GB2470120A

GB2470120A - A magnetic catch device

Info

Publication number: GB2470120A
Application number: GB201007520A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alan Green
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-05-05
Filing date: 2010-05-05
Publication date: 2010-11-10
Also published as: GB201007520D0; GB0908264D0; GB0907651D0; GB0908717D0

Abstract

A magnetic catch device for opening or maintaining closed a door of a cabinet 4 comprising a door movably connected to a frame member is disclosed. The catch device comprises at least two magnetic pole members, at least one of which is switchable between a first state of attraction and a second state of repulsion between the magnetic pole members. One of the magnetic pole members is locatable at the door and the other of the magnetic pole members 2 is locatable at the frame member 5. Actuating means 6 are provided including an operating member adapted to selectively switch the at least one magnetic pole member between the first and second states, wherein the operating member is locatable at an exterior portion of the frame member. The arrangement may include shock absorbing means to limit the impact of the door on the frame on closing.

Description

Magnetic Catch Device The present invention relates to magnetic catches, locking devices and the like and to enclosures and cabinets on which they are provided.

In the present specification, the term cabinet' means any box, dispensing apparatus, cupboard, display cabinet, room or the like in which access to an enclosed volume is via a door-like member. The door-like member may be a door or a drawer or the like and may be pivotably or slidably connected to the frame of the cabinet.

Catches for cabinets that employ the phenomenon of magnetic attraction and repulsion as part of their working mechanism are known. Some of these catches involve the switching of magnetic polarity, which can be due to the reversal of electric current or moving a permanent magnet.

These known mechanisms typically rely on co-operating parts that are susceptible to wear or breakage. Also, a degree of accuracy is required when installing the catches, especially for those that comprise and make use of opposing poles.

*...o The devices also often produce a resistance to door opening or closing that requires positive user pressure to overcome and that might be slower in opening than desired. The operating member of the device is provided at the door. When a user operates this to open the door, * the door pivots outwardly towards, and then contacts, the user's hand which prevents a..

* further outward pivoting. * a. * a *...

With many standard catches, magnetic or otherwise, there is a shudder' as the opening resistance is overcome and this is undesirable. For magnetic catches, the magnets tend to be damaged and lose power when subjected to continuing impact and some can be easily fractured. They are also typically complex. Users are accustomed to operating cabinets from the front and complicated mechanisms have been developed to allow this.

It is desirable to provide a less complex device. It is desirable to provide a device having a user interface such that the main body of the device can be positioned elsewhere and still be seen and operated from the front. It is desirable to provide a device that facilitates disabled persons to more easily use the door, with no handle, and that can be opened and closed without direct manual contact. It is desirable to provide a device having a lock that incorporates a simple child safe feature.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a magnetic catch device for opening or maintaining closed a door of a cabinet, the door movably connected to a frame member, the device comprising: at least two magnetic pole members, at least one of which is switchable between a first state of attraction and a second state of repulsion between the magnetic pole members, wherein one of the magnetic pole members is locatable at the door and the other of the magnetic pole members is locatable at the frame member; and actuating means including an operating member adapted to selectively switch the at least one magnetic pole member between the first and second states, wherein the operating member is locatable at an exterior portion of the frame member.

o According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a cabinet including a *S*.

magnetic catch device in accordance with the first aspect of the invention. The cabinet may be a medical cabinet such as a medical dispensing apparatus.

* Preferably the magnetic pole members are adapted to physically interact within an interior : *5 space defined by the cabinet. S...

S *S*

Preferably the magnetic pole members are connected by a joining mechanism. Preferably the magnetic pole members are hingeably connected.

Preferably at least one of the magnetic pole members is attachable or positionable by adhesive means.

Preferably the magnetic pole members comprise a first and a second member adapted to be positionable directly opposite one another to maintain closed the door of the cabinet when the door is closed. Preferably the actuating means is adapted to move one of the first and second members away from the directly opposite position. Preferably the actuating means is adapted to move the first member laterally away from being directly opposite the second member to a lateral position. Preferably the magnetic pole members comprise a third member having a polarity opposite to the second member. Preferably the third member is provided directly opposite the first member when it has been moved to the lateral position.

Alternatively, the third member is moved along with the first member such that it is moved to being directly opposite the second member when the first member when it is at the lateral position.

Preferably the actuating means is movable within a first channel provided at the cabinet, preferably the frame. Preferably the channel is located at a top, bottom or side portion of the frame. Preferably the magnetic pole members are provided within the channel.

One of the magnetic pole members may be movable within the first channel. The first channel may have means to limit the movement of the moveable magnetic pole member, for example end stops may be provided within the channel. The first channel may be s*.?O moveable within a second channel or holding means. ***.

* *. * ** * * Preferably the moveable magnetic pole member is moveable by magnetic influence within the first channel. Preferably the second channel is moveable upon being urged to move by *.

the user. * *. * .

The channel may include shock absorbing means. The shock absorbing means may be adapted to substantially surround the magnetic pole members.

Preferably the device is adapted to act directly on the door to attract or repel the door relative to the frame member. Alternatively, the device may be adapted to act directly on a latch that forms a lock for the cabinet.

The moveable magnetic pole member may be adapted to retard the speed of the return travel of the door, under influence of opposite pole attraction, once the operating member has switched the state of the magnetic pole member.

S The operating member may comprise means to indicate the contents of the cabinet. The operating member may be adapted to be visible to the user from the front of the cabinet by virtue of its form, and/or appearance and/or orientation.

One of the magnetic pole members may be positioned between two resilient members, for example adhesive tapes, that provide shock protection and also provide attachment means.

The first channel may comprise an extension means on its surface that co-operates with the second channel such that when the first channel is rotated the second channel engages and forms a restriction to movement of the first channel thus providing a child proof safety means.

The magnetic pole members may comprise a first row of magnets that are serially arranged, the magnets being spaced by a predetermined distance. The row of magnets may be attached to a substrate that may be cut or adjusted by the user and then affixed to the 2O door. The row of magnets may be presented on a roll of material.

* ** . S. * Preferably the magnets within the housing or sliding means are connected by a non ferrous material, such that they move together as one unit when urged by the user. I.. *

: ** *?,5 One or more magnetic pole members may be urged to move upon closing the door. *.*. **.

A magnetic pole member with opposite polarity at each end may be housed in a tube or the like, the tube comprising end closures that further comprise extensions that may act as finger grips or sliding stops.

The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following figures, in which: Figure 1 shows a cabinet including a magnetic catch device; Figure 2 shows a portion of the magnetic catch device of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a magnetic catch device formatted as a standard strip that can be cut to attach to one side of the closure and matching slideable magnets that can be easily attached in a facing position and urged to move by the user; and Figure 4 shows a cabinet door with side and base options for device position.

Figure 1 shows a cabinet 4 including a magnetic catch device for opening and closing a door which is pivotably attached by a hinge to the cabinet 4. The device comprises a number of magnetic pole members, which are switchable between a first state of attraction and a second state of repulsion between the magnetic pole members.

A first magnetic pole member 2 is integral to the frame 5 and a second magnetic pole member 1 is integral to the door 2. An operating member is adapted to selectively switch at least one magnetic pole member between the first and second states. A portion of the operating member is located at an exterior portion of the frame 5.

A user can linearly move the first magnetic pole member 2 which includes magnet pole 7 in ***..20 the direction labelled 8 by pressing on a magnet extension grip 6 of the operating member. *...

The movement is downwards in Figure 1. The pole 7 is linearly moved so that it is directly opposite to pole 7A of the second magnetic pole member 1 provided at the door 1. The : door then swings open in direction 9 due to repulsion of the opposing magnets which have like polarity. Extension grip 6 can be adapted to remain in this position until the door is : *s closed whereupon it resets with opposite poles attracting.

S *S.

S

In the embodiment of figure 2, the first magnetic pole member 2 is located in a channel 10 that is formed in the frame 5. The magnet extension grip 6 is pressed laterally to move the pole 7.

In the embodiment of figure 3, the second magnetic pole member 1 is hinged to the first magnetic pole member. The second member 1 has magnets 13 and 14 with north and south poles arranged serially and linked by a fixed distance link 12. The linked magnets may be cut off a roll of magnets and applied with fixing means, preferably adhesive. The first member 2 comprises magnets 17 and 18 located in channel sliding means 15. Channel sliding means may be adhesively attached to the inside surface of member 2. Magnets 17 and 18 have the same fixed distance between them as magnets 13 and 14 and move together when urged by the user through extension grip means 6 in directions 11 and 8.

The door opens and closes under the influence of the magnetic poles that act across the gap between the members at different distances. The moveable magnets 17 and 18 slide to reset automatically when the door is urged closed.

The fitter that fits the mechanism can choose to position the strips depending on the weight and geometry of the door and the effect desired.

Figure 4A shows a catch at the side of a cabinet where pushing in direction 11 opens the door. Figure 4B shows a catch at the base of a cabinet where the catch moves in direction to hold the cabinet door closed.

End pieces 20 and 21 can be fit into the ends of channel iSA during assembly of the cabinet to provide finger grip means 20 and sliding stop means 21 on either side. A spacer 33 can be inserted into the channel to take up the width X of the member 31.

A fitter may first of all attach the fixed magnet 7A over the moveable magnet 7, positioning it directly over the opposing pole. The fitter exposes adhesive on the under-surface of : *7,5 magnet 7A and with the interface means, button 20 fully extended as in the closed S...

condition, in the channel 15, closes the door.

The fixed magnet 7A may then accurately adhesively locate laterally against the inside of the door member 1, such that repelling poles will be centred over each other when the magnet 7 is urged in direction ii. The fixed pole 7A, in this case negative, is preferably all on one side of a preferably thin magnet body while the moveable magnet 7 is a long magnet with opposite poles at each end.

The fitter pushes in the button 20 to open the door 1 thus pressing on the adhesive by holding the door closed, then opens the door and may finish the attachment using additional means. Thus a quick accurate assembly can be obtained by inexperienced fitters.

The same assembly as in figure 4 can be used for other single cabinets at the side or top and serially arranged hanging cabinets by placing channel 15 through the floor 35, (or top not seen) and arranging the poles such that they attract with the button 20 in the down position and pressing up on the button 2Oto open.

The device comprises means whereby the fitter can adapt the length of the channel iSA and the spacer 33 to be suitable for the thickness of panel that they must pass through and means to choose the position of the spacer 33 on one or other side of the magnet 7 and means to be able to place the magnet in the channel 15A with either pole at either end of the channel iSA. The fitter can choose to open the catch by either pushing up or pressing down on the user interface means 20.

Thus using this system with a catch fitted underneath a cabinet such that the user pushes it up in direction 40 to open, the door may be opened without being touched by hand and *...20 closed without being touched by hand, for example the upward movement of the back of ***.

* the arm.

Vibration absorbing means 41 can be packed around magnet 7. *** * ** * * ****

S *

Claims

Claims 1. A magnetic catch device for opening or maintaining closed a door of a cabinet, the door movably connected to a frame member, the device comprising: at least two magnetic pole members, at least one of which is switchable between a first state of attraction and a second state of repulsion between the magnetic pole members, wherein one of the magnetic pole members is locatable at the door and the other of the magnetic pole members is locatable at the frame member; and actuating means including an operating member adapted to selectively switch the at least one magnetic pole member between the first and second states, wherein the operating member is locatable at an exterior portion of the frame member.
2. A cabinet including a magnetic catch device as claimed in Claim 1.
3. A cabinet as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the cabinet comprises a medical dispensing apparatus.
4. A cabinet as claimed in Claim 2 or 3, wherein the magnetic pole members are adapted to physically interact within an interior space defined by the cabinet. S...S

* .1.*I *
5. A cabinet as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the magnetic pole members are connected by a joining mechanism. I..

: *.5
6. A cabinet as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein at least one of the magnetic S...pole members is attachable or positionable by adhesive means.
7. A cabinet as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the magnetic pole members comprise a first and a second member adapted to be positionable directly opposite one another to maintain closed the door of the cabinet when the door is closed.
8. A cabinet as claimed in Claim 7, wherein the actuating means is adapted to move one of the first and second members away from the directly opposite position.
9. A cabinet as claimed in Claim 8, wherein the actuating means is adapted to move the first member laterally away from being directly opposite the second member to a lateral position.
10. A cabinet as claimed in any of Claims 7 to 9, including a third member having a polarity opposite to the second member.
11. A cabinet as claimed in Claim 10, wherein the third member is provided directly opposite the first member when it has been moved to the lateral position.
12. A cabinet as claimed in Claim 10, wherein the third member is moved along with the first member such that it is moved to being directly opposite the second member when the first member when it is at the lateral position.
13. A cabinet as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the actuating means is movable within a first channel provided at the frame member, one or more of the magnetic pole *"0 members being provided within the first channel. * *

:
14. A cabinet as claimed in Claim 13, wherein one of the magnetic pole members are movable within the first channel. * *.. *

: .25
15. A cabinet as claimed in Claim 13 or 14, wherein the first channel is moveable within a second channel or holding means.
16. A cabinet as claimed in any of Claims 13 to 15, wherein the channel includes shock absorbing means.
17. A cabinet as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the moveable magnetic pole member is adapted to retard the speed of the return travel of the door once the operating member has switched the state of the magnetic pole member.
18. A cabinet as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein one of the magnetic pole members is positioned between two resilient members that provide shock protection and also provide attachment means.
19. A cabinet as claimed in Claim 15, wherein the first channel comprises an extension means on its surface that co-operates with the second channel such that when the first channel is rotated the second channel engages and forms a restriction to movement of the first channel.
20. A cabinet as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein one or more of the magnetic pole members comprises a first row of magnets that are serially arranged, the magnets being spaced by a predetermined distance. * .20 * a a...S* S.... * . * ** * S * I.. * * S..S : **.S *1* *