CA2489397C

CA2489397C - Bench guard

Info

Publication number: CA2489397C
Application number: CA2489397A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Darras L. J. Hancock
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-06-17
Filing date: 2002-11-11
Publication date: 2012-04-03
Anticipated expiration: 2022-11-11
Also published as: CN1658778A; AU2002340636B2; JP2010104794A; CA2489397A1; JP2006500083A; HK1081823A1; CN1658778B; AU2002340636A1; EP1534102A1; EP1534102A4; JP4907866B2

Abstract

A demountable safety guard adapted for prevention of accidental urged dislodgment of an article or liquid over an edge of a fixed horizontal surface; said edge not otherwise precluding the dislodgement of said article.

Description

SENGH GUARD
The present invention relates to safety devices associated with working surfaces such as the tops of kitchen, work or laboratory benches and the like, and more particularly to means for the prevention of accidental dislodgement of objects or spillage of fluids from thane working surfaces.
aAGx~ROUnrn 1d For many people the lack of a suitably device to prevent the accidental spillage of materials or fluids a~,d the acc~.dental dzsl,odgemen~. Qf objects from benches, cooktops and tables, has resulted in seriaus injury and or expense and even, in extreme cases, to fatalities.
15 The accidental spillage of hot or caustic fluids tfor example hot tea or coffee) from benches and tables in the kitchen is one of the leading causes of death and injury' for young- children in western civilizations. The elderly and infirm also suffer from such occurrences.
20 The accidental dislodgement of objects and the spillage of fluids from work benches and tables can impact~-on industry both financially and through injuzy to employees. School science benches are anather area of potential risk if an object ~.s accidentally dislodged or a fluid spilled; hot and caustic substances again being a leading cause of injury to school age children in the classroom, zt is an object of the present invention to affer an aid in the prevention of such incidents, B~tIEk' DESGRIPTIQN OF INVENTION
Accordingly, in one broad form of the invention, there is provided a demountab~,e safety guard adapted for prevention of accidental urged dislodgment of an artiole or liquid over an edge of a fixed horizontal surface; said edge not otherwise precluding the dislodgement of said arta.c~e.
Preferably said surface includes a bench top, a cooktop or a table top.
Preferably said guard comprises a substantially vertical elongate rectangular member having an outwardly facing surface and an inwardly facing surface bounded by edges, extending along at least a portion of an edge of said surface.
.Preferably said edge is any edge of said surface fxom which sa~.d axtzc~.e can fall when urged to within sufficiently close proximity of said edge.

Preferably said guard ~-s ~.dap~ed to be inserted into a slat in said surf~.ce.
Preferably said slot is provided with a cover s~.rip~
s~.id strip adapted to prevent the ingress of dirt and other matter ~.nta said slot .
Preferably said. gu~.rd is adapted to be inserted into a guard retaining means attached to said surface.
Preferably sand, reta~.'r.~~.ng mesns is in the form of an extruded channel, said channel ada~ated to be attached to said surface.
Preferably said extruded channel is attached to said surface by attachment means includ~.ng one or more of:
a} an applied adhesive b) a double sided adhesive tape c) magnetic means d) suction means e) mechanical means including screws and. rivets and the like.
Preferably said guard is attached to said surface by means of hinged elements.
Preferably said guard and said guard retaining means are formed of metallic materials.
Preferably said guard and said guard. retaining means are formed of non-metallic materials.

Preferably said guard anal said guard retaining mt~ans are formed of a combination of metallic and non-metallic materials.
AcGOrdingly, in another broad farm of the inven.tior~, there is provided a method for the prevention of the accidental urged dislodgement of an article ar liquid over an edge of a fixed horizpntal surface, said rnethad including the provision of a guard member diseased along at least a portion of said edge of said surface, said guard member extending a sufficient height above said surface thereby defining a barrier to dislodgement of said art~.cJ.e or liquid.
Accordingly, in yet another broad form of the invention, there is provided a method of providing a safety guard member for the edge of a fixed horizontal surfaoe wherein said guard member is inserted into a slot disposed along sa~.d edge of said surface.
Accordingly, in yet another broad form of the invention, there is provided a method of praviding a safety guard member fQr the edge of a fixed hQrizQntal surface wherein said guard member is retained in an extruded channel fixed along an edge of said surface.
Accordingly, in yet anpther broad farm of the invention, there is provided a method of providing a safety guard member fc~r the edge of a fixed horizontal surface whexein said guard member is attached along an edge of said surface by hinge elements.

5 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE L1RAL~1INGS
Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference t~c~ the accompanying drawings wherein:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bench top safety feature according to a first embodiment of the invention.
Figure 2 ~.s a perspective view of an alternati~re retaining means of the embodiment of figure 1.
Figure 3 is a perspecti~re view of a bench top safety feature according to a second embodiment of the invention.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of a component for use with the arrangement of any one of figures 1, 2 or 3.
Figure 5 zs a perspective view of means of attachment of a component of the embodiment of figure 1.
Figure 6 is a perspective view of the embodiment of 2Q figure 1 iri use.
Fzgure 7 is a perspective view of visual alignment of a child's eyes compared with adult. eyes with and without use Qf embodiments of the present in~rention.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a. bench guard in accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 9 is a bench guard in accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 10 is a bench guard in accordance with yet a further embodiment of the present inventzan.
DETArrrED DESCRIPTTbN OF PREFERRED EM80DIMENTS
Embodiments of the present invention provide for the addition of suitable guard elements to the periphery Qf working surfaces where the edges of those working surfaces are not otherwise protected, such as far examp~.e by splashbacks or abutting walls.
1.5 ~n a first preferred embodiment of the invention with xefe~-ence to ~~.guxes ~. axed 2, there is provided a vertically extending guard element 1 located in a retaining eJ.ement 2 (ox ~). Guaxd element 1 is in the form of an elongate rigid strip of suitable height and thickness extending along at 7.east a partiazi of an exposed edge of a working surface as m~.y best be seen in figure 6.
,As may be seen in figure 5, in this first embodiment the guard element 1 is secured to the working surface of a bench top 6 lay means of a retaining element 2 (or 4) in the form of an extruded channel sect~ian. Retaining element 2 (or ~) may be secured to the bench top ~ by a variety of means as shown ix1 figure 6, fax example by screws 9, rivets or by means of two~sided self-adhesive strip 8. Further methods of holding the retaining element 2 (or 4) to the surface of bench top 5 may included banding with suitable adhesives, ar non-mechanical means such as magnetic strips or lay suctipn means .
Guard element 1 may be fixed either permanently or 1Q releasealaly ar semi-permanently {for example by a friction fit or by a moulded locking fit) in retaining' element 2 for or may be held in place as a friction fit so as to allow for its removal when the guard function is not required.
Guard el,emex~.t ~. may opt~.onally be provided with. a hole 3 so as to allow for its storage at some cor~.~renient locati.ar~ by suspension from a hook {z~ot shown).
In a second preferred embodiment of the inw'entian as shown in figure 3, guard element 1 ~.s mounted i.n a slat s located along an edge of bench top ~. 'fhe slot may be formed by machining into the surface of the Iaench tap or as part of an edging strip attached to the edge of the bench top.
zn this embodiment also, guard element 1 may be perman.entJ.y fixed eith.ex' permanently ar semi~permanently (for ea~ample by a friction fit or by a moulded locking fit) in slot 5 or alternatively' may be 7,acated in the slot as a friction fit so as to be removable when desired. I't's th~.s latter case slot 5 mar be provided w~.th a waver strip 7 (shown in figure 4) so as to prevent the ingress at material or liquids into slot 5 and as an aid to appearance, In a further preferred embad~.ment of the invention, the slot may be wavered by a spring--loaded cover strip which is urged into position aver the slat as the guard element is removed.
zn yet a further preferred embodiment c~f the invention, guard element 1 may be operatively attached to bench tQp 5 by means of hinges. The hinges may be permanently attached to the working surface of the bench fop or alternatively could be demountable, In all the embodiments described, the guard element may be formed from any of a range of suitable materials, including laminates of timber, pressed. fibre or plastic or combinations thereof and metals such as steel or aluminium.
Ton-metallic materials may be transparent or opaque.
In use the guard element acts both to prevent liquids from flowing over the edge, or objects from accidentally being pushed over the edge c~f a bench top and as an impediment to small children reaching up to pull a.n obj ect aver the edge. In particular, a guard element arranged alc~n.~ the front of a cooktop lQCatec3. in the surface of a kitchen bench top will serve to minimize the possibilitx of this highly dangerous Qocurrenoe.
For embodiments of the invention in which the .guard element zs removable from the slot, different guard elements may be provided in a range of heights to suit different working and safety conditions. Thus for e~axnple in a laboratory situation where relatively tall vessels are in use, a relatively high guard can be inserted into the retaining element, whereas where the only concern is the spilling of liquids, a relatively low guard may be appropriate.
With reference to Figure 7 a bench guard 10 in aGCOrdanoe with any of the previously described embodiments is illustrated in position on a stove or bench surface 1.1 and is arranged to hare barrier height H seJ.ected such that when viewed. from tt~e eyes of a child at child head height an a f~.oor 12 adjacent the bench or cooktop 12 the guard 1~?
acts as a visual barrier to the child seeing items beyond the barrier on the cook tap or bench top 11. The barrir~r height ~T is further selected sa that it is not so high that zt i.mpedes the sight line of an adult over the top of the guard 10. The end x'esult is that the child is not able to see items an the other side of the guard wherebx the child cannot become attracted to those items. Conversely the adult sight line is not impeded sa that the adult may still 5 operate effeet~ivel.y zx1 a k~.tchen or like environment with the items such as saucepan 13 located on the stove or bench top 11.
With reference to Figures 8, 9 and 10, three different embodiments of a guard comprising, respectively, guards 20.
10 30. 40 are illustrated in perspective view. Each guard is arranged to have a different height H above the surface o~
a bench top comprising heights H1, H2 and H3. Bearing in.
mind that the guard material itself is made from an opaque substance it is possible for a user to select from the various heights H1, H2, H3 so as to achie~re the outcomes illustrated in Figure 7 as between a child and an adult.
With further reference to Figure 8 the guaxd 20 comprises a guard suppoxt xazl 21 having a vertically aligned slot 22 therein which slidably receives in a vertical direction a substantially solid az~d oontiguous guard member ~3 therein anc~ throughout the length of the slot 22.
As illustrated by the vertical arrow disengageme~.t of the guard member 23 from slot 22 is accomplished by a vertical movement in an up~rard direction relative to rail ~1. conversely engagement is carxi.ed cut i.n the reverse direction. The shape and relative angle of slot ~2 as compared with bench tap ~.l is such that only substantially vextical engagement and disen~a~ement movements are possible.
This arrangement ensures that the guard member ~
cannot be disengaged by a lateral pulling motion as might be expected by a child. can the other hand vertical disengagement is relatively easy fox' an adia.lt for the purposes of cleaning and the like.
'~k~e above describes only some embodiments of the present invention and modifications, obvious to those ski~.led in the art, can be made thereto without departing frarn the set~pe and spirit of the present invention.

Claims

1. A safety guard adapted for prevention of accidental urged dislodgment of an article or liquid over a leading edge of a fixed horizontal surface; said fixed horizontal surface comprising a kitchen bench top, or a cooktop; said guard comprising a guard member retaining means adapted for alignment at said leading edge and for affixing to said surface; said guard member retaining means presenting a substantially vertically oriented slot for slidable engagement of a guard member therein, such that said guard member presents a vertical barrier extending upwardly from said slot; said guard member of substantially rectangular cross section in both longitudinal and lateral directions, and said guard member adapted for substantially vertical engagement and disengagement with respect to said slot in said guard member retaining means; said guard member acting as a physical and visual barrier for a child to objects on a far side of said guard member when viewed by said child at child head height adjacent said bench top or cook top; and wherein said material is opaque, and said guard is demountable.

2. The safety guard of claim 1 wherein said leading edge is any edge of said surface from which said article or liquid can fall or spill when urged to within sufficiently close proximity of said edge.

3. The safety guard of claim 1 or 2 wherein said guard member is adapted to be inserted into said guard member retaining means attached to said surface.

4. The safety guard of claim 3 wherein said guard member retaining means is in the form of a rail adapted to be attached to said surface; said slot formed in said rail.

5. The safety guard of claim 4 wherein said rail is attached to said surface by attachment means including a. an applied adhesive;

b. a double sided adhesive tape; and c. mechanical means including screws and rivets.

6. The safety guard of any one of claims 3 to 5 wherein said guard and said guard retaining means are formed of metallic materials.

7. The safety guard of any one of claims 3 to 5 wherein said guard and said guard retaining means are formed of non-metallic materials.

8. The safety guard of any one of claims 3 to 5 wherein said guard and said guard retaining means are formed of a combination of metallic and non-metallic materials.

9. A method of minimising accidental urged dislodgement of an article from a surface relative to an edge thereof; said method comprising providing a safety guard as a kit of two component parts; said method including the further steps of:

a. attaching a guard member retaining means of said safety guard along a leading edge of a kitchen bench top or cook top, b. inserting a guard member of said safety guard in said retaining means, and wherein said safety guard forms a physical and visual barrier for a child to objects on a far side of said guard member when viewed by said child at child head height adjacent said bench top or cook top.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said two component parts comprise said guard member retaining means formed as a rail having a slot therein, and a substantially opaque said guard member being of substantially rectangular cross section in both longitudinal and lateral directions; said guard member adapted for vertical reception in said slot.