Lock mechanism is provided between pawl lever and manual release mean. The present vehicle door latch apparatus includes ratchet member that engages latch and that can be released from latch by release component force F2, latch restraint that prevents ratchet member from being disengaged from latch and powered release means that moves ratchet restraint. Ratchet member includes base lever and pawl lever. When ratchet restraint is moved, base lever is moved to a non-regulated position, where pawl lever can be disengaged from latch by release component force F2. Manual release means is connected to pawl lever. Lock mechanism is provided between pawl lever and manual release means.

A noise reduction strike plate covering including a sheet of noise dampening material adaptively shaped to cover a strike plate in a door frame with a portion of the sheet including a bolt hole insert adaptively shaped to insert a bolt hole through the strike plate and a portion of the sheet including a strike ramp grip adaptively shaped to grip an end of a strike bolt ramp of the strike plate.

A noise reduction strike plate covering including a sheet of noise dampening material adaptively shaped to cover a strike plate in a door frame with a portion of the sheet including a bolt hole insert adaptively shaped to insert a bolt hole through the strike plate and a portion of the sheet including a strike ramp grip adaptively shaped to grip an end of a strike bolt ramp of the strike plate.

A service latch assembly for a vehicle is disclosed. The latch assembly includes a striker member and a latch mechanism configured to selectively engage and release the strike member. The latch mechanism includes a frame plate defining a guideway configured to receive the striker member, a striker guard inserted into the guideway, a latch member pivotally connected to the frame plate, a stop tab extending from a closed end of the guideway, a stop bumper inserted onto the stop tab, and an over-mold fitted over the latch member. The over-mold includes a pivot limiter bumper configured to cooperate with the stop bumper to limit the pivot of the latch member in an open position and a striker retention feature nested onto an edge retention surface of a first lever arm of the latch member.

A service latch assembly for a vehicle is disclosed. The latch assembly includes a striker member and a latch mechanism configured to selectively engage and release the strike member. The latch mechanism includes a frame plate defining a guideway configured to receive the striker member, a striker guard inserted into the guideway, a latch member pivotally connected to the frame plate, a stop tab extending from a closed end of the guideway, a stop bumper inserted onto the stop tab, and an over-mold fitted over the latch member. The over-mold includes a pivot limiter bumper configured to cooperate with the stop bumper to limit the pivot of the latch member in an open position and a striker retention feature nested onto an edge retention surface of a first lever arm of the latch member.

A hood latch apparatus for a vehicle includes: a housing having entrance guide recesses at a front portion and a rear portion, respectively, to allow a striker to enter; a first support shaft and a second support shaft disposed at both sides of the entrance guide recesses, respectively; a claw rotatably connected to the first support shaft; a pawl rotatably connected to the second support shaft and configured to restrain the claw or release the restraint of the claw; a safety hook rotatably connected to the second support shaft and configured to restrict the opening of a hood; and a safety lever having one end of thereof rotatably supported on a third support shaft installed inside the housing, and including a user manipulation portion extending to an outside of the housing and a pressing portion for pressing a lower portion of the safety hook.

A hood latch apparatus for a vehicle includes: a housing having entrance guide recesses at a front portion and a rear portion, respectively, to allow a striker to enter; a first support shaft and a second support shaft disposed at both sides of the entrance guide recesses, respectively; a claw rotatably connected to the first support shaft; a pawl rotatably connected to the second support shaft and configured to restrain the claw or release the restraint of the claw; a safety hook rotatably connected to the second support shaft and configured to restrict the opening of a hood; and a safety lever having one end of thereof rotatably supported on a third support shaft installed inside the housing, and including a user manipulation portion extending to an outside of the housing and a pressing portion for pressing a lower portion of the safety hook.

In order to minimize the sliding friction occurring between the locking parts, that is, between the pawl and the rotary latch of a motor vehicle lock, it is advantageous if, during the machining process, the different latch surfaces of both locking parts are provided with a punched contour and with a contour having a oblique machining groove. Machining grooves are formed, in particular on the latch surface thereof, after stamping the pawl. Defined shapes of oblique channels and/or machining grooves are produced, for example, by milling out the machining grooves. The oblique machining grooves are produced at a defined angle and guarantee that the straight channels on the rotary latch only have a few overlapping points with the oblique grooves, if both locking parts come into contact with each other.

In order to minimize the sliding friction occurring between the locking parts, that is, between the pawl and the rotary latch of a motor vehicle lock, it is advantageous if, during the machining process, the different latch surfaces of both locking parts are provided with a punched contour and with a contour having a oblique machining groove. Machining grooves are formed, in particular on the latch surface thereof, after stamping the pawl. Defined shapes of oblique channels and/or machining grooves are produced, for example, by milling out the machining grooves. The oblique machining grooves are produced at a defined angle and guarantee that the straight channels on the rotary latch only have a few overlapping points with the oblique grooves, if both locking parts come into contact with each other.

A method of forming a motor vehicle door lock includes arranging a lever, providing an electric drive that pivots the lever to place the motor vehicle door lock in an open state and includes a motor and a wheel gear that is driven by the motor and has a circumferential face, forming at least one damping stop on the wheel gear that protrudes axially from the circumferential face of the wheel gear and extends from the circumferential face toward a stop plane that is spaced from and parallel to an actuating plane in which the wheel gear and the lever are rotatable, providing a housing stop surface that is engageable by the damping stop along the stop plane in a rotational direction of the wheel gear, and forming the damping stop and the wheel gear as a single piece using a two-component injection molding process.