Door latch assembly

An appliance door latch assembly for use with an appliance having a cabinet, a door frame including a door opening being provided in said cabinet, and a door hinged to said cabinet and movable from a closed position in covering relation over said door opening to an open position, said door having a latch edge which is positioned adjacent said door frame when said door is in said closed position, said latch assembly comprising:

• a strike member;
• first mounting means movably mounting said strike member to said door frame for movement between a latch position and an unlatch position;
• strike spring means exerting a first yieldable force on said strike member yieldably urging said strike member to said latch position;
• a bolt having a ramp surface and a latching shoulder;
• at least one electrical switch having a deactuated condition and an actuated condition;
• switch actuator means drivingly engaging said switch and movable from a first position for causing said switch to be in said deactuated condition to a second position for causing said switch to be in said actuated condition;
• second mounting means fixedly mounting said bolt and said switch to said door;
• said strike member being engagable with, and movable by said ramp surface of said bolt during movement of said door from said open position to said closed position for a first movement of said strike member from said latch position to said unlatch position and for a second movement of said strike member from said unlatch position to said latch position in retentive engagement with said latching shoulder of said bolt for holding said door in said closed position;
• said strike member engaging said switch actuator means during said second movement of said strike member to said latch position for causing said switch actuator means to move to said second position, whereby said switch actuator means will cause said switch to be changed to said actuated condition when said door is in said closed position;
• said strike member comprising a T-shaped end having a T-cross bar and a T-leg, said T-cross bar engaging said latching shoulder of said bolt after said second movement of said strike member to said latch position.

An appliance door latch assembly for use with an appliance having a cabinet, a door frame including a door opening being provided in said cabinet, and a door hinged to said cabinet and movable from a closed ,/ position in covering relation over said door opening to an open position, said door having a latch edge which is positioned adjacent said door frame when said door is in said closed position, said latch assembly comprising:

• a strike member;
• first mounting means movably mounting said strike member to said door frame for movement between a latch position and an unlatch position;
• strike spring means exerting a first yieldable force on said strike member yieldably urging said strike member to said latch position;
• a bolt having a ramp surface and a latching shoulder;
• at least one electrical switch having a deactuated condition and an actuated condition;
• switch actuator means engagable with said switch and movable from a first position for causing said switch to be in said deactuated condition to a second position for causing said switch to be in said actuated condition;
• second mounting means fixedly mounting said bolt and said switch to said door;
• said strike member being engagable with, and movable by said ramp surface of said bolt during movement of said door from said open position to said closed position for a first movement of said strike member from said latch position to said unlatch position and for a second movement of said strike member from said unlatch position to said latch position in retentive engagement with said latching shoulder of said bolt for holding said door in said closed position;
• said strike member engaging said switch actuator means during said second movement of said strike member, said first yieldable force exerted by said spring means of said strike member being sufficient to cause said switch actuator means to move to said second position, whereby said switch actuator means will cause said switch to be changed to said actuated condition when said door is in said closed position;
• said switch actuator means comprising a switch member drivingly connected to said switch for causing said switch to change to said actuated condition in response to said second movement of said strike member to said latch position;
• said switch actuator means further comprising an intermediate actuator member movably mounted to said second mounting means and being interposed between said strike member and said switch member during said second movement of said strike member to said latch position.

An appliance door latch assembly for use with an appliance having a cabinet, a door frame including a door opening being provided in said cabinet, and a door hinged to said cabinet and movable from a closed position, said door frame when said door is in said closed position, said latch assembly comprising:

• a strike assembly comprising a strike member, a first mounting means, and a strike spring means, said strike member having a strike end;
• said first mounting means mounting said strike assembly to said door frame for movement of said strike member between a latch position and an unlatch position;
• said strike spring means yieldably urging said strike member to said latch position with a first yieldable force;
• a bolt having a ramp surface and a latching shoulder;
• at least one electrical switch means mounted to said door and being movable between an actuated and a deactuated condition;
• second mounting means mounting said bolt and said switch means to said door;
• switch bias means yieldably urging said switch means toward said deactuated position with a second yieldable force less than said first yieldable force of said strike spring means;
• handle means movably mounted to said door for linear movement between a release position and a secured position;
• said strike member being engagable with, and movable by said ramp surface of said bolt during movement of said door from said open position to said closed position for a first movement of said strike member from said latch position to said unlatch position and for a second movement of said strike member from said unlatch position to said latch position in retentive engagement with said latching shoulder of said bolt for holding said door in said closed position;
• said switch means being movable from said deactuated position to said actuated position in response to said second movement of said strike member to said latch position when said door is in said closed position;
• said handle means being movable from said release position to said secured position in response to said second movement of said strike member to said latch position;
• said handle means engaging said strike member when said strike member is in said latch position and being manually linearly movable from said secured position to said release position for causing said strike member to move from said latch position to said switch bias means will cause said switch means to move from said deactuated position to said actuated position.