Patent ID: 11873669
Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
Field: Civil engineering (Other fields)
Classification: CPC E  B | IPC E

Claim 15:
16. A latching system for latching a closure panel to a compartment structure, the latching system comprising:
a guide body configured to be secured to the compartment structure;
a latch rod slidably retained by the guide body;
a first latch assembly and a second latch assembly, each of the latch assemblies including:
a latch body fixed to the latch rod, the latch body of the first latch assembly spaced apart from the latch body of the second latch assembly along a length of the latch rod by a predetermined distance;
a latch pawl connected to the latch body and pivotable relative to the latch body between a latched position and an unlatched position, the latch pawl of the first latch assembly pivotable independently of the latch pawl of the second latch assembly;
a biasing member biasing the latch pawl to the latched position;

a first rod-biasing spring coaxial with the latch rod and disposed between the guide body and the latch body of the first latch assembly;
a second rod-biasing spring coaxial with the latch rod and biased against the latch body of the second latch assembly;
a first catch and a second catch configured to be secured to the closure panel and spaced apart from one another by the predetermined distance such that the latch pawl of the first latch assembly latches to the first catch and the latch pawl of the second latch assembly latches to the second catch independently of the latch pawl of the first latch assembly latching to the first catch;
wherein movement of the latch rod along a longitudinal axis of the latch rod in a direction against the first rod-biasing spring and the second rod biasing spring moves the latch body of the first latch assembly and the latch body of the second latch assembly with the latch rod to unlatch both the latch pawl of the first latch assembly and the latch pawl of the second latch assembly simultaneously;
an actuator disposed adjacent to the latch rod and adapted to receive a force to move the latch rod along the longitudinal axis of the latch rod against the first rod-biasing spring from a rest position to an actuated position; and
a lock nut secured to the latch rod adjacent to the first latch assembly and preloading the first rod-biasing spring to bias the latch rod to a rest position, the latch rod returning to the rest position when the force on the latch rod is removed.