The present disclosure relates to cabinet structure, drawers, and drawer slides. In particular, the disclosure relates to an apparatus for consistently and easily locating the mounting position of a drawer slide such that the drawer slide is square with the cabinet face of a cabinet carcass.
Not all cabinets are built perfectly square. As a result, the front face frame is not always perfectly parallel with the rear panel of the cabinet. If the front face and the rear panel are not parallel, problems are created in that drawer slide assemblies mounted to the cabinet carcass tend to be out of alignment. The misalignment of the slides causes them to bind in operation and fail prematurely. These problems are also present for undermount and side mount drawer slide assemblies that incorporate a rear mounted bracket where the drawer slide assembly is only attached to the bracket at the rear and to the cabinet at the face frame. The degree of misalignment is exacerbated by the depth of the cabinet frame.
When a drawer slide assembly is improperly mounted, jamming may result during the movement of the drawer in and out of the cabinet carcass. Additionally, features of the drawer slide assembly such as soft close and push-to-open functionalities may be affected or not function at all. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to ensure that the drawer slide assemblies are mounted square with the cabinet face frame and aligned despite the lack of squareness of the cabinet.
In an effort to overcome these difficulties, the prior has responded with various tools designed to assist the cabinet builder with installation of drawer slide assemblies.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 8,667,701 to Geesaman discloses a template tool for locating drill holes for mounting brackets and clips of wire shelving. The tool has a first bracket slidable within in a slot of a second bracket. The first bracket fits against the back of the cabinet, the second bracket fits along the inside wall of the cabinet. Holes in the second bracket provide a template for drilling holes in the cabinet to which a drawer slide is attached. The tool is used for locating mounting points on the interior sides of a cabinet carcass instead of the rear panel.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,979,998 to Ziegmann discloses a tool for installing undermount slides in a cabinet. The tool comprises a horizontal and vertical member, each with a top, bottom, front, back, and opposing faces. The vertical member includes a handle and a flat plane. The horizontal member includes a lip offset from the bottom and perpendicular to the flat plane. At least one magnet is attached to the horizontal member. The magnet is used to secure a drawer slide to the tool. The flat plane is positioned adjacent a cabinet face and the tool is clamped to the cabinet. The horizontal member includes a hole pattern that is used to align the mounting holes in the drawer. The tool is used for holding the drawer slide assembly adjacent the side panel of a cabinet while mounting screws are fastened.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,791,732 to Bruno, Jr., et al. discloses an adjustable marking gauge for locating mounting holes of drawer and cabinet hardware. The gauge comprises a rectangular shaped dog slidable along a slide arm. The slide arm includes a 180° bend terminating at a datum surface. Two parallel rods extend perpendicularly from the dog. A rectangular bar is slidably mounted on both stationary arms such that its length is parallel with the length of the body. The rectangular bar further includes equally spaced circular openings. The body is positioned against the side edge of a cabinet door and the datum is positioned adjacent the bottom of the cabinet door. The rectangular bar is positioned adjacent the inside face of the cabinet door. The dog is moved along the slide arm to the desired height. The rectangular bar slides along the stationary rods so that the circular openings can be repeatably positioned to locate mounting holes on the side panel of the cabinet carcass and depends on the side panels to be square with the front panel.
The prior art fails to disclose or suggest an apparatus for consistently and easily locating the mounting position of a rear bracket for a drawer slide. Therefore, there is a need for a tool which can easily and accurately locate the mounting holes for the rear bracket of drawer slide assemblies which compensates for out-of-square cabinet carcasses and thus provides a properly mounted drawer slide assembly such that smooth sliding operation and full use of all drawer slide assembly features are possible.
In a preferred embodiment, a mounting point locator tool comprises a base slidably mounted on a rod and a bracket holding fixture removably attached to the rod. The base is comprised of a sleeve extending generally perpendicular from a planar plate. The sleeve includes a pair of sides connected at a right angle. The fixture includes a pair of prongs having edges spaced a predetermined distance and a set of slots having a predetermined width.
In use, the fixture is attached to the end of the rod and a bracket is secured to the fixture via the prongs. The plate is secured with clamps or by hand adjacent the front of the face frame of the cabinet carcass such that the sides of the sleeve forming the right angle are positioned in a corner of the drawer opening. The rod is moved through the sleeve until the bracket held by the fixture abuts the rear panel of the cabinet carcass. The bracket is then attached to the rear panel with typical mounting hardware and the fixture is removed from engagement with the bracket. The tool may then be used in an opposite corner should a second bracket be required. Drawer slide assemblies are then mounted on the brackets. Because the sleeve extends from the plate perpendicularly and since the sides of the sleeve form a right angle, the tool corrects for the lack of a square cabinet carcass and ensures that the bracket is positioned properly relative to the face frame.
In an alternate embodiment, the plate, the rod, and the fixture are integrally formed corresponding to a particular sized bracket.
The disclosed embodiments will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Like pieces in different drawings are referenced by the same number.
Referring to
As shown in
Sleeve 116 is rigidly affixed to plate 114 in hole 120. Sleeve 116 includes at least side 126 connected to side 128. Angle A between sides 126 and 128 forms a generally 90 degree angle. Sleeve 116 is generally tubular having interior 121. Sleeve 116 has a cross section that mimics the shape of hole 120 and prevents rotation of sleeve 116 within hole 120. Other cross sectional shapes are possible but must include at least one right angle formed by sides 126 and 128. Rod 104 is slidingly received within interior 121. Rod 104 includes at least side 127 connected to side 129 at an angle that matches angle A. Rod 104 is hollow and has a generally square cross section. Other cross sectional shapes would suffice as long as the connection between sides 127 and 129 form angle A. Side 126 abuts side 127 and side 128 abuts side 129 to ensure rod 104 does not rotate with respect to base 102. Sleeve 116 extends from plate 114 perpendicularly at angle B. Angle B forms a generally 90 degree angle. Stanchions 130 extend from sleeve 116 and threadably receive thumb screws 108. Thumb screws 108 can be advanced or retracted through stanchions 130 to abut rod 104 to releasably secure base 102 to rod 104.
As shown in
Insert 146 extends from base 144 opposite prongs 140 and 142. Insert 146 includes at least side 160 connected to side 162 at an angle that matches angle A. Insert 146 has a cross section that matches the cross section of rod 104 such that insert 146 is fit into end 112 of rod 104 without relative motion between the two. Insert 146 includes hole 160. Threaded nut 158 is rigidly affixed to the interior of rod 104 at end 112. Fixture 106 is removeably attached to rod 104 via machine screw 156 sized to pass through hole 160 and threadably engage threaded nut 158. Side 160 abuts side 127 and side 162 abuts side 129. In an alternate embodiment, insert 146 is sized to frictionally fit around the exterior of rod 104 at end 112.
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
In use, locator tool 100 is used to easily locate the mounting position of a rear bracket for use with a drawer slide assembly. Locator tool 100 ensures that the drawer slide assembly is properly aligned and thus square with the face frame of a cabinet carcass to ensure smooth movement of the drawer in and out of the cabinet carcass. If multiple drawer slide assemblies are necessary, the locator tool can be rotated and used in the opposite corner of face frame 322 as well. Fixture 106, matched to a desired drawer slide assembly, is removably secured to rod 104 via machine screw 156 through hole 160 and threadably engaged with threaded nut 158. A rear mounting bracket corresponding to fixture 106 and the desired drawer slide assembly is removably affixed to fixture 106. Base 102 is slidingly mounted on rod 104. Face 124 of plate 114 is positioned adjacent to and flush with face frame 322 of cabinet carcass 320. It is important that both edge 117 and edge 118 be simultaneously positioned adjacent face frame 322. Additionally, side 126 is positioned adjacent face frame edge 328 while side 128 is simultaneously positioned adjacent drawer opening bottom surface 330. With face 124 adjacent to face frame 322 and sleeve 116 simultaneously adjacent face frame edge 328 and drawer opening bottom surface 330, base 102 is secured to face frame 322 with hand clamps (not shown). In an alternate embodiment, a handle extends from face 122 for a user to firmly hold base 102 in place. Rod 104 is extended through sleeve 116 until bracket 310 (or any bracket affixed to fixture 106) abuts rear panel 324 of the cabinet carcass. Thumb screws 108 are tightened such that the position of base 102 is fixed relative to rod 104. Bracket 310 is secured to rear panel 324 with typical mounting hardware or suitable adhesive. Base 102 is removed from face frame 322 and fixture 106 is removed from frictional engagement with bracket 310.
As a result, bracket 310 is properly positioned such that the corresponding drawer slide assembly mounted to bracket 310 will be square with the face frame ensuring smooth operation regardless of the “squareness” of the cabinet carcass as a whole.
Referring to
As shown in
Sleeve 416 is rigidly affixed to plate 414 at corner 420. Sleeve 416 includes at least flange 426 connected to flange 428. Angle C between flanges 426 and 428 forms a generally 90 degree angle. Sleeve 416 is generally hollow and tubular with a polygonal cross section defining interior 421. Sleeve 416 includes at least side 431 connected to side 433 at an angle that matches angle C. Other cross sectional shapes would suffice. Rod 404 is slidingly received through interior 421. Rod 404 includes at least side 427 connected to side 429 at an angle that matches angle C. Rod 404 may be solid or hollow and has a polygonal cross section. Other cross sectional shapes would suffice. Side 431 abuts side 427 and side 433 abuts side 429 to ensure rod 404 does not rotate with respect to base 402. Sleeve 416 extends from plate 414 perpendicularly at angle D. Angle D forms a generally 90 degree angle. Stanchions 430 extend from sleeve 416 and threadably receive thumb screws 408. Thumb screws 408 can be advanced or retreated through stanchions 430 to abut rod 404 in order to releasably secure base 402 to rod 404.
Referring to
Sleeve 444 is rigidly affixed to prongs 440 and 442. Sleeve 444 includes at least side 460 connected to side 462 at an angle that matches angle E. Sleeve 444 is generally hollow and tubular with a polygonal cross section defining interior 461. Other cross sectional shapes would suffice. Rod 404 is slidingly received through interior 461. Stanchions 446 extend from sleeve 444 and threadably receive thumb screws 478. Thumb screws 478 can be advanced or retreated through stanchions 446 to abut rod 404 in order to releasably secure fixture 406 to rod 404.
In use, locator tool 400 locates the mounting points for the rear bracket of a drawer slide assembly to ensure that the drawer slide assembly is square with the face frame of a cabinet carcass. Fixture 406, matched to a desired drawer slide assembly, is removably secured to rod 404 via thumb screws 478 through stanchions 446. A rear mounting bracket corresponding to fixture 406 and the desired drawer slide assembly is removably affixed to fixture 406. As described in previous embodiments, bracket 302 can be frictionally and removably secured to fixture 406 by positioning upturned edges 306 and 307 adjacent to edges 448 and 449 or adjacent to edges 450 and 451. Similarly, bracket 310 can be frictionally and removably attached to fixture 406 within slot 452 or slot 454 via tabs 314 and 315.
Base 402 is slidingly mounted on rod 404 with rod 404 positioned in interior 421. Face 424 is positioned adjacent to and flush with face frame 322 of cabinet carcass 320. It is important that both edges 417 and 418 be simultaneously held adjacent face frame 322. Additionally, flange 426 is positioned adjacent face frame edge 328 while flange 428 is simultaneously positioned adjacent drawer opening bottom surface 330. With face 424 adjacent to face frame 322, flange 426 adjacent face frame edge 328, and flange 428 adjacent drawer opening bottom surface 330, base 402 is secured to face frame 322 with hand clamps (not shown) such that the position of base 402 is fixed relative to face frame 322. In an alternate embodiment, a handle extends from face 422 for a user to firmly hold base 402 in place. Rod 404 is extended through sleeve 416 until the bracket affixed to fixture 406 abuts rear panel 324 of the cabinet carcass. Thumb screws 408 are tightened such that the position of base 402 is fixed relative to rod 404. The bracket is secured to rear panel 324 with typical mounting hardware or suitable adhesive. Base 402 is detached from face frame 322 and fixture 406 is removed from frictional engagement with the bracket. If multiple drawer slide assemblies are necessary, the locator tool can be rotated and used in the opposite corner of face frame 322 as well.
Referring to
Base 602 is generally planar having edges 606 and 608 forming an “L” shape having corner 610. Base 602 has opposing faces 612 and 614. Shaft 604 is rigidly affixed to base 602 at corner 610. Shaft 604 extends from base 602 perpendicularly at angle F. Angle F forms a generally 90 degree angle.
Shaft 604 has a generally “L” shaped cross section and includes flange 620 connected to flange 622. Angle G between flanges 620 and 622 forms a generally 90 degree angle. Shaft 604 has ends 616 and 618. Shaft 604 is rigidly connected to base 602 at end 616. Shaft 604 forms fixture 624 at end 618.
Fixture 624 comprises a plurality of prongs and slots formed in flanges 620 and 622 at end 618. Flange 620 includes prong 630 and prong 632 separated by open ended slot 638. Flange 622 includes prong 634 and prong 636 separated by open ended slot 639.
In use, a rear bracket is removably engaged with fixture 624. As previously described, upturned edges of the bracket frictionally engage the edges of prongs 630 and 632 or the edges of prongs 634 and 636. Alternatively, tabs extending from the bracket by frictionally engage slot 638 or slot 639. Base 602 is positioned adjacent a face frame of a cabinet such that face 614 is flush with the front of the face frame. Flange 620 is positioned adjacent the face frame edge and flange 622 is positioned adjacent the drawer opening bottom surface. It is important that both edges 606 and 608 are simultaneously held adjacent the face frame while flanges 620 and 622 are adjacent the face frame edge and the drawer opening bottom surface, respectively. Base 602 is secured to the face frame with hand clamps.
The bracket is secured to rear panel of the cabinet carcass with typical mounting hardware or suitable adhesive. Base 602 is detached from the face frame and fixture 624 is removed from frictional engagement with the bracket. If multiple drawer slide assemblies are necessary, the locator tool can be rotated and used in the opposite corner of the face frame.
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that modifications can be made to the embodiments disclosed and remain within the inventive concept. Therefore, this invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed, but is intended to cover changes within the scope and spirit of the claims.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/307,174 filed on Mar. 11, 2016, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62307174 | Mar 2016 | US |