Lid lock with magnetic anti-tamper feature
AssigneeIllinois Tool Works Inc.
InventorsKenyon A Hapke, Joel C Bragg, Michael K Hintz, Randy S McDonald, Mark R Heckenkamp, Jonathan H Olson, Adrian J. Tengler, Jarod M Sulik
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A latch for a washing machine or other appliance provides two interengaging elements on a lid and housing each having a magnet oriented for mutual repulsion. Proper repulsion of the magnets is necessary to signal that the lid is properly closed such as may be used to determine if the appliance may be locked and safely operated, for example, in a clothes spinning mode.
Claims21
An appliance latch assembly comprising:
- a bolt and a corresponding latch for receiving the bolt, the bolt and latch positionable on an appliance door and appliance frame;
- a first magnet positioned on the bolt;
- a second magnet positioned on a movable element within the latch to be moved in response to proximity of the first magnet only when the bolt is received within the latch;
- an electric switch actuatable with movement of the movable element providing an electric lid switch signal indicating proper engagement of the bolt within the latch for locking;
- and
- a lock element adapted to receive an electric lock signal and to respond to the lock signal to hold the bolt engaged with the latch when the bolt is properly engaged within the latch and to permit release of the bolt from engagement with the latch when the electric lock signal is not received by the lock element.
An appliance latch assembly comprising:
- a bolt and a corresponding latch for receiving the bolt, the bolt and latch positionable on an appliance door and appliance frame;
- a first magnet positioned on the bolt;
- a second magnet positioned on a movable element within the latch to be moved in response to proximity of the first magnet when the bolt is received by the latch;
- an electric switch actuatable with movement of the movable element providing a lid switch signal indicating proper engagement of the bolt and latch for locking;
- and
- a lock element for holding the bolt engaged with the latch when the bolt is properly engaged and a lock signal has been received by the lock element and for allowing release of the bolt from engagement with the latch when an unlock signal has been received by the lock element
- wherein the lock element includes:
- a trap movable from a first bolt-releasing position to a second, bolt-retaining position by the engagement of the bolt with the latch;
- a blocking element receivable by the trap when the trap is in the second, bolt-retaining position to block movement of the trap to the first bolt-releasing position;
- and
- an electric actuator communicating with the blocking element to move the blocking clement into receipt by the trap when the lock signal has been received by the lock, element and to remove the blocking element from receipt by the trap when the unlock signal has been received by the lock element.
The appliance latch assembly of claim I wherein the appliance is a washing machine having a spin basket operated by a motor and further including an appliance control receiving a signal generated at least in part from the electric switch to block power from the motor when proper engagement of the bolt and latch is not indicated by the electric switch.
A method of detecting tampering with a washing machine latch comprising the steps of:
- attaching a bolt and a corresponding latch for receiving the bolt on an appliance door and appliance frame;
- positioning a first magnet within the bolt;
- inserting the bolt in the latch to repel a second magnet positioned on a movable element within the latch to be moved in response to proximity of the first magnet only when the bolt is received within the latch;
- detecting movement of the movable element to providing a lid switch signal indicating proper engagement of the bolt and latch;
- and
- capturing the bolt in the latch by means of a lock element responding to an electrical lock signal.
A method of detecting tampering with a washing machine latch comprising the steps of:
- attaching a bolt and a corresponding latch for receiving the bolt on an appliance door and appliance frame;
- positioning a first magnet within the bolt;
- inserting the bolt in the latch to repel a second magnet positioned on a movable element within the latch to be moved in response to proximity of the first magnet only when the bolt is received the latch;
- detecting movement of the movable element to providing a lid switch signal indicating proper engagement of the bolt and latch;
- and
- capturing the bolt in the latch by means of a lock element responding to an electrical lock signal wherein the lock element is a slidable trap capturing an end of the bolt and further including the step of moving the trap from a first bolt-releasing position to a second, bolt-retaining position by a force of the engagement of the bolt with the latch.
A wire protector for use with split loom tubing of a type providing a cylindrical lumen having alternating circumferential ridges, of relatively greater radius, and troughs, of relatively lesser radius, the wire protector comprising:
- a first and second shell interlocking along an engagement axis to provide a conduit having a first and second communicating opening;
- a series of teeth extending inwardly to the conduit parallel to the axis from the first shell proximate to the first opening, the teeth adapted to engage the troughs of the split loom tube when the split loom tube is placed in the conduit and extending from the first opening;
- and
- a bushing at the second opening for engagement with a hole in a panel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.