Vehicular latch with double pawl arrangement
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A vehicle latch, comprising:
- a ratchet movable between a striker release position whereat the ratchet is positioned to receive a striker and a striker capture position whereat the ratchet is positioned to retain the striker, the ratchet being biased towards its striker release position;
a primary pawl movable between a ratchet checking position whereat the primary pawl is positioned to keep the ratchet in its striker capture position and a ratchet release position whereat the primary pawl permits movement of the ratchet out of its striker capture position, the primary pawl being biased towards its ratchet checking position;
an auxiliary ratchet operatively connected to the primary pawl, the auxiliary ratchet being movable between an enabling position whereat the primary pawl is enabled to move to its ratchet checking position and a disabling position whereat the auxiliary ratchet positions the primary pawl in its ratchet release position;
a secondary pawl movable between an auxiliary ratchet holding position whereat the secondary pawl is positioned to hold the auxiliary ratchet in its enabling position and an auxiliary ratchet release position whereat the secondary pawl is positioned to permit movement of the auxiliary ratchet to its disabling position, the secondary pawl being biased towards its auxiliary ratchet holding position;
a drive mechanism operable in a first operative direction to open the latch by causing the secondary pawl to move to its auxiliary ratchet release position which permits the auxiliary ratchet to move to its disabling position such that the primary pawl is moved to its ratchet release position and the ratchet is permitted to move to its striker release position, the drive mechanism operable in a second operative direction to reset the latch by causing the auxiliary ratchet to move to its enabling position and causing the secondary pawl to move to its auxiliary ratchet holding position; and
a controller for controlling operation of the drive mechanism, the controller causing the drive mechanism to operate in the second operative direction to reset the latch in response to the ratchet being located in its striker release position.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A low release effort eccentric double pawl vehicle latch includes a ratchet, primary pawl, auxiliary ratchet and secondary pawl in combination with a secure lock lever. The secure lock lever selectively inhibits movement of the secondary pawl to prevent premature or unintended opening of the latch. A drive mechanism sequences movement of the secure lock lever and secondary pawl to open the latch. Upon reset, the drive mechanism drives the auxiliary ratchet back to its closed state and in the process the auxiliary ratchet can engage and return the secondary pawl back to a closed state in the event of an insufficient bias force thereon.
87 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A vehicle latch, comprising:
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a ratchet movable between a striker release position whereat the ratchet is positioned to receive a striker and a striker capture position whereat the ratchet is positioned to retain the striker, the ratchet being biased towards its striker release position; a primary pawl movable between a ratchet checking position whereat the primary pawl is positioned to keep the ratchet in its striker capture position and a ratchet release position whereat the primary pawl permits movement of the ratchet out of its striker capture position, the primary pawl being biased towards its ratchet checking position; an auxiliary ratchet operatively connected to the primary pawl, the auxiliary ratchet being movable between an enabling position whereat the primary pawl is enabled to move to its ratchet checking position and a disabling position whereat the auxiliary ratchet positions the primary pawl in its ratchet release position; a secondary pawl movable between an auxiliary ratchet holding position whereat the secondary pawl is positioned to hold the auxiliary ratchet in its enabling position and an auxiliary ratchet release position whereat the secondary pawl is positioned to permit movement of the auxiliary ratchet to its disabling position, the secondary pawl being biased towards its auxiliary ratchet holding position; a drive mechanism operable in a first operative direction to open the latch by causing the secondary pawl to move to its auxiliary ratchet release position which permits the auxiliary ratchet to move to its disabling position such that the primary pawl is moved to its ratchet release position and the ratchet is permitted to move to its striker release position, the drive mechanism operable in a second operative direction to reset the latch by causing the auxiliary ratchet to move to its enabling position and causing the secondary pawl to move to its auxiliary ratchet holding position; and a controller for controlling operation of the drive mechanism, the controller causing the drive mechanism to operate in the second operative direction to reset the latch in response to the ratchet being located in its striker release position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A vehicle latch, comprising:
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a ratchet movable between a striker release position whereat the ratchet is positioned to receive a striker and a striker capture position whereat the ratchet is positioned to retain the striker, the ratchet being biased towards its striker release position; a primary pawl movable between a ratchet checking position whereat the primary pawl is positioned to hold the ratchet in its striker capture position and a ratchet release position whereat the primary pawl permits the movement of the ratchet out of its striker capture position; an auxiliary ratchet operatively connected to the primary pawl, the auxiliary ratchet being movable between an enabling position whereat the primary pawl is enabled to move to its ratchet checking position and a disabling position whereat the auxiliary ratchet locates the primary pawl in its ratchet release position; a secondary pawl movable between an auxiliary ratchet holding position whereat the secondary pawl is positioned to hold the auxiliary ratchet in its enabling position and an auxiliary ratchet release position whereat the secondary pawl is positioned to permit movement of the auxiliary ratchet to its disabling position; and a drive mechanism operable in a first operative direction to open the latch by causing the secondary pawl to move to its auxiliary ratchet release position which permits the auxiliary ratchet to move to its disabling position and locate the primary pawl in its ratchet release position such that the ratchet is permitted to move to its striker release position, the drive mechanism operable in a second operative direction to reset the latch by causing the auxiliary ratchet to move to its enabling position and causing the secondary pawl to move to its auxiliary ratchet holding position in response to movement of the ratchet to its striker release position. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A vehicle latch, comprising:
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a ratchet moveable between a striker release position whereat the ratchet is positioned to receive a striker and a striker capture position whereat the ratchet is positioned to retain the striker, the ratchet being biased towards its striker release position; a primary pawl movable between a ratchet checking position whereat the primary pawl is positioned to hold the ratchet in its striker capture position and a ratchet release position whereat the primary pawl permits the movement of the ratchet out of its striker capture position, the primary pawl being biased towards the ratchet checking position; an auxiliary ratchet operatively connected to the primary pawl, the auxiliary ratchet being movable between an enabling position whereat the primary pawl is enabled to move to its ratchet checking position and a disabling position whereat the auxiliary ratchet locates the primary pawl to its ratchet release position; a secondary pawl movable between an auxiliary ratchet holding position whereat the secondary pawl is positioned to hold the auxiliary ratchet in its enabling position and an auxiliary ratchet release position whereat the secondary pawl is positioned to permit movement of the auxiliary ratchet to its disabling position, the secondary pawl being biased to the auxiliary ratchet holding position; a drive mechanism having an electric motor rotatably driving a gear wheel in a first operative direction to open the latch by causing the secondary pawl to move to its auxiliary ratchet release position which permits the auxiliary ratchet to move to its disabling position such that the primary pawl is moved to its ratchet release position and the ratchet is permitted to move to its striker release position, the electric motor driving the gear wheel in a second operative direction to reset the latch by causing the auxiliary ratchet to move to its enabling position and causing the secondary pawl to move to its auxiliary ratchet holding position; and a controller operable to control actuation of the electric motor for controlling the rotary direction of the gear wheel, wherein the electric motor rotates the gear wheel in the second operative direction when a limit is reached with the ratchet located in its striker capture position, and wherein the limit provides an open door signal to the controller.
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Specification