first housing and said second housing defining a first surface substantially perpendicular to said first axis;
• and
• a spring mounted to said first surface for movement in a plane substantially parallel to said first surface from a non-deflected position to a deflected position in response to engagement with said distal end of said striker bar upon movement of the door from said open position to said closed position, and wherein movement of the latch member from said engaged position toward said disengaged position releases the striker bar from locked engagement therewith such that said spring forcibly urges said door to move from said closed position to said open position.

A door latch assembly for use in opening and closing a fuel filler door that is hinged to a motor vehicle body for movement between open and closed positions, the fuel filler door providing access to an inner chamber having a fuel tank access opening, the fuel filler door including a striker bar extending into the chamber when the door is in the closed position, said door latch assembly comprising:

• a solenoid-actuated latch apparatus contained within the chamber, said solenoid-actuated latch apparatus including a housing having a mounting flange secured to a wall of the chamber, a pole piece and a coil winding surrounding said pole piece, both being fixed within said housing, an armature supported for movement in a first direction relative to said pole piece between a first position when said coil winding is de-energized and a second position when said coil winding is energized, biasing means for normally biasing said armature to said first position, and a latch member coupled for concurrent movement in said first direction with said armature, said latch member lockingly engaging the striker bar when said armature is in said first position and the door is closed for holding the door in the closed position, said latch member releasing the striker bar when said armature is in said second position, said housing having a face substantially perpendicular to said first direction;
• and
• a door biasing mechanism mounted to said face of said housing including a spring that is adapted to deflect in a plane substantially parallel to said face of said housing in response to contact with the striker bar when the door is moved to the closed position, whereby in its deflected condition said spring exerts a biasing load on the striker bar for urging the door to move to an open position away from the vehicle body when said latch member releases the striker bar.

A remotely-actuated solenoid assembly for a door latch system having a hinged door with a striker bar mounted thereto, comprising:

• a housing defining a planar surface;
• a pole piece mounted within said housing;
• an armature movable along an axis substantially perpendicular to said planar surface between an extended position displaced from said pole piece when not attracted to said pole piece and a retracted position when attracted toward said pole piece;
• a solenoid winding surrounding portions of said pole piece and said armature, said solenoid winding operable for attracting said armature to move toward said pole piece when said winding is energized;
• latch means associated with said movable armature for lockingly engaging the striker bar when the door is closed and said armature is in said extended position, said latch means operable for releasably disengaging the striker bar when said armature is in said retracted position;
• a spring mounted to said planar surface of said housing for movement in a plane substantially parallel to said planar surface and for urging the striker bar to move the door a predetermined kick-out distance to an open position;
• and
• means for selectively energizing said solenoid windings.