Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6409293
-
Patent Number
6,409,293
-
Date Filed
Tuesday, July 24, 200123 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, June 25, 200222 years ago
-
Inventors
-
-
Examiners
Agents
- Birch, Stewart, Kolasch & Birch, LLP
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 312 2571
- 312 263
- 312 2655
- 312 902
- 312 350
- 312 351
- 312 108
- 312 111
- 312 3301
- 312 3481
- 312 3482
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A cabinet and drawer assembly structure mainly utilizes ball screw rods to fasten two rear panels in a juxtaposed fashion and to fasten two opposing side panels to the rear panels. The side panels have square channels which have aperture and troughs to allow wedge legs of a transverse beam to wedge in. The rear panels and side panels have jut edges extended from the top ends thereof to couple with wedge slots formed on the peripheral rims of an upper panel, thus coupling and fastening of the peripheral panels and the upper panel and lower panel and front panel may be accomplished rapidly to complete the cabinet assembly. The inner sides of the side panels may have slide roller channels mounted thereon to support a drawer assemble.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a rapid fastening assembly structure and particularly an assembly structure adaptable for use in drawers and any types of cabinets such as table cabinets, partition cabinets, wine cabinets and the like that is convenient to disassemble, occupies small space, and is easy to transport for onsite assembling and fastening.
Most commonly used drawers and cabinets now available on the market are assembled and fixedly fastened by soldering, then are delivered to users' sites. Various problems could happen during transportation, such as:
1. The assembled and finished drawers and cabinets take too much space. Transportation from the factory to users' sites requires too much time and costs. Installations and operations also are cumbersome.
2. Assembly of the drawers and cabinets requires special cares and efforts on the total structure (as the whole set of the cabinet is fixedly assembled and fastened). A small negligence or accidence during transportation could damage the drawers or the cabinets, or even destroy the whole structure of the cabinets.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to provide a rapid fastening assembly structure adaptable for use in drawers and cabinets that is convenient to disassemble, occupies small space, and is easy to transport for onsite assembling and fastening.
To attain the foregoing object, the cabinet and drawer assembly structure according to the invention includes two juxtaposed rear panels coupling with two opposing and symmetrical side panels. The two rear panels have respectively a square channel formed at the fastening end and may be fastened by a ball screw rod. The side panels have respectively square channels with a trough located at the top end and bottom end thereof to allow two ends of a transverse beam to wedge in. The rear panels and side panels further have respectively a jut edge extended from the top ends thereof to engage with a wedge trough formed at the peripheral rim of a top panel. There are also a bottom panel and a front panel to engage with the peripheral panels to complete the cabinet assembly. When there is a desire to couple a drawer in the cabinet, install slide roller channels on the inner side of the two side panels without soldering. Thus destruction of the structure resulting from the soldering may be avoided. The structure of the invention does not take much space and may be transported easily to users' sites for assembly and fastening. Through fastening the panels by the ball screw rod and transverse beam, various cabinets can be made. The drawer plates may be assembled through rods and slide channels, then couple with one another. All the drawer and cabinet elements may be stacked for transportation to users' sites, then assembled and fastened by means of screws. The storing and transportation space and costs thus may be greatly reduced. Hence the invention provides advantages not feasible to the conventional cabinets and drawers.
The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Further scope of the applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein:
FIG. 1
is an exploded view of a cabinet of the invention.
FIG. 2
is a schematic view of a cabinet of the invention in assembly (rear panels screwed to side panels).
FIG. 3
is another schematic view of a cabinet of the invention in assembly (side panels fastened by transverse beams at the top end and bottom end).
FIG. 4
is a schematic view of a ball screw rod at a fastening state.
FIG. 5
is a fragmentary sectional view of a rear panel, side panel and upper panel at an assembled state.
FIG. 6
is a fragmentary schematic view of a side panel coupling with a partition.
FIG. 7
is a fragmentary sectional view of a side panel coupling with a bracket.
FIG. 8
is a top sectional view of an upper panel.
FIG. 9
is a bottom view of an assembled cabinet of the invention.
FIG. 10
is an exploded view of a drawer of the invention.
FIG. 11
is a schematic view of a bottom plate and two side plates at a folding state according to FIG.
10
.
FIG. 12
is a fragmentary schematic view of a rod of a bottom plate engaging with a slide channel of a side plate according to FIG.
10
.
FIG. 13
is a front view of a bottom plate, rear plate and two side plates at an assembled state according to FIG.
10
.
FIG. 14
is a fragmentary schematic view of a rear plate engaging with a bottom plate according to FIG.
10
.
FIG. 15
is a fragmentary side view of wedge coupling shown in FIG.
14
.
FIG. 16
is a fragmentary enlarged view of a wedge tongue of the bottom plate coupling with a square opening of the rear plate according to FIG.
15
.
FIG. 17
is a top view of the assembly according to FIG.
10
.
FIG. 18
is a schematic view of two side plates wedging in a front plate according to FIG.
10
.
FIG. 19
is a schematic view of two side plates wedging in a front plate according to FIG.
18
.
FIG. 20
is a schematic side view of the wedging relationship shown in FIG.
18
.
FIG. 21
is another schematic side view of the wedging relationship shown in FIG.
18
.
FIG. 22
is a schematic sectional view of two side plates, front plate and coupling channel at a coupling state according to FIG.
10
.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to
FIGS. 1 and 2
, the cabinet assembly according to the present invention mainly includes two identical rear panels
1
juxtaposed side by side, two side panels
2
opposing to each other, an upper panel
3
, and a lower panel
4
. They may be assembled and fastened to form various cabinets desired such as table cabinets, partition cabinets, wide cabinets and the like (referring to FIGS.
2
and
3
). On the inner side of the two side panels
2
, slide roller channels
27
may mounted thereon to couple with a drawer assembly
7
.
The two rear panels
1
are identically shaped and formed. Each rear panel has two square channels
10
and
11
located at two sides which form respectively a trough
100
and
110
therein. The left hand side channel
10
has an upper end and a lower end each has a screw bore
101
formed therein. The right hand side channel
11
has an upper end and a lower end each has a key hole
111
formed therein. The key hole
111
has a longitudinal slot
1110
for receiving and engaging with a ball screw rod
5
(shown in
FIG. 4
) to fasten the two juxtaposed rear panels
1
. The two side panels
2
also have respectively square channels
20
and
21
at two sides which have a trough
200
and
210
formed therein. The channel
20
on the left hand side also have screw bores
202
formed at the upper end and lower end for fastening to the rear panel
1
. The top end of the rear panel
1
has a jut edge
12
to wedge in a wedge slot
30
formed on the peripheral rims of the upper panel
3
(shown in FIG.
5
). The lower panel
4
has a notch
40
formed on a rear rim to match and engage with the bottom end of the coupled left and right channel
10
and
11
of the rear panels
1
. Thus form the coupling and fastening of the panels.
As mentioned before, the two side panels
2
have respectively square channels
20
and
21
at two sides which have a trough
200
and
210
formed therein. The right channel
21
has an anchor block
213
extended from the bottom end thereof. The anchor block
213
has an aperture
212
formed thereon. The aperture
212
of the anchor block
213
and troughs
200
and
210
of the left and right square channel
20
and
21
allow wedge legs
60
of a transverse beam
6
to wedge in. The top ends of the side panels
2
have jut edges
22
and
23
to wedge in a wedge slot
30
formed on the peripheral rims of the upper panel
3
(shown in FIG.
5
). The left square channel
20
also have screw bores
202
formed at the upper end and lower end for fastening to the square channels
10
and
11
of the rear panel
1
through the ball screw rod
5
in the key hole
111
at the slot
1110
. On the inner sides of the left and right square channel
20
and
21
facing each other, there are equally spaced wedge notches
201
and
211
for receiving snap fingers
240
of brackets
24
. The bracket
24
has a nose section
241
to support a partition
25
(shown in
FIGS. 6 and 7
) for forming a holding space
26
.
The upper panel
3
(shown in
FIGS. 5 and 8
) has a wedge slot
30
formed on the peripheral rims extending downwards to allow the jut edges
12
,
22
, and
23
formed at the top end of the rear panels
1
and side panels
2
to wedge in and couple securely.
The lower panel
4
(shown in
FIGS. 3 and 9
) has left, right and rear sides bent respectively to form a square channel
41
with a trough
410
inside. The lower panel
4
has notches
40
formed at two ends of two sides and at the center of the rear side to wedge and couple with the rear panel
1
and side panels
2
. The front edge of the lower panel
4
is extended forwards to form a jutting ledge
42
to match and contact a front panel
43
.
The elements set forth above may be stacked and transported to users' sites. Then juxtapose and assemble the two rear panels
1
, fasten the two side panels
2
and upper panel
3
and lower panel
4
through the ball screw rods
5
(as shown in
FIGS. 2
,
3
and
4
), and wedge and fasten respectively the upper end and lower end of the front side and the rear side of the top section with the transverse beam
6
, then fasten to the upper panel
3
and lower panel
4
to complete the assembly of the cabinet.
The drawer assembly
7
consists of a bottom plate
70
, two opposing side plates
71
, a rear plate
72
, a front plate
73
and a coupling frame
74
(shown in FIG.
10
).
The bottom plate
70
has two rods
701
located below two sides thereof to couple with a slide channel
710
extended from an inner side of the bottom of the side plates
71
. The side plates
71
may turn about the rod
701
and rest on the bottom plate
70
for folding (shown in FIGS.
11
and
12
). The bottom plate
70
has a rear edge extended upwards to form a jutting flange
702
which has wedge tongues
7020
extending outwards formed by punching to engage with square openings
720
formed on the rear plate
72
(shown in
FIGS. 13
,
14
,
15
and
16
).
The side plate
71
(shown in
FIG. 17
) has slide channels
710
and
711
formed respectively on the bottom side and left hand side thereof for slidably engaging with the rods
701
and
721
located on side edges of the bottom plate
70
and the rear plate
72
. The right hand side of the side plate
71
forms a coupling plate
712
extending outwards which has a wedge lug
7120
formed proximately to the top end by punching. The front plate
73
has a U-shaped frame
730
attached thereon with two troughs
7310
formed at two sides for receiving the coupling plates
712
. The frame
730
has a plank
731
bordering the trough
7310
and having a square wedge aperture
7311
matching and engaging with wedge lug
7120
(shown in FIGS.
18
and
19
). The top end of the side plates
71
has an extended ledge
713
which has a plurality of anchor slots
7130
for holding the latch lugs
7140
located at two sides of the top end of separators
714
.
The rear plate
72
has square openings
720
proximate the bottom to engage with the wedge tongues
7020
of the jutting flange
702
of the bottom plate
70
. The rear plate further has two rods
721
located at two sides thereof to couple with the slide channels
711
located on the left side of the side plates
71
.
The front plate
73
has a U-shaped frame
730
attached to the inner side with two planks
731
located at two sides extending upwards to form troughs
7310
therebelow for receiving the coupling plates
712
of the side plates
71
. The coupling plate
712
has a wedge lug
7120
located at an upper end to engage with the matching square wedge aperture
7311
formed on the plank
731
(shown in
FIGS. 20
,
21
and
22
). Furthermore, the front plate
73
has a shaped wedge plate
732
extended from two sides thereof to couple with indented recesses
740
formed on the inner rim of the coupling frame
74
(shown in FIG.
22
).
The coupling frame
74
has indented recesses
740
formed on the inner rim thereof to couple with the shaped wedge plate
732
located on the front panel
73
.
For assembly, couple the two side plates
71
with the bottom plate
70
by sliding the rods
701
into the troughs
710
, then turning the side plates
71
inwards and resting the side plates
71
flatly on the bottom plate
70
, then stack the rear plate
72
, front plate
73
and coupling frame
74
thereon. Deliver the elements to users' sites. Turn the two opposing side plates
71
to the positions desired. Wedge the rods
721
at two sides of the rear plate
72
into the slide channels
711
of the left hand side of the side plates
71
, and engage the square opening
720
of the rear plate
72
with the wedge tongue
7020
of the bottom plate
70
, then wedge the coupling plates
712
of the side plates
71
into the troughs
7310
at two sides of the U-shaped frame
730
attached to the inner side of the front plate
73
with the coupling frame
74
coupled thereon to complete the drawer assembly.
For disassembly of the cabinets or drawers, first, disassemble the front plate
73
and rear plate
72
from the side plates
71
, turn the two opposing side plates
71
inwards above the bottom plate
70
. Then remove the upper and lower panels
3
and
4
, and transverse beam
6
, unfasten the ball screw rods
5
to separate the side panels
2
and rear panels
1
. Stack the disassembled elements for transportation. Thus it does not take much space, and can save a lot of transportation space and costs.
The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are: intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.
Claims
- 1. A cabinet and drawer assembly structure comprising a cabinet assembly having two identical rear panels juxtaposed together and fastened to two side panels at two sides and an upper panel and a lower panel, and the side panels having respectively an inner side with a slide roller channel mounted thereon for supporting a drawer assembly, wherein:the two rear panels are identically shaped and formed, each rear panel having two first square channels located at two sides thereof which form respectively a trough therein, the first channel on the left hand side of each rear panel having an upper end and a lower end each having a screw bore formed. therein, the first channel on the right hand side of each rear panel having an upper end and a lower end each having a key hole formed therein, the key holes having a longitudinal slot for receiving and engaging with a ball screw rod to fasten the two juxtaposed rear panels, the two side panels having respectively a second rear square channel and second forward square channel located at two sides thereof which have a trough formed therein; the second rear square channel of each side panel having screw bores formed at the upper end and lower ends thereof for fastening to the rear panels, each of the rear panels having a jut edge formed on the top end thereof to wedge in a wedge slot formed on the peripheral rims of the upper panel, the lower panel having a notch formed on a rear rim thereof to match and engage with the bottom ends of the coupled first inner channels of the rear panels; the second forward channel of the side panels having an anchor block extended from the bottom ends thereof, each of the anchor blocks having an aperture formed therein, the apertures of the anchor blocks and the troughs of the second rear and forward square channels allowing wedge legs of a transverse beam to wedge in, the side panels having jut edges formed at the top ends thereof to wedge in the wedge slot formed on the peripheral rims of the upper panel, the second rear square channel of a right one of the side panels having screw bores formed at the upper ends and lower ends thereof for fastening to one of the first square channels of one of the rear panels through the ball screw rods in key holes at the slots, the left one of the side panels being attached to another one of the rear panels, the second rear and forward square channels of each side panel having an inner side facing each other with equally spaced wedge notches formed thereon facing wedge notches of both of the side panels engaging with snap fingers of a bracket, each of the brackets having a nose section to support a partition for forming a holding space; the wedge slot formed on the peripheral rims of the upper panel extends downwardly for receiving the jut edges formed at the top end of the rear panels and side panels to be wedged in and coupled securely thereto; the lower panel has the left, right and rear sides bent respectively to form a third square channel with a trough formed inside, the lower panel having notches formed at two ends of two sides thereof to wedge and couple with the side panels, the front edge of the lower panel being extended forwards to form a jutting ledge to match and contact a front panel; and the drawer assembly includes a bottom plate, two opposing side plates, a rear plate, a front plate and a coupling frame, wherein: the bottom plate has two rods located below two sides thereof to couple with a slide channel extended from an inner side of the bottom of the side plates, the side plates being turnable about the rod for resting on the bottom plate for folding, the bottom plate having a rear edge extended upwards to form a jutting flange which has wedge tongues extending outwards formed by punching to engage with square openings formed on the rear plate; the side plates each having a slide channel formed on a side thereof in addition to the slide channel formed on the bottom thereof, each of the slide channels on the sides being slidably engageable with a rod located on one of the side edges of the rear plate, a forward side of the side plates forming a coupling plate extended outwards, each of the coupling plates having a wedge lug proximate to the top end thereof formed by punching, the front plate having a U-shaped frame attached thereon with two troughs formed at two sides for receiving the coupling plates, the frame having a plank bordering the trough and having square wedge apertures matching and engaging with the wedge lugs, the side plates each having an extended ledge formed on the top end thereof which have a plurality of anchor slots for holding latch lugs located at two sides of a top end of separators; the square openings of the rear plate are proximate the bottom thereof; and the front plate having a shaped wedge plate extended from two sides thereof to couple with indented recesses formed on the inner rim of the coupling frame; whereby the drawer assembly is accomplished by coupling the two side plates with the bottom plate by sliding the rods into the slide channels, then turning the side plates inwards and resting the side plates flatly on the bottom plate, then stacking the rear plate, the front plate and the coupling frame, and transporting to a users' site, turning the two opposing side plates to positions desired, wedging the rods at two sides of the rear plate into the side slide channels of the side plates, and engaging the square openings of the rear plate with the wedge tongues of the bottom plate, and wedging the coupling plates of the side plates into the troughs at two sides of the U-shaped frame attached to the inner side of the front plate with the coupling frame coupled thereon; and then juxtaposing and assembling the two rear panels of the cabinet, fastening the two side panels and the upper panel and the lower panel through the ball screw rods, and wedging and fastening respectively the upper end and lower end of the front side and the rear side of the top section of the rear panels and side panels with the transverse beam, then fastening the upper panel and the lower panel to complete the cabinet and drawer assembly.
- 2. The cabinet and drawer assembly structure of claim 1, wherein the key holes formed in the square channels have a round aperture for receiving the ball screw rod and a longitudinal slot for securely engaging with the ball screw rod.
US Referenced Citations (6)