Motor driven movable cabinet

• US 5,249,858 A
• Filed: 05/04/1992
• Issued: 10/05/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Marjorie A. Nusser
• Original Assignee: Marjorie A. Nusser
• Inventors: Nusser, Marjorie A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuomo, Peter M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Saether, Flemming
• Application Number:
  US07/878,053
• Time in Patent Office: 519 Days
• Field of Search: 312/266, 312/305, 312/304, 312/324, 312/325, 312/246, 312/247, 312/245, 312/319.8, 312/319.5, 312/319.6, 248/284, 248/585
• US Class Current: 312/319.6
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2200/13 Table and chair assembly for disabled persons, used as workplace
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 46/005 by displacement in a vertical plane; by rotating about a horizontal axis
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 51/00 Cabinets with means for moving compartments up and down for cabinets with parts rotating about a horizontal axis A47B46/005; for show or display A47F3/06

Abstract

A motor driven movable cabinet that provides top shelf accessibility by being lowered outwardly onto the underlying counter top and retracted back to its original position against the wall. A motor driven threaded screw lifting mechanism powers the cabinet'"'"'s movement and consists of a reversible electric motor and a drive shaft assembly, including a drive shaft and a threaded screw drive rod. The motor is attached to the drive shaft assembly by a universal joint and a load bearing bracket pivot assembly. This motorized mechanism is then fastened to a wall frame that is secured to the wall behind the cabinet. The cabinet is also attached to the wall frame by at least four L-shaped swing arms and to the motorized mechanism by a pivot mount bracket hingedly attached to the bottom of the cabinet. The pivot assembly supports the drive shaft assembly and the universal joint allows for a change in the angle from the pivot assembly along the drive shaft and threaded screw drive rod to the bottom of the cabinet. The actual raising and lowering operations result when the motor rotates the drive shaft causing the rod to shorten as it screws up into the shaft thereby raising the cabinet. The cabinet is lowered when the threaded screw rod lengthens by unscrewing from the drive shaft. At least four L-shaped swing arms assist the motored mechanism in moving the cabinet by maintaining the cabinet'"'"'s parallel position to the wall.

Claims

1. A motor driven movable cabinet capable of being lowered over a counter space in its extended position and lifted against a wall in its retracted position, comprising:

a cabinet enclosure having a top wall, a bottom wall, and two vertical side walls connected thereto;

at least four swing arms of equal length, each having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end of at least two of said swing arms is pivotally attached to each of said vertical side walls;

a vertical cabinet wall frame including two vertical side rails for pivotally supporting said second ends of said at least four swing arms connected to the cabinet enclosure;

a vertical motor affixed to said wall frame above said cabinet enclosure, having a vertical motor shaft facing downward;

a variable length drive shaft assembly comprising a tube drive shaft and a threaded screw drive rod screwably connected thereto;

wherein said tube drive shaft is connected to said vertical motor by means of a universal joint, and

wherein, said threaded screw drive rod is hingedly attached to said bottom wall of the cabinet enclosure;

whereby the rotation of said motor causes the arcuate lifting of the cabinet enclosure and drive shaft assembly in one direction by shortening said variable length drive shaft assembly and the arcuate lowering of the cabinet enclosure and drive shaft assembly in the opposite direction by lengthening said variable length drive shaft assembly.

2. The cabinet described in claim 1, further comprising a limit switch assembly to automatically stop the lifting and lowering of said cabinet enclosure, said limit switch assembly having a first lever mounted on one of said swing arms and a second lever mounted on said vertical cabinet wall frame, wherein said switch assembly stops the rotation of said motor when said first lever contacts said second lever.

3. The cabinet described in claim 1, further comprising a load bearing bracket pivot assembly secured to said wall frame to support said drive shaft assembly.

4. The cabinet described in claim 1, wherein each of said at least four swing arms consists of an L-shaped structure.

5. A motor driven movable cabinet capable of being lowered over a counter space in its extended position and lifted against a wall in its retracted position, comprising:

a shelf means for storing objects;

a guide means coupled to said wall and said shelf means to direct movement of said shelf means in an arcuate path;

a vertical motor affixed to said wall having a vertical motor shaft;

a variable length drive shaft assembly having a first shaft end and a second shaft end, said first shaft end being pivotally connected to said vertical motor shaft to allow said shelf means to move in an arcuate path while allowing rotation of the shaft assembly, and said second shaft end being hingedly attached to said shelf means;

wherein the rotation of said motor causes the lifting of the cabinet enclosure in one direction by shortening said variable length drive shaft assembly and the lowering of the cabinet enclosure in the opposite direction by lengthening said variable length drive shaft assembly.

6. The shelf described in claim 5, further comprising a load bearing bracket pivot assembly secured to said wall to support said variable length drive shaft assembly.

7. The shelf described in claim 5, wherein said guide means comprise swing arms of equal length, each having a first arm end and a second arm end, said first arm end of at least two of the swing arms being pivotally coupled to said shelf means and said second arm end of said at least two of the swing arms being pivotally coupled to said wall.

8. The shelf described in claim 7, wherein each of said at least two swing arms consists of an L-shaped structure.