Closure for a hinged sterilizer door

A steam sterilizer apparatus comprising:

• a pressure chamber;
• a door frame which defines an opening into the chamber;
• a door connected to the door frame, the door being sized to cover the opening;
• a plurality of flanges connected with the door frame, at least one flange being adjacent each of opposite edges of the door;
• and,
• a closure assembly which selectively maintains the door in a proximate relationship to the frame, the closure assembly including:
• a first plate, an uppermost portion of which is pivotally connected to the door, the first plate defining at least a first engagement portion which is pivoted into and out of engagement with a first of the flanges,
• a second plate, a lowermost portion of which is pivotally connected to the door, the second plate defining at least a first engagement portion which is pivoted into and out of engagement with a second of the flanges,
• a rotatable coupling member which couples the first plate to the second plate for selectively pivoting the first and second plates between a disengaged position, in which the engagement portions are displaced from the flanges, and an engagement position, in which the engagement portions engage the flanges, the coupling member defining a first arcuate slot therein and a second arcuate slot therein,
• a first follower connected at a first end to an outer surface of the first plate and extending into the first slot, and
• a second follower connected at a first end to an outer surface of the second plate and extending into the second slot;
• whereby the plates are rotated into and out of the engaged position in concert and the followers move oppositely along the slots, as the coupling member rotates.

A steam sterilizer apparatus comprising:

• a pressure chamber;
• a door frame which defines an opening into the chamber;
• a door connected to the door frame, the door being sized to cover the opening;
• a plurality of flanges connected with the door frame, at least one flange being adjacent each of opposite edges of the door;
• and,
• a closure assembly which selectively maintains the door in a proximate relationship to the frame, the closure assembly including:
• a first plate, an uppermost portion of which is pivotally connected to the door, the first plate defining at least a first engagement portion which is pivoted into and out of engagement with a first of the flanges,
• a second plate, a lowermost portion of which is pivotally connected to the door, the second plate defining at least a first engagement portion which is pivoted into and out of engagement with a second of the flanges,
• the plates being generally triangular and of the same mass and general geometry,
• a coupling member which couples the first plate to the second plate, such that gravitational forces on the first and second plates are counterbalanced around the coupling member, whereby as the first and second engagement portions are pivoted into engagement with the first and second flanges, the plates exert balanced opposing forces on the coupling member.

A steam sterilizer apparatus comprising:

• a pressure chamber;
• a door frame which defines an opening into the chamber;
• a door connected to the door frame, the door being sized to cover the opening;
• a plurality of flanges connected with the door frame, at least one flange being adjacent each of opposite edges of the door;
• and,
• a closure assembly which selectively maintains the door in a proximate relationship to the frame, the closure assembly including:
• a first plate, pivotally connected to the door, the first plate defining an L-shaped peripheral edge and at least a first engagement portion which is pivoted into and out of engagement with a first of the flanges, and
• a second plate, pivotally connected to the door, the second plate defining an L-shaped peripheral edge and at least a second engagement portion which is pivoted into and out of engagement with a second of the flanges;
• and
• a coupling member for coordinatedly pivoting the first and second plates, the coupling member including:
• a first, arcuate cam surface which engages a follower on the first plate,
• a second, arcuate cam surface which engages a follower on the second plate, and
• a rotatable mounting for the coupling member such that (1) as the coupling member rotates in one direction the cam surfaces cam the followers apart moving the engagement portions into engagement with the flanges and (2) as the coupling member rotates in an opposite direction the cam surfaces cam the followers toward each other moving the engagement portions out of engagement with the flanges.

An apparatus comprising:

• a pressure chamber;
• a door frame which defines an opening into the chamber;
• a door connected to the door frame, the door being sized to cover the opening;
• a plurality of flanges connected with the door frame, at least one flange being adjacent each of opposite edges of the door;
• a first plate, pivotally connected to the door, the first plate defining at least a first engagement portion which is pivoted into and out of engagement with a first of the flanges;
• a second plate, pivotally connected to the door, the second plate defining at least a second engagement portion which is pivoted into and out of engagement with a second of the flanges;
• and
• a coupling member for coordinatedly pivoting the first and second plates, the coupling member including:
• a first, curved cam surface which engages a follower on the first plate,
• a second,curved cam surface which engages a follower on the second plate, the cam surfaces having an overcenter geometry which prevents the engagement portions from being moved out of engagement with the flanges unless the coupling member is rotated by an external force.

A closure assembly for selectively maintaining a door in sealing engagement around an opening in cabinet, four flanges extending from a front face of the cabinet adjacent the door, the assembly comprising:

• a first plate which includes a first pivot point for pivotally connecting the first plate to an exterior surface of the door adjacent a first edge of the door, the first plate defining a first engagement portion for selectively engaging a first of the flanges and a second engagement portion for selectively engaging a second of the flanges, the first and second engagement portions being separated from each other by a recess;
• a second plate which includes a second pivot point for pivotally connecting the second plate to the exterior surface of the door adjacent a second edge of the door, the second plate defining a third engagement portion for selectively engaging a third of the flanges and a fourth engagement portion for selectively engaging a fourth of the flanges, the third and fourth engagement portions being separated from each other by a recess;
• and,
• a coupling member which couples the first plate to the second plate for concurrently rotating the first and second plates from a disengaged position, in which the engagement portions are displaced from the flanges, to an engagement position, in which the engagement portions engage the flanges.

A closure assembly for selectively maintaining a door in sealing engagement around an opening in a cabinet, the door having four sides, flanges extending from a front face of the cabinet adjacent the sides of the door, the assembly comprising:

• a first plate which includes a first pivot point adjacent an uppermost corner thereof for pivotally connecting the first plate to a surface of the door, the first plate defining at least one engagement portion for selectively engaging at least one of the flanges;
• a second plate which includes a second pivot point adjacent a lowermost corner thereof for pivotally connecting the second plate to the surface of the door, the first and second pivot points being diagonally opposite, the first and second plates having the same mass, the second plate defining at least one engagement portion for selectively engaging at least one of the flanges;
• a coupling member disposed on a diagonal between the first and second pivot points and coupling the first plate to the second plate for concurrently rotating the first and second plates about the first and second pivot points between a disengaged position, in which the engagement portions are displaced from the flanges, and an engagement position, in which the engagement portions engage the flanges;
• the plates being counterbalanced around the coupling member such that the first and second plates exert equal and opposite forces on the coupling member as the plates are rotated.