Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Delphi Technologies, Inc.

Inteva Products, LLC

Thomas A Dzurko

Frank J Arabia, Jr

Frank Joseph Arabia, Jr

Ronald P Rimbey

Lloyd Walker Rogers, Jr

Donald Michael Perkins

David Gerard Hlavaty

Ian J Dow

Ian Martin

Joseph D Long

Xinhua He

Michael Eugene Aubry

Alfred L Portelli

John F Reelhorn

Pat Santarelli

Todd A Suddon

Dennis C Andrix

Anthony Foster

Eugene W Lang

A vehicle door latch system configured to temporarily prevent door latch mechanisms from unlatching during a predetermined event is provided. The vehicle door latch system includes a forkbolt pivotally mounted to a housing portion of the vehicle door latch. The forkbolt is capable of moving between a latching position and an unlatching position. The door latch system also includes a block out mechanism configured for movement between a blocking position and an unblocking position. The block out mechanism is configured to prevent the forkbolt from moving from the latching position to the unlatching position when the block out mechanism is in the blocking position. A biasing member biases the block out mechanism into the unblocking position. The door latch system also includes an activation mechanism for moving the block out mechanism to the blocking position when the activation mechanism is activated for a predetermined time period to overcome the biasing member and after the predetermined time period, the block out mechanism moves to the unblocking position by the biasing member.

Vehicle door latch system

A method and apparatus for limiting the movement of a fork bolt when it is in a locking position. The apparatus comprising a latch mechanism for use with a striker, the latch mechanism comprising: a housing being configured to movably receive a fork bolt therein, the fork bolt traveling from an open door position to a closed door position to a locked door position, the fork bolt engaging the striker as the fork bolt moves from the open door position to the closed door position and the locked door position; a protrusion disposed on a surface of the housing, the protrusion having a length corresponding to the movement of the fork bolt from the open door position to the closed door position and the locked door position, the protrusion gradually increasing in height from the surface along the length wherein the protrusion makes contact with the fork bolt as the fork bolt travels from the open door position to the closed door position and the locked door position and movement of the fork bolt.

Method and apparatus for providing securement in a door latch

A socket pivotally retains the end of a rod that is inserted axially into the socket from either axial direction comprises a lever and two annular retaining clips. One clip is inserted into a hole in the lever from one side and the second clip is inserted into the first clip from an opposite side. The second clip has two sets of fingers at opposite ends that have lugs that engage an internal collar of the first clip to retain the clips in assembly with the lever. The second clip also has two more sets of finger at opposite ends that have catches that engage indents in the rod end to retain the rod end in the socket. The catches and indents are shaped so that the rod end can be inserted into the socket from either axial direction and retained in the socket irrespective of the axial direction of insertion.

Rod end retainer socket

A door latch has a control lever operable between an unlocked position permitting normal unlatching of the latch and a locking position preventing unlatching of the latch. A locking lever is pivoted on a housing and operably connected with the lock control lever so that pivoting of the locking lever will operate the lock control lever. The locking lever has a slot receiving a pin carried by a pin control link. An inside lever is pivoted on the housing and operably connected with the inside locking button so that operation of the inside locking button pivots the inside lever. The inside lever has an L-shaped slot, which overlies an elongate slot of the locking lever. A drive pin carried by a control link is captured within the slots. The control link is mounted on a rack which is motor operated. In an extended position of the rack, the control link establishes the drive pin at a position within the slots connecting the locking lever and inside lever for rotation so that movement of the inside lock button between the lock and unlock positions will pivot the inside lever and the locking lever to operate the lock control lever. When the rack is extended by actuating the motor, the control link moves the pin to align with a bypass pocket of the L-shaped slot so that the locking lever remains at rest during movement of the inside lever by the inside locking button.

Door latch locking actuator assembly

A vehicle door latch includes an integral switch assembly which optionally includes a central locking switch and a central glass drive switch. The switches are responsive to movement of latch elements and perform the switching functions for circuitry that effects securement and unsecurement of the vehicle in a preselected manner.

Door latch with integral switch

Objectional vehicle door opening and closing sounds are eliminated by dampening vibration in the vehicle door system. An integral dampener is positioned to engage the bolt of the door latch assembly reducing the resonation of the door opening's frame caused by release of the striker from the latch bolt. The integral dampener frictionally engages the bolt for an initial opening and final closing portion of the linear travel of the door. Once initial opening has occurred and the striker has returned to its normal door-open, no-load position, the integral dampener disengages from the bolt and the latch assembly operates in a conventional manner.

Vehicle door latch with integral pillar dampener

A vehicle door latch has a fork bolt lever that is latched by a detent lever. The detent lever is operated by an intermittent lever that is operated by a transfer lever that is actuated by inside and outside door handles via operating levers. The door latch includes a locking lever that disconnects the door handle from the intermittent lever when it is in the locked position. The door latch also includes an anti-theft feature in the form of an electrically actuated 'dead bolt' lock that is engaged and disengaged solely by a key lock cylinder. The door latch further includes an override feature that unlocks the door latch mechanically in the event of electrical power failure.

Vehicle door latch

A loop striker for use with a vehicle closure latch having a rotatable fork bolt that traps a leg of the loop striker when the fork bolt is in a latched position includes a base having a pair of laterally spaced legs that is adapted for securement to a support, a cross bar that is spaced from the base and attached to the pair of laterally spaced legs, and a tab at one end of the cross bar that overhangs the trapped leg to prevent the fork bolt from walking around the corner of the loop at the end of the trapped leg.

Loop striker

A vehicle door latch has a fork bolt lever that is latched by a detent lever. The detent lever is operated by an intermittent lever that is operated by a transfer lever that is actuated by inside and outside door handles via operating levers. The door latch includes with a locking lever that disconnects the door handles from the intermittent lever when it is in the locked position. The door latch also includes an interlock between the intermittent lever and the locking lever that is automatically engaged in response to the position of the detent so that the door latch cannot be locked when the fork bolt lever is in an unlatched position. Consequently the door latch can only be locked when the door is closed and the fork bolt lever is in a latched position. This prevents the driver from locking his or her keys in the vehicle.

A magnetic alignment fixture to temporarily hold a door latch striker in position relative to a door jamb while the alignment of the doors is adjusted. The magnetic alignment fixture includes a base plate of flexible material having an aperture for receiving and positioning the striker. The base plate magnetically holds the striker on the door jamb. The base plate may be moved by sufficient force applied against the striker in the plane parallel to the door jamb to overcome the magnetic force holding the base plate and thereby adjusts the position of the striker. The flexibility of the base plate allows the base plate to be flexibly peeled away from the door jam and the striker in a direction perpendicular to the door jamb after the striker is secured to the door jamb.

Magnetic alignment fixture

This invention relates generally to a child safety vehicle door lock with a blocking arrangement for selectively blocking operation of an operating handle to prevent release of the door latch by an unauthorized person such as a child passenger. The blocking arrangement includes a blocking lever of plastic material pivotally mounted of the latch frame for manual movement between blocking and non-blocking positions. The blocking lever and frame have detent elements for releasably locating the blocking lever in each of its positions. The blocking lever includes a portion, which when in the blocking position, is engaged on one side by the frame and engaged on the other side by the a portion of the operating lever.

Growing community of inventors

Mt. Clemens, MI, United States of America

Thomas A Dzurko