Patent ID: 8672368

Claim:
A latch ( 200 ) adapted for securing a closure member ( 300 ) in a predetermined position, the closure member being provided with a striker ( 308 ), the latch comprising: a latch housing ( 202 ); a pawl ( 204 ); a trigger ( 206 ), wherein said trigger ( 206 ) is biased into engagement with said pawl ( 204 ), said trigger ( 206 ) engaging said pawl ( 204 ) to thereby hold said pawl ( 204 ) in one of a first latched position and a second latched position, said trigger ( 206 ) being movable out of engagement with said pawl ( 204 ) to thereby allow said pawl to move to an unlatched position; a cam gear ( 218 ) including a gear wheel ( 222 ) and a first cam ( 203 ), said cam gear ( 218 ) being rotationally supported in said housing ( 202 ) for rotation about an axis of rotation, said first cam ( 203 ) having a cam lobe ( 207 ) located at a distance from said axis of rotation of said cam gear ( 218 ), said first cam ( 203 ) acting to drive said pawl ( 204 ) from said first latched position to said second latched position when said cam gear ( 218 ) is rotated in a first direction; a circuit board ( 230 ); a latch control circuit ( 235 ); a motor ( 210 ) selectively powering rotation of said cam gear; and at least two sensors ( 332 , 326 ), including a first sensor ( 332 ) and a second sensor ( 326 ), mounted on said circuit board ( 230 ); wherein said pawl ( 204 ) is provided with a pawl slot ( 258 ) to capture and hold the striker ( 308 ) when said pawl ( 204 ) is in one of said first latched position and said second latched position, wherein with said pawl ( 204 ) initially in said unlatched configuration, as the closure member ( 300 ) is closed, the striker ( 308 ) will be positioned and captured in said pawl slot ( 258 ) with said pawl ( 204 ) being moved to said first latched position, and wherein said first sensor ( 332 ) detects when said pawl ( 204 ) reaches said first latched position, whereupon said first sensor ( 332 ) generates a signal to said latch control circuit ( 235 ) that causes electrical current to be supplied to said motor ( 210 ) to thereby cause rotation of said cam gear ( 218 ) to move said pawl ( 204 ) to said second latched position.