US 11,982,111 B2
Latch assembly
Dirk Horn, Forrestdale (AU)
Assigned to Bright Spark Product Development Pty Ltd, Forrestdale (AU)
Appl. No. 16/618,433
Filed by Bright Spark Product Development Pty Ltd, Forrestdale (AU)
PCT Filed May 30, 2018, PCT No. PCT/AU2018/050522
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Dec. 2, 2019,
PCT Pub. No. WO2018/218288, PCT Pub. Date Dec. 6, 2018.
Claims priority of application No. 2017902050 (AU), filed on May 30, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2020/0232261 A1, Jul. 23, 2020
Int. Cl. E05B 81/02 (2014.01); E05B 17/00 (2006.01); E05B 83/00 (2014.01); E05C 9/08 (2006.01)
CPC E05B 81/02 (2013.01) [E05B 17/0025 (2013.01); E05B 83/01 (2013.01); E05C 9/08 (2013.01)] 36 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A latching mechanism for securing a door mounted to a door frame, the latching mechanism comprising:
a striker pin mounted to the door frame;
a pawl comprising a first arm for holding the striker pin captive when the door is in a closed position and the pawl is in a latching position;
an actuator moveable relative to the door in a first mode of operation and the actuator is suitable for closing the door in a second mode of operation, wherein the actuator is configured to pivot the pawl from an unlatched position to the latching position according to movement of the actuator in the first mode of operation,
wherein the actuator is moveable relative to the door in a third mode of operation and the actuator is suitable for opening the door in a fourth mode of operation, wherein the actuator is configured to pivot the pawl from the latching position to the unlatched position according to movement of the actuator in the third mode of operation,
wherein the actuator comprises a linkage mechanism comprising at least a first and a second link member, wherein the first link member is pivotally coupled to the pawl; wherein the first link member is pivotally coupled to the second link member;
wherein the linkage mechanism comprises a first set of three pivot points that are able to move to be in a first alignment where the first set of three pivot points are in a straight line and the first set of three pivots points are able to move to be in a first past-alignment arrangement, and wherein the linkage mechanism comprises a second set of three pivot points that are able to move to be in a second alignment where the second set of three pivot points are in a straight line and the second set of three pivots points are able to move to be in a second past-alignment arrangement; wherein the first set of three pivot points and the second set of three pivot points have at least one different pivot point;
wherein the actuator comprises a biasing mechanism for urging the linkage mechanism to remain in the first past-alignment arrangement so as to keep the pawl in the unlatched position until the door is closed, such that the striker pin contacts and moves a component of the actuator or the pawl, so as to overcome a resistance of the biasing mechanism by movement of the actuator in the second mode of operation and to cause the linkage mechanism to no longer remain in the first past-alignment arrangement so as to release the pawl from the unlatched position; and
wherein the biasing mechanism is configured to urge the linkage mechanism to remain in the second past-alignment arrangement so as to keep the pawl in the latching position until the resistance of the biasing mechanism is overcome by movement of the actuator in the third mode of operation and causing the linkage mechanism to no longer remain in the second past-alignment arrangement so as to release the pawl from the latching position.