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:
Feb. 01, 2000
Filed:
Jul. 21, 1998
Frank Joseph Arabia, Jr, Macomb Township, Macomb County, MI (US);
Donald Michael Perkins, Rochester Hills, MI (US);
Rita Margarete Paulik, Sterling Heights, MI (US);
Jerry Paulik, Sterling Heights, MI (US);
Michael Todd Moury, Shelby Township, Macomb Township, MI (US);
General Motors Corporation, Detroit, MI (US);
Abstract
A vehicle door latch has a forkbolt, a detent that holds the forkbolt in a latched position, a release mechanism that moves the detent to release the forkbolt, a lock mechanism for disabling the release mechanism, an inside lock lever for operating the lock mechanism and a double lock for disabling the inside lock lever. The detent is moved by an intermittent lever that is part of the release mechanism and part of the locking mechanism. A composite lock lever forming part of the lock mechanism moves the intermittent lever back and forth between an unlock position where the intermittent lever drives the detent to release the forkbolt and a lock position where the intermittent lever free wheels with respect to the detent. The intermittent lever is pivotally connected to an unlatching lever of the release mechanism that is operated by inside and outside release levers. The composite lock lever includes a lower lock lever, an upper lock lever and a spring that stores energy when the lower lock lever pivots with respect to the upper lock lever. The lock mechanism includes an inside lock lever and an outside lock lever for operating the lower lock lever. When engaged, the double lock assembly blocks the upper lock lever so that the vehicle door latch cannot be unlocked by the inside lock lever.