A motor vehicle door lock, particularly a motor vehicle bonnet lock, includes a ratchet mechanism which substantially consists of a rotary latch and a pawl. The ratchet mechanism interacts with a lock retainer pin on a vehicle bonnet. A retention element is additionally provided which holds the pawl in a retention position, raised from the rotary latch, during unlocking of the bonnet. The lock retainer pin continues to engage in the rotary latch when in said retention position. During a first opening process which proceeds from the retention position, the lock retainer pin transfers the retention element into a release position that releases the pawl. During a subsequent bonnet closing process, the pawl can thus engage in the rotary latch, which can be pivoted without exertion of force by the lock retainer pin at least into the hold position.

A latch having a fork bolt and a detent lever is provided. The detent lever moves between an engaged position, wherein the detent lever engages the fork bolt and a disengaged position wherein the detent lever is disengaged from the fork bolt. A first spring acts on the detent lever, the first spring has a first biasing position wherein the detent lever is biased into the engaged position and has a second biasing position wherein the detent lever is biased into the disengaged position. The first spring moves between the first biasing position and the second biasing position during unlatching of the latch and the first spring is in the first biasing position during latching of the latch.

The invention relates to a motor vehicle door lock and to a method for electrically actuating a locking mechanism in said type of motor vehicle door lock. Said motor vehicle door lock comprises a locking mechanism and an electric drive (1, 2, 3) for the locking mechanism. It also comprises at least one signal transmitter (8) for impinging upon the electric drive (1, 2, 3). According to the invention, a first flank (F.sub.S) and also a second flank (F.sub.E) of a signal (S) generated by the signal generator (8) are evaluated for controlling the electric drive (1, 2, 3).

A vehicle tailgate locking device including an external door handle switch configured to be turned on and off in response to operation of an external door handle, a latch assembly including a latch member configured to engage or disengage a striker by rotation, a pawl member configured to restrain or release the latch member, and a latch motor configured to rotate the pawl member to release the latch member, and a controller configured to control power to be supplied to the latch motor in response to the external door handle switch being turned on, to stop the power supplied to the latch motor in response to either the external door handle switch being turned off after the external door handle switch is turned on or an elapse of a preset time.

A motor vehicle door latch, in particular a tailgate latch, which is equipped with a locking mechanism comprising a catch and a pawl. Furthermore, a triggering element working on the pawl is provided for which is set up at least to lift the pawl. Furthermore, a memory element, which at least guarantees an unimpeded opening movement of the catch when the pawl is lifted. The memory element maintains the pawl in its elevated position.

A vehicle tailgate locking device including an external door handle switch configured to be turned on and off in response to operation of an external door handle, a latch assembly including a latch member configured to engage or disengage a striker by rotation, a pawl member configured to restrain or release the latch member, and a latch motor configured to rotate the pawl member to release the latch member, and a controller configured to control power to be supplied to the latch motor in response to the external door handle switch being turned on, to stop the power supplied to the latch motor in response to either the external door handle switch being turned off after the external door handle switch is turned on or an elapse of a preset time.

A motor vehicle lock, in particular a motor vehicle door lock, which in its basic design is equipped with a locking mechanism consisting essentially of a rotary latch and a pawl. In addition, an accumulator lever that is controllable by the rotary latch is realized, which temporarily holds the pawl in its open position (accumulator position) at least during an opening process of the locking mechanism. According to the invention, a common spring acting on the rotary latch and the accumulator lever is provided.

A power latch assembly for motor vehicle closure applications has a single motor operable to move a pawl from a ratchet holding position to a ratchet releasing position; place the power latch assembly in a double pull mechanical release state, and place the power latch assembly in a child lock state.

A tailgate latch assembly for restraining a striker of a tailgate, which is opened or closed rearward of a vehicle, or for releasing restraint of the striker includes: a pawl configured to be rotated by a drive motor, the pawl being supported resiliently in a direction opposite to a direction of being rotated by the drive motor in a housing; a claw supported resiliently in a direction in which restraint of the striker is released in the housing, the claw being configured to be rotated in a direction opposite to the direction of being supported resiliently when the striker is restrained in the claw; and a memory lever having a first end for supporting a side face of the pawl when the pawl is rotated beyond a predetermined angle by the drive motor and a second end fixed to the housing.

Provided is a vehicle door latch device capable of shortening of energization time to an electrical drive source while a moving member is restrained by abutting against a stopper portion and improvement of durability of the electrical drive source. A control unit of the door latch device controls an electric motor for driving a sector gear in a release direction based on a door operation of an operation switch, and controls to stop a power supply to the electric motor when the latch is rotated from the full-latch position to the open position and a full-latch detecting switch is activated while the moving member is brought into abutment with the stopper portion and is stopped.