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US 7,044,569 B1Granted
Modular drawer system
AssigneeArtromick International, Inc.
InventorsChristopher M. Relyea, Michael S. Relyea, Mark A. Relyea, Kristen K. Hestrom, Frank R. Wilgus, Donald J. Staufenberg, Gary L. Claypoole
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A modular drawer system provides a system of interchangeable components that are easy to assemble. The system requires few fasteners because most of the parts are slidably interconnected. Many parts perform dual functions. A removable lock tray and a tracking mechanism to provide easier steering of a rolling cart are provided. A lock bar assembly with few moving parts is easily assembled. In addition, an accessory track provides two types of attachments for accessories, a more flexible, snap-on attachment and a more permanent, bolted attachment.
Claims68
A modular drawer system comprising:
- a frame including a substantially rectangular base and at least four support columns extending from the base;
- at least four corner column trim pieces, each being slidably connected to one of said support columns, said corner column trim pieces being separable from one another and individually removable;
- a top attached to said frame;
- at least one drawer bay including two drawer guide panels connected to said frame, at least one of said drawer panels being slidably connected to said frame by a corresponding one of said corner column trim pieces;
- and,
- a plurality of drawers supported by at least one of said two drawer guide panels.
3 more elements
A modular drawer system comprising:
- a frame including a substantially rectangular base and at least four support columns extending from the base;
- at least four corner column trim pieces, each being slidably connected to one of said support columns;
- a top attached to said frame;
- at least one drawer bay comprising two drawer guide panels slidably connected to said frame by said corner column trim pieces;
- at least one drawer supported by said two drawer guide panels;
- at least four caster assemblies attached to said base, wherein each caster assembly includes a caster with a mounting stem and at least one wheel;
- a releasable tracking mechanism for preventing the caster of at least one caster assembly from rotating and for aligning the at least one wheel of said caster assembly parallel to the direction of travel of said drawer system, said releasable tracking mechanism including:
- a foot pad for activating said tracking mechanism;
- a locking plate rotatably connected to said foot pad;
- the caster of the at least one caster assembly;
- and,
- means for releasably contacting the locking plate and the caster so as to prevent the rotation of the caster, said contacting means including means for allowing the caster to rotate into a locked position after the tracking mechanism is engaged.
9 more elements
A modular drawer system comprising:
- a frame, comprising a substantially rectangular base and at least four support columns extending from the base;
- at least four corner column trim pieces, each being slidably connected to one of said support columns;
- a top, which is attached to said frame;
- at least one drawer bay comprising two drawer guide panels which are slidably connected to said frame by said corner column trim pieces;
- at least one drawer supported by said two drawer guide panels;
- at least four caster assemblies attached to said base, wherein each caster assembly comprises:
- a caster with a mounting stem and at least one wheel;
- a releasable tracking mechanism for preventing the caster of at least one caster assembly from rotating and for aligning the at least one wheel of said caster assembly parallel to the direction of travel of said drawer system, said releasable tracking mechanism including:
- a foot pad for activating said tracking mechanism;
- a locking plate rotatably connected to said foot pad;
- the caster of the at least one caster assembly;
- a locking pin on said locking plate;
- and
- a detent on said caster, said locking pin being movable for releasably contacting the detent on said caster so as to prevent the rotation of said caster.
11 more elements
A modular drawer system comprising:
- a frame including a substantially rectangular base and at least four support columns extending from the base;
- at least four corner column trim pieces, each being slidably connected to one of said support columns;
- a top attached to said frame;
- at least one drawer bay including two drawer guide panels connected to said frame, at least one of said drawer panels being slidably connected to said frame by a corresponding one of said corner column trim pieces;
- and,
- a plurality of drawers supported by at least one of said two drawer guide panels;
- and
- wherein said drawer guide panels each include two components that are screwed together, wherein each component is individually a 4 guide rail component or a 5 guide rail component.
5 more elements
A modular drawer system comprising:
- a frame, comprising a substantially rectangular base and at least four support columns extending from the base;
- at least four corner column trim pieces, each being slidably connected to one of said support columns;
- a top, which is attached to said frame;
- at least one drawer bay comprising two drawer guide panels which are slidably connected to said frame by said corner column trim pieces;
- at least one drawer supported by said two drawer guide panels;
- at least one lock bar assembly located within said drawer system such that it can lock and unlock a plurality of drawers on one side of said drawer system, said at least one lock bar assembly being attached to one of said drawer guide panels, said lock bar assembly including a lock column, a locking platform attached to the top of the lock column, a lock cam that is housed in said locking platform, and at least one lock bar including a locking stem that can flex in one direction and a locking tab that interferes with a capture mechanism on a drawer slide for locking said at least one drawer and for allowing said at least one drawer to close if it is open when the lock bar assembly is activated.
3 more elements
A modular drawer system comprising:
- a frame including a substantially rectangular base and at least four support columns extending from the base;
- at least four corner column trim pieces, each being slidably connected to one of said support columns;
- a top attached to said frame:
- at least one drawer bay comprising two drawer guide panels slidably connected to said frame by said corner column trim pieces;
- a drawer supported by said two drawer guide panels, said drawer having a drawer body and a lockable lid covering at least a portion of said drawer body, wherein said lockable lid includes at least two metal strips held together by a frame, said lockable lid being removably attached to a drawer divider plate and said drawer divider plate being removably attached to said drawer body.
2 more elements
A modular drawer system comprising:
- a frame including a substantially rectangular base and at least four support columns extending from the base;
- at least four corner column trim pieces, each being slidably connected to one of said support columns;
- a top attached to said frame;
- at least one drawer bay including two drawer guide panels slidably connected to said frame by said corner column trim pieces;
- at least one drawer supported by said two drawer guide panels;
- at least two opposing accessory tracks disposed along the length of said support columns, said at least two opposing accessory tracks each having a first attachment means and a second attachment means disposed thereon for attaching accessories to said accessory tracks, said first attachment means including tabs and said second attachment means including at least one pair of nuts.
3 more elements
A lock bar assembly for locking a plurality of drawers, comprising a lock column, a lock bar which slides within the lock column, a locking platform disposed at a top of said lock column, and a substantially horizontally flexible locking stem attached to said lock bar, said locking platform including a wedge shaped lock cam, said lock cam being operatively effective for moving said column down, said locking stem having a part attached thereto for engaging a drawer.
A lock tray comprising:
- a tray;
- a lock contained within said tray;
- means for locking a device;
- means for holding the tray in the device;
- means for connecting the lock to said locking means;
- and
- means for flexibly connecting said tray to the device.
4 more elements
A modular drawer system comprising:
- a frame, comprising a substantially rectangular base and at least four support columns extending from the base;
- at least four corner column trim pieces, each being slidably connected to one of said support columns;
- a top, which is attached to said frame;
- at least one drawer bay comprising two drawer guide panels which are slidably connected to said frame by said corner column trim pieces;
- a plurality of drawers supported by said two drawer guide panels, at least one of said drawers having a body and at least one of said drawers having a face;
- a plurality of caster assemblies attached to said system;
- a releasable tracking mechanism comprising:
- a means for activating said tracking mechanism;
- a means for preventing at least one of said caster assemblies from rotating about a vertical axis while allowing said at least one caster assembly to rotate about a horizontal axis;
- and,
- a means for connecting said activating means to said preventing means;
- a lock bar assembly for locking a plurality of drawers comprising a lock column, a lock bar which slides within the lock column, and a means for allowing an open drawer to be closed, while locking a closed drawer, when the lock bar assembly is activated;
- a lock tray comprising:
- a tray;
- a lock contained within said tray;
- and
- means for connecting the lock to said lock bar assembly;
- a lockable lid covering at least a portion of said at least one drawer body comprising:
- a lid and a means for removably attaching said lid to said at least one drawer body wherein said means and lid is interchangeable with other similarly sized drawers;
- an apparatus for attaching accessories to said system, comprising:
- at least two opposing accessory tracks;
- and,
- an accessory bar;
- wherein said at least two accessory tracks comprise more than one means for attaching accessories, and wherein said accessory bar comprises means for detachably connecting accessories to said accessory tracks;
- an adjustable liquid dispensing platform comprising:
- a support mounted on said system;
- a stem held by said support;
- and
- a platform slidably connected to said stem;
- a drawer pull that encourages one to pull at least one of said drawers open from the center of said at least one drawer, comprising a drawer pull with an opening approximately in the center of said at least one drawer that is larger and more protruded than the opening along the balance of the length of the drawer pull;
- and,
- a clear label holder for removably attaching labels to said at least one drawer face and for preventing spilled liquid from running between said drawer face and the label holder comprising a lip that clips over said drawer face and is contoured to substantially match the contour of said drawer face closely enough so that a label will be held between the label holder and said drawer face.
29 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.