Electrical self-powered motor-vehicle door latch

A motor-vehicle latch system comprising:

• a latch having a locking lever displaceable between a locked position corresponding to a locked condition of the latch and an unlocked position corresponding to an unlocked condition of the latch and a latching element actuatable in the unlocked condition of the latch to unlock the latch and ineffective when actuated in the locked condition of the latch;
• an outside door handle connected to the latching element and pivotal between an actuated position and an unactuated position;
• a key having a transponder;
• a body in which the key is receivable and which is rotatable by the key;
• an electrically powered transponder reader on the body capable of reading a code of the transponder of the key;
• an electrically powered normally open electromagnetic coupling having one part connected to the body and another part and energizable to close and couple the two parts together, whereby absent energization the coupling is open and the parts are not connected together;
• a mechanical linkage connected between the other part of the coupling and the locking lever;
• electrically powered control means connected to the transponder reader and the coupling for energizing and connecting together the parts of the coupling when the transponder in the key matches a predetermined code;
• a dynamo fixed on the door adjacent the door handles, having a rotary input gear and connected to the coupling and control means;
• an energy-storage unit connected to the dynamo to receive electricity therefrom and to the reader, coupling, and control means to supply electricity thereto;
• and
• means including an elongated rack mounted on the handle and meshing with the input gear for operating the dynamo and charging the storage unit on displacement of the handle between the actuated and unactuated positions.