Locks – Special application – For automotive vehicles
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-18
2003-03-11
Barrett, Suzanne Dino (Department: 3676)
Locks
Special application
For automotive vehicles
C070S208000, C070S277000, C049S503000, C292S336300, C292SDIG002
Reexamination Certificate
active
06530251
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to vehicle door locking and latching apparatus, and more particularly to an improved modular vehicle door lock and latch system which includes the door latch mechanism, the inside door release and door lock handles, and a unique outside door lock and door handle interface member, all of which may be assembled into a pre-connected configuration together with all necessary control cables, thereby significantly reducing the labor required to assemble these components into a door of a motor vehicle and correspondingly resulting in a significant cost reduction.
The mass production of motor vehicles continues to represent a challenge to manufacturers to continue to achieve additional cost savings both at the component level and in the amount of labor required to manufacture the motor vehicles. Manufacturers which fall behind are at a tremendous disadvantage in the marketplace with respect to other manufacturers which excel both at achieving this type of savings and in passing it on to the ultimate consumers of the motor vehicles. This pressure has in turn been exerted by motor vehicle manufacturers upon their suppliers, which must either find ways to reduce the cost of the components they supply or reduce the labor their components require the manufacturers to expend to assemble the components into the motor vehicles, or both, or face the loss of supply contracts to other vendors who can do so.
Motor vehicle manufacturers have continued to address this issue in part by reducing the number of parts which they must integrate during the assembly of the motor vehicles. This has particularly been true in the design and manufacture of more inexpensive motor vehicles such as compact and subcompact cars, but it has been expanded to include the entire lineup of motor vehicles manufactured. One area of motor vehicle manufacture which has remained particularly labor-intensive is the assembly of components into the doors of motor vehicles.
Vehicle doors typically consist of a structural framework including the outer skin of the door, and are typically made of steel segments which are welded together. This structural framework of the vehicle door has a number of components mounted therein or thereto, with such components including the door's locks and latches, the window assembly, audio system speakers, weather-stripping, and trim components, with all of these components being assembled to the structural framework of the vehicle door one by one. This assembly procedure requires an assembly operator to first insert, locate, and fasten each component to the mounting surfaces of the structural framework of the vehicle door, and then to make any necessary connections such as electrical or mechanical linkages.
It will at once be appreciated by those skilled in the art that this assembly process is slow and cumbersome, both because of the large number of components that need to be individually assembled into or onto the structural framework of the vehicle door, and also because the access to the inside of the structural framework of the vehicle door is very limited. It is common for some of the components or their connections to be incorrectly assembled because of the awkward accessibility and poor visibility into the structural framework of the vehicle door. It is also common for injuries to occur because of the need to reach far into the structural framework of the vehicle door through openings that have sharp sheet metal edges. Additionally, assembly methods currently used to assemble components into and onto the structural framework of the vehicle door require a large number of fasteners and specialized tools to mount the components in place.
Virtually without exception, the one of these groups of components which requires the largest amount of labor is the door locking and latching system. The components included in a typical vehicle door for locking and latching that door include a door latch mechanism, an inside door handle, an inside lock actuating lever or knob, an outside door handle, an outside key-operated lock, and a combination of levers, rods, and/or cables interconnecting these components. A large percentage of motor vehicles also include a power locking mechanism, and potentially an additional lever or rod or other type of mechanism interconnecting the power lock motor with the door latch mechanism.
It is accordingly the primary objective of the present invention that it provide a locking and latching system of modular construction such that the components of the system are preassembled to the greatest extent possible prior to their installation into the structural framework of a vehicle door. It is a related objective of the lock and latch system of the present invention that its modular components include the outside and inside door handles, the outside and inside locks, the door latch itself, as well as all necessary linkages between these components. It is an additional objective of the present invention that the modular components further facilitate the assembly process by being designed such that the process of installing them into the structural framework of a vehicle door be as simple as is possible, and that it not require the use of specialized tools, thereby further reducing the labor costs associated with assembly. It is another objective of the present invention that it substantially enhance the security of the vehicle by providing a lock and latch system which has an enhanced level of resistance to manipulation by jimmying with a “slim jim” or similar tool of the type commonly used by car thieves
It is a further objective of the lock and latch system of the present invention that it include the outside door handle as a separate modular component, thereby allowing outside door handles to be manufactured in a variety of colors to match exterior vehicle paint colors while allowing the other modular components of the system to be of a single type and color. It is yet a further objective of the present invention that the preassembled nature of the modular components eliminate the requirement for adjustments to be made during the assembly of the components of the lock and latch system into the structural framework of a vehicle door, thereby further minimizing assembly costs while simultaneously enhancing vehicle quality. It is still a further objective of the lock and latch system of the present invention that its modular components be adaptable for use on a variety of different vehicles by merely switching outside door handles and providing different size linkages between the various modular components.
The lock and latch system of the present invention must also be of a construction which is both durable and long lasting, and it should also require little or no maintenance to be provided by the user throughout its operating lifetime. In order to enhance the market appeal of the lock and latch system of the present invention, it should also be of inexpensive construction to thereby afford it the broadest possible market. Finally, it is also an objective that all of the aforesaid advantages and objectives of the lock and latch system of the present invention be achieved without incurring any substantial relative disadvantage.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The disadvantages and limitations of the background art discussed above are overcome by the present invention. With this invention, a lock and latch system is manufactured in three modular assemblies, the first of which includes the inside door handle, the inside lock, the door latch, and an outside door lock and door handle interface member, as well as linkages between these components. The second component is an outside door lock which is easily installed in the outside door lock and door handle interface member. The third component is an outside door handle assembly which will be operatively connected to the outside door lock and door handle interface member.
In an alternate embodiment, the inside door handle and the inside lock tog
Barrett Suzanne Dino
Michael & Best & Friedrich LLP
Strattec Security Corporation
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