Safety latch apparatus

A safety latch apparatus for retaining a swinging door in a closed or substantially closed position relative to a door frame in a door unit, said door unit having a first fixed member and a second movable member, said safety latch comprising:

• a receiving assembly having a base portion for mounting to said first fixed position member or said second movable member and a single receiving element protruding from said base portion;
• and
• a latching assembly engageable with said receiving element, said latching assembly comprising:
• a curved compliant arm wherein the curvature of the arm is substantially the same or greater than a curvature of the arc of the swinging door;
• a separate catch element coupled at the end of the compliant arm, wherein said curved compliant arm biases said catch element towards said receiving element to facilitate engagement with said receiving element upon movement of said catch element and said receiving element towards each other;
• a latching assembly mounting mechanism for mounting said curved compliant arm to said first fixed position member or said second movable member such that the receiving assembly and latching assembly are mounted on cooperating first fixed position and second movable members, said latching assembly mounting mechanism further comprising an arm retaining plate coupled to said fixed position member or said movable member and also coupled to said curved compliant arm, wherein the arm retaining plate further comprises a channel and at least one alignment head located in said channel, and wherein said curved compliant arm is placed in said channel and couples to said at least one alignment head, wherein said at least one alignment head prevents said curved compliant arm from rotating, said latching assembly mounting mechanism further comprising an arm cover plate removably coupled to said curved compliant arm, and wherein the arm cover plate has a contacting surface with said curved compliant arm;
• and
• a means for disassembling said latching assembly mounting mechanism while leaving the arm retaining plate coupled to said fixed position member or said movable member and removing said arm cover plate and said curved compliant arm in order to allow said swinging door to freely open.

A safety latch apparatus for retaining a swinging door in a closed or substantially closed position relative to a door frame in a door unit, said door unit having a first fixed position member and a second movable member, said safety latch comprising:

• a receiving assembly having a base portion for mounting to said first fixed position member or said second movable member and a single receiving element protruding from said base portion;
• and
• a latching assembly engageable with said receiving element, said latching assembly comprising:
• a compliant arm having a separate catch element coupled at the end of the compliant arm, wherein said catch element and said receiving element engage each other at a single point when said swinging door is in a closed or substantially closed position;
• a latching assembly mounting mechanism for mounting said compliant arm to said first fixed position member or said second movable member such that the receiving assembly and latching assembly are mounted on cooperating first fixed position and second movable members, said latching assembly mounting mechanism further comprising an arm retaining plate coupled to said fixed position member or said movable member and also coupled to said compliant arm, said latching assembly mounting mechanism further comprising an arm cover plate removably coupled to said compliant arm, and wherein the arm cover plate has a contacting surface with said compliant arm;
• a means for disassembling said latching assembly mounting mechanism while leaving the arm retaining plate coupled to said fixed position member or said movable member and removing said arm cover plate and said compliant arm in order to allow said swinging door to freely open;
• and
• a means for reassembling said latching assembly mounting mechanism in order to once again restrict motion of the swinging door.