Latching mechanism for a pivotally mounted door

Claim 1

In combination with a door pivotally mounted on an interior compartment of a vehicle, a latching mechanism comprising spring means mounted between the door and the compartment for biasing the door to open, a latch spring arm mounted within the compartment, a striker cam plate mounted on the door, a latching element carried by the latch spring arm, the striker cam plate having a first cam surface positioned to contact the latching element upon pushing of the door to close against the action of the spring means and cause the latching element to cam thereon with resultant deflection of the latch spring arm permitting full closure of the door, the striker cam plate having a first cam lobe at the termination of the first cam surface, the latching element passing over the first cam lobe upon full closure of the door, the striker cam plate having a second cam lobe and a depression between the cam lobes, a detent mountable on the door in alignment with the depression, the detent blocking passage of the latching element after it passes over the first cam lobe with the door fully closed, the door being biased to a slightly open position by the spring means after pushing thereon ceases, the detent moving out of blocking position upon such slight opening of the door permitting the latching element to be moved into the depression between the cam lobes as a consequence of the biasing action of the deflected latch spring arm, the second cam lobe blocking passage of the latching element after it moves into the cam depression and with the door in a slightly open position to thereby latch the door in a closed position, the second cam lobe moving out of blocking position upon again pushing of the door to the fully closed position against the action of the spring means thereby permitting the latching element to pass over the second cam lobe as a consequence of the biasing action of the deflected latch spring arm to unlatch the door, and retardation means connected between the latch spring arm and the compartment, the retardation means being effective to slow down movement of the latch spring arm to delay passage of the latching element past the second cam lobe for a short time period after the door is pushed to the fully closed position.