US 8,562,032 B1Granted

Latch assembly with automatic locking function

AssigneeI-Tek Metal Mfg. Co., Ltd.

InventorHsi-Ting Lin

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Abstract

A latch assembly (10) is mounted to a follower door (275) of a double door (257). When the follower door (275) is closed while a primary door (259) of the double door (257) is closed, an actuation latch (131) of the latch assembly (10) is moved from a releasing position to a pressing position to move a latch (231) of the latch assembly (10) to a latching position engaged in a groove (37, 300) in a door frame (31) or in the ground (299). When the actuation latch (131) is moved from the releasing position to the pressing position while the follower door (275) is not in the closed position, the latch (231) is retained in an unlatching position, avoiding damage to the latch assembly (10).

Claims5

Dependent claims

A latch assembly comprising:

a base (20) including two sidewalls (22) and an intermediate wall (38) extending between the two sidewalls (22), with each of the two sidewalls (22) including a movement groove (32) and first and second engagement holes (28, 30), with the movement groove (32) located between the first engagement hole (28) and the second engagement hole (30) along a first axis (X), with the intermediate wall (38) including a slot (36), with the intermediate wall (38) of the base (20) adapted to be mounted to an end face (291) of a follower door (275) of a double door (257), with the follower door (275) including an interior space (293), with the two sidewalls (22) adapted to be received in the interior space (293) of the follower door (275), with the follower door (275) pivotable between a closed position and an open position;
a movable member (50) movably received between the two sidewalls (22) of the base (20), with the movable member (50) including two lateral walls (52) spaced from each other along a second axis (Y) perpendicular to the first axis (X), with the movable member (50) further including a connecting portion (66) extending between the two lateral walls (52), with each of the two lateral walls (52) including a first end (54) and a second end (56) spaced from the first end (54) along the first axis (X), with first and second sliding grooves (58, 60) defined in each of the two lateral walls (52), with the first sliding groove (58) located between the second sliding groove (60) and the connecting portion (66) along a third axis (Z) perpendicular to the first and second axes (X, Y), with the movement grooves (32) of the two sidewalls (22) of the base (20) aligned with the first sliding grooves (58) of the two lateral walls (52) of the movable member (50);
a first pin (88) extending through the movement grooves (32) of the two sidewalls (22) of the base (20) and the first sliding grooves (58) of the two lateral walls (52) of the movable member (50);
a second pin (89) extending through the first engagement holes (28) of the two sidewalls (22) of the base (20) and the second sliding grooves (60) of the two lateral walls (52) of the movable member (50), with the movable member (50) movable between an engagement position and a disengagement position along the first axis (X),
a follower (78) pivotably connected to the movable member (50), with the follower (78) including an arm (85) having first and second ends (82, 84), with the first pin (88) extending through the first end (82) of the arm (85), allowing the follower (78) to pivot about a pivot axis defined by the first pin (88);
an actuation member (90) pivotably received in the base (20) and having first and second ends (92, 94) and a pivotal portion (96) between the first and second ends (92, 94) of the actuation member (90), with the second end (94) of the actuation member (90) facing the intermediate wall (38) of the base (20);
a third pin (91) extending through the second engagement holes (30) of the two sidewalls (22) of the base (20) and the pivotal portion (96) of the limiting member (90), with the limiting member (90) pivotable about a pivot axis defined by the third pin (91);
a limiting frame (101) fixed between the two sidewalls (22) of the base (20), with the limiting frame (101) including a first wall (103) and a second wall (113) spaced from the first wall (103) along the first axis (X), with the limiting frame (101) further including a connecting wall (119) extending between the first and second walls (103, 113), with the first wall (103) including an inner face (103A) and an outer face (103B) spaced from the inner face (103A) along the first axis (X), with a slot (111) extending from the inner face (103A) through the outer face (103B) of the first wall (103), with the first and second walls (103, 113) fixed to the intermediate wall (38) of the base (20), with the second end (94) of the actuation member (90) extending through the slot (111) and received between the first and second walls (103, 113);
an actuation latch (131) movably received in the slot (36) of the base (20), with the actuation latch (131) including a base portion (132) having first and second ends (133, 137) spaced from each other along the third axis (Z), with a wedge (134) formed on the second end (137) of the actuation latch (131) and having two actuation faces (135), with the actuation latch (131) movable along the third axis (Z) between a releasing position in which the wedge (134) is located outside of the base (20) and a pressing position in which the wedge (134) is received in the base (20), with the actuation latch (131) adapted to be actuated by an end face (273) of a primary door (259) of the double door (257), wherein when the follower door (275) is in the closed position and when the end face (273) of the primary door (259) is aligned with the end face (291) of the follower door (275), the end face (273) of the primary door (259) presses against the actuation latch (131), moving the actuation latch (131) from the releasing position to the pressing position;
a locking block (139) fixed to the movable member (50), with the locking block (139) including a locking hole (153), with the locking block (139) and the movable member (50) jointly movable between the engagement position and the disengagement position;
a first spring (171) mounted between the locking block (139) and the first pin (88), with the first spring (171) biasing the locking block (139) and the first pin (88) away from each other along the first axis (X);
a connecting rod (215) including a first end (217) engaged in the locking hole (153) of the locking block (139) and a second end (219);
a latch (231) including an engagement end (233) fixed to the second end (219) of the connecting rod (215), with the latch (231) further including a locking end (235), with the latch (231) movable between a latching position and an unlatching position along the first axis (X), with the locking end (235) of the latch (231) in the unlatching position being adapted to be received in the follower door (275), with the locking end (235) of the latch (231) in the latching position adapted to extend out of the follower door (275) into a groove (37) in a door frame (31) or a groove (300) in a ground (299), with the double door (257) adapted to be pivotably mounted to the door frame (31);
wherein when the follower door (275) is in the open position, the latch (231) is not aligned with the groove (37, 300) in the door frame (31) or ground (299), when the follower door (275) is in the closed position, the latch (231) is aligned with the groove (37, 300) in the door frame (31) or ground (299),
wherein when the actuation latch (131) is in the releasing position, the movable member (50) is in the disengagement position, and the latch (231) is in the unlatching position,
wherein when the follower door (275) is in the closed position and when the actuation latch (131) moves from the releasing position to the pressing position, the first end (133) of the actuation latch (131) pushes the second end (94) of the actuation member (90) to move the second end (84) of the follower (78), causing the first pin (88) to push the locking block (139) via the first spring (171), moving the movable member (50) from the disengagement position to the engagement position while pulling the first spring (171), thereby moving the locking end (235) of the latch (231) to the latching position to engage with the groove (37, 300) in the door frame (31) or ground (299),
wherein when the actuation latch (131) is moved from the releasing position to the pressing position while the follower door (275) is not in the closed position, the actuation member (90) actuates the follower (78) via the push pin (98), moving the first pin (88) in the movement grooves (32) of the base (20) along the first axis (X) and compressing the first spring (171), retaining the movable member (50) in the disengagement position and retaining the latch (231) in the unlatching position, avoiding damage to the latch assembly.

14 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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Abstract

A latch assembly comprising:

a base (20) including two sidewalls (22) and an intermediate wall (38) extending between the two sidewalls (22), with each of the two sidewalls (22) including a movement groove (32) and first and second engagement holes (28, 30), with the movement groove (32) located between the first engagement hole (28) and the second engagement hole (30) along a first axis (X), with the intermediate wall (38) including a slot (36), with the intermediate wall (38) of the base (20) adapted to be mounted to an end face (291) of a follower door (275) of a double door (257), with the follower door (275) including an interior space (293), with the two sidewalls (22) adapted to be received in the interior space (293) of the follower door (275), with the follower door (275) pivotable between a closed position and an open position;
a movable member (50) movably received between the two sidewalls (22) of the base (20), with the movable member (50) including two lateral walls (52) spaced from each other along a second axis (Y) perpendicular to the first axis (X), with the movable member (50) further including a connecting portion (66) extending between the two lateral walls (52), with each of the two lateral walls (52) including a first end (54) and a second end (56) spaced from the first end (54) along the first axis (X), with first and second sliding grooves (58, 60) defined in each of the two lateral walls (52), with the first sliding groove (58) located between the second sliding groove (60) and the connecting portion (66) along a third axis (Z) perpendicular to the first and second axes (X, Y), with the movement grooves (32) of the two sidewalls (22) of the base (20) aligned with the first sliding grooves (58) of the two lateral walls (52) of the movable member (50);
a first pin (88) extending through the movement grooves (32) of the two sidewalls (22) of the base (20) and the first sliding grooves (58) of the two lateral walls (52) of the movable member (50);
a second pin (89) extending through the first engagement holes (28) of the two sidewalls (22) of the base (20) and the second sliding grooves (60) of the two lateral walls (52) of the movable member (50), with the movable member (50) movable between an engagement position and a disengagement position along the first axis (X),
a follower (78) pivotably connected to the movable member (50), with the follower (78) including an arm (85) having first and second ends (82, 84), with the first pin (88) extending through the first end (82) of the arm (85), allowing the follower (78) to pivot about a pivot axis defined by the first pin (88);
an actuation member (90) pivotably received in the base (20) and having first and second ends (92, 94) and a pivotal portion (96) between the first and second ends (92, 94) of the actuation member (90), with the second end (94) of the actuation member (90) facing the intermediate wall (38) of the base (20);
a third pin (91) extending through the second engagement holes (30) of the two sidewalls (22) of the base (20) and the pivotal portion (96) of the limiting member (90), with the limiting member (90) pivotable about a pivot axis defined by the third pin (91);
a limiting frame (101) fixed between the two sidewalls (22) of the base (20), with the limiting frame (101) including a first wall (103) and a second wall (113) spaced from the first wall (103) along the first axis (X), with the limiting frame (101) further including a connecting wall (119) extending between the first and second walls (103, 113), with the first wall (103) including an inner face (103A) and an outer face (103B) spaced from the inner face (103A) along the first axis (X), with a slot (111) extending from the inner face (103A) through the outer face (103B) of the first wall (103), with the first and second walls (103, 113) fixed to the intermediate wall (38) of the base (20), with the second end (94) of the actuation member (90) extending through the slot (111) and received between the first and second walls (103, 113);
an actuation latch (131) movably received in the slot (36) of the base (20), with the actuation latch (131) including a base portion (132) having first and second ends (133, 137) spaced from each other along the third axis (Z), with a wedge (134) formed on the second end (137) of the actuation latch (131) and having two actuation faces (135), with the actuation latch (131) movable along the third axis (Z) between a releasing position in which the wedge (134) is located outside of the base (20) and a pressing position in which the wedge (134) is received in the base (20), with the actuation latch (131) adapted to be actuated by an end face (273) of a primary door (259) of the double door (257), wherein when the follower door (275) is in the closed position and when the end face (273) of the primary door (259) is aligned with the end face (291) of the follower door (275), the end face (273) of the primary door (259) presses against the actuation latch (131), moving the actuation latch (131) from the releasing position to the pressing position;
a locking block (139) fixed to the movable member (50), with the locking block (139) including a locking hole (153), with the locking block (139) and the movable member (50) jointly movable between the engagement position and the disengagement position;
a first spring (171) mounted between the locking block (139) and the first pin (88), with the first spring (171) biasing the locking block (139) and the first pin (88) away from each other along the first axis (X);
a connecting rod (215) including a first end (217) engaged in the locking hole (153) of the locking block (139) and a second end (219);
a latch (231) including an engagement end (233) fixed to the second end (219) of the connecting rod (215), with the latch (231) further including a locking end (235), with the latch (231) movable between a latching position and an unlatching position along the first axis (X), with the locking end (235) of the latch (231) in the unlatching position being adapted to be received in the follower door (275), with the locking end (235) of the latch (231) in the latching position adapted to extend out of the follower door (275) into a groove (37) in a door frame (31) or a groove (300) in a ground (299), with the double door (257) adapted to be pivotably mounted to the door frame (31);
wherein when the follower door (275) is in the open position, the latch (231) is not aligned with the groove (37, 300) in the door frame (31) or ground (299), when the follower door (275) is in the closed position, the latch (231) is aligned with the groove (37, 300) in the door frame (31) or ground (299),
wherein when the actuation latch (131) is in the releasing position, the movable member (50) is in the disengagement position, and the latch (231) is in the unlatching position,
wherein when the follower door (275) is in the closed position and when the actuation latch (131) moves from the releasing position to the pressing position, the first end (133) of the actuation latch (131) pushes the second end (94) of the actuation member (90) to move the second end (84) of the follower (78), causing the first pin (88) to push the locking block (139) via the first spring (171), moving the movable member (50) from the disengagement position to the engagement position while pulling the first spring (171), thereby moving the locking end (235) of the latch (231) to the latching position to engage with the groove (37, 300) in the door frame (31) or ground (299),
wherein when the actuation latch (131) is moved from the releasing position to the pressing position while the follower door (275) is not in the closed position, the actuation member (90) actuates the follower (78) via the push pin (98), moving the first pin (88) in the movement grooves (32) of the base (20) along the first axis (X) and compressing the first spring (171), retaining the movable member (50) in the disengagement position and retaining the latch (231) in the unlatching position, avoiding damage to the latch assembly.

14 more elements