Single motion unlatch and open latch mechanism

Abstract

An apparatus includes a base defining a cavity; a lid coupled to the base and movable to close the cavity or open the cavity; and a latch able to be transitioned between a latched position and an unlatched position. The latch includes a handle pivotable between the latched position and the unlatched position; a guide member pivotably coupled to the handle, the guide member including a cam path; and a latching member pivotably coupled to the handle, the latching member including a cam disposed within the cam path. The cam path is structured such that, when the latch is in the unlatched position, the cam is disposed at a position in the cam path such that the latch is maintained in the unlatched position absent a force applied to the latch.

The invention is claimed as follows: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a base defining a cavity;   a lid coupled to the base and movable between a first position in which the cavity is enclosed and a second position in which the cavity is exposed; and   a latch configured to be transitioned between a latched position that maintains the lid in the first position and an unlatched position that allows the lid to be transitioned to the second position, the latch comprising:
 a handle pivotable between the latched position and the unlatched position; 
 a guide member pivotably coupled to the handle, the guide member including a cam path; and 
 a latching member pivotably coupled to the handle, the latching member including a cam disposed within the cam path, 
 wherein the cam path is configured such that, when the latch is in the unlatched position, the cam is disposed at a position in the cam path such that the latch is maintained in the unlatched position absent a force applied to the latch. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the handle and the latching member are configured such that pivoting the handle from the latched position to the unlatched position forces the cam to move through the cam path. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the handle and the latching member are configured such that pivoting the handle from the latched position to the unlatched position forces at least a portion of the latching member away from the base. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the latch further comprises a triggering member; and a resilient member, wherein the triggering member is pivotably coupled to the handle and the resilient member is disposed between the triggering member and the handle. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the triggering member includes a first protrusion, wherein the guide member includes a second protrusion, and wherein the triggering member and the guide member are configured such that, when the latch is in the latched position, the lid is maintained in the first position based on the first protrusion contacting the second protrusion. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the handle and the trigger member are configured such that applying a force to the triggering member towards the handle causes the first protrusion to move away from the second protrusion. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the guide member comprises a second cam path, and wherein the latching member comprises a second cam disposed within the second cam path. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the lid includes the latch. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the latch is a first latch, the apparatus further comprising a second latch, wherein the second latch comprises:
 a second handle pivotable between the latched position and the unlatched position;   a second guide member pivotably coupled to the second handle, the second guide member including a second cam path; and   a second latching member pivotably coupled to the second handle, the second latching member including a second cam disposed within the second cam path, wherein the second cam path is configured such that, when the second latch is in the unlatched position, the second cam is disposed at a position in the second cam path such that the second latch is maintained in the unlatched position absent a force applied to the second latch.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the base comprises a hinge portion and is configured such that a surface of the base configured to contact the lid is disposed in a first plane and the hinge portion is disposed in a second plane that is parallel to and spaced apart from the first plane. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the lid comprises a hinge portion and is configured such that a surface of the lid configured to contact the base is disposed in a first plane and the hinge portion is disposed in a second plane that is parallel to and spaced apart from the first plane. 
     
     
         12 . An apparatus comprising:
 a first member;   a second member pivotably coupled to the first member and movable between a first position and a second position; and   a latch configured to be transitioned between a latched position that maintains the second member in the first position relative to the first member and an unlatched position that allows the second member to be transitioned to the second position, the latch comprising:
 a handle pivotable between the latched position and the unlatched position; 
 a guide member pivotably coupled to the handle, the guide member including a first cam path opposite a second cam path; and 
 a latching member pivotably coupled to the handle, the latching member including a first cam disposed within the first cam path and a second cam disposed within the second cam path, 
 wherein the first and second cam paths are each configured such that, when the latch is in the unlatched position, the first cam is disposed at a position in the first cam path, and the second cam is disposed at a position in the second cam path, such that the latch is maintained in the unlatched position absent a force applied to the latch. 
   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the latching member comprises a first component and a second component extending from the first component, and wherein the first cam and the second cam each extend from the second component. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the first component comprises a distal end configured to engage the first member when the latch is in the latched position. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the latching member is configured such that, when the latch is in the latched position, the second member is maintained in the first position based on the latching member contacting the first member. 
     
     
         16 . A latch for securing a first component to a second component, the latch comprising:
 a handle pivotable between a latched position and an unlatched position;   a guide member pivotably coupled to the handle, the guide member including a first cam path opposite a second cam path; and   a latching member pivotably coupled to the handle, the latching member including a first cam disposed within the first cam path and a second cam disposed within the second cam path,   wherein the first and second cam paths are each configured such that, when the handle is in the unlatched position, the first cam is disposed at a position in the first cam path, and the second cam is disposed at a position in the second cam path, such that the handle is maintained in the unlatched position absent a force applied to the handle.   
     
     
         17 . The latch of  claim 16 , wherein the handle and the latching member are configured such that pivoting the handle from the latched position to the unlatched position forces the first cam to move through the first cam path, the second cam to move through the second cam path, and at least a portion of the latching member away from the guide member. 
     
     
         18 . The latch of  claim 16 , wherein the latch further comprises a triggering member; and
 a resilient member, wherein the triggering member is pivotably coupled to the handle and the resilient member is disposed between the triggering member and the handle.   
     
     
         19 . The latch of  claim 18 , wherein the triggering member includes a first protrusion, wherein the guide member includes a second protrusion, and wherein the triggering member and the guide member are configured such that, when the handle is in the latched position, the handle is maintained in the latched position based on the first protrusion contacting the second protrusion. 
     
     
         20 . The latch of  claim 19 , wherein the handle and the trigger member are configured such that applying a force to the triggering member towards the handle causes the first protrusion to move away from the second protrusion.