U.S. patent application number 10/870796 was filed with the patent office on 2005-12-22 for locking stove control knob shield and safety apparatus.
Invention is credited to Cheng, Dara.
Application Number | 20050279348 10/870796 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35479295 |
Filed Date | 2005-12-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050279348 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Cheng, Dara |
December 22, 2005 |
Locking stove control knob shield and safety apparatus
Abstract
The present invention is directed to a locking stove control
knob shield and safety apparatus which provides a combination of
easy attachment with complete "childproof" protection usable on a
variety of types and brands of stoves without damage to the stove
through attachment and removal.
Inventors: |
Cheng, Dara; (San Diego,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ERIC HANSCOM
7395 PORTAGE WAY
CARLSBAD
CA
92011
US
|
Family ID: |
35479295 |
Appl. No.: |
10/870796 |
Filed: |
June 18, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
126/638 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F16K 35/10 20130101;
F24C 15/36 20130101; F24C 3/124 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
126/638 |
International
Class: |
F24C 003/12 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A safety apparatus designed to serve as a locking stove control
knob shield, comprising: an attachment piece which attaches to a
stove; a covering piece which can be rotated up or down depending
on the location of stove burner control knobs to cover them; and a
hinge connecting the attachment piece to the covering piece.
2. The attachment piece of claim 1, where, the attachment piece has
an end section that fits in between the top panel and front panel
of the stove and is bent into a hook shape such that the attachment
piece can hook over the lip of said front panel of stove extending
back into the interior of the stove.
3. The safety apparatus of claim 1, where, the attachment piece is
manufactured with a round hole in it capable of taking through it a
hold down screw such that the hold down screw.
4. The safety apparatus of claim 3, where, The attachment piece is
manufactured with a square hold in it capable of taking through it
a bolt with a square section located directly below the bolt
head.
5. The safety apparatus of claim 4, where, The covering piece is
manufactured with a round hold in it capable of taking through it a
bolt, said round hole located such that it lines up with the square
hold in the attachment piece.
6. The safety apparatus of claim 5, where, Extending through the
square hole in the attachment piece and the round hole in the
covering piece is a means to secure the covering piece such that
said covering piece covers the stove control knobs and prevents
said stove control knobs from being touched while said covering
piece is in place.
7. The safety apparatus of claim 6, where, The means of securing is
a safety bolt, comprising, a round bolt head of a diameter larger
than the square hole in the attachment piece, a square section
directly below said round head, said square section of a size which
fits exactly into said square hole in said attachment piece, a
round shank section below said square section, a distal end at the
other end of said safety bolt containing threads over which a nut
could be screwed on, and a hole in said distal end directly above
said threads, said hole of suitable diameter to take through it a
cotter pin.
8. The safety apparatus of claim 7, where, the hole is the distal
end of the safety bolt is large enough to take through it the bar
of a padlock.
9. The safety apparatus of claim 5, where, the means of securing is
a rack and pinion gear apparatus.
10. The rack and pinion gear apparatus of claim 9, where, the top
of the pinion gear is of a square or other unique shape such that
it can be turned only by a key of the same shape, said key being
detachable from said pinion gear such that an adult using a stove
could take the key with them to prevent children from opening the
covering piece and accessing the stove control knobs.
11. The safety apparatus of claim 6, where, The means of securing
is a key lock built into the covering plate, consisting of, a key
assembly extending out of said covering plate, and a safety
bolt.
12. The safety apparatus of claim 6 where, The means of securing is
a "U"-shaped piece of metal extending out from the lip of the
stove, protruding through a slot in the covering plate, through
which the shackle of a lock, either a combination lock or a key
lock, and be inserted, and the lock secured.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] None.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0002] This invention was not federally sponsored.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
[0003] The idea of a stove originated in numerous cultures several
thousand years ago, with several Chinese stoves dating back to the
Han Dynasty. The first historical record of a stove in Europe dates
from a brick and tile stove built during the 1400's in France. The
1700's saw Benjamin Franklin invent the Franklin stove, which was
an iron furnace stove. There were further improvements during the
1800's, which saw emergence of coal, electric, and gas stoves.
[0004] By the early 1900's the gas stove was the most popular stove
in the United States. As with any apparatus combining fire and gas,
the gas stove presented an inherent danger of creating house fires.
This danger remains today. For example, as of the date of this
application, an average of three children die every day from house
fires, a residential fire is started once every 78 seconds, and
cooking fires are the #1 cause of home fires and home fire
injuries. Many of these fires are caused by children who
unknowingly or carelessly turn on or off the stove control
knobs.
[0005] In an effort to prevent such accidents, there have been a
number of prior devices and methods invented. Since the current
invention focuses on a method of preventing children from
carelessly turning on or off a burner, this discussion will
emphasize prior inventions directed at solving this problem. For
example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,371,105 B1 to Merritt teaches a stove
burner shield with folding splashguards and a protective cover with
a locking knob to cover the control knobs. While this invention
appears to provide a locking cover for the control knobs, it
requires fasteners (reference number 34 on the '105 patent) to
attach the invention to the stove. Obviously the drilling of any
holes into a stove to attach a safety device not only damages the
stove and makes removal of the device likely to leave an unsightly
appearance, but may void any warranty and perhaps even damage the
stove if the holes were drilled in the wrong locations. The
invention of this patent solves this problem by hooking on under
the stove top and does so without requiring any holes to be drilled
or fasteners of any type being used.
[0006] The prior art also references several devices invented to
make control knobs safer for use in an environment where
occasionally unsupervised children live. For example, U.S. Pat. No.
5,771,878 to Lewis et al. teaches a safety knob with a releasable
lock assembly and U.S. Pat. No. 4,300,525 issued to Delgado et al.
teaches a control knob with a built-in spur which impedes the
ability of a child to easily turn the gas on. Such devices serve to
make it more difficult for a child to turn a burner on and off, but
do not completely eliminate that possibility and do not have the
ability to use a key or padlock to truly secure.
[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 4,300,524 to Elasser teaches a mechanical
device which is included in the manufacture of a stove which has an
intricate series of metal bars attached to a switch located toward
the back of the stove, whereby an adult can turn the knob and the
metal bars then lock the control knobs such that the burners cannot
be turned on without first "unlocking" the switch. While this
device would serve to prevent a child from turning on a burner
(unless the child was tall enough to reach the switch or
industrious enough to haul a chair or other device next to the
stove to allow access to the switch), it must be built into the
stove during its assembly and cannot be added on later as an
accessory feature. It does also not have a padlock or key feature
which would secure the control knobs from a creative child who
figures out a way to climb on the stove. The current invention
provides a childproof feature but is less complicated, does not
have to be manufactured as part of the stove, and should it break,
can be fixed without opening the main internal compartment of the
stove.
[0008] In summary, while there are attempts in the prior art to
"childproof" stoves, none provide the combination of easy
attachment with complete "childproof" protection in a stove safety
device usable on a variety of types and brands of stoves without
damage to the stove through attachment. Accordingly, there is a
long felt need for such a device.
[0009] This invention solves the problems mentioned above by
providing a shield which can be easily and safely attached to a
wide variety of stoves. Attaching the invention does not damage the
stoves, and can be used with stoves which have the control knobs on
the front, and on the top, of the stove. Among the devices which
can be used to "childproof" the stoves are rack and pinion gears,
locking and double locking pin assemblies, padlocks and combination
locks, and locking pin/cotter pin assemblies.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION
[0010] It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a
childproof device for gas and electric stoves.
[0011] It is a further object of this invention that it can be
attached to the stoves (and removed from them) in a non-destructive
and simple manner, and does not have to be built into the stoves
during their manufacture.
[0012] It is a further object of this invention that the invention
is usable in a variety of different types and brands of stoves with
no modifications of the device prior to use.
[0013] Other and further objects and features of this invention
will be apparent to one skilled in the art.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the invention showing the
basic components of the invention: two pieces of metal attached by
a hinge, with the covering piece extending inside the stove under
the stove top and hooking into place over the lip of the front
section of the stove extending back in away from the front of the
stove serving to affix the device to the stove, and the second
piece rotably movable such that it can swing down and cover the
control knobs.
[0015] FIG. 2 is a partial, side view of the means of attachment
portion of the invention, showing how the hook portion of the
covering piece of metal slides into the interior of the stove and
hooks over the lip of the front section of the stove.
[0016] FIG. 3 is a front view of the invention showing the
invention detached from a stove, with particular attention paid to
the location of the various holes for hold down screws and locking
bolts.
[0017] FIG. 4 is an elevational side view of another iteration of
the invention where the invention is designed to cover control
knobs mounted on the top, rather than they front, of the stove.
[0018] FIG. 5 is side view of the Locking Pin Assembly and the
Cotter Pin.
[0019] FIG. 6 is a side view of the double locking pin used to
childproof to stove control knobs.
[0020] FIG. 7 is a side view of another proposed means of
childproofing the stove control knobs, namely, a pinion gear
controlled by a square or other uniquely shaped key kept by the
parents in a safe place.
[0021] FIG. 8 is a side view of a locking pin and cotter pin, which
are used together in a manner that allows a user knowledgeable in
the orientation of the cotter pin to insert or remove it only when
a dot on the visible head of the locking pin is aligned with a
similar dot on the surface of the control knob shield.
[0022] FIG. 8 is a front view of the invention showing the location
of the swinging wing.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0023] The present invention is directed to a locking stove control
knob shield and safety apparatus which provides a combination of
easy attachment with complete "childproof" protection usable on a
variety of types and brands of stoves without damage to the stove
through attachment and removal.
[0024] Referring to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1, and,
for a different iterations, FIG. 4, the invention consists of two
pieces of molded metal, attached to each other by a hinge, the
first piece of metal, called the attachment piece, sliding into the
gap between the top panel of the stove and the front panel to
secure the invention; the second piece of metal, called the
covering piece, swinging down (or up, depending on the location of
the burner control knobs) and preventing access to the stove
control knobs by covering them up and locking securely in a variety
of ways which are explained further below. The invention also
contains a number of locking means and mechanisms, including
padlocks and combination locks, locking pins and double locking
pins, and cotter pin assemblies.
[0025] Referring specifically to FIG. 1, the invention (generally
indicated by reference number 1) has four basic components. A
covering piece (3) attached to an attachment piece (2) by means of
a hinge (4). The invention also has a means to lock the device over
the burner control knobs, the means here is a locking pin (5), but
there are a number of different potential means. The attachment
piece (2) slides in the insertion gap (10) between the stove top
panel (6) and the stove front panel (7) and hooks over a lip on the
front panel of the stove (7) (this method of attachment is more
clearly detailed in FIG. 2). For purposes of illustration, the top
panel of the stove (6) has burners (9). The covering piece (3) can
be swung down using the hinge (4) to cover the stove burner control
knobs (8), and is designed to be long enough to cover the stove
control knobs (8), but no so long as to interfere with oven handle
(10) which is used to open and close the oven (11).
[0026] FIG. 2 shows a side view of the invention, paying particular
detail to the method by which the device is attached inside of the
stove and the mechanism by which it is secured to prevent a child
from turning the control knobs. In this iteration, the securing
mechanism is a lock placed through a hole at the end of a pin, but
there are numerous other securing mechanisms suggested in this
application. The invention, generally indicated by reference number
20, has an attachment piece (21) attached by a hinge (23) to a
covering piece (22). The attachment piece (21) swings down from the
hinge (23) to cover the stove burner control knob (27) which
projects out from the outer face of the stove front panel (24).
There is a hole (29A) in the attachment piece (21) through which a
bolt (28) can slide. There is a corresponding hold (29A) at the
bottom of the covering piece (22) through which the bottom of the
bolt (28) can protrude. To secure the invention, a lock (29) is
placed through a hole (29B) in the bottom of the bolt (28). The
stove front panel (24) has an upper portion or lip (25) which bends
in to the interior of the stove, creating a resting place for the
top panel of the stove (28), shown here with a burner (29). The
covering piece of the invention (21) slips in between the top panel
of the stove (28) and the front panel of the stove (24). The distal
end of the attachment piece of the covering piece (21) is indicated
by reference number 26. Note that the distal end of the covering
piece (26) is bent in a hook shape such that it can easily hook
over the lip of the front panel of the stove (25), thereby securing
the invention to the stove in a manner which is not only easy to
install and remove without damage to the stove, but also allows the
invention to be used universally with a wide variety of types and
brands of stoves which have lips similar to the lip (25) that is
shown in FIG. 2.
[0027] FIG. 3 is a front view of the invention showing the design
which would be used with a safety bolt, which is described in FIG.
6. The invention, generally indicated by reference number 30, has a
covering piece (32) and an attachment piece (31) attached by a
hinge (33). The attachment piece (31) has a hook portion (37) by
which the invention is attached to the lip of the front panel of
the stove as illustrated in FIG. 2. The attachment piece (31) has a
hole (34) through which a hold-down screw (not shown) can be
inserted to secure the attachment piece (31) to the stove if a
greater degree of attachment (as compared with the hook and lip
assembly described in FIG. 2) is desired. FIG. 3 also shows the
method of attachment for a safety bolt (shown and described in FIG.
6). The attachment piece of the invention (31) has a square bolt
hole (35) which serves to prevent rotation of the safety bolt
(shown and described in FIG. 6). The covering piece of the
invention (32) also has a round hole in it (36) through which the
safety bolt will fit. The safety bolt can then be secured with a
lock or other means.
[0028] FIG. 4. is an elevational view of another iteration of the
invention which provides a safety cover over stove burner control
knobs which are mounted on the top of the stove rather than on the
front panel of the stove as was illustrated in FIGS. 1-3. The
invention, generally referenced as number 40, has a covering piece
(41) and an attachment piece (42) attached to each other by a hinge
(45). The covering piece (41) extends over the top panel of the
stove (44) and covers the stove burner control knobs (47). The
covering piece (41) also has a square hole (46) through which the
safety bolt, later illustrated and described in FIG. 6, will fit.
The attachment piece (42) slides into the gap between the top panel
of the stove (44) and the front panel of the stove (43) by a method
illustrated in FIG. 2.
[0029] FIG. 5. is an elevational view of the iteration of the
invention shown in FIG. 4, showing in more detail the working
parts. The invention, generally indicated by reference number 50,
has an attachment piece (52) attached by a hinge (53) to a covering
piece (51). In this iteration, the covering piece (51) extends up
and over the top panel of the stove. The attachment piece (52) is
molded such that it extends down from the hinge (53) and enters the
interior cavity of the stove in the gap between the top panel and
front panel.
[0030] FIG. 6 is a side view of the safety bolt assembly. The
safety bolt assembly, consists of a safety bolt, generally
referenced by reference number 60, a nut (65) and a cotter pin
(68). The safety bolt (60) has a bolt head (61) with a dot (67)
which is located on exactly the same aspect of the bolt as is the
drill hole (66) described later in this figure, such that by
viewing the location of the dot (67) a user knows the exact aspect
and location of the hole (66) located at the distal end (64) of the
safety bolt (60). Below the bolt head (61) is a square section (62)
designed to fit into the square holes illustrated and described in
FIG. 3, number 35, and FIG. 4, number 46. The square portion (62)
allows the bolt to be locked in place through its fitting through
the square holes (not shown in this figure). Below the square
portion (62) is a shank (63) which is round to allow it to easily
slide up and down and turn freely whenever the square portion (62)
is not seated in the square hole (not shown). The shank (63) has a
distal end furthest away from the bolt head (64) through which
there is a hole (66), drilled exactly parallel to the dot (67) on
the bolt head (61), through which a cotter pin (68) can be
inserted, and threads (69) over which the nut (65) can be screwed
on. The safety bolt is design to be used by an adult so that the
adult locates the bottom of the pin (the portion with threads (69),
and then pushes up to free to square portion (62) from the square
hole (not shown). By aligning the dot (67) in the bolt head (61), a
user can easily remove the cotter pin (68) from the hole (66) in
the distal end (64) of the safety bolt (60). Once the cotter pin
(68) is removed, a user can push the safety bolt (60) higher and
easily open the covering piece (not shown in this figure).
[0031] FIG. 7 is a side view of another means by which a stove can
be childproofed. The device, generally indicated by reference
number 70, consists of two elongated rectangular or square pieces
of metal or other hard, durable material, into which have been
molded or cut matching grooves. A pinion gear (72) can be rotated
by a user who has a special key (generally indicated by reference
number 76) which fits over an upper end (75) of the pinion gear
(72) such that a rack pinion (71) can be raised or lowered by a
multiplicity of grooves of the pinion gear (74) turning the grooves
of the rack pinion (73), thereby securing or unsecuring the
invention (not shown) from a position where it is securing or
making accessible the stove control knobs (not shown). The special
key (76), has a handle portion (77), which is flat and convenient
for a user to turn with his/her fingers and thumb, and a circular
section (generally indicated by reference number 79), which has a
cavity (78) which is the same size and shape as the upper end (75)
of the pinion gear (72), and can be easily slipped over the upper
end (75) of the pinion gear (72) or removed. The pinion gear (72)
is designed to be only rotatable when the special key (76) is used,
so that a child cannot detach the invention and turn on the stove
control knobs without the special key (76).
[0032] FIG. 8 is a side view of a locking pin assembly, (generally
indicated by reference number 80). There are two parts of this
device, a locking pin, (generally indicated by reference number
89), and a cotter pin (82). The locking pin has a painted dot (81)
on its head (83), which is the upper portion of the locking pin
(89). The lower end (87) of the locking pin (89) is separated from
its head (83) by a shaft (85). Directly beneath the head (83) is a
rectangular section (84) which fits into a slightly larger
rectangular section of the stove shield (not shown). Toward the
lower end of the locking pin (83) is a hole (86) through which the
cotter pin (82) can fit. The object here is that a user must turn
and adjust the head (83) such that the painted dot (81) is in the
proper alignment to insert or remove the cotter pin (82) from the
hole (86) in the locking pin (89).
* * * * *