WO2013126950A1 - A latching arrangement - Google Patents

Abstract

This invention relates to a latch assembly comprising a housing, a latching element, and an actuating lever for the latching element which is recessed into the housing and pivotable about a fulcrum fixed relative to the housing, such that rotation of the actuating lever effects movement of the latching element between latched and unlatched positions. Also disclosed are an Intermediate Bulk Container (IBC) and a panel for an IBC comprising such a latch.

Description

A LATCHING ARRANGEMENT

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a latching mechanism. For the purpose of explanation, the latching mechanism will be described in relation to wall panels of intermediate bulk containers (IBC's), although the invention need not be so limited in application.

PRIORITY

This patent application claims priority from:

- Australian Provisional Patent Application No 2012900742, titled "A LATCHING

ARRANGEMENT", and filed on 27 February 2012. The entire content of this application is hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

Intermediate bulk containers (IBC's) generally employ a base and a plurality of wall panels which can be either laid one atop the other and the base, or erected with respect to the base. Latching mechanisms are generally employed along the edges of wall panels to facilitate releasable securement between contiguous wall panels, or between wall panels and IBC framework.

One known latching mechanism employs a linear translating, spring loaded latching bolt operated by over-powering a spring by pulling directly on the bolt.

A problem with latching mechanisms of the above described type is that some people lack the requisite hand strength to make operation of the actuator easy. A further problem is that the spring is close to the operator's hand, and this has resulted in some pinching injuries.

It is against this background, and the problems and difficulties associated therewith, that the present invention has been developed.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein, by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of the present invention is disclosed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, the invention may be said to reside in a latch assembly comprising a pivoting actuator lever, the rotation of which is translated into a linear motion of a latching element. In a further aspect, there is a latch assembly comprising a housing for encasing a latching mechanism, the latching mechanism comprising a pivoting actuator lever, the rotation of which is translated into a linear motion of a latching element.

In one form, the latch assembly comprises a carriage element carrying a latching element, a guide track for the carriage element, and an actuator pivotable about a pivot point that is fixed relative to the guide track, and which effects retraction of the carriage and the latching element.

In one form, the latch assembly comprises a biasing means for biasing the carriage and the. latching element toward extension of the latching element.

In one form, the biasing means is a spring, elastic element (band etc.) or the like. In one form, the actuator is linked to the carriage by a slotted aperture locating over a pin carried on the carriage.

In one form, the actuator is shaped to encircle the forefingers of a user's hand.

In one form, the actuator is movable by pivoting about the pivot point between the distal ends of an arc shaped indent formed into the housing. In one form, the actuator is a lever providing a lever arm extending between the finger encircling portion of the actuator and the pivot point, where said lever arm is significantly longer than a load arm extending between the pivot point and the point at which the actuator engages the carriage, thereby providing a significant mechanical advantage to the operator of the actuator.

In a further aspect, the invention may be said to reside in a latch assembly comprising a housing, a latching element, and an actuating lever for the latching element which is recessed into the housing and pivotable about a fulcrum fixed relative to the housing, such that rotation of the actuating lever effects translational movement of the latching element between latched and unlatched positions.

In a further aspect, the invention may be said to reside in an Intermediate Bulk Container (IBC) comprising the above described latch assembly. In a further aspect, the invention may be said to reside in a panel for an Intermediate Bulk Container (IBC) comprising the above described latch assembly.

In one form, the actuating lever comprises a handle portion via which the panel can be lifted and handled.

In one form, there is such a latch assembly located at or near each of a pair of vertical margins of the panel. In one form, there is such a latch assembly located at or near each of a pair of uppermost corners of the panel.

A detailed description of one or more embodiments of the invention is provided below along with accompanying figures that illustrate by way of example the principles of the invention. While the invention is described in connection with such embodiments, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to any embodiment. On the contrary, the scope of the invention is limited only by the appended claims and the invention encompasses numerous alternatives, modifications and equivalents. For the purpose of example, numerous specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. The present invention may be practiced according to the claims without some or all of these specific details. For the purpose of clarity, technical material that is known in the technical fields related to the invention has not been described in detail so that the present invention is not unnecessarily obscured.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of this disclosure it will now be described with respect to one or more exemplary embodiments, which shall be described herein with the assistance of drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a latched latching assembly according to a first exemplary embodiment;

Figure 2 is a front perspective view of the latching assembly of Figure 1 , where this is now unlatched;

Figure 3 is a rear perspective view of the latched latching assembly of Figure 1 ; Figure 4 is a front perspective view of the latching assembly of Figures 1 through 3, where the assembly is incorporated in a wall panel of an EC;

Figure 5 is a rear perspective view of the latching assembly of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a rear perspective view of a latched latching assembly where a housing for this has been removed to permit visibility of the latching mechanism; Figure 7 is a rear perspective view of the latching assembly where a housing for this has been removed to permit visibility of the latching mechanism, and where the mechanism is partially unlatched;

Figure 8 is a rear perspective view of the latching assembly where a housing for this has been removed to permit visibility of the latching mechanism, and where the mechanism is fully unlatched.

In the following description, like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings. DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to Figure 1, where there is illustrated a latch assembly 1 comprising a latching mechanism housed in a latch housing comprised of front 2 and back 4 latch housing portions, which join along matching edges. There is an arc shaped indent 6 formed into the front latch housing portion 2. In this indent there is located a latch actuator 10 that is movable by pivoting this between the distal ends of the arc shaped indent 6. The latch actuator 10 is a lever shaped to encircle the fingers of a user's hand. In other words, the actuator defines an elongate opening 12 into which the fingers of a users hand can be inserted.

The actuator 10 drives the retraction of a pair of (although one may suffice) latching elements 20 relative to the latch housing. These latching elements are steel pins or bolts 20 in this embodiment.

With reference to Figures 6 through 8, it can be seen that the latching mechanism comprises a guide track 30 which is mounted to the housing 2, and a carriage 40 for the latching pins 20 which runs in the guide track 30.

There is a spring 50 mounted so as to extend between the guide track 30 and the carriage 40 and bias the carriage 40 and locking pins 20 together into an extended position with respect to. the housing 2.

From the actuator 10 there extends a pair of arms 10a and 10b. A first of these arms is a pivot arm 10a which pivots about a pivotable mounting point 30a on the guide track 30, and about which pivot point the actuator 10 pivots.

The second of these arms is a carriage arm 10b that extends to the carriage 40 and locates via a slotted opening 11 on a carriage pin 41 carried by the carriage 40.

In use, the actuator 10 pivots about its pivotable mounting point 30a on the guide track 30 between an upper distal end of the arc shaped indent 6, and a lower distal end of the arc shaped indent 6.

When the actuator 10 is pivoted against the bias of the spring 50 from the lower distal end to the upper distal end of the arc shaped indent 6, the actuator 10 is in line with the locking pins 20 and the carriage arm 10b draws the carriage 40 and the locking pins 20 into a retracted position with respect to the housing 2.

When the actuator 10 is allowed to travel with the bias of the spring 50 to the lower distal end of the arc shaped indent 6 the actuator 10 is at an angle of approximately 45 degrees with respect the locking pins 20 and the carriage arm 10b permits the carriage 40 and the locking pins 20 to extend with respect to the housing 2. In use, the latch assembly 1 may be mounted into an uppermost corner of a wall assembly 100 of an IBC. In the embodiment illustrated, the wall assembly 100 comprises a perimeter framework 102 with a wire mesh infill 104.

A further wall element or IBC frame member will incorporate on or more aligned apertures for receiving the locking pins 20.

The wall assembly 100 equipped with the latch assembly 1 can be released by swinging the actuator 10 against the bias of the spring 50 from the lower distal end of the arc shaped indent 6 to the upper distal end, thereby retracting the locking pins 20.

To latch the wall assembly 100 equipped with the latch assembly 1, the actuator 10 is allowed to return to the lower distal end of the arc shaped indent 6, thereby extending the locking pins 20.

A tab 70 extends from a lower edge of the encircling portion of the actuator 10. A tab receiving recess 80 is formed into the front latch housing portion 2 at the lower end of the arc shaped indent 6. The floor 82 of this tab receiving recess 80 is brightly coloured, such as with day-glow orange or the like (see Figure 2). When the actuator 10 reaches the lower end of the arc shaped indent 6 then the tab 70 will completely conceal the brightly coloured floor 82 of the tab receiving recess 80 (see Figure 1). Where the brightly coloured floor 82 of the tab receiving recess 80 is visible, this then is an easily discernable indication that the locking pins 20 are either not engaged or only partially engaged.

An advantage of the above described latching mechanism is that it provides mechanical advantage to the actuator 10, reducing the hand strength required by the user to over-power the spring 50. A further advantage is that the latching mechanism is fully housed, and the user's hand guarded, thereby eliminating pinch points etc.

If the locking pins 20 should jam in the receiving aperture(s) for these, then a portion of a tool can be inserted into an arcuate slot 110 in the front housing portion 2 to directly influence the carriage 40.

Throughout the specification and the claims that follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the words "comprise" and "include" and variations such as "comprising" and "including" will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers, but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers.

The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an

acknowledgement of any form of suggestion that such prior art forms part of the common general knowledge.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention is not restricted in its use to the particular application described. Neither is the present invention restricted in its preferred embodiment with regard to the particular elements and/or features described or depicted herein. It will be appreciated that various modifications can be made without departing from the principles of the invention. Therefore, the invention should be understood to include all such modifications in its scope.

Claims

1. A latch assembly comprising a housing, a latching element, and an actuating lever for the latching element which is recessed into the housing and pivotable about a fulcrum fixed relative to the housing, such that rotation of the actuating lever effects movement of the latching element between latched and unlatched positions.

2. The latch assembly of claim 1 , wherein the latching mechanism comprises a biasing means for biasing the latching element toward its latched position.

3. The latch assembly as in either of the preceding claims, wherein the biasing means is a spring or the like.

4. The latch assembly as in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the actuating lever

comprises a portion shaped to encircle at least the forefingers of a user's hand.

5. The latch assembly as in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the actuating lever is

movable by pivoting about the fulcrum between the distal ends of an arc shaped recess in the housing.

6. The latch assembly as in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the actuating lever is

substantially aligned with the unlatched latching element.

7. The latch assembly as in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the actuating lever subtends an angle with the latched latching element.

8. The latch assembly as in any one of claims 5 through 7, wherein the actuating lever is biased toward a lowermost end of the arc shaped recess in the housing.

9. The latch assembly as in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a carriage - element movable translationally along a guide track depending from the housing, the carriage element carrying the latching element.

10. The latch assembly of claim 9, wherein the actuator engages the carriage via a slotted aperture locating over a pin carried on the carriage.

11. The latch assembly as in any one of claims 4 through 10, wherein the actuating lever comprises a lever arm extending between the finger encircling portion of the actuator and the fulcrum, where said lever arm is significantly longer than a load arm extending between the fulcrum and the point at which the actuator engages the carriage, thereby providing a significant mechanical advantage to the operator of the actuating lever.

12. An Intermediate Bulk Container (IBC) comprising the latch assembly of any one of the preceding claims.

13. A panel for an Intermediate Bulk Container (IBC) comprising the latch assembly of any one of claims 1 through 1 1.

14. The panel of claim 13, wherein the actuating lever comprises a handle portion via which the panel can be lifted and handled.

15. The panel as in either of claims 13 or 14, wherein there is such a latch assembly located at or near each of a pair of vertical margins of the panel.

16. The panel as in any one of claims 13 through 15, wherein there is such a latch assembly

located at or near each of a pair of uppermost corners of the panel.