Patent · US Expired

Hood latch for an engine compartment

US6149210A · kind A · utility

40Cited by
16References
17Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 16, 1999
Grant dateNov 21, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 16, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T292/57
  • WIPO fieldCivil engineering
  • WIPO sectorOther fields

Abstract

A hood latch assembly (10) has a housing (14) having a mouth (13). A ratchet (16) is pivotally mounted within the housing (14) to cooperate with the mouth (13) to pivot between an open, a secondary closed and a primary closed condition for receiving, engaging and cinching a keeper of a striker (80). The ratchet (16) is biased to the open condition. A pivotally mounted primary pawl (18) is biased for engagement with the ratchet (16) to releasably retain the ratchet (16) in the primary closed condition. A pivotally mounted secondary pawl (62) is biased for engagement with the ratchet (16) to releasably retain the ratchet (16) in the secondary closed condition. The secondary pawl (62) has a release lever (20) which rotates between a deployed position and a retracted position. As the ratchet (16) engages the striker (80), the ratchet (16) will rotate in a latching sense from the open condition to the secondary closed condition. As the ratchet (16) further rotates from the secondary closed to the primary closed condition, fully engaging the striker (80), the secondary pawl (62) follows the ratchet (16), allowing the release lever (20) to rotate from a deployed position to a retracted po…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.