Latch assembly for a sectional door

A door-latching system for a sectional door having a plurality of door panels that are moveable between an open position and a closed position, comprising:

• a sensing member adapted to sense that the plurality of door panels have reached the open position;
• a latch member moveable between a maintained release position and a door-blocking position, wherein the latch member in the maintained release position allows at least some of the plurality of door panels to travel past the latch member, and in the door-blocking position the latch member inhibits the plurality of door panels from moving from the open position to the closed position;
• an actuating member that moves the latch member between the maintained release position and the door-blocking position in response to the sensing member having sensed that the plurality of door panels have reached the open position;
• and
• a traveling member mountable to the plurality of door panels, such that the traveling member is able to move past the latch member without contacting the latch member, while also being able to engage the sensing member as the plurality of door panels move from the closed position to the open position, wherein the traveling member engaging the sensing member mechanically moves the latch member from the maintained release position to the door-blocking position.

A method of operating a sectional door that includes a plurality of door panels moveable between an open position and a closed position, and a latch assembly that includes a latch member and a sensing member, wherein the latch member is moveable between a maintained release position and a door-blocking position, the method comprising:

• maintaining the latch member in a retracted position such that a traveling member can move past the latch member without contact with it as the plurality of door panels move from the closed position to the open position;
• sensing that the plurality of door panels have reached the open position in response to the traveling member engaging the sensing member as the plurality of door panels move from the closed position to the open position;
• mechanically actuating the latch member such that the latch member mechanically moves from the maintained release position to the door-blocking position upon sensing that the plurality of door panels have reached the open position;
• and
• latching the sectional door upon actuating the latch member, whereby the latch member inhibits the plurality of door panels from moving from the open position to the closed position.