Method for designing and detailing cabinets

• US 5,255,207 A
• Filed: 06/18/1992
• Issued: 10/19/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Larry Cornwell
• Original Assignee: Larry Cornwell
• Inventors: Cornwell, Larry
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US07/900,560
• Time in Patent Office: 488 Days
• Field of Search: 395/919-923, 364/400, 364/401, 364/464.01, 364/468, 364/488, 364/505, 364/512, 364/514
• US Class Current: 703/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/18 Network design, e.g. design based on topological or interconnect aspects of utility systems, piping, heating ventilation air conditioning [HVAC] or cabling circuit design at the physical level G06F30/39; network planning tools for wireless communication networks H04W16/18
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0875 Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 706/919 Designing, planning, programming, CAD, CASE

Abstract

An interactive method for designing and detailing cabinets utilizes a computer for storing design constraints and standards in a database and for performing the tedious parts of cabinet placement, costing, and planning. The user is freed from performing these functions and is able to focus on the esthetic aspects of the cabinet design, including cabinet placement and appearance. The computer creates an initial cabinet placement based upon constraints provided by the user, so that the user may modify an existing custom design. The user views the layout of the entire room or parts thereof at each stage of the design process on a video display terminal in three dimension, elevation, or plan views, permitting the use of computer aided design techniques. The user may make custom modifications to cabinet designs by overriding the standards or creating new standards at any point, and the changes are immediately incorporated into all aspects of design and detailing. The database includes the design constraints of the cabinetmaker, so that the cabinets as designed are capable of construction, and bidding is based upon actual costs.

Claims

1. A method for building cabinets to fit within an available space, comprising the steps of:

a computer establishing a job database comprising

cabinet design standards customized for a user, the job database having cabinet design standards initially provided in the job database, and user-defined cabinet design standards that are fully defined by the user, the cabinet design standards including layout rules for the type, configuration, and positioning of cabinets to fit within an available space and construction rules for the construction of the individual cabinets, the step of establishing including the steps of

the computer copying from a system database an initial job database of system-defined cabinet design standards having parameters that may be modified by the user,

the user selectively modifying parameters for system defined cabinet design standards in the job database,

the computer permitting the user to selectively create custom defined cabinet design standards in the job database and permitting the user to input values for the custom defined cabinet design standards into the job database;

the user providing available space constraints for the placement of the cabinets, the placement being the designed location in space occupied by the cabinets;

the computer filling the available space of the base cabinets and the upper cabinets remaining after the step of providing, by

selecting an array of base cabinets according to the layout design rules of the database and the available space constraints,

adding upper cabinets, each corresponding in location and lateral dimension to the base cabinet directly below the upper cabinet, and

accepting modification to the placement or dimension of a cabinet or element thereof selectively by the user, thereafter repeating the steps of selecting an array and adding;

the computer completing final design of the cabinets using the construction rules of the cabinet design standards in the job database;

the computer detailing the cabinets to establish a cutting list, a bill of materials, and projected costs of manufacture, and printing the cutting list, bill of materials, and projected costs of manufacture,

the computer providing a user-selected elevational or three dimensional current image of the visual appearance of the design of the cabinets to the user on a video display terminal at each of the steps of selecting, filling the available space, and completing the final design; and

building an arrangement of cabinets according to the design produced responsive to the interaction between the user and the computer.

2. A method for designing a group of cabinets to fit within an available space and for producing instructions for the building of the group of cabinets, using an interactive computer system operated by a user, comprising the steps of:

the computer establishing a job database comprising

cabinet design standards customized for the user, the job database having cabinet design standards initially provided in the job database, and user-defined cabinet design standards that are fully defined by the user, the cabinet design standards including layout rules for the type, configuration, and positioning of cabinets to fit within an available space,

the step of establishing including the steps of

the computer copying from a system database an initial job database of system-defined layout rules that may be modified by the user,

the user selectively modifying parameters for system defined layout rules in the job database,

the computer permitting the user to selectively create custom defined layout rules and permitting the user to input values for the custom defined layout rules into the job database;

the user providing available space constraints for the placement of the cabinets, the placement being the designed location in space occupied by the cabinets;

the computer filling the available space with a grouping of cabinets based upon the job database so established by applying the design rules of the job database, and

outputting instructions on the building of the group of cabinets, the visual appearance of the design of the group of cabinets being selectively visible to the user on a video display terminal in elevational or three-dimensional views.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of permitting the user to create custom defined design standards includes establishment of a user created standard.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of permitting the user to create custom defined design standards includes a step which overrides the selection of parts on the cabinet design.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein an array of base cabinets is first established by the computer in the step of filling the available space, and then an array of upper cabinets is established corresponding in placement and width of the base cabinet directly below each upper cabinet.

6. The method of claim 2, including the further step, as part of the step of filling, of:

accepting modification to the placement or dimension of a cabinet or element thereof by the user, thereafter repeating the steps of adding and dimensioning.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein, in the step of accepting modifications, the dimensions of the base cabinets are selected from library values.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the system database includes a library which contains types of standard cabinets.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the system database includes a library which contains components for cabinets that may be modified by the user and included in the design.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein the system database includes a library which contains custom accessories that may be used with the cabinet design.

11. A method for building cabinets to fit within an available space, comprising the steps of:

a computer establishing a job database comprising

cabinet design standards customized for a user, the job database having cabinet design standards initially provided in the job database, and user-defined cabinet design standards that are fully defined by the user, the cabinet design standards including layout rules for the type, configuration, and positioning of cabinets to fit within an available space,

the step of establishing including the steps of

the computer copying from a system database an initial job database of system-defined layout rules that may be modified by the user,

the user selectively modifying parameters for system defined layout rules in the job database,

the computer permitting the user to selectively create custom defined layout rules in the job database and permitting the user to input values for the custom defined layout rules in the job database;

the user providing available space constraints for the placement of the cabinets, the placement being the designed location in space occupied by the cabinets;

the computer filling the available space with a group of cabinets based upon the job database so established by applying the design rules of the job database and outputting instructions on the building of the group of cabinets, the visual appearance of the design of the group of cabinets being selectively visible to the user on a video display terminal in elevational or three-dimensional views; and

building an arrangement of cabinets according to the design produced responsive to the interaction between the user and the computer.

12. A method for designing and detailing a group of cabinets including base cabinets and upper cabinets to fit within an available space and providing instructions for the building of the cabinets, using an interactive computer system operated by a user, comprising the steps of:

the computer establishing a job database comprising

cabinet design standards customized for the user, the job database having cabinet design standards initially provided in the job database, and user-defined cabinet design standards that are fully defined by the user, the cabinet design standards including layout rules for the type, configuration, and positioning of cabinets to fit within an available space and construction rules for the construction of the individual cabinets, the step of establishing including the steps of

the computer copying from a system database an initial job database of system-defined cabinet design standards having parameters that may be modified by the user

the user selectively modifying parameters for system defined cabinet design standards in the job database,

the computer permitting the user to selectively create custom defined cabinet design standards in the job database and permitting the user to input values for the custom defined cabinet design standards into the job database;

the user providing available space constraints for the placement of the cabinets, the placement being the designed location in space occupied by the cabinets;

the computer filling the available space of the base cabinets and the upper cabinets remaining after the step of providing, by

selecting an array of base cabinets according to the layout design rules of the database and the available space constraints,

adding upper cabinets, each corresponding in location and lateral dimension to the base cabinet directly below the upper cabinet, and

accepting modification to the placement or dimension of a cabinet or element thereof selectively by the user, thereafter repeating the steps of selecting an array and adding;

the computer completing final design of the cabinets using the construction rules of the cabinet design standards in the job database; and

the computer detailing the cabinets to establish a cutting list, a bill of materials, and projected costs of manufacture, and outputting the cutting list, bill of materials, and projected costs of manufacture,

the computer providing a user-selected elevational or three dimensional current image of the visual appearance of the design of the group of cabinets to the user on a video display terminal at each of the steps of filling the available space and completing the final design.

13. The method of claim 12, including a further step, after the step of completing final design, of

the computer printing a contract for construction of the cabinets, the contract to include a price based upon the projected costs of manufacture.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the system database includes a library which contains types of standard cabinets used in the step of selecting an array.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the system database includes a library which contains components for cabinets that may be modified by the user and included in the design.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the system database includes a library which contains custom accessories that may be used with the cabinet design.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of permitting the user to create custom defined design standards includes the establishment of a user created standard.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of permitting the user to create custom defined design standards includes a step which overrides the selection of parts on the cabinet design.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein, in the step of the computer filling the available space, the dimensions of the base cabinets are selected by the computer from data in the library.