GB2213899A

GB2213899A - Safety protection device

Info

Publication number: GB2213899A
Application number: GB8900653A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Victor Seed
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1988-01-16
Filing date: 1989-01-12
Publication date: 1989-08-23
Anticipated expiration: 2009-01-12
Also published as: GB8900653D0; GB8800965D0; GB2213899B

Abstract

A safety protection cover for a domestic appliance control panel comprises a hinged front panel (20) to allow access to the appliance controls and means (40, 41) for biassing the panel (20) to a closed position covering said controls. <IMAGE>

Description

Title: Safety Protection Device DESCRIPTION This invention relates to safety protection covers for the controls of domestic appliances.

Many modern domestic appliances, such as washing machines, tumble dryers, dish washers and cookers have control panels on their front face at a height that renders them susceptible to being interfered with or damaged, particularly by young children. Indeed many present micro-processor controlled appliances have touch sensitive controls so that pre-set programmes can be easily altered by even aslight touch. Appliances such as these used in a kitchen environment are also vulnerable to internal damage through grime and grease clogging and jamming control switches and, for example, in the case of washing machines undesirable obstacles getting into the soap dispenser draw. In the latter cases it is often necessary for service engineers to be called out to effect repairs, usually at some cost to the appliance owner.

It is an object of this invention to provide a safety protection device for the controls of domestic appliances, such as washing machines.

According to this invention there is provided a safety protection device comprising a cover to fit over a domestic appliance control panel.

The cover of the invention preferably has a hinged front panel to allow access to the appliance controls the panel being preferably biassed to a closed position to protect the controls against unwanted interference.

Biassing of the panel may be by spring loading thereof, possibly along the hinging axis. Alternatively, biassing may be by weight means. Such weight means may comprise an arm that also serves as a movement limiter for the panel, for which a stop is provided beyond which the arm cannot move.

It is thought that the most convenient place for the hinge would be associated with, preferably along, the bottom of the cover, so that the panel could be pulled down to give easy access to the appliance controls and ir the case of washing machines be held down by the soap dispenser draw while the desired washing programme is set.

IMen not being held open the panel will return to its closed position via the action of a spring or weight, where it may be held in place by a retainer catch or catches or the weight itself.

The cover of the invention may fit onto the sides of the appliance say by means of relatively flat members that may be fastened to the sides of the appliance. Said members may provide the aforesaid stops. Alternatively, the cover of the invention may be fastened on to the top or bottom of the appliance, which is especially suitable for the likes of video recorders. Fastening may be any suitable means, a adhesive being preferred. To that end the flat members may be provided with self adhesive areas protected by peelable barrier layers to be removed prior to fitment.

It is envisaged that the device may be produced in kit form to allow it to be fitted to appliances already existing in the home since control panels of many modern appliances are of a standard size.

To facilitate monitoring of controls the cover is preferably made of a generally transparent material, such as plastics. The availability of coloured or tinted plastics means that covers may be manufactured to match the appliance colour and still give a clear view of the controls.

To protect the front of an appliance it is preferred that the covers of the invention have astrip of resilient material, such as sponge, on the panel edge that contacts the appliance.

Specific implementation of this invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a front view of a safety protection device; Figure 2 shows a front view of the safety protection device of Figure 1 with the front cover lowered; Figure 3 shows a side view of the safety protection device of Figure 1 with the front cover lowered; Figure 4 shows a video recorder and cover therefor; Figure 5 shows the cover of Figure 4; Figure 6 shows detail of the cover of Figure 4; Figure 7 shows a further embodiment of the invention in perspective; Figure 8 is a side view of the embodiment of Figure 7; and Figure 9 is a front view of the embodiment of Figure 7.

In Figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings, a safety protection device suitable for a washing machine control panel comprises two plates 10A, 10B spaced apart and connected by a rectangular member 25 at right angles thereto and between front and rear edges of the plates 10A, 103. Rearward of the member 25 are webs 15A, 15B integral with said plates 10A, 103. Hingedly connected to the member 25 is a panel 20 curved as shown to correspond to the curvature of the front edges 11A, 113 of the plates 10A and 103. The panel 20 provides means of access to the controls of the washing machine when in its lowered position.Otherwise it is biassed upwards by means of springs 40, 41 connected between the ends of the panel 20 and the plates 10A, 103.

The panel comprises of transparent plastics materials and is connected to the rectangular member 25 by hinges 45, 46, 47. The panel 20 is retained in its upper or closed position by catches 30, 31 located on the inside surfaces of plates 10A, 103, these catches cooperating with webs 22, 23 at opposite ends of the plastic sheet 20, though it is envisaged that the front panel 20 may alternatively be held in place by some connection to the actual appliance.

Beading edge 50 of the panel 20 has a strip of sponge material 52 therealong to prevent scratching of the appliance fascia.

The device is quite easily fitted to an electrical appliance utilising self-adhesive strips 50 on the inwards surfaces of member 25 and webs 15A, 153 respectively.

In its closed or upper position the panel 20 prevents unwanted interference with an underlying control panel. Lowering or opening of the panel is achieved by pressure on the sides of the cover to release the catches and pulling downwards on the panel. After adjustment of the controls the panel when released will return to the closed position due to the spring biassing thereof.

Turning to Figures 4 to 6 of the accompanying drawings, a video recorder 60 has a cover 62 for a front panel thereof. The cover 62 comprises a panel 64 of fairly rigid plastics material and hinge parts 66 extending at right angles from the panel 64 and complementary hinge parts 68 adhered to the underside of the video recorder 60. The hinge parts 66, 68 are connected by a spring 70 in order to bias the panel 64 upwards to lie against the front of the recorder.

Lowering the panel 6 against the force of the spring allows controls of the video to be adjusted after which the panel will return to and be held in its position against the front of the recorder to prevent accidental alteration of the controls of the recorder such as by a child.

Turning to Figures 7 to 9 of the accompanying drawings, a domestic appliance control safety cover comprises an elongated ,. > -lel 80 having a shaped cross-section, a first pat 82 of which is straight to which hinges 84 are attached, and a second part 86 of which is arcuate in order to accommodate outstanding control knobs and the like of the appliance.

The hinges 84 comprise Reshaped members having a first web 87 that is attachable to the panel 80 by means of screws 88 through the panel into the web 87. The panel 80 has a longitudinal slot 90 for each screw 88 so that the spacing of the hinges can be adjusted to the width of the appliance. The hinges 84 have a second web 91 at right angles to the first web and through which a hinge pin 92 fits. The second web 91 has a stepped top edge 94.

The hinge pins 92 also pass through slim box-like structures 96 attached to the sides of the appliance by means of adhesive, preferably of the type that will permit the box-like structures 96 to be pressed onto the sides of the appliance and retained. Such adhesive may be already applied to the structures 96 and protected by a barrier layer to be removed for attachment of the structures 96 to the appliance.

The box-like structures 96 comprise a tray-like part 98 which is actually adhered to the appliance and a cover 100, the tray and cover defining a space therebetween which aot'r#od & tes hinge web 91 so that it is free to pivot in ssid space. The tray part 98 has a wall 102 tat is brozen at 104 to provide a gap through which hinge web 91 extends to the first web 87. The wall 102 is deeper in the region 106 above the gap 104 to provide an abutment for the hinge web 91.

The hinge web 91 is intended to act as a stop to limit downward movement of the panel 80 and to provide a counterbalance weight so as to bias the panel towards a closed position i.e. against the appliance. That facilitates closing of the panel and reduces the likelihood of inadvertent opening of the panel.

The panel itself is slightly longer than the appliance and the structures 96 together sothat its ends extend to provide finger holds for lowering/opening the panel.

Claims

CIAItE

1. A safety protection cover to fit over a domestic appliance controls, comprising a hinged front panel to allow acces to the appliance controls and means for biassing the panel to a closed position covering said controls.

2. A cover as claimed in claim 1 having spring biassing means.

3. A cover as claimed in claim 1 having weight biassing means.

4. A cover as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein hinging is associated with or along a bottom edge of the panel.

5. A cover as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 having side members attachable to appliance sides members and which provide or accommodate means for holding the panel in a closed position.

6. A cover as claimed in claim 5, wherein said side members are retained on the appliance by adhesive.

7. A cover as claimed in claim 5 ot 6, wherein said side members are of box-like construction providing a space for a weighted member which also takes a hinge pin for pivotting the panel.

8. A cover as claimed in claim 7, wherein said box-like construction also includes stop means for limiting movement of said weighted member.

9. A cover as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the panel has at least an arcuate section part to accommodate outstanding appliance controls.

10. A cover as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the panel has a resilient material on an upper edge that contacts the appliance.

11. A safety protection device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in any of Figures 1 to 3, Figures 4 to 6 and Figures 7 to 9.