초록 ▼

A slam to close, glove box latch includes a housing, a paddle structure connected to rotate on the housing, a rotary pawl mounted to rotate in the housing, and a lock plate carried by the paddle structure to selectively engage the rotary pawl to inhibit its movement. The rotary pawl is spring biased

A slam to close, glove box latch includes a housing, a paddle structure connected to rotate on the housing, a rotary pawl mounted to rotate in the housing, and a lock plate carried by the paddle structure to selectively engage the rotary pawl to inhibit its movement. The rotary pawl is spring biased to the open position. The paddle structure is spring biased to the closed position. The paddle structure includes guideways in which the lock plate operates. When the paddle is moved to the open position, the pawl is released to rotate open and the lock plate is carried to an interference-friction position with the pawl whereby the paddle is held in the open position. When the pawl is closed by the slam action of the latch, the interference-friction with the lock plate is released and the paddle structure returns to the closed position. Biasing is limited to two springs. The volume (envelope) of the latch is minimized.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. A low profile glove box latch assembly, comprising: a housing; a handle mounted to rotate on said housing with pivot walls and operable between an open and closed positions, said handle having a guideway on each wall thereon; a handle spring to bias the handle to the cl

The invention claimed is: 1. A low profile glove box latch assembly, comprising: a housing; a handle mounted to rotate on said housing with pivot walls and operable between an open and closed positions, said handle having a guideway on each wall thereon; a handle spring to bias the handle to the closed position; an elongated lock plate slidably carried by said handle and having an engagement portion positioned between opposed ends of the lock plate, each end being received in a respective guideway of the handle, the engagement portion having a first surface and a second surface; a claw-shaped rotary pawl having a curved rear edge and a catch, said pawl being mounted to rotate in said housing between an open and closed positions to latch and unlatch a striker; a pawl spring to bias the pawl toward the open position; wherein when the pawl is in the closed position, the first surface of the lock plate will engage the catch to hold the pawl in the closed position; wherein, when the handle is operated toward the open position, the lock plate will slide out of engagement with the catch, the second surface will face the pawl to allow the rotation toward the open position. 2. The glove box latch assembly of claim 1, wherein said lock plate also includes an outwardly extending movement arm, said movement arm being in constant contact with said housing. 3. The glove box latch assembly of claim 2, wherein said handle spring is a torsion spring having a first leg abutting said handle and a second leg abutting said housing; and said pawl spring is a torsion spring including a loop engaging said pawl and a pair of legs engaging said housing. 4. The glove box latch assembly of claim 3, wherein said lock plate is in abutment interference with said pawl when said pawl is in said closed position, and is in friction interference with said pawl when said pawl is in said open position, said friction interference also holding said handle in said open position. 5. A slam to close latch assembly, comprising: a housing; a paddle mounted to rotate on said housing between an open and closed positions, said paddle having a pair of pivot walls extending in parallel, wherein said paddle is spring biased to the closed position by a paddle spring; a rotary pawl mounted to rotate within said housing between an open and closed positions, wherein said pawl is spring biased to the open position by a pawl spring; a pair of juxtaposed guideway channels extending in parallel in said two parallel paddle walls; a lock plate extending between said pair of paddle juxtaposed guideway channels and having an engagement portion positioned between opposed ends of the lock plate, each end being received in a respective guideway of the handle, the engagement portion having a first surface and a second surface; wherein when the pawl is in the closed position, the first surface of the lock plate will engage the catch to hold the pawl in the closed position; wherein, when the handle is operated toward the open position, the lock plate will slide out of engagement with the catch, the second surface will face the pawl to allow the rotation toward the open position. 6. The latch assembly of claim 5, where said lock plate second surface engagement with said pawl is a friction engagement. 7. The latch assembly of claim 6, wherein said lock plate engages said pawl on said first surface by abutment when said paddle is in said closed position. 8. The latch assembly of claim 7, wherein said lock plate is carried by said paddle between said friction engagement and said abutment engagement by the movement of said paddle. 9. The latch assembly of claim 8, wherein said movement of said paddle from said friction to abutment engagement occurs when said paddle moves from said open to said closed positions. 10. The latch assembly of claim 9, wherein said friction engagement of said lock plate also holds said paddle in said open position, and wherein said abutment engagement holds said pawl in said closed position. 11. The latch assembly of claim 8, wherein said lock plate includes a movement arm extending therefrom to be in constant contact with said housing. 12. The latch assembly of claim 11, wherein said paddle spring is a torsion spring biasing said paddle to said closed position, having a first leg abutting said paddle and a second leg abutting said housing. 13. The latch assembly of claim 12, wherein said pawl spring is a torsion spring biasing said pawl to said open position, having a loop engaging said pawl and a pair of legs engaging said housing. 14. The latch assembly of claim 13, also including a living spring action on said lock plate operating in contact between said paddle and said housing. 15. The latch assembly of claim 14, wherein during said lock plate movement, said movement arm, said paddle and pawl torsion springs, and said living spring act to dampen vibration in said latch assembly. 16. The latch assembly of claim 15, wherein said paddle pivots on said two parallel extending walls, each wall having a pivot point which provides said paddle with a goose neck pivot; and wherein each said paddle pivot wall includes a finger which abuts said housing when said paddle reaches said open position, said abutment action of each said finger against said housing providing an audible indication of said paddle reaching said open position. 17. A latch assembly for engaging a striker, and having a housing member, comprising: a handle mounted to rotate on said housing between open and closed positions, having pivot walls, and being spring biased to the closed position by a handle spring, each pivot wall having a guideway thereon; a rotary pawl mounted to rotate within said housing between an open position and a closed position being spring biased to the open position by a pawl spring, said rotary pawl being engageable against said striker to move said rotary pawl to said closed position; and a lock plate slidably carried on said handle having an engagement portion positioned between opposed ends of the lock plate, each end being received in a respective guideway of the handle, the engagement portion having a first surface and a second surface; and positioned by said handle movement to engage said pawl; wherein, wherein when the pawl is in the closed position, the first surface of the lock plate will engage the catch to hold the pawl in the closed position; wherein, when the handle is operated toward the open position, the lock plate will slide out of engagement with the catch, the second surface will face the pawl to allow the rotation toward the open position. 18. The latch assembly of claim 17, wherein said lock plate holds said pawl with a friction contact at said second surface. 19. The latch assembly of claim 17, wherein said lock plate holds said pawl with an abutment interference contact at said first surface. 20. The latch assembly of claim 17, wherein said lock plate has a first and second faces, wherein said lock plate holds said pawl in said closed position with said first face and holds said pawl in said open position with said second face.