Patent ID: 6123372
Filing Date: 2000-09-26
Classification: E05B,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
A door latch with a cinching mechanism having a manual override comprising:an enclosure;a latching mechanism including a fork bolt pivotally mounted on the enclosure about a fork bolt axis operable for selective movement between an unlatched position, a secondary latched position, and a primary latched position;a cinching mechanism including:a cinching gear pivotally mounted on the enclosure adjacent the fork bolt about a cinching gear axis, the cinching gear engaging the fork bolt and being operable to drive the fork bolt to the primary latched position;a gear lever moveably supported on the enclosure adjacent the cinching gear and being operable to drive the cinching gear;an elongated cinching cable having a first end and a second end, the first end being attached to the gear lever;a cable drive disposed at the second end of the cinching cable and being operable to pull and release the cable;a cable conduit extending over and supporting a length of the cable between the drive and the gear lever, the cable conduit having a first end disposed adjacent the drive and a spaced-apart second end disposed adjacent the enclosure;a conduit lever attached to the enclosure remote from the gear lever, the second end of the cable conduit attached to the conduit lever;a spring extending along the cable and having a first end and a second end, the first end disposed adjacent the conduit lever and the second end disposed adjacent the gear lever; anda manual override including:a pivoting connection interconnecting the conduit lever and the enclosure to allow the conduit lever and the conduit to pivot with respect to the enclosure selectively between a fixed position and loose position; anda detent supported on the enclosure adjacent the conduit lever and operable to move from an engaged position in which the detent engages the conduit lever and retains the conduit lever in the fixed position, to a disengaged position in which the detent disengages the conduit lever to allow the conduit lever to pivot to the loose position.