US3583742A

US3583742A - Door latch mechanism

Info

Publication number: US3583742A
Authority: US
Inventors: Stanley Kwasiborski Jr
Original assignee: Motors Liquidation Co
Current assignee: Motors Liquidation Co
Priority date: 1969-08-26
Filing date: 1969-08-26
Publication date: 1971-06-08
Anticipated expiration: 1988-06-08

Abstract

A door latch mechanism for use on a vehicle door provided with a closure latch having a detent movable between holding and released positions with respect to a latch bolt. The door latch is provided with an inside latch release remote handle connected to a remote actuator lever for releasing the detent and an outside pushbutton latch release means connected by a coupling including an intermittent lever to the detent for releasing the detent. An inside operator, such as a garnish button, which is movable to three positions is provided to control the operation of the closure latch. In the first position of the garnish button, both the inside latch release remote handle and the outside pushbutton latch release means are operably connected to the detent, in the second position, the inside latch release remote handle is operably disconnected from the detent and, in the third position, both the inside latch release remote handle and the outside pushbutton latch release means are operatively disconnected from the detent.

Description

United States Patent [72] Inventor Stanley Kwasiborski, Jr.

Hazel Park, Mich. [211 Appl. No. 853,037 [22] Filed Aug. 26, 1969 [45] Patented June 8, 1971 [7 3] Assignee General Motors Corporation Detroit, Mich.

[54] DOOR LATCH MECHANISM 3 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

[5 2] US. Cl

[51 Int. Cl [50] Field of Search [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,287,049 11/1966 Shay 1/1970 Barnett Primary Examiner-James A. Leppink Assistant Examiner-Robert L. Wolfe AttorneysWarren E. Finken and Arthur N. Krein ABSTRACT: A door latch mechanism for use on a vehicle door provided with a closure latch having a detent movable between holding and released positions with respect to a latch bolt. The door latch is provided with an inside latch release remote handle connected to a remote actuator lever for releasing the detent and an outside pushbutton latch release means connected by a coupling including an intermittent lever to the detent for releasing the detent. An inside operator, such as a garnish button, which is movable to three positions is provided to control the operation of the closure latch. In the first position of the garnish button, both the inside latch release remote handle and the outside pushbutton latch release means are operably connected to the detent, in the second position, the inside latch release remote handle is operably disconnected from the detent and, in the third position, both the inside latch release remote handle and the outside pushbutton latch release means are operatively disconnected from the detent.

PATENTED JUN 8|97| 3583742 sum 1 or 2 AT RNEY AT RNEY DOOR LATCH MECHANISM This invention relates to a door latch mechanism and more particularly, to a door latch mechanism for use in a motor vehicle.

Conventionally, vehicle body door latches include an inside operator, such as a garnish button, for disconnecting the inside release means or remote handle. If the inside release means is disconnected with the door in open position, the outside operating means must be operated as the door is closed or the release means is reconnected. Also, the operator sometimes forgets to operate the inside operator when the door is in closed position so that the inside release means remains connected to the detent of the door latch.

In the prior art, it has also been customary to have the inside operator or garnish button movable to two positions, that is, a first position in which both the inside latch release remote handle and the outside pushbutton latch release means are operably connected to the detent of the door latch and a second position in which both the inside latch release remote handle and the outside pushbutton latch release means are operatively disconnected from the detent of the door latch.

It is, therefore, the primary object of this invention to improve a door latch mechanism whereby the inside latch release remote handle can be automatically disconnected from operable relation to the detent of the door latch. Another object of this invention is to provide an improved door latch mechanism whereby the inside latch release remote handle is operatively disconnected from the closure latch each time that the vehicle door is closed.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved door latch mechanism providing keyless locking of the closure latch with alternate positions of the inside operator or garnish button.

In the preferred embodiment of the door latch mechanism of the invention, an actuator lever connected to the inside latch release remote handle is coaxially mounted with a release lever connected to the detent of the closure latch. The release lever is provided with a slot and one end of a connecting link is slideably positioned in the slot in either a position in the path of the actuator lever or out of the path thereof to thereby selectively couple and uncouple the inside latch release remote handle and detent. The primary locking lever of the closure latch, which couples or uncouples the outside pushbutton latch release means and detent, is connected to a secondary locking lever coaxially mounted with a bellcrank that is connected by a stud pin to the opposite end of the connecting link, the stud pin being slideably positioned in a slot of the secondary locking lever. The relative position of the stud pin in the slot of the secondary locking lever is maintained by an overcenter spring coupled between the locking lever and the bellcrank. The bellcrank is connected to the garnish button on the door for selective movement via the garnish button to three positions, the first position of the garnish button operatively connecting both the inside latch release remote handle and the outside pushbutton latch release means to the detent of the closure latch, the second position providing for a disconnection between the inside latch release remote handle and the detent and, the third position providing for both the inside latch release remote handle and the outside pushbutton latch release means to be operatively disconnected from the detent.

For a better understanding of the invention as well as other objects and further features thereof, reference is had to the following detailed description to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a partial side elevational view of a vehicle body embodying a door lock mechanism according to this invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 1 with the garnish button in the up position;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 with the garnish button in the middle position;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2 with the garnish button in the bottom position; and

FIG. 5 is a view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 2.

Referring now particularly to FIG. 1 of the drawings, a vehicle body, designated 10, includes a front door 12 and a rear door 14, the latter hinged at its forward edge 16 to the body for swinging movement between a closed position, as shown, and an open position, not shown. Door 14 is held in closed position by a door latch mechanism according to the invention including generally a door latch assembly 18 and a garnish button assembly 20. The outside operating release means for the door latch 18 includes a fixed outside door handle 22 embodying conventional outside pushbutton latch release means 24 and the inside operating latch release means includes a conventional inside latch release remote handle 26 mounted on the inner panel of the door 14. A conventional door latch, not shown, is also used on the front door and provided with a fixed door handle 22 embodying conventional pushbutton means 24; a conventional key cylinder assembly 28; and a garnish button 30, with this door also hinged'at its forward edge, not shown, for swinging movement.

Generally, the door latch 18 is the same as that shown and described in US. Pat. No. 3,190,682 issued on June 22, 1965, to Robert M. Fox and Edwin H. Klove, Jr., and, accordingly, only those details of the door latch necessary for an understanding of this invention will be specifically illustrated and described herein.

Referring to FIG. 5, the door latch 18 includes a main frame plate 31 and a backplate 32 secured together in spaced relation to each other to support the remaining elements of the door latch assembly. A fork-type latch bolt 33 is swingably mounted on a pivot shaft 34, fixed to plates 31 and 32, for movement between a latched position with respect to a striker 35, as shown, and an unlatched position, not shown. A coiled torsion spring 36 encircling pivot shaft 34 has one leg thereof engaging a notched lateral tab 37 of the latch bolt and the other leg engaging a notched lateral tab 38 of plate 31 in order to continually bias the latch bolt 33 toward its unlatched position.

Latch bolt 33 is held in its latched position against the action of spring 36 by detent 40 swingably mounted on a pivot shaft 41 fixed to plates 31 and 32. Detent 40 includes a shoulder 42 engaging either a shoulder 43 or shoulder 44 of the latch bolt to hold the latch bolt in either a fully latched position, or a partly latched safety position, respectively. A coiled torsion spring 45 encircling pivot shaft 41 has one end thereof engaged under a lanced lateral tab 39 of plate 31 and the other end engaging arm 46 of detent 40 to bias the detent in a counterclockwise direction to engage and retain the latch bolt. Rotational movement of the detent 40 in a counterclockwise direction is limited by engagement of foot 47 of the detent with a rubber bumper 48 mounted on lateral tab 50 of plate 31.

An intermittent member or lever 51 is suitably coupled to an outside operating member, not shown, for actuation by outside pushbutton latch release means 24. The intermittent member is guided for shifting movement and also located with respect to the detent 40 by means of a closed elongated slot 52 therein receiving a lateral bent tab 53 of a primary locking lever 54 which is pivotally mounted on stub shaft 55 fastened to plate 32. The primary locking lever is movable between an unlocked position, as shown, and a locked position slightly clockwise from the position shown by the bifurcated end of a secondary locking lever 56, as described in detail hereinafter, and is held in either its locked or unlocked position by a coil type overcenter spring 49 hooked between the primary locking lever 54 and plate 32.

Detent 40 is pivoted in a clockwise direction, as shown in FIG. 5, to release the latch bolt either by a bifurcated release lever 57 operated by the remote handle 26, as described hereinafter, or by actuation of the outside pushbutton latch release means 24 to shift the intermittent lever 51 upwardly whereby the tab 58 thereon engages the foot 60 of detent 40.

Referring now particularly to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the garnish button assembly 20 includes a garnish button 30 for rear door 14 pivotally connected by rod 61 to one arm of bellcrank 62 which is pivotally mounted on pivot stud 63 suitably secured to door 14. The other arm of bellcrank 62 is connected to a bellcrank 65 through a shiftable rod 64 which is pivotally secured to each of these elements. Bellcrank 65 is swingably supported by a pin 66 fastened to lateral support tabs 67 of plate 32. Also pivotally supported by the pin 66 is a secondary locking lever 56 which has a bifurcated portion straddling an arm of the primary locking lever 54, as previously described. One arm of bellcrank 65 has a stud pin 68 secured thereto which is received within a curved slot 70 formed in the opposite end of secondary locking lever 56, from the bifurcated portion thereof. A coil-type overcenter spring 71 is hooked between an extending arm portion of bellcrank 65 and second locking lever 56 to selectively and alternatively bias the stud pin 68 toward the bottom of the slot 70 in lever 56, as shown in FIG. 2, or to bias this studpin against the upper portion of slot 70 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

A connecting link or rod 72 has the upper end thereof pivotally secured to the stud pin 68 and the lower end thereof provided with a lateral tab 73 which is slideable within an elongated slot 74 in release lever 57. Release lever 57 is pivotally supported by a pivot rod 75 secured to spaced lateral tabs 76 of plate 32 so that the bifurcated end thereof straddles the arm 46 of detent 40. Also pivotally secured to the pivot rod 75 is an actuator lever 77 which is connected by a shiftable rod 78 to a conventional inside latch release remote handle 26, as is well known in the art. Actuator lever 77 is provided with an upturned arm 80 in which path tab 73 of the connecting link 72 may or may not lie, as described hereinafter.

As previously described, the garnish button assembly of the door latch mechanism provides for three positions of the garnish button 30, that is, in a first position or up position as shown in FIG. 2, a second, intennediate or middle position as shown in FIG. 3, and a third position or bottom position as shown in FIG. 4. In the full up position of the garnish button 30, as shown in FIG. 2, the intermittent lever 51 is in the position shown in FIG. wherein the tab 58 thereon underlies the foot 60 of detent 40 so that the detent can be released by the outside pushbutton latch release means 24 operating on the intermittent lever to move it upwards. In the up position of the garnish button 30, the bellcrank 65 is in the position shown in FIG. 2 wherein the stud pin 68 is at the lower end of slot 70 thereby forcing the connecting link 72 downward to a position whereat the tab'73 thereon is at the lower end of slot 74 of release lever 57 directly in the path of movement of the arm 80 of actuator lever 77, so that if the inside latch release remote handle 26 is operated at this time to swing actuator lever 77 counterclockwise, release lever 57 will be rotated in the same direction about the axis of pivot rod 75 to in turn engage arm 46 of detent 40 to pivot the detent in a clockwise direction, as seen in FIG. 5, to release the latch bolt 33. Thus, when the garnish button 30 is in the fully up position, both the outside operating means and the inside operating means of the door latch are operable or in an unlocked condition to effect release of the detent from holding engagement with the latch bolt whereby the latch bolt can be released from either the inside or the outside of the vehicle.

When the garnish button is then moved downward to the second or middle position, shown in FIG. 3, the bellcrank 62 is pivoted clockwise to the position shown in this figure so that the rod 64 will in turn pivot bellcrank 65 in a counterclockwise direction about pin 66 to move the stud pin 68 from the lower end of the slot 70 of secondary locking lever 56 to the upper end thereof. When this occurs, spring 71 will go overcenter to now bias the stud pin 68 into engagement with the upper end of the slot 70 of secondary locking lever 56. Connecting link 72, also connected at one end to stud pin 68, will move upward with the stud pin 68, thus moving tab 73 of connecting link 72 upward in slot 74 of release lever 57 to a position at which it is now out of the path of movement of arm of actuator lever 77 whereby the inside latch release remote handle 26 is now effectively disconnected from the detent, that is, the inside latch release remote handle 26 is now in a freewheeling or locked condition. In this second position of the garnish button, the outside operating means is still in an unlocked or operable condition, but can be locked with the garnish button in this position, as described hereinafter.

If the garnish button is now moved further downward to the third or bottom position shown in FIG. 4, bellcrank 62 is rotated further in a clockwise direction effecting a pivot movement of bellcrank 65 in a counterclockwise direction about pin 66 so that stud pin 68 already engaged at the upper end of slot 70 will drive secondary locking lever 56 in a counterclockwise direction. As the secondary locking lever 56 is thus pivoted to the position shown in FIG. 4, it will rotate primary locking lever 54 clockwise, as seen in FIG. 5, and as this occurs, it will be snapped to a locking position, not shown, due to the force of the overcenter spring 49 to in turn pivot intermittent lever 51 in the same direction to move the tab 58 thereon out of position for engagement with foot 60 of detent 40, effectively disconnecting or locking the outside operating means from the detent. In this mode, the tab 73 of connecting link 72 is moved further up in slot 74 of release lever 57 out of the path of travel of arm 80 of actuator lever 77 so that the inside latch release remote handle 26 is still freewheeling or in locked condition.

Assuming that the door 14 is in an open position and that the garnish button has been pushed to the bottom or third position to thereby effectively shift the primary locking lever 54 to its locking position as described above, and that the door is then closed. As the door is closed, the cam edge of the detent 40, that is, the portion of the detent between the shoulder 42 and foot 60 thereon, will ride up the acrute portion of the latch bolt adjacent to the shoulders 43 and 44 thereon as the bolt swings to its latched position to intermittently swing the detent 40 clockwise as seen in FIG. 5. As the detent 40 swings clockwise, a shoulder 81 of the detent will engage a lateral tab 82 of the intermittent lever 51 to swing the intermittent lever counterclockwise and thereby swing the primary locking lever 54 counterclockwise as shown in FIG. 5 from its locked position to its unlocked position by the engagement between slot 52 of the intermittent lever 51 and the tab 53 of primary locking lever 54. As this occurs, secondary locking lever 56 will be pivoted clockwise to the position shown in FIG. 3 and thereby move the garnish button 30 to the second position. If, pn the other hand, with the door in the open position and the garnish button 30 in the bottom position as just described, and ,then the outside pushbutton latch release means is pressed, keyless locking of the door is accomplished when the door is closed, in the same manner as described in the above identified U.S. Pat. No 3,190,682 issued to Fox et et al. with the garnish button staying in the third position.

The garnish button 30 will also be moved to the second or middle position if the door is closed with the garnish button originally in the first or up position. Thus, if the door is in an open position and the garnish button is then moved to the first or up position, the elements would be positioned as shown in FIG. 2, but as the door is closed, the detent 40 will be intermittently rocked, as previously described, to in turn rotate release lever 57 counterclockwise forcing rod 72 upward and rotating bellcrank 65 via stud pin 68 counterclockwise to the position shown in FIG. 3. Bellcrank 65 is then retained in this position by the biasing action of spring 71 so that as the release lever 57 rotates back clockwise to the normal position shown, tab 73 of rod 72 will ride up the slot 74 of the release lever 57, since rod 72 is now retained in this up position; the result being that the garnish button 30 has now been moved to the second position and all of the remaining elements are positioned as shown in FIG. 3.

Locking of the outside operating means with the garnish button in the second or middle position can also be accomplished, but it is first necessary to depress the garnish button to the bottom or third position and then returning it to the second or middle position after which the outside pushbutton latch release means 24 is depressed and then closing the door. Upon return of the garnish button to the second position from the third position, the bellcrank 65 will be shifted to the position shown for it in FIG. 3 and will be retained in this position due to the force of the overcenter spring 71 but the secondary locking lever 56 will remain in the position shown in FIG. 4 because of the overcenter spring 49. Primary locking lever 54 can then at any time be moved to its unlocked position as shown in FIG. 5 by moving the garnish button to the first or up position.

It is apparent from the above description that in any mode of operation in closing the door, that when the door is in a closed position, the garnish button will be in either the second position or in the third position. Thus, in order to open the door from the inside, it is necessary to reengage the inside latch release remote handle 26, that is, to take it out of the freewheeling position. This is accomplished by moving the garnish button to the first or up position to place the elements in the position shown in FIG. 2. When the inside latch release remote handle 26 is then actuated, unlatching will occur as previously described. In addition, as the release lever 57is rotated counterclockwise to effect the unlatching, rod 72 will be forced upward to in turn rotate bellcrank 65 via stud pin 68 counterclockwise to the position shown in FIG. 3. Bellcrank 65 is then retained in this position by spring 71 so that as the release lever 57 rotates back clockwise to the normal position shown, tab 73 of rod 72 will ride up the slot 74 in release lever 57 to the position shown in FIG. 3. During the abovedescribed rotation of bellcrank 65, the garnish button was moved from the first position to the second position. Thus, the garnish button is always moved to the second position when the door is opened from the inside to place the inside latch release remote handle 26 automatically in a locked or freewheeling condition.

If, however, the garnish button is moved to the first position to effect opening of the door from the inside and then, before the door is opened from the inside, someone opens the door from the outside by operation of the outside pushbutton release means 24, the garnish button will still be automatically moved to the second position. Thus, when the outside pushbutton release means is depressed to effect the release of detent 40 via intermittent lever 51 as previously described, the rotation of detent 40 will cause counterclockwise rotation of release lever 57 with the same result as described above to effect shifting of the garnish button to the second position.

While the invention has been described with reference to the structures disclosed herein, it is not confined to the details set forth since minor changes could be made without departing from the invention. For example, if desired, the bellcrank 62 and pivot stud 63 could be mounted on an extension of backplate 32 rather than being mounted on the door as described. Accordingly, this application is intended to cover such modifications or changes as may come within the purposes of the improvements or the scope of the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a vehicle body having a door, a door lock mounted on the door and including a lock frame, a detent swingably mounted on the frame for movement between holding and released positions with respect to a latch bolt mounted on the frame for movement between latched and unlatched positions, an inside latch release means and an outside latch release means for the door lock mounted on the door, the combination comprising, an inside release lever pivotally mounted on said lock frame and operatively connected to said detent, an actuator lever movably mounted on said frame and operatively connected to said inside latch release means, coupling means mounted on said lock frame connected to said outside latch release means and connectable to said detent, primary locking means mounted on said frame for selectively coupling said coupling means to said detent, secondary locking means positioned to engage said primary locking means, and inside operated garnish button control means operatively connected to said secondary locking means and said inside release lever, said garnish control means being movable from a first position in which said inside latch release means and said outside latch release means are operative to effect release of said detent, to a second position in which only said outside latch release means is operable to effect release of said detent and to a third position in which said inside latch release means and said outside latch release means are inoperable to effect release of said detent; said garnish button control means including an inside operating garnish button mounted for movement from said first position to said second position and to said third position, a bellcrank coaxially mounted on said frame with said secondary locking means and operatively connected to said inside operating garnish button, an overcenter spring connected between said bellcrank and said secondary locking means, link means pivotally connected at one end to said bellcrank and slideably connected to said secondary locking means and at the other end thereof slideably connected to said release lever whereby said other end of said link means is slideable from a first position with respect to said release lever in the path of movement of said actuator lever to a second position out of the path of movement of said actuator lever.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said link means includes pin means at one end thereof connecting said link means to said bellcrank, said secondary locking means having a slot therein to receive said pin to selectively connect said bellcrank to said secondary locking means, a slot in said inside release lever to slideably receive said other end of said link means, movement of the inside release lever by said detent upon movement of said detent by said latch bolt as said latch bolt is moved to said latched position causing said slot in said inside release lever to cam said link means to said second position out of the path of movement of said actuator lever and to position said inside operating garnish button in said second position.

3. In a vehicle body having a door, a door lock mounted on the door and including a lock frame, a detent swingably mounted on the frame for movement between holding and released positions with respect to a latch bolt mounted on the frame for movement between latched and unlatched positions, an inside latch release means and an outside latch release means for the door lock mounted on the door, the combination comprising, an inside release lever pivotally mounted on said lock frame and operatively connected to said detent, an actuator lever pivotally mounted on said frame, means operatively connecting said actuator lever to said inside latch release means, coupling means connected to said outside latch release means, primary locking means mounted on said frame for selectively coupling and uncoupling said coupling means with said detent, secondary locking means positioned to engage and move said primary locking means to effect said coupling and uncoupling, inside operator means mounted for movement between a first position, a second position and a third position, actuator means coupling said inside operator means to said inside release lever and said secondary locking means whereby when said inside operator means is in said first position, said inside latch release means and said outside latch release means are operative to effect release of said detent, when in said second position said outside latch release means is operative to effect release of said detent and when in said third position, both said inside latch release means and said outside latch release means are rendered inoperative to effect release of said detent; said actuator means including crank means mounted on said frame, adjacent said secondary locking means, link means, pin means pivotally connecting one end of said link means to said crank means and slideable with said secondary locking means, the opposite end of said link means being slideably received in a slot in said inside release lever for movement from a first position whereby said actuator lever is operatively connected to said inside release lever to a second position in which said actuator lever is lever to cam said link means to said second position and to effect movement of said inside operator means to said second position of said inside operator means.

Claims

3. In a vehicle body having a door, a door lock mounted on the door and including a lock frame, a detent swingably mounted on the frame for movement between holding and released positions with respect to a latch bolt mounted on the frame for movement between latched and unlatched positions, an inside latch release means and an outside latch release means for the door lock mounted on the door, the combination comprising, an inside release lever pivotally mounted on said lock frame and operatively connected to said detent, an actuator lever pivotally mounted on said frame, means operatively connecting said actuator lever to said inside latch release means, coupling means connected to said outside latch release means, primary locking means mounted on said frame for selectively coupling and uncoupling said coupling means with said detent, secondary locking means positioned to engage and move said primary locking means to effect said coupling and uncoupling, inside operator means mounted for movement between a first position, a second position and a third position, actuator means coupling said inside operator means to said inside release lever and said secondary locking means whereby when said inside operator means is in said first position, said inside latch release means and said outside latch release means are operative to effect release of said detent, when in said second position said outside latch release means is operative to effect release of said detent and when in said third position, both said inside latch release means and said outside latch release means are rendered inoperative to effect release of said detent; said actuator means including crank means mounted on said frame, adjacent said secondary locking means, link means, pin means pivotally connecting one end of said link means to said crank means and slideable with said secondary locking means, the opposite end of said link means being slideably received in a slot in said inside release lever for movement from a first position whereby said actuator lever is operatively connected to said inside release lever to a second position in which said actuator lever is operatively disconnected from said inside release lever and, whereby movement of said detent by said latch bolt moving to said latched position causes movement of said inside release lever to cam said link means to said second position and to effect movement of said inside operator means to said second position of said inside operator means.