G-force push-push latch

• US 7,097,220 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2004
• Issued: 08/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Automotive Components Group North America (Lear Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Haba, Charles A.
• Primary Examiner(s): ESTREMSKY, GARY WAYNE
• Application Number:
  US10/711,525
• Publication Number:
  US 20060061110A1
• Time in Patent Office: 705 Days
• Field of Search: 292/341.17, 292/DIG.4, 296/37.1, 296/37.8, 296/37.12
• US Class Current: 292/341
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/02 for accident situations
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/04 Automatic release latches
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/42 Rigid engaging means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/683 Segment

Abstract

The push-push latch of the present invention is attached to a storage compartment and allows the door of the compartment to move between an open position and a closed position. The latch will remain closed and in a locked position when the door is subjected to a force greater than a predetermined force. The latch includes a track member and a guide member. The track member is molded of a polymer and generally defines a heart shaped track having an integrated retaining section and a channel connecting the heart shaped track and the retaining section. The guide member moves within the heart shaped track to facilitate opening and closing of the compartment door. In the event that the compartment door is subjected to a force greater than a predetermined value while in the closed position, the guide member will be forced through the channel and locked into the retaining section, thereby retaining the door in its closed position.

Claims

1. A push-push latch attached to a storage compartment having a door that moves between an opened position and a closed position, said push-push latch comprising:

a track member defining a generally heart shaped track having a generally V-shaped notch;

a guide member that moves within said track to facilitate positioning said compartment door in the closed position when said guide member rests in the V-shaped notch;

wherein said track member is molded from a polymer and includes an integrated enclosed retaining section adjacent said V-shaped notch and a double wall channel connecting said V-shaped notch and said enclosed retaining section, wherein said channel has a width dimension less than the width dimension of said guide member; and

wherein when the compartment door is in the closed position and the guide member is positioned in the V-shaped notch and when subjected to a force greater than a predetermined value said guide member is forced directly from said V-shaped notch through said channel and locked into said retaining section locking said compartment door in the closed position.

2. The push-push latch of claim 1, wherein said walls of said channel flex out when said guide member is subjected to a force greater than a predetermined force value allowing said guide member through to said retaining section.

3. The push-push latch of claim 1 further comprising a connector attached to the compartment door.

4. The push-push latch of claim 1, wherein said heart shaped track further includes a pathway A, a pathway B, a first corner, a pathway C, a pathway D, a second corner, and a pathway E, wherein said pathway A is adjacent said pathway B and said pathway E, said pathway B is adjacent said first corner, said first corner is adjacent said pathway C, said pathway C is adjacent said V-shaped notch, said V-shaped notch is adjacent said pathway D, said pathway D is adjacent said second corner, and said second corner is adjacent pathway E.

5. The push-push latch of claim 4 wherein when the compartment door is in the opened position, said guide member is positioned in said pathway A.

6. The push-push latch of claim 4 wherein when the compartment door is moving from the opened position into the closed position, said guide member travels from said pathway A into and along the length of said pathway B, around said first corner, into and along the length of said pathway C, and coming to a rest in said V-shaped notch.

7. The push-push latch of claim 4 wherein when the compartment door is moving from the closed position into the opened position, said guide member travels from said V-shaped notch, into and along the length of said pathway D, around said second corner, into and along the length of said pathway E, and into said pathway A.

8. The push-push latch of claim 4 wherein when the compartment door is in the closed position and subjected to a force greater than a predetermined value, said guide member moves from said V-shaped notch into said channel forcing said walls to flex out and said guide member comes to a rest in said retaining section.

9. The push-push latch of claim 1, wherein said V-shaped notch includes a wall that assists in retaining said guide member in the closed position.

10. The push-push latch of claim 1, wherein said track member defines an axis and said guide member moves radially with respect to the axis to travel within said heart-shaped track.

11. The push-push latch of claim 1, wherein said storage compartment is in an automobile.

12. The push-push latch of claim 1, wherein said heart shaped track further includes a first pathway, a second pathway, a first corner, a third pathway, a fourth pathway, a second corner, and a fifth pathway, wherein said first pathway is adjacent said second pathway and said fifth pathway, said second pathway is adjacent said first corner, said first corner is adjacent said third pathway, said third pathway is adjacent said V-shaped notch, said V-shaped notch is adjacent said fourth pathway, said fourth pathway is adjacent said second corner, and said second corner is adjacent said fifth pathway.

13. A storage compartment comprising:

a compartment body;

a compartment door that is attached to said compartment body and moves between a closed position and an opened position;

a push-push latch that is attached to said compartment body and engages said compartment door, said push-push latch having a track member defining a generally heart shaped track having a generally V-shaped notch, a guide member that moves within said track to facilitate positioning said compartment door in the closed position when said guide member rests in the V-shaped notch, wherein said track member is molded from a polymer and includes an integrated bounded retaining section adjacent said V-shaped notch and a two wall channel connecting said V-shaped notch and said retaining section, said channel has a width dimension that is less than a width dimension of said heart shaped track; and

wherein when the compartment door is in the closed position and the guide member is positioned in the V-shaped notch and when subjected to a force greater than a predetermined value said guide member is forced directly from said V-shaped notch through said channel causing said walls to flex out and locked into said retaining section when said walls flex back in.

14. The storage compartment of claim 13 wherein said track member defines an axis and said guide member moves radially with respect to the axis to travel within said heart-shaped track.

15. The storage compartment of claim 13 wherein said heart shaped track further includes a first pathway, a second pathway, a first corner, a third pathway, a fourth pathway, a second corner, and a fifth pathway, wherein said first pathway is adjacent said second pathway and said fifth pathway, said second pathway is adjacent said first corner, said first corner is adjacent said third pathway, said third pathway is adjacent said V-shaped notch, said V-shaped notch is adjacent said fourth pathway, said fourth pathway is adjacent said second corner, and said second corner is adjacent said fifth pathway.

16. A method of locking a compartment door in a closed position when subjected to an excessive force, wherein the compartment door moves between an opened and a closed position via a push-push latch made from a polymer and having a track member and a guide member, comprising the steps of:

A) subjecting the door of the compartment to an excessive force;

B) causing a guide member to move through a channel in a track member wherein the channel walls flex out allowing the guide member through; and

C) retaining the guide member in an integrated bounded retaining section when the channel walls flex in.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising manually removing the guide member from the retaining section.