초록 ▼

A drawer safety latch that is securable, preferably releasably so, to a top surface of a drawer side structure, such as a sidewall, in one of two different orientations. The safety latch is quickly installed without modifying the drawer, is easily aligned, and can be oriented so that children shorte

A drawer safety latch that is securable, preferably releasably so, to a top surface of a drawer side structure, such as a sidewall, in one of two different orientations. The safety latch is quickly installed without modifying the drawer, is easily aligned, and can be oriented so that children shorter than the drawer cannot see the release mechanism. The drawer safety latch is preferably of one-piece, injection-molded construction, but other materials and manufacturing methods may be used. The drawer safety latch is preferably secured with releasable adhesive fabric, and so is portable for travel. In some embodiments, the drawer safety latch may have aesthetic and/or traction enhancements. The drawer safety latch has right-handed and left-handed versions that may be used alone or together, in the same or different orientations.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A drawer safety latch for a drawer having at least one drawer side structure, said drawer safety latch comprising: a first mounting portion having comprising a first surface installable, in a first orientation, to engage and to be secured to at least a portion of at least one top surface of one d

1. A drawer safety latch for a drawer having at least one drawer side structure, said drawer safety latch comprising: a first mounting portion having comprising a first surface installable, in a first orientation, to engage and to be secured to at least a portion of at least one top surface of one drawer side structure;a bracing extension comprising a one second surface extending at an angle from said at least one first surface of said mounting portion, operable, in said first orientation, to abut at least one exterior surface of the drawer side structure;a flexible portion extending forwardly from said bracing extension;an obstructing portion extending forwardly from said flexible portion, biased outwardly from the drawer, operable to engage at least one environmental obstacle, and comprising at least one panel oriented in a plane at said angle to said bracing extension; anda releasing portion extending forwardly from said at least one panel and operable to release said obstructing portion;wherein said drawer latch is operable to be installed in one of said first orientation and a second orientation, wherein, in said second orientation, said second surface is installable to engage and to be secured to the at least one top surface of the drawer side structure and said first surface is operable to abut the at least one interior surface of the drawer side structure. 2. The drawer safety latch of claim 1, wherein said first surface is installable, in said first orientation, to be releasably secured to the at least one top surface of the drawer side structure. 3. The drawer safety latch of claim 1, wherein said second surface is installable, in said second orientation, to be releasably secured to the at least one top surface of the drawer side structure. 4. The drawer safety latch of claim 1, wherein said mounting portion is secured to the at least one top surface by means of overlaying an adhesive fabric on said mounting portion, said adhesive fabric extending to adhesively engage at least a portion of the at least one interior surface of the drawer side structure and at least a portion of the at least one exterior surface of the drawer side structure. 5. The drawer safety latch of claim 1, wherein said drawer safety latch is sized, shaped, and arranged to be installed on the drawer side structure on one of a left-hand drawer side structure and a right-hand drawer side structure. 6. The drawer safety latch of claim 1, contained in a package, said package further containing at least one adhesive. 7. The drawer safety latch of claim 6, wherein said at least one adhesive comprises adhesive fabric. 8. The drawer safety latch of claim 1, wherein said first surface has a width sized to span the at least one top surface of the drawer side structure and said second surface has an equal width to said first surface. 9. The drawer safety latch of claim 1, wherein said releasing portion is sized, shaped, and arranged to not extend exterior to the drawer. 10. The drawer safety latch of claim 1, further comprising a one-piece construction. 11. The drawer safety latch of claim 1, further comprising injection-molded plastic. 12. The drawer safety latch of claim 1, further comprising at least one aesthetic enhancement. 13. The drawer safety latch of claim 1, further comprising at least one traction enhancement. 14. A drawer safety latch for a drawer, comprising: a mounting bracket sized, shaped, and arranged to be securable to a top surface of a side structure of the drawer in one of a first orientation and a second orientation;an outwardly-biased obstructing member flexibly coupled to said mounting bracket and operable to engage an environmental obstacle to obstruct the opening of the drawer; anda releasing member coupled to said obstructing member and operable to move said obstructing member to release said obstructing member from engagement with the environmental obstacle,wherein said mounting bracket comprises first and second surfaces and said first orientation comprises said first surface engaging the top surface of the side structure and said second surface abutting an exterior surface of the side structure andsaid second orientation comprises said second surface engaging the top surface of the side structure and said first surface abutting an interior surface of the side structure. 15. The drawer safety latch of claim 14, wherein said mounting bracket is releasably securable to the top surface of the drawer side structure. 16. The drawer safety latch of claim 14, further sized, shaped, and arranged to be installed on the drawer side structure on one of a left-hand drawer side structure and a right-hand drawer side structure. 17. The drawer safety latch of claim 14, wherein said mounting bracket is secured to the top surface by means of overlaying an adhesive fabric on said mounting bracket, said adhesive fabric extending to adhesively engage at least a portion of the interior surface of the drawer side structure and at least a portion of the exterior surface of the drawer side structure. 18. The drawer safety latch of claim 14, wherein said releasing member is sized shaped and arranged to not extend exterior to the drawer. 19. The drawer safety latch of claim 14, contained in a package, said package further containing at least one adhesive. 20. The drawer safety latch of claim 15, wherein said at least one adhesive comprises an adhesive fabric. 21. A drawer safety latch for a drawer, comprising an L-shaped mounting bracket sized, shaped, and arranged to be securable to a top surface of a drawer side structure in one of a first position and a second position;an outwardly biased body having an obstructing portion operable to engage an environmental obstacle and a release portion operable to disengage said obstructing portion from the environmental obstacle, said body flexibly coupled to said L-shaped mounting;wherein said mounting bracket comprises first and second surfaces interior to said L-shaped mounting, andsaid first position comprises said first surface engaging the top surface of the drawer side structure and said second surface engaging an exterior surface of the drawer side structure, andsaid second position comprises said second surface engaging the top surface of the drawer side structure and said first surface engaging an interior surface of the drawer side structure. 22. The drawer safety latch of claim 21, comprising a single piece of injection-molded plastic. 23. The drawer safety latch of claim 21, comprising a single piece cut from a right-angle length of plastic. 24. The drawer safety latch of claim 21, wherein said L-shaped mounting bracket is releasably securable to the top surface of the drawer side structure. 25. The drawer safety latch of claim 21, wherein said body comprises an aesthetic enhancement. 26. The drawer safety latch of claim 21, wherein said release portion comprises a traction enhancement.