Child safety gate
First Claim
1. A child safety gate comprising a flexible retractable barrier sheet mounted to a roll about which said barrier sheet is windable;
- said roll being rotatable about an axis of rotation;
said barrier sheet being movable between an extended position and a retracted position, and a locking device;
said locking device comprising(a) a locking mechanism comprising;
(i) a rotatable cam rotatable about an axis of rotation parallel to the axis of rotation of said roll, said cam having a side surface defining a stop surface and defining a generally spiral-shaped cam surface extending from an inner end of said stop surface to an outer end of said stop surface, said generally spiral-shaped cam surface defining a first radius at said inner end of said stop surface and a second radius larger than said first radius at the outer end of said stop surface;
(ii) a lock actuator comprising a generally axially extending body, a to portion of said body defining a cam follower which engages said cam surface and a lock member at a lower portion of said body, said lock member defining a toothed portion of said lock actuator;
said lock actuator being movable in a plane generally perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said cam between at least a locked position and an unlocked position by movement of the cam,(iii) a toothed member;
said toothed member being generally parallel to said cam and spaced from said cam along said axis of rotation of said cam;
said toothed member being operatively connected to said roll to rotate about said axis of rotation of said roll;
said toothed member having a toothed surface facing the toothed portion of said lock actuator;
wherein when the lock actuator is in its locked position the toothed portion of said lock actuator engages the toothed surface of said toothed member to prevent further unwinding of the flexible retractable barrier sheet, and wherein when the lock actuator is in its unlocked position said toothed portion of said lock actuator is spaced from the toothed surface of said toothed member to allow at least unwinding of the flexible retractable barrier sheet, and(iv) a biasing member which biases said toothed portion of said actuator toward the teeth of said toothed member; and
(b) a timer configured to, upon activation, let a delay time elapse and then move the locking mechanism from its unlocked position to its locked position.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A child safety gate having a locking device and a flexible retractable barrier sheet is disclosed. The locking device comprises a locking means having at least a locked position and an unlocked position. The locking means is configured to in its locked position prevent further extraction of the flexible retractable barrier sheet, and the locking means is configured to in its unlocked position allow at least extraction of the flexible retractable barrier sheet. Further, the locking device comprises a timer means configured to upon activation let a delay time elapse and then bring the locking means into its locked position.
An advantage of the locking device is that it provides safe operation of a child safety gate by automatically locking the locking device after a delay time has elapsed.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A child safety gate comprising a flexible retractable barrier sheet mounted to a roll about which said barrier sheet is windable;
- said roll being rotatable about an axis of rotation;
said barrier sheet being movable between an extended position and a retracted position, and a locking device;
said locking device comprising(a) a locking mechanism comprising; (i) a rotatable cam rotatable about an axis of rotation parallel to the axis of rotation of said roll, said cam having a side surface defining a stop surface and defining a generally spiral-shaped cam surface extending from an inner end of said stop surface to an outer end of said stop surface, said generally spiral-shaped cam surface defining a first radius at said inner end of said stop surface and a second radius larger than said first radius at the outer end of said stop surface; (ii) a lock actuator comprising a generally axially extending body, a to portion of said body defining a cam follower which engages said cam surface and a lock member at a lower portion of said body, said lock member defining a toothed portion of said lock actuator;
said lock actuator being movable in a plane generally perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said cam between at least a locked position and an unlocked position by movement of the cam,(iii) a toothed member;
said toothed member being generally parallel to said cam and spaced from said cam along said axis of rotation of said cam;
said toothed member being operatively connected to said roll to rotate about said axis of rotation of said roll;
said toothed member having a toothed surface facing the toothed portion of said lock actuator;
wherein when the lock actuator is in its locked position the toothed portion of said lock actuator engages the toothed surface of said toothed member to prevent further unwinding of the flexible retractable barrier sheet, and wherein when the lock actuator is in its unlocked position said toothed portion of said lock actuator is spaced from the toothed surface of said toothed member to allow at least unwinding of the flexible retractable barrier sheet, and(iv) a biasing member which biases said toothed portion of said actuator toward the teeth of said toothed member; and (b) a timer configured to, upon activation, let a delay time elapse and then move the locking mechanism from its unlocked position to its locked position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
- said roll being rotatable about an axis of rotation;
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10. A locking device for a child safety gate comprising a flexible barrier sheet connected to a roll about which said flexible retractable barrier sheet is windable;
- said locking device comprising;
(a) a rotatable generally circular member having a circumferential surface defining outwardly facing teeth;
said generally circular member rotating about an axis of rotation;(b) a rotatable release wheel, said release wheel rotatable about an axis of rotation parallel to the axis of rotation of said generally circular member and comprising a cylinder and a cam extending from said cylinder, said cam having a side surface defining a stop surface and defining a generally spiral-shaped cam surface extending from an inner end of said stop surface to an outer end of said stop surface, said generally spiral-shaped cam surface defining a first radius at said inner end of said stop surface and a second radius larger than said first radius at the outer end of said stop surface; (c) an actuator comprising a generally axially extending body, a top portion of said body defining a cam follower which engages said cam surface and a toothed portion having teeth which face the teeth of said generally circular member;
said lock actuator being movable in a direction generally perpendicular to said axis of rotation of said release wheel between at least a locked position and an unlocked position by rotation of the cam;
wherein when the actuator is in its locked position said teeth of said actuator operatively engage said teeth of said generally circular member to prevent further rotation of said generally circular member in at least one direction, and wherein when the actuator is in its unlocked position said teeth of said actuator do not operatively engage said teeth of said generally circular member to allow rotation of said generally circular member in said at least one direction,(d) a biasing member which biases said toothed portion of said actuator toward the teeth of said toothed member (e) an activating knob received on said release wheel cylinder;
said activating knob and release wheel cylinder being axially slidable relative to each other;
said knob being movable between a raised and a lowered position relative to said release wheel;
said knob and release wheel being connected together such that when said knob is in one of its raised and lowered positions, said knob is rotationally fixed relative to said release wheel and when said knob is in the other of its raised and lowered positions, said knob can rotate relative to said release wheel; and(f) a timer received in said release wheel cylinder;
said timer comprising a delay socket and a delay peg received in said delay socket;
one of said delay socket and delay peg being operatively connected to said lower lid to prevent rotation of said one of said delay socket and delay peg in at least one direction, the other of said delay socket and delay peg being operatively connected to said release wheel. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
- said locking device comprising;
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21. A child safety gate comprising a flexible retractable barrier sheet windable about a roll to be selectively unwound from said roll, said roll being rotatable about an axis of rotation and a locking device;
- said locking device comprising;
(a) a locking mechanism comprising; (i) a rotatable generally circular member having outwardly facing teeth;
said generally circular surface being operatively connected to said roll to rotate with said roll about said axis of rotation;(ii) a cam spaced from said generally circular member along said axis of rotation and being generally co-axially aligned with said generally circular member and with said roll such that said cam is rotatable about said axis of rotation, said cam having a side surface defining a stop surface and defining a generally spiral-shaped cam surface extending from an inner end of said stop surface to an outer end of said stop surface, said generally spiral-shaped cam surface defining a first radius at said inner end of said stop surface and a second radius larger than said first radius at the outer end of said stop surface; (iii) an actuator having a generally axially extending body, a top portion of said body defining a cam follower which engages said cam surface and a toothed portion having teeth which face the teeth of said generally circular member;
said actuator being biased into engagement with said cam surface;
said actuator being movable in a direction generally perpendicular to said axis of rotation between at least a locked position and an unlocked position by rotational movement of the cam;
wherein when the actuator is in its locked position said teeth of said actuator operatively engage said teeth of said generally circular surface to prevent further unwinding of the flexible retractable barrier sheet from the roll, and wherein when the actuator is in its unlocked position said teeth of said actuator do not operatively engage said teeth of said generally circular member to allow at least unwinding of the flexible retractable barrier sheet, and(iv) a biasing member which biases said toothed portion of said actuator toward the teeth of said toothed member; and (b) a timer configured to upon activation let a delay time elapse and then bring the locking mechanism into its locked position.
- said locking device comprising;
Specification