Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US6595498?dq=6175559
Timestamp: 2016-10-28 21:07:46
Document Index: 737452247

Matched Legal Cases: ['arts 8', 'art 8', 'art 9', 'art 8', 'arts 13', 'art 14', 'art 13', 'art 13', 'art 9', 'art 13', 'art 14']

Patent US6595498 - Fencing device, particularly intended for small children - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inPatentsA safety barrier device, particularly intended for small children, and comprising at least two fence-like sections which may be interconnected and positioned at an angle, characterized in that the sections are interconnected by hinge links comprising two cooperating toothed rims arranged so that they...http://www.google.com/patents/US6595498?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US6595498 - Fencing device, particularly intended for small childrenAdvanced Patent SearchTry the new Google Patents, with machine-classified Google Scholar results, and Japanese and South Korean patents.Publication numberUS6595498 B1Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 09/763,211PCT numberPCT/DK1999/000445Publication dateJul 22, 2003Filing dateAug 20, 1999Priority dateAug 20, 1998Fee statusLapsedAlso published asDE69908616D1, DE69908616T2, EP1114236A1, EP1114236B1, WO2000011301A1Publication number09763211, 763211, PCT/1999/445, PCT/DK/1999/000445, PCT/DK/1999/00445, PCT/DK/99/000445, PCT/DK/99/00445, PCT/DK1999/000445, PCT/DK1999/00445, PCT/DK1999000445, PCT/DK199900445, PCT/DK99/000445, PCT/DK99/00445, PCT/DK99000445, PCT/DK9900445, US 6595498 B1, US 6595498B1, US-B1-6595498, US6595498 B1, US6595498B1InventorsFinn AndersenOriginal AssigneeBaby Dan A/SExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (8), Referenced by (9), Classifications (15), Legal Events (7) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetFencing device, particularly intended for small children
US 6595498 B1Abstract
A safety barrier device, particularly intended for small children, and comprising at least two fence-like sections which may be interconnected and positioned at an angle, characterized in that the sections are interconnected by hinge links comprising two cooperating toothed rims arranged so that they may be lifted out of engagement, thereby allowing the sections to be freely positioned at an angle. The structure makes it possible to produce fireguards, pens or beds.
What is claimed is: 1. A safety barrier assembly which comprises first and second fence sections which are interconnected and pivotable relative to each other by upper and lower hinge links, each of said upper and lower hinge links including a first hinge portion attached to said first fence section and a second hinge portion attached to said second fence section, one of said first and second hinge portions including a depression whose side wall includes teeth and the other of said first and second hinge portions including a projection having teeth in a periphery thereof, said projection fitting into said depression so that the teeth thereof are engagable, a control pin about which the hinge portions can rotate, a connecting pin which extends between said upper and lower hinge links, and a spring between said connecting pin and said upper hinge link to bias said connecting pin toward said lower hinge link.
2. A safety barrier assembly according to claim 1 wherein the upper hinge link includes a blind bore, and wherein an upper end of said connecting pin extends into said blind bore.
3. A safety barrier assembly according to claim 2, wherein said spring is located in said blind bore.
4. A safety barrier assembly according to claim 1, wherein an upper part of the lower hinge link includes a cut-out in which a lower end of the connecting pin extends.
5. A safety barrier assembly according to claim 4, wherein a bottom of said cut-out is inclined upwardly from a periphery to a connecting position of the connecting pin.
6. A safety barrier assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first and second fence sections include upper and lower cross members and vertical lattice bars therebetween and wherein said upper and lower hinge links are respectively connected to upper and lower cross members of said first and second fence sections.
7. A safety barrier assembly according to claim 1 wherein the first and second hinge portions of each of the upper and lower hinge links are offset from planes defined by said first and second fence sections.
The present invention relates to a safety barrier device, particularly intended for small children, and comprising at least two fence-like sections which may be interconnected and be positioned at an angle, where the sections are interconnected by hinge links, each comprising two parts with cooperating toothed rims arranged so that they may be lifted out of engagement, thereby allowing the sections to be freely positioned at an angle.
Different forms of safety barrier devices for small children are available, said devices being configured to satisfy specific purposes. An example is a fireguard which is placed in front of stoves or fireplaces, open or closed, to keep the children at a safe distance from these so that they do not get burned. Another example is child safety barriers intended to be positioned in door openings or at staircases so that the children can move freely in a confined room or section of the housing without getting hurt. As regards babies, they may be put in a pen.
From U.S. Pat. No. 95,960 a hinge construction designed for shutters is known. The hinge is provided with a number of notches on one hingepart and a latch on the other hingepart for locking the shutter in a fixed position. The weight of the shutter holds it in the wanted position.
The invention provides a new form of safety barrier device which is characterized in that one part of each hinge link can comprise a projecting portion provided with a toothing on the periphery, and that the other part of the hinge link can have a depression whose side wall is provided with a toothing for receiving the projecting portion on the first part of the hinge link where the hinge links are provided with a control pin about which the parts of the hinge links can rotate.
This opens up the possibility of configuring a safety barrier device so that it is useful as a fireguard, a pen, a bunk bed, etc.
A prefered embodiment of the invention can comprise two hinge links interconnected with a connecting pin where the lower part of the upper hinge link can have a hole for receiving the end of the connecting pin. The hole in the upper hinge link is a blind hole with a spring for affecting the connecting pin with a spring force down in the lower hinge link. It is noted that, after assembly, the connecting pin forms a lattice bar in the barrier, positioned with a spacing as specified by safety regulations.
The upper part of the lower hinge link can have a cut-out, preferably an angular cut-out. This cut-out is for catching and inserting the end of the connecting pin.
A prefered shape of the bottom of the cut-out is inclined upwardly from the periphery and until the connecting position of the connecting pin. This shape makes it more easy to insert the connecting pin.
In a prefered embodiment of the invention the sections can be constructed as a lattice structure with upper and lower cross members between which lattice bars are arranged, and the hinge links can be configured for mounting on the end of the upper and lower cross members, preferably in that these can have a hole for receiving the ends of the cross members which then can be secured as a press fit in the holes. This way a simple mounting of the hinges on the cross members is achieved.
In a prefered embodiment of the invention the hinge links are constructed so that the part with the toothing is disposed on one side of the sections, while the hinge links with the other side are flush with the sections.
An embodiment of the invention will be described more fully below with reference to the accompanying figure.
The FIGURE shows an exploded view of the joint between two sections.
DETAILED SUMMARY OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The sections 1, 2 are here lattice structures comprising upper and lower cross members 3, 4 of pipes having a square cross-section. The upper and lower cross members have interposed between them lattice bars 5 of a circular cross-section positioned with a spacing as specified by safety regulations. The sections are interconnected at the top and at the bottom by a hinge 6, 7.
The upper hinge 6 comprises two parts 8, 9 which, with a hollow, are pressed inwardly over the ends of the upper cross member and the lower cross member, respectively. The one hinge part 8 on a projecting portion is formed with a toothed rim 10, and the other hinge part 9 is formed with a corresponding toothed rim 11 in a well in which the first toothed rim 10 may be received. The well accommodates a shaft 12 which fits into a mating hole in the other hinge part 8.
The lower hinge 7 also comprises two parts 13, 14, of which the part 14 is likewise formed with a well having a toothed rim 15 and a tubular upwardly extending pin 16. The other hinge part 13, like the upper hinge, comprises a part having a toothed rim 19 which fits into the well on the other hinge part. The upper side of the hinge part 13 is formed with an angular recess 17 whose bottom is inclined from the periphery upwardly toward the centre, which is formed with a hole 18.
The two sections are assembled in that the respective hinge parts are telescoped into each other. A connecting pin 20 is passed into a hole 21 in the bottom of the upper hinge part 9. A spring 22 pressing the pin downwards is provided at the bottom of the hole. The connecting pin is moved with its lower end in the angular recess 17 in the hinge part 13 until the end slides down into the hole and further down into the tubular pin 16 in the hinge part 14. It will be seen that the two sections may be positioned at an angle by lifting the section 1 until the toothed rims on the hinge parts are disengaged, whereby the sections can rotate freely with respect to each other. When the section 1 is lowered, the toothed rims are again mutually engaged and the sections are locked in the desired position.
It is noted that the “heads” with the toothed rims on the hinge parts are angularly offset relatively to the “stem parts” by which they are secured to the sections. The offset is arranged so that the hinges are seated on one side of the sections, while the other side has a one-plane appearance.
At the end of the section 1 which is not shown, there is a set of hinge parts, as shown on the other section 2, while, on the other hand, it has a set of hinge parts at its other end as shown on section 1.
The structure also allows a door to be arranged in a section in a manner similar to a child safety barrier.
The stated structure makes it possible to produce a fireguard, a pen or a bed. The pen and the bed will of course consist of four uniform sections, alternatively two pairs of sections, where a pair of long sections forms sides, while two short sections form ends. The lattice bars and the lower cross members create a natural basis for the mounting of a bottom in the structure, e.g. with fittings which are fixed around the lattice bars. The fireguard may be composed of an arbitrary number of sections. It should be stated in this connection that the structure may of course be used for blocking any area and not just a stove or fireplace, open or closed.
Sections in the form of a lattice structure have been described in the foregoing, but, of course, other forms of sections may be used, e.g. plate- or net-shaped ones.
The hinge links described in the foregoing are provided with a toothing on a wall face, but, of course, nothing prevents the toothing from being arranged on end faces, e.g. on the underside of the elevation on the one hinge part and at the bottom of the well on the other hinge part, respectively. Of course, it may also be a combination of the two toothings. The fineness of the toothing is determined on the basis of strength and production considerations and the fineness desired in the angular positions of the sections.
Patent CitationsCited PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS615690Jul 2, 1897Dec 13, 1898 HingeUS959560Aug 18, 1909May 31, 1910Abraham B LandisShutter-hinge.US2011528 *Jun 22, 1934Aug 13, 1935Seay Willie LHinged section for fences, etc.US3118167Oct 24, 1960Jan 21, 1964Williams Ruth MargaretDoor checking applianceUS3841042Mar 13, 1973Oct 15, 1974Tiffany IndustriesPanel locking devicesUS4880331 *Apr 25, 1988Nov 14, 1989Zun Hong FuReleasable swivel lock assembly for a canopy support of a strollerUS5062181Feb 12, 1991Nov 5, 1991The Stanley WorksContinuous hinge with improved bearing designUS5240265 *Oct 23, 1992Aug 31, 1993Huang Ming TaiJoint for mounting a backrest support on a stroller frame* Cited by examinerReferenced byCiting PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS7887029 *Feb 23, 2007Feb 15, 2011Carlson Pet Products, Inc.In-house gated safety barrier having customizable layoutUS8528257 *Mar 4, 2011Sep 10, 2013Richell CorporationConvertible pet barrier with a connection memberUS8770883 *Jun 11, 2013Jul 8, 2014Structural Plastics CorporationPivot connector for modular platform assembliesUS8944415Apr 5, 2012Feb 3, 2015Dorel Juvenile Group, Inc.Security enclosureUS20060027798 *Aug 5, 2004Feb 9, 2006Clarence WinstonGate latchUS20070210293 *Mar 13, 2006Sep 13, 2007Shu-Chen ChengFencing deviceUS20080185566 *Feb 23, 2007Aug 7, 2008Flannery Mark AIn-house gated safety barrier having customizable layoutUS20110011991 *Nov 6, 2009Jan 20, 2011Ki-Beom LeeHeight adjustment apparatusUS20120223283 *Mar 4, 2011Sep 6, 2012Richell CorporationConvertible Pet Barrier With a Connection Member* Cited by examinerClassifications U.S. Classification256/67, 403/24, 403/116, 256/26, 256/24International ClassificationE05D11/10, E06B9/04Cooperative ClassificationY10T403/32581, Y10T403/18, E05Y2900/40, E05D11/1007, E06B2009/002, E06B9/04, E05Y2800/426European ClassificationE06B9/04Legal EventsDateCodeEventDescriptionFeb 20, 2001ASAssignmentOwner name: BD DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT A/S, DENMARKFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:ANDERSEN, FINN;REEL/FRAME:011578/0536Effective date: 20010220Oct 17, 2002ASAssignmentOwner name: BABY DAN A/S, DENMARKFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:BD DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT A/S;REEL/FRAME:013397/0608Effective date: 20021007Jan 12, 2007FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 4Feb 7, 2007REMIMaintenance fee reminder mailedFeb 28, 2011REMIMaintenance fee reminder mailedJul 22, 2011LAPSLapse for failure to pay maintenance feesSep 13, 2011FPExpired due to failure to pay maintenance feeEffective date: 20110722RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services