Patent ID: 8215683

Claim:
A mechanism for releasably retaining a cover member of a motor vehicle, comprising: a first rotary latch mounted on the body of said vehicle rotationally, biased in a first direction into latching engagement with a first component of said cover; a first rotary pawl mounted on said body rotationally, biased in a first direction into obstructing engagement with said first rotary latch when said first rotary latch engages said first component to thereby releasably retain said first latch in a first latch state; a second rotary latch mounted on said cover member having a portion engageable in hooking engagement with a second component of said cover for releasably retaining said cover in a partially open position when said first rotary latch is rotatably released; a second rotary pawl mounted on said body engageable with said second rotary second latch when said second rotary latch portion is disposed in hooking engagement with said second component of said body to thereby releasably retain said second rotary latch in a first latch state; and means operable to successively rotate said first pawl to rotate said first rotary latch in a second direction out of said first latch state thereof to release said first component and allow said cover to partially open and rotate said second pawl to rotate said second rotary latch out of said first latch state thereof to release said cover from said second component.