The disclosure relates to access doors, and, in particular, to a door lock switch with a lock state indicator.
In general, doors are used to control passage between separate spaces. A typical door is a panel that swings on hinges, slides, or rotates inside a space. When open, doors admit ventilation and light. A door may be used to control physical atmosphere within a space so that an interior may be more effectively heated or cooled. Doors also act as a barrier to noise, inclement weather, and physical intrusion into a specifically defined space.
A typical vehicle has at least one door for accessing an interior of the vehicle. Such a door usually has a latch mechanism for maintaining the door in a locked state until access into or egress from the vehicle is required. Conventionally, the latch mechanism is actuated by an outside door handle to gain access to the interior of the vehicle, and by an interior door handle to facilitate exit from same. Actuation of the latch mechanism may also be locked or disabled to thereby prevent unauthorized access into the vehicle.
A door for a vehicle having a vehicle body and a vehicle body controller includes a vehicle interior-facing surface. The door locking system includes a latch mechanism for selectively latching the door to and unlatching the door from the vehicle body. The latch mechanism is configured to attain, in the alternative, a first state and a second state, wherein the first state locks and the second state unlocks operation of the latch mechanism. The door locking system also includes a control switch arranged on the interior-facing surface and configured to generate a signal for alternate selection of the first and second states of the latch mechanism. The door locking system additionally includes an indicator light integrally mounted on the control switch and configured to provide a visual signal indicative of at least one of the first and second states of the latch mechanism. The latch mechanism and the control switch are in operative communication with the controller. The controller is configured to receive the signal from the control switch, command the latch mechanism to attain one of the first and second states in response to the signal, and trigger the indicator light when the latch mechanism has attained one of the first and second states.
The door may include a window and the vehicle interior-facing surface may include a window sill arranged proximate to the window. In such a case, the control switch may be positioned on the window sill.
The control switch may be configured as a maintained contact switch.
The control switch may also be a lock knob that is configured to be selectively pulled and pushed to alternatively select the first and the second states of the latch mechanism.
The indicator light may be configured as a light emitting diode (LED).
The LED may be configured to emit light having a first color when the latch mechanism is in the first state and light having a second color when the latch mechanism is in the second state.
The vehicle may have a plurality of such doors. In such a case, the controller may include an algorithm, the execution of which enables the controller to regulate selection of the first and the second states of each latch mechanism on the respective door in response to the signal from the respective control switch.
The controller may execute a first mode of operation for the door locking system that regulates the latch mechanism of each door to attain one of the first and second states in response to the signal from the respective control switch. In the first mode the controller may also trigger each respective indicator light when the corresponding latch mechanism has attained one of the first and second states.
The controller may also execute a second mode of operation for the door locking system that regulates the latch mechanism of each door to attain one of the first and second states in response to the signal from one of the control switches. In the second mode the controller may also trigger each respective indicator light when the corresponding latch mechanism has attained one of the first and second states.
The controller may include an interface portal configured to provide access to the user for selecting one of the first and second modes.
The vehicle may include a key-on mode and a key-off mode. In such a case, the controller may execute a third mode of operation for the door locking system that regulates the latch mechanism of each door to attain the first state in response to the vehicle being in the key-on mode and exceeding a predetermined vehicle speed and regulates the latch mechanism of each door to attain the second state in response to the vehicle being in the key-off mode. The interface portal may also be configured to provide access to the user for selecting the third mode.
Additionally, the interface portal may be configured to permit the user to select a color of light emitted by the LED.
The above features and advantages, and other features and advantages of the present disclosure, will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of the embodiment(s) and best mode(s) for carrying out the described invention when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and appended claims.
Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numbers refer to like components,
The vehicle 10 also includes a door locking system 18. The door locking system 18 is configured to selectively lock and unlock the doors 16, and signal to a user or operator of the vehicle 10 whether each door is locked or unlocked. As shown in
The latch mechanism 28 is configured to be released via the interior door-release handle 22, as well as via the exterior door-release handle 26 to unlatch the respective door 16 and permit access into the vehicle interior 14. Each latch mechanism 28 is also configured to attain or achieve, in the alternative, a first state 30 (shown in
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The controller 40 may be configured to execute a first mode 42 of operation for the door locking system 18 that regulates the latch mechanism 28 of each door 16 to attain one of the first and second states 30, 32 in response to the signal 36 from the respective control switch 34. In the first mode 42, the controller 40 also triggers each respective indicator light 38 when the corresponding latch mechanism 28 has attained one of the first and second states 30, 32. The controller 40 may also be configured to execute an alternative second mode 44 of operation for the door locking system 18 that regulates the latch mechanism 28 of each door 16 to attain one of the first and second states 30, 32 in response to the signal from one of the control switches 34. In the second mode 44, the controller also triggers each respective indicator light 38 when the corresponding latch mechanism 28 has attained one of the first and second states 30, 32. Additionally, the controller 40 may include an interface portal 46 configured to provide access to the user of the vehicle 10 for selecting one of the first and second modes 42, 44. Accordingly, a physical connection to the interface portal 46 may be arranged on the vehicle interior 14, as shown in
The vehicle 10 may also include a sensor 52 configured to detect a road speed of the vehicle and communicate a signal indicative of such speed to the controller 40. The controller 40 may also have programmed therein a key-on mode 48 for the vehicle 10, where electrically powered vehicle systems, such as HVAC and infotainment may be turned on, are on, and also a key-off mode 50, when such systems are powered off. The controller 40 may also be programmed to execute a third mode 54 of operation for the door locking system 18. The third mode 54 of operation for the door locking system 18 regulates the latch mechanism 28 of each door 16 to attain the first state 30 in response to the vehicle being in the key-on mode 48 and the vehicle 10 exceeding a predetermined road speed as detected by the sensor 52. The third mode 54 of operation for the door locking system 18 also regulates the latch mechanism 28 of each door 16 to attain the second state 32 in response to the vehicle 10 being in the key-off mode 50. The interface portal 46 may be configured to provide access to the user of the vehicle 10 for selecting the third mode 54.
Additionally, the controller 40 may be programmed to execute a fourth mode 55 of operation for the door locking system 18. The fourth mode 55 of operation for the door locking system 18 regulates the latch mechanism 28 of each door 16 to attain the first state 30 in response to the vehicle 10 being in a non-parked state. The vehicle 10 being in a non-parked state may be determined by a transmission of the vehicle, which is not shown but known to those skilled in the art, being in a “drive” mode (such as when the transmission is in any of its forward or reverse gears) as an appropriate indicator of the vehicle state. A parked state of the vehicle 10 via its transmission may be identified and communicated to the controller 40 by a sensor typically configured to detect operating states or modes of the transmission. The fourth mode 55 of operation for the door locking system 18 also regulates the latch mechanism 28 of each door 16 to attain the second state 32 in response to the vehicle 10 being in the parked state via vehicle transmission being in “park” mode. The interface portal 46 may be configured to provide access to the user of the vehicle 10 for selecting the fourth mode 55.
A parked state of the vehicle 10 may also be identified via an engagement state of the vehicle's parking brake (not shown, but known to those skilled in the art) and communicated to the controller 40 by a sensor typically configured to detect the engagement state of such a parking brake. In other words, when the vehicle's parking brake is not engaged, either as a sole indicator or in combination with other indicator(s) of the vehicle state, the fourth mode 55 of operation for the door locking system 18 may regulate the latch mechanism 28 of each door 16 to attain the first state 30. Similarly, when the vehicle's parking brake is engaged, the fourth mode 55 of operation for the door locking system 18 may regulate the latch mechanism 28 of each door 16 to attain the second state 32.
As may be seen form
The control switch 34 may also be configured as an “alternate action” contact switch. An alternate action contact switch keeps the electrical circuit in the actuated position even after the button returns to its normal, i.e., idle, position. Pressing the button of an alternate action contact switch again causes the actuated contact to release and the button to again return to its normal position. The alternate action contact type of control switch 34 may be constructed as a push button that is configured to be pushed to alternatively select the first and the second states 30, 32 of the latch mechanism 28.
The indicator light 38 may additionally be configured to respond to door lock/unlock commands generated by other sensors and/or switches, not just to the command signal 36 generated by the corresponding control switch 34. As understood by those skilled in the art, other lock/unlock commands may come from, but not limited to, conventional power door lock switches, any switches mounted on the outside of the vehicle that control the lock state of the respective latch mechanisms 28, door ajar/open switches which unlock a door when it is opened, a control switch 34 from another door, and either actively or passively from remote key fobs.
The detailed description and the drawings or figures are supportive and descriptive of the invention, but the scope of the invention is defined solely by the claims. While some of the best modes and other embodiments for carrying out the claimed invention have been described in detail, various alternative designs and embodiments exist for practicing the invention defined in the appended claims. Furthermore, the embodiments shown in the drawings or the characteristics of various embodiments mentioned in the present description are not necessarily to be understood as embodiments independent of each other. Rather, it is possible that each of the characteristics described in one of the examples of an embodiment can be combined with one or a plurality of other desired characteristics from other embodiments, resulting in other embodiments not described in words or by reference to the drawings. Accordingly, such other embodiments fall within the framework of the scope of the appended claims.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20150176309 A1 | Jun 2015 | US |