The present disclosure relates to a pressure relief latch mechanism for releasably latching and/or holding a first member with respect to a second member, and in particular to a latch mechanism including a manually operable trigger for releasing a bolt of the latch mechanism from a latched condition and that is configured to alternatively automatically release the bolt of latch mechanism from the latched condition in response to an over-pressure condition encountered by the first member.
As shown in the drawing figures, latch mechanism 20 is adapted to releasably latch a first member 22 to a second member 24. First member 22 includes a first surface 26, a second surface 28 and an aperture 30 that extends through first member 22 from first surface 26 to second surface 28. Second member 24 includes a first surface 32 and a second surface 34. Second member 24 may be, for example, an aircraft frame or other body member. First member 22 may be, for example, a door or panel that is adapted to be removed or displaced with respect to second member 24.
Latch mechanism 20 includes a mounting bracket 40 that extends between a first end 42 and a second end 44. Bracket 40 includes a pair of generally planar side walls 46 that are spaced apart and generally parallel to one another. A generally planar bottom wall 48 extends between the bottom ends of side walls 46 and is generally perpendicular to side walls 46, such that the side walls 46 and bottom wall 48 are generally U-shaped and form an open receptacle therebetween. A flange 50 extends outwardly and generally perpendicularly from the top end of each side wall 46. Each flange 50 includes one or more apertures adapted to receive a fastener for use in attaching bracket 40 in engagement with the second surface 28 of the first member 22 in alignment with aperture 30.
Latch mechanism 20 includes a bolt 56 pivotally coupled to bracket 40 by a pin 58 having a generally linear central axis 60. Pin 58 extends generally transversely between side walls 46 of mounting bracket 40 and is coupled at each end to a respective side wall 46. As shown in
Latch mechanism 20 includes an elongate handle 78 that extends between a first end 80 and a second end 82. Handle 78 includes a pair of generally planar side walls 84 that are spaced apart and generally parallel to one another. A generally planar top wall 86 extends between the top ends of side walls 84 generally perpendicular to side walls 84, such that side walls 84 and top wall 86 are arranged in a generally inverted U-shaped manner. Top wall 86 includes an aperture 88 configured to receive arm 64 of bolt 56. As shown in
Side walls 84 of handle 78 include an aperture 100 at second end 82. Side walls 84 of handle 78 are located between side walls 46 of mounting bracket 40 with bolt 56 located between side walls 84 of handle 78. Pin 58 extends through apertures 100 of side walls 84 of handle 78 such that handle 78 is pivotally coupled to mounting bracket 48. Handle 78 is pivotal with respect to mounting bracket 40 about axis 60 between a retracted position as shown in
Handle 78 includes one or more retention members 104 at first end 80. A retention member 104 may be respectively located at each side wall 84. Each retention member 104 includes a generally planar top engagement surface 106 and a biasing surface 108 at the outer distal end of the retention member 104. Biasing surface 108 may be generally planar and inclined with respect to a central longitudinal axis 110 of handle 78 or biasing surface 108 may be curved.
Latch mechanism 20 includes a detent mechanism 114 located within chamber 96 of handle 78. Detent mechanism 114 includes a detent member 116 such as a generally spherical metal ball or cylindrical roller. Detent mechanism 114 includes an adjustable biasing mechanism 118 having a resilient biasing member 120, such as a helical coil spring, a plunger 122 and a plug or base member 124. Biasing member 120 extends between a first end 126 and a second end 128 generally concentrically about axis 110. Plunger 120 includes a head 130 having a recess 132 configured to receive a portion of detent member 116. Plunger 120 also includes a generally cylindrical stem extending from head 130 along axis 110. Stem 134 extends within second end 128 of biasing member 124. Base member 124 includes a head 138 and a stem 140 that extends within first end 126 of biasing member 120.
First end 126 of biasing member 124 engages an interior surface of head 138 of base member 124, and second end 128 of biasing member 120 engages an interior surface of head 130 of plunger 122. Biasing member 120 resiliently biases plunger 122 into engagement with detent member 116 and thereby resiliently biases detent member 116 toward internal wall 90 of handle 78 and into detent 72 of bolt 56 as shown in
When detent member 116 is in an extended position as shown in
Latch mechanism 20 also includes a trigger 150 that extends between a first end 152 and a second end 154. Trigger 150 includes a body 156 and an arm 158 that extends downwardly from the bottom end of body 156. A distal end of arm 158 includes a bore 160. A pin 162 having a central axis 164 extends through bore 160. The ends of pin 162 are coupled to respective side walls 46 of mounting bracket 40. Trigger 150 is located between side walls 46 of mounting bracket 40 and is pivotally coupled to mounting bracket 40 by pin 162 such that trigger 150 is pivotal with respect to mounting bracket 40 about axis 164. Axis 164 is spaced apart from and generally parallel to axis 58 of pin 60. Body 156 of trigger 150 includes an inclined slot 166 that is open at the top surface of body 156. Slot 166 is adapted to receive a tool, such as the tip of the screw driver, to assist in manually pivoting trigger 150 from a retracted position as shown in
Latch mechanism 20 includes a resilient biasing member 180, such as coil torsion spring. A pin 182 extends between and is coupled to side walls 46 of mounting bracket 40 and couples biasing member 180 to bracket 40. Biasing member 180 includes a first end 184 that is in biased engagement with a bottom surface of body 156 adjacent first end 152 of trigger 150 and a second end 186 that is in biased engagement with bottom wall 48 of mounting bracket 40. Biasing member 180 may be wrapped around pin 182. Biasing member 180 resiliently biases trigger 158 in a generally clock-wise direction about axis 164 from the extended position of trigger 150 as shown in
When trigger 150 is manually released, the biasing member 180 will resiliently bias trigger 150 from the extended position to the retracted position. When the handle 178 and bolt 56 are in the extended positions, the handle 78 and bolt 56 may be manually pivoted in a generally counter-clockwise direction about axis 60 by manually pressing second end 80 of handle 78 toward the retracted position. As handle 78 is pivoted toward the retracted position, biasing surfaces 108 of retention members 104 will engage second end 154 of trigger 150 and will pivot trigger 150 in a counter-clockwise direction about axis 164 until retention members 104 pass by locking member 170 of trigger 150. Biasing member 180 then pivots trigger 150 in a clockwise direction about axis 162 such that locking member 170 of trigger 150 engages retention members 104 of handle 78 to thereby releasably lock handle 74 in the retracted position.
In the event an excess-pressure condition is encountered, wherein an excess pressure above a predetermined pressure is applied to second surface 28 of first member 22, which results in a predetermined excess force being applied to engagement member 62 of bolt 56, the excess force will overcome the force with which detent member 116 engages arm 64 of bolt 56 such that the arm 64 of bolt 56 will move detent member 116 along axis 110 in a direction away from bolt 56 and toward base member 124. Bolt 56 will then automatically pivot in a generally clock-wise direction about axis 60 with respect to handle 78 and mounting bracket 40 toward an extended position as shown in
Various features of the invention have been particularly shown and described in connection with the illustrated embodiment of the invention, however, it must be understood that these particular arrangements merely illustrate, and that the invention is to be given its fullest interpretation within the terms of the appended claims.
This application is a U.S. nationalization under 35 U.S.C. §371 of International Application No. PCT/US2010/058957, filed Dec. 3, 2010, which claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application No. 61/266,803, filed Dec. 4, 2009. The disclosures set forth in the referenced applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties, including all information as originally submitted to the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/US2010/058957 | 12/3/2010 | WO | 00 | 6/4/2012 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
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WO2011/069103 | 6/9/2011 | WO | A |
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Entry |
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Search Report and Written Opinion issued in Int'l App. No. PCT/US2010/058957 (2011). |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20120242096 A1 | Sep 2012 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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61266803 | Dec 2009 | US |