Importance

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Abstract

A door handle and actuation assembly for opening a door of a vehicle includes a striker and a latch assembly. The latch assembly includes a latch biased to engage the striker to secure the vehicle door in a closed position. A first latch actuator is configured to receive an electronic signal for disengaging the latch from the striker. A second latch actuator is redundant to the first latch actuator and a power source is available for providing an electrical signal to the second latch actuator. The second latch actuator includes a shape memory alloy having a first configuration and a second configuration that different from the first configuration when subject to an electrical current. The second configuration is cooperable with the latch assembly for disengaging the latch from the striker.

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First Claim