Rollout tray mounting system for cabinet
AssigneeTenn-Tex Plastics, Inc.
InventorRobert C. Hightower
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A connector for supporting one or more mounting members that may be used in mounting a drawer within a cabinet includes: a vertically elongated base configured to abut an interior face of a wall of the cabinet and vertically elongated first and second mounting panels that are connected to and projecting outwardly from the base. The second mounting panel may be spaced apart from, and substantially parallel to, the first mounting panel, and the first and second mounting panels may extend from a base panel that extends perpendicular to the first and second mounting panels. The connector may also include an end panel that connects the distal end of the first mounting panel to the distal end of the second mounting panel.
Claims39
A connector that may be used in mounting one or more drawers within a cabinet, comprising:
- a vertically elongated base configured to abut an interior face of a wall of the cabinet;
- a vertically elongated first mounting panel connected to and projecting outwardly from the base;
- a vertically elongated second mounting panel connected to and projecting outwardly from the base, wherein the second mounting panel is spaced apart from and substantially parallel to the first mounting panel;
- and
- wherein the connector is configured to simultaneously support both a first vertically elongated mounting member on the first mounting panel and a second vertically elongated mounting member on the second mounting panel.
A connector that may be used in mounting a plurality of drawers within a cabinet, the connector comprising:
- an elongate body portion having a base panel and first and second opposed, substantially parallel mounting panels projecting outwardly from the base panel so as to define a channel, wherein the body portion is configured to simultaneously support at least first and second mounting members;
- a first lip extending from a first lateral edge of the base panel and perpendicular to the first and second mounting panels, the first lip including a plurality of apertures;
- and
- a second lip extending from a second lateral edge of the base panel and perpendicular to the first and second mounting panels, the second lip including a plurality of apertures.
A cabinet adapted to receive a drawer, the cabinet comprising:
- an enclosure comprising an upright rear wall, opposing upright side walls fixed at rear portions thereof to opposite ends of the rear wall, an upright front wall opposing the rear wall and fixed to respective front portions of the side walls, the upright front wall including an access opening and a central member that extends generally vertically across the access opening;
- a connector comprising a vertically elongated base configured to abut an interior face of the central member, a vertically elongated first mounting panel connected to and projecting outwardly from the base, and a vertically elongated second mounting panel connected to and projecting outwardly from the base, wherein the second mounting panel is spaced apart from and substantially parallel to the first mounting panel;
- a pair of front outer mounting members mounted generally upright adjacent front portions of the side walls;
- a pair of rear outer mounting members mounted generally upright adjacent rear portions of the side walls;
- a pair of front inner mounting members mounted generally upright on the respective first and second mounting panels of the connector, each of the front inner mounting members facing one of the pair of the front outer mounting members;
- a pair of rear inner mounting members mounted generally upright adjacent a central portion of the rear wall, each of the rear inner mounting members facing one of the pair of the rear outer mounting members;
- a pair of outer slide members, each outer slide member extending between a respective rear outer mounting member and a respective front outer mounting member;
- and
- a pair of inner slide members, each inner slide member extending between a respective rear inner mounting member and a respective front inner mounting member.
An assembly for mounting a drawer within a cabinet, comprising:
- an elongate slide member adapted for mounting within the cabinet and for slidably mating with an engagement member of a sliding tray;
- a pair of mounting members;
- and
- a connector comprising a vertically elongated base, a vertically elongated first mounting panel connected to and projecting outwardly from the base, and a vertically elongated second mounting panel connected to and projecting outwardly from the base, wherein the second mounting panel is spaced apart from and substantially parallel to the first mounting panel;
- wherein the base comprises a vertically elongated base panel extending perpendicular to both the first mounting panel and to the second mounting panel that connects the first mounting panel and the second mounting panel;
- wherein the base further comprises a vertically elongated first lip extending outwardly from the base panel adjacent the connection between the base panel and the first mounting panel, wherein the first lip includes at least one aperture for mounting the connector to the wall of the cabinet;
- wherein the base panel includes an alignment slot running vertically down the center of the base panel.
A method of installing a drawer in proper alignment within a face-frame cabinet having a front wall that defines at least one access opening into the cabinet comprising:
- attaching a connector to the wall of the cabinet so that the bottom surface of the connector contacts the floor of the cabinet;
- attaching a mounting member to the connector such that the bottom of the mounting member is positioned at a predetermined height above the floor the cabinet;
- attaching a first slide member to the mounting member;
- mounting a second slide member within the cabinet;
- and
- slidably installing the drawer on the first and second slide members.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.