Vehicle lock assembly

A lock assembly for selectively locking to a striker on a vehicle, the lock assembly comprising:

• a lock body defining a lock body recess for receiving the striker therein;
• a latch rotatably mounted to said lock body for selectively locking the striker in said lock body recess, said latch moveable between a latched position wherein the striker is locked in said lock body recess and an unlatched position wherein said striker is removable from said lock body recess;
• a ratchet rotatably mounted to said lock body adjacent said latch for selectively locking said latch-in said latched position, said ratchet moveable between an engaged position wherein said ratchet locks said latch in said latched position and a disengaged position wherein said latch is moveable between said latched position and said unlatched position, said ratchet being (a) in said engaged position when locking said latch in said latched position to lock the striker in said lock body recess and (b) in said disengaged position when said latch is one of (i) in said unlatched position and (ii) moveable between said latched position and said unlatched position;
• a first actuator rod rotatably connected to said lock body and configured so that, upon movement of said actuator rod in a first direction, said ratchet is moved from said engaged position to said disengaged position;
• a second sensor rod rotatably connected to said lock body and configured so that said sensor rod moves between a first position corresponding to said ratchet engaged position and a second position corresponding to said ratchet disengaged position;
• and
• a synchronizer connected to each of said actuator rod and said sensor rod, said sensor rod extending between said ratchet and said synchronizer and mechanically communicating to the synchronizer that the striker is locked in said lock body recess when said sensor rod is in said first position and further mechanically communicating to the synchronizer that said striker is unlocked from said lock body recess when said sensor rod is in said second position, said actuator rod extending between said ratchet and said synchronizer and selectively movable into said first position by said synchronizer when a handle connected to said synchronizer is actuated.