Patent ID: 7472628
Filing Date: 2009-01-06
Classification: F16D,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A decoupling assembly for a vehicle door, said decoupling assembly comprising: at least one handle operatively coupled to the door; a cinching latch mounted to the door and having a manual mode and a power drive mode to cinch and release the door; a decoupler operatively coupled to said cinching latch to interrupt said power drive mode within said cinching latch, said decoupler including a housing defining a longitudinal axis and having an axial opening, a shaft extending through said housing and out said axial opening along said longitudinal axis, said shaft including a first shaft member, a second shaft member and a resilient member extending therebetween, a driven gear rotatably secured to said shaft and axially positioned by said housing, a pinion gear rotatably secured to said shaft and selectively engageable with said driven gear, a positioning spring extending between said housing and said second shaft member forcing said second shaft member away from said pinion gear and aligning said second shaft member coaxially with said first shaft member, a pinion spring extending between said housing and said pinion gear to bias said pinion gear toward said driven gear to engage said pinion gear with said driven gear; and a linkage operatively connecting said at least one handle to said decoupler wherein operation of said at least one handle actuates said decoupler to decouple said power drive mode from said cinching latch for enabling said cinching latch to reset to said manual mode when said power drive mode is interrupted by mechanical or electrical failure.