Back to results
US 6,485,071 B2Granted
Latch for vehicle closure member
AssigneeMidway Products Group, Inc.
InventorDennis D. Schwaiger
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A latch (36) for a vehicle body closure member (24) includes a release lever (58) supported by a pin and slot mounting connection (60) on a housing (44) for translational movement between freewheeling and operating positions. The release lever (58) through a pin and slot control connection (62) with a latching pawl (54) and its positioning in either the freewheeling or operating position prevents or permits unlatching of the closure member.
Claims8
A latch for a vehicle closure member mounted on a vehicle body member for movement between closed and open positions, the latch comprising:
- a housing mounted on one of the members;
- a latching catch mounted on the housing for movement between a latching position and an unlatched position, the latching catch in the latching position being operable to engage a striker mounted on the other member to secure the closure member in the closed position, and the latching catch upon movement to the unlatched position releasing the striker to permit movement of the closure member from the closed position to the open position;
- a latching pawl mounted on the housing for movement between:
- a latching position where the latching catch is held from moving from its latching position to its unlatched position, and an unlatched position where the latching catch is free to move from its latching position to its unlatched position;
- a release lever;
- a pin and slot mounting connection for mounting the release lever on the housing for pivotal and translational movement;
- a pin and slot control connection between the latching pawl and the release lever;
- the release lever including a first connector for use in moving the release lever for translational movement from a freewheeling position, where the pin and slot control connection prevents pivotal movement of the release lever from moving the latching pawl from its latching position to its unlatched position, to an operating position where pivotal movement of the release lever moves the latching pawl from its latching position to its unlatched position;
- and
- the release lever including a second connector for use in pivotally moving the release lever to move the latching pawl from its latching position to its unlatched position when the release lever is in the operating position to thereby permit movement of the latching catch to its unlatched position to release the striker and permit movement of the closure member from the closed position to the open position.
7 more elements
A latch for a vehicle hood mounted on a vehicle body for movement between closed and open positions, the latch comprising:
- a housing mounted on the vehicle body;
- a latching catch pivotally mounted on the housing for movement between a latching position and an unlatched position, the latching catch in the latching position being operable to engage a striker mounted on the hood to secure the hood in the closed position, and the latching catch upon movement to the unlatched position releasing the striker to permit movement of the hood from the closed position to the open position;
- a latching pawl mounted on the housing for movement between:
- a latching position where the latching catch is held from moving from its latching position to its unlatched position, and an unlatched position where the latching catch is free to move from its latching position to its unlatched position;
- a release lever;
- a pin and slot mounting connection for mounting the release lever on the housing for pivotal and translational movement;
- a pin and slot control connection between the latching pawl and the release lever;
- a control connection having a first connector to the release lever and being operable to move the release lever for translational movement from a freewheeling position, where the pin and slot control connection prevents pivotal movement of the release lever from moving the latching pawl from its latching position to its unlatched position, to an operating position where pivotal movement of the release lever moves the latching pawl from its latching position to its unlatched position;
- and
- a release cable having a second connector to the release lever and being operable to pivotally move the release lever to move the latching pawl from its latching position to its unlatched position when the release lever is in the operating position to thereby permit movement of the latching catch to its unlatched position to release the striker and permit movement of the hood from the closed position to the open position.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.