Oven door latch

• US 4,082,077 A
• Filed: 07/22/1976
• Issued: 04/04/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Amana Refrigeration, Inc. (Whirlpool Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Litton Systems Incorporated (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Inventors: Jarvis, George A., Marfatia, Anil C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Camby, John J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Schwartz, Larry I.
• Application Number:
  US05/707,863
• Time in Patent Office: 621 Days
• Field of Search: 126/191, 126/197, 292/92, 292/117, 292/120, 292/128, 292/213, 292/218, 292/228
• US Class Current: 126/197
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 15/022 Latches
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/0925 Rigid
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1049 Rigid

Abstract

A door latch mechanism for a domestic cooking appliance of the type wherein conventional thermal energy cooking and microwave energy cooking can be carried out in a single oven cavity, the mechanism including a rotatable oven door handle having a latch catch and door locating guide operably connected to it, a locking roller fixed within the oven cabinet for engaging the latch catch when the door handle is rotated to lock the door in the closed position for a microwave cooking or pyrolytic self-cleaning sequence of operation.

Claims

1. A door latching and locking mechanism for a combination cooking appliance of the type adapted to cook foods with both thermal and microwave energy in a single oven cavity, said mechanism comprising an elongated rod member rotatably mounted in the oven door, said rod member oriented generally horizontally across the width of said door;

handle means including end portions, said handle oriented generally horizontally across the width of said door and spaced away therefrom by said end portions, said end portions being fastened to the respective ends of said rod member;

latch catch means mounted on said rod member and extending through the inside face of said door;

latch engaging means mounted within the body of said appliance positioned adjacent said latch catch means when said door is in a closed position, wereby said latch catch means rotates into engagement with said latch engaging means to lock said door into a closed position as said handle means is rotated about the longitudinal axis of said rod member.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 including switch means for signalling a door locked condition when actuated and wherein said latch catch means actuates said switch means when said latch catch means is rotated into a locked position.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said latch catch means includes a camming surface including a curved portion and a generally flat portion;

said latch engaging means being first contacted along said curved portion and finally along said generally flat portion as said latch catch means is rotated into a locked position.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said latch catch means comprises first and second latch catches each of said catches extending through an upper corner of said door.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said door is hinged to said appliance by a pair of hinges, each of said hinges being mounted in a lower corner of said door whereby said door is fastened to said appliance at each of its corners when in the closed and locked position.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein downward rotation of said handle means causes the upward rotation of said latch catches and wherein said latch engaging means are mounted above said latch catches so as to engage said catches when said handle means is rotated in said downward direction.

7. A door latch and locking mechanism for a combination cooking appliance of the type adapted to cook foods with both thermal and microwave energy in a single oven cavity, said mechanism comprising an elongated rod member rotatably mounted in the oven door, said rod member oriented generally horizontally across the width of said door;

handle means including end portions, said handle oriented generally horizontally across the width of said door and spaced away therefrom by said end portions, said end portions being fastened to the respective ends of said rod member;

latch catch means mounted on said rod member and extending through the inside face of said door;

latch engaging means mounted within the body of said appliance positioned adjacent said latch catch means when said door is in a closed position, whereby said latch catch means rotates into engagement with said latch engaging means to lock said door into a closed position as said handle means is rotated about the longutinal axis of said rod member;

guide members mounted to said door adjacent said latch catch means and coextensive therewith;

guide rollers mounted within the body of said appliance whereby said guide members ride on said rollers as said door is closed to correctly position said door.