GB2448427A - Electromechanical push-to-close latch - Google Patents

Abstract

An electromechanical push to close latch has a pawl 49 which slides in a housing and is biased by spring 99 to extend from the housing. An electric drive such as a motor 69 operates a cam 95 to retract the pawl 49 into the housing. The pawl is mounted in a housing portion 47 which can be mounted in different orientations with respect to main housing portion 45 so that the pawl can operate in different selectable directions while remaining in driving connection with the cam 95. For example fig. 7 shows the pawl 49 acting along the longitudinal axis of the housing and fig. 8 shows the housing portion 47 turned to one side through ninety degrees to provide a transversely extending pawl. An electronic circuit board 59 controls the operation of the electric motor 69 under the direction of an outside control signal and cam 95 engages onto a splined hub 91 of an output gear 81 and into a pawl cavity. Sensors 65, 67 detect the rotational position of gear 81.

Description

1) 2448427

ELECTROMECHANICAL PUSH TO CLOSE LATCH

RELATED APPLICATIONS:

This application claims priority of U.S. provisional application 60/686,036, filed May 29, 2005, for electromechanical push to close latch, and incorporates by reference the disclosure of that application.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION;

The present invention is directed to push to close latches, and specifically a release mechanism for opening the push to close latch.

Push to close latches typically, have a tapered, ramp-ended, blade-shaped.pawls or bar-shaped pawis. These pawis are spring-biased to the latched/closed position, wherein the pawl extends outwardly from the latch housing. As the pawl of a push to close latch encounters the striker, the ramping force pushes the paw! inward against the spring force until the paw! clears the striker, wherein after the spring then forces the pawl to its extended position and the latch becomes latched.

A lock plug with a pivoting blade striker can be incorporated to provide both the striker and a key lock function, wherein the push to close latch is in a separate housing. When a striker is used, a retraction knob may be incorporated into the pawl housing to retract * ft1 pawl against its outwardly biasing spring. A lock plug can be used instead of the retraction S..

wherein as the key turns the plug a linkage retracts the pawl into the housing.

* .* Alternately, paddles have been used instead of knobs, or lock plugs to activate the pawl to retract it against the force of its biasing spring and into the housing.

With the advent of more security systems, it has become desirable to utilize push to close latches, which are thereby locked when latched. With such security push to close latches it has also become desirable to active, i.e., to operate the latch remotely. Such remotely J. operated, push to close latches are electrically operated, and therefore are electromechanical devices. The remote activation can be by the operation of an electric signal button operated by a guard or a security officer, or by an electric signal button operated by a resident of an apartment in an apartment building, or by a signal generated by a code entry pad or swipe card reader. The electric signal causes the pawl to be retracted so that the door may be opened.

Typically, the activation device at the latch is an electromagnet or a solenoid. When the electric current flows, the pawl is retracted into the housing and the door can open. When the electric current stops the biasing spring forces the pawl to the extended position.

These electrically operated, prior electromechanical push to close latches have developed problems because of wear and erratic operation, and because of the timing and length of the electric activation signal when the button operator is out of sight of the door and the latch being operated. As an example, if the door is pulled prior to the pawl being retracted, the pawl can bind and the solenoid activator is unable to retract the pawl. Various installations limit the size of the latch housing and therefore the capacity and strength of electromagnetic activator or the solenoid.

What is desired is a latch which is smoothly operating and which has a controlled operation for pawl movement.

*:*::* What is further desired is a latch which is easily reconfigured for a plurality of different lraUations. S.*I * ** * * S S.. S

$UMMARY OF THE INVENTION: S..

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An object of the present invention is to provide an electromechanical push to close latch is remotely operated under the direction of an input control signal. The latch has a spring loaded (biased) linear retracting pawl. When not being cQmmanded to retract, the pawl is spring biased to its normally extended position. From the extended position, the pawl is free to retract, into a housing, when sufficient force is applied to overcome the spring biasing. The pawl, which is blade or bar shaped, has a tapered or ramped end, which acts against a striker to move the pawl against the spring force. Thus the latch is used as a push to close latch.

An electric DC motor is coupled through a gearbox to rotate a cam which is connected to retract the pawl into the pawl housing when a control signal is sent to the motor. The paw! can be maintained in the retracted position without power being further applied to the motor, when the motor is stopped as the paw! is sensed to be in the appropriate position.

This push to close latch may be operated against various keepers to provide for different latching functionality. When operated against a fixed keeper or enclosure undercut, a simple mechanical push to close and thereby "latch" function is implemented. When operated against a rotateable flange on a lock plug, the mechanical override function of the key lock is provided.

The latch has a multi-sectional housing which contains the motor, a circuit board connected to control the motor operation and to sense the pawl position, a gear box which couples the motor to a cam, and a cam which is mounted to move the pawl in a linear motion.

The paw! and its biasing spring are mounted in a separable housing section. The pawl housing can be mounted with the paw! extending and operating in any of three directions with respect to the motor and gearbox portion of the housing. These three positions have the paw! extending longitudinally from an end of the housing, or transversely to the right or to the left.

* The output gear of the gearbox has associated with it a ribbed or toothed hub. The cam onto that hub and is driven, i.e., rotated. The cam engages an opening or pocket in the * paw!. When the output gear rotates, the hub rotates the cam to drive the pawl in a reciprocating :*:hear motion. When the pawl housing orientation is changed from longitudinal to transversely to S..

he right or to the left, the cam is removed from the hub and reoriented consistent with the ::entation of the paw!.

* A small electric DC motor provides the power to operate the latch. The gearbox provides a gear reduction system to reduce the rotational speed of the motor from about 8000 rpm to about 60 rpm and multiplies the torque available from the motor to operate the latch. An -4.

electronic circuit board monitors the position of the output gear and thereby the position of the cam, and ultimately the position of the pawl. This circuit board provides power to the motor which controls the paw! position, i.e., the status of the latch.

The circuit board also includes a dual position sensor to provide a feedback signal to a controller circuit to confirm one or two positions of the latch. The latch has two operating positons, these being the paw! fully extended position and the paw! fully retracted position. The two positions are defined and sensed by two different size holes in the output gear. Two sensors on the circuit boar monitor for the presence of a hole and determine if it is the larger hole or the smaller hole. One of the sensors is used as an endpoint sensor to stop the motor in either position. The other sensor is used as a position sensor to detect if the gear and thereby the paw! is in position Dl or "2g. The position sensor will only detect the larger of the two holes and thus can distinguish between position 1 and 2. With the output gear in position 1, the paw! is and/or can be fully extended under the force of its biasing spring, and only the endpoint sensor is detecting a hole (the small hole). With the output gear in position 2, the paw! is in the retracted position and both the endpoint sensor and the position sensor are detecting a hole (the larger hole).

When a signal is received for the latch to change positions, the electrical circuits are layed to initially ignore a start hole and after the short delay period begin to sense for the new : .ecicj point and position.

The sensing circuit may be altered to provide the same functions. As an example, there need be only one hole in the output spur gear and the sensors can be positioned 180 degrees S..

apart. The present design uses infrared light and infrared sensors. Alternatively, Hall-effect ::r '5 can be used, or other types of sensors suitable to the size and power application. If position feedback is not required, only one position sensor need be used.

The gearbox output spur gear and the cam are two separate parts that are configured in different keyed positions to one another as a function of the paw! housing orientation. When for size considerations, it is desrabte to have the output gear and cam as one molded integrated part, three different output gears would be needed for the change over between different paw! housing orientations.

The concept of this invention of a gear driven1 cam operated, push to close paw! latch is equally applicable to smaller sized latches which require less power and larger sized latches which require more power.

The layout of the gearbox relative to the cam/paw! can be altered to accommodate different mounting and space constraints. The number of gears in the gearbox will depend upon the motor selected, the motor speed, and the torque increase needed to successfully control the paw! position under actual operating conditions and wear In some instances, it could be desirable to have a non-reconfigureable paw! housing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:

The features, advantage and operation of the present invention will become readily apparent and further understood from a reading of the following detailed description with the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals refer to like elements, and in which: Fig. i is a perspective view of the electromechanical push to close latch; Fig. 2 is a partial cut-away, perspective view of the latch of the invention In a cabinet :.vng a lock plug rotatable blade keeper rotated to the open/unlocked position; * *** * Fig. 3 is a partial cut-away, perspective view of the latch and the cabinet of Fig. 2, where :thPe paw! of the latch is engaged with the keeper to lock the cabinet; *S* Fig. 4 is a partial cut-away, perspective view of the latch and the cabinet of Fig. 2, with retracted so that the cabinet door is free to open; * Fig. 5 is a partial cut-away, perspective view of the latch and the cabinet of Fig. 2, with the latch paw! remaining in the retracted position and the cabinet door open; .d.

Fig. 6 is a partial cut-away, perspective view of the latch and the cabinet of Fig. 2, with the pawl released and extended under its spring biased force and the cabinet door ready to close the keeper against the latch paw!; Fig. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the electromechanical latch of the present invention; Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the latch of Fig. 1 with the paw! housing repositioned for left-hand operation; Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the latch of Fig. 1 with the pawl housing repositioned for right-hand operation; Figs. lOa -lOf are top, bottom, right side, left side, paw! end, and opposite end views, respectively, of the latch of Fig. 1; Fig. 11 is a top view of the left-hand pawl orientation for the latch of Fig. 8; Fig. 12 is a top view of the right-hand paw! orientation for the latch of Fig. 9; Fig. 13 is an exploded view of the paw! housing portion of the latch for a straight on longitudinal paw! operation; Fig. 14 is an exploded view of the paw! housing portion of the latch for a left-hand operation/orientation; Fig. 15 is an exploded view of the paw! housing portion of the latch for a right-hand operation/orientation; Fig. l6isa rightside viewof the motor, gearandcam drive of Fig. 7; * Fig. 17 is a left side view of the motor, gear and cam drive of Fig. 16; S..

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Fig. 15 is a top orientation sectional view of the latch, with the pawl released to extend spring pressure, taken as shown in Fig. iSa; Fig. 1 8a is a right orientation sectional view taken as shown in Fig. 18; Fig. 19 is a top orientation sectional view of the latch, with the paw! retracted under striker pressure, taken as shown in Fig. 1 9a; Fig. 19a is a right orientation sectional view taken as shown in Fig. 19; Fig. 20 is a top orientation sectional view of the latch, with the pawl retracted by the motor, gear and cam drive, taken as shown in Fig. 20a; Fig. 20a is a right orientation sectional view taken as shown in Fig. 20; Fig. 21 is a bottom orientation sectional view of the latch taken as shown in Fig, 21a, wherein the latch is in the same position as seen in Fig. 18a; Fig. ala s a right side orientation sectional view taken as shown in Fig. 21; Fig. 22 is a top orientation sectional view of the latch taken as shown in Fig. 22a, wherein the latch is in the same position as seen in Fig. 20a; Fig. 22a is a right side orientation sectional view taken as shown in Fig. 22; Figs. 23a -23c are perspective, bottom, and side views, respectively, of the first gear; Figs. 24a -24c are perspective, bottom, and top views, respectively, of the second gear; Figs. 25a -25c are perspective, bottom, and top views, respectively, of the third gear; Figs. 26a -26c are perspective, bottom, and top views, respectively, of the fourth gear; Figs. 27a-27c are perspective, bottom, and top views, respectively, of the fifth gear; Figs. 28a -28c are perspective, bottom, and lope views, respectively, of the cam of Fig. 7; Figs. 29a -29g are perspective, top, bottom, right side, left side, ramp end, and opposite * *.

::: views, respectively, of the pawl of Fig. 7; Figs. 30a -30c are perspective, top and bottom views, respectively, of the circuit board a *. 7; a.

Fig. 31 is a perspective view of the motor of Fig. 7; Figs. 32a -32c are perspective, outside end, and inside end views, respectively, of the * ritor pinion gear; Fig. 33 is a perspective view of the inside of the housing bottom section; Fig. 34 is a perspective view of the outside of the housing top section which encases the motor and reduction first through fourth gears; Fig. 35 is a perspective view of the outside of the pawl housing which encases the spring, output/fifth gear, cam, and pawl; and Figs. 36a -36c are top, bottom and pawl opening side views, respectively, of the pawl housing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION:

The present invention is an electromechanical, gear driven, cam operated, push to close pawl latch, having a pawl housing portion which is reconfigurable with respect to the main portion of the housing for selectively changing pawl orientation. A DC electric motor drives the gears under the control of a circuit board which includes pawl/cam position sensors and provides a feedback signal to a motor controller circuit on the board. The motor controller circuit is implemented with a microprocessor circuit which is capable of controlling the motor for selectively positioning a pawl drive cam in either of two positions, which thereby selectively permits the pawl to be retracted or released to extend under a spring biasing force. The spring force is insufficient to overcome the inertial of the motor and gears, so that the pawl may remain retracted with no power to the motor. The microprocessor receives input signals through a * ircui1 board connector. * * * * **

The push to close latch 41, Fig. 1, has a three part housing, with a base 43, a motor pd gearbox encasement 45, and a pawl housing 47. A pawl 49 operates linearly in the pawl housing 47.

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The latch 41 can be installed on cabinets, entrance doors or cases. In Fig. 2, it is on a cabinet 51 wall and functions in combination with a lock plug 53 having a blade-type striker plate 55.

With the pawl is freed, Fig. 3, it is free to operate as the pawl in a traditional push to close latch with the paw! 49 engaging the striker blade 55 under the force of its biasing spring.

When the input signal to the microprocessor causes a control signal to operate the motor, the pawl 49 is retracted from the lock plug striker blade 55, Fig. 4, even when the key of the lock plug 53 is not operated.

With the pawl electromechanically retracted, the door of the cabinet is free to open, Fig. 5. When the door of the cabinet 51 is closed, with the striker blade interrupting the ramp end of the pawi 49, the latch locks as a push to close latch, Fig. 6.

The latch 41 is shDwn in an exploded view in Fig. 7. The housing base 43 is a molded structure, with a series of journals, pass-through openings and stand off structures. The motor and gearbox encasement 45 is held to the housing base 43 with a plurality of at least four screws 57. The circuit board 59 is shaped to seat down into the housing base 43. Carried on the circuit board is a connector 61, a microprocessor chip 63, and a pair of infrared sensors 65, 67.

A small DC electric motor 69 mounts above the circuit board 59. This motor 69 is controlled to rotate in one direction by control signals from the microprocessor 63.

The output shaft of the motor 69 has a pinion gear 71 which engages a gearbox of 5 reduction gears, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81. The first four of these gears (73, 75,77, 79) are mounted on three gear spindles 83 which mount into individual bosses 85 in the housing base 45 and extend *pwardly to the motor and gearbox encasement 45 which encases the motor 69, circuit board * .1 *.and the first four gears 73, 75, 77, 79. The fourth gear 79 and the fifth gear 81 are mounted * *** * in the housing base 43 below the circuit board.

, The fifth gear 81, being the output gear rides on a bushing 87 which mounts on a boss *** 89 in the housing base 43. The output gear 81 has a central upward projecting hub 91 with four vertically extending ribs 93. These ribs 93 extend radially outward from the center of * tii'i hub 91. This hub 91 can alternately carry a plurality of splines.

A cam 95 mounts on the hub 91 of the output gear 81 to engage a pocket in the pawl 49.

The pawl operates linearly in the interior 97 of the housing 47 and is biased to the extended outward position by a compression spring 99. The pawl housing is held to the housing base 43 with tour screws (not shown). The motor gearbox encasement has four closed walls as the output gear 81 and the fourth gear 79 operate below the circuit board 59 and within the confines of the side walls of the housing base 43.

The pawl housing 47 and thereby the pawl 49, may be mounted on the housing base 43 for left hand operation, Fig. 8, or for right hand operation, Fig. 9. What is required to effect these conversions, is to remove and rotate (reposition) the pawl housing 47 and to remove and reorient (reposition) the cam 95 on the output gear 81.

The external features of the latch 41 are readily seen from Figs. ba -lOf. The reconfigured left hand operation pawl 45, and right hand operation pawl 45 are shown in Figs. 11 and 12 respectively.

As seen in Fig. 7, and in Fgs. 13-15, respectively, the cam 95 has a base flange 101, and upstanding hub 103 and a projecting cam finger or plug 105. Figs. 13 -15 each show an exploded view of the pawl housing 47, cam 95 and output gear 81. The cam 95 is mounted onto the output gear hub 91 with the cam plug 105 facing in the direction of the outward extension of the pawl 49.

Figs. 16 and 17 show right side views and left side views of the motor and gearbox, *cespectively. The pinion gear 71 on the motor 69 shaft drives a crown gear 73 (the first gear), *.

carries a downward projecting pinion 107, Fig. 23a. This second pinion gear 107 being a gear 73 engages the teeth of a spur gear 75 (the second gear) which also carries a *lpwnward facing pinion 109, Fig. 24a. The third pinion 109 being a part of the spur gear 75 engages the spur gear teeth of the spur gear 77 (the third gear). This third gear 77 also has a :rward facing pinion 111, Fig. 25a. The fourth pinion 111 on the third gear 77 engages the spur gear teeth of a spur gear 79 (the fourth gear). The fourth gear 79 drives the output spur gear 81 (the fifth gear) carrying the cam 95.

Various views of the first gear 73 are seen in Figs. 23a 23c, while various views of the second gear 75 are seen in Figs. 24a -24c. Several views of the third gear 77 are seen in Figs. 26a 26c, while several views of the fourth gear 79 are seen ri Figs. 26a-26c.

As seen in Figs. 27a -27c, the perspective, bottom and top views of the output gear 81, the output gear 81 carries a larger, arc-like hole 113 and a smaller, arc-like hole 115, which is diametrically across from the larger hole 113.

The flange 101 on the cam extends outwardly from the earn hub, Figs. 28a -28c. This flange covers inner portion of the output gear 81 so that the infrared signals from the sensors 65 and 67 mounted on the circuit board 59 reflect off of the flange mateal and back to the sensors 65, 67. The interior of the cam hub 103 carries four quadrant slots 117 which fit the ribs 93 on the output gear hub 91 to lock the cam 95 onto the output gear 81.

The circuit board 59 is shaped to seat down within the side walls of the housing base 43 and carries various holes for the gear spindles 83, for the mounting bushing 87 for the output gear 81, and for the pinion 111 extending downward from the third gear 77.

The motor 69 is shown in a perspective view in Fig. 31, and the housing base 43 is shown in a perspective view in Fig. 33. In Figs. 32a -32c various views of the motor pinion gear 71 can be seen. The relationship between the motor gearbox encasement 43 and the pawl 47 is,uriderstood by from Figs. 34 and 35. While the paw! housing is seen from the top, bottom and * .1 tb paw! cavity 97 side in Figs. 36a, 36b, and 36c, respectively. The pawl housing bottom, Fig. * *.

* 36b has two step-out circular cavities 119, 121 (i.e., circular sockets to receive the cam ***treinto) to accommodate the cam base flange 101 and upstanding hub 103, respectively. A a..

concentric opening 122 permits an access for the cam plug 105 to extend into the pawl cavity engage the paw! 49.

* The pawl 49 is seen in various views in Figs. 29a 29g. The end of the paw! 49 has a ramped camming surface 123 which engages the striker 55. The top of the paw! has an open channel ô25 partially extending the length of the paw! 49, in which the compression spring 99 operates to bias the pawl 49 outwardly from the pawl housing 47. The bottom face of the paw! 49 has a cam cavity 127 having a curved waIt 129 at the ramp 123 end of the pawl 49, and a straight wall 131 at the opposite end of the paw! 49.

Figs. 18 -22a show the position of the pawl and cam for various operating situations. In.

Figs. 18 and 18a, the motor is off, the cam plug is in the outward facing position, and the pawl is free to move under the force of the biasing spring or a force against its ramp surrace, as defined by the depth of the paw! cavity. These figures show the paw! in the extended position. Figs. 19 and 19a have the latch components in the same position, but with the pawl in the fully retracted position. Figs. 20 and 20a shown the pawl and came when the motor has rotated the cam to retract the paw! to the retracted position.

When the cam 95 is rotated, the cam plug 105 operates against the straight wall 131 of the cam cavity 127 to retract the paw! 49 into thee housing 47 against the spring force. The curved wall 129 provide a clearance for the cam plug 105 to rotate without operating against the pawl.

Fig. 21 shows the bottom of the gearbox when the paw! is in the free position and both of the two sensors 65, 67 sense the big hole 113. This is the situation where the cam plug is in the outward position to allow free movement of the pawl against its biasing spring and the ramp against a striker.

*::::* Fig. 22 shows the bottom of the gear box when motor and gearbox dictated retracted * osition, whereby the cam plug is in the inward position. In this state, only one of the sensor 65, :W is able to obtain a reading. The sensors sense the presence of the small hole 115 in this state. * . * *#

*:*. When in operation, the microprocessor 63 receives an open command from the desperate signal device, such as the code entry pad, swipe card reader, a lock key plug. This signal enters the circuit board 59 at the connector 61. The microprocessor then controls the operation of the motor 69 to cause the cam to rotate 180 degrees to fully retract the pawl 49 into the housing 47. When the cam 95 reaches the 180 degree position, the sensors 65, 67 sense that position and feed a signal to the microprocessor which stops the rotation of the cam 95.

After a predetermined period of time, e.g., a time sufficient for the cabinet 51 door to be opened, the microprocessor again causes the motor to operate to cause the cam to rotate 180 degrees to its initial position.

This is the cam inoperative position. When the cam is in this position, the latch can remain locked, if the door of the cabinet was not timely opened, or the latch is returned to a mechanically-operated push (slam) to close operation, under the influence of its biasing spring 99.

Many changes can be made in the above-described invention without departing from the intent and scope thereof. It is therefore intended that the above description be read in the illustrative sense and not in the limiting sense. Substitutions and changes can be made while st being within the scope and intent of the invention and of the appended claims. * .* e S * S. a... * . e. * *.

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Claims (9)

1. Claims 1. An electromechanical push to close latch, comprising: a

   housing; a pawl operable within said housing between a retracted and extended positions; a means for urging said pawl to said extended position; a motor having an output gear; a cam mounted on said output gear, said cam being engageable with said pawl to move said pawl to said retracted position; and a circuit connected to control said motor rotation.
2. 2. The latch of claim, wherein said cam is mountable in several different orientations to said output gear rotational position.
3. 3. Ia an electromechanical push to close latch having a housing, a pawl, biasing means urging said pawl to an extended position, an electrical motive member, and a circuit controlling said electrical motive member operation, the improvement comprising: a gear connected to said motor, said gear having a hub; and a cam mounted on said gear hub and positioned to engage said pawl.
4. 4. In an electromechanical push to close latch having a pawl, an electrical motive member, and a circuft controlling said electrical motive member operation, the improvement comprising: means for connecting said electrical motive member to said pawl for pawl * 25 movement; wherein said connecting means permits said pawlto be selectively reoriented into *. several alternate operating directions. S. e S.. a

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5. 5. In an electromechanical push to close latch having a housing, a pawl, an electrical motive member, and a circuit controlling said electrical motive member *. * operation, the improvement comprising: . .: means for connecting said electrical motive member to said pawl for pawl movement; wherein said housing has a first portion and a second portion mountable to said first portion; wherein said first housing portion holds said electrical motive member and said circuit, and said second housing portion holds said pawl and a portion of said connecting means.
6. 6, The latch improvement of claim 5, wherein said second housing portion is selectively reorientable with respect to its mounting to said first housing portion.
7. 7. A re-orientable, electromechanical push to close latch, comprising: a housing having a first portion and a second portion, said second housing portion being re-orientable with respect to said first housing portion for facilitation of left-hand, right-hand and outward end operation of said latch; a pawl operating within said second housing portion for retraction into and extension there out of, said pawl moving for left-hand, right-hand and outward end operation out of said latch housing as a function of said second housing portion orientation; a motor mounted within said first housing portion having a rotating output shaft; and at least one output gear connecting the output shaft of said motor to said pawl, wherein when said motor rotates said pawl is retracted into said second housing portion. * S. * . . * S. *SSS * S * .. * S S *. . S..

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8. 8.. An electromechanical pusri t close latcri, comprisFng; a housing; a ramp ended pawl slidable within said housing between a retracted position and an extended position, said pawl being engageable with a striker when in said extended position: a biasing spring operating on said pawl to bias it to the extended position and permitting push to close operation thereof; a motor; a microprocessor connected to said motor to control the operation thereof; at least one gear connected to said motor and rotated thereb' when said motor rotates; and a cam connected to be rotated by said at least one gear, said cam rotating to retract said pawl against said biasing spring operation.

   A re-orientable, electromechanical push to close latch, comprising: a housing having a first portion and a second portion, said second housing portion being re-orientable with respect to said first housing portion for facilitation of left-handrighthand and outward end operation of said latch;
9. 9. a pawl operating within said second housing portion for retraction into and extension there out of, said pawl moving for left-hand, right-hand and outward end operation out of said Ieh housing as a function of said second housing portion orientation; a motor mounted within said first housing portion having a rotating output shaft; and at least one output gear connecting the output shaft of said motor to said pawl, wherein 4en said motor rotates said pawl is retracted into said second housing portion.

   A Latch substantiaUy as hereinbefore described with reference to, and/or as :..!u5trated in, any one or more of the Figures in the accompanying drawings.