Workroom storage system

• US 6,926,160 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2003
• Issued: 08/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Stewart, Brian J., Schmidt, Duane A., Perkins, Travis Michael, Junge, Brent A., Starr, Todd Christopher, Tolliver, Steven Edward, Sampson, Tyree Edward, Stout, Mark Allen, Rasche, Kenneth J., Arent, Thomas Wesley
• Primary Examiner(s): GIBSON, ROBERT W
• Application Number:
  US10/462,461
• Publication Number:
  US 20040124164A1
• Time in Patent Office: 785 Days
• Field of Search: 211/189, 211/13.1, 211/70.6, 312/330.1, 312/249.9, 312/249.11, 312/249.8
• US Class Current: 211/94.01
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 21/06 characterised by means for holding, fastening or concealing cables
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 31/00 Service or tea tables, trolleys, or wagons serving trays A47G23/06; features relating to running gear or to movement by hand B62B
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 83/001 Office desks or work-stations combined with other pieces of furniture, e.g. work space management systems
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 95/008 Suspension fittings for cabinets to be hung on walls
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/0018 Display racks with shelves or receptables racks per se A47B; storage devices for warehouses B65G1/02
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/0846 Display panels or rails with elongated channels; Sliders, brackets, shelves, or the like, slidably attached therein
• CPC Class Codes: B25H 1/02 of table type
• CPC Class Codes: B25H 3/00 Storage means or arrangements for workshops facilitating access to, or handling of, work tools or instruments containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents B65D83/00; nail dispensers B25C3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B25H 3/028 by sliding extraction from within a common frame
• CPC Class Codes: B25H 3/04 Racks

Abstract

A space-efficient workroom organization system comprising a slotwall panel with at least one repositionable slotwall-mounted storage cabinet, and a workbench system comprising a workbench having a work surface and defining a storage recess beneath the work surface, with at least one mobile storage cabinet.

Claims

1. A workbench storage system, comprising:

a workbench comprising a wooden work surface defining opposing side edges and opposing front and rear edges, first and second work surface supports for supporting the wooden work surface above a floor, the first work surface support located near one of the side edges and the second work surface support located near the other of the side edges, with each work surface support extending downwardly from the wooden work surface to support the wooden work surface above a floor, and a stringer extending between the work surface supports, wherein the wooden work surface, first and second work surface supports and stringer define an uninterrupted workbench recess; and

at least one mobile storage cabinet having a top surface located at a height such that the at least one mobile storage cabinet can be received within the workbench recess with the top surface underlying the wooden work surface and having wheels extending from the at least one mobile storage cabinet to support the at least one mobile cabinet on the floor to ease the movement of the at least one mobile storage cabinet into and out of the workbench recess.

2. The workbench storage system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one mobile storage cabinet comprises one of:

a general storage cabinet comprising an open-face cabinet defining a storage recess and at least one door moveable between an opened position and a closed position for selectively closing the open face;

a drawer storage cabinet comprising an open-face cabinet defining a storage recess and at least one drawer slidably mounted to the open-faced cabinet for movement through the open face between a stored position, where the drawer is received within the storage recess, and a use position, where at least a portion of the drawer extends beyond the open face to permit access to the drawer; and

a refrigerated cabinet having a refrigeration system for cooling the interior of the refrigerated cabinet.

3. The workbench storage system according to claim 2, wherein the drawer storage cabinet comprises only multiple drawers.

4. The workbench storage system according to claim 2, and further comprising multiple mobile storage cabinets.

5. The workbench storage system according to claim 4, wherein the multiple mobile storage cabinets comprise at least one each of the general storage cabinet and the drawer storage cabinet.

6. The workbench storage system according to claim 5, wherein at least some of the wheels of the multiple mobile storage cabinets are caster wheels.

7. The workbench storage system according to claim 6, wherein the wheels of the multiple mobile storage cabinets comprise a pair of front wheels and a pair of rear wheels, with at least one of the wheel pairs being caster wheels.

8. The workbench storage system according to claim 7, wherein at least one of the multiple mobile storage cabinets comprises a bumper to protect the at least one of the multiple mobile storage cabinets from contact with other objects.

9. The workbench storage system according to claim 8, wherein when at least one of the multiple mobile storage cabinets is removed from a stored position within the workbench recess, the top surface of the at least one of the multiple mobile storage cabinets becomes an auxiliary work surface.

10. The workbench storage system according to claim 9, wherein the top surface of at least one of the multiple mobile storage cabinets is wood.

11. The workbench storage system according to claim 2, wherein the workbench further comprises a power strip having multiple electrical power outlets.

12. The workbench storage system according to claim 11, wherein the power strip is located at the rear edge of the wooden work surface.

13. The workbench storage system according to claim 12, wherein each of the work surface supports comprises a pair of spaced legs and a cross member connecting the spaced legs for each pair of legs.

14. The workbench storage system according to claim 13, wherein the legs of the workbench further comprises height-adjustable feet to permit the leveling of the wooden work surface.

15. The workbench storage system according to claim 14, wherein the height-adjustable feet comprise a foot plate and a threaded stud extending from the foot plate and the corresponding leg has a threaded opening complementary to the threaded stud, such that the rotation of the foot will move the foot relative to the leg to adjust the height.

16. A workbench storage system for providing a work surface and corresponding storage, comprising:

a workbench comprising a work surface, first and second work surface supports for supporting the work surface above a floor, the first and second work surface supports being spaced apart to define a workbench open recess beneath the work surface bound by the work surface and the first and second work surface supports;

at least one mobile drawer storage cabinet comprising an open-face cabinet defining a storage recess, the open-face cabinet has a top surface located at a height such that the at least one mobile drawer storage cabinet can be received within the workbench recess with the top surface underlying the work surface, wheels extend from the at least one mobile storage cabinet to support the at least one mobile cabinet on the floor to ease the movement of the at least one mobile storage cabinet into and out of the workbench recess, and only multiple drawers are located within the storage recess, each of the multiple drawers is mounted to the open-faced cabinet such that each of the multiple drawers is moveable between a stored position, where the drawer is received within the storage recess, and a use position, where at least a portion of the drawer extends beyond the open face to permit access to the drawer; and

at least one mobile general storage cabinet comprising an open-face cabinet defining a storage recess, the open-face cabinet has a top surface located at a height such that the at least one mobile drawer storage cabinet can be received within the workbench recess with the top surface underlying the work surface, wheels extend from the at least one mobile general storage cabinet to support the at least one mobile general cabinet on the floor to ease the movement of the at least one mobile general storage cabinet into and out of the workbench recess, and at least one door mounted to the open-face cabinet and moveable between an opened position and a closed position for selectively closing the open-face storage cabinet;

wherein the combination of the workbench, at least one mobile drawer storage cabinet, and at least one mobile general storage cabinet provides a work surface and storage options sufficient to conveniently store any tools or supplies desired for use on the work surface and permitting the space-saving storage of the tools or supplies beneath the workbench in the workbench recess.

17. The workbench storage system according to claim 16, wherein at least some of the wheels of each of the mobile drawer and general storage cabinets are caster wheels.

18. The workbench storage system according to claim 17, wherein the wheels of each of the mobile drawer and general storage cabinets comprise a pair of front wheels and a pair of rear wheels, with at least one of the wheel pairs being caster wheels.

19. The workbench storage system according to claim 16, wherein at least one of the mobile drawer and mobile storage cabinets comprises a bumper.

20. The workbench storage system according to claim 16, wherein when at least one of the mobile drawer and general storage cabinets is removed from a stored position within the workbench recess, the top surface of the at least one of the mobile drawer and general storage cabinets becomes an auxiliary work surface.

21. The workbench storage system according to claim 16, wherein the workbench further comprises a power strip having multiple electrical power outlets.

22. The workbench storage system according to claim 16, wherein each of the work surface supports comprises a pair of spaced legs and a cross member connecting the spaced legs for each pair of legs.

23. The workbench storage system according to claim 22, wherein the legs of the workbench further comprises height-adjustable feet to permit the leveling of the work surface.

24. The workbench storage system according to claim 23, wherein the height-adjustable feet comprise a foot plate and a threaded stud extending from the foot plate and the corresponding leg has a threaded opening complementary to the threaded stud, such that the rotation of the foot will move the foot relative to the leg to adjust the height.

25. The workbench storage system according to claim 16, wherein the mobile general storage cabinet comprises two opposing doors, with each door being hingedly mounted on an opposite side of the open-face cabinet.

26. The workbench storage system according to claim 25, wherein each door comprises a handle located on an exterior surface of each door.

27. The workbench storage system according to claim 26, wherein each door comprises a recess in the exterior surface to form the handle.

28. The workbench storage system according to claim 16, and further comprising a stringer extending between the work surface supports.

29. The workbench storage system according to claim 16, wherein each of the open-face cabinets comprises a planar front surface and a depth such that the entire open-face cabinet can be received under the workbench without any portion of the face extending beyond a front edge of the work surface to maximize the internal storage of the open-face cabinet while permitting the complete storing of the open-face cabinet beneath the workbench.