Dura Global Technologies, Inc.

William Robert Gentile

Jason Allen Beauchamp

Martin Joseph Wortmann

Garrett J Wize

Richard M Leatzau

Patrick J King

A latching mechanism for selectively retaining a closure having a striker is provided that includes a housing forming a vertically extending groove for receiving the striker, first and second axles located on opposite sides of the groove, a striker spring located at the groove, a pawl pivotable about the first axle and defining a notch, and a ratchet pivotable about the second axle and defining a protrusion adapted to cooperate with the notch of the pawl to selectively retain the ratchet in a locked position. The ratchet defines a pocket for receiving the striker and retaining the striker in the groove when the ratchet is in the locked position. The housing is adapted to accept an over slam force from the striker at a bottom end of the groove. Preferably, the striker spring is substantially in-line with a path of the striker into the groove.

Hood latch mechanism with in-line striker spring

A secondary latch assembly includes a mounting bracket, a release hook pivotally mounted to the mounting bracket, and a handle mechanism pivotally mounted to the mounting bracket. The release hook is movable between a locked position and a released position and has a slot having a first end and a second end. The handle mechanism has a rotation stop that is positioned within the slot of the release hook and that is movable between the first and second ends of the slot. The handle mechanism is movable between a first position where the rotation stop is positioned at the first end of the slot, a second position where the rotation stop is positioned at the second end of the slot, and a third position wherein the handle mechanism is rotated from its second position while the rotation stop is positioned at the second end of the slot so that the rotation stop urges the release hook from its locked position to its released position.

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Pontiac, MI, United States of America

William Robert Gentile