Cabinet with over-the-top door

• US 6,007,171 A
• Filed: 10/01/1998
• Issued: 12/28/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Steelcase Development Inc.
• Original Assignee: Steelcase Development Inc.
• Inventors: Varellas-Olree, Carolyn May
• Primary Examiner(s): WILKENS, JANET MARIE
• Application Number:
  US09/164,743
• Time in Patent Office: 453 Days
• Field of Search: 312/139.1, 312/322, 312/323, 312/109, 49/152, 49/153, 49/154
• US Class Current: 312/323
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 47/00 Cabinets, racks or shelf units, characterised by features related to dismountability or building-up from elements A47B43/00, A47B45/00 take precedence; features for adjusting shelves or partitions A47B57/00
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 15/582 with horizontal swinging axis E05D15/581 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/20 for furnitures, e.g. cabinets
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/5045 specially adapted for furniture E06B3/52 takes precedence

Abstract

A cabinet assembly includes a cabinet, a door, sliding hinge structures, a follower, and a mating guide. The cabinet is provided with a front opening. The door is configured to close the front opening. The sliding hinge structures operably support the door on the cabinet for pivotal and sliding movement between a closed position covering the front opening, and an open position uncovering the front opening and storing the door above the cabinet. The follower and the mating guide are separate from the hinge structures and operably attach an upper edge of the door to a front edge of the cabinet. The follower and guide constrain the door to a pivotal movement as the door is initially opened in a manner preventing a sliding guillotine-like movement when the door is initially opened.

Claims

1. A cabinet assembly comprising:

a cabinet having a front opening and including a top panel;

a door configured to close the front opening;

sliding hinge structures operably supporting the door in the cabinet for pivotal and sliding movement between a closed position covering the front opening, and an open position uncovering the front opening and storing the door above the cabinet; and

a follower and a mating guide separate from the hinge structures that operably attach an upper edge of the door to a front edge of the cabinet, the follower and guide constraining the door to a pivotal movement as the door is initially opened in a manner preventing a sliding guillotine-like movement while the door is in a partially opened position.

2. The cabinet assembly defined in claim 1 wherein the guide includes a slot formed within the top panel.

3. The cabinet assembly defined in claim 2 wherein the follower is operably engaged with the slot.

4. The cabinet assembly defined in claim 3 wherein the follower is defined by a bent rod.

5. The cabinet assembly defined in claim 2 wherein the slot comprises a groove with a side recess.

6. The cabinet assembly defined in claim 5 wherein the follower is engaged within the side recess of the groove.

7. The cabinet assembly defined in claim 1 wherein the guide is defined by opposing edge flanges, the opposing edge flanges each having a top surface, a bottom surface, and an inside surface, the follower including opposing faces shaped to slidably engage the top, bottom, and inside surfaces of the opposing edge flanges.

8. In a cabinet assembly including a cabinet and a door, the cabinet having a front opening and a top panel with the door being configured to cover the front opening, and including hinges pivotally and slidably mounting the door to a front edge of the top panel, the door being movable between a closed position where the door covers the front opening, a pivoted/opened position where the door extends horizontally in front of the cabinet, and a stored/opened position where the door is located generally parallel the top panel, an improvement comprising:

a guide extending fore-to-aft in the top panel, the guide being generally centrally located in the top panel and extending to the front edge thereof; and

a follower on the door separate from the hinges that is both pivoted to the door and slidably engaged with the guide, the door pivoting on the follower and the hinges when the door is moved between the closed position and the pivoted/opened position, but characteristically the follower not sliding when the door is initially pivoted from the closed position, and further characteristically the follower preventing the door from moving with a guillotine-like movement when initially pivoted from the closed position, the follower slidably engaging the guide when the door is slidingly moved on the hinges between the pivoted/opened position and the stored/opened position but characteristically the door not pivoting on the follower, nor pivoting on the hinges, when the door is initially slidingly moved from the stored/opened position;

whereby an over-the-top cabinet door is provided that substantially cannot be moved with a vertical guillotine-like motion as the door is closed.

9. The cabinet assembly defined in claim 8 wherein the guide is a slot formed within the top panel.

10. The cabinet assembly defined in claim 9 wherein the follower is engaged through the slot.

11. The cabinet assembly defined in claim 10 wherein the follower is defined by a bent rod.

12. The cabinet assembly defined in claim 9 wherein the slot is a groove.

13. The cabinet assembly defined in claim 12 wherein the follower is engaged within the groove.

14. The cabinet assembly defined in claim 13 wherein the follower is formed of a lubricious plastic.

15. The cabinet assembly defined in claim 8 wherein the guide is defined by opposing edge flanges, the opposing edge flanges each having a top surface, a bottom surface, and an inside surface, the follower including opposing faces shaped to slidably engage the top, bottom, and inside surfaces of the opposing edge flanges.

16. A cabinet assembly comprising:

a cabinet having a front opening and including a top panel;

a door configured to close the front opening and including a rear surface; and

a door support mechanism operably mounting the door on the cabinet, the door support mechanism being configured to support the door for pivotal movement between a closed position where the door covers the front opening and a pivoted/opened position where the door is pivoted open and extends forward of the cabinet, and further being configured to support the door for sliding movement between the pivoted/opened position and a stored/opened position where the door is located over the cabinet, the door support mechanism including a first track and a first follower operably engaging the first track and defining a first axis of rotation and a first path, and including second tracks and second followers operably engaging the second tracks and defining a second axis of rotation and a second path, the first tracks and the second follower being attached to one of the cabinet and the door, and the second tracks and first followers being attached to the other of the cabinet and the door, the tracks and followers being located so that the first and second paths extend in substantially perpendicular directions when the door is in the closed position, but so that the first and second paths are coplanar and aligned when the door is between the pivoted/opened position and stored/opened position, and further the first and second tracks and the first and second followers being located so that the first and second axes are co-axially aligned only when in or between the closed position and pivoted/opened position, but are misaligned when in or close to the stored/opened position, whereby the door is limited to a pivoting motion when the door is between the closed position and the pivoted/opened position, and whereby the door is limited to a sliding motion when the door is between the pivoted/opened position and the stored/opened position.

17. The cabinet assembly defined in claim 16 wherein the second tracks are a attached to the door and the second followers are a sliding-type hinge.

18. The cabinet assembly defined in claim 17 wherein the first track is located atop the top panel.

19. The cabinet assembly defined in claim 18 wherein the first track is a slot formed within the top panel.

20. The cabinet assembly defined in claim 19 where in the first follower is a lubricious bearing member that slidably engages the slot.

21. The cabinet assembly defined in claim 20 wherein the first track is centrally located within the top panel and is oriented in a fore-to-aft direction.

22. The cabinet assembly defined in claim 16 wherein the first track is centrally located within the top panel and is oriented in a fore-to-aft direction.