IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0386350
(2003-03-11)
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등록번호 |
US-7267377
(2007-09-11)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Marzolf,Ricci L.
- Knight,Joe Daniel
- Kallevig,Bruce E.
- Frohman,Bruce E.
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출원인 / 주소 |
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대리인 / 주소 |
Wood, Phillips, Katz, Clark & Mortimer
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
4 인용 특허 :
12 |
초록
▼
A latch assembly for a movable closure element. The latch assembly has a housing, a first rotor movable relative to the housing selectively between a) a first latched position and b) a release position, and a second rotor movable relative to the housing selectively between a) a first latched positio
A latch assembly for a movable closure element. The latch assembly has a housing, a first rotor movable relative to the housing selectively between a) a first latched position and b) a release position, and a second rotor movable relative to the housing selectively between a) a first latched position and b) a release position. The first rotor has a first throat to receive a strike element. The latch assembly further has an operating assembly with a latched state and an unlatched state. The operating assembly in the latched state releasably maintains the first rotor in its first latched position and the second rotor in its first latched position. The first rotor is movable substantially parallel to a reference plane as the first rotor moves between its first latched and release positions. The first rotor has a non-uniform thickness taken orthogonally to the reference plane.
대표청구항
▼
The invention claimed is: 1. In combination: a) a closure element that is movable relative to a support between first and second positions; and b) a latch assembly on the movable closure element, said latch assembly comprising: a housing attached to the movable closure element; a first rotor movabl
The invention claimed is: 1. In combination: a) a closure element that is movable relative to a support between first and second positions; and b) a latch assembly on the movable closure element, said latch assembly comprising: a housing attached to the movable closure element; a first rotor movable relative to the housing selectively between a) a first latched position and b) a release position, the first rotor having first and second spaced legs and a first throat between the first and second legs to receive a strike element; a second rotor movable relative to the housing selectively between a) a first latched position and b) a release position; and an operating assembly having a latched state and an unlatched state, the operating assembly in the latched state releasably maintaining the first rotor in its first latched position and the second rotor in its first latched position, wherein the first rotor is movable substantially parallel to a first reference plane as the first rotor moves between its first latched and release positions, the first rotor and/or the second rotor having a non-uniform thickness taken orthogonally to the reference plane, one of the first and second rotors having a first thickness residing within a space bounded by second and third, spaced, reference planes, each parallel to the first reference plane and spaced from each other by a distance equal to the first thickness, the other of the first and second rotors having a thickness substantially the same as the first thickness and residing substantially fully in the space between the second and third reference planes, the first and second rotors overlapping with each other at a first location so that the first and second rotors at the first location block a strike element in the first throat with the first and second rotors in their first latched positions, the first and second legs each overlapping the second rotor with the first and second rotors in their latched positions. 2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein the first and second rotors are respectively pivotable around first and second axes and the first and second axes are at all times fixed with respect to each other. 3. The combination according to claim 1 wherein the first and second rotors are constructed so that they are substantially the same, whereby the first and second rotors are interchangeable, one with the other. 4. The combination according to claim 1 wherein the first rotor comprises a non-metal material. 5. The combination according to claim 1 wherein the housing comprises facing surfaces which bound a chamber, the facing surfaces are spaced from each other a first distance, and the first rotor has a portion with the first thickness that is slightly less than the first distance. 6. The combination according to claim 1 wherein the housing comprises facing surfaces which bound a chamber, the first rotor has a first portion and the second rotor has a second portion which overlaps the first portion between the facing surfaces. 7. The combination according to claim 6 wherein the facing surfaces are spaced from each other a first distance and with the first and second portions overlapped, the first and second portions have a combined thickness that is slightly less than the first distance. 8. The combination according to claim 6 wherein with the first and second portions overlapped, the combined thickness of the first and second portions is approximately equal to the first thickness. 9. The combination according to claim 1 wherein the second rotor has a second throat to receive a strike element. 10. The combination according to claim 9 wherein with the first and second rotors in their respective first latched positions, the first and second rotors cooperatively bound a receptacle to confine a strike element received in the first and second throats. 11. The combination according to claim 1 wherein the first rotor is pivotable relative to the housing between its first latched position and its release position. 12. The combination according to claim 1 wherein the first rotor is biased towards its release position. 13. The combination according to claim 1 in combination with a movable closure element. 14. The combination according to claim 13 in combination with a support for the movable closure element, the closure element movable relative to the support between first and second positions, and a strike element which is received by the first throat with the closure element in its first position. 15. In combination: a) a closure element that is movable relative to a support between first and second positions; and b) a latch assembly on the movable closure element, said latch assembly comprising: a housing attached to the movable closure element; a first rotor movable relative to the housing selectively between a) a first latched position and b) a release position, the first rotor having first and second spaced legs and a first throat between the first and second legs to receive a strike element; a second rotor movable relative to the housing selectively between a) a first latched position and b) a release position; and an operating assembly having a latched state and an unlatched state, the operating assembly in the latched state releasably maintaining the first rotor in its first latched position and the second rotor in its first latched position, wherein the first rotor is movable substantially parallel to a first reference plane as the first rotor moves between its first latched and release positions, the first rotor and/or the second rotor having a non-uniform thickness taken orthogonally to the reference plane, one of the first and second rotors having a first thickness between second and third, spaced, reference planes, each parallel to the first reference plane and spaced from each other by a distance equal to the first thickness, the other of the first and second rotors having a thickness substantially the same as the first thickness and residing substantially fully in the space between the second and third reference planes, the first and second rotors overlapping with each other at a first location so that the first and second rotors at the first location block a strike element in the first throat with the first and second rotors in their first latched positions, the first and second legs each overlapping the second rotor with the first and second rotors in their latched positions, wherein the first rotor has a body with a mounting portion that has the first thickness and is connected to the housing for guided movement relative to the housing as the first rotor changes between its first latched position and its release position and an extension from the mounting portion defining the first throat, the extension having a portion that has a second thickness that is less than the first thickness. 16. The combination according to claim 15 wherein the first rotor is pivotable relative to the housing about an axle between its first latched position and its release position, and the axle extends through the mounting portion of the first rotor. 17. The combination according to claim 15 wherein the operating assembly comprises a catch which engages the mounting portion of the first rotor to maintain the first rotor in its first latched position. 18. The combination according to claim 17 wherein the catch has a thickness on the order of the first thickness at a location where the catch engages the mounting portion of the first rotor. 19. The combination according to claim 18 wherein the first rotor has a stop surface that engages a surface on the catch to maintain the rotor in its latched position and the stop surface and surface on the catch both comprise a non-metal material. 20. The combination according to claim 19 wherein the stop surface and the surface of the catch each have a thickness on the order of the first thickness. 21. In combination: a) a closure element; b) a support for the closure element, the closure element selectively movable relative to the support between first and second positions; c) a strike element on the support; and d) a latch assembly on the movable closure element, the latch assembly comprising: a housing; a first rotor movable relative to the housing selectively between a) the first latched position and b) a release position, the first rotor having first and second spaced legs and a first throat between the first and second legs to receive the strike element; a second rotor movable relative to the housing selectively between a) a first latched position and b) a release position; and an operating assembly having a latched state and an unlatched state, the operating assembly in the latched state releasably maintaining the first rotor in its first latched position and the second rotor in its first latched position, wherein the first rotor is movable substantially parallel to a first reference plane as the first rotor moves between its first latched and release positions, wherein the first rotor has a non-uniform thickness taken orthogonally to the reference plane, wherein the first rotor has a body with a first mounting portion that has a first thickness and is connected to the housing for guided movement relative to the housing as the first rotor changes between its first latched position and its release position and a first extension from the first mounting portion defining the first throat, the first extension having a portion that has a second thickness that is less than the first thickness, the first mounting portion residing in a space bounded by second and third reference planes, each parallel to the first reference plane and spaced from each other a distance equal to the first thickness, the second rotor having a second mounting portion and a second extension from the second mounting portion which overlaps and cooperates with the first extension at a first location so that the first and second rotors at the first location block the strike element in the first throat with the first and second rotors in their first latched positions, the second extension residing at least partially in the space between the second and third reference planes, the housing having a wall with a surface adjacent to and facing the first and second rotors, the first and second rotors each having first and second flat surfaces bounding the entire dimension thereof taken orthogonally to the reference plane, the first surfaces on the first and second rotors substantially coplanar with respect to each other and the second surfaces on the first and second rotors substantially coplanar with respect to each other, the first and second legs each overlapping the second rotor with the first and second rotors in their latched positions. 22. The combination according to claim 21 wherein the first and second rotors are interchangeable, each with the other. 23. The combination according to claim 21 wherein the first rotor comprises a non-metal material. 24. The combination according to claim 21 wherein the housing comprises facing surfaces which bound a chamber, the facing surfaces spaced from each other a first distance, and the first rotor has a portion with a thickness that is slightly less than the first distance. 25. The combination according to claim 21 wherein the housing comprises facing surfaces which bound a chamber, the first rotor has a first portion and the second rotor has a second portion which overlaps the first portion between the facing surfaces. 26. The combination according to claim 25 wherein the facing surfaces are spaced from each other a first distance and with the first and second portions overlapped, the first and second portions have a combined thickness that is slightly less than the first distance. 27. The combination according to claim 25 wherein the combined thickness of the first and second portions is approximately equal to the first thickness. 28. The combination according to claim 27 wherein the first rotor is pivotable relative to the housing about an axle between its first latched position and its release position, and the axle extends through the mounting portion of the first rotor. 29. The combination according to claim 21 wherein the second rotor has a second throat to receive a strike element. 30. The combination according to claim 29 wherein the first and second rotors in their respective first latched positions, the first and second rotors cooperatively bound a receptacle to confine a strike element received in the first and second throats. 31. The combination according to claim 21 wherein the first rotor is pivotable relative to the housing between its first latched position and its release position. 32. The combination according to claim 21 wherein the operating assembly comprises a catch which engages the mounting portion of the first rotor to maintain the first rotor in its latched position. 33. The combination according to claim 32 wherein the catch has a thickness on the order of the first thickness. 34. The combination according to claim 33 wherein the first rotor has a stop surface that engages a surface on the catch to maintain the rotor in its latched position and the stop surface and surface on the catch both comprise a plastic material. 35. The combination according to claim 34 wherein the stop surface and the surface of the catch each have a thickness on the order of the first thickness. 36. The combination according to claim 21 wherein the first rotor is biased towards its release position. 37. The combination according to claim 21 wherein the first and second rotors are respectively pivotable around first and second axes and the first and second axes are at all times fixed with respect to each other. 38. In combination: a) a closure element that is movable relative to a support between first and second positions; and b) a latch assembly on the movable closure element, said latch assembly comprising: a housing; a first rotor movable relative to the housing selectively between a) a first latched position and b) a release position, the first rotor having first and second spaced legs and a first throat between the first and second legs to receive a strike element; a second rotor movable relative to the housing selectively between a) a first latched position and b) a release position; and an operating assembly having a latched state and an unlatched state, the operating assembly in the latched state releasably maintaining the first rotor in its first latched position and the second rotor in its first latched position, wherein the first rotor is movable substantially parallel to a first reference plane as the first rotor moves between its first latched and release positions, the first rotor and/or the second rotor having a non-uniform thickness taken orthogonally to the reference plane, the first and second legs each overlapping the second rotor with the first and second rotors in their latched positions, one of the first and second rotors having a first thickness residing in a space between second and third, spaced, reference planes, each parallel to the first reference plane and spaced from each other a distance equal to the first distance, the other of the first and second rotors residing substantially fully in the space between the second and third reference planes, the first and second spaced legs each overlaps the second rotor so that the first and second legs and the second rotor cooperate to block a strike element in the first throat with the first and second rotors in their first latched positions. 39. The combination according to claim 38 wherein the second rotor has third and fourth spaced legs that each overlaps the first rotor at the first location so that the first, second, third and fourth legs surround a strike element in the first throat with the first and second rotors in their first latched positions.
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