Oven appliance

Abstract

An oven appliance with a latch assembly is provided. The latch assembly includes a casing, an elongated member at least partially positioned within the casing and a roller mounted to the elongated member. The latch assembly can include various features for reducing wear between components of the latch assembly, for limiting or preventing damage to adjacent wiring and/or for reducing noise generated by the latch assembly.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An oven appliance, comprising:
 a cabinet defining a cooking chamber;   a pair of doors mounted to the cabinet;   a roller latch assembly comprising
 a casing; 
 an elongated member at least partially positioned within the casing, the elongated member extending between a first end portion and a second end portion; 
 a roller mounted to the elongated member at the first end portion of the elongated member, the roller engaging one of the pair of doors or the cabinet when the pair of doors is in a closed position; 
 a bearing sleeve positioned on the elongated member at the second end portion of the elongated member such that the bearing sleeve is positioned between the elongated member and the casing at the second end portion of the elongated member. 
   
     
     
         2 . The oven appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the roller latch assembly further comprises a strike plate mounted to the one of the pair of doors or the cabinet. 
     
     
         3 . The oven appliance of  claim 2 , wherein the strike plate is positioned below roller when the pair of doors is in the closed position. 
     
     
         4 . The oven appliance of  claim 2 , wherein the strike plate comprises a first material and the roller comprises a second material, the first material being harder than the second material. 
     
     
         5 . The oven appliance of  claim 2 , wherein the strike plate comprises stainless steel and the roller comprises bronze. 
     
     
         6 . The oven appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the roller latch assembly further comprises a guard mounted to the casing and a nut threaded onto the elongated member at the second end portion of the elongated member, the guard at least partially enclosing the second end portion of the elongated member and the nut. 
     
     
         7 . The oven appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the guard is substantially u-shaped in a plane that is perpendicular to a vertical direction. 
     
     
         8 . The oven appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising a nut threaded onto the elongated member at the second end portion of the elongated member, wherein a position of the nut on the elongated member is adjustable in order to change a vertical height of the roller. 
     
     
         9 . The oven appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the roller latch assembly further comprises a biasing member positioned within the casing, the biasing member urging the first end portion of the elongated member towards the one of the pair of doors or the cabinet when the pair of doors is in the closed position. 
     
     
         10 . The oven appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the roller is a first roller, the oven appliance further comprising a second roller, the second roller mounted to the elongated member and positioned within the casing, the second roller rolling on an inner surface of the casing when the elongated member moves vertically. 
     
     
         11 . The oven appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising a dampening element, the dampening element positioned between the casing and the cabinet where the casing is mounted to the cabinet or between the casing and the one of the pair of doors where the casing is mounted to the one of the pair of doors. 
     
     
         12 . The oven appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising a grommet and a nut threaded onto the elongated member at the second end portion of the elongated member, the grommet positioned on the elongated member such that the grommet is disposed between the casing and the nut. 
     
     
         13 . An oven appliance, comprising:
 a cabinet defining a cooking chamber;   a pair of doors mounted to the cabinet;   a roller latch assembly comprising
 a casing extending between a top portion and a bottom portion; 
 a threaded member at least partially positioned within the casing, the threaded member extending between a first end portion and a second end portion, the first end portion of the threaded member positioned adjacent the bottom portion of the casing, the second end portion of the threaded member positioned adjacent the top portion of the casing; 
 a roller mounted to the threaded member at the first end portion of the threaded member, the roller engaging one of the pair of doors or the cabinet when the pair of doors is in a closed position; 
 a nut threaded onto the threaded member at the second end portion of the threaded member; and 
 a guard mounted to the casing at the top portion of the casing, the guard at least partially enclosing the second end portion of the threaded member and the nut. 
   
     
     
         14 . The oven appliance of  claim 13 , wherein the roller latch assembly further comprises a bearing sleeve positioned on the threaded member at the second end portion of the threaded member such that the bearing sleeve is positioned between the threaded member and the casing at the second end portion of the threaded member. 
     
     
         15 . The oven appliance of  claim 13 , wherein the roller latch assembly further comprises a strike plate mounted to the one of the pair of doors or the cabinet, the strike plate comprising a first material and the roller comprising a second material, the first material being harder than the second material. 
     
     
         16 . The oven appliance of  claim 13 , wherein the guard is substantially u-shaped in a plane that is perpendicular to a vertical direction. 
     
     
         17 . The oven appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising a dampening element, the dampening element positioned between the casing and the cabinet where the casing is mounted to the cabinet or between the casing and the one of the pair of doors where the casing is mounted to the one of the pair of doors. 
     
     
         18 . The oven appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising a grommet, the grommet positioned on the threaded member such that the grommet is disposed between the casing and the nut. 
     
     
         19 . An oven appliance, comprising:
 a cabinet defining a cooking chamber;   a pair of doors mounted to the cabinet;   a roller latch assembly comprising
 a casing mounted to the cabinet or one of the pair of doors; 
 a dampening element positioned between the casing and the cabinet where the casing is mounted to the cabinet or between the casing and one of the pair of doors where the casing is mounted to the one of the pair of doors; 
 an elongated member at least partially positioned within the casing, the elongated member extending between a first end portion and a second end portion; and 
 a roller mounted to the elongated member at the first end portion of the elongated member, the roller engaging the one of the pair of doors or the cabinet when the pair of doors is in a closed position. 
   
     
     
         20 . The oven appliance of  claim 19 , wherein the roller latch assembly further comprises a bearing sleeve positioned on the elongated member at the second end portion of the elongated member such that the bearing sleeve is positioned between the elongated member and the casing at the second end portion of the elongated member.