Patent ID: 7798538

Claim:
A latch mechanism comprising a housing, a plunger slidably mounted within the housing, the plunger defining an inner cavity with a through hole and having an extension end that will move into and out of the housing with respect to the movement of the plunger; a pawl pivotally mounted between a sloping top surface of the plunger and an internal surface of the housing, the pawl comprises a first leg projecting into the inner cavity of the plunger and an opposed second leg that will contact the internal surface of the housing, the pawl is arranged to move between an engaged position, engaging the plunger to prevent movement of the plunger, and a disengaged position, allowing movement of the plunger; means for biasing the plunger; an electrically controlled actuator located entirely within the inner cavity of the plunger and having an actuator member; wherein, when the actuator is energized, the actuator member is moved to contact the first leg of the pawl to pivotally move the pawl to the engaged position, and when the actuator is de-energized, the actuator moves out of engagement with the first leg of the pawl to allow movement of the plunger.