Child protective cabinet alarm

• US 5,568,123 A
• Filed: 06/15/1995
• Issued: 10/22/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Charles F. Derheim
• Original Assignee: Charles F. Derheim
• Inventors: Derheim, Charles F.
• Primary Examiner(s): SWANN III, GLEN R
• Application Number:
  US08/490,817
• Time in Patent Office: 495 Days
• Field of Search: 340/546, 340/545, 340/570, 200/61.62, 200/61.93
• US Class Current: 340/545.2
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/02 Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons

Abstract

A device is mounted inside the interior space defined by a cabinet to alert a supervising adult that a child has opened the cabinet door. The device is mounted so that an outer face of its housing is directed outwardly adjacent to the opening closed by the door. A perpendicular mounting end is attached to an inner sidewall surface of the cabinet. An activator switch has a lever or button biased to project outwardly from the outer face of the housing. The closing of the cabinet door moves the projecting lever into a depressed position. When the cabinet door is opened, movement of the lever into a projecting position activates an audible alarm. In alternate embodiments, one or more of the components of the device may be provided in a separate housing part mounted outside the cabinet.

Claims

1. For use with an outwardly opening closure for an opening in a structure, said structure defining an interior space accessible through said opening, and said closure having a closed position in which it closes said opening and being movable outwardly away from said interior space and said opening from said closed position to an open position to provide access to said interior space, a warning device to signal that said closure has been moved out of said closed position toward said open position, comprising:

a housing having an outer face and a mounting end substantially perpendicular to said face, said mounting end being attachable to said structure to position the device inside said interior space with said face directed outwardly adjacent to said opening, and said face being bounded by a periphery and having an aperture and at least one hole extending therethrough within said periphery;

an audible alarm mounted in said housing, said alarm being directed toward said hole to allow sound from said alarm to pass through said face and be directed outwardly through said opening;

an activator switch mounted in said housing and having a projecting portion biased into a projecting position in which it projects outwardly through said aperture;

said projecting portion being movable out of said projecting position toward said face and into a depressed position, and said projecting portion being and remaining within said periphery when it is in either of said projecting and depressed positions and as it moves between said projecting and depressed positions; and

said activator switch normally being operatively connected to said alarm so that said alarm is activated when said projecting portion is in said projecting position and is deactivated when said projecting portion is in said depressed position; and

a disable switch mounted on said housing in a position accessible for manual operation and being manually movable into a position in which it prevents activation of said alarm by movement of said projecting portion into said projecting position;

wherein said projecting portion is configured to be contacted and moved into said depressed position by said closure when said mounting end is attached to said structure, said face is directed outwardly adjacent to said opening, and said closure is moved into said closed position.

2. The device of claim 1, comprising a fastener positioned to attach said mounting end to said structure;

said fastener comprising a strip of material with opposite faces, each of which has a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive thereon, and one of which is secured to said mounting end by said adhesive.

3. The device of claim 2, in which said housing is a one-piece housing, and said disable switch is mounted spaced from said mounting end on a surface of said housing substantially perpendicular to said face.

4. The device of claim 1, in which said housing is a one-piece housing, and said disable switch is mounted spaced from said mounting end on a surface of said housing substantially perpendicular to said face.

5. For use with an outwardly opening closure for an opening in a structure, said structure defining an interior space accessible through said opening, and said closure having a closed position in which it closes said opening and being movable outwardly away from said interior space and said opening from said closed position to an open position to provide access to said interior space, a warning device to signal that said closure has been moved out of said closed position toward said open position, comprising:

a first housing and a second housing;

said first housing having an outer face and a mounting end substantially perpendicular to said face, said mounting end being attachable to said structure to position said first housing inside said interior space with said face directed outwardly adjacent to said opening, and said face being bounded by a periphery and having an aperture extending therethrough within said periphery;

an audible alarm carried by one of said housings;

an activator switch mounted in said first housing and having a projecting portion biased into a projecting position in which it projects outwardly through said aperture;

said projecting portion being movable out of said projecting position toward said face and into a depressed position, and said projecting portion being and remaining within said periphery when it is in either of said projecting and depressed positions and as it moves between said projecting and depressed positions; and

said activator switch normally being operatively connected to said alarm so that said alarm is activated when said projecting portion is in said projecting position and is deactivated when said projecting portion is in said depressed position; and

a disable switch mounted on said second housing in a position accessible for manual operation and being manually movable into a position in which it prevents activation of said alarm by movement of said projecting portion into said projecting position;

wherein said projecting portion is configured to be contacted and moved into said depressed position by said closure when said mounting end is attached to said structure, said face is directed outwardly adjacent to said opening, and said closure is moved into said closed position;

in which said second housing is separate from said first housing to permit said second housing to be positioned, in use, outside said interior space;

said disable switch having a manual operator and a transmitting portion carried by said second housing, and a receiving portion carried by said first housing.