Door latch mechanism and associated components for a self-cleaning oven

• US 20030116975A1
• Filed: 12/21/2001
• Published: 06/26/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Emerson Electric Company
• Original Assignee: Emerson Electric Company
• Inventors: Cole, Ronald E.
• Granted Patent: US 6,709,029 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 292/110
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 17/0029 motor-operated for vehicles E05B81/20
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 17/22 Means for operating or controlling lock or fastening device accessories, i.e. other than the fastening members, e.g. switches, indicators E05B39/00 - E05B45/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 15/022 Latches
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/69 Washing machine or stove closure latch
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/0914 Operating means

Abstract

A door latching or locking mechanism or module for a self-cleaning oven includes latching linkage of the door latch module that enables use of lighter duty, less expensive motor. The mechanical advantage and vector optimization of the latching linkage avoids stalling especially from a locked position. The latching mechanism includes a plurality of switches having a corresponding plurality of terminals. The terminals are grouped or ganged to allow connection with a single connector interface. The switches are selectively actuable/de-actuable by a cam and cam plate that utilizes linear motion translated from rotational motion of a driven (motor) to selectively actuate and/or de-actuate the switches.

Claims

1. A latch mechanism for a self-cleaning oven comprising:

a support;

a reciprocating cam maintained by said support;

a motor coupled to said reciprocating cam and operative to drive said reciprocating cam;

a latch mechanism coupled to said motor and driven by said motor;

a plurality of switches maintained by said support; and

a cam plate coupled to said reciprocating cam and driven by said reciprocating cam, said cam plate operative to actuate selective switches of said plurality of switches during cam plate motion.

2. The latch mechanism of claim 1, wherein said cam plate is substantially flat.

3. The latch mechanism of claim 2, wherein said cam plate includes an opening through which said reciprocating cam extends and through which said reciprocating cam imparts motion to said cam plate.

4. The latch mechanism of claim 3, wherein said cam plate motion comprises linear translation in response to reciprocation of said reciprocating cam.

5. The latch mechanism of claim 4, wherein said linear translation of said cam plate comprises reciprocating linear translation.

6. The latch mechanism of claim 1, wherein said cam plate includes a plurality of actuators corresponding in number to said plurality of switches, each one of said plurality of actuators operative to selectively actuate a selective one of said plurality of switches during a point in motion of said cam plate.

7. The latch mechanism of claim 6, wherein each one of said plurality of actuators are positionable to allow actuation of the corresponding switch during a selectable point in motion of said cam plate.

8. A latch mechanism for a self-cleaning oven comprising:

a support;

a rotatable cam maintained by said support;

a motor coupled to said rotatable cam and operative to drive said rotatable cam;

a latch mechanism coupled to said motor and driven by said motor;

a plurality of switches maintained by said support; and

a cam plate maintained by said support, said cam plate coupled to and driven by said rotatable cam so as to undergo linear translation during cam rotation, said cam plate operative to actuate selective switches of said plurality of switches during cam plate linear translation.

9. The latch mechanism of claim 8, wherein said cam plate is substantially flat.

10. The latch mechanism of claim 8, wherein said cam plate includes an opening through which said rotating cam extends and through which said rotating cam imparts motion to said cam plate.

11. The latch mechanism of claim 8, wherein said linear translation of said cam plate comprises reciprocating linear translation.

12. The latch mechanism of claim 8, wherein said cam plate includes a plurality of actuators corresponding in number to said plurality of switches, each one of said plurality of actuators operative to selectively actuate a selective one of said plurality of switches during a point in linear translation of said cam plate.

13. The latch mechanism of claim 12, wherein each one of said plurality of actuators are positionable to allow actuation of the corresponding switch during a selectable point in linear translation of said cam plate.

14. In a self-cleaning oven having a door hingedly attached to a frame, and a controller operative to control the self-cleaning oven, a door latch mechanism comprising:

a support;

a reciprocating cam maintained by said support;

a motor coupled to said reciprocating cam and operative to drive said reciprocating cam;

a latch mechanism coupled to said motor and driven by said motor;

a plurality of switches maintained by said support; and

a cam plate coupled to said reciprocating cam and driven by said reciprocating cam, said cam plate operative to actuate and de-actuate selective switches of said plurality of switches during cam plate motion.

15. The latch mechanism of claim 14, wherein said cam plate is substantially flat.

16. The latch mechanism of claim 15, wherein said cam plate includes an opening through which said reciprocating cam extends and through which said reciprocating cam imparts motion to said cam plate.

17. The latch mechanism of claim 16, wherein said cam plate motion comprises linear translation in response to reciprocation of said reciprocating cam.

18. The latch mechanism of claim 17, wherein said linear translation of said cam plate comprises reciprocating linear translation.

19. The latch mechanism of claim 14, wherein said cam plate includes a plurality of actuators corresponding in number to said plurality of switches, each one of said plurality of actuators operative to selectively actuate a selective one of said plurality of switches during a point in motion of said cam plate.

20. The latch mechanism of claim 19, wherein each one of said plurality of actuators are positionable to allow actuation and de-actuation of the corresponding switch during a selectable point in motion of said cam plate.