Patent ID: 9145716
Filing Date: 2015-09-29
Classification: E05B,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A motor vehicle hood latch mechanism for engaging a striker disposed proximate an edge of a hood having a closed locked position and a released position, the mechanism comprising: a latch assembly attached to a chassis member of the motor vehicle and adapted to releasably engage the striker to restrain the hood in the closed locked position, the latch assembly including a latch having a locking cam and a pawl movable between a locked position engaging the locking cam, wherein the latch secures the striker to restrain the hood in the closed locked position, and an unlocked position away from the locking cam, wherein the latch allows the hood to move to the released position, a sensor for detecting the presence of a pedestrian proximate the front of the motor vehicle and generating a signal in response thereto; a resilient member comprising a torsion spring having a center spring coil, an upper leg extending from an upper portion of the center spring coil and a lower leg extending from a lower portion of the center spring coil, the resilient member having an energized position and a released position operatively coupled to the pawl and the resilient member being retained in the energized position by a release mechanism responsive to the signal generated by the sensor, and a latch engagement stud mounted to the latch for engagement with one of the upper and lower torsion spring legs and a latch pivot bolt about which the latch rotates and about which the center spring coil is mounted, wherein the release mechanism comprises a solenoid coupled to a holding pin to hold one of the upper and lower torsion spring legs in the energized position, and wherein activation of the solenoid in response to the signal generated by the sensor releases the torsion spring to the released position and the torsion spring rotates the pawl to the unlocked position and releases the one of the upper and lower torsion spring legs for engagement with the latch engagement stud to rotate the latch to place the hood in the released position.