DOUBLE LOCKING VEHICLE DOOR LATCH

摘要

A door latch assembly has a housing (14) defining a mouth (48). A detent fork (44) is pivotally mounted within the housing to cooperate with the mouth to pivot between an open and closed condition for receiving, engaging and cinching a keeper of a striker. The detent fork (44) is biased in the open condition. A pivotally mounted pawl (50, 54) is biased into engagement with the detent fork for retaining the detent fork in the closed condition. A pivotally mounted inside release arm (34) is movable between a stand-by position and a release position and biased to the stand-by position. A pivotally mounted outside release arm (32) is movable between a stand-by position and a release position, and biased to the stand-by position. A pivotally mounted locking cam (58) operably engages the pawl (50, 54) for positioning the pawl to selectively engage the release arms (34, 32). The locking cam (58) is rotatable between an unlocked position for urging the pawl to engage at least one of t he arms (34, 32), a single lock position for urging the pawl to engage at most one of the arms (34, 32), and a double lock position for urging the pawl (50, 54) to disengage both arms. A double lock lever (66) operably engages the rotatable locking cam (58) for rotating the locking cam between the unlocked position, the single lock position and the double lock position. A single lock sub-assembly comprises a handle lever (94) coupled to the rotatable locking cam (58) for rotation therewith between the unlocked position and the single lock position and uncoupled from the rotating locking cam when the rotatable locking cam is rotated between the single lock position, and the double lock position.