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US 2022/0064992 A1Published application
Magnetic latch and methods of use
AssigneeGuidecraft, Inc.
InventorsAndrew T. Williams, Hongwei Fu, Matthew Marceron
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A latching apparatus and method for latching two separable apparatuses. The latching apparatus includes a moveable actuator and a bolt. The moveable actuator has a bolt facing north-pole magnet and bolt facing a south-pole magnet attached thereto. The bolt moves in response to the north-pole magnet and the south-pole magnet when the bolt is adjacent the actuator.
Claims20
A magnetic latch, comprising:
- a moveable actuator having a north-pole facing outward oriented magnet and a south-pole facing outward oriented magnet attached thereto;
- a bolt responsive to the north-pole magnet and the south-pole magnet adjacent the moveable actuator;
- wherein a magnetic force applied to the bolt moves the bolt toward the moveable actuator when the movable actuator is in a first position and moves the bolt away from the moveable actuator when the movable actuator is in a second position.
A method of operating a latch, comprising:
- moving an actuator that is attached to a first structure to be latched, the actuator having a bolt facing north-pole magnet and a bolt facing south-pole magnet, to a first position, thereby causing a magnet associated with a bolt attached to a second structure to be latched to extend into the first structure, thereby latching the first structure to the second structure;
- and
- moving the actuator to a second position, thereby causing the magnet associated with the bolt to retract from the first structure, thereby unlatching the first structure from the second structure.
A magnetic latch for a drop-side crib, comprising:
- a moveable actuator having a bolt facing north-pole magnet and a bolt facing south-pole magnet, the moveable actuator attached to the crib;
- a strike coupled to the crib adjacent the moveable actuator;
- and
- a bolt having a bolt magnet incorporated therein, the bolt attached to a drop-side moveable in relation to the crib such that the bolt magnetically engages the strike when the bolt is adjacent the strike and the moveable actuator is in a first position and such that the bolt disengages the strike when the moveable actuator is in a second position.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.