MXPA00010259A

MXPA00010259A - Slide latch

Info

Publication number: MXPA00010259A
Application number: MXPA/A/2000/010259A
Authority: MX
Inventors: Loc B Tieu
Original assignee: Southco Inc
Priority date: 1998-04-20
Filing date: 2000-10-20
Publication date: 2001-07-31

Abstract

A sliding-action slam latch (10) includes an integrally molded rearwardly curving leaf spring (58) for engaging the door panel in which the latch is mounted. A recess in the underside of the latch permits free travel of the leaf spring as the latch is opened.

Description

SLIDING BOLT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to approaching devices and more particularly to systems for locking hinged doors or panels and the like. 2. - Background of the Invention Various types of fastening devices are known for fastening doors, panels and the like.

"Door-mounted" impact "bolts employ a lava drive surface at the end of the sliding bolt member cooperating with a firing pin in the door frame, to cause a bolt action to hold the door when it is closed against the frame .

These locks are activated to secure the door, when the door is simply pushed or flogged. However, the operation of the bolt mechanism is required to release the bolt to open the door. In some impact bolts, the bolt is displaced against a spring force by the action of a camming surface, which cooperates with the firing pin to slide into the bolt housing, as the door is closed. The spring force then displaces the bolt element for coupling behind the door frame or coupling a latch mounted on the door frame once the cam driving surface has passed the inner surface of the door frame. In order to open the door, the bolt is manually operated, usually through a handle or fastener, to remove the coupling bolt with the fastener, so that the door can swing open. Examples of impact bolt in the prior art are described in U.S. Patents. Nos. 3,841,674, 3,850,434, 5,482,333 and 5,628,634. The spring force for these bolts can be provided through separate spring elements, such as by a torsion bar spring (Figures 8 to 9, US Patent No. 3,841,674) by a twisting torsion spring (Figures 11 a 13, U.S. Patent No. 3,841,674) or by a compression coil spring (Figure 13, U.S. Patent No. 3,841,674) in alternate form, the spring element can be integrally molded with a bolt body made from a suitable plastic or polymer material (Figures 1 to 7, U.S. Patent No. 3,841,674; U.S. Patent No. 5,842,333; Figures 6A-6E, U.S. Patent No. 5,628,534). Impact locks with integrally molded spring elements have a number of advantages in front of the impact bolts that use separate metal springs. First, impact locks with integrally molded spring elements tend to be less expensive because fewer parts are required to produce and assemble them for each bolt. In addition, metal springs can become brittle during manufacture and thus rupture. On the other hand, the prior art bolts with integrally molded spring elements may not have the same life expectancy as those using separate metal springs. Elements formed from polymeric materials that undergo cyclical stresses, such as spring elements integrally molded into impact bolts, sometimes fall to levels of stress well below their yield strength, due to fatigue failure. The impact bolts of the prior art have employed integrally molded spring elements, generally planar. Examples include those shown in Figures 1 to 7 of the U.S. Patent. 3,850,454 and Figures 6B-6C of the U.S. Patent. No. 5,628,534. A variation is described in the U.S. Patent. No. 5,482,333, wherein the spring member 5 includes two pairs of generally planar elements hinged integrally, molded from a resin suitable such as polypropylene, in a relaxed configuration. In each of these designsWhen the bolt is operated, forces are produced that are substantially close to the portion of the bolt where the spring extends from the bolt body. There is a need for a simple, economical impact bolt having an integrally molded spring element, which resists cyclic stresses and fatigue failure. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a slide-type impact-type bolt, for installation in an opening in a door panel, for releasably retaining the door panel relative to a frame. The bolt has a front section, a main section that has a bottom; a rear section and a peripheral flange for coupling the upper part of the door panel close to the opening. For installation purposes, the bolt has a recess formed in the front section to cooperatively receive the leading edge of the panel opening. The front section of the bolt has a first portion projecting forward beyond the shaped recess to retain the bolt body in the panel. This portion of the front section also serves to guide the body of the bolt in its sliding action forward-and-backward. The front section also has a second portion projecting forward, beyond the first portion. This second portion is adapted to cooperate with the frame when the bolt body is in its closed position to lock the door panel. The second portion preferably incorporates a slight angle surface to ensure a positive engagement with a frame such that the latch is prevented from making noise and vibrating. The rear section has a leg member having a first section that extends generally backward from the bottom of the main section. The leg member also has a second section that extends generally upwardly from the first section. This second section is spaced back from the main section of the bolt body as well as down from the flange. The second section is adapted to couple the bottom of the panel close to the trailing edge of the panel opening. Finally, the panel also has a spring for diverting the bolt body forward in the direction of the closed position. The spring extends upwardly from the first section of the leg member, between the main section of the bolt body and the second section of the leg member. The spring is adapted to couple the trailing edge of the panel opening.

Preferably, the spring is formed integrally with the bolt and takes the form of a leaf or leaf spring extending in a generally planar shape from the leg member, and curving backward. It is also preferred that the lower side of the flange be recessed to allow free travel of the spring, as the bolt moves between an open position and a closed position. The lock preferably includes a reservoir formed in the main section to receive the finger of an operator. An ergonomic contour for the interior of the well is preferred. Preferably, the bolt is formed from a polymeric material such as when molded from a ream of synthetic acetal, which is resistant to cyclic loading. This extends the service life of the integral spring and thus the bolt. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a slide latch of the present invention, the slide latch is illustrated mounted on a panel and in a bolt position that holds the panel to a frame, the panel and the frame are illustrated in cross section. Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the sliding latch of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a rear elevational view of the slide latch of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a front elevation view of the slide latch of Figure 1; Figure 5 is a perspective view of the slide latch of Figure 1, as viewed from above and to the front of the right side of the latch; perspective view of the slide latch of Figure 1, as viewed below and to the left of the bolt bottom Figure 7 is a top plan view of the slide bolt of Figure 1 Figure 8 is a side elevational view of the bolt Figure 1, which shows the sliding latch mounted in the panel opening. Figure 9 is a side elevational view of the sliding latch of Figure 1, the sliding latch is illustrated in an open position with the compressed spring and portion front of the sliding latch detached from the frame, in such a way that the door can be opened DETAILED DESCRIPTION Now with reference to the drawings in detail, where reference numbers resemble The same elements are indicated, through the various views, illustrated in FIG. 1, a side elevational view of a bolt 10 of the present invention mounted on a door panel 100 and which fastens the door panel to a frame 120. , the panel 100 and the frame are illustrated in a fragmentary section. The bolt 10 includes a bolt body 20, preferably formed as a single component by a molding process from a polymeric material having substantial resistance to cyclic loading fatigue. A particularly preferred polymer material is ream acetal, available as Delrm ™ from E.l. duPont de Nemours, Wiltonton, TE. The bolt body 20 includes a front section 22, a main section 24 and a rear section 28, as well as a flange 30 formed in the upper part of the bolt body 20. The front section 22 includes a shaped recess 36, adapted for installation of the bolt body 20 in the door panel 100 as described in detail below. The front section 22 has a first portion 38 projecting forward beyond the shaped recess 36 to retain the bolt body 20 in the panel 100. This first portion 38 of the front section 22 also serves to guide the bolt body 20 in its sliding back-and-forward action. The upper surface 39 of the first portion 38 is spaced down from the lower side 32 of the flange 30, thus forming a space sized to receive the door panel 100, close to the leading edge 112 of the opening 110 in the panel 100, when the bolt 10 is installed in the panel 100. The front section 22 also has a second portion 40 projecting forward beyond the first portion 38. This second portion 40 fits to cooperate with the frame 120 when the bolt body 20 is in its closed position to lock the door panel 100. The second portion 40 includes an angled cam drive surface 42, for moving the bolt body 20 in a position open when the door panel 100 in which the bolt body 20 is closed by impact. The second portion 40 also includes a guide surface 44 adjacent the camming surface 42, for securing the door panel 100 to the frame 120, when the bolt body is in a closed position and the door panel 40 is locked in place. the frame 120. The guide surface 44 is oriented at a slightly downward angle with respect to the plane of the frame 120, such that when the bolt 10 is released, the guide surface 40 cammed the panel 100 against the frame 120, this way reducing or eliminating vibration and noise or knocking of the door 100 against the frame 120. The front section 22 is formed with a tubular opening 46 extending transversely through, to provide strength and rigidity to the front section 22 while being reduced weight and material costs. The main section 24 of the bolt body 22 includes a shaped opening or reservoir 48 for receiving the finger of an operator of the bolt 20. As best seen in the perspective view of Figure 5 and the top plan view of Figure 7 , the inner surface 50 of the well 48 is ergonomically configured in such a way that an operator can easily and comfortably apply sufficient force to move the bolt body 22 from a closed position (illustrated in Figure 1) to an open position ( illustrated in Figure 9), to release the door panel 100 from the frame 120. As best seen in Figures 5 and 6, the rear section 28 of the bolt body 20 extends rearwardly from the bottom 26 of the section main 24. The rear section 28 includes a leg member 52 and spring means 58. The leg member 52 has a first generally planar section 54, which extends generally backward from the bottom 26 of the section. Main and generally parallel to the plane of the door panel 100 in which the bolt 10 is mounted. The leg member 52 also has a second generally planar section 56, which extends from the rear of the first section 54, generally upwardly and outwardly from the first section 54. The second section 56 is spaced rearwardly from the main section 24 of the bolt body 20. As best seen in Figures 1, 8 and 9, the upper end 60 of the second section 56 is spaced down from the bottom side 32 of the flange 30, forming a space sized to receive the panel 100 when the bolt 10 is installed in the panel opening 110. The second section 56 of the leg member 52 is thus adapted to engage the bottom of the door panel, close to the rear edge 114 of the panel opening 110. The spring means 58 and the rear section 28 of the bolt body 20, are formed integrally with the bolt body 24 and extend back and forth from the upper surface 62 of the first section 54 of the leg member 52, between the main section 24 of the bolt body 20 and the second section 56 of the leg member 52. The spring means 58 comprises a leaf spring having a generally planar shape, but curving backward and shaped such that the upper end 64 of the spring means is placed between the lower side 32 of the flange 30 and the upper side 60 of the second section 56 of the leg member 52. As illustrated in Figure 8, the bolt 10 is installed in a rectangular opening of generally convenient size 110 in the panel 100 when inserting the front section 22 of the bolt body 20 into the opening 110 and pushing forward such that the front edge 112 of the panel opening 110 slides through the space formed by the underside 32 of the flange 30 and the upper surface 39 of the first portion 38 of the front section 22 and then in the shaped recess 36 in the front section 22. The rear part of the bolt body 20 is then pressed downward, thereby forcing the trailing edge 114 of the panel opening 110 against the second section 56 of the latch element. leg 52, and in this way forcing the second section 56 forward. As illustrated in Figure 1, as the lower side 32 of the flange 30 engages the upper part of the panel 100 proximate the trailing edge 114 of the opening 110, the second section 56 is released from the trailing edge 114 and engages the side bottom of the panel 100 and the upper end 64 of the spring means 58, engages the trailing edge 114 of the panel opening 110.

To operate the bolt 10, the operator simply places a finger in the tank 48 and pushes the bolt body 20 backward. As the bolt body travels rearward, the spring means 58 is forced against the trailing edge 114 of the panel opening, with the upper end 64 of the spring means 58, forced up and forward by the trailing edge 114 The lower side 32 of the flange 30 has a recess 34 formed in the rear part of the bolt body 20 - to allow free travel of the spring means 58 as the bolt 10 is operated. The bottom side 32 of the flange 30 is slightly angled upward on its front, so such that the flange 30 does not contact the upper surface of the door panel 100, when the bolt 10 is operated, thereby advantageously avoiding undesirable wear marks on the upper surface 101 of the panel 100. As illustrated in Figure 9, when the bolt body 20 has been pulled far enough backwards, the front section 22 of the bolt body 20 releases the edge 122 of the frame 120, so that the door can be opened, however the front edge 112 of the door panel 100 it is retained between the flange 30 and the front section 22 of the bolt body. The bolt of the present invention can be adapted to be coupled by the operator in a different manner. For example, instead of a reservoir formed in the bolt body, the bolt may include a post or button extending upwardly on the upper surface of the flange to be held by the operator (not shown). Various other modifications can be made in the details of the various embodiments of the apparatus of the present invention, all within the scope and spirit of the invention and as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

CLAIMS 1.- A bolt of the type of impact action with sliding action for installation in an opening in a door panel, for releasably retaining the door panel with respect to a frame, the panel has a leading edge and a trailing edge formed by the opening, the bolt is movable between a closed position and an open position, when installed in the opening in the door panel, the bolt comprises a bolt body; (a) the bolt body has a front section, a main section having a bottom; a rear section and a peripheral flange for coupling the upper part of the door panel next to the opening, the flange has a lower side; (b) the bolt body has a recess formed in the front section, to receive the cooperating form the front edge of the panel formed by the panel opening; (c) the front section has a first portion projecting forward, beyond the recess shaped to retain the bolt body in the panel and to guide the bolt body in its forward-and-back sliding action; (d) the front section has a second portion projecting forward beyond the first portion, the second portion adapts to cooperate with the frame when the bolt body is in its closed position to maintain the panel of door in the locked position with respect to the frame; (e) the rear section has a leg member, the leg member has a first section that extends generally backward from the bottom of the main section, the leg member has a second section extending generally upward from the leg. first section and rearward spacing of the main section of the bolt body and spacing down the flange, the second section is adapted to engage the bottom of the panel near the rear edge of the panel opening; (f) wherein the bolt body includes a spring means formed monolithically with the body to bypass the bolt body forward to the closed position, the spring means extends upwardly from the first leg member section and between the main section of the bolt body and the second section of the leg member, the spring means is adapted to engage the trailing edge of the panel opening.
2. An impact-type bolt with sliding action according to claim 1, characterized in that the spring means are formed integrally with the bolt body.
3. A bolt of the impact type with sliding action according to claim 1, characterized in that the spring means comprise a Leaf spring extending in a generally planar shape from the leg element.
4. An impact-type bolt with sliding action according to claim 3, characterized in that the leaf spring is bent backwards.
5. An impact bolt with sliding action according to claim 4, characterized in that the lower side of the flange is recessed to allow free travel of the spring element, as the bolt moves between a position and a closed position.
6. An impact-type bolt with sliding action according to claim 1, characterized in that a deposit is formed in the main section to receive the finger of an operator.
7. A bolt of the type impact with sliding action according to claim 1, characterized in that the bolt is formed from a polymeric material. 8 - A bolt of the impact type with sliding action according to claim 7, characterized in that the bolt is molded from a synthetic acetal resin. 9.- A bolt of the impact type with action slider according to claim 7, characterized in that the bolt is formed from a polymeric material resistant to cyclic loading.