Abstract: A latch release backup system for a latch assembly of a motor-vehicle door is provided with a key cylinder configured to receive a vehicle key and which is rotatably mounted to the motor-vehicle door, and a mechanical coupling arrangement mounted within the motor-vehicle door and operable to convert a rotation of the key cylinder into actuation of an actuation group of the latch assembly for causing latch release. The key cylinder defines an electrical interface socket designed to receive the vehicle key. An electronic control unit is mounted within the motor-vehicle door and is electrically connected to the electrical interface socket to receive identification information (Id) from the vehicle key when plugged into the electrical interface socket.

Abstract: A system for determining the position of a moving part driven by an electric motor: a single position sensor, coupled to the electric motor, incrementally detects an amount of movement thereof; a direction switching arrangement controls a direction of movement of the electric motor; and a control unit, coupled to the single position sensor and the direction switching arrangement, at each incremental amount of movement detected by the single position sensor, determines a current position of the moving part based on a previous position thereof and the current direction of movement controlled by the direction switching arrangement.

Abstract: A low release effort eccentric double ratchet, double pawl vehicle latch includes a ratchet, a primary pawl, an auxiliary ratchet and a secondary pawl. A drive mechanism including a gear cam wheel sequences movement of the secondary pawl to open and reset the latch. Upon reset, the drive mechanism actuates the auxiliary ratchet back to a closed state in a soft manner without using a hard stop; instead the latch has a cushioning spring that is used to softly stop the gear train during the reset absorbing motor energy and thus eliminating impact noise.

Abstract: A vehicle latch (1) comprising a ratchet (15); a primary pawl (25) movable between a ratchet checking position and a ratchet release position; an auxiliary ratchet (26) movable between an enabling position and a disabling position; a secondary pawl (27) movable between an auxiliary ratchet holding position, in which the secondary pawl (27) is positioned to hold the auxiliary ratchet (26) in its enabling position, and an auxiliary ratchet release position; electrically-operated actuator means (6) for moving the secondary pawl (27) to the auxiliary ratchet release position and the auxiliary ratchet (26) to the enabling position; a back-up mechanism (7) for moving the secondary pawl (27) to the auxiliary ratchet release position or the auxiliary ratchet (26) to the enabling position; and an inhibiting lever (81) for selectively preventing interaction of the back-up mechanism (7) with the auxiliary ratchet (26).

Abstract: An electrical vehicle latch including a support assembly, a releasable closure mechanism carried by the support assembly and adapted to releasably engage a striker, an electrically-operated actuator assembly carried by the support assembly and which can be selectively activated to release the closure mechanism from the striker or to lock the closure mechanism in a condition of engagement with the striker, and an electrical control unit having a printed circuit board for controlling operation of the actuator assembly. The support assembly including a first support body carrying at least a ratchet of the closure mechanism in a position parallel to a first plane (P1), and a second support body carrying at least the printed circuit board in a position parallel to a second plane (P2) transvere to the first plane (P1).

Abstract: A closure latch for a vehicle door is provided. The closure latch includes an emergency lock actuator to permit a person to lock the door in the event that the power lock actuator is unusable. The latch also includes an ‘impatient passenger’ feature, which permits the doors to be unlocked using the remote keyless-entry feature on the key fob even in a situation where an ‘impatient passenger’ had prematurely lifted the door handle of the vehicle. In some prior art latches, such an action by an ‘impatient passenger’ would prevent the drive motor on the latch from unlocking the latch, thereby necessitating the owner to press the unlock button on the key fob a second time. There is some overlap in the components that used for the ‘impatient passenger’ feature and the components used for the emergency lock actuator, thereby reducing cost and complexity of the latch.

Abstract: A system for detecting the operative condition of a latch for a door of a motor-vehicle, comprises a magnetic field generating element adapted to generate a magnetic field which is associated to the operative condition of latch; a support which defines a housing for magnetic field generating element; and a sensor magnetically coupled with magnetic field generating element and adapted to sense the magnetic field. The generating element is snap-fitted to the housing.

Abstract: A vehicle latch including a ratchet (18), a first pawl (20), a cam (22), a second pawl (24) and a drive mechanism (50,52,54,56,58). The ratchet is movable between a striker (12) release position wherein the ratchet is positioned to receive a striker, and a striker holding position wherein the ratchet is positioned to retain the striker. The ratchet is biased to the striker release position. The first pawl is movable between a ratchet locking position wherein the first pawl is positioned to hold the ratchet in the striker holding position, and a ratchet release position wherein the first pawl permits the movement of the ratchet out of the striker holding position. The first pawl is biased towards the ratchet locking position.

Abstract: An electrical vehicle latch including a support assembly, a releasable closure mechanism carried by the support assembly and adapted to releasably engage a striker, an electrically-operated actuator assembly carried by the support assembly and which can be selectively activated to release the closure mechanism from the striker or to lock the closure mechanism in a condition of engagement with the striker, and an electrical control unit having a printed circuit board for controlling operation of the actuator assembly. The support assembly including a first support body carrying at least a ratchet of the closure mechanism in a position parallel to a first plane (P1), and a second support body carrying at least the printed circuit board in a position parallel to a second plane (P2) transvere to the first plane (P1).

Abstract: A double pawl latch having a ratchet, a primary pawl interacting with the ratchet, a secondary pawl interacting with the primary pawl, and a pawl lever interacting with the secondary pawl. The ratchet has a single notch which interacts with the primary pawl to keep the ratchet in a full striker capture position. If the primary pawl is unintentionally released, the pawl lever includes a backup pawl that interacts with the ratchet single notch, keeping the ratchet in an intermediate striker retaining position where the latch is still closed. The pawl lever initiates opening of the latch by withdrawing the backup pawl from the path of the ratchet and by actuating the secondary pawl. Momentum from the seal force thereafter drives the primary and secondary pawls open, but if the momentum is insufficient the pawl lever can sequentially also open the main pawl after actuating the secondary pawl.

Abstract: In a first aspect, the invention is directed to a vehicle latch including a ratchet, a main pawl, a cam, and at least one auxiliary pawl, wherein a secondary engagement is provided between the cam and the at least one auxiliary pawl in case a primary engagement between the cam and at least one auxiliary pawl is missed. In a particular embodiment of the first aspect, the ratchet is movable between a ratchet open position wherein the ratchet is positioned to receive a striker and a ratchet locking position wherein the ratchet is positioned to retain the striker. The ratchet is biased towards the ratchet open position. The main pawl is movable between a main pawl locking position wherein the main pawl is positioned to hold the ratchet in the ratchet locking position and a main pawl release position wherein the main pawl permits the movement of the ratchet out of the ratchet locking position. The main pawl is biased towards the main pawl locking position. The cam is operatively connected to the main pawl.

Abstract: In one aspect, the invention is directed to a closure latch for a vehicle door. The closure latch includes an emergency lock actuator to permit a person to lock the door in the event that the power lock actuator is unusable. The latch also includes an ‘impatient passenger’ feature, which permits the doors to be unlocked using the remote keyless-entry feature on the key fob even in a situation where an ‘impatient passenger’ had prematurely lifted the door handle of the vehicle. In some prior art latches, such an action by an ‘impatient passenger’ would prevent the drive motor on the latch from unlocking the latch, thereby necessitating the owner to press the unlock button on the key fob a second time. There is some overlap in the components that used for the ‘impatient passenger’ feature and the components used for the emergency lock actuator, thereby reducing cost and complexity of the latch.

Abstract: A system for detecting the operative condition of a latch for a door of a motor-vehicle, comprises a magnetic field generating element adapted to generate a magnetic field which is associated to the operative condition of latch; a support which defines a housing for magnetic field generating element; and a sensor magnetically coupled with magnetic field generating element and adapted to sense said magnetic field. The generating element is snap-fitted to said housing.

Abstract: In one aspect, the invention is directed to a closure latch for a vehicle door, wherein during a crash event, the closure latch has an inertia member that prevents the vehicle door from opening. The inertia member may only temporarily prevent the vehicle door from opening, or alternatively it may cause a lock lever to move to a locked position, so that the vehicle door remains locked even after the inertia member is no longer actuated.

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.

Abstract: A window regulator having a rail (20) with a mounting hole (24). A bracket (30) is mountable to a vehicle door. The bracket (30) has a cam guiding feature (38) and a surface (34) for seating the rail (20). The seating surface (34) has an elongate slot (36) therein. A cam (40) having a keyhole (42) and a cam surface (44) engages the cam guiding feature (38) of the bracket (30). A fastener (50) has a shaft fitted through the rail mounting hole (24), cam keyhole (42) and elongate slot (36) and connects the rail (20), cam (40) and bracket (30). The fastener has a key (54) mating with the cam keyhole (42). Thus, rotation of the shaft causes rotation of the cam and a coincident translation of the rail.