Child safety gate apparatus, systems, and methods

• US 8,015,752 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2010
• Issued: 09/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Correlated Magnetics Research, LLC
• Original Assignee: Correlated Magnetics Research, LLC
• Inventors: Fullerton, Larry W., Roberts, Mark D., Richards, James L
• Primary Examiner(s): Barrera, Ramon M
• Application Number:
  US12/896,453
• Publication Number:
  US 20110018661A1
• Time in Patent Office: 347 Days
• Field of Search: 335/285, 335302-306, 49/70
• US Class Current: 49/70
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 13/003 Methods and devices for magnetising permanent magnets permanent magnets H01F7/02
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 7/0242 Magnetic drives, magnetic coupling devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 7/0284 using a trimmable or adjustable magnetic circuit, e.g. for a symmetric dipole or quadrupole magnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 15/03 having permanent magnets
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 49/10 of the permanent-magnet type

Abstract

A child safety gate apparatus, system, and method comprises a barrier that is securable in a passageway and comprises at least one pair of correlated magnets capable of being aligned such that an attractive force secures or locks the gate.

Claims

1. A child safety barrier, comprising:

a passageway barrier assembly for a passageway, said passageway having first and second opposed sides, wherein said barrier assembly comprises;

a first correlated magnet attachable to a structural element on the first side of said passageway and

a barrier comprising a second correlated magnet, said barrier being attachable to a second structural element on the second side of the passageway opposing said first side and positionable into a closed state in which the barrier spans across the passageway and an open state in which the barrier does not span across the passageway; and

wherein;

said first correlated magnet is capable of being aligned with said second correlated magnet such that said first and second correlated magnets produce an attractive force that holds said first and second magnets together and secures said barrier in said closed position;

said attractive force is a peak spatial force of a spatial force function;

said spatial force function corresponds to a code modulo defined by a code that defines said peak spatial force and a plurality of off peak spatial forces; and

said plurality of off peak spatial forces have a largest off peak spatial force that is less than half of the peak spatial force.

2. The child safety barrier of claim 1, further comprising a turning mechanism adapted to be applied to said first or said second correlated magnetic to decorrelate said first and said second correlated magnets and enabling said barrier to by positionable into an opened state in which the barrier does not span across said passageway.

3. The child safety barrier of claim 1, wherein said first and second correlated magnets are each independently attachable to said structural element on the first side of said passageway and said barrier with an adhesive or are integrated into said structural element and said barrier.

4. The child safety barrier of claim 1, wherein said first and/or said second correlated magnet are attachable to said structural member and/or said barrier by a strap, a latch or a locking mechanism.

5. The child safety barrier of claim 1, wherein said barrier is attachable to said second structural element on the second side of the passageway by one or more hinges.

6. The child safety barrier of claim 1, wherein said first structural element on said first side of said passageway and said second structural element on said second side of the passageway are independently selected from a vertical post, a wall, and a frame.

7. The child safety barrier of claim 1, wherein said barrier is attachable to said second structural element by one or more pairs of correlated magnets.

8. A method of securing a passageway or stairwell from child access comprising the steps of:

a) securing a gate assembly comprising a pair of complementary correlated magnets within said passageway or an access point to said stairwell and

b) aligning the pair of complementary correlated magnets to lock said gate assembly in a closed position wherein;

said pair of complementary correlated magnets comprises a first correlated magnet and a second correlated magnet and said locking said gate assembly comprises;

a passageway barrier assembly for a passageway, said passageway having first and second opposed sides, wherein said barrier assembly comprises;

a first correlated magnet attachable to a structural element on the first side of said passageway and

a barrier comprising a second correlated magnet, said barrier being attachable to a second structural element on the second side of the passageway opposing said first side and positionable into a closed state in which the barrier spans across the passageway and an open state in which the barrier does not span across the passageway; and

wherein;

said first correlated magnet is capable of being aligned with said second correlated magnet such that said first and second correlated magnets produce an attractive force that holds said first and second magnets together and secures said barrier in said closed position;

said attractive force is a peak spatial force of a spatial force function;

said spatial force function corresponds to a code modulo defined by a code that defines said peak spatial force and a plurality of off peak spatial forces; and

said plurality of off peak spatial forces have a largest off peak spatial force that is less than half of the peak spatial force.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising unlocking said gate by turning a mechanism adapted to be applied to said first or said second correlated magnetic field structure to decorrelate said first or said second correlated magnetic structures enabling said gate to be moveable into an open position.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said first and second correlated magnets are each independently attachable to said structural element on the first side of said passageway and said barrier with an adhesive or are integrated into said structural element and said barrier.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein said first and/or said second correlated magnet are attachable to said structural member and/or said barrier by a strap, a latch or a locking mechanism.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein said barrier is attachable to said second structural element on the second side of the passageway by one or more hinges.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein said first structural element on said first side of said passageway and said second structural element on said second side of the passageway are independently selected from a vertical post, a wall, and a frame.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein said barrier is attachable to said second structural element by one or more pairs of correlated magnets.

15. A correlated magnet baby gate securing system, comprising;

a first correlated magnetic field structure securely attached to a baby gate and

a second correlated magnetic field structure that is complementary to said first correlated magnetic field structure secured to a support structure to which said baby gate;

may be secured

wherein;

said first correlated magnetic field structure associated with said baby gate is capable of being aligned with the second correlated magnetic field structure attached to said support structure such that said first and second correlated magnet field structures produce an attractive force that secures said baby gate to said support structure;

said attractive force is a peak spatial force of a spatial force function;

said spatial force function corresponds to a code modulo defined by a code that defines said peak spatial force and a plurality of off peak spatial forces; and

said plurality of off peak spatial forces have a largest off peak spatial force that is less than half of the peak spatial force.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising a turning mechanism adapted to be applied to said first or said second correlated magnetic field structure to decorrelate said first or said second correlated magnetic structures enabling said baby gate to be removed from said support structure.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein said first and second correlated magnetic field structures are attached to said baby gate and said support structure with an adhesive.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein said first and second correlated magnetic field structures are integrated into said baby gate and said support structure.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein said support structure are the vertical support members defining an entrance to a stairwell.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein said support structure are the vertical support members defining a passage way.