Latch assembly with removable battery

A vertical door latch assembly comprising:

• a housing;
• a lock member positioned within the housing and moveable along a first path between a lock position and an unlock position;
• a lock body having an opening that receives at least a portion of the lock member when in the lock position, the lock body configured to move between a latched position and an unlatched position;
• a slider having at least one abutment surface that engages the lock member when in the lock position;
• a motor;
• a driver operably coupled to the motor that rotates a drive member to move the slider along a linear path between at least
• a first position wherein the at least one abutment surface engages the lock member and the portion of the lock member is received within the opening, and
• a second position wherein the at least one abutment surface moves out of engagement with the lock member;
• wherein, once the portion of the lock member moves out of the opening, the lock body is moveable along a second path that is non-parallel with the first path;
• a controller in electrical communication with the motor and configured to direct the drive member between the first position and the second position;
• and
• a battery assembly providing power to the controller, wherein the battery assembly is operably coupled to the driver and is selectively removable from the housing when the lock member is in a first position and fixed to the housing when the lock member is in a second position, wherein when the driver is moving the lock member by the motor, the driver disengages with the battery assembly to allow removal of the battery assembly.

A method of operating a vertical door latch assembly comprising:

• movably attaching a lock body to a latch housing, the lock body having an opening that receives at least a portion of a lock member when in a locked position;
• locating a driver within the latch housing configured to selectively move the lock member long a first path between the locked position preventing movement of the lock body and an unlocked position allowing movement of the lock body;
• and
• controlling the driver to selectively direct the lock member between the locked position and the unlocked position, and wherein, once the lock member moves out of the opening, the lock body is moveable along a second path that is non-parallel with the first path;
• driving the driver in a first direction to rotate a lead screw;
• moving a slider along the lead screw to engage a release portion on a battery housing to disengage a catch portion on battery housing from the latch housing;
• and
• removing a battery assembly from housing.