AU5957099A

AU5957099A - Dropside latch for childs cot

Info

Publication number: AU5957099A
Application number: AU59570/99A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Brett Alan Saraghi
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-11-20
Filing date: 1999-11-19
Publication date: 2000-05-25

Description

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AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 Complete Specification Standard Patent DROP SIDE LATCH FOR CHILD'S COT Inventor Applicant Address for service Brett Saraghi Brett Saraghi 737 Nicholson Street, North Carlton 3054 The invention is described in the following statements: 1. The Invention 2. Prior Art 3. Disclosure 4. Claims Drawings 1. The Invention 1 The subject of this application is an invention which allows the raising and lowering of the dropside of a child's cot in a novel and superior fashion to traditional methods.

3 The invention has been created to meet the challenge of conforming to, or exceeding stringent Australian design Standards.

The invention was conceived to provide a solution to the problem of fixing and guiding the movement of the dropside of a child's cot. The invention was required to provide a solution which achieved the highest standards of safety for the child in the cot, the highest standards of ergonomics and functionality for the adult user and a cost effective easily fitted solution for the cot manufacturer which is readily adaptable to suit many styles of cot design.

S 2. Prior Art 12 The traditional method of controlling the motion of the drop side of a cot is to use guide rods through guide holes in the top and bottom rails of the drop side. The drop side is located at the top of its stroke by flipper catches which jam between the bottom face of the 1 top drop side rail and the guide rail.

13 Although the traditional method has a simple robust functionality it does not satisfy modern standards of design.

S 14 There is invariably a finger entrapment hazard between the ends of the drop side and the head boards or posts. This endemic problem has been given a special exemption from finger entrapment regulations in the current Australian Standards. The exemption is for pragmatic expediency only and the risk to children's fingers remains.

1* I8 The flipper mechanism itself creates both an entrapment and a guillotining hazard.

19 When flipped aside a flipper catch can entrap and crush a child's fingers between the flipper and the head board or post.

21 It is possibleto guillotine a child's finger between the top of the flipper and the lower edge of the top drop side rail.

23 With the majority of traditional designs there is a hanging point hazard at the point of fixing of the drop side rail to the head board or post.

There is also a relatively high cost in producing the components for a traditional flipper guide rail system. The components are formed from sheet and rod steel and require a metal finishing which is traditionally chrome plating.

28 There are few contemporary examples of cot drop side latching mechanisms. Those sighted by the author do not posses the novelty of operating principal embodied in this invention nor do they satisfy the requirements of manufacturing simplicity, adaptability and cost savings coupled with user functionality and standard exceeding inherent safety.

3. Disclosure 32 The invention in its' preferred embodimrnent consists entirely of plastic injection moulded components. The could equally be die cast formed by other means known in the art.

34 The drop side is guided within guides which are recessed within the head board or the posts. fig.2 no.2) 36 The guide presents a face witch has a slot that is smaller than an opening which constitutes a finger entrapment hazard.

38 The drop side is fitted with a lug possessing an elongated profile designed to create sufficient strength despite the narrowness of the slot through which it travels.

The lug fixed to the top rail of the drop side has a unique profile which is essential to the functioning of the invention.

42 The guide lug on the top rail of the drop side has an upper surface shaped in a way that opens the catch mechanism as it passes vertically through the guide slot. fig. I no. 4a) 44 The lower surface of the guide lug on the top rail of the drop side is shaped in a manner that interlocks with the latch mechanism preventing the latch from being operated by the infant. fig. I no. 4b) 47 The latch is uniquely positioned to pivot from above the upper dropside guide. fig. I no. 2) 48 The upper guide has a uniquely designed protuberance upon which latch rests and distributes all the weight of the drop side directly in the core material of the headboard or posts. fig. I no. 51 In order to release and lower the drop side, the drop side must first be lifted from its resting interlocked position. The lifting action engages the upper edge of the guide lug with the inside leg of the pivot assembly allowing the latch to be swung away from the path of the guide lug.

55 The operator performs this action in an ergonomic fashion using up faced palms with fingers lifting the drop side and thumbs pressing the thumb pads fig. I no. 2) in towards the headboard. The thumb pads must be held in this position while the dropside is lowered past the latch.

S59 Fig 3 shows the simpler arrangement of the lower rail of the dropside used in the preferred embodiment. This consists of a simple guide rail and rebound spring with a plain guide lug on attached to the lower rail.

i 62 Both top and bottom guide lugs are attached to rails by any means known in the art. In the illustrated embodiment these lugs are moulded into an end cap that slips over the dropside rails.

The upper rail contains a barb (fig. I no.6) which prevents separation of the drop side from the headboard in case of extreme racking of the cot structure.

67 The barb is fitted into the assembly through an access hole which is subsequently with the cover plate shown in Fig.2 69 In situations where this system is not applicable such as when the drop side has fill slat running against the headboard, a simple access hole at an intermediate point in the travel of the dropside can be used. The fill slat itself covers the access hole once the cot is assembled thus preventing a finger entrapment hazard.

73 Fig.4 shows an outline of the components used in one current embodiment of the invention.

74 Fig 5. Shows a version of allowing fitment to any shape of timber construction drop side by means of inserting the protuberance Fig. 5 nol into a suitably drilled hole. Feature Fig. 5 no 2 shows a retaining detail, which allows a counter screw to lock the component into place.

Claims

4. Claims The novelty of this invention resides in vertical guides mounted in posts or headboards, coupled with lugs and or catches fixed to the drop side and a latching mechanism mounted in the post or headboard.