Patent ID: 6296286
Filing Date: 2001-10-02
Classification: E05B,E05C,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
In combination, a first panel having an outer surface, an inner surface and aperture therethrough extending in an axial direction between said outer surface and said inner surface and a latch flush mounted in said first panel, the latch comprising:a housing defining an upper terminating end and a lower terminating end along a longitudinal axis and an outer surface between said upper and lower terminating ends, wherein at least a portion of said outer surface of said housing adjacent to said upper terminating end is received in said aperture in said first panel and said upper terminating end is positioned substantially flush with said outer surface of said first panel when said housing is in a mounted position;retaining means for securing said housing when said housing is received within said aperture of said first panel, wherein said retaining means is capable of assuming mounting and mounted positions, said retaining means further including rotational position retaining means, axial position retaining means, means for substantially preventing movement of said rotational position retaining means in said mounted position, and means for substantially preventing movement of said axial position retaining means in said mounted position, with said rotational position retaining means and said axial position retaining means being movable in said mounting position and substantially fixed in said mounted position, said rotational position retaining means retaining a rotational position of said latch when said rotational position retaining means and said housing are in said mounted position and said means for substantially preventing movement of said rotational position retaining means in said mounted position substantially prevents movement of said rotational position retaining means in said mounted position, said axial position retaining means retaining an axial position of said latch when said axial position retaining means and said housing are in said mounted position and said means for substantially preventing movement of said axial position retaining means in said mounted position substantially prevents movement of said axial position retaining means in said mounted position, and with said rotational position retaining means in said mounting position being movable along said longitudinal axis and being substantially fixed against rotation about said longitudinal axis relative to said housing.