Patent ID: 8356844

Claim:
An aircraft panel latch having a locked position and an unlocked position, the aircraft panel latch comprising: an upper latch member comprising a rotatable lock member having an outwardly extending leg, a lock member movement means operatively connected to said lock member, and a lock position visual indicator; and a lower latch member, said lower latch member pivotally connected to said upper latch member, said lower latch member comprising a support structure and a lock member retention structure, said lock member retention structure comprising a ramping structure wherein the upper latch member is pivotally moveable between an open and a closed position, the rotatable lock member extending into the lock member retention structure when the upper latch member is in the closed position, and further wherein the outwardly extending leg of the rotatable lock member is urged along the ramping structure by rotation of the rotatable lock member to a locked position of the rotatable lock member, the engagement of the outwardly extending leg with the ramping structure securing the upper latch member firmly in place when the rotatable lock member is in a locked position.