Vehicle door latch

A door latch for mounting on a vehicle door comprising:

• an enclosure;
• a latching assembly disposed in the enclosure and adapted to move between an unlatched configuration and a latched configuration;
• an inside latch handle assembly disposed adjacent the latching assembly for transferring motion to the latching assembly in response to an actuator to move the latching assembly to the unlatched configuration;
• and
• a child security lock assembly for the inside latch handle assembly, the child security lock assembly including:
• a lock pin moveable between a locked position in which the lock pin engages the inside latch handle assembly to prevent any motion transfer to the latching assembly, and an unlocked position in which the lock pin disengages the inside latch handle assembly to allow motion transfer to the latching assembly, the lock pin being moveable both manually and through a force from a power actuator, and
• the power actuator including a motor assembly disposed adjacent the lock pin, and a linkage interconnecting the lock pin and the motor assembly wherein the motor assembly controls movement of the lock pin, the motor assembly having a motor, a motor shaft and a motor gear disposed on the shaft, the linkage having a pinion and a rack, the rack having a first end and a second end, with a plurality of rack teeth disposed on the first end and with the lock pin disposed on the second end, the lock pin perpendicular to the rack, the pinion intercornecting the rack teeth and the motor gear.