US3860277A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Latching assembly with magnetic locking
Assignee: Consolidated Controls Corp
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Filing: 1972-02-11
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Granted: 1975-01-14
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Expires: 1992-02-11
Abstract
Abstract A latching assembly for a door swingable toward and away from a doorjamb or the like between a closed and an open position, comprising a pair of latch members mounted on the door and jamb, respectively, and relatively movable between an engaged latching position and a disengaged unlatched position. Each latch member includes one or more latching surfaces engageable with a latching surface on the other latch member when in the latched position preventing movement of said door relative to said doorjamb. Permanent magnet holding means is provided for holding or locking said latching members in said latched position, and selectively controlled electromagnetic means is used for producing a magnetic unlocking force with a polarity opposing that of said permanent magnet means for unlocking and relatively moving said latching members out of said latched engagement when said door is to be opened.
Inventors
- 👤 William S Wang
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 08:36
CPC Classifications
B; B64; B64D; B64D11/00; B64D11/06; E; E05; E05B; E05B47/00; E05B47/0001; E05B47/0002; B64D11/0627; B64D11/0629; B64D11/0632; E05B47/0006; E05B47/06; E05B47/0603; E05B63/00; E05B63/12; E05B63/121; B64D2231/00; B64D2231/02; B64D2231/025; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T292/00; Y10T292/08; Y10T292/1043; Y10T292/1075; Y10T292/1082; Y10T292/11
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
138 words
A latching assembly for a door swingable toward and away from a doorjamb, said latching assembly comprising a pair of mechanically engageable latch means mounted on said door and jamb, respectively, and movable relatively between an engaged, latched position and a disengaged, unlatched position, permanent magnet means for retaining mechanically latched engagement between said pair of said latch means in said latched position, electromagnet means having a polarity while energized opposing said permanent magnet means for overcoming the retaining force thereof permitting relative movement between said pair of said latch means to said unlatched position so that said door can be opened, one of said pair of said latch means including a pair of relatively movable members, said permanent magnet means mounted on one of said members and said electromagnet means mounted on the other of said members.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
138 words
A latching assembly for a door swingable toward and away from a doorjamb, said latching assembly comprising a pair of mechanically engageable latch means mounted on said door and jamb, respectively, and movable relatively between an engaged, latched position and a disengaged, unlatched position, permanent magnet means for retaining mechanically latched engagement between said pair of said latch means in said latched position, electromagnet means having a polarity while energized opposing said permanent magnet means for overcoming the retaining force thereof permitting relative movement between said pair of said latch means to said unlatched position so that said door can be opened, one of said pair of said latch means including a pair of relatively movable members, said permanent magnet means mounted on one of said members and said electromagnet means mounted on the other of said members.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
The latch assembly of claim 1 wherein said holding force exerted by said permanent magnet means extends in a direction generally normal to the direction of movement of said door toward and away from said doorjamb.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
62 words
The latch assembly of claim 1 wherein one of said latch members is mounted for pivotal movement relative to the other, said permanent magnet means providing magnetic force for normally biasing said pivotally mounted latch member toward said latched position to engage said other latch means until said force is overcome by opposing magnetic force developed by energization of said electromagnet means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
The latch assembly of claim 3 wherein said pivotally mounted latch member includes stop means engageable with said other member for limiting the pivotal movement away from said latched position.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
48 words
The latch assembly of claim 1 wherein the other of said latch means includes an elongated stem supported at one end in cantilever fashion and an enlargement mounted adjacent the outer free end of said stem for latching engagement with said one latch means in said latched position.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
43 words
The latch assembly of claim 5 wherein said enlargement comprises a spherical ball mounted on said stem, said stem being laterally flexible adjacent said outer free end and movable axially relative to said one latch means into and out of latching engagement therewith.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
58 words
The latch assembly of claim 6 wherein said one latch means comprises socket forming means including a plurality of circumferentially spaced latching balls movable radially of the axis of said stem into and out of latching engagement with said enlargement on said stem and means for moving said balls into and out of latching engagement with said enlargement.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
65 words
The latching assembly of claim 7 wherein said one latch means includes a hollow sleeve for containing said balls and an elongated plunger mounted for axial sliding movement relative to said sleeve permitting radial movement of said balls in response to the axial position thereof, said permanent magnet means normally urging said plunger into an axial position wherein said balls are in said latched position.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
41 words
The latching assembly of claim 8 wherein the force exerted by said electromagnet means while energized is active to move said plunger into a second axial position permitting said balls to move radially outward out of latched engagement with said enlargement.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
The latch assembly of claim 9 wherein magnetic force attraction between said permanent magnet means and said latch means is in a direction generally parallel of said plunger.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
The latching assembly of claim 1 including manually actuated means for moving said one member against the holding force of said permanent magnet means toward said unlatched position.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
45 words
The latching assembly of claim 1 including manually actuated unlatching means acting on said one member of said one pair of latch means carrying said permanent magnet means for moving said one member relative to the other member of said pair toward said unlatched position.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
20 words
The latch assembly of claim 1 including spring means for biasing said one latch means away from said latched position.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-01-13 | 1978-07-15 | 1979-01-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-01-13 | 1982-07-15 | 1983-01-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-01-13 | 1986-07-15 | 1987-01-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |