Closure fasteners – Bolts – Swinging
Reexamination Certificate
2001-01-26
2003-04-15
Swann, J. J. (Department: 3677)
Closure fasteners
Bolts
Swinging
C292S109000, C292S110000, C292S111000, C292SDIG001
Reexamination Certificate
active
06547291
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a latch assembly having a secondary latch for securing a vehicle hood in a partially open position after release of the hood by a primary latch.
2. Background Art
Vehicle body hoods are conventionally mounted by hinge assemblies on a vehicle body for movement between closed and open positions. A primary latch is conventionally utilized to secure the hood in the closed position and is releasable to release the hood for movement from the closed position to the open position. Normally the release is provided by an operator within the vehicle occupant compartment either through a cable connection or through an electric connection to a solenoid of the latch. As such, individuals such as valets who have access to the passenger compartment also have access to the engine compartment under the hood even though they do not have any authority or reason for such engine compartment access.
Also, a vehicle hood latch assembly also conventionally includes a secondary latch for holding the hood in a partially open position after it is initially released by the primary latch. Such secondary latches normally include a latch member that extends upwardly and, in order to have sufficient manual access to permit release of the secondary latch, a hood inner panel often needs to have a hole that receives the upper end of the secondary latch member in the fully closed position.
Prior art references noted during an investigation conducted in connection with the invention include U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,246,787 Dall; U.S. Pat. No. 2,246,794 Dall; U.S. Pat. No. 2,256,465 Brubaker; U.S. Pat. No. 3,796,075 Grogan; U.S. Pat. No. 3,905,624 Fujita; U.S. Pat. No. 4,456,289 Badiali; U.S. Pat. No. 4,671,548 Häberle et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,702,094 Peterson; U.S. Pat. No. 4,752,092 Faust; U.S. Pat. No. 4,836,591 Faust; U.S. Pat. No. 4,875,350 Faust; U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,979 Escaravage; U.S. Pat. No. 4,961,601 Lindholm et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,048,877 Rogers, Jr. et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,247,817 Körner et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,725,260 Eikmeier et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,793,122 Dingwall et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,833,024 Kancko; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,014,876 Taylor.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide an improved latch assembly for a vehicle hood.
In carrying out the above object, the latch assembly of the invention functions with a vehicle hood mounted on a vehicle body for movement between a fully open position and a fully closed position. The latch assembly includes a primary latch having a latching catch movable between: a latching position to secure the vehicle hood in the closed position, and an unlatched position that permits movement of the hood from the closed position toward the open position. The latch assembly also includes a secondary latch member having an upper hook end for engaging a striker mounted on the hood to hold the hood in a partially open position when the latching catch of the primary latch is in the unlatched position. The secondary latch member has an engagement surface located below the upper hook end. A lower end of the secondary latch member is located below the engagement surface. A pin and slot mounting connection of the second latch mounts the lower end of the secondary latch member on the vehicle body for pivotal movement between latched and unlatched positions with respect to the striker and for translational movement between a lower retraced position and an upper extended position. The secondary latch member is moved to the lower retracted position by closing movement of the hood as the striker engages the engagement surface of the secondary latch member, and the secondary latch member is moved to the upper extended position by opening movement of the hood.
The secondary latch also includes a spring for biasing the secondary latch member to the latched position and for biasing the secondary latch member upwardly to its upper extended position.
The upper hook end of the secondary latch member includes a first cam surface that pivots the secondary latch member against the bias of the spring from the latched position to the unlatched position when the hood is moved from the fully open position toward the fully closed position. The secondary latch member also has a cam arm including a second cam surface that extends from the engagement surface and is engaged by the striker as the vehicle hood is moved toward the fully closed position to ensure that the secondary latch member moves to the latched position.
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Brooks & Kushman P.C.
Midway Products Group, Inc.
Rodgers Matthew E.
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