AU2012200207B2

AU2012200207B2 - A pinch point guard

Info

Publication number: AU2012200207B2
Application number: AU2012200207A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Roger Dunlop; Benjamin Hill
Original assignee: Ames Australasia Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Ames Australasia Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2011-01-14
Filing date: 2012-01-13
Publication date: 2016-07-07
Anticipated expiration: 2032-01-13
Also published as: AU2012200207A1

Abstract

This invention relates to a guard for a space between at least two elements adapted for a relative movement of a defined range therebetween, the guard being adapted to substantially fill at least'an 5 opening to the space throughout the range of the relative movement. An associated mechanism is also disclosed. 55b 17 P 17a P 55a 56b 54a F 50- 54b 17b C-' 52 56aE Figure 4 55b 50 12 17 P 17a P 55a 54a 56b 54b-56 17b C E Figure 5 1 54b 17 P 17a P 55b 55a C -12 17b 56a 56b 54a Figure 6 12 13 46 11a 46 12 12 45 13 15 45 13 12 Figure 1

Description

TITLE

A PINCH POINT GUARD FIELD OF THE INVENTION ,

This invention relates to a pinch point guard for preventing human limbs/appendages from being caught in mechanism pinch points.

PRIORITY

This patent application claims priority from Australian Provisional Patent Application No | 2011900129, titled “A PINCH POINT GUARD”, and filed on 14 January 2011. 1

The entire content of this application is hereby incorporated by reference. i BACKGROUND i

For the purpose of explanation, reference will be made to use of the pinch point guard in guarding fingers from parts of a folding clothesline assembly. It should be appreciated however that applications for the pinch point guard need not be so limited.

I

Pinch points are common in mechanisms where one mechanical element moves relative to another. A hinge is one such example. In one position, a gap is created between the two elements which is large enough to accept a portion of a limb (usually a finger), then as one or both elements move this gap diminishes, pinching, and in some cases crushing the limb portion. j

I A potential finger pinch point has been identified in rotary, folding head clothesline assemblies, at a point where an arm of the clothesline pivots relative to a lower central hub or ‘cross’ of a head

I assembly, as the arm rotates from a vertical orientation (for storage) to a horizontal orientation (for i use) and back. This particular pinch point was considered a potential hazard to children in particular.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to substantially ameliorate one or more of the above mentioned problems, or at least, provide a useful alternative to known pinch point guards.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein, by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of the present invention is disclosed. j

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION I

In one aspect, the invention may be said to reside in a guard for a space between at least two elements adapted for a relative movement of a defined range therebetween, the guard being adapted to

I substantially fill at least an opening to the space throughout the range of the relative movement of the elements. j

In one form, a size of the opening changes as one or both elements move, and the guard is adapted to match the changing size of the opening.

In one form, the size of the opening diminishes as the elements move from a first position to a second | position, and the guard is adapted to match the diminishing size of the opening as the elements move.

In one form, the size of the opening increases as the elements move from the second position to the first position, and the guard is adapted to match the increasing size of the opening as the elements move.

In one form, the guard is resiliently deformable or comprises resiliently deformable means.

I

In one form, the guard is biased or comprises biasing means adapted to cause the guard to match the changing size of the opening. [

I

In one form, the guard deforms as the size of the opening diminishes. '

In one form, the deformed guard recovers its shape as the size of the diminished opening increases.

In one form, the guard comprises a generally arcuate and resiliently deformable body.

In one form, the body comprises a pair of spaced apart wings, each wing comprising a mount for pivotal mounting of this around a common pivot point. \

I

In one form, the common pivot point is a pivotal connection point for the two elements defining the

I space. i !

In one form, a pin or shaft provides the pivot point.

In one form, at least one pivot mount is slotted to permit linear movement of said wing. i i

In a further aspect, the invention may be said to reside in a mechanism comprising at least two i elements adapted for a relative movement having a defined range, the elements defining a space therebetween, and a guard adapted to substantially fill at least an opening to the space throughout the ! range of the relative movement.

In one form, the two elements are pivotally connected. j

In one form, the mechanism comprises an arm, a mount for the arm defining a cradle, an end of the arm being located in the cradle and pivotally attached to the mount so as to define the range of movement, and the guard being positioned in a space between the arm and the cradle so as to i substantially fill at least an opening to the space throughout the range of pivotal movement of the arm.

In one form, the guard locates in and extends from a hollow end of the arm. '

In one form, the arm is pivotable between positions substantially horizontal and vertical, and the guard is adapted to substantially fill at least an opening to a space defined between the end of the arm and the cradle throughout the range of pivotal movement of the arm.

In one form, the size of the opening changes as the arm pivots, and the guard is adapted to match the changing size of the opening throughout the range of pivotal movement of the arm.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS i

For a better understanding of this disclosure it will now be described with respect to one or more exemplary embodiments, which shall be described herein with the assistance of drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a rotary, folding head clothesline assembly of the prior art;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the clothesline assembly in Figure 1, where the head assembly is partially retracted (or folded);

I

Figure 3 is an exploded detail view of a pivotal attachment point between a radial arm and a central hub of a clothesline assembly similar to that illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, but differing in that it incorporates the inventive guard; and 1

Figures 4 through 6 are cross-sectional views through the pivotal attachment point illustrated in Figure 3.

In the following description, like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings. !

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In Figures 1 and 2, there is illustrated a rotary, folding head clothesline 10 of the type adapted to be folded up, removed from the ground and stored away when not required.

The clothesline 10 comprises a support post 11 and four radial arms 12 supporting lengths of line therebetween. Each of the radial arms 12 is pivotally secured to a central hub 15 that is slidably disposed upon the support post 11. There are four support arms 13, each of which corresponds to a radial arm 12. Each support arm 13 is pivotally connected at a first end 45 to its corresponding radial arm 12, and at a second end 46 to the upper end 1 la of the support post 11 respectively. The support arms 13 support the radial arms 12 when they are in their extended position, as shown in Figure 1.

The support post 11 incorporates a locking mechanism 20 (see Figure 2) which locks the central hub 15 in position after the central hub 15 has been slid up the support post 11 until the radial arms 12 are horizontal. In order to return the radial arms 12 to the vertical for storage, this locking mechanism 20 must be released. Once released, the central hub 15 is free to slide down the central support post 11, thereby bringing each of the radial arms 12 back to its vertical position.

In the clotheslines of the type discussed above, when the radial arms 12 are vertical and the central hub 15 is positioned low on the support post 11, both a space and an opening thereto exists between a lower end of each radial arm 12 and a cradle 17 (see Figures 2 through 6) for each radial arm 12 end that is defined by the central hub 15. If a limb portion, most likely a finger F, is inserted into this space (such as by a child) as the central hub 15 begins to slide up the vertical support post 11, then the downwardly rotating radial arm 12 will pinch and crush this finger F as the radial arm 12 travels towards its horizontal position.

Referring now to Figures 3 through 6, where it is illustrated how, in order to prevent a finger F from being inserted into the above described pinch point, there is, inserted into the lower end of the hollow rectangular tubing from which each radial arm 12 is made, a pinch point guard 50 that has been manufactured by being integrally moulded from engineering plastic material. i

The pinch point guard 50 comprises a generally arcuate or c-shaped body 52 which will, in use, extend from the end of the radial arm 12, and a pair of spaced apart wings 54a and 54b insertable within the end of the radial arm 12.

Extending between each wing 54a and 54b and a respective mount 56a and 56b therefor is a wing extension portion 55a and 55b respectively. Each mount 56a and 56b is for pivotal mounting of its respective wing around a common pivot point P provided by a pin 30, this being the pivot point P of the radial arm 12 in the central hub 15. i

One wing, hereinafter referred to as the first wing 54a, includes a longer, straighter portion than the other wing 54b and so is longer overall. This first wing 54a is substantially straight along the entirety of its length, right up to the point where this suddenly transitions at a lower, sharply turning curved edge E into the generally c-shaped, resilient body 52 of the pinch point guard 50. i

I

The generally c-shaped, resilient body 52 of the pinch point guard 50 then transitions into the second, shorter wing 54b in turn, with a continuous and gradual curved surface C.

The mount 56a of the first wing 54a is slotted, so as to facilitate limited sliding movement of this first wing 54a up into the radial arm 12.

As can be seen in Figure 4, when the radial arm 12 is vertical, the first wing 54a of the pinch point

I guard 50 is the outermost of the two wings 54a and 54b, and when the radial arm 12 is horizontal (as illustrated in Figure 6), the first wing 54a of the pinch point guard 50 is the lowermost of the two wings 54a and 54b.

I

Clothesline radial arm 12 is swung about pivot point P from the vertical to the horizontal as the central hub 15 slides up the support post 11. As it does so, space for the pinch point guard 50 between the end of the arm 12 and the cradle 17 decreases as rotation progresses, causing the continuous and gradual curved surface C to come into contact with a vertical wall 17a of the cradle 17 in the central hub 15, the result being that the first wing 54a is progressively forced upward and inside of the radial arm 12. When the radial swing arm 12 reaches the horizontal, the pinch point guard 50 is compressively deformed, this deformation putting the generally c-shaped, resilient body 52 of the pinch point guard 50 in a stressed state under tension. 1

I

Clothesline radial arm 12 is swung about pivot point P from the horizontal back to the vertical as the central hub 15 slides down the support post 11, and the first wing 54a projects from the radial arm 12 i to a progressively increasing extent as space increases and the guard 50 is permitted to return to its undeformed and un-stressed state with progressing rotation of the radial arm 12. As the pinch point guard 50 is allowed to return to its un-deformed and un-stressed state the lower curved edge E,follows a floor 17b of the cradle in the central hub 15 so as to fill the space defined between the radial arm 12 and the central hub 15 (hence preventing the insertion of limbs therein) while simultaneously acting with a sweeping motion to sweep any finger F away. !

I

With reference to Figure 4, it can be seen that in the clothesline of Figures 3 through 6, when the radial arms 12 are vertical, the pinch point guard 50 fills any space that would have otherwise existed between a lower end of each radial arm 12 and a cradle 17 for the radial arm 12 end that is defined by the central hub 15. This means that there is no opening to a pinch point zone within which a person can insert a finger F.

Whilst reference has been made to use of the invention in a rotary, folding head clothesline 10, its application is not so limited, as it has potential application in doors and hinges amongst other applications.

Throughout the specification and the claims that follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the words “comprise” and “include” and variations such as “comprising” and “including” will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers, but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers.

The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgement of any form of suggestion that such prior art forms part of the common general knowledge.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention is not restricted in its use to the particular application described. Neither is the present invention restricted in its preferred embodiment with regard to the particular elements and/or features described or depicted herein. It will be appreciated that various modifications can be made without departing from the principles of the invention. Therefore, the invention should be understood to include all such modifications in its scope.

Claims

Claims

1. A guard for a space between at least two elements adapted for a relative movement of a defined range therebetween, the guard comprising a generally arcuate and resiliently deformable body; the body comprising a pair of spaced apart wings, each wing comprising a mount for pivotal mounting of this around a common pivot point; the guard being adapted to substantially fill at least an opening to the space throughout the range of the relative movement.
2. The guard of claim 1, wherein a size of the opening changes as one or both elements move, and the guard is adapted to match the changing size of the opening.
3. The guard of claim 2, wherein the size of the opening diminishes as the elements move from a first position to a second position, and the guard is adapted to match the diminishing size of the opening as the elements move.
4. The guard of claim 3, wherein the size of the opening increases as the elements move from the second position to the first position, and the guard is adapted to match the increasing size of the opening as the elements move.
5. The guard as in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the guard is resiliently deformable or comprises resiliently deformable means.
6. The guard as in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the guard is biased or comprises biasing means adapted to cause the guard to match the changing size of the opening.
7. The guard as in claim 6, wherein the guard deforms as the size of the opening diminishes.
8. The guard as in claim 7, wherein the deformed guard recovers its shape as the size of the diminished opening increases.
9. The guard of any preceding claim, wherein the common pivot point is a pivotal connection point for the two elements defining the space.
10. The guard of either of any preceding claim, wherein a pin or shaft provides the pivot point.
11. The guard as in any preceding claim, wherein at least one pivot mount is slotted to permit linear movement of said wing.
12. A mechanism comprising an arm, a mount for the arm defining a cradle, an end of the arm being located in the cradle and pivotally attached to the mount so as to define the range of movement, and a guard, wherein the guard is positioned in a space between the arm and the cradle so as to substantially fill at least an opening to the space throughout the range of pivotal movement of the arm.
13. The mechanism of claim 12, wherein the guard locates in and extends from a hollow end of the arm.
14. The mechanism of claim 13, wherein the arm is pivotable between positions substantially horizontal and vertical, and the guard is adapted to substantially fill at least an opening to a space defined between the end of the arm and the cradle throughout the range of pivotal movement of the arm.
15. The mechanism of claim 14, wherein the size of the opening changes as the arm pivots, and the guard is adapted to match the changing size of the opening throughout the range of pivotal movement of the arm.
16. A pinch point guard as described in the specification with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying representations.
17. A mechanism as described in the specification with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying representations.