A door lock mechanism that rotates a cam mechanism to lock or unlock an enclosure. The mechanism includes a bias member that is coupled to the cam mechanism with a cam pin, where the cam pin is located on one side of the centerline of the lock in the locked state, and on the other side of the centerline of the lock in the unlocked state, to bias the cam mechanism into either the locked or unlocked state. Further disclosed are one or more stop mechanisms that prevent the cam mechanism from over-rotating past the locked or unlocked position. The bias member can further absorb impact from the lock rods of the door lock mechanism contacting the stop mechanisms.

A door lock mechanism that rotates a cam mechanism to lock or unlock an enclosure. The mechanism includes a bias member that is coupled to the cam mechanism with a cam pin, where the cam pin is located on one side of the centerline of the lock in the locked state, and on the other side of the centerline of the lock in the unlocked state, to bias the cam mechanism into either the locked or unlocked state. Further disclosed are one or more stop mechanisms that prevent the cam mechanism from over-rotating past the locked or unlocked position. The bias member can further absorb impact from the lock rods of the door lock mechanism contacting the stop mechanisms.

A latch having: a fork bolt movably mounted to the latch for movement between an open position and a closed position; a detent lever movably mounted to the latch for movement between a latched position and a released position, wherein the detent lever prevents the fork bolt from moving from the closed position when the detent lever is in the latched position; a hold open lever configured for movement between a first position and a second position wherein the hold open lever has a feature configured to engage a feature of the detent lever such that the detent lever is retained in the disengaged position by the hold open lever when it is in the first position, wherein the hold open lever moves in a plane or directions that are angularly oriented to a plane or directions in which the fork bolt and the detent lever move.

An exemplary access control device includes a locking member having a locked position and an unlocked position; an electronic actuator operably connected with the locking member; a switch connected between the electronic actuator and a power supply, the switch having a closed state in which the electronic actuator is connected to the power supply and is operable to maintain the locking member in the unlocked position, the switch having an open state in which the electronic actuator is disconnected from the power supply; and a manual actuator operable to transition the switch between the open state and the closed state.

A vehicle hood latching mechanism, having a latch member pivotally connected to a housing defining a striker channel. The latch member includes a primary catch portion between the intersection of a first lever arm and a second lever arm, a secondary catch portion on the first lever arm facing the primary catch portion, and a latch cam surface on the second lever arm proximal to the primary catch portion. The latch cam surface is configured such that a force applied onto the latch cam surface causes the latch member to pivot to a first position. A cancel lever is pivotally mounted to an end of the second lever arm of the latch member and includes an exterior cam surface configured such that a force applied onto the exterior cam surface induces a moment M onto the second lever arm causing the latch member to rotate into the first position.

A latch having: a fork bolt; a detent lever; and a bell crank lever, wherein the bell crank lever moves the detent lever from a latched position to a released position as the bell crank lever moves from a first position to a second position; and an over center spring secured to the bell crank lever at one end and a portion of a housing of the latch at another end, wherein the over center spring is configured to provide a biasing force to the bell crank lever in a first direction towards first position when the bell crank lever is in the first position and the over center spring is configured to provide a biasing force to the bell crank lever in a second direction towards the second position when the bell crank lever is in the second position.

A system, the system having: a pair of levers; and an over center spring secured to each of the pair of levers such that each leg of the over center spring is received by features on each respective lever, wherein opposing forces on each leg of the over center spring creates a negative torque on a first one of the pair of levers and a positive torque on a second one of the pair of levers when the system is in a first position and wherein the system when in a second position approximately half way to a final position from the first position provides zero torque to the pair of levers and wherein the system when in the final position creates a positive torque on the first one of the pair of levers and a negative torque on the second one of the pair of levers when the system is in the final position.

There is disclosed a dead-latching slam bolt lock that includes a rotating dead-latching slam bolt which prevents attempts at breaking in without actuating the lock mechanism. A tongue or toggle acted on by the door jamb engages the bolt and initiates rotation thereof in the door closing direction, but is passive in the opening direction. The locking mechanism may be manual or electronic, and controls the position of a blocking element which alternately prevents and permits unlocking (rotation) of the rotating bolt. In a forward or blocking position, the blocking element prevents rotation of the bolt from a locked position, while in a retracted position the blocking element permits rotation of the bolt to an unlocked position. A spring detent plunger holds the rotating bolt in either its locked or unlocked positions.

A damped closure assembly for a microwave oven includes a catch element mounted to a cabinet of the microwave oven. A striker defined on a door of the microwave oven engages the catch element which is rotatable between an open position and a closed position. A spring mechanism and a damping element are operably coupled to the catch element to slowly urge the catch element and the door toward the closed position to prevent slamming, loud noises, and potential wear on one or more components of the microwave oven when the door is closed.

An appliance door latch system is provided that automatically aligns latching components each time an appliance door is closed with a pre-latching catch alignment system. The pre-latching catch alignment system may include a floating catch carrier that is deflected by a door-mounted latch feature to passively reposition a catch to properly align with the striker assembly.