Latch assembly
First Claim
1. A latch assembly comprising:
- a chassis;
a latch bolt movably mounted on the chassis for movement between a closed position for retaining a striker and an open position for releasing the striker;
a crank shaft assembly rotatably mounted to the chassis about a first axis, the first axis being fixed with respect to the latch assembly;
a pawl rotatably mounted to the crank shaft assembly about a second axis, the first axis being offset from the second axis, the second axis being movable with respect to the first axis between a first position and a second position and wherein the pawl moves between an engaged position wherein the pawl is positioned to hold the latch bolt in the closed position and a disengaged position wherein the pawl is positioned to allow the latch bolt to move from the closed position to the open position;
wherein the latch bolt is configured to rotate the pawl and the crank shaft assembly about the first axis such that the second axis moves from the second position to the first position as the latch bolt moves from the closed position to the open position;
wherein the second axis is in the first position when the latch bolt is in the closed position; and
wherein the second axis does not move as the latch bolt is moved into the closed position from the open position.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A latch assembly includes a chassis, a latch bolt moveably mounted on the chassis and having a closed position for retaining a striker and an open position for releasing the striker, a pawl having an engaged position at which the pawl is engaged with the latch bolt to hold the latch bolt in the closed position and a disengaged position at which the pawl is disengaged from the latch bolt, thereby allowing the latch bolt to move to the open position, an eccentric arrangement defining an eccentric axis and a pawl axis remote from the eccentric axis. The eccentric arrangement is rotatable about the eccentric axis, and the pawl is rotatable about the pawl axis. When the pawl moves from the engaged position to the disengaged position, the eccentric arrangement rotates in one of a clockwise and a counter-clockwise direction about the eccentric axis. With the pawl in the engaged position, a force applied to the pawl by the latch bolt creates a turning moment on the eccentric arrangement in the one of the clockwise and counter-clockwise direction, and the eccentric arrangement is prevented from rotating in said one of the clockwise and counter-clockwise direction by a moveable abutment.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A latch assembly comprising:
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a chassis; a latch bolt movably mounted on the chassis for movement between a closed position for retaining a striker and an open position for releasing the striker; a crank shaft assembly rotatably mounted to the chassis about a first axis, the first axis being fixed with respect to the latch assembly; a pawl rotatably mounted to the crank shaft assembly about a second axis, the first axis being offset from the second axis, the second axis being movable with respect to the first axis between a first position and a second position and wherein the pawl moves between an engaged position wherein the pawl is positioned to hold the latch bolt in the closed position and a disengaged position wherein the pawl is positioned to allow the latch bolt to move from the closed position to the open position;
wherein the latch bolt is configured to rotate the pawl and the crank shaft assembly about the first axis such that the second axis moves from the second position to the first position as the latch bolt moves from the closed position to the open position;wherein the second axis is in the first position when the latch bolt is in the closed position; and wherein the second axis does not move as the latch bolt is moved into the closed position from the open position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of opening a latch, the method comprising the steps of:
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rotatably mounting a latch bolt to a chassis of the latch assembly for movement between a closed position for retaining a striker and an open position for releasing the striker; rotatably mounting a pawl to the latch assembly for movement between an engaged position at which the pawl is engaged with the latch bolt to hold the latch bolt in the closed position and a disengaged position at which the pawl is disengaged from the latch bolt, thereby allowing the latch bolt to move to the open position; rotatably mounting a crank shaft assembly to the latch assembly for movement about a first axis; rotatably mounting the pawl to the crank shaft assembly for movement about a second axis, the first axis being offset from the second axis and the first axis being fixed with respect to the latch assembly and the second axis being moveable with respect to the first axis; putting the latch bolt in the closed position, wherein the pawl is in the engaged position and the second axis is in a first position; causing the latch bolt to apply a force to the pawl to create a turning moment on the crank shaft assembly for movement about the first axis and reacting the turning moment at a moveable abutment to prevent movement of the crank shaft assembly; subsequently moving the moveable abutment so the turning moment is no longer reacted, thereby allowing the force to move the crank shaft assembly such that the second axis moves to a second position and the pawl moves to the disengaged position, allowing the latch bolt to move to the open position, thereby opening the latch; and moving the second axis to the first position as the latch bolt is moved into the open position and wherein the second axis does not move as the latch bolt is moved into the closed position from the open position. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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Specification