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US 2017/0051535 A1Published application
Low closure force motorized latch
AssigneeIllinois Tool Works Inc.
InventorJonathan H. OLSON
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A motorized appliance latch provides for a spring-biased strike grip that can be engaged and disengaged from the strike with low force but then locked in a close position during closing of the door to allow the strike to be retained against countervailing gasket compression forces. In this way, an arbitrarily low force may be required by the consumer to close or open the door when the door is unsealed by the motor.
Claims20
An appliance latch assembly for latching a door comprising:
- a housing providing an aperture for receiving a strike from a first direction and holding:
- an electric motor;
- a strike grip movable by the electric motor between an outward unlock position toward the first direction along an axis and an inward locked position away from the first direction;
- a strike grip providing at least one spring-biased element, the spring-biased element being movable when the strike grip is in the outward unlock position to receive and releasably retain the strike in response to a manually applied engagement force from the first direction and to release the strike in response to a manually applied disengagement force opposite the first direction;
- and
- a strike grip lock blocking movement of the spring-biased element to release the strike in response to the manually applied force opposite the first direction when the strike grip is in the inward locked position.
3 more elements
A washing appliance comprising:
- a housing having a door movable from an open position permitting a loading of a washing chamber, through a close position visually covering the washing chamber but allowing outside airflow into the washing chamber, to a seal position sealing water within the washing chamber by a compression of a gasket;
- and
- a washing appliance system providing a washing appliance and a strike on opposite of the door and housing, the washing appliance including:
- a housing providing an aperture for receiving the strike from a first direction;
- an electric motor;
- a strike grip movable by the electric motor between an outward unlock position toward the first direction along an axis and an inward locked position away from the first direction;
- the strike grip providing at least one spring-biased element, the spring-biased element being movable when the strike grip is in the outward unlock position to receive and releasably retain the strike in the close position in response to manually applied engagement force from the first direction and to release the strike in response to a manually applied disengagement force opposite the first direction;
- and
- a strike grip lock blocking movement of the spring-biased element to release the strike in response to the manually applied force opposite the first direction when the strike grip is in the inward locked position to hold the door against the gasket in the seal position;
- wherein a force required to hold the door against the gasket in the seal position is greater in magnitude than the disengagement force and the engagement force.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.