Post latching systems
First Claim
1. A latching apparatus comprising:
- a post member defining,an elongated axis,an elongated, axially extending latching surface defined by at least one outer radius from said elongated axis, andan elongated, axially extending releasing surface defined by at least one inner radius from said elongated axis, wherein said outer radius is greater than said inner radius;
a latching assembly defining a passage for receiving said post member and including a grip means extending at least partially into said passage for,effecting a grip between said post member and said latching assembly when said grip means cooperates with said latching surface, andreleasing said grip between said post member and said latching assembly when said grip means cooperates with said releasing surface; and
a moving means for,moving said latching surface into cooperation with said grip means, whereby said grip is effected between said post member and said latching assembly, andmoving said releasing surface into cooperation with said grip means, whereby said grip is released between said post member and said latching assembly.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A latching system, in accordance with a first preferred, embodiment of the present invention, comprises a notched post assembly, a post gripping assembly and a handle assembly, and, in preferred embodiments, a lock assembly associated with the handle assembly. The notched post assembly is comprised of an elongated post formed at one end with at least two opposing, axially extending rows of notches or teeth and alternately disposed smooth surfaces. The post gripping assembly comprises a channel for accepting the notched end of the post and comprises movable latch elements which cooperate with the notches of the post to effect the primary latching function of the system. The unlatching of the post from the channel is accomplished by rotating the post to disengage the notches and the latch elements. A latch, in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention, comprises a post and collar gripping and release mechanism cooperatively mounted to the door and door frame of a vending machine, cabinet, or the like, to provide an initial latching function in the form of a frictional gripping of the post by the collar, and further comprises a lock assembly associated with the post and collar mechanism to provide a primary locking function and to effect release of the latching function.
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Citations
86 Claims
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1. A latching apparatus comprising:
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a post member defining, an elongated axis, an elongated, axially extending latching surface defined by at least one outer radius from said elongated axis, and an elongated, axially extending releasing surface defined by at least one inner radius from said elongated axis, wherein said outer radius is greater than said inner radius; a latching assembly defining a passage for receiving said post member and including a grip means extending at least partially into said passage for, effecting a grip between said post member and said latching assembly when said grip means cooperates with said latching surface, and releasing said grip between said post member and said latching assembly when said grip means cooperates with said releasing surface; and a moving means for, moving said latching surface into cooperation with said grip means, whereby said grip is effected between said post member and said latching assembly, and moving said releasing surface into cooperation with said grip means, whereby said grip is released between said post member and said latching assembly. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. Latching apparatus comprising:
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a post member defining a central post axis and including, at least, a grip portion defining a maximum grip portion radius and a release portion defining a maximum release portion radius, wherein said maximum grip portion radius is greater than said maximum release portion radius; an engagement means for engaging said grip portion of said post member to prevent axial movement of said post member in a first axial direction when said post member is oriented in a first angular orientation relative to said engagement means, and for cooperating with said release portion of said post member to allow axial movement of said post member in said first axial direction when said post member is oriented in a second angular orientation relative to said engagement means; and a releasing means for effecting relative axial rotation between said post member and said engagement means. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. Latching apparatus for releasably latching a first door element, such as a vending machine door, and a second door element, such as a vending machine frame, said apparatus comprising:
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a post member defining, at least, a multi-surfaced latching portion, which latching portion includes at least one axially extending notched surface and at least one axially extending smooth surface disposed about the circumference of said post member, wherein said smooth surface defines, in profile, a surface at a plurality of radii from a central axis of said post member; a latching assembly comprising a passage for accepting said latching portion of said post member therein, and a latch means for effecting a grip on said notched surface when said latching portion of said post member is within said passage, thus resisting removal of said latching portion of said post member from said passage of said latching assembly; and a releasing means for releasing said grip between said notched surface and said latch means, thus facilitating removal of said latching portion of said post member from said passage of said latching assembly. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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29. Latching apparatus comprising:
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a post member defining a central post axis and including, at least, a grip portion defined by a plurality of grip portion surface points, wherein said plurality of grip portion surface points includes at least one outer grip portion surface point which is located at a first radial distance from said central post axis and is radially displaced from said central post axis at least as far as every other grip portion surface point of said plurality of grip portion surface points, and a release portion angularly disposed around said post member from said grip portion defined by a plurality of release portion surface points, wherein said plurality of release portion surface points includes at least one outer release portion surface point which is located at a second radial distance from said central post axis and is radially displaced from said central post axis at least as far as every other release portion surface point of said plurality of release portion surface points, wherein said first radial distance is greater than said second radial distance; an engagement means for engaging said grip portion of said post member to prevent axial movement of said post member in a first axial direction when said post member is in a first angular orientation relative to said engagement means, and for cooperating with said release portion of said post member to allow axial movement of said post member in said first axial direction when said post member is in a second angular orientation relative to said engagement means; and a releasing means for effecting relative axial rotation between said post member and said engagement means. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. A latching apparatus comprising:
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a post member defining a central post axis and including, at least, a grip portion defining a maximum grip portion radius and a release portion defining a maximum release portion radius, wherein said maximum grip portion radius is greater than said maximum release portion radius; a movable latch element selectively contacting said grip portion of said post member; and a rotation extension connected to said post member. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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55. A gripping apparatus for receiving and releasably gripping a post member, the gripping apparatus comprising:
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a frame member defining a passageway with a central axis for receiving the post member; a plurality of latch elements movably connected to said frame member to be movable within a common plate between an outward position and an inward position nearer said central axis, and a unitary bias member associated with at least two latch elements of said plurality of latch elements. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
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62. A latching apparatus comprising:
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a post member defining a central post axis; a latch frame defining a passageway having a central axis for receiving said post member and allowing said post member to rotate therein; and a latch element movably connected to said latch frame to be movable between an outward position and an inward position nearer said central axis to, while occupying said inward position, allow removal of said post member during a first angular orientation of said post member and, while also occupying said inward postion, restrict removal of said post member during a second angular orientation of said post member. - View Dependent Claims (63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70)
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71. A latching apparatus for releasably latching a first door element, such as a vending machine door, and a second door element, such as a vending machine frame, the latching apparatus comprising:
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a post member for attachment to the first door element and defining, an elongated axis, a pair of grip surfaces that are diametrically opposed and axially extending, wherein each grip surface of said pair of grip surfaces includes, at least, protrusions extending outward therefrom, and a pair of release surfaces that are diametrically opposed and axially extending, wherein each release surface of said pair of release surfaces defines, in profile, a flat surface; and a latch assembly for attachment to the second door element and including, at least, a frame member defining a passageway having a central axis, wherein said post member is insertable into and rotatable within said passageway, and a pair of latch elements that are diametrically opposed, wherein each latch element of said pair of latch elements is movably connected to said frame member, movable between an outward position and an inward position nearer said central axis, and biased toward said inward position, wherein said pair of latch elements engage said pair of grip surfaces to prevent axial movement of said post member in a first axial direction when said post member is oriented within said passageway and in a first angular orientation relative to said frame member, and wherein said pair of latch elements cooperate with said pair of release surfaces to allow axial movement of said post member in said first axial direction when said post member is within said passageway and oriented in a second angular orientation relative to said frame member. - View Dependent Claims (72, 73, 74)
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75. A method of latching a first body to a second body, the method comprising the steps of:
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connecting a post member to the first body, wherein the post member defines a central post axis and includes, at least, a grip portion defining a maximum grip portion radius and a release portion defining a maximum release portion radius, wherein the maximum grip portion radius is greater than the maximum release portion radius; movably connecting a latch element to the second body; effecting a grip between the latch element and the post member by, at least, effecting a first angular orientation between the post member and the latch element, and moving the first latch element into engagement with the grip portion of the post member so that a grip is effected between the latch element and the post member; and effecting a second angular orientation between the post member and the latch element so that the latch element cooperates with the release portion of the post member to release the grip between the post member and the latch element. - View Dependent Claims (76, 77, 78, 79, 80)
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81. An engagement apparatus for being connected to a first element for receiving and releasably gripping a post member connected to a second element to form a connection between the first element and the second element, said engagement apparatus comprising:
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an entry element defining a passageway with a central axis for receiving a post member; a latching element movable between an outward position and an inward position nearer said central axis; a biasing means extending from said latching element in a direction having a directional component toward an opposite side of said passageway for biasing said latching element toward said inward position, wherein said biasing means includes, at least, an elastic circular means for radially biasing said latching element toward said central axis; and a mounting means for connecting said engagement apparatus to the first element.
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82. An engagement apparatus for being connected to a first element for receiving and releasably gripping a post member connected to a second element to form a connection between the first element and the second element, said engagement apparatus comprising:
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an entry element defining a passageway with a central axis for receiving a post member; a latching element movable between an outward position and an inward position nearer said central axis, wherein said latching element includes, at least, a planar engagement surface; a biasing means extending from said latching element in a direction having a directional component toward an opposite side of said passageway for biasing said latching element toward said inward position; and a mounting means for connecting said engagement apparatus to the first element.
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83. An engagement apparatus for being connected to a first element for receiving and releasably gripping a post member connected to a second element to form a connection between the first element and the second element, said engagement apparatus comprising:
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an entry element defining a passageway with a central axis for receiving a post member; a first latching element movable between an outward position and an inward position nearer said central axis; a second latching element movable between an outward position and an inward position nearer said central axis; a biasing means extending from said first latching element in a direction having a directional component toward an opposite side of said passageway for biasing said latching element toward said inward position; and a mounting means for connecting said engagement apparatus to the first element. - View Dependent Claims (84, 85)
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86. An engagement apparatus for being connected to a first element for receiving and releasably gripping a post member connected to a second element to form a connection between the first element and the second element, said engagement apparatus comprising:
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an entry element defining a passageway with a central axis for receiving a post member; a spherical latching element movable between an outward position and an inward position nearer said central axis; a biasing means extending from said latching element in a direction having a directional component toward an opposite side of said passageway for biasing said latching element toward said inward position, wherein said biasing means includes, at least, an inner cylindrical member defining an aperture for retaining said latching element, an inclined member rigidly connected to said entry element at a position located between said inner cylindrical member and said entry element, and a spring means for axially biasing said inner cylindrical member with respect to said entry element; and a mounting means for connecting said engagement apparatus to the first element.
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Specification