Abstract: An actuator includes an electromagnetic coil arrangement that is movable relative to a magnetic field generator between a first position and a second position of the actuator. The actuator is arranged such that when the actuator is in the first position, a pulse of current through the electromagnetic coil arrangement produces a region of magnetic field that repels the magnetic field generator from the first position and attracts the magnetic field generator towards the second position to move the actuator to the second position.

Abstract: An actuator assembly includes an actuator drivingly connected to a gear wheel. The gear wheel includes an abutment secured rotationally fast having a camming surface and operable to drive an output member. The actuator assembly is operable to apply a force in a first direction to drive the output member in the first direction from a rest condition to an actuated condition and is operable to apply a force in a second direction to drive the output member in the second direction from the actuated condition to the rest condition. Movement of the output member in the second direction stores energy in the energy storage device, and movement of the output member in the first direction is assisted by the energy storage device. When the actuator assembly is in the rest condition, a detent engages the energy storage device to releasably retain the energy storage device in a rest position.

Abstract: An actuator assembly includes an actuator, an output member, and a spring arrangement having at least one spiral return spring. The output member has a neutral position, a first actuated position, and a second actuated position. The neutral position is between the first actuated position and the second actuated position. The output member capable of being driven by the actuator from the neutral position to the first actuated position and to the second actuated position. The spring arrangement is arranged to bias the output member towards the neutral position from the first actuated position and is arranged to bias the output member towards the neutral position from the second actuated position.

Abstract: A lock mechanism has a manually actuable element, a lock lever and an actuator, with the manually actuable element connected to the lock lever via a transmission path. The transmission path includes a rigid link with an end defining an abutment for selectively driving the lock lever. A drive feature couples the abutment to the lock lever when the lock lever is rotated between locked and unlocked positions by operation of the manually actuable element. The drive feature decouples the abutment from the lock lever when the manually actuable element is actuated in an attempt to move the lock lever from a superlocked position, allowing the abutment to move relative to the lock lever.

Abstract: A latch bolt engages a striker to releasably secure a first door to a vehicle body or a second door by relative displacement of the latch towards the striker. The latch bolt moves in a first plane to releasably retain the striker. The assembly includes a vertical wedge arrangement includes a first wedge surface on the latch and a second wedge surface on the striker. The first wedge surface and the second wedge surface cooperate to compensate for any misalignment and to prevent movement between the striker bar portion of the striker and a mouth of the latch in a direction parallel to the first plane. The latch is a plant-in latch, and the first surface is provided on a wedge plate securable to a shut face surface of the latch. The first wedge surface and the second wedge surface can be resilient.

Abstract: A latch bolt engages a striker to releaseably secure a first door to either a vehicle body or a second door by relative displacement of the latch towards the striker. The latch bolt moves in a first plane to releaseably retain the striker. The assembly includes a first vertical wedge arrangement and a second vertical wedge arrangement that substantially prevent movement between the latch and the striker in a direction parallel to the first plane when in a latched condition. The vertical wedge arrangements include first and second abutment surfaces on the striker arranged engage third and fourth complementary surfaces of the latch. The arrangements are provided laterally either side of a striker bar portion of the striker and laterally either side of the latch bolt.

Abstract: A latch assembly includes a latch bolt, a retaining member and an actuator. The latch bolt is moveable between a closed position at which it is capable of retaining a striker and an open position at which the striker is released. The retaining member is moveable between a retained position at which it retains the latch bolt in at least its closed position and released position at which the latch bolt can move between its opened and closed positions. The actuator is capable of moving the retaining means from its engaged position to its released position, in which, under normal operating conditions of the latch, the actuator is the sole means of releasing the latch.

Abstract: An actuator including a motor in driving connection with a cam rotatable about a cam axis, the actuator further including a cam follower connected to an output member, in which powered rotation of the cam causes the cam follower to be radially displaced relative to the cam axis to provide differing output positions of the output member and in which the profile of the cam includes a radial stop which, in conjunction with the cam follower, act as a detent so that the cam follower is capable of controlling the position of the cam.

Abstract: A vehicle includes at least one door releasably securable in a closed position by a power operable latch. The latch is operable by a remotely operable unlatching mechanism to release the door. There is no unlatching mechanism provided on an unsecured part of the vehicle when the vehicle has been secured.

Abstract: A latch bolt engages a striker to releasably secure a first door to a vehicle body or a second door by relative displacement of the latch towards the striker. The latch bolt moves in a first plane to releasably retain the striker. The assembly includes a vertical wedge arrangement includes a first wedge surface on the latch and a second wedge surface on the striker. The first wedge surface and the second wedge surface cooperate to compensate for any misalignment and to prevent movement between the striker bar portion of the striker and a mouth of the latch in a direction parallel to the first plane. The latch is a plant-in latch, and the first surface is provided on a wedge plate securable to a shut face surface of the latch. The first wedge surface and the second wedge surface can be resilient.

Abstract: A resilient assembly for a vehicle door latch assembly includes two retainers that substantially face each other and a resilient member supported by seats in the retainers. The resilient member is biased to resist a tensile force applied to load application features at the ends of the retainers as the seats of the retainers are moved toward each other. The retainers allow the amount of preload force applied to the resilient assembly to not be limited by the physical characteristics of the resilient member.

Abstract: A latch bolt engages a striker to releaseably secure a first door to either a vehicle body or a second door by relative displacement of the latch towards the striker. The latch bolt moves in a first plane to releaseably retain the striker. The assembly includes a first vertical wedge arrangement and a second vertical wedge arrangement that substantially prevent movement between the latch and the striker in a direction parallel to the first plane when in a latched condition. The vertical wedge arrangements include first and second abutment surfaces on the striker arranged engage third and fourth complementary surfaces of the latch. The arrangements are provided laterally either side of a striker bar portion of the striker and laterally either side of the latch bolt.

Abstract: A latch bolt engages a striker to releasably secure a first door to a vehicle body or a second door by relative displacement of the latch towards said striker. The latch bolt moves in a first plane to releasably retain the striker. The assembly includes a wedge arrangement that substantially prevents relative movement between the latch and the striker a direction perpendicular to the first plane when in a latched condition. The wedge arrangement includes first and second lateral abutment surfaces mounted on the latch. The wedge arrangements are positioned on either side of the latch bolt in a direction perpendicular to the first plane for engagement with cooperating surfaces of the striker.

Abstract: A lock mechanism (10, 110) including a lock gear lever (12, 112) movable between unlocked, locked and superlocked positions, the lock lever being connected to further components of the lock mechanism to provide for corresponding unlocked, locked and superlocked conditions of the lock mechanism, the lock lever being operably movable between the unlocked, locked and superlocked positions by a stepper motor (22, 122) (FIG. 7).

Abstract: A lock arrangement including a lock having an unlocked and locked condition, the lock arrangement further including an actuable element having a first position at which the lock is unlocked and a second position at which the lock is locked, the lock arrangement further including means for ensuring the actuable element passes through a transitory position in changing the state of the lock from at least one of the locked and unlocked conditions to the other of the locked and conditions in which one of the locked and unlocked conditions of the actuable element is on the path of the actuable element between the transitory and the other of the locked and locked positions.

Abstract: A drive system (10) operable to drive vehicle door functions comprises a drive member (20) mounted for rotation about a drive axis by a drive motor (12), a rocker (24) operable by the drive member (20), and translation means (16), (18), (22) operable to move the drive member (20) to a predetermined position on the drive axis.

Abstract: A vehicle including at least one door releasably securable in a closed position by a power operable latch, the latch being operable by a remotely operable unlatching means to release the door, there being no unlatching means provided on an unsecured part of the vehicle when the vehicle has been secured.

Abstract: A latch assembly including a latch bolt moveable between a closed position at which it is capable of retaining a striker and a open position at which it is capable of releasing a striker, the latch assembly further including a pawl moveable between a retaining position at which it is capable of retaining the latch bolt in at least it closed position and a released position at which the latch bolt is free to move between its open and closed position, in which the pawl is rotatably mounted via a rotating element bearing.

Abstract: A vehicle door latch operably connected to a manually operable element selectively operable to disable a transmission path between the vehicle door latch and an internal door release means thereby to prevent release of the vehicle door latch by the internal door release means, wherein the manually operable element comprises means of illumination.

Abstract: An assembly including a first component and a second component, the first component having a first deformed portion, in which the first deformed portion engages with the second component to allow rotation therebetween and the first deformed portion secures the first component to the second component.