Abstract:
Systems and methods for dynamically adjusting the gain in a receiver front end. The gain is adjusted in order to make an error margin for each incoming signal essentially equal. Signals are initially received together. The signals are split in order to allow for independent adjustments to the gain of each signal. The signals are then gain adjusted. After gain adjustments are made, the signals are recombined.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority from United States provisional application entitled “Non-Permanent Child Cabinet Lock”, Ser. No. 61/802,305, filed 15 Mar. 2013, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Embodiments of the claimed subject matter relate to furniture accessories, and more particularly to restraining devices for restraining cabinets and drawers to prevent children from accessing those cabinets and drawers. Other embodiments relate to methods for using the described non-permanent restraints with cabinets and drawers. 
         [0003]    Typical child cabinet and drawer restraints available in the market today rely on permanent mountings to function properly. Many of these mountings require affixing the components of the child cabinet restraint to the cabinet door and/or the cabinet housing using screws or adhesive materials. This also applies to restraints for drawers. For the sake of brevity, the remainder of the discussion will refer to cabinets. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the discussion applies to drawers and other enclosures as well. 
         [0004]    For those people that do not own their home, permanently attaching child cabinet restraints to the cabinets using screws or adhesive materials could constitute damaging the cabinets, and may lead to violating terms and conditions in many lease agreements. It is important for parents and caretakers of children to guard against dangers that come from children accessing cabinets both in their own home, as well as the homes of people they may visit. Additionally, many child resistant cabinet restraints known in the prior art require that handheld or power tools be used for installation. Many parents and caretakers may not be familiar or comfortable with using such tools. Accordingly, there is a need for a non-permanent child resistant cabinet restraint. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    A child resistant cabinet or drawer restraint is disclosed for temporary use on general household cabinets and drawers. In many embodiments, the restraint is made up of two interlocking pieces. In accordance with many such embodiments, the two interlocking pieces consist of a clip for installing the device on the cabinet door and a peg for engaging the cabinet frame. When the device is installed on the cabinet door, the restraint prevents the cabinet door from opening unless the person attempting to open the door knows the process to release the restraint. Cabinets and cabinet doors are referenced through this disclosure. However, it will be clear to those skilled in the art that the disclosure will apply equally to drawers. 
         [0006]    A peg interlocks with a clip. The peg makes contact with a cabinet frame to prevent the door from opening more than a predetermined amount. The peg interlocks with the clip using interlock members. In one embodiment, the interlock members of the peg are one or more protrusions extending from the peg. Sliding the interlock members into corresponding interlocking members on the clip secures the peg to the clip. The interlocking members on the clip are recesses on the rear of the clip that secure the peg to the clip. 
         [0007]    In one embodiment, several interlock members (e.g., protrusions) can be positioned to slide into corresponding interlocking members (e.g., recesses) on the rear of the clip. This secures the peg to the clip at a height that will allow the peg to catch the cabinet housing and prevents the door on which the clip is secured from opening. Accordingly, the restraint can be used with cabinet housings of different heights with respect to the top of the door. 
         [0008]    In many of the described embodiments, the clip includes a flat front, an arched top, and a flat back. The restraint can be installed by sliding the clip over the top of a cabinet door with the adjustable recesses facing toward the inside of the cabinet. In these embodiments, the peg comprises a straight flexible arm extending from a base. The arm has a point at the end. A frame catch protrudes from the arm to engage the inside of the cabinet door when the cabinet is closed. In many of the embodiments, the interlock members used to connect the peg to the clip extend from the base of the peg. Alternatively, the peg may have recesses that interlock with protrusions on the clip. Other interlocking elements are also possible. 
         [0009]    The described embodiments may be used with cabinets, such as those in a kitchens or garages. They may also be used with other furniture in homes or in vehicles (such as recreational vehicles and boats) as well with any items that have a door or flat panel type structure that can be opened to access an enclosed area and that can be closed to secure that area. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a side view of the clip according to an embodiment of the disclosed subject matter; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a front view of the clip according to an embodiment of the disclosed subject matter; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is an opposite side view of the clip embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is the rear view of the clip according to an embodiment of the disclosed subject matter; 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a front perspective view of the clip according to an embodiment of the disclosed subject matter; 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the rear of a clip according to an embodiment of the disclosed subject matter; 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the opposite side of the clip embodiment shown in  FIG. 6 ; 
           [0017]      FIG. 8 . is a side view of the peg according to an embodiment of the disclosed subject matter; 
           [0018]      FIG. 9  is a top view of the peg according to an embodiment of the disclosed subject matter; 
           [0019]      FIG. 10  is a side perspective view of the peg according to an embodiment of the disclosed subject matter; 
           [0020]      FIG. 11  is a side perspective view of the cabinet restraint showing the interlocking nature of the peg and the cabinet clip according to an embodiment of the disclosed subject matter; and 
           [0021]      FIG. 12  is a side perspective view of the cabinet restraint showing the interlocking nature of the peg and the clip from the opposite side shown in  FIG. 11 . 
           [0022]      FIG. 13  is a view of a portion of a front face of a clip in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the disclosed restraint. 
           [0023]      FIG. 14  is an illustration of an alternative embodiment of the restraint having channels. 
           [0024]      FIG. 15   a  is an illustration of a restraint installed on a door mounted on a cabinet frame. 
           [0025]      FIG. 15   b  is an illustration of a restraint installed on a door. 
           [0026]      FIG. 16  is a cut away view of a cabinet and the cabinet door with the restraint installed. 
           [0027]      FIG. 17  is an illustration of a partially open door with a restraint installed. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       [0028]    A non-permanent child resistant restraint is generally described with reference to  FIGS. 1-13 .  FIGS. 1-13  show examples of embodiments of the disclosed subject matter. In the described embodiments, a restraint  1100  (shown in  FIGS. 11 and 12 ) comprises a peg  26  (shown in  FIG. 8 ) that interlocks with a clip  16  (shown in  FIGS. 1-7 ,  11  and  12 ), as will be discussed in more detail further below. 
         [0029]    In many of these embodiments, the clip  16  comprises a front face  20 , a rear face  24  and a connecting section  18  between the front face  20  and rear face  24 . The front face  20 , rear face  24  and connection section  18  are configured to allow the clip to be hung on a panel, such as a door or drawer. In accordance with one embodiment, the clip  16  is approximately 1 to 2 inches wide  201 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . In these embodiments, the clip  16  has a height  203  of approximately 4 inches. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that these dimensions may be altered to suit the dimensions of a particular cabinet or drawer with which the clip is intended to be used. 
         [0030]    In many of the described embodiments, the clip  16  is constructed from a rigid plastic or polymer, a semi ridge polymer, metal, or hard rubber material. Any other suitable material that can be used, as will be known to those skilled in the art. 
         [0031]    In the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 1-7 , the front face  20  includes at least one 2. In the particular embodiment of  FIGS. 1-7 , a plurality of interlock elements are provided. In this embodiment, the interlock elements are peg height adjustment slots  22 . The adjustment slots  22  run from an opening  501  (see  FIGS. 4 and 5 ) on one end of the clip  16  to approximately the center of the clip  16 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . In these embodiments, each adjustment slot  22  comprises an approximately ⅛ inch×⅛ inch×1 inch rectangular interlock channel  101 . Other dimensions may also be used to accomplish the same results in other embodiments. A second interlock channel opens to the front face  20 . The second interlock channel is a smaller rectangular access channel  103 .  FIG. 13  shows an alternative shape for the peg height adjustment slot, which will be discussed in greater detail below. 
         [0032]    These embodiments include the clip  16  in dimensions at minimum of 1 inch and at maximum of 2 inches wide from the front of clip  16 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . In these embodiments, the clip  16  has a height of no more than 4 inches and a width of a minimum 1 inch wide up to a maximum of 3 inches wide. Adjustment slots  22  extend 50% of the distance of the total width as shown in  FIG. 2  with adjustment slots  22  having approximately of ⅛ inch square. However, in an alternative embodiment, the adjustment slots  22  are made larger. These dimensions may also be altered as desired by those skilled in the art to accommodate varying sized of cabinets or other furniture or non-furniture being used with the embodiments. 
         [0033]    In many of these embodiments, clip  16  can be constructed of a rigid plastic/polymer, a semi ridged polymer, a metal, a hard rubber material, or any other suitable material known to those skilled in the art with similar properties. 
         [0034]      FIGS. 8-10  show a peg  26  having a base  38  with interlock elements, flexible arm  34 , point  30 , and frame catch  32 . 
         [0035]    The interlock elements are located on the base  38  of the peg  26 . In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 8-10 , the interlock elements are protrusions  36  that interlock with the peg adjustment slots  22  at an appropriate height to allow the point  30  to clear the frame of the cabinet. That is, the clip has a plurality of interlock elements which allow the peg to interlock to the clip at any one of several heights. The height of the peg should be set to ensure that the restraint will engage. That is, the frame catch  32  should securely contact the inside of the cabinet frame once the point  30  clears the entry plane of the cabinet frame (see  FIGS. 15   a ,  15   b ). To release the catch  32 , the cabinet door is opened until the frame catch  32  comes in contact with the inside of the cabinet frame. The flexible arm  34  can then be depressed with sufficient force to allow the frame catch  32  to drop below and clear the cabinet frame, thus disengaging the restraint so that the cabinet door can be opened further. 
         [0036]    In  FIGS. 8-10 , the width of peg  26  equals the width of clip  16 . In some of these embodiments, the width of peg  26  is a minimum of 3 inches and a maximum of 5 inches although these dimensions may be altered as desired to accommodate varying sizes of items being used with the embodiments and/or to accommodate varying sizes of the embodiments themselves. In one alternative embodiment, the clip is 1.25″ wide and the peg is 0.5″ wide. The components of these embodiments may also be constructed of a rigid plastic/polymer, a semi ridged polymer, a metal, a hard rubber material, or any other suitable material known to those skilled in the art with similar properties. 
         [0037]    The arm  34  is made to be flexible by both the shape of the arm  34  and the use of a center area  801  that is generally hollowed or formed to create space between an upper portion  803  and a lower portion  805  of the arm  34 . The particular shape and size of the center area  801  can be varied to create a desired amount of flexibility while maintaining sufficient structural integrity and creating sufficient tension when in use to ensure that the frame catch  32  will remain securely in contact with the cabinet frame when the restraint is engaged. 
         [0038]      FIGS. 11 and 12  show the peg  26  interlocked with the clip  16  at approximately the mid adjustment height. The three protrusions  36  on the base of the arm  34  slide into the channels  101 ,  103  in the clip  16  to removably secure the arm  34  to the clip  16 . 
         [0039]      FIG. 13  is a cut away view of a portion of a face  1320  of a clip in accordance with one embodiment of the disclosed restraint. It shows an alternative shape for the channels used to interlock a peg  1436  to a clip  1416  (see  FIG. 14 ). Channels  1322  within the face  1320  are shaped to capture interlock elements, which as shown in  FIG. 13 , are protrusions  1403  from a peg  1426 . The channel  1322  is open at one end and along the length of the channel  1322 . The height of the channel increases with distance from the opening along the length. Accordingly, the back  1301  of the channel is longer than the open front  1303  of the channel. 
         [0040]      FIG. 14  shows an alternative embodiment of the restraint having channels  1322 . As shown, a restraint  1400  has a clip  1416  and a peg  1426 . The clip  1416  has a connecting section  1418 . The inside surface of the connection section  1418  comes in contact with the top edge of a cabinet door  1401  when the clip  1416  is slid into place over the top of the door  1401 . The peg  1426  comprises a flexible arm  1434 . The arm  1432  has a frame catch  1432 . 
         [0041]      FIG. 15   a  shows the restraint  1400  installed on a door  1401  mounted on a cabinet frame  1420 . As shown, the door  1401  is closed. That is, the door  1401  is essentially in contact with the cabinet frame  1420  along the entire perimeter of the door  1401 . As shown in  FIG. 15   b , if a child should attempt to open the door  1401 , the door  1401  and the restraint  1400  will move to the right. The cabinet frame  1420  remains stationary. The peg  1426  will slip underneath the cabinet frame  1420 , but will prevent the door  1401  from opening beyond the point at which the frame catch  1434  comes into contact with the cabinet frame  1420  (see  FIG. 15   b ) and the restraint will engage. 
         [0042]      FIG. 16  shows a cut away view of a cabinet and the cabinet door  1401  with the restraint  1400  installed. The door  1401  is shown closed. The cabinet frame  1420  is shown cut off at two sides  1601 ,  1602 . A dotted line  1604  indicates the perimeter of the cabinet opening. The door  1401  is hung on two hinges  1605 ,  1607 . The door  1401  has a handle  1609  to allow a user to open the door  1401 . When the restraint  1400  is disengaged, the door  1401  can be opened by pulling the handle  1609 . 
         [0043]      FIG. 17  shows the door  1401  partially open. A dotted arc  1701  shows the travel of the door  1401  as it swings open and closed. The restraint  1400  is installed on the door  1401 . The frame catch  1432  is shown extending from the peg. With the door  1401  partially open, the frame catch  1432  is not engaged with the cabinet frame  1420 . 
         [0044]    As can be seen, various disclosed restraint embodiments can be used to keep children out of cabinets without a permanent installation. It should also be clear that several variations are possible, such as variations in the particular shape of the slots and the channels that make up the slots that capture the protrusions. In one variation, the channels run perpendicular to the channels  101 ,  103  shown in  FIG. 4 . This would restrict the ability of the user to adjust the height of the frame catch, but other means to allow for such adjustments will become apparent to those skilled in the art, such as using removable spacers to partially fill the channels and thus raise the peg, etc. Such variations, while less desirable in some instances, are within the scope of the present disclosure. 
         [0045]    It will be clear to those skilled in the art that several other such variations are possible and would fall within the scope of the present disclosure. Likewise, the particular shape of the arm and frame catch can vary significantly from that disclosed herein without falling outside the scope of the present disclosure. For example, the arm  34  can be made solid (without the hollow center section  801 ). Furthermore, the radius of the curve of the arm  34  can vary significantly. Furthermore, the frame catch can be generally pointed, rounded, generally rectangular, etc. 
         [0046]    In several embodiments, the restraint installs quickly and without the need for additional tools. In these embodiments, the restraint can be installed without defacing surface of the cabinet. Therefore, no damage or harm is done to the door or to the cabinet frame. The peg can be secured to the clip in several different positions, allowing the restraint to be used on cabinet frames of various heights. When a user wants to restrain the cabinet door, the user closes the door normally. The peg will catch the top of the cabinet frame thereby allowing the door to close flush. If the peg does not catch the frame, the user can raise the peg using the described adjustment system until it does catch. When the user wishes to disengage the restraint, the user opens the cabinet door until the peg engages the cabinet restraint. The user then able depresses the arm until the peg&#39;s clasp clears the cabinet frame, allowing the door to be opened. 
         [0047]    Although the foregoing embodiments have been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity and understanding, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in light of the teaching of this disclosed subject matter that certain changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit or scope of the appended claims. For example, the described restraints may be used with any portable or non portable apparatus have two opposing surfaces such as a box, safe, polymer container or fabric panels in both fixed and non fixed locations such as trailers and portable storage containers.