Resilient latching device

A latching device for installation in or on a panel for latching said panel to a striker bar which device comprises a one-piece solid body of elastomeric material having a principal plane which, upon installation, is substantially parallel to the surface of said panel, said latching device having a latching lip which protrudes outwardly from the edge of said body in a direction both parallel to and normal to said principal plane, said lip cut on an inwardly-directed surface to form a catch which is constructed and arranged to just accommodate the thickness of said striker bar in latching relation, an outwardly directed surface of said latching lip comprising a protuberance for elastically-deformable engagement with said striker bar, at least a portion of the outwardly-directed surface of said protuberance forming in a cross-sectional plane an acute angle within the range 15 degrees to 75 degrees with a plane parallel to said principal plane;

• means for securing the installation of said body in or on said panel comprising an elongated slot in the peripheral edge of said one-piece body which is constructed to just accommodate the thickness of said panel;
• wherein said body comprises a structure forming a "D" in said principal plane, wherein said elongated slot is interposed continuously around the peripheral edge of said "D", and wherein said lip cut on an inwardly-directed surface to form said catch depends and protrudes outwardly from the straight portion of said "D".

A door or panel retention device constructed and arranged for installation in or on a rigid panel for latching said rigid panel to a striker bar or surface on a rigid panel, which device comprises a one-piece body of elastomer material consisting essentially of natural or synthetic rubber or elastoplastic material having durometer hardness within the range 20 to 100 on the Shore A scale and 0-100 on the Shore D Scale, an ultimate tensile strength of at least about 300 pounds per square inch, (21.9 Kg/cm.sup.2), a tear strength of at least about 35 pounds per linear inch (6.24 Kg/cm.), an ultimate elongation of at least about 125%, and a compressiblity of at least about 10%, comprising means for rigidly fastening said body to said panel, said one-piece body comprising a latch having at least one protuberance which is constructed and arranged at least one protuberance which is constructed and arranged when installed in said panel to project outwardly adjacent the edge of said panel in a direction normal to the edge of said panel, said outwardly-directed protuberance being constructed to engage in elastically-deformable relation with a transversely-disposed surface of said striker bar or surface when said door or panel retention device is being closed with reference to said striker bar or surface, and to disengage in elastically-deformable relation from said striker bar or surface when said retention device is opened.

A door or panel retention device for installation in or on a rigid panel for latching said rigid panel to a striker bar mounted on a rigid panel which device comprises a one-piece solid body of elastomeric material having a principal plane which, upon installation, is substantially parallel to the surface of said panel, said door or panel retention device having a latching lip which protrudes outwardly from the edge of said body in a direction both parallel to and normal to said principal plane, said lip cut on an inwardly-directed surface to form a catch which is constructed and arranged to just accommodate the thickness of said striker bar in latching relation, an outwardly directed surface of said latching lip comprising a protuberance for elastically-deformable engagement with said striker bar, at least a portion of the outwardly-directed surface of said protuberance forming in a cross-sectional plane an acute angle within the range 15 degrees to 75 degrees with a plane parallel to said principal plane;

• wherein said elastomeric body consists essentially of natural or synthetic rubber or elastoplastic material having a durometer hardness within the range 20-100 on the Shore A scale, and 0-100 on the Shore D Scale, an ultimate tensile strength of at least about 300 pounds per square inch (21.9 Kg/cm.sup.2), a tear strength of at least about 35 pounds per linear inch (6.24 Kg/cm.), an ultimate elongation of at least about 125%, and a compressibility of at least about 10 percent.

A door or panel retention combination for installation on or adjacent the edges of a first door or panel and a second door or panel for alternatively maintaining said edges in spaced-apart open position or in intimately latched abutting position, which combination comprises:

• a striker bar or surface at or near the edge of said first door or panel;
• a one-piece body of elastomeric material;
• means for installing and rigidly fastening said one-piece body at or near the edge of said second door or panel;
• said elastomeric material consisting essentially of natural or synthetic rubber or elastoplastic material having durometer hardness within the range 20-100 on the Shore A Scale and 0-100 on the Shore D Scale, an ultimate tensile strength of at least about 300 pounds per square inch (21.9 Kg/cm.sup.2), a percentage of elongation of at least about 125 percent, a tear strength of at least about 35 pounds per linear inch (6.24 K/g cm.), and a compressibility of at least about 10 percent;
• said one-piece body comprising a latch having a protuberance which projects outwardly adjacent the edge of said second door or panel in a direction normal to the edge of said second door or panel, said outwardly-directed protuberance being constructed to engage in elastically-deformable relation with transversely-disposed surface of said striker bar or surface when said door or panel retention device is being closed with reference to said striker bar or surface, and to disengage in elastically-deformable relation from said striker bar or surface when said latch is opened.

A door or panel retention combination comprising elements for installation on or adjacent the edges of a first door or rigid panel and a second door or rigid panel for alternatively maintaining said edges in spaced-apart open position or in elastically engaged abutting position, which combination comprises:

• a striker bar or surface at or near the edge of said first door or rigid panel;
• a one-piece solid body installed at or near the edge of said second door or rigid panel wherein either said striker bar or surface of said one-piece body consists essentially of elastomeric material;
• said one-piece body characterized by a principal plane, which upon installation, is substantially parallel to the principal plane of the surface of said second door or rigid panel, said one-piece body having at least one lip which protrudes outwardly adjacent the edge of said one-piece body in a direction both parallel to and normal to said principal plane, said lip cut on an inwardly-directed surface to form a catch which just accommodates the thickness of said striker bar or surface, the outwardly-directed surface of said lip comrpising a protuberance for elastically-deformable engagement with said striker bar or surface, at least a portion of the surface of said protubrance forming in cross-sectional plane a positive angle within the range 15 degrees to 75 degrees with a plane parallel to said principal plane;
• means for securing the installation of said body, or alternatively said striker bar, whichever consists essentially of elastomeric material, comprising an elongated slot in the peripheral edge of said one-piece body or said striker bar, which slot just accommodates the thickness of said first or second rigid panel on which said body or said striker bar is installed.

A door or panel retention combination for installatin on or adjacent the edges of a first door or rigid panel and a second door or rigid panel for alternatively maintaining said edges in spaced-apart open position or in elastically engaged abutting position, which combination comprises:

• a striker bar or surface at or near the edge of said first door or rigid panel;
• a one-piece body, wherein either said striker bar or surface or said one-piece body is of elastomeric material;
• measn for installing and rigidly fastening said one-piece body at or near the edge of said second door or rigid panel;
• said elastomeric material consisting essentially of natural or synthetic rubber or elastoplastic material having durometer hardness within the range 20-100 on the Shore A Scale and 0-100 on the Shore D Scale, an ultimate tensile strength of at least about 300 pounds per square inch (21.9 Kg/cm.sup.2), a percentage of elongation of at least about 125 percent, a tear strength of at least about 35 pounds per linear inch (6.24 K/g cm.), and a compressibility of at least about 10 percent;
• said one-piece body comprising a latch having a protuberance which projects outwardly adjacent the edge of said second door or rigid panel in a direction normal to the edge of said second door or rigid panel, said outwardly-directed protuberance being constructed to engage in elastically-deformable relation with a transversely-disposed surface of said striker bar or surface when said retainer device is being closed with reference to said striker bar or surface, and to disengage in elastically-deformable relation from said striker bar or surface when said latch is opened.