Abstract:
A vertically adjustable rotary shelf assembly for use within a corner cabinet is provided. The shelf assembly includes an inner pole telescopically engaged with an outer pole. Disc shaped shelves are adjustably attached. A first height adjustment assembly provides a “macro” adjustment between the inner pole and the outer pole. A second height adjustment assembly provides a “micro” adjustment. The second height adjustment provides a shaft having a threaded section, a thumbwheel threadably engaged with the threaded section, and a two lobed cam. Rotation of the thumbwheel adjusts the vertical position of the outer pole, the shelves, and an attached cabinet face to align the cabinet face with the adjacent cabinets. A flexible cam follower is provided. The flexible cam follower engages the two lobed cam to bias the cabinet face in a “home” position.

Description:
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0001]    This disclosure relates to cabinet shelving assemblies. In particular, the disclosure relates to a rotary shelf assembly known as a “Lazy Susan,” designed to be located in a corner cabinet and which is capable of height adjustment. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0002]    Corner cabinets present a problem of an inaccessible space. Rotary shelf assemblies, as known in the art, offer one way to use the inaccessible space. Such shelf assemblies are generally circular and pivot to provide a way to reach items placed in the inaccessible space. 
         [0003]    Although useful, prior art rotary shelf assemblies are not completely satisfactory. For example, a leveling of the rotary shelf assemblies during installation continues to be a problem. Also, adjusting the rotating shelves to properly align with the cabinet face is difficult and time consuming. 
         [0004]    U.S. Pat. No. 8,459,474 to Sagel discloses a rotary fitting for a corner cabinet. The device comprises a supporting column having a main tube supporting shelves. Length adjustment is provided by a support element fixed in the main tube, a recess in the fixed element, and a threaded riser fitted to the recess. The threaded riser comprises a complex threaded shaft engaged with a nut seated in the fixed element. An access “window” is provided in the main tube which allows rotation which in turn allows height adjustment. The height adjustment is limited due to the small access window. Further, the size of the access window does not allow tightening or adjustment with tools. 
         [0005]    Therefore there is a need for a rotary shelf assembly that is simple to install and align, comprises few parts, and is easy to manufacture. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    The apparatus disclosed is an adjustable rotary shelf assembly designed to be adjustably mounted within a corner cabinet. The apparatus provides a height adjustment to ensure correct alignment with the cabinet carcass. Height adjustment is preferably accomplished without the use of tools, but may also employ tools when required for challenging installations. 
         [0007]    In one embodiment, the apparatus is comprised of an outer pole telescopically engaged with an inner pole. The inner pole is engaged with and rotates within an upper bracket attached to the ceiling of the corner cabinet carcass. The outer pole is seated in and capable of rotating within a lower bracket mounted to the floor of the corner cabinet carcass. A cam lock mechanism adjustably fixes the position of the inner pole with respect to the outer pole. One or more semi-circular shelves are supported by the outer pole with cross-pins. The shelves are fixed with respect to the outer pole and rotate with the inner and outer poles. In a preferred embodiment, each shelf includes a pie-shaped cutout. The shelves also support an angular cabinet door to accommodate the cabinet corner. 
         [0008]    A height adjustment assembly connects the outer pole to the lower bracket. The height adjustment assembly is comprised of a shaft engaged with the outer pole, a threaded section of the shaft, a thumbwheel threadably engaged with the threaded section of the shaft and abutting the outer pole, and a cam engaged with the shaft and pivotably supported within the lower bracket. Rotation of the thumbwheel moves the thumbwheel vertically along the threaded section of the shaft. By virtue of the thumbwheel&#39;s position adjacent the outer tube, vertical displacement of the thumbwheel moves the outer tube vertically. The cam engages a cam follower attached to the lower bracket. The cam and the cam follower releasably fix the apparatus in a “home” position such that the corner door member completes the cabinet facade to conceal the contents of the shelves. Elasticity of the cam follower allows a rotation of the cam and the shelves and also provides bias toward the defined “home” position. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    Reference will now be made to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by like numerals, and wherein: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of an adjustable rotary shelf assembly. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is an exploded isometric view of a height adjustment assembly. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3A  is a partial cut-away isometric view of a height adjustment assembly. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3B  is a partial cut-away isometric view of a height adjustment assembly showing a vertical adjustment. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a plan view of a height adjustment assembly and a lower bracket. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]    In the descriptions that follow, like parts are marked throughout the specification and drawings with the same numerals, respectively. The drawing figures are not necessarily drawn to scale and certain figures may be shown in exaggerated or generalized form in the interest of clarity and conciseness. 
         [0016]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , rotary shelf assembly  100  is provided. Rotary shelf assembly  100  is comprised of a rotatable and height adjustable central column supporting semi-circular shelves. Rotary shelf  100  rotates about longitudinal axis  124  of the central column. The central column is comprised of inner pole  108  and outer pole  106 . Inner pole  108  is telescopically engaged with outer pole  106 . Inner pole  108  is rotatably engaged with upper bracket  102 . Outer pole  106  is engaged with height adjustment assembly  110 . Height adjustment assembly  110  is rotatably supported in lower bracket  104 . Height adjustment assembly  112  comprises a cam lock connection mechanism to releasably fix the telescopic engagement of inner pole  108  with respect to outer pole  106 . Upper bracket  102  is configured to be mounted on a ceiling portion of the corner cabinet while lower bracket  104  is mounted to a floor portion of the corner cabinet carcass. 
         [0017]    Rotary shelf assembly  100  includes base shelf  114  and preferably an additional adjustable shelf  115 . In alternate embodiments rotary shelf assembly  100  does not include adjustable shelf  115  or may include a plurality of adjustable shelves  115 . Each shelf  114  and  115  is generally semi-circular shaped and each comprises collar  116  and cutout  120 . In one embodiment, cutout  120  is made at a radial 90° angle and extends from collar  116  to the edge of the shelf. Other radial angles can be employed to accommodate acute or obtuse cabinet face angles. Cutout  120  includes holes  122  used to mount a decorative cabinet corner face (not shown). The angular cabinet door is visible and is preferably aligned with the cabinet face when the rotary shelf assembly is in a “home” position. 
         [0018]    Adjustable shelf  115  is supported on outer pole  106  with cross-pins (not shown) through holes  118  in outer pole  106  as is common in the art. Each hole  118  and  228  includes an equal opposing hole on the opposite side of outer pole  106 . The cross-pins extend slightly from each side of outer pole  106  and engage collar  116  and ensure the shelf rotates with outer pole  106 . Each hole  118  represents an alternate position for adjustable shelf  115 . Base shelf  114  is supported on outer pole  106  in a similar fashion with cross-pin  216  through hole  228 , as will be further described below. 
         [0019]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , height adjustment assembly  110  includes shaft  202 , thumbwheel  208 , and cam  210 . Shaft  202  engages outer pole  106 . Shaft  202  is generally cylindrical in shape and includes ends  205  and  206 . In a preferred embodiment, ends  205  and  206  form a cross intersection. Between ends  205  and  206 , shaft  202  includes threaded section  204 , tab  232 , and slot  218 . Threaded section  204  is integrally formed in shaft  202  proximate end  206 . Slot  218  has a longitudinal axis generally parallel with the longitudinal axis of shaft  202 . The width of slot  218  is sized to allow cross-pin  216  to slide through the length of slot  218 . Tab  232  is sized to engage slot  220  located on the lower end of outer pole  106  to prevent rotation between outer pole  106  and shaft  202  and to maintain cross-pin  216  aligned with slot  218 . 
         [0020]    Thumbwheel  208  is generally cylindrical. The interior surface of thumbwheel  208  includes threads sized to threadably engage threaded section  204 . In a preferred embodiment, the threads are locking threads to prevent unintended rotation. The exterior of thumbwheel  208  includes knurled surfaces  224  which provide a non-slip functional surface for applying torque to thumbwheel  208 . Thumbwheel  208  further includes bushing  234  for slidable engagement with outer pole  106 . In an alternate embodiment, thumbwheel  208  is manufactured of a brass, magnesium or aluminum alloy. 
         [0021]    Cam  210  is a double-lobed cam which includes trough  236 . Cam  210  includes cross receptacle  212 . In other embodiments, the cam can have additional lobes to provide more than one biased or “home” position. Cross receptacle  212  engages end  206  of shaft  202  and prevents rotation between shaft  202  and cam  210 . In other embodiments, the receptacle can take on other shapes which prevent rotation between shaft  202  and cam  210 . Stem  214  extends from an opposite surface of cam  210 . Stem  214  rotatably engages lower bracket  104 . Cam  210  is free to rotate with respect to lower bracket  104 . 
         [0022]    Lower bracket  104  comprises legs  242  extending laterally from raised base  240 . A plurality of holes  246  and slots  247  provided in legs  242  accommodate mounting screws for attaching lower bracket  104  to the floor of the corner cabinet carcass. Receptacle  244  formed in base  240  receives stem  214 . In a preferred embodiment, a vertical thrust bearing resides in receptacle  244  and rotatably supports stem  214 . A clearance is provided between cam  210  and base  240  to prevent interference between the cam and the base during rotation. Cam follower frame  248  is rigidly affixed to base  240 . Cam follower frame  248  includes deformable cam follower  250  which is sized to releasably engage trough  236 . In a preferred embodiment, both cam follower frame  248  and cam  210  are manufactured of a lightweight and deformable but resilient material such as injection molded plastic or polyvinyl chloride (PVC). In other embodiments, the cam is manufactured of a light metal alloy such as brass, magnesium or aluminum. 
         [0023]    In use, rotary shelf assembly  100  is installed inside a corner cabinet carcass. Height adjustment assembly  112  provides a “macro” height adjustment to allow rotary shelf assembly  100  to be installed in a range of different height corner cabinets. Height adjustment assembly  110  provides a “micro” height adjustment to fine tune the length of rotary shelf assembly  100  between upper bracket  102  and lower bracket  104  and to ensure proper alignment with the existing cabinet face adjacent to the corner cabinet. When installed, inner pole  108 , outer pole  106  and attached shelves  114  and  115 , shaft  202 , and cam  210  all freely rotate as a single unit 360°, biased in the “home” position. Pressure on the corner cabinet face rotates the corner cabinet face and the shelves about longitudinal axis  124  of the central column. 
         [0024]    Upper bracket  102  is mounted to the inside ceiling portion of the corner cabinet carcass. Lower bracket  104  is mounted to the floor portion. Inner pole  108  is rotatably received in upper bracket  102 . The cam lock mechanism of height adjustment assembly  112  is released to allow inner pole  108  to slide within outer pole  106 . The overall length of rotary shelf assembly  100  is adjusted by advancing or retreating inner pole  108  from outer pole  106 . Once stem  214  is rotatably received in receptacle  244 , the cam lock mechanism of height adjustment assembly  112  is secured to prevent sliding of the telescopic engagement between inner pole  108  and outer pole  106 . Slots  247  allow for lateral adjustment to ensure the central column of rotary shelf assembly  100  is perpendicular to both the ceiling and floor of the corner cabinet carcass. The corner cabinet face is attached to shelves  114  and  115 . 
         [0025]    Referring to  FIGS. 3A and 3B , to fine tune the length of rotary shelf assembly  100  and to adjust the height of the shelves and corner cabinet face, thumbwheel  208  is rotated. Due to the exposed circumference of the thumbwheel, it can be adjusted by hand. Alternatively, since the entire knurled surface of the thumbwheel is exposed, a tool may also be used to rotate the thumbwheel when additional torque is required. 
         [0026]    In  FIG. 3A , thumbwheel  208  is in its lower most position and is adjacent cam  210 . In  FIG. 3B , thumbwheel  208  is in its upper most position adjacent tab  232 . Rotating thumbwheel  208  clockwise or counter clockwise, shown by direction  230 , results in vertical movement up or down threaded section  204 , shown by direction  235 . As thumbwheel  208  advances up threaded section  204 , bushing  234  abuts outer pole  106  and forces outer pole  106  upwards. As thumbwheel  208  retreats down threaded section  204 , outer pole  106  follows due to the weight of rotary shelf assembly  100 . As outer pole  106  moves vertically, cross-pin  216  slides vertically within slot  218  and inner pole  108  slides within outer pole  106 . The range of motion of height adjustment assembly  110  is determined by the length of threaded section  204  or the length of slot  218 , whichever is shorter. In a preferred embodiment, threaded section  204  and slot  218  are generally equal in length, approximately 1 to 2 inches. 
         [0027]      FIG. 4  shows a plan view of height adjustment assembly  110  and lower bracket  104  in the “home” position. When the rotary shelf assembly is in the “home” position, cam follower  250  is seated in trough  236 . Pressure on the corner cabinet face rotates the corner cabinet face and the shelves about longitudinal axis  124  of the central column in direction  260 . The elastic nature of cam  210  and cam follower frame  248  frees cam follower  250  from trough  236 . Inner pole  108 , outer pole  106 , shaft  202 , and cam  210  rotate together. Therefore, as outer pole  106  rotates, the shelves and the items stored on the shelves also rotate for ease of access. 
         [0028]    It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes could be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the broad inventive concept. It is understood, therefore, that this disclosure is not limited to the particular embodiments herein, but it is intended to cover modifications within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims.