Push latch

• US 7,152,892 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2004
• Issued: 12/26/2006
• 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): Glessner, Brian E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lugo, Carlos
• Application Number:
  US10/990,266
• Publication Number:
  US 20060103148A1
• Time in Patent Office: 770 Days
• Field of Search: 292/341.15, 292/341.17, 292/341.18, 292/341.19, 292/340, 292/DIG.4, 292/DIG.37, 292/DIG.60, 292/DIG.61, 292/DIG.15, 292/59, 292/62, 292/140, 292/57, 292/60, 292/169, 292/300, 292/302, 292/304, 16/82
• 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 latch is respectively placed in the latched and unlatched positions during reciprocation of the pin rod shaft through the cam bore.

Claims

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

a latch assembly, including;

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

a pin rod support extending upwardly from the housing bottom wall and having a rod bore formed therein and being open at the proximal end;

a hollow housing sleeve mounted over the pin rod support and axially moveable relative thereto, the housing sleeve including a shaft bore formed therethrough;

a rotatable pin rod shaft axially fixed within the rod bore and extending thereout through the shaft bore, the pin rod shaft having a pin rod dowel extending laterally outwardly from the pin rod shaft at the proximal end; and

a catch assembly selectively engagable to the latch assembly and including;

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

a rotatable inner cam having a mating end and a bearing end axially fixed within the catch bore adjacent the proximal end, the mating end having inner cam mating end ramps formed thereon; and

a rotatable outer cam axially fixed within the catch bore adjacent the housing bottom wall, the outer cam having a bearing end and a mating end with outer cam bearing and mating end ramps being formed respectively thereon, the outer cam mating end ramps including a notch formed therewith, the inner and outer cams being coupled at respective ones of the mating ends such that the inner and outer cams rotate in unison within the catch bore, the inner and outer cam mating ends collectively defining a cam interior, the outer cam having a cam bore and a cam slot extending axially through the outer cam for passage of the pin rod shaft and pin rod dowel therethrough;

a compression spring captured between the housing bottom wall and the housing sleeve and configured to apply a biasing force to bias the housing sleeve away from the latch housing;

wherein;

the inner and outer cam mating end ramps are configured to effectuate incremental rotation of the inner and outer cams relative to the pin rod dowel when the catch assembly is initially axially moved toward and reciprocated relative to 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 door 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 catch assembly is further reciprocated relative to the latch assembly such that the pin rod dowel disengages from the notch during withdrawal of the pin rod dowel from the cam interior through the cam slot in order to place the door latch in the unlatched position.

2. The door 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 are 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.

3. The door latch of claim 1 wherein the cam slot and notch are angularly offset by about ninety degrees.

4. The door latch of claim 1 wherein the catch bore further includes a retainer ring disposed therewithin at the proximal end for axially retaining the inner cam within the catch bore.

5. The door latch of claim 1 wherein the latch assembly includes at least one latch housing flange extending outwardly from the latch housing and being generally aligned with the latch axis.

6. The door latch of claim 1 wherein the catch assembly includes at least one catch housing flange extending outwardly from the catch housing, the catch housing flange being oriented generally normal to the latch axis.