Latch, lock and hinge system for use with closures such as tonneau covers

A latch and hinge system 1) for establishing a pivotal connection between a cargo compartment cover and body structure that defines a cargo compartment of a vehicle to permit the cover to pivot between an open position providing access to the cargo compartment and a closed position closing at least a selected portion of the cargo compartment, 2) for releasably retaining the cover in the closed position, and 3) for permitting the cover to be disconnected from and reconnected to the body structure, comprising:

• a) a first latch striker and a second latch striker for being connected to the body structure at spaced locations along side regions of the cargo compartment;
• b) a first latch assembly for being connected to the cover and for being positioned to engage the first latch striker to establish latching engagement between the first latch assembly and the first latch striker to latch the cover to the body structure when the cover is in the closed position;
• c) a hinge having a first arm for connection to the cover, and having a second arm pivotally connected to the first arm for pivotal movement about a pivot axis;
• d) a second latch assembly connected to the second arm for being positioned by the second arm to engage the second latch striker to establish latching engagement between the second latch assembly and the second latch striker to connect the cover and the second arm for concurrent pivotal movement about the pivot axis when the cover is in the open position, and to latch the cover to the body structure when the cover is in the closed position;
• e) first means for releasing the latching engagement between first latch assembly and the first latch striker without releasing the latching engagement between the second latch assembly and the second latch striker to thereby permit the cover to be pivoted with the second arm about the pivot axis between the open position and the closed position;
• and,
• f) second means for releasing the latching engagement between the second latch assembly and the second latch striker to disconnect the cover from the body structure.

A latch and hinge system 1) for establishing a pivotal connection between a generally rectangular cargo compartment cover and body structure that defines a generally rectangular cargo compartment of a vehicle to permit the cover to pivot between an open position providing access to the cargo compartment and a closed position wherein the cover closes the cargo compartment, 2) for releasably retaining the cover in the closed position, and 3) for permitting the cover to be disconnected from and reconnected to the body structure, a) wherein the generally rectangular cargo compartment has opposed front and rear sides, opposed left and right sides, and left-front, right-front, left-rear and right-rear corner regions located at the junctures of the front and rear sides with the left and right sides, b) wherein the cover has opposed front and rear edges configured to extend near the front and rear sides of the cargo compartment, opposed left and right edges configured to extend near the left and right sides of the cargo compartment, and left-front, right-front, left-rear and right-rear corner areas located at the junctures of the front and rear edges with the left and right edges, and, c) wherein the pivotal connection that is established by the latch and hinge system permits the cover to pivot relative to the body structure about a pivot axis that extends along and near to the front edge of the cover;

• comprising:
• a) a left-front latch striker, a right-front latch striker, a left-rear latch striker, and a right-rear latch striker for being connected to the body structure near the left-front, right-front, left-rear and right-rear corner regions, respectively;
• b) a left-rear latch assembly and a right-rear latch assembly for being connected to the cover near the left-rear and right-rear corner areas, respectively, and for being engageable with the left-rear and right-rear strikers, respectively, to establish latching engagements between the left-rear latch assembly and the left-rear striker, and between the right-rear latch assembly and the right-rear striker to latch the cover to the body structure when the cover is in the closed position;
• c) a left-front hinge having a first hinge arm of the left-front hinge connected to the cover near the left-front corner area and a second hinge arm of the left-front hinge pivotally connected to the first hinge arm of the left-front hinge to permit relative pivotal movement therebetween about said pivot axis, and a right-front hinge having a first hinge arm of the right-front hinge connected to the cover near the right-front corner area and a second hinge arm of the right-front hinge pivotally connected to the first hinge arm of the right-front hinge to permit relative pivotal movement therebetween about said pivot axis;
• d) a left-front latch assembly connected to the second arm of the left-front hinge for being positioned by the second arm of the left-front hinge to engage the left front latch striker to establish latching engagement between the left-front latch assembly and the left-front latch striker to connect the cover and the second arm of the left-front hinge for concurrent pivotal movement about said pivot axis when the cover is in the open position, a right-front latch assembly connected to the second arm of the right-front hinge for being positioned by the second arm of the right-front hinge to engage the right front latch striker to establish latching engagement between the right-front latch assembly and the right-front latch striker to connect the cover and the second arm of the right-front hinge for concurrent pivotal movement about said pivot axis when the cover is in the open position, with the latching engagement between the left-front and right-front latch assemblies and the left-front and right-front striker assemblies also serving to latch the cover to the body structure when the cover is in the closed position;
• e) first means for releasing the latching engagements between the left-rear and right-rear latch assemblies and the left-rear and right-rear latch strikers without releasing the latching engagements between the left-front and right front latch assemblies and the left-front and right-front strikers to thereby permit the cover to be pivoted with the second arms of the left-front and right-front hinges about said pivot axis between the open position and the closed position;
• and,
• f) second means for releasing the latching engagement between the left-front and right-front latch assemblies and the left-front and right-front striker assemblies to disconnect the cover from the body structure.

A latch and hinge combination for compactly establishing separate pivotal and removable connections between a cargo compartment cover and body structure that defines a cargo compartment of a vehicle, comprising:

• a) a hinge having a first arm for connection to the cover, and a second arm pivotally connected to the first arm for pivotal movement about a pivot axis of the hinge;
• b) a latch striker for connection to the body structure;
• and,
• c) a latch assembly connected to the second arm and having movable latch components that are movable relative to a housing of the latch assembly between a latched position latchingly engaging the striker and un-latched position disengaged from the striker 1) for establishing, when the movable latch components are moved to their latched position, a rigid connection between the second arm and the body that will permit the cover and the second arm to pivot together about the pivot axis of the hinge, and 2) for disengaging the striker, when the movable latch components are moved to their unlatched position, to permit the cover to be completely removed from the body structure.

A hinge-mounted latch and striker system for establishing a pivotal connection between a cargo compartment cover and body structure defining a cargo compartment of a vehicle to permit the cover to pivot between an open position that provides access to the cargo compartment and a closed position closing at least a selected portion of the cargo compartment, and for permitting the cover to be removed from the structure, comprising:

• a) a hinge having a first arm for connection to a selected one of the cover and the body structure, and a second arm pivotally connected to the first arm;
• b) a striker for connection to the other of the cover and the body structure;
• and,
• c) a rotary latch assembly having a notched housing rigidly connected to the second arm, a notched jaw rotatably connected to the housing, first means for retaining the notched jaw in a latched position wherein the notched jaw is cooperative with the notched housing to maintain a latched connection between the rotary latch assembly and the striker that enables the cover to pivot relative to the body structure between the open position and the closed position, and second means for being operated manually to release the latched connection between the rotary latch assembly and the striker to permit the cover to be removed from the body structure.

A latch system for releasably retaining in a closed position a cargo compartment cover of a vehicle that is movable between the closed position and an open position that provides access to a cargo compartment defined by body structure of a vehicle, comprising:

• a) first and second latch assemblies for being connected to the cover for latchingly engaging first and second latch strikers, respectively, connected to the body structure, and for being operated to release the cover so the cover can be moved to the open position;
• b) a latch operating assembly having a housing for mounting at a selected location on the cover, wherein the housing is elongate and defines first and second end regions, with the first end region being located closest to the first latch assembly, and with the second end region being located closest to the second latch assembly;
• c) with the housing having a generally curved cross-section defined at least in part by a generally concave rear wall that substantially conforms to a convex surface defined by the closure at the selected location;
• d) with the latch operating assembly also including first and second latch operators connected to the first and second end regions, respectively, for movement toward and away from each other;
• e) first means for connecting the first latch assembly to the first latch operator, and second means for connecting the second latch assembly to the second latch operator, such that, when the first and second latch operators are moved toward each other, the first and second latch assemblies are caused to substantially concurrently release the cover for movement to the open position;
• and,
• f) wherein the housing has-a curved front wall that cooperates with the curved rear wall to provide the housing with a generally C-shaped cross-section.

A latch system for releasably retaining in a closed position a cargo compartment of a vehicle that has one side region of the cover connected by hinges to body structure that defines a cargo compartment of a vehicle, with the cover being movable about a pivot axis defined by the hinges between the closed position and an open position, comprising:

• a) first and second latch assemblies for being connected to the cover at first and second locations, respectively, that are near an opposite side region of the cover for latching engaging latch strikers connected to the body structure;
• b) a latch operator assembly for being connected to the cover at a position located generally between the first and second locations, wherein the latch operator assembly includes an elongate housing that has substantially identical first and second end regions that are symmetrical about an imaginary, transversely extending center plane that intersects the housing between the first and second end regions, and wherein the first and second end regions define first and second recesses, respectively, that also are substantially identical and substantially symmetrical about the center plane;
• c) wherein the latch operator assembly also includes first and second latch operators slidably connected to the housing and having first and second front portions located within the first and second recesses, respectively, for being moved relative to the housing between non-operated positions located relatively far from each other and operated positions located relatively closer to each other, and having first and second rear portions located behind the first and second recesses, respectively, and being connected to the first and second front portions, respectively, by first and second central portions that extend through first and second slots, respectively, that are defined by the housing to extend through first and second back walls of the housing located at the rear of the first and second recesses, respectively;
• d) first means for connecting the first rear portion to a first release of the first latch assembly for moving the first release to unlatch the first latch assembly from the first latch striker in response to movement of the first latch operator from the non-operated position of the first latch operator to the operated position of the first latch operator;
• and
• e) second means for connecting the second rear portion to a second release of the second latch assembly for moving the second release to unlatch the second latch assembly from the second latch striker in response to movement of the second latch operator from the non-operated position of the second latch operator to the operated position of the second latch operator.

A latch operator for independently and for concurrently operating a first latch assembly and a second latch assembly located at positions spaced from each other for releasing the first latch assembly from latchingly engaging a first latch striker, and for releasing a second latch assembly from latchingly engaging a second latch striker, comprising:

• a) an elongate one-piece housing that has substantially identical first and second end regions located at opposite ends of a length of the housing, 1) wherein the first and second end regions are connected by a central region, 2) wherein the first and second end regions and the central region cooperate to define a front outer surface of the housing that extends along at least portions of the length of the housing, 3) wherein the first end region defines a first recess that opens forwardly through the front outer surface and has a first back wall that closes rear portions of the first recess, 4) wherein the second end region defines a second recess that opens forwardly through the front outer surface, that has a second back wall that closes rear portions of the second recess, and that is substantially identical to the first recess;
• 5) wherein the central region extends between and separates the first recess from the second recess, and 6) wherein the central region defines a substantially centrally located hole that opens forwardly through the front outer surface of the housing and that opens rearwardly through a back surface defined by the central region of the housing;
• b) wherein the first back wall has a first slot formed therethrough that opens forwardly into the first recess and that has a length that substantially parallels the length of the housing, and wherein the second back wall has a second slot formed therethrough that opens forwardly into the second recess and that has a length that substantially parallels the length of the housing;
• c) a first latch operator slidably connected to the housing and having a first front portion located within the first recess, wherein the first latch operator is movable within the first recess between a non-operated position of the first latch operator and an operated position of the first latch operator, with the first latch operator being located closer to the second recess when the first latch operator is in the operated position of the first latch operator than when the first latch operator is in the non-operated position of the first latch operator;
• d) a second latch operator slidably connected to the housing and having a second front portion located within the second recess, wherein the second latch operator is movable within the second recess between a non-operated position of the second latch operator an operated position of the second latch operator, with the second latch operator being located closer to the first recess when the second latch operator is in the operated position of the second latch operator than when the second latch operator is in the non-operated position of the second latch operator;
• e) wherein the first latch operator has a first rear portion located behind the first back wall of the first recess, and a first central portion that extends through the first slot to connect the first front portion and the first rear portion;
• f) wherein the second latch operator has a second rear portion located behind the second back wall of the second recess, and a second central portion that extends through the second slot to connect the second front portion and the second rear portion;
• g) wherein the first rear portion is adapted for connection to a release of a first latch for operating the release of the first latch in response to movement of the first latch operator from the non-operated position of the first latch operator to the operated position of the first latch operator;
• h) wherein the second rear portion is adapted for connection to a release of a second latch for operating the release of the second latch in response to movement of the second latch operator from the non-operated position of the second latch operator to the operated position of the first latch operator;
• i) wherein the first latch operator and the second latch operator are configured to permit independent movement of the first latch operator to release the first latch without causing movement of the second latch operator to release the second latch, to permit independent movement of the second latch operator to release the second latch without causing movement of the first latch operator to release the first latch, and to permit concurrent movement of the first and second latch operators to concurrently release the first and second latches;
• j) a key operated lock cylinder mounted in the hole defined by the central region and having a cam located behind the back surface defined by the central region and adapted to be rotated between locked and unlocked position in response to rotation of an appropriately configured key inserted into the key cylinder;
• and,
• k) means 1) for being connected to the first rear portion of the first latch operator, 2) for being connected to the second rear portion of the second latch operator, and 3) for being engaged by the cam when the cam is in the unlocked position to prevent movement of the first latch operator to the operated position of the first latch operator, and to prevent movement of the second latch operator to the operated position of the second latch operator.

A latch striker for being latchingly engaged by a rotary latch assembly and for protectively enclosing at least portions of the rotary latch assembly during such engagement, comprising:

• a) a stamped metal housing having a bottom wall that joins spaced, substantially parallel-extending side walls to provide a U-shaped housing for surrounding a latch receiving chamber;
• b) a post extending into the chamber from at least one of the side walls for being latchingly engaged by the rotary latch assembly when the rotary latch assembly is moved into the latch receiving chamber;
• c) means extending from at least a selected one of the bottom wall and the side walls for pressing resiliently against the rotary latch assembly when the rotary latch assembly is moved into the latch receiving chamber;
• and,
• d) wherein the means for pressing resiliently against the rotary latch assembly includes a spring carrying member movably connected to the bottom wall for pressing against the rotary latch assembly to urge the rotary latch assembly out of the latch receiving chamber.

A latch striker for being latchingly engaged by a rotary latch assembly and for protectively enclosing at least portions of the rotary latch assembly during such engagement, comprising:

• a) a stamped metal housing having a bottom wall that joins spaced, substantially parallel-extending side walls to provide a U-shaped housing for surrounding a latch receiving chamber;
• b) a post extending into the chamber from at least one of the side walls for being latchingly engaged by the rotary latch assembly when the rotary latch assembly is moved into the latch receiving chamber;
• c) means extending from at least a selected one of the bottom wall and the side walls for pressing resiliently against the rotary latch assembly when the rotary latch assembly is moved into the latch receiving chamber;
• and,
• d) wherein the means for pressing resiliently against the rotary latch assembly includes first and second spring members carried on opposite end regions of the post for biasing the rotary latch assembly away from each of the side walls toward a centered position within the latch receiving chamber.