vehicle door latch

Abstract

To provide a vehicle door latch that combines an independent, thin E-release mechanism with a manual release mechanism. [Solution] The vehicle door latch 1 comprises a retaining unit 50 configured to engage with the striker in a closed position and release the striker in an open position, a central opening lever 10 configured to rotate about a first axis 40 between a rest position and an actuated position and release the retaining unit in the open position, an electric release mechanism having an electric gear wheel configured to move from the rest position to the actuated position by a release motor 11 and displace the central opening lever, and a mechanical release mechanism having a mechanical lever displaceable between the rest position and the actuated position and configured to displace the central opening lever toward the actuated position when displaced toward the actuated position, wherein the mechanical lever is rotatably arranged on the central opening lever via a second axis of the central opening lever which is different from the first axis.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle door latch, such as a side door or trunk lid, with an electric release mechanism, also known as an E-release mechanism. [Background technology]

[0002] Currently, door latches use an electric release mechanism, also known as an E-release mechanism, which allows the door to be opened with a simple operation such as pressing a switch or moving in front of a detector.

[0003] These door latches can be locked and unlocked electrically. The locking function prevents intrusion from outside the vehicle.

[0004] These electrical release mechanisms are typically deployed in conjunction with a manual backup release mechanism that corresponds to a conventional door latch, allowing the end user to directly activate a mechanical open control that moves a cable that unlatch the door, allowing it to be opened. Doors typically have two mechanical open controls: an inside handle and an outside handle. In the event of a power outage, these two mechanical open controls remain operational. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Both the electrical release mechanism and the mechanical backup mechanism must be housed in a small space.

[0006] Furthermore, both mechanisms must operate independently so that activation of one mechanism does not cause activation of the other. In particular, activation of the E-release mechanism must not displace the manual release lever, which is connected to the inside door handle by a cable. In fact, movement of the manual release lever could cause movement of the inside handle, which would be problematic for the user.

[0007] The combination of such mechanisms can result in increased thickness due to the axial overlap of multiple levers, which can make it difficult to install the latch within the door body. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle door latch that combines an independent and reduced profile E-release mechanism with a manual release mechanism.

[0009] To this end, the present invention relates to a vehicle door latch, the vehicle door latch comprising: a retaining unit configured to engage the striker in the closed position and to release the striker in the open position; a central open lever configured to rotate about a first axis between a rest position and an activated position and to release said holding unit in an open position; - an electric release mechanism comprising an electric gear wheel adapted to be moved by a release motor from a rest position to an actuated position to displace said central open lever; - a mechanical release mechanism comprising a mechanical lever (17) displaceable between a rest position and an actuated position, the mechanical lever being configured to displace said central open lever towards its actuated position when displaced towards its actuated position; The mechanical lever is rotatably disposed on the central open lever via a second axis of the central open lever that is different from the first axis.

[0010] By using a mechanical lever rotatably arranged on the central opening lever via a second axis of the central opening lever that is different from the first axis on which the central opening lever is rotatably arranged, a compact door latch that combines a mechanical release mechanism and an electrical release mechanism can be realized.

[0011] According to another embodiment, one of the mechanical lever or the central opening lever is provided with an elongated slot, and the other of the mechanical lever or the central opening lever is provided with a lug configured to be displaced within the elongated slot when the central opening lever is rotated towards its actuated position by an electrical release mechanism.

[0012] According to another embodiment, the elongated slot is arcuate.

[0013] According to another embodiment, when the central opening lever and the mechanical lever are in a rest position, the lug is configured to be positioned toward the edge of the elongated slot, and when the mechanical lever is displaced toward its operating position, the central opening lever rotates toward its operating position.

[0014] According to another embodiment, the mechanical lever has an end remote from the second axis and is configured to be coupled via a cable to a mechanical opening control, such as a handle, such that pulling the mechanical opening control displaces the mechanical lever towards its actuated position.

[0015] According to another embodiment, the mechanical lever is an inside release lever and the mechanical open control is an inside handle connected to a cable.

[0016] According to another embodiment, the mechanical release mechanism also includes an outside release lever configured to be coupled to the mechanical open control, such as an outside handle, via a cable, and the outside release lever configured to move from a rest position to an actuated position to release the retention unit, and the vehicle door latch also includes a lock mechanism (60) including: an electric lock motor having an output shaft; a worm disposed on the output shaft of the electric lock motor; a lock gear wheel configured to mesh with the worm and rotate between an unlocked position and a locked position; and a lock lever configured to be displaced by the lock gear wheel between a first position associated with the locked position of the lock gear wheel (where the lock lever prevents the outside release lever from placing the retention unit in the released position) and a second position associated with the unlocked position of the lock gear wheel (where the outside release lever can place the retention unit in the released position).

[0017] According to another embodiment, the vehicle door latch further comprises an override lever configured to move the lock lever from the locked position to the unlocked position and configured to be moved from the rest position to the actuated position by the central opening lever or from the rest position to the actuated position by the inside release lever, wherein the lock lever remains in the unlocked position after the vehicle door latch is released.

[0018] According to another embodiment, the override lever is configured to provide a one-motion override release that displaces the lock lever to the unlocked position before releasing the holding unit in the open position when the central open lever or the inner release lever is moved from the rest position to the actuated position.

[0019] According to another embodiment, the override lever is configured to provide a two-motion override release that moves the lock lever to the unlocked position without releasing the holding unit in the open position when the central open lever or the inner release lever is moved from the rest position to the actuated position.

[0020] The present invention relates to a vehicle door equipped with the above-mentioned vehicle door latch.

[0021] The invention will be better understood from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0022] In these figures, identical or similar components are given the same reference numerals, and only those components necessary for understanding the invention are shown. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0023] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of essential components of a door latch according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] 1 is a perspective view of an inside release lever and a central open lever of a door latch according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 3] 1 is a partially exploded perspective view of essential components of a door latch according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 4] 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which an inside release lever and a central open lever of a door latch according to an embodiment of the present invention are in a release position. FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but with an inside-open mechanical release. [Figure 6] FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 for electrical release. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a side view of the components of FIG. 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] The following examples are illustrative. Although this specification refers to one or more embodiments, this does not imply that each reference refers to the same embodiment or that a feature applies only to a single embodiment. Simple features of different embodiments may be combined to provide other embodiments.

[0025] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a vehicle door latch 1 for closing a door, particularly a side door or trunk lid, of a vehicle such as an automobile.

[0026] The vehicle door latch 1 comprises a retaining unit 50 including a pawl 2 and a pole 3 .

[0027] Both the pawl 2 and the pole 3 are configured to pivot between an open position and a closed position. In the closed position, the retaining unit 50 engages a vehicle's striker (not shown), which is sandwiched between the pawl 2 and the pole 3 prevents rotation of the pawl 2. In the open position, the retaining unit 50 releases the striker to unlock the vehicle door latch 1, and the pole 3 allows rotation of the pawl 2, which releases the striker and allows the door to open.

[0028] The pole 3 may be subjected to an elastic restoring force that pushes the pole 3 towards the pawl 2. The pawl 2 may be subjected to an elastic restoring force that pushes the pawl 2 into the open position.

[0029] The vehicle door latch 1 also includes an electric release mechanism 9. The electric release mechanism 9 includes an electric gear wheel 13 configured to be moved by an electric release motor 11 of the door latch 1 from a rest position to an actuated position.

[0030] More precisely, the electric release motor 11 has an output shaft 12 with a worm 12a arranged to mesh with an electric gear wheel 13, the rotation of which leads to the rotation of the electric gear wheel 13. The electric gear wheel 13 may be provided with teeth only on part of its circle, depending on the angular difference between the rest position and the working position of the electric gear wheel 13.

[0031] The release motor 11 can be activated by a control unit of the vehicle door latch 1 when a user activates an electrical (or electronic) opening control, such as a door switch, a key switch, or movement in front of a detector. According to one embodiment, the release motor 11 is a reversible motor (the output shaft 12 of the release motor 11 can be rotated in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction, for example, to return the electric gear wheel 13 to a rest position after the striker has been released by the vehicle door latch 1).

[0032] The vehicle door latch 1 also includes a central opening lever 10 configured to rotate about a first axis 40 between a rest position and an actuated position, the central opening lever 10 releasing the retaining unit 50 in the open position.

[0033] The central opening lever 10 is driven to the operating position by the rotation of the motorized gear wheel 13 from the rest position to the operating position.

[0034] According to one embodiment, the electric gear wheel 13 and the central opening lever 10 are coaxial. They each have an end portion protruding in the axial direction, and the end portion of the central opening lever 10 is on the path of the end portion of the electric gear wheel 13 in the direction of movement of the electric gear wheel 13 towards the operating position. Therefore, when the electric gear wheel 13 is driven to the operating position, the electric gear wheel 13 and the central opening lever 10 rotate together.

[0035] When the central opening lever 10 is mechanically driven to an actuated position, for example by the mechanical lever 17 of the mechanical release mechanism 16 (which will be explained in more detail below), the end of the electric gear wheel 13 is out of the path of the central opening lever 10, so that the electric gear wheel 13 is not moved (or is not moved significantly) during mechanical release.

[0036] The central opening lever 10 can be subjected to an elastic restoring force which pushes it into the rest position.

[0037] According to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 7, the movement of the central opening lever 10 from the rest position to the operating position moves the second lever 6 of the driver 4 of the door latch 1 .

[0038] The second lever 6 may be a pivoting lever. The second lever 6 is configured to move between a rest position and an actuated position. The second lever 6 may be subjected to an elastic restoring force that urges it towards the rest position.

[0039] The driver 4 also includes a first lever 5. The first lever 5 and a second lever 6 of the driver 4 may have the same axis (coaxial). Depending on the position of a paddle clutch 24, described in more detail below, rotating the second lever 6 toward an actuated position may rotate the first lever 5 in the actuated position, and the first lever 5 is configured to move the pawl 3 to an open position to release the door latch 1.

[0040] To rotate the second lever 6 of the driver 4, the central opening lever 10 has, for example, a tab 14 which cooperates with a pin 15' of the second lever 6 of the driver 4. Thus, when the central opening lever 10 rotates, the tab 14 presses against the pin 15', causing the second lever 6 to rotate.

[0041] The vehicle door latch 1 also includes a mechanical release mechanism 16. The mechanical release mechanism 16 includes a mechanical lever 17 (here, the inner mechanical lever 17) with an end that can be moved from inside the vehicle by an inner mechanical opening control (not shown) of the vehicle door, such as an inner handle, from a rest position to an actuated position. The inner mechanical lever 17 is mechanically coupled to the inner mechanical opening control, for example, by a cable (not shown) fixed to a hole 18, so that pulling the inner mechanical opening control displaces the inner mechanical lever 17 toward the actuated position.

[0042] The inner mechanical lever 17 is configured to displace the central opening lever 10 toward the operating position when the inner mechanical lever 17 is displaced toward the operating position.

[0043] The inner mechanical lever 17 is arranged rotatably relative to the central opening lever 10 via a second axis 42 of the central opening lever 10. This second axis 42 is different from the first axis 40. As a result, the central opening lever 10 is configured to rotate around the first axis 40, and the inner mechanical lever 17 is arranged on the central opening lever 10 and is configured to rotate around the second axis 42 spaced apart from the first axis 40.

[0044] According to one embodiment shown in Figure 2, the central opening lever 10 has a lug 32 that is movable within an elongated slot 33, e.g., arc-shaped, in the mechanical lever 17. When the electrical release mechanism 9 rotates the central opening lever 10 towards its actuated position, the lug 32 can move along the elongated slot 33.

[0045] The mechanical lever 17 can be subjected to an elastic restoring force that pushes it back to its rest position. Such an elastic restoring force can be provided by a spring 44 arranged between the mechanical lever 17 and the central opening lever 10.

[0046] Alternatively, the elongated slot 33 can be located on the central open lever 10 and the lug 32 on the mechanical lever 17 .

[0047] The lug 32 can be configured to be positioned toward the edge of the elongated slot 33 when the central opening lever 10 and the mechanical lever 17 are in their respective rest positions, so that when the mechanical lever 17 is displaced toward its operating position, the central opening lever 10 rotates toward its operating position.

[0048] For example, in the rest positions of the central opening lever 10 and the mechanical lever 17 shown in Figures 2 and 4, the lug 32 of the central opening lever 10 abuts the edge of the elongated slot 33, and when the mechanical lever 17 moves from the rest position to the actuated position as shown in Figure 5, the central opening lever 10 can be moved by the mechanical lever 17.

[0049] Thus, when a user pulls the inner handle, a cable is activated, which is coupled to the hole 18 of the inner mechanical lever 17, causing the inner mechanical lever 17 to move to the activated position. This displacement of the inner mechanical lever 17 towards the activated position is coupled with the rotation of the central opening lever 10 from its rest position to its activated position, leading to the release of the striker by the retaining unit 50. In the case of electrical release, the central opening lever 10 is rotationally driven by an electric gear wheel 13 (FIG. 6). This rotation of the central opening lever 10 causes the inner mechanical lever 17 to rotate about the second axis 42, displacing the lug 32 of the central opening lever 10 along the elongated slot 33.

[0050] As this mechanical lever 17 rotates about the second axis 42, the end of the inner mechanical lever 17 that is located away from the second axis 42 and has the hole 18 remains substantially stationary, so that when electrical release is achieved, no (or very little) pulling force is applied to the cable connected to the hole 18.

[0051] Furthermore, by rotatably positioning the inner mechanical lever 17 on a second axis 42 of the central opening lever 10 that is different from the first axis 40 on which the central opening lever 10 is rotatably positioned, the thickness of the vehicle door latch 1 can be reduced because the mechanical lever 17 is not coaxial with the central opening lever 10 (and the electric gear wheel 13).

[0052] The mechanical release mechanism 16 may also include an outside release lever 20 that can be moved from a rest position to an actuated position by an outside mechanical opening control (not shown) of the vehicle door, such as an outside handle, from outside the vehicle. The outside release lever 20 may be mechanically coupled to the outside mechanical opening control, for example, by a cable 21 (see FIG. 4 ) that is pulled by a user to actuate the outside mechanical opening control. When the outside release lever 20 is rotated toward the actuated position, the outside release lever 20 may be configured to rotate the second lever 6 of the driver 4 toward the actuated position.

[0053] The vehicle door latch 1 may also include a locking mechanism 60 (see FIGS. 1 and 7) for preventing outside intrusion into the vehicle. The locking mechanism 60 includes a locking lever 23 that is movable between a locked position and an unlocked position.

[0054] The locking lever 23 may be configured for translational movement.

[0055] In the unlocked position, movement of the outside release lever 20 releases the retaining unit of the door latch 1, allowing the door to be opened, and in the locked position, the lock lever 23 disengages the outside release lever 20 from the retaining unit 50.

[0056] More precisely, as an example, the driver 4 is provided with a paddle clutch 24 configured to be moved to the deployed position by the lock lever 23 when the lock lever 23 is in the unlocked position, and to be moved to the stored position by the lock lever 23 when the lock lever 23 is in the locked position.

[0057] The paddle clutch 24 can be subjected to an elastic restoring force pushing it to the deployed position, for example, via a spring 28 , one end of which is connected to the paddle clutch 24 and the other end of which is connected to the first lever 5 .

[0058] According to one embodiment, the paddle clutch 24 is configured to slide within a slot in the first lever 5 between a retracted position and a deployed position.

[0059] In the deployed position, the paddle clutch 24 is deployed between the first lever 5 and the second lever 6 of the driver 4, whereby movement of the second lever 6 towards the actuated position moves the first lever 5, which moves the pawl 3 in the open position and releases the door latch 1.

[0060] 1, the paddle clutch 24 is disengaged from between the first lever 5 and the second lever 6, so that the first lever 5 does not move even if the second lever 6 moves toward the operating position, and therefore the door latch 1 is not released.

[0061] According to one embodiment, to move the paddle clutch 24, the lock lever 23 is configured to drive the pivot pin 22 of the paddle clutch 24 through a hole in the lock lever 23, and movement of the hole in the lock lever 23 drives movement of the pivot pin 22 of the paddle clutch 24, thereby also driving movement of the paddle clutch 24. The hole in the lock lever can have a rectangular shape.

[0062] Thus, the movement of the first lever 5 can be driven by the movement of the second lever 6 (via the paddle clutch 24 if it is in the deployed position) which is driven from the rest position to the actuated position by the outer release lever 20 in the unlocked position of the lock lever 23.

[0063] In the closed and locked positions, the outside release lever 20 cannot release the door latch 1. The second lever 6 can be rotationally driven as the outside release lever 20 moves from the rest position to the actuated position, but in doing so, it faces radially toward the paddle clutch 24 (which is in the retracted position), so that the paddle clutch 24 is not rotationally driven, the first lever 5 is not rotationally driven, and the vehicle door latch 1 is not released. When the paddle clutch 24 is in the retracted position, a gap is formed between the first lever 5 and the second lever 6, allowing the second lever 6 to rotate within that gap toward the actuated position without interfering with the first lever 5. Therefore, the first lever 5 remains in the rest position.

[0064] The locking mechanism 60 may also include a lock motor 25 (see FIG. 7) configured to move the locking lever 23 from an unlocked position to a locked position, for example, in response to a user's locking request.

[0065] The lock motor 25 has an output shaft 26, which is provided with a worm 26a configured to mesh with a lock gear wheel 27, so that the lock gear wheel 27 rotates when the output shaft 26 rotates. The lock gear wheel 27 may have teeth only on a part of its circle, depending on the angle difference between the unlocked and locked positions of the lock gear wheel 27, which correspond to the unlocked and locked positions of the lock lever 23.

[0066] As an example, the lock gear wheel 27 has a rib on one surface thereof, and this rib is configured to cooperate with the lock lever 23 to move the lock lever 23 to the lock position when the lock gear wheel 27 is rotated by the worm 26a of the output shaft 26 of the lock motor 25 (movement to the left in Figure 1 or Figure 7).

[0067] The lock motor 25 is configured to move from the locked position to the unlocked position by moving the lock lever 23 from the locked position to the unlocked position (this can be achieved by an override mechanism 70, described below).

[0068] According to one embodiment, the lock motor 25 is a reversible motor (the output shaft 26 of the lock motor 25 can rotate clockwise or counterclockwise) and is configured to move the lock lever 23 from the locked position to the unlocked position, for example, in response to a user's unlock request.

[0069] The vehicle door latch 1 may also include an override mechanism 70 (see Figures 1 and 7) for unlocking the vehicle door latch 1 when the inner mechanical lever 17 moves from a rest position to an actuated position and / or when the central opening lever 10 moves from a rest position to an actuated position by the electric release motor 11.

[0070] The override mechanism 70 includes an override lever 30 configured to move the lock lever 23 from a locked position to an unlocked position. The override lever 30 is configured to be moved from a rest position to an actuated position by either the central opening lever 10 (if the override function applies to both the inside mechanical release and the electrical release) or the mechanical lever 17 (if the override function applies only to the inside mechanical release). The actuated position is intended to release the striker from the retention unit 50 and release the door latch 1.

[0071] The override lever 30 may be a pivot lever. The override lever 30 may be connected to the lock lever 23.

[0072] After the door latch 1 is released, the override lever 30 remains in the unlocked position, which causes the lock lever 23 to remain in the unlocked position after the door latch 1 is released, whether the release is initiated mechanically by actuation of the inside mechanical control or electrically by actuation of the electric open control.

[0073] The override lever 30 may have a protrusion 30 a configured to cooperate with an end of the central opening lever 10 or an end of the mechanical lever 17 .

[0074] According to the first embodiment of the override lever 30, the shape of the override lever 30, in particular its protrusion 30a, can be adapted so that the lock lever 23 is moved from the locked position to the unlocked position by the central opening lever 10 or the mechanical lever 17 before the central opening lever 10 disengages from the retaining unit 50 and releases the door latch 1 (the paddle clutch 24 is moved to the deployed position by the lock lever 23 being moved towards the unlocked position before the second lever 6 is moved by the central opening lever 10). Thus, unlocking and releasing are performed in the same motion.

[0075] According to a second embodiment of the override lever 30, the shape of the override lever 30, in particular its protrusion 30a, can be adapted to move the paddle clutch 24 to a deployed position after the second lever 6 has been moved to the operating position by the central opening lever 10, in which operating position the second lever 6 prevents the paddle clutch 24 from moving towards the deployed position.

[0076] If the override function applies only to the inside mechanical release, unlocking occurs with the first inside open mechanical release of the locked door latch 1, and release can occur with the second inside open mechanical release (two-motion), or with an outside open release (after the first inside open mechanical release), or with an electrical release (after the first inside open mechanical release).

[0077] In the inside-open mechanical release of the locked door latch 1, the user operates the inside handle from inside the vehicle, causing the inside mechanical lever 17 to rotate.

[0078] The lug 32 of the central opening lever 10 abuts against the elongated slot 33, causing the central opening lever 10 to rotate.

[0079] Therefore, the central opening lever 10 rotates the second lever 6 of the driver 4 in the gap between the second lever 6 and the first lever 5 created by the absence of the paddle clutch 24 (which is in the stored position), thus avoiding the need to rotate the first lever 5 and thus releasing the door latch 1.

[0080] The displacement of the mechanical lever 17 tilts the override lever 30 (due to the interaction between the end of the mechanical lever 17 and the protrusion 30a of the override lever 30 as the mechanical lever 17 moves towards the operating position), causing the lock lever 23 to move to the unlocked position. However, the second lever 6 has already been moved towards the radial direction of the paddle clutch 24, preventing movement of the paddle clutch 24 in the deployed position. This causes the spring 28 of the paddle clutch 24 to be compressed.

[0081] When the user releases the inner mechanical opening control, the inner mechanical lever 17 rotates back to its rest position, releasing the central opening lever 10. This releases the second lever 6, which in turn releases the paddle clutch 24 (due to the action of the spring 28) in the deployed position.

[0082] This will unlock door latch 1.

[0083] The user then pulls the inner mechanical open control again to move the central open lever 10, which rotates the second lever 6 of the driver 4, which moves the first lever 5 through the movement of the paddle clutch 24 located between the first and second levers 5, causing the pawl 3 to disengage from the claw 2 and release the door latch 1.

[0084] During the inner opening mechanical release, the electric gear wheel 13 does not move or does not move significantly. In fact, when the central opening lever 10 is driven to rotate from the rest position to the operating position by the mechanical lever 17, the electric gear wheel 13 is decoupled from the central opening lever 10.

[0085] To electrically release a locked door latch 1, a user activates the electric open control, which activates the release motor 11. Rotation of the output shaft 12 and worm 12a of the release motor 11 rotates the electric gear wheel 13. This rotation engages the central open lever 10, which rotates it to the operating position.

[0086] The lug 32 of the central opening lever 10 moves within the elongated slot 33 of the mechanical lever 17 without abutting against the elongated slot 33 of the mechanical lever 17 and therefore without driving the mechanical lever 17. Therefore, the mechanical lever 17 does not move or does not move significantly.

[0087] The following procedure is the same as for the inside open mechanical release.

[0088] The central opening lever 10 rotates the second lever 6 of the driver 4 but does not drive the paddle clutch 24 and therefore does not rotate the first lever 5 and therefore does not release the door latch 1.

[0089] Pivoting the central open lever 10 causes the override lever 30 to pivot and move the lock lever 23 to the unlocked position. However, the second lever 6 has already been moved radially toward the paddle clutch 24, preventing movement of the paddle clutch 24 in the deployed position. This causes the spring 28 of the paddle clutch 24 to compress.

[0090] Next, the control unit of the door latch 1 controls the release motor 11 to drive the electric gear wheel 13 in the reverse direction to return it to the rest position. When the release motor 11 rotates the electric gear wheel 13 in the reverse direction, the central opening lever 10 rotates in the reverse direction, releasing the second lever 6 and disengaging the paddle clutch 24 in the deployed position.

[0091] The release motor 11 can be controlled by the control unit of the door latch 1 to operate twice when the user activates the electrical (or electronic) open control.

[0092] First, the release motor 11 moves the electric gear wheel 13 from the rest position to the working position to unlock the door latch 1, and after the release motor 11 drives the electric gear wheel 13 in the reverse direction to return to the rest position, the release motor 11 can move the electric gear wheel 13 from the rest position to the working position again to unlock the door latch 1.

[0093] Depending on the programming of the control unit, release can occur after one or two presses of the electric open control.

[0094] As the lock lever 23, operated by the lock motor 25, moves to the locked position, the override lever 30 can be driven from the unlocked position to the locked position.

[0095] Alternatively, if the override lever 30 is configured to be moved from the rest position to the actuated position by the inside mechanical lever 17 rather than by the central opening lever 10, the override mechanism 70 will only operate once mechanical release has been achieved as described above. In this case, the vehicle door latch 1 must first be unlocked, for example via the lock motor 25, in order to achieve electrical release.

[0096] In another embodiment, the lock lever 23 can be driven directly (without the intermediate override lever 30) from the locked position to the unlocked position by movement of the central opening lever 10 from the rest position to the actuated position, and thus by the central opening lever 10 attempting to release the striker from the retaining unit 50 and release the door latch 1.

[0097] According to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 , movement of the central opening lever 10 from the rest position to the actuated position is configured to move the first lever 5 of the driver 4 of the door latch 1, move the pawl 3 to the open position, and release the door latch 1. Therefore, movement of the central opening lever 10 toward the actuated position (by the inner mechanical lever 17 or the release motor 11) releases the door latch 1 regardless of the position of the locking mechanism 60. To rotate the first lever 5 of the driver 4, the central opening lever 10 is provided with, for example, a tab 14 that cooperates with a pin 15 of the first lever 5 of the driver 4. Thus, when the central opening lever 10 rotates, the tab 14 presses the pin 15 to rotate the first lever 5 and release the door latch 1. Other features can be similar to those of the above-described embodiment. In particular, the outer release lever 20 remains configured to rotate the second lever 6, and the lock lever 23 is configured to move the paddle clutch 24 between a deployed position that allows the outer release lever 20 to release the door latch 1 and a retracted position that prevents the outer release lever 20 from releasing the door latch 1. The override mechanism 70 can be used to prevent a user from being locked out of the vehicle (after opening the door latch 1 via the inside release or electrical release).

[0098] The present invention also relates to a vehicle door comprising the vehicle door latch 1 described above.

[0099] Therefore, by using a mechanical lever 17 that is rotatably attached to a second axis 42 of the central opening lever 10 that is different from the axis 40 on which the central opening lever 10 rotates, it is possible to reduce the volume of the vehicle door latch without affecting its function. [Explanation of symbols]

[0100] 1 Vehicle door latch 2 claws 3. Paul 4 Driver 5 First lever 6 Second lever 9 Electric release mechanism 10 Central opening lever 11 Release motor 12 Output shaft 12a Warm 13 Electric Gear Wheel 14 tabs 15, 15' pin 16 Mechanical release mechanism 17 Mechanical lever, inner mechanical lever, inner release lever 18 holes 20 Outside release lever 21 Cable 22 Axle pin 23 Lock lever 24 Paddle clutch 25 Lock motor 26 Output shaft 26a Warm 27 Lock Gear Wheel 28 Spring 30 Override lever 30a protrusion 32 Rug 33 Slender slot 40 1st axis 42 2nd axis 44 Spring 50 holding units 60 Locking mechanism 70 Override mechanism

Claims

1. A vehicle door latch (1), comprising: a retaining unit (50) adapted to engage the striker in the closed position and to release the striker in the open position; a central open lever (10) adapted to rotate about a first axis (40) between a rest position and an active position and to release said holding unit (50) in said open position; an electric release mechanism (9) comprising an electric gear wheel (13) adapted to be moved from a rest position to an actuated position by a release motor (11) and to displace said central opening lever (10); a mechanical release mechanism (16) comprising a mechanical lever (17) displaceable between a rest position and an actuated position, said mechanical lever (17) being adapted to displace said central open lever (10) towards its actuated position when displaced towards its actuated position; The vehicle door latch (1) is characterized in that the mechanical lever (17) is rotatably arranged on the central opening lever (10) via a second axis (42) of the central opening lever (10) that is different from the first axis (40).

2. 2. The vehicle door latch (1) of claim 1, wherein one of the mechanical lever (17) or the central opening lever (10) is provided with an elongated slot (33), and the other of the mechanical lever (17) or the central opening lever (10) is provided with a lug (32) configured to be displaced within the elongated slot (33) when the central opening lever (10) is rotated toward its actuated position by the electrical release mechanism (9).

3. 3. The vehicle door latch (1) of claim 2, wherein the elongated slot (33) is arcuate.

4. 4. The vehicle door latch (1) according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that when the central opening lever (10) and the mechanical lever (17) are in their rest positions, the lug (32) is configured to be disposed toward the edge of the elongated slot (33), and when the mechanical lever (17) is displaced toward its operating position, the central opening lever (10) rotates toward its operating position.

5. 5. The vehicle door latch (1) of claim 4, wherein the mechanical lever (17) has an end remote from the second axis (42) and is configured to be connected to a mechanical opening control, such as a handle, via a cable, such that pulling the mechanical opening control displaces the mechanical lever (17) toward its operating position.

6. 6. The vehicle door latch (1) of claim 5, wherein the mechanical lever (17) is an inside release lever and the mechanical open control is an inside handle connected to a cable.

7. The mechanical release mechanism (16) also includes an outside release lever (20) configured to be coupled to the mechanical open control, such as an outside handle, via a cable (21), the outside release lever (20) configured to move from a rest position to an actuated position to release the retaining unit (50). The vehicle door latch (1) includes a lock motor (25) having an output shaft (26), a worm (26a) disposed on the output shaft (26) of the lock motor (25), and a lock gear wheel (27) configured to mesh with the worm (26a) and rotate between an unlocked position and a locked position.

2. The vehicle door latch of claim 1, further comprising: a locking mechanism including a locking lever configured to be displaced by the locking gear wheel between a first position associated with the locked position of the locking gear wheel (27), where the locking lever prevents the outer release lever from placing the retaining unit in the unlocked position, and a second position associated with the unlocked position of the locking gear wheel (27), where the outer release lever can place the retaining unit in the unlocked position.

8. 8. The vehicle door latch (1) of claim 7, further comprising an override lever (30) configured to move the lock lever (23) from the locked position to the unlocked position and configured to move from the rest position to the actuated position by the central open lever (10) or from the rest position to the actuated position by the inner release lever (17), wherein the lock lever (23) remains in the unlocked position after the vehicle door latch (1) is released.

9. 9. The vehicle door latch (1) of claim 8, wherein the override lever (30) is configured to provide a one-motion override release that displaces the lock lever (23) to the unlocked position before releasing the retaining unit (50) in the open position when the central open lever (10) or the inside release lever (17) is moved from the rest position to the actuated position.

10. 9. The vehicle door latch (1) of claim 8, wherein the override lever (30) is configured to provide a two-motion override release that moves the lock lever (23) to the unlocked position without releasing the retaining unit (50) in the open position when the central opening lever (10) or the inside release lever (17) is moved from the rest position to the actuated position.

11. A vehicle door equipped with a vehicle door latch (1) according to claim 1.

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