US 12,077,998 B2
Button assembly for a release system comprising a rack gear and a pinion gear
Avijit Kalra, Warren, MI (US)
Assigned to GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC, Detroit, MI (US)
Filed by GM Global Technology Operations LLC, Detroit, MI (US)
Filed on Oct. 1, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/491,706.
Prior Publication US 2023/0111658 A1, Apr. 13, 2023
Int. Cl. E05B 77/22 (2014.01); E05B 79/20 (2014.01); E05B 81/90 (2014.01); E05B 83/36 (2014.01); F16C 1/18 (2006.01); B60J 5/04 (2006.01)
CPC E05B 81/90 (2013.01) [E05B 77/22 (2013.01); E05B 79/20 (2013.01); E05B 83/36 (2013.01); F16C 1/18 (2013.01); B60J 5/04 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An assembly for a release system, the assembly comprising:
a housing;
an actuator coupled to the housing and translatable relative to the housing along a first axis, with the actuator comprising a contact surface configured for engagement by an operator to translate the actuator along the first axis, and a rack gear extending along the first axis and away from the contact surface;
a pinion gear coupled to the housing and rotatable about a second axis, orthogonal to the first axis, with the pinion gear meshed with the rack gear and with an extension member coupled to the pinion gear; and
a pulley coupled to the pinion gear and rotatable with the pinion gear, wherein rotation of the pulley corresponds with rotation of the pinion gear; and wherein the extension member comprises a tube fixed to the housing and a cable extending through and beyond the tube between a pair of ends, with the cable coupled to a latch of the release system at one of the pair of ends and with the cable coupled to the pulley at the other one of the pair of ends, and
wherein the mesh between the pinion gear and the rack gear facilitates rotation of the pinion gear as the rack gear translates, with the rotation of the pinion gear facilitating movement of the extension member and movement of the latch between the engagement and disengagement positions.