Latch control device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11629527-B2
Application number	US-202117243823-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 29, 2021
Priority date	Mar 11, 2021
Publication date	Apr 18, 2023
Grant date	Apr 18, 2023

Abstract

A latch control device includes a connecting seat divided by two integrally formed walls into a hollow portion and a mounting portion spaced from the hollow portion. A detecting module is disposed between the two walls. A locking member is pivotably mounted between the two walls. A first restraining member is disposed in the mounting area and is configured to lock or unlock the locking member, controlling pivotal movement of the locking member. When the locking member is not pivotable, a latch of a door lock in the hollow portion is restrained in the hollow portion, preventing opening of a door to which the door lock is mounted. When the locking member is pivotable, the locking member can pivot while the door pivots, permitting opening of the door.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A latch control device comprising:
a connecting seat including a first surface and two walls integrally extending perpendicularly from the first surface along a first axis, wherein the two walls are spaced from each other along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, wherein a first notch and a second notch are formed between the two walls and are spaced from each other along a third axis perpendicular to the first and second axes, wherein a hollow portion is formed at an inner side of the two walls, and wherein a mounting portion is provided at an outer side of the two walls;
a detecting module securely disposed in the first notch, wherein the detecting module includes an actuation member having an outer end located in the hollow portion, wherein the actuation member is configured to detect whether a latch of a door lock is in the hollow portion;
a locking member including an axle coupling portion and an arm extending from the axle coupling portion, wherein the locking member is pivotable about a pivotal axis parallel to the second axis between a closure position closing the second notch and an open position revealing the second notch;
a driving device securely disposed in the mounting portion of the connecting seat;
a first restraining member coupled to the driving device, wherein the first restraining member is actuatable by the driving device between a locking position preventing pivotable movement of the locking member and an unlocking position permitting pivotable movement of the locking member, wherein the latch is restrained in the hollow portion by the first restraining member in the locking position; and
a safety pin unit disposed in the mounting portion of the connecting seat, wherein the safety pin unit includes a stop pin, wherein when a fire occurs, the stop pin engages with the arm of the locking member to prevent the locking member from pivoting from the closure position to the open position, and wherein when no fire occurs, the stop pin is spaced from the arm of the locking member,
a mounting seat including a first part parallel to the first surface and two second parts extending perpendicularly to the first part, wherein the driving device is securely disposed between the two second parts, wherein the first restraining member is slidably mounted to the first part, wherein the first restraining member further includes a leg extending perpendicularly to a displacement direction of the first restraining member; and
a door detecting unit securely disposed on one of the two second parts and located adjacent to the leg, wherein when the first restraining member is in the locking position, the leg is in one of a first mode actuating the door detecting unit and a second mode not actuating the door detecting unit, and wherein when the first restraining member is in the unlocking position, the leg is in another of the first mode actuating the door detecting unit and the second mode not actuating the door detecting unit.

2. The latch control device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each of the two walls has L-shaped cross sections and includes a horizontal section and a vertical section connected to the horizontal section, wherein the first notch is located between the vertical sections of the two walls, and wherein the second notch is located between two ends respectively of the horizontal sections of the two walls distant to the vertical sections.

3. The latch control device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the safety pin unit includes:
a body securely disposed on the first surface of the connecting seat, wherein the body includes a mounting hole extending along the second axis, wherein the mounting hole includes a first hole section and a second hole section having an inner diameter larger than an inner diameter of the first hole section;
a low melting point member received in the second hole section, wherein the low melting point member has an outer diameter larger than the inner diameter of the first hole section and smaller than the inner diameter of the second hole section, wherein a melting point of the stop pin is higher than a melting point of the low melting point member, wherein the stop pin includes a pin body and an enlarged portion on an end of the pin body, wherein the pin body has an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the first hole section, and wherein the enlarged portion has an outer diameter larger than the inner diameter of the first hole section and smaller than the inner diameter of the second hole section;
a plug securely disposed to an end of the second hole section distant to the first hole section; and
a spring disposed between the plug and the enlarged portion of the stop pin, wherein the spring biases the stop pin, wherein the arm extends outward in a radial direction of the axle coupling portion, wherein when no fire occurs, the stop pin remains in an inner side of the body, and wherein when the low melting point member melts under a fire, the spring biases the pin body of the stop pin to extend beyond the body to engage with the arm.

4. The latch control device as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein the detecting module includes:
a bracket securely disposed in the first notch between the two walls, wherein the bracket includes a mounting wall;
the actuation member pivotably connected to the mounting wall of the bracket, wherein the actuation member includes an inner end and an outer end, wherein the actuation member is pivotable between a door closing position and a door opening position; and
a door closure detecting unit mounted to a side of the mounting wall, wherein the inner end of the actuation member is configured to actuate the door closure detecting unit,
wherein when the actuation member is in the door closing position, the inner end of the actuation member is in one of a first mode actuating the door closure detecting unit and a second mode not actuating the door closure detecting unit, and
wherein when the actuation member is in the door opening position, the inner end of the actuation member is in another of the first mode actuating the door closure detecting unit and the second mode not actuating the door closure detecting unit.

5. The latch control device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a positioning member, wherein the connecting seat includes first and second pivotal portions formed on the first surface and located in the mounting portion, wherein the locking member includes an abutting side on the axle coupling portion, wherein the axle coupling portion is pivotably connected to the first pivotal portion, wherein the positioning member is pivotably connected to the second pivotal portion, wherein the positioning member includes a limiting end and a groove spaced from the limiting end in a circumferential direction about a pivotal axis defined by the second pivotal portion, wherein the limiting end abuts against the abutting side, wherein the first restraining member includes a first stop arm extending along the third axis, wherein when the first restraining member is in the locking position, the first stop arm is spaced from the groove along the second axis and is located between the positioning member and the mounting seat along the second axis, such that the positioning member is not pivotable to prevent the locking member from pivoting from the closure position to the open position, and wherein when the first restraining member is in the unlocking position, the first stop arm is aligned with the groove along the second axis, and the positioning member is pivotable to allow pivotal movement of the locking member from the closure position to the open position.

6. The latch control device as claimed in claim 5 , further comprising a bias spring disposed between the positioning member and

Assignees

• I Tek Metal Mfg Co Ltd

Inventors

• Hsu Wei-Chung

Classifications

• E05B63/0069 Primary

  Override systems, e.g. allowing opening from inside without the key, even when locked from outside (E05B65/1086, E05B9/105 take precedence; by movable striker E05B63/246) · CPC title

• E05B47/0047 Primary

  Striker rotating about an axis parallel to the wing edge · CPC title

• E05B2047/0067

  Monitoring · CPC title

• E05B47/0001

  with electric actuators; Constructional features thereof (for vehicles E05B81/04) · CPC title

• E05B47/0002

  with electromagnets · CPC title