Abstract:
A magnetic latch system including a latch assembly and a keeper assembly. The keeper assembly includes a magnetically attractable keeper pin. The latch assembly includes two base assemblies, one on either side of a movable gate element. The base assembly adjacent the keeper assembly includes a magnet and an internal actuator which is arranged to engage the keeper pin to move it away from the permanent magnet when one of the latch handles is manually rotated. The system may also include a locking system in one or both handles to fix the internal actuator in a locked position so that it cannot engage the keeper pin.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a magnetic latch, and, more specifically, a magnetic latch system useful for latching a gate to a fence post. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    Many types of gate latches have previously been used to secure different varieties of gates. Some gate latch mechanisms have used manual latches, magnetic latches, and other forms of latches. Prior art gates have not, however, employed a dual cam locking system to allow the user to open and lock or unlock the mechanism from either side of the gate. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    In view of the foregoing, it should be apparent that a need still exists in the prior art for a locking device that avoids the problems inherent in the prior art systems. Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved magnetic lock assembly which uses a dual cam system to allow the user to open and lock or unlock the mechanism from either side of the gate. 
         [0006]    Another object of the invention is to provide a magnetic latch system adapted to secure a movable gate element relative to a fixed post element. The magnetic latch system includes a latch adapted for mounting on the gate element and a keeper assembly adapted for mounting on a relatively fixed post element. The keeper assembly includes a keeper base, a keeper housing mounted on the keeper base, a magnetically attractable keeper pin movably mounted on the keeper housing, and a coil spring for biasing the keeper pin in a substantially retracted position within the keeper housing. The first base of the latch assembly is mountable on the movable gate element and includes a rotatably mounted spindle, a handle mounted on the spindle for manual rotation, an internal actuator mounted on the spindle for rotation therewith, and a permanent magnet. The first base is adapted to be cooperatively arranged with the keeper assembly so that the permanent magnet attracts the keeper pin in a substantially extended position toward the first base when the keeper pin is adjacent to the permanent magnet. The internal actuator is arranged to engage the keeper pin and move it toward the keeper assembly away from the magnetic attraction between the keeper pin and the permanent magnet. The internal actuator is movable into a position where the keeper pin engages the base in a substantially extended position and disengages from the base when the keeper pin is moved by the actuator. The latch assembly further includes a second base mountable on the movable gate, the spindle mounted on the second base, and a second handle mounted on the spindle for manual rotation. The first and second bases are adapted to be cooperatively arranged with the moveable gate and the spindle so that the spindle rotatably traverses through the moveable gate. 
         [0007]    According to another aspect of the present invention, the latch assembly further includes a second spindle mounted to the first base, a cylinder assembly mounted on the first base and in communication with the second spindle, and a protruding member in movable communication with the cylinder assembly so that the protruding member is arranged to engage a cavity defined in the base, thereby preventing rotation of the internal actuator. The protruding member is also movable to substantially disengage the cavity when the cylinder assembly is rotated, thereby allowing rotation of the internal actuator. 
         [0008]    According to yet another aspect of the present invention, the second spindle is mounted to the second base. The second base also includes a second cylinder assembly which is in communication with the second spindle. 
         [0009]    According to yet another aspect of the present invention, the second spindle is disposed through a cavity defined lengthwise in the center of the first spindle. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
         [0010]    The present invention will be more fully understood and appreciated by reading the following Detailed Description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is an overall perspective view of one embodiment of the magnetic latch system. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the latch assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the side A handle assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a side view of the cam used in the side A handle assembly of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a reverse side view of the cam used in the side A handle assembly of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a side view of the side A key cylinder assembly used in the side A handle assembly of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a side view of the cam actuator used in the side A latch assembly. 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  is a reverse side view of the cam actuator used in the side A latch assembly. 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  is an exploded view of the side B handle assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 10  is a side view of the keeper assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0021]      FIG. 11  is an exploded view of the keeper assembly of  FIG. 10 . 
           [0022]      FIG. 12  is a side view of the keeper assembly base. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0023]    Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout, there is seen in  FIG. 1  an overall perspective view of one embodiment of the magnetic latch system. The side A latch assembly  10  with side A handle assembly  12  is mounted to one side of the gate post and is in communication with the side B latch assembly  16  with side B handle assembly  18  via handle spindle  14 . Handle spindle  14  is designed to traverse through the gate post to which latch assembly  10  and  16  are mounted. Adjacent to side A latch assembly  10  is the keeper assembly  20  which is mounted to the fence post.  FIG. 1  shows the magnetic latch assembly in the closed and latched configuration. 
         [0024]      FIG. 2  an exploded view of side A latch assembly  10  and side B latch assembly  16  of  FIG. 1 . Side A handle assembly  12  and side B handle assembly  18  are mounted on either end of the latch assembly. Handle spindle  14  is mounted: (i) through side A latch assembly  10  including the side A latch assembly housing  22 , the handle clip  28 , the handle spring  30 , the cam actuator  32 , and the side A housing back cover  34 ; (ii) then through the gate post (not shown); (iii) then through side B latch assembly  16  including the side B latch housing back plate  42 , the handle spring  40 , the handle clip  38 , and the side B latch assembly housing  36 . Side A latch assembly housing  22  contains the magnet  26  covered by the magnet cap  24 . Side B handle assembly  18  is affixed to long spindle  44  which inserts into the interior of handle spindle  14 . 
         [0025]      FIG. 3  is an exploded view of side A handle assembly  12  according to one embodiment of the present invention. Housed within handle  46  is the side A key cylinder assembly  48  with short spindle  54 , the cam follower  50 , and the side A cam  52 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , key cylinder assembly  48  has opening  56  for a key and short spindle  54 , which engages side A cam  52 . 
         [0026]      FIG. 3  also shows a front face  49  of key cylinder assembly  48  which is mounted into handle  46  of side A handle assembly  12  such that front face  49  is accessible to a user through an opening  47  in the handle.  FIG. 9  shows the same configuration for side B handle assembly  18 . 
         [0027]      FIGS. 4 and 5  show the front and reverse sides, respectively, of side A cam  52 . The reverse side of cam  52  contains an opening  58  to engage the end of long spindle  44 . The front side of cam  52  contains an opening  60  to engage short spindle  54  of key cylinder assembly  48 , and handle spindle  14  slides over arm  59  of cam  52 . Cam  52  and cam follower  50  allow key cylinder assembly  48  to lock and unlock handles  46  and  76  from manual rotation. 
         [0028]    Cam actuator  32  is depicted in  FIGS. 7 and 8 . The cam actuator contains an opening  62  for handle spindle  14  and the cam actuator pocket  64  which interacts with side A handle assembly  12 . The actuator also possesses two arms with rounded outer surfaces  66  and  68 . These surfaces reversibly interact with the keeper pin  70  when cam actuator  32  is rotated either clockwise or counterclockwise within handle assembly  12  via manual rotation of handle spindle  14 . 
         [0029]      FIG. 9  is an exploded view of side B handle assembly  18  according to one embodiment of the present invention. Housed within handle  76  is the side B key cylinder assembly  74  and handle cam  72 . Extending from cylinder assembly  74  is long spindle  44  which is freely inserted into the interior of handle spindle  14 . Handle cam  72  allows key cylinder assembly  74  to lock and unlock handles  46  and  76  from manual rotation. 
         [0030]      FIG. 10  is a side view of the keeper assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention. The keeper base  78  is removably affixed to the fence post (not shown). The keeper slide  80  is reversibly attached to keeper base  78 . 
         [0031]      FIG. 11  is an exploded view of the keeper assembly of  FIG. 10 . A pin spring  86  fits over keeper pin  70  and biases the pin in a retracted position inside slide  80 . The keeper back plate  90  affixes to slide  80  to safely enclose keeper pin  70  within the assembly. Keeper slide  80  has arms  92  and  94  which firmly slide into grooves  96  and  98  on keeper base  78 , respectively, as shown in  FIG. 12 . To removably connect slide  80  to keeper base  78 , a screw  88  is inserted into a cavity  87  defined in slide  80 . Slide arms  92  and  94  are then firmly placed into grooves  96  and  98 . At the same time, screw  88  inserts into an orifice in keeper base  78  (not shown) and is accessed through an orifice  84  (shown in  FIG. 10 ) in slide  80  to allow clockwise rotation of the screw which pushes the slide arms further along the grooves of the keeper base. In addition to reversibly joining slide  80  and keeper base  78 , screw  88  allows for horizontal adjustment of the slide along the keeper base to compensate for variations in the gap between the fence post and the gate. 
         [0032]    The latch can be locked or unlocked from either side of the latch assembly. Side A housing  22  contains a protruding member  45  (as shown in  FIG. 2 ) that, when the latch is assembled, extends through cam actuator pocket  64  into a cam actuator cavity  67 . Defined in protruding member  45  is a cavity (not shown) to receive the extending tab  51  of cam follower  50 . When either side of the latch is locked, tab  51  of cam follower  40  extends into the cavity of protruding member  45  and prevents handle assembly  12  from rotating cam actuator  21 , thus locking the gate. To unlock the gate using side A handle assembly  12 , key cylinder assembly  48  is unlocked with a key, thus rotating short spindle  54  which in turn rotates cam  52 . As cam  52  rotates, cam follower  50  moves in a horizontal plane to withdraw tab  51  from the cavity in protruding member  45  of side A housing  22 . As a result, cam actuator  32  is no longer inhibited and can be rotated by manually rotating handle  46 . Similarly, to unlock the gate using side B handle assembly  18 , key cylinder assembly  74  is unlocked with a key, thus rotating long spindle  44  which in turn rotates cam  52 . 
         [0033]    The latch can be opened from either side of the latch assembly. When the latch assembly is unlocked and assembled as shown in  FIG. 1 , slide A handle assembly  12  is in communication with cam actuator  32 . Rotating handle  46  clockwise causes the cam actuator to rotate clockwise within side A latch assembly  10 . As cam actuator  32  rotates clockwise, rounded outer surface of arm  68  of the actuator pushes keeper pin  70  away from magnet  26 , disrupting the magnetic interaction and allowing keeper pin  70  to retract from latch assembly  10  and return to its spring-bias in keeper assembly  20 . Similarly, rotating handle  46  counterclockwise causes cam actuator  32  to rotate counterclockwise and forces the rounded outer surface of arm  66  of the actuator to push keeper pin  70  away from magnet  26 . Once keeper pin  70  is retracted, the gate can be opened. 
         [0034]    A similar process is used to open the gate using handle  76  of side B handle assembly  18 . Rotating handle  76  clockwise causes handle cam  72  to turn, which in turn forces handle spindle  14  to rotate clockwise. As spindle  14  rotates, cam actuator  32  rotates clockwise and the keeper pin  70  is subsequently allowed to return to its spring-bias in the keeper assembly. If handle  76  is rotated counterclockwise, cam actuator  32  will rotate counterclockwise and keeper pin  70  will retract. 
         [0035]    Although the present invention has been described in connection with a preferred embodiment, it should be understood that modifications, alterations, and additions can be made to the invention without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.