Patent ID: 7425026

Claim:
A seismic-resistant latching system securing a door to a frame of a cabinet disposed on a horizontal supporting surface, the frame having a vertical frame member, the latching system comprising: latching means disposed at an edge of one of the door and the vertical frame member, the latching means including a first vertical surface with an open section exposing a cavity behind the first vertical surface and a latching bolt coupled within the cavity for vertical movement therein between a latched position and an unlatched position; and a latch keeper extending substantially normal from a second vertical surface of the other of the door and the vertical frame member in position to enter the cavity when the door latches to the frame, the latch keeper including a fin with a vertical forward surface, opposing horizontal surfaces spatially separated by the forward surface, and opposing vertical side surfaces spatially separated by the forward surface, one of the horizontal surfaces having an aperture sized to receive the latching bolt, one of the vertical side surfaces having a tapered edge that extends beyond a plane of one of the horizontal surfaces to give the fin a vertical dimension that exceeds a corresponding vertical dimension of the cavity, the tapered edge preventing the fin from entering fully into the cavity by engaging the first vertical surface when the door latches to the frame and establishing a close fit by the latch keeper within the cavity to limit relative motion therebetween during a seismic event.