Patent Application
20100060114
This invention relates to dental operatory systems, and particularly dental cabinet systems designed for efficient workspace utilization.
With the increased effort to maximize the service and monetary return per square foot of dental office space, dental operatories are increasingly requiring the efficient use of smaller, more crowded spaces. The typical dental operatory includes, of course, the dental chair for the patient to sit while receiving dental care, the dental assistant or hygienist chair/stool and the dentist chair/stool present in the operator. Furthermore, the operatory includes dental tool systems, equipment, trays, and storage cabinets, among other things. If during a dental procedure a dental provider needs to obtain supplies from a supply drawer, space constraints most likely will require that the dental provider remove themselves from the optimal position about the patient, and reposition their sitting device to make room for a supply drawer to open, and/or to access the supply drawer. Conventional supply drawers slide straight out; thus, any object or person in front of the drawer must be moved to allow the drawer to open. Furthermore, in conventional storage cabinets, drawers open toward the center of the room where, unfortunately, most of the space is occupied by people or objects related to the dental procedure as described above.
The inventors have realized that there is a need for providing a dental storage cabinet that enables a more efficient usage of the limited amount of space in a medical/dental operatory. The inventors have devised a cabinet that includes one or more drawers that can slide and pivot out from the drawer space so as to minimize the need to move objects positioned in front of the drawer. This cabinet will enable, for example, a dental service provider to be able to open a drawer while sitting in front and/or partially in front of the drawer needing to be accessed. The cabinet naturally increases efficiency of medical/dental service since the dental service provider need not move, or get up from their seat in order to access supplies desired for the procedure they are performing.
In one embodiment, the invention pertains to a cabinet useful for a medical or dental operatory that includes a cabinet frame structure that defines supply space in the cabinet and includes one or more drawers. At least one of the one or more drawers is supported by the cabinet frame structure and is movable from a closed position disposed within the drawer space to an open position outside of said frame structure. The cabinet has a first end and a second end and the drawer is slidable in an oblique fashion (i.e. oblique to a vertical cross-sectional plane between the first and second ends) and rotable about a vertical axis of the drawer. The drawer moves to an open position in a coordinately obliquely sliding and pivoting motion.
According to another embodiment, the invention pertains to a drawer that is configured to move from a closed position to an open position in a coordinately obliquely sliding and pivoting motion. The drawer has a bottom member and one or more side members defining a drawer storage space. The bottom member is supported onto a base secured to a cabinet frame structure. In a more specific embodiment, associated between the bottom member and the base is a sliding mechanism and a rotating mechanism. Those skilled in the art will appreciate, in view of the teachings herein, that the arrangement between the bottom member, sliding mechanism, rotating mechanism and base for this embodiment can take several acceptable forms. For example, the bottom member may be engaged to the sliding mechanism which is engaged to the rotating mechanism, which is engaged to the base. Alternatively, the bottom member is engaged to the rotating mechanism, which is engaged to the sliding mechanism, which is, in turn, engaged to the base. In an even more specific embodiment, the rotation of the drawer is governed by a guide member. The guide member may be an arm having a first and second pivot ends. One end of the arm is pivotably attached to a location on the drawer and the other end of the arm is pivotably attached to the base.
The invention is explained in the following description in view of the drawings that show:
The rotating assembly 30 includes an outer ring member 32 and an inner ring member 34. The outer and inner ring member 32 and 34 rotate respective to each other at the ring bearing 39. The outer ring member 32 is secured to the bottom member 15 of the drawer 12 at ring holes 31a-e. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the ring member 32 may be secured to the drawer bottom member 15 via the use of numerous suitable securement means, including but not limited to, tacks, rivets, screws, dowels, pins, clamps, and the like. The inner ring member 34 is secured to the slide bracket 28 at bracket holes 33a-b. The slide bracket 29 (see
Associated with the drawer 12 at the bottom member 15 and the base 20 is a rotating guide assembly 40. The rotating guide assembly includes an arm 42 with a first pivot end 46 and a second pivot end 48. The first end 46 pivotably attaches to the bottom member 15 via rotating shaft 43. The second end 48 pivotably attaches to the base 20 via rotating shaft 45. The first and second pivot ends are rotatably associated with shafts 43 and 45.
Turning to
While one or more embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described herein, such embodiments are provided by way of example only. Variations, changes and substitutions may be made without departing from the invention herein. Accordingly, it is intended that the invention be limited only by the spirit and scope of the appended claims. The teachings of all references cited herein are incorporated in their entirety to the extent not inconsistent with the teachings herein.
