Patent attributes
A vehicle has a vehicle body and a vehicle bonnet assembly. The vehicle bonnet assembly includes a bonnet 14 hinged at its front to the vehicle body 10 and latched at its rear by two latch devices. Each latch device comprises a latch assembly 17 mounted to the vehicle body 10 and a striker 21 mounted to the bonnet 14. Impact sensors are configured to detect a front collision with a pedestrian and two lift actuators 18 are arranged to raise the rear edge of the bonnet 14 into a deployed position in response to a pedestrian impact. Each latch assembly 17 includes a latch claw 26 moveable between a latch position in which the striker 21 is held by the latch claw 26 and a release position in which the striker 21 is releasable from the latch claw 26. Each latch assembly 17 also includes a release member 27 which is operable by a driver of the vehicle to allow the latch claw 26 to be moved towards its release position and allow the bonnet 14 to be lifted. A release actuator 32 is arranged to move the release member 27 and allow the latch claw 26 to be moved towards its release position and retain it in said position when the bonnet 14 is lifted by the lift actuators 18 in the event of a pedestrian impact. Each release actuators 32 is retained by a spring clip 37 which is attached to one end of a release tape 38 whose other end is connected to one of the lift actuators 18. The release tape 38 is normally hidden by the bodywork under the bonnet 14. However, when the bonnet 14 is moved to the deployed position by the lift actuators 18, the tape 38 is exposed and can be pulled to release the clip 37. The release actuator 32 can then pull away, allowing the latch assembly 17 to be re-set.
