Electronically actuated and locking glove box system

An electronic latch comprising

• a housing;
• a motor having an output shaft;
• a gear arrangement comprising at least one gear that is configured to be driven by the output shaft of the motor, the at least one gear comprising two cam lobes that are configured to sequentially engage two separate cam followers on a rack, such that only one pair of the cam lobe and the cam follower is in contact relative to each other at a time, thereby causing motion of the rack, and wherein motion of the rack causes a pawl to move to (i) a withdrawn position from (ii) a deployed position in which the pawl is extended further from the housing as compared with the withdrawn position;
• and
• wherein interaction between one of the two cam lobes with one of the two cam followers permits the pawl to move toward the deployed position in a controlled manner, and interaction between the other of the two cam lobes with the other of the two cam followers causes the pawl to move toward the withdrawn position.

In an electronic latch including a motor, a gear configured to be driven by an output shaft of the motor, a rack coupled to the gear, and at least one pawl that is connected to the rack, a method of operating the electronic latch comprises:

• engaging a first cam lobe on the gear with a first cam follower on the rack to move the rack in a first direction, which causes the at least one pawl to move toward a withdrawn position with respect to a striker;
• and
• after engaging the first cam lobe on the gear with the first cam follower, engaging a second cam lobe on the gear with a second cam follower on the rack to permit movement of the rack in a second direction, which permits the at least one pawl to move toward a deployed position with respect to the striker;
• wherein such that only one pair of the first cam lobe or the second cam lobe is in contact with the first cam follower or the second cam follower at a time.

An electronic latch comprising:

• a housing;
• a motor having an output shaft;
• a gear arrangement comprising at least one gear that is configured to be driven by the output shaft of the motor;
• a rack coupled to the gear arrangement and configured to move in response to motion of the gear arrangement;
• at least one pawl or pawl connector that is connected to the rack such that motion of the rack causes the at least one pawl or pawl connector to move to (i) a withdrawn position from (ii) a deployed position in which the pawl or pawl connector is extended further from the housing as compared with the withdrawn position;
• wherein the at least one gear comprises two cam lobes that are configured to engage two separate cam followers on the rack, such that only one pair of the cam lobe and the cam follower is in contact relative to each other at a time;
• wherein interaction between one of the two cam lobes with one of the two cam followers permits the pawl or pawl connector to move toward the deployed position in a controlled manner, and interaction between the other of the two cam lobes with the other of the two cam followers causes the pawl or pawl connector to move toward the withdrawn position;
• and
• wherein the cam followers each comprises an elongated U-shaped curved surface.