Patent ID: 6948745

Claim:
A latch arrangement for engaging an automotive door having a handle to a striker, comprising: only one electric motor; a latch bolt displaceable between a latched position at which it engages the striker and an unlatched position at which it releases the striker; a pawl operative to selectively latch and unlatch the latch bolt; a driving and indexing member coupled to and driven by the motor and having at least one projection extending therefrom; at least one pawl release member selectively engageable to the pawl for causing it to unlatch the latch bolt and configured to be engaged drivingly to the door handle; at least one coupling member associated with the pawl release member and arranged to be driven by the projection selectively between a locking position at which the coupling member disengages the pawl release member from the pawl such that movement of the pawl release member is not conveyed to the pawl, and an unlocking position at which the coupling member engages the pawl release member with the pawl to enable the door handle to drive the pawl release member to release the pawl from the latch bolt; and an actuation member independent of the coupling member and coupled to the pawl for causing it to unlatch the latch bolt and arranged to be independently driven by the projection; whereby the driving and indexing member is drivable in sequence electrically first to cause the projection to drive the coupling member to the unlocking position at which the coupling member engages the pawl release member with the pawl, and then, later in the sequence, to drive the actuation member to cause the pawl to unlatch the latch bolt to open the door.