Inclined slide assemblies for vertical drawers

• US 5,992,956 A
• Filed: 02/27/1998
• Issued: 11/30/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Snap-On Tools Company LLC (Snap-On Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Snap-On Tools Company LLC (Snap-On Incorporated)
• Inventors: Slivon, George R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Jose V.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, HANH VAN
• Application Number:
  US09/032,539
• Time in Patent Office: 641 Days
• Field of Search: 312/334.24, 312/311, 312/334.25, 312/334.6, 312/334.28, 312/334.38
• US Class Current: 312/334.25
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2088/421 the bottom, cabinet side slide having a U-shape section opening upwards
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 88/42 Vertically-oriented drawers, i.e. drawers where the height exceeds the width
• CPC Class Codes: B25H 3/028 by sliding extraction from within a common frame

Abstract

A tool cabinet has a plurality of vertically-oriented drawers, each slidably supported at its upper and lower ends by upper and lower drawer slide assemblies, wherein each slide assembly is coupled between facing support surfaces on the drawer and the cabinet frame, which surfaces are inclined to both the horizontal and vertical in use. The cabinet also includes horizontal drawers and an access door. Each vertical drawer has a pegboard-type panel on which associated tools or articles may be hung.

Claims

1. In combination, a drawer and a slide apparatus therefor, said combination comprising:

a frame having spaced-apart upper and lower non-parallel support surfaces,

each of said upper and lower support surfaces being inclined in use with respect to both the vertical and the horizontal,

an upstanding drawer having angled upper and lower surfaces respectively disposed adjacent and parallel to said upper and lower support surfaces,

an upper slide mechanism connecting said upper surface of said drawer to said upper support surface for relative sliding movement parallel to said upper support surface, and

a lower slide mechanism discrete from said upper slide mechanism connecting said lower surface of said drawer to said lower support surface for relative sliding movement parallel to said lower support surface.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein said upper and lower support surfaces respectively lie in planes which are substantially perpendicular to each other.

3. The combination of claim 2, wherein one of said planes is disposed substantially vertically in use.

4. The combination of claim 1, wherein each of the upper and lower support surfaces is inclined in use at an angle of approximately 30 degrees to the vertical.

5. The combination of claim 1, wherein said upper and lower surfaces being respectively disposed at upper and lower ends of said drawer.

6. The combination of claim 1, wherein each of the upper and lower slide mechanisms includes a multi-part drawer slide assembly.

7. The combination of claim 1, wherein said drawer includes an upstanding perforated support panel from which associated articles may be hung.

8. In combination, a drawer and a slide apparatus therefor, said combination comprising:

a frame having first and second spaced-apart non-parallel frame support surfaces,

each of said frame support surfaces being inclined in use with respect to both the vertical and the horizontal,

a drawer having angled first and second drawer support surfaces respectively parallel to said first and second frame support surfaces, and

first and second slide assemblies discrete from each other and respectively slidably connecting said first and second drawer support surfaces to said first and second frame support surfaces,

each of said slide assemblies including an elongated drawer slide member fixed to the associated drawer support surface and an elongated frame slide member fixed to the associated frame support surface.

9. The combination of claim 8, wherein said drawer is disposed substantially vertically in use, said first and second drawer support surfaces respectively being disposed at upper and lower ends of the drawer.

10. The combination of claim 8, wherein each of said slide assemblies includes an intermediate slide member disposed between said drawer slide member and said frame slide member.

11. The combination of claim 10, wherein each of said slide assemblies includes ball races interposed between adjacent ones of the slide members.

12. The combination of claim 8, wherein said frame includes first and second support brackets elongated in the direction of sliding movement of the drawer and respectively having said first and second frame support surfaces formed thereon.

13. A tool cabinet comprising:

a housing defining a storage compartment and having spaced-apart upper and lower frame members each having plural support surfaces thereon,

the support surfaces on each frame member being substantially parallel to one another but non-parallel to the support surfaces on the other frame member,

each of said support surfaces being inclined in use with respect to both the vertical and the horizontal,

a plurality of vertical drawers each having angled surfaces diposed parallel to the support surfaces, and

a plurality of support assemblies respectively supporting said drawers for sliding movement between a closed position disposed entirely within the storage compartment and an open position extending from the storage compartment,

each support assembly including an upper slide assembly carried by one of the support surfaces on the upper frame member and a discrete lower slide assembly carried by a corresponding support surface on the lower frame member.

14. The tool cabinet of claim 13, and further comprising a door carried by said housing and movable between open and closed positions relative to the storage compartment.

15. The tool cabinet of claim 13, wherein each of said upper and lower frame members includes a plurality of support brackets elongated in the direction of sliding movement of the drawers and respectively having said support surfaces formed thereon.

16. The tool cabinet of claim 15, wherein said support surfaces on said upper frame member respectively lie in planes which are substantially perpendicular to planes in which the support surfaces on the lower frame member lie.

17. The tool cabinet of claim 13, wherein each of said slide assemblies includes elongated slide members respectively mounted on the associated drawer and the associated support surface.