CABINET AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING

A cabinet comprised of side panel members, a top panel member and a bottom panel member wherein the cabinet is configured to be releasably secured so as to be shipped in a disassembled state. The cabinet further includes a back panel member that will operably couple with all other panel members of the cabinet. The back panel member includes a dadoed rabbet edge along both of the lateral edges and both of the longitudinal edges. The formation of the edges of the back panel member facilitate a securing to the two side panel members, the tope panel member and the bottom panel member so as to provide greater structural integrity of the cabinet and improved load bearing. The panel members of the cabinet include grooves formed on inner surfaces thereof and further have locking mechanisms and locking receptacles that are configured to provide assembly of the cabinet.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to cabinets, more specifically but not by way of limitation, a cabinet and a method of manufacturing wherein the cabinet is configured to be transported in a disassembled state and then assembled upon arrival to the destination wherein the present invention provides construction elements to the cabinet that provide improved durability and structural stability.

BACKGROUND

As is known in the art, cabinets of various types are installed in both residential and commercial building. Cabinets are deployed for numerous applications such as but not limited to kitchens and bathrooms for residential structures and various types of storage in commercial applications. Commonly there are two types of techniques for manufacturing for installation of cabinets in residential and commercial applications. One technique is to provide custom on-site building of cabinets from suitable material such as but not limited to wood. By way of example but not limitation, many high end residential homes will have custom cabinets built onsite from exotic woods or other materials. This technique is quite time consuming and very expensive due to the materials and labor cost. Alternatively, another technique is to have pre-manufactured cabinets that are available in common sizes. These types of cabinets are more cost effective and can be shipped assembled or shipped in a disassembled state and subsequently assembled upon arrival to the final destination.

Cabinets that are manufactured to be shipped disassembled are most commonly manufactured by automated machines commonly known as CNC machines. These machines will execute techniques on the cabinet pieces such as but not limited to routing wherein the cabinet pieces are machined with various elements that will facilitate assembly of the cabinet. These elements can be features such as but not limited to grooves and rabbet formations. Existing technology does not provide a cabinet constructed to be assembled at destination that has the structural integrity or load bearing capability equivalent to a cabinet built onsite with different techniques.

Accordingly, there is a need for cabinet that is manufactured to be shipped in a disassembled state wherein the pieces of the cabinet of the present invention include elements that provide improved durability, structural integrity, and load bearing capabilities once assembled.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is the object of the present invention to provide a cabinet that is manufactured from a plurality of pieces so as to be shipped in a disassembled state wherein the cabinet of the present invention is comprised of a plurality of pieces.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a cabinet comprised of a plurality of pieces that have elements formed thereon to facilitate assembly of the cabinet wherein the cabinet of the present invention includes side members.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a cabinet that is manufactured from a plurality of pieces so as to be shipped in a disassembled state wherein the cabinet of the present invention includes a top end member and a bottom end member.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a cabinet comprised of a plurality of pieces that have elements formed thereon to facilitate assembly of the cabinet wherein the members of the body of the cabinet of the present invention include barbed channel key slot cavities operable to receive barbed channel lock keys.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a cabinet that is manufactured from a plurality of pieces so as to be shipped in a disassembled state wherein the cabinet of the present invention includes a back panel member that includes edge and end rabbet dado formations.

Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a cabinet comprised of a plurality of pieces that have elements formed thereon to facilitate assembly of the cabinet wherein the back panel member is constructed to provide improved load bearing and structural integrity.

Another object of the present invention is to a provide a cabinet that is manufactured from a plurality of pieces so as to be shipped in a disassembled state wherein the elements formed in the back panel member improve the ease of assembling the cabinet.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a cabinet comprised of a plurality of pieces that have elements formed thereon to facilitate assembly of the cabinet wherein the cabinet is constructed with elements to facilitate initial assembly as well as subsequent disassembly and re-assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Now referring in particular to the Figures submitted herewith, the cabinet100includes a body10wherein the body10is comprised of a plurality of panel members15. The panel members15include assembly elements20that are operable to facilitate the assembly, disassembly and reassembly of the body10of the cabinet100. The panel members15are illustrated herein of a particular size and shape for illustration purposes only. It should be understood within the scope of the present invention that the panel members15could be formed in alternate sizes and shapes in order to create a body10of a desired assembled size and shape. It should be further understood within the scope of the present invention that the body10could be assembled from various quantities of panel members15. Furthermore, it should be understood within the scope of the present invention that the panel members15could be manufactured from various materials such as but not limited to wood. As is further discussed herein, the panel members15will have dado grooves formed thereon. It should be understood within the scope of the present invention that the some of the dado grooves can be a stopped groove wherein the stopped groove does not extend the length of the panel member15while others can be a through groove extending the length of the panel member15.

Referring in particular toFIG. 4, an exemplary portion of a cabinet100is illustrated therein. A top panel member25and bottom panel member30are configured to be operably coupled to a first side panel member35and a second side panel member40. The top panel member25is square in shape having a front edge26, a rear edge27and opposing lateral edges28,29. The top panel member25includes locking mechanisms45formed in the opposing lateral edges28,29generally located proximate the front edge26and rear edge27. The locking mechanisms45are configured to mateably engage with the locking receptacles55that are formed in the inner surface of the first side panel35and second side panel40. While various mechanisms can be utilized for the locking mechanisms45, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention the locking mechanisms45are lock dowels wherein the lock dowels are configured to mateably engage and releasably secure with the locking receptacles55. The top panel member25includes a groove31formed on the inner surface wherein the groove extends between the opposing lateral edges28,29. The groove31is formed using a dado technique and is configured to receive an edge of the back panel member70as is further discussed herein. It should be understood within the scope of the present invention that the groove31could be formed in alternate widths so as to accommodate a back panel member70having different thicknesses. The bottom panel member30is constructed identically as the top panel member25and is opposedly located on the cabinet100in its assembled state. The bottom panel member30includes locking mechanisms45that are configured to operably couple to the locking receptacles55.

The first side panel35and second side panel40are operably coupled to the top panel member25and bottom panel member30on opposing sides thereof. The first side panel35and second side panel40are identically constructed and as such the ensuing discussion of the second side panel40should be understood to be applicable to the first side panel35. The second side panel40includes a first longitudinal edge46, a second longitudinal edge47, a first lateral edge48and a second lateral edge49. The second side panel40is rectangular in the embodiment illustrated herein but it should be understood that the second side panel40could be provided in alternate shapes so as to provide a cabinet100of a different shape. The second side panel40includes groove56formed on the inner surface thereof. The groove56is adjacent the first longitudinal edge46. Groove56is formed intermediate the first lateral edge48and second lateral edge49extending the length of the second side panel40.

Referring now in particular toFIG. 6, the back panel member70is illustrated therein. The back panel member70includes opposing longitudinal edges71,72and opposing lateral edges73,74. The back panel member70is rectangular in shape in the embodiment illustrated herein but it should be understood within the scope of the present invention that the back panel member70could be provided in alternate shapes. The opposing longitudinal edges71,72and opposing lateral edges73,74have formed thereon edge rabbet formations77. The edge rabbet formations77are formed utilizing a dado technique and fully extend between the opposing longitudinal edges71,72and the opposing lateral edges73,74. The back panel member70further includes apertures80that are operable to receive fasteners therethrough that will mechanically couple to the top panel member25. The combination of the dadoed edge rabbet formations77and fasteners provides a mateable coupling of the back panel member that offers improved durability, structural integrity and load bearing compared to alternate techniques. Furthermore, the structure of the back panel member70facilitates improved assembly time of the cabinet100.