阅读说明：本技术 安全闩锁 (Safety latch ) 是由 J·安德森 于 2018-09-04 设计创作，主要内容包括：提供了一种儿童安全闩锁,用于防止第一元件相对第二元件移动。该闩锁包括第一接合部件和第二接合部件。第一接合部件包括插脚组件,插脚组件包括带终端的插脚臂。第二接合部件包括接收装置,接收装置配置用于捕获插脚臂的终端。第一接合部件和第二接合部件可通过接收装置或插脚臂在第二方向上的移动而脱开。接收装置或插脚臂的移动通过设置在第二接合部件上的脱开装置实现。接收装置或插脚臂是弹性的并且在由使用者释放后返回到第一位置。插脚组件包括两个插脚臂,每个插脚臂具有并排的终端。接收装置包括两个相应的接收器以捕获相应的终端。第二接合部件包括两个相应的脱开装置,两者都需要由使用者致动,以脱开所述第一接合部件和第二接合部件。(A child safety latch is provided for preventing movement of a first element relative to a second element. The latch includes a first engagement member and a second engagement member. The first engagement member includes a pin assembly including a pin arm having a terminal end. The second engagement member includes a receiving device configured to capture the terminal end of the prong arm. The first and second engagement members may be disengaged by movement of the receiving means or prong arm in a second direction. The movement of the receiving means or the pin arm is effected by a disengaging means provided on the second engagement member. The receiving means or prong arms are resilient and return to the first position upon release by the user. The pin assembly includes two pin arms, each having side-by-side terminations. The receiving means comprises two respective receivers to acquire respective terminals. The second engagement member comprises two corresponding disengagement means, both of which need to be actuated by a user to disengage the first and second engagement members.)

1. A child-resistant latch for a cabinet or drawer that prevents unwanted movement of a first element relative to a second element, the second element including a first surface orthogonal to the first surface of the first element, the latch comprising:

a first engagement member securable and secured in use to a first surface of a first element; and a second engagement member securable and secured in use to a first surface of a second element,

the first engagement component includes a pin assembly including a pin arm having a terminal end;

the second engagement member including a receiving device configured to capture the terminal end of the prong arm, the receiving device including a receiver to automatically receive and capture the terminal end to cause the first engagement member to engage the second engagement member when the first and second engagement members are moved together in a first direction and thereby prevent movement of the first element relative to the second element;

wherein the first and second engagement members can be disengaged by movement of the receiving means or prong arm in a second direction, which releases the terminal from being captured by the receiving means and allows the second element to move relative to the first element,

the movement of the receiving means or the prong arm is effected by a disengagement means provided on the second engagement member, which disengagement means can be actuated by a user to release the first engagement member and the second engagement member, and wherein

The receiving means or prong arm is resilient and returns to a first position upon release by a user such that the latch is automatically reactivated when the first element moves back toward the second element, the first and second engagement members become engaged, characterized in that the prong assembly comprises two prong arms, each having side-by-side terminals, and the receiving means comprises two corresponding receivers to capture the corresponding terminals, and the second engagement member comprises two corresponding disengagement means, both of which require actuation by a user to disengage the first and second engagement members to release the first and second engagement members.

2. A child safety latch according to claim 1, wherein an auxiliary lock is provided, the auxiliary lock being biased to a locked position in which it prevents movement of at least one of the disengaging means until the auxiliary lock is first moved to an unlocked position by a user.

3. The child safety latch according to claim 2, wherein the secondary lock is biased to the locked position by a resilient lock spring, such that a user may push the secondary lock against the spring to release the disengaging device and such that the spring, when released, automatically restores the secondary lock to the locked position.

4. The child safety latch according to claim 1, wherein the two respective disengaging means require depression by a user from opposite sides.

5. A child safety latch according to claim 2, wherein in the locking position the secondary lock bears against both of the respective abutment surfaces on each of the two disengaging means.

6. The child safety latch according to claim 1, wherein two respective disengaging means are slidably movable from the engaged position to the disengaged position.

7. The child safety latch according to claim 2, wherein the secondary lock is slidably movable from a locked position to an unlocked position.

8. The child safety latch according to claim 7, wherein the secondary lock is movable from the locked position to the unlocked position in a direction substantially orthogonal to movement of the disengagement means from the engaged position to the disengaged position.

9. Child safety latch according to claim 1, characterized in that the auxiliary lock is engageable by a user and is slidably movable in a first step in a first direction to release the holder, and the disengaging means are configured to then be freely movable in a second and mutually opposite direction in a plane orthogonal to the first direction to release the first (4) and second (5) engaging parts and allow the second element (3) to move relative to the first element (2).

10. Child safety latch according to claim 1, characterized in that the first engagement part (4) comprises an element fixation portion (6) having an element fixation surface and the second engagement part (5) comprises an element fixation portion (7) having an element fixation surface.

11. Child safety latch according to claim 10, characterized in that in one of the first (4) and second (5) engagement parts the fixing portion is arranged orthogonally with respect to the pin arrangement (8) or receiving means (9), whereas in the other of the first (4) and second (5) engagement parts the fixing portion is arranged in the same plane as the corresponding pin arrangement (8) or receiving means (9).

12. Child safety latch according to claim 10, characterized in that the element securing surface is enlarged and extends a wider dimension than the prong assembly (8) or receiving means (9), respectively.

13. The child safety latch according to claim 1, wherein the latch is a cabinet latch and the second element is a portion of a cabinet frame and the first element is a cabinet door.

14. The child-resistant latch according to claim 1, wherein the latch is a drawer latch and the second element is a portion of a drawer cabinet frame and the first element is a drawer.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to latches for drawers, cabinet doors and the like, and more particularly to safety latch fittings or "child resistant" latches that include features that make them difficult for small children to actuate.

Background

Drawers and cupboards are commonly used in everyday life in kitchens, bedrooms, offices, etc. to store a variety of items, some of which may be harmful to children. Small children may also struggle to climb up or even into drawers and cabinets to play with or hide, or to remove contents from within. Drawers and cabinets may store many types of materials that may be potentially harmful to children, such as pharmaceuticals, household cleaners, knives, tools, paints, and the like.

To prevent infants from entering these storage areas, many devices have been patented and sold, mostly as multi-piece assemblies. In general, certain types of additional child-resistant latches have become popular that include some sort of longitudinal member having an opening or hook portion and a separate stop portion that are attached to the cabinet frame and the inner surface of the drawer or door, respectively, and vice versa, to limit the amount of opening of the drawer or door. When the drawer or door is pulled, the hook portion may engage with a stop mounted on the frame portion of the cabinet, so that for an adult then only a small space is left to insert their finger to press the longitudinal member, allowing the hook to pass over the stop on the frame of the housing.

In many cases, these latches require at least two parts that need to be aligned during installation or adjusted after installation. These components typically include a stop portion or catch attached to the housing and a hook portion attached to the interior of the drawer. The mechanism may also require a biasing member (spring, etc.) to bias the hook member against the stop member.

In one known drawer catch, as disclosed in U.S. patent No.4,505,526, a flexible hook element is mounted to and projects rearwardly from the front wall of the drawer into the interior thereof. The hook-like element is positioned to engage with a catch on a downwardly facing surface of the cabinet that covers the drawer. The drawer may be opened a limited amount until the hook engages the catch, at which point the user must manually bend the hook downward to disengage the catch. In this arrangement, the hook extends into the interior of the drawer so that it can interfere with access to the drawer interior and with its contents.

What is needed is a "child resistant" safety latch that is easy to install on the surface of a drawer or door, and which makes it very difficult for a child to operate to access.

One way in which a child may have difficulty operating the latch is to increase the force required to move the latch. The force required to move the latch can be designed into the latch and determined to be within a range that most adults can achieve but not children can achieve, thereby achieving an effective child-resistant latch. However, the disadvantage of relying on force is that the latch is usually made of plastic and continues to be used after many operations to release the latch, the plastic parts may creep and the resistance of the release point of the hook and the stop of the latch may change over time, with the result that the required force becomes smaller over time and at an uncertain point in time in the future the latch may become unsafe.

Likewise, the risk of relying on force to release their latches is: the adhesive strip or other securing means does not remain after repeated use over an extended period of time, and the latch is far enough away from its mounting to render the latch ineffective.

Disclosure of Invention

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a child resistant latch which may preferably be moulded from plastics to provide a low cost latch and overcome the above problems.

Accordingly, there is provided an invention for a child safety latch as defined in the appended claims.

Drawings

Exemplary embodiments of the child safety latch mechanism of the present invention will now be described with reference to the following drawings:

fig. 1 shows a perspective view of one exemplary embodiment of an assembled child safety latch of the present invention, in an engaged position and attached to a cabinet having a closed drawer,

fig. 2 shows a perspective view of the child safety latch of fig. 1 attached to a cabinet, the child safety latch in an disengaged position, with the drawer open,

fig. 3 shows a side view and a partial cross-sectional view of the child safety latch of fig. 1 unattached to a cabinet, the child safety latch in a disengaged position,

fig. 4 shows a perspective view of the security latch of fig. 1 unattached to a cabinet, showing the internal mechanism with the component parts unassembled and in a disengaged position, and,

fig. 5 shows another perspective view of the assembled child safety latch of fig. 1 attached to a cabinet, illustrating the operation of disengaging.

Detailed Description

The present invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.

Referring now to fig. 1-5, a first exemplary embodiment of a child-resistant latch mechanism according to the present invention is described. The latch mechanism may be attached to an exterior surface of a cupboard drawer or door to prevent a child from opening the drawer or door. Thus, the child resistant latch 1 locks and prevents the first drawer or door element 2 from opening relative to the second cabinet frame element 3. The latch fitting mechanism 1 comprises a first engagement member 4 and a second engagement member 5. The first and second engagement members each include an enlarged engagement surface 6,7, respectively, which provide a mating surface to securely mount the first and second engagement members to the surfaces of the first door or drawer element 2 and the second skeletal element 3, respectively. Holes are provided in the engagement surfaces 6,7 for attachment to the inner surface of one side of a drawer or cupboard with mechanical fasteners, such as screws. The enlarged surfaces 6,7 also serve as a base for other fastening means, such as adhesive or velcro (hook and loop) type fastening means. The adhesive may be in the form of a peel-off strip so that the user can simply remove the strip and press the latch fitting into the desired position to install it.

In this embodiment, the first engagement member 4 includes a pin assembly 8, the pin assembly 8 being disposed in a plane 90 degrees from the enlarged attachment surface 6. The pin assembly 8 includes a pair of resilient pins 10, each of which includes a hook-shaped terminal 12.

The second engagement member 5 comprises a receiving means 9 arranged in the same plane as the enlarged attachment surface 7 and comprises a pair of receiving pins 11, each receiving pin 11 having a receiving hook 13 corresponding to a terminal 12, such that when the first and second engagement members are urged together they become automatically engaged by latching the terminal hook 12 onto the receiving hook 13. The first and second engagement members 4,5 are preferably, but not limited to, molded from a resilient plastic.

Both the terminal 12 and the receiving hook 13 have inclined surfaces 18, so that when the first and second engagement means 4,5 are coupled together, the respective inclined surfaces 18 of the terminal 12 and the receiving hook 13 cause the resilient prong 10 and the receiving prong 11 to resiliently bend, allowing the terminal hook 12 to pass the receiving hook 13, at which time the terminal hook 12 rests in the engagement position locked behind the receiving hook 13 due to the resilience of the prong 10 and the receiving prong 11.

The receiving means 9 further comprise springs 15, the springs 15 being arranged between the receiving pins 11 on the respective plugs 16. Furthermore, the receiving pins 11 are arranged as part of respective actuatable sliding means 17, the sliding means 17 being arranged to slide in a direction orthogonal to the orientation of the receiving pins 11. Each of these sliding means 17 comprises a respective user engagement surface 18 arranged on the outside of the second engagement member 5 and on each side thereof. The user can thus apply pressure to the engagement surface 18, thereby moving both the sliding means 17 inwards against the action of the spring means 15 and correspondingly moving the receiving pins 11 towards each other, just releasing the pins 10 and disengaging the first and second engagement members 4, 5.

The receiving means 9 further comprises an auxiliary lock 20, the auxiliary lock 20 being biased into a locked position by an auxiliary lock spring 21, wherein the locking member 22 bears against a corresponding abutment 24 of the sliding member 17, preventing any inward movement of the sliding member 17. The auxiliary lock has an outwardly facing operating surface 23 which is engageable by a user and which is movable in the direction of arrow a (as shown in figures 1, 2 and 5) to an unlocked position, against the spring 21. In this unlocked position, the locking member 22 is not aligned with the abutment 24 and the slide member 17 can now be moved inwardly.

The auxiliary lock spring 21 automatically restores the auxiliary locking member 22 to the locking position when released. A secondary lock spring 21 is arranged on a plug on the secondary lock 20 and acts on a surface of the second engagement member 5.

The second engagement member 5 further comprises a fixed guide 26 which provides support for the sliding member 17 and allows side-to-side movement of the sliding member 17.

The auxiliary lock is also slidably movable from the locked position to the unlocked position along an auxiliary lock guide 28 formed as part of the second engagement member 5.

Thus, referring now to fig. 5, it can be seen that in order to release the latch, an adult user is required to first move the auxiliary lock button 23 in the direction of arrow a using a first finger and then press it inwardly in the opposite direction orthogonal to the direction of arrow a using a second and third finger while holding it in the unlocked position. This desired sequence of movements in distinct directions is critical to the child-resistant performance of the latch. Generally, children below a certain critical frail age are unable to make and accomplish this level of complexity.

The installation of the latch is easy for the user so that laymen can easily install the latch without prior knowledge, training or tools. The enlarged surfaces 6,7 are secured in the desired position on the respective mutually orthogonal surfaces of the first and second components by removing the peelable strip from the adhesive strip on the enlarged surfaces 6,7 and then pressing the enlarged surfaces against the orthogonal surfaces. The latch is then immediately ready for use and can be tested by releasing and re-engaging the latch.

The latch may be a cabinet latch, the first element being part of a cabinet frame and the second element being a cabinet door, or alternatively, the latch may be a drawer latch, and the first element being part of a drawer cabinet shelf and the second element being a drawer.

Thus, a child-resistant latch is provided that can be easily mounted on the exterior of a housing member without power tools or requiring measurement.

It should be understood that although specific embodiments of the invention have been described herein in detail, such description is for illustrative purposes only and that modifications may be made within the scope of the invention.

List of parts:

1 latch fitting mechanism

2 first door or drawer element

3 second skeleton element

4 first engaging member

5 second engaging member

6 enlarged joining surface

7 enlarged joining surface

8-pin assembly

9 receiving device

10 elastic pin

11 receiving pin

12 terminal

13 receiving hook

14 is not used

15 spring

16 embolism

17 sliding device

18 use a joint surface

19 is not used

20 auxiliary lock

21 auxiliary lock spring

22 support

23 operating surface

24 abutment

25 is not used

26 guide device

27 is not used

The lock guide is assisted 28.