Modular storage system

• US 6,942,306 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2002
• Issued: 09/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Steelcase Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Steelcase Development Inc. (Steelcase Incorporated)
• Inventors: Welsh, Michael W., Nelsen, Randall P., Korreck, William A., Youngs, Bradley D., Jourden, Michael A., Buffinga, Keith L., Eilmus, Niels Joachim, Longhurst, Kevin J., Wiersma, Timothy J.
• Primary Examiner(s): WILKENS, JANET MARIE
• Application Number:
  US10/095,980
• Publication Number:
  US 20030173878A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,281 Days
• Field of Search: 312/257.1, 312/263, 312/365.5, 312/223.2, 312/107, 312/108, 312/111, 312/195, 312/348.1, 312/219, 403/329, 220/4.28, 220/4.32
• US Class Current: 312/263
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 47/02 made of metal only
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 57/404 Hooks with at least one upwardly directed engaging element A47B57/402 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 67/04 Chests of drawers; Cabinets characterised by the arrangement of drawers A47B67/02 takes precedence; drawers, guides for drawers, per se A47B88/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 87/0284 Cabinet systems consisting of stacked-and-linked uniform casings, each being a cabinet or drawer-holder, e.g. lockers, mail/file boxing systems
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 65/462 for two or more drawers

Abstract

A cabinet includes side panels, a back panel, and a top panel that frictionally-attach together with non-intrusive integrally-formed connectors. The illustrated base is screw-attached, and includes openings for routing wiring within the cabinet. Brackets are adapted to support shelves in the cabinet in either a flush or inset condition, and at different heights based on which cabinet slots they engage and based on their orientation in those slots. A light-transmitting top panel and top shelf can be used to provide improved light within the cabinet. Hinge brackets on the cabinet support either a thick door with internal storage space, a proud door or an inset door. Drawers supported in the cabinet include a lock within the drawer'"'"'s header for operating a vertical cabinet lock rod.

Claims

1. In a storage unit including a pair of side panels, a cover panel, a base panel, and a back panel combining to form an enclosure, an improvement comprising:

a first interface for coupling each side panel to the back panel, and a second interface for coupling each side panel to one of the cover panel and the base panel, one of the first and second interfaces including a channel and a mating wedge that matingly engages and interlocks into the channel, in a direction parallel a length of the wedge, the other of the first and second interfaces including an apertured flange and a mating hook that matingly engages and interlocks with the apertured flange in a direction parallel a length of the apertured flange; and

an anti-dislodgment tab, and wherein the hook has a notch, and the tab locks into notch when the hook is fully seated in the apertured flange.

2. In a storage unit including a pair of side panels, a cover panel, a base panel, and a back panel combining to form an enclosure, an improvement comprising:

a first interface for coupling each side panel to the back panel, and a second interface for coupling each side panel to one of the cover panel and the base panel, one of the first and second interfaces including a channel and a mating wedge that matingly engages and interlocks into the channels in a direction parallel a length of the wedge, the other of the first and second interfaces including an apertured flange and a mating hook that matingly engages and interlocks with the apertured flange in a direction parallel a length of the apertured flange wherein the first and second interfaces engage simultaneously and engage from the same direction.

3. In a storage unit including a pair of side panels, a cover panel, a base panel, and a back panel combining to form an enclosure, an improvement comprising:

one of the panels having a first edge, a first flange extending longitudinally along the first edge, and a first reversely-bent flange extending at an acute angle from the first flange to define a channel with the first flange, the reversely-bent flange including a ridge that extends parallel to the first flange but that is spaced from the first flange;

another of the panels including a second edge, a second flange extending longitudinally along the second edge, and a second reversely-bent flange extending from the second flange to define a wedge with the second flange, the second flange and the second reversely-bent flange being shaped to fit tightly into the channel with the second flange lying against the first flange and also with the second reversely-bent flange lying against the first reversely-bent flange and also with the second edge aligned with and extending parallel the first edge, the second reversely-bent flange including a resilient end that wedgingly engages the ridge when the wedge is pressed into the channel to securely retain the one panel to the another panel in an edge-aligned condition.

4. The storage unit defined in claim 3, wherein the first reversely-bent flange extends along at least half of the first edge of the one panel.

5. The storage unit defined in claim 3, wherein the first reversely-bent flange is integrally formed with the one panel from a sheet of metal stock.

6. The storage unit defined in claim 3, wherein the second reversely-bent flange extends along at least half of the first edge of the one panel.

7. The storage unit defined in claim 3, wherein the second reversely-bent flange is integrally formed with the another panel from a sheet of metal stock.

8. The storage unit defined in claim 3, wherein the interface includes end features that prevent longitudinal separation.

9. A cabinet assembly comprising:

a cabinet including side panels;

a lock bar operably attached to one of the side panels for movement between a drawer-released position and a drawer-locked position;

a drawer including a header;

a horizontally-extending lock rod supported in the header for rotation about a horizontal axis, the lock rod including a first offset section within the header and a second offset section, the second offset section being movable between an engaged position that moves the lock bar to the drawer locked position and a disengaged position that moves the lock bar to the drawer released position; and

a lock supported in the header for actuating the lock rod, the lock including a lock tumbler, a cam and a return biasing member, the lock tumbler being rotatable to move the cam into engagement with the first offset section to in turn rotate the lock rod to the engaged position, and further the lock tumbler being reversely rotatable to reverse the cam and let the return biasing member rotate the lock rod to the disengaged position.

10. The cabinet assembly defined in claim 9, wherein the lock rod includes a bent wire.

11. The cabinet assembly defined in claim 10, wherein the first offset section has a U-shape.

12. The cabinet assembly defined in claim 11, wherein the tumbler is mounted in a face panel of the drawer header.

13. The cabinet assembly defined in claim 9, wherein the cam has a spiral-shaped camming surface.

14. The cabinet assembly defined in claim 13, wherein the return biasing member is a spring that holds the first offset section against the camming surface.

15. The cabinet assembly defined in claim 14, wherein the spring comprises a coil spring attached to the first offset section and to a location on the drawer proximate the lock, the coil spring being stretched to hold the first offset section against the camming surface.