Drawer, drawer construction and method for manufacturing a drawer

• US 10,293,512 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2012
• Issued: 05/21/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Flooring Industries Limited Sarl (Mohawk Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Unilin Bvba (Mohawk Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Devos, Pieter, Schacht, Benny, Van Hooydonck, Guy
• Primary Examiner(s): Troy, Daniel J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ayres, Timothy M
• Application Number:
  US14/128,102
• Publication Number:
  US 20140111076A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,521 Days
• Field of Search: 3123481, 3122571, 3123484, 144 65, 144 7, 144347, 144 2404, 144 37, 144354, 144359, 144360, 144367, 144368, 144369, 144371
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2230/0096 Assembling sheet parts by male and female parts formed in the sheet thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 47/042 Panels connected without frames
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 88/00 Drawers for tables, cabinets or like furniture; Guides for drawers A47B63/02 takes precedence; drawers coupled to doors A47B96/16
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 88/427 at drawer side
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 88/90 Constructional details of drawers
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 88/941 Drawers being constructed from two or more parts
• CPC Class Codes: B27F 1/02 Making tongues or grooves, of indefinite length
• CPC Class Codes: B27F 1/08 Making dovetails, tongues, or tenons, of definite limited length
• CPC Class Codes: B27M 1/08 by multi-step processes
• CPC Class Codes: B27M 3/0066 characterised by tongue and groove or tap hole connections
• CPC Class Codes: B27M 3/18 of furniture or of doors B27D5/003 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 12/125 using mortise and tenon joints
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 12/26 using snap-action elements
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 12/46 Non-metal corner connections

Abstract

A method for manufacturing drawers in which the drawers comprise walls, and a bottom. At least first and second walls comprise a tongue and a groove with locking parts. The respective groove is provided on the interior side of the first wall, whereas the respective tongue is provided on the distal end of the second wall. The first and second walls are manufactured of respectively one board.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing drawers, wherein the drawers comprise walls and a bottom, wherein said walls comprise at least a front wall, rear wall and two sidewalls, the method comprising:

forming first walls from a plurality of boards; and

forming second walls from said plurality of boards, wherein, one of said first walls and one of said second walls are both formed from a single one of said plurality of boards;

wherein said boards have a length direction and a width direction and wherein the one of said first wall and the one of said second wall are formed from said single one of said plurality of boards by portions of said board located at different positions along the length direction;

wherein each of said first walls is formed to comprise a first cooperating profile extending in said width direction, and each of said second walls is formed to comprise a second cooperating profile extending in said width direction, the first cooperating profile of each of said first walls and the second cooperating profile of each of said second walls being formed such that the first cooperating profile of a corresponding one of said first walls extends in a direction parallel to a direction in which the cooperating second profile of a corresponding one of said second walls extends,

wherein the first and second cooperating profiles include a tongue and a groove with locking parts, the tongue being formed to fit into the groove in a locking manner,

wherein the first and second cooperating profiles are formed to be joined laterally into each other by a movement of the cooperating first profile of the corresponding one of said first walls and the second profile of the corresponding one of said second walls towards each other in a direction that extends in a plane that is perpendicular to the directions in which the cooperating first and second profiles extend; and

wherein the respective groove is provided on a plane configured to become an interior side of the corresponding one of said first walls and the respective tongue is provided on the distal end of the corresponding one of said second walls,

wherein, for each board of said plurality of boards, the respective groove and the respective tongue are formed by means of a continuous pass-through treatment performed on said plurality of boards, said treatment including a single treatment or a one or more partial treatments with said plurality of boards passing through in a direction transverse to said length direction; and

wherein, for each board of said plurality of boards, only after forming at least a portion of said groove and at least a portion of said tongue on said board, said board is subdivided into two or more completely separated walls, said completely separated walls including said one of said first walls and said one of said second walls,

wherein the subdividing takes place in the direction transverse to said length direction.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said treatment is a pass-through treatment.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said tongue is formed on a distal end of said board.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said groove is formed in a flat planar side of said board.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least three walls are obtained from said board including two sidewalls, and a front wall or a rear wall.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein all locking profiles of the respective walls are formed at least partially or even entirely prior to subdividing said board into the respective walls.