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US 2022/0178173 A1Published application
Releasable locking mechanism for a refrigerated appliance
AssigneeHaier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
InventorsElaine Marie Arens, Bart Andrew Nuss, Ryan Persaud, Ronald Fernandez
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A releasable locking mechanism for a refrigerated unit. A latch plate is movable between a position that can be engaged by a deadbolt and a position clear of the deadbolt. The latch plate is moved by a door release accessible from an interior of the refrigerated unit. When the door release is activated, a pin blocks movement of the latch plate so that the refrigerated unit remains unlocked until the pin is reset.
Claims18
A refrigerated unit, comprising:
- a cabinet forming an opening for access to an interior space;
- a door supported by the cabinet and configured for allowing selective access by movement of the door between an open position and a closed position;
- a locking mechanism for securing the door in the closed position, the locking mechanism comprising
- a deadbolt movable along a lock axis between a retracted position and an extended position, the deadbolt preventing opening of the door when in the extended position;
- a latch plate positioned near the deadbolt when the door is in a closed position, the latch plate defining an aperture for receipt of the deadbolt when in the extended position, the latch plate movable along a direction parallel to the lock axis between i) an engaged position where the deadbolt can move along the lock axis in and out of the aperture and ii) a disengaged position where the deadbolt cannot be positioned into the aperture;
- and
- a pin positioned near the latch plate, the pin configured for movement between an i) activated state where the latch plate is prevented from moving to the engaged position and ii) a deactivated state where the latch plate is not prevented from being in the engaged position.
4 more elements
A refrigerated unit, comprising:
- a cabinet forming an opening for access to an interior space;
- a door pivotably supported and configured for selectively covering and uncovering the opening so that the interior space may be accessed;
- a locking mechanism comprising
- a deadbolt movable between a retracted position and an extended position, the deadbolt preventing opening of the door when in the extended position;
- a latch plate positioned near the deadbolt when the door is in a closed position, the latch plate defining an aperture for receipt of the deadbolt when in the extended position, the latch plate movable between i) an engaged position where the deadbolt can move along the lock axis in and out of the aperture and ii) a disengaged position where the deadbolt cannot be positioned into the aperture;
- and
- a pin positioned near the latch plate, the pin configured for movement between an i) activated state where the latch plate is prevented from moving to the engaged position and ii) a deactivated state where the latch plate is not prevented from moving into the engaged position.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.