Child-proof button

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6618909
  • Patent Number
    6,618,909
  • Date Filed
    Friday, August 2, 2002
    21 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, September 16, 2003
    20 years ago
  • Inventors
  • Examiners
    • Sandy; Robert J.
    • Jackson; André L.
    Agents
    • Lei; Leong C.
Abstract
A child-proof button includes a base formed with a tubular portion at one end thereof, and a disc portion at another end thereof, the tubular portion being used for riveting, the disc portion having a plurality of notches, a metal body portion made of zinc and by die-casting and having a plurality of pawls at a circumferential edge thereof and a recess at a center thereof, the metal body portion being provided with a plurality of through holes, the base being fitted in the metal body portion with some of the notches coincident with the through holes, the metal body portion together with the base being further processed with injection molding and plastic not only covers the metal body portion but also enters coincident the through holes and the notches, thereby forming a plastic cover even more firmly attached to the metal body portion.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




1. Field of the Invention




This invention is related to a child-proof button, and in particular to one having a plastic cover which is closely engaged with the mechanical parts, thereby preventing children from separating the button by biting.




2. Description of the Prior Art




The conventional button generally has a plastic cover made by injection molding, which encloses the surface of the metal button body. However, the plastic cover cannot be firmly engaged with the metal body, so that the plastic cover will often and easily disengage from the metal body portion. Children are very curious and may bite the button. This will make the plastic cover separate from the metal body portion, and the child may easily swallow the plastic cover, which is hazardous to their health.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




This invention is related to a child-proof button, and in particular to one having a plastic cover which is closely engaged with the mechanical parts, thereby preventing children from separating the button by biting.




The primary object of the present invention is to provide a child-proof button which has a plastic cover which can be firmly engaged with the metal body portion, thereby preventing the child from separating the button by biting, and therefore preventing the child from swallowing the button.




It is another object of the present invention to provide a child-proof button which can be easily manufactured and processed, thereby increasing the productivity.




It is still another object of the present invention to provide a child-proof button in which the metal component parts are made by die-casting, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost.




According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a child-proof button includes a base formed with a tubular portion at one end thereof, and a disc portion at another end thereof, the tubular portion being used for riveting, the disc portion having a plurality of notches, a metal body portion made of zinc and by die-casting and having a plurality of pawls at a circumferential edge thereof and a recess at a center thereof, the metal body portion being provided with a plurality of through holes, the base being fitted in the metal body portion with some of the notches coincident with the through holes, the metal body portion together with the base being further processed with injection molding and plastic not only covers the metal body portion but also enters coincident the through holes and the notches, thereby forming a plastic cover even more firmly attached to the metal body portion.




The foregoing object and summary provide only a brief introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detailed description of the invention and the claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts.











Many other advantages and features of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.




BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is an exploded view of the present invention.





FIG. 2

is a perspective view of the present invention.





FIG. 3

is a bottom view of the present invention.





FIG. 4

is a sectional view of the present invention.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT




The following descriptions are of exemplary embodiments only, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following description provides a convenient illustration for implementing exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement of the elements described without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.




With reference to the drawings, and in particular to

FIGS. 1 and 2

, the child-proof button according to the present invention comprises a base


10


, a metal body portion


20


, and a plastic cover


30


.




The base


10


is formed with a tubular portion


11


at one end, and a disc portion


12


at the other end. The tubular portion


11


of the base is used for riveting. The disc portion


12


has eight notches


13


.




The metal body portion


20


is made of zinc and by die-casting. The metal body portion


20


is small in size, so a number of metal body portions


20


can be formed by one mold, and is fit for mass production. The metal body portion


20


has a plurality of pawls


21


at the circumferential edge and a recess


22


at the center. The recess


22


is provided with six through holes


23


. The pawl


21


is larger at the root portion and a smaller edge


24


is at the free end.




When in assembly (see FIGS.


3


and


4


), the base


10


is fitted in the recess


22


of the metal body portion


20


. The recess


22


has an uneven, convex surface, so that there will be a small clearance between the base


10


and the metal body portion


20


. The base


10


is fitted in the metal body portion


20


in such a way that the number of the notches of the base


10


are not equal to the number of through holes in the metal body portion


20


, so that when the base


10


is fitted in the metal body portion


20


, some, but not all of the notches will be coincident with the through holes


23


. Then, the edges


24


of the pawl


21


of the metal body portion are bent inwardly to engage firmly with the base


10


. Thereafter, the metal body portion


20


, together with the base


10


, is further processed with injection molding. The plastic will not only cover the metal body portion


20


, but will also enter the coincident through holes


23


and the notches


13


, thereby making the plastic cover


30


even more firmly attached to the metal body portion


20


.




It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together may also find a useful application in other types of methods differing from the type described above.




While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.



Claims
  • 1. A child-proof button comprising:a base formed with a tubular portion at one end thereof, and a disc portion at another end thereof, said tubular portion being used for riveting, said disc portion having a plurality of notches; a metal body portion made of zinc and by die-casting and having a plurality of pawls at a circumferential edge thereof and a recess at a center thereof, said metal body portion being provided with a plurality of through holes, said base being fitted in said metal body portion with some of said notches coincident with said through holes, said metal body portion together with said base being further processed with injection molding and plastic not only covers said metal body portion but also enters coincident said through holes and said notches, thereby forming a plastic cover even more firmly attached to said metal body portion.
  • 2. The child-proof button as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pawls are larger at a root portion thereof and a smaller edge is at a free end thereof, said edge being bent inwardly to engage firmly with said base.
  • 3. The child-proof button as claimed in claim 1, wherein said recess has an uneven, convex surface.
  • 4. The child-proof button as claimed in claim 1, wherein said disc portion of said base has eight notches.
  • 5. The child-proof button as claimed in claim 1, wherein said metal body portion has six through holes.
Priority Claims (1)
Number Date Country Kind
91203862 U Mar 2002 TW
US Referenced Citations (6)
Number Name Date Kind
1805937 Berge May 1931 A
2983009 Dritz May 1961 A
4928362 Collas et al. May 1990 A
4941234 Watanabe et al. Jul 1990 A
4967452 Watanabe et al. Nov 1990 A
5940940 Tanikoshi et al. Aug 1999 A