Safety Latch for Washer Closure

The present invention relates to a novel closure or latch for the door of an appliance for cleaning clothes.

In automatic washing machines, it is usual to provide a handle on the outer surface of the door controlling access to the washing chamber or to provide a lip projecting into a recessed area along one edge of the door to act as a handle. Washing machines with this type of lid normally have a mechanical brake connected to the cleaning drum which is activated when the door is opened to quickly slow down the drum to allow safe access to the clothes. Recently safety features on clothes cleaning appliances have become a requirement in certain areas. in this regard, a lock has been provided on the door which is activated during the spin cycle and to provide a time delayed release for the lock to ensure that the drum is at rest before the lid can be opened.

The present invention is directed to providing a closure or latch for an appliance door which can be utilized with locking devices known in the art. The closure provides means which may be in the form of a barrier to impede or prevent access to the handle of the door until the barrier is moved. Movement of the barrier performs the function if allowing access to the handle and releasing a catch which latches the door closed. When used with a locking device, access to the handle is prevented until a hazardous portion of a clothes cleaning or treating cycle is ended. The handle can only be employed as such when the latch is unlocked to allow the barrier to move and permit access to the handle.

Therefore, an aspect of the invention provides an appliance for cleaning clothes having a housing and a door hingedly secured to the housing. The door provides access to a cleaning chamber located in the housing and has an indentation on one side to define a recess. A closure is provided for the door and comprises a catch and a barrier. The catch is adapted to latch the door closed. The barrier is mounted within the recess and is adapted to be movable within the recess. The movement of the barrier is such that the catch is released from a position where it is engaged to latch the door. The movement of the barrier also provides access to a handle for the door. When the catch is engaged to keep the door closed, the barrier impedes access to the handle. Means is provided for the natural return of the barrier from the position where the catch is released to the position where the catch can be operatively engaged.

A further aspect of the present invention provides a latch for the door and comprises a handle portion with depending catch portion and means mounting the handle to the door. The catch portion is adapted to be engaged by locking means located in the housing. The handle portion is biased in a manner whereby the catch portion is engaged by the locking means. The arangement is such that the handle is positioned within the recess of the door to allow the handle to be moved sideways to disengage the catch and to limit access to the handle portion when the door is closed and the catch is secured by the locking means.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the top of a clothes cleaning appliance equipped with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the clothes cleaning appliance illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view partly in section of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view taken along the lines 4--4 of FIG. 2 where the lid is slightly open;

FIG. 5 shows the view of FIG. 4 with the lid closed and the catch operatively engaged with the locking means;

FIG. 6 shows the view of FIG. 4 with the lid closed and the latch released;

FIG.7 is a plan view of a timed-delay release locking device which can be used with this embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a further plan view of the time release locking means of FIG. 7 wherein the catch portion of the invention is locked in place;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view partly in section of a further embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 10 is a plan view of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 shows the view of FIG. 10 with the door closed and the latch released;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view partly in section of a further embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 13 is a plan view of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 12; and

FIG. 14 shows the view of FIG. 13 with door closed, and in dotted lines open and the latch released.

In FIGS. 1 and 2 an automatic clothes washing machine is illustrated having a housing 1, the housing having side walls 2 and top surface 3. A door 4 is hingedly secured to the housing 1 by hinges 5. A recess generally indicated at 6 is provided in the edge of one side of the door, the recess being defined by the edge of the door 40 and the adjacent edge of the top surface 3 of the housing 1. A latch according to one embodiment of the invention is provided for the door. The latch comprises a handle 7 which is located in the recess 6 in the edge of the door and a catch 8 which is depending from one end of the handle. In FIG. 2 the dotted lines indicate that the latch further comprises a portion 9 which is secured to the door by screws, bolts or rivets indicated at 10 thereby providing a means mounting the handle to the door. The latch is further provided with a curved portion 11 which is adapted to form one of the hinges 5 for the door. In the embodiment illustrated the latch is a formed metal rod, however, it could be of any material such as plastic which would have the necessary strength and rigidity to act as a handle and catch for the door.

In FIG. 3 a section has been removed from the housing 1 to show a locking means 12 located therein. The catch portion of the latch 8 has one end 13 hook-shaped and adapted to be secured under or by the locking means 12. The locking means illustrated is provided with selvedge 14 having an aperture 15 located therein. The catch 8, when the door is closed, projects through the aperture 15 and the hook end 13 is positioned under the lower surface 21 of the selvedge 14. From FIG. 3, it can be seen that the latch is further provided with a metal rod 16 welded to the handle portion and projecting into the edge of the door 40. This rod 16 acts as a guide and support means for the lateral movement of the handle 7. This lateral movement of the handle 7 disengages the catch 8 from the locking means 12. The guide means 16 is, in this embodiment, projecting into a bushing 17 mounted in the edge of the door 40 so as to allow easy movement in and out of the door. It can also be seen in FIG. 3 that the door is provided with a slight cut out portion 18 along the bottom surface where the rod projects into the recess 6 and forms handle 7 to allow the handle room to move laterally.

In FIG. 2, it can be seen that access to the handle 7, when the door 4 is closed, is limited from either side as the space 42 between the handle 7 and the adjacent edge of the top surface 3 of the housing 1 is not sufficient to allow a hand to get around the handle 7 to lift the door unless the handle is moved towards the edge of the door 40 so as to disengage the catch 8. If the catch 8 is locked in position, the handle 7 cannot be moved laterally a sufficient distance from the edge of the top surface 3 of the housing 1 to allow a hand to grip the handle 7 thereby preventing the handle 7 from acting as a handle until the catch 8 is disengaged.

In FIG. 4 the catch 8 is illustrated in the unengaged position relative to locking means 12. As the door 4 is closed, the catch 8 by the leading edge of the hook 13 is guided into the aperture 15 in the selvedge 14 of the locking means 12. The locking means is provided with a sliding plate 19 having an aperture 20 therein which is presently aligned with aperture 15 in the selvedge 14.

As the catch 8 is guided into the aperture 15 and the aperture 20 in the sliding plate 19, the plate is forced sideways until the hook 13 springs under the lower surface 21 of the selvedge 14. The sliding plate 19 does not deter the action of the catch 13 to be grasped under the bottom edge 21 of the selvedge 14 as it is adapted to move freely sideways unless the catch 8 is desired to be locked in position. The handle 7 is adapted so as to be biased towards the housing 1 where the catch 8 will be engaged. The biased mounting ensures that the end 13 of the catch 8 will be positioned under the lower surface 21 of the selvedge 14. It can further be seen in FIG. 5 that when the catch end 13 is engaged under the lower surface 21 of the selvedge 14 that the sliding plate 19 has been displaced laterally. If the catch 8 is desired to be locked in position, the plate 19 is locked so that it cannot be moved. The handle 7 then cannot be moved a sufficient distance to allow the catch end 13 to be released from the lower surface 21 of the selvedge 14 because it encounters the far side 22 of aperture 20 in the sliding plate 19. The plate 19, because it is locked in position, is not free to move sideways therefore preventing the door from being opened and precluding access to the handle 7. If it is not desired to lock the door in position, the sliding plate 19 is not locked and the lateral movement of the handle and corresponding movement of the catch 8 would displace the plate 19 as the catch 8 encountered the side 22 of the aperture 20 in the plate 19, allowing the catch 8 with the hook 12 to be disengaged from the lower surface 21 of the selvedge 14.

In FIG. 6 the catch 8 is illustrated as it is being disengaged. Arrows 50 indicate that the handle 7 has been moved laterally. The end of the catch 13 is now clear of the lower surface 21 of the selvedge 14 and the door is free to open. The plate 19 has been displaced in the direction of movement of the handle 7 as indicated by arrows 50. The guide means, rod 16, has also moved sideways within bushing 17. The space 42 defined by the handle 7 and the adjacent edge 43 of the top surface 3 of the housing 1 is sufficient to allow a hand to grasp the useable underside of handle 7 so that the handle 7 can begin to function as a handle and to allow the user to lift the door 4. The edge of the door 40 is bevelled at the bottom 40a to provide a section of the door under which the fingers can grip to aid in opening the door. Where this bevelled section 40a is employed as the only functioning handle, then the rod portion of handle 7 may be considered as a barrier preventing access to the bevelled section 40a.

In FIG. 5 this space 42, as defined by the handle 7 and the adjacent edge 43 of the top surface 3 of the housing 1 is not sufficient to allow the handle 7 to be grasped unless the handle 7 is moved sideways thereby limiting access to the handle.

In FIGS. 7 and 8 an example of a time delay locking means which can be used with this invention is illustrated. A timer located on the machine when the spin cycle is ready to begin, closes a switch that passes an electrical current through a ceramic block 31, the ceramic block heats up causing two bimetallic plates 32 and 33 disposed on opposite sides of the block 31 to bend in opposite directions. This causes an arm 34 connected to plate 33 to rise. On the end of the arm 34 is a pawl 35 which is adapted to fit into a second aperture 39 in the sliding plate 19. As the arm 34 rises a contact point located at 36 connects with another point 37, thereby connecting the circuit to the spin solenoid. The activated spin solenoid engages the drive in a manner to begin spin cycle of a drum in the washing process. With the door closed in position, the second aperture 39 in the sliding plate 19 is positioned so that the pawl 35 fits within it thereby locking the plate 19 in position and not giving the catch 8 and the hook 13 thereof sufficient room in which to move laterally so as to disengage the hook 13 from the bottom surface 21 of the selvedge 14. The plate 19 is provided with a spring 38 at its end remote from the selvedge 14 so that the plate 19, after the catch is disengaged, is returned to a position whereby aperture 20 in the plate 19 is lined up with the aperture 15 in the selvedge 14. This allows the hook end 13 of catch 8 to be inserted in aperture 20 in plate 19 without difficulty, when the door 4 is closed again. When the timer determines that the spin cycle is complete a switch is opened in the circuit thereby cutting off the current to the block 31. The current is also shut off to the spin solenoid and the drum is no longer driven and begings to stop spinning. A mechanical brake may be supplied to aid in stopping the spinning of the drum after the drum is no longer driven. With the current no longer flowing through the block 31, the thermal energy in the block 31 dissipates causing the bimetallic plates 32 and 33 to return to the unflexed position causing the arm 34 and the pawl 35 to drop thereby allowing the handle 7, when it is moved laterally, to move the plate 19 sideways thereby disengaging the catch 8 and the hook 13 from under the bottom surface 21 of the selvedge 41.

The time delay locking device ensures that the door remains closed for a sufficient period of time after the circuit to the spin solenoid is disconnected to allow the drum time to have stopped spinning completely before the door can be opened. A block 31 and plates 32 and 34 are, therefore, selected to dissipate thermal energy at a predetermined rate so as to ensure that pin 39 keeps the door locked for a sufficient period of time. A locking device of the type described above or any other similar time release mechanism, such as time delay locks based on a hydraulic or pneumatic delay, used with the embodiment of this invention as described above, provides a safe and efficient means in which to lock the door of a clothes washing appliance during the operation of the spin cycle. The latch formed as in the embodiment provides an easy to install, economical to produce and easy to operate combination catch and handle which will fit with any standard door of a washing machine having a recess located therein without the need of substantial additional tooling.

In FIGS. 9, 10 and 11 a second embodiment of the invention is illustrated. In the recess 6 of the door 4 of a washing machine is a closure generally indicated at 60. The closure 60 has a generally T-shaped cross-section with the hat or plate portion 61 of the T-substantially coplanar with the top surface of the door 4 and the adjacent housing top surface 3. The hat 61 of the T is adapted so that it fits within an indentation 6a in the top surface 3 of the housing. The stem 62 of the T is pivotally mounted at its base to the door 4 by a pin 63. Any other convenient means can be employed to pivotally mount the closure device 60 within the recess 6 of the door 4.

A catch portion 64 integral with stem 62 depends from the base of the plate into the housing. The end 65 of the catch 64 projects into the housing through an aperture 66 located therein and is adapted to be latched under the surface of the housing 67 defining the aperture 66. In the embodiment illustrated, the end 65 is shaped to form a barb with the end tapered along edge 68 to provide a guiding surface to allow easy movement of the catch 64 in and out of the aperture 66.

A spring 69 is connected from the edge of the door 40 to the catch 64. The spring 69 or any other type of spring means functions to keep the catch 64 biased towards the position where the barb is under the surface of the housing 67 defining the aperture 66. This position is illustrated in FIG. 10.

A locking means generally indicated at 70 is located within the housing and is adapted to lock the catch 64 in the engaged position as illustrated in FIG. 10. The locking means is provided with a sliding plate 71 having an aperture 72 located therein. This aperture 72 is aligned with aperture 66 in the housing. The spring 69 causes the catch 64 to be pulled towards the door so that the end of the catch 65 will be engaged under the surface of the housing 67. The sliding plate 71 is adapted so that it is easily displaced to allow the end of the catch 65 to be operatively engaged. A second aperture 73 is provided in the sliding plate 71 and is positioned so that when the catch 65 is in the engaged position, a pawl 74 can project up into the aperture 73 thereby locking the sliding plate 71 in position. This is illustrated in FIG. 10. The first aperture 72 in the sliding plate 71 is sized so that insufficient space is provided when the plate is locked in position to allow the end of the catch 65 from being disengaged from under the surface of the housing 67 and allowing the door 4 to be opened. A mechanism, as described earlier, can be installed to control the movement of the pawl so that the door is locked at the desired times.

The closure illustrated in FIGS. 9, 10 and 11 is further described with reference to its mode of operation. The opening of the latch closure is illustrated in FIG. 11. The arrow 75 indicates that a downward force is applied to the part 61a of the hat of the T nearest the edge of the door 40. The plate 60 pivots or rocks about the pin 63 and a similar pin located at the other end of the closure. The downward movement of the first part 61a of the closure causes the second part 61b located adjacent to the top surface of the housing 3 to be lifted above the plane defined by the door 4 and the top surface of the housing 3. The length of this second part 61b of the plate is sized relative to the first part 61a to allow the second part 61b to be raised a sufficient distance above the housing 3 to allow a hand to grip the underside 61c of the plate. Therefore, the handle for the door is constituted by the underside 61c of the closure device.

The end of the catch 65 has also been displaced so that it is disengaged from under the surface of the housing 67. In being disengaged, it has displaced the sliding plate 71 to allow the end of the catch 65 to be removed from within the housing and allow the door 4 to open. If the plate 71 is locked in position as illustrated in FIG. 10, the catch will not be allowed to move thereby preventing depression of the part 61a of the closure. The second part 61b of the handle will not be raised a sufficient distance above housing 3 so that the underside plate 61c of the plate can be gripped by a hand. As a result, access to the handle 61c of the closure is impeded or precluded due to the plate 61b being proximate the housing 3.

The latch can be formed from a tough thermo plastic or other material that is regis and strong enough to withstand the abuse of day-to-day operation.

A third embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 12, 13 and 14. A closure indicated generally at 100 is provided within the recess 6 of the door 4. The door 4 is equipped with a lip 101 along the edge of the door 40 within the recess 6 and the lip 101 functions as the handle for the door 4.

A barrier 102 prevents access to the lip 101. The barrier has a vertical section 103, a short horizontal section 104 adapted to fit over the lip 101 when the door 4 is closed and a second generally vertical section 105. This second vertical section 105 is slanted away from the door 4 to allow the lip 101 as the door is being closed, to cam the barrier 102 sideways allowing the door to be closed. After the door is closed, the horizontal section 104 acts as a catch to be engaged over the lip 101 preventing access to the handle for the door unless the barrier 102 is moved.

A rod 106 is connected to the barrier 102 and projects into the housing. A spring 107 is provided around the rod 106 and biases the barrier 102 towards the position whereby the horizontal section 104 would be engaged over the lip 101 of the door 4. This position is illustrated in FIG. 13.

A locking means generally indicated at 108 is located within the housing. A sliding plate 109 is connected to the rod 106. An aperture 110 is located in the plate 109 through which a pawl 111 can project to lock the plate 109 in position. A projection 112 on the plate 109 limits the distance the plate 109 can move ensuring the barrier 102 is in a position so that when the door is opened, the lip 101 can meet the second vertical section 105 at a point where the lip 101 is able to displace the barrier 102 as the door is closed. A mechanism, as described above, can be provided to control the pawl 111 so that the door is locked at the desired times.

The operation of the closure is illustrated in FIG. 14. Arrows 113 indicate that the barrier 102 is displaced and kept displaced a sufficient distance to disengage the horizontal section 104 from the top of lip 101 and to allow sufficient space between the lip 101 and the barrier 102 to allow a hand of the operator to grip under the lip 101 to open the door. Arrow 114 and the door represented in dotted lines indicated that the door is opening. After the door is open, the barrier 102 returns, due to spring 107 to a position determined by stop 112. This position is such that pin 111 will not line up with aperture 110. Pin 111 may be designed such that it only closes a switch to permit activation of the spin cycle when it extends through aperture 110 of the sliding plate 109. Therefore, activation of the spin cycle can only occur when the door is closed, so that the catch has aligned aperture 110 with the pin 111. The barrier 102 can be formed of any material having sufficient rigidity and strength to withstand the abuse of day-to-day operation such as a tough thermo plastic or metal.

This type of closure or latch may be used on several types of clothes cleaning devices, such as top and front loading washing machines, clothes dryers and clothes cleaning devices. The lock which secures the catch of the latch may be actuated and remain actuated during portions of the cycle which could bring about bodily injury or result in spills should the door be opened. For example, with a front loading washing machine, it is important to ensure that the door cannot be opened until substantially all water has been drained from the basket or is below the level of the door. During the spin cycle of an automatic washer, it is important to ensure that no access is gained to the spinable drum until after the brake mechanism has brought the drum to rest on completion of the spin cycle. A further consideration could be that this system be designed to eliminate the need for a brake mechanism on an automatic washer. It is understood that the drum, on completion of the spin cycle would eventually stop spinning if not braked. This period of spin stoppage in absence of braking may be approximately 1 to 2 minutes. Therefore, the timed delay on latch release could be slightly greater than the anticipated period for the spinning basket to come to rest. As a result, access to the basket would not be permitted until it had come to rest. This eliminates the need for the very costly brake mechanism on the machine. Other examples are in dry cleaning equipment, where it is important not to gain entry to the machine until all hazardous vapours have been evacuated. It is, therefore, apparent that the lock may be controlled by a device which will only release the catch of the latch when the above type of cycle in cleaning clothes has been completed.

With the handle, a barrier and catch of this invention and this relationship to the door and housing of the machine, one is not able to grasp the handle while the catch is secured by the locking means due to the obstacle provided by the barrier. It is, therefore, apparent that this type of closure provides the added safety feature in not presenting a handle for the door which would allow a person to open or force open the door thereby to gain accesss during for example, a hazardous portion of the clothes treating cycle. This type of closure provides the only form of access to opening the door, since the remaining part of the door is free of any other items which would provide a portion to manually open the door.

Various types of clothes cleaning devices have been discussed with regard to the closure of this invention. It is appreciated that a particular advantageous use of this closure is on coin operated machines in laundromats. This type of machine is usually subjected to a fair amount of abuse and is not always used with the proper amount of caution. Therefore, this type of closure system enhances the safety aspects of coin operated washing machines, because it further reduces the likelihood of someone being injured during the hazardous spin cycle of a top loading machine. The closure is also useful on coin operated front loading machines with respect to the spin cycle and also during the washing cycle to preclude people opening the front door during this cycle which could result in embarrassing spills.

Although various embodiments of the invention have been described herein in detail, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that variations may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.