Latch mechanism and device including latch mechanism

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12460456-B2
Application number	US-202217715966-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 8, 2022
Priority date	Dec 27, 2021
Publication date	Nov 4, 2025
Grant date	Nov 4, 2025

Abstract

A latch mechanism includes a main body engagement unit arranged in a main body having an opening or closing body that may open and close, an opening or closing body engagement unit arranged in the opening or closing body, the main body engagement unit includes a first engagement body having a pair of first top portions displaced in a direction orthogonal to a closing direction of the opening or closing body, a second engagement body, included in the opening and closing body engagement unit, having a pair of second top portions respectively contact with the pair of first top portions, and having a first slope that applies a force in a direction to open the opening or closing body to the second engagement body when the pair of first top portions is in contact with the pair the second top portion while closing the opening or closing body.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A latch mechanism comprising:
a main body engagement unit arranged in a main body having an opening or closing body that may open and close; and an opening or closing body engagement unit arranged in the opening or closing body to engage with the main body engagement unit when the opening or closing body is closing, wherein the main body engagement unit is configured to include a first engagement body having a pair of first top portions displaceable in a direction orthogonal to a closing direction of the opening or closing body, the opening or closing body engagement unit is configured to include a pair of second engagement bodies, the pair of second engagement bodies having a pair of second top portions, wherein the pair of second top portions respectively coming into contact with the pair of first top portions, and when one of the pair of second top portions comes into contact with one of the pair of first top portions while the opening or closing body is closing, the other of the pair of the first top portions applies a force in an opening direction of the opening or closing body to a first slope of the pair of second engagement bodies in a state where the other of the pair of first top portions is in contact with the other of the pair of second top portions, wherein one of the pair of second engagement bodies has a second slope that receives a force in a direction in which one of the pair of second engagement bodies close the opening or closing body by coming into contact with the one first top portion after the one first top portion passes through the one second top portion while the opening or closing body is closed, and the pair of second engagement bodies have a surface portion extending from the other second top portion to a side opposite to the first slope along the opening direction of the opening or closing body, wherein one of the pair of second top portions comprises an ascending slope and the second slope which is an descending slope in reference to a closing direction of the opening or closing body, and the other one of the pair of the second top portions comprises the first slope which is ascending in reference to the closing direction of the opening or closing body and does not comprise a descending slope.

2 . The latch mechanism according to claim 1 ,
wherein the at least two second engagement bodies are arranged at a position where the other second top portion, which is one end of the first slope of the pair of second top portions, is positioned on an upstream side in the closing direction from the one second top portion.

3 . The latch mechanism according to claim 1 ,
wherein an inclination angle of the second slope is larger than an inclination angle of the first slope.

4 . The latch mechanism according to claim 1 ,
wherein the one first top portion is held in a state where the opening or closing body is closing by being continuously in contact with the second slope.

5 . The latch mechanism according to claim 1 ,
wherein a distance between the second engagement bodies, in the direction orthogonal to the closing direction, is greater than a distance between the pair of the first engagement bodies.

6 . The latch mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein while the one first top portion of the pair of first top portions is in contact with the ascending slope and subsequently the second slope which is a descending slope of the one of the pair of second top portions as the opening or closing body is closing, the other first top portion of the pair of first top portions is in contact with the ascending first slope of the other one of the pair of second top portions.

7 . A device comprising:
a main body; one or a plurality of opening or closing bodies attached to the main body to be openable and closable; and the latch mechanism according to claim 1 , which is provided in the main body and at least one opening or closing body of the opening or closing bodies.

8 . The device according to claim 7 ,
wherein the main body is provided with an image forming unit that forms an image on a recording medium.

9 . A latch mechanism comprising:
a main body engagement unit arranged in a main body having an opening or closing body that may open and close; and an opening or closing body engagement unit arranged in the opening or closing body to engage with the main body engagement unit when the opening or closing body is closing, wherein the opening or closing body engagement unit is configured to include a first engagement body having a pair of first top portions displaced in a direction orthogonal to a closing direction of the opening or closing body, the main body engagement unit is configured to include a pair of second engagement bodies, each of the pair of second engagement bodies having one of a pair of second top portions, wherein the pair of second top portions respectively coming into contact with the pair of first top portions, and when one of the pair of first top portions comes into contact with one of the pair of second top portions while the opening or closing body is closing, the pair of second engagement bodies have a first slope that applies a force in a direction to open the opening or closing body to the other first top portion in a state where the other of the pair of first top portions is in contact with the other of the pair of second top portions, wherein one of the pair of second engagement bodies have a second slope that receives a force in a direction in which the one first top portion closes the opening or closing body by coming into contact with the one first top portion after the one first top portion passes through the one second top portion while the opening or closing body is closed, and the pair of second engagement bodies have a surface portion extending from the other second top portion to a side opposite to the first slope along the opening direction of the opening or closing body, wherein one of the pair of second top portions comprises an ascending slope and the second slope which is an descending slope in reference to a closing direction of the opening or closing body, and the other one of the pair of the second top portions comprises the first slope which is ascending in reference to the closing direction of the opening or closing body and does not comprise a descending slope.

10 . The latch mechanism according to claim 9 ,
wherein the at least two second engagement bodies are arranged at a position where the other second top portion, which is one end of the first slope of the pair of second top portions, is positioned on a downstream side in the closing direction from the one second top portion.

11 . The latch mechanism according to claim 9 ,
wherein an inclination angle of the second slope is larger than an inclination angle of the first slope.

12 . The latch mechanism according to claim 9 ,
wherein the one first top portion is held in a state where the opening or closing body is closing by being continuously in contact with the second slope.

13 . A device comprising:
a main body; one or a plurality of opening or closing bodies attached to the main body to be openable or closable; and the latch mechanism according to claim 9 , which is provided in the main body and at least one opening or closing body of the opening or closing bodies.

14 . A latch mechanism comprising:
a main body engagement unit arranged in a main body having an opening or closing body that may open and close; and an opening or closing body engagement unit arranged in the opening or closing body to engage with the main body engagement unit when

Assignees

• Fujifilm Business Innovation Corp

Inventors

• Yoshida Michiaki
• Nakamura Wataru
• Shinoto Keigo
• Ueshima Akira

Classifications

• E05C1/004

  parallel to the surface on which the fastener is mounted · CPC title

• G03G21/1633 Primary

  using doors or covers (G03G21/1638 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E05C19/06

  in which the securing part if formed or carried by a spring and moves only by distortion of the spring, e.g. snaps · CPC title

• E05C19/063

  Released by pull or pressure on the wing (E05C19/022 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E05C1/08 Primary

  with latching action · CPC title