Patent ID: 7900979

Claim:
A latch for a door of a household appliance subject to transportation shocks comprising: a housing a latching element supported by the housing to move with respect to the housing between at least two positions a first holding the door closed and a second allowing the door to open; a bi-stable actuator supported by the housing and having an actuator element electrically movable with respect to the housing between a first and second position with an application of momentary electrical power, and after movement to either of the first and second positions, being indefinitely stable in either one of the first and second positions when the momentary electrical power ceases; a lock element attached to the bi-stable actuator for locking the latching element when the actuator element is in the first position to hold the door closed and unlocking the latching element when the actuator element is in the second position allowing the door to open; and a restraining element selectively resisting movement of the actuator element from the second position to the first position under an influence of an accelerative force alone without the application of momentary electrical power, where the accelerative force is directed so that it would move the actuator element but for the operation of the restraining element, but allowing the movement of the actuator element from the second position to the first position during the application of electrical power alone without the application of the accelerative force.