Secure latch assembly for drawers and doors

• US 10,563,430 B2
• Filed: 04/18/2019
• Issued: 02/18/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gregory P. Hertrich
• Original Assignee: Gregory P. Hertrich
• Inventors: Hertrich, Gregory P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rohrhoff, Daniel J
• Application Number:
  US16/388,323
• Publication Number:
  US 20190323267A1
• Time in Patent Office: 306 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2088/954 fastening the front panel by a sprung bolt, latch or lock-bolt
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 67/04 Chests of drawers; Cabinets characterised by the arrangement of drawers A47B67/02 takes precedence; drawers, guides for drawers, per se A47B88/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 88/42 Vertically-oriented drawers, i.e. drawers where the height exceeds the width
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 88/50 Safety devices or the like for drawers locks specially adapted for a plurality of drawers E05B65/46
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 88/95 characterised by connection means for the front panel
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 65/0014 to prevent opening by children E05B13/00 takes precedence; child-proof container closures B65D50/00
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 65/46 for drawers
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 65/462 for two or more drawers
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 19/188 Removably mounted securing devices, e.g. devices clamped to the wing or the frame E05C19/182 - E05C19/186 take precedence

Abstract

A latch assembly for use with a cabinet that includes a cabinet body having a cabinet face and a moving component that moves relative to the cabinet face, includes an attachment assembly and a locking assembly. The attachment assembly is selectively coupled to the cabinet face. The attachment assembly includes an attacher body having a first arm that provides pressure on a back of the cabinet face, and a second arm that provides pressure on a front of the cabinet face when the attachment assembly is coupled to the cabinet face. The second arm is flexibly coupled to the first arm. The locking assembly is coupled to the attachment assembly. The locking assembly is selectively movable between a locked position, when the moving component is inhibited from moving relative to the cabinet face, and an unlocked position, when the moving component can be freely moved relative to the cabinet face.

Claims

1. A latch assembly for use with a cabinet that includes a cabinet body having a cabinet face and a moving component that is configured to move relative to the cabinet face, the latch assembly comprising:

an attachment assembly that is selectively coupled to the cabinet face, the attachment assembly including an attacher body in the form of a spring clamp that provides pressure on a front and a back of the cabinet face when the attachment assembly is coupled to the cabinet face, the attacher body including a first arm that provides pressure on the back of the cabinet face when the attachment assembly is coupled to the cabinet face, a second arm that provides pressure on the front of the cabinet face when the attachment assembly is coupled to the cabinet face, and an attacher base that extends between the first arm and the second arm, and flexibly couples the first arm and the second arm to one another; and

a locking assembly that is coupled to the attachment assembly, the locking assembly being selectively movable between a locked position, when the moving component is inhibited from moving relative to the cabinet face, and an unlocked position, when the moving component can be freely moved relative to the cabinet face, the locking assembly including a transverse member that is movably coupled to the second arm of the attacher body such that the transverse member is slidable along the second arm to adjust a position of the transverse member relative to the attacher body.

2. The latch assembly of claim 1 wherein the attacher body is movable between a relaxed position, when the attachment assembly is not coupled to the cabinet face and no pressure is applied to the first arm and the second arm, and a clamping position, when the attachment assembly is coupled to the cabinet face.

3. The latch assembly of claim 2 wherein when the attacher body is in the relaxed position, a minimum arm spacing between the first arm and the second arm is less than a face width of the cabinet face to which the attachment assembly is configured to be attached.

4. The latch assembly of claim 1 wherein the attachment assembly further includes an attacher aligner that is coupled to the attacher body, the attacher aligner being configured to align the attachment assembly relative to the cabinet face.

5. The latch assembly of claim 4 wherein the attacher aligner is positioned adjacent to the attacher base.

6. The latch assembly of claim 5 wherein the attacher aligner is positioned near where the attacher base joins the first arm;

and wherein the attacher aligner is configured to be positioned adjacent to the back of the cabinet face when the attachment assembly is coupled to the cabinet face.

7. The latch assembly of claim 1 wherein the locking assembly further includes a pivoting member that is pivotally secured to the transverse member, the pivoting member pivoting relative to the transverse member between a first position in which the pivoting member is substantially perpendicular to the transverse member such that the pivoting member inhibits large scale movement of the moving component relative to the cabinet body, and a second position in which the pivoting member is substantially parallel to the transverse member such that the pivoting member allows for large scale movement of the moving component relative to the cabinet body.

8. The latch assembly of claim 7 wherein the pivoting member includes an activator mechanism that is selectively movable between an engaged position when the activator mechanism engages the transverse member to inhibit movement between the first position and the second position, and a disengaged position when the activator mechanism does not engage the transverse member and the pivoting member can pivot relative to the transverse member between the first position and the second position;

and wherein movement of the activator mechanism between the engaged position and the disengaged position includes a purely rotational movement of the activator mechanism.

9. The latch assembly of claim 1 wherein the transverse member includes an aperture that is configured to fit over and be selectively maintained in position around the second arm of the attacher body due to frictional forces between the second arm and the aperture.

10. The latch assembly of claim 9 wherein the second arm has a substantially rectangular-shaped cross-section, and wherein the aperture in the transverse member is slot-shaped.

11. A latch assembly for use with a cabinet that includes a cabinet body having a cabinet face and a moving component that is configured to move relative to the cabinet face, the latch assembly comprising:

an attachment assembly that is selectively coupled to the cabinet face, the attachment assembly including an attacher body having a first arm that provides pressure on a back of the cabinet face when the attachment assembly is coupled to the cabinet face, a second arm that provides pressure on the front of the cabinet face when the attachment assembly is coupled to the cabinet face, and an attacher base that extends between the first arm and the second arm, and flexibly couples the first arm and the second arm to one another, and an attacher aligner that is coupled to the attacher body, the attacher aligner being positioned adjacent to the attacher base such that the attacher aligner is configured to align the attachment assembly relative to the cabinet face; and

a locking assembly that is coupled to the attachment assembly, the locking assembly being selectively movable between a locked position, when the moving component is inhibited from moving relative to the cabinet face, and an unlocked position, when the moving component can be freely moved relative to the cabinet face.

12. The latch assembly of claim 11 wherein the attacher body is movable between a relaxed position, when the attachment assembly is not coupled to the cabinet face and no pressure is applied to the first arm and the second arm, and a clamping position, when the attachment assembly is coupled to the cabinet face;

and wherein when the attacher body is in the relaxed position, a minimum arm spacing between the first arm and the second arm is less than a face width of the cabinet face to which the attachment assembly is configured to be attached.

13. The latch assembly of claim 11 wherein the locking assembly is adjustably coupled to the attachment assembly.

14. The latch assembly of claim 13 wherein the locking assembly includes a transverse member that is adjustably coupled to the attachment assembly, and a pivoting member that is pivotally secured to the transverse member, the pivoting member pivoting relative to the transverse member between a first position in which the pivoting member inhibits large scale movement of the moving component relative to the cabinet body, and a second position in which the pivoting member allows for large scale movement of the moving component relative to the cabinet body.

15. The latch assembly of claim 14 wherein the pivoting member includes an activator mechanism that is selectively movable between an engaged position when the activator mechanism engages the transverse member to inhibit movement between the first position and the second position, and a disengaged position when the activator mechanism does not engage the transverse member and the pivoting member can pivot relative to the transverse member between the first position and the second position;

and wherein movement of the activator mechanism between the engaged position and the disengaged position includes a purely rotational movement of the activator mechanism.

16. The latch assembly of claim 14 wherein the transverse member of the locking assembly is movably coupled to the second arm of the attacher body such that the transverse member is slidable along the second arm to adjust a position of the transverse member relative to the attacher body.

17. The latch assembly of claim 16 wherein the transverse member includes an aperture that is configured to fit over and be selectively maintained in position around the second arm of the attacher body due to frictional forces between the second arm and the aperture.

18. The latch assembly of claim 11 wherein the attacher aligner is positioned near where the attacher base joins the first arm;

and wherein the attacher aligner is configured to be positioned adjacent to the back of the cabinet face when the attachment assembly is coupled to the cabinet face.

19. A latch assembly for use with a cabinet that includes a cabinet body having a cabinet face and a moving component that is configured to move relative to the cabinet face, the latch assembly comprising:

an attachment assembly that is selectively coupled to the cabinet face, the attachment assembly including (i) an attacher body in the form of a spring clamp that provides pressure on a front and a back of the cabinet face when the attachment assembly is coupled to the cabinet face, and (ii) an attacher aligner that is coupled to the attacher body, the attacher aligner being configured to align the attachment assembly relative to the cabinet face;

wherein the attacher body includes a first arm that provides pressure on the back of the cabinet face when the attachment assembly is coupled to the cabinet face, a second arm that provides pressure on the front of the cabinet face when the attachment assembly is coupled to the cabinet face, and an attacher base that extends between the first arm and the second arm, and flexibly couples the first arm and the second arm to one another; and

wherein the attacher aligner is positioned about the attacher base and a portion of the first arm and the second arm; and

a locking assembly that is coupled to the attachment assembly, the locking assembly being selectively movable between a locked position, when the moving component is inhibited from moving relative to the cabinet face, and an unlocked position, when the moving component can be freely moved relative to the cabinet face.

20. A latch assembly for use with a cabinet that includes a cabinet body having a cabinet face and a moving component that is configured to move relative to the cabinet face, the latch assembly comprising:

an attachment assembly that is selectively coupled to the cabinet face, the attachment assembly including an attacher body in the form of a spring clamp that provides pressure on a front and a back of the cabinet face when the attachment assembly is coupled to the cabinet face; and

a locking assembly that is coupled to the attachment assembly, the locking assembly being selectively movable between a locked position, when the moving component is inhibited from moving relative to the cabinet face, and an unlocked position, when the moving component can be freely moved relative to the cabinet face;

wherein the locking assembly is adjustably coupled to the attachment assembly, the locking assembly including a transverse member that is adjustably coupled to the attachment assembly, and a pivoting member that is pivotally secured to the transverse member, the pivoting member pivoting relative to the transverse member between a first position in which the pivoting member inhibits large scale movement of the moving component relative to the cabinet body, and a second position in which the pivoting member allows for large scale movement of the moving component relative to the cabinet body; and

wherein the pivoting member includes an activator mechanism that is selectively movable between an engaged position when the activator mechanism engages the transverse member to inhibit movement between the first position and the second position, and a disengaged position when the activator mechanism does not engage the transverse member and the pivoting member can pivot relative to the transverse member between the first position and the second position; and

wherein movement of the activator mechanism between the engaged position and the disengaged position includes a purely rotational movement of the activator mechanism.