WO2009050705A2

WO2009050705A2 - Safety method for cabinet access

Info

Publication number: WO2009050705A2
Application number: PCT/IL2008/001359
Authority: WO
Inventors: Eran Milo; Danny Livshitz
Original assignee: Eran Milo; Danny Livshitz
Priority date: 2007-10-16
Filing date: 2008-10-22
Publication date: 2009-04-23
Also published as: WO2009050705A3; IL186674A0

Abstract

A safety method that limits cabinet access to unauthorized persons and/or animals, but enables an empowered person full, quick and easy access to said cabinet or similar enclosure and can be operated by one hand only. The method also minimizes usage and installation of conventional and existing locking and blocking devices for cabinets or the like. The method comprises a manually operated and mobile device, which includes a suction cup with a handle and an accessory plate. Said accessory plate, from its one side is attached to a cabinet door, or is a part of it, and sticks to the suction cup from its other side. Usage of a combination of the suction cup and the accessory plate provides cabinet access, without usage of conventional handles, grips, grooves or the like. After use the suction cup can be easily removed, leaving the cabinet door with reduced means for access.

Description

Safety Method for Cabinet Access

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed towards a safety method for minimizing unwanted access to cabinets, enclosures or the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is a known fact that children of a certain age get interested in dealing with all kinds of cabinets or the like. Unwanted cabinet access by children may cause certain aftereffects. A child may find a variety of dangerous and/or forbidden objects for children, like medicine, chemicals, cutting and/or sharp objects, small objects which can be swallowed, etc. All of the above list may lead to serious injury, or worse, if found and reached by children. Cabinet access operation itself, like opening and closing, may lead to injury of child's fingers or other body parts as well. Occurrences described above show need for a method or a device, which limits cabinet access for children and/or elder persons with certain deviations and/or animals.

Nowadays, there is a variety of blocking and locking devices for cabinets, magnetic cabinet knobs and special designed handles for only an adult hand grip. There are also key accessed cabinets, where the key is kept out of reach of children. All of them are limiting child access to cabinets. Part of them are easy for installation, part of them require more skilled installation and/or spending more operational time, with each use. Handles, which are designed only for adult grip can still be opened by elder children after "learning the opening technique", or be opened by elder persons with certain deviations. Blocking and locking devices, are suitable only for certain kinds of cabinets and cannot, or not wished to be installed on unique or certain furniture pieces, like glass doors, antique furniture, not well built, shabby or old furniture. As well, one such kind of locking device is good only for a limited number of cabinet doors, usually for a single or a pair. A magnetic knob may demonstrate insufficient magnetic force in cases of opening a jammed or hardly sliding cabinet door or drawer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention partly or entirely overcomes the above disadvantages of the existing art and can be used on almost any kind of door, including old, antique or unique furniture. The suction cup, used in the current method, is operated by user and sticks to the accessory plate by vacuum power. The accessory plate's smooth and non porous surface enables vacuum level, needed to transfer sufficient power for opening a jammed or hardly sliding cabinet door or drawer. The accessory plate may be attached to the cabinet door or alternatively may be a built in part of the door. Said accessory plate does not provide cabinet access without usage of said suction cup. By using the combination of the suction cup and the accessory plate, the method can be applied to various surfaces, with any curvature and roughness, like unpolished wood, plastic or metal. Almost any kind of door can be opened or closed by using the present invention, without usage of handles or the like. Another advantage of the present invention is a loss of a child's interest to a planar or almost planar cabinet door, due to the prior handles removal or flattening. The user can apply this method to any number of cabinet doors. The current method enables a quick, safe and easy access to an empowered user and can be operated by one hand only. After use, the suction cup and the accessory plate can be easily separated by conventional manual operation. OBJECT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method, combined with appropriate device: a) to disable cabinet access for unauthorized persons, like babies, toddlers, children and/or animals, b) to minimize interest of dealing with cabinet doors by removing or flattening standard cabinet access means, like handles and grips, c) to enable to an empowered person full, quick and easy access to a cabinet or the like, d) wherein said device can be operated by one hand only, e) to minimize usage and installation of conventional and existing locking devices for cabinets or the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

With the above object in mind the present invention provides a safety method for cabinet access, including:

Usage of said handle with said suction cup as a mobile and universal handle or grip for accessing cabinets and/or enclosures, without usage of existing standard means, like handles and grips.

Usage of said handle with said suction cup as a mobile and universal handle or grip is restricted to certain users.

Usage of said accessory plate in a combination with said suction cup, for ensuring access to cabinets or enclosures.

Said suction cup is adhered to said accessory plate, by easy hand operation and can be operated by one hand only. Said suction cup, adhered to said accessory plate by vacuum means is able to transfer the operator's applied force to open or close the cabinet or the like.

After use, the suction cup can be separated from the accessory plate by an easy hand operation, which can be accomplished by one hand only.

The usage of the present invention enables removal or flattening of conventional and standard cabinet access means, thus minimizes unwanted access and reduces interest of access to cabinets by unauthorized persons and/or animals.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows an access to a cabinet door (3), using the described method, the suction cup (1) and the accessory plate (2).

FIG. 2 shows the suction cup with handle.

FIG. 3 shows an example of attaching the accessory plate (2), to a cabinet door (3), by a screw (C) - a section view.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Preferred embodiment of the present invention includes temporary removal of all possible cabinet door handles. Following the above step, person's or animal's interest to cabinet door drastically decreases, due to a poor ability of grasping a planar or almost planar cabinet door's surface.

Preferred embodiment of the present invention includes cabinet door handles replacement by the accessory plates. By sticking the suction cup to the accessory plate, an empowered operator establishes a reliable, safe and quick access of the cabinet door. After use, the operator can simply and quickly release vacuum on suction cup and separate it from the accessory plate. In case the suction cup is forgotten in an adhered position on the cabinet's door, it will be automatically separated after a certain time, by vacuum release.

Preferred embodiment of the present invention includes keeping the device with suction cup, out of reach of unauthorized person or animal, but within a reach of an empowered person.

Preferred embodiment of the present invention includes the suction cup, which holds all restrictions of safety, if is reached by a child.

Preferred embodiment of the present invention includes the device with a suction cup and a handle, which are possibly made as one piece.

Preferred embodiment of the present invention enables the operation of the device by one hand only.

Claims

ClaimsThe claims defining the invention are as follows:

1. A method comprising: a device with a suction cup or the like and an accessory plate.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said suction cup includes a handle or the like for hand gripping.

3. A method according to all of the preceding claims, wherein said suction cup is mobile.

4. A method according to all of the preceding claims wherein said suction cup is to adhere to said accessory plate by a vacuum means.

5. A method according to claims 1 through 4, wherein said accessory plate is attached to a cabinet door.

6. A method according to claims 1 through 4, wherein said accessory plate is attached to an access side of a cabinet.

7. A method according to claims 1 through 4, wherein the cabinet door comprises said accessory plate.

8. A method according to claims 1 through 4, wherein the access side of a cabinet comprises said accessory plate.

9. A method according to claims 1 through 4, wherein said accessory plate is a part of the cabinet door.

10. A method according to claims 1 through 4, wherein said accessory plate is a part of the access side of a cabinet.

11. A method according to all of the preceding claims, wherein said accessory plate does not provide cabinet access without usage of said suction cup.

12. A method according to all of the preceding claims, wherein said device has a fast releasing means for fast separating of said suction cup from said accessory plate.

13. A method according to all of the preceding claims, wherein a temporary connection between the suction cup and the accessory plate, ensures a transfer of a sufficient force for the cabinet access.

14. A method according to claims 1 through 12, wherein a temporary connection between the suction cup and the accessory plate, temporarily ensures a transfer of a sufficient force for the cabinet access.

15. A method according to any one of the preceding claims substantially as hereinbefore described and exemplified.