Cabinet system

• US 6,899,404 B1
• Filed: 06/16/2003
• Issued: 05/31/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ron E. King
• Original Assignee: Ron E. King
• Inventors: King, Ron E.
• Primary Examiner(s): HANSEN, JAMES ORVILLE
• Application Number:
  US10/462,247
• Time in Patent Office: 715 Days
• Field of Search: 312/111, 312/140, 312/257.1, 312/265.6, 312/198, 312/199, 312/107, 312/108, 312/140.4, 524/59, 524/61, 524/64, 524/70
• US Class Current: 312/111
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 87/008 Rectangular cabinets or racks in a side-by-side arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 12/00 Jointing of furniture or the like, e.g. hidden from exterior F16B2/00 - F16B11/00 take precedence; fastening means per se F16B13/00 - F16B47/00; wood-working B27
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 12/125 using mortise and tenon joints

Abstract

A cabinet system includes a connector in a gap between two cabinets. The connector includes lock elements positioned in slots formed in the cabinets, a cover member covering the gap and a spacer engaging side walls of the cabinets.

Claims

1. A cabinet system comprising, in combination:

a first cabinet including a first cabinet side wall;

a second cabinet including a second cabinet side wall, said first cabinet and said second cabinet being spaced from one another and said first cabinet side wall and said second cabinet side wall defining a gap therebetween; and

a connector in said gap disposed between said first cabinet and said second cabinet interconnecting said first cabinet and said second cabinet and engaging said first cabinet side wall and said second cabinet side wall, said first cabinet side wall and said second cabinet side wall defining slots and said connector including a central connector portion and lock elements projecting outwardly from opposed sides of said central connector portion and positioned in said slots, said first cabinet and said second cabinet having cabinet fronts, said slots positioned inwardly of said cabinet fronts and spaced therefrom, said slots being angularly disposed relative to said cabinet fronts and angularly disposed relative to one another, said connector further including a cover member spaced from said lock elements at least partially covering said gap and in engagement with said cabinet fronts, said slots and said lock elements extending vertically along intersecting planes forming an acute angle.

2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said connector further includes at least one spacer member engaging said first cabinet side wall and said second cabinet side wall to maintain the gap therebetween.

3. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said connector is of integral construction.

4. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said central connector portion has two central connector portion ends and wherein said lock elements are positioned at one of said central connector portion ends and extend generally toward said cabinet fronts.

5. The combination according to claim 4 wherein said cover member is located at the other of the two central connector portion ends.

6. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said cover member includes an inner cover member element and an outer cover member element releasably connected to said inner cover member element.

7. The combination according to claim 6 wherein said inner cover member element and said outer cover member element are releasably connected by cooperable dovetail tenon and mortise structure.

8. A cabinet system comprising, in combination:

a first cabinet including a first cabinet side wall;

a second cabinet including a second cabinet side wall, said first cabinet and said second cabinet being spaced from one another and said first cabinet side wall and said second cabinet side wall defining a gap there between; and

a connector in said gap disposed between said first cabinet and said second cabinet interconnecting said first cabinet and said second cabinet and engaging said first cabinet side wall and said second cabinet side wall, said first cabinet side wall and said second cabinet side wall defining slots and said connector including a central connector portion and lock elements projecting outwardly from opposed sides of said central connector portion and positioned in said slots, said first cabinet and said second cabinet having cabinet fronts, said slots positioned inwardly of said cabinet fronts and spaced therefrom, said slots being angularly disposed relative to said cabinet fronts and angularly disposed relative to one another, said connector further including a cover member spaced from said lock elements at least partially covering said gap and in engagement with said cabinet fronts and at least one spacer member engaging said first cabinet side wall and said second cabinet side wall to maintain the gap therebetween.

9. The combination according to claim 8 wherein said at least one spacer member includes a pair of spacer projections projecting outwardly from opposed sides of said cabinet connector portion.

10. The combination according to claim 8 wherein said at least one spacer member is located between said cover member and said lock elements.