Deck lid latch and lock assembly

Claim 1

A deck lid latch and lock assembly for a vehicle deck lid having inner and outer spaced panels connected by a bridging panel forming a pocket in which a latch mechanism and a lock mechanism are housed in spaced relation to each other, the latch mechanism being mounted on the inner panel with its latch element projecting through an aperture in the bridging panel in a keeper device engageable position, the lock mechanism having an elongated and flanged housing at one end, the housing extending inwardly into the deck lid pocket through an aperture in the outer panel to a depth permitted by abutment of its flange with the outer surface of the outer panel, a key cylinder mechanism mounted in the housing having at its outer end a key receiving slot facing outwardly of the outer panel, and coupling means operatively connecting the key cylinder mechanism at its inner end to the latch mechanism within the deck lid pocket, wherein the improvement comprises: a combination bracket-shield mounted on the bridging panel and having an aperture through which the end of the lock mechanism housing opposite its flanged end projects, a first retention clip having interlocked engagement with the end of the housing projecting through the bracket-shield, the first retention clip engaging the lock mechanism to prevent twisting movement of the housing relative to the outer panel and having abutting relation to the bracket-shield to prevent longitudinal withdrawal of the housing from the support bracket aperture and the outer panel aperture, and a second retention clip having inerlocked engagement with the lock mechanism between the bracket-shield and the outer panel, the second retention clip abutting the inner side of the outer panel to provide seal pressure between the lock mechanism housing flange and the outer surface of the outer panel.