Egress window latching mechanism

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6688659
  • Patent Number
    6,688,659
  • Date Filed
    Friday, December 7, 2001
    22 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, February 10, 2004
    20 years ago
Abstract
A window assembly includes a pane defining a plane, and a latch bolt housing mounted to the pane. A latch bolt is slidingly mounted to the latch bolt housing for movement in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the pane between a first position and a second position. A biasing member is operative to urge the latch bolt toward the first position, and a release handle remote from the latch bolt is operative to move the latch bolt from the first position toward the second position against a biasing force of the biasing member.
Description




FIELD OF THE INVENTION




The present invention relates to window assemblies, and more particularly to egress window assemblies for passenger vehicle windows.




BACKGROUND




Window designs for passenger vehicles such as recreational vehicles (“RV's”), busses, and railroad cars can provide alternate means of exiting in case of an emergency. Typically, such windows include a framed panel attached via a hinge to the wall of the vehicle, and a latch assembly. The window can be quickly unlatched and pivoted outward, allowing passengers to exit the vehicle by way of the window. The latches of these windows must typically meet stringent specifications. They must hold the window in place with sufficient force to provide a watertight seal and minimize vibrations and noise, yet provide for easy unlatching. They should ideally extend into the interior of the vehicle as little as possible so as not to reduce usable interior space. Further, they must meet the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Specifications, including, for example, FMVSS 217. Additionally, they should be able to provide constant latch engagement despite manufacturing tolerance stack-up. Finally, they should be inexpensive to produce, install, and maintain.




Commercially available latches for vehicle egress windows do not meet all of these requirements. One type of latch mechanism is seen in

FIGS. 12-13

, where it is shown without the window with which the assembly is associated. A latch bolt


100


includes a lower extension


102


having a triangular cross-section that, when in a first position, engages an upwardly-biasing leaf spring


104


. One face of latch bolt


100


is connected to a handle


106


, and its opposite face is connected to a horizontally-biasing spring


108


. Rotation of handle


106


actuates latch bolt


100


, pulling it horizontally and monolinearly from a first latched position, seen in

FIG. 12

, to a second unlatched position, seen in

FIG. 13

, such that lower extension


102


slides off of leaf spring


104


, permitting the window to be swung outwardly to an open position. Horizontally-biasing spring


108


pulls latch bolt


100


back to the latched position upon the window being opened and handle


106


being released. Upon shutting, triangular lower extension


102


slides up an angled portion of leaf spring


104


, which compresses until lower extension


102


clears the top of leaf spring


104


, at which point leaf spring


104


snaps upward and reengages lower extension


102


, relatching the window without any further manipulation of the latch mechanism. This automatic relatching upon shutting the window is known as “slam-shut,” and is desirable in that it requires less time and effort to latch the windows after opening them.




Another common latch mechanism for a window assembly includes keepers mounted on a structural frame around a window opening and pivotable members mounted on the rim of the window that snap over the keepers. This design is inexpensive, but requires two hands to operate, which is impractical and will not meet current specifications on certain typical larger windows. The keepers require mounting holes and fasteners and usually the removal of trim. The keepers are of such a size that they project inwardly of the vehicle an amount that presents a hazard to passengers exiting through the window, and interferes with seating space. Further, the design will not withstand variances in manufacturing tolerance stack up, and require constant adjustment of the keepers to provide the requisite snap action. The degree of force required to open and close the latches is quite high.




Another type of latch mechanism is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,927,492 to Carson. In Carson, an inner window frame and an outer window frame support a window, and the latching mechanism has an articulated linkage that folds into a contoured channel of the inner window frame in a way that latches the window shut. An actuating lever, which comprises a facing or trim molding extension, actuates the latch to a release position. The molding is pulled downward, levering the linkages out of the latched position and permitting the window to be opened. In this mechanism, no biasing means are present to return the latch automatically to the latched position, thus, “slam-shut” operation is not possible.




The latch mechanism of U.S. Pat. No. 4,635,396 to Ranz et al. is similar to that of Carson in that the latch involves a series of linkages and a molding piece that acts as an actuating lever. In this mechanism, the linkages move with the window when it is opened, and there is a shoulder mounted to a bottom support that engages with the latch bolt to latch the window shut. The Ranz latch is opened by pulling the molding upward, thus disengaging the latch bolt from the shoulder. As with Carson, no biasing means are present to permit the latch to close automatically and provide for “slam-shut” operation.




It is an object of the present invention to provide a latching mechanism that reduces or wholly overcomes some or all of the difficulties inherent in prior known devices. Particular objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, that is, those who are knowledgeable or experienced in this field of technology, in view of the following disclosure of the invention and detailed description of certain preferred embodiments.




SUMMARY




In accordance with a first aspect, a window assembly includes a pane defining a plane, and a latch bolt housing mounted to the pane. A latch bolt is slidingly mounted to the latch bolt housing for movement in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the pane between a first position and a second position. A biasing member is operative to urge the latch bolt toward the first position, and a release handle remote from the latch bolt is operative to move the latch bolt from the first position toward the second position against a biasing force of the biasing member.




In accordance with another aspect, a window assembly includes a pane and a hinge mounted along a first peripheral edge of the pane. A latch assembly includes a latch bolt housing mounted to a second peripheral edge of the pane and defining a cavity. A latch bolt is slidingly received in the cavity, and has one or more compound mounting pin slots and a beveled latch portion. The latch portion is operative to engage a shoulder of a vehicle. At least one mounting pin is secured to the latch bolt housing and is slidably received in a corresponding mounting pin slot for compound sliding movement of the latch bolt between a latched position and an unlatched position. A spring mounted to the latch bolt housing is operative to urge the latch bolt into the latched position. A release handle mounted to the pane remote from the latch bolt is operative to move the latch bolt into the unlatched position against a biasing force of the spring.




In accordance with yet another aspect, a window assembly includes a pane and a hinge mounted along a first peripheral edge of the pane. A latch assembly includes a latch bolt housing mounted to a second peripheral edge of the pane and defining a cavity. A latch bolt is slidingly received in the cavity, and has a pair of compound mounting pin slots and a beveled latch portion. The latch portion is operative to engage a shoulder of a vehicle. The compound mounting pin slots have a first segment extending substantially parallel to the second peripheral edge, a second segment extending substantially parallel to the second peripheral edge and laterally offset from the first segment, and a third segment extending at an angle with respect to the second peripheral edge and connecting the first and second segments. A pair of mounting pins are secured to the latch bolt housing and slidably received in corresponding mounting pin slots for compound sliding movement of the latch bolt between a latched position and an unlatched position. A spring is mounted to the latch bolt housing, and is operative to urge the latch bolt into the latched position. A release handle is mounted to the pane remote from the latch bolt, and is operative to move the latch bolt into the unlatched position against a biasing force of the spring.




From the foregoing disclosure, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, that is, those who are knowledgeable or experienced in this area of technology, that the present invention provides a significant technological advance. Preferred embodiments of the present invention can provide a latching mechanism for a window that is easy to operate, provides slam-shut capability, and allows for constant latch engagement despite manufacturing tolerance stack-up. These and additional features and advantages of the invention disclosed here will be further understood from the following detailed disclosure of certain preferred embodiments.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is an elevation view of a preferred embodiment of a window assembly in accordance with the present invention.





FIG. 2

is a section view, shown partially broken away, of a latch assembly of the window assembly of FIG.


1


.





FIG. 3

is a perspective view of the latch bolt of the latch assembly of

FIG. 2

, shown in its latched position with respect to a shoulder of a vehicle.





FIG. 4

is an elevation view of the latch assembly of

FIG. 2

, shown in its latched position with respect to a shoulder of a vehicle.





FIG. 5

is a perspective view of the latch bolt of the latch assembly of

FIG. 2

, shown in its unlatched position.





FIG. 6

is an elevation view of the latch assembly of

FIG. 2

, shown in its unlatched position with respect to a shoulder of a vehicle.





FIG. 7

is an elevation view of the latch assembly of

FIG. 2

, shown in its unlatched position with respect to a shoulder of a vehicle, and with the window swung outwardly into an open position.





FIG. 8

is an elevation view of an alternative embodiment of the latch bolt of the latch assembly of FIG.


2


.





FIG. 9

is an elevation view of another alternative embodiment of the latch bolt of the latch assembly of FIG.


2


.





FIG. 10

is a section view, shown partially broken away, of an alternative embodiment of the latch assembly of FIG.


2


.





FIG. 11

is a section view, shown partially broken away, of the hinge member of the window assembly of FIG.


1


.





FIG. 12

is a perspective view of a latch assembly of the prior art, shown in its latched position.





FIG. 13

is a perspective view of the latch assembly of

FIG. 12

, shown in its unlatched position.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS




It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the window assemblies disclosed and described herein are suitable for use in numerous applications, including recreational vehicles, mass transit vehicles, and passenger vehicles.




In the preferred embodiment shown in

FIGS. 1-7

, a window assembly


1


has a transparent panel or pane


2


, preferably made of glass, plastic, or a multilayered combination of the two. Pane


2


has a first peripheral edge


42


, opposite a second peripheral edge


5


. First peripheral edge


42


is hingedly mounted to a first support member


41


, as described in greater detail below with respect to FIG.


11


.




Window assembly


1


has a latch bolt assembly


3


slidingly mounted to pane


2


for movement between a first position and a second position in a plane substantially parallel to a plane defined by the pane. In certain preferred embodiments, latch assembly


3


includes a latch bolt housing


4


that is mounted to the pane


2


, preferably proximate second peripheral edge


5


of pane


2


, remote from first peripheral edge


42


. The phrase “mounted to the pane” as used herein means mounted either directly or indirectly to the pane such that the mounted object travels with the pane when the window is opened and closed. Latch bolt housing


4


can be mounted to pane


2


by screws, bolts, rivets, adhesive, or any other suitable fastening means that will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, given the benefit of this disclosure.




Latch bolt housing


4


is preferably formed of injection molded thermoplastic or a structural metal, e.g., aluminum. Other appropriate materials for latch bolt housing


4


will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art, given the benefit of this disclosure. Latch bolt housing


4


defines a cavity


6


having two side surfaces


8


, a top surface


9


, and, optionally, a back surface


7


. Cavity


6


opens in a direction extending away from second peripheral edge


5


of pane


2


and in a direction extending away from back surface


7


. As can be seen in

FIGS. 4

,


6


,


7


, second peripheral edge


5


is received by a seal


59


, which is in turn received in a recess


61


of latch bolt housing


4


. Seal


59


is typically secured to pane


2


by adhesive


63


.




Latch bolt assembly


3


includes a latch bolt


10


having a front surface


11


, a back surface


12


, two side surfaces


13


, a top surface


60


, and a bottom surface


15


. In certain preferred embodiments, side surfaces


13


of latch bolt


10


, as well as side surfaces


8


of cavity


6


, may contain recesses


62


(shown in

FIG. 3

on side surface


13


) so as to reduce the amount of surface area that will come in contact with other members, thereby reducing friction and the force required to operate the latch.




A biasing member such as a spring


20


is connected at a first end


21


to back surface


12


of latch bolt


10


and is connected at a second end


22


to back surface


7


of cavity


6


. In embodiments where cavity


6


has no optional back surface, spring


20


can be connected at second end


22


to a spring pin, not shown, extending across cavity


6


in similar fashion as the mounting pins described below. Spring


20


serves to bias the latch bolt


10


to a first, typically closed, position, shown in FIG.


2


. The biasing member may be, as noted above, a spring, e.g., a coil spring or leaf spring, or it may alternatively be elastic or resilient bands. Other suitable means for biasing the latch bolt to the first position will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, given the benefits of this disclosure. Latch bolt


10


optionally has a beveled latch portion


14


extending downwardly from bottom surface


15


.




One or more, preferably two, compound mounting pin slots


16


extending through latch bolt


10


. The term compound mounting pin slot, when used herein, refers to a slot that has an angular, serpentine or curvilinear shape, and is not monolinear, that is, it does not have the form of a straight line. In certain preferred embodiments, compound mounting pin slots


16


are formed of a first segment


17


extending from a position proximate front surface


11


and top surface


60


, toward back surface


12


, substantially parallel to second peripheral edge


5


. A second segment


19


extends from a position proximate bottom surface


15


and back surface


12


, toward front surface


11


, laterally offset from first segment


17


and substantially parallel to second peripheral edge


5


and first segment


17


. A third segment


18


connects first segment


17


to second segment


19


, and extends at an angle with respect to second peripheral edge


5


and first and second slots


17


,


19


.




In other preferred embodiments, such as that illustrated in

FIG. 8

, where greater closing forces are required, compound mounting pin slots


16


′ may comprise a first segment


17


extending from a position proximate front surface


11


and top surface


60


, toward back surface


12


, substantially parallel to second peripheral edge


5


, and a second segment


68


extending from a position proximate bottom surface


15


and back surface


12


to first segment


17


at an angle with respect to second peripheral edge


5


and first segment


17


. Other configurations for the compound mounting pin slots including, for example, curvilinear slots or slots comprising multiple curvilinear segments; which would result in the latch bolt, upon being actuated as described below, moving in a forward and upward direction, will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, given the benefit of this disclosure.




In certain preferred embodiments, as seen in

FIGS. 2-7

, one or more, preferably two, mounting pins


23


are attached at first ends


24


to a side surface


8


of cavity


6


, and extend substantially perpendicular to the plane of the pane


2


into cavity


6


. Each mounting pin


23


extends through a corresponding compound mounting pin slot


16


to slidingly mount latch bolt


10


to latch bolt housing


4


. Mounting pins


23


typically comprise aluminum, steel, or other metal, and can be attached by any conventional method, e.g., welding. Alternatively, mounting pins


23


may be bolts extending through holes formed in the latch bolt housing and held in place by nuts. Other suitable materials for the mounting pins and attachment means will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, given the benefit of the present disclosure.




In certain preferred embodiments, such as those illustrated in

FIGS. 4

,


6


, and


7


, mounting pins


23


are attached at second ends


25


to the opposing side surface


8


of cavity


6


. In other preferred embodiments, such as that illustrated in

FIG. 9

, mounting pins


23


are attached only at a first end


24


to a side surface


8


. In such an embodiment, a second end


25


of a mounting pin


23


extends only into a compound mounting pin slot


16


, and does not extend completely through latch bolt


10


. Consequently, in this embodiment, compound mounting pin slots


16


need not extend entirely through latch bolt


10


, but, rather, need to extend only far enough to accommodate the length of mounting pin


23


. Further, in such an embodiment, mounting pin


23


may be attached to either side surface


8


of cavity


6


.




In an alternative embodiment, mounting pins


23


can be formed as extensions of side surface


8


such that latch bolt housing


10


and mounting pins


23


are unitary, that is, they are of one-piece construction. Other suitable mounting configurations will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, given the benefits of this disclosure.




As seen in

FIG. 2

, a release mechanism


69


remote from latch bolt


10


is used to move latch bolt


10


from the first position toward the second position. In a preferred embodiment, release mechanism


69


includes a release handle


26


. In certain preferred embodiments, release handle


26


is pivotally mounted at pivot pin


27


to pane


2


remote from latch bolt


10


, that is, release handle


26


is not directly rigidly affixed to latch bolt


10


. However, it is understood that release handle


26


is connected to latch bolt


10


, either directly or indirectly, as described below with respect to a preferred embodiment.




Release handle


26


, in certain preferred embodiments, includes a handle portion


28


, extending preferably in an upward direction when the latch is in the closed position, attached to a cam


29


which pivots around pivot pin


27


. An actuating cable


30


is attached at a first end


31


to cam


29


and at a second end


32


to front face


11


of latch bolt


10


. In certain preferred embodiments, actuating cable


30


runs along a directional channel


39


that extends below pivot pin


27


and translates the direction of actuating cable


30


from its attachment at cam


29


to the attachment at latch bolt


10


so that actuating cable


30


runs in a horizontal fashion from directional channel


39


, substantially parallel to second peripheral edge


5


, to latch bolt


10


. Directional channel


39


may be a groove formed in a handle base


40


. Directional channel


39


may, in other preferred embodiments, include a pulley wheel pivotally connected to handle base


40


, operable to rotate with actuating cable


30


as the latch is opened as described below.




In still other preferred embodiments, pivot pin


27


of release handle


26


is itself attached to handle base


40


, with directional channel


39


located on the lower portion of cam


29


, which serves to translate the direction of actuating cable


39


. Release handle


26


is capable of rotating to move latch bolt


10


into the second, typically unlatched, position. In certain preferred embodiments, release handle


26


rotates through a minimum of 45° to move latch bolt


10


from the first position to the second position, which is advantageous in that the average user associates such a degree of rotation with unlatching a window. Consequently, the use will be more aware that the window is unlatched and ready to be opened, particularly in an emergency situation. Further, in certain preferred embodiments, cam


29


functions to increase the leverage that release handle


26


applies to actuating cable


30


near the completion of the rotation of release handle


26


, providing a noticeable lessening of force required to complete the rotation, and providing feedback via that lessening of force to the operator so that they might realize the window has become unlatched. Other suitable release handles, and other suitable means for moving the latch bolt from the first position toward the second position, will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, given the benefit of this disclosure.




In certain preferred embodiments, the latch bolt comprises means for engaging a second support of the vehicle. Such means can be the latch bolt extending directly into a slot in the second support or can be via a portion of the latch bolt abutting the second support or an extension of the second support, or can be an extension of the latch bolt extending into a slot on the second support or abutting the second support or an extension of the second support. Alternatively, the second support could comprise an extension that extends into a slot or cavity defined by the bottom face of the latch bolt. Still other means include one or more U-shaped hooks extending downwardly from the latch bolt and open in a direction proximate the back face of the latch bolt which engage an equal number of posts attached to the second support, directly molded with the second support, or contained within a slot or cavity of the second support, wherein the cavity of the second support is open upwardly to permit the hooks to enter and engage the posts. Other latch bolts comprising means for engaging an engaging portion of a second support will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, given the benefits of this disclosure.




In certain preferred embodiments, as seen in

FIGS. 3-7

, a shoulder


33


extends upwardly from a second support member


34


of the vehicle. An engaging face


35


of shoulder


33


is engageable with engaging face


36


of the beveled latch portion


14


when latch bolt


10


is in the first position. Both engageable faces


35


and


36


optionally extend substantially vertical and parallel to the plane of pane


2


. In other preferred embodiments, engaging face


35


may form an angle slightly less than 90° with respect to second support member


34


, and engaging face


36


may form the same angle with respect to bottom face


15


of latch bolt


10


, such that a slight resistance exists to the moving of latch bolt


10


from the first position to the second position as described below (or such that a positive engagement is provided when latched). A second face


37


of beveled latch portion


14


and a second face


38


of shoulder


33


may be straight or optionally may be curvilinear, particularly an S-shaped curve. The two second faces


37


,


38


are operable to slide over each other and permit “slam-shut” closure of the window as described below. Second support


34


further includes a lip


55


having a face


57


that faces engaging face


35


. Face


57


has a shape mating with the shape of second face


37


such that when latch bolt


10


is in its latched position, lip


55


retains latch bolt


10


in an inboard-outboard direction. Other suitable configurations of shoulder


33


and beveled latch portion


14


will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, given the benefit of this disclosure.




In certain preferred embodiments, the window assembly as described above can comprise multiple latch bolts. Each latch bolt in such an embodiment will essentially be a mirror image of the other and will be mounted in the same fashion described above. The multiple latches can be actuated by either a single or multiple release handles, and can be urged towards a first position by either a single biasing member or multiple biasing members. One such preferred embodiment is seen in FIG.


10


. In addition to the structure found in

FIG. 2

, this embodiment includes a connecting cable


50


attached at a first end


51


to back surface


12


of a first latch bolt


10


, and attached at a second end


52


to front surface


11


of a second latch bolt


10


. Latch housing


4


′ may optionally comprise an intermediate span


53


extending downward from top surface


9


of cavity


6


and containing a channel


54


through which connecting cable


50


travels. A tie bar could optionally be used in place of connecting cable


50


to operatively connect latch bolts


10


.




A typical hinged mounting is displayed in

FIG. 11. A

hinge


43


is mounted to a base member


46


. First peripheral edge


42


of pane


2


is mounted to base member


46


by means of interference fit seals


44


. Hinge


43


has an inverted U-shaped flange


45


. The end of flange


45


is preferably rounded or cylindrical in shape, and to facilitate pivotal movement of pane


2


, flange


45


is positioned in a hook-shaped flange


47


extending from first support


41


. First support


41


may be the exterior wall of the vehicle, or a separate member secured to the vehicle. Base member


46


, hinge


43


, U-shaped flange


45


, and hook-shaped flange


47


preferably are either injection molded thermoplastic or structural metal. Other suitable materials for these elements will be apparent to those skilled in the art, given the benefit of this disclosure. An elastomer seal


49


is preferably adhesively attached to base member


46


to engage a frame member


70


of the vehicle to provide a weather resistant seal and to reduce vibrational noise. A hinge retainer


48


is optionally attached to hinge


43


to ensure that hinge


43


does not disengage from hook-shaped flange


47


, thereby preventing pane


2


from falling or otherwise being removed from the vehicle. Other suitable hinge designs will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, given the benefit of this disclosure.




It is to be appreciated that first support


41


and second support


34


can be separately assembled with pane


2


, i.e. preassembled, or can be assembled at the time of installation of the window assembly. It will be understood by those skilled in the art, given the benefit of this disclosure, that in certain preferred embodiments first and second supports


41


,


34


will be two separate and distinct elements, whereas in other preferred embodiments the first and second supports may comprise separate elements that have been joined into a single element, i.e. an assembled multi-piece frame. In still other preferred embodiments, first and second supports


41


,


34


may refer to different portions of a single unitary support, i.e. a one-piece frame or the vehicle wall to which the window assembly is mounted.




The mode of operation of certain preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described. As can be seen in

FIGS. 2-4

, when the window is closed, latch bolt


10


is in the first or latched position, held there by the biasing of the spring


20


. Engaging face


36


of latch bolt


10


is engaged with engaging face


35


of shoulder


33


, and serves to prevent the window from being opened. To open the window, release handle


26


is turned or pivoted downward, and cam


29


serves to draw the first end of actuating cable


30


along with it as handle


26


is rotated. This motion of the first end of actuating cable


30


is translated via directional channel


39


to a horizontal movement of latch bolt


10


in a direction opposite the bias of spring


20


. Upon experiencing this biasing force, latch bolt


10


moves in a horizontal direction with mounting pins


23


moving along first segment


17


until they encounter third segments


18


. Latch bolt


10


then moves in an angular direction upward until mounting pins


23


encounter second segments


19


. Latch bolt then moves horizontally as mounting pins move within second segments


19


to the second position, where mounting pins


23


encounter the ends of compound mounting pin slots


16


. Accordingly, the movement of latch bolt


10


is a compound sliding movement, that is, an angular, serpentine or curvilinear movement, corresponding to mounting pins


23


moving along the compound mounting pin slots


16


, and is not a monolinear or straight movement. This motion of latch bolt


10


draws beveled latch portion


14


away from spring


20


and upward with respect to second support


34


, such that beveled latch portion


14


and shoulder


33


are disengaged upon the completion of movement of latch bolt


10


, as seen in

FIGS. 5 and 6

. This removes all obstacles to swinging pane


2


outwardly in the direction of arrow A, seen in

FIG. 6

, to open the window, permitting egress.




Upon the window being opened and release handle


26


being released to its original position, spring


20


biases latch bolt


10


back to the first position, as can be seen in FIG.


7


. At this point, the window can be closed and latched from the exterior of the vehicle merely by slamming the window shut in the direction of arrow B. When second face


37


of beveled latch portion


14


encounters second face


38


of shoulder


33


, the angle of the faces combines with the closing force being exerted to lever latch bolt


10


upwardly in the direction dictated by compound mounting pin slots


16


against the bias of spring


20


until the lower edge of beveled latch portion


14


clears the upper edge of shoulder


33


. Upon beveled latch portion


14


clearing shoulder


33


and the window swinging fully shut, spring


20


biases latch bolt


10


back into the first position, moving beveled latch portion


14


down such that it reengages shoulder


33


and latches the window shut.




Various illustrative embodiments of the invention having been shown and described above by way of example only. It is anticipated that variations to these described assemblies will occur to those skilled in the art in light of the present disclosure and that such modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, or the scope of the appended claims.



Claims
  • 1. A window assembly comprising:a pane defining a plane; a latch bolt housing mounted to the pane; a latch bolt slidingly mounted to the latch bolt housing for movement in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the pane between a first position and a second position; a biasing member operative to urge the latch bolt toward the first position; a release handle remote from the latch bolt and operative to move the latch bolt from the first position toward the second position against a biasing force of the biasing member; and at least one compound mounting pin slot in the latch bolt wherein each compound mounting pin slot comprises a first segment extending substantially parallel to a peripheral edge of the pane, a second segment extending substantially parallel to the peripheral edge of the pane and laterally offset from the first segment, and a third segment connecting the first and second segments.
  • 2. A window assembly comprising:a pane defining a plane; a latch bolt housing mounted to the pane; a latch bolt slidingly mounted to the latch bolt housing, the latch bolt adapted for compound sliding movement in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the pane between a first position and a second position; a biasing member operative to urge the latch bolt toward the first position; a release handle remote from the latch bolt and operative to move the latch bolt from the first position toward the second position against a biasing force of the biasing member; and a shoulder, wherein the latch bolt includes a beveled latch portion operative to engage the shoulder.
  • 3. A window assembly comprising:a pane defining a plane; a latch bolt housing mounted to the pane; a latch bolt slidingly mounted to the latch bolt housing, the latch bolt adapted for compound sliding movement in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the pane between a first position and a second position; a biasing member operative to urge the latch bolt toward the first position; and a release handle remote from the latch bolt and operative to move the latch bolt from the first position toward the second position against a biasing force of the biasing member, wherein the release handle comprises a cam with a handle and a cable having a first end connected to the cam and a second end connected to the latch bolt.
  • 4. A window assembly comprising:a pane; a hinge mounted along a first peripheral edge of the pane; and a latch assembly comprising: a latch bolt housing mounted to a second peripheral edge of the pane and defining a cavity, a latch bolt slidingly received in the cavity, having one or more compound mounting pin slots and a beveled latch portion, the latch portion being operative to engage a shoulder of a vehicle; at least one mounting pin secured to the latch bolt housing and slidably received in a corresponding mounting pin slot for compound sliding movement of the latch bolt between a latched position and an unlatched position; a spring mounted to the latch bolt housing, operative to urge the latch bolt into the latched position; and a release handle mounted to the pane remote from the latch bolt, operative to move the latch bolt into the unlatched position against a biasing force of the spring.
  • 5. The window assembly of claim 4, wherein the latch assembly is self-latching.
  • 6. The window assembly of claim 4, wherein the beveled latch portion and the shoulder cooperatively interact with each other to move the latch bolt from the latched position to the unlatched position and back to the latched position when the pane is moved from an open position to a closed position.
  • 7. The window assembly of claim 4, wherein the latch bolt has two compound mounting pin slots and the latch bolt housing includes two mounting pins.
  • 8. The window assembly of claim 4, wherein the compound mounting pin slots comprise a first segment extending substantially parallel to the second peripheral edge, a second segment extending substantially parallel to the second peripheral edge and laterally offset from the first segment, and a third segment extending at an angle with respect to the second peripheral edge and connecting the first and second segments.
  • 9. The window assembly of claim 4, wherein the compound mounting pin slots each comprise a first segment extending substantially parallel to the second peripheral edge, and a second segment extending at an angle with respect to the second peripheral edge and connected to the first segment.
  • 10. The window assembly of claim 4, wherein the release handle comprises a cam with a handle and a cable having a first end connected to the cam and a second end connected to the latch bolt.
  • 11. A window assembly comprising:a pane; a hinge mounted along a first peripheral edge of the pane; and a latch assembly comprising: a latch bolt housing mounted to a second peripheral edge of the pane and defining a cavity; a latch bolt slidingly received in the cavity, having a pair of compound mounting pin slots and a beveled latch portion, the latch portion being operative to engage a shoulder of a vehicle, the compound mounting pin slots comprising a first segment extending substantially parallel to the second peripheral edge, a second segment extending substantially parallel to the second peripheral edge and laterally offset from the first segment, and a third segment extending at an angle with respect to the second peripheral edge and connecting the first and second segments; a pair of mounting pins secured to the latch bolt housing and slidably received in corresponding mounting pin slots for compound sliding movement of the latch bolt between a latched position and an unlatched position; a spring mounted to the latch bolt housing, operative to urge the latch bolt into the latched position; and a release handle mounted to the pane remote from the latch bolt, operative to move the latch bolt into the unlatched position against a biasing force of the spring.
  • 12. A window assembly comprising:a pane defining a plane; a latch bolt housing mounted to the pane; a latch bolt slidingly mounted to the latch bolt housing, the latch bolt adapted for compound sliding movement in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the pane between a first position and a second position; a biasing member operative to urge the latch bolt toward the first position; and a release handle remote from the latch bolt and operative to move the latch bolt from the first position toward the second position against a biasing force of the biasing member, wherein the latch bolt is adapted for compound sliding movement along a path comprising a first path segment substantially parallel to a peripheral edge of the pane followed by a second path segment angularly connected to the first path segment followed by a third path segment angularly connected to the second path segment and substantially parallel to the peripheral edge of the pane and laterally offset from the first path segment.
  • 13. A method of operating a window assembly comprising:providing a window assembly comprising a pane defining a plane, a latch bolt housing mounted to the pane, a latch bolt slidingly mounted to the latch bolt housing for movement in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the pane between a first position and a second position, a biasing member operative to urge the latch bolt toward the first position, and a release handle remote from the latch bolt and operative to move the latch bolt from the first position toward the second position against a biasing force of the biasing member; and moving the latch bolt from the first position to the second position along a path comprising a first segment substantially parallel to a peripheral edge of the pane, a second segment substantially parallel to the peripheral edge of the pane and laterally offset from the first segment, and a third segment connecting the first and second segments.
US Referenced Citations (11)
Number Name Date Kind
1910102 Godfrey May 1933 A
3815944 Noga Jun 1974 A
3927492 Carson Dec 1975 A
4186953 O'Connor Feb 1980 A
4635396 Ranz et al. Jan 1987 A
4955159 Rogers Sep 1990 A
5090750 Lindqvist Feb 1992 A
5169205 James Dec 1992 A
5398447 Morse Mar 1995 A
5787643 Schmuck Aug 1998 A
5941022 Schmuck Aug 1999 A