Door latch for a domestic electrical appliance and method for mounting such a door latch

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12129591-B2
Application number	US-202017069001-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 13, 2020
Priority date	Oct 24, 2019
Publication date	Oct 29, 2024
Grant date	Oct 29, 2024

Abstract

A latch module has an insertion mouth for receiving a closing member on closing of a door of a domestic appliance. Two collar portions which project away from one another are formed on both sides of the insertion mouth. Beneath a first of the collar portions there is formed a first recess, and beneath the second of the collar portions there is formed a second recess, which in some exemplary embodiments has two steps, where a first, less deep step is formed by a first lateral wall sub-portion and a second, deeper step is formed by a second lateral wall sub-portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A door latch for a domestic electrical appliance, comprising a latch module comprising:
an insertion mouth for receiving a closing member on closing of a door of the domestic electrical appliance;
two collar portions which are arranged opposite one another in a first direction on both sides of the insertion mouth and project away from one another, wherein collar undersides of the collar portions define a first positioning plane parallel to the first direction;
support surfaces, separate from the collar portions, which define a second positioning plane parallel to the first positioning plane and at a distance beneath the first positioning plane;
a first lateral wall beneath a first collar portion of the two collar portions, wherein the first lateral wall is arranged laterally inwards from an outer collar edge of the first collar portion and extends as far as the collar underside of the first collar portion; and
a second lateral wall beneath a second collar portion of the two collar portions, wherein the second lateral wall is arranged laterally inwards from an outer collar edge of the second collar portion and extends as far as the collar underside of the second collar portion,
wherein the second lateral wall further comprises:
a first lateral wall sub-portion which extends as far as the collar underside of the second collar portion and points substantially sideways; and
a second lateral wall sub-portion beneath the first lateral wall sub-portion, the second lateral wall sub-portion being offset laterally inwards relative to the first lateral wall sub-portion and pointing substantially sideways, wherein the second lateral wall sub-portion is arranged at least partially beneath the second positioning plane,
wherein the second lateral wall sub-portion forms a pocket base of an insertion pocket which allows an opening edge of a mounting opening formed in a mounting wall of the domestic appliance to be inserted into the insertion pocket,
wherein an upper pocket wall of the insertion pocket is formed by a wall step of the second lateral wall which forms a transition between the first and the second lateral wall sub-portions, and a lower pocket wall of the insertion pocket is formed by a third lateral wall sub-portion of the second lateral wall which adjoins the second lateral wall sub-portion therebeneath and extends obliquely outwards and downwards,
the door latch comprising a first support surface and a second support surface, wherein the second support surface extends between first and second opposed ends, wherein the second end defines a support edge, wherein the first support surface and the first end are arranged offset in a direction toward the first collar portion in relation to the mid-point.

2. The door latch according to claim 1 , wherein the transition between the first lateral wall sub-portion and the second lateral wall sub-portion of the second lateral wall is formed by a wall step in the second side wall.

3. The door latch according to claim 1 , wherein the pocket base has a height, measured perpendicularly to the positioning planes, which corresponds at least approximately to the height of the first lateral wall sub-portion and is preferably substantially equal to the height of the first lateral wall sub-portion.

4. The door latch according to claim 1 , wherein the lateral offset of the second lateral wall sub-portion relative to the first lateral wall sub-portion corresponds at least approximately to the projecting length of the first collar portion over the first lateral wall and is preferably substantially equal to that projecting length.

5. The door latch according to claim 1 , wherein the first lateral wall sub-portion has a height, measured perpendicularly to the positioning planes, which is substantially equal to the distance between the two positioning planes.

6. The door latch according to claim 1 , wherein the latch module comprises at least one resilient biasing member which, in a state of minimal tension, projects upwards beyond the second positioning plane into the region between the two positioning planes and is resiliently deflectable downwards.

7. The door latch according to claim 6 , wherein the biasing member, as seen in the first direction, projects beyond the second positioning plane at a point which lies between the two collar portions but closer to the second collar portion than to the first collar portion.

8. The door latch according to claim 6 , wherein the latch module comprises a module housing which has the insertion mouth and forms the collar portions, wherein the biasing member is formed by a flexible tongue which is formed by the module housing.

9. The door latch according to claim 1 , wherein the support edge, as seen in the first direction, is located at a point which is offset relative to a mid-point between the two collar portions towards the second collar portion.

10. The door latch according to claim 1 , wherein a support edge is formed in front of and behind the collar portions as seen in a second direction parallel to the positioning planes and perpendicular to the first direction.

11. A door latch for a domestic electrical appliance, comprising a latch module comprising:
a mouthpiece which delimits an insertion opening for a closing member which enters the insertion opening on closing of a door of the domestic appliance;
a first recess beneath a first edge region of the mouthpiece; and
a second recess beneath a second edge region of the mouthpiece located diametrically opposite the first edge region beyond the insertion opening,
wherein the first and the second edge region of the mouthpiece define a first positioning plane and the first and the second recess are configured for engagement by opposing opening edges of a mounting opening formed in a mounting wall of the domestic appliance,
wherein the latch module has stationary support points for supporting the latch module on a wall underside of the mounting wall, wherein the stationary support points lie in a second positioning plane located at a distance beneath the first positioning plane and parallel thereto and—as seen in a direction from the second edge region to the first edge region of the mouthpiece—are arranged on the other side of the second recess and at least partially also on the other side of the first recess,
wherein the second recess has a region of smaller depth between the two positioning planes and a region of greater depth beneath the second positioning plane,
wherein the latch module has at least one resiliently movable support point, projecting into the space between the two positioning planes, for supporting the latch module on the wall underside of the mounting wall,
wherein the resiliently movable support point—as seen in the direction from the second edge region to the first edge region of the mouthpiece—lies in front of a mid-point between the two recesses,
wherein a second lateral wall sub-portion forms a pocket base of an insertion pocket which allows an opening edge of a mounting opening formed in a mounting wall of the domestic appliance to be inserted into the insertion pocket, wherein an upper pocket wall of the insertion pocket is formed by a wall step of a second lateral wall which forms a transition between a first and the second lateral wall sub-portion, and a lower pocket wall of the insertion pocket is formed by a third lateral wall sub-portion of the second lateral wall which adjoins the second lateral wall sub-portion therebeneath and extends obliquely outwards and downwards,
the door latch comprising a first support surface and a second support surface, wherein the second support surface extends between first and second oppo

Assignees

• Emz Hanauer Gmbh & Co Kgaa

Inventors

• Dirnberger Albert
• Koch Michael

Classifications

• E05B9/08 Primary

  Fastening {locks or fasteners or parts thereof, e.g.} the casings of latch-bolt locks or cylinder locks to the wing {(on glass wings E05B65/0025)} · CPC title

• E05C19/10

  Hook fastenings; Fastenings in which a link engages a fixed hook-like member · CPC title

• E05C19/008

  Tilt-plate latches · CPC title

• E05Y2900/312

  for washing machines or laundry dryers · CPC title

• E05Y2600/628

  Profiles; Strips · CPC title