Electrical circuit arrangement

1. An electrical circuit arrangement comprising:

an unlatching actuator;

a primary power source;

a secondary power source;

an electrically controlled bypass switch having an energized condition at which the electrically controlled bypass switch adopts a first switching configuration and a de-energized condition at which the electrically controlled bypass switch adopts a second switching configuration; and

an operator actuated switch,

wherein the electrical circuit arrangement has a first configuration in which the electrically controlled bypass switch is in the first switching configuration with the primary power source, the operator actuated switch, the electrically controlled bypass switch and the unlatching actuator configured so that actuation of the operator actuated switch causes the unlatching actuator to be energized by the primary power source, and

wherein the electrical circuit arrangement has a second configuration in which the electrically controlled bypass switch is in the second switching configuration with the secondary power source, the operator actuated switch, the electrically controlled bypass switch and the unlatching actuator configured so that actuation of the operator actuated switch causes the unlatching actuator to be energized by the secondary power source.

2. The electrical circuit arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein the primary power source is one of a battery and a generator.

3. The electrical circuit arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein the secondary power source is a battery.

4. The electrical circuit arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein the secondary power source is a capacitor.

5. The electrical circuit arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein the secondary power source is charged by the primary power source.

6. The electrical circuit arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein the secondary power source remains charged during unlatching when the electrical circuit arrangement is in the first configuration.

7. The electrical circuit arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein the electrically controlled bypass switch is a relay.

8. The electrical circuit arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein, when the electrical circuit arrangement is in the second configuration, unlatching is independent of the primary power source.

9. The electrical circuit arrangement as defined in claim 1 including a logic controller which selectively energizes the electrically controlled bypass switch.

10. The electrical circuit arrangement as defined in claim 9 wherein, when the electrical circuit arrangement is in the second configuration, energizing of the unlatching actuator is independent of the logic controller.

11. The electrical circuit arrangement as defined in claim 9 including an electrically controlled release switch which is selectively energized by the logic controller to energize the unlatching actuator via the primary power source.

12. The electrical circuit arrangement as defined in claim 11 wherein the release switch is selectively energized by the logic controller on receipt of an actuation signal from the operator actuated switch.

13. An electrical circuit arrangement comprising:

an unlatching actuator;

a primary power source;

a secondary power source;

an electrically controlled bypass switch having an energized condition at which the electrically controlled bypass switch adopts a first switching configuration and a de-energized condition at which the electrically controlled bypass switch adopts a second switching configuration;

an operator actuated switch;

a logic controller which selectively energizes the electrically controlled bypass switch; and

an electrically controlled reset switch which is energized by the logic controller to reset the unlatching actuator following actuation of the unlatching actuator,

wherein the electrical circuit arrangement has a first configuration in which the electrically controlled bypass switch is in the first switching configuration with the primary power source, the operator actuated switch, the electrically controlled bypass switch and the unlatching actuator configured so that actuation of the operator actuated switch causes the unlatching actuator to be energized by the primary power source, and

wherein the electrical circuit arrangement has a second configuration in which the electrically controlled bypass switch is in the second switching configuration with the secondary power source, the operator actuated switch, the electrically controlled bypass switch and the unlatching actuator configured so that actuation of the operator actuated switch causes the unlatching actuator to be energized by the secondary power source.

14. An electrical circuit arrangement comprising:

an unlatching actuator;

a primary power source;

a secondary power source;

an electrically controlled bypass switch having an energized condition at which the electrically controlled bypass switch adopts a first switching configuration and a de-energized condition at which the electrically controlled bypass switch adopts a second switching configuration;

an operator actuated switch; and

a logic controller which selectively energizes the electrically controlled bypass switch, wherein the logic controller has a plurality of preset security statuses,

wherein the electrical circuit arrangement has a first configuration in which the electrically controlled bypass switch is in the first switching configuration with the primary power source, the operator actuated switch, the electrically controlled bypass switch and the unlatching actuator configured so that actuation of the operator actuated switch causes the unlatching actuator to be energized by the primary power source, and

wherein the electrical circuit arrangement has a second configuration in which the electrically controlled bypass switch is in the second switching configuration with the secondary power source, the operator actuated switch, the electrically controlled bypass switch and the unlatching actuator configured so that actuation of the operator actuated switch causes the unlatching actuator to be energized by the secondary power source.

15. The electrical circuit arrangement as defined in claim 14 wherein a security status of the logic controller can be changed by operation of the operator actuated switch.

16. The electrical circuit arrangement as defined in claim 14 wherein the secondary power source is a capacitor, the plurality of preset security statuses include at least one of locked and superlocked, and the logic controller discharges the capacitor when a security status of the logic controller is set to one of locked and superlocked.

17. The electrical circuit arrangement as defined in claim 16 wherein the capacitor is discharged through the unlatching actuator.

18. The electrical circuit arrangement as defined in claim 17 wherein the capacitor is discharged through a reset switch.

19. The electrical circuit arrangement as defined in claim 14 wherein the plurality of preset security statuses includes at least one of locked and superlocked, and the logic controller operates to isolate the secondary power source from the unlatching actuator when a security status of the logic controller is set to one of locked and superlocked.

20. An electrical circuit arrangement comprising:

an unlatching actuator;

a primary power source;

a secondary power source;

an electrically controlled bypass switch having an energized condition at which the electrically controlled bypass switch adopts a first switching configuration and a de-energized condition at which the electrically controlled bypass switch adopts a second switching configuration;

an operator actuated switch; and

a further operator actuated switch,

wherein the electrical circuit arrangement has a first configuration in which the electrically controlled bypass switch is in the first switching configuration with the primary power source, the operator actuated switch, the electrically controlled bypass switch and the unlatching actuator configured so that actuation of the operator actuated switch causes the unlatching actuator to be energized by the primary power source, and

wherein the electrical circuit arrangement has a second configuration in which the electrically controlled bypass switch is in the second switching configuration with the secondary power source, the operator actuated switch, the electrically controlled bypass switch and the unlatching actuator configured so that actuation of the operator actuated switch causes the unlatching actuator to be energized by the secondary power source,

wherein the electrical circuit arrangement has a further first configuration in which the electrically controlled bypass switch is energized to adopt the first switching configuration, and the primary power source, the further operator actuated switch, the electrically controlled bypass switch and the unlatching actuator are configured so that actuation of the further operator actuated switch selectively causes the unlatching actuator to be energized by the primary power source, and

wherein the electrical circuit arrangement has a further second configuration in which the electrically controlled bypass switch is de-energized to adopt the second switching condition, and the secondary power source, the further operator actuated switch, the electrically controlled bypass switch and the unlatching actuator are configured so that actuation of the further operator actuated switch causes the unlatching actuator to be energized by the secondary power source.

21. A vehicle including an electric circuit arrangement, the vehicle comprising:

an electric circuit arrangement including:

an unlatching actuator,

a primary power source,

a secondary power source,

an electrically controlled bypass switch having an energized condition at which the electrically controlled bypass switch adopts a first switching configuration and a de-energized condition at which the electrically controlled bypass switch adopts a second switching configuration,

an operator actuated switch, and

a further operator actuated switch,

wherein the electrical circuit arrangement has a first configuration in which the electrically controlled bypass switch is in the first switching configuration with the primary power source, the operator actuated switch, the electrically controlled bypass switch and the unlatching actuator configured so that actuation of the operator actuated switch causes the unlatching actuator to be energized by the primary power source,

wherein the electrical circuit arrangement has a second configuration in which the electrically controlled bypass switch is in the second switching configuration with the secondary power source, the operator actuated switch, the electrically controlled bypass switch and the unlatching actuator configured so that actuation of the operator actuated switch causes the unlatching actuator to be energized by the secondary power source,

wherein the electrical circuit arrangement has a further first configuration in which the electrically controlled bypass switch is energized to adopt the first switching configuration, and the primary power source, the further operator actuated switch, the electrically controlled bypass switch and the unlatching actuator are configured so that actuation of the further operator actuated switch selectively causes the unlatching actuator to be energized by the primary power source,

wherein the electrical circuit arrangement has a further second configuration in which the electrically controlled bypass switch is de-energized to adopt the second switching condition, and the secondary power source, the further operator actuated switch, the electrically controlled bypass switch and the unlatching actuator are configured so that actuation of the further operator actuated switch causes the unlatching actuator to be energized by the secondary power source, and

wherein one of the operator actuated switch and the further operator actuated switch is positioned on an inside of the vehicle and the other of the operator actuated switch and the further operator actuated switch is positioned on an outside of the vehicle.

22. An electrical circuit arrangement comprising:

an unlatching actuator;

a primary power source;

a secondary power source;

an electrically controlled bypass switch having an energized condition at which the electrically controlled bypass switch adopts a first switching configuration and a de-energized condition at which the electrically controlled bypass switch adopts a second switching configuration; and

an operator actuated switch, wherein power from the primary power source passes through the electrically controlled bypass switch as a result of actuation of the operator actuated switch,

wherein the electrical circuit arrangement has a first configuration in which the electrically controlled bypass switch is in the first switching configuration with the primary power source, the operator actuated switch, the electrically controlled bypass switch and the unlatching actuator configured so that actuation of the operator actuated switch causes the unlatching actuator to be energized by the primary power source, and

wherein the electrical circuit arrangement has a second configuration in which the electrically controlled bypass switch is in the second switching configuration with the secondary power source, the operator actuated switch, the electrically controlled bypass switch and the unlatching actuator configured so that actuation of the operator actuated switch causes the unlatching actuator to be energized by the secondary power source.

23. An electrical circuit arrangement comprising:

an unlatching actuator;

a primary power source;

a secondary power source;

an electrically controlled bypass switch having an energized condition at which the electrically controlled bypass switch adopts a first switching configuration and a de-energized condition at which the electrically controlled bypass switch adopts a second switching configuration; and

an operator actuated switch, wherein power from the secondary power source passes through the electrically controlled bypass switch as a result of actuation of the operator actuated switch,

wherein the electrical circuit arrangement has a first configuration in which the electrically controlled bypass switch is in the first switching configuration with the primary power source, the operator actuated switch, the electrically controlled bypass switch and the unlatching actuator configured so that actuation of the operator actuated switch causes the unlatching actuator to be energized by the primary power source, and

wherein the electrical circuit arrangement has a second configuration in which the electrically controlled bypass switch is in the second switching configuration with the secondary power source, the operator actuated switch, the electrically controlled bypass switch and the unlatching actuator configured so that actuation of the operator actuated switch causes the unlatching actuator to be energized by the secondary power source.