Stored energy gasket-compressing latch with reduced rotational friction
AssigneeIllinois Tool Works Inc.
InventorsMichael S. Osvatic, Kenyon A. Hapke (deceased)
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An appliance latch provides a hook that may be energized against a spring force to receive a catch element which releases the hook to pull the catch element into engagement. A toggle arm may be used to hold the hook in the energized state before receipt of the catch element to provide for a sensitive and predictable release of the spring force with rotation of the hook. The hook may be mounted on a floating pivot both to accommodate the toggle arm operation and to permit re-engagement of the catch element with the hook in the event that the hook is released from its energized state without engagement of the catch element, for example, by inertial forces.
Claims19
An appliance latch for receiving a catch element along an axis in a receiving direction, the latch comprising:
- a latch frame attachable to a portion of the appliance;
- a floating pivot movable independently with respect to the latch frame along the axis and across the axis;
- a hook supported to rotate about the floating pivot to capture a portion of the catch element in a capture position when the catch element enters a hook opening and to release the catch element in a release position when the catch element exits the hook opening;
- and
- at least one spring urging the floating pivot in the receiving direction along the axis.
- further including a toggle arm extending between the hook and the latch frame and pivotally attached to each of the hook and latch frame to brace the hook against movement in the receiving direction when the hook is in the release position and to release the hook for movement in the receiving direction with rotation of the hook from the release position to the capture position.
An appliance door assembly comprising:
- an appliance housing providing a water-retaining volume accessible through an opening;
- a door attached to the appliance housing to open to provide access to the volume and close to cover the volume;
- a gasket fitting between the door and the appliance housing to seal the volume against water leakage when the door is closed;
- a latch and catch element attached to opposite of the appliance housing and door, the latch receiving the catch element along an axis in a receiving direction and providing:
- (1) a floating pivot movable independently with respect to the latch frame along an axis and across the axis;
- (2) a hook supported to rotate about the floating pivot to capture a portion of the catch element in a capture position when the catch element enters a hook opening and to release the catch element in a release position when the catch element exits the hook opening, wherein the hook provides a wedge surface extending diagonally to the axis when the hook is in the capture position to contact a catch element not engaged by the hook and, moving in the receiving direction, push the hook and floating pivot to move across the axis in a reset direction to allow the catch element to enter the hook opening when the hook is not in the receiving position;
- and
- (3) at least one spring urging the floating pivot in the receiving direction along the axis and the reset direction across the axis and sized to provide a compression of the gasket into a sealing state when the hook has captured the catch element and is in the capture position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.