Latch system for facilitating opening and closing closure panel of vehicle

Abstract

The present invention relates to a latch system for facilitating opening and closing of a closure panel of a vehicle, the actuation system comprising: one or more mechanisms of a latch mechanism; a release mechanism; a tie mechanism; an offset pop-up spring; and a service release mechanism.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 63 / 529,394, filed on July 28, 2023, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates to a latch system for a closure panel. Background Art

[0004] Some vehicles are equipped with a closure panel, such as a liftgate, that is driven between an open position (position 2) and a closed position (position 1) using an electrically driven lifting or opening system. Disadvantages of current systems include a bulky form factor that takes up valuable vehicle cargo space, for example, space along the vertical supports that define the opening and passageway of the rear liftgate or space commonly referred to as the front trunk (the storage space accessed via the front hood of a battery-powered vehicle).

[0005] In the current prior art, when one ties the trunk shut, there may be the problem of having to fight against a large pop-up spring to tie it shut. Also, now with the trunk, one needs seals to seal the luggage compartment, so the presence of these seals may add additional spring forces that the tie-down motor must fight against. And further, it should be recognized that the more one compresses the seal / spring combination, the force that needs to be applied by the motor may increase exponentially.

[0006] Furthermore, in prior art latches, there is a tolerance for overtravel, i.e., the ratchet is overtraveled during the cinch operation, in order to compensate for wear and tolerances which may ultimately result in the ratchet not being properly cinched past the latch's home position, recognizing that in this case the latch will not be securely closed.

[0007] Furthermore, when one adds a tie latch to a front trunk which inherently has a larger spring and additional sealing load, the overtravel process now undesirably requires a larger motor and / or more gear reduction. However, more gear reduction has the disadvantage of slowing down the latch function, especially if one uses the motor for both the release and ejection speed reduction. Larger motors are also more expensive and increase packaging space. Summary of the invention

[0008] It is an object of the present invention to provide an actuation system which obviates or mitigates at least one of the above mentioned disadvantages.

[0009] One aspect provides a latch system for facilitating opening and closing of a closure panel of a vehicle, the actuation system comprising: a latch mechanism; a tie mechanism; and an anti-pop-out feature that limits overtravel of the latch mechanism to provide a controlled release of stored pop-out energy.

[0010] Another aspect provides a latch system for facilitating opening and closing of a closure panel of a vehicle, the actuation system comprising:

[0011] a latch mechanism; a cinching mechanism using a first gear ratio; and a release mechanism using a second gear ratio; wherein the first gear ratio is higher than the second gear ratio to obtain different operating speeds between the release operation and the cinching operation.

[0012] On the other hand, a latch system is provided for facilitating opening and closing of a closed panel of a vehicle, the actuation system comprising: a latch mechanism; a tie mechanism; and a pop-up spring connected to the tie mechanism to provide a first moment arm and a second moment arm, the first moment arm being different from the second moment arm so as to reduce the engagement force of the latch mechanism while increasing the load capacity of the tie mechanism.

[0013] On the other hand, a latch system is provided for facilitating opening and closing of a closure panel of a vehicle, the actuation system comprising: a latch mechanism; a release mechanism; and a service release mechanism connected to the release mechanism; wherein the service release mechanism is configured to operate in multiple latch positions regardless of whether one or more latch components are outside of their corresponding original positions.

[0014] On the other hand, a latch system is provided for facilitating opening and closing of a closed panel of a vehicle, the actuation system comprising: a latch mechanism having a ratchet which can move between an overtravel position, a latched position and a released position; and a tie mechanism adapted to move the ratchet to the overtravel position, wherein the overtravel position is variable.

[0015] On the other hand, provided is a latch system for facilitating opening and closing of a closed panel of a vehicle, the actuation system comprising: a ratchet capable of moving between a tie-down overtravel position, a release overtravel position, a latch position and a release position; a pawl capable of moving between a ratchet holding position and a ratchet release position; and a motor suitable for moving the ratchet to the tie-down overtravel position during a tie-down mode, and suitable for moving the pawl from the ratchet holding position to the ratchet release position and moving the ratchet to the release overtravel position during a release mode; wherein the release overtravel position is smaller than the tie-down overtravel position.

[0016] On the other hand, provided is a latch system for facilitating opening and closing of a closed panel of a vehicle, the actuation system comprising: a ratchet adapted to engage a striker pin, the ratchet having a release position, a locked position, and an overtravel position; a pawl adapted to hold the ratchet in the locked position or to release the ratchet from the locked position; and an actuator adapted to rotate the ratchet to the overtravel position, wherein the actuator causes the rotation profile of the ratchet during the tie-down mode to be different from the rotation profile of the ratchet during the power release mode.

[0017] Other aspects, including methods of operation, and other implementations of the above-described aspects will be apparent based on the following description and accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Reference is made, by way of example only, to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0019] Figure 1 is a side elevation view of a vehicle having one or more closed panels;

[0020] Figure 2 is a front view of a vehicle having one or more closure panels illustrating a latch mechanism;

[0021] Figure 3 is a side view of a vehicle having one or more closure panels with a seal;

[0022] Figure 4 Shows Figure 1 An implementation of a latch system for a vehicle;

[0023] Figure 5a It is in auxiliary position Figure 4 A view of the latch system;

[0024] Figure 5b Is in the main position Figure 4 A view of the latch system;

[0025] Figure 6 yes Figure 1 An embodiment of the operation of a latch system of a vehicle;

[0026] Figure 7 yes Figure 4 Alternative embodiments of the operation of the latch system;

[0027] Figures 8 to 12 Shows Figure 4 The operating steps of the tie-down mechanism of the latch system;

[0028] Fig.13 Shows Figure 4 An implementation method of a tie-down cam of a tie-down mechanism;

[0029] Fig.14 Shows Figure 4 The operating steps of the tie-down mechanism of the latch system;

[0030] Fig.15 Shows Fig.13 Embodiment of the tie-down cam;

[0031] Fig.16 Shows Figure 4 The operating steps of the tie-down mechanism and the release mechanism of the latch system;

[0032] Fig.17 Shows Figure 4 The operating steps of the tie-down mechanism and the release mechanism of the latch system;

[0033] Figure 18 to Figure 19 Shows Figure 1 Embodiments of a latch system with a release mechanism for a vehicle;

[0034] Figures 20 to 27 Shows Figure 18 to Figure 19 The operating steps of the release mechanism of the latch system;

[0035] Fig.28 Shows Figure 1 Embodiments of a latch system with a service lever release mechanism for a vehicle of; and

[0036] Figure 29 to Figure 31 , Fig.32a , Figure 32b , Fig.33 Shows Fig.28 The operating steps of the service lever release mechanism of the latch system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] In this specification and claims, the use of the articles "a", "an", or "the" with respect to items is not intended to exclude the possibility of including multiple items in some embodiments. In at least some instances in this specification and the appended claims, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that multiple items may be included in at least some embodiments. Likewise, the use of plural forms with respect to items is not intended to exclude the possibility of including one of the items in some embodiments. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that in at least some instances in this specification and the appended claims, one of the items may be included in at least some embodiments.

[0038] In the following description, details are set forth to provide an understanding of the present disclosure. In some cases, certain software, circuits, structures, techniques and methods have not been described or shown in detail to avoid making the present disclosure unclear. The term "controller" is used herein to refer to any machine used for processing data, including a data processing system, a computer system, a module, an electronic control unit ("ECU"), a microprocessor, etc., for providing control of the system described herein, which may include hardware components and / or software components for performing the processing to provide control of the system described herein. Computing device is another term used herein to refer to any machine used for processing data, including a microprocessor, etc., for providing control of the system described herein. The present disclosure can be implemented in any computer programming language (e.g., control logic), as long as the operating system of the control unit provides facilities that can support the requirements of the present disclosure. Any limitations presented will be the result of a specific type of operating system or computer programming language, and are not limitations on the present disclosure. The present disclosure can also be implemented in hardware or a combination of hardware and software.

[0039] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 , a latch system 9 for a closure panel 13 (e.g., an enclosed storage space or a front trunk 20) ​​is provided. In one embodiment, as shown, a hinge 12 of the closure panel 13 is mounted to a body 10 of a vehicle 11, with a latch 16 mounted on the body 10 and a mating latch component 14 mounted on the closure panel 13 (e.g., a hood) (see FIG. 1 ). Figure 4 ). In an alternative embodiment, the latch 16 can be mounted to the closure panel 13 of the vehicle 11, and the mating latch component 14 can be mounted to the body 10. The closure panel 13 preferably has a seal 13a (e.g., resilient foam, rubber, etc.) between the closure panel 13 and the body 10 of the vehicle 11.

[0040] The vehicle 11 may have one or more controls (e.g., buttons, switches, proximity sensors of mechanical handles, etc.) 5 for controlling actuators 16a of the latch system 9, as further described below. The controls 5 may also be connected to a controller or control system 5a, such as a centralized controller such as a body control module ("BCM"), or as a decentralized controller such as a latch control module ("LCM"). The controls 5 may be connected to the actuators 16a (e.g., linear actuators, rotary actuators, etc.) of the actuator system 9 via corresponding connections 21 (e.g., Bowden cables, electrical signal cables, and / or wireless connections, such as wireless connections associated with appropriately configured wireless transmitters such as FOBs). In addition, the vehicle 11 has a front end 1 and a rear end 2.

[0041] like Figure 2As shown in FIG. 1 , the closure panel 13 can be used to cover an interior (e.g., storage) space 20 of the vehicle 11, and thus, such closure panel 13 can be used to provide controlled closure and access to the space 20 (e.g., containing luggage 20a) as facilitated by the latch system 9. As further described below, the closure panel 13 is in a partially open position (see FIG. 1 ). Figure 3 The closure panel 13 in the position indicated by the reference numeral 13b is in the closed position (see Figure 1 ) can be assisted by the actuator mechanism 16a of the latch system 9. The partially open position 13b can include a pop-up position where the hood has been lifted by the spring / seal combination or an auxiliary latched position where the hood has engaged the auxiliary locking position of the latch system 9. It should also be appreciated that the opening and closing of the closure panel 13 can be performed manually by a user of the vehicle 11. It should be appreciated that in the closed position, the latch 16 can provide a corresponding striker 14 and an associated ratchet 40 to lock the closure panel 13 in the closed position (see Figure 1 , Fig.10 ).

[0042] In view of the above, the latch system 9 is advantageously used with a vehicle closure panel 13 to provide opening and closing operation of one or more closure panels 13 of a vehicle 11. Other applications of the latch system 9 for closure panels 13, both in and outside of vehicle applications, include optimization of the overall holding force and manual effort that advantageously assists in the operation of the closure panel 13. It should also be appreciated that the latch system 9 examples provided below can be advantageously used as the sole device for opening and closing assistance of the closure panel 13, or can be advantageously used in combination (e.g., in series) with other closure panel 13 biasing members (e.g., spring-loaded hinges, biasing struts, etc., not shown). In particular, the latch system 9 can be used to provide or otherwise assist in the holding force (or torque) for the closure panel 13.

[0043] Refer again Figure 1 and Figure 2 , a vehicle 11 is shown having a vehicle body 10 with one or more closure panels 13. For the vehicle 11, the closure panel 13 may be referred to as a partition or door that is typically hingedly operated but sometimes attached by other mechanisms such as tracks in front of the following opening: the opening is used for people and / or cargo (e.g., luggage) to enter and exit the interior of the vehicle 11. It should also be recognized that in some applications, the closure panel 13 can be used as an access panel for vehicle 11 systems such as the engine compartment and also for the traditional trunk compartment of the automobile type vehicle 11. Figure 1The closure panel 13 shown in the figure is illustratively shown as an access panel for the front trunk or storage area 20 when the vehicle 11 is configured to have an electric powertrain or is configured with an internal combustion engine located elsewhere in the vehicle 11, such as at the rear. Compared to traditional engine compartment compartments located at the front of the vehicle that do not require seals to prevent elements such as rain / dust / snow from entering the engine compartment, the front trunk or storage area 20 requires sealing to ensure that stored items (e.g., luggage, groceries) are protected from the elements.

[0044] The closure panel 13 can be opened to provide access to the space 20, or can be closed to ensure or otherwise limit access to the space 20. For example, a trunk lid, a front trunk (e.g., a front trunk), a hood, a tailgate can all be referred to as a closure panel 13. It should also be appreciated that there may be one or more intermediate holding positions of the closure panel 13 between the fully open position and the fully closed position, as provided at least in part by the actuator 16a. For example, as further described below, when the actuator 16a acts on the corresponding latch 16, once positioned in the intermediate holding position, the actuator 16 can assist the biasing movement of the closure panel 13 away from one or more intermediate holding positions, which are also referred to as the third position holding point (TPH) or the stop N holding point.

[0045] Reference Figure 4 , shows one embodiment of the latch system 9. For example, the latch 16 of the latch system 9 may include a ratchet 40 and a primary pawl 42, such that the primary pawl 42 holds the ratchet 40 in the latched position (i.e., holds the mating latch component 14 within the slot 17 of the ratchet 40). For example, when the latch 16 is operated between the latched position and the unlocked position (i.e., when the mating latch component 14 is allowed to leave the slot 17), the ratchet 40 pivots about the ratchet pivot axis 41 and the pawl 42 pivots about the pawl pivot axis 43. The ratchet 40 and the pawl 42 are mounted (e.g., by pins not shown) to a latch frame 46, which is shown in phantom, for example. It should be appreciated that the latch system 9 is mounted to the closure panel 13 or the vehicle body 10 via the latch frame 46. For example, it can be appreciated that movement of the pawl 42 about the pawl pivot axis 43 causes the pawl 42 to disengage from the ratchet 40 and thereby facilitates pivoting of the ratchet 40 about the ratchet pivot axis 41 and thereby allows the mating latch component 14 to leave the slot 17. Similarly, limiting movement of the pawl 42 about the pawl pivot axis 43 (e.g., by a pawl biasing element, such as a torsion spring as is known in the art) causes the pawl 42 to remain engaged with the ratchet 40 and thereby inhibit pivoting of the ratchet 40 about the ratchet pivot axis 41 and thereby maintain the position of the mating latch component 14 within the slot 17 and hold the closure panel 13 in the closed position.

[0046] Refer again Figure 4 , the latch system 9 also has a cinch mechanism 7, which includes a cinch cam 50, a lifting rod 52 and a cinch pawl 54. The movement of the cinch pawl 54 is guided by a cinch pawl guide rivet 56. During operation (as controlled by the actuator 16a), a cam surface 58 of the cinch cam 50 travels along a lifting rod roller 60 mounted on the lifting rod 52. As further described below, the cinch cam 50 is used to control the position of the lifting rod 52, which rotates about a rod axis 51 (for example, the rod axis 51 can be the same as the axis of the ratchet 40). Advantageously, the use of the cinch cam 50 is arranged to enable the actuator 16a to control the ejection speed of the latch 16, and therefore the ejection speed of the closing panel 13. With this increased flexibility, the presence of the cinch cam 50 (coupled to the lift lever 52 via the lift lever roller 60) is provided for the cinch pawl 54 to have a pair of engagement positions, as further described below, the first engagement position being used during the cinch operation of the cinch mechanism 7, and the second engagement position being used during the release of the latch mechanism 16. The advantage of two engagement positions is that a reduction in overtravel of the cinch mechanism 7 can be facilitated (compared to prior art cinch systems without a pair of engagement positions) in order to provide the desired anti-pop-out functionality of the latch system 9. As further described below, the pop-out spring 39 (e.g., an elastic element, such as a torsion spring) has an offset center relative to the lift lever pivot axis 51, thereby providing a maximum moment arm at the pop-out position and a smaller (compared to the maximum moment arm) moment arm in the home position. In this sense, even though the spring force of the spring 39 increases as the latch 16 approaches the home position (e.g., the locked position), the reduced moment arm provides a flatter load curve. Thus, the configuration of the pop-up spring 39 provides a flatter load curve to help reduce the engagement force of the cinch mechanism 7 and, therefore, help increase the cinch load capacity.

[0047] Reference Figure 5a , the latch 16 is shown in an ejected (e.g., auxiliary position) state such that the mating latch member 14 is still retained by the hook 15 of the ratchet 40, and the auxiliary pawl 54b is engaged to prevent the ratchet 40 from rotating toward the fully open position via the auxiliary pawl 54b engaging the auxiliary notch 40b of the ratchet 40 - see Fig.19 .exist Figure 5b , the latch 16 is shown in a primary (eg, latched) state such that the mating latch component 14 is retained by the slot 17 of the ratchet 40 and rotation of the ratchet 40 is inhibited by the primary pawl 42 engaged with the ratchet 40. Referring again to Figure 5a The pop-up spring 39 uses a torsion design with its center C offset relative to the lifting lever pivot axis 51. This design has a maximum moment arm MA1 in the pop-up position (see Figure 5a), and has a smaller moment arm MA2 in the main position (see Figure 5b ). Even though the spring force F1 increases to the spring force F2 as the latch 16 approaches the primary position (from the auxiliary position), the reduction in the moment arm MA1 to the moment arm MA2 results in a flatter load curve for the spring 39. It can be appreciated that the resulting lift lever moments M1, M2 are as shown. Thus, as the lift lever 52 moves from the auxiliary position toward the primary position of the latch 16, the pop-up spring forces F1, F2 increase, but the moment arms MA1, MA2 also decrease. Thus, the net moment on the lift lever 52 follows a flatter curve and does not increase significantly during the travel of the lift lever 52 about the pivot axis 51.

[0048] For operation of the tie-down mechanism 7, for front trunk 20 applications, a tie-down overtravel is provided to provide for the pawl 42 to engage the ratchet 40 of the latch 16, taking into account the seal load and the additional resistance encountered by the pop-up spring 39. Thus, for example, in the case of a system without a pop-up spring or seal load, a conventional tie-down overtravel may follow the same profile during overtravel release as during tie-down operation, since the same control cam surface acts at the same striker position, see Figure 6 , which shows a tie-down cycle with symmetrical tie-down / anti-pop-up control. Therefore, this system is applied to systems with pop-up springs and seal loads, for example, in both tie-down and release, large pop-up springs and seal loads must be overcome during large overtravels. As overtravel increases, the spring force increases rapidly, requiring a larger motor and / or additional torque multiplication / speed reduction components to meet the overtravel position. In order for this tie-down strategy to work, the striker is tied into the overtravel position. The amount of overtravel can be large enough to account for the production tolerances of all components, and any wear or travel loss during the life of the latch needs to be considered. As described above, insufficient overtravel will result in the latch not being able to consistently reach the main position. Shown is the impact height SH and the actuator rotation AR. The levels shown are the main position Pp, the pop-up position Pup, the overtravel area OR, and the amplitude OT of the overtravel. Also shown are the release point RP (during the release cycle) and the release curve operation RC and the tie-down curve operation CC.

[0049] In view of the above, refer to Figure 7 , in the latch system 9 (see Figure 4 ) is shown in the operation of FIG. 1 , with reference to the current configuration using a tie cycle CC with asymmetric tie / anti-pop-out control. Figure 7 , the striker height SH and cam rotation AR for the cinch operation CC and the release operation RC are shown. In particular, the curves show the overtravel region OR, which is reduced during the release overtravel due to the cinch pawl 54 extension acting on the ratchet 40 (see Figure 8 , Fig. 9 , Fig.10 , Fig.11 , Fig.12 ). Thus, the spring and seal load do not need to be compressed as much, thereby reducing the output / strain of the motor 16a during the release cycle. Since the release cycle RC accounts for half of the operating life cycle of the motor 16a, reducing the output power required to complete the release operation can reduce wear on the motor and thus increase the reliability and durability of the motor 16a during the tie-down cycle. Alternatively, the size / output of the motor 16a can be reduced. Alternatively, additional seal loads can be introduced into the system because the reduced overtravel does not compress the larger seal loads to the point where the resistance increases rapidly. Figure 7 Also shown in FIG. 1 is a notch 70 in the cinch cam surface 58 (of the cam surface region CSR) (see FIG. Fig.13 ) and resulting raised area HR, so as to facilitate the placement of the roller 60 (such as Fig.12 ), thereby allowing the tie extension 55 to move into position.

[0050] Figure 7 Also shown is the cam surface area CSR so that the cinch overtravel provides that the pawl 42 will engage the ratchet 40. Therefore, the cinch overtravel does not follow the same profile during the release cycle RC operation as during the cinch cycle CC operation, since different control cam surfaces act on the same striker 14 position depending on the cinch or release mode. Also shown is the variable cinch end position EP depending on the detected engagement of the main pawl 42 with the ratchet 40 and the homing operation HG.

[0051] In view of the above, in order for this cinch strategy to operate, the striker 14 does not need to be excessively overtraveled during the cinch operation, nor does it need to be continuously overtraveled during the life of the latch 9. However, the actuator 16a can be further cycled to compensate for tolerances and wear to provide the latch mechanism 16 to engage to the primary position when needed, such as in the event that the pawl 42 does not engage the ratchet 40 due to insufficient overtravel. In addition, a reduced and smaller amount of overtravel can be introduced during the release cycle to release the lift spring 39 and the seal load at the release point. It should be noted that insufficient overtravel during the release cycle will not inhibit the latch mechanism 16 from achieving the primary position, compared to insufficient overtravel during the cinch cycle, which will inhibit the latch mechanism 16 from achieving the primary locked state.

[0052] Reference Figure 8, the beginning of the cinch cycle is shown, with the latch mechanism 16 in the auxiliary position, wherein the striker 14 rests on the lift rod 52. The striker 14 may have been caused to move to the auxiliary position via gravity, a user moving the closure panel 13 toward the primary latch position, or via movement of the closure panel 13 using a powered actuator. At a first step, indicated by the arrow indicated by reference numeral 1, the actuator 16a (shown symbolically) rotates the cinch cam 50, which contacts the lift rod roller 60 at point A. At a second step, indicated by the arrow indicated by reference numeral 2, the lift rod 52 rotates and thereby compresses the pop-up spring 39 (the rod 52 is coupled to the spring 39 via the coupling point 37). At a third step, indicated by the arrow indicated by reference numeral 3, the weight of the closure panel 13 is arranged to cause the striker 14 and the ratchet 40 to follow the movement of the lift rod 52. Due to the contact between the cinch pawl 54 and the cinch pawl guide rivet (e.g., abutment) 56 at point B, the cinch pawl 54 does not engage the ratchet 40 during this initial stage of the cinch cycle operation. Figure 8 As shown, the pull cycle operation (see Figure 7 ) is referred to as a soft tie because the closure panel 13 will not pose an excessive risk of crushing when the closure panel 13 moves toward the closed position under the influence of the weight of the closure panel 13 and without the latch mechanism 16 powering the closure panel 13. For example, the lifting rod 52 can be retracted to allow the closure panel 13 to move toward the closed position without driving the tie rod 52 to impart a closing rotation to the ratchet 40.

[0053] Reference Fig. 9 , at the first step indicated by the arrow indicated by reference numeral 1a, the actuator 16a continues to rotate the cinch cam 50, which contacts the lift lever roller 60 at point Aa. At the second step indicated by the arrow indicated by reference numeral 2a, the lift lever 52 rotates and compresses the pop-up spring 39. At the third step indicated by the arrow indicated by reference numeral 3a, when the cinch pawl 54 moves past the cinch pawl guide 56 at point Ba, the step 54a of the cinch pawl extension 55 rotates to engage with the ratchet 40 at point Ca, noting that the cinch pawl extension 55 moves in conjunction with the body of the cinch pawl 54. At the fourth step, as the lift lever 52 continues to rotate, the cinch pawl 54 applies a force 4a indicated by the arrow indicated by reference numeral 4a. In addition, the ratchet 40 applies a cinch force 5a indicated by the arrow indicated by reference numeral 5a to the striker 14. Cinch cycle operation (see Figure 7 ) may be referred to as a hard cinch because the actuator 16a is able to provide force directly to the striker pin 14 through the ratchet 40 (via engagement of the cinch pawl 54 with the ratchet 40, as shown).

[0054] Reference Fig.10, the pull cycle operation (see Figure 7 )from Fig. 9 Operation continues in the position shown. As the ratchet 40 approaches the home position, the lift lever 52 and ratchet 40 may be momentarily moved in a direction opposite to the cinch direction due to a notch 70 (e.g., recess) in the cam surface 58 at point V. It should be appreciated that this change in direction of movement of the ratchet 40 / lift lever 52 is optional for the cinch function, however, it may be advantageous for subsequent release cycle operation if the cam 50 is operated using, for example, less than approximately 270 degrees of rotation as shown. In an alternative configuration that allows for more rotation of the cam 50, the notch 70 may not be provided or may be moved to a different profile of the cam 50, which is not used during the cinch cycle, but rather only during the release cycle. (See Figure 7 ) has an anti-pop-up function as further described below.

[0055] Reference Fig.11 , at the first step indicated by the arrow indicated by reference numeral 1b, the actuator 16a continues to rotate the cinch cam 50, which in turn contacts the lift lever roller 60 at point Ab. At the second step indicated by the arrow indicated by reference numeral 2b, the lift lever 52 rotates and compresses the pop-up spring 39. At the third step, as the lift lever 52 continues to rotate, the cinch pawl 54 applies a force 3b indicated by the arrow indicated by reference numeral 3b directly to the ratchet 40. Similarly, at the fourth step, the ratchet 40 applies a cinch force 4b indicated by the arrow indicated by reference numeral 4b directly to the striker 14. At the fifth step indicated by the arrow indicated by reference numeral 5b, the main pawl 42 rotates into primary engagement with the ratchet 40. Cinch cycle operation (see Figure 7 ) can also be referred to as a hard cinch because the actuator 16a is able to provide force directly to the striker 14 through the ratchet 40 (via the engagement of the cinch pawl 54 with the ratchet 40, as shown). It should be appreciated that with respect to the over-travel rotational range OTR for the cinch operation, this range is not used during the over-travel release, and therefore the motor is preferably under reduced stress during the over-travel release.

[0056] Reference Fig.12 , which generally shows the operation of the tie-down cycle (see Figure 7) ends, causing the latch mechanism 16 to be in the main position and the actuator 16a to reverse back to its original position. At a first step, indicated by an arrow indicated by reference numeral 1c, the actuator 16a is reversed and the cinch cam 50 is rotated toward the original position. At a second step, indicated by an arrow indicated by reference numeral 2c, the lift lever 52 is rotated due to the force applied by the pop-up spring 39 at the connection point 37. At a third step, indicated by an arrow indicated by reference numeral 3c, the ratchet 40 is rotated to rest on the main pawl 42 (e.g., at the engagement abutment / tooth 43). At a fourth step, indicated by an arrow indicated by reference numeral 4c, the lift lever 52 continues to rotate until the striker 14 is retained and thereby engaged by the ratchet 40. At a fifth step, indicated by an arrow indicated by reference numeral 5c, the cinch pawl 54 is able to be further rotated into engagement with the ratchet 40 to prepare for a subsequent release cycle operation (see Figure 7 ). It should be noted that at point Ac, the adjacent surface of the cinch pawl extension 54a now has clearance with the outer adjacent surface of the ratchet 40. In this way, the addition of extra length can compensate for the fact that the cinch cam 50 will not rotate again over the cinch overtravel range OTR during the release cycle, thereby helping to reduce the extent to which the actuator 15a (e.g., motor) compresses the spring 39 and seal load compared to the cinch operation. Therefore, when the pawl 42 now directly supports the load, the actuator 16a can be released from supporting the spring 39 and seal load. The back-off / lost motion overtravel range BOTR when fixed is also shown, which is experienced during the projection of the notch.

[0057] Reference Fig.13, an example cinch cam 50 is shown having a cam surface 58 with a notch 70 such that the cam surface 58 can be divided into a primary cinch surface 58a and an auxiliary cinch surface 58b such that the primary cinch surface 58a and the auxiliary cinch surface 58b are separated by the notch 70. For example, when the motor actuator 16a is stopped to facilitate engagement of the primary pawl 42 with the ratchet 40, the maximum ratchet 40 overtravel position can be determined by the auxiliary cam cinch surface. The actuator 16a can be variably advanced further to facilitate additional overtravel and engagement of the primary pawl 42 to compensate for any wear and tolerance variations of the latch mechanism 16 itself. For example, during the first 85% of the target life of the latch 16, the actuator 16a can follow the path 59b to advance to engage the cam profile 58b with the roller 60, thereby causing normal overtravel of the ratchet 40. If, however, during 85% to 90% of the life of the latch 16, the pawl 42 is not detected to have engaged the ratchet 40, the actuator 16a may follow path 59c further to advance the profile 58c to engage the roller 60. Similarly, if during 90% to 95% of the life of the latch 16, the pawl 42 is not detected to have engaged the ratchet 40, the actuator 16a may follow path 59d further to advance the increasing profile 58c to engage the roller 60. Similarly, if during 95% to 110% of the life of the latch 16, the pawl 42 is not detected to have engaged the ratchet 40, the actuator 16a may follow path 59e further to advance the profile 58c to engage the roller 60. Thus, a variable cinch overtravel may be provided, which may be responsive to detecting that the primary pawl 42 has moved into a locked position with the ratchet 40 in one possible configuration. In another possible configuration, the actuator 16a can be further advanced based on the life stage of the latch 40, for example, based on a predetermined overtravel position related to time or cycle count. Therefore, the final overtravel position of the ratchet 40 can be variable, such as increased accordingly. It should be recognized that depending on the tolerances of the latch components, or the tolerances in the pop-up spring, or the tolerances in the closure seal, or as a non-limiting example, changes caused by temperature, the final overtravel can also be reduced accordingly. Any additional overtravel or safety margin that would increase the compression and sealing loads of the spring 39 that would increase the difficulty of use can be suppressed in the latch 16 configuration, thereby facilitating a reduction in the motor and gear train 80 (see Fig.18 , Fig.19 ) output. Also shown is a reverse region RR in which the actuator 16a reverses after sensing engagement of the primary pawl 42 until reaching the home position notch 70. When the ratchet 40 is held by the pawl 42, the notch 70 facilitates the disengagement of the tie rod 52 from the ratchet 40 to provide for the extension member 54a to rotate into position with the ratchet 40. Fig.14 Shown for Fig.13An example operation diagram of the operating direction 72 of the actuator 16a for the cinch operation of the example cinch cam 50. For example, shown are positions for the cinch start Cs, the variable overtravel zone OTz, the main pawl engagement detection position PPE (in the main pawl engagement detection position PPE, the motor is reversed), and the motor stopped at the home position MSH.

[0058] Reference Fig.15 , shown is a release cycle operation (see Figure 7 ) of the cinch cam 50. In addition, the presence of the ramp 74 outside the cam notch 70 can provide overtravel before release. The overtravel for release does not start from the end of the cinch (auxiliary) cinch surface 58b, which is variable and can provide a smaller overtravel distance of the ratchet 40 (advantageously using less motor output for compressing the spring 39 and sealing load). Therefore, during the life of the latch mechanism 16, the amount of overtravel for release can be consistent, and the roller 60 can be further advanced on the auxiliary cinch surface 58a as needed to obtain sufficient overtravel so as to engage the main pawl 42. Therefore, less torque is used in this arrangement, which provides operation of the actuator 16a to move the ratchet 40 to the overtravel position faster because the roller 60 does not have to roll on the cinch surface 58 beyond the notch 70. In addition, it should be appreciated that the shape profile of the main cinch surface 58a of the cinch cam 58 after the pawl 42 is released can be used to define the speed control of the pop-up ratchet 40.

[0059] Fig.16 Shown for Fig.15 An example operation diagram of the actuator 16a of the example cinch operation of the cinch cam 50 and an example operation diagram of the speed control / anti-pop-up zone 74. Shown by way of example are the pop-up control end PupE, the fixed overtravel zone FOTz and the position where the motor is started from the home position MSH.

[0060] Fig.17 The rotation 76 of the example actuator 16a during the release cycle operation starting from the main home position is shown, noting the two different home positions H1 (main home position) and H2 (ejection home position) before full release. During the main release operation PRO, the rotation will start from the first home position H1 and stop at the second home position H2, during which only the main pawl has been released. Exemplarily, when rotating from the first home position H1 to the second home position H2, the rotation of the actuator 16a is reversed in the direction shown by R and stops at the second home position H2. In reference to Fig.17 , the actuator 16a is rotated in the counterclockwise direction again from the second original position H2 to perform the auxiliary release operation SRO before returning to the second original position H2.

[0061] In other words, the primary and secondary release operations will not be completed without either / both of stopping the actuator 16a or reversing the direction of the actuator 16a. Such two different control operations ensure that a single motor function does not inadvertently also cause the secondary release if the motor is not stopped before causing the secondary release. Illustratively, the cam 50 rotates over 270 degrees for performing the tie-down, overtravel, and ejection speed reduction functions, but other ranges are possible depending on seal loads and system kinematics.

[0062] Since the overtravel for the release operation accounts for 50% of the use of the motor 16a, the overall wear, tear and strain on the motor can be reduced, thereby increasing the life cycle and durability. Alternatively, a smaller, lower cost motor 16a can be selected that is capable of handling the tie-down overtravel during the other 50% of the use of the motor 16a. Alternatively, a smaller torque reduction may be required to increase the tie-down and release function speed. Any of the above design considerations can be balanced accordingly. Also shown by way of example is the snow load disengagement position SD. In addition, shown in the accompanying drawings is a region MS in which the motor stops and reverses prior to the second release by facilitating the absence of consecutive releases (first and second releases) of the latch in the same motor direction.

[0063] Reference Fig.18 , the front side of the release mechanism 5 of the latch system 9 is shown. Fig.19 The rear side of the release mechanism 5 is shown. The tie cam 50 is connected to the third stage gear 82 and is therefore driven from the third stage gear 82, and the release cam 84 is connected to the second stage gear 86 and is therefore driven from the second stage gear 86. This example configuration of the gear train 80 can be used for each cycle in the cycle (e.g., Figure 7 The gear train 80 configuration may also incorporate an actuator memory bar 92 that may inhibit the latch mechanism 16 from fully opening from both the primary and secondary positions in a single activation, thereby helping to maintain the safety aspect of the dual pull release mechanism 5.

[0064] Refer to the summary of the main release cycle operation Figure 20 to Figure 25 , Fig. 20The start of the main release cycle operation is shown, wherein the latch mechanism 16 is in the main position. At the first step, indicated by the arrow indicated by reference numeral 1d, the actuator 16a rotates the second stage gear 86 so that the pin at point Pd (mounted to the second stage gear 86) approaches the actuator release lever 90. The actuator release lever 90 is held in place by the cam profile on the timing gear cam 94 (see Fig.19 ). At the second step indicated by the arrow indicated by reference numeral 2d, the actuator 16a rotates the tie cam 50 (which is connected to the third-stage gear 82), which contacts the lift lever roller 60 at point Ad. At the third step indicated by the arrow indicated by reference numeral 3d, due to the shape of the tie cam 50, the lift lever 52 rotates in the overtravel position, thereby removing the ejection spring 39 load from the striker 14. A tie overtravel range OTR, a release back / idle range BOTR are also shown, thereby providing an ejection speed reduction range.

[0065] Reference Fig.21 and Fig. 22 , the main release cycle operation continues. At the first step, indicated by the arrow indicated by reference numeral 1e, as the actuator 16a continues to rotate, the cinch cam 50 defines the position of the lift lever 52 by the profile of the cam surface 58. At the second step, indicated by the arrow indicated by reference numeral 2e, the lift lever 52 rotates slightly into the overtravel position. At the third step, indicated by the arrow indicated by reference numeral 3e, the longer engagement step 54a of the cinch pawl 54 contacts the ratchet at point Be. At the fourth step, indicated by the arrow indicated by reference numeral 4e, the ratchet 40 rotates slightly into the overtravel position to remove the sealing / contact load from the engagement between the ratchet 40 and the main pawl 42. It should be noted that the sealing load between the ratchet 40 and the main pawl 42 is borne by the actuator 16a before the main pawl 42 is released. When the roller 60 protrudes from the notch 70, the overtravel for release occurs. During the overtravel release, the roller 60 does not travel over the cinch overtravel area again. The less pronounced overtravel cam area is compensated by the extension 54a in the tie-clip pawl 54 (see Fig.13 , Fig.15 ). Since the roller 60 follows a shorter distance along the cam surface 58 than during the cinching process, during the cinching cycle operation, the ejection of the closure panel 13 (release cycle operation) can occur faster than the corresponding cinching, which is beneficial in the case where the user is waiting for the closure panel 13 to open. The travel of the lifting rod 52 for ejection reduction is then controlled by the position of the cinching cam 50 thereafter. Such operation as described can help to suppress or otherwise reduce the desired function of the typical ejection noise of the closure panel 13 when released from the cinched position.

[0066] At the fifth step indicated by the arrow indicated by reference numeral 5e, the pin Pd on the second-stage gear 86 is rotated to engage with the actuator release lever 90. At the sixth step indicated by the arrow indicated by reference numeral 6e, the pin Pd pushes the internal actuator release lever 90. At the seventh step indicated by the arrow indicated by reference numeral 7e, the release lever 90 rotates the release cam 84, which in turn contacts the main pawl 42 at the contact point Ce. At the eighth step indicated by the arrow indicated by reference numeral 8e, the main pawl 42 rotates out of engagement with the ratchet 40. At the ninth step indicated by the arrow indicated by reference numeral 9e, the actuator memory lever 92 engages with the release cam 84, thereby holding the main pawl 42 in the open position.

[0067] Reference Fig.23 , the main release cycle operation continues. At the first step indicated by the arrow indicated by the reference numeral 1f, the tie cam 50 continues to rotate so as to control the position of the lifting lever 52. At the second step indicated by the arrow indicated by the reference numeral 2f, the lifting lever 52 slowly rotates to lift the striker 14 to the ejection position. At the third step indicated by the arrow indicated by the reference numeral 3f, the second stage gear 86 continues to rotate. At the fourth step indicated by the arrow indicated by the reference numeral 4f, based on the profile on the timing gear cam 94, the actuator release lever 90 moves out of the path of the pin Pd, thereby facilitating the second stage gear 86 to idle for several (e.g., several) rotations. At the fifth step indicated by the arrow indicated by the reference numeral 5f, when the ratchet 40 moves upward with the lifting lever 52 and the striker 14, the connecting rod 96 is able to rotate upward and rest on the main pawl 42 at point Df.

[0068] Reference Fig.24 , the main release cycle operation continues. At the first step indicated by the arrow indicated by reference numeral 1g, the second stage gear 86 continues to rotate, and the pin Pd bypasses the actuator release lever 90. At the second step indicated by the arrow indicated by reference numeral 2g, the timing gear cam 94 (keyed to the timing gear 88) rotates and contacts the actuator memory lever 92 at point Eg. At the third step indicated by the arrow indicated by reference numeral 3g, the actuator memory lever 92 rotates out of engagement with the release cam 84. At the fourth step indicated by the arrow indicated by reference numeral 4g, the release cam 84 rotates out of engagement with the main pawl 42. At the fifth step indicated by the arrow indicated by reference numeral 5g, the main pawl 42 rotates into the engaged position.

[0069] Reference Fig.25 , the main release cycle operation continues. At the first step, indicated by the arrow indicated by reference numeral 1h, the actuator 16a reverses direction and returns to the original position. At the second step, indicated by the arrow indicated by reference numeral 2h, the connecting rod 96 engages the main pawl 42 at point De and is now ready for use. Figure 7 In this manner, the actuator 16a is stopped to provide that during a single actuation / rotation of the second stage gear 86, continuous rotation of the actuator 16a will not release the first pawl 42 and the second pawl 54b (see Fig.19 ). In other words, two separate rotations, for example in opposite directions, are required in order to fully release the latch 16, i.e., to release both the primary pawl 42 (via a first actuation direction) and the auxiliary pawl 54b (via a second and optionally opposite actuation direction) of the latch 16. Fig.26 , Fig. 27 , shows an example implementation of the auxiliary release cycle operation. At the first step indicated by the arrow indicated by the reference numeral 1i, the second-stage gear 86 rotates and the pin Pd engages with the actuator release lever 90. At the second step indicated by the arrow indicated by the reference numeral 2i, the pin Pd pushes the internal actuator release lever 90. At the third step indicated by the arrow indicated by the reference numeral 3i, the release lever 90 rotates the release cam 84, which in turn contacts the main pawl 42 at point Ci. At the fourth step indicated by the arrow indicated by the reference numeral 4i, the main pawl 42 rotates to the open position. At the fifth step indicated by the arrow indicated by the reference numeral 5i, the main pawl 42 pulls the connecting rod 96. At the sixth step indicated by the arrow indicated by the reference numeral 6i, the connecting rod 96 rotates the auxiliary pawl 54b out of engagement with the ratchet 40. At the seventh step indicated by the arrow indicated by the reference numeral 7i, the memory lever 97 (see Fig.19 ) engages with the auxiliary pawl 54b.

[0070] In view of the above, the tie cam 50 is driven from the third stage gear 82 and the release cam 84 is driven from the second stage gear 86 so as to advantageously match the Figure 7 Load and speed requirements during each of the different tie / release cycle operations shown. The configuration of the tie mechanism 7 and the release mechanism 5 incorporates a timing gear 88 to control the position of the actuator release lever 90 so that release is only possible in a selected / specified actuator position, i.e., limited. The configuration may also incorporate an actuator memory lever 92 that inhibits the latch mechanism 16 from fully opening from both the primary and auxiliary positions in a single activation, thereby maintaining the desired safety aspects of the dual pull and therefore two-stage release operation (e.g., primary and auxiliary release operations).

[0071] Reference Figure 28 to Figure 29, a service release mechanism 3 is described. The service release mechanism 3 has a service release lever 100 for coupling with the main pawl 42. In addition, the service release mechanism 3 utilizes a connecting rod 96 as well as an auxiliary pawl 102, as further described below. The service release lever 100 interacts with both the main pawl 42 and the connecting rod 96. Under normal conditions, the service release lever 100 acts directly on the main pawl 42. In the case where the main pawl 42 is preloaded, the connecting rod 96 is maintained in a position that allows it to be released directly with the service release lever 100. Again, this maintains the safety advantages of the double-pull latch system 9.

[0072] In the operation of the main release using the service lever 100, in a first step indicated by reference numeral 1j, the service lever 100 rotates and thus transmits a load to the main pawl 42 at the contact point Aj. Therefore, there is no substantial contact with the connecting rod 96 at the point Bj, and the auxiliary pawl 102 does not move. In a second step indicated by reference numeral 2j, the main pawl 42 is thus rotated out of engagement with the ratchet 40. In a third step indicated by reference numeral 3j, the ratchet 40 is thus free to rotate upwards into the auxiliary latching position.

[0073] Fig.30 The latch mechanism 16 is shown in the auxiliary position. Fig.31 The use of a service release mechanism 3 from Fig.30 The auxiliary position shown assists the operation of the release latch mechanism 16. In the operation of the auxiliary release using the service lever 100, in a first step indicated by reference numeral 1k, the service lever 100 is rotated and transfers a load to the main pawl 42 at the contact point Aj, which may include a possible simultaneous contact with the connecting rod 96 at the point Bj. In a second step indicated by reference numeral 2k, the main pawl 42 rotates and pulls the connecting rod 96. In a third step indicated by reference numeral 3k, the connecting rod 96 rotates the auxiliary pawl 102 out of engagement with the ratchet 40. In a fourth step indicated by reference numeral 4k, the ratchet 40 is free to rotate to the open position, and the latch mechanism 16 is therefore considered to be unlatched / unlocked.

[0074] Fig.32a , Figure 32b , Fig.33The latch mechanism 16 is shown in the auxiliary position so that the main pawl 42 is in a preloaded state. In the operation of auxiliary release using the service lever 100 in which the main pawl 42c is preloaded, in the first step indicated by reference numeral 1m, the service lever 100 is rotated and transfers the load to the connecting rod 96 at the contact point Bj. In the second step indicated by reference numeral 2m, the connecting rod 96 moves linearly to rest on the abutment 42a of the main pawl 42. In the third step indicated by reference numeral 3m, the connecting rod 96 rotates the auxiliary pawl 102 out of engagement with the ratchet 40. In the fourth step indicated by reference numeral 4m, the ratchet 40 is freely rotated to the open position, and thus the latch mechanism 16 is considered to be unlatched / unlocked.

[0075] In view of the above, the service release lever interacts with both the main pawl and the connecting rod. Under normal circumstances, the service release lever acts directly on the main pawl. With the main pawl 42 preloaded, the connecting rod is held in a position that facilitates its release directly with the service release lever. Again, this helps maintain the safety advantages of the double-pull latch mechanism 16.

[0076] In view of the above, the latch system 9 provides a controlled release of stored pop-up energy without requiring excessive cinch overtravel, recognizing that excessive and consistent / fixed cinch overtravel is the current norm in the industry. In addition, the cinch overtravel is variable and can be dependent on the engagement of the pawl 42 with the ratchet 40. In addition, the overtravel during the release cycle is less than the overtravel during the cinch cycle so as to reduce the load on the actuator during the release operation. In addition, the reduction in cinch overtravel and release overtravel allows for the introduction of increased sealing loads, thereby improving the seal of the closed panel, such as for the increased seal of the front trunk. In addition, the release mechanism 5 operates at a lower gear ratio than the cinch mechanism so as to help optimize speed and provide an anti-pop-up feature (unexpected release speed and / or noise). The release mechanism 5 also helps maintain the double-pull function of the latch mechanism 16 to inhibit any accidental full release of the latch mechanism 16 in a single-stage release operation. In addition, a service release strategy that works in all latch mechanism 16 positions is used regardless of whether the actuator 16a and / or the pawls 42, 54, 54b are not in their respective home positions. In addition, the pop-up spring 39 configuration provides a flatter load curve to help reduce engagement forces and maximize tie-pull load capacity.

[0077] In view of the various mechanisms 3, 5, 7, 16 of the latch system, the various aspects included are as follows: 1) a latch system 9 having two different overtravel motions and / or travel positions for a cinch cycle operation compared to a release cycle operation; 2) a latch system 9 having a variable overtravel position for the cinch function and a fixed release overtravel for the release function; 3) a latch system 9 having a two-position cinch rod 52 (the extension is enabled in the release overtravel to help reduce overtravel during release); 4) a latch system 9 having an asymmetric ratchet position control during cinch and release modes; and 5) a service release rod system 3 that moves both the main pawl 42 and the connecting rod 96.

[0078] In view of the above, it would be considered advantageous if the amount of overtravel during the tie-down could be reduced so that the latch system 9 could be constructed with a smaller motor / actuator 16a or a smaller gear reduction or an increased seal load / larger pop-up spring. Furthermore, if it is not desirable to have a system that can be over-tie to the home position, this is a problem because the latch may unexpectedly fail to engage in the home position in certain circumstances, for example, which may occur over time due to wear. It should be appreciated that this may be less of a problem for overtravel during release cycle operation because the pawl 42 can always be forced to move, just resulting in a louder opening sound. However, if the tie-down lever 52 is unable to push the ratchet 40 to the home position due to wear over time, the latch may become inoperable. Therefore, the described latch system 9 has a variable tie-down range that increases over time so that the latch can still tie even under worn conditions.

[0079] The embodiments of the present invention can be understood with reference to the following numbered paragraphs:

[0080] 1. A latch system 9 for facilitating opening and closing of a closure panel 13 of a vehicle 11, the actuation system comprising:

[0081] a latch mechanism 16; and

[0082] Tie-down mechanism 7.

[0083] 2. The latch system of paragraph 1 further comprising an anti-pop-out feature comprising a rod 52 for limiting overtravel of the latch mechanism to provide a controlled release of stored pop-out energy.

[0084] 3. The latch system of paragraph 2, further comprising a cam for controlling the operation of a lift lever of the cinch mechanism.

[0085] 4. The latch system according to paragraph 1 further includes: the tie-down mechanism, which adopts a first gear ratio; and a release mechanism 5, which adopts a second gear ratio; wherein the first gear ratio is higher than the second gear ratio so as to obtain different operating speeds between the release operation and the tie-down operation.

[0086] 5. The latch system of paragraph 4, further comprising a cam for controlling the operation of a lift lever of the cinch mechanism.

[0087] 6. The latch system of paragraph 4, further comprising an actuator memory bar for inhibiting accidental release of the latch mechanism from both the primary position and the auxiliary position.

[0088] 7. The latch system according to paragraph 1 also includes: a pop-up spring 39, which is connected to the tension mechanism to provide a first moment arm and a second moment arm, and the first moment arm is different from the second moment arm to increase the load capacity of the tension mechanism while reducing the engagement force of the latch mechanism.

[0089] 8. The latch system of paragraph 7, wherein the center of the pop-up spring is positioned off-center relative to a pivot point of a lift lever of the cinch mechanism.

[0090] 9. The latch system of paragraph 1, further comprising:

[0091] Release mechanism 5; and

[0092] a service release mechanism 3 coupled to the release mechanism;

[0093] Wherein, the service release mechanism is configured to operate in a plurality of latch positions regardless of whether one or more latch components are out of their respective home positions.

[0094] 10. The latch system of paragraph 1, further comprising:

[0095] the latch mechanism having a ratchet that is movable between an overtravel position, a latched position, and a released position; and

[0096] The tie-down mechanism is adapted to move the ratchet to the overtravel position, wherein the overtravel position is variable.

[0097] 11. The latch system according to paragraph 10 also includes: a pop-up spring 39, which is connected to the tension mechanism to provide a first moment arm and a second moment arm, and the first moment arm is different from the second moment arm to increase the load capacity of the tension mechanism while reducing the engagement force of the latch mechanism.

[0098] 12. The latch system of paragraph 11, wherein the center of the pop-up spring is positioned off-center relative to a pivot point of a lift lever of the cinch mechanism.

[0099] 13. The latch system of paragraph 1, further comprising:

[0100] a ratchet wheel movable between a tie-down overtravel position, a release overtravel position, a latched position, and a released position;

[0101] a pawl movable between a ratchet holding position and a ratchet releasing position; and

[0102] a motor adapted to move the ratchet to the cinch overtravel position during a cinch mode and to move the pawl from the ratchet holding position to the ratchet releasing position and the ratchet to the release overtravel position during a release mode;

[0103] Wherein, the release overtravel position is smaller than the tie-down overtravel position.

[0104] 14. The latch system of paragraph 13, further comprising an anti-pop-out feature including a rod 52 for limiting overtravel of the latch mechanism to provide a controlled release of stored pop-out energy.

[0105] 15. The latch system of paragraph 14, further comprising a cam for controlling operation of a lift lever of the cinch mechanism.

[0106] 16. The latch system of paragraph 13, further comprising an actuator memory bar for inhibiting accidental release of the latch mechanism from both the primary position and the auxiliary position.

[0107] 17. The latch system of paragraph 1, further comprising:

[0108] a ratchet adapted to engage the striker pin, the ratchet having a released position, a locked position, and an over-travel position;

[0109] a pawl adapted to retain the ratchet in the locked position or to release the ratchet from the locked position; and

[0110] An actuator is adapted to rotate the ratchet to the overtravel position, wherein the actuator causes a rotation profile of the ratchet during a cinch mode to be different than a rotation profile of the ratchet during a power release mode.

[0111] 18. The latch system of paragraph 17, further comprising an anti-pop-out feature including a rod 52 for limiting overtravel of the latch mechanism to provide a controlled release of stored pop-out energy.

[0112] 19. The latch system of paragraph 18, further comprising a cam for controlling operation of a lift lever of the cinch mechanism.

[0113] 20. The latch system of paragraph 17, wherein the closure panel is for a front trunk compartment.

Claims

1. A latch system (9) for facilitating opening and closing of a closure panel (13) of a vehicle (11), the actuation system comprising: Latch mechanism (16); as well as Tie-pull mechanism (7).

2. The latch system of claim 1 further comprising an anti-pop-out feature comprising a rod (52) for limiting overtravel of the latch mechanism to provide a controlled release of stored pop-up energy.

3. The latch system according to any one of claims 1 and 2, further comprising a cam for controlling the operation of a lifting lever of the cinch mechanism.

4. The latch system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising: The tie-down mechanism, the tie-down mechanism adopts a first gear ratio; as well as A release mechanism (5) adopts a second gear ratio; wherein the first gear ratio is higher than the second gear ratio, so as to obtain different operating speeds between the release operation and the tie-down operation.

5. The latch system of claim 4, further comprising an actuator memory bar for inhibiting accidental release of the latch mechanism from both the primary position and the auxiliary position.

6. The latch system according to any one of claims 1, 4 and 5, further comprising: A pop-up spring (39) is coupled to the cinch mechanism to provide a first moment arm and a second moment arm, the first moment arm being different from the second moment arm to reduce the engagement force of the latch mechanism while increasing the load capacity of the cinch mechanism.

7. The latch system of claim 6, wherein: The center of the pop-up spring is positioned off-center relative to the pivot point of the lift lever of the cinch mechanism.

8. The latch system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising: Release mechanism (5); as well as a service release mechanism (3), the service release mechanism (3) being coupled to the release mechanism; Wherein, the service release mechanism is configured to operate in a plurality of latch positions regardless of whether one or more latch components are out of their respective home positions.

9. The latch system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising: the latch mechanism having a ratchet wheel movable between an overtravel position, a latched position, and a released position; as well as The tie-down mechanism is adapted to move the ratchet to the overtravel position, wherein the overtravel position is variable.

10. The latch system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising: a ratchet wheel movable between a tie-down overtravel position, a release overtravel position, a latched position, and a released position; a pawl movable between a ratchet holding position and a ratchet releasing position; as well as a motor adapted to move the ratchet to the cinch overtravel position during a cinch mode and to move the pawl from the ratchet holding position to the ratchet releasing position and the ratchet to the release overtravel position during a release mode; Wherein, the release overtravel position is smaller than the tie-down overtravel position.

11. The latch system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising: a ratchet adapted to engage the striker pin, the ratchet having a released position, a locked position, and an over-travel position; a pawl adapted to retain the ratchet in the locked position or to release the ratchet from the locked position; as well as An actuator is adapted to rotate the ratchet to the overtravel position, wherein the actuator causes a rotation profile of the ratchet during a cinch mode to be different than a rotation profile of the ratchet during a power release mode.

12. The latch system according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein: The closing panel is used for a front trunk.

Images