Patent ID: 7530609
Filing Date: 2009-05-12
Classification: E05B,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A self-presenting latch assembly comprising: a hood movable between a fully closed position and a fully open position; a striker located in a fixed position; a mounting bracket secured to the hood; a release hook supported by the mounting bracket; a release handle supported by the mounting bracket and operably connected to the release hook; wherein the release handle is pivotable relative to the mounting bracket between a first position wherein the hood is in the fully closed position and a grasping portion of the release handle is out of view, a second position wherein the hood is in a partially open position between the fully open position and the fully closed position and the grasping portion is presented in view and the release hook is engaging the striker to retain the hood in the partially open position, and a third position wherein the release handle has been manually rotated from its second position and the release hook is released from the striker so that the hood can be moved from the partially open position to the fully open position; a first spring member biasing the release handle towards the first position; wherein the release hook is pivotable relative to the release handle between a locked position wherein the release hook is lockingly engageable with the striker and pivotable with the release lever as the hood is moved from the fully closed position to the partially open position and as the release lever is manually pivoted from the second position to the third position and a released position wherein the release hook is out of locking engagement with the striker while the hood is moved from the fully open position to the fully closed position and the release handle remains in the first position; wherein a primary pivot pin pivotably connects the release handle to the mounting bracket and a secondary pivot pin pivotably connects the release hook to the release handle; wherein the release hook engages the striker and pivots about the primary pivot pin along with the release handle so that the release handle is pivoted from the first position to the second position against the bias of the first spring member and the release hook catches the striker to retain the hood in the partially open position when the hood is raised from the fully closed position to the partially open position with a force adequate to overcome the bias of the first spring member; wherein the release handle can be manually pivoted about the primary pivot pin along with the release hook so that the release handle is pivoted from the second position to the third position against the bias of the first spring member and the release hook is released from the striker so that the hood can be moved from the partially open position to the fully open position when the release handle is manually pivoted toward the third position with a force adequate to overcome the bias of the first spring member; and wherein the release handle automatically returns to the first position from the third position due to the bias of the first spring member when the release handle is manually released and the release hook is released from the striker.