1062results about "Accident situation locks" patented technology

A latching apparatus may have a normal mode of operation in which a mechanical signal is employed to actuate a door pawl, and hence to release a door latch ratchet. An electrical actuator may be employed to send that mechanical signal, and operation of the actuator may be governed by an electronic control unit (ECU). The latch apparatus may also have a second, or emergency, mode of operation in which a second mechanical signal path is employed either to cause an augmented force to be employed to release the pawl, or to cause a sudden impulse to urge the pawl to release, the sudden impulse being driven by a release of energy from an energy storage device, in particular a mechanical energy storage device. The apparatus may include either an electrical or a mechanical door handle interrupt to prevent unwanted activation. The device may also include an auxiliary electrical back-up power source in the event of a main power source failure.

A vehicle door security system comprising at least one deadbolt and respective operational elements, wherein the deadbolt secures at least one of a pivoting door and a roll up cargo door. The deadbolt toggles between an engaging configuration and a released configuration. The deadbolt can include an inertial release mechanism that disengages the deadbolt from the engaging configuration when the vehicle is subjected to a sudden impact. Alternatively, the deadbolt can be opened using a manual release mechanism located externally from the vehicle.

A door handle assembly which is compact in size for space-efficient packaging in a door of an automotive vehicle. The assembly includes a safety system for preventing inadvertent movement of the handle to an unlatched position during a side impact collision. A counterweight is mounted in the handle assembly which, during relative motions of parts induced by acceleration from a side impact, resists unlatching the handle. The counterweight is rotatably mounted on an axis different from an axis of the handle latch control mechanism, and is not fixedly attached to the handle mechanism.

In combination with a vehicle and a closure, one or more lockdown regions disposed between the closure and the vehicle body, the one or more lockdown includes a device including an active material disposed in operative communication with the closure and the vehicle body, wherein the active material includes a shape memory alloy, a magnetic shape memory material, a shape memory polymer, a magnetorheological fluid, an electroactive polymer, a magnetorheological elastomer, an electrorheological fluid, a piezoelectric material, or combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing active materials; and an activation device coupled to the active material, the activation device being operable to selectively provide an activation signal to the active material and effectuate a change in a dimension, a shape, and / or a flexural modulus property of the active material, wherein the change in the dimension, a shape, and / or flexural modulus of the active material locks down or releases the closure from the vehicle. Such active materials include shape memory alloys, magnetic shape memory alloys, electroactive polymers, shape memory polymers, magnetorheological fluids, magnetorheological elastomers, electrorheological fluids, and piezoelectric materials. Also provided herein are methods for selectively stiffening a closure hingeably attached to a vehicle body.

An automobile vehicle lock is released under normal operating conditions by an electric motor. Under degraded conditions, a mechanical release of the lock is enabled. This allows the motor providing electrical release of the lock to be simply dimensioned for release under normal operating conditions with no requirement to over-dimension the motor to ensure the lock will open under degraded operating conditions. Because release of the lock is mechanical under degraded operating conditions, enablement of the mechanical release is provided by a low-power standby motor. This allows a compact and inexpensive standby power source to be employed.

An outer door handle for vehicles has a stationary housing in the vehicle door. The handle has a handle arm and acts on a lock arranged within the door. A pivotable latching member serves as a mass latching mechanism and makes the handle actuatable in a release position. Because of its inertia in a crash situation, the latching member reaches an active support position and blocks the handle. The pivot bearing for the latching member is located on the stationary housing. The movable handle arm has a shoulder. A counter shoulder is provided on the latching member. The folding movement path of the shoulder on the handle arm is intersected by the pivot movement path of the counter shoulder. In a crash situation the shoulder comes to rest against the counter shoulder. In the release position, the shoulder passes the counter shoulder upon handle actuation.

A vehicle stowage assembly is provided that includes a compartment having an opening to allow access to the opening and a door proximate the opening. A ferrous member magnets are disposed on the compartment and the door to magnetically couple the magnets to the ferrous member when the door is in the closed position. A crash sensor is provided for detecting an expected vehicle crash event. An electromagnetic coil electromagnetically is coupled to the ferrous member, wherein the coil is electrically energized by current to create a polarity on the ferrous bar to create an increased force closure to the door relative to the housing when an expected vehicle crash is detected. The coil generates an opposite polarity on the ferrous member to open the door in response to a user actuated input.

An electronic latch assembly for a closure device of a motor vehicle, having an actuator group operable to control actuation of the closure device and an electric motor controllable to drive the actuator group and supplied, during a normal operating condition, by a main power source of the motor vehicle providing a main supply voltage (Vbatt); the electronic latch assembly has a backup energy source, and a control unit controlling the backup energy source to supply the electric motor during a failure operating condition. The backup energy source has a supercapacitor group, which stores energy during the normal operating condition and provides a backup supply voltage (Vsc) to supply the electric motor (9) during the failure operating condition.

A door handle assembly for opening a door of a vehicle includes a handle portion and a lever or actuating member for actuating or releasing a latch mechanism of a vehicle door. The door handle assembly includes fewer components than known door handles and is reversible or suitable for use at either side of the vehicle. The door handle assembly may include a counterweight and lever mechanism at the base of the door handle assembly, such that the components do not extend substantially into the door cavity. The counterweight may be positioned rearwardly and outwardly of a pivot axis of the lever mechanism when the handle is at an initial or non-opening position, thereby providing enhanced retention of the door handle assembly during vehicle collisions.

A blocking apparatus is cooperable with the latch lever of a vehicle door latching mechanism to prevent the latch lever from moving during a crash event, which prevents the latching mechanism from allowing the vehicle door to open. The blocking apparatus includes a housing supporting a linearly movable plunger engagable with a cam surface on the latch lever and a blocking member pivotally mounted for movement between a normal position and a blocking position. The blocking member moves into the blocking position due to the imposition of crash forces on the blocking member during a crash event. A centering spring mechanism biases the blocking member into the normal position and can return the blocking member into the normal position to permit movement of the latch lever after the crash event has occurred. The plunger is biased into engagement with the latch lever so as to move with the cam surface.

The opening of vehicle doors often leads to collisions with stationary obstacles that are not visible to the occupants or with moving obstacles that approach the vehicle without being noticed. Thus to avoid collisions when vehicle doors are opened, the aim of the invention is to take any modifications to the environmental situation of the vehicle as a result of a movement of the vehicle and the detected objects into consideration. This allows a collision of the vehicle doors with the objects to be reliably avoided. To achieve this, in a first step the portable trajectory of a vehicle is determnined. In an additional step, the objects in the vicinity of the vehicle are detected and probable trajectories of said detected objects are determined. Respective probability ranges are then defined both for the vehicle and the pivoting zone of the vehicle doors and for the detected objects. The probability ranges of the pivoting zones of the vehicle doors are respectively compared with the individual probability ranges of the objects, in order to determine whether they overlap. If an overlap is identified, a response; signal that indicates the risk of a collision is generated.

A vehicle door includes a powered latch mechanism and an interior door handle having first and second sensors disposed on opposite sides of the interior door handle. The first and second sensors are configured to detect the presence of a user's hand to control operation of the powered latch mechanism. The powered latch may be unlatched if an unlatch switch is actuated and the first and second sensors detect the presence of a user's hand.

A door handle assembly for a vehicle includes a bracket mountable to the vehicle door, a handle portion configured to pivotally attach to the bracket and an actuating element pivotally mounted to the bracket. The actuating element connects to a release mechanism of the vehicle door so as to actuate the release mechanism when the actuating element is pivoted relative to the bracket. The door handle assembly may include a counterweight pivotally mounted to the bracket, with the counterweight extending along the bracket, such that the counterweight and the bracket comprise a low profile assembly. The door handle assembly may include an inertial catch pivotally mounted to the bracket, wherein pivotal movement of the handle portion imparts a pivotal movement of the inertial catch during normal operation of the door handle assembly to open the vehicle door.

A hood lift mechanism for reversibly increasing the energy absorption capability at appropriate force levels of a vehicle hood includes a vehicle hood; an active material in operative communication with the vehicle hood, wherein the active material comprises a shape memory alloy, a ferromagnetic shape memory alloy, a shape memory polymer, a magnetorheological fluid, an electroactive polymer, a magnetorheological elastomer, an electrorheological fluid, a piezoelectric material, an ionic polymer metal composite, or combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing active materials; and an activation device in operative communication with the active material, wherein the activation device is operable to selectively apply an activation signal to the active material and effect a reversible change in a property of the active material, wherein the reversible change results in an increased clearance distance between the vehicle hood and an underlying component.

A vehicle door latch assembly includes a latch rod coupled to a latch mechanism and operable by a door handle to unlatch the latch mechanism. The latch assembly may include a release clip operably connected to the latch mechanism for releasably connecting the latch rod to the latch mechanism. A latch rod release bracket may be mounted to an inner surface of a vehicle door, and include an extension having a wedge-shaped area adjacent a lower portion thereof engageable with a detent on the release clip to disengage the release clip and thereby release the latch rod during a side impact event. The invention also provides a method of releasing a latch rod from a latching mechanism in a vehicle door during a side impact event, with the method using the latch rod release bracket described above.

A link rod flexibly connecting an exterior door handle of a motor vehicle and a door latching mechanism to prevent actuation of the door latching mechanism as the result of a lateral collision, the link rod comprising: a first section connected to the vehicle door handle; a second section operatively connected to the door latching mechanism; and a lateral connector operatively connecting the first section to the second section. The lateral connector may be a laterally flexible spring, laterally flexible synthetic material, or a hinge point.

A hood latch has a mounting plate, a ratchet and pawl assembly, a secondary release lever and a reinforcement plate. The mounting plate has a fishmouth. The ratchet is pivotally mounted to the mounting plate at a first pivot point. The ratchet cooperates with the fishmouth and moves between an unlatched position and a latched position. The ratchet is biased to the unlatched position. The pawl is pivotally mounted to the mounting plate at a second pivot point. The pawl is biased to engage the ratchet and releasably retain the ratchet in the latched position. The secondary release leveris pivotally mounted to the mounting plate at a third pivot point. The secondary release lever is moveable between a secondary latched position closing the fishmouth providing a secondary catch and a release position pivoted away from the fishmouth. The secondary release lever is biased to the secondary latched position. The reinforcement plate is fixedly secured to the mounting plate at each of the pivot points to cover the ratchet and pawl assembly. The reinforcement plate includes an alignment mechanism positioned to maintain the ratchet and pawl assembly in alignment with each other.

A safety apparatus for vehicle door handle assemblies. The safety apparatus of the present invention prevents a door from being opened by undesirable operation of a door handle assembly by inertial force when outside impact is applied to a vehicle body, thus enhancing the stability of the vehicle.

An inertia-actuated locking device (“locking device”) for an improved latch assembly for a vehicle door. The locking device includes a housing, a plunger, and a detent lever. The plunger is slidably attached to the housing and movable to a locked position for locking the latch assembly. The detent lever is movable within the housing to a blocking position for holding the plunger in the locked position under the occurrence of a predetermined condition.

A collision safety system for use with a motor vehicle includes a hood mounted to the vehicle movable between an open position and a closed position. A latch mechanism positioned adjacent the hood releasably engages a striker bar extending from the hood. The latch mechanism includes a spring operative to move the striker bar, a locking cam configured to releasably secure the striker bar and a pawl disposed on a latch bracket is movable between a latched position engaging the locking cam and a deployed position away from the locking cam. A primary hood release device is operatively connected to the pawl and is in communication with a remote source that is configured to transmit an activation signal to the primary hood release device.

A latching assembly is used on a door of a motor vehicle, wherein the motor vehicle includes a main electric supply and a striker. The latching assembly includes a ratchet that is selectively rotatable with respect to the striker to latch and unlatch the door. The latching assembly includes a pawl that is selectively engagable with the ratchet to selectively prevent the ratchet from rotating. The latching assembly includes a motor which is electrically connected to the main electric power supply. The motor is operatively connected to the pawl for pivoting the pawl into and out of engagement with the ratchet. The latching assembly also includes a backup battery disposed adjacent the motor for supplying electric power when the motor is disconnected from the main electric supply.

An automobile vehicle door locking assembly, intended to be fitted in a vehicle door, of the type including an electric lock module incorporating, first, an electronic board providing an interface connecting the lock module to a main electrical power supply and to a control of said lock module, and, secondly, back-up electrical power supply to supply the lock module in the event of a malfunction of the main electrical power supply, wherein the back-up electrical power supply include at least one electronic energy-storage component mounted on the electronic board, this component preferably being a supercapacitor.

A hood latch release mechanism for a motor vehicle of the type incorporating a hood which pivots at near the front edge of the hood. The hood latch release system enables the hood to be opened in a manner to provide enhanced pedestrian impact protection in the event of an impending pedestrian impact with the hood. The system incorporates a hood latch mechanism which is manually actuatable by the operator to permit access to the vehicle's engine compartment and operates automatically to the response to an impending pedestrian impact. The hood latch release system may be implemented with an active hood lifting actuator.

A door latch mechanism for a vehicle comprising a release lever operable by a door handle and a transmission path linkage containing a resiliently biased inertia device. During normal operation, the inertia device is biased to form a transmission path that transmits an unlatching movement from the release lever to release a latch bolt of the latch. If an impact on the vehicle creates an acceleration force above a predetermined level, the inertia device moves to break the transmission path, preventing the latch from being unlatched.

A collision safety system for use with a motor vehicle includes a hood mounted to the vehicle movable between an open position and a closed position. A latch mechanism positioned adjacent the hood releasably engages a striker bar extending from the hood. The latch mechanism includes a spring operative to move the striker bar, a locking cam configured to releasably secure the striker bar and a pawl disposed on a latch bracket is movable between a latched position engaging the locking cam and a deployed position away from the locking cam. A primary hood release device is operatively connected to the pawl and is in communication with a remote source that is configured to transmit an activation signal to the primary hood release device.

A hood elevation system for a vehicle includes an actuator configured to selectively move at least a portion of a vehicle hood between an elevated and a retracted position. The hood elevation system also includes a self-locking mechanism configured to allow movement of the hood between the elevated and retracted positions initiated by the actuator, but to resist retraction of the hood as a result of certain loads applied to the hood. The self-locking mechanism thus enables repeated elevation and retraction of the hood. In a preferred embodiment, the self-locking mechanism is configured to deform, thereby absorbing energy from an impact to the hood.