Mechanical assist mechanism for active pedestrian safety latch

Abstract

A latch assembly for driving a closure panel from a closed panel position to an open panel position. The latch assembly comprises: a latch mechanism having a first latch element for retaining a mating latch component in a latched position and for moving the mating latch component from the latched position to an unlatched position when released, the movement of the first latch element biased towards the unlatched position by a latch biasing element; and an actuation system having: a mechanical energy storage system having a device for storing mechanical potential energy for assisting the latch biasing element in moving the mating latch component from the latched position to the unlatched position; a mechanical advantage system having a plurality of advantage elements for engaging the device, such that movement of the plurality of advantage elements is associated with a trigger force and cooperation of the plurality of advantage elements provides for amplification of the trigger force as an initiating force to release the stored mechanical potential energy; and a trigger system configured to provide the trigger force to release the stored mechanical potential energy.

Description

technical field [0001] The present disclosure relates to vehicle safety systems. Background technique [0002] The automotive industry is trying to better protect pedestrians from frontal collisions with vehicles. When a sedan hits a pedestrian in a front-end collision, the pedestrian may be pushed up and land on the vehicle's front hood and / or windshield. In an effort to mitigate impact hazards, particularly to prevent a person's head from striking the engine block or other hard point located directly under the front hood, it is desirable to bring the front hood to the engine block whenever a front-end collision is detected. Actively space out. In particular, when a front-end collision is detected by the crash sensor, it is desirable to move the front bonnet in a very short period of time (eg, in millimeters) from a first aerodynamic position to a second position, where In the first position, the front hood is conventionally positioned very close to the engine block, in ...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Another issue is the use of chemical based or explosive charge actuation systems which can have faster reaction times compared to mechanical based actuation systems, however replacement cost and safety, reliability and reusability there may be a problem

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