Adjunct actuator for vehicle door lock

An adjunct vehicle lock actuator comprising:

• a frame having a pin extending perpendicularly thereto defining an axis of rotation and a member fixed to said frame and defining an arc centered on said axis of rotation;
• an electric motor mounted upon said frame;
• a sector gear operatively driven by said motor and rotatable between a sector gear lock position, a sector gear unlock position, and a neutral position therebetween, said sector gear being slidingly mounted upon said member and engaging an arcuate portion of said member so as to be constrained to arcuate motion by said member about said axis of rotation;
• a carriage mounted on said pin and pivotal relative to said frame about said axis of rotation between a carriage lock position and a carriage unlock position, said carriage connected to said sector gear by a lost motion connection permitting said carriage to move between said carriage lock and carriage unlock positions when said sector gear is in said neutral position, and requiring said carriage to be in said carriage lock position when said sector gear is in said sector gear lock position and requiring said carriage to be in said carriage unlock position when said sector gear is in said sector gear unlock position;
• and
• a spring operatively connected to said sector gear which urges said sector gear toward said neutral position, and drives said sector gear to said neutral position when said motor is deenergized.

An adjunct vehicle lock actuator comprising:

• an output arm adapted to be connected to a vehicle lock and movable between a lock position in which the vehicle lock is locked and an unlock position in which the vehicle lock is unlocked;
• a sector gear operatively connected to said output arm and movable on a path to move said output arm between said lock and unlock positions;
• a worm gear member having a worm at a first end thereof which meshes with said sector gear and having a second gear at a second end thereof, said worm gear member being rotatable about a first axis of rotation;
• a gear member having a first gear at a first end thereof and a second gear at a second end thereof which meshes with said second gear of said worm gear member, said gear member being rotatable about a second axis of rotation parallel to said first axis of rotation, said gear member being disposed on the same side of said first axis of rotation as said sector gear such that said second axis of rotation can be extended into the path of movement of said sector gear;
• and
• a motor having a shaft defining a third axis of rotation and having a drive gear fixed thereto, said drive gear meshing with said first gear of said gear member, said third axis of rotation forming an angle with said second axis of rotation of between 45 and 75 degrees.

A vehicle lock actuator comprising:

• an output arm adapted to be connected to a vehicle lock for locking and unlocking said vehicle lock;
• a gear operatively connected to said output arm and movable between a lock position in which said vehicle lock is locked, an unlock position in which said vehicle lock is unlocked, and a neutral position therebetween;
• a motor operatively connected to said gear for moving said gear;
• and
• a spring positioned for moving said gear from said lock position to said neutral position and from said unlock position to said neutral position, wherein said spring is not subject to a preload when said gear is in said neutral position.

A vehicle lock actuator comprising:

• a motor having an output shaft;
• a gear operatively connected to said output shaft;
• a carriage engagable with said gear;
• an output arm connected to said carriage and adapted to be connected to a vehicle lock, said output arm being movable between a lock position in which said vehicle lock is locked and an unlock position in which said vehicle lock is unlocked;
• and
• a guide member defining an arc and engaging portions of said gear to constrain said engaged portions of said gear to motion along said arc;
• wherein said carriage is engaged with said gear during operation of said vehicle lock actuator, such that operation of said vehicle lock actuator causes movement of said output shaft of said motor, said gear, said carriage, and said output arm, to move said output arm between said lock position and said unlock position;
• and wherein said carriage is disengaged from said gear during manual operation of said vehicle lock, such that manual operation of said vehicle lock causes movement of said output arm and said carriage, but does not cause movement of said gear and said output shaft of said motor.

An adjunct vehicle lock actuator comprising:

• an output arm adapted to be connected to a vehicle lock and movable between a lock position in which the vehicle lock is locked and an unlock position in which the vehicle lock is unlocked;
• a sector gear operatively connected to said output arm and movable on a path to move said output arm between said lock and unlock positions;
• a worm gear member having a worm at a first end thereof which meshes with said sector gear and having a second gear at a second end thereof, said worm gear member being rotatable about a first axis of rotation;
• a gear member having a first gear at a first end thereof and a second gear at a second end thereof which meshes with said second gear of said worm gear member, said gear member being rotatable about a second axis of rotation parallel to said first axis of rotation, said gear member being disposed on the same side of said first axis of rotation as said sector gear such that said second axis of rotation can be extended into the path of movement of said sector gear;
• and
• a motor having a shaft defining a third axis of rotation and having a drive gear fixed thereto, said drive gear meshing with said first gear of said gear member, said third axis of rotation forming an angle with said second axis of rotation.