초록 ▼

The latch includes a ratchet and pawl operable to move between an engaged position to hold a striker and a released position to permit the striker from exiting the latch. In addition, a release lever and a lock lever are pivotally mounted to the opposite surface of the latch housing. A lock link lev

The latch includes a ratchet and pawl operable to move between an engaged position to hold a striker and a released position to permit the striker from exiting the latch. In addition, a release lever and a lock lever are pivotally mounted to the opposite surface of the latch housing. A lock link lever connects the release lever to the lock lever, having a first end pivotally mounted to the lock lever and a second end slidably located in a slot on the release lever. Actuating the release lever while the second end of the lock link lever is in its locked position pivots the lock link lever in a first arc and actuating the release lever while the lock link lever is in its unlocked position pivots the lock link lever in a second arc to actuate the pawl into its released position.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A latch for an automotive door, comprising: a housing;a ratchet and pawl mounted to the housing, the ratchet and pawl cooperatively operable to move between an engaged position operable to hold a striker and a released position;a release lever, pivotally mounted to the housing, and having a slot;

1. A latch for an automotive door, comprising: a housing;a ratchet and pawl mounted to the housing, the ratchet and pawl cooperatively operable to move between an engaged position operable to hold a striker and a released position;a release lever, pivotally mounted to the housing, and having a slot;a lock link lever, the lock link lever having first and second ends, the first end being operatively coupled to the pawl and the second end being slidably retained in the release lever slota lock lever pivotally mounted to the housing and operable to move between a locked and an unlocked position, the first end of the lock link lever being connected to the lock lever via a lost motion connection and moveable between a biased coupled position, wherein moving the lock lever between the locked and unlocked positions effects a corresponding movement in the lock link lever between its locked and unlocked position, and an uncoupled position, wherein the second end of the of lock link lever is in the locked position and moving the lock lever does not effect corresponding movement of the lock link lever to the unlocked position;a motor connected to the lock link lever via a gear system so that in response to a first state of an electrical signal the motor operatively decouples the first end of the lock link lever from the pawl and in respond to a second state of the electrical signal the motor does not interfere with the first end of the lock link. 2. The latch of claim 1, further including an outside lock lever, pivotally mounted to the lock lever, and movable between a locked and an unlocked position, and wherein pivoting the outside lock lever into one of the locked and unlocked positions moves the lock lever into the corresponding one of the locked and unlocked positions. 3. The latch of claim 2, wherein moving the outside lock lever into the unlocked position while the first end of the lock link lever is in the uncoupled position causes the first end of the lock link lever to move to the coupled position. 4. The latch according to claim 1, wherein: said housing has a first and second surface, the first surface having a channel adapted to receive the striker;each of the ratchet and pawl are pivotally mounted to the first surface with a portion of the pawl extending through an opening in the housing to the second surface, the ratchet and pawl cooperatively operable to move between an engaged position to hold the striker in the channel, and a released position to permit the striker from exiting the channel, the ratchet and pawl further being biased towards the engaged position;said release lever is pivotally mounted to the second surface of the housing; andsaid lock lever is pivotally mounted to the second surface of the housing. 5. The latch of claim 4, wherein the latch further includes a latch cover in a fit engagement with a perimeter of the housing, thereby covering the second side of the housing. 6. The latch of claim 5, wherein the latch further includes an inside release lever pivotally mounted to the latch cover and operable to be connected to an inside door handle and kinematically coupled to the release lever so that actuating the inside release lever actuates the release lever. 7. The latch of claim 5, wherein the latch further includes an outside release lever pivotally mounted to the latch housing and operable to be connected to an outside door, the outside release lever being kinematically coupled to the release lever so that actuating the outside release lever actuates the release lever. 8. The latch of claim 5, wherein the latch further includes an inside lock lever mounted to the latch cover and pivotal between a locked and an unlocked position, the inside lock lever being kinematically connected to the lock lever so that moving one of the inside lock lever and the lock lever to either the locked or unlocked position move the other of the inside lock lever and the lock lever to the same position. 9. The latch of claim 8, wherein the latch further includes a toggle spring biasing the inside lock lever towards the nearest of the locked and unlocked positions. 10. The latch of claim 5, wherein the ratchet and pawl are operable to cooperatively move to a secondary engagement position operable to retain a striker between the engagement position and the released position. 11. The latch of claim 10, wherein a plurality of switch sensors are mounted within the latch cover. 12. The latch of claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of switch sensors is activated by a switch cam that is pivotally mounted to a ratchet rivet that pivots in tandem with the ratchet. 13. The latch of claim 12, when the plurality of switch sensors includes at least one of an outside lock switch, an outside unlock switch, a door ajar switch, and a door open switch. 14. The latch of claim 13, wherein the switch cam includes a lockout tab extending out radially from the ratchet rivet so that when the ratchet is in its released position, the lockout tab blocks the lock lever from pivoting from its unlocked to its locked position. 15. The latch of claim 1, wherein the first end of the lock link lever includes a depending tab that is retained within a slot located in the lock lever and is slidable between a first and a second position within the slot, the first position defining said coupled position and the second position defining said uncoupled position, and whereby sliding the depending tab into the second position moves the second end of the lock link lever into the locked position. 16. The latch of claim 15, wherein the depending tab on the first end of the lock link lever is biased towards the first position by a spring. 17. The latch of claim 16, wherein the outside lock lever is operable to move the depending tab on the first end of the lock link lever from the first position into the second position when pivoted into the locked position. 18. The latch of claim 17, wherein the motor is a first motor and the latch further includes a second motor and at least one gear interconnecting the second motor to a switch cam, the switch cam operable to pivot the lock lever between the locked and unlocked positions, so that activating the second motor pivots the lock lever from one of the locked and unlocked positions into the other of the locked and unlocked positions. 19. The latch of claim 17, wherein the latch further includes at least one gear interconnecting the motor and a deadbolt arm, the deadbolt arm operable to move the depending tab on the first end of the lock link lever between the first and second positions in the slot on the lock lever, so that activating the motor moves the depending tab from one of the first and second positions into the other of the first and second positions. 20. The latch of claim 19, wherein pivoting the outside lock lever into the unlocked position moves the deadbolt arm away from the first end of the lock link lever so that the depending tab on the first end of the lock link lever returns to the first position. 21. The latch of claim 15, wherein the latch further includes a power release actuator, the power release actuator including a power release motor operable to be engaged by an electrical signal; a cam, rotatably driven by an output on the power release motor; a pawl engage lever, operatively connected to the cam, and extending outwards towards the pawl; and wherein activating the power release motor translates the position of the pawl engage lever so that the pawl engage lever actuates the pawl, thereby releasing the latch. 22. The latch of claim 21, wherein the pawl engage lever is selectively operable to actuate the pawl, the pawl engage lever being pivotally mounted to a set of linkages that is pivotally mounted to the cam, the set of linkages being movable between an engage position where the pawl engage lever abut against and is operable to actuate the pawl, and a bypass position wherein the pawl engage lever is displaced away from the pawl and so is inoperable to actuate the pawl. 23. The latch of claim 22, wherein the set of linkages is further operatively connected to the outside release lever so that moving the outside release lever from its resting position to its actuated position moves the set of linkages to the engage position, and that returning the outside release lever to its resting position moves the set of linkages to the bypass position. 24. The latch of claim 23, wherein the latch further includes: at least one gear interconnecting the motor and a deadbolt arm, the deadbolt arm operable to move the depending tab on the first end of the lock link lever between the first and second positions in the slot on the lock lever, so that activating the motor moves the depending tab from one of the first and second positions into its other of the first and second positions; and an override rod operatively connecting the set of linkages to the at least one gear interconnecting the motor and the deadbolt arm so that engaging the power release motor moves the at least one gear to move the deadbolt arm into second position. 25. A latch, comprising: a housing;a ratchet and pawl mounted to the housing, the ratchet and pawl cooperatively operable to move between an engaged position operable to hold a striker and a released position;an outside release lever, pivotally mounted to the housing;a power release actuator operable to release the pawl in response to a state of an electrical signal, the power release actuator including a power release motor, a cam rotatably driven by an output on the power release motor, and a pawl engage lever operatively connected to the cam and extending outwards towards the pawl;the pawl engage lever being pivotally mounted to a set of linkages that is pivotally mounted to the cam, the set of linkages being movable between an engage position where the pawl engage lever abuts against and is operable to actuate the pawl, and a bypass position wherein the pawl engage lever is displaced away from the pawl and so is inoperable to actuate the pawlwherein the set of linkages is further operatively connected to the outside release lever so that moving the outside release lever from its resting position to its actuated position moves the set of linkages to the engage position, and returning the outside release lever to its resting position moves the set of linkages to the bypass position;wherein activating the power release motor translates the position of the pawl engage lever so that the pawl actuates the pawl when the set of linkages is in the engage position, thereby releasing the latch. 26. The latch of claim 25, wherein the ratchet and pawl remain in the engaged position if the power release actuator is accidentally triggering while in the default state. 27. The latch of claim 26, further including: a lock lever mounted to the housing and operable to move between a locked and an unlocked position;a lock link lever, kinematically coupled to the lock lever and operable to move between a corresponding locked and unlocked position when the lock lever moves between its respective locked and unlocked positions, the lock link lever operable to actuate the pawl when actuated from its unlocked position;a release lever, pivotally mounted to the housing; and operable to actuate the lock link lever;a double lock motor connected to the lock link lever by at least one gear so that the double lock motor is operable to kinematically decouples the lock link lever from the lock lever and kinematically recouple the lock link lever to the lock lever;an override rod operatively connecting the power release actuator to the at least one gear so that engaging the power release actuator moves the at least one gear and returns lock link lever to its unlocked position. 28. The latch of claim 27, wherein: the at least one gear includes a deadbolt arm operable to move a depending tab on a first end of the lock link lever between a first position and a second positions in a slot on the lock lever, so that activating the double lock motor moves the depending tab from one of its first and second positions into its other of its first and second positions; and the override rod operatively connects the set of linkages to the at least one gear interconnecting the double lock motor and the deadbolt arm so that engaging the power release motor moves the deadbolt arm into its second position. 29. The latch of claim 28, wherein the electric signal is an RF signal transmitted from a key fob.