Counterbalanced door system for a storage cabinet

• US 20020113532A1
• Filed: 02/21/2002
• Published: 08/22/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Krueger International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Krueger International Incorporated
• Inventors: Griepentrog, Dennis G., Hornberger, Timothy G., Koehler, Karl J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,779,856 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 312/323
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 1/02 gravity-actuated , e.g. by use of counterweights
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 1/1075 for counterbalancing
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 17/004 for wings which abut when closed
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/20 for furnitures, e.g. cabinets

Abstract

A storage unit includes a cabinet having an open front, and a counterbalanced door arrangement is interconnected with the cabinet for selectively closing the open front of the cabinet. The counterbalanced door arrangement includes an upper door member located between a pair of arms, each of which is pivotably mounted to the cabinet, in combination with a lower door member including a pair of arms pivotably interconnected with the cabinet. The pivotable connections of the upper and lower door member arms to the cabinet provides movement of the upper and lower door members between an open position, in which the upper and lower door members are moved apart, and a closed position in which the upper and lower door members are moved together. A link is interconnected between the upper and lower door member arms, for providing synchronous movement of the upper and lower door members between their open and closed positions. A counterbalancing member is interconnected with each of the upper door member arms for counterbalancing the weight of at least one of the door members. The counterbalancing member may be in the form of a spring having one end fixed to the cabinet and another end connected to each upper door member arm, for counterbalancing the weight of the upper door member toward its open position. The springs provide an assist when moving the upper and lower door members toward their open positions, and function to retain the upper and lower door members in any desired position when release by the user. When the upper and lower door members are in the closed positions, the weight of the upper door member and a forward portion of the upper door member arms is operable to overcome the biasing force of the spring so as to maintain the upper and lower door members in the closed position.

Claims

1. A storage unit, comprising:

a cabinet defining an interior;

a door assembly comprising a first door section and a second door section, each of which is pivotably mounted to the cabinet for movement between an open position and a closed position, wherein the first and second door sections prevent access to the interior of the cabinet when in the closed position and provide access to the interior of the cabinet when in the open position;

a link pivotably interconnected between the first and second door sections so as to synchronize movement of the first and second door sections between the open and closed positions; and

a biasing arrangement for counterbalancing the door assembly, wherein the first and second door sections are constructed and arranged so that the force of the biasing arrangement is operable to maintain the first and second door sections in position.

2. The storage unit of claim 1, wherein the first door section is mounted to the cabinet via one or more first pivotable arm members and wherein the second door section is mounted to the cabinet via one or more second pivotable arm members, wherein the link extends between and pivotably interconnects the first and second arm members.

3. The storage unit of claim 2, wherein the first and second arm members are pivotably mounted to the cabinet at spaced locations.

4. The storage unit of claim 2, wherein the biasing arrangement comprises a spring interconnected with one of the arm members, wherein the spring is operable to exert a biasing force on the arm member at a location offset from a pivot axis defined by the pivotable mounting of the arm member to the cabinet.

5. The storage unit of claim 2, wherein the biasing arrangement comprises a weight mounted to one of the arm members at a location offset from a pivot axis defined by the pivotable mounting of the arm member to the cabinet.

6. A storage unit, comprising:

a cabinet defining an open front;

a first door section pivotably mounted to the cabinet, wherein the first door section is movable relative to the cabinet between an open position and a closed position;

a second door section pivotably mounted to the cabinet, wherein the second door section is movable relative to the cabinet between an open position and a closed position;

wherein the first and second door sections are together when in the closed positions to close the open front of the cabinet, and are apart when in the open positions to provide access to the open front of the cabinet;

a link member pivotably interconnected between the first door section and the second door section, where the link member is constructed and arranged so as to move one of the door sections in response to movement of the other; and

a biasing arrangement interconnected with one of the door sections for counterbalancing the weight of at least one of the door sections.

7. The storage unit of claim 6, wherein each door section comprises a door member and at least one door mounting arm which is pivotably mounted to the cabinet.

8. The storage unit of claim 7, wherein the link member is pivotably engaged with one of the arms at a location between the open front of the cabinet and a pivot axis defined by the pivotable mounting of the arm to the cabinet, and is pivotably engaged with the other of the arms at a location rearwardly of a pivot axis defined by the pivotable mounting of the other arm to the cabinet.

9. The storage unit of claim 7, wherein the biasing arrangement comprises a spring interconnected between the cabinet and one of the arms, wherein the spring is operable to apply a biasing force to the arm.

10. The storage unit of claim 7, wherein the biasing arrangement comprises a counterweight mounted to one of the arms at a location rearwardly of a pivot axis defined by the pivotable mounting of the arm to the cabinet.

11. In a storage unit including a cabinet defining an open front and at least one door member, the improvement comprising at least one arm interconnected with the door member, a pivot connection interposed between the arm and the cabinet for providing movement of the arm, and thereby the door member, about a pivot axis, wherein the door member is movable between an open position providing access to the open front of the cabinet and a closed position for closing the open front of the cabinet, and a spring interconnected between the arm and the cabinet, wherein the spring and the arm are constructed and arranged such that the spring applies a biasing force to the arm which counterbalances the weight of the door member.

12. The improvement of claim 11, wherein the door member comprises an upper door member, and further comprising a lower door member pivotably interconnected with the cabinet for movement between an open position and a closed position, wherein the upper and lower door members are moved together when in the closed positions and are moved apart when in the open positions, and further comprising a link member interconnected between the arm and the lower door member, wherein the link member is operable to synchronize movement of the upper and lower door members.

13. The improvement of claim 12, wherein the lower door member includes an arm which is pivotably interconnected with the cabinet for providing movement of the lower door member between its open and closed positions, and wherein the link member is pivotably interconnected between the arm associated with the upper door member and the arm associated with the lower door member.

14. The improvement of claim 13, wherein the link member is pivotably interconnected with the upper door member arm at a location forwardly of the upper door member pivot axis, and wherein the link member is pivotably interconnected with the lower door member arm at a location rearwardly of the lower door member pivot axis.

15. The improvement of claim 11, wherein the spring comprises a linear spring having forward and rearward ends, wherein the rearward end of the spring is fixed to the cabinet and wherein the forward end of the spring is mounted to a spring mounting arrangement associated with the arm.

16. The improvement of claim 15, wherein the spring mounting arrangement associated with the arm comprises a spring mounting section that extends upwardly from the arm at a location above the pivot axis.

17. The improvement of claim 16, wherein the rearward end of the spring is interconnected with the cabinet at a location below the engagement of the forward end of the spring with the spring mounting section of the arm.

18. The improvement of claim 15, further comprising a lower door section including a lower door member and one or more lower door arms pivotably interconnected with the cabinet for providing movement of the lower door member between an open position and a closed position, and further comprising a synchronizing member interconnected between the upper door arm and the lower door arm for synchronizing movement of the upper door member and the lower door member between their open and closed positions.

19. The improvement of claim 18, wherein the synchronizing member comprises a link member defining an upper end pivotably interconnected with the upper door member arm and a lower end pivotably interconnected with the lower door member arm.