Cabinet structure

• US 6,550,879 B1
• Filed: 11/19/1993
• Issued: 04/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Herman Miller Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Herman Miller Incorporated
• Inventors: Bekins, Michele, Teays, Stephen R., Kurrasch, Andrew J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Weiss, John G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FISHER, MICHAEL J
• Application Number:
  US08/155,946
• Time in Patent Office: 3,441 Days
• Field of Search: 312/257.1, 312/263, 312/265.5, 522/70, 522/65, 522/68, 528/08, 528/011.1, 527/841.4, 527/901, 428/593
• US Class Current: 312/257.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 47/02 made of metal only
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 83/00 Combinations comprising two or more pieces of furniture of different kinds
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 87/00 Sectional furniture, i.e. combinations of complete furniture units , e.g. assemblies of furniture units of the same kind such as linkable cabinets, tables, racks or shelf units switchboards or switch cubicles for the distribution of electric power H02B
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1234 Honeycomb, or with grain orientation or elongated elements in defined angular relationship in respective components [e.g., parallel, inter- secting, etc.]

Abstract

A cabinet having a wall comprising an inner wall and an outer wall attached to the inner wall. A strengthening piece or material is positioned between the inner wall and the outer wall to provide strength and rigidity to the wall. Preferably, the strengthening piece or material has a honeycomb structure.

Claims

1. A cabinet comprising:

a top piece;

a bottom piece;

a wall attached to said top piece and said bottom piece, wherein said wall comprises;

an inner wall;

an outer wall attached to said inner wall, wherein said inner wall and said outer wall define a cavity;

a first unitary strengthening element which has a unitary structure independent of said inner wall and said outer wall, said first unitary strengthening element having a first pattern of apertures facing said inner and outer walls and positioned between said inner wall and said outer wall in said cavity having a thickness so as to contact said inner wall and said outer wall, wherein said first pattern of apertures comprises a plurality of interconnected columns having two or more vertically aligned apertures and no two abutting apertures of adjacent columns form a horizontal row; and

a second unitary strengthening element which has a unitary structure independent of said inner wall and said outer wall, said second unitary strengthening element having a second pattern of apertures facing said inner and outer walls, said second strengthening element being separated from said first strengthening element by a volume of space, said second strengthening element substantially coplanar with said first strengthening element and positioned between said inner wall and said outer wall in said cavity having a thickness so as to contact said inner wall and said outer wall, wherein said second pattern of apertures comprises a plurality of interconnected columns having two or more vertically aligned apertures and no two abutting apertures of adjacent columns form a horizontal row;

wherein said volume of space has a width that extends between said first and second strengthening elements and said volume of space is devoid of any materials that strengthen said wall.

2. The cabinet of claim 1, wherein said structure of each of said first and second strengthening elements comprises a regular pattern of their respective apertures.

3. The cabinet of claim 1, wherein said first and second strengthening elements each has a honeycomb structure.

4. The cabinet of claim 3, wherein said respective apertures of each of said first and second strengthening elements face said inner and outer walls.

5. The cabinet of claim 3, wherein said first and second strengthening elements are attached to said inner wall and said outer wall.

6. The cabinet of claim 1, wherein said first strengthening element comprises paper.

7. The cabinet of claim 1, wherein said first strengthening element comprises paper.

8. The cabinet of claim 1, wherein each of said apertures of each of said first and second strengthening elements comprises a hexagon.

9. The cabinet of claim 8, wherein said hexagon is a regular hexagon.

10. The cabinet of claim 8, wherein said hexagon comprises a pair of sides parallel to an edge of said wall.

11. The cabinet of claim 1, wherein said wall has a strength such that said wall does not require a frame for support.

12. The cabinet of claim 1, wherein said volume of space is greater than the combined volume of said strengthening elements and said apertures.

13. The cabinet of claim 1, wherein abutting apertures of adjacent columns are vertically offset from one another.

14. The cabinet of claim 13, wherein abutting apertures of adjacent columns form a plurality of rows that form an acute angle with the adjacent columns.

15. The cabinet of claim 1, wherein abutting apertures of adjacent columns form a plurality of rows that form an acute angle with the adjacent columns.

28. The cabinet of claim 1, wherein abutting apertures of adjacent columns are vertically offset from one another.

29. The cabinet of claim 28, wherein abutting apertures of adjacent columns form a plurality of rows that form an acute angle with the adjacent columns.

16. A cabinet comprising:

a top piece;

a bottom piece;

a wall attached to said top piece and said bottom piece, wherein said wall comprises;

a first wall;

a second wall attached to said first wall, wherein said first wall and said second wall define a cavity;

a first unitary strengthening element which has a unitary structure independent of said first wall and said second wall, said first unitary strengthening element having a first pattern of apertures facing said inner and outer walls and positioned between and attached to said first wall and said second wall in said cavity, wherein said first strengthening element is symmetrically positioned about a first plane of symmetry of said first wall, wherein said first pattern of apertures comprises a plurality of interconnected columns having two or more vertically aligned apertures and no two abutting apertures of adjacent columns form a horizontal row; and

a second unitary strengthening element which has a unitary structure independent of said first wall and said second wall, said second unitary strengthening element having a second pattern of apertures facing said inner and outer walls, said second strengthening element being separated from said first strengthening element by a volume of space, said second strengthening element substantially coplanar with said first strengthening element and positioned between said first wall and said second wall in said cavity, wherein said second pattern of apertures comprises a plurality of interconnected columns having two or more vertically aligned apertures and no two abutting apertures of adjacent columns form a horizontal row;

wherein said volume of space has a width that extends between said first and second strengthening elements and said volume of space is devoid of any materials that strengthen said wall.

17. The cabinet of claim 16, wherein said first and second strengthening elements are symmetrically positioned about a second plane of symmetry of said first wall.

18. The cabinet of claim 17, wherein said first and second planes of symmetry are perpendicular to each other.

19. The cabinet of claim 16, wherein said second strengthening element is symmetrically positioned about said first plane of symmetry of said first wall.

20. The cabinet of claim 19, wherein said first strengthening element and said second strengthening material are symmetrically spaced from each other with respect to a second plane of symmetry of said first wall.

21. The cabinet of claim 18, wherein said first and second planes of symmetry are perpendicular to each other.

22. The cabinet of claim 16, wherein said wall has a strength such that said wall does not require a frame for support.

23. The cabinet of claim 16, wherein said structure of each of said first and second strengthening elements comprises a regular pattern of their respective apertures.

24. The cabinet of claim 16, wherein said first and second strengthening elements each has a honeycomb structure.

25. The cabinet of claim 24, wherein said one or more apertures of each of said first and second strengthening elements face said first and second walls.

26. The cabinet of claim 16, wherein said volume of space is greater than the combined volume of said strengthening elements and said apertures.

27. The cabinet of claim 16, wherein abutting apertures of adjacent columns are vertically offset from one another.

30. The cabinet of claim 16, wherein abutting apertures of adjacent columns form a plurality of rows that form an acute angle with the adjacent columns.

31. The cabinet of claim 27, wherein abutting apertures of adjacent columns form a plurality of rows that form an acute angle with the adjacent columns.

32. A cabinet comprising:

a top piece;

a bottom piece;

a first wall, a second wall, and a third wall, each having a plurality of edges and attached to said top piece and said bottom piece, wherein one of said first, second, and third walls comprises;

an inner wall;

an outer wall attached to said inner wall, wherein said inner wall and said outer wall define a cavity having a boundary defined by said plurality of edges of said one of said first, second and third walls;

a strengthening element having a pattern of apertures facing said inner and outer walls and positioned between said inner wall and said outer wall in said cavity and having a thickness so as to contact said inner wall and said outer wall, wherein said pattern of apertures comprises a plurality of interconnected columns having two or more vertically aligned apertures and no two abutting apertures of adjacent columns form a horizontal row,

wherein a volume of space, exclusive of said strengthening element and said apertures, is defined, where the cavity consists essentially of said volume of space, said strengthening element and said apertures; and

wherein said volume of space is devoid of any materials that strengthen said one of said first, second and third walls and said volume of space is greater than the combined volume of said strengthening element and said apertures.

33. The cabinet of claim 32, wherein said strengthening element comprises a regular pattern of said apertures.

34. The cabinet of claim 33, wherein said strengthening element has a honeycomb structure.

35. The cabinet of claim 34, wherein said strengthening element is attached to said inner wall and said outer wall.

36. The cabinet of claim 32, wherein said strengthening element comprises paper.

37. The cabinet of claim 32, wherein each of said apertures comprises a hexagon.

38. The cabinet of claim 37, wherein said hexagon is a regular hexagon.

39. The cabinet of claim 38, wherein said hexagon comprises a pair of sides parallel to one of said plurality of edges of said one of said first, second and third walls.

40. The cabinet of claim 32, wherein said wall has a strength such that said one of said first, second and third walls does not require a frame for support.

41. The cabinet of claim 32, wherein said one of said first, second and third walls is the first wall and said strengthening element is symmetrically positioned about a first plane of symmetry of said first wall.

42. The cabinet of claim 41, wherein said strengthening element is symmetrically positioned about a second plane of symmetry of said first wall.

43. The cabinet of claim 42, wherein said first and second planes of symmetry are perpendicular to each other.

44. The cabinet of claim 41, wherein said first wall has a strength such that said first wall does not require a frame for support.

45. The cabinet of claim 41, wherein said strengthening element comprises a regular pattern of said apertures.

46. The cabinet of claim 45, wherein said strengthening element has a honeycomb structure.

47. The cabinet of claim 32, wherein abutting apertures of adjacent columns form a plurality of rows that form an acute angle with the adjacent columns.

48. A cabinet comprising:

a top piece;

a bottom piece;

a first wall and a second wall, wherein said first and second walls are each attached to said top piece and said bottom piece so as to define an interior of said cabinet;

wherein said first wall comprises;

an inner wall facing said second wall and having a pair of holes spaced apart from one another;

an outer wall attached to said inner wall, wherein said inner wall and said outer wall define a cavity; and

a strengthening element having a pattern of apertures facing said inner and outer walls, wherein said inner wall substantially covers all of said apertures so that said apertures are not exposed to said interior of said cabinet and wherein said strengthening element is positioned between said inner wall and said outer wall in said cavity and having a thickness so as to contact said inner wall and said outer wall, said strengthening element positioned between said pair of holes, wherein said pattern of apertures comprises a plurality of interconnected columns having two or more vertically aligned apertures and no two abutting apertures of adjacent columns form a horizontal row,

a shelf attached to said first wall via said pair of holes, and said shelf is attached to said second wall; and

wherein a volume of space, exclusive of said strengthening element and said apertures, is defined, where the cavity consists essentially of said volume of space, said strengthening element and said apertures, wherein said space is devoid of any materials that strengthen said first wall and said volume of space is greater than the combined volume of said strengthening element and said apertures.

49. The cabinet of claim 48, wherein said pattern of apertures comprises a regular pattern of said apertures.

50. The cabinet of claim 49, wherein said strengthening element has a honeycomb structure.

51. The cabinet of claim 50, wherein said strengthening element is attached to said inner wall and said outer wall.

52. The cabinet of claim 48, wherein said pattern of apertures comprises a hexagon.

53. The cabinet of claim 48, wherein said first wall has a strength such that said first wall does not require a frame for support.

54. The cabinet of claim 48, wherein said inner wall comprises a first row of holes laterally spaced apart from a second row of holes.

55. The cabinet of claim 54, wherein said first row and said second row are a predetermined distance apart from each other.

56. The cabinet of claim 55, wherein said second wall comprises:

a second inner wall facing said first wall and having a second pair of holes spaced apart from one another;

a second outer wall attached to said second inner wall, wherein said second inner wall and said second outer wall define a second cavity; and

a second strengthening element having a pattern of apertures facing said second inner and outer walls and positioned between said second inner wall and said second outer wall in said cavity, said second strengthening element having a thickness so as to contact said second inner wall and said second outer wall, said second strengthening element positioned between said second pair of holes; and

said shelf is attached to said second wall via said second pair of holes.

57. The cabinet of claim 56, wherein said second inner wall comprises a third row of holes laterally spaced apart from a fourth row of holes.

58. The cabinet of claim 57, wherein said third row of holes and said fourth row of holes are a predetermined distance apart from each other.

59. The cabinet of claim 48, wherein abutting apertures of adjacent columns are vertically offset from one another.

60. The cabinet of claim 59, wherein abutting apertures of adjacent columns form a plurality of rows that form an acute angle with the adjacent columns.

61. The cabinet of claim 48, wherein abutting apertures of adjacent columns form a plurality of rows that form an acute angle with the adjacent columns.

62. The cabinet of claim 48, wherein said second wall comprises:

a second inner wall facing said first wall and having a second pair of holes spaced apart from one another;

a second outer wall attached to said second inner wall, wherein said second inner wall and said second outer wall define a second cavity; and

a second strengthening element having a pattern of apertures facing said second inner and outer walls and positioned between said second inner wall and said second outer wall in said cavity, said second strengthening element having a thickness so as to contact said second inner wall and said second outer wall, said second strengthening element positioned between said second pair of holes; and

said shelf is attached to said second wall via said second pair of holes.

63. The cabinet of claim 62, wherein said pattern of apertures for said second strengthening element comprises a regular pattern of said apertures.

64. The cabinet of claim 63, wherein said second strengthening element has a honeycomb structure.

65. The cabinet of claim 64, wherein said second strengthening element is attached to said second inner wall and said second outer wall.

66. The cabinet of claim 62, wherein said pattern of apertures for said second strengthening element comprises a hexagon.

67. The cabinet of claim 62, wherein said second wall has a strength such that said first wall does not require a frame for support.

68. The cabinet of claim 62, wherein said second inner wall comprises a first row of holes laterally spaced apart from a second row of holes.

69. The cabinet of claim 68, wherein said first row of holes and said second row of holes are a predetermined distance apart from each other.