Electrically Controlled Door Locking System

1. Field of Invention

This invention relates to a vehicle locking system in which the locking and unlocking of a door against opening from the outside is effected by electrically controlled means. The system of the invention is of the type suitable for central control to provide for locking and unlocking of all doors by one operation.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Prior art systems using solenoid or vacuum actuation are well known. The majority of such systems and an actuator to existing mechanical locking systems. The present invention provides a lost cost solution to central control by using simplified latches and a new form of electrically controllable connection between the outside door handle and latch mechanism.

According to the present invention, there is provided a vehicle door locking system comprising a door latch mechanism and an outside door handle mounted on a vehicle door. The handle is connected to the latch mechanism by means including a pneumatic bellows having an electrically actuated valve. The bellows is sealed when the valve is closed to transmit movement of the handle to the latch mechanism and the bellows is deflated by movement of the handle when the valve is open without transmitting handle movement of the latch mechanism.

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagram of a vehicle door locking system embodying the invention; and

FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C show the bellows in different operating conditions.

In a vehicle having the door locking system of the invention, each door has a latch mechanism 10 comprising a housing 12, a shaft 14 on which is mounted, externally of the door, a bifurcated keeper member (not shown), and internally of the door a ratchet member 16. A pawl 18 is pivotally mounted on the housing and biassed into engagement with the ratchet member 16 by a coil spring 20. The pawl 18 cooperates with teeth 22 and 24 on the ratchet member 16 to define fully closed and partially closed positions of the door.

The outer end of the pawl 18 is connected by a rod 26 to an outside door handle 28 and the inner end of the pawl 18 is connected by a Bowden control cable 29 to an inside door handle 30. It should be noted that the latch mechanism has no internal locking lever for preventing release of the latch from the outside door handle when the door is locked. This function is provided by a bellows 32 in the outside door handle 28.

The outside door handle 28 includes an elongated finger pull member 34 pivotally mounted on a housing 36 for movement about a horizontal axis. A bifurcated lever 38 fixed to one end of the finger pull member 34 engages the upper end of the bellows 32.

The bellows 32 is of cylindrical shape with an axial recess 40 at the lower end which receives the upper end of the rod 26. The rod 26 is cranked at its upper end to provide a shoulder 42 for driving engagement by the lower end of the bellows 32.

A valve 44 vents the bellows to atmosphere through aperture 45. A solenoid 46, when energized, drives a soft iron valve member 48, within the bellows, towards the end of valve body 50 to close the aperture 45 and seal the bellows 32.

Referring to FIGS. 2A and 2C, the bellows 32 is shown in FIG. 2A in the inflated condition which it normally assumes between the lever 38 and the rod 26. Operation of the outside door handle 28 when the valve 44 is open causes the bellows 32 to collapse (to the FIG. 2C condition) since it is compressed between lever 38 and rod 26 and the air it contains is free to escape through the open valve 44. Thus, the door is locked against being opened from the outside when the valve 44 is open.

Operation of the outside door handle when the valve 44 is closed creates a build-up of pressure in the bellows 32 sufficient to displace the rod 26 and release the latch mechanism 10 (see FIG. 2B). Thus, the door is unlocked when the valve 44 is closed.

A similar arrangement may be used for the latch mechanism of the vehicle deck lid or tailgate.

The solenoid coils 45 of the valves 44 in each door and the deck lid/tailgate are connected to a central control box 52. Each front door has an external key cylinder switch 54 connected to the control box 52 and each door (including the rear doors but not the desk lid/tailgate) has a rocker switch 56 connected to the control box and operable to send a "lock" or "unlock" signal to the control box.

The control box operates as follows:

(a) locking movement of the key cylinder switch 54 on the driver's door switches off energization of all the valves 44 to lock all doors;

(b) unlocking movement of the key cylinder switch 54 on the driver's door energizes all the valves 44 to unlock all doors;

(c) opening of any door is detected by closing of its related door ajar switch 60 and results in energization of all valves 44 to unlock all doors;

(d) operation of the rocker switch 56 on the driver's door has the same effect as operation of the key cylinder switch 54;

(e) operation of the key cylinder switch 54 on the front passenger door energizes or switches off energization only of the valve 44 of that door; and

(f) operation of the rocker switch 56 of any door other than the driver's door energizes or switches off energization of only the valve 44 of that door.

The control box 52 may be connected to a crash sensor 58 and arranged to energize all valves 44 and unlock all doors in the event of a crash.