CA2417948A1

CA2417948A1 - Improved childproof cupboard latch

Info

Publication number: CA2417948A1
Application number: CA 2417948
Authority: CA
Inventors: Gerard S. Sugiyama
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-02-03
Filing date: 2003-02-03
Publication date: 2004-08-03

Abstract

A cupboard door, for example in a household kitchen, swings open freely when pulled by a child or when agitated by an earthquake tremour. A childproof cupboard latch can be purchased and retroactively installed on such a cupboard to withstand the undesirable opening of the door. The mechanism of a childproof latch and its working is illustrated on Drawings 1a, 1b and 1c. The latch consists of a hooked catch arm mounted on the lower inner edge of the cupboard door and a catch device mounted on the bottom shelf of the cupboard.
The catch arm and the catch are positioned to "latch" the door so that the former "engages" the latter when the cupboard door is closed. Furthermore, the design of the device is such that the catch device latches the door but allows an opening enough for insertion of a person's finger.
The door, then, will open when the catch arm is released by lifting the catch arm with a finger in the opening. The invention by your Petitioner, described on Drawings 2a, 2b and 2c, will modify the unlatching method just described. The invention eliminates the finger opening described above and the insertion of a finger to unlatch the latching device.
The invention consists of attaching an elementary release device onto an otherwise orthodox childproof cupboard latch.
By this invention, the tentative opening of the cupboard door required for the insertion of a person's finger, will be

Description

SPECIFICATION
1 In drawings illustrating the invention:
Drawing 2a, 2b, and 2c shows an orthodox childproof cupboard latch modified with the Petitioner's invention.
Drawing 2a shows the same catch arm and catch as seen on Drawing la and 1b except: that the catch (C) position is modified so that the cupboard door is held completely closed:
the 1" opening for the finger, as shown on Drawing 1b, does not occur. In a further modification a plunger (P), positioned as shown on Drawing 2a, provides for the release ZO of the catch arm. The Drawing Shows the cupboard doar closed and the plunger in its rest. position. In Drawing 2b plunger (P) has been pushed upward by a finger. The catch arm has been raised clear of catch (C) and a simultaneous pull of the cupboard door by another finger would allow the door to open.
In Drawing 2c the cupboard is open and the fingers have vanished. The plunger (P), which is a 6.4mm diameter polished cold rolled steel, returns to its rest position by force of gravity.
20 Drawing 3 shows an installation aid for the invention.
The installation aid is a drilling jig that will position the hole for the plunger and screw locations for the catch and the catch arm in an easy and accurate manner in those instances where a number of cupboards are being fitted with childproof cupboard latches.
Drawing 4 shows the plunger (P) in isolation. The length for the plunger is for a cupboard thickness of 12.7mm for sake of illustration.

Claims

1. A device that disengages the locking action of a childproof latch on a cupboard without a need for a finger opening of the cupboard door.

2. The device to con silt of a smooth bodied iron rod precisely positioned adjacent to the childproof latch and retained in place by a C-ring collar and a groove in the rod.

3. The device shall allow a modification to an orthodox childproof cupboard latch such as referred to in Line 2 of the Specifications above.

4. A device which may be retrofitted on an existing orthodox childproof cupboard latch and render it the same as described in Claim No. 1.

5. A metal drilling jig to assuage multiple installations and, as well, ensure precise positioning of the plunger, the catch arm, and the catch.