MAGNETIC SAFETY GATE LATCH

• US 20180094465A1
• Filed: 09/30/2016
• Published: 04/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Barrette Outdoor Living Incorporated (CRH PLC)
• Original Assignee: Barrette Outdoor Living Incorporated (CRH PLC)
• Inventors: Schneider, Christopher Michael, Kime, Craig, Nizzia, Antonello, Heritage, Christopher John
• Granted Patent: US 10,641,021 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 1/0092 Moving otherwise than only rectilinearly or only rotatively E05B5/003 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0038 using permanent magnets
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/004 the magnets acting directly on the bolt
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0046 Electric or magnetic means in the striker or on the frame; Operating or controlling the striker plate E05B47/0696, E05B63/248 take precedence
• 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: E05B 9/02 Casings of latch-bolt or deadbolt locks
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 19/16 Devices holding the wing by magnetic or electromagnetic attraction E05C17/56 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 19/163 a movable bolt being held in the striker by a permanent magnet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/11 Magnetic

Abstract

Magnetic safety gate latch assembly including a first subassembly and a second subassembly. The first subassembly includes: a vertically-oriented pool latch tube; a lift mechanism coupled to the top end of the pool latch tube; a shaft vertically oriented within the pool latch tube, coupled to the lift mechanism, and having a lower end including a helical thread; a magnet and magnet housing, the magnet housing coupled to the helical threading of the shaft; and a bottom cover coupled to the lower end of the pool latch tube and enclosing the magnet housing, the bottom cover including an aperture on a vertical side facing a latch pin housing, the aperture positioned to expose the magnet. The second subassembly includes the latch pin housing; a ferromagnetic latch pin; and a magnetic latch pin guide coupled to the latch pin housing and slidably enclosing at least a portion of the latch pin.

Claims

1. A magnetic safety gate latch assembly comprising:

a first subassembly comprising;

a pool latch tube having a vertical major axis, the pool latch tube comprising a top end and a lower end;

a lift mechanism coupled to the top end of the pool latch tube;

a shaft vertically oriented within the pool latch tube, an upper end of the shaft coupled to the lift mechanism, and a lower end of the shaft comprising a helical thread;

a magnet housing to house a magnet, the magnet housing coupled to the helical threading of the shaft; and

a bottom cover coupled to the lower end of the pool latch tube and enclosing the magnet housing, the bottom cover comprising an aperture on a vertical side facing a latch pin housing, the aperture positioned to expose the magnet; and

a second subassembly comprising;

the latch pin housing;

a ferromagnetic latch pin; and

a magnetic latch pin guide coupled to the latch pin housing and slidably enclosing at least a portion of the latch pin.

2. The fence gate latch assembly of claim 1, wherein the first subassembly is coupled to one of a gate and a fence post, and the second subassembly is coupled to another of the gate and the fence post.

3. The fence gate latch assembly of claim 1, wherein the lift mechanism comprises:

a user-actuated lid rotationally coupled along an axis of rotation to the top end of the pool latch tube,

wherein the shaft is coupled to the user-actuated lid at a point not coaxial with the axis of rotation.

4. The fence gate latch assembly of claim 1, wherein the ferromagnetic latch pin comprises a second magnet.

5. The fence gate latch assembly of claim 1, wherein the ferromagnetic latch pin is slidable between a first position and a second position.

6. The fence gate latch assembly of claim 5, wherein in the first position the ferromagnetic latch pin is positioned entirely within the latch pin housing, and in the second position the ferromagnetic latch pin is position partly within the latch pin housing and partly within the bottom cover.

7. The fence gate latch assembly of claim 1, further comprising a lock to prevent the lift mechanism from being lifted sufficiently to move the magnet.

8. The fence gate latch assembly of claim 7, wherein the lock is hidden when the lift mechanism is not lifted.

9. The fence gate latch assembly of claim 1, further comprising a twist drive pin coupled to the magnet housing, the twist drive pin engaging with the helical thread to transform a linear motion of the shaft to a rotational motion of the magnet housing.

10. The fence gate latch assembly of claim 1, wherein the magnet housing is configured to rotate by about 90 degrees when the lift mechanism is lifted.

11. The fence gate latch assembly of claim 1, wherein a magnetic attraction between the magnet and the ferromagnetic latch pin extinguished when the lift mechanism is lifted.

12. The fence gate latch assembly of claim 4, wherein the magnet and the ferromagnetic latch pin repel each other when the lift mechanism is lifted.

13. The fence gate latch assembly of claim 4, wherein the magnet housing is configured to rotate by about 180 degrees when the lift mechanism is lifted.

14. A method to operate a magnetic safety gate latch assembly, comprising the steps of:

lifting a lift mechanism in order to produce a linear motion;

transforming the linear motion to a rotational motion;

rotating a magnet by use of the rotational motion;

breaking a magnetic attraction between the magnet and a ferromagnetic latch pin;

retracting the ferromagnetic latch pin