Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Magna Closures Inc.

James Joseph Loschiavo

Venkatesh Krishnan

Kosta Papanikolaou

Bhupendra A Patel

Venky Krishnan

Marcus Edward Merideth

Krystof Peter Jankowski

Mahmoud Yousef Ghannam

Wieslaw S Zaydel

Kelly Michael Kohlstrand

David A Dean

Patricia Tibbenham

James Lee Salmon

Igor Pereverzev

Quang Vinh Nguyen

Michael King Lam

Richard Kollar

Lynn DaDeppo

Kostandinos D Papanikolaou

Bhupandra Patel

Robert E Tait

Raymond E Zeller

Timothy O Goodchild

David Vern Cieglo

Carsten C Buettner

A vehicle passive entry side door latch release system engageable with a release cable connected a door latch. The door latch release system may include a movable linkage assembly engageable with the release cable, a motor including an output shaft having a pinion engageable with a rack affixed to or formed with the linkage assembly to move the release cable to unlatch the door latch, and an electronic control unit for controlling the motor. The electronic control unit may operate the motor upon receiving an actuation signal. The invention also provides a vehicle including the door latch release system described above, and various embodiments thereof.

Passive entry side door latch release system

In a first aspect, the invention is directed to a closure latch for a vehicle closure panel, having at least three lock states all of which are achieved using a single control member. The control member may be movable to at least three positions to achieve the lock states. A single motor may be used to move the control member between the positions. In a second aspect, the invention is directed to a closure latch that is movable to a safety locking position, wherein the inside and outside door levers are disabled and wherein the pawl is prevented from releasing the ratchet. The safety locking position may be used when the vehicle controller senses an impending crash or that a crash is occurring as a way of inhibiting inadvertent opening of the vehicle closure panel (e.g. a vehicle door). After the crash, if it is desired to exit the vehicle, structure may be provided that permits an occupant to move the inside door lever once to move the pawl blocking member to the pawl unblocking position and a second time to open the vehicle closure panel.

Safety locking device for vehicle door

A passive entry system for an vehicle door requires no active operator input to gain entrance to the vehicle. A door module recognizes the signal transmitted by an authorized key fob to identify the operator of the vehicle. The authentication of the operator coupled with the operator touching a sensor on the door to be opened actuates a release actuator that unlatches the selected door. The spring-load provided by the door seal will pop the door open from the closed position. A key cylinder, which can be located substantially anywhere on the door, is coupled mechanically to the release latch for use if the battery is weak and cannot activate the release actuator. An LED signals the state of the opening sequence for the door. The fixed door handle can incorporate a membrane switch or a capacitive sensor to indicate the selection of the door by the operator when touched.

Passive entry system for automotive vehicle doors

An improved latch assembly () is provided for securing a vehicle door () in a closed position. Specifically, in one embodiment, the improved latch assembly () is intended to secure a first door fastener () to an opposing second door fastener () when the vehicle door () is subjected to a substantial acceleration. In this embodiment, the improved latch assembly () includes a release lever () coupled to the first door fastener (). This release lever () is intended to selectively disengage the first door fastener () from the opposing second door fastener () thereby releasing the vehicle door () from its closed position. The Improved latch assembly () further includes an inertia-actuated detent lever () that is intended to block a predetermined path of the release lever () and prevent the release lever () from unlatching the vehicle door () from its closed position.

Latch assembly for a vehicle door

A vehicle passive entry side door latch release system engageable with a release cable connected a door latch includes a moveable linkage assembly engageable with the cable, and a motor including an output shaft engaged with a tensioning gear for driving a ratcheting gearwheel rotatably affixed to a coil spring, with the gearwheel including external teeth engageable with a rack affixed to the linkage to move the cable to unlatch the door latch. A pivotable ratcheting pawl may be engageable with the gearwheel to allow or prevent rotation of the gearwheel. Operation of the motor may drive the gear to drive the gearwheel in a rotary direction to energize the spring, and disengagement of the pawl from the gearwheel may allow stored energy in the spring to drive the gearwheel in an opposite rotary direction to thereby drive the rack to move the cable to unlatch the door latch.

A blocking apparatus is cooperable with the latch lever of a vehicle door latching mechanism to prevent the latch lever from moving during a crash event, which prevents the latching mechanism from allowing the vehicle door to open. The blocking apparatus includes a housing supporting a linearly movable plunger engagable with a cam surface on the latch lever and a blocking member pivotally mounted for movement between a normal position and a blocking position. The blocking member moves into the blocking position due to the imposition of crash forces on the blocking member during a crash event. A centering spring mechanism biases the blocking member into the normal position and can return the blocking member into the normal position to permit movement of the latch lever after the crash event has occurred. The plunger is biased into engagement with the latch lever so as to move with the cam surface.

Apparatus for blocking the movement of an inertially activated component

Emergency trunk release handle for automobiles

A truck latch system has a handle presented from the decklid within the trunk in substantially vertical fashion and is operative to move a trunk latch to an unlatched position when grasped and pulled in a generally downward direction to prevent the decklid from latching to a rear trunk wall and to unlatch the decklid from the trunk wall when latched thereto.

Automotive vehicle decklid latch system

An automotive door latching system can include a first latch for locking one vehicle door, a second latch for locking a second vehicle door, and an electric switch controlled by the first switch for supplying current to an electrically-operated latch release means associated with the second latch. The latching system requires that the first latch be in the door release state before the second latch can be moved to the door release state. Consequently the doors are openable only in a predetermined sequence.

Automotive door latching system

Growing community of inventors

Livonia, MI, United States of America

James Joseph Loschiavo