Patent Application
20050258120
1. Field of Invention
The present invention generally relates to connectors for cabinet or shelf structures. A connector may be used to couple a first portion of a cabinet or shelf structure substantially perpendicularly to one or more second portions of the cabinet or shelf structure. The connector may provide support and/or reinforcement for portions of the cabinet or shelf structure. The connector may allow disassembly and/or reassembly of the cabinet or shelf structure.
2. Description of Related Art
Connectors have been used to couple panels of a structure together. For example, panels of cabinets and shelves may be coupled with L-shaped brackets screwed to the panels. L-shaped brackets screwed to the panels offer limited reinforcement of a structure and may not allow efficient assembly/disassembly of the structure. Other connectors include a pin or stud inserted in a prepared hole in a furniture sidewall and removably inserted in a holding piece in a second furniture component at right angles to the furniture sidewall so that the pin supports the weight of the second component. U.S. Pat. No. 4,127,353 to Busse, which is incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein, describes a connector that allows detachable connecting of two structural parts that abut perpendicularly to each other. Structures with unreinforced panels (e.g., frameless cabinets) may require more support and/or reinforcement than connectors generally known in the art provide.
A cabinet or shelf structure may include a first portion of the structure and one or more second portions of the structure. A connector may couple the first portion of the structure to one or more second portions of the structure. The connector may include an acceptor and one or more inserts. In some embodiments, the connector may include a fastener. An acceptor may be coupled to the first portion of the structure. In some embodiments, an acceptor may include a tapered portion. An insert may be coupled to the second portion of the structure. In some embodiments, an insert may include a tapered portion. In certain embodiments, a tapered portion of an acceptor and a tapered portion of an insert may couple such that the acceptor and the insert can couple a first portion of a structure to a second portion of the structure. In an embodiment, a fastener may couple an acceptor to one or more inserts.
A method of coupling a first portion of a cabinet or shelf structure to a second portion of the cabinet or shelf structure may include coupling an acceptor to the first portion of the structure and coupling an insert to the second portion of the structure. In some embodiments, an acceptor and an insert may include tapered portions. In certain embodiments, a tapered portion of an acceptor may be coupled to a tapered portion of an insert to couple a first portion of a structure to a second portion of the structure.
Advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art with the benefit of the following detailed description and upon reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
While the invention may be susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. The drawings may not be to scale. It should be understood, however, that the drawings and detailed description thereto are not intended to limit the invention to the particular form disclosed, but to the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.
A connector for a cabinet or shelf structure may provide support and/or reinforcement for portions of the structure. As used herein, “cabinet or shelf structure,” or “structure,” refers to a structure with two or more portions connected substantially perpendicularly. A structure may include, but is not limited to, a case or a cupboard with one or more shelves and/or doors (e.g., a bookcase, a utility shelf, an entertainment center, a closet, a kitchen cabinet, a storage cabinet, a trunk, a locker). A structure may include furniture constructed of wood or any other material. In some embodiments, a structure may have a frame. In certain embodiments, a structure may be frameless. As used herein, a “portion” of a structure may include any stationary part of the structure. For example, a portion of a structure may include, but is not limited to, a horizontal portion, a vertical portion, a back, a side, or a shelf. Portions of a structure may be made from naturally occurring or synthetic materials including, but not limited to one or more woods, metals, polymers, composites, and/or laminates. In some embodiments, a structure may be made of molded plastic panels.
A connector for a structure may include two or more members. For example, a connector for a structure may include two members. Members of a connector may be made from materials including, but not limited to, metals, polymers, and composites. In some embodiments, a connector may include an acceptor and an insert. The acceptor may be coupled to a first portion of a structure. The insert may be coupled to a second portion of the structure. As used herein, “coupled” refers to directly joined (e.g., touching) or indirectly joined (e.g., joined with one or more at least partially intervening elements). “Coupling a first member to a second member” may be used interchangeably with “coupling a second member to a first member.” As used herein, two elements that are “joined” are held together with or without a joining member. As used herein, “coupling” includes reversibly, removably, and/or detachably coupling, as well as joining, connecting, fastening, fixing, securing, and attaching. In some embodiments, all or part of a connector (e.g., an acceptor and/or an insert) may be fabricated in one or more molded plastic portions (e.g., panels) of a structure.
In an embodiment, an acceptor and/or an insert may be positioned in a recess (e.g., a groove) in a first portion and/or a second portion of a structure, respectively. In some embodiments, the acceptor may be designed to receive a portion of the insert. For example, the acceptor may include an opening (e.g., a recess) to receive a protrusion of an insert. An opening of an acceptor may be tapered. A tapered cross-sectional shape of the acceptor opening may include, but is not limited to, irregular (e.g., keyed) shapes and regular shapes such as square, rectangular, triangular, and circular (e.g., an opening with a conical shape) shapes. A protrusion of an insert may have a tapered shape that couples with (e.g., mates with, is complementary to) the opening of the acceptor. Coupling of the insert and the acceptor may couple the first portion of the structure to the second portion of the structure. In some embodiments, a connector for a structure may include a fastener designed to couple an insert to an acceptor of the connector. In certain embodiments, a fastener designed to couple an acceptor to an insert may be a threaded fastener.
In an embodiment, portions of a structure may be shipped to a destination and assembled on site with one or more connectors to form the structure. For example, frameless cabinets may be assembled in a kitchen in which the cabinets are to be installed. In some embodiments, a connector may be used to couple portions of a structure to form a corner (e.g., an exterior corner) of the structure. For example, one or more “L” connectors may be used to secure a horizontal portion of a structure (e.g., a top) to a vertical portion of a structure (e.g., a side) of a structure such that the portions of the structure form a substantially 90° angle relative to each other. In some embodiments, a “T” connector may be used to secure a horizontal portion of a structure (e.g., a shelf) to a vertical portion of a structure (e.g., a side) such that the portions of the structure form a substantially 90° angle relative to each other. In certain embodiments, an “X” connector may be used to secure two horizontal portions of a structure to a vertical portion of a structure such that the horizontal portions of the structure form substantially 90° angles relative to the vertical portion of the structure. As used herein, “vertical” and “horizontal” may be used interchangeably. For example, a horizontal portion of a structure may become a vertical portion of a structure by turning the structure by 90°.
In some embodiments, portions of a structure may be prepared (e.g., grooves may be formed in the portions) to allow coupling of acceptors and inserts to the portions of the structure. The acceptors and inserts may be coupled to the portions of the structure before the structure is assembled. The acceptors and inserts may be coupled to each other to couple (e.g., secure) the portions of the structure. In certain embodiments, portions of a structure may be clamped in position before grooves are formed in the portions. After the grooves are formed, connectors may be placed in the grooves to couple the portions of the structure. In some embodiments, acceptors and inserts may be placed (e.g., fastened) in the grooves and then coupled. In some embodiments, acceptors and inserts may be coupled and then placed (e.g., fastened) in the grooves. In certain embodiments, trim may be coupled to the structure to conceal the connectors from view and enhance the appearance of the structure. In certain embodiments, one or more plugs may be inserted in one or more openings in a portion of a structure to conceal a portion of a connector (e.g., a head of a fastener) from view.
Acceptor 102 and/or insert 104 may include openings 108. Openings 108 may allow acceptor 102 and/or insert 104 to be coupled (e.g., fastened) to a portion of a structure. Acceptor 102 may include opening 110. Opening 110 may include recess 112. In some embodiments, recess 112 of opening 110 may be sized and/or shaped to receive protrusion 114 of insert 104. In some embodiments, recess 112 may be tapered. In some embodiments, protrusion 114 may be tapered. A size and/or shape of protrusion 114 may be complementary to a size and/or a shape of recess 112 of opening 110. In some embodiments, protrusion 114 may mate with recess 112 of opening 110. Fastener 106 may be inserted through opening 110 of acceptor 102 and into opening 116 of insert 104 to couple the acceptor to the insert. In-some embodiments, opening 116 may be a threaded opening and fastener 106 may be a threaded fastener.
Acceptor 132 and/or insert 104 may include openings 108. Openings 108 may allow acceptor 132 and/or insert 104 to be coupled to a portion of a structure. Acceptor 132 may include opening 110. Opening 110 may include recess 112. In some embodiments, recess 112 of opening 110 may be sized and/or shaped to receive protrusion 114 of insert 104. In some embodiments, recess 112 may be tapered. In some embodiments, protrusion 114 may be tapered. A size and/or shape of protrusion 114 may be complementary to a size and/or a shape of recess 112 of opening 110. In some embodiments, protrusion 114 may mate with recess 112 of opening 110. Fastener 106 may be inserted through opening 110 of acceptor 102 and into opening 116 of insert 104 to couple the acceptor to the insert. In some embodiments, opening 116 may be a threaded opening and fastener 106 may be a threaded fastener.
Fastener 142 may be a flared hood bolt, as depicted in
A structure may be assembled using one or more T connectors, one or more L connectors and/or one or more X connectors. In an embodiment, some T connectors, L connectors, and X connectors may be used interchangeably. In some embodiments, acceptors and inserts may be coupled to portions of a structure before the acceptors are coupled to the inserts. In certain embodiments, portions of a structure may be held together (e.g., clamped) in a desired position while grooves are formed in edges of the portions and assembled connectors are coupled to the structure.
In some embodiments, a fastener used to couple an acceptor to an insert may be concealed from view with a plug that fits in an opening of a portion of a structure.
In some embodiments, connectors used to couple portions of a structure may be covered with trim to conceal the connectors from view following assembly of the structure.
In this patent, certain U.S. patents, U.S. patent applications, and other materials (e.g., articles) have been incorporated by reference. The text of such U.S. patents, U.S. patent applications, and other materials is, however, only incorporated by reference to the extent that no conflict exists between such text and the other statements and drawings set forth herein. In the event of such conflict, then any such conflicting text in such incorporated by reference U.S. patents, U.S. patent applications, and other materials is specifically not incorporated by reference in this patent.
Further modifications and alternative embodiments of various aspects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of this description. Accordingly, this description is to be construed as illustrative only and is for the purpose of teaching those skilled in the art the general manner of carrying out the invention. It is to be understood that the forms of the invention shown and described herein are to be taken as examples of embodiments. Elements and materials may be substituted for those illustrated and described herein, parts and processes may be reversed, and certain features of the invention may be utilized independently, all as would be apparent to one skilled in the art after having the benefit of this description of the invention. Changes may be made in the elements described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as described in the following claims.
