Granted Patent B1

US 12,516,822 · App. 17/725,994 · Granted Jan 6, 2026

Inventor: I-Chiang Lin (San Mateo, CA)

Assignee: HTI Technology and Industries, Inc.

F24C15/022E05B9/08E05B47/0012F24C14/00

Abstract

Claims (13)

1 . A method for replacing a service replaceable motor and plate subassembly of a long-bar latch for an appliance comprising:

disconnecting a wire harness from a single point connector on the motor and plate subassembly;

removing a self-tapping screw from a self-tapped aperture on the motor and plate subassembly;

inserting a screwdriver into an actuation slot in the motor and plate subassembly and rotating the screwdriver to slide the motor and plate subassembly in a lateral direction to disengage at least one tab on the motor and plate subassembly from a corresponding aperture on a rear bracket of the long-bar latch;

moving the motor and plate subassembly in a downward direction and tilting the motor and plate subassembly to disengage a dog-legged bend of a linkage rod in the long-bar latch from a motor cam aperture located on a motor on the motor and plate subassembly;

removing the motor and plate subassembly from the rear bracket of the long-bar latch;

positioning a new motor and plate subassembly under the rear bracket of the long-bar latch;

moving the new motor and plate subassembly in an upward direction and tilting the new motor and plate subassembly to engage the dog-legged bend of a linkage rod in the long-bar latch to a motor cam aperture located on a motor on the new motor and plate subassembly;

inserting the screwdriver into an actuation slot in the new motor and plate subassembly and

rotating the screwdriver to slide the new motor and plate subassembly in a lateral direction to engage at least one tab on the new motor and plate subassembly to the corresponding aperture on the rear bracket of the long-bar latch;

inserting a self-tapping screw into a non-tapped aperture on the new motor and plate subassembly and tapping a new aperture in the new motor and plate subassembly;

continuing to insert the self-tapping screw by passing the self-tapping screw through a corresponding aperture on the rear bracket of the long-bar latch to engage the new motor and plate subassembly of the rear bracket of the long-bar latch; and

engaging the wire harness to the single point connector on the motor and plate subassembly.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (70)