Abstract: A vehicle includes a door assembly having an outside door handle, a latching assembly, and a cable-actuated inertial lock having a moveable linkage disposed within a cavity of a stationary housing. A first end of the cable is connected to the handle, and a second end is connected to the linkage. The inertial lock includes a lever for actuating the latch under normal conditions when the handle is actuated, and also contains a deployable toggle piece that is stowed in the linkage. The toggle piece is configured to rotate within the linkage, and thereafter lock against a shaped inner surface of the housing in response to a threshold acceleration of the type set forth in FMVSS 206 or other standards. A torsion spring may be used to bias the toggle piece into a stowed position within the linkage.

Abstract: A cinching latch assembly is disclosed herein. The cinching latch assembly having: a housing; a unidirectional motor mounted to the housing; at least one gear operatively connected to the unidirectional motor; at least one cam member operatively connected to the at least one gear; and a latch lever pivotally mounted relative to the housing, the latch lever being operatively connected to the at least one cam member wherein, operation of the unidirectional motor in a first direction rotates the gear causing the cam member to urge the latch lever between a first position and a second position wherein the latch lever rotates a fork bolt into a primary latched configuration.

Abstract: A system is provided for latching a door of an automobile. The system includes, but is not limited to, a first power source, second power source, a latch for the door coupled to the first power source and the second power source, and an electronic control unit configured to control an operation of the latch. The electronic control unit is further configured to determine a status of the first power source, evaluate the status of the first power source, and control the operation of the latch with the second power source if the evaluation of the status indicates the first power source is unavailable.

Abstract: A vehicle door and a vehicle door latch assembly is disclosed. The vehicle door includes a door outer panel; a door inner panel affixed to the door outer panel and defining a door wet cavity, with the door inner panel including an access hole; and a door trim panel mounted to the door inner panel and defining a door dry cavity. A door latch is located in the door wet cavity; a latch locking lever is exposed to the door dry cavity and shielded from the door wet cavity, with the latch locking lever engaging the door latch; and a lock rod has a first end attached to the latch locking lever, with the lock rod extending through the access hole and between the door inner panel and the door trim panel, whereby the lock rod is not exposed to the door wet cavity.

Abstract: A vehicle door latch has a forkbolt that moves between a latched position and an unlatch position and a detent that moves between a detent position where the detent holds the forkbolt in the latched position and a release position where the detent releases the forkbolt for movement to the unlatch position. The vehicle door latch includes a detent spring that biases the detent toward the detent position and a release mechanism that moves the detent against the bias of the detent spring to the release position to release the forkbolt. The vehicle door latch also includes an auxiliary detent spring that decelerates the movement of the detent to the detent position under the bias of the detent spring to reduce noise when the detent strikes the fork bolt. An auxiliary counter spring and an alternative auxiliary helper spring are shown.

Abstract: A vehicle door latch includes an integral switch assembly which optionally includes a central locking switch and a central glass drive switch. The switches are responsive to movement of latch elements and perform the switching functions for circuitry that effects securement and unsecurement of the vehicle in a preselected manner.

Abstract: Objectional vehicle door opening and closing sounds are eliminated by dampening vibration in the vehicle door system. An integral dampener is positioned to engage the bolt of the door latch assembly reducing the resonation of the door opening's frame caused by release of the striker from the latch bolt. The integral dampener frictionally engages the bolt for an initial opening and final closing portion of the linear travel of the door. Once initial opening has occurred and the striker has returned to its normal door-open, no-load position, the integral dampener disengages from the bolt and the latch assembly operates in a conventional manner.

Abstract: A vehicle door latch has a fork bolt lever that is latched by a detent lever. The detent lever is operated by an intermittent lever that is operated by a transfer lever that is actuated by inside and outside door handles via operating levers. The door latch includes a locking lever that disconnects the door handle from the intermittent lever when it is in the locked position. The door latch also includes an anti-theft feature in the form of an electrically actuated "dead bolt" lock that is engaged and disengaged solely by a key lock cylinder. The door latch further includes an override feature that unlocks the door latch mechanically in the event of electrical power failure.

Abstract: A loop striker for use with a vehicle closure latch having a rotatable fork bolt that traps a leg of the loop striker when the fork bolt is in a latched position includes a base having a pair of laterally spaced legs that is adapted for securement to a support, a cross bar that is spaced from the base and attached to the pair of laterally spaced legs, and a tab at one end of the cross bar that overhangs the trapped leg to prevent the fork bolt from walking around the corner of the loop at the end of the trapped leg.