Closure fasteners – Bolts – Swinging
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-24
2001-06-19
Estremsky, Gary W. (Department: 3627)
Closure fasteners
Bolts
Swinging
C292SDIG004, C292S341170
Reexamination Certificate
active
06247733
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is a push-push type latch for receiving a corresponding pin within a heart-shaped shuttle, and having a fork-shaped clicker for audibly indicating proper engagement and disengagement of the latch.
2. Description of the Related Art
Although other inventors have proposed latches for which latching and unlatching are actuated by an inward push by the member mating with the latch, the present inventor is unaware of any latch having a heart-curve having a pivot offset to one side of the pin mating with the latch. Additionally, the present inventor is unaware of any present latch using a fork-shaped clicker.
An example of a push-push latch is U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,489, issued to Robert H. Bisbing on Apr. 7, 1987, describes a push-push latch wherein an inward push on the shuttle causes the hook on a beam to engage or disengage a corresponding hook on a keeper. The latch is also described in Southco, Inc. catalog no. 48 NA. This latch does not include a heart-curve within the shuttle to retain the keeper, and does not use a clicker.
Other push-push type latches have used heart-curves, but the present inventor is unaware of any heart-curves having a pivot offset to one side of the keeper's pin, as in the present invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is a latch having a shuttle with a heart-curve for retaining a pin, and an optional fork for making a clicking noise upon actuation of the latch. Such a latch has a wide variety of uses in securing a moving component, such as a door or drawer, to a nonmoving component, such as the frame supporting a door or drawer. A moving member used with a latch of the present invention will typically be spring-biased towards its fully open position, so that the moving member will move in that direction unless constrained by the latch or by the user pushing the moving member towards the closed position.
The latch uses a generally rectangular housing having frontal and top openings for receiving the corresponding pin, and at least one pair of opposing holes for receiving pivots on the shuttle and the clicker. The housing will generally be mounted on the nonmoving component, but may be mounted on the moving component if desired. A pin being dimensioned and configured to mate with the latch will be mounted to the opposing component.
The main operative component within the latch is the shuttle. The shuttle is pivotally secured within the housing, with the pivot offset to one side of the shuttle and the housing. Preferably, a pair of pegs fits within the pair of opposing holes on the housing. The pivot point corresponds to the front of the shuttle. The opposite side of the shuttle's front includes the entrance to the heart-curve. This entrance defines the beginning of a channel extending rearward into the shuttle. At the rearmost portion of the shuttle, the channel widens, defining a first and a third socket. An island occupies the center of the channel, defining a ramp and a second socket. The resulting channel, including the island, ramp, and sockets, defines the heart-curve, which, as will be explained in greater detail below, mates with a corresponding pin to secure and unsecure the latch.
The latch may optionally include a clicker for audibly signaling the latching and unlatching of the latch. The clicker is in the form of a three-pronged fork pivotally secured to the front of the housing, opposite the shuttle. The fork is spring-biased so that the prongs point towards the shuttle, approximately parallel to the front of the housing. The prongs are arranged from shortest to longest, going towards the rear of the housing.
In use, the pin will enter the shuttle's heart-curve as the two components of the door or drawer are closed. The pin will pass through the entrance channel, and strike the ramp, thereby pivoting the shuttle. The pin will simultaneously begin pushing rearward on the first, shortest prong of the fork. As the pin continues to travel rearward in the shuttle, it will come to rest at the first socket, thereby further pivoting the shuttle so that the island and second socket are directly in front of the first socket. As the pin reaches the first socket, it will also reach the end of the short prong, allowing the spring to push the fork back towards its original position. The middle prong will strike the pin, causing a clicking noise to audibly indicate that the door or drawer is fully closed. Once the door or drawer is released and no longer pushed inward by the user, the spring-biased door or drawer will move slightly outward, moving the pin forward in the heart curve to the second socket, corresponding to the latched position.
The door or drawer is opened by an inward push. As the pin moves towards the rear of the heart-curve, it moves from the second socket to the third socket, simultaneously rotating the shuttle. As the pin reaches the third socket, it will also reach the end of the middle prong, again allowing the spring to push the fork toward its original position. The longest prong will strike the pin, causing a clicking noise. When the door or drawer is released, the pin now has a clear path forward through the heart curve to the entrance/exit, allowing the pin to leave the latch.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a push-push type latch using a shuttle having a heart-curve and a pivot offset to one side.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a push-push type latch which is especially useful for doors and drawers which are spring-biased towards their open position.
A third object of the present invention is to provide a push-push type latch having an optional clicker for audibly indicating the latching and unlatching of the latch.
A fourth object of the present invention is to provide a clicker utilizing a three-pronged fork for making a clicking sound upon both latching and unlatching.
These and other objects of the invention will become apparent through the following description and claims.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2548046 (1951-04-01), Nottingham
patent: 2750219 (1956-06-01), Bleam
patent: 3156493 (1964-11-01), Griffiths
patent: 3830554 (1974-08-01), Moussaian
patent: 4462630 (1984-07-01), Omata
patent: 4655489 (1987-04-01), Bisbing
patent: 4660881 (1987-04-01), Komeya
patent: 4712845 (1987-12-01), Nicol
patent: 5050922 (1991-09-01), Falcoff
patent: 5052728 (1991-10-01), Fukumoto
patent: 5211431 (1993-05-01), Koizumi
Southco, Inc. catalog No. 48 NA.
Estremsky Gary W.
Paul & Paul
Southco Inc.
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