Patent ID: 9279277
Filing Date: 2016-03-08
CPC Classification: E05B,Y10T

Claim Text:
1. A latch assembly comprising: a chassis; a latch bolt, movably mounted on the chassis and having a closed position for retaining a striker and an open position for releasing the striker; and a pawl having an engaged position at which the pawl is engaged with the latch bolt to hold the latch bolt in the closed position and a disengaged position at which the pawl is disengaged from the latch bolt, thereby allowing the latch bolt to move to the open position, wherein the pawl is rotatably mounted to the latch assembly via a pawl pivot pin secured to the chassis, wherein the pawl rotates about a pawl axis of the pivot pin, and wherein the pawl pivot pin includes a first arcuate portion along a peripheral edge of the pawl pivot pin, the first arcuate portion having a first radius from the pawl axis, and wherein the pawl pivot pin has a second arcuate portion extending from the first arcuate portion, a portion of the second arcuate portion having a second radius, the second radius being greater than the first radius and wherein a peripheral area of the pawl pivot pin defined by the first arcuate portion and the second arcuate portion, is greater than an area of a circle defined by the first radius, wherein friction between the pawl and the pawl pivot is reduced as the pawl primarily contacts the first arcuate portion.