The present invention relates generally to a device and method for latching a door closed against a door frame.
Various arrangements for latching a door closed against a frame are known. Some of these latches are used with gasket-sealed doors that swing from a hinge on one side of the door. A known type of latch employs a power-operated reciprocating latch bar having a cam surface that engages and captures a pin or roller on the door and urges the pin in the closed direction to hold the door closed. The latch bar may be pneumatically operated and the cam surface may be provided on a slot opening in the bar so that as the door swings into a closed position, the pin on the door swings into the slot. In some applications the camming contact of the latch bar and pin may urge the door closed against an opposing force provided by compression of a resilient gasket provided between the door and the door frame.
A disadvantage of this known arrangement is that it requires power operation of the latch bar, adding complexity to the overall device. Accordingly, it would be desirable to have a door latch that can be manually operated.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for latching a door against a frame is provided. The apparatus includes a door pin extending from the door and a handle lever rotatably mounted to the door and having a handle pin extending therefrom. A latch bar is mounted for reciprocating travel relative to the frame. The latch bar has a first slot having a cam surface adapted to receive the door pin, and a second slot adapted to receive the handle pin. The latch bar and handle have a first position where the handle pin enters the second slot and the door pin enters the first slot, and a second position where the handle pin contacts the second slot and the cam surface bears against the door pin. Rotation of the handle when the latch bar is in the first position causes the handle pin to bear against the second slot, moving the latch bar in a latching direction from the first position to the second position, so that the first slot on the cam surface bears against the door pin and urges the door in a closing direction.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for latching a door against a frame has a first engagement means extending from the door; a second engagement means mounted to the door frame and movable between two positions for engaging with the first engagement means in the second position; and actuating means for actuating the second engagement means between the first and second positions. The actuating means includes a rotating handle having a handle pin extending therefrom that contacts a slot provided in the second engagement means to move the second engagement means from the first to the second positions when the handle is rotated.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a method for latching a door against a frame includes the steps of inserting a pin mounted to the door into a first slot on a latch bar mounted to the frame; inserting a handle pin mounted to a handle to a second slot on the latch bar; and rotating the handle so that the pin urges the latch bar in a first direction so that the first slot cammingly contacts the first pin to urge the door into a closed position.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described below and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein, as well as the abstract included below, are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
The present invention provides a device and method for latching a door 2 closed against a frame 4. Referring generally to
The latch bar 12 is preferably mounted on the frame of the door 2 generally adjacent the edge of the door that has the door pin 18, and the latch bar 12 may reciprocate in a vertical direction between locked and unlocked positions. Referring to
In a preferred embodiment, the latch bar 12 is reciprocated by actuation of a manually operable assembly. A preferred latch operating assembly includes a second slot 24 provided on the latch bar 12. The second slot 24 is preferably oriented substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement of the latch bar 12. A rotating handle lever 26 is pivotally mounted to the edge of the door 2 opposite to the hinged side of the door. The rotating handle lever 26 rotates about a handle axis and has a handle 28 and one end and a handle pin 30 at its other end.
As shown in
As discussed in more detail below, in a preferred embodiment, rotation of the handle causes the latch bar 12 to move past a top dead center position into a locked position shown in
In a preferred embodiment, the axis of the handle lever 26 and the positions of the handle pin 30 and the second slot 24 are arranged so that rotation of the handle lever 26 in the latching direction C occurs through a first range of rotation R 1 at which the torque on the handle increases as the door is urged closed, as shown in
The invention can be suitable for doors with a gasket 22 having a springback resisting force that increases with gasket compression, in a relationship such as shown in
As shown in
To unlatch the door, a force is required to be applied against this over-center force in order to rotate the latch in the unlatching direction E past the “top dead center” point C. Therefore, the door tends to remain closed and latched until a user applies sufficient pressure in the unlatching direction E to move past top dead center. Once that point is passed, the gasket force will push the door open.
In a preferred embodiment, the latch bar 12 may be biased by gravity or by a spring or other suitable biasing device into the unlocked position, so that when the door is open, the latch bar remains in the unlocked position, available to receive the door pin 18 and the door handle pin 30 as the door swings closed. The handle lever 26 can be similarly biased into a position corresponding to the unlocked position. The handle pin 30 will align with and engage the second slot 24 as the door 2 swings closed.
In the preferred embodiment, the latch bar 12 is shown mounted to the door frame 4 on the side opposite of the hinge 20. Two door pins 18 are used along with two first slots 14. Depending upon variables such as the size of the door, the load on the door, and the degree of gasket compression desired, the number of door pins 18 and corresponding cam slot openings 14 may be varied to provide the desired latching force. Also, the latch bar 12 is illustrated having reciprocal motion relative to the door frame 4 via guide slots 34 in the latch bar 12 and guide pins 36 attached to the door frame 4. Other suitable methods of supporting the latch bar 12 for reciprocal movement may be used.
The invention may be used with doors on a wide variety of devices, including ovens, microwave ovens, refrigerators or other devices.
The many features and advantages of the invention are apparent from the detailed specification, and thus, it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such features and advantages of the invention which fall within the true spirits and scope of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and variations will readily occur to those skilled in art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation illustrated and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.
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20020163208 A1 | Nov 2002 | US |