| US 7,537,249 B2 | ||
| Latch device and device for controlling opening/closing of door | ||
| Mikio Ichinose, Yamanashi (Japan); Etsuo Yamamoto, Yamanashi (Japan); and Michio Ohashi, Yamanashi (Japan) | ||
| Assigned to Mitsui Mining & Smelting Co., Ltd., Tokyo (Japan) | ||
| Filed on May 24, 2006, as Appl. No. 11/439,126. | ||
| Claims priority of application No. 2005-151070 (JP), filed on May 24, 2005; application No. 2005-151071 (JP), filed on May 24, 2005; and application No. 2005-151072 (JP), filed on May 24, 2005. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2006/0267350 A1, Nov. 30, 2006 | ||
| Int. Cl. E05C 3/16 (2006.01); E05C 3/06 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 292—216 [292/201; 292/341.16; 292/DIG. 23] | 3 Claims |
| 1. A latch device for a door on a vehicle body, comprising:
a latch having an engagement groove configured to receive and engage with a striker such that an opening movement of the door
with respect to the vehicle body is restricted when the striker is engaged with the engagement groove;
a ratchet configured to rotate about a ratchet axis and to engage with the latch;
a base plate having a receiving groove configured to receive the striker;
a switch lever at an open end of the receiving groove, wherein the switch lever is configured to rotate about the ratchet
axis independently of the ratchet from an advanced position at which the switch lever closes an open end of the receiving
groove, such that the striker is prevented from entering the receiving groove, to a retreated position at which the switch
lever leaves the open end of the receiving groove open as the striker enters the receiving groove;
a first detecting unit configured to engage with the switch lever and to detect that the switch lever is at the advanced position
when the first detecting unit is in engagement with the switch lever, and to detect that the switch lever has moved away from
the advanced position towards the retreated position when the first detecting unit is no longer in engagement with the switch
lever;
a second detecting unit configured to engage with the latch and to detect whether the latch is in a half-latch state in which
the door is not completely closed with respect to the vehicle body but the opening movement of the door with respect to the
vehicle body is restricted; and
a third detecting unit configured to engage with the ratchet and to detect whether the ratchet is at the half-latch state,
wherein the latch device is configured such that when the second and third detecting units detect that the latch and ratchet
have moved to the half-latch state after the first detecting unit has detected that the switch lever has moved away from the
advanced position towards the retreated position a latch actuator is driven to move the latch, the ratchet, and the striker
into a full latch state in which the door is completely closed with respect to the vehicle body.
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