Patent Application
20240306814
Embodiments of the invention relate generally to storage solutions. More particularly, embodiments of the invention relate to a rotatable storage solution that may be used to move appliance or storage elements between use and non-use positions.
The following background information may present examples of specific aspects of the prior art (e.g., without limitation, approaches, facts, or common wisdom) that, while expected to be helpful to further educate the reader as to additional aspects of the prior art, is not to be construed as limiting the present invention, or any embodiments thereof, to anything stated or implied therein or inferred thereupon.
Storage solutions are often lacking in small homes, such as mobile homes, so-called tiny houses, and recreational vehicles (RVs), for example. Kitchens can take a significant amount of space, where ovens, refrigerators and cabinets are often provided in a linear fashion along a wall. Such a conventional linear arrangement can occupy much wall space, which can be minimal to begin with in such small structures.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need for a storage solution that can hold a plurality of different items that are selectively accessible.
Embodiments of the present invention aim to solve the aforementioned problems in conventional home layout and storage spaces by reducing the space cost in a relatively small space, such as a kitchen in an RV. In some embodiments, three kitchen functions can be included in the device of the present invention. A three-in-one cabinet can include a kitchen set (such as a cook top, oven, stove light, microwave, and the like), a refrigerator and a storage cabinet. These three pieces of furniture are rarely needed to be used at the same time. Therefore, it is possible to save space by combining these three pieces of furniture together in a rotatable mechanism, as provided in greater detail below, that includes an inner turntable structure, vertically divided into a plurality of sections (such as three sections) and an outer shell that permits the inner turntable to rotate therein, where a front opening of the outer shell permits access to at least one of the vertically divided sections of the inner turntable.
Embodiments of the present invention provide a rotatable storage unit comprising an inner turntable divided vertically into a plurality of sections; an outer shell permitting rotation of the inner turntable therein; a front opening of the outer shell permitting access to at least one of the plurality of sections accessible to a user at a given time, wherein the inner turntable is movable to permit the user to access each of the plurality of sections, wherein at least one of the plurality of sections is inaccessible to the user.
Embodiments of the present invention provide a rotatable kitchen unit, comprising an inner turntable divided vertically into a plurality of sections; an outer shell permitting rotation of the inner turntable therein; a front opening of the outer shell permitting access to at least one of the plurality of sections accessible to a user at a given time, wherein the inner turntable is movable to permit the user to access each of the plurality of sections, wherein at least one of the plurality of sections is inaccessible to the user; and each of the plurality of sections include a kitchen functionality, including at least one of a refrigerator, an oven, a cooktop, a microwave and a cabinet.
Embodiments of the present invention provide a three-in-one rotatable kitchen unit, comprising an inner turntable divided vertically into a first section, a second section and a third section; an outer shell permitting rotation of the inner turntable therein; and a front opening of the outer shell permitting access to one of the first, second and third sections accessible to a user at a given time, wherein the inner turntable is movable to permit the user to access each of the first, second and third sections, wherein at least one of the first, second and third sections is inaccessible to the user; and each of the first, second and third sections include a kitchen functionality, including at least one of a refrigerator, an oven, a cooktop, a microwave and a cabinet.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.
Some embodiments of the present invention are illustrated as an example and are not limited by the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like references may indicate similar elements.
The illustrations in the figures may not necessarily be drawn to scale.
The invention and its various embodiments can now be better understood by turning to the following detailed description wherein illustrated embodiments are described. It is to be expressly understood that the illustrated embodiments are set forth as examples and not by way of limitations on the invention as ultimately defined in the claims.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well as the singular forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising.” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one having ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and the present disclosure and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.
In describing the invention, it will be understood that a number of techniques and steps are disclosed. Each of these has individual benefit and each can also be used in conjunction with one or more, or in some cases all, of the other disclosed techniques. Accordingly, for the sake of clarity, this description will refrain from repeating every possible combination of the individual steps in an unnecessary fashion. Nevertheless, the specification and claims should be read with the understanding that such combinations are entirely within the scope of the invention and the claims.
In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be evident, however, to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details.
The present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments illustrated by the figures or description below.
As is well known to those skilled in the art, many careful considerations and compromises typically must be made when designing for the optimal configuration of a commercial implementation of any system, and in particular, the embodiments of the present invention. A commercial implementation in accordance with the spirit and teachings of the present invention may be configured according to the needs of the particular application, whereby any aspect(s), feature(s), function(s), result(s), component(s), approach(es), or step(s) of the teachings related to any described embodiment of the present invention may be suitably omitted, included, adapted, mixed and matched, or improved and/or optimized by those skilled in the art, using their average skills and known techniques, to achieve the desired implementation that addresses the needs of the particular application.
Broadly, embodiments of the present invention provide a three-in-one storage solution that can reduce the space cost in a relatively small space, such as a kitchen in an RV. For example, three kitchen functions can be included in the device. A three-in-one cabinet can include a kitchen set (such as a cook top, oven, stove light, microwave, and the like), a refrigerator and a storage cabinet. These three pieces of furniture are rarely needed to be used at the same time. Therefore, it is possible to save space by combining these three pieces of furniture together in a rotatable mechanism, where a wall-space length of only one of these items is needed and the device can rotate between each of the devices as each one is needed.
Referring to
The inner turntable 12 can be configured to retain a kitchen set between vertical partitions 16, 18, as shown in
Referring to
A driven mechanism, such as a gear 32, may be provided at a top end of the inner turntable 12, on top of the top member 22. The gear 32 may be turned by a driving mechanism, such as a motor 50 (see
Referring also to
As can be seen in
While various modules are illustrated and described above (such as the kitchen set, refrigerator and cabinets), various other items may be provided in the three-in-one cabinet, such as a dining table, television/entertainment module, and the like.
All the features disclosed in this specification, including any accompanying abstract and drawings, may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.
Claim elements and steps herein may have been numbered and/or lettered solely as an aid in readability and understanding. Any such numbering and lettering in itself is not intended to and should not be taken to indicate the ordering of elements and/or steps in the claims.
Many alterations and modifications may be made by those having ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, it must be understood that the illustrated embodiments have been set forth only for the purposes of examples and that they should not be taken as limiting the invention as defined by the following claims. For example, notwithstanding the fact that the elements of a claim are set forth below in a certain combination, it must be expressly understood that the invention includes other combinations of fewer, more or different ones of the disclosed elements.
The words used in this specification to describe the invention and its various embodiments are to be understood not only in the sense of their commonly defined meanings, but to include by special definition in this specification the generic structure, material or acts of which they represent a single species.
The definitions of the words or elements of the following claims are, therefore, defined in this specification to not only include the combination of elements which are literally set forth. 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 claims below or that a single element may be substituted for two or more elements in a claim. Although elements may be described above as acting in certain combinations and even initially claimed as such, it is to be expressly understood that one or more elements from a claimed combination can in some cases be excised from the combination and that the claimed combination may be directed to a subcombination or variation of a subcombination.
Insubstantial 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 equivalently within the scope of the claims. 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 claims 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 incorporates the essential idea of the invention.
