1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a safety gate, and more particularly to a fabric gate for forming a safety zone for children or pets with an expandable fabric.
2. Description of Related Art
A safety gate is mounted in a room to form safety zone for children or pets to keep them from a dangerous location, such as kitchen. A conventional fabric gate comprises two securing columns and an expandable fabric. The securing columns are secured respectively on two walls and including a reeling column and a connecting column. The fabric is reeled in the reeling columns and is expended to connect to the connecting column and block the passage between the walls. A ratchet device is mounted in the reeling column to keep the fabric from being retracted and reeled into the reeling column unintentionally. To reel the fabric into the reeling column, the fabric has to be disconnected from the connecting column and pulled outward furthermore, and the fabric will be retracted and reeled into the reeling column automatically.
However, if someone wants to pass the gate, the fabric has to be reeled into the reeling column completely and be expanded again. Therefore, the use of the conventional fabric gate is inconvenient.
To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention tends to provide a fabric gate to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.
The main objective of the invention is to provide a fabric gate being convenient in operation. The fabric gate has a reeling column, a ratchet assembly, a coil torsion spring, a delaying assembly, a driving device, an expandable fabric and a connecting column assembly. The reeling column assembly has a hollow post, a top cap, a bottom cap and a reeling shaft. The post has a central hole defined through the post and a fabric outlet defined longitudinally in the post and communicating with the central hole. The top cap and a bottom cap are attached respectively to two ends of the post, and the top cap has a slot defined laterally in the top cap. The reeling shaft is mounted rotatably in the central hole in the post and has a top end. The ratchet assembly is mounted in the top cap of the reeling column assembly and has a ratchet, a positioning ring and a driven pad. The ratchet is mounted rotatably in the top cap and has a central shaft and a wheel. The central shaft is mounted securely around the top end of the reeling shaft. The wheel is formed around the central shaft and has multiple upper ratchet teeth and multiple lower ratchet teeth. The upper ratchet teeth extend toward a direction opposite to that of the lower ratchet teeth extending. The positioning ring is mounted around the wheel of the ratchet and has a top, an inner surface, a notch, an upper engaging tooth, a lower engaging tooth and two stubs. The notch is defined in the positioning ring to make the positioning ring having an expandable capability and two ends. The upper engaging tooth and the lower engaging tooth are formed on the inner surface of and respectively at the ends of the positioning ring and engage respectively with the upper ratchet teeth and the lower ratchet teeth on the ratchet. The stubs are formed on and protrude from the top respectively near the ends of the positioning ring. The driven pad is attached to the top of the positioning ring, is mounted around the central shaft of the ratchet and has a top, a periphery and two curved extensions. The curved extensions are formed separately on and protrude radially from the periphery of the driven pad. Each curved extension has an end abutting with one of the stubs on the positioning ring. The coil torsion spring is connected to the reeling shaft. The delaying assembly is mounted in the top cap and connected to the ratchet assembly. The driving device is mounted in the top cap, connected to the delaying assembly and has a rotating plate, a torsion spring and a pushing tab. The rotating plate is mounted rotatably in the top cap and connected to the delaying assembly. The torsion spring is mounted in the top cap and has two ends connected respectively to the top cap and the rotating plate to provide a recoil force to the rotating plate. The pushing tab is connected securely to the rotating plate and is mounted slidably through and extends out from the slot in the top cap. The expandable fabric is reeled around the reeling shaft and has an expanded end extending out from the fabric outlet in the post. The connecting column assembly is parallel with the reeling column assembly and holds the expanded end of the expandable fabric in position.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
With reference to
The reeling column assembly (10) comprises a hollow post (11), a to cap (12), a bottom cap (13), a reeling shaft (14) and a locking assembly (20). The hollow post (11) has a central hole, two ends, a top opening, a bottom opening and a fabric outlet (111). The central hole is defined through the post (11). The top opening and the bottom opening are defined respectively in two ends of the post (11) and communicate with the central hole. The fabric outlet (111) is defined longitudinally in the post (11) and communicates with the central hole.
The top cap (12) and the bottom cap (13) are attached respectively to the ends of the post (11) and close the top and bottom openings respectively. With further reference to
The reeling shaft (14) is rotatably mounted in the central hole of the post (11) and has a top end and a bottom end respectively extending rotatably through the top and bottom caps (12,13).
With further reference to
The connecting bracket (212) is connected to the connecting edge of the locking board (211) and is connected securely to one of the top and bottom caps (12,13). The connecting bracket (212) has two edges, a cap side, a connecting side, multiple cap hooks (2121), multiple board hooks (2122), multiple securing holes and multiple fasteners (2123). The cap side faces to the corresponding cap (12,13), and the connecting side is opposite to the cap side. The cap hooks (2121) are formed on the cap side at one edge of the connecting bracket (212) and respectively engage holes defined in the corresponding cap (12,13). The board hooks (2122) are formed on the connecting side at the other edge of the connecting bracket (212) and are inserted respectively into the inserting holes (2112) in the locking board (211). The securing holes are defined through the connecting bracket (212), may be defined through the hooks (2121,2122) and are aligned respectively with the securing holes in the locking board (211). The fasteners (2123) may be nails or screws, are mounted through the securing holes in the connecting bracket (212), are inserted into a corresponding cap (12,13) and are aligned respectively with the fasteners (2113) on the locking board (211) in an axial direction. With the locking devices (21), the caps (12,13) can be securely connected to the securing board (22). With the axial alignments of the fasteners (2113,2123) on the locking board (211) and the connecting bracket (212), shearing stresses and torque applied to the fasteners (2113,2123) may be reduced.
In addition, with reference to
With reference to
The positioning ring (32) is mounted in the top cap (12), is mounted around the wheel (312) of the ratchet (31) and has a top, an inner surface, a notch (321), an upper engaging tooth (322), a lower engaging tooth (323) and two stubs (324). The notch (321) is defined in the positioning ring (32) to make the positioning ring (32) being C-shaped and having an expandable capability and two ends. The upper engaging tooth (322) and the lower engaging tooth (323) are formed on the inner surface of and respectively at the ends of the positioning ring (30), and respectively engage the upper ratchet teeth (313) and the lower ratchet teeth (314) on the ratchet (31). The stubs (324) are formed on and protrude from the top respectively near the ends of the positioning ring (32).
The driven pad (33) is attached to the top of the positioning ring (32), is mounted around the central shaft (311) of the ratchet (31) and has a top, a periphery, two curved extensions (331,332) and a driven hub (333). The curved extensions (331,332) are formed separately on and protrude radially from the periphery of the driven pad (33). Each curved extension (331,332) has an end abutting with one of the stubs (324) on the positioning ring (32). The driven hub (333) is formed on and protrudes radially from the periphery of the driven pad (33) and between the curved extensions (331,332).
The cover (35) is mounted securely in the top cap (12) with fasteners and is attached securely to the top of the positioning ring (32) to hold the driven pad (33) inside. Multiple connecting holes (351) are defined respectively in/through the positioning ring (32) and the cover (35), and multiple fasteners (352) are mounted through/into the through holes (351) to securely connect the cover (35) onto the positioning ring (32).
The coil torsion spring (34) is connected to the reeling shaft and may be mounted in the top cap (12) or the bottom cap (13). The coil torsion spring (34) has an inner end and an outer end. When the coil torsion spring (34) is mounted in the top cap (12), the coil torsion spring (34) is mounted on the top of the driven pad (33) and held in the cover (35), and is mounted around and connected to the central shaft (311) of the ratchet (31). The inner end of the coil torsion spring (34) is connected to the central shaft (311) of the ratchet (31), and the outer end is connected to the cover (35). When the coil torsion spring (34) is mounted in the bottom cap (13), the inner end of the spring (34) is connected to the reeling shaft (14) and the outer end is connected to the bottom cap (13).
With reference to
The gear assembly (42) is mounted in the base (41) and comprises multiple gears engaging each other and including a connecting gear (421) and an exposed gear (422) engaging the curved rack (122) in the top cap (12).
The delaying element (43,432) is mounted rotatably in the base (41) and has a pinion engaging the connecting gear (421) of the gear assembly (42). In the first embodiment shown in
The lid (44) is attached securely to the top of the base (41), covers the gear assembly (42) and the delaying element (43,432) and has a top, a gear hole (441), a resilient tab (443) and a pushed frame (442). The gear hole (441) is defined through the top of the lid (44) to allow the exposed gear (422) of the gear assembly (42) extending out and being exposed from the gear hole (441) to engage the curved rack (122) in the top cap (12). The resilient tab (443) is formed on the top of the lid (44) adjacent to the gear hole (441) and engages the exposed gear (422). The pushed frame (442) is formed on the top of the lid (44), may be adjacent to the gear hole (441) and holds around the exposed gear (422).
With reference to
With reference to
The connecting column assembly (80) is parallel with the reeling column assembly (10) and comprises a connecting board (81) and two rod mounts (83). The connecting board (81) is attached securely to a wall with fasteners and has a top and a bottom. The rod mounts (83) are mounted respectively on the top and the bottom of the connecting board (81) to hold the connecting rod (61) on the expandable fabric (60) between the rod mounts (83) at an expended condition. The rod mount (83) on the top of the connecting board (81) selectively engages the positioning rod (73) of the positioning device (70) on the top of the connecting rod (61) and has an inclined guiding surface (831) formed in the rod mount (83).
When the fabric is at a reeled condition, with reference to
To expand the fabric, with reference to
When the pushing tab (52) is released, the pushing tab (52), the rotating plate (51), the base (41) and the driven pad (33) will move/rotate to the original positions with the recoil force of the spring (53). At this time, with the arrangement of the delaying element (43,432) of the delaying assembly (40), the rotation speed of the gear assembly (42) and the base (41) will be slowed down. Therefore, the user has an enough time for completely expanding the fabric (60) even when the user releases the pushing tab (52) immediately after the pushing tab (52) being slit. With the reverse rotation of the driven pad (33), the positioning ring (32) will be released and the engaging teeth (322,323) on the positioning ring (32) will reengage the ratchet teeth (313,314) on the ratchet (33). Accordingly, the ratchet (33) and the reeling shaft (14) are kept from rotating and the fabric (60) will be retracted unintentionally.
If someone wants to pass the passage blocked by the expended fabric (60), the pressing buttons (75) are pressed to engage the holding tabs with the positioning rod (73) and then are moved downward along the window (711) to make the positioning rod (73) moving downward and disengaging from the corresponding rod mount (83). The pressing knob (522) is pressed and pushing tab (52) is slit along the slot (123) to expand the positioning ring (32) with the transmission of the rotating plate (51), the lid (44), the base (41) and the driven pad (33). Consequently, the fabric will be retracted and reeled automatically with the recoil force of the coil torsion spring (34). With the speed-reducing effect provided by the delaying element (43,432) of the delaying assembly (40), the reeling shaft (14) and the ratchet (31) will not be locked immediately by the positioning ring (32) after the user releasing the pushing tab (52). Therefore, the user has an enough time to reel the fabric (60) at a desired length to allow the user to pass and re-expand the fabric (60) to the expended coition again.
Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
98210002 U | Jun 2009 | TW | national |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
5294167 | Yu | Mar 1994 | A |
5690317 | Sandsborg | Nov 1997 | A |
5773947 | Torii et al. | Jun 1998 | A |
5934354 | Price et al. | Aug 1999 | A |
6375165 | Sherratt et al. | Apr 2002 | B1 |
6390526 | Ament et al. | May 2002 | B1 |
6536502 | Britto et al. | Mar 2003 | B2 |
6854505 | Grubb et al. | Feb 2005 | B2 |
6991019 | Chang | Jan 2006 | B2 |
7082981 | Perez, Jr. | Aug 2006 | B2 |
7100668 | Allsop | Sep 2006 | B2 |
7178792 | Monahan et al. | Feb 2007 | B2 |
7219709 | Williams | May 2007 | B1 |
7438112 | Cheng | Oct 2008 | B2 |
7461683 | Wang | Dec 2008 | B2 |
7832037 | Overton | Nov 2010 | B2 |
20070051478 | Wieczorek et al. | Mar 2007 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20100307700 A1 | Dec 2010 | US |