Latching mechanism

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11547010-B2
Application number	US-202016881130-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 22, 2020
Priority date	May 22, 2020
Publication date	Jan 3, 2023
Grant date	Jan 3, 2023

Abstract

A latching mechanism includes a body having a trip-latch with a protruding portion that protrudes from the body, a release button coupled to a release shaft disposed inside the body, and a holding edge disposed on the release shaft. The holding edge engages the trip-latch to maintain the release button in a depressed position. The holding edge disengages the trip-latch to place the release button in a non-depressed position in response to urging the protruding portion of the trip latch toward the rotatable body. The latching mechanism may also include a spring coupled to the release shaft that urges the release button to a non-depressed position. The latching mechanism may also include a spring coupled to the protruding portion of the trip-latch that urges the trip-latch to protrude from the body. A non-protruding portion of the trip-latch may engage the holding edge.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A latching mechanism, comprising:
a body having a trip-latch with a protruding portion that protrudes from the body;
a release button coupled to a release shaft disposed inside the body; and
a holding edge disposed on the release shaft, the holding edge engaging the trip-latch to maintain the release button in a depressed position, wherein the holding edge disengages the trip-latch to place the release button in a non-depressed position in response to urging the protruding portion of the trip latch toward the body, wherein a non-protruding portion of the trip-latch engages the holding edge and wherein a pivot point is provided between the protruding portion of the trip-latch and the non-protruding portion of the trip-latch.

2. The latching mechanism, according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a spring coupled to the release shaft that urges the release button to a non-depressed position.

3. The latching mechanism, according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a spring coupled to the protruding portion of the trip-latch that urges the trip-latch to protrude from the body.

4. The latching mechanism, according to claim 1 , wherein the release shaft includes a slope edge opposite to the holding edge that engages the non-protruding portion of the trip-latch.

5. The latching mechanism, according to claim 1 , wherein the release shaft includes a notch that engages a chassis latch pin to maintain the latching mechanism in a locked position.

6. The latching mechanism, according to claim 1 , wherein a non-protruding portion of the trip-latch engages the holding edge and wherein a pivot point is provided between the protruding portion of the trip-latch and the non-protruding portion of the trip-latch.

7. The latching mechanism, according to claim 4 , wherein the slope edge engages the non-protruding portion of the trip-latch to allow the release shaft to move until the holding edge engages the trip-latch to maintain the release button in the depressed position.

8. A latching mechanism, comprising:
a body having a trip-latch with a protruding portion that protrudes from the body;
a release button coupled to a release shaft disposed inside the body; and
a holding edge disposed on the release shaft, the holding edge engaging the trip-latch to maintain the release button in a depressed position, wherein the holding edge disengages the trip-latch to place the release button in a non-depressed position in response to urging the protruding portion of the trip latch toward the body, wherein the release shaft includes a notch that engages a chassis latch pin to maintain the latching mechanism in a locked position.

9. The latching mechanism, according to claim 8 , wherein depressing the release button disengages the notch from the chassis latch pin to allow movement of the body.

10. The latching mechanism, according to claim 9 , wherein the body rotates to allow insertion, locking, and removal of a field replaceable unit.

11. The latching mechanism, according to claim 10 , wherein the field replaceable unit has a cutout that corresponds to the protruding portion of the trip-latch.

12. The latching mechanism, according to claim 10 , further comprising:
a rigid slide coupled to the body; and
a grabber coupled to the rigid slide and having a slot that captures a portion of the field replaceable unit, wherein the rigid slide translates rotational motion of the body to rotational motion of the grabber.

13. The latching mechanism, according to claim 11 , wherein rotating the body causes the protruding portion of the trip-latch to press against a side of the field replaceable unit to disengage the trip-latch to place the release button in a non-depressed position.

14. A method of operating a latching mechanism, comprising:
pressing a release button to unlock a body of the latching mechanism;
the release button remaining in a depressed position when no pressure is applied to the release button; and
urging a protruding portion of a trip-latch mechanism disposed in the body toward the body to cause the release button to move to a non-pressed position, wherein a rigid slide coupled to the body translates rotational motion of the body to rotational motion of a grabber having a slot that captures a portion of the field replaceable unit.

15. The method, according to claim 14 , wherein the protruding portion is urged toward the body by moving the body to a location that releases a field replaceable unit from an electrical enclosure.

16. The method, according to claim 14 , wherein a spring coupled to the protruding portion of the trip-latch urges the trip-latch to protrude from the body.

17. The method, according to claim 14 , wherein a non-protruding portion of the trip-latch engages a holding edge of a release shaft disposed in the body and coupled to the release button.

18. The method, according to claim 14 , wherein a pivot point is provided between the protruding portion of the trip-latch and the non-protruding portion of the trip-latch.

19. The method, according to claim 17 , wherein the release shaft includes a slope edge opposite to the holding edge that engages the non-protruding portion of the trip-latch.

20. A method of operating a latching mechanism, comprising:
pressing a release button to unlock a body of the latching mechanism;
the release button remaining in a depressed position when no pressure is applied to the release button; and
urging a protruding portion of a trip-latch mechanism disposed in the body toward the body to cause the release button to move to a non-pressed position, wherein a non-protruding portion of the trip-latch engages a holding edge of a release shaft disposed in the body and coupled to the release button and wherein a pivot point is provided between the protruding portion of the trip-latch and the non-protruding portion of the trip-latch.

21. The method, according to claim 20 , wherein a rigid slide coupled to the body translates rotational motion of the body to rotational motion of a grabber having a slot that captures a portion of the field replaceable unit.

Assignees

• Emc Ip Holding Co Llc

Inventors

• Lewis Jeffrey Michael

Classifications

• F16B1/04

  disengaged by movement of the actuating member of the element (locking of actuators G05G, e.g. G05G5/00) · CPC title

• H05K7/1409 Primary

  by lever-type mechanisms · CPC title

• F16B5/0621

  in parallel relationship (fastened by a drive-pin F16B19/1081; fastened by a device locking by rotation F16B21/02) · CPC title

• H05K7/1402 Primary

  for securing or extracting printed circuit boards · CPC title