Child safety latch

Abstract

The invention relates to a child safety latch for limiting movement of moveable elements, comprising a prong assembly secured to one element, and an anchor assembly secured to the other element for capturing the terminal end of said prong, said anchor assembly including a receiver to receive and capture said terminal end to stop movement relative movement of the elements by automatic engagement of the receiver of the anchor assembly with the terminal end, the prong assembly being movable by a user between a first position in which the terminal end is captured by the receiver preventing movement of one element with respect to the other element and a second position in which the terminal end is released from the receiver permitting relative movement of the respective elements. The prong is resilient and returns to the first position after release by the user such that when one element is moved back towards the other element, the latch is automatically reactivated such that subsequent movement of one element away from the other element by the specified distance will result in re-engagement of the terminal end and the receiver. The prong assembly preferably includes a strip of resilient metal, and the terminal end of the prong assembly includes an oval shaped opening which corresponds with the receiver which is in the form of a ramp shaped catch on the anchor assembly.

Claims

1. A child safety latch for limiting movement of a first element with respect to a second element, said latch comprising: a prong assembly secured to the first element, said prong assembly including a terminal end; an anchor assembly secured to the second element for capturing the terminal end of said prong assembly, said anchor assembly including a receiver to receive and capture said terminal end to stop movement of the first element with respect to the second element; the movement of the first element with respect to the second element is stopped when the first element has moved a specified distance from the second element; by automatic engagement of the receiver of the anchor assembly with the terminal end, the prong assembly being movable by a user between a first position, in which the terminal end is captured by the receiver preventing movement of the first element with respect to the second element, and a second position, in which the terminal end is released by a user from the receiver permitting movement of the first element with respect to, and further away from, the second element; and the prong assembly is resilient and returns to the first position, after the terminal end is released from the receiver by the user such that when the first element is moved back towards the second element, the latch is automatically reactivated such that subsequent movement of the first element away from the second element by the specified distance will result in re-engagement of the terminal end and the receiver, wherein the prong assembly includes a strip of resilient metal; wherein the prong assembly comprises a first component being of molded plastic and a second component being the strip of resilient metal; wherein the strip of resilient metal comprises a lip extending towards the first molded plastic component and corresponding to a receiving portion of the first molded plastic component and serving to fixedly attach a non-flexing portion of the strip of resilient metal to the first molded plastic component; and wherein the strip of resilient metal further has a flange portion, which forms a second side of a generally U-shaped grip, with the lip forming a first side of the generally U-shaped grip, the generally U-shaped grip corresponding to a respectively dimensioned portion of a first leg of the first molded plastic component, so that the generally U-shaped grip fixedly attaches to the first leg, securely attaching the strip of resilient metal to the first molded plastic component to form the prong assembly.

2. A child safety latch according to claim 1, wherein the terminal end of the prong assembly includes an oval shaped opening which corresponds with the receiver, which is in the form of a ramp shaped catch on the anchor assembly.

3. A child safety latch according to claim 1, wherein the prong assembly comprises a first leg, which is attached to the first element, and a second leg comprising the terminal end, which extends in a direction of movement of the first element.

4. A child safety latch according to claim 1, wherein the strip of resilient metal comprises a first metal leg and a second metal leg, which extends in a direction of movement of the first element.

5. A child safety latch according to claim 4, wherein the strip of resilient metal is made of spring steel.

6. A child safety latch according to claim 1, wherein the first molded plastic component comprises a recess in which the strip of resilient metal is located.

7. A child safety latch according to claim 1, wherein a first metal leg of the strip of resilient metal is affixed to a first leg of the first molded plastic component and a second leg of the strip of resilient metal is attached to the second leg of the first molded plastic component, such that when the terminal end of the prong assembly is released from the receiver by movement of the prong assembly from the first position to the second position by the user, the strip of resilient metal provides part of a returning force, returning the prong assembly back to the first position.

8. A child safety latch according to claim 1, wherein the prong assembly is attached to the first element by means of a prong assembly attachment, which is secured to the first element and comprises a recess into which a first leg of the prong assembly is inserted to secure to the prong assembly attachment and thus to the first element.

9. A child safety latch according to claim 1, wherein the latch is a cabinet latch and the second element is a part of a cabinet frame and the first element is a cabinet door.

10. A child safety latch according to claim 1, wherein the latch is a drawer latch and the second element is a part of a drawer chest frame and the first element is a drawer.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the following figures in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a sideways general assembly perspective view of the child safety latch of the embodiment of the invention showing the components separated,

(3) FIG. 2 is a sideways perspective view of the latch of FIG. 1 showing the latch assembled in an unfitted position,

(4) FIG. 3 is an underside perspective view of the latch of FIG. 1 showing the latch assembled in an unfitted position,

(5) FIG. 4 is an upperside perspective view of the latch of FIG. 1 showing the latch assembled in an unfitted position, and

(6) FIG. 5 is an upperside perspective view of the latch of FIG. 1 showing the latch assembled in a fitted position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(7) Referring to FIGS. 1 to 5, there is shown a child safety latch 1 for limiting movement of a first drawer or door element (not shown) with respect to a second cabinet frame element (not shown). The latch 1 comprises a prong assembly 2 and an anchor assembly 3. The prong assembly 2 is secured to the first element, by means of attaching means 4 and at the opposite end of the prong assembly there is a terminal end 5.

(8) The anchor assembly 3 is secured to the second element by means of suitable fixing means such as adhesive or screws through screw holes 6, or by both adhesive and screws. The anchor assembly 3 includes a receiver 7 to receive and capture the terminal end 5 which stops movement of the first element with respect to the second element.

(9) The movement of the first element with respect to the second element is stopped when the first element has moved a specified distance from the second element; by automatic engagement of the receiver 7 of the anchor assembly 3 with the terminal end 5. The specified distance being approximately the length of the prong assembly 2.

(10) The prong assembly 2 forms a cantilever arm and is movable by a user between a first position in which the terminal end 5 is captured by the receiver 7 preventing movement of the first element with respect to the second element and a second position in which the terminal end 5 is released from the receiver 7 permitting movement of the first element with respect to, and further away from, the second element.

(11) The prong assembly 2 is resilient and returns to the first position after release by the user such that when the first element is moved back towards the second element, the latch is automatically reactivated such that subsequent movement of the first element away from the second element by the specified distance will result in re-engagement of the terminal end 5 and the receiver 7.

(12) The terminal end 5 of the prong assembly 2 includes an oval shaped opening 9 which corresponds with the receiver 7. The receiver 7 is in the form of a ramp shaped catch on the anchor assembly 3 with a shallowly inclined ramp 10, an acute-angled return edge 11 and a stop 12. The oval opening 9 is formed at its terminal end by a front portion FP. As the first element is moved away from the second element, as would happen when opening a drawer or door, the prong assembly and the anchor assembly are so aligned when fitted that the front portion FP follows the inclined ramp 10. The resiliency of the prong assembly 2 causes the front portion FP to ride over the acute-angled return edge 11 and come to rest in between the acute-angled return edge 11 and the stop 12 so preventing further movement.

(13) The prong assembly 2 comprises an elongate component 17 moulded of plastic material comprising a first leg 13 which is attached to the first element and a second leg 14 comprising the terminal end, which extends in the direction of movement of the first element.

(14) The prong assembly 2 also includes a strip of spring steel 8 which also comprises a corresponding first spring leg 15 and a second spring leg 16 which extends generally in the direction of movement of the first element.

(15) The spring strip 8 is located in a recess R in the plastic component 17 such that the second spring leg 16 extends along the second leg 14 of the plastic component 17 to provided added spring returning force to the prong assembly 2. This location of the spring steel strip in the plastic component 7 to form the prong assembly also provides additional strength and durability to the prong assembly and prevents failure of the latch during a long period of continued use and thus prevents situation where the latch breaks and does not perform its intended function. This reduces the risk of unintended access by children in the event of a latch failure that goes undetected by a responsible adult.

(16) The prong assembly 2 may be manufactured by insert moulding of the plastic component 17 and spring steel strip 8 together.

(17) The spring steel metal strip 8 comprises a lip 18 starting at the fixing end of the prong assembly and extending back towards terminal end 5, and an opposite flange portion 19 which form a shallow generally U-shaped grip. The generally U-shaped grip corresponds to a respectively dimensioned portion of the first leg 13 of the plastic component 17, so that the generally U-shaped grip fixedly attaches to the first leg 13, securely attaching the spring steel strip 8 to the plastic component 17 to form the prong assembly 2.

(18) The prong assembly 2 is preferably attached to the first element by means of a prong assembly attachment 4 which is secured to the first element and comprises a recess 20 into which the first leg 13 of the prong assembly is inserted. The prong assembly attachment 4 allows the prong assembly 2 to be attached to the first element more easily during fitting. To fit the latch, the anchor assembly 3 is fitted to the second element first on its own, then the prong assembly is engaged as if in the stopped position so that the prong attaching end can be fixed in the correct alignment. The prong assembly 2 and prong assembly attachment means 4 have aligned screw holes 21a, 21b, which permit the screw locations to be marked or piloted or temporarily fixed with adhesive on the first element whilst the first leg 13 is located in the recess 20, then the first leg 13 is removed from the recess which permits the user to easily secure the attachment 4 with screws without the hindrance of the prong assembly, and after the screws have been fitted the first leg is re-inserted into the recess and the installation is complete.

(19) The latch may be a cabinet latch with the second element part of a cabinet frame and the first element a cabinet door, or alternatively the latch may be a drawer latch and the second element part of the drawer chest frame and the first element a drawer.

COMPONENT LIST

(20) 1Child Safety Latch 2Prong Assembly 3Anchor Assembly 4Attaching Means 5Terminal End 6Screw Holes 7Receiver 8Spring Steel Strip 9Oval Shaped Opening 10Inclined Ramp 11Acute-Angled Return Edge 12Stop 13First Leg 14Second Leg 15First Spring Leg 16Second Spring Leg 17Plastic Component 18Lip 19Opposite Flange Portion 20Recess 21Screw Holes (21a and 21b) 22Lip Recess