A method of deactivating a secondary lock feature of a vehicle includes sensing a movement of an interior door handle, and determining a status of the secondary lock feature to ascertain whether the secondary lock feature is active. The method includes starting a timer to measure an elapsed time since sensing the movement of the interior door handle, sensing an environmental condition of an interior passenger compartment of the vehicle with a sensor, and setting an unlock delay time based on the environmental condition. When the secondary lock feature is disposed in an active state and the elapsed time period is greater than or equal to the unlock delay time, the method includes automatically generating a control signal to thereby deactivate the secondary lock feature.

Provide a door latch device that allowing a childproof-double-lock mechanism is simplified and the size of the door latch device is miniaturized. While supporting a childproof lever and a double lock lever by a support shaft, coordinating the childproof lever and the double lock lever by an interlocking means and for moving the double lock lever in the direction of a double-lock position in conjunction with the childproof lever and the double lock lever move to the 3rd position from the 2nd position where is a childproof lock position.

A vehicular door latch device includes a latch, a ratchet, a locking and unlocking mechanism, and a rotation member. The latch rotates in accordance with closing of a door while a striker provided in a vehicle body is engaged. When the door is in a fully-closed state, the ratchet holds the latch in a first posture. When the door is in a half-closed state, the ratchet holds the latch in a second posture. The mechanism is switched between an unlocked posture that can cancel interlock, and a locked posture that cannot cancel the interlock. When the latch is in the second posture, the rotation member overlaps the switching route and prohibits the posture change. When coming into contact with the rotation member overlapping the switching route, the mechanism in the unlocked posture is switched to the unlocked posture by rotation of a portion thereof in contact with the rotation member.

A vehicular door latch device includes a latch, a ratchet, a locking and unlocking mechanism, and a rotation member. The latch rotates in accordance with closing of a door while a striker provided in a vehicle body is engaged. When the door is in a fully-closed state, the ratchet holds the latch in a first posture. When the door is in a half-closed state, the ratchet holds the latch in a second posture. The mechanism is switched between an unlocked posture that can cancel interlock, and a locked posture that cannot cancel the interlock. When the latch is in the second posture, the rotation member overlaps the switching route and prohibits the posture change. When coming into contact with the rotation member overlapping the switching route, the mechanism in the unlocked posture is switched to the unlocked posture by rotation of a portion thereof in contact with the rotation member.

The invention relates to a motor vehicle door lock which is equipped with a locking mechanism (1, 2) consisting of essentially a rotary latch (1) and a pawl (2), in addition to an actuating lever chain (4) and a locking unit (5, 6). Said motor vehicle door lock also comprises a security device (8, 9, 10) which can optionally set the actuating lever chain (4) and/or the locking unit (5, 6) in a non-functioning state/functioning state. According to the invention, said security device (8, 9, 10) is designed as a retrofitted module (8, 9, 10) which can be connected, according to requirements, to a base module (1-6 and 11), said module surrounding the largest part of the locking mechanism (1, 2), the actuating lever chain (4) and the locking unit (5, 6).

A motor vehicle, which is equipped with a plurality of motor vehicle door locks and at least one control unit. Each motor vehicle door lock has at least one actuating lever chain acting mechanically on a locking mechanism. The status of the actuating lever chain (active/inactive) is detected with the aid of a sensor and sent to the control unit. The control unit differentiates between individual function positions depending on the door lock-specific status of the actuating lever chain.

A vehicle door opening and closing apparatus includes: an input lever configured to rotate when door opening operation is performed on an inside door handle arranged inside a vehicle; and an output lever rotatably arranged on a base plate. By transmission of rotation of the input lever to the output lever when the input lever rotates along with the door opening operation on the inside door handle, a latch unit provided between a vehicle body and a door performs release operation to allow opening movement of the door with respect to the vehicle body. A sub plate is arranged on the base plate in a form of covering the baseplate, an input support shaft for supporting the inside door handle is rotatably arranged on the sub plate, and the input lever is arranged on the input support shaft so as to integrally rotate with the input support shaft.

A vehicle door operating device includes an opening inside lever connected to an inside handle in a door inside a vehicle, a childproof lock lever that moves between a childproof unlock position and a childproof lock position; a switch lever, a childproof sensor and a single engagement pin. When the childproof lock lever is in the childproof lock position, opening action of the inside handle cannot be transmitted to a door latch device, but can be transmitted to the switch lever. When the childproof lock lever is in the childproof unlock position, releasing action of the opening inside lever can be transmitted to door latch devices for holding a door closed via a single engagement pin, but cannot be transmitted to the switch lever. When the childproof lock lever is in the childproof lock position, the releasing action of the opening inside lever cannot be transmitted to the door latch device via the engagement pin, but can be transmitted to the switch lever.

A method of controlling a vehicle includes sensing movement of an interior door handle, sensing a position of a vehicle door after movement of the interior door handle is sensed to determine if the door remains in an unopened position or if the door moves into an opened position after movement of the interior door handle is sensed. When movement of the interior door handle is sensed, a timer is started to determine if the measured time period is equal to or greater than a maximum delay time. A active or inactive state of a double door lock feature of the door lock system is determined and a control signal to automatically generated to deactivate the double door lock feature if the double door lock feature is active, the measured time period is equal to or greater than the maximum delay time, and the door is in the unopened position.

A method of controlling a vehicle includes sensing movement of an interior door handle, sensing a position of a vehicle door after movement of the interior door handle is sensed to determine if the door remains in an unopened position or if the door moves into an opened position after movement of the interior door handle is sensed. When movement of the interior door handle is sensed, a timer is started to determine if the measured time period is equal to or greater than a maximum delay time. A active or inactive state of a double door lock feature of the door lock system is determined and a control signal to automatically generated to deactivate the double door lock feature if the double door lock feature is active, the measured time period is equal to or greater than the maximum delay time, and the door is in the unopened position.