Simplified latch and associated assembly method

• US 6,561,554 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2001
• Issued: 05/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Monson, William Michael, Greseth, Steven Dale, Colbert, John Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Knight, Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): Williams, Mark
• Application Number:
  US09/897,547
• Publication Number:
  US 20030001394A1
• Time in Patent Office: 680 Days
• Field of Search: 292/128, 292/87, 292/228, 292/126, 292/89, 292/85, 292/226, 292/113
• US Class Current: 292/87
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 3/14 with operating handle or equivalent member rigid with the latch E05C3/122 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/0902 Rigid
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/0934 Rigid
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1061 Rigid

Abstract

A latch assembly for a computer or other electronic device includes a lever which is adapted to receive a spring arm integrally molded with a latch. The latch also includes integrally molded pivot pins which are guided by ramps into pivot holes in the lever to mate the latch and lever together. Once assembled, the latch is movable to and between engaged and disengaged positions for closure with a catch on the computer, electronic or other workpiece device. The latch assembly incorporates specific changes to existing parts while reducing the number of parts and the cost of and complexity for assembly. The design is much more easily accommodated in automated assembly equipment to further reduce assembly costs and increase productivity throughput.

Claims

1. A latch assembly adapted to be pivotally coupled to a workpiece comprising:

a latch having a grip for actuation of the latch by a user to and between an engaged position and a disengaged position;

a hook on the latch adapted to be engaged with the workpiece with the latch in the engaged position;

a biasing member integrally formed with the latch to bias the hook into the engaged position;

a lever selectively mated with the latch, the lever adapted to be pivotally coupled to the workpiece;

a pivot pin integrally formed with one of the latch and the lever;

a pivot axis defined by the pivot pin about which the latch pivots to and between the engaged and disengaged positions;

a pivot hole in the other one of the latch and the lever adapted to receive therein the pivot pin when the lever and latch are mated together; and

a pocket in the lever adapted to receive therein a terminal end of the biasing member when the lever and latch are mated together.

2. The latch assembly of claim 1 wherein the biasing member further comprises an elongate spring arm and the terminal end of the spring arm is adapted to be received into the pocket of the lever.

3. The latch assembly of claim 2 wherein the elongate spring arm further comprises an upper spring arm and a lower spring arm joined to each other at an elbow.

4. The latch assembly of claim 2 further comprising:

a pair of the pockets in the lever; and

a pair of spaced spring fingers at the terminal end of the elongate spring arm, wherein each of the spring fingers is adapted to be received into one of the pockets of the lever.

5. The latch assembly of claim 1 further comprising:

a stop on the lever adapted to engage and limit movement of the biasing member.

6. The latch assembly of claim 1 further comprising:

a pair of the pivot pins each being integrally formed with the latch and aligned on the pivot axis; and

a pair of the pivot holes in the lever, wherein each of the pivot pins is adapted to be received into one of the pivot holes for pivotal movement of the latch relative to the lever to and between the engaged and disengaged positions.

7. The latch assembly of claim 6 further comprising:

a pair of flaps each of which is cantilevered to the latch and has one of the pivot pins at a terminal end thereof, each of the flaps biasing the respective pivot pin outwardly to be seated into the respective pivot hole when the latch and lever are mated together, each of the pivot pins being adapted to be temporarily deflected inwardly while the latch and the lever are being mated together.

8. The latch assembly of claim 1 further comprising:

a ramp proximate the pivot hole, the ramp being adapted to guide the pivot pin into the pivot hole when the latch and lever are being mated together.

9. The latch assembly of claim 1, wherein said biasing member extends generally perpendicularly from said latch.

13. The latch assembly of claim 9 wherein the elongate spring arm further comprises an upper spring arm and a lower spring arm joined to each other at an elbow.

14. The latch assembly of claim 9 further comprising:

a pair of the pockets in the lever; and

a pair of spaced spring fingers at the terminal end of the elongate spring arm, wherein each of the spring fingers is adapted to be received into one of the pockets of the lever.

15. The latch assembly of claim 9 further comprising:

a stop on the lever adapted to engage and limit movement of the elongate spring arm.

16. The latch assembly of claim 9, wherein said biasing member extends generally perpendicularly from said latch.

10. A latch assembly adapted to be pivotally coupled to a workpiece comprising:

a latch having a grip for actuation of the latch by a user to and between an engaged position and a disengaged position;

a hook on the latch adapted to be engaged with the workpiece when the latch is in the engaged position;

an elongate spring arm integrally formed with the latch to bias the hook into the engaged position;

a pair of spaced spring fingers at the terminal end of the elongate spring arm;

a pair of pivot pins each being integrally formed with the latch;

a pivot axis defined by the pivot pins about which the latch pivots to and between the engaged and disengaged positions;

a lever selectively mated with the latch, the lever adapted to be pivotally coupled to the workpiece;

a pair of pivot holes in the lever, each pivot hole being adapted to receive therein one of the pivot pins of the latch when the lever and latch are mated together;

a pair of ramps on the lever, each ramp being proximate one of the pivot holes, the ramps being adapted to guide the respective pivot pin into the respective pivot hole when the latch and lever are being mated together;

a pair of flaps each of which is integrally formed with and cantilevered to the latch and has one of the pivot pins at a terminal end thereof, each of the flaps biasing the respective pivot pin outwardly to be seated into the respective pivot hole when the latch and lever are mated together, each of the pivot pins being adapted to be temporarily deflected inwardly while the latch and the lever are being mated together;

a pair of pockets in the lever each being adapted to receive therein one of the spring fingers at the terminal end of the elongate spring arm when the lever and latch are mated together; and

a stop on the lever adapted to engage and limit movement of the elongate spring arm.

11. The latch assembly of clain 10, wherein said biasing member extends generally perpendicularly from said latch.

12. A latch assembly adapted to be pivotally coupled to a workpiece comprising:

a latch having a grip for actuation of the latch by a user to and between an engaged position and a disengaged position;

a hook on the latch adapted to be engaged with the workpiece with the latch in the engaged position;

an elongate spring arm integrally formed with the latch to bias the hook into the engaged position, the elongate spring arm having a terminal end;

a lever selectively mated with the latch, the lever adapted to be pivotally coupled to the workpiece;

a pivot pin pivotally coupling the latch and the lever;

a pivot axis defined by the pivot pin about which the latch pivots to and between the engaged and disengaged positions; and

a pocket in the lever adapted to receive therein the terminal end of the spring arm when the lever and latch are mated together.

17. A latch assembly adapted to be pivotally coupled to a workpiece comprising:

a latch having a grip for actuation of the latch by a user to and between an engaged position and a disengaged position;

a hook on the latch adapted to be engaged with the workpiece with the latch in the engaged position;

an elongate spring arm integrally formed with the latch to bias the hook into the engaged position;

wherein the elongate spring arm further comprises an upper spring arm and a lower spring arm joined to each other at an elbow;

a pair of spaced spring fingers at a terminal end of the elongate spring arm;

a lever selectively mated with the latch, the lever adapted to be pivotally coupled to the workpiece;

a pivot pin pivotally coupling the latch and the lever;

a pivot axis defined by the pivot pin about which the latch pivots to and between the engaged and disengaged positions;

a pair of pockets in the lever each adapted to receive therein one of the spring fingers at the terminal end of the spring arm when the lever and latch are mated together; and

a stop on the lever adapted to engage and limit movement of the elongate spring arm.

18. The latch assembly of claim 17, wherein said biasing member extends generally perpendicularly from said latch.

19. A method of assembling a latch assembly adapted to be coupled to a workpiece, the method comprising the steps of:

inserting a terminal end of a biasing member projecting from a latch into a pocket in a lever;

wherein the latch has a grip for actuation by a user to and between an engaged position and a disengaged position, the latch further comprising a hook adapted to engage the workpiece when in the engaged position and when the latch assembly is coupled to the workpiece, the hook being adapted to be disengaged from the workpiece when in the disengaged position;

wherein the biasing member biases the latch into the engaged position;

wherein the biasing member is integrally formed with the latch; and

pivotally coupling the latch and the lever together for pivotal movement of the latch relative to the lever about a pivot pin to and between the engaged and disengaged positions;

wherein the pivot pin is integrally formed with one of the latch and the lever.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the terminal end of the biasing member further comprises a pair of spaced spring fingers and the lever further comprises a pair of the pockets, the inserting further comprising inserting each of the spring fingers into one of the pockets.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the biasing member further comprises an elongate spring arm integrally formed with the latch, the inserting further comprising:

positioning a stop on the lever at a juncture between the elongate spring arm and the latch to limit movement of the elongate spring arm.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein the pivotally coupling of the latch and the lever further comprises:

seating the pivot pin into a pivot hole in the other of the latch and the lever.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising:

guiding the pivot pin into the pivot hole with a ramp proximate the pivot hole.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein the pivotally coupling further comprises:

temporarily deflecting a flap integrally formed with and cantilevered from the one of the latch and the lever until the pivot pin is seated in the pivot hole.

25. A method of assembling a latch assembly adapted to be coupled to a workpiece, the method comprising the steps of:

inserting each of a pair of spaced spring fingers at a terminal end of an elongate spring arm projecting from a latch into one of a pair of pockets in a lever;

wherein the latch has a grip for actuation by a user to and between an engaged position and a disengaged position, the latch further comprising a hook adapted to engage the workpiece when in the engaged position and when the latch assembly is coupled to the workpiece, the hook being adapted to be disengaged from the workpiece when in the disengaged position;

wherein the elongate spring arm biases the latch into the engaged position;

wherein the elongate spring arm is integrally formed with the latch;

seating a pivot pin on the latch into a pivot hole in the lever to thereby pivotally couple the latch and the lever together for pivotal movement of the latch relative to the lever to and between the engaged and disengaged positions;

wherein the pivot pin is integrally formed with the latch;

guiding the pivot pin into the pivot hole with a ramp proximate the pivot hole;

temporarily deflecting a flap integrally formed with and cantilevered from the latch until the pivot pin is seated in the pivot hole; and

positioning a stop on the lever at a juncture between the elongate spring arm and the latch to limit movement of the elongate spring arm.