US20060181182A1

US20060181182A1 - Cabinet drawer drivingly connected locking mechanism

Info

Publication number: US20060181182A1
Application number: US11/055,103
Authority: US
Inventors: Sue-Tsen Hung
Original assignee: Super Test Corp
Current assignee: Super Test Corp
Priority date: 2005-02-11
Filing date: 2005-02-11
Publication date: 2006-08-17

Abstract

A cabinet drawer drivingly connected locking mechanism which can be synchronously driven along by the opening and closing operation of the top cover of the cabinet body to complete the locking and unlocking state of cabinet drawers, including a sliding seat, an engaging body having an engaging hole and an elastic element, when the top cover is pressed on the engaging body, an anchoring hole of the engaging body will press against the elastic element causing it to bend and store elasticity, the engaging hole will be moved downwards to engage with the locking element so as to complete the locking state of the drawer, when the top cover is opened, the depressing force of the engaging body is released, the restored elasticity of the elastic element is released and carries the engaging body and the engaging hole to move upwards back to its original position, thus unlocked the drawer.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a cabinet drawer drivingly connected locking mechanism and, more particularly, to a locking mechanism that can be synchronously driven along by the opening and closing operation of the top cover of the cabinet body to complete the locking and unlocking state of cabinet drawers

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In order to facilitate users to classify and reorganize the tools at home, there exists a so-called tool cabinet. Most existing tool cabinet comprises a body equipped by four sidewalls between four corner pods, one top cover and one base. The top of the body is an open end that can be opened or closed by the top cover. The interior of the cabinet body can install some partitions, the partitions and the top cover formed a compartment for storing tiny tools. And at least one sidewall having an open end which allows a sliding drawer to be horizontally inserted into the cabinet body. Since the cabinet may be moved about as a unitary unit to the most convenient position relative to the operation place, the cabinet usually has a drawer locking mechanism in order to avoid the drawers from dropping out of the cabinet during transportation.
Conventional drawer locking mechanism secures the drawers one by one, such as shown in the R.O.C Patent Publication No. 137421 and No. 313187. But a user has to use the tools inside the cabinet right after the cabinet is being transported, it will be time-consuming and inconvenient for the user to lock the drawers one by one before transporting the cabinet. Therefore, a drivingly connected locking device for cabinet drawers is needed, such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,347,848, U.S. Pat. No. 6,572,203, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,742,854, each patent discloses a locking device having a slide seat disposed in the case body, an engaging body is vertically slidably fitted in the slide seat, a latch plate disposed on each drawer and the engaging body is formed with several engaging holes corresponding to the latch plates of the drawers. By the use of a driving section (such as the link design in U.S. Pat. No. 6,347,848) to depress the engaging body causing the engaging holes and the latch plates to form a drawer locked state. And it is emphasized in the above patents that in case one of the drawers is not totally pushed in and is not locked, a user only needs to further push the drawer inward. At this time, the engaging body will move upward and then move down to lock the drawer.
However, the above locking mechanism is quite difficult to assemble and the exertion of the second driving force is acceptable but very inconvenient. Mainly because when a user further pushes the engaging body upwards, the other locked drawers will be unlocked at the same time and causing the original unlocked drawers to drop out. Furthermore, FIG. 5 of U.S. Pat. No. 6,572,203 is the only patent that discloses the driving section of the cabinet drawer locking device can be a cover board. All the other patents are using additional key unit to rotate the link design manually for locking and unlock the drawer which is very inconvenient. In FIG. 5 of U.S. Pat. No. 6,572,203 discloses a shifting section used to pivotally connect a cover board and an engaging body, but the engaging body includes a first slide section and a second slide section. This will not only causing inconveniency to actual operation and assembly, the shifting section will also damage the cover board easily which affect the overall aesthetic appealing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is a primary object of the present invention is to provide a cabinet drawer drivingly connected locking mechanism that can lock all the drawers at one time. And the locking and unlock state of the cabinet drawers can both be controlled by the opening and closing operation of the top cover of the cabinet.
In order to achieve the foregoing objects, the locking mechanism of the present invention comprises a sliding seat, an engaging body having an engaging hole and an elastic element that is connected to a partition and an anchoring hole of the engaging body. When the cabinet is closed by the depression of the top cover, the top cover will press on the engaging body and the anchoring hole of the engaging body will also press against the elastic element causing it to store elasticity. The engaging hole will be moved downwards, causing the locking element of the drawer to be secured within the engaging hole, thus complete the locking state of the drawer. When the top cover is opened, the depressing force of the engaging body is released, the restored energy of the elastic element within the engaging hole is also released and carries the engaging body and the anchoring hole to move upwards to its original position.
The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the locking mechanism of the present invention.
FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C are perspective views showing that the drawers in a locking state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer to FIGS. 1 and 2, showing a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention and an exploded view of the locking mechanism. A cabinet body 10 includes an upper open side 101 and a lateral open side 102, a top cover 11 is arranged on the upper open side 101, and at least one partition 12 is arranged in the cabinet body 10 defining at least one compartment 103. At least one drawable and slidable drawer 20 is arranged in the lateral open side 102. At least one locking element 21 is disposed on each drawer 20 at the side which is corresponding to the inside edge of the lateral open side 102 when the drawer is drawn in. At least one locking mechanism includes a sliding seat 13 which is fixedly arranged in the cabinet body 10 correspondingly located at the opening and closing driving position of the top cover 11. A engaging body 14 located on the sliding seat 13, the engaging body 14 can be driven by the opening and closing operation of the top cover 11 to move vertically along the sliding seat 13. The engaging body 14 includes a engaging hole 141 corresponding to the locking element 21 of the drawer 20, and an anchoring hole 142. An elastic element 15 having one end secured by the anchoring hole 142 and the other end connected to the partition 12. Wherein, one end of the above locking element 21 corresponding to the engaging hole 141 is bent towards the drawer 20 in an acute inclination angle to form a engaging end 211. Such inclination angle of the engaging end 211 has to allow the locking element 21 and the engaging end 211 to freely get into and out of the engaging hole 141 when the drawer 20 is at an unlocked state. On the other hand, when the drawer 20 is at a locked state, the engaging end 211 cannot freely get into and out of the engaging hole 141.
Please refer to FIG. 3A, when the top cover 11 is at an open state corresponding to the cabinet body 10, the drawer 20 then can be slid horizontally into the cabinet body 10 through the lateral open side 102. And referring to FIG. 3B, when a user finishes using the tools inside the drawer 20, or when a user needs to transport the cabinet body 10 to another place. The user can just push the drawer 20 into the cabinet body 10, allowing the locking element 21 at the back of the drawer 20 to go inside the engaging hole 141, and the inclined engaging end 211 at the edge of the locking element 21 will go behind the engaging hole 141. As shown in FIG. 3C, when a user closes the top cover 11, since there is an additional protecting cap 143 located at the top of the engaging body 14, thus protecting the top cover 11 from being damaged by the engaging body 14 when the top cover 11 pressed on the engaging body 14. A cover 16 is also decorated at those sections of both the engaging body 14 and the sliding seat 13 which are exposed between the partition 12 and the top cover 11.
When the top cover 11 is pressed on the engaging body 14, the anchoring hole 142 of the engaging body 14 will press against the elastic element 15 causing it to bend and store elasticity. The engaging hole 141 will then be moved downwards, causing the engaging end 211 of the locking element 20 to be blocked behind the engaging body 14 and engaged within the engaging hole 141. This completes the locking state of the drawer 20 and the drawer 20 cannot get freely into and out of the lateral open side 102 at this moment. When the top cover 11 is opened, the depressing force of the engaging body 14 is released, the restored elasticity of the elastic element 15 is released and carries the engaging body 14 and the engaging hole 141 to move upwards back to its original position. It is worthwhile to mention that the present invention only need to construct an anchoring hole 142 on the engaging body 14, and also to assemble an elastic element 15 connecting the partition 12 and the engaging body 14. Therefore, the overall components and assembly is simpler and more convenient than those conventional locking devices. And the top cover 11 of the present invention is drivingly connected to the locking mechanism of the drawer 20, that is, the locking mechanism can be synchronously driven along by the opening and closing operation of the top cover 11 of the cabinet body 10 to complete the locking and unlocking state of cabinet drawers 20, thus providing easier operation.
Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is not used to limit the invention. It is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Claims

1. A cabinet drawer drivingly connected locking mechanism, characterized in:

a cabinet body having an upper open side and a lateral open side, a top cover arranged on the upper open side, at least one partition arranged in the cabinet body to form at least one compartment, at least one drawable and slidable drawer arranged in the lateral open side, and at least one locking element disposed on each drawer at the side which is corresponding to the inside edge of the lateral open side when the drawer is drawn in;

at least one locking mechanism having a sliding seat which is fixedly arranged in the cabinet body correspondingly located at the opening and closing driving position of the top cover, an engaging body located on the sliding seat, wherein the engaging body can be driven by the opening and closing operation of the top cover to move vertically along the sliding seat and the engaging body includes an engaging hole corresponding to the locking element of the drawer, an anchoring hole, and an elastic element having one end secured by the anchoring hole and the other end connected to the partition; and

when the top cover is pressed on the engaging body, the anchoring hole of the engaging body will press against the elastic element causing it to bend and store elasticity, the engaging hole will then be moved downwards to engage with the locking element so as to complete the locking state of the drawer, when the top cover is opened, the depressing force of the engaging body is released, the restored elasticity of the elastic element is released and carries the engaging body and the engaging hole to move upwards back to its original position, thus unlocked the drawer.

2. The cabinet drawer drivingly connected locking mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the top of the engaging body has a protecting cap.

3. The cabinet drawer drivingly connected locking mechanism according to claim 1, wherein one end of the locking element corresponding to the engaging hole is bent towards the drawer in an inclination angle to form an engaging end, such inclination angle of the engaging end has to allow the locking element and the engaging end to freely get into and out of the engaging hole when the drawer is at an unlocked state and when the drawer is at a locked state, the engaging end cannot freely get into and out of the engaging hole.

4. The cabinet drawer drivingly connected locking mechanism according to claim 3, wherein the inclination angle of the engaging end is an acute angle.