Vehicular latch assembly with latch mechanism having pop-off sound reduction

A closure latch assembly, comprising:

• a ratchet moveable between a striker release position whereat the ratchet is positioned to receive a striker and a striker capture position whereat the ratchet is positioned to retain the striker;
• a ratchet spring for biasing the ratchet toward its striker release position;
• a pawl moveable between a ratchet holding position whereat the pawl is positioned to hold the ratchet in its striker capture position and a ratchet releasing position whereat the pawl is positioned to permit the ratchet to move toward its striker release position;
• a pawl spring for biasing the pawl toward its ratchet holding position;
• an auxiliary pawl moveable between a ratchet engaging position whereat a cam surface on the auxiliary pawl engages a ratchet segment of the ratchet and a ratchet disengaging position whereat the cam surface is disengaged from the ratchet segment;
• an auxiliary pawl spring biasing the auxiliary pawl toward its ratchet engaged position;
• a memory lever moveable between an auxiliary pawl hold position whereat the memory lever is positioned to hold the auxiliary pawl in its ratchet disengaged position and an auxiliary pawl released position whereat the memory lever is positioned to permit the auxiliary pawl to move to its ratchet engaged position;
• a memory lever spring biasing the memory lever toward its auxiliary pawl hold position;
• a striker lever moveable between a striker disengaged position whereat the striker lever permits the memory lever to be positioned in its auxiliary pawl hold position and a striker engaged position whereat the striker lever moves the memory lever to its auxiliary pawl released position;
• and
• a striker lever spring biasing the striker lever toward its striker disengaged position,
• wherein the striker lever moves from its striker disengaged position to its striker engaged position in response to the striker engaging and moving the ratchet from its striker release position into its striker capture position,
• wherein a striker exit force exerted by the striker via contact on the ratchet when the ratchet is held in its striker capture position is counteracted by a resistive force exerted by the auxiliary pawl spring via contact between the cam surface on the auxiliary pawl and the ratchet segment on the ratchet when the auxiliary pawl is located in its ratchet engaged position.

A closure latch assembly for a closure panel mounted to a motor vehicle for movement between an open position and closed position, the closure latch assembly comprising:

• a latch mechanism having a ratchet and a pawl, the ratchet being moveable between a striker release position whereat the ratchet is positioned to receive a striker and a striker capture position whereat the ratchet is positioned to retain the striker, the ratchet being biased toward its striker release position, the pawl being moveable between a ratchet releasing position whereat the pawl is positioned to permit the ratchet to move to its striker release position and a ratchet holding position whereat the pawl is positioned to hold the ratchet in its striker capture position, the pawl being biased toward its ratchet holding position;
• and
• a ratchet motion reduction mechanism having an auxiliary pawl being moveable between a ratchet disengaged position whereat the auxiliary pawl is disengaged from the ratchet and a ratchet engaged position whereat the auxiliary pawl is engaged with the ratchet, the auxiliary pawl being biased toward its ratchet engaged position,
• wherein a striker exit force exerted on the ratchet by contact with the striker when the ratchet is located in its striker capture position is counteracted by a resistive force exerted on the ratchet by contact with the auxiliary pawl as the ratchet is moving away from its striker capture position and as the auxiliary pawl is moved from its ratchet engaged position to its ratchet disengaged position in response to movement of the ratchet from its striker capture position to its striker release position.

A closure latch assembly for a closure panel mounted to a motor vehicle for movement between an open position and closed position, the closure latch assembly comprising:

• a latch mechanism having a ratchet and a pawl, the ratchet being moveable between a striker release position whereat the ratchet is positioned to receive a striker and a striker capture position whereat the ratchet is positioned to retain the striker, the ratchet being biased toward its striker release position, the pawl being moveable between a ratchet releasing position whereat the pawl is positioned to permit the ratchet to move to its striker release position and a ratchet holding position whereat the pawl is positioned to hold the ratchet in its striker capture position, the pawl being biased toward its ratchet holding position;
• and
• a pop-off sound reduction mechanism having an auxiliary pawl, the auxiliary pawl being moveable between a ratchet disengaged position whereat the auxiliary pawl is disengaged from the ratchet and a ratchet engaged position whereat the auxiliary pawl is engaged with the ratchet, the auxiliary pawl being biased toward its ratchet engaged position,
• wherein a striker exit force exerted on the ratchet by contact with the striker when the ratchet is located in its striker capture position is counteracted by a resistive force exerted on the ratchet by contact with the auxiliary pawl as the ratchet is moving away from its striker capture position and as the auxiliary pawl is moved from its ratchet engaged position to its ratchet disengaged position in response to movement of the ratchet moving away from its striker capture position.