Patent Application
20050152742
The present invention relates to a bidirectional slide lock and method of using same.
Parts and clips are used for surface mounting handles and decorative trim. The typical fastener for mounting handles and decorative trim locks in only one direction. Therefore, at least two locks are required to mount a handle or a piece of decorative trim.
On occasion, the need arises to mount a handle with only one device centrally located. These occasions may arise when a handle cannot accommodate two fasteners because of size limitations. In addition, a handle or decorative trim may be more easily reversible if it has one centrally located symmetrical fastener as opposed to two fasteners located at the extremities of the handle. Furthermore, a user may wish to centrally locate a fastener to facilitate a variety of different designs that would be unable to be accommodated by two fasteners located at the extremities.
Accordingly, there is a need for a single fastener than can individually hold a handle or a piece of decorative trim to a refrigerator or other body. Therefore a primary objective of the present invention is the provision of a fastener than can be slid into place and locked in two directions so that it cannot be removed without the use of tools.
A further objective of the present invention is the provision of a fastener which can be reversed from an upright position to an upside down position.
A further objective of the present invention is the provision of a fastener that does not require more than a centrally located screw to fasten the handle in place.
A still further objective of the present invention is the ability to easily remove the handle from the door using a tool.
A further objective of the present invention is the provision of a fastener which is symmetrical and therefore easily reversible.
A further objective of the present invention is the provision of a fastener which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture efficient in use, and simple in operation.
The foregoing objectives may be achieved with a bidirectional slide lock. The bidirectional slide lock includes a first clip and a second clip that are slid and locked together. The first and second clips have flanges that retentively engage one another to hold the first and second clips together to prevent movement away from one another. The first clip has a pair of pawls that retentively engage a pair of pawl stops upon the second clip and thereby hold the first and second clips against longitudinal movement relative to one another. The bidirectional slide lock also has a pair of springs biasing the pair of pawls toward the second clip so as to retain the pawls in retentive engagement with the pawl stops.
The foregoing objectives may also be achieved with a method of using bidirectional slide lock. The method including the step moving the first and second clips longitudinally relative to one another so that the first clip flanges move into retentive engagement with the second clip flanges and hold the first and second clips against movement toward and away from one another. The method also including the step causing each of the pawls to engage one of the pawl stops so as to prevent further longitudinal movement of the first clip relative to the second clip.
The numeral 10 generally designates a bidirectional slide lock of the present invention. The bidirectional slide lock 10 as illustrated in
As seen in
The pair of flanges 36, 38 together define a longitudinal axis of movement X. The pawl stops 28, 34 upon wings 24, 30 together are positioned to limit the travel along the longitudinal axis X in both directions.
The door clip 18 also has a screw hole 40 which accommodates a first screw 42. The first screw 42 cooperates with the leg 22 to prevent rotation of the bidirectional slide lock 10 and consequently prevents rotation of the handle 16 while the user is gripping the handle 16 to open the door 14. The use of first screw 42 and leg 22 eliminates the use of a receiving clip (not shown).
The handle clip 44 has a handle base 46. Attached to the handle base 46 is a first arm 48. The first arm 48 may have a first finger or first pawl 50 upon it and a first biasing member 52. A second arm 54 is also attached to the handle clip base 46 and has a second finger or second pawl 56 and a second biasing member 58 upon it. The arms 48, 54 are flexible and will move to position the fingers 50, 56 against the pawl stops 28, 34. The arm structures 48, 54 are typically made of resilient spring steel.
As seen in
As in
The door clip flanges 36, 38 are an inwardly curved arc. The inwardly curved arc design permits the lips 60, 62 to be easily fitted into cooperation with the door clip flanges 36, 38 and for tension to be increased as the lips 60, 62 are centered upon the flanges 36, 38. The lips 62, 66 are only slideable along a longitudinal axis of movement X once in contact with door clip flanges 36, 38.
In use, a handle or decorative piece of trim is provided for mounting to a door. As seen in
As further seen in
In its natural state, the door clip 18 has a slight bending downward of wings 24, 30. When fastened upon the door 16 the wings bend to conform with the surface of the door 16 as seen in
Once the door clip 18 is mounted upon the door 16, the handle is moved into position which is slightly off center the illustrated lateral axis Y to lips 62, 60 to move under the flanges 36, 38. Movement is only permitted along the longitudinal axis X.
The user slides the handle clip 44 by moving the handle 14 along the longitudinal axis until the handle clip 44 couples with the door clip 18 by having one pawl 50, 56 engage one pawl stop 28, 34. The user then presses slightly upon the one pawl stop to create a slight bend in the arm 48, 54 to then permit the other finger 50, 56 to be put into place against the other pawl stop 28, 34. Thus, by using both pawl stops 28, 34 the user limits the movement of the handle clip 44 along the axis of movement X in both a first direction and a second direction.
The user can remove the handle by placing a tool between the door surface and the handle surface and sliding it until it catches upon one of the biasing members 52, 58 and a slight upward movement releases either finger 50, 56 from the pawl stop 28, 34 so that the user can then slide the handle clip 44 toward the released finger to thus release the other finger from cooperation with the other pawl stop. Once the handle clip 44 is free of the door clip 18, the handle 14 can then be pulled away and separated from the door 16.
In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed, these are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. Changes in the form and the proportion of parts as well as in the substitution of equivalents are contemplated as circumstance may suggest or render expedient without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as further defined in the following claims.
