Patent ID: 7559585

Claim:
A latch assembly for selectively locking a front portion of a convertible top to a windshield header, the latch assembly comprising: a frame; a pair of latch mechanisms each lockingly engagable with a corresponding striker bar on the front portion of the convertible top; a pair of arms coupled to the latch mechanisms for moving the latch mechanisms between locked and unlocked position relative to the striker bars in response to a substantially axial displacement of the arms, the arms having opposing and spaced apart gear racks; a pinion gear engaged between the gear racks of the arms so that movement of one arm in one direction causes movement of the other arm in an opposite direction; a control arm coupled to one of the arms such that movement of the control arm causes movement of the one of the arms, the control arm having a movable pin that is slidably coupled to a slot on the frame; an actuator coupled to the control arm by the movable pin to cause actuation of the locking mechanism between locked and unlocked positions; and the frame supporting the latch mechanisms, the arms, the pinion gear and the actuator so that the entire latch assembly can be is assembled to a windshield header as a unit.