Door latch

A latch assembly comprising:

• a base;
• a paddle rotatably connected to the base to pivot about a paddle axis, the paddle having a drive surface located at a position offset from the paddle axis, the drive surface being movable, upon rotation of the paddle about the paddle axis, through a first travel path extending between a first drive surface position and a second drive surface position;
• and
• a catch assembly connected to the base, the catch assembly having:
• a catch pinion rotatably connected to the base to rotate about a pinion axis that is generally perpendicular to the paddle axis, the catch pinion comprising a pinion plate facing the paddle and having a concave recess to receive at least a portion of the drive surface when the drive surface moves between the first drive surface position and the second drive surface position, and
• an activation surface extending from the pinion plate at a location offset from the pinion axis, the activation surface being movable, upon rotation of the catch pinion about the pinion axis, through a second travel path extending between a first activation surface position adjacent the first drive surface position and a second activation surface position adjacent the second drive surface position, wherein the second travel path intersects the first travel path such that the drive surface can contact at least a portion of the activation surface throughout the first travel path;
• a lock movably mounted to the paddle and comprising a first lock surface that is selectively movable to a locking position at which the lock engages the catch pinion to prevent rotation of the catch pinion in at least one direction about the pinion axis;
• and
• wherein the pinion plate comprises a second lock surface that is located at the locking position when the catch pinion is in the first activation surface position.

A latch assembly comprising:

• a base;
• a paddle rotatably connected to the base to pivot about a paddle axis, the paddle having a drive surface located at a position offset from the paddle axis, the drive surface being movable through a first travel path when the paddle rotates about the paddle axis;
• a catch pinion rotatably connected to the base to rotate about a pinion axis that is generally perpendicular to the paddle axis, the catch pinion including an activation surface positioned in the first travel path such that movement of the drive surface through the first travel path in at least one direction generates a force on the activation surface to rotate the catch pinion about the pinion axis;
• a lock movably mounted to the paddle and comprising a first lock surface that is selectively movable to a locking position at which the lock engages the catch pinion to prevent rotation of the catch pinion in at least one direction about the pinion axis;
• wherein the paddle is rotatable about the paddle axis between a first paddle position and a second paddle position;
• wherein the first travel path extends between a first drive surface position when the paddle is in the first paddle position and a second drive surface position when the paddle is in the second paddle position;
• wherein the latch locking position is located offset from the paddle axis;
• wherein the catch pinion is rotatable about the pinion axis between a first pinion position and a second pinion position;
• wherein the activation surface is at a first location offset from the pinion axis and is movable, upon rotation of the catch pinion from the first pinion position to the second pinion position, through a second travel path extending from a first activation surface position adjacent the first drive surface position to a second activation surface position adjacent the second drive surface position, wherein the second travel path intersects the first travel path such that the drive surface can contact at least a portion of the activation surface throughout the first travel path;
• and
• wherein the catch pinion further comprises a second lock surface at a second location offset from the pinion axis, the second lock surface being movable, upon rotation of the catch pinion from the first pinion position to the second pinion position, through a third travel path extending from a first lock surface position to a second lock surface position, wherein the latch locking position is located along the third travel path and adjacent the first lock surface position, and the first lock surface and the second lock surface are configured to prevent rotation of the catch pinion to the second pinion position when the first lock surface is located in the latch locking position.

A latch assembly comprising:

• a base;
• a paddle rotatably connected to the base to pivot about a paddle axis between a first paddle position and a second paddle position;
• a drive surface located at a position offset from the paddle axis, the drive surface being reconfigurable between a first configuration in which the drive surface is not movable relative to the paddle, and a second configuration in which the drive surface is movable relative to the paddle, and:
• wherein, when the drive surface is in the first configuration, rotation of the paddle about the paddle axis from the first paddle position to the second paddle position forces the drive surface to move through a first travel path from a first drive surface position to a second drive surface position, and
• wherein, when the drive surface is in the second configuration, rotation of the paddle about the paddle axis does not force the drive surface to move through the first travel path from the first drive surface position to the second drive surface position;
• and
• a catch pinion rotatably connected to the base to rotate about a pinion axis that is generally perpendicular to the paddle axis, the catch pinion including an activation surface positioned in the first travel path at a location offset from the pinion axis, such that movement of the drive surface through the first travel path from the first drive surface position to the second drive surface position generates a force on the activation surface to rotate the catch pinion about the pinion axis from a first activation surface position to a second activation surface position;
• wherein the drive surface is attached to a lever that is rotatably connected to the paddle about a lever pivot axis, the lever pivot axis being parallel to the paddle axis.

A latch assembly comprising:

• a base;
• a paddle rotatably connected to the base to pivot about a paddle axis, the paddle having a drive surface located at a position offset from the paddle axis, the drive surface being movable, upon rotation of the paddle about the paddle axis, through a first travel path extending between a first drive surface position and a second drive surface position;
• and
• a catch assembly connected to the base, the catch assembly having:
• a catch pinion rotatably connected to the base to rotate about a pinion axis that is generally perpendicular to the paddle axis, the catch pinion comprising a pinion plate facing the paddle and having a concave recess to receive at least a portion of the drive surface when the drive surface moves between the first drive surface position and the second drive surface position, and
• an activation surface extending from the pinion plate at a location offset from the pinion axis, the activation surface being movable, upon rotation of the catch pinion about the pinion axis, through a second travel path extending between a first activation surface position adjacent the first drive surface position and a second activation surface position adjacent the second drive surface position, wherein the second travel path intersects the first travel path such that the drive surface can contact at least a portion of the activation surface throughout the first travel path;
• and
• wherein the paddle comprises a handle portion connected to the drive surface, wherein the handle portion is reconfigurable between a first configuration in which the handle portion moves freely relative to the drive surface, and a second configuration in which the handle portion moves together with the drive surface.