Electrically operated ratcheting pawl latch
AssigneeSouthco, Inc.
InventorEric D. Hyp
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention is directed to a latch that includes a housing, a pawl pivotally supported by the housing and movable between a latched position and an unlatched position, a spring biasing the pawl toward the unlatched position, and a locking member being rotationally movable about an axis of rotation between an open position and a locked position. The locking member interferes with the movement of the pawl such that the pawl is maintained in the latched position when the pawl is in the latched position and the locking member is in the locked position. The locking member allows the pawl to move to the unlatched position when the locking member is in the open position. The latch may further include a motor housing, a lockplug, a lockplug member, at least one roller switch, at least one gearbox, and a motor.
Claims15
A latch comprising:
- a housing;
- a pawl pivotally supported by said housing, said pawl being movable between a latched position and an unlatched position;
- biasing means biasing said pawl toward said unlatched position;
- and
- a locking member rotationally supported relative to said housing, said locking member being rotationally movable about an axis of rotation between an open position and a locked position, said locking member interfering with movement of said pawl such that said pawl is maintained in said latched position when said pawl is in said latched position and said locking member is in said locked position, said locking member allowing said pawl to move to said unlatched position when said locking member is in said open position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.