Push latch

• US 7,367,597 B2
• Filed: 11/10/2006
• Issued: 05/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Actron Manufacturing Incorporated (SPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Actron Manufacturing Incorporated (SPX Corporation)
• Inventors: Rechberg, Frank H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lugo; Carlos
• Application Number:
  US11/595,304
• Publication Number:
  US 20070069527A1
• Time in Patent Office: 543 Days
• Field of Search: 292/332, 292/333, 292/304
• US Class Current: 292/304
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 88/463 self-opening
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 25/065 preventing knocking against, e.g. comprising a collapsible or retractable hook element
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 7/10 for supporting hats, clothes or clothes hangers
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 19/022 Released by pushing in the closing direction
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/04 Automatic release latches
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/15 Door, checks, floor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/37 Push button operators
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/42 Rigid engaging means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/444 Swinging catch
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/68 Keepers

Abstract

A push-to-open latch is selectively moveable between latched and unlatched positions. The push-to-open latch comprises a latch assembly that is reciprocatable relative to a catch assembly. The latch assembly includes a latch housing having a housing bore extending to a housing bottom wall. A pin rod shaft extends upwardly from the housing bottom wall and has a pin rod dowel extending outwardly therefrom. The catch assembly includes a catch housing with an inner and outer cam rotatably disposed therewithin and having mating ends that collectively define a cam interior. The inner and outer cam mating ends have cam bores and inner and outer cam mating end ramps that cooperate to alternately engage and release the pin rod dowel from the cam interior such that the push-to-open latch is respectively placed in the latched and unlatched positions during reciprocation of the pin rod shaft through the cam bore.

Claims

1. A push-to-open latch selectively moveable between latched and unlatched positions along a latch axis, the push-to-open latch having opposing proximal and distal ends, the push-to-open latch comprising:

a latch assembly, including;

a latch housing having a housing bore open at the proximal end and extending along the latch axis to a housing bottom wall at the distal end; and

a pin rod shaft extending upwardly from the housing bottom wall along the latch axis and having a pin rod dowel extending laterally outwardly from the pin rod shaft at the proximal end; and

a catch assembly reciprocatively moveable relative to the latch assembly along the latch axis and including;

a catch housing having a catch bore aligned with the latch axis;

an inner cam axially rotatably disposed within the catch bore and having a mating end and a bearing end facing the proximal end, the mating end having inner cam mating end ramps formed thereon; and

an outer cam axially rotatably disposed within the catch bore and having a mating end and a bearing end, the mating end having outer cam mating end ramps formed thereon, the bearing end facing the pin rod shaft, the inner and outer cam mating ends collectively defining a cam interior, the outer cam having a cam bore extending axially therethrough for passage of the pin rod shaft;

wherein the inner and outer cam mating end ramps cooperate to alternately engage and release the pin rod dowel from the cam interior such that the push-to-open latch is respectively placed in the latched and unlatched positions during reciprocation of the pin rod shaft through the cam bore along the latch axis.

2. The push-to-open latch of claim 1 wherein:

the inner and outer cams are coupled at respective ones of the mating ends such that the inner and outer cams rotate in unison within the catch bore, the outer cam including a cam slot extending axially therethrough for passage of the pin rod dowel, the outer cam mating end ramps also including a notch formed thereon for engaging the pin rod dowel, the cam slot and notch being sized to accommodate the pin rod dowel;

the inner and outer cam mating end ramps being configured to effectuate incremental rotation of the inner and outer cams relative to the pin rod dowel when the button assembly is initially reciprocated within the latch assembly such that the pin rod dowel passes through the cam slot, enters the cam interior and engages the notch in order to place the push-to-open latch in the latched position;

the inner and outer cam mating end ramps being configured to effectuate further incremental rotation of the pin rod dowel relative to the inner and outer cams when the button assembly is further reciprocated within the latch assembly such that the pin rod dowel disengages the notch during withdrawal of the pin rod dowel from the cam interior through the cam slot in order to place the push-to-open latch in the unlatched position.

3. The push-to-open latch of claim 1 further comprising:

a biasing member disposed within the latch assembly and configured to apply a biasing force to bias the catch assembly away from the latch assembly;

wherein;

the outer cam includes outer cam bearing end ramps configured to rotate the outer cam about the latch axis until the cam slot is aligned with the pin rod dowel upon advancement of the pin rod shaft into the cam bore such that the pin rod dowel may enter the cam interior;

the inner and outer cam mating end ramps being configured to effectuate an approximately ninety degree rotation of the inner and outer cams relative to the pin rod dowel during initial reciprocation of the catch assembly relative to the latch assembly when a compression force is applied to the catch assembly to overcome the biasing force such that the pin rod dowel passes through the cam slot, enters the cam interior, moves toward and engages the inner cam mating end ramps causing rotation of the inner and outer cams, release of the compression force allowing the biasing force to cause the pin rod dowel to reverse direction and move toward and engage the outer cam mating end ramps causing further rotation of the inner and outer cams until the pin rod dowel engages the notch in order to place the push-to-open latch in the latched position;

the inner and outer cam mating end ramps being configured to effectuate a further approximately ninety degree rotation of the pin rod dowel relative to the inner and outer cams when the compression force is applied to the catch assembly for further reciprocation thereof relative to the latch assembly such that the pin rod dowel becomes disengaged from the notch, moves toward and engages the inner cam mating end ramp causing rotation of the inner and outer cams, release of the compression force allowing the biasing force to cause the pin rod dowel to reverse direction and move toward and engage the outer cam mating end ramps causing further rotation of the inner and outer cams until the pin rod dowel is aligned with the cam slot for withdrawal of the pin rod dowel from the cam interior through the cam slot in order to place the push-to-open latch in the unlatched position.

4. The push-to-open latch of claim 3 wherein the biasing member is configured as a helical compression spring.

5. The push-to-open latch of claim 1 wherein the pin rod shaft is non-rotatably fixed to the latch housing.

6. The push-to-open latch of claim 1 wherein:

the inner cam mating end includes a pair of diametrically opposed locking apertures formed in a perimeter wall of the inner cam;

the outer cam mating end including a pair of diametrically opposed projections oriented and configured to be complementary to the pair of locking apertures for coupling the inner and outer cams to prevent relative rotational movement therebetween such that the inner and outer cams rotate in unison.

7. The push-to-open latch of claim 1 wherein:

the inner cam mating end ramps are configured as a set of four separate sloping surfaces equi-angularly spaced about the cam bore and sloping in a generally circumferential direction;

the outer cam mating end ramps being configured as a set of four separate sloping surfaces equi-angularly spaced about the cam bore and sloping in a generally direction identical to that of the inner cam mating end ramps;

the set of inner cam sloping surfaces being angularly offset from the set of outer cam sloping surfaces by about forty-five degrees.

8. The push-to-open latch of claim 2 wherein the cam slot and notch are angularly offset by about ninety degrees.

9. The coat hook of claim 8 further comprising:

a plurality of ball bearings captured between the button bottom surface and the inner cam mating end and spatially distributed about a perimeter of the button bore; and

a disc-shaped cam spacer disposed against the button bottom surface and being sized to concentrically nest within the ball bearings for maintaining the spatial distribution thereof, the cam spacer having a thickness that is generally less than a diameter of any one of the ball bearings and having a cam bore formed therethrough for receiving the pin rod shaft.

10. The coat hook of claim 8 wherein:

the inner cam mating end ramps are configured as a set of four separate sloping surfaces equi-angularly spaced about the cam bore and sloping in a generally circumferential direction;

the outer cam mating end ramps being configured as a set of four separate sloping surfaces equi-angularly spaced about the cam bore and sloping in a generally circumferential direction identical to that of the inner cam mating end ramps;

the set of inner cam sloping surfaces being angularly offset from the set of outer cam sloping surfaces by about forty-five degrees.

11. The coat hook of claim 8 wherein the cam slot and notch are angularly offset by about ninety degrees.

12. The coat hook of claim 8 wherein:

the latch housing includes a pair of diametrically opposed housing slots formed therein in general alignment with the latch axis;

the button housing having a pair of coiled pins extending laterally outwardly therefrom and slidably engaging the housing slots to prevent rotation of the button assembly relative to the latch assembly.

13. A coat hook selectively moveable between stowed and extended positions along a latch axis and having opposing proximal and distal ends, the coat hook comprising:

a latch assembly including;

a cylindrically shaped latch housing having a cylindrical housing bore concentrically formed therewithin and being open at the proximal end and extending to a housing bottom wall at the distal end, the housing bottom wall having a pin rod mounting hole formed therethrough; and

an elongate dowel rod assembly concentrically disposed within the housing bore and having a cylindrically shaped pin rod shaft connected to the housing bottom wall at the pin rod mounting hole and extending upwardly therefrom, the dowel rod assembly having a cylindrical pin rod dowel passing diametrically through and extending perpendicularly outwardly from opposing sides of the pin rod shaft adjacent the proximal end;

a button assembly axially non-rotatably reciprocatable within the housing bore and being configured to extend partially out of the latch assembly at the proximal end when the coat hook is in the unlatched position and being generally flush with the latch assembly when the coat hook is in the stowed position, the button assembly including;

a cylindrically shaped elongate button housing having a cylindrical button bore open on one end and extending to a button bottom surface on an opposing end

a cylindrically shaped inner cam disposed within the button bore and being freely axially rotatable about the latch axis, the inner cam being sized complementary to the button bore and having a mating end and a bearing end disposed against the button bottom surface, the mating end including a pair of diametrically opposed locking apertures formed in a perimeter wall of the inner cam with a cam bore being formed therethrough for receiving the pin rod shaft, the inner cam further including a set of four inner cam mating end ramps equi-angularly spaced about the cam bore and sloping in a generally circumferential direction; and

a cylindrically shaped outer cam disposed within the button bore and being sized complementary thereto, the outer cam having a mating end and a bearing end, the mating end of the outer cam including a pair of diametrically opposed projections configured to be engagable to the pair of locking apertures for coupling the inner and outer cams to prevent relative rotational movement therebetween, the inner and outer cam mating ends collectively defining a cam interior, the outer cam having a cam bore and a diametrically oriented cam slot formed axially through the outer cam, the outer cam including a set of opposed outer cam bearing end ramps formed thereon and sloping away from one another in opposed radial directions, the outer cam further including set of four outer cam mating end ramps equi-angularly spaced about the cam bore and sloping in the a direction identical to that of the inner cam mating end ramps, the outer cam mating end ramps further including a diametrically disposed notch formed thereon and oriented generally perpendicularly to the cam slot; and

a compression spring coaxially disposed about the pin rod shaft and captured between the housing bottom wall and the outer cam bearing end and being configured to apply a biasing force to bias the button assembly away from the latch assembly;

 

wherein;

the outer cam bearing end ramps are configured to cause the inner and outer cams to rotate about the latch axis until the cam slot is aligned with the pin rod dowel upon advancement of the pin rod shaft into the cam bore such that the pin rod dowel may enter the cam interior;

the inner and outer cam mating end ramps being configured to effectuate an approximately ninety degree rotation of the inner and outer cams relative to the pin rod dowel when a compression force is applied to the button assembly to overcome the biasing force for initial reciprocation of the button assembly within the latch assembly such that the pin rod dowel passes through the cam slot, enters the cam interior, moves toward and engages the inner cam mating end ramps causing rotation of the inner and outer cams;

release of the compression force allowing the biasing force to cause the pin rod dowel to reverse direction and move toward and engage the outer cam mating end ramps causing further rotation of the inner and outer cams until the pin rod dowel engages the notch in order to position the coat hook in the stowed position;

the inner and outer cam mating end ramps being configured to effectuate a further approximately ninety degree incremental rotation of the pin rod dowel relative to the inner and outer cams when the compression force is applied to the button assembly for further reciprocation of the button assembly within the latch assembly such that the pin rod dowel becomes disengaged from the notch, moves toward and engages the inner cam mating end ramps causing rotation of the inner and outer cams;

release of the compression force allowing the biasing force to cause the pin rod dowel to reverse direction and move toward and engage the outer cam mating end ramps causing further rotation of the inner and outer cams until the pin rod dowel is aligned with the cam slot for withdrawal of the pin rod dowel from the cam interior through the cam slot in order to position the coat hook in the extended position.