Embodiments of the invention relate generally to residential and commercial cabinetry, and, more particularly, to a cabinetry system wherein the exterior surface elements or face panels of the cabinets are removably coupled to the internal bodies or frames of the cabinets in a manner that facilitates quickly changing the appearance of the cabinetry system.
Replacing cabinetry accounts for a large percentage of the cost of a room renovation. In the case of a kitchen, for example, kitchen cabinets may account for fifty percent or more of the entire cost of the renovation. A large portion of the costs of a cabinet is accounted for in the cabinet's interior body or box, which constitutes the bulk of the material of the cabinet and is costly to ship due to its size and weight.
Therefore, it would be desirable to design a cabinetry system that includes cabinet faces that can be easily removed from the base structure of the cabinetry system and interchanged with other sets of cabinet faces to quickly and easily change the appearance of the cabinets without replacing the costly interior structure of the cabinets.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a door assembly includes a door plate coupleable to at least one hinge assembly, the door plate having a first portion and a second portion extending outward from the first portion. The door assembly also includes a door panel having a recess formed in an inward-facing surface thereof, the recess sized to receive the door plate and a plurality of magnets inset within the inward-facing surface of the door panel adjacent the recess, the plurality of magnets magnetically coupled to the door plate.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a cabinet assembly includes a cabinet box comprising a pair of side panels and a door assembly. The door assembly includes a hinge assembly and a door plate coupled to a side panel of the pair of side panels via the hinge assembly, the door plate comprising a vertical portion and at least one horizontal portion extending outwardly from the vertical portion. The door assembly also includes a door panel having a recess formed in an inward-facing surface thereof and a first plurality of magnets positioned within recesses formed within the inward-facing surface of the door panel adjacent the recess. The first plurality of magnets are magnetically coupled to the door plate.
In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, a door assembly includes at least one hinge, an L-shaped magnetic plate coupled to the at least one hinge via a mechanical fastener, and a door panel coupled to the L-shaped magnetic plate via a plurality of magnets, the door panel having an L-shaped recess sized to receive the L-shaped magnetic plate. A surface of the door panel and a surface of the L-shaped magnetic plate form an interior surface of the door assembly.
Various other features and advantages will be made apparent from the following detailed description and the drawings.
The drawings illustrate preferred embodiments presently contemplated for carrying out the invention.
In the drawings:
Embodiments of the invention are directed to a cabinetry system that includes removable face panels, which permit the entire outward appearance of the cabinetry system to be changed within a short period of time. The removable face panels, which include door panels, drawer panels, end panels, and trim components, are coupled to the cabinet boxes and interior frame structure of the cabinetry system using a magnetic attachment system, which functions to consistently self-align these panels and trim components with the internal cabinet structure and enables removal of the panels and trim components with no (or minimal) tools. After being removed from the cabinets, one set of door and drawer panels may be stored in internal storage components provided within the cabinetry system while a second set of door and drawer panels are in use.
Such a system enables a homeowner to have a perceived ‘new’ kitchen with minimal time and effort. The homeowner may purchase different sets of removable face panels, each having its own style and/or color, and change the façade of their kitchen as often as they desire. For example, a homeowner may purchase different sets of door and drawer panels for seasonal use, or may purchase a different set of door based on changing tastes or design trends.
While the cabinetry system is described herein in the context of a residential kitchen cabinetry system, it is contemplated that the concepts disclosed herein may be extended to other cabinet applications, including residential bathroom and utility cabinets as well as cabinetry systems used in commercial office settings and hotel rooms, as non-limiting examples.
While cabinetry system 10 is illustrated in an L-shaped configuration, one skilled in the art will recognize that the concepts set forth herein are not limited to any particular arrangement of cabinets and may be adapted to cabinetry systems having more or less individual cabinets than that shown in
Cabinets 24-40 are provided having door panels 42 and drawer panels 44 that are mounted in a full overlay configuration, as shown in
While the upper cabinets 24, 28, 30, and 32 are illustrated as each having a pair of door panels 42, it is further contemplated that any or all of cabinets 24-30 may be configured with a single door panel 42. Similarly, concepts disclosed herein may be extended to base cabinets 26, 34, 36, 38, 40 having alternative configurations than those illustrated in
Cabinetry system 10 also includes end panels 46, 48, 50, 52 that are coupled to the outward-facing end surfaces of the respective first portions 16, 18 and second portions 20, 22 of upper and lower cabinet assemblies 12, 14. Lower cabinet assembly 14 is mounted atop a toe kick assembly 54, which may be constructed to include storage compartments for door and drawer panels, as described in detail below. Optionally, a crown molding assembly 56 is provided above upper cabinet assembly 12.
Referring now to
Each hinge assembly 64 comprises a first hinge portion 66 that is fixedly coupled to an interior surface 68 of a respective side panel 70 of cabinet box 58 and a second hinge portion 72 that is fixedly coupled to metal door plate 62, as shown in the detailed view of
In a preferred embodiment hinge assemblies 64 are full overlay-style cabinet hinges, which permit door panels 42 to completely overlay or cover the front-facing surfaces 80, 82, 84, 86, 88 of the top panel 90, bottom panel 92, two side panels 70, and central panel 94 of cabinet box 58 when the door assemblies 60 are in a closed position. Hinge assemblies 64 allow the end surface 96 of door panel 42 to swing and rotate outwardly as the door panel 42 is opened such that the end surface 96 of the door panel 42 is substantially perpendicular to the front-facing side surface 86 of cabinet box 58 when door panel 42 is in a fully opened position. In a preferred embodiment, hinge assemblies 64 are slow-closing or soft-closing hinges such as, for example, slow closing, full overlay style hinges manufactured by Grass® or Blum®.
A height 98 of door panels 42 is substantially equal to a height 100 of cabinet box 58. Likewise a width 102 of cabinet box 58 is substantially equal to a combined width 104 of the door panels 42 within upper cabinets 28. In a cabinet having a single door panel 42, the width of the cabinet box 58 would be substantially equal to the cabinet box width 106 of a single door panel 42. As a result of the full overlay construction of upper cabinet 28, the front-facing surfaces 80-88 of cabinet box 58 are substantially hidden from view when door panels 42 are closed. Front-facing surfaces 80-88 may further be colored with a gray or other neutral color paint or coating to minimize the visibility of cabinet box 58 when door panels 42 are closed. The interior surfaces 68, 108 of cabinet box 58 may be similarly colored.
A door handle 110 is coupled to each door panel 42. While door handle 110 is illustrated in
Additional views of door assembly 60 and the elements thereof are provided in
Door panel 42 includes a front surface 114, which forms the outward-facing surface of door panel 42, and a rear surface 116, which faces the interior 118 of cabinet box 58 (
In the illustrated embodiment, metal door plate 62 is constructed in the shape of a frame, with door panel 42 having a corresponding frame-shaped cavity 120. In alternative embodiments, it is contemplated that metal door plate 62 and cavity 120 may be constructed having other shapes without deviating from the scope of the invention. For example, metal door plate 62 may be provided as a rectangular slab without a central opening, or may be provided having a U-shape, L-shape, or C-shape, as described in more detail with respect to
Rear surface 116 of door panel 42 also includes a pair of recesses 128 sized to receive a protrusion 130 extending outward from the second hinge portion 72 of hinge assembly 64 and hinge nuts 76. A pair of notches 132 are formed along one edge 134 of metal door plate 62 and are positioned to align with the recesses 128 of door panel 42.
Door panel 42 is attached to metal door plate 62 with a plurality of magnets 136, which are positioned within corresponding circular recesses 138 formed within door panel 42. In one embodiment, magnets 136 are retained within circular recesses 138 with an adhesive (not shown). As shown in
Metal door plate 62 comprises a metallic material such as, for example, a powder-coated steel or other ferrous metal, which is magnetically attracted to magnets 136. When installing door panel 42 on upper cabinet 28, the magnetic attraction between magnets 136 inset within door panel 42 and metal door plate 62 serves to couple door panel 42 to metal door plate 62, with the engagement of metal plate 62 within cavity 120 functioning to self-align door panel 42 during installation. The magnetic properties of metal door plate 62 permit the inward-facing surface of metal door plate 62 to be utilized as a magnetic message center.
Metal door plate 62 is independently coupled to and aligned with cabinet box 58. Therefore, the engagement between metal door plate 62 and cavity 120 self-aligns door panel 42 with cabinet box 58 during the installation process. Handle fasteners 112 extend through metal door plate 62 and door panel 42 and serve to further secure door panel 42 to metal door plate 62.
To remove door panel 42 from metal door plate 62, door handle 110 is removed and a tool, such as removal tool 400 (
Referring now to
Door panel 43 includes a front surface 115, which forms the outward-facing surface of door panel 43, and a rear surface 117, which faces the interior 118 of cabinet box 58 (
According the embodiment shown in
In an alternative embodiment, door plate 63 may be provided having a C-shaped geometry by the inclusion of an optional second horizontal portion 145 (shown in phantom). In such an embodiment, recess 121 would be formed having a corresponding geometry as shown in phantom.
Similar to door panel 42 of
In a preferred embodiment, door assembly 61 includes three (3) rare earth magnets 137 that have a pull force in a range of approximately 15-20 lbs. A pair of the magnets 137 is positioned within recesses 139 formed behind a horizontal portion 151 of recess 121. The third magnet 137 is positioned within a recess 139 formed behind a vertical portion 153 of recess 121. This arrangement of magnets 137 creates three magnetic attachment points that couple door plate 63 to door panel 43. However, it is contemplated that alternative embodiments may include more or less magnets and magnets having a pull force less than 15 lbs or greater than 20 lbs based on design specifications.
Door plate 63 comprises a metallic material such as, for example, a cold-rolled steel or other ferrous metal, which is magnetically attracted to magnets 137. When installing door panel 43 on upper cabinet 28 (
Optional fasteners 133 (shown in phantom) extend through door plate 63 and are received within door panel 43 to further secure door panel 43 to door plate 63. In one embodiment, fasteners 133 are received within optional threaded inserts 135 (shown in phantom), which are inset within recess 121. Threaded inserts 135 may be metal or plastic according to alternative embodiments. Similar threaded inserts may be included within the door assembly 60 of
In one embodiment, door plate 63 may be provided having a bevel (not shown) that is received within a corresponding beveled recess (not shown) of recess 121 to aid in retaining door plate 63 in position during the assembly process. In one non-limiting embodiment, the bevel of door plate 63 may have an angle of approximately 30 degrees. However, it is contemplated that the angle may be varied in alternative embodiments.
Referring now to
Similar to metal door plate 62, metal drawer plate 148 comprises a magnetic material such as steel or other ferrous metal. Metal drawer plate 148 is coupled to drawer box 146 via a plurality of fasteners 152 that are received within openings 154 formed through the thickness 156 of metal drawer plate 148. In the illustrated embodiment, metal drawer plate 148 has a generally rectangular shape. However, it is contemplated that the shape of metal drawer plate 148 may be modified in alternative embodiments. As one non-limiting example, metal drawer plate 148 may be constructed in a T-shape or in the shape of a cross shape.
Drawer panel 44 has a cavity 158 formed in a rear surface 160 thereof for receiving metal drawer plate 148. As shown, the geometry of cavity 158 is substantially equal to that of metal drawer plate 148 with a depth 162 substantially equal to the thickness 156 of metal drawer plate 148. When drawer assembly 144 is assembled, metal plate 148 is received within cavity 158 and the rear surface 164 of metal plate 148 is coplanar or flush with the rear surface 160 of drawer panel 44. The engagement of metal plate 148 within drawer panel cavity 158 functions to self-align drawer panel 44 with drawer box 146 when installing drawer panel 44.
A plurality of magnet recesses 166 extend inwardly from the surface 160 of drawer panel 44 and are sized to receive magnets 168, which are retained within magnet recesses 166 of drawer panel 44 with an adhesive (not shown). The depth 170 of magnet recesses 166 is substantially equal to a thickness of magnets 168 so that an outward facing surface of magnets 168 does not extend beyond the portion of rear surface 160 within drawer panel cavity 158.
Drawer handle 150 is coupled to a front surface 172 of drawer panel 44 using one or more fasteners 174, which extend through openings 176 in a front panel 178 of the drawer box 146, openings 180 in metal drawer plate 148, and finally through openings 182 in drawer panel 44 to engage drawer handle 150. As shown, metal drawer plate 148 may be manufactured having a plurality of metal plate openings 180 to accommodate various types of drawer hardware. In the illustrated embodiment, metal drawer plate 148 is provided having a pair of slotted openings to accommodate door hardware of various widths and a central circular opening to accommodate knob-style hardware. However, it is contemplated that metal drawer plate 148 may be provided with a single opening to receive a fastener for knob-style hardware or a pair of circular openings spaced to receive fasteners for pull-style hardware of predetermined width.
Drawer assembly 144 is received within a drawer opening 184 of a structural frame or cabinet box, such as lower cabinet box 186 of
A door assembly, similar to door assembly 60 (
To remove drawer panel 44 from drawer assembly 144, drawer assembly 144 is positioned in a fully extended or open position and drawer handle 150 is removed by unscrewing fasteners 174. Drawer panel 44 is then pulled backwards or away from drawer box 146 until the magnetic attraction between magnets 168 and metal plate 148 is overcome and drawer panel 44 disengages from metal plate 148.
The construction of door assemblies 60, 61 and drawer assemblies 144 facilitates removal and installation of door panels 42, 43 and drawer panels 44 within cabinetry system 10. Because the full overlay construction substantially hides the upper cabinet boxes 58 and lower cabinet boxes 186 behind the respective door panels 42 and drawer panels 44, the aesthetics of the cabinetry system 10 may be altered by simply replacing one set of door and drawer panels 42, 44 with another set of door and drawer panels 42, 44 of different color and/or style. The incorporation of metal door plate 62 into door assembly 60 and metal plate 148 into drawer assembly 144 assists to properly align the new door and drawer panels 42, 44 with the upper cabinet boxes 58 and lower cabinet box 186.
In one embodiment of the invention, cabinetry system 10 includes storage compartments within which one set of door and drawer panels 42, 44 may be stored when a second set of door and drawer panels 42, 44 are in use.
Similar storage compartments may be provided in one or both of upper cabinets 30, 32. As shown in
Optionally, a dado or groove 250 (shown in phantom) may be formed in a lower surface 252 of bottom panel 244 for receiving under cabinet strip lighting (not shown). Upper cabinets 24, 28, 32 may include a similar dado or groove. Further, it is contemplated that the cabinet boxes of base cabinets 34, 36 and upper cabinet 28 are constructed similar to lower cabinet box 186 and upper cabinet box 228, albeit with the storage compartments 206, 230 omitted.
End panels 46, 48 couple to upper cabinet box 228 and lower cabinet box 186 and hide the contents of upper cabinet storage compartment 230 and base cabinet storage compartment 206 from view. While end panel 48 is illustrated in
In one embodiment, one or more bosses or protrusions 262 extend outward from end panel 48 and are received within corresponding one or more slots 264 formed within one or more end surfaces 256 of lower cabinet box 186. Alternatively, protrusions may be extended outward from lower cabinet box 186 and slots 264 may be formed within end panel 48. The engagement between slot(s) 264 and protrusion(s) 262 support the weight of end panel 48 and aid in retaining end panel 48 on base cabinet 36. A similar arrangement of magnets, slots, and bosses is contemplated to attach end panel 46 to upper cabinet box 228. As non-limiting examples protrusions 262 may be provided as metal brackets coupled to base cabinet 36 or wood or metal dowels protruding outward from base cabinet 36.
In an alternative embodiment illustrated in
Referring now to
Toe kick storage frame 266 includes a front panel 270 and a rear panel 272 coupled together by a pair of side panels 274, 276. One or more support panels 278 are provided between side panels 274, 276 to provide structural support for lower cabinet assembly 14. The number of support panels 278 may be varied based on the overall length of the first portion 18 of lower cabinet assembly 14. A pair of top support panels 280, 282 extend along the top surfaces of support panels 278 and are coupled to side panels 274, 276, front panel 270, and rear panel 272 as shown. In an alternative embodiment, a single top support panel may be provided that spans the distance between front panel 270 and rear panel 272.
A bottom panel 284 forms the bottom surface of three individual storage compartments 286, 288, 290 formed within storage frame 266. Bottom panel 284 may be lined with a protective material such as felt, for example, to protect the surface of bottom panel 284 from wear. Openings 292, 294, 296 extend through front panel 270 and provide access to compartments 286, 288, 290.
Toe kick assembly 54 includes facie panels 298, which are provided having a similar color or wood style to coordinate with door panels 42 and drawer panels 44. Facie panels 298 are magnetically coupled to toe kick storage frame 266 in a similar manner as described with respect to end panel 48 and lower cabinet box 186. In particular, a number of magnets 300 are recessed within respective inward-facing surfaces of each facie panel 298. Corresponding magnets 302 are recessed within respective outward-facing surfaces 304, 306 of front panel 270 and side panel 276. In one embodiment, toe kick assembly 54 also includes magnets 300 embedded within the mating end surfaces 308, 310 of facie panels 298. According to one non-limiting embodiment, magnets 300, 302 are positioned every 18-24 along the length of facie panels 298 and panels 270, 276. In an alternative embodiment, magnets may be positioned in pairs (one high magnet and one low magnet) along the length of each panel 298, 270, 276.
Referring to
Base cabinets 314 rest on an island toe kick assembly 318, which is illustrated in
Island toe kick assembly 318 also includes facie panels 350, 352, 354, 356, which couple to respective front, rear, and side panels 322-328 of storage frame 320 and to one another using magnets 358 in a similar manner as described with respect to toe kick assembly 54. Magnets 358 permit facie panels 350-356 to be interchanged without the use of tools.
Referring now to
As shown, each mounting bracket 362 includes a first vertical portion 370 that is coupled to trim panels 360, a horizontal portion 372 that rests on a top surface 374 of mounting frame 368, and a second horizontal portion 376 that rests against an inside surface 378 of mounting frame 368. As shown in
In one embodiment, mounting brackets 362 are manufactured from a magnetic material such as steel or other ferrous metal, which is magnetically attracted to optional magnets 380 (shown in phantom) that are recessed within the top surface 374 of mounting frame 368. In one embodiment two magnets 380 are provided for coupling to each mounting bracket 362, however, it is contemplated that more or less magnets may be used based on various design specifications such as the weight or profile of the trim panel 360, for example.
In an embodiment where magnets 380 are omitted, mounting brackets 362 may be manufactured from a non-ferrous material and mounting brackets 362 may be coupled to mounting frame 368 by a friction fit. In such an embodiment, an inner edge 363 of mounting frame 368 may be provided having a rounded edge to facilitate coupling trim panel 360 to mounting frame 368.
As shown, mounting brackets 362 retain trim panel 360 in position above mounting frame 368. Optionally, additional magnets 380 may be recessed within adjacent side surfaces 382 of trim panels 360 to assist in aligning adjacent trim panels 360 and maintaining a tight joint between adjacent trim panels 360.
Referring now to
In addition to aiding in the removal of door panels 42, tool 400 may be used to remove drawer panels 44 and the facie panels 298, 352 of toe kick assemblies 54, 318. In one embodiment, panels 298, 352 may be manufactured including a relish or back cut recess routed into the rear portion of the upper surface of one of the panels 298, 352. After removing an end panel 48, 316, knife edge 402 of tool 400 would be inserted into this recess and used to lever or pry the respective panel 298, 352 away from the structural frame. In alternative embodiments where panels 298, 352 do not include a recess, knife edge 402 is inserted at the interface between the structural frame 266, 320 of the toe kick assembly 54, 318 and the respective panel 298, 352.
As described above, cabinetry system 10 includes face panels that may be easily removed from the interior cabinet bodies and exchanged for different panels, permitting the entire outward appearance of the cabinetry system 10 to be changed in a short period of time. These face panels include removable drawer panels and door panels that are magnetically coupled to metal panels integrated within the cabinetry system, removable end panels that are magnetically coupled to respective cabinet boxes, and removable trim components, including toe kick facie panels and crown molding trim panels, as described above.
Therefore, according to one embodiment of the invention, a door assembly includes a door plate coupleable to at least one hinge assembly, the door plate having a first portion and a second portion extending outward from the first portion. The door assembly also includes a door panel having a recess formed in an inward-facing surface thereof, the recess sized to receive the door plate and a plurality of magnets inset within the inward-facing surface of the door panel adjacent the recess, the plurality of magnets magnetically coupled to the door plate.
According to another embodiment of the invention, a cabinet assembly includes a cabinet box comprising a pair of side panels and a door assembly. The door assembly includes a hinge assembly and a door plate coupled to a side panel of the pair of side panels via the hinge assembly, the door plate comprising a vertical portion and at least one horizontal portion extending outwardly from the vertical portion. The door assembly also includes a door panel having a recess formed in an inward-facing surface thereof and a first plurality of magnets positioned within recesses formed within the inward-facing surface of the door panel adjacent the recess. The first plurality of magnets are magnetically coupled to the door plate.
According to yet another embodiment of the invention, a door assembly includes at least one hinge, an L-shaped magnetic plate coupled to the at least one hinge via a mechanical fastener, and a door panel coupled to the L-shaped magnetic plate via a plurality of magnets, the door panel having an L-shaped recess sized to receive the L-shaped magnetic plate. A surface of the door panel and a surface of the L-shaped magnetic plate form an interior surface of the door assembly.
This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.
The present application is a continuation of, and claims priority to, U.S. Non-Provisional application Ser. No. 14/639,438, filed Mar. 5, 2015, which is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. Non-Provisional application Ser. No. 14/467,228, filed Aug. 25, 2014, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,125,492, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20160058180 A1 | Mar 2016 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 14639438 | Mar 2015 | US |
Child | 14939302 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 14467228 | Aug 2014 | US |
Child | 14639438 | US |