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US 10,415,279 B2Granted
Latch apparatus
AssigneeCarlson Pet Products, Inc.
InventorsMark A. Flannery, Brian G. Linehan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A wire crate latch apparatus having, in a first embodiment, a pivoting member that is continually drawn to a closed position by gravity and that is deflected into a catch when the door having the pivoting member is swung closed. The latch apparatus further includes upper and lower stops to contain a distal end of the pivoting member and to hold the distal end in the position to hit an oblique portion of the catch when the door is closed. In a second embodiment, a sliding latch apparatus is deflected by a catch and is relatively inaccessible from inside of the wire crate by back plates on the latch and catch.
Claims18
A latch apparatus for latching first and second pieces together, one of the first and second pieces being swingable relative to the other of the first and second pieces, comprising:
- a) a pivoting member, the pivoting member having a proximal end, a distal end, and an intermediate section between the proximal and distal ends, the pivoting member being on the first piece, the distal end of the pivoting member pivoting up and down in a first plane, said pivoting member including a pivot axis about which the pivoting member pivots;
- b) a catch having an oblique portion, the catch being on the second piece, the oblique portion having an upper end, a lower end, and a first oblique surface extending between the upper and lower ends, the upper end being spaced from the second piece by a first distance and defining a catch space, the lower end being spaced from the second piece by a second distance, the second distance being greater than the first distance, the first plane extending between the upper end and the second piece when the first and second pieces are closed, the first oblique surface extending upwardly and inwardly such that, when the first piece and pivoting member are swinging inwardly, the first oblique surface directs the pivoting member to pivot upwardly and over the upper end of the oblique portion, whereupon the pivoting member falls by gravity into the catch space;
- c) an upper stop and a lower stop, the upper and lower stops extending from the first piece, the upper and lower stops being spaced apart from each other, the pivoting member disposed between the upper stop and the lower stop, the upper stop stopping pivoting of the pivoting member in one direction, the lower stop stopping pivoting of the pivoting member in the other direction;
- and
- d) wherein when said pivoting member is at rest, a part of the intermediate section rests on the lower stop and the distal end extends beyond said lower stop.
2 more elements
A latch apparatus for latching first and second pieces together, one of the first and second pieces being swingable relative to the other of the first and second pieces, comprising:
- a) a pivoting member, the pivoting member having a proximal end, a distal end, and an intermediate section between the proximal and distal ends, the pivoting member being on the first piece, the distal end of the pivoting member pivoting up and down in a first plane, said pivoting member including a pivot axis about which the pivoting member pivots;
- b) a catch having an oblique portion, the catch being on the second piece, the oblique portion having an upper end, a lower end, and a first oblique surface extending between the upper and lower ends, the upper end being spaced from the second piece by a first distance and defining a catch space, the lower end being spaced from the second piece by a second distance, the second distance being greater than the first distance, the first plane extending between the upper end and the second piece when the first and second pieces are closed, the first oblique surface extending upwardly and inwardly such that, when the first piece and pivoting member are swinging inwardly, the first oblique surface directs the pivoting member to pivot upwardly and over the upper end of the oblique portion, whereupon the pivoting member falls by gravity into the catch space;
- c) an upper stop and a lower stop, the upper and lower stops extending from the first piece, the upper and lower stops being spaced apart from each other, the pivoting member disposed between the upper stop and the lower stop, the upper stop stopping pivoting of the pivoting member in one direction, the lower stop stopping pivoting of the pivoting member in the other direction;
- and
- d) wherein the catch includes a bottom, the bottom of the catch being at a lower level than the lower stop when the two pieces are closed such that the pivoting member rests on the lower stop and above the bottom of the catch when the two pieces are closed.
2 more elements
A latch apparatus for latching first and second pieces together, one of the first and second pieces being swingable relative to the other of the first and second pieces, comprising:
- a) a pivoting member, the pivoting member having a proximal end, a distal end, and an intermediate section between the proximal and distal ends, the pivoting member being on the first piece, the distal end of the pivoting member pivoting up and down in a first plane, said pivoting member including a pivot axis about which the pivoting member pivots;
- b) a catch having an oblique portion, the catch being on the second piece, the oblique portion having an upper end, a lower end, and a first oblique surface extending between the upper and lower ends, the upper end being spaced from the second piece by a first distance and defining a catch space, the lower end being spaced from the second piece by a second distance, the second distance being greater than the first distance, the first plane extending between the upper end and the second piece when the first and second pieces are closed, the first oblique surface extending upwardly and inwardly such that, when the first piece and pivoting member are swinging inwardly, the first oblique surface directs the pivoting member to pivot upwardly and over the upper end of the oblique portion, whereupon the pivoting member falls by gravity into the catch space;
- c) an upper stop and a lower stop, the upper and lower stops extending from the first piece, the upper and lower stops being spaced apart from each other, the pivoting member disposed between the upper stop and the lower stop, the upper stop stopping pivoting of the pivoting member in one direction, the lower stop stopping pivoting of the pivoting member in the other direction;
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- d) wherein said upper and lower stops are interconnected by a traversing member, the pivoting member extending between the traversing member and the first piece.
2 more elements
A latch apparatus for latching first and second pieces together, one of the first and second pieces being swingable relative to the other of the first and second pieces, comprising:
- a) a pivoting member, the pivoting member having a proximal end, a distal end, and an intermediate section between the proximal and distal ends, the pivoting member being on the first piece, the distal end of the pivoting member pivoting up and down in a first plane, said pivoting member including a pivot axis about which the pivoting member pivots;
- b) a catch having an oblique portion, the catch being on the second piece, the oblique portion having an upper end, a lower end, and a first oblique surface extending between the upper and lower ends, the upper end being spaced from the second piece by a first distance and defining a catch space, the lower end being spaced from the second piece by a second distance, the second distance being greater than the first distance, the first plane extending between the upper end and the second piece when the first and second pieces are closed, the first oblique surface extending upwardly and inwardly such that, when the first piece and pivoting member are swinging inwardly, the first oblique surface directs the pivoting member to pivot upwardly and over the upper end of the oblique portion, whereupon the pivoting member falls by gravity into the catch space;
- and
- c) wherein said oblique portion comprises a U-shaped wire section, wherein said U-shaped wire section comprises said first oblique surface, a second oblique surface coplanar with said first oblique surface and spaced apart from said first oblique surface, and a cross member extending between the first and second oblique surfaces and defining the upper end of the oblique portion.
1 more element
A latch apparatus for latching first and second pieces together, one of the first and second pieces being swingable relative to the other of the first and second pieces, comprising:
- a) a pivoting member, the pivoting member having a proximal end, a distal end, and an intermediate section between the proximal and distal ends, the pivoting member being on the first piece, the distal end of the pivoting member pivoting up and down in a first plane, said pivoting member including a pivot axis about which the pivoting member pivots;
- b) a catch having an oblique portion, the catch being on the second piece, the oblique portion having an upper end, a lower end, and a first oblique surface extending between the upper and lower ends, the upper end being spaced from the second piece by a first distance and defining a catch space, the lower end being spaced from the second piece by a second distance, the second distance being greater than the first distance, the first plane extending between the upper end and the second piece when the first and second pieces are closed, the first oblique surface extending upwardly and inwardly such that, when the first piece and pivoting member are swinging inwardly, the first oblique surface directs the pivoting member to pivot upwardly and over the upper end of the oblique portion, whereupon the pivoting member falls by gravity into the catch space;
- and
- c) wherein said catch comprises a base, the base being L-shaped and having an outer end, the outer end engaging the lower end of the oblique portion.
1 more element
A latch apparatus for latching first and second pieces together, one of the first and second pieces being swingable relative to the other of the first and second pieces, comprising:
- a) a pivoting member, the pivoting member having a proximal end, a distal end, and an intermediate section between the proximal and distal ends, the pivoting member being on the first piece, the distal end of the pivoting member pivoting up and down in a first plane, said pivoting member including a pivot axis about which the pivoting member pivots;
- b) a catch having an oblique portion, the catch being on the second piece, the oblique portion having an upper end, a lower end, and a first oblique surface extending between the upper and lower ends, the upper end being spaced from the second piece by a first distance and defining a catch space, the lower end being spaced from the second piece by a second distance, the second distance being greater than the first distance, the first plane extending between the upper end and the second piece when the first and second pieces are closed, the first oblique surface extending upwardly and inwardly such that, when the first piece and pivoting member are swinging inwardly, the first oblique surface directs the pivoting member to pivot upwardly and over the upper end of the oblique portion, whereupon the pivoting member falls by gravity into the catch space;
- and
- c) wherein said catch comprises a base, the base comprising first and second wire sections, each of the wire sections being L-shaped and having an outer end, each of the outer ends of the wire sections engaging the lower end of the oblique portion.
1 more element
A latch apparatus for latching first and second pieces together, one of the first and second pieces being swingable relative to the other of the first and second pieces, comprising:
- a) a pivoting member, the pivoting member having a proximal end, a distal end, and an intermediate section between the proximal and distal ends, the pivoting member being on the first piece, the distal end of the pivoting member pivoting up and down in a first plane, said pivoting member including a pivot axis about which the pivoting member pivots;
- b) a catch having an oblique portion, the catch being on the second piece, the oblique portion having an upper end, a lower end, and a first oblique surface extending between the upper and lower ends, the upper end being spaced from the second piece by a first distance and defining a catch space, the lower end being spaced from the second piece by a second distance, the second distance being greater than the first distance, the first plane extending between the upper end and the second piece when the first and second pieces are closed, the first oblique surface extending upwardly and inwardly such that, when the first piece and pivoting member are swinging inwardly, the first oblique surface directs the pivoting member to pivot upwardly and over the upper end of the oblique portion, whereupon the pivoting member falls by gravity into the catch space;
- and
- c) a finger receptor on the pivoting member, the finger receptor permitting a user to effectuate a pivoting of the pivoting member and a raising of the distal end of the pivoting member.
1 more element
A latch apparatus for latching first and second pieces together, one of the first and second pieces being swingable relative to the other of the first and second pieces, comprising:
- a) a pivoting member, the pivoting member having a proximal end, a distal end, and an intermediate section between the proximal and distal ends, the pivoting member being on the first piece, the distal end of the pivoting member pivoting up and down in a first plane, said pivoting member including a pivot axis about which the pivoting member pivots;
- b) a catch having an oblique portion, the catch being on the second piece, the oblique portion having an upper end, a lower end, and a first oblique surface extending between the upper and lower ends, the upper end being spaced from the second piece by a first distance and defining a catch space, the lower end being spaced from the second piece by a second distance, the second distance being greater than the first distance, the first plane extending between the upper end and the second piece when the first and second pieces are closed, the first oblique surface extending upwardly and inwardly such that, when the first piece and pivoting member are swinging inwardly, the first oblique surface directs the pivoting member to pivot upwardly and over the upper end of the oblique portion, whereupon the pivoting member falls by gravity into the catch space;
- and
- c) wherein said pivoting member includes a rear face and a top edge, and a latch oblique face between the rear face and top edge, the latch oblique face adjacent to the top edge, the latch oblique face being disposed to hit the first oblique surface of the catch when the first piece and pivoting member are swung inwardly.
1 more element
A latch apparatus for latching first and second pieces together, one of the first and second pieces being swingable relative to the other of the first and second pieces, comprising:
- a) a pivoting member, the pivoting member having a proximal end, a distal end, and an intermediate section between the proximal and distal ends, the pivoting member being on the first piece, the distal end of the pivoting member pivoting up and down in a first plane, said pivoting member including a pivot axis about which the pivoting member pivots;
- b) an upper stop and a lower stop, the upper and lower stops extending from the first piece, the upper and lower stops being spaced apart from each other, the pivoting member disposed between the upper stop and the lower stop, the upper stop stopping pivoting of the pivoting member in one direction, the lower stop stopping pivoting of the pivoting member in the other direction;
- c) a catch having an oblique portion, the catch being on the second piece, the oblique portion having an upper end, a lower end, and a first oblique surface extending between the upper and lower ends, the upper end being spaced from the second piece by a first distance and defining a catch space, the lower end being spaced from the second piece by a second distance, the second distance being greater than the first distance, the first plane extending between the upper end and the second piece when the first and second pieces are closed, the first oblique surface extending upwardly and inwardly such that, when the first piece and pivoting member are swinging inwardly, the first oblique surface directs the pivoting member to pivot upwardly and over the upper end of the oblique member, whereupon the pivoting member falls by gravity into the catch space;
- d) wherein the distal end of the pivoting member is spaced further from the pivot axis than the proximal end of the pivoting member;
- and
- e) a finger receptor on the pivoting member, the finger receptor extending from a surface of the pivoting member, the finger receptor permitting a user to effectuate a pivoting of the pivoting member and a raising of the distal end of the pivoting member.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.