Patent Publication Number: US-2006006671-A1

Title: Automobile vehicle lock

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      This application claims priority to French Patent Application 04 06 640 filed on Jun. 18, 2004.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates generally to automobile vehicle locks.  
      Locks are used to keep an automobile vehicle door or the like in a closed position. They also allow the door or the like to be opened by operating an inside or external manipulator linked to a latch mechanism and are able to be operated by a user. Typically, such locks are mounted on the vehicle door. They include a latch claw designed to engage with or be disengaged from a pin or striker bar mounted on the vehicle. Releasing the latch mechanism involves disengaging the latch claw from the striker bar, allowing the door or the like to be opened. Inversely, closing the latch mechanism involves keeping the striker bar engaged by the latch claw and preventing the door or the like from being opened. The latch claw is urged into its closing position by the striker bar when the door is being closed, and a pawl prevents the latch claw from returning to the release position, keeping the latch mechanism in the closed position if the latch mechanism is not subject to external action.  
      Herein, we shall call the part of the latch mechanism connecting the external release control or the inside release control the external release lever or the inside release lever, respectively. Locking of the latch mechanism, as employed herein, involves preventing the latch mechanism from being opened by using the external release control. Unlocking is the reverse operation, allowing the latch mechanism to again be released when the external release control is manipulated. In the case of an automobile vehicle door, these operations are conventionally performed using a fascia pull or an electromechanical actuator. In the case of a hatchback door or trunk, an interlocking device is also used for locking or unlocking purposes.  
      Herein, “security locking” involves preventing the latch mechanism from being released by operating the inside release control, with the door or the like locked. Security locking notably prevents a vehicle door from being opened using the inside release control after the window glass has been broken. “Security locking release” is the reverse operation, including again allowing the latch mechanism to be opened by operating the inside release control. In the case of an automobile vehicle door, these operations are conventionally performed using a specific electromechanical actuator. Examples can be found in the model year 2000 Peugeot 406 or the model year 2000 Audi A4 which use locks of this type. A child-proof feature prevents the latch mechanism from being opened from the inside regardless of whether it is locked or not. This feature prevents a vehicle door from being accidentally opened from inside, notably by children. It is frequently provided on the rear doors of vehicles. For a vehicle rear door, these operations are conventionally performed using a mechanical control or electromechanical actuator. The model year 2000 Volkswagen Golf or the model year 2000 Renault Laguna II adopt such a solution.  
      An override feature allows the latch mechanism to be opened and locking to be released simultaneously or the latch mechanism to be unlocked by operating the inside release control with the child-proof set. This allows a door latch mechanism to be released in the event of an accident, allowing a passenger at the rear of the vehicle with the child-proof feature set to unlock the latch mechanism, allowing the door to be opened from the outside.  
      A double override feature allows the latch mechanism to be simultaneously unlocked and released by operating the release control twice.  
      Numerous designs of mechanical and electromechanical latch mechanisms exist that implement one or several of these features. Herein, a mechanical latch mechanism is one in which the release mechanism is actuated by a mechanical linkage such as by, for example, pulling on a cable. An electrical latch mechanism herein is one in which the release mechanism is actuated by a gear mechanism driven by an electric motor.  
      Reference can for example be made to European patent application EP-A-1,335,087, which discusses several designs of prior art locks as well as an electric latch mechanism, making it possible to provide the above features under degraded electrical conditions.  
      Mechanically or electrically released latch mechanisms can vary considerably from one model of vehicle to another. Depending on the vehicle ranges, different latch mechanisms offering different functions will be fitted to the doors and other openable members of the vehicle. In particular, the driver&#39;s door frequently has functions different from those of, for example, the rear doors. It is consequently necessary to manage, for a given vehicle, several different latch mechanisms having different functionalities.  
      Now, manufacturers attempt to reduce the number of part references to simplify part ordering and production, together with storage and assembly of the parts onto vehicles. In the case of a latch mechanism, current practice requires making provisions for a model of latch mechanism, i.e., a specific reference, per vehicle range or even for the various openable members of a given vehicle range.  
      There is consequently a need for a standardized “core” latch mechanism, enabling any type of lock able to partially or fully implement the various functions discussed above to be built: locking, release of locking, security locking, release of security locking, child safety function actuation/release, override.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The invention provides an electro-mechanical latch mechanism including a latch claw movable between a released position in which the latch mechanism is released and a closed position in which the latch mechanism is closed, a pawl adapted to maintain the latch claw in the closed position, cooperating means having a point of action adapted to be operated on by a latch mechanism release lever and a unidirectional linkage that can be coupled-in and coupled-out electrically between the cooperating means and the pawl.  
      In one embodiment, the cooperating means further include a point of action adapted to be operated on by a motor. In another embodiment, the latch mechanism further includes a standby lever operated by an electric motor between an active position for coupling in the cooperating means and an inactive position for coupling out the cooperating means. The cooperating means can include a finger, and the standby lever includes a cam adapted to come into abutment with the finger in the active position. In one embodiment, the standby lever carries a spring adapted to permit an intermediate position of the standby lever.  
      In another embodiment, the cooperating means includes a first window adapted to receive a lug integral with the pawl, and the shape of the first window is adapted to provide a unidirectional linkage between the cooperating means and the pawl when the linkage is in a coupled-in state. The cooperating means can have a second window adapted to receive a point of action by the lever. In one embodiment, the cooperating means includes a finger adapted to receive a point of action by the motor.  
      The present invention also provides a module including the above-described latch mechanism, an electrical release motor for the latch mechanism adapted to act on the cooperating means and a mechanical release lever adapted to act on the cooperating means. The unidirectional linkage between the cooperating means and the pawl is coupled-in by the release motor.  
      The a standby lever is adapted to be operated by a standby motor. The unidirectional linkage between the cooperating means and the pawl is coupled-in by the lever in the event of an electrical failure of the release motor.  
      A module including the above-described latch mechanism, a mechanical release lever adapted to operate on the cooperating means and a standby lever adapted to be operated on by a motor is also provided. The unidirectional linkage between the cooperating means and the pawl is coupled-in and coupled-out by the operation of the standby lever. The invention further provides a vehicle having an openable member fitted with the above latch mechanism or module(s).  
      Further characteristics and advantages of the latch mechanism will become more clear from the description which follows provided by way of example, with reference to the attached drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a diagrammatic view of a latch mechanism according to one embodiment of the invention in a closed position with electro-mechanical release;  
       FIG. 2  is a view of the latch mechanism in  FIG. 1 , showing how the various parts of the latch mechanism move during electro-mechanical opening of the latch mechanism in normal operation;  
       FIG. 3  is a view of the latch mechanism in  FIG. 1 , showing how the various parts of the latch mechanism move during electro-mechanical opening of the latch mechanism in normal operation;  
       FIG. 4  is a view of the latch mechanism in  FIG. 1 , showing how the various parts of the latch mechanism move during electro-mechanical opening of the latch mechanism in normal operation;  
       FIG. 5  shows the latch mechanism in  FIG. 1  in a closed position and with purely mechanical emergency opening;  
       FIG. 6  is a diagrammatic view of a latch mechanism according to another embodiment in a closed position with purely mechanical opening;  
       FIG. 7  shows an example of modular locks able to be obtained starting from a latch mechanism according to the invention;  
       FIG. 8  shows an example of modular locks able to be obtained starting from the latch mechanism according to the invention;  
       FIG. 9  shows an example of modular locks able to be obtained starting from the latch mechanism according to the invention;  
       FIG. 10  shows an example of modular locks able to be obtained starting from the latch mechanism according to the invention; and  
       FIG. 11  shows an example of modular locks able to be obtained starting from the latch mechanism according to the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
      The invention provides a modular lock. One identical core latch mechanism makes it possible, depending on the mode of assembly and parts that are added, to constitute locks having different functionalities. In particular, a given mechanical structure of a lock can, depending on the electronic programming of an electric motor associated therewith and on the parts that are added, provide the above-mentioned various functionalities.  
      The electro-mechanical latch mechanism includes a latch claw movable between a first position allowing the latch mechanism to be released and another position in which the latch mechanism is locked and a pawl adapted to keep the latch claw in a closed position. The latch mechanism also includes cooperating means having an operating point of action adapted to be operated on by a release lever. The cooperating means of the latch mechanism according to the invention are consequently provided structurally with a point of mechanical engagement allowing the cooperating means to change position when acted on by the release lever. The cooperating means can also have a point of action adapted to be acted on by an electric motor. In this case, the cooperating means have, structurally, a point of action adapted to be operated on by the mechanical action of the electric motor, allowing the cooperating means to change position. These two points of action for the release lever and the electric motor are not of necessity both activated, and this depends on the intended application of the lock.  
      A unidirectional linkage able to be coupled-in and coupled-out connects the cooperating means and the pawl. This one-way linkage ensures that the pawl is operated by the cooperating means, which receive the operating commands or actions, while the reverse, i.e., movement of the pawl, has no effect on the cooperating means. The linkage can be coupled-in electrically, allowing the pawl to be driven when the cooperating means changes position. The linkage can also be coupled-out electrically so that the pawl will not move when the cooperating means changes position.  
      Starting from this core latch mechanism, any other type of locks can be built by a suitable choice of release levers and electric motors with appropriate adaptation of the programming of the electric motor responsible for coupling-in and coupling-out the unidirectional linkage between the cooperating means and the pawl.  
      In the description below, we shall use the terms vertical, horizontal, left, right, top and bottom to refer to the position of the latch mechanism shown in the drawings. This position is for illustrative purposes and should not be understood as limiting the position of the latch mechanism in operation.  
       FIG. 1  is a diagrammatic view of a latch mechanism according to an embodiment of the invention in a closed position. The latch mechanism of  FIG. 1  is an electro-mechanically released latch mechanism.  
      The latch mechanism in  FIG. 1  has a core latch mechanism assembly including a latch claw  1 , a pawl  3  and cooperating means  5 . The cooperating means  5  are adapted to be operated by an electric motor  6  and/or a release lever  15 . The connection between the cooperating means  5  and the pawl  3  is unidirectional, meaning that rotation of the cooperating means  5  can bring about rotation of the pawl  3 , while inversely, rotation of the pawl  3  has no effect on the cooperating means  5 .  
      The drawings show the latch claw  1  rotatively mounted on an axis  1   a . Rotation of the latch claw  1  about the axis  1   a , in a clockwise sense, allows door release, as shown in  FIG. 4 . The latch claw  1  is urged by a spring in a clockwise direction towards its released position.  
      In the position of the latch claw  1  shown in  FIG. 1 , the pawl  3  prevents the door opening and keeps the latch claw  1  on a striker bar (not illustrated). The exact shape of the latch claw  1  and its movement are known per se and will not be described in more detail. They can additionally be modified without this having any bearing on the operation of the latch mechanism of the invention.  
       FIG. 1  also shows a pawl lifter  4 . The pawl  3  and the pawl lifter  4  can rotate about an axis  2  and are integral with each other. The use of two parts is advantageous in view of assembly constraints. The pawl  3  and the pawl lifter  4  have drive lugs which cooperate together. Rotation of the pawl lifter  4  and the pawl  3  about the axis  2  in a clockwise direction has the effect of lowering the pawl  3  and releasing the latch claw  1  to allow the latch claw  1  to rotate clockwise and thereby release the latch mechanism.  
       FIG. 1  also shows an electrical release lever  9  including a drive key  11  mounted freely rotatable on the axis  2  of the pawl  3  and the pawl lifter  4 . The electrical release lever  9  can be operated by the electric motor  6  that drives a toothed cam  8  via a worm  7 . The cam  8  has a curved face adapted to urge an end  9   a  of the electrical release lever  9  to cause it to pivot about the axis  2 .  
       FIG. 1  further shows the cooperating means  5  mounted in rotation about an axis  5   a . The cooperating means  5  has a first window  5   b  in which a lug of the pawl lifter  4  is housed. The shape of the first window  5   b  is adapted to allow unidirectional linkage between the cooperating means  5  and the pawl  3 . In particular, the first window  5   b  is larger than the lug of the pawl lifter  4 . Rotation in the opposite direction of the pawl  3  will consequently have no effect on the cooperating means  5 . Further, the size of the first window  5   b  allows an initial rotation of the cooperating means  5  about the axis  5   a  in a clockwise sense without driving the pawl lifter  4  and consequently the pawl  3 .  
      The cooperating means  5  also includes a first finger  5   c  designed to cooperate with the key  11  of the electrical release lever  9 . The first finger  5   c  thus constitutes a point of action of the cooperating means  5  adapted to be operated by the electric motor  6 .  
      The release lever  15  manually or mechanically releases the door. The release lever  15  is rotatively mounted about an axis  13  and is connected by an external release cable or rod mechanism  14  to an external release control (not illustrated). The manual release lever  15  includes a protuberance  15   a  that abuts against a contact face  12   a  of a recall lever  12  able to rotate about an axis  10  common with the axis of the cam  8  with which the electric motor  6  is in geared engagement. The recall lever  12  is provided with a pin  12   b  housed in a second window  5   d  of the cooperating means  5 . The second window  5   d  thus constitutes a point of action of the cooperating means  5  adapted to be operated on by a lever.  
      An inside manual release lever (not illustrated) is also adapted to act on the recall lever  12  in order to shift the pin  12   b  into the second window  5   d  of the cooperating means  5 .  
      The external manual release lever  15  and the recall lever  12  each include electric contacts  12   c  and  15   b , respectively designed to actuate switch contacts  17   a  and  17   b , respectively, of the electric motor  6 , as is shown in  FIG. 2 .  
       FIG. 1  shows a backup lever  18 . The backup lever  18  is so-called because it can be operated by a backup standby motor  20 , which can be seen in  FIG. 5 , to bring a cam  18   a  opposite a second finger  5   e  of the cooperating means  5 . In this configuration, the cooperating means  5  lose their freedom to rotate about the axis  5   a . Action on an inside or external release lever will bring the cooperating means  5  to rotate about the point of engagement between the second finger  5   e  of the cooperating means  5  and the cam  18   a  of the backup lever  18 . This point of engagement is advantageously centered on the axis  2  of the pawl  3  and the pawl lifter  4 .  
      The electrically released latch mechanism in  FIG. 1  operates as follows. With the backup lever  18  in an inactive position in which the cam  18   a  of the backup lever  18  is not in engagement with the second finger Se of the cooperating means  5 , the cooperating means are free to rotate about the axis  5   a.    
      When an external mechanical release control or, respectively an inside release control, is operated, this rotates, via the external release cable or rod mechanism  14  (or, respectively, an inside release cable), the release lever  15  about an axis  13  (respectively, or the inside release lever about its axis), causing the recall lever  12  to swing about its axis of rotation  10  in the direction of arrow F 2 . The swinging movements of the external release lever  15  and the recall lever  12  cause the switch contacts  17   a  and  17   b  of the electric motor  6  to be brought into contact, as illustrated on  FIG. 2 .  
      The movement of recall lever  12  also drives the pin  12   b , and the pin  12   b  shifts to abut against a face  5   f  inside the second window  5   d , the effect of which is to cause the cooperating means  5  to swing about the axis of rotation  5   a  in the direction of arrow F 3 . The point of action by the lever of the cooperating means  5  is consequently activated. The swinging of the cooperating means  5  to the left and upwardly will allow the first finger  5   c  of the cooperating means  5  to engage with the key  11  of the electrical release lever  9 , thereby activating the point of action by the electric motor  6  of the cooperating means  5 .  
      In this position, the cooperating means  5  are not yet in a position to drive the pawl  3 . In effect, during the initial movement of the cooperating means  5  under the action of the recall lever  12 , the lug of the pawl lifter  4  simply slides with relative movement to the right inside the first window  5   b  of the cooperating means  5  without bringing about any rotational movement of the pawl  3 . The unidirectional linkage between the cooperating means  5  and the pawl  3  is consequently coupled-out.  
      The electric motor  6  is now set running by closing the switch contacts  17   a  and  17   b  of the electric motor  6  by action from the mechanical release control. As can be seen in  FIG. 3 , operation of the electric motor  6  now causes the cam  8  to swing when driven by the worm  7 . Swinging of the cam  8  now pushes the end  9   a  of the electrical release lever  9  upwardly to the left, causing the electrical release lever  9  to swing about the axis  2 . As the cooperating means  5  have been rendered integral with the electrical release lever  9  by the key  11 , the cooperating means  5  are driven in rotation about the axis  5   a  clockwise as a result of the first finger  5   c  thereof abutting on the key  11 .  
      The cam  8 , driven by the electric motor  6 , is able to swing about the axis of rotation  10  between a rest position and a latch mechanism release position to shift the electric release lever  9  through an angle that is substantially the angle needed to release the latch mechanism.  
      As can be seen in  FIG. 3 , the rotation of the cooperating means  5  in the direction of arrow F 3  also drives the pawl lifter  4  since its lug is in abutment at the right hand side inside the first window  5   b  of the cooperating means  5 . The driving of the pawl lifter  4  by the cooperating means  5  will also drive the pawl  3 , which is integral in rotation with the pawl  3 . The unidirectional linkage between the cooperating means  5  and the pawl  3  is now coupled-in.  
      Rotation of the pawl  3  allows the latch claw  1  to be released from its locked positions. The latch claw  1  is now free to rotate in the direction of arrow F 5  and release the latch mechanism to open the door. Movement in direction of arrow F 5  occurs under the pressure of the door seals followed and by the action of a user grasping the door.  
       FIG. 4  shows closing of the latch mechanism. When the door is slammed shut, the latch claw  1  rotates in the opposite direction, that of arrow F 5 ′. The pawl  3  returns to its initial position, rotating about the axis  2  in the direction of arrow F 1 ′, for example under the action of a spring (not illustrated) and can now again keep the latch claw  1  in the closed position.  
      When the latch claw  1  is rotating, it can operate switch contacts (not illustrated), supplying door electronics logic (also not shown) with “door open” status information. This information along with other information concerning the status of the switch contacts  17   a  and  17   b  of the electric motor  6  which actuates the electrical latch mechanism release will be used for powering the electric motor  6  with reverse polarity to bring the elements of the latch mechanism back to the rest position, as illustrated in  FIG. 4 .  
      From the above, it will be seen that the latch mechanism is brought to a release position by the combined action of a mechanical command and electrical command. The various lock functionalities such as locking of the latch mechanism, child-proof feature or override are done by the firmware of a non-illustrated microcontroller associated with the electrical release motor  6 .  
      Thus, should the microcontroller fail and the electric motor  6  be powered at an inappropriate time, the electrical release lever  9  will just swing freely on the axis  2  without driving the cooperating means  5  since the key  11  will not have been engaged in the cooperating means  5  by operation of the mechanical release control. As the cooperating means  5  are not driven, the pawl  3  is not in a position to allow the latch claw  1  to move from its closed position. Any untoward opening of the door is thus avoided.  
      However, should the electric motor  6  fail to operate, it is nevertheless necessary to be able to open the door. If a problem which could affect operation of the electric motor  6  is detected, such as detection of impact, a drop in battery voltage, firmware failure or otherwise, a supervisory circuit (optionally redundant) with the microcontroller of the electric motors  6  will operate the standby motor  20 , which will bring the backup lever  18  into a so-called active position. As illustrated on  FIG. 5 , in this position, the cam  18   a  of the backup lever  18  is coupled-in by the second finger  5   e  of the cooperating means  5 . The cooperating means  5  is now no longer able to rotate about the axis  5   a , but can only swing about the axis  2  constituting the point of coupling-in of the backup lever  18  on the cooperating means  5 .  
      Operating the external release cable or rod mechanism  14  (or, respectively, the inside release control) will cause the external release lever  15  to make the recall lever  12  pivot as discussed above. As a result of the recall lever  12  pivoting about the axis  10 , the pin  12   b  will be brought into abutment against the face  5   f  of the second window  5   d  of the cooperating means  5 . As the cooperating means  5  are prevented from rotating about the axis  5   a  as a result of the second finger  5   e  thereof being coupled-in with the cam  18   a  of the backup lever  18 , the cooperating means  5  are now driven in rotation about the axis  2  by the action of the pin  12   b  abutting inside the second window  5   d . This rotation of the cooperating means  5  about the axis  2  will then drive the pawl lifter  4  via the lug housed inside the second window  5   b  of the cooperating means  5 .  
      In effect, the shape of the second window  5   b  of the cooperating means  5  is designed to allow the lug of the pawl lifter  4  to initially slide inside the window when the cooperating means  5  swing about the axis of rotation  5   a  and to drive the lug, without initial sliding, when the cooperating means  5  swing about the coupling-in axis  2  along with the backup lever  18 . For this purpose, the second window  5   b  adapted to house the lug of the pawl lifter  4  can be shaped in the form of an arc of a circle centered on the axis of rotation  5   a  of the cooperating means  5 .  
      Thus, when the backup lever  18  is in its so-called active position, the lug of the pawl lifter  4  no longer slides inside the second window  5   b  of the cooperating means  5 , but remains in abutment at the left-hand side thereof to drive integrally in rotation the pawl  3 , and release the latch claw  1  from its closed position. The unidirectional linkage between the cooperating means  5  and the pawl  3  is thus coupled-in by the backup lever  18  in its active position. This allows the latch mechanism to be released mechanically even when the electrical operating control is faulty.  
      The backup lever  18  consequently has a so-called active position in which the cam  18   a  is coupled-in with the second finger Se of the cooperating means  5  for rotation of the cooperating means  5  about the axis  2  of the pawl lifter  4  and a so-called inactive position in which the cam  18   a  is coupled-out with respect to the second finger Se of the cooperating means  5  for rotation of the cooperating means  5  about the axis of rotation  5   a . There is the possibility of an intermediate position in which direct coupling-in of the cam  18   a  is prevented as a result of prior rotation of the cooperating means  5 .  
      Should incorrect operation of the electric motor  6  only be detected after the external release control has been operated, the cooperating means  5  will be in a position corresponding to that illustrated in  FIG. 2 . If the standby motor  20  is now set in motion, the cam  18   a  of the backup lever  18  cannot couple-in with the second finger  5   e  of the cooperating means  5 , since the cooperating means  5  has already rotated about the axis  5   a  under the action of the mechanical release control. When there is no longer traction on the external release cable or rod mechanism  14 , the release lever  15  and the recall lever  12  return to their initial position, as shown in  FIG. 1 . The cooperating means  5  now are recalled to their initial position, for example by a spring, not illustrated. The second finger  5   e  of the cooperating means  5  will now strike against the cam  18   a  of the backup lever  18  which has been operated. The backup lever  18  consequently carries a spring  19  adapted to allow the cam  18   a  be lifted by the second finger  5   e  of the cooperating means  5  in reverse rotation towards its rest position. Once the cooperating means  5  have returned to their initial position, the cam  18   a  of the backup lever  18  is now constrained by the spring  19  to abut against the second finger  5   e . This engagement now constitutes the new axis  2  of rotation for the cooperating means  5 .  
      The shape of the second window  5   d  of the cooperating means  5  in which the pin  12   b  of the recall lever  12  moves is important, as the shape should allow abutment of the pin  12   b  against the face  5   f  to allow the cooperating means  5  to move under the action of the recall lever  12 , either about the axis  5   a  to engage the key  11  of the electrical release lever  9  or about the axis  2  of the pawl lifter  4 .  
      Similarly, the shape of the second window  5   d  of the cooperating means  5  in which the pawl lifter lug is housed is also important as this allows unidirectional drive of the latch claw  1  via the cooperating means  5  when the linkage is coupled-in, regardless of about which axis of rotation, i.e.,  2  or  5   a , the cooperating means  5  pivot.  
       FIG. 6  illustrates another embodiment of the latch mechanism of the invention in a closed position. The latch mechanism of  FIG. 6  has purely mechanical release. Those parts that are common to the latch mechanism discussed with reference to  FIG. 1  bear the same reference numerals and will not be described again. The latch mechanism of  FIG. 6  has no electrical release lever, but simply a manual release lever  15  linked to an external release control, as well as an inside release control lever (not shown).  
      The shape of the cooperating means  5  of the latch mechanism in  FIG. 6  can differ from that of the latch mechanism previously described. In effect, the cooperating means  5  no longer has a finger adapted to engage with a key of an electrical release lever. Similarly, the shape of the second window  5   d  in which the pin  12   b  of the recall lever  12  moves is different from the one discussed above. The second window  5   d  constitutes a point of action of the cooperating means  5  by a lever. The cooperating means  5  in  FIG. 6  does not have a point of action for a motor. The cooperating means  5  of  FIG. 6  are simpler, but it will be understood that the shape described with reference to  FIG. 1  could apply to this embodiment, with the point of action of a motor on the cooperating means  5  being simply inactive.  
      The latch mechanism of  FIG. 6  operates as follows. The latch mechanism of  FIG. 6  is a latch mechanism with mechanical release and electrical locking. To release the latch mechanism, the backup lever  18  is placed in an active position by the standby motor  20 , in other words with the cam  18   a  coupled-in on the second finger  5   e  of the cooperating means  5 .  
      If an action is performed on the external release cable or rod mechanism  14  or the inside release control, this will cause the external release lever  15  to make the recall lever  12  pivot as discussed above. Under the effect of this rotation of the recall lever  12  about the axis  10  in the counter clockwise direction, the pin  12   b  will be driven into abutment with the face  5   g  of the second window  5   d  of the cooperating means  5 . As the cooperating means  5  are prevented from rotating about the axis  5   a  as a result of the second finger Se thereof being coupled to the cam  18   a  of the backup lever  18 , the cooperating means  5  are now driven in rotation about the axis  2  by the point at which coupling-in has occurred. The swinging of the cooperating means  5  about the axis  2  then drives the pawl lifter  4  downwardly via the lug housed in the first window  5   b  of the cooperating means  5 . As a result of the shape of the first window  5   b  of the cooperating means  5  discussed above, the lug of the pawl lifter  4  will not slide, but will remain in abutment at the left-hand side of the first window  5   b  of the cooperating means  5  to bring about rotation integral therewith of the pawl  3  and release of the latch claw  1  from its closed position. The unidirectional linkage between the cooperating means  5  and the pawl  3  is consequently coupled-in by the backup lever  18  in its active position.  
      Similarly, if the cooperating means  5  have the shape discussed with reference to  FIG. 1 , shifting of the pin  12   b  in the second window  5   d  in abutment against the face  5   f  brings about swinging of the cooperating means  5  about the axis  2  in the clockwise sense with integral driving of the pawl lifter  4  and the pawl  3 .  
      In order to lock the latch mechanism, the backup lever  18  is placed in an inactive position by the standby motor  20 , in other words with the cam  18   a  coupled-out with respect to the second finger Se of the cooperating means  5 .  
      Operating the external (or respectively inside) release cable or rod mechanism  14  will cause the external release lever  15  to swing the recall lever  12  as described above. The pin  12   b  will be driven into abutment against the face  5   g  of the second window  5   d  of the cooperating means  5 . As the cooperating means  5  are free to rotate about the axis  5   a , shifting of the pin  12   b  in the second window  5   d  will cause the cooperating means  5  to rotate about the axis  5   a  in a clockwise direction. During this rotation of the cooperating means  5  about the axis  5   a , as a result of the shape of the second window  5   d  described above, the lug of the pawl lifter  4  will simply slide in the second window  5   b  without causing rotation of the pawl  3  and release of the latch claw  1  from its closed position. The unidirectional linkage between the cooperating means  5  and the pawl  3  is consequently coupled-out by the backup lever  18  in its inactive position.  
      Similarly, if the cooperating means  5  have the shape described with reference to  FIG. 1 , movement of the pin  12   b  in the second window  5   d  will bring about clockwise rotation of the cooperating means  5  about the axis  5   a . During such rotation of the cooperating means  5  about the axis  5   a , the lug of the pawl lifter  4  will simply slide in the second window  5   d  of the cooperating means  5  without bringing about rotation of the pawl  3  and release of the latch claw  1  from its closed position, as illustrated in  FIG. 3 . The unidirectional linkage between the cooperating means  5  and the pawl  3  is consequently coupled-out by the backup lever  18  in its inactive position.  
      The latch mechanism according to the invention constitutes a modular assembly making it possible to implement all desired functionalities for a lock, starting from one basic core latch mechanism.  
      Depending on the programming of the standby motor  20  of the backup lever  18  and the possible addition of supplementary motors, rods, cooperating means and levers into the core of the latch mechanism according to the invention, it is possible to implement all functions of locking, security locking, simple and double override, child-proof feature and, obviously, to combine them all. FIGS.  7  to  11  do indeed show examples of embodiments of locks having various functionalities.  
      Thus,  FIG. 7  shows one example of a latch mechanism module with electric release. The cooperating means  5  are able to be operated, in other words shifted, by acting on a mechanical release lever  12  linked to the external release lever  15  and the inside release control  22 . The cooperating means  5  are also able to be operated by the electric motors  6  via a key of an electric release lever. This example of a latch mechanism module corresponds to the one discussed with reference to  FIG. 5  with a standby motor  20  provided in case of failure of the electric motor  6 . The latch mechanism in  FIG. 7  additionally provides for electrical closing by operating on a closing lever  16  that acts on the latch claw  1 . If the door is badly closed, for example as a result of the resistance of the door seals, a motor (not illustrated) can operate the closing lever  16  to bring the latch claw  1  to the closed position. The latch mechanism of  FIG. 7  can, for example, be mounted on a front door of an automobile vehicle.  
      In the example of  FIG. 8 , the latch mechanism has purely mechanical release as described above with reference to  FIG. 6 . The point of action by the lever of the cooperating means  5  can be operated on by the recall lever  12 . This figure shows the inside release lever  23  operated on by the inside release control  22  that acts on the recall lever  12  to thereby activate the point of action of the cooperating means  5 . Suitable programming of the standby motor  20  can allow a central locking system to be implemented for coupling in or coupling out the unidirectional linkage between the cooperating means  5  and the pawl  3 . The latch mechanism in  FIG. 8  can, for example, be mounted on a front door of an automobile vehicle.  
      In the example of  FIG. 9 , the latch mechanism has purely mechanical release. The point of action by the lever of the cooperating means  5  can be activated by the recall lever  12 . A hook member  21  and an intermediate inside release lever  24  are added to the inside release control  22  to constitute a mechanical child-proof feature with simple override. The arrangement illustrated on  FIG. 9  consequently allows, starting out from the core of the latch mechanism identical to that in  FIG. 8  and with the addition of a few parts, to provide a lock with a child-proof feature and simple override. Suitable programming of the standby motor  20  can also allow a centralized locking system to be implemented as described with reference to  FIG. 8 . The latch mechanism in  FIG. 9  can, for example, be mounted on the front door of an automobile vehicle.  
      The example in  FIG. 10  simply differs from that in  FIG. 9  by a relative arrangement that is different of the recall lever  12  and the inside release lever  23  to constitute a mechanical child-proof feature with double override. The latch mechanism of  FIG. 10  can, for example, be mounted on a rear door of an automobile vehicle. In the example of  FIG. 11 , the latch mechanism has purely mechanical release. The point of action by lever of the cooperating means  5  can be activated by recall lever  12 . The movement of the recall lever  12  can be blocked or actuated by a rod connected by a lug to a ring driven by a worm gear of a supplemental motor  25 . The supplementary motor  25  allows the inside release lever to be coupled-in or coupled-out electrically. Depending on the programming of the supplementary motor  25 , an electrical child-proof feature or a security locking feature can be implemented. Suitable programming of the standby motor  20  can also allow a centralized locking function to be implemented as described with reference to  FIG. 8 . The latch mechanism of  FIG. 11  can, for example, be mounted on the rear door of an automobile vehicle.  
      It will thus be noticed, from the examples of  FIGS. 7-11 , that the same latch mechanism core according to the invention makes it possible to provide, depending on the parts added to the assembly and the programming of the associated motor or motors, all functionalities expected of an automobile vehicle lock.  
      Obviously, this invention is not limited to the embodiments described by way of example with reference to the drawings. In particular, the shapes and dimensions of the various operating levers and motors associated with the latch mechanism of the invention can vary greatly. The latch mechanism according to the invention constitutes a core to which there can be added, in modular fashion, other elements. In particular, by simply modifying the programming of the standby motor  20  that operates the backup lever  18 , numerous different functionalities can be obtained for the same latch mechanism.  
      The foregoing description is only exemplary of the principles of the invention. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than using the example embodiments which have been specifically described. For that reason the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this invention.