Latch mechanism and tray assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10709259-B2
Application number	US-201916292220-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 4, 2019
Priority date	Mar 5, 2018
Publication date	Jul 14, 2020
Grant date	Jul 14, 2020

Abstract

A latch mechanism includes a latch component and an engaging component. The latch component includes an operating portion, a mounting portion disposed on a first component, and a connecting portion made of resilient material and connected to the operating portion and the mounting portion. An engaging slot is formed on the connecting portion. The engaging component is disposed on a second component for engaging with or disengaging from the engaging slot. The engaging slot and the engaging component are engaged with each other so as to fix the first component on the second component when the latch mechanism is in a locking state. The connecting portion is resiliently deformed by the operating portion to disengage the engaging slot from the engaging component so as to release the first component from the second component when the operating portion is operated to switch the latch mechanism to a releasing state.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A latch mechanism comprising:
a latch component comprising an operating portion, a mounting portion disposed on a first component, and a connecting portion connected to the operating portion and the mounting portion, the connecting portion being made of resilient material, an engaging slot being formed on the connecting portion; and
an engaging component disposed on a second component for engaging with or disengaging from the engaging slot;
wherein the engaging slot and the engaging component are engaged with each other so as to fix the first component on the second component when the latch mechanism is in a locking state, and the connecting portion is resiliently deformed by the operating portion to disengage the engaging slot from the engaging component so as to release the first component from the second component when the operating portion is operated to switch the latch mechanism from the locking state to a releasing state.

2. The latch mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the mounting portion is substantially formed in a tail shape and comprises two lateral abutting parts and a middle abutting part, and the latch component is engaged onto the first component by the two lateral abutting parts and the middle abutting part of the mounting portion, the latch mechanism further comprises two protruding ribs and a mounting slot structure, the two protruding ribs respectively protrude from the first component to abut against the two lateral abutting parts, the mounting slot structure is formed on the first component, and the middle abutting part is accommodated inside the mounting slot structure and abuts against an inner wall of the mounting slot structure.

3. The latch mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the connecting portion comprises two beams connected to the operating portion and the mounting portion, and the engaging slot is formed between the two beams.

4. The latch mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the latch component further comprises at least one stopping protrusion protruding from the operating portion for restraining a travel distance of the operating portion, and the latch mechanism further comprises at least one sliding slot structure formed on the first component, and the at least one stopping protrusion is movable within the at least one sliding slot structure.

5. The latch mechanism of claim 4 , wherein the at least one stopping protrusion abuts against a first inner wall of the at least one sliding slot structure when the latch mechanism is in the locking state, and the at least one stopping protrusion abuts against a second inner wall of the at least one sliding slot structure when the latch mechanism is in the releasing state.

6. The latch mechanism of claim 1 , wherein a cross section of the engaging component is circular, and the engaging component engages with the engaging slot in a rotatable manner.

7. The latch mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the operating portion, the mounting portion and the connecting portion substantially form an integral U-shaped structure.

8. A tray assembly comprising:
at least one tray mount;
a storage tray; and
at least one latch mechanism for engaging the storage tray with the at least one tray mount or disengaging the storage tray from the at least one tray mount, the at least one latch mechanism comprising:
a latch component comprising an operating portion, a mounting portion disposed on the storage tray, and a connecting portion connected to the operating portion and the mounting portion, the connecting portion being made of resilient material, an engaging slot being formed on the connecting portion; and
an engaging component disposed on the at least one tray mount for engaging with or disengaging from the engaging slot;
wherein the engaging slot and the engaging component are engaged with each other so as to fix the storage tray on the at least one tray mount when the latch mechanism is in a locking state, and the connecting portion is resiliently deformed by the operating portion to disengage the engaging slot from the engaging component so as to release the storage tray from the at least one tray mount when the operating portion is operated to switch the latch mechanism from the locking state to a releasing state.

9. The tray assembly of claim 8 , wherein the mounting portion is substantially formed in a tail shape and comprises two lateral abutting parts and a middle abutting part, and the latch component is engaged onto the storage tray by the two lateral abutting parts and the middle abutting part of the mounting portion, the at least one latch mechanism further comprises two protruding ribs and a mounting slot structure, the two protruding ribs respectively protrude from the storage tray to abut against the two lateral abutting parts, the mounting slot structure is formed on the storage tray, and the middle abutting part is accommodated inside the mounting slot structure and abuts against an inner wall of the mounting slot structure.

10. The tray assembly of claim 8 , wherein the connecting portion comprises two beams connected to the operating portion and the mounting portion, and the engaging slot is formed between the two beams.

11. The tray assembly of claim 8 , wherein the latch component further comprises at least one stopping protrusion protruding from the operating portion for restraining a travel distance of the operating portion, the at least one latch mechanism further comprises at least one sliding slot structure formed on the storage tray, and the at least one stopping protrusion is movable within the at least one sliding slot structure.

12. The tray assembly of claim 11 , wherein the at least one stopping protrusion abuts against a first inner wall of the at least one sliding slot structure when the latch mechanism is in the locking state, and the at least one stopping protrusion abuts against a second inner wall of the at least one sliding slot structure when the latch mechanism is in the releasing state.

13. The tray assembly of claim 8 , wherein a cross section of the engaging component is circular, and the engaging component engages with the engaging slot in a rotatable manner.

14. The tray assembly of claim 8 , wherein the operating portion, the mounting portion and the connecting portion substantially form an integral U-shaped structure.

15. The tray assembly of claim 8 , wherein the engaging component comprises an engaging end for engaging with the engaging slot, a connecting end connected to the tray mount, and a neck portion between the engaging end and the connecting end, the storage tray comprises a notch portion, and the neck portion of the engaging component engages with the notch portion of the storage tray when the engaging end of the engaging component engages with the engaging slot.

Assignees

• Wonderland Switzerland Ag

Inventors

• Taylor Andrew J
• Ma Andrew

Classifications

• F16B9/02 Primary

  Detachable connections {(F16B9/05 – F16B9/09 take precedence)} · CPC title

• A47D1/0085

  removable · CPC title

• B62B9/245

  Removable front guards, e.g. with a tray · CPC title

• F16B21/09

  Releasable fastening devices with a stud engaging a keyhole slot · CPC title

• A47D3/00 Primary

  Children's tables {(school forms A47B39/00; school desks or tables A47B41/00)} · CPC title