Laundry appliance with anti-closure feature

Abstract

A laundry appliance includes a drum and a cabinet configured to support the drum for rotation therein. The cabinet has a front face defining an opening that provides access into the drum. A door is pivotally attached to the cabinet and is movable between a closed position and an open position. A latch assembly secures the door in the closed position. The latch assembly includes a catch supported on one of the door and the front face and a striker supported on the other of the door and the front face. The striker is engageable with the catch to latch the latch assembly. One of the catch and striker is movable between a first position in which the catch and striker do not engage when the door is in the closed position and a second position in which the catch and striker can latch.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A laundry appliance comprising:
 a drum;   a cabinet configured to support the drum for rotation therein, the cabinet including a front face defining an opening that provides access into the drum;   a door pivotally attached to the cabinet and movable between a closed position and an open position; and   a latch assembly configured to secure the door in the closed position, the latch assembly including
 a catch supported on one of the door and the front face, and 
 a striker supported on the other of the door and the front face and engageable with the catch to latch the latch assembly, wherein the striker is slidable between a first position in which the striker is operable to contact the cabinet such that the catch and the striker do not engage when the door is in the closed position, and a second position in which the catch and the striker are configured to engage when the door is in the closed position, wherein the striker is operable to slide between the first and second positions transversely to a direction of engagement between the striker and the catch. 
   
     
     
         2 . The laundry appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the striker includes a first portion that is disposed within the other of the door and the front face and a second portion that extends outwardly from the other of the door and the front face, wherein the second portion is configured to engage the catch. 
     
     
         3 . The laundry appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the latch assembly further comprises a guide secured to the other of the door and the front face, wherein the striker is slidably supported by the guide and is slidable along the guide between the first and second positions. 
     
     
         4 . The laundry appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the latch assembly further comprises a spring operable to bias the striker toward the first position. 
     
     
         5 . The laundry appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the latch assembly further comprises an actuator operably coupled to the striker and configured to transition the striker from the first position to the second position. 
     
     
         6 . The laundry appliance of  claim 5 , wherein the actuator includes a handle operable to transition the striker from the first position to the second position in response to a user engaging the handle. 
     
     
         7 . The laundry appliance of  claim 6 , wherein the actuator includes a cable connecting the handle to the striker. 
     
     
         8 . A laundry appliance comprising:
 a drum;   a cabinet configured to support the drum for rotation therein, the cabinet including a front face defining an opening that provides access into the drum;   a catch mounted on the front face;   a door pivotally attached to the cabinet and movable between a closed position and an open position; and   a striker configured to engage with the catch, the striker being slidably mounted on the door such that the striker is slidable between a first position in which the striker is operable to contact the cabinet such that the catch does not engage with the striker when the door is in the closed position, and a second position in which the catch and the striker engage when the door is in the closed position to latch the door to the cabinet, wherein the striker is operable to slide between the first and second positions transversely to a direction of engagement between the striker and the catch.   
     
     
         9 . The laundry appliance of  claim 8 , wherein the striker includes a first portion that is disposed within the door and a second portion that extends outwardly from the door, wherein the second portion is configured to engage the catch. 
     
     
         10 . The laundry appliance of  claim 8  further comprising a guide secured to the door, wherein the striker is slidably supported by the guide and is slidable along the guide between the first and second positions. 
     
     
         11 . The laundry appliance of  claim 8  further comprising a spring operable to bias the striker toward the first position. 
     
     
         12 . The laundry appliance of  claim 8  further comprising an actuator operably coupled to the striker and configured to transition the striker from the first position to the second position. 
     
     
         13 . The laundry appliance of  claim 12 , wherein the actuator includes a handle operable to transition the striker from the first position to the second position in response to a user engaging the handle. 
     
     
         14 . The laundry appliance of  claim 13 , wherein the actuator includes a cable connecting the handle to the striker. 
     
     
         15 . A latch assembly for a laundry appliance comprising:
 a catch supported on a cabinet; and   a striker slidably supported on a door and engageable with the catch to latch the latch assembly, wherein the striker is slidable between a first position in which the striker is operable to contact the cabinet such that the catch and the striker do not engage when the door is in a closed position, and a second position in which the catch and the striker are configured to engage when the door is in the closed position, wherein the striker is operable to slide between the first and second positions transversely to a direction of engagement between the striker and the catch.   
     
     
         16 . The latch assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the striker includes a first portion that is disposed within the door and a second portion that extends outwardly from the door, wherein the second portion is configured to engage the catch. 
     
     
         17 . The latch assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the striker is slidably supported by a guide and is slidable along the guide between the first and second positions. 
     
     
         18 . The latch assembly of  claim 15  further comprising a spring operable to bias the striker toward the first position. 
     
     
         19 . The latch assembly of  claim 15  further comprising an actuator operably coupled to the striker and configured to transition the striker from the first position to the second position. 
     
     
         20 . The latch assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the actuator includes a handle operable to transition the striker from the first position to the second position in response to a user engaging the handle.