Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6764148
-
Patent Number
6,764,148
-
Date Filed
Friday, January 11, 200222 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, July 20, 200420 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
- Mai; Lanna
- Tran; Hanh Van
Agents
- Wood, Phillips, Katz, Clark & Mortimer
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 312 333
- 312 3321
- 312 3301
- 312 215
- 312 222
- 292 1
- 292 137
- 292 157
- 292 159
- 292 163
- 292 164
- 292 165
- 292 180
- 292 DIG 30
- 292 DIG 32
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A latch arrangement for a drawer includes a latching mechanism having a latch element and a latching mechanism-receiving structure formed as part of a drawer. The structure includes two integral spring elements for biasing the latching mechanism upwardly. The latching mechanism and the drawer have cooperating, snap-engageable retaining features that allow the latching mechanism to move over a vertical range of movement but retain the latching mechanism on the structure. The structure and the remaining portions of the drawer can be molded as a unitary plastic part. The latching mechanism can be molded as a second unitary plastic part.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to latching mechanisms for drawers. Particularly, the invention relates to a latching mechanism for plastic drawers carried in a lightweight plastic stackable drawer cabinet structure.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Storage systems are known which include stackable drawer cabinet structures each slidably supporting a drawer. Such arrangements typically comprise plastic cabinets and plastic drawers which are advantageously inexpensively manufactured, durable and lightweight. Drawer cabinets and drawers of varying depth can be selected for customized or consumer-selected stacked arrangements of drawer sizes.
With such arrangements, it is known to provide each individual drawer with a latching arrangement to ensure that once the individual drawer is closed to the respective drawer cabinet, the drawer is latched closed, and prevented from inadvertently opening due to being jostled, or overfilled, or the cabinet being slightly tipped. The use of latches ensures a neat storage system for storing household articles.
One such system utilizes a latch element having spring arms integrally formed therewith. The latch element is captured in a latch cover, the latch cover being attached to the front wall of the drawer. The latch element is spring biased to an elevated position to engage a latch receiving element of the drawer cabinet. The drawer-and-latch system thus utilizes at least three separate pieces: the drawer, the latch element and the cover.
Although such known drawer systems can provide satisfactory results, the present inventors have recognized the desirability of providing a drawer system with a latching mechanism which is, among other things, more cost effectively manufactured.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a drawer latching system that is cost effectively manufactured, is durable, and can be disassembled and reassembled easily for replacement or cleaning. The latching system is effectively used for drawers that are slidably carried by stackable drawer cabinets.
The present invention provides a latch arrangement for a drawer that includes a latch mechanism having a latch element, and a latch mechanism-receiving structure formed as part of the drawer. The structure includes an integral spring element for biasing the latch mechanism upwardly. The latch mechanism and the drawer have cooperating, snap-engageable retaining features that allow the latch mechanism to move over a vertical range of movement but retain the latch mechanism on the structure. The structure and the remaining portions of the drawer can be molded as a unitary plastic part. The latch mechanism can be molded as a second unitary plastic part.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, a drawer latching mechanism includes a latch body which incorporates a latch element, latch mechanism retaining tabs, a finger-actuatable surface and a guiding structure, all as a single unitary piece. The invention provides a drawer structure which includes a tab receiving structure for engagement of the latch mechanism retaining tabs of the latch body, retaining the latch body onto the drawer structure but allowing the latch body to slide on the drawer structure. The drawer structure further includes spring elements which bias the latch body toward an elevated position on the drawer structure and are resiliently deflected by spring actuation elements of the latch body, when the latch body is moved to a depressed, latch-disengaged position. The spring actuation elements engage the spring elements of the drawer structure to resiliently bias the latch body toward its elevated position. The spring actuation elements also capture a front wall of the drawer structure between a front wall of the latch body and the spring actuation elements to guide a vertical sliding movement of said latch body from the elevated position to the lowered position of the latch element.
Above the drawer latching mechanism, the cabinet that carries the drawer provides an overlying front frame portion or other structure adjacent to a latch-receiving recess that is configured to receive the latch element to latch the drawer in its closed position. Accordingly, the latch element of the latch body includes a downwardly inclined face toward the front frame portion such that the downwardly inclined face, when pushed against the front frame portion during closing of the drawer to the drawer cabinet, forces the latch body to its lowered position. Once the latch element passes by the front wall structure during closing of the drawer, the latch element will rebound with the latch body to its elevated position, the latch element extending into the recess. The latch element includes a vertical latch face which abuts the front frame portion when the latch element is inserted into the recess, to prevent opening of the drawer. Once latched, the latched body must be manually depressed downwardly, such as by using a finger recess exposed on a front side of the latch body as a pushing point, to disengage the latch element from the recess.
The present invention latching mechanism is cost effectively manufactured in that it is effectively only one additional piece aside from the molded drawer structure. The drawer structure provides the mounting arrangement and the resilient elements for complete attachment and operation of the latch body. No intervening latch carrying plate attached to the drawer is needed. The drawer structure can be molded of a single piece with remaining portions of the drawer, and the latching mechanism can also be molded of a single piece, reducing material costs and simplifying the assembly of the drawer latching system.
The latch body can be easily removed from the drawer structure for cleaning or replacement by delatching the tabs from the slots by a pushing force from inside the drawer. The latch body can then be reinstalled simply by vertically pressing the latch body into the drawer structure until the tab members snap-lock into the guiding slots of the drawer structure.
Numerous other advantages and features of the present invention will be become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention and the embodiments thereof, from the claims and from the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a perspective view of a plurality of drawers carried with drawer cabinets, the drawer cabinets and drawers being in a vertically stacked arrangement;
FIG. 2
is a fragmentary, enlarged perspective view of a portion of a drawer and drawer cabinet shown in
FIG. 1
;
FIG. 3
is a perspective view of a drawer latch body taken from
FIG. 1
;
FIG. 4
is a rear perspective view of the latch body shown in
FIG. 3
;
FIG. 5
is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of a drawer structure, with the latch body removed in order view the underlying structure;
FIG. 6
is a rear perspective view of the drawer structure of
FIG. 5
;
FIG. 7
is a fragmentary rear perspective view of a drawer structure with the latch body engaged thereto;
FIG. 8
is a fragmentary rear perspective view of the drawer structure and latch body of
FIG. 7
, with a portion of the rear wall of the drawer structure removed in order to view the interaction of the latch body with the drawer structure; and
FIG. 9
is a fragmentary rear perspective view as shown in
FIG. 8
but with the latch body depressed as occurs during disengagement of the drawer from the drawer cabinet.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there are shown in the drawings, and will be described herein in detail, a specific embodiment thereof, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiment illustrated.
FIG. 1
illustrates a stacked drawer assembly
20
including a plurality of drawer assemblies
26
,
28
,
30
of variable volumes arranged in a vertically stacked alignment. The bottom drawer assembly
26
includes a drawer cabinet
36
having opposing sidewalls
38
,
40
, a bottom wall
42
and a top wall
44
. The top wall
44
serves as the bottom wall of the overlying drawer assembly
28
. The drawer assembly
28
includes a drawer cabinet
46
having sidewalls
48
,
50
and an overlying top wall
52
. The top wall
52
serves as a bottom wall of the overlying drawer cabinet
30
. The drawer cabinet
30
includes a drawer cabinet
56
having sidewalls
62
,
64
and a top wall
66
. The top wall
66
includes a central panel
68
. The panel
68
can be omitted from the walls
52
,
44
and
42
, if desired.
The drawer cabinets
36
,
46
,
56
carry drawers
70
,
72
,
74
, respectively. Each of the drawers
70
,
72
,
74
includes a latching mechanism
80
as described below.
FIG. 2
illustrates the latching mechanism
80
fit on the drawer
72
, as an example. The drawer
72
includes a front wall
84
, and a rearwardly extending compartment
86
formed with the front wall
72
. The compartment
86
includes sidewalls
88
,
90
(shown in
FIGS. 5 and 6
) and a rear wall
92
. The latching mechanism
80
includes a front wall portion
96
, a top wall portion
98
and a quarter-spherical recess
102
extending from the front and top walls. A wedge-shaped latch
106
extends upwardly from the top wall
98
.
The overlying wall
52
of the cabinet
46
includes a front rim portion
110
having a curved front wall
112
and a straight back wall
114
reinforced by one or more perpendicular ribs
116
. The walls
112
,
114
and ribs
116
provide for a rigid construction of the wall
52
. The rib
116
further provides a block such that the latch
106
does not enter the space defined between the walls
112
,
114
during drawer closing.
The wall
52
further includes an elongated rib reinforcement
118
substantially aligned with the rib
116
. The rib reinforcement
118
includes a rectangular recess
120
adjacent the rear wall
114
. The recess
120
is sized to allow the entry of the latch element
106
therein to latch the latching mechanism
80
to the wall
52
. The latch element
106
includes a substantially vertical front wall
122
for latching abutment against the wall
114
, and a rearwardly declined front face
126
which assists in the vertical depression of the latching mechanism
80
during closing of the drawer to the wall
52
by abutment of the face
126
with the wall
112
.
FIGS. 3 and 4
illustrate the latching mechanism
80
in more detail, separate from the drawer structure. Particularly viewing
FIG. 4
, the latching mechanism
80
includes locking tabs
132
,
134
extending downward from the top wall
98
. The locking tabs
132
,
134
each include a tapered head portion
132
a
,
134
a
having a retaining surface
132
b
,
134
b.
Extending downwardly from the top wall are spring actuation elements
136
,
138
which are spaced from the front wall
96
along their length and which also provide spring actuation abutment surfaces
136
a
,
138
a
, the function of which will be described hereinafter. The spring actuation elements
136
,
138
are reinforced by ribs
136
b
,
138
b
(
136
b
not shown but identical in mirror image fashion to
138
b
).
The front wall
96
is also reinforced by ribs
140
a
,
140
b
,
140
c
. A central web
151
connects the recessed quarter-spherical portion
102
with the top wall
98
and into a void created by the raised latch element
106
.
FIGS. 5 and 6
illustrate the compartment
86
of the drawer
72
. The compartment
86
includes a semicircular recess
152
on a top edge of the front wall
84
which is open into a rectangular recess
154
having a top edge
154
a
, the recess
154
extending below a top edge
84
a
of the front wall
84
. Extending rearwardly from the front wall
84
is a reinforcing web
156
that is connected to the rear wall
92
. Extending inwardly from the sidewalls
88
,
90
are cantilever spring arms
162
,
164
.
As shown in
FIG. 6
, the rear wall
92
includes two vertical slots
166
,
168
that each receives one of the locking tabs
132
,
134
of the latching mechanism
80
.
FIG. 7
illustrates the latching mechanism
80
in its elevated position, fit within the compartment
86
of the drawer front wall
84
. The locking tab tapered head portions
132
a
,
134
a
have been downwardly slid against an inside surface of the rear wall
92
. The tabs
132
,
134
resiliently deflect inwardly during the downward sliding movement, as the elements
136
,
138
downwardly slide and press against an inside surface of the front wall
84
, until the head portions
132
a
,
134
a
are received into the slots
166
,
168
with the retaining surfaces
132
b
,
134
b
retained from further upward vertical movement by top limits
166
a
,
168
a
of the slots
166
,
168
. To facilitate the insertion of the latching mechanism
80
into the compartment and the deflection of the tabs during installation, the head portions
132
a
,
134
a
have oblique faces
132
c
,
134
c
which slide against the inside surface of the rear wall
92
.
FIG. 8
illustrates the spring actuation elements
136
,
138
slightly depressing the cantilever spring arms
162
,
164
due to the snap engagement of the locking tabs
132
,
134
in the slots as shown in FIG.
7
. The central web
156
is vertically aligned with the reinforcing web
156
with a space therebetween to allow for relative vertical movement of the latching mechanism
80
with respect to the drawer
72
.
FIG. 9
is a view similar to
FIG. 8
but showing the latching mechanism
80
in a vertically lowered position with respect to the drawer
72
. The spring actuation elements
136
,
138
have more drastically deflected the cantilever spring arms
162
,
164
. The central web
151
has reached a position adjacent to or abutting the reinforcing web
156
. The tabs
132
,
134
have vertically translated through the slots
166
,
168
without interference.
When assembled, the spring actuation elements
136
,
138
are spaced from the front wall
96
of the latching mechanism
80
with a clearance to closely receive the front wall
84
of the drawer
72
between the spring actuation elements
136
,
138
and the front wall
96
of the latching mechanism
80
. This acts to guide the vertical movement of the latching mechanism
80
with respect to the drawer
72
. Additionally, the top edge
154
a
of the rectangular recess
154
provides a vertical limit stop of an underside of the top wall
98
.
From the foregoing, it will be observed that numerous variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific apparatus illustrated herein is intended or should be inferred. It is, of course, intended to cover by the appended claims, all such modifications as fall within the scope of the claims.
Claims
- 1. A latch arrangement for a drawer, comprising:a latching mechanism having a latch element carried on a latch body; a drawer having a wall portion wherein one of said wall portion and said latch body has a vertical slot and the respective other has a latching tab moveable along said vertical but having a portion preventing vertical separation of said latching tab from said wall portion, said vertical slot allowing a vertical range of motion of said latch body but preventing vertical removal of said latch body from said wall portion, one of said latch body and said wall portion having a spring element, said spring element comprises at least one cantilever spring arm extending substantially horizontally from said wall portion and engaged by said latch body, said spring element urging said latch body upwardly to an elevated position; and said latch body comprising a pressable surface arranged for manually depressing said latch body with respect to said wall portion.
- 2. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said pressable surface comprises a quarter-spherically shaped recess.
- 3. A drawer latching arrangement comprising:a latching mechanism having a latch body, said latch body comprising a top wall and a contiguous front wall, two spaced-apart spring actuation elements extending from an underside surface of said top wall substantially perpendicularly to said top wall, and two locking tabs extending perpendicularly from the underside surface of said top wall spaced-apart along a back edge of said top wall, said locking tabs having tapered heads at free ends thereof; a latch element protruding from a top surface of said top wall; and a drawer having a front wall and a latching mechanism-carrying compartment formed on said front wall, said compartment comprising side walls and a rear wall, and a recessed front wall, said rear wall having vertical slots sized and arranged to receive said locking tabs of said latching mechanism to retain said latching mechanism at least partially within said compartment, said sidewalls comprising cantilever spring arms extending perpendicularly therefrom toward an inside of said compartment, said spring arms arranged to be deflected by said spring actuation elements upon depression of said latch body deeper into said compartment, said top wall of said latch body moveable vertically with respect to said compartment a distance into said recessed front wall of said compartment.
- 4. The arrangement according to claim 3, wherein said latch body comprises a quarter-spherical recess on a front side thereof sized to allow insertion of a fingertip to depress said latching mechanism with respect to said compartment.
- 5. The arrangement according to claim wherein 3, wherein said compartment is molded in unitary fashion with said remaining portions of said drawer.
- 6. The arrangement according to claim 3, wherein said latching mechanism is a unitary molded plastic part.
- 7. A latch arrangement for a drawer, comprising:a latch mechanism having a latch element; a drawer having a latching mechanism-receiving structure, said structure including a spring element for biasing said latching mechanism upwardly; said spring element comprises at least one cantilever finger arm extending substantially horizontally and engaged by said latching mechanism; said latching mechanism and said drawer having cooperating, snapengeable retaining features that allow said latching mechanism to move over a vertical range of movement but retain the latching mechanism on said structure, said structure being a molded plastic part.
- 8. The arrangement according to claim 2, wherein said structure comprises at least one vertically oriented slot having an upper limit and said latching mechanism comprises a snap-latching tab having a head portion movable within said slot, said head portion abutting said upper limit when moved to an upper vertical position.
- 9. The arrangement according to claim 8, wherein said drawer and said latch mechanism-receiving structure are molded as a unitary part.
- 10. The arrangement according to claim 9, wherein said latching mechanism is molded as a unitary part.
- 11. The arrangement according to claim 3, wherein said latching mechanism comprises a pressable surface arranged for manually depressing said latching mechanism with respect to said structure.
- 12. The arrangement according to claim 3, wherein said pressable surface comprises a quarter-spherically shaped recess.
- 13. The arrangement according to claim 3, wherein said latching mechanism comprises a latch body, said latch body comprising a top wall and a contiguous front wall, a spring actuation element extending from an underside surface of said top wall substantially perpendicularly to said top wall, and at least one locking tab extending perpendicularly from the underside of said top wall on a back edge of said top wall;said structure comprising a wall having a vertical slot sized and arranged to receive said locking tab to limit upward vertical movement of said latch body, and said spring element comprises a cantilever spring arm extending horizontally from said structure, said spring arm arranged to be deflected by said spring actuation element upon depression of said latch body, said top wall of said latch body moveable vertically with respect to said structure.
US Referenced Citations (32)
Foreign Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
06189832 |
Jul 1994 |
JP |
10146233 |
Jun 1998 |
JP |