Cabinet with snap-in frame

• US 10,550,586 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2017
• Issued: 02/04/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Austin Hardware & Supply Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Austin Hardware & Supply Incorporated
• Inventors: Jeffries, Mark Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Hanh V
• Application Number:
  US15/699,058
• Publication Number:
  US 20180073255A1
• Time in Patent Office: 879 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 47/00 Cabinets, racks or shelf units, characterised by features related to dismountability or building-up from elements A47B43/00, A47B45/00 take precedence; features for adjusting shelves or partitions A47B57/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 53/02 Cabinet systems, e.g. consisting of cabinets arranged in a row with means to open or close passages between adjacent cabinets
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 81/00 Cabinets or racks specially adapted for other particular purposes, e.g. for storing guns or skis
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 97/00 Furniture or accessories for furniture, not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 19/083 Covers with fixing means providing for snap locking
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 5/006 for furniture E06B3/00, E06B9/115 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 12/38 using snap-action elements

Abstract

A cabinet with a snap-in frame is described. The cabinet uses spring clips that engage the frame to an opening of the cabinet. The spring clips are fastened to outer edges around the opening of the cabinet. The frame is urged into the opening of the cabinet. The frame compresses the spring clips as the frame is pushed into the opening of the cabinet. End portions of the spring clips snap into recesses of an outer surface of the frame. The spring clips are easily aligned along the opening of the cabinet to ensure proper placement of the frame with respect to cabinet.

Claims

1. A cabinet and frame assembly, comprising:

a cabinet comprising an upper wall opposite of a lower wall and a left side wall opposite of a right side wall;

the upper wall, the lower wall, the left side wall and the right side wall defining an opening for the cabinet;

the upper wall forming an upper edge, the lower wall forming a lower edge, the left side wall forming a left edge, and the right side wall forming a right edge;

one or more spring clips fastened over at least one of the upper edge, the lower edge, the left edge, or the right edge;

a frame comprising an upper section opposite of a lower section and a left section opposite of a right section;

the one or more spring clips configured to engage to outer surfaces of the frame to secure the frame to the cabinet; and

,

the one or more spring clips configured to disengage from the outer surfaces of the frame to remove the frame from the cabinet.

2. The cabinet and frame assembly according to claim 1, wherein the one or more spring clips comprise a mounting portion and a spring portion that extends upward from the mounting portion, and the spring portion comprises two tab portions leading to ends.

3. The cabinet and frame assembly according to claim 2, wherein the ends of the spring portion engage to the outer surfaces of the frame, wherein an opening is formed between the two tab portions.

4. The cabinet and frame assembly according to claim 2, wherein the upper section, the lower section, the left section, and the right section are formed by extrusion, wherein integral recesses are formed in the upper section, the lower section, the left section, and the right section by extrusion, and wherein the ends of the spring portion bias into the integral recesses in the outer surfaces of the frame.

5. The cabinet and frame assembly according to claim 1, wherein the upper edge is formed by a front surface and a lower surface of the upper wall, the lower edge is formed by a front surface and an upper surface of the lower wall, the left edge is formed by a front surface and an inner surface of the left wall, and right edge is formed by a front surface and an inner surface of the right wall, wherein a first spring clip mounts to the upper edge, a second spring clip mounts to the lower edge, wherein a third spring clip mounts to the left edge, and a fourth spring clip mounts to the right edge.

6. The cabinet and frame assembly according to claim 1, wherein the one or more spring clips includes a mounting portion, a spring portion that extends upward from the mounting portion, and a supporting portion extends downward from the mounting portion, wherein the supporting portion forms a generally perpendicular angle to the mounting portion.

7. The cabinet and frame assembly according to claim 6, wherein the generally perpendicular angle of the spring clip fits over the upper edge, the lower edge, the left edge, and the right edge.

8. The cabinet and frame assembly according to claim 7, wherein the mounting portion includes mounting holes, and fasteners pass through the mounting holes and into the lower surface of the upper wall, the upper surface of the lower wall, the inner surface of the left wall, or the inner surface of the right wall.

9. The cabinet and frame assembly according to claim 1, wherein the frame comprises sliding doors, a hinging door, or a combination hinging door with sliding doors.

10. The cabinet and frame assembly according to claim 1, wherein the cabinet and frame assembly is configured to be installed on a vehicle.

11. The cabinet and frame assembly according to claim 3, wherein the opening is configured to receive a tool that biases the spring portion to disengage the one or more spring clips from the outer surfaces of the frame to remove the frame from the cabinet.

12. A cabinet assembly, comprising:

a cabinet comprising an upper wall opposite of a lower wall and a left side wall opposite of a right side wall, the upper wall, the lower wall, the left side wall and the right side wall defining an opening for the cabinet;

the upper wall forming an upper edge, the lower wall forming a lower edge, the left side wall forming a left edge, and the right side wall forming a right edge; and

,

one or more spring clips are fastened over at least one of the upper edge, the lower edge, the left edge, or the right edge, and wherein the one or more spring clips includes a mounting portion, a spring portion that extends upward from the mounting portion, the spring portion comprises tab portions leading to ends, an opening is in between the tab portions, and a supporting portion that extends downward from the mounting portion.

13. A spring clip for engaging a frame to a cabinet, comprising:

a mounting portion;

a spring portion that extends upward from the mounting portion;

the spring portion configured to move or flex relative to the mounting portion;

the spring portion includes two tabs leading to ends with an opening positioned between the two tabs; and

,

a supporting portion extends downward from the mounting portion.

14. The spring clip according to claim 13, wherein the two tabs of the spring portion include an angled section.

15. The spring clip according to claim 13, wherein the spring portion extends upward from the mounting portion at an angle of approximately 30 degrees to approximately 75 degrees.

16. The spring clip according to claim 13, wherein the mounting portion includes one or more mounting holes to fasten the spring clip to a cabinet.

17. The spring clip according to claim 13, wherein the supporting portion extends downward from the mounting portion forming a generally perpendicular angle to the mounting portion.

18. The spring clip according to claim 13, wherein the two tabs have independent movement relative to each other.

19. A method of installing a frame to a cabinet, comprising:

providing a cabinet comprising an upper wall opposite of a lower wall and a left side wall opposite of a right side wall, the upper wall, the lower wall, the left side wall and the right side wall defining an opening for the cabinet;

installing one or more spring clips along at least one of an edge of the upper wall, the lower wall, the left side wall or the right side wall, the one or more spring clips comprising a mounting portion and a spring portion that extends upward from the mounting portion, and the spring portion comprises tab portions leading to ends;

inserting a frame through the opening of the cabinet;

contacting the spring clips with an outer surface of the frame;

biasing the spring clips with the outer surface of the frame; and

,

engaging the ends of the one or more spring clips to recesses in the outer surface of the frame to secure the frame to the cabinet.

20. The method of installing a frame to a cabinet according to claim 19, further comprising compressing the one or more spring clips to disengage the one or more spring clips from the outer surface of the frame to remove the frame from the cabinet.

21. The method of installing a frame to a cabinet according to claim 19, further comprising biasing ends of the one or more spring clips into the recesses in the outer surface of the frame.