US 12,251,992 B2
Hinged panel locking assembly
David Edward Blum, Raleigh, NC (US); and Stephen Michael Page, Fuquay Varina, NC (US)
Assigned to NIVEL PARTS & MANUFACTURING CO., LLC, Jacksonville, FL (US)
Filed by Nivel Parts & Manufacturing Co., LLC, Jacksonville, FL (US)
Filed on Sep. 8, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/940,307.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/241,587, filed on Sep. 8, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0073030 A1, Mar. 9, 2023
Int. Cl. B60J 1/06 (2006.01); B60J 1/18 (2006.01); E05C 3/00 (2006.01); E05C 3/04 (2006.01)
CPC B60J 1/1884 (2013.01) [B60J 1/06 (2013.01); E05C 3/004 (2013.01); E05C 3/046 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A folding panel assembly, comprising:
a second panel rotatably mounted to a first panel by a hinge, such that the folding panel assembly is movable between a deployed configuration and a folded configuration;
a locking assembly for holding the second panel in position relative to the first panel in the folded configuration;
wherein the locking assembly comprises:
a male assembly rotatably mounted to the first panel; the male assembly having a tab rotationally fixed relative to a rotatable actuator, with the tab and the actuator disposed on opposing sides of the first panel;
a female assembly fixedly mounted to the second panel; the female assembly having a recess configured to receive the tab;
wherein the locking assembly is rotatable between a locked position and an unlocked position, while the folding panel assembly is in the folded configuration, by rotation of the actuator; wherein:
in the locked position, the tab extends into the recess and is captured between the female assembly and the second panel so as to hold the second panel relative to the first panel;
in the unlocked position, the tab is outside the recess so as to allow the second panel to rotate relative to the first panel about the hinge;
wherein rotation of the actuator causes rotation of the tab to change the locking assembly between the locked position and the unlocked position.