347results about "Weather/dirt prevention locking" patented technology

A door handle apparatus for a vehicle includes a door handle adapted to be provided at a vehicle exterior of a vehicle door and operated in order to open / close the vehicle door, a sensing electrode provided inside of an upper-outer surface of the door handle, a sensor for detecting a user approaching the sensing electrode on the basis of a variation of an electric capacitance generated by the sensing electrode, controlling device for controlling the vehicle door so as to be locked / unlocked on the basis of information detected by the sensor and water-removing device provided on the upper-outer surface of the door handle in order to remove water retained in the vicinity of the sensing electrode.

A sensor electrode which detects an approach of a person to a vehicle can be housed in a door handle body for vehicle and is prevented from giving an adverse influence to transmission signals outputted from a transmission antenna. Slits are formed in a bottom portion of the body. The sensor electrode covered with a resin mold is pushed into the inside of the slit.

A vehicle door system includes a door inner panel interconnected to a door outer panel to form an outer space therebetween. The inner panel includes a sealed through-hole interconnecting the outer space with an inner space situated on an opposite (inner) side of the inner panel. A door lock device is disposed in the inner space and is operable to open and close the door. A door outside handle is attached to the door outer panel and is operatively connected to the door lock device by a connecting structure which extends through the through-hole. A hood element is secured to the inner panel and situated in the outer space for covering the through-hole to prevent moisture and other external substances from reaching the through-hole.

A vehicle door lock device includes a base member on which a pivot shaft is supported, a first lever rotatably supported on the pivot shaft, a second lever rotatably supported on the pivot shaft and operated in association with a door handle, an engaging member including an engaging pin for engaging the first lever and the second lever with each other in a predetermined engaging position and disengaging from each other in a predetermined release position, and an operating bringing the engaging pin to operate between the engaging position and the release position. The first lever, the second lever, the engaging member, and the operating member are arranged on one side of the base member. The base member includes a restricting projection portion on the one side for restricting a movement of the engaging pin as in the release position in a peripheral direction relative to the pivot shaft.

A vehicle door and a vehicle door latch assembly is disclosed. The vehicle door includes a door outer panel; a door inner panel affixed to the door outer panel and defining a door wet cavity, with the door inner panel including an access hole; and a door trim panel mounted to the door inner panel and defining a door dry cavity. A door latch is located in the door wet cavity; a latch locking lever is exposed to the door dry cavity and shielded from the door wet cavity, with the latch locking lever engaging the door latch; and a lock rod has a first end attached to the latch locking lever, with the lock rod extending through the access hole and between the door inner panel and the door trim panel, whereby the lock rod is not exposed to the door wet cavity.

An adjustable coupler lock for locking a trailer hitch such that a trailer cannot be removed from a vehicle. The coupler lock comprises a lock body with a locking mechanism and a locking plate, and also comprises a shaft having a narrow and a flange end, and also having multiple recesses along the length of the shaft for engagement with the locking plate of the lock body. The recesses along the length of the shaft have a vertical edge which engages the locking plate such that the lock body cannot be removed from the shaft without unlocking the locking mechanism. The recesses also have a tapered edge that allows for slidable movement of the lock body along the shaft, without unlocking the locking mechanism, for the purpose of adjusting the lock to the size of the latch. The components of the coupler lock are made of stainless steel.

A door opening and closing apparatus for a vehicle, includes a latch mechanism (6, 7) adapted so as to retain a vehicle door (2) in a closed state relative to a vehicle body (1); an outside lever (35) provided within a space (S2) formed inside of the vehicle door so as to be positioned closer to an interior of the vehicle and linked to an outside handle (3) adapted to be rotatably supported by the vehicle door; a detection switch (SW1) detecting an operation to the outside handle when the outside lever contacts the detection switch in response to an operation of the outside lever; and a release device (16) releasing a retention of the vehicle door in the closed state by means of the latch mechanism by the release device actuating the latch mechanism when a rotational operation of the outside handle is detected by the detection switch while the vehicle door is in a locked state.

A power closing latch device for a door or lid in a vehicle, which device comprises a claw, a pawl and a striker. The pawl meshes with a safety recess and a lock recess of the claw in a safety position and a locked position. The striker is provided in a groove and rotates together with the claw, at closing of the door or lid. A spring is provided acting on the claw, which spring keeps the claw in the safety position, when the door or lid is partially closed. An electric motor rotates the claw between the safety position and the closed position. An additional spring acting on the claw, which additional spring exert a counterforce on the claw to prevent the claw to stop in an undefined position, between the safety position and the closed position during a power closing process. A method for power closing of a door or lid of a vehicle is also provided.

Locking system for a vehicle, in which a locking / unlocking function can be initiated by the activation of at least one capacitate sensor located on an external handle of the vehicle entry, wherein the sensor includes at least a second control surface not accessible to the user or accessible only with difficulty, via which the impact of environmental influences on the sensor by can be distinguished from the activation of the sensor by the user through detection of control surface selective signal changes at the sensor. Method for operating a locking system for a vehicle, in which the vehicle is locked upon detection of an intention to lock or unlock by an activation of a first control surface by the hand of the user, and the authority to do so is confirmed using a data carrier, and that the vehicle is not locked or unlocked, when the control unit recognizes an environmental influenced activation of the sensor by the activation of the first as well as a second sensor, the second sensor not accessible to the hand of the user or accessible only with difficulty.

A key fob for housing at least one electrical component for wireless communication with a vehicular system includes a main body having at least one actuator button. The actuator button is operable to control an electrical component for wireless communication with a vehicular system. The main body includes a first detent mechanism. The key fob further includes a cap moveably connected to the main body. The cap is moveable between a closed position and an open position such that in the closed position the cap at least partially covers the actuator button and such that in the open position the cap at least partially exposes the actuator button. The cap includes a second detent mechanism. The second detent mechanism is operable to cooperate with the first detent mechanism to lock the cap relative to the main body in one of the closed position and the open position.

A door handle device capable of operating a door opening / closing mechanism of a vehicle is disclosed. The door handle device includes a support member, door handle, lock detection electrode, and capacitance sensor. The door handle includes a first end, second end, pivot portion, and operation portion. The capacitance sensor detects issuance of a door lock command from a change in capacitance between an outer panel and the lock detection electrode. The door handle includes a first handle case and second handle case, which covers the first handle case. The lock detection electrode is arranged proximal to and facing toward an inner surface of an upper wall or lower wall of the second handle case. The lock detection electrode is encompassed by a waterproof elastic body.

A door for a motor vehicle includes an outer panel and an inner panel in which window portions are formed at their upper side region and which are connected at their peripheral portions, a space which is formed between the lower side region of the outer panel and the lower side region of the inner panel and in which a window glass for opening and closing the window portions is disposed so as to be able to move up and down, a module mounting opening formed on the lower side region of the inner panel and a module structure constituted by mounting a plural functional components to a module base, wherein the module base is fluid-tightly fixed to the module mounting opening at its peripheral portion and the module structure is mounted on the inner panel.

A door handle apparatus includes first and second handle cases constituting a door handle, a rotational-portion extending portion, an operational-portion extending portion, and a lock detection electrode of an electrostatic capacity sensor detecting that a door lock command is inputted, on the basis of a fluctuation of electrostatic capacity. The lock detection electrode includes an upper lock detection electrode and a lower lock detection electrode arranged to face an inner surface of an upper wall and an inner surface of a lower wall, respectively. A first electrode end surface of the upper lock detection electrode and a second electrode end surface of the lower lock detection electrode are formed into different shapes, so that a level of capacitive coupling between the lower lock detection electrode and the outer panel is set to be smaller than a level of capacitive coupling between the upper lock detection electrode and the outer panel.

A door lock system for a vehicle includes a latch mechanism, a link mechanism and a housing. The latch mechanism is adapted to a vehicle door and latches the vehicle door to a vehicle body. The link mechanism includes an electric driving source and a plurality of lever members for selectively locking and unlocking the latch mechanism. The housing accommodates the latch mechanism and the link mechanism.

In a vehicle outer handle system including a circuit board which includes an electric part and which is contained in an operating handle, the operating handle is die-formed of a synthetic resin in such a manner that a protecting means covering the circuit board is mold-coupled to the operating handle. Thus, a special water-proofing counter measure is not required, leading to a reduction in number of operating steps and a reduction in number of parts. Further, the generation of an abnormal sound during operation of the operating handle is prevented.

A door look device includes a latch mechanism engageable with or disengageable from a striker, an open unit transmitting an opening operation force to the latch mechanism for disengaging the latch mechanism from the engagement with the striker, a look unit transmitting locking and unlocking operation forces to the open unit for operating the open unit between an unlocking condition where the opening operation force is transmittable to the latch mechanism and a looking condition where the opening operation force is not transmittable to the latch mechanism, an actuator for outputting the looking and unlocking operation forces. The door look device further includes a housing for storing the latch mechanism, the open unit, the look unit and the actuator as a unit, and a case provided within the housing for accommodating at least the actuator.

A vehicle latch (1) comprising a ratchet (15); a primary pawl (25) movable between a ratchet checking position and a ratchet release position; an auxiliary ratchet (26) movable between an enabling position and a disabling position; a secondary pawl (27) movable between an auxiliary ratchet holding position, in which the secondary pawl (27) is positioned to hold the auxiliary ratchet (26) in its enabling position, and an auxiliary ratchet release position; electrically-operated actuator means (6) for moving the secondary pawl (27) to the auxiliary ratchet release position and the auxiliary ratchet (26) to the enabling position; a back-up mechanism (7) for moving the secondary pawl (27) to the auxiliary ratchet release position or the auxiliary ratchet (26) to the enabling position; and an inhibiting lever (81) for selectively preventing interaction of the back-up mechanism (7) with the auxiliary ratchet (26).

In a vehicle wherein a functional part arranged in a body cover is supported by a body frame and a lid which makes it possible to lock a closed state covering the functional part can be openably fitted to the body cover in a position matching the functional part. Thus, the risk of undesirable tampering with the unlocking member is to be minimized and the risk for the unlocking member to be influenced by external disturbance such as unfavorable weather is to be avoided as far as possible. A cover member in which a lid is arranged in a secluded position is openably disposed on a body cover, and an unlocking member for releasing the lid from the locked state is disposed on the body cover so as to be covered by a cover member in a closed state.

A vehicle latch device including: a releasing unit that rotates about a support shaft provided on a holding member of an electric actuator and includes a cam pin and an output unit that disengages a latch from a ratchet by rotation of the releasing unit about the support shaft, where a driving force of the electric actuator being input to the cam pin; and a gear member that rotates about the support shaft, connects the electric actuator to the releasing unit, and inputs a driving force of the electric actuator into the input unit. The cam pin is arranged to be superimposed on a plane of rotation of the gear member, and the vehicle latch device further includes a cover member that is attached to the holding member and covers at least the support shaft, the input unit, the electric actuator, and the gear member.

An actuating assembly for an automotive door latch device comprises a housing that operatively installs therein basic elements that are commonly used in an override function unit and a child proof function unit. The override function unit has a function wherein a manipulation of an inside door handle induces cancellation of the engaged condition of the latch means irrespective of the condition of the locking / unlocking means. The child proof function unit has a function wherein the manipulation of the inside door handle is made inoperative irrespective of the condition of the locking / unlocking means, thereby to make the cancellation of the engaged condition of the latch means impossible. The actuating assembly further comprises a cover that is coupled to the housing and holds thereon a selected element that is exclusively used in either one of the override function unit and the child proof function unit.

An actuator has an actuator housing fixed to an open side of a concave accommodating portion of a latch housing in a latch body, and also has a drive source, which is accommodated in the actuator housing, and an open lever for releasing a meshing part from a striker by being release-operated by the drive source. The open lever is accommodated in the actuator housing. A block member blocks a gap between the accommodating portion of the latch housing and the actuator housing.

An automotive door latch device is provided with a latch which rotates by being pushed into motion by a striker; a latch return spring which applies force to the latch in the direction of the return position; a pawl which engages with the latch and prevents the same from rotating in the door opening direction (in the direction of the return position); and a pawl return spring which applies force to the pawl in the direction of the return position. A housing section, which belongs to the body and houses the latch and the pawl, opens downward at a location which is at one side of the body and is below the pawl. A pawl return spring is mounted on a spring mounting section formed at a location which is at the other side of the body and is away and downward from the rotation support section of the pawl. The pawl side end of the pawl return spring engages with the pawl via a through hole provided in the body. Due to the above, it is possible to enhance the discharging of powder dust or the like intruding inside the housing section, which belongs to the body and houses the latch and the pawl, outside the body.

A door handle device arranged in a vehicle door is disclosed. The door handle device includes a support member, door handle, lock detection electrode, and capacitance sensor. The door handle includes a first end, second end, pivot portion, and operation portion. A capacitance sensor detects issuance of a door lock command from a change in capacitance between an outer panel and lock detection electrode. The door handle includes a first handle case and second handle case covering the first handle case. The lock detection electrode is proximal to and faces an inner surface of at least one of an upper wall and lower wall of the second handle case. The lock detection includes an electrode end face facing the outer panel and formed to be non-planar.