Patent ID: 6409234
Filing Date: 2002-06-25
Classification: E05B,E05C,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
A latch assembly for a movable closure, the latch assembly comprising:a housing having a front, a rear, and a first wall with a forwardly facing surface and an opening through the first wall; and an actuating assembly comprising a paddle that is pivotably mounted for movement relative to the housing about a first axis between first and second positions, the paddle having a substantially straight edge extending generally parallel to the first axis over a substantial dimension of the paddle and a second wall with a rearwardly facing surface, wherein the actuating assembly further comprises a post projecting rearwardly from the second wall into the opening through the first wall, wherein the post has a third wall which is substantially planar and overlays the full opening through the first wall as viewed from the front of the latch assembly with the paddle in the first position, wherein the post has an axial dimension parallel to the first axis; wherein the paddle has a portion that is graspable by a hand of a user with the hand of the user against the straight edge to be drawn forwardly to change the paddle from the first position into the second position, wherein the post has a concave surface that is substantially continuous and uninterrupted over the axial dimension of the post to receive at least one finger on the hand of a user grasping the graspable portion of the paddle with the hand of the user against the straight edge and the paddle in each of the first and second positions.