Gate latch assembly

• US 10,794,091 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2014
• Issued: 10/06/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: D & D Group Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: D & D Group Pty Limited
• Inventors: Smith, Glenn, Novak, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Fulton, Kristina R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ahmad, Faria F
• Application Number:
  US14/768,460
• Publication Number:
  US 20160002955A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,447 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/06 Safety devices; Coverings for baths
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 1/0053 Handles or handle attachments facilitating operation, e.g. by children or burdened persons foot-operation E05B53/001
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2017/2096 Preventing tampering by removal of lock parts which are vital for the function
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2045/0665 Magnetic switches, e.g. reed- or hall-switch
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 27/00 Cylinder locks or other locks with tumbler pins or balls that are set by pushing the key in
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 45/06 Electric alarm locks E05B45/005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 45/12 by movement of the bolt E05B45/083 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/004 the magnets acting directly on the bolt
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 65/0007 for gates for wire gates E06B11/021
• 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 19/003 Locking bars, cross bars, security bars for sliding wings E05B65/0888; for a plurality of drawers E05B65/467
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 19/163 a movable bolt being held in the striker by a permanent magnet
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 19/188 Removably mounted securing devices, e.g. devices clamped to the wing or the frame E05C19/182 - E05C19/186 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 21/00 Arrangements or combinations of wing fastening, securing, or holding devices, not covered by a single preceding main group; Locking kits
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 9/006 Details of bars
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 11/02 Gates; Doors
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/002 Safety guards or gates
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/11 Magnetic

Abstract

A gate latch arranged to be mounted to either a gate or gate post and adapted to co-operate with a component mounted on the other of the gate or gate post to hold the gate closed, the gate latch comprising: a latch mechanism, and a housing containing at least a portion of the latch mechanism, the housing being configured to receive at least one latch accessory to modify the gate latch.

Claims

1. A magnetic gate latch assembly arranged to be mounted to either a gate or gate post and adapted to co-operate with a striker having a magnet mounted on the other of the gate or gate post to hold the gate closed, the gate latch assembly comprising:

a housing having a keeper arranged to receive the striker;

a latch mechanism disposed within the housing and having an internally mounted latching pin, the latching pin being movable between a latched condition where the latching pin is drawn into the striker by magnetic force provided by the magnet of the striker and an unlatched condition where the latching pin retracts into the housing;

an actuator for releasing said latching pin from the latched condition; and

at least one latch accessory in the form of a modular component removably engageable with at least one coupling portion of the housing to mount the modular component to the housing, the modular component houses an electronic sensor operable to sense a magnetic field of the latching pin through the housing to indicate a condition of the gate latch assembly via indirect sensing, the modular component being able to be removed from the housing during the normal operation of the latch mechanism.

2. A gate latch assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one latch accessory comprises a complementary coupling portion.

3. A gate latch assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the at least one coupling portion is arranged to resiliently engage the at least one latch accessory in a snap fit arrangement.

4. A gate latch assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein the housing includes an elongate body extending between a first end and a second end.

5. A gate latch assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein the at least one coupling portion extends longitudinally along the elongate body.

6. A gate latch assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein the at least one coupling portion comprises one or more rails that extend along the elongate body.

7. A gate latch assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein the housing is in the form of an extruded section.

8. A gate latch assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein the housing further comprises a mounting structure mounted to the elongate body.

9. A gate latch assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein the mounting structure includes one of the at least one coupling portion.

10. A gate latch assembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein a portion of the mounting structure is secured to an end of the elongate body.

11. A gate latch assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein the at least one coupling portion is able to receive the at least one latch accessory that is formed partly on the body and partly on the mounting structure.

12. A gate latch assembly according to claim 1, wherein the sensed magnetic field of the latching pin is used to issue an alert when the striker is engaged with the keeper and the latch pin is not in a latched condition.

13. A method of assembling and operating the magnetic gate latch assembly according to claim 1, the method comprising:

(a) providing the gate latch assembly including the housing containing at least a portion of the latch mechanism;

(b) mounting the at least one latch accessory to the housing,

(c) using the electronic sensor to sense a magnetic field of the latching pin of the latch mechanism through the housing, and if required

(d) removing the modular component from the housing

whereby removal of the modular component is achieved during the normal operation of the latch mechanism.

14. The method according to claim 13 further comprising sliding the modular component into sliding engagement with the housing.

15. The method according to claim 14 further comprising applying force to the modular component to resiliently engage the modular component with the housing.

16. The method according to claim 15 further comprising using the sensed magnetic field of the latching pin to issue an alert when the striker is engaged with the keeper and the latch pin is not in a latched condition.