Closure latch assembly with double pawl mechanism

A method of constructing a closure latch assembly for installation in a vehicle door, comprising:

• providing a housing and disposing a primary ratchet, a primary pawl, and an auxiliary pawl in the housing;
• arranging the primary ratchet for movement between a striker capture position, whereat the primary ratchet retains a striker, and a striker release position, whereat the primary ratchet releases the striker;
• arranging the primary pawl for movement between a closed position, whereat the primary pawl holds the primary ratchet in its striker capture position, and an open position, whereat the primary pawl is positioned to permit the primary ratchet to move to its striker release position;
• arranging the auxiliary pawl for movement between a closed position, whereat the primary pawl is maintained in its closed position, and an open position, whereat the primary pawl moves to its open position;
• disposing an auxiliary pawl release lever in coupled relation with the auxiliary pawl and arranging the auxiliary pawl release lever for movement between a rest position, whereat the auxiliary pawl is located in its closed position and the primary pawl is located in its closed position against a spring bias, and an engaged position, whereat the auxiliary pawl is moved to its open position and the primary pawl is moved to its open position under the spring bias;
• and
• configuring the auxiliary pawl to abut a control surface during said moving the auxiliary pawl to its closed position from its open position to control alignment of the auxiliary pawl with the primary pawl and establish a predetermined frictional engagement region between the auxiliary pawl and the primary pawl when the auxiliary pawl is in its closed position and the primary pawl is in its closed position.

A closure latch assembly for installation in a vehicle door, comprising:

• a latch mechanism having a primary ratchet, a primary pawl, and an auxiliary pawl, the primary ratchet being moveable between a striker capture position, whereat the primary ratchet retains a striker, and a striker release position, whereat the primary ratchet releases the striker, the primary pawl being moveable between a closed position whereat the primary pawl holds the primary ratchet in its striker capture position and an open position whereat the primary pawl is positioned to permit the primary ratchet to move to its striker release position, the auxiliary pawl being moveable between a closed position whereat the primary pawl is maintained in its closed position and an open position whereat the primary pawl moves to its open position;
• an auxiliary ratchet operably coupled to the primary pawl, the auxiliary ratchet being moveable between an engaged position, whereat the auxiliary ratchet maintains the primary pawl in its closed position, and a disengaged position, whereat the auxiliary ratchet moves the primary pawl to its open position, the auxiliary ratchet;
• and
• a latch release mechanism operably coupled with the auxiliary pawl to move the auxiliary pawl from its closed position to its open position to allow the auxiliary ratchet to move to its disengaged position, wherein the auxiliary pawl is configured to abut a control surface upon a return of the auxiliary pawl to its closed position from its open position control alignment of the auxiliary pawl with the auxiliary ratchet to establish a predetermined frictional engagement region between the auxiliary pawl and the auxiliary ratchet when the auxiliary pawl is in its closed position and the auxiliary ratchet is in its engaged position.