Abstract:
A container assembly for recyclable materials mounted within a cabinet for movement between an extended position in which the open tops of the bins or containers are exposed for receiving recyclable materials and a retracted position in which the bins are concealed. The container assembly is supported for movement between its extended and retracted positions by a pair of drawer slide assemblies with supporting cross-member brackets being connected to the slide assemblies. The slide assemblies are mounted adjacent to a top of the cabinet. The slide assemblies interengage with brackets on which a door can be mounted for adjustment to accurately fit the opening in the front wall to form a closure for the cabinet in which the container assembly is mounted.

Description:
[0001]    This application is a non-provisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 61/843,619, filed Jul. 8, 2013, and hereby incorporated in its entirety by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to the field of cabinet mounted hardware. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    It is often difficult to properly align a cabinet face with respect to the cabinet body. Due to the positioning of interiorly located slide assemblies within a cabinet, alignment of the cabinet face may be skewed. It is therefore an object of the present invention to properly align a cabinet face with respect to a cabinet body by minimal adjustments. 
         [0004]    One proposed solution for adjusting a cabinet mounted frame on a bottom mount system is provided in my co-pending application Ser. No. 14/015,773, hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The present invention generally relates to a container assembly for recyclable materials mounted within a cabinet for movement between an extended position in which the open tops of the bins or containers are exposed for receiving recyclable materials and a retracted position in which the bins are concealed. The container assembly is supported for movement between its extended and retracted positions by a pair of drawer slide assemblies with supporting cross-member brackets being connected to the slide assemblies. 
         [0006]    The slide assemblies are mounted adjacent to a top of the cabinet. The slide assemblies interengage with brackets on which a door can be mounted for adjustment to accurately fit the opening in the front wall to form a closure for the cabinet in which the container assembly is mounted. The container assembly is constructed to enable easy removal of the bins or containers, easy mounting and assembly and quick and effective adjustment with all adjustments being securely locked when all components of the assembly are oriented in an optimum adjusted position. 
         [0007]    An object of the present invention is to provide an extendable and retractable pre-hung container assembly for recyclable materials which includes a pair of drawer slide structures that are interconnected by a rear cross-member bracket and a front cross-member bracket to draw slide structures in spaced parallel relation with the rear ends of the slide structures being independently adjustably supported by two brackets having adjusting screws. 
         [0008]    Another object of the invention is to provide a container assembly for recyclable material in which the movable components of the drawer slide assemblies support at least one bin or receptacle for receiving recyclable materials with the upper ends of the bin or container being exposed and accessible when moved to an extended position to provide access thereto in order to enable categorized recyclable materials to be placed in the bin. By including two independent adjusting structures at a rear mounting bracket located at the rear of the slide assemblies, the adjusting structures raise and lower or maintain a position of at least one of the slide assemblies independently of each other. This all occurs at the rear mounting bracket. 
         [0009]    However, in the front of the cabinet, where a front cross-member bracket supports and is secured to the slide assemblies, the slide assemblies are caused to move independently of each other and adjust the position of the cabinet door by the torsional twist or flexure of the front cross-member bracket. The front cross-member bracket is centrally secured in place, allowing its lateral sides, connected to the slide assemblies, to twist or turn. 
         [0010]    This aids in moving the cabinet face so that the cabinet face lies flush against the cabinet in a vertical plane. A three-dimensional adjustment of the cabinet face is provided so as to secure an aesthetically pleasing proper alignment of the cabinet face. 
         [0011]    Depending upon the independent adjustment of the rear cross-member bracket at the rear of the slide assemblies, the slide assemblies are caused to change relative positioning about the front cross-member bracket and thereby vary the alignment of the cabinet face. It is understood as being within the scope of the present invention that rotation of the independent adjustment assemblies in opposite directions, or in the same direction to different degrees, will cause the adjustment of the cabinet face to tip or toe in the alignment of the cabinet face. 
         [0012]    The adjusting assembly is formed by the use of the rear cross-member bracket interengaging with two independently adjustable jog bend brackets. The two jog bend brackets supports the rear cross-member bracket for adjustment of a front door panel. The adjustment is made by independently raising or lowering the rear cross-member bracket from side to side. This is done by a screw adjustment. The tip end of the screw engages the rear cross-member bracket for its adjustment. 
         [0013]    The rear bracket, being U-shaped, engages and holds a rear end of the side slide rail assemblies as an extension of the side slide rail assemblies. Therefore, the independent movement of the rear cross-member bracket supported by the jog bend brackets causes a relative shifting of each of the side slide assemblies. A front cross-member bracket is anchored, once the assembly is in position, such that the relative movement of the rear cross-member bracket in the jog bend brackets causes a torsional twist of front cross-member bracket, and, due to the connection of the front cross-member bracket to the side slide assemblies, adjustment of the front panel door. 
         [0014]    These and other objects of the invention, as well as many of the intended advantages thereof, will become more readily apparent when reference is made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]    The following drawings illustrate examples of various components of the invention disclosed herein, and are for illustrative purposes only. Other embodiments that are substantially similar can use other components that have a different appearance. 
           [0016]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating an installed top mount adjustable cabinet mounted frame of the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  illustrates the cabinet mounted frame assembly of the present invention, prior to installation. 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  illustrates the possible mounting of the drawer member frame of the slide assembly onto a front door panel. 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  illustrates an installed partial assembly, with one of the side slide rails removed. 
           [0020]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged view of one jog bend bracket of the present invention. 
           [0021]      FIG. 6  illustrates the rear mounting bracket and one of the guiding slide rails, adjustably mounted in the rear mounting bracket. 
           [0022]      FIG. 7  is an opposite side view to that of  FIG. 6 , illustrating the assembly of one of the guiding slide rails in the rear mounting bracket. 
           [0023]      FIG. 8  is an enlarged close-up view of the mounting of one side leg of the rear mounting bracket to one of the guiding slide rails. 
           [0024]      FIG. 9  illustrates the cabinet member frame assembly prior to installation with a view of the front mounting bracket connected to and extending between two slide rail assemblies. 
           [0025]      FIG. 10  illustrates the separation of the drawer member frame from the cabinet member frame. 
           [0026]      FIG. 11  is an enlarged view of the keyhole for receipt of the head of a mounting screw and securing of the front mounting bracket, with an oblong slot of the keyhole for adjustment of the front mounting bracket with respect to a centered position. 
           [0027]      FIG. 12  illustrates the mounting of the cabinet member frame with the rear mounting bracket located seated within the two jog bend brackets and the front mounting bracket being held by a screw held in a centered position. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0028]    In describing a preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, specific terminology will be resorted to for the sake of clarity. However, the invention is not intended to be limited to the specific terms so selected, and it is to be understood that each specific term includes all technical equivalents which operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose. 
         [0029]    With respect to the drawings, and with reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a top mount adjustable cabinet mounted frame body according to the teachings of the present invention is shown mounted to the top of an opening in a cabinet  22 . In  FIG. 1 , two recycling bins  24  secured behind a front door panel  26  of the cabinet  22  are shown. 
         [0030]    As shown in more detail in  FIG. 2 , the assembly  20  includes two side slide rail assemblies  28  and  30  of the cabinet frame member. Slidably mounted within the slide rail assemblies  28  and  30  is a drawer member frame  32 . Drawer member frame  32  normally has the door panel  26  mounted onto front end plates  34  in an adjustable manner. 
         [0031]    As shown in more detail in  FIG. 3 , the opposite side of the plates  34  include two slidable brackets  36  having oblong holes  38  at a laterally outermost edge for securing to the door panel  26 . The brackets  36  each include two rectangular slots  40  with anchoring bolts and lock nuts secured thereto for adjusting the lateral movement of the brackets  36  for securing the door panel to the drawer member frame  32 . Door panel  26  is vertically adjustable by connection of mounting hardware through the oblong holes  38  into the door panel. 
         [0032]    As shown in  FIG. 4 , the top mount adjustable cabinet mounted frame assembly  20  is mounted within the top of an opening in the cabinet  22 . For illustrative purposes, slide rail assembly  28  has been removed. In  FIG. 4 , rear mounting bracket  50  is shown adjacent to the rear wall  42  of the cabinet. A front mounting bracket  90  is shown closer to the entrance of the cabinet opening, positioned to be connected to and extend across between the slide rail assemblies (with slide rail assembly  28  omitted for clarity purposes). 
         [0033]    Secured to the rear wall  42  of the cabinet opening are two jog bend brackets  52 . These brackets are shown in more detail in  FIG. 5 . 
         [0034]    In  FIG. 5 , the jog bend bracket  52  includes a flat rear wall portion  54  connected to a perpendicular extending flat portion  56  and terminating in flange  58 . Flange  58  extends perpendicular to portion  56 . Extending through portion  56  is a screw  60  which is vertically adjustable to raise and lower the tip  62  of the screw. The tip  62  raises and lowers the rear bracket  50 . Rear wall portion  54  includes two obround holes  64  and one circular hole  66  for mounting rear wall portion  54  to the rear wall  42  of the cabinet opening. 
         [0035]    In  FIGS. 6 through 8 , details of the rear mounting bracket  50  are shown. In these figures, slide rail assembly  28  is shown. Slide rail assembly  30  is removed for illustrative purposes only. 
         [0036]    Rear mounting bracket  50  is U-shaped, having crosspiece  70  and two perpendicular extending legs  72  and  74 . A bottom edge of the crosspiece  70  and legs  72  and  74  has a perpendicular extending flange  76  having a width greater than a top edge perpendicular extending flange  78 . This is best shown in  FIG. 7 . The purpose of the flanges  76 ,  78  is to provide a channel for receipt of and to capture the slide rail assembly  28  as shown in  FIGS. 6 and 8 . 
         [0037]    In  FIG. 6 , a rail portion of slide rail assembly  28  is shown being secured by shoulder rivets  80  extending through obround holes  82 . The rivets  80  frictionally hold the rail of the slide assembly  28  in place for slight lengthwise telescoping adjustment later when fixing the location of front cross-member bracket  90 . 
         [0038]    In  FIGS. 9 and 10 , the complete pre-hung top mount adjustable cabinet mounted frame assembly  20  is shown including the drawer member frame and the cabinet member frame. Extending between the rails of the slide assemblies  28 ,  30  is a front mounting bracket  90 . The front mounting bracket  90  includes a horizontal crosspiece  92  and two downwardly extending perpendicular legs  94 . The legs  94  are secured to a front portion of the rails of the slide assemblies  28 ,  30 . 
         [0039]    The horizontally extending portion  92  includes a keyhole  96  for anchoring of the front mounting bracket to a front cross rail or cabinet rail located at a top of an opening in cabinet box  22 . This keyhole  96  helps in the center positioning of the top mount adjustable cabinet mounted frame assembly in the cabinet. 
         [0040]    As shown in  FIG. 10 , slidable drawer member frame  32  for holding the recycle containers  34  is shown separated from the cabinet member frame to be anchored in a cabinet. In  FIG. 10 , the front mounting bracket  90  has not yet been secured to the slide rail assemblies. 
         [0041]    The crosspiece  92  is located above the rear cross-member bracket  70  to aid in providing torisional twist of the front cross-member bracket when the position of the rear cross-member bracket is changed. The crosspiece  92  includes lateral notches in the ends of the crosspiece to assist in the twist of front cross-member bracket. 
         [0042]    In the positioning of the invention in the opening of a cabinet, the flange  76  of the rear mounting bracket  70  is positioned and held in the gap formed between the portions  58  and the rear wall  42  to which the brackets  52  have been secured. Some play is allowed between the width of the flange  76  and the width of the gap formed between the portions  58  and the rear wall  42 . 
         [0043]    With the rear mounting bracket hung by and loosely held by the brackets  52 , and the front mounting bracket  90  secured between the rails of the slide assemblies  28 ,  30 , a screw  100  is driven into the front cross rail or cabinet rail of the upper wall of the cabinet box opening at a centered position and at a predetermined height above and distance from the rear mounting bracket. The front mounting bracket  90  is then raised so that screw head  102  passes through the round opening  104  of the keyhole  96 . The front mounting bracket is then pushed rearwardly towards the rear mounting bracket with the shaft  104  of the screw  100  passing through restricted opening  106  of the keyhole  96 . Shaft  104  is then located in obround slot  108  of the keyhole  96 . The front mounting bracket  90  is then laterally shifted until the front mounting bracket is properly centered in the cabinet. Screw  100  is then tightened in place. 
         [0044]    Rear mounting bracket is now mounted in the jog bend brackets  52 . With the door panel  26  mounted to the plates  34 , drawer member frame  32  is moved into place within the respective corresponding portions of the slide rail assemblies of the cabinet member frame. When the door panel is in contact with the cabinet front face, a determination can be made of the necessary adjustments so that the door panel lies flush on the cabinet front face. 
         [0045]    These adjustments are accomplished by the rotation of the screws  60  in the jog bend brackets  52 . Each of the screws  60  is independently adjusted with each screw being rotated in the same direction or in opposite directions or with one screw stationary to provide a torsional twist of the front cross-member bracket of the cabinet mounting assembly. This moves the positioning of the front door panel with respect to the front face of the cabinet through multiple planes. 
         [0046]    In an instruction sheet, assembling the adjustable cabinet mounting frame in a cabinet is performed as follows: 
         [0047]    Step 1—Separate drawer member frame (DMF) from cabinet member frame (CMF) by depressing lever disconnects on drawer slides. 
         [0048]    Step 2—Drive #8×⅝ screw ⅜″ in and centered under front rail. (Do not drive screw in completely.) 
         [0049]    Step 3—Mount rear adjust brackets to back of cabinet by transferring front rail height to rear of base cabinet by transferring front rail height to rear of base cabinet less 4.5″. 
         [0050]    Step 4—Install CMF in base cabinet by hooking rear of CMF bracket over rear adjust brackets. Then position front bracket of CMF to receive #8×⅝ screw through key hole at front rail and push back in place. 
         [0051]    Step 5—Center CMF, hand tighten screw; drive #10×¾″ screws in obround holes of front bracket. Level at rear adjust bracket and drive #8×⅝ screws in obround holes. Hand tighten. 
         [0052]    Step 6—Set DMF door mount adjust brackets to desired width for door style. Place door face down. Center DMF left to right and position  19 / 32  plus door overlap down from top of door. Drive #10×⅝″ screws in obround holes. Hand tighten. 
         [0053]    Step 7—Move ball retainers to the front of cabinet member slides. Insert DMF into CMF by placing drawer members between ball bearings and pushing the door carefully closed. 
         [0054]    Step 8—Open door and perform final adjustments. Set door toe in, toe out by raising or lowering rear of CMF with rear adjust brackets. Set door height with obround holes on DMF. Set door width with obround holes on CMF. Drive and fasten remaining screws. 
         [0055]    The foregoing description should be considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and, accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.