Patent ID: 9027971
Filing Date: 2015-05-12
Classification: B60J,E05B,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A latch, comprising: a housing, the housing having a fishmouth for receiving a striker, the fishmouth having an open top end and a closed bottom end, the top and bottom ends defining a depth therebetween; a ratchet and pawl combination for selectively retaining the striker in the fishmouth, the ratchet moving between a closed position wherein the striker is retained in the fishmouth and an open position wherein the striker is free to exit the fishmouth, the pawl moving between a locking position wherein the pawl keeps the ratchet in the closed position and an unlocked position wherein the pawl permits the movement of the ratchet out of the closed position; the ratchet being biased by a first biasing mechanism to the open position and the pawl being biased by a second biasing mechanism to the locking position; a release mechanism for urging the pawl out of the locking position; and a stop lever pivotally mounted to the housing, the stop lever having first and second arms defining a slot therebetween, the stop lever having a proboscis on one of the arms and being biased by a third biasing mechanism such that the slot generally aligns with the fishmouth with the proboscis juxtaposed to interfere with the fishmouth, the stop lever being mounted and configured for the proboscis to receive an impact from the striker so as to overcome the bias and rotate the stop lever to a blocking position wherein the non-proboscis arm intercepts the striker and prevents it from reaching the bottom end of the fishmouth; whereby in the closed position the ratchet retains the striker at an intermediate depth in the fishmouth, enabling the striker to travel toward the bottom end of the fishmouth.