US 2016/0100684 A1 · COLLAPSIBLE STORAGE CABINET

Abstract

A collapsible storage cabinet having an improved structure and assembly technique is disclosed. The storage cabinet is designed to collapse to a compact size to minimize required shipping and retail space usage, while providing for ease of assembly by a consumer and improved structural design via recessed top and bottom walls. The collapsible storage cabinet includes a collapsible subassembly having a front wall, an opposing back wall, and a pair of folding sidewalls extending between and coupling the front wall and back wall. Top and bottom walls are selectively secured to the subassembly to maintain the cabinet in a fully assembled state.

Drawings

Drawings are temporarily unavailable. Open the PDF at USPTO

Drawings

Claims20

Dependent claims

A collapsible storage cabinet comprising:

a front wall;
an opposing back wall;
a pair of folding sidewalls extending between and coupling the front wall and back wall;
a top wall removably secured to a top edge of the front wall, a top edge of the back wall, and top edges of the pair of side walls, a portion of which is recessed within a top opening defined by the front wall, the back wall, and the pair of sidewalls,
wherein the portion of the top wall recessed within the top opening prevents the sidewalls from folding;
and
a bottom wall positioned opposite the top wall and removably secured to a bottom edge of the front wall, a bottom edge of the back wall, and bottom edges of the pair of side walls, a portion of which is recessed within a bottom opening defined by the front wall, the back wall, and the pair of sidewalls,
wherein the portion of the bottom wall recesses within the bottom opening prevents the sidewalls from folding,
wherein the top wall and the bottom wall are stackable within one another such that the portion of the top wall that is recessed within the top opening may be nested within the portion of the bottom wall that is recessed within the bottom opening when the top wall is stacked on top of the bottom wall,
wherein the stacked top wall and bottom wall are stored between the two folding sidewalls when the collapsible storage cabinet is in a collapsed position.

7 more elements

A collapsible storage cabinet comprising:

a collapsible subassembly having a front wall, an opposing back wall, and a pair of folding sidewalls extending between and coupling the front wall and back wall;
and
a plurality of wall members removably coupleable to the collapsible subassembly, the wall members each comprising:
a generally planar body having a length and width;
a pair of first support walls oriented generally perpendicular to the generally planar body, each of the first support walls having a first lip parallel to the generally planar body;
a pair of second support walls oriented generally perpendicular to the generally planar body and to the pair of first support walls, each of the second support walls having a second lip parallel to the generally planar body;
and
one or more openings in each of the first and second lips,
wherein one of the plurality of wall members forms a top wall member of the collapsible storage cabinet that, when coupled to collapsible subassembly, positions the generally planar body of said top wall member intermediate and recessed below top edges of the collapsible subassembly, the first and second lips of said top wall member being positioned on the top edges of the collapsible subassembly,
wherein one of the plurality of wall members forms a bottom wall member of the collapsible storage cabinet that, when coupled to collapsible subassembly, positions the generally planar body of said bottom wall member intermediate and recessed above bottom edges of the collapsible subassembly, the first and second lips of said bottom wall member being positioned below the bottom edges of the collapsible subassembly,
wherein the top wall member and the bottom wall member are stackable one within the other, wherein when the collapsible storage cabinet is collapsed the stacked top wall member and the bottom wall member are stored within the collapsible subassembly between the pair of folding sidewalls.

8 more elements

A collapsible storage cabinet having a compact collapsed state comprising:

a front wall having a first pair of opposed extensions that extend rearwardly therefrom;
a back wall opposite and parallel to the front wall, the back wall having a second pair of opposed extensions that extend forwardly therefrom;
a pair of collapsible sidewalls connected to both the first pair of extensions of the front wall and the second pair of extensions of the back wall;
wherein each sidewall has a plurality of panels hinged together and to the extensions of the front and back walls, wherein the plurality of panels are generally parallel to each other when the cabinet is in a collapsed position, and wherein the first and second pair of extensions are aligned and adjacent each other when the cabinet is in a collapsed position, whereby the extensions space the front wall from the rear wall thereby defining an open region between the front wall, the back wall, and the pair of sidewalls;
a top wall, a bottom wall, and one or more removable shelves, wherein dimensions of the extensions, the front wall, the back wall, and the side walls are sized to define a volume of the open region sufficient to receive the top wall, the bottom wall, and the one or more shelves therein between the folded side walls when the cabinet is in a collapsed position;
and
wherein the top wall and the bottom wall each include a concavity configured to permit either of the top wall and the bottom wall to stack such that the concavities nest adjacent to each other.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description3,746 words

Summary697 words

#None.

#The present invention relates to a collapsible storage cabinet. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention relate to a collapsible storage cabinet having ease of assembly, improved stability when assembled, and an improved configuration for packaging when in a collapsed state.

#Storage cabinets are well known and utilized in a variety of locations in homes and businesses to satisfy several needs. Storage cabinets come in many shapes and sizes to meet these wide-ranging needs. The storage cabinets may be provided to a consumer in a fully assembled state or a disassembled state, requiring the consumer to then assemble the cabinet. From a consumer perspective, it is advantageous for the storage cabinet to be fully assembled when purchased, as it is ready to use. In fact, a number of storage cabinets are manufactured and shipped in a fully assembled state. However, shipping storage cabinets in a fully assembled state requires sizeable amounts of packaging and space when in transit, resulting in increased shipping costs. These higher costs are typically passed on to the consumer through the price of the storage cabinet. Storing fully assembled storage cabinets also requires large amounts of storage space. Occupying large amounts of both storage and display space at a retailer can result in fewer cabinets being ordered by retailers due to limited inventory/display space, and therefore fewer cabinets available for consumers to purchase.

Brief description of the drawings13 figures

#The present invention is described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, wherein:

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a collapsible storage cabinet in a fully assembled condition;

#FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side elevation view of the storage cabinet of FIG. 1 in a collapsed condition and packaged for shipment by the manufacturer;

Detailed description2,738 words

#The subject matter of the present invention is described with specificity herein to meet statutory requirements. However, the description itself is not intended to limit the scope of this patent. Rather, the inventors have contemplated that the claimed subject matter might also be embodied in other ways, to include different components, combinations of components, steps, or combinations of steps similar to the ones described in this document, in conjunction with other present or future technologies.

#Referring initially to FIG. 1, a collapsible storage cabinet 100 is depicted in its fully assembled condition. The collapsible storage cabinet 100 of the present invention can serve a variety of uses. One such use is being in a garage to store tools, supplies or other similar equipment. The collapsible storage cabinet 100 includes a collapsible subassembly 101 having a front wall 102 and an opposing back wall 104 spaced a distance apart when the cabinet is in the fully assembled condition. Referring to FIG. 3, the collapsible storage cabinet 100 is provided with a bracket 105 for hanging the cabinet 100 from a wall, if desired. The bracket 105 would be mounted to the wall and the storage cabinet would be supported thereon by way of a lip 111 along an edge of the bracket 105 interlocking with a corresponding lip 113 extending from the back side of the rear wall 104.

#The collapsible storage cabinet 100 also comprises a pair of folding sidewalls 106 extending between and coupling the front wall 102 and back wall 104, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5. The folding sidewalls 106 are connected to the front wall 102 and back wall 104 by a hinge 108 (FIGS. 5 and 7) or other comparable device. The hinge 108 permits the one or more panels 110, which form the sidewalls 106, to collapse as shown in FIGS. 2-5.

Facts

Application

14/511,125Filed 9 Oct 2014

Published

14 Apr 2016

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

A47B 43/00
Cabinets, racks or shelf units, characterised by features enabling folding of the
A47B 47/00
Cabinets, racks or shelf units, characterised by features related to dismountability or
A47B 57/16
With means for adjusting the height of the shelves: consisting of hooks coacting with openings
A47B 96/02
Details of cabinets, racks or shelf units not covered by a single one of groups A47B43/00 - A47B95/00; General details of furniture: shelves

Collapsible storage cabinet

Life of this patent

Collapsible storage cabinet

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims20

Description3,746 words

Drawings

Classification7 codes

Life of this patent

Description3,746 words