Latching mechanism for an appliance door

In a cabinet provided with an access opening and a pivotable door adapted to extend across and close the access opening, a mechanism for latching the pivotable door in a closed position comprising:

• a latch housing mounted to one of the door and the cabinet, said latch housing including an opening therein;
• a catch member movably mounted relative to the latch housing between latching and receiving positions, said catch member being formed with a camming surface defining at least first and second detent positions;
• a cam pin extending across a portion of the latch housing, said cam pin being adapted to be received in the first detent position when the latching mechanism assumes an unlatched position and in the second detent position when the latching mechanism assumes a latched position;
• and
• a striker element mounted to another of the door and the cabinet, said striker element being adapted to project into the opening of the latch housing and abut the catch member to cause shifting of the catch member from the receiving position to the latching position upon closing of the door in order to reposition the cam pin from the first detent position to the second detent position.

In a cabinet provided with an access opening and a pivotable door adapted to extend across and close the access opening, a mechanism for latching the pivotable door in a closed position comprising:

• a latch housing mounted to one of the door and the cabinet, said latch housing including an opening therein and being provided with a pair of laterally spaced slots;
• a cross pin supported by the latch housing, said cross pin having terminal end portions which project into the slots, wherein an axis defined by the cross pin is movable, within the slots, relative to the latch housing;
• a catch member movably mounted relative to the latch housing between latching and receiving positions, said catch member being shiftable relative to the latch housing upon shifting of the axis defined by the cross pin;
• and
• a striker element mounted to another of the door and the cabinet, said striker element being adapted to project into the opening in the latch housing and abut the catch member to cause shifting of the catch member from the receiving position to the latching position upon closing of the door.

In a cabinet provided with an access opening and a pivotable door adapted to extend across and close the access opening, a mechanism for latching the pivotable door in a closed position comprising:

• a latch housing mounted to one of the door and the cabinet, said latch housing including an opening therein, wherein the opening in the latch housing includes a beveled portion about a periphery thereof;
• a catch member movably mounted relative to the latch housing between latching and receiving positions;
• and
• a striker element mounted to one of the door and the cabinet, said striker element being guided by the beveled portion into the opening of the latch housing to abut the catch member and cause shifting of the catch member from the receiving position to the latching position upon closing of the door.