Latch assembly
AssigneeMatre Group, LLC.
InventorDaniel A. Matre
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present disclosure is directed to a latch assembly that includes a pawl assembly, a lever assembly and a lock assembly. The pawl assembly is actuated from an open position to a closed assembly by the lever assembly. The lever assembly includes a drive lever having a slot and a driven lever having a slot that is open on one end. The lock assembly has an engagement member that moves along the slot of the drive lever between an engaged position and a disengaged position. When in the engaged position, the engagement member is received within the slot of the driven lever. When in the disengaged position, the engagement member is outside of the slot of the driven lever.
Claims19
A latch assembly comprising:
- a pawl assembly having an open position and a closed position;
- a lever assembly that actuates the pawl assembly from the closed position to the open position, the lever assembly comprising:
- a drive lever having a slot;
- and
- a driven lever having a slot that is open on one end;
- a lock assembly having an engagement member that moves along the slot of the drive lever between an engaged position where the engagement member is received within the slot of the driven lever and a disengaged position where the engagement member is outside of the slot of the driven lever;
- a cam lever that actuates the drive lever;
- and
- a biasing element that biases the drive lever toward the cam lever, wherein the biasing element is aligned with an axis that is substantially parallel to a plane through which the cam lever moves.
A latch assembly comprising:
- a housing;
- and
- a lever assembly supported by the housing, the lever assembly comprising
- a drive lever having a slot;
- a driven lever having a slot, wherein the drive lever drives the driven lever when an engagement member is positioned within the slot of the driven lever;
- and
- a cam lever that actuates the drive lever, wherein the cam lever is positioned on one side of the housing and does not extend through the housing.
A latch assembly comprising:
- a housing;
- a handle that is rotatably attached to the housing by an axle;
- a pawl assembly supported by the housing, the pawl assembly having an open position and a closed position;
- a lever assembly that actuates the pawl assembly from the closed position to the open position, the lever assembly being supported by the housing and comprising:
- a drive lever having a slot;
- a driven lever having a slot that is open on one end;
- and
- a cam lever that actuates the drive lever, the cam lever being secured to the axle so that rotation of the axle causes the cam lever to rotate;
- wherein the cam lever is positioned on one side of the housing and does not extend through the housing;
- a lock assembly having an engagement member that moves along the slot of the drive lever between an engaged position where the engagement member is received within the slot of the driven lever and a disengaged position where the engagement member is outside of the slot of the driven lever;
- wherein the drive lever drives the driven lever only when the engagement member is in the engaged position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.