Latch

• US 8,505,989 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2008
• Issued: 08/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gateguard Pty., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Wells Enterprise Australia Pty Limited
• Inventors: Wells, Adrian
• Primary Examiner(s): Lugo, Carlos
• Application Number:
  US12/676,724
• Publication Number:
  US 20110101706A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,800 Days
• Field of Search: 292177-182, 292/251.5, 29234115-34117
• US Class Current: 292/251.5
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 63/248 the striker being movable for latching, and pushed back by a member on the wing for unlatching, or vice versa
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 65/0014 to prevent opening by children E05B13/00 takes precedence; child-proof container closures B65D50/00
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 19/163 a movable bolt being held in the striker by a permanent magnet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/0999 Spring retracted
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1001 Sliding catch
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1014 Operating means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/11 Magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/696 With movable dog, catch or striker

Abstract

The invention resides in a latch comprising a lock including a locking pin mounted within a lock body, the locking pin movable between an extended position and a retracted position, the locking pin biased toward the retracted position; and a catch including a release mechanism, the release mechanism for holding the locking pin in the extended position; wherein a magnetic force between the locking pin and the release mechanism holds the locking pin in the extended position which causes the locking pin to engaged the catch.

Claims

1. A latch comprising:

a lock including a locking pin mounted within a lock body, the locking pin movable between an extended position and a retracted position, the locking pin biased toward the refracted position;

a catch including a release mechanism, the release mechanism for holding the locking pin in the extended position; and

a magnet located to provide a magnetic force between the locking pin and the release mechanism;

wherein the magnetic force between the locking pin and the release mechanism holds the locking pin in the extended position which causes the locking pin to engage the catch, and the locking pin is released from the catch by moving the release mechanism to a release position so that the magnetic force between the locking pin and the release mechanism is less than the biasing force applied to the locking pin to move the locking pin to the retracted position; and

wherein the locking pin and the release mechanism are longitudinally aligned.

2. The latch of claim 1, wherein the release mechanism includes the magnet.

3. The latch of claim 2, wherein the magnet of the release mechanism is a permanent magnet.

4. The latch of claim 1, wherein the release mechanism includes an actuator that is able to move the release mechanism between a catch position and the release position.

5. The latch of claim 4, wherein the release mechanism may be biased toward the catch position.

6. The latch of claim 5, wherein the release mechanism is biased toward the catch position via a spring.

7. The latch of claim 6, wherein the spring is a helical spring.

8. The latch of claim 4, wherein the actuator includes a slide and a handle.

9. The latch of claim 1, wherein the catch includes a catch recess to catch the locking pin.

10. The latch of claim 9, wherein the locking pin is biased toward the retracted position via a spring.

11. The latch of claim 10, wherein the spring is a helical spring.

12. The latch of claim 1, wherein the locking pin of the lock includes the magnet.

13. The latch of claim 1, wherein the release mechanism is operated so that the magnetic force between the release mechanism and the locking pin changes to move the locking pin from the extended position to the retracted position.

14. A method of operating a latch including the steps of:

locating a locking pin of a lock to be longitudinally aligned with a catch having a release mechanism in a catch position, and locating a magnet to provide a magnetic force between the locking pin and the release mechanism, so that the locking pin moves to an extended position to engage the catch via the magnetic force between the locking pin and the release mechanism; and

releasing the locking pin from the catch by moving the release mechanism to a release position so that the magnetic force between the locking pin and the release mechanism is less than a biasing force applied to the locking pin to move the locking pin to a retracted position.

15. The method of claim 14, further including the step of:

moving the release mechanism to a catch position.