Solenoid actuated locking pawl with compliance mechanism

An actuated locking pawl arrangement having a U shaped pawl comprising:

• a rotating hub having a plurality of teeth and a plurality of tooth spaces, where each one of the plurality of teeth is separated by one of the plurality of tooth spaces;
• a housing;
• a U-shaped pawl having a first engagement arm and an second engagement arm both connected to a body section containing a pivot for pivotally connecting the U-shaped pawl to the housing, wherein the U-shaped pawl is rotatable between an disengaged position wherein the second engagement arm is not in contact with the rotating hub, an engaged position where the second engagement arm is partially positioned in one tooth space of the plurality of tooth spaces and an intermediate position where the second engagement arm is in contact with one or more of the plurality of teeth and is not positioned in any of the plurality to tooth spaces;
• and
• an actuator connected to the housing and having a shaft that moves between a retracted position and an extended position, wherein the shaft upon movement to the extended position is in contact with the second engagement arm of the U-shaped pawl and rotates the U-shaped pawl from the disengaged position to the engaged position and upon movement of the shaft to the disengage position the shaft moves away from the second engagement arm.

An actuated locking pawl arrangement comprising:

• a rotating hub having a plurality of teeth and a plurality of tooth spaces, where each one of the plurality of teeth is separated by one of the plurality of tooth spaces;
• a housing;
• a two piece pawl having an upper jaw and a bottom jaw both rotatably connected to a common pivot connected to the housing, wherein the two piece pawl is rotatable between a disengaged position, an engaged position, and a ratcheting mode;
• an upper seat of the upper jaw, a lower seat of the bottom jaw;
• an actuator connected to the housing and having a shaft configured to contact the bottom jaw when the shaft moves between a retracted position and an extended position, wherein the shaft upon movement to the extended position causes the shaft to apply force to the two piece pawl through the contact between the shaft and the bottom jaw to cause the two piece pawl to move toward the rotating hub and move to the engaged position or the ratcheting position.