The present invention relates to a vehicle door latch, and more particularly, to a vehicle door latch having a safety device, which is capable of mechanically or electrically preventing an electrical malfunction of the vehicle door latch, installed at the interior or exterior thereof so that safety of the vehicle door latch is improved.

A motor vehicle locking system for a door or hatch, comprising a locking mechanism with a rotary latch and a pawl for latching the rotary latch, a drive pulley for an electrical opening means, which drive pulley can be rotated in a motorized manner in an operating direction for tripping the locking mechanism, and a return spring for rotating the drive pulley in the direction opposite the operating direction, wherein the drive pulley can be rotated in the operating direction without being influenced by the return spring or at least without spring load. Therefore, higher loads can be moved by the drive pulley.

A motor vehicle locking system for a door or hatch, comprising a locking mechanism with a rotary latch and a pawl for latching the rotary latch, a drive pulley for an electrical opening means, which drive pulley can be rotated in a motorized manner in an operating direction for tripping the locking mechanism, and a return spring for rotating the drive pulley in the direction opposite the operating direction, wherein the drive pulley can be rotated in the operating direction without being influenced by the return spring or at least without spring load. Therefore, higher loads can be moved by the drive pulley.

A motor-driven door latch includes a catch part that is caught on a striker to lock the vehicle door to the vehicle body or is released from the striker so that the vehicle door can be opened from the vehicle body. A door locking and releasing part includes a main motor and is configured to apply a torque to the catch part through the main motor. An emergency door releasing part is provided with an auxiliary motor and is contacted with the door locking and releasing part by operation of the auxiliary motor. An inside emergency operating lever is connected with an inside handle installed at the vehicle door and is configured to receive an operation force of the inside handle to rotate and apply torque to the catch part through the emergency door releasing part and the door locking and releasing part.

A motor-driven door latch includes a catch part that is caught on a striker to lock the vehicle door to the vehicle body or is released from the striker so that the vehicle door can be opened from the vehicle body. A door locking and releasing part includes a main motor and is configured to apply a torque to the catch part through the main motor. An emergency door releasing part is provided with an auxiliary motor and is contacted with the door locking and releasing part by operation of the auxiliary motor. An inside emergency operating lever is connected with an inside handle installed at the vehicle door and is configured to receive an operation force of the inside handle to rotate and apply torque to the catch part through the emergency door releasing part and the door locking and releasing part.

A vehicle closure panel latch assembly having pivotable actuator lever sealed against the ingress of water into a housing of the latch assembly is provided. The actuator lever is configured for receipt in an opening of the housing and for operable connection to an internal latch component. A seal member is disposed about a portion of the actuator lever to form a water-tight seal between the housing and the actuator lever to prevent the passage of water through the opening.

A powered latch assembly for a vehicle tailgate includes a latch structured to engage a striker mounted on a vehicle and to be rotatable into a latching position when engaged with the striker, so as to maintain the tailgate in a closed position associated with the latching position of the latch. The latch assembly also includes a latch control member rotationally connected to the latch and structured to be engageable by a pawl of the latch assembly to maintain the latch control member in a position associated with the latching position of the latch. A rotational position of the latch is thus controlled by engagement between the pawl and the latch control member rotationally connected to the latch. A wall may be provided between the latch and the latch control member to environmentally isolate the latch control member and components of the latch assembly from the vehicle exterior environment.

A latch assembly for a vehicle includes a latch housing, a ratchet, a main pawl, and a cinch mechanism including a cinch pawl and a cinch link lever. When the ratchet moves to a secondary striker capture position, the cinch pawl moves into a blocking position to hold the ratchet. The cinch pawl is actuatable by a cinch lever to move the ratchet to a cinched striker capture position and the main pawl to ratchet checking position. The cinch pawl may be blocked by a stop feature formed in the latch housing in the secondary striker capture position, which resists an opening force exerted on the ratchet. The cinch pawl may be coupled to the cinch link lever, and the cinch link lever may pivot about the same post as the ratchet designed to resist high loads.

A method for extending and retracting a handle of a door handle assembly for a door of a vehicle includes providing a door handle assembly having a base portion, a handle portion that is movably attached at the base portion, and an electrically operable actuator that operates to move the handle portion relative to the base portion. A control controls operation of the actuator to move the handle portion between a recessed position and a partially extended position. Responsive to detecting presence of an authorized user, a sensing system determines a motion vector of the user that is indicative of a direction that the user is moving relative to the vehicle. Responsive to determining that the determined motion vector is indicative of the user approaching the door of the vehicle, the control controls operation of the actuator to move the handle portion to the partially extended position.

A method for extending and retracting a handle of a door handle assembly for a door of a vehicle includes providing a door handle assembly having a base portion, a handle portion that is movably attached at the base portion, and an electrically operable actuator that operates to move the handle portion relative to the base portion. A control controls operation of the actuator to move the handle portion between a recessed position and a partially extended position. Responsive to detecting presence of an authorized user, a sensing system determines a motion vector of the user that is indicative of a direction that the user is moving relative to the vehicle. Responsive to determining that the determined motion vector is indicative of the user approaching the door of the vehicle, the control controls operation of the actuator to move the handle portion to the partially extended position.