A latch has a unidirectional power release mechanism. The mechanism has a
rotatable gear with a boss on the gear, a motor for rotating the gear to
orbit the gear boss through an operating cycle of the mechanism, a
ratchet movable from a latched position to an unlatched position, a pawl
lever, a pawl, and a toggle which moves between a first toggle position
and a second toggle position to set the limits of the operating cycle of
the mechanism. The toggle pivots in response to the orbiting gear boss
and presents a stop for the gear boss at the end of the operating cycle.
The gear boss effects movement of the pawl lever to effect unlatching and
stops the orbiting gear boss when it encounters the stop. The toggle is
pivoted back removing the stop in response to the ratchet rotating to the
latched position.