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US 5,509,703 AGranted
Enclosure latch
AssigneeFederal-Hoffman, Inc.
InventorsRobert G. Lau, John S. Abbott, David A. Swan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A latch for securing a cover or door to an enclosure provides a dust and water tight seal. The latch has a housing in which an activator is rotatably mounted. The latch housing has a depression formed in one of its surfaces. A gasket is designed to fin in the depression providing a seal between the activator and the housing. In the preferred embodiment the latch is a quarter-turn latch. The rotation of the latch is limited between a locked and unlocked position substantially 90.degree. apart.
Claims17
A quarter turn latch, comprising:
- (a) a latch housing;
- (b) an insert rotatably mounted in the housing;
- (c) a cam member mounted to the insert;
- (d) a gear attached to the insert;
- (e) a pair of rack members disposed on either radial side of the gear and extending in opposite directions slidably mounted to the housing, wherein each of the rack members includes a plurality of teeth interacting with the gear, and wherein rotating the gear in a first direction retracts the rack members and rotating the gear in a second direction extends the rack members;
- and,
- (f) a gasket mounted on the housing around the insert and forming a seal between the insert and the housing.
4 more elements
A quarter turn latch, comprising:
- (a) a housing;
- (b) an insert rotating about an axis in the housing;
- (c) a cam member reversibly connected to the insert, wherein in a first mounting position, a first cam surface faces a first axial direction, and when reversed, the first cam surface faces an opposite axial direction;
- and,
- (d) rotation limiting means for limiting rotation of the cam, wherein in the first mounting position, the latch rotates in a first direction between a latched position and an unlatched position, and in the reversed mounting position, the latch rotates in a second direction between a latched position and an unlatched position.
2 more elements
A quarter turn latch, comprising:
- (a) latch housing having an upper surface with a depression formed therein, having an outer wall and an inner wall with an annular channel formed proximate the inner wall;
- (b) insert disposed in the housing and rotating relative to the housing;
- (c) a retaining member;
- (d) an annular gasket including an upper ring portion and a lower ring portion and an intermediate ring extending radially beyond the upper and lower ring portions;
- wherein the intermediate ring extends radially outward beyond the upper and lower ring portions;
- wherein the lower ring portion inserts into the channel and the intermediate ring portion forms a seal with the outer wall;
- and wherein an inner surface of the ring portions seals with the insert.
4 more elements
A quarter turn latch, comprising:
- (a) a latch housing;
- (b) rotating insert actuator;
- (c) a handle connected to the actuator and extending radially outward therefrom;
- (d) a retaining member connected to the actuator;
- (e) rotation limiting means for preventing rotation of the latch in a first position and providing for rotation of the latch in a second position wherein the rotation limiting means comprises a sliding member engaging the actuator in a first position to prevent rotation and disengages the actuator in a second position, and wherein the sliding member is disposed in the handle and slides longitudinally within the handle, and wherein the handle includes an orifice formed therethrough and the sliding member includes an orifice formed therethrough, and wherein the orifice in the sliding member aligns with the orifice in the handle in the first position;
- and,
- (f) restricting means for restricting rotation of the handle to within a predetermined range of motion.
4 more elements
A latch system comprising an insert rotatable about an axis;
- a gasket forming a seal around the insert;
- a first housing interchangeable with a second housing;
- wherein the first housing and second housing include a top surface with a depression formed therein for receiving the gasket and forming a seal with the gasket, and wherein the second housing includes a pair of side members extending parallel to the axis on angularly opposite sides of the axis;
- interchangeable retainer members attaching to the insert, wherein a first retainer member defines a cam member and a second retainer member includes a cam member and a gear engaging rack members inserting intermediate the side members and the insert.
1 more element
A quarter turn latch, comprising:
- (a) a latch housing;
- (b) an insert rotatably mounted in the housing;
- (c) a cam member mounted to the insert;
- (d) a gear attached to the insert;
- (e) a pair of rack members disposed on either radial side of the gear and extending in opposite directions slidably mounted to the housing, wherein each of the rack members includes a plurality of teeth interacting with the gear, and wherein rotating the gear in a first direction retracts the rack members and rotating the gear in a second direction extends the rack members.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.