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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to apparatus for moving a shelf to a desired vertical position, and more particularly to an improved mechanical enablement for such.
2. Description of Related Art
The following art defines the present state of this field and each disclosure is hereby incorporated herein by reference. Of particular relevance are:
Schneller, U.S. Pat. No. 3,857,623 describes an aaccessory with parallel linkages for swingably mounting an intermediate shelf of a kitchen cabinet o the like, to permit lowering it in height for easier access. Either a return spring or a compression washer which is progressively compressed by lewering movements is used to resist lowering movement. The arms of the linkage are offset. These linkages are applicable also to an entire cabinet.
Vogelgesand et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,308,158 describes a pull down shelf assembly for facilitating access to upper storage shelves. The shelf assembly includes a shelf guide track mechanism and the storage shelf slidably mounted for movement between an extended position and a retracted position. A pantographic pull down mounting assembly coupled between a shelf mounting bracket and the track mechanism produces pantographic movement thereof between a deployed position, for increased access, and an elevated stored position. The pantographic assembly is mounted therebetween at locations producing near-horizontal pantographic movement of the track mechanism with the storage shelf carried thereby throughout an arcuate path between the deployed position and the elevated stored position. A spring biasing mechanism coupled between the mounting bracket and one of the arms biases the track mechanism toward the stored position. A shelf locking mechanism, positioned between the track mechanism and the storage shelf, locks the storage shelf in the extended position during movement of the track mechanism from the deployed position to the elevated stored position.
Geiss, II, U.S. Pat. No. 5,586,816 describes a mobile storage cabinet in combination with a shelf structure horizontally and vertically adjustable with respect to the cabinet. In a first embodiment, the shelf structure comprises an inner cabinet having vertically spaced shelves slidingly mounted therein. In the stored position, the inner cabinet including shelves resting inside the outer cabinet beneath the top surface thereof; in the extended position, the inner cabinet rests forwardly of the outer cabinet and may be further moved vertically between fully lowered and raised positions. In a second embodiment, a unitary shelf is horizontally and vertically adjustable with respect to the cabinet, this embodiment being especially useful as a work table while the first embodiment is especially useful for transporting and storing equipment.
Other U.S. references which are somewhat related to the present invention include: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,076,351, 4,026,434, 4,893,885, 4,915,461, 5,228,763, 5,249,858, 6,857,756, 6,209,405, 6,247,771, 6,367,898, and 6,523,919.
Foreign and international references which are somewhat related to the present invention include: JP7008339, JP9154643, JP9327338, JP2000270936, JP2001070063, JP2001178555, JP2002078540, JP2003102561, and WO97/00631.
Therefore, our prior art search teaches: a motor driven hoisting and lowering type upper cabinet with contact stopping function, a lift for storing a shelf, a lifting and lowering cabinet, a supporting device for lifting and lowering of a cabinet, a lift-type cabinet, a raising-lowering shelf device of a desk or the like, a lifting storage shelf, an apparatus for transferring a carrier for shelves, cupboards, tables or the like along a path, a lift shelf, a filing cabinet having vertically extensible drawers, a cabinet assembly, an apparatus for transferring a carrier for shelves, cupboards, tables or the like along a path, a lifting and lowering device for furniture elements, a multi-purpose, mobile storage cabinet with horizontally and vertically adjustable shelf structure, a pull-down storage shelf assembly, a motor driven movable cabinet, an extendable storage element, a modular kitchen unit, a swing down closet, a swingable shelf assembly for cabinets. Thus, the prior art shows that it is known to provide mechanical means for raising and lowering a shelf, and furthermore to move the shelf from a retracted position to an extended position prior to raising it (Geiss, II). However, the prior art fails to teach the improved mechanism of the present invention, in each of its embodiments, for moving a shelf horizontally in a first phase and then vertically in a second with simple automation and raising arm linkages. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages as described in the following summary.
The present invention teaches certain benefits in construction and use which give rise to the objectives described below.
The invention is generally used for kitchen cabinets, dishwashers and the like. Specifically, the invention is an appliance lifting system that raises a lower shelf or under-counter cabinet up to the counter level with the intention of making it easy for a user to load and unload the shelf, or in the case of a dishwasher, a basket. The system is directed to the lower shelves of cabinets or generally, shelves that require a user to bend or stoop down to load or unload. The system comprises two set of elongated levers or arms, each set arranged in a parallelogram configuration fastened on one end to a cabinet sidewall and on the other end to the lower cabinet shelf or basket. The arms in each set are connected to one another by a combination of pivot pins and pin and slot sliding connections in the primary embodiment. The system operates in two phase motion. During the first phase, the system linearly and horizontally slides the shelf out of the cabinet. In the second phase, the system raises the shelf in an arcuate motion out and upwards to counter level. In use the operation of the system may be by manual pushing or pulling of the shelf with spring assist, or by motor driven arms that accomplish the intended motion automatically. The later approach is considered to be the preferred embodiment and will be described in detail below.
A primary objective of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method of use of such apparatus that yields advantages not taught by the prior art.
Another objective of the invention is to provide an automated system to raise a lower shelf or basket to counter level for ease of loading or unloading articles therein.
A further objective of the invention is to enable such an automated system with a limited number of parts so as to achieve practical cost effectiveness in a finished product.
A still further objective of the invention is to enable such an automated system that is able to provide both shelf extension and shelf raising and lowering using a single set or pair of actuators and mechanical engagements.
Other features and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of at least one of the possible embodiments of the invention.
The accompanying drawings illustrate at least one of the best mode embodiments of the present invention. In such drawings:
The above described drawing figures illustrate the present invention in at least one of its preferred, best mode embodiments, which is further defined in detail in the following description. Those having ordinary skill in the art may be able to make alterations and modifications in the present invention without departing from its spirit and scope. Therefore, it must be understood that the illustrated embodiments have been set forth only for the purposes of example and that they should not be taken as limiting the invention as defined in the following.
In a first embodiment of the present invention a cabinet 10, such as a dishwasher cabinet, or a kitchen cabinet, has opposing side walls 12 and 14, with each of these side walls 10 and 12 having an interior wall surface 15 as shown in
In one enablement, shown in
In an alternate embodiment, shown schematically in
In a further alternate embodiment, shown schematically in
The driving means 80 is preferably a motor 82, such as a small electric gear-motor engaged by gears (not shown) with a linearly extensible strut 84 such as a worm gear linear actuator, well known in the art. The driving means 80, preferably includes limit switches 86 positioned for disengaging power to the driving means 80 when the basket is in its initial position 40, as shown in
The enablements described in detail above are considered novel over the prior art of record and are considered critical to the operation of at least one aspect of one best mode embodiment of the instant invention and to the achievement of the above described objectives. The words used in this specification to describe the instant embodiments are to be understood not only in the sense of their commonly defined meanings, but to include by special definition in this specification: structure, material or acts beyond the scope of the commonly defined meanings. Thus if an element can be understood in the context of this specification as including more than one meaning, then its use must be understood as being generic to all possible meanings supported by the specification and by the word or words describing the element.
The definitions of the words or elements of the embodiments of the herein described invention and its related embodiments not described are, therefore, defined in this specification to include not only the combination of elements which are literally set forth, but all equivalent structure, material or acts for performing substantially the same function in substantially the same way to obtain substantially the same result. In this sense it is therefore contemplated that an equivalent substitution of two or more elements may be made for any one of the elements in the invention and its various embodiments or that a single element may be substituted for two or more elements in a claim.
Changes from the claimed subject matter as viewed by a person with ordinary skill in the art, now known or later devised, are expressly contemplated as being equivalents within the scope of the invention and its various embodiments. Therefore, obvious substitutions now or later known to one with ordinary skill in the art are defined to be within the scope of the defined elements. The invention and its various embodiments are thus to be understood to include what is specifically illustrated and described above, what is conceptually equivalent, what can be obviously substituted, and also what essentially incorporates the essential idea of the invention.
While the invention has been described with reference to at least one preferred embodiment, it is to be clearly understood by those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited thereto. Rather, the scope of the invention is to be interpreted only in conjunction with the appended claims and it is made clear, here, that the inventor(s) believe that the claimed subject matter is the invention.