Load floor latch

• US 20050140150A1
• Filed: 08/18/2004
• Published: 06/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Southco Incorporated (South Chester Tube Company)
• Original Assignee: Southco Incorporated (South Chester Tube Company)
• Inventors: Hall, Matthew, Horton, Richard, Berg, Gert
• Granted Patent: US 7,399,009 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 292/336.300
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 63/20 released automatically when the wing is closed for panic door locks of the vertical rod type E05B65/1013
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 1/145 flush
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/31 Lever operator, flush
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/0834 Sliding
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/0949 Lever
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/0969 Spring projected
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1016 Cam
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/546 Sliding detent
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/57 Operators with knobs or handles

Abstract

The present invention relates to a load floor latch for securing a first closure member to a second closure member panel. When the first and second closure members are fastened, the latch is opened by actuating the handle and the pawl is retracted into the latch. A biasing device such as a torsion spring acts on a locking arm so as to pivot the locking arm such that it engages a slot on the pawl. This maintains the pawl in the retracted position. When the first closure member to which the latch is attached is closed so as to bring the first closure member into a closed position with respect to the second closure member, a projection on the locking arm contacts a contact member such that the locking arm is pivoted and the locking arm no longer remains in the slot in the pawl. The pawl is then free to extend out of the latch to a latched position by the action of a compression spring and engage a keeper on the second closure member to thus fasten the first and second closure members.

Claims

8. A latch for releasably securing a first closure member to a second closure member in a latched position, the latch comprising:

a housing adapted for being received in an aperture formed in the first closure member;

a handle pivotally attached to said housing and moveable between an open and a closed position, said handle having an actuator;

a pawl slidably supported by said housing so as to be movable between a latched and an unlatched position, said pawl being biased toward said latched position and said pawl being engageable with said actuator;

a detent for engaging said pawl thereby maintaining said pawl in a retracted position, said detent being pivotable and having a projection which permits displacing of said detent upon contact of said projection with the second closure member such that said detent disengages from said pawl upon contact of said projection with the second closure member thereby permitting sliding movement of said pawl to the latched position,

whereby pivotal movement of said handle to said open position retracts said pawl to said unlatched position.

1. A latch for releasably securing a first closure member to a second closure member in a latched position, the latch comprising:

a housing adapted for being received in an aperture formed in the first closure member;

a handle pivotally attached to said housing and moveable between an open and a closed position, said handle having an actuator;

a pawl slidably supported by said housing so as to be movable between a latched and an unlatched position, said pawl being engageable with said actuator;

a pawl biasing means for biasing said pawl toward said latched position;

a locking arm for engaging said pawl thereby maintaining said pawl in a retracted position, said locking arm being pivotable and having a projection which permits pivoting of said locking arm upon contact of said projection with the second closure member such that said locking arm disengages from said pawl upon contact of said projection with the second closure member thereby permitting sliding movement of said pawl to the latched position, said locking arm being biased toward a position in which said locking arm engages said pawl;

whereby pivotal movement of said handle to said open position retracts said pawl to said unlatched position.

2. The latch according to claim 1 wherein the pawl biasing means is a spring.

3. The latch according to claim 2 wherein the pawl has an interior face which contacts the actuator on the handle during pivoting movement of the handle.

4. The latch according to claim 3 wherein the pawl has a slot for engagement with the locking arm.

5. The latch according to claim 2 wherein the handle has the shape of a ring for gripping by a user.

6. The latch according to claim 3 wherein the handle has a ribbed portion for gripping by a user.

7. The latch according to claim 2 wherein the housing has a spring guide for supporting the spring of the pawl biasing means.

9. The latch according to claim 8 wherein the pawl is biased toward the latched position by a spring.

10. The latch according to claim 9 wherein the pawl has an interior face which contacts the actuator on the handle during pivoting movement of the handle.

11. The latch according to claim 10 wherein the pawl has a slot for engagement with the locking arm.

14. The latch according to claim 10 wherein the housing has a spring guide for supporting the spring.

15. The latch according to claim 9 wherein the detent is biased toward a position in which said locking arm engages said pawl.

16. A latch for releasably securing a first closure member to a second closure member in a latched position, the latch comprising:

a housing adapted for being received in an aperture formed in the first closure member;

a handle pivotally attached to said housing and moveable between an open and a closed position, said handle having an actuator;

a pawl slidably supported by said housing so as to be movable between a latched and an unlatched position, said pawl being engageable with said actuator;

a pawl biasing means mounted on said housing for biasing said pawl toward the latched position;

a locking arm for engaging said pawl thereby maintaining said pawl in a retracted position, said locking arm being pivotable and having a projection which permits pivoting of said locking arm upon contact of said projection with the second closure member such that said locking arm disengages from said pawl upon contact of said projection with the second closure member thereby permitting sliding movement of said pawl to the latched position,

a locking arm biasing means for biasing said locking arm toward a position in which said locking arm engages said pawl;

whereby pivotal movement of said handle to said open position retracts said pawl to said unlatched position.

17. The latch according to claim 16 wherein said locking arm biasing means is a torsion spring.

18. The latch according to claim 16 wherein the torsion spring of said locking arm biasing means has two legs and one of the legs of the locking arm torsion spring engages said pawl thereby biasing said pawl in the latched position.

12. The latch according to claim 111 wherein the handle has the shape of a ring for gripping by a user.

13. The latch according to claim 12 wherein the handle has a ribbed portion ring for gripping by a user.

16-1. The latch according to claim 15 wherein said pawl biasing means is a pawl torsion spring and said pawl torsion spring is mounted on a post on said housing.