Door latch, lock and open mechanism for medical device treatment system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11980697-B2
Application number	US-202017007289-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 31, 2020
Priority date	Sep 12, 2019
Publication date	May 14, 2024
Grant date	May 14, 2024

Abstract

A latch and lock assembly includes a lever pivotable between a latched and unlatched position. A first actuator selectively moves a locking tab between a locked and unlocked position. In the locked position, the locking tab blocks pivotable movement of the lever from the latched position to the unlatched position. In the unlocked position, the locking tab allows pivotable movement of the lever from the latched position to the unlatched position. A second actuator selectively rotates a door opening tab between a first and second position when the locking tab is in the unlocked position is included. When the door opening tab is in the first position the lever is in a latched position, and when the door opening tab is rotated from the first position to the second position, the door opening tab abuts the lever and urges the lever from the latched position to the unlatched position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A latch and lock assembly comprising:
a lever pivotable between a latched position and an unlatched position,
a first actuator and a locking tab, wherein the first actuator is coupled to the locking tab to selectively move the locking tab between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein in the locked position, the locking tab is configured to block pivotable movement of the lever from the latched position to the unlatched position, and wherein in the unlocked position, the locking tab is configured to allow pivotable movement of the lever from the latched position to the unlatched position, and
a second actuator and a door opening tab, wherein the door opening tab includes a cam segment, and wherein the second actuator is coupled to the door opening tab to selectively rotate the door opening tab between a first position and a second position when the locking tab is in the unlocked position, wherein when the door opening tab is in the first position the lever is in a latched position, and wherein when the door opening tab is rotated from the first position to the second position, the cam segment of the door opening tab abuts a side of the lever to urge the lever from the latched position to the unlatched position.

2. The latch and lock assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the locking tab operates on a first side of the lever and the door opening tab operates on a second side of the lever, opposing the first side of the lever.

3. The latch and lock assembly according to claim 1 , wherein in the locked position, the locking tab abuts a portion of the lever, and wherein in the unlocked position, the locking tab is spaced apart from the lever.

4. The latch and lock assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising a lever biasing member configured to bias the lever toward the latched position.

5. The latch and lock assembly according to claim 4 , wherein the lever biasing member is a spring.

6. The latch and lock assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the first actuator and the second actuator are pull-type solenoids.

7. The latch and lock assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising a fixed housing to which at least one of the lever, first actuator, locking tab, second actuator, door opening tab and lever biasing member are mounted.

8. The latch and lock assembly according to claim 7 , further comprising a door opening tab adjusting block mounted to the fixed housing and including a screw, wherein the door opening tab adjusting block is configured to adjust the position of the door opening tab within the fixed housing relative to the lever.

9. The latch and lock assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising a switch configured to detect whether and when the locking tab is in a locked position or an unlocked position.

10. A medical device treatment machine comprising:
a treatment chamber for washing, disinfecting, and/or sterilizing a medical device,
a door hingedly attached to the treatment chamber and moveable between an open position, to expose the treatment chamber, and a closed position, to seal the treatment chamber, wherein the door comprises a latch pin on a first side of the door, and
a latch and lock assembly according to claim 1 fixed to a wall of the treatment chamber,
wherein in the latched position, the lever engages the latch pin to prevent movement of the door from the closed position to the open position, and wherein in the unlatched position, the lever disengages the latch pin to allow movement of the door from the closed position to the open position.

11. The medical device treatment machine according to claim 10 , further comprising a hinge on a second side of the door opposite the first side of the door.

12. The medical device treatment machine according to claim 11 , wherein the hinge of the door comprises a hinge biasing member for biasing the door toward an open position to automatically move the door from the closed position to the open position when the lever is in the unlatched position.

13. The medical device treatment machine according to claim 10 , further comprising:
a stop pin extending from the chamber, and
a stop block fixed to the door, the stop block comprising a roller pin extending from the stop block in a direction configured to be perpendicular to the stop pin when the door is in a closed position,
wherein when the door is in a closed position, the roller pin slidably abuts the stop pin to permit a lateral movement of the door between the closed position and the open position and block a vertical movement of the door in a direction perpendicular to the lateral movement of the door.

14. The medical device treatment machine according to claim 10 , further comprising:
a sensing apparatus for detecting a presence and removal of a foot of an operator in a sensing zone of the sensing apparatus, and
a controller for controlling the operations of the second actuator according to the detection of the presence and removal of the foot of the operator in the sensing zone of the sensing apparatus.

15. The medical device treatment machine according to claim 14 , wherein the controller is configured to:
receive a foot-presence signal from the sensing apparatus when the sensing apparatus detects the presence of the foot of the operator in the sensing zone of the sensing apparatus,
send an activation signal to an indicator apparatus on the medical device treatment machine to activate the indicator apparatus,
receive a foot-removal signal from the sensing apparatus when the foot sensor detects the removal of the foot of the operator from the sensing zone of the sensing apparatus, and
send an unlatch signal to the second actuator to rotate the door opening tab in abutting contact with the lever to pivot the lever from the latched position to the unlatched position.

16. The medical device treatment machine according to claim 15 , wherein the controller is configured to send the unlatch signal to the second actuator a predetermined period of time after receipt of the foot-removal signal.

17. A method of operating a medical device treatment machine having a lock and latch assembly according to claim 1 , comprising the steps of:
detecting, by a sensing apparatus disposed on the medical device treatment machine, the presence of a foot of an operator in a sensing zone of the sensing apparatus,
receiving, by a controller of the medical device treatment machine, a foot-presence signal from the sensing apparatus,
sending, by the controller, an activation signal to an indicator apparatus on the medical device treatment machine to activate the indicator apparatus,
detecting, by the sensing apparatus, the removal of the foot of the operator from the sensing zone of the sensing apparatus,
receiving, by the controller, a foot-removal signal from the sensing apparatus,
sending, by the controller, an unlatch signal to the second actuator of the latch and lock assembly according to claim 1 of the medical device treatment machine, and
rotating, by the second actuator, the door opening tab that is in abutting contact with the lever to pivot the lever from the latched position to the unlatched position.

18. The method of operating the medical device treatment machine according to claim 17 , wherein the unlatch signal is sent to the second actuator a predetermined period of time after receipt of the foot-removal signal.

19. The method of operating the medical device treatment machine according to claim 17 , further comprising:
automatically moving a door of the med

Assignees

• American Sterilizer Co

Inventors

• Lambert Sean
• Dutta Sandeepan
• Lange Ethan K
• Wiet Christopher J
• Rabinovich Michael

Classifications

• A61L2103/15

  Laboratory, medical or dentistry appliances, e.g. catheters or sharps · CPC title

• E05B47/023

  the bolt moving pivotally or rotatively · CPC title

• E05B47/02

  Movement of the bolt by electromagnetic means}; Adaptation of locks, latches, or parts thereof, for movement of the bolt by electromagnetic means {(by means in the striker E05B63/248) · CPC title

• E05C3/124

  with latch under compression force between its pivot and the striker (E05C3/122, E05C3/14, E05C3/16 and E05B65/0852 take precedence) · CPC title

• E05B47/0607

  the detent moving pivotally or rotatively · CPC title