Vehicle body compartment panel pull-down mechanism

Claim 2

In a vehicle body including a compartment panel movable between open and closed positions, a pull-down mechanism for the panel comprising: a bolt assembly mounted on the panel and having a bolt that is spring biased to an unlatched position and a key releasablE detent for holding the bolt in a latched position upon movement thereto; a housing mounted on the vehicle body and including a bolt keeper that is vertically reciprocal relative to the housing between an extended position where the keeper engages the bolt during closing of the panel so as to move the bolt to latched position and thereby interconnect the keeper and the panel in a partially closed position and a retracted position where the keeper positions the interconnected panel in the closed position; drive means supported by the housing and including a reduction gear drive train, a unidirectional electric motor for driving the input of the drive train, and a linkage connected to the output of the drive train and to the keeper so as to reciprocate the keeper between the extended and retracted positions; a control member normally biased to an unactuated position and movable to an actuated position to complete an electric circuit energizing the motor; a plunger mounted on the housing for vertically reciprocal movement adjacent the keeper between raised and depressed positions, means biasing the plunger to the raised position, an upper portion on the plunger which is engaged by the bolt assembly during latching thereof to the keeper so as to partially depress the plunger, an actuating portion on the plunger that moves into engagement with the control member during this partial depression and moves the control member to its actuated position so that the motor is energized to drive the keeper toward retracted position and the interconnected panel toward closed position, the plunger moving to its depressed position by engagement thereof with the bolt assembly as the panel is driven to its closed position, and the actuating portion of the plunger moving out of engagement with the control member prior to the panel reaching closed position; a cam rotatable with the output of the drive train and including first and second surfaces for engaging the control member, the first surface maintaining the control member in actuated position after the depression of the plunger moves the actuating portion of the plunger out of engagement with the control member and this surface allowing the control member to move under its bias to unactuated position as the panel reaches closed position so that the motor is de-energized with the panel in this position, the second surface maintaining the control member in actuated position after upward plunger movement initiates driving movement of the keeper toward its extended position subsequent to key undetenting of the bolt with the panel closed and this surface allowing the control member to move under its bias to unactuated position as the keeper reaches extended position; and engageable surfaces on the plunger and the keeper that limit the movement of the plunger toward raised position upon the key undetenting of the bolt so that the actuating portion of the plunger initially maintains the control member in actuated position so as to initiate the driving of the keeper to extended position.

Claim 3

In a vehicle body including a compartment panel movable between open and closed positions, a pull-down mechanism for the panel comprising: a bolt assembly mounted on the panel and having a bolt that is spring biased to an unlatched position and a key releasable detent for holding the bolt in a latched position upon movement thereto; a housing mounted on the vehicle body and including a bolt keeper mounted on the housing for vertically reciprocal movement between an extended position where the keeper engages the bolt during closing of the panel so as to move the bolt to latched position and thereby interconnect the keeper and the panel in a partially closed position and a retracted position where the keeper positions the interconnected panel in the closed position; drive means supported by the housing and including a reduction gear drive train, a unidirectional electric motor for driving the input of the drive train, and a linkage including a first link rotatable with the output of the drive train and a second link eccentrically connected to the first link and connected to the keeper so as to reciprocate the keeper between the extended and retracted positions with respect to the housing, the first link including a stop surface; a stop member mounted on the housing and cooperable with the stop surface of the first link to limit reverse movement of the drive train when an opening force is applied to the closed panel; a control member normally biased to an unactuated position and movable to an actuated position to complete an electric circuit energizing the motor; a plunger mounted on the housing for vertically reciprocal movement adjacent the keeper between raised and depressed positions, means biasing the plunger to the raised position, an upper portion on the plunger which is engaged by the bolt assembly during latching thereof to the keeper so as to partially depress the plunger, an actuating portion on the plunger that moves into engagement with the control member during this partial depression and moves the control member to its actuated position so that the motor is energized to drive the keeper toward retracted position and the interconnected panel toward closed position, the plunger moving to its depressed position by engagement thereof with the bolt assembly as the panel is driven to its closed position, and the actuating portion of the plunger moving out of engagement with the control member prior to the panel reaching closed position; a cam including first and second surfaces for engaging the control member, lost motion means rotatably driving the cam with the output of the gear drive train, the first surface of the cam maintaining the control member in actuated position after the depression of the plunger moves the actuating portion of the plunger out of engagement with the control member and this surface allowing the control member to move under its bias to unactuated position as the panel reaches closed position so that the motor is de-energized with the panel in this position, the lost motion means preventing reverse cam rotation and consequent actuation of the control member when an opening force is applied to the closed panel and causes a slight reverse movement of the drive train prior to the cooperable action of the stop member and the stop surface on the first link, and the second surface maintaining the control member in actuated position after upward plunger movement initiates driving movement of the keeper toward its extended position subsequent to key undetenting of the bolt with the panel closed and this surface allowing the control member to move under its bias to unactuated position as the keeper reaches extended position; and engageable surfaces on the plunger and the keeper that limit the movement of the plunger toward raised position upon the key undetenting of the bolt so that the actuating portion of the plunger initially maintains the control member in actuated position so as to initiate the driving of the keeper to extended position.

Claim 4

In a vehicle body including a compartment panel movable between open and closed positions, a pull-down mechanism for the panel comprising: a bolt assembly mounted on the panel and having a bolt that is spring biased to an unlatched position and a key releasable detent for holding the bolt in a latched position upon movement thereto; a housing mounted on the vehicle body and including a bolt keeper mounted on the housing for vertically reciprocal movement between an extended position where the keeper engages the bolt during closing of the panel so as to move the bolt to latched position and thereby interconnect the keeper and the panel in a partially closed position and a retracted position where the keeper positions the interconnected panel in the closed position; drive means supported by the housing and including a reduction gear drive train, a unidirectional electric motor for driving the input of the drive train, and a linkage including a first link rotatable with the output of the drive train and a second link eccentrically connected to the first link and connected to the keeper so as to reciprocate the keeper between the extended and retracted positions with respect to the housing, the first link including a stop surface; a stop member mounted on the housing and cooperable with the stop surface of the first link to limit reverse movement of the drive train when an opening force is applied to the closed panel; a control member normally biased to an unactuated position and movable to an actuated position to complete an electric circuit energizing the motor; a plunger mounted on the housing for vertically reciprocal movement adjacent the keeper between raised and depressed positions, means biasing the plunger to the raised position, an upper portion on the plunger which is engaged by the bolt assembly during latching thereof to the keeper so as to partially depress the plunger, an actuating portion on the plunger that moves into engagement with the control member during this partial depression and moves the control member to its actuated position so that the motor is energized to drive the keeper toward retracted position and the interconnected panel toward closed position, the plunger moving to its depressed position by engagement thereof with the bolt assembly as the panel is driven to its closed position, and the actuating portion of the plunger moving out of engagement with the control member prior to the panel reaching closed position; a cam including first and second surfaces for engaging the control member, lost motion means rotatably driving the cam with the output of the gear drive train, the first surface of the cam maintaining the control member in actuated position after the depression of the plunger moves the actuating portion of the plunger out of engagement with the control member and this surface allowing the control member to move under its bias to unactuated position as the panel reaches closed position so that the motor is de-energized with the panel in this position, the lost motion means preventing reverse cam rotation and consequent actuation of the control member when an opening force is applied to the closed panel and causes a slight reverse movement of the drive train prior to the cooperable action of the stop member and the stop surface on the first link, and the second surface maintaining the control member in actuated position after upward plunger movement initiates driving movement of the keeper toward its extended position subsequent to key undetenting of the bolt with the panel closed and this surface allowing the control member to move under its bias to unactuated position as the keeper reaches extended position; and engageable surfaces on the plunger and the keeper that limit the movement of the plunger toward raised position upon the key undetenting of the bolt so that the actuating portion of the plunger initially maintains the control member in actuated position so as to initiate the driving of the keeper to extended position.

Claim 5

In a vehicle body including a compartment panel movable between open and closed positions, a pull-down mechanism for the panel comprising: a bolt assembly mounted on the panel and having a bolt that is spring biased to an unlatched position and a releasable detent for holding the bolt in a latched position upon movement thereto, the detent being released by either key action or secondary undetenting action; a housing mounted on the vehicle body and including a bolt keeper that is mounted on the housing for vertically reciprocal movement between an extended position where the keeper engages the bolt during closing of the panel so as to move the bolt to latched position and thereby interconnect the keeper and the panel in a partially closed position and a retracted position where the keeper positions the interconnected panel in closed position; drive means supported by the hoUsing and including a reduction gear drive train, a unidirectional electric motor for driving the input of the drive train, and a linkage including a first link rotatable with the output of the drive train and a second link eccentrically connected to the first link and connected to the keeper so as to reciprocate the keeper between extended and retracted positions with respect to the housing, the first link including a stop surface and an undetenting surface and these surfaces being circumferentially spaced with respect to each other about the axis of rotation of the first link; a control member normally biased to an unactuated position and movable to an actuated position to complete an electric circuit energizing the motor; a plunger mounted on the housing for vertically reciprocal movement adjacent the keeper between raised and depressed positions, means biasing the plunger to the raised position, an upper portion on the plunger which is engaged by the bolt assembly during latching thereof to the keeper so as to partially depress the plunger, an actuating portion on the plunger that moves into engagement with the control member during this partial depression and moves the control member to its actuated position so that the motor is energized to drive the keeper toward retracted position and the interconnected panel toward closed position, the plunger moving to its depressed position by engagement thereof with the bolt assembly as the panel is driven to its closed position, and the actuating portion of the plunger moving out of engagement with the control member prior to the panel reaching closed position; a cam rotatable with the output of the drive train and including first and second surfaces for engaging the control member, the first surface maintaining the control member in actuated position after the depression of the plunger moves the actuating portion of the plunger out of engagement with the control member and this surface allowing the control member to move under its bias to unactuated position as the panel reaches closed position so that the motor is de-energized with the panel in this position, the second surface maintaining the control member in actuated position after upward plunger movement initiates driving movement of the keeper toward its extended position subsequent to key undetenting of the bolt with the panel closed and this surface allowing the control member to move under its bias to unactuated position as the keeper reaches extended position; engageable surfaces on the plunger and the keeper that limit the movement of the plunger toward raised position upon the key undetenting of the bolt so that the actuating portion of the plunger moves the control member to actuated position to initiate the driving of the keeper to extended position; and a secondary undetenting and stop arrangement including a lever pivoted to the housing, a spring biasing the lever to an unactuated position, and an undetenting member that is retractable and extendable relative to the housing as the lever moves against its spring bias, the lever being engaged by the undetenting surface of the first link during driving of the keeper toward extended position subsequent to actuation of an occupant compartment switch in parallel with the circuitry of the control member and this engagement moving the lever to an actuated position where the extended undetenting member engages the latched bolt assembly to undetent the bolt, and the lever being engaged by the stop surface of the first link during movement of the keeper to retracted position so that the stop surface moves the lever partially toward its actuated position and then moves behind the lever to thereafter limit reverse movement of the keeper toward extended position when an opening force applied to the panel tends to reverse the drive train movement.

Claim 6

In a vehicle body including a compartment panel movable between open and closed positions, a pull-down mechanism for the panel comprising: a bolt assembly mounted on the panel and having a bolt that is spring biased to an unlatched position and a releasable detent for holding the bolt in a latched position upon movement thereto, the detent being released by either key action or secondary undetenting action; a housing mounted on the vehicle body and including a bolt keeper that is mounted on the housing for vertically reciprocal movement between an extended position where the keeper engages the bolt during closing of the panel so as to move the bolt to latched position and thereby interconnect the keeper and the panel in a partially closed position and a retracted position where the keeper positions the interconnected panel in closed position; drive means supported by the hoUsing and including a reduction gear drive train, a unidirectional electric motor for driving the input of the drive train, and a linkage including a first link rotatable with the output of the drive train and a second link eccentrically connected to the first link and connected to the keeper so as to reciprocate the keeper between extended and retracted positions with respect to the housing, the first link including a stop surface and an undetenting surface and these surfaces being circumferentially spaced with respect to each other about the axis of rotation of the first link; a control member normally biased to an unactuated position and movable to an actuated position to complete an electric circuit energizing the motor; a plunger mounted on the housing for vertically reciprocal movement adjacent the keeper between raised and depressed positions, means biasing the plunger to the raised position, an upper portion on the plunger which is engaged by the bolt assembly during latching thereof to the keeper so as to partially depress the plunger, an actuating portion on the plunger that moves into engagement with the control member during this partial depression and moves the control member to its actuated position so that the motor is energized to drive the keeper toward retracted position and the interconnected panel toward closed position, the plunger moving to its depressed position by engagement thereof with the bolt assembly as the panel is driven to its closed position, and the actuating portion of the plunger moving out of engagement with the control member prior to the panel reaching closed position; a cam rotatable with the output of the drive train and including first and second surfaces for engaging the control member, the first surface maintaining the control member in actuated position after the depression of the plunger moves the actuating portion of the plunger out of engagement with the control member and this surface allowing the control member to move under its bias to unactuated position as the panel reaches closed position so that the motor is de-energized with the panel in this position, the second surface maintaining the control member in actuated position after upward plunger movement initiates driving movement of the keeper toward its extended position subsequent to key undetenting of the bolt with the panel closed and this surface allowing the control member to move under its bias to unactuated position as the keeper reaches extended position; engageable surfaces on the plunger and the keeper that limit the movement of the plunger toward raised position upon the key undetenting of the bolt so that the actuating portion of the plunger moves the control member to actuated position to initiate the driving of the keeper to extended position; and a secondary undetenting and stop arrangement including a lever pivoted to the housing, a spring biasing the lever to an unactuated position, and an undetenting member that is retractable and extendable relative to the housing as the lever moves against its spring bias, the lever being engaged by the undetenting surface of the first link during driving of the keeper toward extended position subsequent to actuation of an occupant compartment switch in parallel with the circuitry of the control member and this engagement moving the lever to an actuated position where the extended undetenting member engages the latched bolt assembly to undetent the bolt, and the lever being engaged by the stop surface of the first link during movement of the keeper to retracted position so that the stop surface moves the lever partially toward its actuated position and then moves behind the lever to thereafter limit reverse movement of the keeper toward extended position when an opening force applied to the panel tends to reverse the drive train movement.

Claim 7

In a vehicle body including a compartment panel movable between open and closed positions, a pull-down mechanism for the panel comprising: An electrically grounded metallic bolt assembly mounted on the panel and having a bolt that is spring biased to an unlatched position and a key releasable detent for holding the bolt in a latched position upon movement thereto; a housing mounted on the vehicle body and including a bolt keeper that is mounted on the housing for vertically reciprocal movement between an extended position where the keeper engages the bolt during closing of the panel so as to move the bolt to latched position and thereby interconnect the keeper and the panel in a partially closed position and a retracted position where the keeper positions the interconnected panel in the closed position; drive means supported by the housing and including a reduction gear drive train, a unidirectional electric motor for driving the input of the drive train, and a linkage connected to the output of the drive train and to the keeper so as to reciprocate the keeper between extended and retracted positions with respect to the housing; a control member normally biased to an unactuated position and movable to an actuated position to complete a first portion of an electric circuit for energizing the motor; a plunger mounted on the housing for vertically reciprocal movement adjacent the keeper between raised and depressed positions, means biasing the plunger to the raised position, an upper portion on the plunger which includes a metallic contact that is electrically engaged by the bolt assembly during latching thereof to the keeper so as to complete a second portion of the electric circuit for energizing the motor and to also partially depress the plunger, an actuating portion on the plunger that moves into engagement with the control member during this partial depression and moves the control member to its actuated position so that the first and second circuit portions complete the circuit and energize the motor to drive the keeper toward retracted position and the interconnected panel toward closed position, the plunger moving to its depressed position by engagement of the contact on the upper portion thereof with the bolt assembly as the panel is driven to its closed position, and the actuating portion of the plunger moving out of engagement with the control member prior to the panel reaching closed position; a cam rotatable with the output of the drive train and including first and second surfaces for engaging the control member, the first surface maintaining the control member in actuated position after the depression of the plunger moves the actuating portion of the plunger out of engagement with the control member and this surface allowing the control member to move under its bias to unactuated position as the panel reaches closed position so that the motor is de-energized with the panel in this position, the second surface maintaining the control member in actuated position after upward plunger movement initiates driving movement of the keeper toward its extended position subsequent to key undetenting of the bolt with the panel closed and this surface allowing the control member to move under its bias to unactuated position as the keeper reaches extended position; and a grounded contact surface on the keeper that electrically engages the contact on the plunger upon upward plunger movement subsequent to key undetenting of the bolt so as to complete the second portion of the circuit for energizing the motor, this engagement limiting the upward movement of the plunger so that the actuating portion of the plunger initially maintains the control member in its actuated position to also complete the first portion of the circuit and to thereby initiate the driving of the keeper to extended position, and the plunger contact being electrically isolated during manual depression of the plunger to prevent manual energization of the mechanism.

Claim 8

In a vehicle body including a compartment panel movable between open and closed positions, a pull-down mechanism for the panel comprising: An electrically grounded metallic bolt assembly mounted on the panel and having a bolt that is spring biased to an unlatched position and a key releasable detent for holding the bolt in a latched position upon movement thereto; a housing mounted on the vehicle body and including a bolt keeper that is mounted on the housing for vertically reciprocal movement between an extended position where the keeper engages the bolt during closing of the panel so as to move the bolt to latched position and thereby interconnect the keeper and the panel in a partially closed position and a retracted position where the keeper positions the interconnected panel in the closed position; drive means supported by the housing and including a reduction gear drive train, a unidirectional electric motor for driving the input of the drive train, and a linkage connected to the output of the drive train and to the keeper so as to reciprocate the keeper between extended and retracted positions with respect to the housing; a control member normally biased to an unactuated position and movable to an actuated position to complete a first portion of an electric circuit for energizing the motor; a plunger mounted on the housing for vertically reciprocal movement adjacent the keeper between raised and depressed positions, means biasing the plunger to the raised position, an upper portion on the plunger which includes a metallic contact that is electrically engaged by the bolt assembly during latching thereof to the keeper so as to complete a second portion of the electric circuit for energizing the motor and to also partially depress the plunger, an actuating portion on the plunger that moves into engagement with the control member during this partial depression and moves the control member to its actuated position so that the first and second circuit portions complete the circuit and energize the motor to drive the keeper toward retracted position and the interconnected panel toward closed position, the plunger moving to its depressed position by engagement of the contact on the upper portion thereof with the bolt assembly as the panel is driven to its closed position, and the actuating portion of the plunger moving out of engagement with the control member prior to the panel reaching closed position; a cam rotatable with the output of the drive train and including first and second surfaces for engaging the control member, the first surface maintaining the control member in actuated position after the depression of the plunger moves the actuating portion of the plunger out of engagement with the control member and this surface allowing the control member to move under its bias to unactuated position as the panel reaches closed position so that the motor is de-energized with the panel in this position, the second surface maintaining the control member in actuated position after upward plunger movement initiates driving movement of the keeper toward its extended position subsequent to key undetenting of the bolt with the panel closed and this surface allowing the control member to move under its bias to unactuated position as the keeper reaches extended position; and a grounded contact surface on the keeper that electrically engages the contact on the plunger upon upward plunger movement subsequent to key undetenting of the bolt so as to complete the second portion of the circuit for energizing the motor, this engagement limiting the upward movement of the plunger so that the actuating portion of the plunger initially maintains the control member in its actuated position to also complete the first portion of the circuit and to thereby initiate the driving of the keeper to extended position, and the plunger contact being electrically isolated during manual depression of the plunger to prevent manual energization of the mechanism.

Claim 9

In a vehicle body including a compartment panel movable between open and closed positions, a pull-down mechanism for the panel comprising: a bolt assembly mounted on the panel and having a bolt that is spring biased to an unlatched position and a key releasable detent for holding the bolt in a latched position upon movement thereto; a housing mounted on the vehicle body and including a bolt keeper mounted on the housing for vertically reciprocal movement between an extended position where the keeper engages the bolt during closing of the panel so as to move the bolt to latched position and thereby interconnect the keeper and the panel in a partially closed position and a retracted position where the keeper positions the interconnected panel in the closed position; drive means supported by the housing and including a reduction gear drive train, a unidirectional electric motor for driving the input of the drive train, a linkage including a first link rotatable with the output of the drive train, a second link connected to the keeper, and a spring biased pin and slot means connecting the first link and the second link at an eccentric location with respect to the axis of rotation of the first link so that the linkage reciprocates the keeper between the extended and retracted positions with respect to the housing as the first link is rotated and allows a limited movement of the keeper toward extended position when the linkage positions the keeper in retracted position, this limited movement occurring due to movement between the links at the pin and slot means against its spring bias; a control member normally biased to an unactuated position and movable to an actuated position to complete an electric circuit energizing the motor; a plunger mounted on the housing for vertically reciprocal movement adjacent the keeper between raised and depressed positions, means biasing the plunger to the raised position, an upper portion on the plunger which is engaged by the bolt assembly during latching thereof to the keeper so as to partially depress the plunger, an actuating portion on the plunger that moves into engagement with the control member during this partial depression and moves the control member to its actuated position so that the motor is energized to drive the keeper toward retracted position and the interconnected panel toward closed position, the plunger moving to its depressed position by engagement thereof with the bolt assembly as the panel is driven to its closed position, and the actuating portion of the plunger moving out of engagement with the control member prior to the panel reaching closed position; a cam rotatable with the output of the drive train and including first and second surfaces for engaging the control member, the first surface maintaining the control member in actuated position after the depression of the plunger moves the actuating portion of the plunger out of engagement with the control member and this surface allowing the control member to move under its bias to unactuated position as the panel reaches closed position so that the motor is de-energized with the panel in this position, the second surface maintaining the control member in actuated position after upward plunger movement initiates driving movement of the keeper toward its extended position subsequent to key undetenting of the bolt with the panel closed and this surface allowing the control member to move under its bias to unactuated position as the keeper reaches extended position; and engageable surfaces on the plunger and the keeper that limit the movement of the plunger toward raised position upon the key undetenting of the bolt so that the actuating portion of the plunger initially maintains the control member in actuated position so as to initiate the driving of the keeper to extended position.

Claim 10

In a vehicle body including a compartment panel movable between open and closed positions, a pull-down mechanism for the panel comprising: a bolt assembly mounted on the panel and having a bolt that is spring biased to an unlatched position and a key releasable detent for holding the bolt in a latched position upon movement thereto; a housing mounted on the vehicle body and including a bolt keeper mounted on the housing for vertically reciprocal movement between an extended position where the keeper engages the bolt during closing of the panel so as to move the bolt to latched position and thereby interconnect the keeper and the panel in a partially closed position and a retracted position where the keeper positions the interconnected panel in the closed position; drive means supported by the housing and including a reduction gear drive train, a unidirectional electric motor for driving the input of the drive train, a linkage including a first link rotatable with the output of the drive train, a second link connected to the keeper, and a spring biased pin and slot means connecting the first link and the second link at an eccentric location with respect to the axis of rotation of the first link so that the linkage reciprocates the keeper between the extended and retracted positions with respect to the housing as the first link is rotated and allows a limited movement of the keeper toward extended position when the linkage positions the keeper in retracted position, this limited movement occurring due to movement between the links at the pin and slot means against its spring bias; a control member normally biased to an unactuated position and movable to an actuated position to complete an electric circuit energizing the motor; a plunger mounted on the housing for vertically reciprocal movement adjacent the keeper between raised and depressed positions, means biasing the plunger to the raised position, an upper portion on the plunger which is engaged by the bolt assembly during latching thereof to the keeper so as to partially depress the plunger, an actuating portion on the plunger that moves into engagement with the control member during this partial depression and moves the control member to its actuated position so that the motor is energized to drive the keeper toward retracted position and the interconnected panel toward closed position, the plunger moving to its depressed position by engagement thereof with the bolt assembly as the panel is driven to its closed position, and the actuating portion of the plunger moving out of engagement with the control member prior to the panel reaching closed position; a cam rotatable with the output of the drive train and including first and second surfaces for engaging the control member, the first surface maintaining the control member in actuated position after the depression of the plunger moves the actuating portion of the plunger out of engagement with the control member and this surface allowing the control member to move under its bias to unactuated position as the panel reaches closed position so that the motor is de-energized with the panel in this position, the second surface maintaining the control member in actuated position after upward plunger movement initiates driving movement of the keeper toward its extended position subsequent to key undetenting of the bolt with the panel closed and this surface allowing the control member to move under its bias to unactuated position as the keeper reaches extended position; and engageable surfaces on the plunger and the keeper that limit the movement of the plunger toward raised position upon the key undetenting of the bolt so that the actuating portion of the plunger initially maintains the control member in actuated position so as to initiate the driving of the keeper to extended position.