GB2539950A

GB2539950A - Safety catch

Info

Publication number: GB2539950A
Application number: GB1511639.5A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Clyde Nigel
Original assignee: GREKO Ltd
Current assignee: GREKO Ltd
Priority date: 2015-07-02
Filing date: 2015-07-02
Publication date: 2017-01-04
Anticipated expiration: 2035-07-02
Also published as: GB201511639D0; GB2539950B

Abstract

The safety catch comprises a body 6; a head portion 20 engagable with a locking point 10 on the inside frame of a cabinet, drawer or door; an arm 2 fixable to the inside face of a drawer via hand 1 which is connected to the body 6 by shoulder 3; and a leg 7, 8 connected to the body 6 via hips 11 and to the foot 9, the legs extending to project the foot beyond an outer face of said drawer (16, Fig. 2A). Pressure applied to the foot optionally in the opposite direction to arrow A may also cause the head and locking point to disengage via flexing and may also cause the foot to pivot around the shoulder or body, lower body or arm to flex. This catch can to be used to prevent children from opening drawers or doors.

Description

SAFETY CATCH

The present invention relates to a safety catch, suitable for cabinet drawers or doors, in particular to prevent unwanted access to the cabinet by a child.

INTRODUCTION

It is often important to secure a drawer or door from being opened. This may be by means of a lock with a code or key to release it, or by use of a catch. Child safety catches are well known, installed by parents wanting to stop their young children from opening drawers or doors to gain access to cabinets that may contain potentially harmful materials, such as cleaning products, or fragile articles, such as crockery.

Many of the prior art child safety devices require a responsible user, in this case an adult, teenager or responsible older child (for example aged 5 or 6 and upwards), to part-open the drawer or door with one hand and then reach around inside the opening and unhook or otherwise release a catch within the cabinet space. Typically, the responsible user requires a second hand to reach around inside the opening and unhook or otherwise release a catch, which can be problematic if they are, for instance, carrying an infant with their other hand. Even if only one hand can be used, some contortion is required (and potential compression or trapping of the fingers may result), especially with the popularity of self-close mechanisms on cabinet drawers and doors.

Other drawbacks with the prior art devices are that most small children can open the door enough to get their fingers or an arm inside the cupboard giving limited access to what is inside, as well as leading to a possible crushing injury . Some of the prior art catches latch in the open position to alleviate the potentially for a crushing injury. However, the cupboard is now locked in the partially open position requiring a responsible person to close it again.

We have surprisingly found that it is possible to provide a safety catch where the responsible user does not need to reach around inside a partly-opened cabinet drawer or door in order to release the catch and gain access to the cabinet by opening the drawer or door.

Furthermore, this present safety catch can be operated one-handed by a responsible user.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Thus, in a first aspect, the present invention provides a safety catch, suitable for cabinet drawers or doors, comprising: • a body (6); • a head portion (20) engagable with a locking point (10) on the inside frame of said cabinet: • an arm (2) fixable at a first end to the inside face of said drawer or door via hand (1) and which is connected to the body (6) at its second end by shoulder (3); and • a leg (7, 8) which is connected at a first end to the body (6) via hips (11) and at its second end to foot (9), the legs extending to project the foot beyond an outer face of said drawer or door.

In some embodiments, pressure may be applied by a user on the foot urges the catch to flex thereby urging the head (20) clear of the catch (10).

Preferably, in some embodiments, the pressure applied by a user on the foot urges the body (6) and/or arm (2) to flex. It is also preferred that pressure applied by a user on the foot may urge a lower body (6a) to flex.

Preferably, in some embodiments, the pressure applied by a user on the foot urges the body to pivot about the shoulder (3).

It is also preferred that the pressure applied by a user on the foot is in the opposite direction to arrow A or in the opposite direction to the opening movement of the drawer.

Also provided is a safety catch, suitable for cabinet drawers or doors, comprising: • a body (6); • a head portion (20) engagable with a locking point (10) on the inside frame of said drawer or door; • an arm (2), fixable at a first end to the inside face of said cabinet via hand (1), and which is connected to the body (6) at its second end by shoulder (3); and • a leg (7, 8) which is connected at a first end to the body (6) via hips (11) and at its second end to foot (9), the legs (7,8) extending to project the foot (9) beyond an outer face (18) of said drawer or door (16).

In this further aspect, pressure applied by a user on the foot preferably urges the catch to flex thereby urging the head (20) clear of the catch (10). The pressure applied by a user on the foot preferably urges the body (6) and/or arm (2) to flex. Pressure applied by a user on the foot preferably urges a lower body (6a) to flex. Pressure applied by a user on the foot preferably urges the body to pivot about the shoulder. In this aspect, pressure applied by a user on the foot is preferably in direction of arrow A or in the same direction as the opening movement of the drawer.

Also provided is a system comprising the safety catch and the locking point.

The invention also provides a cabinet, chest of drawers or cupboard comprising the safety catch or installed or fitted to at least one of the doors or drawers of said cabinet or cupboard.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying figures:

Figure 1 shows a safety catch (14) and locking point (10) with the safety catch in a position that allows the cabinet drawer or door to be opened;

Figure 2 shows a plan view of a drawer within a cabinet in various states of being opened. 2A shows the drawer closed; 2B and 2C show the drawer being opened with the catch in the process of being released; and 2D shows the drawer opened with the catch released;

Figure 3 shows a perspective view of a drawer within a cabinet in various states of being opened in a similar fashion to Figure 2. 3A shows the drawer closed; 3B and 3C show the drawer being opened with the catch in the process of being released; and 3D shows the drawer opened with the catch released; and

Figure 4 shows an alternative arrangement where the safety catch (14) is fixed to the cabinet frame (19) and locking point (10) is fixed to inner face (17) of the drawer (16).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

It will be appreciated that flexing of the safety catch may occur at any number of points, for example the body, arm or legs, or portions of any of these and in any combination. All that is required is that the head clears the locking point allowing the cabinet drawer or door to be opened. Pivoting may also occur about certain points such as the shoulder. Pivoting and flexing may occur together or independently. In some embodiments, the safety catch may only pivot. In some embodiments, the safety catch may only flex. In some embodiments, the safety catch may both pivot and flex.

The locking point (10) may be referred to as a keeper. It essentially functions to provide a depression or protrusion with which the catch, in particular the head, cooperates to lock the cabinet or cupboard and prevent it from opening fully.

Some opening of the cabinet or cupboard is envisaged, even with the catch in the locked position. In fact, being able to open the drawer or door to provide a little gap between the drawer or door and the cabinet frame is advantageous as it helps the safety catch to flex and clear the locking point (10). A few millimeters gap should typically suffice. In general, it is preferred that the locking point (10) is installed such that drawer/door can open by at least a few millimeters (ideally 2-5mm) while the catch is in the engaged position. Advantageously, this also makes it easier to disengage the catch.

One of the principle advantages of some embodiments of the invention is that the responsible user does not have to put or contort their fingers under, over or around the side of door/drawer. This enables one-handed use and also reduces the potential harm to trapped fingers or fingers being crushed between the drawer or door and the cabinet frame.

The foot (9) is visually discrete which assists with the aesthetics of the drawer or door. However, the foot (9) may also be provided with a button (not shown) at its end. This button may aid with visual location and to reduce pressure discomfort for the user.

In general, the safety catch is suitable for rows of closely fitting drawers/doors.

The safety catch may be made of any suitable material. Metal is preferred, but flexible and deformable plastic material is most preferable, which may be made by, for instance, injection moulding.

The safety catch and/or the locking point (10) may be attached to their respective positions on the drawer or door or frame by screws, by hand (1) in the case of the safety catch (14), but preferably by a suitable adhesive, for instance in the form of a patch provided on the hand (1) and the locking point (10).

The system may be retrofitted or provided with new cabinets. Accordingly, cabinets or cupboards comprising the system are provided. Preferably, one or more drawers or doors may be fitted with the present system. It is also envisaged that more than one system may be fitted to each drawer or door for additional safety.

It will be appreciated that reference herein to a cabinet applies equally to a cupboard and the two terms are used interchangeably unless otherwise apparent.

The opening force is preferably selective for older, more responsible children, teenagers or adults: e.g. 5 and up.

The system has broad applicability outside the field of child safety, which is largely a domestic, as it may also be useful on ships or in vehicles where rolling may unintentionally open drawers or doors.

The safety catch (14) is sufficiently resilient so that the force required to flex or pivot it into an opening position is not easily applied by an infant.

The foot (9) may simply be the end of lower leg (8) or it may be provided with a button as mentioned above.

Lower leg (8) is connected to upper leg (7) and there is preferably a substantially perpendicular bend between them at knee (12). The upper leg (7) is connected to the body (at the opposite end from the head (20)) via hips (11) which also have a substantially perpendicular bend. The substantially perpendicular bends provided here enable the legs (7,8) to extending and project the foot (9) around the frame (19) and therefore beyond an outer face (18) of said drawer or door (16).

The substantially perpendicular bends at the knees (12) and/or hips (11) are preferably in the range of 85 to 95 degrees. The bend at the hips (11) may be, in some embodiments, between 80 and 90 degrees so that the upper leg (7) and knees are raised slightly away from the plane of the hand (1), which allows additional leverage from pressure on the foot (9) to flex the safety catch (14).

The invention will now be defined with specific reference to the accompanying figures for the purposes of exemplification and it will be understood that this particular arrangement, although one preferred embodiment, is not limiting on the catch or system as a whole. In one embodiment, the catch and system operate as follows. Reference to a drawer will be understood to also include reference to a door.

Figure 1 shows a safety catch (14) and locking point (10) with the safety catch in a position that allows the cabinet drawer or door to be opened, which is the ‘open position’ defined herein. Here, safety catch (14) has cleared the locking point (10) so that the drawer (16) can be opened freely in the direction of arrow A. To get to this point, it is useful to also refer to Figure 2A or Figure 3A as starting points as these show the safety catch (14) in the ‘locked position’ i.e. engaged with the locking point (10).

Figures 2 and 3 show the system installed in and operated in a cabinet with a drawer in both plan views (Figures 2A-2D) and perspective view (Figures 3A-3D).

The responsible user approaches the cabinet (15), see Figure 2A for example, with a closed drawer (16) and pulls gently on the handle or on the outer face (18) of the drawer (16). The drawer (16) may move outwards, towards the responsible user by a few mm or a few cm (but no more than 2-3 cm ideally) before the safety catch (14) then engages the locking point (10) as shown in Figure 2B and Figure 3A. When the safety catch (14) engages the locking point (10), hook (4) abuts against edge of the locking point (10) farthest from the outer face (18) of the drawer (16). The hook (4) prevents the safety catch (14) and hence the drawer (16) from being opened any further. This would also be the situation with attempted opening by an infant. In short, the drawer (16) is locked shut or at least not more than a few mm open.

However, the responsible user unlocks the drawer (16) by pressing inwards, for example with a finger or thumb of the same hand as that holding the handle, on the foot (9). The inward pressure is in the direction closure of the drawer (16), i.e. in the opposite direction to Arrow A, as can be seen in Figures 1 and 2k. Release of the safety catch (14) can be a single handed operation if the catch is mounted close to the handle but it may also be a two handed operation.

Pressure on the foot (9) flexes the safety catch (14), for example around the body (6) and/or arm (2), especially the lower body (6a) and/or to pivot, for example about the shoulder. The result of the flexing and/or pivoting is that the head (20) tilts back, away from the locking point (10) or the frame (19) so that, as the responsible user pulls the drawer (16) in the opening direction of Arrow A, the hook (4) rides over the locking point (10), as shown in Figure 3B, and ultimately clears the locking point (10), as shown in Figures 2C and 3C.

With the hook (4) clear of the locking point (10), the drawer (16) can now be opened fully as shown in Figure 3D. Still applying pressure to the foot (9), the responsible user can now pull the drawer (16) towards him/herself and fully open the drawer (16) to allow access into it, as shown in Figures 2D and 3D.

When closing the drawer (16), the responsible user merely needs to push the drawer (16) closed. The ramp (5) and guide (13) serve to allow the safety catch (14) to resile so that the head (20) moves from the position shown in Figures 2C and 3C and pass back over the locking point (10), as shown in Figures 2B and 3B. Further closure of the drawer (16) results in the safety catch (14) returning (resiling) back to the position shown in Figures 2A and 3A.

Suitable positioning of the safety catch (14) and locking point (10) are required to ensure engagement, but this is straightforward and shown, for example, in Figures 2A and 3A.

In some embodiments, the joints, such as the shoulders (3) and wrist (where the hand (1) connects to arm (2)) may be pivots. Any of the joints, such the shoulders (3), wrist, hips (11) or knee (12) may be pivots. In some embodiments, it is preferred that they are biased with, for example, a spring so as to return the safety catch (14) to its starting position (i.e. preopening as shown in Figures 1, 2A and 3A).

An advantage of the invention is that by applying light pressure to the foot, and at the same time pulling the drawer, the body flexes. However, without applying the pressure to the foot the body moves with the drawer, not providing the flex and so remains locked.

Although connections between parts are shown as fused or formed as a single piece, it will also be appreciated that that hinges or other pivot points can be used. For example it is preferred that one or both of the connection points at either end of the arm (2), i.e. with the hand (1) and/or the shoulder (3), can be hinge type pivot points.

In one preferred arrangement, shown, the hand (1) is fixed to the inner face (17) of the drawer (16) and the locking point (10) is fixed to the inside of the cabinet frame (19). This first embodiment may be operated (unlocked) by pushing on the foot, i.e. applying pressure in the opposite direction to arrow A in Figures 1-3.

However, in an alternative arrangement, shown in Figure 4, the safety catch (14) is fixed to the cabinet frame (19) and locking point (10) is fixed to inner face (17) of the drawer (16). Essentially, this works in a similar fashion to that described in respect of the first arrangement, except that the user pulls on the foot (9) which in turn urges the head (20) clear of the locking point (10) allowing the drawer to opened. The user pulls on the foot (9), for example, in the same direction as arrow A (i.e. in the direction that the drawer or door will move to open (at least initially in respect of a door).

Features List 1 - hand (1) 2 - arm (2) 3 - shoulder (3) 4 - hook (4) 5 - ramp (5) 6 - body (6) 6a - lower body (6a) 6b - upper body(6b) 7 - seat, upper leg (7) 8 - lower leg (8) 9 - foot (9) 10 - locking point (10) 11 -hips (11) 12- knee (12) 13- guide (13) 14 - safety catch (14) 15 - cabinet (15) 16 - drawer (16) 17 - inner face (17) 18-outerface (18) 19 - cabinet frame (19) 20 - head

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A safety catch, suitable for cabinet drawers or doors, comprising: • a body (6); • a head portion (20) engagable with a locking point (10) on the inside frame of said cabinet; • an arm (2), fixable at a first end to the inside face of said drawer or door via hand (1), and which is connected to the body (6) at its second end by shoulder (3); and • a leg (7, 8) which is connected at a first end to the body (6) via hips (11) and at its second end to foot (9), the legs (7,8) extending to project the foot (9) beyond an outer face (18) of said drawer or door (16).

2. A safety catch according to claim 1, wherein pressure applied by a user on the foot urges the catch to flex thereby urging the head (20) clear of the catch (10).

3. A safety catch according to any one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the pressure applied by a user on the foot urges the body (6) and/or arm (2) to flex.

4. A safety catch according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the pressure applied by a user on the foot urges a lower body (6a) to flex.

5. A safety catch according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the pressure applied by a user on the foot urges the body to pivot about the shoulder.

6. A safety catch according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the pressure applied by a user on the foot is in the opposite direction to arrow A or in the opposite direction to the opening movement of the drawer.

7. A safety catch, suitable for cabinet drawers or doors, comprising: • a body (6); • a head portion (3) engagable with a locking point (10) on the inside frame of said drawer or door; • an arm (2), fixable at a first end to the inside face of said cabinet via hand (1), and which is connected to the body (6) at its second end by shoulder (3); and • a leg (7, 8) which is connected at a first end to the body (6) via hips (11) and at its second end to foot (9), the legs (7,8) extending to project the foot (9) beyond an outer face (18) of said drawer or door (16).

8. A safety catch according to claim 7, wherein pressure applied by a user on the foot urges the catch to flex thereby urging the head (20) clear of the catch (10).

9. A safety catch according to any one of claims 7 or 8, wherein the pressure applied by a user on the foot urges the body (6) and/or arm (2) to flex.

10. A safety catch according to any of claims 7-9, wherein the pressure applied by a user on the foot urges a lower body (6a) to flex.

11. A safety catch according to any of claims 7-10, wherein the pressure applied by a user on the foot urges the body to pivot about the shoulder.

12. A safety catch according to any of claims 7-11, wherein the pressure applied by a user on the foot is in direction of arrow A or in the same direction as the opening movement of the drawer.

13. A system comprising the safety catch according to any one of the preceding claims and a locking part (10).

14. A cabinet, chest of drawers or cupboard comprising the safety catch or system according to any one of the preceding claims fitted to at least one of the doors or drawers of the cabinet or cupboard.