Patent Application
20080143225
The present invention relates to a drawer glide for use in a cabinet drawer and a cabinet drawer for use in a cabinet.
Often times, cabinet drawers contain heavy items such as paper files. When the cabinet drawer contains heavy items, it typically becomes difficult to quickly open without damaging or warping the drawer. The drawer will not easily slide open. More expensive drawers have mechanisms that allow them to more easily slide, however, these mechanisms are expensive and not economical for a simple file cabinet for someone not looking to invest a lot of money.
In view of the foregoing, there exists a need for a cabinet drawer and stationary drawer glide that will easily open, even when there are heavy items in the cabinet. Additionally, there exists a need for a drawer glide that will allow a drawer to be easily opened without damaging or warping the cabinet drawer. There also exists a need for a cabinet drawer and drawer glide that can be easily and inexpensively manufactured.
In accordance with the present invention, a cabinet drawer and stationary drawer glide are provided. The cabinet drawer and stationary drawer glide are particularly useful for storing heavy items such as paper in a drawer, while still allowing quick and easy opening of the drawer. The cabinet drawer and stationary drawer glide are also particularly useful to allow the drawer to store heavy items without warping or damaging the drawer when it is opened.
In one aspect of the invention, a stationary drawer glide for attachment to a cabinet wall is provided. The drawer glide comprises a fastening portion adapted to be affixed to a cabinet wall comprising at least one fastening member; an elongated, substantially flat upper plateau, load-bearing top portion for supporting a drawer; an elongated, substantially flat, load-bearing bottom portion for supporting a drawer; at least one horizontal side portion; and two vertical side portions.
The load-bearing top portion and load-bearing bottom portion can be of any length and width as appropriate to facilitate a cabinet drawer to easily open and close. Typically, the top portion will be essentially the same length and width as the bottom portion. Typically, the top and bottom portions are between approximately 3 and 9 inches long and between approximately ¼ and 2 inches wide. More typically, the top and bottom portions are between approximately 4 and 6 inches long and between about ½ and 1 inch wide. Most typically, the top and bottom portions are approximately 5 inches long and ½ inch wide.
The horizontal side portion may be any length and width as appropriate. Typically, the horizontal side portion is approximately the same length as the top and bottom portions. Typically, the horizontal side portion is between approximately 2 and 9 inches long and between approximately ¼ and 3 inches wide. More typically, the horizontal side portion is between approximately 4 and 6 inches long and between approximately ½ and 2 inches wide. Most typically, the horizontal side portion is approximately 5 inches long and 1 inch wide.
The vertical side portions may be any height and width as appropriate. Typically, the height of the vertical side portion is approximately the same as the width of the horizontal side portion and the width of the vertical side portion is approximately the same as the width of the top and bottom portions. Typically, the vertical side portion is between approximately ¼ and 3 inches high and between approximately ½ and 2 inches wide. More typically, the vertical side portion is between approximately ½ and 2 inches high and between approximately ½ and 1 inch wide. Most typically, the vertical side portion is approximately 1 inch high and ½ inch wide.
The drawer glide may comprise any suitable material. Preferably, the upper plateau comprises high density polyethylene or an acetal copolymer, which is available under the trademark Celcon®. Other materials may be used as desired, and include, for example, polypropylene, nylon or ABS. Typically, the upper plateau of the stationary drawer glide has an essentially smooth surface. The bottom portion of the drawer glide may have an essentially smooth surface. The vertical and horizontal side portions may also have an essentially smooth surface. Typically, the upper plateau, bottom portion, vertical side portions, and bottom side portions all have an essentially smooth surface. The smooth surface helps facilitate the easy gliding of the cabinet drawer when opening and closing the cabinet drawer.
The essentially smooth surfaces of the drawer glide typically have a low coefficient of friction, further easing the opening and closing of a cabinet drawer. For example, the coefficient of friction is between approximately 0.07 and 0.3. More preferably, the coefficient of friction is between approximately 0.1 and 0.15.
To further reduce friction, the upper plateau and bottom portion of the drawer glide may be lubricated. Preferably, white lithium grease is used; however, any lubricant compatible with the material used to fabricate the drawer glide may be used.
The bottom portion of the drawer glide may further comprise a member bridging the top and bottom portions, forming an inner portion that is essentially hollow and comprises a plurality of supports. The horizontal side portion may further comprise a glide portion, wherein the glide portion connects the top portion with the bottom portion. The glide portion facilitates easy gliding of the cabinet drawer over the drawer glide, thus allowing the drawer to be easily opened and closed from the cabinet. The glide portion may be any size as appropriate in order to facilitate easy opening and closing of the cabinet drawer. Typically, the glide portion will be approximately half the width of the vertical side portion.
The stationary drawer glide can be configured in any appropriate shape that will easily facilitate the opening and closing of a cabinet drawer. Typically, the drawer glide is substantially symmetrical around a horizontal axis. The drawer glide may also be substantially symmetrical around a vertical axis. Most typically, the drawer glide is both substantially symmetrical around a horizontal axis and around a vertical axis. The drawer glide may have any cross-sectional shape that will allow for easy sliding of a cabinet drawer when closing or opening the cabinet drawer while still providing a strong and stable drawer glide. Typically, the drawer glide has a c-shaped cross-section.
The stationary drawer glide may further comprise an essentially hollow inner portion. The essentially hollow inner portion may further comprise a series of supports to support and strengthen the drawer glide. Typically, the inner portion will also comprise at least one fastener. The fastener can be any type of fastener, allowing the drawer glide to be connected to the inside of a cabinet or to a cabinet rail. Typically, the fastener will be a snap-in fastener to connect to a cabinet rail. More typically, the inner portion of the drawer glide will comprise two snap-in fasteners.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a cabinet drawer is provided. The cabinet drawer comprises a drawer body comprising a bottom, two opposing sides, a back, and a front, wherein said opposing sides comprise at least one recessed track; and a stationary drawer glide affixed to a cabinet rail comprising: a fastening portion adapted to be affixed to a cabinet wall comprising at least one fastening member; an elongated, substantially flat upper plateau, load-bearing top portion for supporting a drawer; an elongated, substantially flat, load-bearing bottom portion for supporting a drawer; at least one horizontal side portion; and two vertical side portions.
The recessed track may be slightly larger than the cabinet rail and drawer glide. The recessed track can then fit and glide over the cabinet rail and drawer glide, allowing for easy movement of the cabinet drawer within a cabinet. Typically, the cabinet drawer is essentially symmetrical around a vertical axis. Typically, at least one cabinet drawer is arranged within a cabinet body to form a file cabinet. More typically, a plurality of cabinet drawers are arranged within a cabinet body to form a multi-drawer file cabinet. The cabinet drawers may be arranged in any appropriate configuration within the cabinet body. Typically, the plurality of cabinet drawers are vertically aligned to form a vertical cabinet. Typically, the plurality of vertically aligned cabinet drawers are essentially symmetrical around a vertical axis.
The accompanying drawings form part of the specification and like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same.
While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and described in detail herein, several specific embodiments with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as exemplifications of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiments illustrated.
Referring to the figures generally, and in particular to
Horizontal side portion 18, vertical side portions 20a-b, top portion 14, and bottom portion 16, are connected and configured to form inner portion 24. Inner portion 24 is essentially hollow and comprises fasteners 26a-b and a plurality of supports 28a-h. Fasteners 26a-b are snap-style fasteners. Supports 28a-h provide additional load-bearing and structural support to top portion 14 and bottom portion 16. Supports 28a-h are configured within inner portion 24 forming a generally c-shaped cross-section when drawer glide 10 is standing on and supported by bottom portion 16. Vertical side portions 20a-b also form a generally c-shaped cross-section when drawer glide 10 is standing on and supported by bottom portion 16.
Horizontal side portion 18 further comprises a horizontal opening 30. Top portion 14 comprises top opening 32 and bottom portion 16 further comprises bottom opening 34. Vertical side portions 20a-b further comprise vertical openings 36a-b.
Referring to
Inner portion 64 further comprises a fastener 68, allowing drawer glide 50 to be affixed to a cabinet wall 70. Drawer glide 50 is securely fastened to cabinet wall 70. A cabinet drawer wall 72 has a drawer track 74 that is affixed around and glides over drawer glide 50.
Referring to
Cabinet drawer 84 comprises a handle H for opening and closing cabinet drawer 84 along cabinet track 82. Cabinet drawer 84 further comprises a recessed track 98 that envelopes drawer glide 80, allowing cabinet drawer 84 to slide along drawer glide 80.
Referring to
Drawer glides 112a-b are essentially stationary once affixed to cabinet tracks 114a-b. A cabinet drawer can slide on drawer tracks 130a-b over and along drawer glides 112a-b. Drawer tracks 130a-b are affixed to a cabinet drawer and slide over drawer glides 112a-b, allowing for easy opening and closing of a cabinet drawer in cabinet 110.
Referring to
Horizontal side portion 158, vertical side portions 160a-b, top portion 154, and bottom portion 156, are connected and configured to form inner portion 164. Inner portion 164 is essentially hollow and comprises fasteners 166a-b and a plurality of supports. Fasteners 166a-b are snap-style fasteners. Supports provide additional load-bearing and structural support to top portion 154 and bottom portion 156. Vertical side portions 160a-b form a generally c-shaped cross-section when drawer glide 150 is standing on and supported by bottom portion 156.
While the invention has been described with respect to certain preferred embodiments, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, it is to be understood that the invention is capable of numerous changes, modifications and rearrangements, and such changes, modifications and rearrangements are intended to be covered by the following claims.
