Double pawl vehicle latch

摘要

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. The cam is operatively connected to the first pawl, wherein the cam is movable between an first pawl enabling position in which the first pawl is enabled to move to the ratchet locking position, and a first pawl disabling position in which the cam positions the first pawl in the ratchet release position. The cam is biased towards the first pawl disabling position. The second pawl is movable between a cam locking position in which the second pawl is positioned to hold the cam in the first pawl enabling position, and a cam release position wherein the second pawl is positioned to permit the movement of the cam to the first pawl disabling position. The second pawl is biased towards the cam locking position. The drive mechanism is configured for moving the second pawl into the cam release position.

主权项

1. A vehicle latch, comprising: a ratchet movable between a striker 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; a ratchet biasing member biasing the ratchet towards the striker release position; a first pawl 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; a first pawl biasing member biasing the first pawl towards the ratchet locking position; a cam operatively connected to the first pawl, the cam being movable about a cam axis between a first pawl enabling position in which the first pawl is enabled to move to the ratchet locking position and a first pawl disabling position in which the cam positions the first pawl in the ratchet release position; a cam biasing member biasing the cam towards the first pawl disabling position; a second pawl movable about a second pawl pivot axis between a cam locking position in which the second pawl is positioned to hold the cam in the first pawl enabling position and a cam release position in which the second pawl is positioned to permit the movement of the cam to the first pawl disabling position, the second pawl pivot axis being offset from the cam axis; a drive mechanism configured for moving the second pawl to the cam release position; and wherein the drive mechanism includes a plurality of gears including a final gear, wherein the final gear has thereon a second pawl engagement member positioned for moving the second pawl out of engagement with the cam.