Incubator/drying oven having handle for checking closure of door

Abstract

An incubator or drying oven is provided having a housing bounding a useful space. The useful space communicates with the exterior through a front opening. An inner door is hingedly mounted to the housing and is configured to selectively cover the front opening. An outer door is also hingedly mounted to the housing and is configured to selectively cover the inner door. Mounted on the housing adjacent to the front opening is a locking element. The locking element has a slot formed on the side thereof. A latching assembly is mounted to the inner door. The latching assembly includes a hub rotatably mounted to the inner door about a first axis, a tongue projecting from the hub and configured to be received within the slot of the locking element, and a handle attached to the hub opposite the tongue. The handle is rotatably connected to the hub about a second axis that is substantailly perpendicular to the first axis. A spring continually biases the handle away from the inner door. The handle is selectively movable relative to the first axis between a first position and a second position. In the first position at least a portion of the handle is disposed over at least a portion of the locking element so that the handle functions as a spacing element that prevents complete closing of the outer door. In the second position the handle is spaced apart from the locking element such that the outer door is free to completely close.