LOCK UNIT HAVING A SLOTTED PAWL
First Claim
1. A lock unit for a vehicle comprising:
- a rotatable catch biased in an opening direction about a catch rotation axis toward an open position of the lock unit in which a first recess of the catch is configured to receive a striker of the vehicle, the catch including a second recess disposed before the first recess in the opening direction;
a pawl having a slot that is rotatable about a fixed pawl pivot axis, the pawl being biased toward the catch and the pawl pivot axis and including a blocking arm extending into the second recess of the catch while the lock unit is in a secondary latched position; and
a blocking lever that abuts the blocking arm of the pawl against the catch in a primary latched position of the lock unit,wherein the pawl moves in a longitudinal direction of the slot as the lock unit is moved from the secondary latched position to the primary latched position opposite the opening direction of the catch.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A lock unit for a vehicle includes a rotatable catch biased in an opening direction about a catch rotation axis toward an open position of the lock unit in which a first recess of the catch is configured to receive a striker of the vehicle. Additionally, the catch includes a second recess disposed before the first recess in the opening direction. A pawl including a slot rotatable about a fixed pawl pivot axis is biased toward both the catch and the pawl pivot axis. The pawl includes a blocking arm which extends into the second recess of the catch when the lock unit is in a secondary latched position. A blocking lever of a ratchet abuts the blocking arm of the pawl against the catch in a primary latched position of the lock unit preventing rotation of the pawl away from the catch. When the lock unit is forced from the secondary latched position to the primary latched position, the pawl moves in a longitudinal direction of the slot avoiding the rotational blocking action of the ratchet.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A lock unit for a vehicle comprising:
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a rotatable catch biased in an opening direction about a catch rotation axis toward an open position of the lock unit in which a first recess of the catch is configured to receive a striker of the vehicle, the catch including a second recess disposed before the first recess in the opening direction; a pawl having a slot that is rotatable about a fixed pawl pivot axis, the pawl being biased toward the catch and the pawl pivot axis and including a blocking arm extending into the second recess of the catch while the lock unit is in a secondary latched position; and a blocking lever that abuts the blocking arm of the pawl against the catch in a primary latched position of the lock unit, wherein the pawl moves in a longitudinal direction of the slot as the lock unit is moved from the secondary latched position to the primary latched position opposite the opening direction of the catch. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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11. A lock unit for a vehicle comprising:
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a catch rotatable at least from a primary latched position to an open position; a pawl having a slot disposed about a fixed pawl pivot axis, the pawl being movable against a spring force in a longitudinal direction of the slot while in a secondary latched position intermediate the open position and the primary latched position; and a blocking lever that abuts the pawl against the catch in the primary latched position.
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Specification