The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 25, 1999
Filed:
Jan. 16, 1997
Geoffrey John Cooper, Canton, MI (US);
Ford Global Technologies, Inc., Dearborn, MI (US);
Abstract
An interlock mechanism, for an automotive vehicle having a fuel filler door and a sliding door on a same side of the vehicle body, has a sensor mounted proximate the filler door for sensing movement thereof, a latch for releasably latching the sliding door in a closed position when the filler door is open, and a cable connected between the sensor and the latch for communicating the position of the filler door to the latch. The latch has a cam member mounted to the vehicle body, a pivotable pawl for preventing movement of the cam when the filler door is open and disengaged from the cam member when the filler door is closed, and a key extending from the sliding door for engagement with the cam member when the sliding door is in a closed position and for disengagement from the cam member when the sliding door is moved to an open position. The sliding door is locked in a closed position when the filler door is opened.