Filing cabinet with waterproof seal

• US 20050253490A1
• Filed: 05/11/2004
• Published: 11/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Schwab Corp. (Fortune Brands Innovations, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Schwab Corp. (Fortune Brands Innovations, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ehrlich, Donald J.
• Application Number:
  US10/843,604
• Publication Number:
  US 20050253490A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 312/296
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 63/00 Cabinets, racks or shelf units, specially adapted for storing books, documents, forms, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 67/04 Chests of drawers; Cabinets characterised by the arrangement of drawers A47B67/02 takes precedence; drawers, guides for drawers, per se A47B88/00

Abstract

A waterproof, fire resistant filing cabinet is provided. The cabinet includes a frame defining insulated drawer cavities. A seal point projects forwardly from the cabinet frame. A drawer is mounted in each drawer cavity and has a drawer head. A seal is provided between the seal point and the drawer head. When the drawer is closed, the seal collapses to prevent water from entering the drawer cavity but is not compressed.

Claims

1. A waterproof filing cabinet comprising:

a frame including a plurality of walls defining a drawer cavity and a drawer opening, said walls which form the drawer opening including a seal point;

a drawer mounted within said drawer cavity, said drawer including a drawer head;

a collapsible seal positioned between said seal point and said drawer head; and

wherein when said drawer is in an open position, said seal is in an extended formation, and when said drawer is in a closed position, said seal point causes said seal to collapse without compression.

2. A filing cabinet as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said walls includes an inner panel and an outer panel and insulation is provided between said inner panels and said outer panels.

3. A filing cabinet as defined in claim 2, wherein a portion of said inner panel is formed around a portion of said outer panel to form said seal point.

4. A filing cabinet as defined in claim 2, wherein said inner panels of said walls are integrally formed.

5. A filing cabinet as defined in claim 2, wherein said outer panels of said walls are integrally formed.

6. A filing cabinet as defined in claim 1, wherein said seal is D-shaped in said extended formation.

7. A filing cabinet as defined in claim 1, wherein said seal is B-shaped when collapsed.

8. A filing cabinet as defined in claim 1, wherein said seal is D-shaped in said extended formation and said seal is B-shaped when collapsed.

9. A filing cabinet as defined in claim 1, wherein said drawer head includes a rearwardly extending projection and a groove, said seal being mounted within said groove, and said seal point of said frame extending into said groove when the drawer is in said closed position.

10. A filing cabinet as defined in claim 9, wherein said groove includes a base and said seal abuts said base of said groove.

11. A filing cabinet as defined in claim 10, wherein said seal is D-shaped in said extended formation and said seal is B-shaped when collapsed.

12. A filing cabinet as defined in claim 1, wherein the durometer of said seal is approximately 40 shore A.

13. A filing cabinet as defined in claim 12, wherein said seal is D-shaped in said extended formation and said seal is B-shaped when collapsed.

14. A filing cabinet as defined in claim 1, further including a partition mounted within said frame, said partition having a seal point, said partition defining drawer cavities on either side of said partition.

15. A filing cabinet as defined in claim 14, wherein said partition includes an upper panel and a lower panel, and wherein insulation is provided between said upper and lower panels.

16. A filing cabinet as defined in claim 15, wherein said seal point is defined by said upper and lower panels.

17. A filing cabinet as defined in claim 15, wherein said partition includes an upper seal point and a lower seal point.

18. A waterproof filing cabinet comprising:

a frame including a top wall, a bottom wall, a left wall, a right wall and a rear wall defining a drawer cavity, each of said walls including inner and outer panels, a drawer opening defined by said top, bottom, left and right walls, and wherein a portion of each said inner panel is formed around a portion of each said outer panel to form a seal point around said drawer opening;

a drawer mounted within said drawer cavity, said drawer including a drawer head, said drawer head including a rearwardly extending projection and a groove;

a collapsible seal mounted within said groove and positioned between said seal point and said drawer head; and

wherein when said drawer is in an open position, said seal is in an extended formation, and when said drawer is in a closed position, said seal point causes said seal to collapse without compression.

19. A filing cabinet as defined in claim 18, wherein said seal is D-shaped in said extended formation and said seal is B-shaped when collapsed.

20. A filing cabinet as defined in claim 18, wherein said inner panels of said walls are integrally formed and said outer panels of said walls are integrally formed.

21. A filing cabinet as defined in claim 18, further including insulation between said inner and outer panels of said top wall, said bottom wall, said left wall, said right wall and said rear wall.

22. A filing cabinet as defined in claim 18, further including a partition mounted within said frame, said partition having a seal point and defining drawer cavities on either side of said partition.