A household electric appliance in which a door key is operated in association with an opening/closing operation of a door and is drawn into an inside of the door in the door opening operation is provided. The household electric appliance includes a main body having a space therein, a door coupled to the main body to be rotatable about a first rotation axis to open and close, respectively, the space, and a door key coupled to one of the main body and the door, the door key rotatable about a second rotation axis, so that a rotation of the door about the first rotation axis causes the door key to rotate about the second rotation axis.

A locking device for securing a first structure to a second structure. The locking device comprises a housing securable to the first structure, a lock base securable to the second structure, and a locking tab slidably received within said housing. The locking tab has an extended position where a second end is slidably received within the lock base. The lock base has a flexibly resilient locking arm. When in its locked configuration the locking arm releasably engaged with the second end of the locking tab to prevent retraction of the tab from the lock base. The lock base has a resilient member biasing the locking arm to its locked configuration. The lock base has a flexibly resilient removable key member. When engaged with the lock base, a compressive force applied to the key member causes movement of the locking arm from its locked to its unlocked configuration.

A vehicle includes a vehicle body that defines an opening, a vehicle door that is movable between a closed position and an open position with respect to the opening, a first surface, and a second surface. The first surface is defined on one of the vehicle body and the door and the second surface is defined on the other of the vehicle body and the door. A first latch portion is concealed behind the first surface. A second latch portion is concealed behind the second surface in an unlatched position and is movable to a latched position in which the second latch portion extends into the first latch portion and engages the first latch portion. A locking structure restrains disengagement of the second latch portion from the first latch portion in the latched position.

A hand-actuated closing device is provided. The closing device includes two closing parts which are fittable together along a closing direction, are mechanically interconnected in a closed position and are releasable from one another as by releasing the mechanical connection. One of the closure parts includes a housing and a locking element which is arranged so as to be movable on the housing and is in connection with the other closure part in the closed position to produce the mechanical connection between the closure parts. In the closed position, the locking part assumes a first position on the housing, is manually movable from the first position into a second position to release the closure parts and is resettable from the second position into the first position under the action of a resetting force. The closing device further includes a delaying system.

A household electric appliance in which a door key is operated in association with an opening/closing operation of a door and is drawn into an inside of the door in the door opening operation is provided. The household electric appliance includes a main body having a space therein, a door coupled to the main body to be rotatable about a first rotation axis to open and close, respectively, the space, and a door key coupled to one of the main body and the door, the door key rotatable about a second rotation axis, so that a rotation of the door about the first rotation axis causes the door key to rotate about the second rotation axis.

A pawl latch having a pin assembly with a pin and a receiver assembly adapted to receive the pin assembly. The receiver assembly includes a receiver housing having a slider positioned slidably on the receiver housing, a cam rotatably mounted in the receiver housing, and a link connecting the cam and the slider. Rotating the cam moves the slider along the receiver housing. The receiver assembly includes a pawl and a stop, each having arms, respectively, that rotate. When the receiver assembly receives the pin assembly, contacts the arms of the stop and facilitates their rotation, in which the cam is enabled to be rotated and, in turn, facilitates movement of the slider. The arms of the pawl are rotated in order to lock the pin head of the pin assembly within the receiver assembly.

A locking device for securing a first structure to a second structure. The locking device comprises a housing securable to the first structure, a lock base securable to the second structure, and a locking tab slidably received within said housing. The locking tab has an extended position where a second end is slidably received within the lock base. The lock base has a flexibly resilient locking arm. When in its locked configuration the locking arm releasably engaged with the second end of the locking tab to prevent retraction of the tab from the lock base. The lock base has a resilient member biasing the locking arm to its locked configuration. The lock base has a flexibly resilient removable key member. When engaged with the lock base, a compressive force applied to the key member causes movement of the locking arm from its locked to its unlocked configuration.

A pawl latch having a pin assembly with a pin and a receiver assembly adapted to receive the pin assembly. The receiver assembly includes a receiver housing having a slider positioned slidably on the receiver housing, a cam rotatably mounted in the receiver housing, and a link connecting the cam and the slider. Rotating the cam moves the slider along the receiver housing. The receiver assembly includes a pawl and a stop, each having arms, respectively, that rotate. When the receiver assembly receives the pin assembly, contacts the arms of the stop and facilitates their rotation, in which the cam is enabled to be rotated and, in turn, facilitates movement of the slider. The arms of the pawl are rotated in order to lock the pin head of the pin assembly within the receiver assembly.

A hand-actuated closing device is provided. The closing device includes two closing parts which are fittable together along a closing direction, are mechanically interconnected in a closed position and are releasable from one another as by releasing the mechanical connection. One of the closure parts includes a housing and a locking element which is arranged so as to be movable on the housing and is in connection with the other closure part in the closed position to produce the mechanical connection between the closure parts. In the closed position, the locking part assumes a first position on the housing, is manually movable from the first position into a second position to release the closure parts and is resettable from the second position into the first position under the action of a resetting force. The closing device further includes a delaying system.