Patent ID: 6106034
Filing Date: 2000-08-22
Classification: E05C,Y10T

Abstract:
A plastic molded latch assembly for a housing comprising: closely spaced upper and lower lugs for the housing selectively positionable adjacent one another, one of the lugs having an arcuate extent of at least 180 degrees, said one lug being generally arcuate, a generally circular latch body rotatably mounted on said one lug movable rotationally from a latch position to a release position, said body having a latching portion selectively engageable with the other lug to hold the housing selectively in a closed position and being slidably engaging and rotatable on the other lug, and means for rotatably mounting the latch body on the one lug without a central pivot pin separate from the one lug including an arcuate perimeter member in the latch body engageable with a major portion of the one lug perimeter surface in both the latch position and the release position of the latch body, said means for rotatably mounting the latch body on the one lug including means for preventing removal of the latch body from the one lug except by distorting or modifying the latch body including an annular recess in the arcuate member receiving the one lug and having a flange behind and slidably engageable with the one lug, said recess and flange having an arcuate extent of at least 180 degrees, said upper and lower lugs being axially spaced from one another, said other lug having forward and rear alignment surfaces, said latching portion having a recess for receiving the other lug with axially spaced surfaces engageable with the other lug forward and rear surfaces to axially align the other lug.