Abstract: An active hinge including a body bracket for attachment to a vehicle body. A hood bracket is provided for rotational attachment to a vehicle hood. An actuator is provided for selectively transitioning the active hood hinge from a normal mode where the rotation of the hood bracket is restricted, to an active pedestrian mode where the rotation of the hood bracket is unrestricted.

Abstract: A latch assembly for a closure panel of a vehicle includes a power release actuator, a pawl, a ratchet, and a multi-stage geartrain. The multi-stage geartrain includes a first compound gear and a second sector gear in meshed engagement with the compound gear. The sector gear includes an arm extending radially therefrom. In a rest position, a gap is defined between the arm and a cam surface of a pawl. Actuation of the power release actuator actuates the multi-stage geartrain and pivots the arm through the gap and into contact with the pawl. During pivoting through the gap, inertia is increased and the arm contacts the pawl with an impulse force. Continued rotation of the arm causes further rotation of the pawl and release of the ratchet. The arm is disposed within an axial height defined by the multi-stage geartrain, and torque applied to the arm increases during rotation.

Abstract: A closure latch assembly for installation in a vehicle door and method of construction thereof is provided. The closure latch assembly has at least one ratchet, a primary pawl, and an auxiliary pawl. At least one ratchet is moveable between a striker capture position and a striker release position. The primary pawl is moveable between a closed position and an open position. The auxiliary pawl is moveable between a closed position and an open position. An auxiliary pawl release lever is moveable between a rest position, whereat the auxiliary pawl is located in its closed position and the primary pawl is located in its closed position, and an engaged position, whereat the auxiliary pawl is moved to its open position and the primary pawl is moved to its open position.

Abstract: A latch for a closure panel of a vehicle, the latch comprising: a housing; a ratchet mounted to the housing for releasably securing a striker in a slot; a catch mounted to the housing for releasably securing a secondary striker; and a linkage connecting the catch to the ratchet; wherein the ratchet and the catch move in tandem with one another via the linkage.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling motion of a door are provided. The door is moveable between an open position and a closed position and has a balanced position whereat the door does not move towards the open position nor the closed position under an effect of gravity. The system includes a power actuator for moving the door to a partially open position between the open position and the closed position. The power actuator is adapted to allow the door to move to the balanced position after the power actuator has moved the door to the partially open position.

Abstract: A locking device for a vehicle door, in particular for a motor-vehicle bonnet, comprising a first inhibiting pawl prestressed into an inhibiting position, wherein a rotary latch can be arrested in a locking position by the first inhibiting pawl located in its inhibiting position, and a second inhibiting pawl prestressed into an inhibiting position, wherein the rotary latch can be arrested in a safety-catch position by the second inhibiting pawl located in its inhibiting position. The first and second inhibiting pawls can be transferred from their respective inhibiting position into a release position by a common actuating means.

Abstract: A carrier module for a motor vehicle door assembly having inner and outer panels defining an internal door cavity between the inner and outer panels, with the inner panel having a central opening bounded by an inner periphery and at least one access opening remote from the central opening is provided. The carrier module includes a wall having an outer periphery sized to close off the opening in the inner panel, wherein the wall has at least one access port configured to register with the at least one access opening. Further, the carrier module includes at least one cover configured to close off the at least one access port, wherein the cover is readily removable to allow access to a component within the cavity.

Abstract: A counterbalance mechanism for coupling with a closure panel to assist in opening and closing of the closure panel between a fully closed position and a fully open position of the closure panel, the counterbalance mechanism including: a housing coupled at one end to one of the closure panel and a body of a vehicle by a first connector and at another end by a second connector to the other of the body and the closure panel, the housing containing an extension member and a spring positioned along a longitudinal axis, the spring positioned adjacent to the first connector; the first connector having a body with a connection portion coupled by a connection to an end of the housing positioned at the one end; and a spring retention mechanism for inhibiting extension of the spring out of the one end of the housing, the spring retention mechanism including: a spring retainer positioned between the spring and the end; and a retainer pin positioned between the spring retainer and the end; wherein upon decoupling of the c

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a closure latch assembly for a vehicle door, and more particularly to a closure latch assembly for a vehicle door equipped with a powered reset feature. To this end, the present disclosure relates to the use of a power actuator to actuate an actuatable mechanism in a power-on state, and an electronic reset circuit mechanism to reset the actuatable mechanism when the power actuator is in a power-off state. The electronic reset circuit mechanism is coupled to an electric motor associated with the power actuator.

Abstract: A closure latch assembly, operable in one of a normal operating mode and an emergency mode, has a power release motor, a ratchet and a pawl, with the ratchet being moveable between a striker capture position and a striker release position and the pawl being moveable between a ratchet holding position, whereat ratchet is maintained in the striker capture position, and a ratchet release position, whereat ratchet is biased toward the striker release position. The power release motor is configured to operate using primary control signals received from a primary controller external to closure latch assembly during the normal operating mode of closure latch assembly and to operate using secondary control signals received from a secondary controller internal to closure latch assembly during the emergency operating mode of closure latch assembly and not operate using the secondary control signals received from secondary controller during the normal operating mode.

Abstract: A latch assembly includes a ratchet assembly having a primary striker capture position for retaining a striker in a fully closed state, a secondary striker capture position for retaining the striker in a partially closed state, a release position for releasing the striker, and an open position upon removing the striker from the ratchet assembly. A pawl assembly releasably locks the ratchet assembly in the primary striker capture position and in the secondary striker capture position and releases the ratchet assembly to the release position. A hold-open device prevents the pawl assembly from moving from the unlatched position back to latched position while the ratchet assembly is in the release position.

Abstract: A closure latch assembly and method for cinching a closure panel from a partially closed position to a fully closed position without pinching an object between the closure panel and a structural portion of a motor vehicle are provided. The latch assembly has a latch cinch mechanism including a cinch lever operably moveable from a cinch start position to a cinch stop position to cause a cinch link to move a ratchet from a secondary striker capture position to a primary striker capture position. A power-operated cinch actuator receives a first signal to move the cinch lever from the cinch start position to the cinch stop position and receives a second signal, in response to an object detected between the closure panel and the structural portion, to stop moving the cinch lever from the cinch start position toward the cinch stop position.

Abstract: A closure latch assembly having a latch mechanism is provided. The latch mechanism includes a ratchet and a pawl assembly pivotally supported for movement between a ratchet holding position whereat the pawl assembly is positioned to hold the ratchet in its striker capture position and a ratchet releasing position whereat the pawl assembly is located to permit movement of the ratchet to its striker release position. The pawl assembly has a carrier and a pawl configured for rotation relative to one another about a pawl pin and a roller carried by the carrier. The roller is disposed between the pawl and the ratchet for selective rolling movement therebetween. The roller is disposed into abutment with a closing surface of the ratchet while the pawl assembly is in the ratchet holding position and is spaced from closing surface while the pawl assembly is in the ratchet releasing position.

Abstract: A vehicle headlight has a segmented light guide device in which segments are selectively controlled to operate in an output state that reduces glare to oncoming vehicle drivers. Vehicle sensors and controller circuitry are used to identify areas of glare removal in the light pattern of the headlight and control the corresponding segments in the light guide device to operate in a selected light output state that reduces glare. The segments can be operated in a focused output state for vehicle driver visibility, or in a scattered output state to reduce glare. The segments can be operated in a clear or transparent output state for vehicle driver visibility, or in a reflected output state to reduce glare. Reflected light can optionally be re-directed. The light guide device can employ bi-stable liquid crystal shuttering or liquid crystal switchable mirror technology.

Abstract: A sealed latch assembly for a vehicle closure panel is provided. The latch assembly includes a housing having an interior sized for receipt of internal components of the latch assembly. A cover is attached to the housing to enclose at least a portion of the cavity. At least one release cable is configured for operable connection to at least one of the internal components. A cable bushing is attached to the cover. The latch bushing can have a coupling mechanism including a tab and slot arrangement for releasably coupling a body of the cable bushing in a receptacle of the cover. The latch bushing can have a retaining mechanism oriented transverse to the longitudinal axis for inhibiting disconnection of the cable bushing from the cover in a direction along the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: A latch assembly for a closure panel and corresponding method of operation are provided. The assembly includes an actuation group to latch and unlatch the closure panel using power from a main power source during normal operation. A first backup energy source is selectively coupled to the actuation group and stores energy during normal operation and supplies the energy during a failure. A second backup energy source is selectively coupled to the first backup energy source and supplies energy thereto during the failure. A latch controller is coupled to the backup energy sources and detects latch operation and whether there is normal operation. The latch controller charges the first backup energy source using energy from the second backup energy source based on the detection of latch operation and the failure and disconnects the second backup energy source during normal operation to conserve energy stored in the second backup energy source.

Abstract: A carrier of a carrier module for a motor vehicle door assembly and method of manufacture thereof is provided. The carrier has a body with opposite wet and dry sides bounded by an outer periphery configured for attachment to an inner panel of the motor vehicle door assembly. The body is made of a recyclable, environmentally sustainable natural fibrous material.

Abstract: An electromechanical biasing member for moving a closure panel between an open and a closed position relative to a motor vehicle body is provided. The electromechanical biasing member includes a housing having an inner cavity for housing an electric motor having a motor shaft and a rotary output member rotatable relative to the housing. An extension member within the housing and engageable with the rotary output member moves the closure panel between the open and closed positions in response to driving the electric motor. Also provided is a control unit positioned within the inner cavity and configured to drive the electric motor, the control unit including at least one controller board juxtaposed to the electric motor, and a plurality of control components mounted to the at least one controller board and configured to supply a drive signal to the electric motor and receive signals representative of operation of the electric motor.

Abstract: In an aspect, a latch for a closure panel for a vehicle is provided, and includes a ratchet, pawl, release lever, and extension member. The ratchet is movable between a primary closed position, secondary closed position and open position. The pawl is movable between a primary locking position, secondary locking position and unlocking position. The release lever is movable between home and actuated positions. When the pawl is in the primary locking position the release lever has a selected amount of reach for driving the pawl to the secondary locking position during movement of the release lever to the actuated position. When the pawl is in the secondary locking position the extension member is movable to extend the reach of the release lever to drive the pawl from the secondary locking position to the unlocked position during movement of the release lever from the home position to the actuated position.

Abstract: A radar detection system for activation of a powered closure member of a vehicle and corresponding method are provided. The system includes a radar sensor assembly having a radar transmit antenna for transmitting radar waves and a radar receive antenna for receiving the radar waves after reflection from an object in a detection zone. The radar sensor assembly outputs a sensor signal corresponding to the motion of the object in the detection zone. An electronic control unit is coupled to the radar sensor assembly and includes a data acquisition module to receive the sensor signal and a plurality of analysis modules to analyze the sensor signal to detect extracted features and determine whether extracted features are within predetermined thresholds representing a valid activation gesture. The electronic control unit initiates movement of the closure member in response to the extracted features being within the predetermined thresholds representing the valid activation gesture.