In an aspect, a latch for a closure panel for a vehicle is provided, and includes a ratchet, pawl, release lever, and extension member. The ratchet is movable between a primary closed position, secondary closed position and open position. The pawl is movable between a primary locking position, secondary locking position and unlocking position. The release lever is movable between home and actuated positions. When the pawl is in the primary locking position the release lever has a selected amount of reach for driving the pawl to the secondary locking position during movement of the release lever to the actuated position. When the pawl is in the secondary locking position the extension member is movable to extend the reach of the release lever to drive the pawl from the secondary locking position to the unlocked position during movement of the release lever from the home position to the actuated position.

The invention relates to a door handle (10) for a vehicle door of a motor vehicle, with a removable cover element (11), in particular for covering a lock cylinder (101), wherein the lock cylinder (101) is provided for unlocking and locking a door lock, and wherein the cover element (11) can be transferred between at least two positions (I, II), specifically a covered position (I), in which in particular the lock cylinder (101) is covered by the cover element (11) so as to be inaccessible from the outside, and an open position (II), in which in particular the cylinder lock (101) is uncovered by the cover element (11), and a tension means (12) for actuating the door lock, wherein the tension means (12) can be mechanically operatively connected with the cover element (11) in the open position (II) of the cover element (11), so as to actuate the door lock by pulling on the cover element (11). It is also possible to initially detach the tension means from the cover element, for example by undoing a corresponding connection between the tension means and cover element, such as a form- and/or force fitting connection, clip and/or clamp connection, bayonet connection or the like, and then initiate the opening process directly on the tension means. To this end, the invention proposes that a triggering device (14) be provided for the cover element (11), so as to automatically transfer the cover element (11) into the open position (II), in particular in an emergency situation.

A vehicle latch is provided having a ratchet, a primary pawl, an auxiliary ratchet and a secondary pawl, and further including a gear that is movable to a secondary pawl locking position wherein the gear directly blocks movement of the secondary pawl and locks the secondary pawl in an auxiliary ratchet holding position to prevent premature or unintended opening of the latch.

The object of the invention is a motor vehicle latch (1), in particular an electrically actuated flap latch, demonstrating a locking mechanism (11) comprising a catch (10) and at least one pawl, a triggering lever (9), whereby by means of the triggering lever (9) the locking mechanism (11) can be unlocked, a closure device (8), whereby by means of the closure device (8) the locking mechanism (11) can be transferred at least from a pre-ratchet position into a main ratchet position and the closure device (8) demonstrates a spindle drive (4), whereby a functional position (N, O, Z) of the spindle drive (4) can be recorded by sensors, and whereby the spindle drive (4) demonstrates a spindle nut (5) and the spindle nut (5) interacts with an activation device (6) in such a way that using a sensor (7) at least a functional position (N, O, Z) of the spindle nut (5) can be detected.

A protective mechanism for use when gripping a medical device to a rack is provided. A related system and method are also provided. The protective mechanism includes a guide member, a connector, an actuation member configured to have a first end portion and a second end portion. The first end portion of the actuation member is pivotally coupled to the guide member. The cover member is pivotally coupled to the guide member and is configured to interact with the actuation member so as to pivot to uncover the connector when the actuation member pivots in a first direction and to pivot to cover the connector when the actuation member pivots in a second direction.

An actuator mechanism of a vehicle latch assembly includes an electric motor having an output shaft. Also included is a worm coupled to the output shaft. Further included is a worm gear driven by the worm. Yet further included is a spring operatively coupled to the worm gear and to a latch housing, the spring having a first leg extending through an aperture defined by the worm gear and a second leg extending into a receiving hole defined by the housing, the first leg including a first segment extending along a first leg axis and a second segment oriented at a non-parallel angle to the first leg axis, the second segment contacting a face of the worm gear to prevent removal of the spring.

Provide a door latch apparatus with a childproof lock mechanism that is only a projecting portion of the childproof lock mechanism is movable in the release direction interlocked with an opening operation of an inside lever, so that the degree of freedom of arrangement and design of several kinds of parts assembled in a housing can be increased. A release actuating member is supported movably in an elongated guide hole of a childproof lever from a standby position to a release position. When the childproof lever is in a childproof unlocking position and when an inside lever is carried out the opening operation, a projecting portion contacts to the inside lever and moves in the opening direction, so that the release actuating member moves to the release position against a biasing unit.

A latch assembly is provided herein, the latch assembly having: a chassis; a latch bolt, movably mounted on the chassis and having a closed position for retaining a striker, an open position for releasing the striker; a first safety position between the closed position and the open position for retaining the striker; a first pawl having a first pawl engaged position at which the first pawl is engageable with the latch bolt to hold the latch bolt in the closed position and a first pawl disengaged position at which the first pawl is disengaged from the latch bolt thereby allowing the latch bolt to at least move towards the first safety position; and a second pawl having a second pawl engaged position at which the second pawl is engageable with the latch bolt to hold the latch bolt in the first safety position and a second pawl disengaged position at which the second pawl is disengaged from the latch bolt thereby allowing the latch bolt to move towards the open position.

The invention relates to a securing device (1; 101) for a motor vehicle, having a front hood (2, 102) and a hood lock (3, 103) with a lock holder (10, 110). The hood lock (3, 103) has a rotary latch (4, 104) with a pre-locking position and a main locking position and an electric drive (5, 105) which causes a switchover of the rotary latch (4, 104) from the main locking position into the pre-locking position. In the main locking position, a release of the lock holder (10, 110) is blocked, and the front hood (2, 102) is closed. In the pre-locking position, the lock holder (10, 110) can be manually moved between a closed position, in which the lock holder (10, 110) is engaged with the rotary latch (4, 104) and the front hood (2, 102) is locked, and an open position, in which the lock holder (10, 110) is released from the rotary latch (4, 104) and the front hood (2, 102) is unlocked.

A preload mechanism for a memory alloy wire actuator is disclosed that includes a rotating element configured to rotate about a pivot. The rotating element has a first contact point that is configured to couple to the memory alloy wire actuator such that contraction of the memory alloy wire actuator displaces the first contact point such that the rotating element rotates from a first position to a second position. The preload mechanism also includes a bias element with a first end that is coupled to a second contact point of the rotating element and a second end configured to be pinned relative to the pivot. The bias element has a line of action extending from the second end through the first end. The line of action has an offset distance that is the minimum distance between the line of action and the pivot. The offset distance has a first value when the rotating element is in the first position and a second value when the rotating element is the second position, the second value being smaller than the first value.