Patent Publication Number: US-9888775-B1

Title: Cabinet with sliding doors

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to cabinets and more particularly to such a cabinet having two sliding doors. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Conventionally, a cabinet has two hinged doors. Articles, documents, etc. are stored in the cabinet. Also, a lock is provided on a joining portion of the doors. For example, there is a conventional cabinet including a housing, a hinged first door, and a hinged second door. 
     However, a large outer space is required when opening the hinged doors. Also, the hinges are complicated. Further, it is subject to malfunction. 
     Thus, the need for improvement still exists. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore one object of the invention to provide a cabinet comprising a housing including a rear wall, a first side wall, a second side wall opposite to the first side wall, a bottom, a top frame member, and a front frame member wherein the housing is shaped as a truncated trapezoid in its side elevation; and two sliding doors, each disposed on the top frame member, the front frame member, and one of the first and second side walls. 
     In a first aspect of the invention, space for opening or closing the cabinet is decreased to a minimum. 
     In a second aspect of the invention, assembly of the cabinet is made easy due to simplified components. 
     In a third aspect of the invention, a plurality of drawers are provided in the cabinet. 
     In a fourth aspect of the invention, the sliding doors are inclined for attracting consumers. 
     In a fifth aspect of the invention, an inclined angle of the sliding door can be changed depending on applications. 
     In a sixth aspect of the invention, the sliding door can be enlarged for providing an additional space. 
     The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a cabinet according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention, the cabinet being closed; 
         FIG. 2  is a view similar to  FIG. 1  with the cabinet being open; 
         FIG. 3  is a side elevation of  FIG. 1  showing width of the rear wall greater than that of the bottom; 
         FIG. 4  is a view similar to  FIG. 3  showing width of the rear wall less than that of the bottom; 
         FIG. 5  is a view similar to  FIG. 2  showing the shelf being perpendicular to the bottom; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a cabinet according to a second preferred embodiment of the invention, the cabinet being closed; 
         FIG. 6A  is a view similar to  FIG. 6  with the cabinet being open; 
         FIG. 6B  is a view similar to  FIG. 6A  with the drawers being drawn out; 
         FIG. 6C  is a view similar to  FIG. 6B  with the cabinet being closed by pulling the sliding doors toward each other; and 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a cabinet according to a third preferred embodiment of the invention, the cabinet being closed. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 5 , a cabinet in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a housing  10  and two sliding doors  20 . The housing  10  includes a rear wall  13 , a first side wall  11 , a second side wall  12  opposite to the first side wall  11 , a bottom  14 , a top frame member  15 A, and a front frame member  15 B. The housing  10  is shaped as a truncated trapezoid in its side elevation (see  FIG. 3 ). A shelf  16  is provided in the housing  10  for dividing an internal space of the housing  10  into two compartments  17 . The shelf  16  may be oriented horizontally (see  FIG. 2 ) or vertically (see  FIG. 5 ). 
     The sliding door  20  is inclined and disposed between the top frame member  15 A and the front frame member  15 B. The sliding door  20  includes a top member  21 , a front member  23 , and a side member  25 . A handle  201  is provided on the sliding door  20 . A lock  202  is provided on the right sliding door  20 . The top member  21  is disposed at an elevation higher than that of the top frame member  15 A (i.e., there is a shoulder between the top member  21  and the top frame member  15 A). Also, the front member  23  is disposed in front of the front frame member  15 B (i.e., there is a shoulder between the front member  23  and the front frame member  15 B). A slide  151  is provided on the top frame member  15 A and the front frame member  15 B respectively. Thus, the sliding doors  20  are configured to open by sliding away from each other by sliding along the slides  151  by holding the handles  201  or close by sliding toward each other by sliding along the slides  151  by holding the handles  201 . It is envisaged by the invention that only a small outer space is required for accommodating the open sliding doors  20 . 
     Width W 13  of the rear wall  13  can be equal to, greater than (see  FIG. 3 ), or less than (see  FIG. 4 ) width W 14  of the bottom  14 . An angle between the top member  21  and the inclined surface  20  is between 130-degree (see  FIG. 3 ) and 140-degree (see  FIG. 4 ). An angle between the front member  23  and the inclined surface  20  is between 140-degree (see  FIG. 3 ) and 130-degree (see  FIG. 4 ). 
     Referring to  FIGS. 6 to 6C , a cabinet in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the invention is shown. The characteristics of the second preferred embodiment are substantially the same as that of the first preferred embodiment except the following: The side member  25 , the front member  23 , and the top member  21  of the sliding door  20  are enlarged to provide a space  26  for installing a drawer  27 . The drawer  27  has two slides  271  on two sides respectively so that the drawer  27  is configured to draw out of the side member  25  or retract into the side member  25 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 7 , a cabinet in accordance with a third preferred embodiment of the invention is shown. The characteristics of the third preferred embodiment are substantially the same as that of the first preferred embodiment except the following: Two rows of two stands  28  are provided on an outer surface of the sliding door  20 . Articles such as mobile phones can be placed on the stands  28 . 
     While the invention has been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modifications within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.