Patent ID: 7552954
Filing Date: 2009-06-30
Classification: E05B,E05C,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A stowage bin latch assembly on an overhead storage bin for an airplane providing positive bin latch position status the overhead storage bin has a stationary member and a movable member disposed adjacent to and moving relative to the stationary member, the latch assembly comprising: a latch disposed on the movable member movable between a latched and an unlatched position to engage a strike disposed on the stationary member; a bezel disposed within a panel of the movable member; a handle generally flush with the bezel and having a center portion, a first grip portion and a second grip portion, said center portion disposed between the first grip portion and the second grip portion, the center portion pivotally mounting the handle within the bezel by a pin, the first grip portion comprises a first visual indicator, the bezel comprises a second visual indicator and the latch assembly further comprises a third visual indicator positioned on the panel of the movable member adjacent the bezel and operatively connected to the handle; a transmission mechanism coupling the handle to the latch so that when the handle is operated, it transmits an unlatch movement to the latch through the transmission mechanism, so that the latch can be moved to the unlatched position; a spring member positioned between the bezel and the transmission mechanism; when the latch is engaged with the strike in a latched position, the center portion and the first and second grip portions are disposed substantially flush with the bezel, the spring member is compressed, the first and second visual indicators are not visible and said third indicator is concealed within the panel of the movable member; when the latch is in the unlatched position, the spring member maintains the handle in a position where the first grip portion extends out of the bezel and the second grip portion extends is moved into the inside of the bezel, making the first, second and third visual indicators visible to indicate that the latch is unlatched; the visual indicators will be maintained exposed until the handle is moved against the biasing force of the spring member to be substantially flush with the bezel by movement of the latch by the strike toward the latch position; wherein the first visual indicator is a painted surface on sides of the first grip portion, the second visual indicator is a painted surface of the bezel visible only when the second grip portion is moved into the bezel, and the third visual indicator is a pop out button that pops out through an aperture on the panel of the movable member when the latch is in the unlatched position.