Furniture unit using dual slider mechanism

• US 20040027039A1
• Filed: 11/01/2002
• Published: 02/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fleet Capital Corporation (Bank of America Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Fleet Capital Corporation (Bank of America Corp.)
• Inventors: Delph, Richard Eugene
• Granted Patent: US 6,793,298 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 312/334.25
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 88/403 Drawer slides being extractable on two or more sides of the cabinet
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/00 Details of cabinets, racks or shelf units not covered by a single one of groups A47B43/00 - A47B95/00; General details of furniture doors E06B
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 63/0052 Locks mounted on the "frame" cooperating with means on the "wing" E05B47/0046, E05B65/0829, E05B65/0847, E05B65/0882 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 65/0811 the bolts pivoting about an axis perpendicular to the wings
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 3/042 the handle being at one side, the bolt at the other side or inside the wing
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 15/0643 on balls or floating rollers
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 15/0652 Tracks E05D15/063 - E05D15/0647 and E05D15/0656 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 15/0678 on balls or floating rollers
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 15/0686 Tracks E05D15/0665 - E05D15/0682 and E05D15/0691 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/684 Rails
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/122 Telescopic action
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/132 Doors
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/14 Doors disappearing in pockets of a wall, e.g. so-called pocket doors
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/20 for furnitures, e.g. cabinets
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/4663 specially adapted for furniture

Abstract

A furniture unit having a dual slider mechanism with an outer carriage and an inner carriage. Both the outer carriage and the inner carriage may include stoppers at opposing ends. A bearing or wheel assembly is provided. The bearing or wheel assembly may be positioned between the side rails of the outer carriage and the inner carriage, and which allows the inner and outer carriages to freely slide. The sliding mechanism may be used with a furniture unit in order to allow a door to open in a first open position or a second closed position or remain in a closed center position. A locking mechanism may be used to lock the door to the frame of the furniture unit.

Claims

1. A furniture unit comprising:

a frame having at least two notches;

a door slidably mounted between a first open position, a second opposite open position and a center closed position with respect to the frame member;

a slider mechanism mounted between the frame member and the door, the slider mechanism comprising;

a first outer carriage having upstanding side rails;

a first inner carriage slidably mounted within the upstanding side rails of the first outer carriage; and

a bearing or wheel assembly slidable between the first outer carriage and the first inner carriage and adapted to slidably move the door between the first open position, the second opposite open position and the center closed position with respect to the frame member,

wherein the at least two notches are aligned with a mounting position of the first outer carriage and the first inner carriage.

2. The furniture unit of claim 1, wherein the first outer carriage includes opposing upstanding side rails of which the first inner carriage is nestled therebetween.

3. The furniture unit of claim 1, wherein:

the first outer carriage and the first inner carriage is mounted to an upper portion of the one of the frame and the door; and

the at least two notches are positioned at opposing ends of the upper portion of the frame in alignment with the first outer carriage and the first inner carriage.

4. The furniture unit of claim 1, wherein:

the first outer carriage and the first inner carriage is mounted to a bottom portion of the one of the frame and the door; and

the at least two notches are positioned at opposing ends of the bottom portion of the frame in alignment with the first outer carriage and the first inner carriage.

5. The furniture unit of claim 1, further comprising a second slider mechanism having a second outer carriage, a second inner carriage and a second bearing or wheel assembly slidable between the second outer carriage and the second inner carriage, wherein:

one of the first outer carriage and the first inner carriage is mounted to an upper portion of the frame and the door;

the at least two notches are four notches where two notches are positioned at opposing ends of the upper portion of the frame in alignment with the first outer carriage and the first inner carriage;

one of the second outer carriage and the second inner carriage is mounted to a bottom portion of the frame and the door; and

two further notches of the four notches are positioned at opposing ends of the bottom portion of the frame in alignment with the second outer carriage and the second inner carriage.

6. The furniture unit of claim 1, wherein stoppers are provided on at lest one of the first outer carriage and the first inner carriage to prevent the door from extending beyond the first open position and the second open position.

7. The furniture unit of claim 1, further comprising a locking mechanism mounted between the frame and the door.

8. The furniture unit of claim 7, wherein the locking mechanism includes a cylinder lock portion and a rotatable blade portion mounted thereto.

9. The furniture unit of claim 8, wherein the cylinder lock portion extends though a hole in the frame and the blade portion is rotatable through a slot in the frame which is substantially perpendicular to the hole.

10. The furniture unit of claim 9, wherein the door includes a means for accepting the blade portion to lock the door to the frame, the means for accepting being in substantial alignment with the slot when the door is locked to the frame.

11. The furniture unit of claim 1, wherein the at least two notches are located in end stile portions of the frame.

12. The frame unit of claim 11, further comprising a recess in the frame aligned with the at least two notches and one of the first carriage and the second carriage being mounted within the recess.

13. The furniture unit of claim 1, further comprising a second slider mechanism having a second outer carriage, a second inner carriage and a second bearing or wheel assembly slidable between the second outer carriage and the second inner carriage, wherein:

one of the first outer carriage and the first inner carriage is mounted to an upper portion of the frame and the door;

the at least two notches are four notches where two notches are positioned at opposing ends of the upper portion of the frame in alignment with the first outer carriage and the first inner carriage;

one of the second outer carriage and the second inner carriage is mounted to a bottom portion of the frame and the door;

two further notches of the four notches are positioned at opposing ends of the bottom portion of the frame in alignment with the second outer carriage and the second inner carriage; and

two recesses formed within the frame and in alignment with the four notches and the one of the (i) first outer carriage and the first inner carriage and one of the (ii) second outer carriage and the second inner carriage are mounted within each of the recesses in the frame.

14. A furniture unit comprising:

a frame;

a door having a recess along one of a top portion and a bottom portion, the door slidably mounted between a first open position, a second opposite open position and a center closed position with respect to the frame member;

a slider mechanism mounted between the frame member and within the recess of the door, the slider mechanism comprising;

a first outer carriage having upstanding side rails;

a first inner carriage slidably mounted within the upstanding side rails of the first outer carriage; and

a bearing or wheel assembly slidable between the first outer carriage and the first inner carriage and adapted to slidably move the door between the first open position, the second opposite open position and the center closed position with respect to the frame member.

15. The furniture unit of claim 14, wherein the first outer carriage and the first inner carriage is mounted to an upper portion of the one of the frame and the within the recess of the door, and

16. The furniture unit of claim 14, wherein the first outer carriage and the first inner carriage is mounted to a bottom portion of the one of the frame and within the recess of the door.

17. The furniture unit of claim 14, further comprising a second slider mechanism having a second outer carriage, a second inner carriage and a second bearing or wheel assembly slidable between the second outer carriage and the second inner carriage, wherein:

one of the first outer carriage and the first inner carriage is mounted to an upper portion of the frame and within the recess of the door; and

one of the second outer carriage and the second inner carriage is mounted to a bottom portion of the frame and within the recess of the door.

18. The furniture unit of claim 14, further comprising a locking mechanism mounted between the frame and the door.

19. The furniture unit of claim 18, wherein the locking mechanism includes a cylinder lock portion and a rotatable blade portion mounted thereto.

20. The furniture unit of claim 19, wherein the cylinder lock portion extends though a hole in the frame and the blade portion is rotatable through a slot in the frame which is substantially perpendicular to the hole.