GATE LATCH ASSEMBLY

• US 20160002955A1
• Filed: 01/24/2014
• Published: 01/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: D & D Group Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: D & D Group Pty Limited
• Inventors: Smith, Glenn, Novak, James
• Granted Patent: US 10,794,091 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/06 Safety devices; Coverings for baths
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 1/0053 Handles or handle attachments facilitating operation, e.g. by children or burdened persons foot-operation E05B53/001
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2017/2096 Preventing tampering by removal of lock parts which are vital for the function
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2045/0665 Magnetic switches, e.g. reed- or hall-switch
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 27/00 Cylinder locks or other locks with tumbler pins or balls that are set by pushing the key in
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 45/06 Electric alarm locks E05B45/005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 45/12 by movement of the bolt E05B45/083 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/004 the magnets acting directly on the bolt
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 65/0007 for gates for wire gates E06B11/021
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 65/0014 to prevent opening by children E05B13/00 takes precedence; child-proof container closures B65D50/00
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 19/003 Locking bars, cross bars, security bars for sliding wings E05B65/0888; for a plurality of drawers E05B65/467
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 19/163 a movable bolt being held in the striker by a permanent magnet
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 19/188 Removably mounted securing devices, e.g. devices clamped to the wing or the frame E05C19/182 - E05C19/186 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 21/00 Arrangements or combinations of wing fastening, securing, or holding devices, not covered by a single preceding main group; Locking kits
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 9/006 Details of bars
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 11/02 Gates; Doors
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/002 Safety guards or gates
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/11 Magnetic

Abstract

A gate latch arranged to be mounted to either a gate or gate post and adapted to co-operate with a component mounted on the other of the gate or gate post to hold the gate closed, the gate latch comprising: a latch mechanism, and a housing containing at least a portion of the latch mechanism, the housing being configured to receive at least one latch accessory to modify the gate latch.

Claims

1. A magnetic gate latch assembly arranged to be mounted to either a gate or gate post and adapted to co-operate with a component mounted on the other of the gate or gate post to hold the gate closed, the gate latch assembly comprising:

a gate latch; and

at least one latch accessory;

the gate latch comprising;

a latch mechanism; and

a housing containing at least a portion of the latch mechanism, the housing being configured to receive at least one latch accessory to interact with the latch mechanism to affect a functional aspect of the gate latch; and

the at least one latch accessory comprising;

at least an electronic alarm unit removably secured to the housing that operates independently to the latch mechanism, such that the electronic alarm unit is able to be removed from the housing without disassembly of the latch mechanism.

2. A gate latch assembly as claimed in claim 1, further comprising at least one additional latch accessory to provide an additional feature and/or function to the gate latch.

3. A gate latch assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing is configured so the at least one latch accessory is mountable to a front wall or an outer facing wall of the housing.

4. A gate latch assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing comprises at least one coupling portion configured to receive the at least one latch accessory having a complementary coupling portion so as to mount the at least one latch accessory to the housing.

5. A gate latch assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein the at least one coupling portion of the housing is configured to enable engagement of the at least one latch accessory coupling portion with the housing coupling portion in a snap fit arrangement or in a sliding arrangement.

6. A gate latch assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein the at least one coupling portion of the housing is integrally formed with the housing.

7. A gate latch assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein the at least one coupling component of the housing comprises one or more rails provided on the housing.

9. A gate latch assembly as claimed in either claim 7, wherein each rail extends the substantial length of the housing or each rail comprises a plurality of rail segments.

10. A gate latch assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein the housing comprises a body extending between a first end and a second end along a longitudinal axis and at least one of the coupling portions of the housing extends longitudinally along the body.

11. A gate latch assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein the housing body is in the form of an extruded section.

12. A gate latch assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein the housing comprises at least one housing end structure mounted to one or each end of the body.

13. A gate latch assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein one or each of the housing end structures has formed thereon at least one of the coupling portions of the housing.

14. A gate latch assembly as claimed in claim 1, the latch mechanism having an internally mounted latch member, the latch member being moveable between an engaging position and a retracted position, wherein when the latch member is in the retracted position it retracts into the housing.

15. A gate latch assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein the latch further comprises an actuator for moving the latch member from the retracted to the engaging position within the housing.

16. A gate latch assembly according to claim 1, wherein the at least one latch accessory is receivable on the gate latch.

17. A gate latch assembly as claimed in claim 16 wherein one of the at least one latch accessories comprises an electronic sensor that is configured to alert a user when the latch mechanism is in an unlatched condition when the electronic sensor is received on the gate latch.

18. A gate latch assembly as claimed claim 16, wherein the latch mechanism comprises a primary actuator which is operative to unlatch the latch mechanism from a latched condition, and one of the at least one latch accessories comprises an alternative actuator module that provides a second actuator at a different location to the primary actuator which is also operative to unlatch the latch mechanism from its latched condition.

19. A gate latch assembly as claimed in claim 16, the latch assembly further comprising a striker that cooperates with the latch mechanism of the gate latch to effect latching.

20. A magnetic gate latch assembly comprising:

the gate latch as claimed in claim 1; and

a plurality of different latch accessories interact with the gate latch to affect a functional aspect of the gate latch by receiving a selected one or more of the latch accessories on the housing.

8. A magnetic gate latch assembly arranged to be mounted to either a gate or gate post and adapted to co-operate with a component mounted on the other of the gate or gate post to hold the gate closed, the gate latch assembly comprising:

a gate latch; and

at least one latch accessory;

the gate latch comprising a latch mechanism, and

a housing containing at least a portion of the latch mechanism, the housing being configured to receive the at least one latch accessory,

wherein the housing comprises a rear face, and at least one outer face, the at least one outer face comprising one or more rails configured to receive the at least one latch accessory having a complementary coupling portion so as to mount the at least one latch accessory to the housing, and

wherein the at least one latch accessory is removably secured to the housing that operates independently to the latch mechanism, such that the at least one latch accessory can be removed from the housing without disassembly of the latch mechanism.