Furniture with anti-tipping support hinge

#The present invention relates generally to anti-tipping mechanisms for furniture that prevent the furniture from tipping over when, for example, a child is climbing into or present in an open drawer of the furniture. The present invention also relates to a piece of furniture including or incorporating an anti-tipping mechanism, and a method for forming a piece of furniture to provide anti-tipping properties.

#Furniture tipping accidents and deaths are on the rise. The majority many of toddler furniture pieces, typically dressers, are anywhere from about 16 inches to about 24 inches deep and often toddlers can grab the top of the dresser, grab the top drawer of the dresser, and even climb into the bottom drawer of the dresser before the parent is aware of this. Top drawers of these dressers often have heavy contents in them further making the dresser easier to tip over, which when it occurs, often results in the toddler getting severely hurt, sometimes even rushed to the hospital and even more worrisome, a tragic death.

#Many products on the market currently offer the ability to attach the upper back of a piece of furniture, e.g., a dresser, to the wall or other vertical support behind the dresser with a webbing strap or cable so the tipping issue is caught and restricted before the entire dresser falls forward. Yet, this can also allow the topmost dresser drawer to fall forward and still cause accidents. Proper fastening of the dresser to the wall poses yet another issue insofar as it is possible that the screws on the wall or the screws on the dresser are ripped apart when the tipping force is too much, especially if the webbing strap or cable is not attached properly in a safe or secure manner and location. After all, most dresser backs are very cheaply made with the backs often ⅛″ thin pressboard or plywood and the frame is typically ⅝″-¾″ and made of plywood or even less secure presswood typically used today.

#The invention, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals identify like elements, and wherein:

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a support hinge in accordance with the invention;

#FIGS. 2 and 3 are exploded view of the support hinge shown in FIG. 1;

#One of the inventors' ideas to address the tipping problem of furniture in the presence of toddlers and children is that it is advantageous, instead of addressing attachment of a dresser or other piece of furniture to the wall against which it is placed, to address stability by attaching one or more supports under the bottom drawer to provide superior anti-tipping characteristics (for toddlers, parents, even TV stands).

#In the embodiments disclosed herein, a dresser including a plurality of drawers in a vertical arrangement is often used as an example of a piece of furniture for which the anti-tipping mechanism may be used, and in which an anti-tipping mechanism may be integrated or incorporated. The anti-tipping mechanisms of the invention can be used on other types of furniture in addition to dressers and are not limited to use with only dressers. Also, the dressers may include one or more drawers in any of the sections therein.

#FIGS. 1-3 show a support hinge 10 in accordance with the invention that is, in use, attached to the underside of the support surface of the bottom drawer of a piece of furniture. Support hinge 10 includes a mounting plate 12, a support plate 14 connected to the mounting plate 12 by a hinge mechanism 16 and an attachment mechanism 18 to attach the mounting plate 12 to the underside of the support surface of the bottom drawer of the piece of furniture.