This invention relates to latch assemblies.

Latch assemblies are widely used throughout the motor vehicle manufacturing industry. In many instances, a simple, cheap and effective latch assembly is required. For example in a motor vehicle having a hinged rear sear cushion which can be lifted frαn its normal horizontal position to a vertical position, to provide roαn for the seat back to be folded down, it is desirable to provide a simple latch assembly for retaining the seat cushion in the horizontal position. Hitherto such latch assemblies have often been composed of a relatively large number of parts reqixLring a high number of forming operations. According to the present invention there is provided a latch assembly coprising first and second members mounted for movement towards and away from each other, a catch ^" on one of the members and a latch member on the other maπber releasably engagable with the catch to hold the two manbers together- characterised in that the latch marker comprises a wire shaped to define two lobes each extending approximately in a radial plane frαn a cannon axis, and in that the wire is fixed to the said one member at two spaced points so that rotation of either lobe about the ccπroαn axis displaces the other lobe and generates a restoring force in the loop which biases the lcfoes towards their original position.

The use of a two-lobed wire as the latch member provides a very siirple, cheap and yet effective mechanism, whic can, for example, be used to retain a member such as a seat cushion in a folded down position. Thus, the wire can conveniently be so shaped that one lobe is directly engagable with the latch avoiding cαrpl±cated linkages. Since access to the latch member will normally be frcm the rear when the seat back is folded down, the wire may be mounted cn one side of the seat cushion, and an aperture may be provided in the seat cushion to allow access frαn the other side to one lobe of the wire

for manipulation.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the wire is in the form of a loop, and the loop also has two free ends which extend approximately parallel to the cαπmσn axis. In order to allow the wire to be accαtrnodated snugly within a member of square or rectangular box-secticn, the lobes of the wire are also preferably square or rectangular in cross-section.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an "exploded" view of a seat cushion incorporating a latch assembly according to the invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the latch member of the assembly of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a plan thereof.

Referring to the drawings, a latch assembly cαπprises a first member 1 which, in the present case is a strut attached to the frame of a folding rear seat cushicεi for a motor vehicle, and a catch 2 riveted cn to a second mariber 3, which, in the present case, is the floor panel of a motor vehicle body. The rear seat cushion is hinged to the vehicle body along its front edge (not shown) so that the seat cushion can be raised frαn the position shown in the drawings, as indicated in the arrow 4. The strut 1 comprises a top surf ce 5 and two side flanges 6, which define a space of generally rectangular cross-section within the strut 1. The front of the strut 1 defines a rectangular aperture 8.

A latch member 9 in .the form of a bent rod of spring wire is mounted in the strut 1.

As best seen in Figure 2, the latch member 9 cαπprises a loop of wire the two free ends 10, 11 of which are parallel to each other and located in similarly sized apertures 12, 13 in one flange 6 of the strut 1. The wire is bent to form two lobes 14, 15 of generally rectangular shape each of which lies

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approximately in a plane -which extends radially frαn a carman axis 16 (Figure 2) and which is parallel to the axis of the free ends of the wire loop 9. The two lobes are of different sizes and are interconnected by a bridging portion 17 extending approximately along the corrmαn axis 16. The two planes in which the lobes 14, 15 lie are inclined to each other at an acute angle of about 75°, and the two lobes are received snugly within the rectangular cross-secticnal area defined between the rear surface 5 and flanges 6 of the strut 1. A strap 20 passes around one of the lobes 15 through the aperture 8 to lie on the upper surface of the cushion. A spring clip 18 mounted in the strut 1 supports the latch member 9 by the bridging portion 17.

The latch member 9 is therefore pivotable between a normal position, illustrated in solid lines in Figure 1 and a releasing position, by rotation of the lobes 14, 15 about the axis 16. Such rotation distorts the wire loop and therefore generates a restoring force in the loop which biases the lobes towards their normal position. In the normal position of the latch member 9, cne of the lobes 14 can engage the catch 2 and therefore holds the strut 1 against the floor panel 3.

The latch member 9 can be released by pulling the strap 20 to move the lobe 15 upwardly into the releasing position. When the latch member is disengaged frαn the catch 2 and then released, it will snap back into its normal position under the influence of the force generated in the loop as a result of its distortion upon deflection out of its normal position.

When the strut 1 is moved towards the floor panel 3, with the latch member 9 in its normal position, the lobe 14 will engage with the sloping cam surface 21 on the catch 2 and will be deflected out of its normal position. As the cushion approaches the lowered position, the latch member 9 moves with engagement with the catch 2 to retain the strut 1 against the floor panel 1.

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The embodiment of the invention described above there¬ fore provides a very simple and effective latch mechanism, requiring a minimum number of working parts and forming operations.

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