Storage cabinet removably mounted on a worksurface by support stanchions

• US 6,550,875 B1
• Filed: 04/28/2000
• Issued: 04/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Haworth Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Haworth Incorporated
• Inventors: Powell, Mark, Wayner, Robert Clare, Roels, Ricky D., West, Daniel C. K., Compton, Cheryl C., Saylor, Charles J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mai, Lanna
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, HANH VAN
• Application Number:
  US09/561,397
• Time in Patent Office: 1,089 Days
• Field of Search: 312/194, 312/196, 312/198, 108/50.01, 108/50.02, 108/92, 108/93, 108/97, 108/98, 108/150, 248/227.2, 248/228.6, 248/229.25, 248/231.71, 248/235, 248/250
• US Class Current: 312/196
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 17/033 with parts added to the original furniture to enlarge its surface
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 63/00 Cabinets, racks or shelf units, specially adapted for storing books, documents, forms, or the like

Abstract

A storage cabinet assembly which is mounted on a worksurface by one or more support stanchions which project generally upwardly from the worksurface adjacent an edge thereof. The support stanchions position the storage cabinet in upwardly spaced relation from an upper surface of the worksurface and so that the rear side of the cabinet is generally vertically aligned with the edge of the worksurface. The storage cabinet includes one or more horizontal shelves which are adapted to mount upright divider elements thereon which define upwardly and sidewardly opening channels for accommodating documents or other materials therein.

Claims

1. A storage arrangement comprising:

a worksurface having a generally horizontally oriented upper surface and at least one edge;

a storage unit including a generally horizontally oriented load-bearing panel defining a storage area thereabove and having front and rear edges and a pair of end edges which extend transversely between said front and rear edges;

a pair of generally upright arms each having a lower end supported on said worksurface adjacent said edge thereof and an upper end defining a connector element thereon; and

a pair of discrete mounting elements fixed to said panel at a lower side thereof by fasteners which extend through the respective mounting elements and into said panel, said mounting elements being disposed in a spaced-apart manner with one another and respectively interconnecting said storage unit to said upper ends of said arms, each said mounting element and the corresponding said connector element together defining a releasable connection including a projection which is cantilevered outwardly from one of said elements and a channel defined in the other said element, said channel opening sidewardly towards at least one of said end edges of said panel and slidably receiving therein said projection to releasably mount said storage unit on said arms.

2. The storage arrangement of claim 1 wherein said mounting elements are disposed entirely beneath said panel so as not to project horizontally beyond said panel.

3. The storage arrangement of claim 1 wherein each said channel opens sidewardly towards both of said end edges such that said projection is insertable sidewardly into said channel through either open end thereof.

4. The storage arrangement of claim 3 wherein said projections are cantilevered downwardly from the respective mounting elements and said channels are defined in the respective connector elements on said upper ends of said arms.

5. The storage arrangement of claim 1 further including mounting arrangements for respectively securing said arms to said worksurface, each said mounting arrangement including an upright upper part positioned along said edge of said worksurface and a nose which projects sidewardly from said upper part and into a rearwardly opening recess defined in said arm, and a lower part connected to said upper part and which projects partially under said worksurface and clampingly engages said edge thereof.

6. The storage arrangement of claim 1 wherein each said mounting element includes an upper plate-shaped part which defines an upper surface thereon disposed in supportive engagement with said panel and a pair of surfaces defined adjacent a lower side of said plate-shaped part which are angled relative to one another, one of said surfaces facing generally downwardly and the other said surface facing generally rearwardly, each said connector element defining thereon a pair of plates which are angled relative to one another and disposed in direct supportive engagement with the respective said surfaces of the respective said mounting element.

7. The storage arrangement of claim 6 wherein said channels are elongated and extend in a direction which is generally parallel to said edge of said worksurface and along a junction between said plates of the respective connector element, and said projections comprise elongated rods fixed to the respective mounting element and extending along a junction between said surfaces thereof.

8. The storage arrangement of claim 7 wherein an angle defined between said surfaces of the respective plate-shaped parts is substantially the same as an angle defined between said plates of the respective connector elements, said angles being greater than 90 degrees.

9. A storage arrangement mountable on a worksurface having generally horizontally enlarged upper and lower oppositely facing surfaces and at least one edge, said arrangement comprising:

a cabinet having upper and lower generally horizontal walls, a rear wall which is generally vertical and extends transversely between said upper and lower walls so that same are vertically spaced from one another, and a pair of upright end walls extending between and interconnecting said upper, lower and rear walls to provide said cabinet with a generally hollow and sidewardly-opening interior storage space, said lower wall mounting thereon an elongate channel member which extends transversely between front and rear longitudinal edges of said lower wall, said channel member being defined by an elongate base wall which is spaced vertically downwardly from a bottom surface of said lower wall by a pair of upright side walls which adjoin at upper ends thereof to respective horizontal flanges attached to said bottom surface, said base wall removably mounting thereon a mounting element at a generally central location therealong between said front and rear edges of said lower wall, and a door structure mounted to said cabinet and swingably movable between a closed position so as to close off said storage space and an open position to provide access thereto;

a support arm connected to the worksurface adjacent the edge thereof for stationarily positioning said cabinet above the worksurface and generally adjacent the edge thereof, said cabinet being supported in its entirety on said support arm so as to be free of direct supportive engagement with the worksurface, said support arm having an upper end configured to cooperatively and releasably engage with said mounting element of said base wall and a lower end which bears upon the upper surface of the worksurface, said support arm defining a sidewardly opening recess therein; and

a mounting arrangement for securing said support arm to the worksurface, said mounting arrangement including an upper part positioned along the edge of the worksurface and having a nose which projects into said recess of said support arm and bears against a bottom wall thereof, and a lower part connected to said upper part and which projects partially under the worksurface, said lower part including a manually adjustable fastening element which is actuable to exert a downwardly directed force on said upper part to clamp said nose against said bottom wall and fix said support arm to the worksurface.

10. The arrangement of claim 9 wherein said door structure includes first and second doors having outer edge portions which are hingedly connected to respective forwardmost ends of said end walls so as to pivot about respective vertical axes, each said door having a generally rectangular shape and defining therein a pair of recesses respectively located at upper and lower corners of said door adjacent an inner free edge portion thereof.

11. The arrangement of claim 9 wherein a pair of said support arms are provided which cooperatively engage with a pair of said mounting elements each provided on a said base wall of a respective channel member, said support arms being positioned adjacent opposite transverse edges of said lower wall, said lower ends of said support arms being positioned closely adjacent, but not projecting horizontally beyond, the edge of the worksurface, and each said support arm having a configuration which projects forwardly as same projects upwardly from said lower end to said upper end thereof.

12. The arrangement of claim 9 wherein said upper and lower walls define a plurality of slots therein for mounting a plurality of generally upright divider elements thereon, said divider elements each including at least one projecting hook structure which engages within a respective one of said slots to releasably secure said divider element to one of said walls, said divider elements being positionable in side-by-side spaced relation with one another so as to define at least one sidewardly and upwardly opening storage slot therebetween for accommodating documents or other materials, and said divider elements when mounted on said lower wall being disposed within said storage space.

13. The arrangement of claim 9 wherein one of said mounting element and said upper end of said support arm includes a projection which is cantilevered outwardly therefrom and engaged within a channel defined in the other of said mounting element and said upper end to releasably mount said cabinet to said support arm.

14. The arrangement of claim 13 wherein said channel opens sidewardly towards each of said end panels of said cabinet such that said projection is sidewardly insertable into said channel from either open end thereof, said mounting element having an upper plate-like member which is fixed to said lower panel by at least one fastener, and a set screw extends through a portion of said upper end of said support arm and bears against said mounting element to securely but releasably fasten said mounting element to said support arm.

15. The arrangement of claim 14 wherein said projection is cantilevered downwardly from a lower side of said plate-like member and said channel is defined in said upper end of said support arm.

16. The arrangement of claim 9 wherein a pair of said channel members are provided and extend transversely between said front and rear longitudinal edges of said lower wall in laterally-spaced and generally parallel relation with one another, and a pair of said support arms are provided and connected to the worksurface which cooperatively engage with a pair of said mounting elements each provided on a said base wall of a respective channel member.