The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 08, 1998
Filed:
Jun. 06, 1997
James Bolsworth, Sterling Heights, MI (US);
Julie Beth Williquette, Warren, MI (US);
General Motors Corporation, Detroit, MI (US);
Abstract
A self-locking forkbolt uses an absolute minimum of components, comprising only a latch pivoted near a pin receiving slot in the flat surface of a structural member, with no need for a separate biasing spring to hold the latch closed across the slot and trap the pin. Instead of a separate spring, the latch is formed of an inherently resilient material that is pushed slightly away from the flat surface to which it is pivoted, in all positions but the fully closed position of the latch, by an integral tab. At the fully closed position of the latch, the tab snaps into a retention hole, to firmly lock the latch in its closed position to trap the pin in the slot.