US Patent 7204526 Hood latch assembly for a vehicle

A hood latch assembly includes a safety lever that is operative in conjunction with the movement of a latch plate so as to ensure a sufficient space between the safety lever and a hood. Namely, the safety lever is arranged in a folded condition when the latch plate constrains a striker of a hood, i.e. the hood is securely closed by the latch assembly. The safety lever is tilted up into an upright position only when the striker becomes freed from the constraint of the latch plate. Such an arrangement of the hood latch assembly provides a sufficient space between the safety lever and the hood to reduce any impact on a human body when a pedestrian collides with a hood of the vehicle.