Abstract:
A new vanity cabinet with a functional lavatory included therein is disclosed with modified drawers that compatibly circumvent the portions of the lavatory basin and the associated plumbing service to same, when the drawers are opened and closed. The vanity cabinet of the present invention therefore provides for increased storage and utility.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     Not applicable.  
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
       [0002]     Not applicable.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     The present invention relates to vanity cabinets, e.g., wooden cabinets fitted with lavatories or basins and associated plumbing. More specifically, the present invention relates to vanity cabinets that are constructed using modern manufacturing techniques and materials.  
         [0004]     Vanities originally arose from a need to have a modest sink in the vicinity of a dressing room in hotels or in upscale residences. It may well be that the first vanities were nothing more than a cabinet structure with a recessed bowl or basin where the user could stand or sit and access the basin as needed. This progressed with the development of indoor plumbing to the point that the vanity was supplied with running water and a drain system.  
         [0005]     Some vanities were merely countertops with a skirted front area, where space underneath was accessible for the storage of a stool or other equipment or supplies of the user. This style would not enclose the undersides of the lavatory, including the hot and cold water supplies and the drain plumbing. Since plumbing was, at times, an inexact art and since enclosures in earlier years were comprised of wood components that were ill suited to withstand moisture and humidity, it was beneficial to have a design that was open and airy. In addition, it was beneficial to have a design that would allow quick observation of any ongoing leakage.  
         [0006]     In contrast to the open vanities, there was still the desire to have a completed furniture appearance. This persisted even with the deficits of having hot and cold water supplies and drain plumbing enclosed within fine cabinetry. In further contrast, and perhaps because of the difficulties of the arrangement, the applications that saw the utilization of the fully enclosed cabinetry were many times the most decorative and finely worked pieces of craftsmanship. Thus, many times, products of this type were found in the most exclusive hotels or in the premier residences.  
         [0007]     In recent years there has been a trend towards reviving older furniture designs and motifs. This has evolved to the point where many fine custom cabinetmakers are now producing furniture quality cabinets for home applications that are reminiscent of the vanities and other similar pieces that were in use tens and even a hundred or more years ago. This has prompted the resurgence of the use of vanity cabinets, especially those that evoke the appearance of the highly skilled craftsmanship in design and finish Manufacturers of such high quality vanities include Baker Furniture of Grand Rapids, Mich., and Classic Vanities of Cincinnati, Ohio. These modern versions of the vanity are elegant interpretations of the classic form and can stand alone as items of furniture.  
         [0008]     This trend has been assisted tremendously by advancements in manufacturing techniques and in the types of materials and components that are now available to the cabinetmaker. Components and plumbing for the lavatories are much more dependable and do not pose the same risk for leakage as had once been the case. The designs of basins and the products used for installing them in place have reduced problems associated with fitting them into a vanity cabinet. Lastly, the wood components of the cabinet itself have improved where finishes are resistant to water and humidity, and in some cases the “wood” itself is actually made up from specialized laminates or compositions that possess far superior performance than the materials that were available to the cabinetmakers of years past.  
         [0009]     Manufacturing techniques have also evolved and have resulted in a couple of standardize cabinet designs. Most cabinets manufactured in North America follow the frame type method that typically includes a face frame that is mounted to a box-like structure from which the doors are hung. The face frame includes horizontal rails and vertical stiles and the panels making up the carcass are joined and glued, sometimes being corner blocked The other major style is termed “frameless” or “Euro” and originates from a European approach that relies on panels that are joined together to form the carcass of the cabinet, and the doors are hung directly from the panel ends. Both techniques have resulted in cabinets that preserve more utilizable space for storage and which are compatible with the application of decorative fronts and the like which cosmetically dress the final product with treatments that range from contemporary to reproduction in style.  
         [0010]     One of the attributes of the present vanity cabinet designs is the availability of storage space within the carcass enclosure. This space has been not been utilized as completely as other space as has been in applications in the kitchen, bath and bedroom. For instance, usage of lazy susan mechanisms has increased the utility of corner cabinets; the usage of rollout racks and trays has made the storage of products more user-friendly. Even though the focus has been on appearance, the impetus for finding more storage space is a by-product of the cost of housing generally. The ability to expand the usage of a given amount of space is now a major consideration in the decisions of the homebuyer.  
         [0011]     The typical configuration for a modem vanity cabinet is for a pair of doors to be located directly underneath the lavatory area. These open up and reveal the open space and may be augmented at times with a fixed shelf. The front of the cabinet may have some decorative molding and false fronts to give the appearance of a drawer above the doors, but this is strictly a cosmetic attribute and no drawer is provided. In some cases, kitchen cabinets do sport a foldout tray that can be used for the storage of small items, usually utensils of various types. While this type of device may be suitable for use in a vanity cabinet, it has not come to the attention of the applicant that any have done so thus far.  
         [0012]     Thus one of the longstanding problems with vanity cabinets was, and has remained, the lack of any method for substantially leveraging the space that has become increasingly available for use. This is not surprising since the area underneath the lavatory still requires clearance for the water supplies and the drain plumbing, but the opportunity exists now for the installation of components that will be able to do good service in what was previously a fairly hostile environment for cabinet components. It was this opportunity that precipitated the present invention.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0013]     The present invention comprises a vanity cabinet with a series of drawers installed below the lavatory area. The drawers are constructed to provide a “U” shaped zone for clearance around the components of the lavatory that are located inside the cabinet.  
         [0014]     In one embodiment of the present invention, a specially constructed drawer comprises two side portions that reside on either side of the lavatory components, and which has sufficient clearance to allow for unrestricted operation between a closed position and an open position. The drawer is laterally buttressed by means of a support rib that extends between each drawer portion and which resists torsional forces and imparts rigidity to the whole drawer unit.  
         [0015]     In another embodiment of the present invention the drawer is comprised of two side portions and one middle portion, all of which are sized and oriented to ensure sufficient clearance for unrestricted operation of the drawer with respect to the components of the lavatory.  
         [0016]     Other variations on the concept include the deployment of more than one modified drawer, where circumstances warrant, to accommodate plumbing runs and other hardware that may prevent the usage of a normal, full depth and full width drawer. Thus a combination of drawers employing spatial modifications and some which may not, can be used to effectuate the objectives of the present invention.  
         [0017]     It is an object of the present invention to provide a vanity cabinet with increased storage capabilities.  
         [0018]     It is another object of the present invention to provide drawers that have clearance for accommodating the components of a lavatory while said drawers remain stable and have the ability to meet performance expectations.  
         [0019]     These and other objects of the present invention will be disclosed in more detail below. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0020]      FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a vanity cabinet.  
         [0021]      FIG. 2  is a top (plan) view of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0022]      FIG. 3  is an exploded view of a vanity cabinet carcass.  
         [0023]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of portions of a vanity cabinet showing a drawer of the present invention in the open position.  
         [0024]      FIG. 5  is a side cross-sectional view of a vanity cabinet showing a top drawer in accordance with the present invention and two lower drawers of normal type and construction.  
         [0025]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a vanity cabinet showing an alternate embodiment of a top drawer of the present invention.  
         [0026]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a portion of a vanity cabinet showing a drawer of the present invention deployed as a middle drawer in the cabinet in the open position.  
         [0027]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a portion of a vanity cabinet showing a normal type and depth of drawer in the open position.  
         [0028]      FIG. 9 (A) is a top view of a conventional drawer.  
         [0029]      FIG. 9 (B) is a front elevational view of a conventional drawer.  
         [0030]      FIG. 9 (C) is a side elevational view of a conventional drawer.  
         [0031]      FIG. 10 (A) is a top view of a drawer of the present invention.  
         [0032]      FIG. 10 (B) is a front elevational view of a drawer of the present invention.  
         [0033]      FIG. 10  (C) is a side elevational view of a drawer of the present invention.  
         [0034]      FIG. 11  is a front elevational view of a drawer of the present invention in isolation in the closed position and as oriented with the lavatory.  
         [0035]      FIG. 12  is a portion of a side elevational view of a drawer of the present invention in the closed position and as oriented with the lavatory.  
         [0036]      FIG. 13  is a rear elevational view of a drawer of the present invention in the closed position and as oriented with respect to the lavatory.  
         [0037]      FIG. 14  is a front elevational view of a drawer of the present invention in isolation in the closed position and as oriented with the drainpipe for the lavatory.  
         [0038]      FIG. 15  is a rear elevational view of a drawer of the present invention in the closed position and as oriented with the drainpipe for the lavatory.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0039]     A vanity cabinet  10  in accordance with the present invention is shown in  FIG. 1  with a top  12 , sidewalls  14 , front  16 , doors  18 , top drawer  20 , base  22 , lavatory  24  and backsplash  26 . Further, in  FIG. 2 , the vanity cabinet includes a lavatory with a drain  30 .  
         [0040]     As shown in  FIG. 3 , a carcass for a vanity cabinet is comprised of generally a cabinet body  40 , with cabinet back  42 , top drawer stringers  44 , middle drawer stringers  46 , and bottom drawer stringers  48 . Also included are the cabinet bottom  50 , middle stringer bottom  52  which are both located interior to the carcass as a whole.  
         [0041]     Other components of the cabinet body  40  are the cabinet feet  54 , the toe rail  56 , the side rails  58 , the face frame  60 , the molding  62  and the front fascia  64 .  
         [0042]     Turning now to  FIG. 4 , a portion of the vanity cabinet  10  is shown with a drawer of the present invention. The vanity cabinet is shown partially for purposes of clarity. In this instance, the top drawer  20  is shown in the open position and with left drawer portion  70  and right drawer portion  72 . The drawer slides  74  are shown in the fully extended position and as attached to both the interior side of the top drawer stringer  44  and to the outside sidewall of the left drawer portion  70  and the right drawer portion  72 . The drawer front  78  is affixed to both left drawer portion and the right drawer portions as well.  
         [0043]     In this embodiment, the preferred drawer configuration is for two portions only. As may be seen in  FIG. 5 , there is a reinforcing rib  76  that extends between the inner sidewalls of the left drawer portion  70  and the right drawer portion  72  and also ties into the rear side of the drawer front  78 . The reinforcing rib is affixed by means of glue or fasteners to the associated components. The reinforcing rib is a feature that is preferentially found in this embodiment of the present invention since, as will be seen, the drawer otherwise lacks a cross member for stabilization of the forces acting upon it.  
         [0044]     In addition to the foregoing, the vanity shown in  FIG. 5  also includes a drain pipe  80  which is conventionally located in the cabinet. The present invention is premised, in large part, upon the existence of obstructions within the vanity and this is mainly due to the plumbing runs that are needed for the lavatory function. For the purposes of the present discussion, the drain pipe  80  is shown but there are typically hot and cold water supplies that are plumbed to the lavatory as well. In addition, there may be circumstances where other obstructions arise, such as laundry chutes, or where heating ducts may take up some of the interior space within the vanity. The intent and scope of the present invention is to accommodate these situations and the illustrations showing the drain pipe are parallel teachings to these alternate (or concurrent) situations.  
         [0045]     It can be appreciated with reference to the foregoing that the present invention utilizes a drawer construction that accommodates an obstruction, such as the underside of a lavatory basin, within a vanity cabinet. In the preferred embodiment, the drawer  20  comprises two drawer portions, a left  70  and a right  72 , which can traverse from a closed position to an open position without interfering or contacting the lavatory basin or any plumbing that may be situated within the vanity cabinet. The drawer portions, being affixed to the drawer front  78 , are maintained in their configuration and are also made accessible when the user opens the drawer front. As further support for the drawer portions, they are also fastened to one of the telescoping members of each of the drawer slides  74  which not only serves to strengthen the drawer configuration, but the drawer slides also bear the vertical loading of the drawer portions, transmitting this loading to the cabinet by means, for instance, of the drawer stringers just as they would with a normal drawer application. In some applications it is known that the method of construction of the carcass may differ and the drawer slides may be mounted directly to a sidewall. The effect is still the same nonetheless, since the load on the drawer slide is transmitted to the carcass; in this case more directly than would be the case if it were mounted onto the stringer.  
         [0046]     In the preferred embodiment, the usage of a three-membered telescoping drawer slide is used. Sometimes known as a precision drawer slide, the members are interconnected by means of ball bearings that provide the sliding movement between the drawer and the cabinet. In contrast, prior art cabinets used drawer slides that typically used rollers for movement. As a consequence of design, roller slides have more clearance between components allowing the assembly to flex to a much greater degree than the precision type slides. When installed on a drawer box, the roller slide contributed very little to the overall integrity of the drawer orientation, which was far more dependent in these cases on the strength and robustness of the drawer box itself. Thus a drawer construction that spanned the full width was virtually a requirement so as to avoid sagging or flexing of the drawer under loads.  
         [0047]     The use of a precision drawer slide in the present invention provides some integrity to the supporting of the drawer box and reduces the amount of flex that could result under load. Some deflection of this nature still occurs, but the degree to which it happens is far less than would be the case for a roller slide installation The means that the modification of the drawer box in the way contemplated by the present invention is made more feasible even though the history of drawer box installations, going back to time of the prior art installations, would not necessarily suggest such a result. It is possible to construct a drawer of the present invention with roller slides, but it is not the preferred method for doing so.  
         [0048]     In use, the modified drawer serves to increase the amount of useable storage available to the user of the vanity cabinet. As one might expect, the need for cosmetic items and other accessories is far greater with respect to a vanity cabinet and in many cases this need required the use of adjacent cabinets, or the use of clumsy bulk storage in the vanity cabinet to satisfy the user. This inefficiency exists in any situation where the user confronts a lavatory or some other obstruction in an area where the need is concurrent for use of cosmetics, or health and other beauty aids. The present invention deals with this inefficiency by providing a customized storage solution that for the first time places the items of use close to the user and increases the volume of storage in the same area significantly.  
         [0049]     The drawer construction itself varies from the traditional in the sense that a left drawer portion and a right drawer portion are provided. In the preferred embodiment, these portions are affixed to the drawer front which helps to hold them in the proper configuration. No cross bracing can be used since this would interfere with the travel of the drawer when the bracing would contact the underside of a lavatory basin, for instance. Thus the integrity of the drawer with respect to its load carrying capacity and maintenance of its orientation is dependent on the drawer front and the drawer slides.  
         [0050]     The modifications that may be made to the drawer can vary. The width of the left and right drawer portions may be adjusted to fit the particular installation. For example, the amount of area obstructed by the underside of a lavatory basin decreases further down in the cabinet. Thus the left and right drawer portions may be increased to take advantage of this fact. Similarly, there may exist other obstruction variables such as plumbing or heating runs that need to be accommodated by adjustments as well, both increasing and decreasing the sizes of the drawer portions.  
         [0051]     Referring to  FIG. 6 , an alternate drawer design is disclosed where top drawer  90  is comprised of a left drawer portion  92 , middle drawer portion  94 , right drawer portion  96  and the drawer front  98 . The top drawer is attached to the top drawer stringer(s)  100  by means of the drawer slide(s)  74  which span the cabinet back  42  and the face frame  102 . In this instance the drawer is constructed with three portions that increase the utility of drawer by increasing the amount of storage space. The drawer front  98  is shown as a decorative style which is exposed to view. This occurs because in this version, the drawer resides in the face frame  102  and not underneath the lavatory where cabinet doors would otherwise enclose the drawer and keep it from view when the doors are closed.  
         [0052]      FIG. 7  continues the usage of the alternate embodiment for a drawer for the present invention where a middle drawer  110  is comprised of the left drawer portion  112 , the middle mid-drawer portion  114 , and the right middle drawer portion  116 . The middle drawer  110  is, like the previous embodiments, secured to the cabinet by means of the drawer slide(s)  74  which are fastened to the middle drawer stringer(s)  118 . The deployment of this middle drawer as discussed above is coordinated with obstructions that are present in the cabinet interior.  
         [0053]      FIGS. 11, 12  and  13  show the deployment of the alternate styled top drawer in an installed environment. The importance of the relationship between the drawer dimensions and characteristics and the lavatory components is clearly understood and the difficulties in approaching a solution for providing a drawer of the present invention can be appreciated.  
         [0054]     Similarly,  FIGS. 14 and 15  show the installation of a middle drawer in the same type of application.  
         [0055]     Other variations on the present invention include the feasibility of blending the modified drawers in with conventional drawer types. This is consistent with the objective of providing enhanced storage space within the cabinet. The circumstances in which this option occurs may vary, but one typical situation again revolves around the lavatory basin and associated plumbing. The underside of the lavatory basin only projects downwardly into the interior of the cabinet for a short ways. Many times this is in the range of 4-10 inches depending on the style and brand of lavatory. Below this, the only obstructions that usually arise are the plumbing runs which may enter the back wall of the cabinet, or the partition wall supporting a backless cabinet, at points well above the floor of the vanity cabinet, thus allowing for the installation of a full sized conventional drawer box. Blending the two types of drawers leads to increased versatility and enhanced storage capacity.  
         [0056]     Turning now to  FIG. 8 , a cabinet of the present invention is shown with a bottom drawer  120  that is comprised of the bottom drawer front  122 , the bottom drawer sides  124 , the bottom drawer back  126  and the bottom drawer bottom  128 . Again as with the previous versions, the bottom drawer  120  is affixed to the drawer slide(s)  74 , however, in this case the drawer slide(s) are supported by the drawer slide bracket(s)  130  which are mounted to the cabinet bottom  50 . The bottom drawer  120  is a full sized drawer of the conventional type.  
         [0057]     Reference to FIGS.  9 (A)-(C) reveals a conventional drawer as used in the embodiment shown in  FIG. 8  and includes the bottom drawer  120  with the bottom drawer front  122 , bottom drawer sides  124 , bottom drawer back  126 , and the bottom drawer bottom  128 . Furnishings such as drawer slides, drawer pulls, or other items of hardware may be added to this drawer as warranted.  
         [0058]     Reference to FIGS.  10 (A)-(C) reveals a modified drawer  140  of the present invention In particular, the modified drawer  140  is of the type that has three portions although the discussion herein applies substantially to the type that would comprise two portions. The modified drawer is comprised of the left portion  142 , the middle portion  144 , the right portion  146  and the common sidewall(s)  148  and the common front  150 . A drawer constructed in this manner achieves some economy as opposed to fabricating three separate drawer portions, each with their own discrete walls and fronts. Economy is realized by the conservation of the materials used and the amount of labor needed. This distinction is important in view of the fact that the modified drawer nonetheless still has to retain enough strength and rigidity to function in the present invention. The inclusion of the middle portion, with its rear-most wall, provides bracing that allows the design to work as required When viewed as in  FIG. 10 (A), it can be appreciated that the modified drawer requires only minimally more material for its fabrication than would be the case for a conventional drawer type as discussed above.  
         [0059]     The vanity cabinet of the present invention provides extraordinary and unexpected utility. Modifications to conventional drawer construction and the usage of components that assist in the stabilization and support of the functional attributes were prerequisites to achieving a successful design. While it is assumed that the materials of construction are premised on wood products for the drawers and cabinet carcass, the teachings of the present invention apply equally to any other types of cabinet and drawer construction(s) where the cabinet interior is obstructed in some way.  
         [0060]     Changes to the components and arrangements taught herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. For instance, cabinets comprised of drawers that all have exposed fronts are contemplated, as would be the converse, cabinets where the drawers are all enclosed in the cabinet interior. Additionally, drawer slides of various types may be substituted although it is a prerequisite that such drawer slides are competent to suspend the drawer adequately and that lend sufficient support to the drawer sidewalls to prevent undue deflection across the span of the drawer.  
         [0061]     Lastly, it is understood that other variations and modifications to the teachings herein may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.