Patent ID: 8590946
Filing Date: 2013-11-26
Classification: E05B,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A latch, comprising: a support body; a ratchet rotatably coupled to the support body and rotatable between a latched position and a released position, the ratchet being biased to the released position; a pawl pivotally coupled to the support body and pivotal between a ratchet-engaged position in which the pawl engages and checks the movement of the ratchet and a ratchet-disengaged position spaced from and disengaged from the ratchet, the pawl being biased to the ratchet-engaged position; an electromechanical actuator having an actuator output member for moving the pawl to the ratchet-disengaged position, the actuator output member moving along a travel path between a start position and an end position and vice versa, wherein the actuator output member is constrained from rotating, and wherein the electromechanical actuator includes a motor and gear assembly, a lead screw operatively coupled to the motor and gear assembly for rotation thereby and extending longitudinally between a first end coupled to the motor and gear assembly and an opposite second end adjacent the pawl, a nutscrew threadably mounted on the lead screw and constrained from rotation so as to translate longitudinally along the lead screw between the first B and second ends in response to rotation thereof, and a projection extending from the nutscrew, defining the actuator output member; and a snowload lever pivotally coupled to the support body and pivotal between a pawl-disengaged position and a pawl-engaged position, the snowload lever including a horizontal arm and a vertical arm wherein the actuator output member is abutted between the horizontal arm and the pawl when the snowload lever is pivoted to the pawl-engaged position to maintain the pawl in the ratchet-disengaged position and the vertical arm is engaged by the ratchet in the released position to pivot the snowload lever to the pawl-disengaged position returning the pawl to the ratchet-engaged position.