Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02699128 2010-04-06
LATERAL FILE DRAWER AND ANTI-TIP DEVICE
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority based on United States Provisional
Application
No. 61/167,277, filed April 7, 2009 and United States Patent Application
12/754,179
entitled "LATERAL FILE DRAWER AND ANTI-TIP DEVICE" filed April 5, 2010,
which is herein incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to furniture, and in particular to a
device that
prevents two drawers of a furniture piece from being in the open position at
the same
time.
Description of Related Art
[0003] A problem that can arise during the use of furniture with drawers is
that when
two drawers are in the open position, the combined weight of the drawers,
alone or in
combination with their contents, shifts the center of gravity of the
furniture. This
shifting can cause the furniture to tip over.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The present invention is directed toward preventing two drawers in a
piece of
furniture from being opened at the same time. The anti-tip device for a piece
of furniture
has a first drawer and a second drawer within a cabinet. The device includes a
first key
attached to the first drawer and a second key attached to the second drawer,
wherein each
key moves with the respective drawer along a drawer axis. Each key has a
bottom
surface, as well as a primary top surface and a secondary top surface with a
valley
therebetween, the valley defining a ledge wall adjacent to the secondary top
surface. The
device further includes a lock bar slidably secured to the cabinet and movable
in a
direction generally perpendicular to the drawer axis, and biased in a
direction from the
primary top surface to the bottom surface of each key. The lock bar has a
first slot and a
second slot extending therethrough, the first slot being adapted to receive
the first key,
the second slot being adapted to receive the second key, wherein the interior
of each slot
has an engaging surface. The engaging surface is proximate to a capture
surface on the
side of the side of the lock bar opposite the drawer. In a first arrangement,
each drawer
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is in a closed position and the keys extend through the slots of the lock bar,
the engaging
surface of each lock bar slot being supported by the primary top surface of
each of the
keys. In a second arrangement, one drawer is open so that the key no longer
contacts the
lock bar and the other drawer, from a closed position, is moved toward the
open position
such that the primary top surface moves past the slot and the bias causes the
lock bar to
move into the valley of the key so that the ledge wall of the key abuts with
the capture
surface of the lock bar, thereby preventing further opening of the drawer.
[0005] Still other desirable features of the invention will become apparent to
those of
ordinary skill in the art upon reading and understanding the following
detailed
description, taken with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference
numerals
represent like elements throughout.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1 is a rear perspective view of a file cabinet having two drawers
and an
anti-tip device installed therein;
[0007] Fig. 2a is an enlarged perspective view of the anti-tip device shown in
Fig. I
with portions of the lock housing not shown;
[0008] Fig. 2b is a perspective view of the anti-tip device shown in Fig. 2a,
viewed
along arrow A, with the file cabinet and drawers removed for clarity;
[0009] Fig. 2c is an exploded perspective view of the anti-tip device shown in
Fig. 2b;
[0010] Fig. 3a is a perspective view of the anti-tip device shown in Fig. 2a,
with the
lock housing not shown, and with both file drawers in the closed position;
[0011] Fig. 3b is a perspective view of the anti-tip device shown in Fig. 3a,
with one
of the file drawers in the open position;
[0012] Fig. 3c is a perspective view of the anti-tip device shown in Fig. 3a,
with one
of the file drawers in the open position, and the other having been pulled
toward the open
position;
[0013] Fig. 4a is a perspective view of a key in accordance with the present
invention;
[0014] Fig 4b is a side view of the key shown in Fig. 4a;
[0015] Fig. 5a is a perspective view of a lock bar in accordance with the
present
invention;
[0016] Fig 5b is a side view of the lock bar shown in Fig. 5a;
[0017] Fig. 6a is a perspective view of a lock housing in accordance with the
present
invention;
[0018] Fig 6b is a side view of the lock housing shown in Fig. 6a;
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100191 Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a first alternative embodiment of the
key and
lock bar shown in Figs. 4a and 5a; and
[00201 Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a second alternative embodiment of the
key and
lock bar shown in Figs. 4a and 5a.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[00211 The present invention will now be described with reference to the
accompanying figures. For purposes of the description hereinafter, the terms
"upper",
"lower", "right", "left", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom" and
derivatives thereof
shall relate to the invention as it is oriented in the drawing figures.
However, it is to be
understood that the invention may assume various alternative variations and/or
step
sequences, except where expressly specified to the contrary. It is to be
understood that
the specific system illustrated in the attached figures and described in the
following
specification is simply an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
Hence,
specific dimensions and other physical characteristics related to the
embodiments
disclosed herein are not to be considered as limiting.
[00221 Fig. 1 shows a file cabinet 2 having a first drawer 4 with a first side
panel 5 and
a second drawer 6 with a second side panel 7. The file cabinet 2 has a side
wall 8 that
extends vertically and substantially parallel to the first and second side
panels 5, 7. The
file cabinet 2 and drawers 4, 6 may be made of wood, metal, plastic, or any
other suitably
rigid material. The drawers 4, 6 may be opened by being pulled in direction X
and
closed by being pushed in direction Y. The directions X and Y define a drawer
axis Ll
and L2 for the respective drawers 4, 6. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2a, an anti-
tip device 10
is installed substantially in a gap 11 created by the first and second side
panels 5, 7 of the
drawers 4, 6 with the side wall 8 of the file cabinet 2, at the rear end 4a,
6a of the drawers
4, 6. While the anti-tip device 10 is herein depicted and described as being
installed into
a file cabinet 2, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the
anti-tip device 10
may likewise be installed in various other types of furniture having drawers.
[0023) Referring to Figs. 3a-c, the anti-tip device 10 works generally as
follows. Keys
12, 14 are provided on the side panels 5, 7 for each of the drawers 4, 6. The
keys 12, 14
may be inserted into and removed from slots 36, 38 within a lock bar 32 which
is biased
in the downward direction by a spring 62. The lock bar 32 is slidably secured
to the file
cabinet 2, and is movable in a direction generally perpendicular to the drawer
axis L1,
L2. The keys 12, 14 include primary top surfaces 18 that allow the keys 12, 14
to
maintain the lock bar 32 in an elevated position, resting on at least one of
the keys 12, 14
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while at least one of the drawers 4, 6 is fully closed. If one drawer is
opened and the
other is pulled toward the open position, the lock bar 32 will move off of the
primary top
surface 18 of the opening drawer and downward to engage with the surfaces of
the
unopened drawer's key to prevent the unopened drawer from being pulled open.
The
only difference between the arrangements illustrated in Figs. 2a-c and Figs.
3a-c is the
presence of a lock housing 34 in Figs. 2a-c. The lock housing 34 is used
primarily to
support the lock bar 32 and as a result, Figs. 3a-c are provided for a clearer
view of the
operation of the moving parts, which otherwise are partially hidden by the
lock housing
34.
[00241 As shown in Figs. 3a-c, the anti-tip device 10 includes a first key 12
and a
second key 14. The keys 12, 14 are attached to the side panels 5, 7 of the
drawers 4, 6,
respectively, so as to be disposed between the side panels 5, 7 and the side
wall 8. Holes
16 (see Fig. 4a) are provided through the keys 12, 14 for attaching the keys
12, 14 to the
side panels 5, 7 via screws, nails, or other fasteners, though the keys 12, 14
may be
attached to the side panels 5, 7 by any other means known in the art such as
with an
adhesive. Directing attention to Figs. 4a and 4b, each key 12, 14 is identical
and the keys
12, 14 are substantially bar-shaped having an overall height H (Fig.4b)
defined by the
distance between a primary top surface 18 and a bottom surface 20 of the keys
12, 14.
Toward one end of the keys 12, 14, the primary top surface 18 tapers forming a
primary
ramp 22, reducing the height of the keys 12, 14 to a portion having a locking
height J,
forming a lock surface 24. The height of the keys 12, 14, then abruptly
increases to a
portion having a ledge height K, where H>K>J, to form a ledge wall 26.
Adjacent to the
ledge wall 26 of each key 12, 14 is a secondary top surface 28 of height K,
which again
tapers, reducing the height of the keys 12, 14 and forming a secondary ramp
30. As
shown in Fig. 4B, a valley 27 is formed on each key 12, 14 between the primary
top
surface 18 and the secondary top surface 28, wherein the valley 27 defines the
surfaces
of the ledge wall 26 and the primary ramp 22.
[00251 Referring again to Figs. 2a-c, the anti-tip device 10 also includes a
lock bar 32
and a lock housing 34. As noted above, the lock bar 32 is generally disposed
inside of
the lock housing 34 and therefore is mostly hidden in Figs. 2a and 2b. For
illustration
purposes, Fig. 2a shows the lock housing 34 partially in phantom so that the
operation of
the lock bar 32 may be appreciated. Figs. 3a-c show the anti-tip device 10
including the
lock bar 32, but with the lock housing 34 removed entirely to better depict
how the
present invention works, as will be further described below.
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[0026] As shown in Figs. 2c and 3a-c, the lock bar 32 is generally bar-shaped
having a
first slot 36 and a second slot 38. Referring now to Figs. 5a-b, the slots 36,
38 are
defined by rectangular passages that extend through the lock bar 32 and define
a first
engaging surface 41 and a second engaging surface 43 on the interior perimeter
of the
slots 36, 38, respectively. As shown in Figs. 3b-c, and 5a, proximate to the
engaging
surfaces 41, 43 on the side of the lock bar 32 opposite the drawers 4, 6, are
a first capture
surface 37 and a second capture surface 39, respectively. The slots 36, 38 may
also have
beveled edges 40 around the perimeters of the slots 36, 38 sloping inward
toward the
passages. At or near the center of the lock bar 32 is a hole 42, which will be
described in
more detail below.
[0027] As shown in Figs. 6a-b, the lock housing 34 has a substantially flat
base
portion 44 and a housing portion 46. Holes 48 are provided in the base portion
44 so that
the lock housing 34 may be attached to the side wall 8 of the file cabinet 2
(as shown in
Fig. 2a) via screws, nails, or other fasteners, though the lock housing 34 may
be attached
to the side wall 8 of the file cabinet 2 by any other means known in the art,
such as with
an adhesive. As shown in Fig. 6a, the housing portion 46 is substantially tube-
shaped
defining a conduit passageway 50 adapted to receive the lock bar 32 such that
the lock
bar 32 may slide freely through the conduit passageway 50 with little to no
lateral
movement inside the conduit passageway 50. See Fig. 2a. Thus, the lock housing
34
permits movement of the lock bar 32 in the direction generally perpendicular
to the
drawer axis, while preventing movement of the lock bar 34 in the direction
generally
parallel to the drawer axis.
[0028] Returning to Fig. 6a, the housing portion 46 also includes a first slot
52 and a
second slot 54, defined by rectangular passages that extend through housing
portion 46.
The slots 52, 54 may also have beveled edges 56 around the perimeters of the
slots 52,
54 sloping inward toward the passages. At or near the center of the housing
portion 46 is
an elongated hole 58 extending through the housing portion 46, which will be
described
in more detail below.
[0029] The slots 52, 54 of the housing portion 46 are sized and configured to
have
openings at least as large as the slots 36, 38 of the lock bar 32 to permit
unencumbered
motion of the keys 12, 14 therethrough (see Fig. 2b). Although the slots 52,
54 of the
housing portion 46 are shown as rectangular to correspond to the slots 36, 38
of the lock
bar 32, the slots 52, 54 may be of almost any other shape or size as long as
the slots 52,
54 are larger than the slots 36, 38 of the lock bar 32. With the lock bar 32
inserted into
CA 02699128 2010-04-06
the conduit passageway 50 of the housing portion 46 as shown in Figs 2a-b, the
respective first slots 36, 52 and second slots 38, 54 are aligned to form
passages through
both the lock bar 32 and the housing portion 46. Further, the slots 36, 38 of
the lock bar
32 and slots 52, 54 of the housing portion 46 are sized and configured to
receive the
respective keys 12, 14 as shown in Figs. 2a-b and 3a-c.
[00301 As shown in Figs. 2a-c and 3a-c, the anti-tip device 10 also includes a
dowel
60 and a spring 62. The dowel 60 is inserted through the hole 42 of the lock
bar 32 and
attached to the lock bar 32. The dowel 60 extends laterally in both directions
from the
lock bar 32 through the elongated hole 58 of the housing portion 46 of the
lock housing
34. As noted above, with the lock bar 32 inserted into the conduit passageway
50 of the
housing portion 46 as shown in Figs 2a-b, the respective slots 36, 38 of the
lock bar 32
(Fig. 5a) are aligned with the respective slots 52, 54 of the lock housing 34
so as to form
passages through both the lock bar 32 and the housing portion 46 of the lock
housing 34.
When the slots 36, 38, 52, 54 are so aligned, the dowel 60 attached to the
lock bar 32 is
likewise aligned with and disposed within the elongated hole 58 of the lock
housing 34.
[00311 The spring 62 is attached at one end to the dowel 60 and at the other
end to the
side wall 8 of the cabinet 2. Because the dowel 60 is contained by the
elongated hole 58,
the lock bar 32 can only move up and down through the conduit passageway 50 to
the
extent permitted by the elongated hole 58. The spring 62 provides a downward
biasing
force on the lock bar 32 through the dowel 60. It should be noted that
although the
spring 62 is depicted as being attached to the side wall 8 of the file cabinet
2, the spring
62 may also be attached to the lock housing 34, or to any other object that is
stationary
relative to the lock bar 32 so that the spring 62 still provides the downward
biasing force.
It should also be noted that gravity alone acting on the lock bar 32 provides
a downward
biasing force, but additional force provided by the spring 62 may be desired.
Further, it
will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that objects other than
springs, such as
elastic bands or weights, may be suitable to provide the downward biasing
force on the
lock bar 32.
[00321 To discuss the anti-tip device 10 in operation, reference will be made
to Figs.
3a-c for ease of explanation, since Figs. 3a-c depict the anti-tip device 10
without the
lock housing 34 shown. However, in view of the foregoing description, it
should be
understood that the lock housing 34 remains stationary with respect to the
lock bar 32,
keys 12, 14, and drawers 4, 6 during operation of the anti-tip device 10.
Essentially, the
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lock housing 34 exists to retain the lock bar 32 in a position so that it may
only move in
the up and down direction as described below.
[00331 Fig. 3 a shows the anti-tip device 10 as installed into the file
cabinet 2 with both
the first and second drawers 4, 6 in the fully closed position. In this
position, the
engaging surfaces 41, 43 (Figs. 5a-b) of the slots 36, 38 of the lock bar 32
are engaged
with the primary top surfaces 18 of the keys 12, 14, respectively. As shown in
Figs. 2c
and 3a, the distance D between the engaging surfaces 41, 43 of the lock bar 32
is
approximately equal to the vertical distance E between the primary top
surfaces 18 of the
keys 12, 14.
[00341 Fig. 3b shows the anti-tip device 10 with the first drawer 4 moving
toward the
fully open position. Because the second engaging surface 43 of the second slot
38 (Fig.
5b) is resting upon the primary top surface 18 of the second key 14, the lock
bar 32 is
vertically supported. The slots 36, 38 of the lock bar 32 are sized to have
height H' (Fig.
5b), where H' > H, such that the first key 12 having height H (Fig. 4b) is
afforded
clearance to move uninterrupted through the first slot 36 when the lock bar 32
is resting
on the primary top surface 18 of the second key 14. The first key 12 therefore
is able to
freely slide in and out of the first slot 36 because the first slot 36 remains
so aligned with
the first key 12 by virtue of the lock bar 32 being supported by the second
key 14.
Likewise, if the first drawer 4 is closed and the second drawer 6 were instead
pulled
open, the engaging surface 41 of the first slot 36 would be resting on the
primary top
surface 18 of the first key 12. This engagement would also vertically support
the lock
bar 32. In that case, the second key 14 would be able to freely move in and
out of the
second slot 38 because the second slot 38 would remain aligned with the second
key 14
and provide clearance for the second key 14. In this manner, either the first
drawer 4 or
the second drawer 6 may be opened or closed without interference from the anti-
tip
device 10, as long as the other drawer remains in the closed position where
the primary
top surface 18 of the keys 12, 14 associated with that drawer supports the
lock bar 32 in
the elevated position.
(0035] Fig. 3c shows what happens when the first drawer 4 is in the open
position and
the second drawer 6 subsequently is pulled toward the open position. Once the
first
drawer has been opened, the primary top surface 18 of the second key 14 is the
only
surface retaining the lock bar 32 in the elevated position. When the second
drawer 6 is
pulled toward the open position, since the first key 12 is removed entirely
from the slot
36 of the lock bar 32, the vertical motion of the lock bar 32 is dictated
entirely by the
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lateral motion of the second key 14. In particular, the engaging surface 43 of
the second
slot 38 of the lock bar 32 slides along the primary top surface 18 of the
second key 14
until it reaches the primary ramp 22 (which is the same as the primary ramp 22
associated with the first key 12). As the engaging surface 43 of the second
slot 38
follows the ramp 22, the lock bar 32 drops into the valley 27 of the key 14.
The opening
of the second drawer 6, combined with the downward biasing force the spring 62
exerts
on the lock bar 32, forces the engaging surface 43 of the second slot 38 to
slide down the
primary ramp 22 and into the valley 27, to engage with the lock surface 24
(shown in
Figs. 3b and 4a-b). Any further opening of the second drawer 6 will cause the
ledge wall
26 of the second key 14 to catch and abut the second capture surface 39 of the
lock bar
32, preventing further movement of the second key 14 and attached second
drawer 6
toward the open position because the ledge wall 26 cannot move past the
capture surface
39 of the lock bar 32. Likewise, if the second drawer 6 were fully opened and
a user
attempted to pull the first drawer 4 open from the closed position, the lock
bar 32 would
drop into the valley 27 of the first key 12. The engaging surface 41 of the
first slot 36
would engage with the lock surface 24 of the first key 12, such that any
further opening
of the first drawer would cause the ledge wall 26 of the first key 12 to catch
and abut
with the first capture surface 37 of the lock bar 32, thereby preventing the
first key 12
from further movement toward the open position. Preferably, the spring 62
should be
configured to provide downward biasing force sufficient to move the lock bar
32 into
engagement with the lock surface 24 of a key 12, 14 even when the drawer is
pulled
toward the open position very quickly. The biasing force of the spring 62
maintains the
lock bar 32 in engagement with the lock surface 24 of the second key 14 to
prevent the
second drawer 6 from opening.
[00361 To allow the second drawer 6 to then be opened, the first drawer 4 must
first be
closed. As the first key 12 moves back into the first slot 36, the secondary
ramp 30
engages with the beveled edge 40 (Figs. 5a-b) of the lock bar 32 which is
adjacent to the
engaging surface 41. Further insertion of the first key 12 will cause the
secondary ramp
30 to push the lock bar 32 upward against the downward biasing force provided
by the
spring 62. It should be noted that although the lock bar 32 is shown in Figs.
5a-b as
having beveled edges 40 all around the perimeter of the slots 36, 38, each
slot 36, 38
may include a beveled edge 40 only on the side of the slots 36, 38 adjacent to
the
engaging surfaces 41, 43, or may include no ramped edges at all, as long as
the
secondary ramp 30 and primary ramp 22 on the keys 12, 14 can effectively push
upward
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on the lock bar 32 to lift the lock bar 32 as described herein. The beveled
edges 40 may
be included for convenience or ease of insertion of the keys 12, 14.
[00371 Once the secondary ramp 30 moves past the beveled edges 40 of the lock
bar
32, the engaging surface 41 of the first slot 36 of the lock bar 32 will be
engaged with the
secondary top surface 28 of the first key 12. Further insertion of the key 12
will cause
the lock bar 32 and engaging surface 41 to fall off the secondary top surface
28 and
engage with the lock surface 24. Further insertion of the key 12 will finally
cause the
primary ramp 22 to push the lock bar 32 upward, against the downward biasing
force
provided by the spring 62, until the engaging surface 41 of the first slot 36
is engaged
with the primary top surface 18 of the key 12. At this point, the engaging
surface 43 of
the second slot 38 has been lifted from the lock surface 24. Also, both slots
36, 38 of the
lock bar 32 are once again aligned with the respective keys 12, 14 to allow
uninterrupted
passage of the keys 12, 14 through the slots 36, 38. Therefore, the ledge wall
26 of the
second key 14 is no longer engaged with the lock bar 32 to prevent the second
drawer 6
from opening.
[0038] In the event that a user of the anti-tip device 10 attempts to pull
both drawers 4,
6 open at the same time, both drawers 4, 6 will be prevented from opening. As
the keys
12, 14 slide out of the slots 36, 38, the opening of the drawers 4, 6 combined
with the
downward biasing force of the spring 62 will cause the engaging surfaces 41,
43 to slide
down the primary ramps 22 and engage with the lock surfaces 24. At this point,
any
further opening of the drawers 4, 6 will be blocked by the engagement of the
lock bar 32
with the ledges 26 of the keys 12, 14. In order to open either of the drawers
4, 6 at this
point, one of them must be pushed closed, causing the primary ramp 22 of one
of the
keys 12, 14 to lift the lock bar 32 off of the lock surface of the opposite
key and onto the
primary top surface 18 to allow the opposite key to pass through the opposite
slot, as
described above.
[0039] During the initial assembly of the anti-tip system 10 into a file
cabinet 2, both
drawers 4, 6 will be in the opened position and will need to be inserted into
the file
cabinet 2. At this point, both keys 12, 14 will be outside the slots 36, 38 of
the lock bar
32 and the dowel 60 will be pulled downward by the spring 62, causing the
dowel 60 to
engage with the lower edge of the elongated hole 58 in the lock housing 34.
This
engagement prevents the dowel 60 and lock bar 32 from being pulled any further
downward by the spring 62. At this point, the lock bar 32 is in essentially
the same
position as shown in Fig. 3c. One or both of the drawers 4,6 may then be
pushed into the
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closed position. The primary ramp 22 and secondary ramp 30 on the keys 12, 14
will
allow the keys 12, 14 to be inserted into the slots 36, 38 in the same manner
described
above for insertion of the first key 12 when the second drawer 6 has been
locked.
[0040] If a user of the anti-tip device 10 needs to remove the drawers 4, 6
entirely
from the file cabinet 2, the first drawer 4 may be removed without
interference from the
anti-tip device 10, provided that the second drawer 6 is in the closed
position, as
described above. However, to then remove the second drawer 6, the user would
need to
lift the lock bar 32 to allow the second key 14 to pass through the second
slot 38. This
can be accomplished by manually pulling upward on the dowel 60, which extends
on the
side of the lock bar 32 opposite of the spring 62. For this reason, the dowel
60 may be
sized and configured to extend laterally from the lock bar 32 a distance
sufficient to
allow a user to grip it and lift the lock bar 32.
[0041] Fig. 7 shows an alternative embodiment of two keys 12', 14' and a lock
bar
32', which are similar to the keys 12, 14 and lock bar 32 shown in Figs. 4a
and 5a. In
this embodiment, the keys 12', 14' have a symmetrical profile in that the
various
surfaces and ramps are mirrored on the top and bottom of the keys 12', 14'.
Similar to
the keys 12, 14, the keys 12', 14' have a primary top surface 18', a primary
ramp 22', a
lock surface 24' (shown in Fig. 7 to be rounded), a ledge wall 26', a
secondary top
surface 28', and a secondary ramp 30'.
[0042] The lock bar 32' is essentially the same as lock bar 32, except that
the first and
second slots 36', 38' may be adapted to receive the somewhat different shape
of the keys
12', 14' (e.g., by rounding the slots 36', 38' to better engage with the lock
surface 24'),
as is well understood in the art. As will likewise be appreciated by those
skilled in the
art, these various elements of the keys 12', 14' operate in essentially the
same manner
with respect to the lock bar 32' as keys 12, 14 operate with respect to the
lock bar 32.
The primary and secondary ramps 22', 30' can push the lock bar 32' in the
upward
position upon insertion through the slots 36', 38'. Also, the lock surface 24'
and ledge
wall 26' can engage the lock bar 32' within the slots 36', 38' to prevent the
keys 12', 14'
from moving out of the slots 36', 38'.
[0043] Fig. 8 shows another alternative embodiment of two keys 12", 14" and a
lock
bar 32", which are similar to the keys 12', 14' and lock bar 32' shown in Fig.
7. The
keys 12", 14" are similar to keys 12', 14', except that the keys 12", 14" are
generally
cylindrical with sloping conical sections at the ends of the keys 12", 14"
that are
inserted into the lock bar 32". The keys 12", 14" contain analogous
corresponding
CA 02699128 2010-04-06
surfaces and ramps to the keys 12', 14' that function in essentially the same
way. The
keys 12", 14" have a primary top surface 18", a primary ramp 22", a lock
surface 24",
a ledge wall 26", a secondary top surface 28", and a secondary ramp 30". As
will be
appreciated by those skilled in the art, these various elements of the keys
12", 14"
operate in essentially the same manner with respect to the lock bar 32" as
keys 12, 14
operate with respect to the lock bar 32. The lock bar 32" is essentially the
same as lock
bar 32', except that the first and second slots 36", 38" may be further
adapted to receive
the somewhat more rounded shape of the keys 12", 14", as is well understood in
the art.
[0044] Further, while the anti-tip device 10 is shown and described herein as
being
used for vertically oriented drawers, the anti-tip device 10 may also be
adapted to be
installed into a piece of furniture having drawers that are horizontally
oriented side by
side. As an example, if the arrangement illustrated in Fig. 1 were turned on
its side and
the lock bar 32 were biased by a spring or other biasing member, the device
would
operate in essentially the same manner described above, but in a horizontal
orientation.
As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, such adaptation would
include
modifying the placement and orientation of the keys and lock bar, as well as
configuring
the spring or other biasing member to force the lock bar in a horizontal
instead of a
vertical direction.
[0045] The invention has been described with reference to exemplary
embodiments.
Obvious modifications and alterations will occur to others upon reading and
understanding the preceding detailed description. It is intended that the
invention be
construed as including all such modifications and alterations insofar as they
come within
the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.
11
