Latch Bolt With Ridged Rear Face For Smooth Retraction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing latch bolts in panic latching arrangements face challenges in smooth retraction and release, particularly when pressure is exerted, leading to inconsistent movement and potential difficulty in emergency situations.
Innovation Solution
The latch bolt features a rear latch face with an inclined distal portion and a ridged portion that extends outwardly, along with a concave-shaped front release face, facilitating smooth retraction and release by reducing the force needed and ensuring consistent movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the latch bolt has a conventional flat rear latch face, then the structure is simple, but the retraction of the latch bolt when returning towards the keep is not smooth
Solution Approach 1:
The rear latch face is designed with a ridged portion that extends outwardly towards the distal end partway between the top and bottom of the bolt. This localized geometric feature creates a single point contact with the keep during retraction, reducing friction and enabling smooth movement without requiring a complete redesign of the entire latch bolt structure.
2Ease of operation
If the front release face is conventional flat, then the structure is simple, but the release of the latch bolt when retracted out of the keep is not smooth under pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The front release face features edge regions that project forwardly relative to the central portion, creating localized geometric variations. These projected edge regions ensure that when pressure is exerted on the keep during emergency release, the latch bolt can still retract smoothly out of the keep without binding, while maintaining overall structural simplicity.
3Force
If pressure is exerted on the keep during emergency release, then the latching force is sufficient, but the latch bolt movement becomes inconsistent
Solution Approach 1:
The ridged portion on the rear latch face creates a single point contact with the keep during retraction under pressure. This localized contact geometry ensures that even when significant force is applied to the keep during emergency situations, the latch bolt maintains consistent and predictable movement without binding or binding, while still providing sufficient latching force during normal operation.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~4
AI summary
A latch bolt (1) comprises a front releasing face (6) for engaging a keep when the latch bolt (1) is in a latching position to effect latching and a rear latch face (5) which includes a distal portion (5B) that is inclined to provide a taper towards a distal end(11) of the latch bolt. The rear latch face (5) has a ridged portion (14) that extends outwardly towards the distal end (11) of the bolt partway between the top and bottom of the bolt and projects further outward from the rear latch face (5) than the remaining part of the rear latch face (5).