Patent Publication Number: US-2005140256-A1

Title: Drawer structure

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to a drawer structure, and more particularly to a drawer structure having detachable parts that can be assembled by the user, thereby decreasing costs of storage, package and transportation.  
      2. Description of the Related Art  
      A conventional drawer comprises a front plate, a rear plate, two opposite side plates mounted between the front plate and the rear plate, and a bottom plate mounted between the front plate, the two side plates and the rear plate. However, the conventional drawer has a fixed structure and cannot be detached in advance, so that the conventional drawer has a larger volume, thereby increasing costs of storage, package and transportation.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a drawer structure having detachable parts that can be assembled by the user, so that the drawer structure has a smaller volume before assembly, thereby decreasing costs of storage, package and transportation.  
      Another objective of the present invention is to provide a drawer structure that is assembled easily and rapidly, thereby facilitating the user assembling the drawer structure.  
      A further objective of the present invention is to provide a drawer structure having a simplified construction, thereby efficiently decreasing costs of fabrication.  
      In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a drawer structure, comprising: 
          a front plate;     two side plates each having a first end mounted on the front plate and a second end formed with a snapping member;     a rear plate mounted between the two side plates and located opposite to the front plate, the rear plate having two ends each formed with an engaged member engaged with the snapping member of a respective one of the two side plates; and     a bottom plate mounted between the front plate, the two side plates and the rear plate.        

      Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a drawer structure in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the drawer structure as shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 3  is a partially cut-away perspective cross-sectional view of the drawer structure as shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 4  is a plan cross-sectional operational view showing assembly of the drawer structure as shown in  FIG. 3 ; and  
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a drawer structure in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
      Referring to the drawings and initially to  FIGS. 1-3 , a drawer structure in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a front plate  1 , two side plates  2 , a rear plate  3 , and a bottom plate  4 .  
      The front plate  1  has a side having a lower portion formed with an elongated groove  11  and having two ends each formed with a plurality of screw bores  12  located above the elongated groove  11 .  
      Each of the two side plates  2  has a first end mounted on the front plate  1  and a second end formed with a protruding flexible snapping member  23  protruding outward therefrom. The snapping member  23  of each of the two side plates  2  has a distal end formed with a substantially V-shaped locking hook  230 .  
      The first end of each of the two side plates  2  is formed with a protruding resting plate  22  rested on the front plate  1  and formed with a plurality of through holes  221  aligning with the screw bores  12  of the front plate  1 . The resting plate  22  each of the two side plates  2  is bent to form an included angle of 90 degrees relative to each of the two side plates  2 .  
      The drawer structure further comprises a plurality of screw members  222  each extended through a respective one of the through holes  221  of each of the two side plates  2  and each screwed into a respective one of the screw bores  12  of the front plate  1 , so that the resting plate  22  of each of the two side plates  2  is combined with the front plate  1 .  
      Each of the two side plates  2  has an upper portion and a lower portion each formed with a substantially U-shaped protruding rail  21  having a side formed with a mounting channel  211 .  
      The rear plate  3  is mounted between the two side plates  2  and located opposite to the front plate  1 . The rear plate  3  has two ends each formed with a substantially U-shaped protruding flexible engaged member  32  engaged with the snapping member  23  of a respective one of the two side plates  2 . The engaged member  32  of the rear plate  3  has a distal end  320  rested on the locking hook  230  of the snapping member  23  of the respective side plate  2 .  
      The rear plate  3  has an upper portion and a lower portion each formed with a substantially U-shaped protruding rail  31  having a side formed with a mounting channel  311 .  
      The bottom plate  4  is mounted between the front plate  1 , the two side plates  2  and the rear plate  3 . The bottom plate  4  has a first end inserted into the elongated groove  11  of the front plate  1  and a second end inserted into the mounting channel  311  of the rear plate  3 . The bottom plate  4  has two opposite sides each inserted into the mounting channel  211  of a respective one of the two side plates  2 .  
      In assembly, referring to  FIGS. 1-4 , each of the two side plates  2  is mounted on the rear plate  3  in an oblique manner as shown in  FIG. 4 , with the locking hook  230  of the snapping member  23  of each of the two side plates  2  being hooked on the distal end  320  of the respective engaged member  32  of the rear plate  3 . Then, the two side plates  2  are pressed to move toward each other until each of the two side plates  2  is vertical to the rear plate  3  as shown in  FIG. 4 , so that the snapping member  23  of each of the two side plates  2  is closely engaged with the respective engaged member  32  of the rear plate  3 , and each of the two side plates  2  is combined with the rear plate  3  rigidly and stably.  
      Subsequently, the bottom plate  4  is in turn inserted into the mounting channel  211  of each of the two side plates  2  and the mounting channel  311  of the rear plate  3 , with the first end of the bottom plate  4  partially protruding outward from the two side plates  2 . Then, the front plate  1  is mounted on the two side plates  2  and the bottom plate  4 , with the first end of the bottom plate  4  being inserted into the elongated groove  11  of the front plate  1  and with the resting plate  22  of each of the two side plates  2  being rested on the front plate  1 .  
      Finally, each of the screw members  222  is extended through a respective one of the through holes  221  of each of the two side plates  2  and screwed into a respective one of the screw bores  12  of the front plate  1 , so that each of the two side plates  2  is combined with the front plate  1 , thereby assembling the whole drawer structure.  
      Referring to  FIG. 5 , the drawer structure has a different size.  
      Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment(s) as mentioned above, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claim or claims will cover such modifications and variations that fall within the true scope of the invention.