Magnet responsive cabinet lock
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cabinet locks are prone to high frictional loads and jamming, and their latches are susceptible to being bypassed by excessive force due to complex mechanisms and curved engagement faces, which can compromise their effectiveness in preventing access by small children.
Innovation Solution
A cabinet lock design featuring a rotating lever and translating latch with an acutely angled engagement face, coupled with a ferromagnetic mechanism that moves the latch between extended and retracted positions, providing reduced friction and enhanced resistance to large forces without the need for curved surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional cabinet locks use complex mechanisms with curved engagement faces, then the latch can engage the catch, but the frictional loads become high and jamming occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the reverse of this principle by explicitly avoiding curved surfaces. The latch engagement face is made flat and inclined at an acute angle, eliminating the curved surfaces that cause high friction and jamming in conventional locks.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the geometric parameter of the engagement face from curved to flat, and introduces an acute angle inclination. This parameter change reduces frictional loads while maintaining reliable engagement between the latch and catch.
2Device complexity
If conventional cabinet locks use simple latch mechanisms, then the structure is simple, but the latches are susceptible to being bypassed by excessive force
Solution Approach 1:
The latch engagement face is designed with asymmetric geometry - a flat surface inclined at an acute angle relative to the direction of movement. This asymmetric design allows the latch to resist forces applied in one direction (bypassing attempts) while still allowing controlled movement in the opposite direction (normal operation).
Solution Approach 2:
The patent explicitly rejects curved engagement faces in favor of flat surfaces with acute angle inclination. This flat, angled design provides resistance to excessive forces while maintaining structural simplicity, avoiding the complexity of curved surfaces that don't provide sufficient resistance.
3Reliability
If the latch engagement face is curved, then the latch can engage the catch, but frictional loads increase and jamming occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the reverse of this principle by explicitly avoiding curved surfaces. The latch engagement face is made flat and inclined at an acute angle, eliminating the curved surfaces that cause high friction and jamming in conventional locks.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the geometric parameter of the engagement face from curved to flat, and introduces an acute angle inclination. This parameter change reduces frictional loads while maintaining reliable engagement between the latch and catch.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design reduces frictional loads and effectively resists large forces, ensuring the latch maintains consistent contact with the catch, even under opening pressure, thereby securely locking the cabinet door.
Implementation Method 1
a ferromagnetic portion configured to move the lever from the disengaged position toward the engaged position when a magnet is within a threshold distance of the lever
Data Source
AI summary
A cabinet lock includes a latch configured to translate between extended and retracted positions and a lever configured to rotate between engaged and disengaged positions. The latch may be coupled to the lever with a pin in a corresponding slot. When the lever is in the disengaged position the latch may be in the extended position and when the lever is in the engaged position the latch may be in the retracted position. The lever includes a ferromagnetic portion responsive to a magnet within a threshold distance, where the presence of the magnet moves the lever to the engaged position.