Aircraft Oven Door Latch With Four-Point One-Handed Actuation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aircraft oven latches require biaxial hand movements for latching and unlatching, leading to a rigid and weight-heavy construction, which complicates manipulation and security, especially in high-demand flight environments.
Innovation Solution
A double-rod latch system with independently movable bolts and actuating elements allows for four-point engagement, enabling ergonomic one-handed operation and reduced mass construction, along with visible position indicators for enhanced security.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a toggle and/or turn-lock mechanism is used as a secondary latch, then latching security is improved, but the door construction becomes rigid and weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines two independent latch bolts into a single integrated latch mechanism where both bolts are actuated simultaneously by a single handle through a common actuating element. This merging reduces the overall structure to be less massive while maintaining the security benefits of dual latching points.
2Reliability
If independent upper and lower latch bolts are used, then latching security is improved, but manipulation complexity increases due to biaxial movement requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the actuation of upper and lower latch bolts into a single operational motion. The common actuating element connected to both bolts allows them to be shifted simultaneously in the same direction, eliminating the need for complex biaxial movements and enabling simple one-handed operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The single handle serves multiple functions by controlling both latch bolts through the common actuating element. This multi-functionality allows one operational motion to achieve both latching and unlatching of the door, simplifying the user interface while maintaining secure dual-point latching.
3Reliability
If a rigid door construction is used to accommodate toggle/turn-lock mechanism, then latching security is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple latch control functions into a single unified mechanism. By combining the actuation of upper and lower bolts through a common element, the design reduces construction complexity while maintaining the security advantages of multi-point latching.
Data Source
AI summary
A latch for a pivotal door has a respective pair of bolts on each of two opposite edges of the doors. The bolts are independently movable between latching positions projecting from the respective door edge and freeing positions at least partially recessed in the respective door edge, respective rods having outer ends connected to the bolts and inner ends. Respective actuating elements each connected to two of the inner ends are independently operable to shift the respective bolts between the respective latching and freeing positions. Respective adjacent handles coupled to the actuating are both shiftable independently of each other in generally the same direction between an unactuated position with the respective element setting the respective bolts in the latching positions and an actuated position setting with the respective element setting the respective bolts in the freeing positions.