Patent ID: 8393653

Claim:
A magnetic latch for securing a moveable barrier in a closed position, the latch comprising: a first unit with a displaceable latch element displaceably mounted in a support in a housing and biased by a biasing member to a retracted position; a second unit with a complementary engagement structure with which a latching portion of the latch element is adapted to engage when the magnetic latch is in a latching position and the latch element is displaced to a projecting position; one of the latch element and the second unit comprising a magnet, and the other one of the latch element and the second unit having magnetic properties, to cause the latch element to move to the projecting position and engage in the engagement structure when the magnetic latch is in the latching position, and then the engagement structure preventing movement of the barrier away from the closed position; a retraction element coupled to the support in the first unit, wherein the retraction element is moveable from an inward position to an outward position displacing the support causing movement of the latch element towards the retracted position and increasing the bias exerted by the biasing member, the biasing member also being arranged to a bias to the retraction element; wherein when the latch element is in the retracted position and the retraction element is in the outward position, the biasing member is operative to move the retraction element under the bias of the biasing member into the inward position while biasing the latch element in the retracted position; and after the latch element is in the retracted position the barrier may be moved from the closed position.