Reduced door opening force and enhanced security flight deck door mechanism

An aircraft cockpit door mechanism, comprising:

• a support assembly;
• a solenoid connected to the support assembly;
• a latch pin having a longitudinal axis, the latch pin connected to the solenoid substantially parallel to the latch pin longitudinal axis and operable to displace longitudinally along the longitudinal axis between each of a solenoid energized position and a solenoid de-energized position;
• a catch assembly rotatably connectable to the support assembly and positionable to engage the taper portion of the latch pin when the latch pin is positioned in the solenoid energized position;
• and
• a latch bolt slidably connected to a door and operable to rotate the catch assembly, the latch bolt including a distal bulbous end operable to contact the catch assembly at a contact point about the bulbous distal end.

A method for controlling a position of an aircraft cockpit door using a door latch assembly having a rotatable catch and a latch pin connectable to a solenoid, the latch pin including a tapered end;

• and a latch bolt connectable to the door, the latch bolt having a bulbous end creating a contact point with a contact face of the rotatable catch, the method comprising:
• displacing the contact face of the rotatable catch from a catch axis of rotation;
• positioning the latch bolt such that the bulbous end contacts the contact face of the rotatable catch at a contact point between the bulbous end and the contact face;
• providing a taper angle one of less than and equal to 3.4 degrees for the tapered end of the latch pin;
• transmitting a door opening force through the door and via the door to the latch bolt such that in a solenoid de-energized position of the latch pin the bulbous end in contact with the contact face magnifies the door opening force as the cockpit door rotates away from a door closed position, and in a solenoid energized position of the latch pin the taper angle of the latch pin in contact with the rotatable catch prevents a manual displacement of the door from the door closed position.