APPLIANCE LATCH WITH DOOR PRESENCE SENSING

摘要

A door locking mechanism for an appliance provides a bolt that may be moved by an actuator between an extended and retracted position. A bolt stop mechanism blocks movement of the bolt in retraction at one of two positions, depending on how the bolt was extended before the retraction. In this way the bolt automatically retracts when the door is not present because this causes extra extension of the bolt and an over-travel position need not be directly sensed reducing controller complexity or wiring.

主权项

1. An electric lock for a household appliance having a door that may be locked when the door is in a closed position by receipt of a bolt extending from an appliance frame to be received by the door in the closed position, the electric lock comprising:
a housing fixable to the appliance frame; a bolt attached to be movable with respect to the housing to extend outward to a lock position with respect to the appliance frame to lock the door in the closed position when the door is closed and to retract inward to an unlock position with respect to the appliance frame to unlock the door when the door is closed allowing the door to move to an open position; an actuator system communicating with the bolt to alternately urge the bolt toward the lock position and the unlock position based on at least one signal received from an external appliance control; and a bolt stop mechanism communicating with the bolt to block movement of the bolt against retraction at one of the lock and unlock positions depending on an immediately preceding extension of the bolt.