Trimark Corporation

Brandon L Hemann

Robert W Donaldson

Tom Foster Sonnek

Dennis J Zweibohmer

A heavy vehicle door or ramp is opened and closed using an intuitive control system. The door includes a latch assembly, a lock assembly, and a power unit to assist in opening and closing the door. The door includes an interior joy stick handle and an exterior lever handle. From outside the vehicle, the door is opened and closed by pivoting the lever handle downwardly and upwardly, respectively. From the interior of the vehicle, the joy stick handle is pulled inwardly to close the door and pushed outwardly to open the door. Pivoting the joystick handle forwardly engages the blast locks, while pivoting the joystick handle rearwardly unlatches the latch assembly and disengages the blast locks. The power assist unit is actuated by pivotal movement of the outside door handle and lateral pivotal movement of the interior joystick handle.

Intuitive control system for power assisted vehicle doors

An assembly is provided for opening a heavy weight door, such as on a military vehicle, by an occupant in the vehicle. The assembly includes a latch module with a catch and rotor adapted to engage and disengage the striker on the door frame, a blast lock module including a pawl adapted to engage and disengage the door frame, and a release handle module with a single interior handle for controlling the engagement and disengagement of the latch and blast lock modules. The three modules are pre-assembled on a carrier plate so as to form a rigid, unitary assembly for mounting on the inside of the door. When a person chooses to exit the vehicle, the handle is actuated so as to retract the blast lock and then release the latch. When the door is closed, a person inside the vehicle can actuate the handle so as to engage the blast lock for safety.

Unitary latch, blast lock, and release handle assembly for vehicle door

A heavy vehicle door or ramp is opened and closed using an intuitive control system. The door includes a latch assembly, a lock assembly, and a power unit to assist in opening and closing the door. The door includes an interior joy stick handle and an exterior lever handle. From outside the vehicle, the door is opened and closed by pivoting the lever handle downwardly and upwardly, respectively. From the interior of the vehicle, the joy stick handle is pulled inwardly to close the door and push outwardly to open the door. Pivoting the joystick handle forwardly engages the blast locks, while pivoting the joystick handle rearwardly unlatches the latch assembly and disengages the blast locks. The power assist unit is actuated by pivotal movement of the outside door handle and lateral pivotal movement of the interior joystick handle. Perimeter bump strips offer safety functions to prevent injuries when remote function is active.

A heavy duty vehicle door latch assembly is provided with interconnected latch, release, and bell crank modules to form a single, pre-assembled unit for quick and easy installation on the inside of a vehicle door. The modular design allows for application to multiple door layouts and arrangements. The release module includes a locking mechanism using a lever rod to disallow latch component movement. A release lever interfaces with the lock lever to automatically unlock and release the latch in a single motion. A lockout feature is also provided to prevent accidental locking of the door.

Heavy duty door latch and release modules

A door latch and striker combination for a vehicle door is provided with a pivotal cam on the striker assembly of the door frame so as to overcome misalignment between the latch assembly and striker assembly. When the door is moved from an open position to the closed position, the latch housing engages the cam, which pivots over center as the door closure continues, thereby lifting the latch assembly and door into proper alignment with the striker bolt on the door frame, such that the door can be closed. The cam is spring biased to an initial position with an inclined upper surface. The cam supports the latch assembly while the door is closed, and allows the latch assembly to slide over the upper cam surface when the door is opened.

Growing community of inventors

New Hampton, IA, United States of America

Brandon L Hemann