Patent Abstract:
A vent assembly has a locking mechanism to retain its cover on its base. The locking mechanism includes a latch and linkage coupled with the latch to move the latch between a locked and an unlocked position. A post member extends from the cover to cooperate with the latch such that in a locked condition, the cover is locked with the base in a closed position. When the latch is moved to a second position, the cover is enabled to pivot away from the base to an open position.

Full Description:
FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to vent assemblies for motor vehicles and, more particularly, to a locking mechanism to retain a cover in position. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In motor vehicles, such as motor coaches, which include a living area, it is desirable to have a vent assembly which enables the interior of the coach to vent. Ordinarily, a vent assembly is utilized with a fan that is capable of moving air either into or out of the interior of the motor coach. One such vent assembly is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,633,769 entitled “Roof Vent Fan Assembly”. 
     Ordinarily, when the motor coach is being driven, the cover of the vent assembly is in the down position. The vent assemblies usually include an arm to raise and lower the cover between an open and closed position. 
     The disclosure provides a lock assembly to retain the cover in position during movement of the vehicle. The disclosure provides a locking mechanism which moves between an open and closed position to retain the cover in position during motion of the vehicle. The disclosure provides a fan assembly with a two point retention system to retain the cover in position during motion of the vehicle. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to a first aspect of the disclosure, a vent assembly comprises a base with an optional rotatable fan assembly mounted on the base to rotate a fan blade in the base. A cover is movably coupled with the base such that it moves between an open and a closed position. A locking mechanism is associated with the base. The locking mechanism includes a latch and a linkage coupled with the latch to move the latch between a locked and an unlocked position. A member extends from the cover. The member cooperates with the latch such that when the latch is in a locked condition, the cover is secured with the base in a closed position. When the latch is in an unlocked condition, the cover is enabled to be pivoted away from the base into an open position. 
     Accordingly to a second aspect of the disclosure, the locking mechanism is provided for use with a vent assembly including a base and a cover. The locking member comprises a latch and a linkage coupled with said latch. The linkage moves the latch between a locked and an unlocked position. A member extends from the cover. The member cooperates with the latch such that when in a locked condition, the cover is locked with said base in a closed position. When the latch is in an unlocked condition, the cover is enabled to pivot away from the base to its open position. The latch is hook shaped and includes a ramped surface. The member is a post extending from the cover which can be formed unitarily with the cover. The post includes a head with a planar surface which is contacted by the ramp surface of the latch. The linkage has two ends. The latch is secured at one end of the linkage and a handle is secured at the other end. The linkage includes a rotatable rod coupled to the latch. 
     Accordingly to a third aspect of the disclosure, a vent assembly includes a two point cover locking mechanism. A cover is movably coupled with a base between an open and a closed position. A locking mechanism is associated with the base. The locking mechanism includes a latch and a linkage coupled with the latch. The linkage moves the latch between a locked and an unlocked position. A member extends from the cover. The member cooperates with the latch such that when the latch is in a locked condition, the cover is secured with the base in a closed position. When the latch is in an unlocked condition, the cover may pivot away from the base to an open position. An arm is coupled with the cover. The arm raises and lowers to move the cover between its open and closed position. The arm is positioned adjacent the fan on one side of the base. The locking mechanism is positioned on a side opposite to that of the arm. The latch is hook shaped and includes a ramped surface. The member is a post extending from the cover which can be formed unitarily with the cover. The post includes a head which has a planar surface which is contacted by the ramp surface of the latch. The linkage has two ends with the latch at one end and a handle at the other end. The linkage includes a rotatable rod coupled to the latch. 
     Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the provided description. It should be understood that the description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. 
    
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
       The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a vent assembly with a locking mechanism. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view from inside of the base with the locking mechanism in a first closed position. 
         FIG. 3  is a view like  FIG. 2 , with the locking mechanism in an opened position. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the locking mechanism secured on the post of the cover assembly. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the locking assembly in an open position. 
         FIG. 6  is an elevation view of a portion of  FIG. 4 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses. 
     Turning to the figures, particularly  FIG. 1 , a vent assembly is illustrated and designated with the reference numeral  10 . The vent assembly includes a base  12  and a cover  14  pivotally attached to the base  12 . An arm mechanism  16  pivots the cover  14  between an open and closed position. A locking mechanism  18  is associated with the base  12 . 
     A fan  20  and motor  22  are optionally mounted in a cylindrical opening  24  in the base  12 . The base  12  includes a peripherally extending deck  26  which enables the base  12  to be mounted on a surface of the vehicle. The base  12  includes an upper portion  28  which enables securement of the cover  14 , generally via a hinge (not shown), with the base  12 . Also, a seal  30  is positioned about the periphery of the free end of the upper portion  28 . The base  12  includes a lower portion  32  which enables the fan assembly  10  to fit through an opening in the vehicle. 
     The arm  16  is secured with a bracket  34 . The bracket  34  is secured to extending members  36  on the cover  14 . The bracket  32  includes a slot  38  to enable an arm pin to slide within the slot  38  so that the cover  14  is moved between its open and closed position. 
     The locking mechanism  18  includes a latch  40 . The latch  40  is connected with a linkage  42 . The other end of the linkage  42  includes a handle  44 . The latch  40  is an overall C or U shaped hook. The latch  40  tapers peripherally from its connection with the linkage  42  to its free extending end  46  as best seen in  FIG. 5 . An opening  48  is defined between the free end  46  and the connection end  50  of the hook. The latch free end  46  includes a ramp surface  52 . The ramp  52  tapers away from the free end  46  such that the ramps  52  has its smallest thickness at the free end  46 . 
     The linkage  42  is defined by a rod member with the latch  40  at one end and the handle  44  at the other. The linkage  42  extends through the base housing to position the latch  40  on top of the upper portion  28  and the handle on the bottom of the lower portion  32  Thus, as the handle  44  is rotated, the rod linkage  42  directly rotates the latch  40 . The rotation of the handle  44  moves the latch  40  between an open or unlocked position to a closed or locked position as illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . 
     The cover  12  includes a projecting post member  60 . The post member includes a head  62  extending from the post  60 . The head  62  may be fastened with the post  60  or unitarily formed with it. The head  62  includes a planar surface  64  to contact the ramp  52 . 
     The latch  40  includes a stop  70 . The stop  70  is positioned at the end of the tapered ramp  52 . The stop  70  is defined by junction of the ramp surface  52  and end surface  72 . The end surface  72  intersects the ramp surface  52  to form a wedge. The stop  70 , with its wedge shape, has the end surface  72  angled towards or away from the tip  46  of the latch  40 . Thus, the stop  70  has a biting line contact into the planar surface  64  of the head  62  to lock the latch  40  in its retained position as illustrated in  FIGS. 2 ,  4 , and  6 . 
     The cover  14  is locked with the base  12  as follows. The locking member  18  is rotated via handle  44  which, in turn, moves the ramps  52  on the free end  46  of the latch  44  into contact with the planar surface  64  of the head  62 . As this occurs, the ramp tapered surface  54  is in contact with the planar surface  64 . As the handle  44  continues to rotate, the ramp surface  54  moves along the planar surface  64 . As this occurs, the cover  12  is pulled downward in response to the tapered thickness of the ramp spaced away from the free end  46 . Also, the wedge shape stop  70  comes into the contact with the planar surface  64 . This biting action of the wedge shape stop  70  maintains the latch  40  on the head  62  while the latch is in contact with the head. Also, a portion of the latch  40  is above the head  62  to retain the head  62  from exiting the latch  40 . As the handle  44  reaches its end of rotation, the cover  12  is snuggly pulled against the seal  30  on the periphery of the upper portion  28  of the base  12  as seen in  FIG. 4 . 
     To unlock the cover  14 , the handle  44  is rotated in the opposite direction. As this occurs, the linkage  42  rotates the latch  40 . The thickest portion of the ramp  52  moves away from the planar surface  64  of the head  62 . This movement continues until the latch free end  46  releases from the planar surface  64  as seen in  FIGS. 3 and 5 . Thus, the cover  14  is able to be moved from its closed position to an open position. 
     A crank (not shown) is rotated which, in turn, causes the arm  16  to move away from the base  12 . As this occurs, the arm pin slides in the slot  38  in the bracket  32 . This movement raises the cover  14 , as illustrated in phantom in  FIG. 1 , to an open position. 
     To return the cover  14  to its closed position, the crank is rotated in the opposite direction. Thus, the arm  16  pulls the cover  14  down to contact with the base seal  30 . The arm  16  is on one side of the base  12  while the locking mechanism  18  is on the other. Thus, the arm  16  and locking mechanism  18  pull down two sides of the cover  14  to pull the cover  14  against the base  12 . Thus, a two point cover retention is achieved. This maintains the cover  14  snuggly against the base seal. 
     The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Technology Classification (CPC): 8