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US 6,145,918 AGranted
Anti-pinch door lock
AssigneeMeritor Light Vehicle Systems, Inc.
InventorJoseph Allen Wilbanks, II
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for preventing the capturing and pinching of a user within the path of a vehicle door includes a sensor for determining the presence of an obstruction when the door is being closed. When an obstruction is detected, a mechanism is actuated which prevents movement of the door to its fully latched position. In this way, any resultant pinching is minimized.
Claims15
A method of protecting an object in the path of the door, comprising the steps of:
- 1) providing a sensor for determining the presence of an object in the path of a door, and providing an apparatus which is selectively actuated to prevent complete closing of said door;
- 2) sensing the presence of an object in the path of said vehicle door;
- and
- 3) preventing complete closing of said door when an object is detected at step 2, said door including a latch which is selectively driven to lock by an element on a vehicle frame, and preventing movement of said lock latch to a latched position upon the detection of an object in step 2.
1 more element
A door anti-pinch apparatus comprising:
- a sensor for sensing an obstruction in the path of a vehicle door;
- a structure for preventing said vehicle door from being fully closed when said sensor determines that an object is in the path of said door;
- and
- a latching mechanism latching said vehicle door within a frame of a vehicle and said structure preventing latching of said latching mechanism upon the detection of an object, said latch including a claw member which pivots to capture a locking element on a vehicle frame, said claw member being prevented from pivoting to a latch position by said structure upon the detection of an obstruction.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.