The embodiments described herein relate to a door latch sensor arrangement, and in particular to a door latch sensor arrangement used in conjunction with heavy-duty, commercial semi-trailer vehicles, where the sensor arrangement is adapted to sense whether a door, a door latch member and a handle member are in the proper position, and further whether the sequence in which each of the door, the latch member and the handle member were moved into the proper position to correctly and safely secure the door in a closed position.
One embodiment provides a vehicle door latch safety sensor arrangement that includes a vehicle body, and a door operably coupled to the vehicle body and moveable between an open position and a closed position. The embodiment also includes a latch arrangement that includes a latch member moveable between an engaged position where the latch member engages the vehicle body preventing the door from being moved from the closed position to the open position, and a disengaged position where the latch member is disengaged from the vehicle body thereby allowing the door to be moved from the closed position to the open position, and a handle member configured to be grasped by an operator and operably coupled to the latch member, the handle member moveable between a first position where the latch member is in the engaged position and a second position where the latch member is in the disengaged position, wherein the handle member is moveable between a locked position where the handle member is engaged with the vehicle body thereby preventing the handle member from being moved from the first position to the second position and an unlocked position where the handle member is disengaged from the vehicle body thereby allowing the handle member to be moved from the first position to the second position. The embodiment further includes a sensor arrangement that includes a door sensor located proximate the door and configured to sense when the door is in the closed position, a latch sensor located proximate the first latch member and configured to sense when the latch member is in the engaged position, and a handle sensor located proximate the handle member and configured to sense when the handle member is in the locked position, and a controller operably coupled to the door, latch and handle sensors and configured to provide feedback to the operator of at least one of (a) whether the door is in the closed position, the latch member is in the engaged position and the handle member is in the locked position, and (b) whether at least one of the door is in the open position, the latch member is in the disengaged position, and the handle is in the unlocked position.
Another embodiment includes a method for sensing proper door latch arrangement configuration that includes providing a vehicle body, providing a door operably coupled to the vehicle body and moveable between an open position and a closed position, and providing a latch arrangement, the latch arrangement including a latch member moveable between an engaged position where the latch member engages the vehicle body preventing the door from being moved from the closed position to the open position, and a disengaged position where the latch member is disengaged from the vehicle body thereby allowing the door to be moved from the closed position to the open position, and a handle member configured to be grasped by an operator and operably coupled to the latch member, moveable between a first position where the latch member is in the engaged position and a second position where the latch member is in the disengaged position, wherein the handle member is moveable between a locked position where the handle member is engaged with the vehicle body thereby preventing the handle member from being moved from the first position to the second position and an unlocked position where the handle member is disengaged from the vehicle body thereby allowing the handle member to be moved from the first position to the second position. The method also includes providing a sensor arrangement that includes a door sensor located proximate the door and configured to sense when the door is in the closed position, a latch sensor located proximate the latch member and configured to sense when the latch member is in the engaged position, and a handle sensor located proximate the handle member and configured to sense when the handle member is in the locked position, and providing a controller operably coupled to the door, latch and handle sensors. The method further includes sensing whether the door is in the closed position and communicating the same with the controller, sensing whether the latch is in the engaged position and communicating the same with the controller, sensing whether the handle member is in the locked position and communicating the same with the controller, and providing feedback to the operator of at least one of (a) whether the door is in the closed position, the first latch member is in the engaged position and the handle member is in the locked position, and (b) whether at least one of the door is in the open position, the latch member is in the disengaged position, and the handle is in the unlocked position.
The principal objects of the embodiments as shown and illustrated herein are to provide a door latch sensor arrangement that increases the safety of vehicle operation by assuring proper sequencing of a door closing, latching and locking process, and provides necessary feedback to an operator to verify the same.
These and other advantages of the invention will be further appreciated and understood by those skilled in the art by reference to the following written descriptions, claims and appended drawings.
For purposes of description herein, the terms “upper,” “lower,” “right,” “left,” “rear,” “front,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” and derivatives thereof shall relate to the invention as oriented in
Reference numeral 10 (
A pair of latch arrangements 20 (
As best illustrated in
A sensor arrangement includes a plurality of sensors, including door sensors 46 located proximate the doors 18a, 18b and configured to sense when the associated doors 18a, 18b are in the closed position, latch sensors 48 located proximate corresponding upper and lower latch assemblies 22, 23 configured to sense when the associated latch member 30 is in the engaged position, and handle sensors 50 located proximate the handle members 26 and configured to sense when the associated handle member 26 is in the locked position. By way of example, a latch sensor 48 is illustrated in
A controller 52 is operably coupled to the door sensors 46, the latch sensors 48 and the handle sensors 50. The controller 52 is configured to provide feedback to the operator in the form of a warning light positioned within a cabin of the truck 12 when the controller receives a signal from the sensors 46, 48 and/or 50 when either of the doors 18a, 18b is in the closed position, that the latch members 30 are in the engaged position and/or that the handle members 26 are in the locked position. It is noted that warning light may alternatively be placed at other locations around the vehicle, including in a location where the warning light would be visible to the operator via a rear view mirror located internal or external to the cabin of the truck 12. The controller 52 may also be configured to provide feedback to the operator if at least one of the doors 18a, 18b is in the open position, the latch members 30 are in the disengaged position, and/or if the handle members 26 are in the unlocked position. Preferably, the controller 52 is configured to provide a warning to the operator if the doors 18a, 18b, latch arrangements 20 and handle members 26 are not operated in the correct sequence. Specifically, the controller 52 may be configured to provide a warning to the operator if the sensors 46, 48, 50 fail to sense that the doors 18 are positioned in the closed position prior to the sensors 46, 48, 50 sensing that the latch members are moved to the engaged position prior to the sensors 46, 48, 50 sensing that the handle member is positioned in the locked position. The controller 52 may be further configured to send a warning to the operator if the doors 18a, 18b were not closed in the proper sequence with respect to one another. The necessary sequential steps assure that the doors are properly closed and the latch systems properly engaged prior to the door handles being moved to the locked position, thereby assuring that the doors are properly and safely secured in the closed position, thereby reducing the chances that the doors are improperly latched and accidentally open during operation of the associated vehicle.
In the foregoing description, it will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art that modifications may be made to the embodiments disclosed herein without departing from the concepts as disclosed herein. Such modifications are to be considered as included in the following claims, unless these claims by their language expressly state otherwise.
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/184,562, filed on Nov. 8, 2018, entitled “VEHICLE DOOR LATCH SAFETY SENSOR ARRANGEMENT,” which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/583,842, filed on Nov. 9, 2017, entitled “VEHICLE DOOR LATCH SAFETY SENSOR ARRANGEMENT,” the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62583842 | Nov 2017 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 16184562 | Nov 2018 | US |
Child | 18463872 | US |