Patent ID: 7607702

Claim:
A latch mechanism for selectively latching a door to an automotive vehicle, said latch mechanism comprising: a latch hook movable between a locked position and an unlocked position; a release lever operatively coupled to said latch hook for selectively moving said latch hook from said locked to said unlocked position; and an inertia lever movably supported within said latch mechanism and biased to a first position; wherein said release lever includes a slot and in a normal operating condition said inertia lever is aligned with said slot to allow actuation of said release lever, said release lever slot presenting sides for engaging a portion of said inertia lever for automatically toggling said inertia lever away from said first position in response to movement of said release lever to prevent seizing of said inertia lever within the latch mechanism; and wherein said inertia lever includes a counterweight portion for moving said inertia lever out of alignment with said slot and into blocking engagement with said release lever in response to a side impact upon the vehicle in order to prevent actuation of said release lever and thereby inhibit movement of said latch hook from said locked position into said unlocked position.