Control assembly for lift gate or sliding and cargo doors

Abstract
A control assembly for releasing a latch has a base plate (26) for mounting components of the control assembly. A pivotally mounted (28) input lever is movable between a ready position and a release position. The input lever (28) connects to a release handle (22). A pivotally mounted output lever (30) connects to a latch (14, 16) and transmits a releasing force. A pivotally mounted locking lever (34) is rotatable between a locked position and an unlocked position. A link (98) slidably engages the output lever (30) and pivotally engages the locking lever (34). When the locking lever (34) moves between the locked and unlocked positions, the link (98) responsively decouples and couples the input lever (28) and the output lever (30) to allow independent and dependent rotation thereof, respectively, selectively transferring the releasing force from the release handle (22) to the latch (14, 16).
Description




FIELD OF INVENTION




This invention relates to closure members for vehicles which close a compartment such as a tailgate, a cargo door, or a sliding door or the like. The door is typically moved, for example pivoted or slid from a closed position to an open position. In order to effect this movement, a handle must be operated through a control assembly to release the latch mechanisms allowing the closure to be moved to the open position. This present invention finds particular application therefore in providing such a control assembly which has simplified the structures heretofore known reducing the number of parts thereof and increasing the reliability thereof while reducing the overall power consumption required in a preferably power actuated control assembly.




BACKGROUND OF INVENTION




Within the prior art there exists a number of structures for releasing a closure such as a tailgate. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,531,498, as one example, refers to a power lift-type tailgate and includes a control assembly which is cable driven once the latches are released. The drive includes a motor driving a cable reel to lift the tailgate assembly.




Other designs are also known, which designs have been installed on the lift gates of certain production vehicles. These designs include an actuator which converts linear motion to a rotary motion for the locking lever, and then through the two-position floating pin to a further linear motion of the floating pin to a rotary motion for the output lever to a further linear motion for the cable release. A significant amount of friction therefore is developed, and hence friction loss is experienced as a result of utilizing such a system. Incorporated with the locking lever is a two-position over center toggle spring which allows the two positions attained by the floating pin. The locking lever has an emergency manual override tab which may be accessed should the actuator fail. Therefore, when the input lever is operated by a handle connected to the control via a rod or a cable, the input arm of the input lever will engage the floating pin and therefore allow release of the latches. Should the floating pin however be moved via the operation of the locking lever to the inoperative position, then the input arm of the input lever will not be able to access the floating pin, and hence the output lever will not operate in spite of the fact that the input lever will operate. Such a control assembly therefore includes a first pivot connected to the locking lever, a second pivot connected with the floating pin, a third pivot about which the locking lever pivots, and a fourth pivot about which the input lever and the output lever pivot. Within the actuator itself, it is estimated that the electrical requirements would be approximately 10 watts normally, and peak at approximately 50 watts or more, with up to 5 amps being drawn by the motor.




Clearly therefore, the problems can be seen in providing such a device in that a significant amount of the power utilized by the actuator goes into friction losses when transferring the power from the actuator to the actual cables. Secondly, the reliability of the product must be questioned in that many of the parts, for example such as the tab from the locking lever which accesses the opening of the linear actuator plunger, undergoes a dynamic load over each cycle and may tend to fail in time. Secondly, the pivot for the locking lever may tend to bind in time, or the floating pin may also bind within the slot between its two positions.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




The disadvantages of the prior art may be overcome by providing a latch control assembly having a simple mechanism for locking and unlocking a lift gate or door and for effecting unlatching thereof.




According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a control assembly for releasing a latch. The control assembly has a base plate for mounting components of the control assembly. A pivotally mounted input lever is movable between a ready position and a release position. The input lever connects to a release handle. A pivotally mounted output lever connects to a latch and transmits a releasing force. A pivotally mounted locking lever is rotatable between a locked position and an unlocked position. A link slidably engages the output lever and pivotally engages the locking lever. When the locking lever moves between the locked and unlocked positions, the link responsively decouples and couples the input lever and the output lever to allow independent and dependent rotation thereof, respectively, selectively transferring the releasing force from the release handle to the latch.











DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS




In drawings which illustrate an embodiment of the invention,





FIG. 1

is a perspective view of lift gate incorporating the control assembly of the present invention;





FIG. 2

is an exploded view of the control assembly of the present invention; and





FIG. 3

is a perspective view of the control assembly of FIG.


2


;











DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION




Referring now to

FIG. 1

, there is illustrated a tailgate assembly or door assembly


12


, normally pivotally mounted, which allows the door


12


to swing upwardly in the conventional motion of a tailgate. Two latches,


14


and


16


are conveniently located proximate the sides of the tailgate


12


which will engage keepers or strikers when the tailgate


12


is closed. The latches


14


,


16


are oriented in such a way that the fish mouths will each engage with the respective strikers as is well known in the art. The latches


14


,


16


are conventional and include pawl release levers to which are connected the Bowden cables


18


,


20


for each latch. The Bowden cables


18


,


20


are conveniently run through clips in openings in the body panels which allow motion of the cable and yet securement of the cable in relation to the panel. The Bowden cables


18


,


20


operatively connect to the control assembly


10


of the present invention. Release handle


22


is operatively connected via a cable or rod


24


to the input lever of control assembly


10


. Release handle


22


is pivotally mounted to the tailgate


12


in a manner conventional in the art. Actuation of the release handle


22


effects the release of the latches


14


,


18


when the control assembly


10


is in the operative or unlocked position which will be described hereinafter.




Referring now to

FIG. 2

, there is illustrated the control assembly


10


which includes a mounting or base plate


26


, an input lever


28


, an output lever


30


, a locking block


32


, a locking lever


34


and an actuator


36


.




Base plate


26


is preferably a stamped metal formed with various features including mounting holes, Bowden cable attachment tabs


38


,


40


, an arcuate guide slot


42


, and a control window


44


. Tabs


38


,


40


extend generally perpendicular from base plate


26


. Tabs


38


and


40


have cutouts for receiving the outer cable shell or sheath of Bowden cables


18


,


20


. Base plate


26


has an embossed area


46


having a bore


48


and an embossed area


50


having a bore


52


. Base plate


26


is otherwise configured for mounting the components of the control assembly


10


onto the base plate


26


and for matching the footprint for mounting the control assembly


10


onto the frame of the lift gate


12


.




Input lever


28


is preferably a stamped metal and formed to be pivotally mounted onto base plate


26


. Input lever


28


has two arms


54


,


56


extending from opposite sides of pivot


58


. Ann


54


has tabs


60


,


62


extending in opposite directions. Tab


62


extends towards the base plate


26


and extends through control window


44


. Control window


44


limits the pivotal travel of the input lever


28


between a ready position and a release position. Arm


56


has a tab


64


having an aperture for receiving spring


66


. Spring


66


extends between tab


40


and tab


64


to bias the input lever


28


to the ready position.




Output lever


30


is preferably a stamped metal and formed to be pivotally mounted onto base plate


26


coaxially with input lever


28


. Output lever


30


is mounted on pivot pin


68


which pivotally mounts input lever


28


through bore


48


on base plate


26


. Output lever


30


has three arms


70


,


72


and


74


. Arms


70


,


72


,


74


extend radially from a central pivot


76


through which pivot pin


68


extends. Arms


70


,


72


are preferably diametrically opposed. The distal ends of arms


70


,


72


each has a bore for receiving clips


78


,


80


in a snap fit. Clips


78


and


80


are connected to the ends of cables


18


,


20


, respectively. Pivotal movement of output lever


30


will simultaneously extend and retract each of cables


18


,


20


for release of latches


14


,


16


. Arm


72


has a tab


82


at the distal end, which tab extends through guide slot


42


on base plate


26


. Guide slot


42


limits pivotal travel of the output lever


30


. Arm


74


has a radially extending slot


84


and a cooperating axially extending flange


86


. Spring


87


extends between arm


74


and the base plate


26


to bias the output lever


30


to a position, wherein the cables


18


,


20


will be at an unextended length or retracted position.




The locking lever


34


is preferably a stamped metal component and formed to be drivingly mounted on output shaft


88


of actuator


36


. Locking lever has two arms


90


,


92


extending from a central core


94


. Core


94


has an aperture complementary to the shape of output shaft


88


for a driving engagement therewith. A screw


95


attaches the locking lever


34


to the output shaft


88


. Arm


90


has a tab


96


at the distal end. Arm


92


has a keyway aperture


97


for pivotally connecting with link


98


of locking block


32


. Connecting link


98


has, at one end, pin


100


having locking tabs


102


and locking block


32


at the opposite end. Locking block


32


is pivotally connected to and slightly spaced from the connecting link


98


. The locking tabs


102


can be inserted into keyway aperture


97


to pivotally connect the connecting link


98


to the locking lever


34


. The locking block


32


engages the output lever


30


. Specifically the mounting pin of the locking block


32


will be inserted through slot


84


of output lever


30


. Locking block


32


will slide against flange


86


. Rotation of locking lever


34


will cause the locking block


32


to slide in the slot


84


between an operative or unlocked position wherein the locking block


32


will extend between the flange


86


and the tab


60


of input lever


28


and an inoperative or locked position wherein the locking block


32


does not engage tab


60


of input lever


28


. In the embodiment illustrated, the operative position is radially outward and the inoperative or locked position is radially inward along slot


84


.




Actuator


36


is conventional in design. In one embodiment of the invention, a motor drives output shaft


88


through a series of gears (not illustrated) to rotate locking lever


34


between a locked position and an unlocked position.




Referring now to

FIG. 3

, the locking block


32


moves linearly along the slot


84


. When the locking block


32


is in the operative or unlocked position, movement of the input lever


28


will translate to the output lever


30


through the locking block


32


, so that the input lever


28


is coupled to the output lever


30


to rotate dependently. However, when the locking block


32


travels radially inwardly to the disengaged or locked position, the operative connection between the input lever


28


and the output lever


30


is removed. Input lever


28


is uncoupled from the output lever


30


to rotate independently. Should the handle


22


be utilized and the input lever


28


rotated, the input lever


28


will merely freely move on its pivot without moving any of the other components of the control assembly


10


. Further, the locking lever


34


has an emergency manual override tab


96


which may be accessed should the actuator


36


fail, or alternatively in another embodiment, when the actuator is not present, be in communication with a manually operable user accessible device such as a knob or the like or alternatively in communication with a child proofing lever.




In operation therefore, the actuator


26


or user accessible operator would be operated or powered via a push button, knob, a remote or the like causing the rotation of the locking lever


34


about its pivot, and therefore cause the linear motion of the locking block


32


relative to arm


74


of the output lever


30


, moving the locking block


32


in and out of operative interconnection between the input lever


28


and the output lever


30


to couple and uncouple the input lever


28


and the output lever


30


. Therefore, when the locking block


32


is in the operative or unlocked position, the actuating tab


60


of the input lever


28


will engage the locking block


32


adjacent thereto which in turn will transmit any force transmitted through the input lever


28


to the flange


86


of the output lever


30


causing the output lever


30


to rotate upon its pivot to allow for the release of the latches


14


,


16


as the cables


18


,


20


are retracted responsive to the output lever


30


rotation. However, when the locking block


32


is translated to the disengaged or locked position, whereat the tab


60


can no longer engage the locking block


32


, regardless of movement of the handle


22


and input lever


28


, the latches


14


,


16


cannot release.




The invention has been described in an illustrative manner with respect to the preferred embodiments thereof, and it is understood and implied that the terminology that has been used is intended to be for descriptive purposes only and not for the interpretation in limiting the invention. As many changes can be made to the preferred embodiments of the invention without departing from the scope thereof; it is intended that all matter contained herein be considered illustrative of the invention and not in a limiting sense.



Claims
  • 1. A control assembly for releasing a latch, said control assembly comprising;a base plate for mounting components of the control assembly, a pivotally mounted input lever movable between a ready position and a release position, the input lever constructed and arranged to be connected to a release handle, a pivotally mounted output lever constructed and arranged to be connected to a latch and to transmit a releasing force therethrough, said output lever having a radially extending slot, a pivotally mounted locking lever rotatable between a locked position and an unlocked position, a link slidably engaging said radially extending slot of said output lever and pivotally engaging said locking lever, wherein when said locking lever moves between the locked and unlocked positions, the link responsively decouples and couples the input lever and the output lever to allow independent and dependent rotation thereof, respectively, selectively transferring the releasing force from the release handle to the latch, characterized by said link having a locking block in sliding engagement with the output lever, said locking block juxtaposes a flange on the output lever and a tab on the input lever when the input lever and the output lever are coupled together and disengages from at least one of the flange and the tab when the input lever and the output lever are uncoupled.
  • 2. A control assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said input lever and said output lever are commonly mounted.
  • 3. A control assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said output lever has a radially extending arm constructed and arranged to receive a bowden cable operatively connected to the latch and said base plate has a bracket for retaining a sheath of the bowden cable.
  • 4. A control assembly as claimed in claim 3 wherein said output lever has a second radially extending arm having a slot for slidable receiving said link.
  • 5. A control assembly as claimed in claim 4 wherein said input lever and said output lever are commonly mounted.
  • 6. A control assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said control assembly further comprises an actuator and the locking lever is mounted on said actuator for drivingly effecting said pivotal movement.
  • 7. A control assembly as claimed in claim 6 wherein said output lever has a radially extending arm constructed and arranged to receive a bowden cable operatively connected to the latch and said base plate has a bracket for retaining a sheath of the bowden cable.
  • 8. A control assembly as claimed in claim 7 wherein said output lever has a second radially extending arm having a slot for slidable receiving said link.
  • 9. A control assembly as claimed in claim 8 wherein said input lever and said output lever are commonly mounted.
  • 10. A control assembly as claimed in claim 9 wherein said locking lever is constructed and arranged to be manually operated.
  • 11. A control assembly as claimed in claim 10 wherein said control assembly simultaneously effects release of at least two latches.
  • 12. A control assembly as claimed in claim 11 wherein said output lever has a plurality of radially extending arms, at least two of said arms constructed and arranged to receive a bowden cable operatively connected to each of said at least two latches and said base plate has a bracket for retaining a sheath of each of said bowden cables.
  • 13. A control assembly as claimed in claim 12 wherein one of said arms has a slot for slidable receiving said link.
  • 14. A control assembly as claimed in claim 13 wherein said input lever and said output lever are commonly mounted.
  • 15. A control assembly as claimed in claim 14 wherein said locking lever is constructed and arranged to be manually operated.
Priority Claims (1)
Number Date Country Kind
2203973 Apr 1997 CA
PCT Information
Filing Document Filing Date Country Kind
PCT/CA98/00400 WO 00
Publishing Document Publishing Date Country Kind
WO98/49417 11/5/1998 WO A
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Number Name Date Kind
3563589 Kwasiborski, Jr. Feb 1971 A
3672713 Pickles Jun 1972 A
4157844 Sarosy et al. Jun 1979 A
4334704 Yamada Jun 1982 A
4455042 Yamada Jun 1984 A
4995653 Torii Feb 1991 A
5035449 Shiratori et al. Jul 1991 A
5040390 Mistry et al. Aug 1991 A
5174619 Bender et al. Dec 1992 A
5234237 Gregoe et al. Aug 1993 A
5308130 Lee May 1994 A
5438855 Ikeda Aug 1995 A
5474338 Buscher Dec 1995 A
5516167 Hayakawa May 1996 A
5582444 Hayakawa et al. Dec 1996 A
5605363 Kapes Feb 1997 A
5622396 Neumann Apr 1997 A
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Number Date Country
3902873 Feb 1990 DE
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4312344 Jul 1994 DE
4440839 May 1995 DE
0775791 Sep 1996 EP
0826855 Mar 1997 EP
2295643 Feb 1996 GB