Abstract:
A collapsible storage cabinet having an improved structure and assembly technique is disclosed. The storage cabinet is designed to collapse to a compact size to minimize required shipping and retail space usage, while providing for ease of assembly by a consumer and improved structural design via recessed top and bottom walls. The collapsible storage cabinet includes a collapsible subassembly having a front wall, an opposing back wall, and a pair of folding sidewalls extending between and coupling the front wall and back wall. Top and bottom walls are selectively secured to the subassembly to maintain the cabinet in a fully assembled state.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     None. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a collapsible storage cabinet. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention relate to a collapsible storage cabinet having ease of assembly, improved stability when assembled, and an improved configuration for packaging when in a collapsed state. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Storage cabinets are well known and utilized in a variety of locations in homes and businesses to satisfy several needs. Storage cabinets come in many shapes and sizes to meet these wide-ranging needs. The storage cabinets may be provided to a consumer in a fully assembled state or a disassembled state, requiring the consumer to then assemble the cabinet. From a consumer perspective, it is advantageous for the storage cabinet to be fully assembled when purchased, as it is ready to use. In fact, a number of storage cabinets are manufactured and shipped in a fully assembled state. However, shipping storage cabinets in a fully assembled state requires sizeable amounts of packaging and space when in transit, resulting in increased shipping costs. These higher costs are typically passed on to the consumer through the price of the storage cabinet. Storing fully assembled storage cabinets also requires large amounts of storage space. Occupying large amounts of both storage and display space at a retailer can result in fewer cabinets being ordered by retailers due to limited inventory/display space, and therefore fewer cabinets available for consumers to purchase. 
     From a manufacturer, transport, and retail perspective, it is more advantageous to provide the storage cabinet to the consumer in a disassembled state, such that the pieces of the cabinet can be packaged in a more efficient manner, such as in a flat and stackable box. However, requiring a consumer to assemble a cabinet having many pieces may prevent some consumers from purchasing the cabinet. 
     Furthermore, storage cabinets of the prior art which are designed to be assembled by the consumer are often times constructed in a way to promote easier assembly. However, such storage cabinets may not provide as much structural integrity as storage cabinets designed to be assembled at a factory and shipped as a finished unit. 
     SUMMARY 
     In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a novel and improved storage cabinet which seeks to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art. In an embodiment of the present invention, a collapsible storage cabinet is provided having a front wall, an opposing back wall, a pair of folding sidewalls, a top wall, and a bottom wall, where the top and bottom walls are secured to the front, back and sidewalls in a way so as to be recessed within a top opening and bottom opening. 
     In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, a wall member for a collapsible storage cabinet is provided. The wall member comprises a generally planar body, a pair of first support walls oriented generally perpendicular to the generally planar body with each of the first support walls also having a first lip oriented parallel to the generally planar body. The wall member also has a pair of second support walls oriented generally perpendicular to both the generally planar body and the first support walls with each of the second support walls also having a second lip oriented parallel to the generally planar body. 
     In another embodiment of the present invention, a collapsed storage cabinet is provided comprising a front wall having a first pair of generally planar end faces, a back wall opposite the front wall and parallel thereto and having a second pair of generally planar end faces. The collapsed storage cabinet also comprises a pair of collapsible sidewalls with each sidewall having a plurality of hinged panels where the panels are in contact with each other and positioned such that the first pair of generally planar end faces are adjacent to and parallel to the second pair of generally planar end faces. 
     Additional advantages and features of the present invention will be set forth in part in a description which follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following, or may be learned from practice of the invention. The instant invention will now be described with particular reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention is described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of a collapsible storage cabinet in a fully assembled condition; 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional side elevation view of the storage cabinet of  FIG. 1  in a collapsed condition and packaged for shipment by the manufacturer; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the storage cabinet of  FIG. 1  in a collapsed condition once removed from the packaging of  FIG. 2  and with portions removed from an interior cavity defined by the collapsed cabinet; 
         FIG. 4  is an alternate perspective view of the collapsible subassembly of the storage cabinet of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the storage cabinet of  FIG. 3  in a partially expanded condition; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a top wall or bottom wall for the storage cabinet of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 7  is an exploded view of the storage cabinet of  FIG. 1  depicting the collapsible subassembly, the top wall, the bottom wall, and the door panels; 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the storage cabinet of  FIG. 1  taken along the line  8 - 8 ; 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the storage cabinet of  FIG. 1  in which the door panels are open; 
         FIG. 10  is an enlarged, fragmentary, perspective view of a clip arrangement used to support a shelf in the collapsible storage cabinet taken in the area  10  of  FIG. 7 ; 
         FIG. 11  is an enlarged, fragmentary, perspective view of a tongue arrangement used to support a shelf in the collapsible storage cabinet; 
         FIG. 12  is cross-sectional view of the tongue arrangement taken along the line  12 - 12  of  FIG. 11 ; and 
         FIG. 13  is the cross-sectional view of  FIG. 12 , but with a shelf supported on the tongue arrangement. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The subject matter of the present invention is described with specificity herein to meet statutory requirements. However, the description itself is not intended to limit the scope of this patent. Rather, the inventors have contemplated that the claimed subject matter might also be embodied in other ways, to include different components, combinations of components, steps, or combinations of steps similar to the ones described in this document, in conjunction with other present or future technologies. 
     Referring initially to  FIG. 1 , a collapsible storage cabinet  100  is depicted in its fully assembled condition. The collapsible storage cabinet  100  of the present invention can serve a variety of uses. One such use is being in a garage to store tools, supplies or other similar equipment. The collapsible storage cabinet  100  includes a collapsible subassembly  101  having a front wall  102  and an opposing back wall  104  spaced a distance apart when the cabinet is in the fully assembled condition. Referring to  FIG. 3 , the collapsible storage cabinet  100  is provided with a bracket  105  for hanging the cabinet  100  from a wall, if desired. The bracket  105  would be mounted to the wall and the storage cabinet would be supported thereon by way of a lip  111  along an edge of the bracket  105  interlocking with a corresponding lip  113  extending from the back side of the rear wall  104 . 
     The collapsible storage cabinet  100  also comprises a pair of folding sidewalls  106  extending between and coupling the front wall  102  and back wall  104 , as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 5 . The folding sidewalls  106  are connected to the front wall  102  and back wall  104  by a hinge  108  ( FIGS. 5 and 7 ) or other comparable device. The hinge  108  permits the one or more panels  110 , which form the sidewalls  106 , to collapse as shown in  FIGS. 2-5 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 2, 4, and 5 , the front wall  102  and back wall  104  each comprise additional structural features which aid in the packaging of the storage cabinet  100  in its collapsed condition for shipment and storage. More specifically, the front wall  102  further comprises a pair of extensions  102 A and corresponding first pair of generally planar end faces  112  which extend from the front wall  102 . The back wall  104 , similarly, also has a pair of extensions  104 A and a corresponding second pair of generally planar end faces  114 . The first and second generally planar end faces  112  and  114  are located such that when the storage cabinet  100  is in the fully collapsed state, as shown in  FIG. 4 , the first pair of generally planar end faces  112  are positioned adjacent to and parallel with the second pair of generally planar end faces  114 , thereby forming an interior cavity or open region  116  between the front wall  102 , the back wall  104 , and the collapsed sidewalls  106 . 
     As it can be seen in  FIG. 4 , when the storage cabinet  100  is in the collapsed condition, the plurality of panels  110  forming the pair of collapsible sidewalls  106  are folded so as to be in contact with each other. Furthermore, the plurality of panels  110  are folded so as to also be contained between the front wall  102  and back wall  104 . That is, as can be seen in  FIGS. 5 and 7 , the plurality of panels  110  which form the collapsible sidewalls  106  are hinged to the extensions  102 A of the front wall  102  and extensions  104 A of the back wall  104  so that the hinges  108  are not visible from the exterior of the collapsible storage cabinet  100  when it is in its fully assembled position. A lip  103  extends beyond an inner edge of one of the panels  110  on each side to prevent the panels  110  from opening or flexing outward. 
     Further, in the illustrated embodiment, the hinges  108  are not standard, piano-type hinges in that they do not directly couple interior corners of the extensions  102 A,  104 A to interior corners of the panels  110 , as one would normally think a hinge would do. Instead of keeping the corners adjacent to each other throughout the collapsing of the cabinet  100 , the hinges  108  are constructed to move the panels  110  between being aligned with the extensions  102 A,  104 A in the fully assembled position, as best illustrated in  FIG. 7 , to being adjacent the extensions  102 A,  104 A in the fully collapsed position, as best illustrated in  FIG. 2 . As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the hinges  108  permit each panel to be moved to a location generally perpendicular to and next to or inside of, as opposed to cattycorner or diagonal, the extension to which it is connected. This moves the panels  110  out of the way so the front extensions  102 A almost touch (or do touch) the rear extensions  104 A. If the panels  110  were connected to the extensions  102 A,  104 A with piano hinges, the abutting panels  110  would space the extensions  102 A,  104 A further apart, thus making the depth (i.e., the vertical dimension in  FIG. 2 ) of the collapsed cabinet unit greater. As illustrated in  FIGS. 2, 5 and 8 , the hinges  108  accomplish this by being attached to an inner face of the extensions  102 A,  104 A and an inner face of the panels  110 . The hinges include an angled bracket portion that spans the space between the panels  110  and the extensions  102 A,  104 A in the fully assembled position. 
     The hinges  108 , as best seen in  FIGS. 7 and 10 , also include a plurality of openings  115  therein into which a clip  117  may be placed. A clip  117  may be placed in an opening in each of the hinges  108  at a same vertical height and the shelf  150  may be removably supported thereon. 
     The storage cabinet  100  further comprises a front frame  118 , as shown in  FIGS. 1, 4, and 5 , with the front frame  118  encompassing one or more doors  120 . As it can be seen from  FIGS. 1, 4, 5, 7, and 9 , the embodiment of the collapsible storage cabinet  100  depicted has two doors  120  which open outward, thereby providing access to the inside of the storage cabinet  100 . The doors  120  are hinged to a side portion of the front frame  118  in a traditional cabinet-style arrangement. However, the exact number and arrangement of the one or more doors  120  can vary. 
     The one or more doors  120  and front frame  118  also include a locking mechanism  122  permitting the user of the storage cabinet  100  to selectively lock the one or more doors  120 . A key type locking mechanism  122  is utilized in the collapsible storage cabinet  100  shown in  FIGS. 1, 3-5, and 7 . However, it is possible to utilize other types of locking mechanisms, such as a combination lock. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 6 , the collapsible storage cabinet  100  also comprises a wall member  130  having a unique structural design. The wall member  130  is preferably used as a top wall  132  and/or a bottom wall  134  for the collapsible storage cabinet  100 , as shown in  FIGS. 1, 7, and 9 . The wall member  130  has a generally planar body  136  having a length dimension L and a width dimension W. The wall member  130  also has a pair of first support walls  138 , oriented generally perpendicular to the generally planar body  136 , and a pair of first lips  140  that are parallel to the generally planar body  136 . The wall member  130  also comprises a pair of second support walls  142 , oriented generally perpendicular to the generally planar body  136 , as well as the pair of first support walls  138 . Each of the second support walls  142  also comprise a second lip  144  which, like the first lip  140 , is generally parallel to the generally planar body  136 . The first and second lips  140  and  144  each contain one or more openings  146  to aid in securing the top wall  132  and the bottom wall  134  to the collapsible subassembly  101 . The one or more openings  146  correspond to respective openings  148  in top and bottom portions of the front wall  102 , the back wall  104 , and the sidewalls  106 , as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 7 . 
     The wall member  130 , shown in  FIG. 6 , can be fabricated from a single piece of sheet metal that is cut and formed to the desired shape by a bending process such as a press brake. Utilizing such a process provides an economical and reliable means of fabrication. More specifically, the wall member  130  has a generally planar body  136 , which is cut and then folded on each of its four sides to form the first support walls  138  and second support walls  142 . Then the first and second lips  140  and  144  are formed by bending a portion of the first and second support walls,  138  and  142 , respectively. The one or more openings  146  can be placed in the wall member  130  at a convenient time in the manufacturing process. 
     Referring back to  FIG. 2 , the storage cabinet  100  shown in its collapsed and packaged condition. The collapsed condition provides a more compact product to be shipped to retailers. More specifically, the storage cabinet, when collapsed, defines an open region  116 , as discussed above. The open region  116  is sized such that the top wall  132 , bottom wall  134 , one or more shelves  150 , and the bracket  105 , along with any fasteners, clips, or other hardware, can be placed within the open region  116  for purposes of packaging and shipping the collapsible storage cabinet  100 .  FIG. 2  also shows how the collapsible storage cabinet  100  fits within a limited amount of disposable packaging  107  (e.g., cardboard), which may or may not include multiple layers and/or padding  109  (e.g., foam) so as to protect the collapsible storage cabinet  100  when in transit. 
     The storage cabinet  100  of the present invention provides numerous benefits over cabinets of the prior art, some of which are quick and easy assembly, improved structural support, and enhanced storage features. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the collapsible storage cabinet  100  provides a more efficient packaging, thereby using less storage space for shipping and in retail locations. With respect to assembly of the collapsible storage cabinet  100 , once the top wall  132 , bottom wall  134 , and one or more shelves  150  are removed from the packaged unit in  FIG. 2 , the collapsible storage cabinet  100  is opened by separating the front wall  102  from the back wall  104 , as shown in  FIG. 5 . Then, once the folding sidewalls  106  are fully extended, the top wall  132  is secured to the upper portion of the front wall  102 , the back wall  104  and the sidewalls  106 , as shown in  FIG. 7 . A plurality of removable fasteners  152 , such as screws or bolts, are placed through the one or more openings  146  in the first and second lips  140  and  144  and into the corresponding openings  148  in the front wall  102 , back wall  104  and sidewalls  106 . The corresponding openings  148  may be threaded such that the removable fasteners  152  engage and secure the top wall  132  to the storage cabinet  100 . It is possible for other types of fasteners  152  to be used such as ¼ turn fasteners or push pin connectors. The bottom wall  134  is secured to the collapsible storage cabinet  100  in the same manner as the top wall  132 . Finally, the one or more shelves  150  are placed in the storage cabinet  100 , as shown in  FIG. 9 . 
     In the event the storage cabinet  100  is to be collapsed, the one or more shelves  150  are removed, the fasteners  152  are removed, and the top wall  132  and bottom wall  134  are then removed. The storage cabinet  100  can then be collapsed to the flattened condition shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . 
     The design of the top wall  132  and bottom wall  134  also provide increased structural stability for the storage cabinet  100 . Referring to  FIG. 8 , a partial cross-sectional view of the storage cabinet  100  depicting the top wall  132  is shown. A similar construction occurs with respect to the bottom wall  134 . This cross section view of the storage cabinet  100  shows the generally planar body  136 , first support walls  138  and first lips  140 . The first support walls  138 , which are generally perpendicular to the generally planar body  136 , are thereby generally parallel to the inner portions of the front wall  102  and back wall  104 , providing increased structural rigidity to the collapsible storage cabinet  100 , helping to prevent any twisting or lateral movement of the front wall  102  or back wall  104 , and helping to prevent collapsing of the folding sidewalls  106 . The recessed, tray-like shape of the wall member  130 , provides for a portion of the wall member  130  being between the front wall  102 , the back wall  104 , and the sidewalls  106  when the collapsible storage cabinet  100  is in its fully assembled condition, thereby providing enhanced anti-collapsibility functionality when compared to a flat top or bottom that merely spans across the upper or lower edges of the walls  102 ,  104 ,  106 . 
     In addition to the structural benefits discussed above, the geometry of the top wall  132  also provides an enhanced feature for the collapsible storage cabinet  100 . That is, the tray-like shape of the top wall  132  allows for additional items, such as small tools or supplies, to be stored on top of the storage cabinet  100  without a risk of them falling or rolling off of the top wall  132 . 
     The collapsible storage cabinet  100  is preferably fabricated from sheet metal such as stainless, galvanized or tool steel. However, for lighter and less rugged applications, it is possible for the collapsible storage cabinet  100  to be fabricated from lighter weight materials, such as plastic. 
     Turning now to  FIGS. 11-13 , an alternate method of supporting a shelf in the collapsible storage cabinet  100  is disclosed. To provide increased rigidity to the collapsible storage cabinet  100  when in the fully assembled position, the shelf  150  may be coupled to the hinges  108 , one or more panels  110 , the sidewalls  106 , and/or the back wall  104 . With the use of the clips  117  discussed above, the shelf  150  simply sits on the clips  117 . However, by replacing the openings  115  and clips  117  with a tongue  154 , a more secure connection may be made. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 11 , a tongue  154  may be formed where the opening  115  would otherwise be located. The tongue  154  may be formed by bending a portion of the metal into tongue-like configuration. The tongue  154  defines a space or gap  156  between the tongue  154  and the panel or wall in which it is formed (e.g., hinge  108 , sidewall  106 , back wall  104 , etc.). A bottom portion  158  of the shelf  150  is provided with one or more openings  160 . The shelf is placed inside the collapsible storage cabinet  100  when it is in the fully assembled position in a horizontal orientation above the tongues  154 . It is then lowered down toward the tongues, wherein a distal end  162  of the tongues  154  are received in the openings  160  in the bottom of the shelf  150 . The shelf  150  is lowered until a bottom of the shelf  150  abuts the tongue  154 , as illustrated in  FIG. 13 . A portion of the shelf  150  is pinched between the tongue  154  and the hinge  108  to, in essence, clamp the shelf  150  in place. This makes the shelf  150  more secure, but also ties the panels  110  together and to the shelf, for a more secure arrangement. 
     The present invention has been described in relation to particular embodiments, which are intended in all respects to be illustrative rather than restrictive. Alternative embodiments will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains without departing from its scope. 
     From the foregoing, it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all the ends and objects set forth above, together with other advantages which are obvious and inherent to the system and method. It will be understood that certain features and sub-combinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and sub-combinations. This is contemplated by and within the scope of the claims.