Front trunk latch entrapment release system
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsVenkatesh Krishnan, Thomas Michael Herline
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A latch release system for a vehicle includes a primary and a secondary latch securing a front hood. An emergency handle within a compartment is covered by the front hood, linked to the primary latch and movable to actuate a switch. An actuator is arranged to release the secondary latch. A controller is configured to trigger the actuator to release the secondary latch responsive to actuation of the switch. An emergency latch release system for front compartment of a motor vehicle and a method are also disclosed.
Claims16
A latch release system for a vehicle comprising:
- a primary and a secondary latch securing a front hood;
- an emergency handle within a compartment covered by the front hood, linked to the primary latch and movable to actuate a switch;
- a first handle disposed within a cabin of the vehicle, the first handle and the emergency handle are coupled to a common first mechanical link for actuating the primary latch;
- a secondary handle accessible from outside the vehicle with the front hood in a closed position and coupled to the secondary latch through a second mechanical link:
- an actuator arranged to release the secondary latch;
- and
- a controller configured to trigger the actuator to release the secondary latch responsive to actuation of the switch.
An emergency latch release system for front compartment of a motor vehicle comprising:
- a primary and a secondary latch securing a front hood;
- an emergency handle within the front compartment that is linked to the primary latch by a first mechanical link;
- a first handle disposed within a cabin of the vehicle, the first handle and the emergency handle are coupled to a common first mechanical link for actuating the primary latch;
- a secondary handle accessible from outside the vehicle with the front hood in a closed position, the secondary handle coupled to the secondary latch through a second mechanical link;
- a switch actuatable by the emergency handle;
- an actuator commanded by actuation of the switch to release the secondary latch responsive to a vehicle speed being within a predefined threshold range.
A method of securing a front hood of a motor vehicle comprising:
- coupling a primary latch to an emergency handle disposed within a compartment covered by a front hood;
- coupling a first handle disposed within the cabin of the vehicle and the emergency handle to a common first mechanical link for actuating the primary latch;
- coupling a secondary handle accessible from outside of the vehicle when the front hood is in a closed position to a secondary latch through a second mechanical link;
- coupling the secondary latch to an actuator;
- releasing the primary latch responsive to actuation of the emergency handle;
- and
- releasing the secondary latch responsive to actuation of the actuator prompted by a switch within the compartment in response to an indication that a speed of the vehicle is below a threshold speed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.