Rotary latch with joystick

Abstract

A rotary latch for selectively locking a closure, such as a tonneau cover, is provided with a joystick or toggle release lever. The joystick release lever enables the rotary latch to be installed in any position with respect to a remote handle because the joystick can be pulled in any direction, 360 degrees, to release the rotary latch. The joystick includes a trapped base supporting a spherical portion that is nested in a circular opening in the housing of the latch. The joystick is spring loaded, and is movable about its central axis in any direction, causing the base to pivot against the inside of the housing. The base of the joystick is positioned over a spring-loaded catch locking the rotary latch. As the base of the joystick rotates against the inside of the housing, it depresses the spring-loaded catch, releasing the rotary latch.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will become more fully understood from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a pickup truck with a tonneau cover and a rotary latch with joystick according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a partially broken sectional view of the rotary latch according to the invention, mounted on FIG. 1 pickup truck tailgate and tonneau cover, and substantially as taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the rotary latch of FIG. 2.

FIG. 3A shows various means for actuating connection to the joystick of FIG. 3 and schematically illustrates the possibility of linking two (or more) latch mechanisms by means of their joysticks.

FIG. 3B shows a power actuator to joystick connector according to FIG. 3.

FIG. 3C shows an unlatched position of parts of the FIG. 3 apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a pictorial view of the rotary latch of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the rotary latch of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a rear view of the rotary latch of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6A is a fragment of FIG. 3 showing the joystick in central cross section.

FIG. 6B is a sectional view substantially taken on the line 6B-6B of FIG. 6.

FIG. 7 is an end view of the rotary latch of FIG. 3.

FIG. 8 is an opposite end view of the rotary latch of FIG. 3.

FIG. 8A is an exploded pictorial of a bracket for mounting the latch mechanism of FIGS. 1-8.

FIG. 9 is an exploded pictorial view of the housing of the rotary latch of FIG. 3.

FIG. 9A is a pictorial view of the latch member and latch release member of the rotary latch of FIG. 3.

FIG. 10 is a side view similar to FIG. 6, but with the rear housing portion mostly removed.

FIGS. 11A-11H depict the release sequence the main parts (only) of the rotary latch of FIG. 3.

FIG. 12 is an end view of the free end of the joystick of the rotary latch of FIG. 3.

Claims

1. A rotary latch mechanism, fixable on a first structure for releasably latching same to a second structure comprising: a housing;a latch member pivotally mounted on said housing between a latching position and an unlatching position, and being resiliently biased towards said unlatching position;a latch release member pivotally mounted on said housing between a holding position and a releasing position, said latch release member in said holding position engaging said latch member and holding said latch member in its said latching position, said latch release member being resiliently biased toward its holding position, said latch release member in said releasing position being disengaged from said latch member and releasing same from its latching position; andan elongate member having a base portion and an arm portion extending therefrom and a length axis, said base portion pivotally engaging said housing and further engaging said latch release member, said elongate member having (1) a non-actuated at-rest position corresponding to said holding position of said latch release member, and (2) a first actuated position angularly displaced from said at-rest position and (3) a second actuated position displaced from said at-rest position and said first actuated position, said elongate member in either of said actuated positions holding said latch release member in its releasing position.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said elongate movable member is mounted in a generally swivel-like manner on said housing.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 including a resilient member interposed between said housing and said base portion of said elongate member, said resilient member biasing said elongate member to said at-rest position, wherein said resilient member comprises an elongate bendable resilient element having a first end seated on said housing opposite said base portion of said elongate member and a second end seated on said base portion of said elongate member, said resilient member being disposed in said housing, said elongate bendable resilient element having a substantially straight condition corresponding to said at-rest position of said elongate member and having a bent condition corresponding to at least one of said first and second actuated positions of said elongate member.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said base portion of said elongate member has a recess opening toward said latch release member, said elongate bendable resilient element having a mid-portion extending past an end portion of said latch release member, said first end of said elongate bendable resilient element being fixed against at least radial movement with respect to said housing, said second end of said elongate bendable resilient element being snugly received in said recess.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 in which said resilient member comprises a coil spring at least laterally fixed on said housing and on said base portion of said elongate member, said housing having a protrusion opposing said base portion of said elongate member and telescoped in said first end of said coil spring, said base portion of said elongate member having a recess receiving said second end of said coil spring.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 in which said base portion of said elongate member is trapped between said latch release member and a first wall of said housing, said latch release member and said resilient element resiliently biasing said base portion to lie against said first housing wall in said at-rest position, said first housing wall having a hole therethrough, said elongate member having a tapered intermediate portion protruding snugly but tiltably through said hole, said arm portion comprising an elongate arm extending from said tapered intermediate portion, said base portion and intermediate portion and arm being substantially coaxial, said base portion comprising a flange extending radially beyond said tapered intermediate portion, said flange having an edge portion bearing on said latch release member and an inner face of said housing.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 in which said tapered intermediate portion is substantially frusto-conical.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 in which said tapered intermediate portion is convexly rounded.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 in which said resilient member extends from substantially fixed relation with said base portion of said elongate member, through a hole in a portion of said latch release member, to at least laterally fixed engagement with a second housing wall spaced opposite said first housing wall.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said second actuated position is angularly displaced from said rest position and said first actuated position, and wherein said elongate member has a third actuated position pushed axially inward with respect to said housing and from said rest position.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said rest position and said first and second actuated positions are noncoplanar.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said arm portion has a free end, said free end having a path of motion defining an orbit around said rest position of said elongate member.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said arm portion has a radially facing connection point, said elongate member being rotatable on said axis to face said connection point in circumferentially spaced directions for connection to a remote release cable, without limitation as to the orientation of said cable.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a mounting system fixed with respect to the housing including a first plate having at least one slot, a second plate having at least one protrusion extending into the slot, and a fastener engaging the first and second plates, wherein the fastener passes through the slot in the first plate.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, the first plate further comprising at least one pair of parallel slots and the second plate further comprising at least one pair of protrusions extending into the pair of parallel slots, and further comprising a pair of fasteners extending through the first and second plates and through the pair of parallel slots.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said elongate member and latch release member and latch member have a combined mechanical advantage of about 6 to 1.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a power actuator mounted with respect to said housing and displaceably engaging the arm portion.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 in combination with a closure member for a motor vehicle having a cargo area, said closure member being pivotally mounted relative to the motor vehicle and having an open position and a closed position over the cargo area, said housing being attached to one of said motor vehicle and the closure member, and an engageable element attached on the other of said motor vehicle and the closure member and engaged by said latch member in said closed position of said closure member.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a second rotary latch mechanism having a second arm portion connected in series with the first mentioned said rotary latch mechanism by a release cable joining the first mentioned said arm portion to said second arm portion.

20. A rotary latch mechanism, fixable on a first structure for releasably latching same to a second structure, comprising: a housing;a latch member pivoted on an axis on said housing and having pivotally spaced latching and unlatching positions, and being resiliently biased toward said unlatching position, said latch member having a second structure engaging portion, said latch member having a tail portion and a spring engaged portion spaced from said latch member pivot axis at a distance in the ratio E/F;a latch release member pivoted on an axis on said housing, and having pivotally spaced latch member holding and latch member releasing positions, and being resiliently biased toward said holding position, said latch release member having a latch member engaging portion and a foot spaced from said latch release member pivot axis at a distance in the ratio C/D;an elongate member having a base portion and an arm portion extending axially therefrom, said base portion having laterally spaced points respectively pivotally bearing on said housing and latch release member foot, said arm portion having an actuable free end, said arm portion free end and said point of said base portion bearing on said latch release member foot being spaced from said point of said base portion bearing on said housing at distances in the ratio A/B, the combined ratio A/B times C/D times E/F being about 6/1.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said latch release member foot extends from the remainder of said latch release member in a plane substantially perpendicular to that of said remainder, said latch member and latch release member remainder being substantially planar and mutually coplanar and substantially perpendicular to their respective pivot axes.

22. The apparatus of claim 20 including bushings pivotally supporting said latch member and latch release member on said housing, a first spring on said latch member bushing and having ends respectively bearing on an end wall of said housing and on a notched portion of said latch release member, a second spring on said latch release member bushing and having ends respectively bearing on said latch member bushing and on a notched portion of said latch release member.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein said housing has spaced side walls flanking said latch release member and a portion of said latch member, said housing further having a narrowed nose extending beyond said side walls and comprising extension walls spaced inboard from the planes of said side walls and flanking said second structure engaging portion of said latch member.

24. A rotary latch mechanism, fixable on a first structure for releasably latching same to a second structure comprising: a housing;a latch member pivotally mounted on said housing between a latching position and an unlatching position, and being resiliently biased towards said unlatching position;a latch release member pivotally mounted on said housing between a latch member holding position and a latch member releasing position, said latch release member in said holding position engaging said latch member and holding said latch member in its said latching position, said latch release member being resiliently biased toward its holding position, said latch release member in said releasing position being disengaged from said latch member and releasing same from its latching position; andan elongate member pivotally engaging said housing and further engaging said latch release member, said elongate member having a non-actuated at-rest position corresponding to said holding position of said latch release member, and a first actuated position displaced from said at-rest position, said elongate member in said actuated position holding said latch release member in its releasing position;wherein said housing has a wider portion and a narrower nose extending therefrom, andsaid latch member has a second structure engaging portion which extends into said nose.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said housing wider portion comprises spaced parallel side walls, and said nose portion comprises parallel extension walls set inboard of the planes of said side walls.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein said extension walls have U-shaped cutaways flanking and aligned laterally with a notch in a C-shaped part of said second structure engaging portion of said latch member, wherein said latch member, said latch release member and said elongate member are arranged sequentially in said housing wider portion except for said latch member second structure engaging portion extending into said nose.

27. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said side walls are connected by a longitudinal flange perpendicular thereto, a protrusion which extends inboard from said longitudinal flange, and a compression spring fixed to and extending between said protrusion and said elongate member.

28. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said latch member includes a C-shaped portion and a tail portion and a through hole about which said latch member pivots, and wherein said latch release member includes a lever portion and a catch portion and a through hole about which the latch release member pivots, wherein said latch member further comprises a first spring-receiving notch, whereby said latch member is biased toward said unlatching position by a first torsion spring coaxial with said latch member hole, engaging said first spring-receiving notch and said housing, and wherein said latch release member further comprises a second spring-receiving notch, whereby said latch release member is biased toward said releasing position by a second torsion spring coaxial with said latch release member hole, engaging said second spring-receiving notch and said housing.

29. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said latch release member includes a main portion defining a plane and a foot extending therefrom in a plane substantially perpendicular to said main portion plane, said foot having an aperture therethrough, and a spring extending through said aperture between fixed points on said housing and elongate member and biasing said elongate member to an at-rest position.

30. The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising a non-twist bracket mounting system including a slotted plate having a first structure fixable portion and at least one pair of parallel slots, a second plate having at least one pair of protrusions extending into corresponding ones of said slots and a pair of holes aligned with said slots, a pair of fasteners extending through said second plate holes and said slotted plate slots and into fixed engagement with said housing, said fasteners fixedly clamping said slotted plate in sandwiched relation between said second plate and housing, said housing having a plurality of selectable position distributed along the length of said slots, including positions upright and inverted with respect to said first structure fixable portion of said slotted plate.