Abstract:
A pivot assembly that can be inserted into kitchen cabinets to utilize otherwise unused and unreachable overhead spaces over kitchen wall cabinets. The pivot assembly has a pair of pivot arms pivotally connected to opposite sides of a frame, the frame slidably attached within a cabinet. A drawer is connected to the pivot assembly between the pivot arms. The drawer slides out of the cabinet on a pair of drawer slides and rotates down and out 180 degrees on the pivot arms, from an up position to a down position, wherein the drawer remains stable even as the pivot arms pass through a middle position. The pivot arms form a primary and secondary parallelogram shape during operation, the secondary parallelogram supporting the primary parallelogram at its weakest point in the middle position.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a way to utilize otherwise unreachable overhead spaces, especially in kitchen cabinetry, where the wall cabinets often end at about 7 feet, and the ceiling is at 8 feet or more. These spaces are often occupied by soffits, or are left open. 
     By installing new open-faced cabinets in these spaces, the mechanism embodied in this invention can be inserted with an appropriate drawer and front door or drawer front. The cabinets and door or front can match the already existing cabinetry. 
     The invention can also be used without a front door, where there are very tall cabinets already in place, and where the top shelf is too high to reach easily. In this situation, the top shelf can be replaced by the swing-down open front drawer, which is normally hidden by the existing cabinet doors. 
     The solution to this task is identified by the features declared in the claims. 
     Additionally, the invention can be utilized beyond the realm of kitchen cabinets by providing a way to easily lower objects with a new and useful pivot assembly. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention embodies the solution to wasted high spaces. First a frame is constructed. The frame is like an upside down drawer with an open front and open bottom. The frame is mounted inside the cabinet on drawer slides which provide over-travel, so the frame and its contents can be pulled out entirely clear of the cabinet. The sides of the frame are assemblies which contain the critical parts of the invention. The assemblies allow an actual drawer with an open top and front to be mounted to the frame, and the assemblies also allow the drawer to swing forward and down 180°, to a level which is more easily reached by the average person. A front door hinged at the bottom of the drawer can then be opened down for access to the drawer&#39;s contents. 
     Producing this motion and maintaining the drawer in a horizontal orientation involves the use of a pivot system which forms parallelograms, formed by the frame, the drawer attachments or bars, and pivot arms, on each side of the drawer. There are two problems with parallelograms when the 4 pivot axes are all in one plane. 
     The most severe problem occurs at that point where the parallelogram becomes undefined (i.e., the angles inside the parallelogram are at zero degrees so that it is in fact a line as opposed to a parallelogram). The pivot assembly entering this state may suddenly emerge at some awkward angle. This embodiment solves this situation by implementing a secondary, outer parallelogram in the pivot assembly which overrides this instability. 
     The second problem is that if a fixed base pivot distance is shorter or even near the swing arm pivot distance, a first pivot arm would run into a second pivot arm, making rotation through 0° impossible. The subject invention also solves this problem by beveling the pair of pivot arms so that they bypass each other. 
     Without some assistance, the rotation from 90° up to 90° down would be a very difficult motion to control, because of the weight of the drawer, its contents, and the door. It would be extremely difficult to push the drawer back up. An embodiment of this invention solves this difficulty with the use of extension springs to help pull the drawer closed. The choice of extension springs and the location of the spring attachment points in respect to the pivot points of the parallelogram can be important to the successful operation of the embodiment and involve extensive calculations of torques. The primary function of the extension springs is to counter the torque produced by the weight of the swinging drawer. By properly placing the spring points, a secondary effect is to hold the drawer open when it is in the down position, and help it close when in the up position. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the embodiment of the invention showing the drawer swung down and the door open for access. 
         FIG. 2   a  through  FIG. 2   e  illustrate the sequence of movement of the parts from the closed to the fully open position. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the parts of the invention which form the rigid upside-down drawer frame. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the details of the right pivot assembly. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the details of the left pivot assembly. 
         FIG. 6  is a side view of the drawer and the flip-down door assembly. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of an alternate drawer for side access with a fixed door. 
         FIG. 8  is a side view showing the details of the elbow catch, the magnet latch, and the hinges, for a flip down door. 
         FIG. 9   a  through  FIG. 9   e  illustrate the sequence of movement of the right pivot assembly parts from the closed to the fully open position. 
         FIG. 10  is a side view of the right pivot assembly, showing the primary and the secondary parallelograms. 
         FIG. 11   a  is a side view of the right pivot assembly, showing the inner parallelogram at its undefined position at 0°, and the outer parallelogram at 90°. 
         FIG. 11   b  is a side view of the right pivot assembly, showing the possible result from the instability of the inner parallelogram if the outer parallelogram is omitted. 
         FIG. 12  shows the inner parallelogram at its strongest points (“up position” and “down position”) and weakest point (“middle position”) in the sequence of movement from the up position to the down position. 
         FIG. 13  shows the outer parallelogram at its strongest point (“middle position”) and weakest points (“up position” and “down position”) in the sequence of movement from the up position to the down position. 
         FIG. 14   a  through  FIG. 14   d  illustrate the sequence of movement of the parts as they are pulled by a hooking tool from the up position to the down position. 
         FIG. 15  shows the drawer assembly utilizing a height stick. 
         FIG. 16   a  and  FIG. 16   b  are perspective views of the right pivot arms as they bypass each other at 0°. 
         FIG. 17   a  and  FIG. 17   b  are perspective views of the right pivot arm illustrating its “U” shape. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , a conventional kitchen cabinet  10  usually composed of wood can be mounted above existing wall cabinets. Commercial drawer slides, right slide  11  and left slide  12 , are attached to both inside sides of the cabinet  10 . The slides are preferably ones with provisions for over-travel when extended. A slide catch ( 81 , as shown in  FIG. 2 ) may be used on the end of each slide (right slide  11  and left slide  12 ) to stop the drawer assembly  50  from traveling beyond a desired length as the drawer assembly  50  slides out of the cabinet  10 . Right pivot assembly  20  attaches to the inside of right slide  11 . The left pivot assembly  25  attaches to the inside of left slide  12 . The drawer assembly  50  is then attached to the pivot assemblies  20  and  25 , and flip door assembly  60  in turn is attached to drawer assembly  50 .  FIG. 1  shows the drawer in the swing-down position with the door flipped open. 
       FIG. 2   a  through  FIG. 2   e  clockwise from upper left illustrates the sequence of movement of the parts from the closed to the fully open position. By grasping a door handle  62  on the drawer assembly  50 , a rigid frame  15  is pulled out horizontally until the frame  15  and the slides (left slide  12  shown; right slide  11 , as shown in  FIG. 1 ) stop at their full extension due to a slide catch  81 . A hooking tool ( 80 , as shown in  FIG. 14 ) may be used to pull on the door handle  62  or otherwise hook to the drawer and pull it out of the cabinet ( 10 , as shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 3 ). The momentum of the drawer assembly  50  moving outward breaks the magnetic latches when the slides (left slide  12  shown; right slide  11 , as shown in  FIG. 1 ) are at a full extension, and the pivot assembly starts a pivoting motion outward and downward. Continuing the pivoting motion takes the drawer all the way downward until the over-center extension springs (rear spring  47  and front spring  48 , as shown in  FIG. 4 ) snap the drawer fully open. Releasing the elbow catch  64  then allows the flip door to be lowered. 
       FIG. 3  shows the rigid frame  15  which is assembled to fit inside the cabinet  10 . It creates an upside down drawer, but with the front open. The frame is formed by the right frame  21  of the right pivot assembly ( 20 , as shown in  FIG. 4 ), left frame  26  of the left pivot assembly ( 25 , as shown in  FIG. 5 ), frame back  16  and frame top  17 . The left frame  26  may be described as a rigid element for mounting the left pivot arms (left rear pivot arm  27  and left front pivot arm  28 , as shown in  FIG. 5 ), and the right frame  21  may be described as a rigid element used for mounting the right pivot arms (right rear pivot arm  22  and right front pivot arm  23 , as shown in  FIG. 4 ). Frame back  16  and frame top  17  contain bends along their length, or longitudinal bends, to give them stiffness, which minimizes twisting of the assembly under the loading of the extension springs and drawer contents. 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the details of the right pivot assembly  20 . The base of this assembly is right frame  21  which on its outside attaches to the extendable side of right slide  11 . Right rear pivot arm  22  and right front pivot arm  23  are pivotally attached along the bottom of right frame  21  with, respectively, base rear pivot  41  and base front pivot  42 . Drawer arm (bottom bar)  31  is pivotally attached to right rear pivot arm  22  with drawer rear pivot  43  and to right front pivot arm  23  with drawer front pivot  44 . Stabilizer arm (top bar)  32  is pivotally attached to right rear pivot arm  22  with stabilizer rear pivot  45  and to right front pivot arm  23  with stabilizer front pivot  46 . 
     Drawer arm  31  could also be described as the bottom bar, and the stabilizer arm  32  could be described as the top bar. The alternate names come from a geometric viewpoint because the top bar is above the bottom bar. 
       FIG. 4  also shows how the extension springs (rear spring  47  and front spring  48 ) connect to the right pivot arms (right rear pivot arm  22  and right front pivot arm  23 , respectively). Rear spring  47  is attached to right rear pivot arm  22  with rear arm spring post  33  and to right frame  21  with rear frame spring post  35 . Front spring  48  is attached to right front pivot arm  23  with front arm spring post  34  and to right frame  21  with front frame spring post  36 . Rear drawer hanger  37  and front drawer hanger  38  are attached to drawer arm (bottom bar)  31 . A standard cabinet magnet  39  is attached at the upper front corner of right frame  21 . 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the details of the left pivot assembly  25 . The base of this assembly is left frame  26  which on its outside attaches to the extendable side of left slide  12 . Left rear pivot arm  27  and left front pivot arm  28  attach along the bottom of left frame  26  with, respectively, base rear pivot  41  and base front pivot  42 . Drawer arm (bottom bar)  31  is attached to left rear pivot arm  27  with drawer rear pivot  43  and to left front pivot arm  28  with drawer front pivot  44 . Stabilizer arm (top bar)  32  is attached to left rear pivot arm  27  with stabilizer rear pivot  45  and to left front pivot arm  28  with stabilizer front pivot  46 . 
       FIG. 5  also shows how the extension springs (rear spring  47  and front spring  48 ) connect to the left pivot arms (left rear pivot arm  27  and left front pivot arm  28 , respectively). Rear spring  47  is attached to left rear pivot arm  27  with rear arm spring post  33  and to left frame  26  with rear frame spring post  35 . Front spring  48  is attached to left front pivot arm  28  with front arm spring post  34  and to left frame  26  with front frame spring post  36 . Rear drawer hanger  37  and front drawer hanger  38  are attached to drawer arm (bottom bar)  31 . A standard cabinet magnet  39  is attached at the upper front corner of left frame  26 . 
     Left pivot assembly  25  is essentially a mirror image of the right pivot assembly  20 . Referring to  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 , left frame  26  is a mirror of right frame  21 , left rear pivot arm  27  is a mirror of right rear pivot arm  22 , and left front pivot arm  28  is a mirror of right front pivot arm  23 . All other parts of the left pivot assembly are identical to the corresponding parts of right pivot assembly  20 . Further descriptions of the right pivot assembly  20  will also be applicable to the left pivot assembly  25 . 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the drawer and the flip-down door assembly. Drawer assembly  50  can be assembled in numerous ways, and from various materials, as may suit the final user. The implementation shown is of plywood drawer right side  51 , drawer left side  52 , drawer back  53 , drawer bottom  54  with an opening for a bottom window, and a drawer window  55 . The drawer back  53  can be made thinner and taller than the side panels, the tallest that will fit inside the rigid frame ( 15 , as shown in  FIG. 3 ) to indicate the maximum height of items which can be placed in the drawer. In an alternate embodiment, a height stick ( 82 , as shown in  FIG. 15 ) is mounted vertically in the drawer. Drawer right side  51  and drawer left side  52  have appropriate holes for mounting to rear drawer hangers ( 37 , as shown in  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 ) and front drawer hangers ( 38 , as shown in  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 ). 
     In another embodiment, the entire drawer bottom  54  may be made from transparent material. The purpose of a transparent bottom of the drawer is so that the contents can be easily seen from underneath by just extending right slide ( 11 , as shown in  FIG. 1 ) and left slide ( 12 , as shown in  FIG. 1 ), without having to swing the drawer down and flip the door open. 
     Where a flip-down door is implemented, the drawer assembly  50  can utilize a catch mounting block  56  which is used to mount the elbow catch strike  57 , the fixed part of a standard elbow catch. Only one is required, and can be mounted on either side as desired by the user. Also two or three modified piano hinges  65  are attached to the drawer bottom  54  of the drawer and to the flip door  61 , to allow the door to swing open. The flip door assembly  60  is then attached to these hinges. 
     The flip door  61  can be any material to match existing cabinetry. Two magnet plates  63  are attached to the back of the door to align with magnets ( 39 , as shown in  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 ) when the door is closed. The magnet plates and magnets may be referred to, collectively, as a magnetic latch. One elbow catch  64  is also attached to the back of the door to align with the elbow catch strike  57 . A door handle ( 62 , as shown in  FIG. 2   a ) may be included at the bottom front of the door. 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of an alternate drawer for side access with a fixed door. Where a flip door ( 61 , as shown in  FIG. 6  and  FIG. 8 ) is not desired, a different drawer assembly, with a fixed drawer front and a cutout for access in either the left or right drawer side, can be implemented. In this case parts shown in FIG.  6 —the catch mounting block  56 , elbow catch strike  57 , elbow catch  64 , and piano hinges  65  are omitted. Side drawer door panel  76  is then directly mounted to the side drawer front  75 . The two magnet plates  63  are included. This arrangement is especially useful when the drawer is deeper than it is wide. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates this arrangement for access from the left side. Side drawer assembly  70  can be assembled in numerous ways, and from various materials, as may suit the final user. The implementation shown is of plywood side drawer right side  71 , side drawer left side  72 , side drawer back  73 , side drawer bottom  74 , side drawer front  75 . The side drawer back  73  can be made taller than the sides, the tallest that will fit inside the rigid frame ( 15 , as shown in  FIG. 3 ), to indicate the maximum height of items which can be placed in the drawer. The side drawer right side  71  and the side drawer left side  72  have appropriate holes for mounting to rear drawer hanger ( 37 , as shown in  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 ) and front drawer hanger ( 38 , as shown in  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 ). A side drawer door panel  76  is attached to side drawer front  75 . The two magnet plates  63  are included on the side drawer door panel  76 , as well as a door handle which is hidden in this view. 
     A see-through drawer bottom ( 54 , as shown in  FIG. 6 ) is not as useful in this implementation since the contents of the drawer are easily seen by simply extending the right slide ( 11 , as shown in  FIG. 1 ) and left slide ( 12 , as shown in  FIG. 1 ). However, a see-through drawer bottom is still possible if desired, accomplished by making drawer bottom ( 54 , as shown in  FIG. 6 ) with a transparent material or setting a drawer window ( 55 , as shown in  FIG. 6 ) in drawer bottom ( 54 , as shown in  FIG. 6 ). 
       FIG. 8  is a left side view of the drawer assembly  50  showing the details of the elbow catch, the magnet latch, and the hinges, for a flip down door. The magnet  39  is attached to the left frame  26 . Similarly on the other side another magnet is attached to the right frame. Said magnets  39  align with corresponding magnet plates  63  attached to the flip door  61 . The magnets  39  are utilized, when initially extracting the rigid frame ( 15  as shown in  FIG. 3 ) on the slides (right slide  11  and left slide  12 , as shown in  FIG. 1 ) with a door handle  62 , to keep the drawer assembly  50  from starting to pivot out and down prematurely and thus jamming the drawer assembly  50  against the bottom of the cabinet ( 10  as shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 3 ). 
     Elbow catch  64  is attached to flip door  61  on one side. It engages the elbow catch strike  57  mounted to drawer assembly  50  by catch mounting block  56 . This keeps the flip door  61  firmly attached to the drawer assembly  50  during the horizontal extraction and pivoting motions. Elbow catch  64  may then be disengaged when the drawer assembly  50  is in the down position, at which time the flip door  61  can be flipped down on the piano hinges  65 . 
       FIG. 9   a  through  FIG. 9   e  illustrates, clockwise from the upper left, the sequence of movement of the right pivot assembly ( 20 , as shown in  FIG. 4 ) from the closed position ( FIG. 9   a ) to the fully open position ( FIG. 9   e ). The pivot assembly rotates a full 180° about each base pivot. This rotation is made possible by the implementation of a parallelogram shape formed by the pivot assembly, also called the inner parallelogram ( 78 , as shown in  FIG. 10 ), which requires the opposite pivot arms to be parallel to each other. However rotation through an angle where all four sides of the inner parallelogram ( 78 , as shown in  FIG. 10 ), including the front pivot arm, the rear pivot arm, and the lines connecting the ends of the front pivot arm to the rear pivot arm, become aligned puts the inner parallelogram ( 78 , as shown in  FIG. 10 ) into an unpredictable state, which will be illustrated in  FIG. 11   b.    
       FIG. 10  shows how the unpredictable state can be overcome by the use of a second parallelogram, also called the outer parallelogram  79 , which supplements the first parallelogram, or inner parallelogram  78 . The pivot assembly with an outer parallelogram  79  is implemented as shown in  FIG. 10  of the right pivot assembly. The inner parallelogram  78  is formed by right frame  21 , right rear pivot arm  22 , right front pivot arm  23 , and drawer arm (bottom bar)  31 , and the pivot points: base rear pivot  41 , base front pivot  42 , drawer rear pivot  43 , and drawer front pivot  44 . The stabilizing outer parallelogram  79  is formed by drawer arm (bottom bar)  31 , right rear pivot arm  22 , stabilizer arm (top bar)  32 , and right front pivot arm  23 , and the pivot points: drawer rear pivot  43 , drawer front pivot  44 , stabilizer rear pivot  45 , and stabilizer front pivot  46 . 
       FIG. 10  also illustrates a vertical offset between the drawer pivots  43  and  44  in drawer arm (bottom bar)  31  and stabilizer pivots  45  and  46  in stabilizer arm (top bar)  32 . The vertical offset allows a full rotation of 180°. The design of the two pivot arms is such that together they form the end stop for the rotation at 0° and 180°, as seen in  FIG. 9   a  and  FIG. 9   e , respectively. The pivot arms (right rear pivot arm  22  and right front pivot arm  23 ) must be rigid enough to withstand the forces exerted at the pivot points, by the weight of the drawer and its contents, and by the forces exerted by the springs. The “U” shape of the pivot arms (right rear pivot arm  22  and right front pivot arm  23 ), as can be seen in  FIG. 17   a  (showing the right rear pivot arm  22 , which can be made identical to right front pivot arm  23 ), makes this possible. 
       FIG. 11   a  illustrates the inner parallelogram ( 78 , as shown in  FIG. 10 , with sides  21 ,  22 ,  23 , and  31 ; and pivots  41 ,  42 ,  43 , and  44 ), with all of its pivot points in line. The stabilizing outer parallelogram ( 79 , as shown in  FIG. 10  with sides  31 ,  22 ,  32 , and  23 ; and pivots  43 ,  44 ,  45 , and  46 ), is shown at a rotation point where the arms of the outer parallelogram are at 90°, forcing the inner parallelogram ( 78 , as shown in  FIG. 10 ) to continue rotation in the expected direction. The inner parallelogram ( 78 , as shown in  FIG. 10 ) would enter into an unstable state if the outer parallelogram ( 79 , as shown in  FIG. 10 ) did not stabilize the inner parallelogram ( 78 , as shown in  FIG. 10 ).  FIG. 11   b  shows a possible result if the stabilizer arm (top bar)  32  is omitted. If a drawer assembly ( 50 , not shown here, but able to be attached as shown in  FIG. 1 ) was attached to drawer arm (bottom bar)  31 , the drawer assembly ( 50 , as shown in  FIG. 1 ) could lose its horizontal orientation and warp or twist, causing damage to the pivots and the drawer&#39;s contents. 
       FIG. 12  shows the inner parallelogram  78  at its strongest and weakest points in the sequence of movement from the up position to the down position. The inner parallelogram  78  is at its strongest in the up position and in the down position, when the inner parallelogram  78  is rectangular. The inner parallelogram  78  is at its weakest in the middle position when the vertices of the inner parallelogram  78  lie along a straight line, making the inner parallelogram  78  undefined. 
       FIG. 13  shows the outer parallelogram  79  at its strongest and weakest points in the sequence of movement from the up position to the down position. The outer parallelogram  79  is at its strongest in the middle position, when the outer parallelogram  79  is rectangular. The outer parallelogram  79  is at its weakest in the up position and in the down position when the vertices of the outer parallelogram  79  lie along a straight line, making the outer parallelogram  79  undefined. 
       FIG. 14   a  through  FIG. 14   d  illustrate the sequence of movement of the parts as they are pulled by a hooking tool  80  from the up position to the down position. By grasping a door handle  62  on the drawer assembly  50  a rigid frame  15  is pulled out horizontally until the frame  15  and the slides (right slide  11  and left slide  12 , as shown in  FIG. 1 ) stop at their full extension. In this embodiment a hooking tool  80 , if needed, is used to pull on the door handle  62  or otherwise hook to the drawer and pull it out of the cabinet ( 10 , as shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 3 ). The hooking tool  80  can be anything long that is adapted to hook onto the drawer, and preferably it is a stick or a rod with a hook attached to the end. The momentum of the drawer assembly  50  moving outward breaks the magnetic latches when the slides (right slide  11  and left slide  12 , as shown in  FIG. 1 ) are at a full extension, and the pivot assembly starts a pivoting motion outward and downward. Continuing the pivoting motion takes the drawer all the way downward until the over-center springs snap the drawer fully open. 
       FIG. 15  shows the drawer assembly utilizing a height stick  82 . The height stick  82  may be mounted on the drawer assembly  50  to indicate the maximum height of items which may be placed in the drawer in order for the drawer to fit in the cabinet ( 10 , as shown in  FIG. 1 ). 
       FIG. 16   a  and  FIG. 16   b  are perspective views of the right pivot arms (right rear pivot arm  22  and right front pivot arm  23 ) as they bypass each other at 0° to each other. This orientation creates a problem when the pivot point separation (between base rear pivot  41  and stabilizer rear pivot  45  for right rear pivot arm  22 ; between base front pivot  42  and stabilizer front pivot  46  for right front pivot arm  23 ) on the rotating arms is equal to or longer than the pivot point separation (between base rear pivot  41  and base front pivot  42 ) of the base pivots, as is the case in this implementation. This problem is overcome by first offsetting the physical drawer pivot axes (stabilizer rear pivot  45 , stabilizer front pivot  46 , drawer rear pivot  43 , and drawer front pivot  44 ) from the base pivot axes (base rear pivot  41  and base front pivot  42 ), in the direction of the axes, to bypass rear arm spring post  33  and front arm spring post  34 . Then the pivot arms must be beveled or notched appropriately to bypass the actual physical pivots, as shown in  FIG. 16   a  and  FIG. 16   b . The stabilizer arm  32  and the drawer arm  31  are then free to rotate along a common constant plane, a plane that is distinct from the plane along which the spring posts (rear arm spring post  33  and front arm spring post  34 ) are located. The base pivots (base rear pivot  41  and base front pivot  42 ) are adapted to be pivotally connected to a rigid element such that each pivot arm (right rear pivot arm  22  and right front pivot arm  23 ) is free to rotate about that pivot arm&#39;s base pivot (base rear pivot  41  and base front pivot  42 , respectively) without impedance by the rigid element. The drawer front pivot  44  and the drawer rear pivot  43  rotate along a common constant plane so that the drawer assembly ( 50 , as shown in  FIG. 1 ) uniformly folds out of the frame ( 15 , as shown in  FIG. 3 ). Similarly, the stabilizer front pivot  46  and the stabilizer rear pivot  45  rotate along a common constant plane so that the drawer assembly ( 50 , as shown in  FIG. 1 ) uniformly folds out of the frame ( 15 , as shown in  FIG. 3 ). 
       FIG. 17   a  and  FIG. 17   b  illustrate the “U” shape of the right rear pivot arm  22 , which is identical to the right front pivot arm ( 23 , as shown in  FIG. 4 ) in one embodiment, and is also a mirror image of the left rear pivot arm ( 27 , as shown in  FIG. 5 ) and left front pivot arm ( 28 , as shown in  FIG. 5 ). The “U” shape design is used to offset the pivot points (stabilizer rear pivot  45 , drawer rear pivot  43 , and base rear pivot  41 ) so that they may bypass each other, as described earlier, and also to make room for the spring posts (rear arm spring post  33  shown) and springs while these arms rotate 180°. This overall design of the pivot arms is an important and unique part of this invention, solving obstacles presented by the complex and conflicting requirements encountered. 
     
       
         
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                   
                   
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                 10 
                 Cabinet 
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                 11 
                 Right Slide 
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                 12 
                 Left Slide 
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                 13 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 14 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 15 
                 Frame 
                   
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                 16 
                 Frame Back 
                   
                   
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                 17 
                 Frame Top 
                   
                   
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                 18 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 19 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 20 
                 Right Pivot 
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                 Assembly 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 21 
                 Right Frame 
                   
                   
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                 22 
                 Right Rear 
                   
                   
                   
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                 Pivot Arm 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 23 
                 Right Front 
                   
                   
                   
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                 Pivot Arm 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 24 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 25 
                 Left Pivot 
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                 Assembly 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 26 
                 Left Frame 
                   
                   
                 x 
                   
                 x 
                   
                   
                 x 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 27 
                 Left Rear 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 Pivot Arm 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 28 
                 Left Front 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 Pivot Arm 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 29 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 30 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 31 
                 Drawer Arm 
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                 x 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                 x 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                   
               
               
                   
                 (Bottom Bar) 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 32 
                 Stabilizer 
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                 x 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                 x 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                   
               
               
                   
                 Arm (Top 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 Bar) 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 33 
                 Rear Arm 
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                 x 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                 X 
               
               
                   
                 Spring Post 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 34 
                 Front Arm 
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                 x 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                   
               
               
                   
                 Spring Post 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 35 
                 Rear Frame 
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                 x 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 Spring Post 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 36 
                 Front Frame 
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                 x 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 Spring Post 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 37 
                 Rear Drawer 
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                 x 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 Hanger 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 38 
                 Front Drawer 
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                 x 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 Hanger 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 39 
                 Magnet 
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                 x 
                   
                   
                 x 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 40 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 41 
                 Base Rear 
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                 x 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                 x 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                 X 
               
               
                   
                 Pivot 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 42 
                 Base Front 
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                 x 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                 x 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                   
               
               
                   
                 Pivot 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 43 
                 Drawer Rear 
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                 x 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                 x 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                 x 
               
               
                   
                 Pivot 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 44 
                 Drawer Front 
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                 x 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                 x 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                   
               
               
                   
                 Pivot 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 45 
                 Stabilizer 
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                 x 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                 x 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                 x 
               
               
                   
                 Rear Pivot 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 46 
                 Stabilizer 
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                 x 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                 x 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                   
               
               
                   
                 Front Pivot 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 47 
                 Rear Spring 
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                 x 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 48 
                 Front Spring 
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                 x 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 49 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 50 
                 Drawer 
                 x 
                 x 
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                   
                 x 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                 x 
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 Assembly 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 51 
                 Drawer Right 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 Side 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 52 
                 Drawer Left 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 Side 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 53 
                 Drawer Back 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 54 
                 Drawer 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 Bottom 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 55 
                 Drawer 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 Window 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 56 
                 Catch 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                   
                 x 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 Mounting 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 Block 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 57 
                 Elbow Catch 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                   
                 x 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 Strike 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 58 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 59 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 60 
                 Flip Door 
                 x 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 Assembly 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 61 
                 Flip Door 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                   
                 x 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 62 
                 Door Handle 
                   
                 x 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 63 
                 Magnet Plate 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                 x 
                 x 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 64 
                 Elbow Catch 
                   
                 x 
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                   
                 x 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 65 
                 Piano Hinge 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                   
                 x 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 66 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 67 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 68 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 69 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 70 
                 Side Drawer 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 Assembly 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 71 
                 Side Drawer 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 Right Side 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 72 
                 Side Drawer 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 Left Side 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 73 
                 Side Drawer 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 Back 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 74 
                 Side Drawer 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 Bottom 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 75 
                 Side Drawer 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 Front 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 76 
                 Side Drawer 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 Door Panel 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 78 
                 Inner 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                   
                 x 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 Parallelogram 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 79 
                 Outer 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                   
                   
                 x 
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 Parallelogram 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 80 
                 Hooking Tool 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 x 
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 81 
                 Slide Catch 
                   
                 x 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 82 
                 Height Stick 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 x