Patent Publication Number: US-2011062843-A1

Title: Face Frame Assembly

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/242,876, filed Sep. 16, 2009, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Face-frame cabinets typically include a face frame joined to a cabinet box face. A top surface of the cabinet box may be fitted with a working surface such as, for example, a granite countertop. Sinks or other similar amenities can be incorporated into the working surface. The face frame supports at least a portion of the load of the working surface by virtue of being joined to the cabinet structure. If the structural integrity of the face frame is compromised by weight imparted by the working surface, undesired compression and tensile forces may develop and subsequently damage the working surface. 
     SUMMARY 
     In one example aspect, a cabinet face frame includes: an inner support stile; a first top rail and a second top rail coupled to a first end of the inner support stile; a first bottom rail and a second bottom rail coupled to a second opposite end of the inner support stile; a first side stile coupled to the first top rail and the first bottom rail; and a second side stile coupled to the second top rail and the second bottom; wherein the inner support stile extends from a common top surface of the first and second top rail to an opposite common bottom surface of the first and second bottom rail, and wherein the cabinet face frame is fully assembled prior to formation of joinery within at least the first side stile, second side stile, first bottom rail, and second bottom rail. 
     In another example aspect, a cabinet assembly includes: a cabinet box; a cabinet face frame joined to the cabinet box, comprising: an inner support stile; a first top rail and a second top rail coupled to a first end of the inner support stile; a first bottom rail and a second bottom rail coupled to a second opposite end of the inner support stile; a first side stile coupled to the first top rail and the first bottom rail; and a second side stile coupled to the second top rail and the second bottom; wherein the inner support stile extends from a common top surface of the first and second top rail to an opposite common bottom surface of the first and second bottom rail, and wherein the face frame is fully assembled prior to formation of joinery within at least the first side stile, second side stile, first bottom rail, and second bottom rail; and a working surface positioned to and supported by the cabinet box and the cabinet face frame to form the cabinet assembly. 
     In yet another example aspect, a method of forming a cabinet face frame assembly includes: providing an inside stile, a first top rail, a second top rail, a first bottom rail, a second bottom rail, a first side stile, and a second side stile to form the cabinet face frame assembly; coupling the first top rail and the second top rail to a first end of the inside stile; coupling the first bottom rail and the second bottom rail is joined to a second opposite end of the inside stile, wherein the inside stile extends from a common top surface of the first and second top rail to an opposite common bottom surface of the first and second bottom rail; coupling the first side stile to the first top rail and the first bottom rail; coupling the second side stile to the second top rail and the second bottom; and forming joinery within at least the first side stile, second side stile, first bottom rail, and second bottom rail. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Aspects of the disclosure may be more completely understood in consideration of the following detailed description of various embodiments of the disclosure in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
         FIG. 1  is a front view of an example face frame assembly for a cabinet. 
         FIG. 2  is a rear view of the face frame assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the face frame assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is an example method for constructing and assembling the face frame assembly of  FIG. 1  to a cabinet box face of a face-frame cabinet 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The example embodiments described in the following disclosure are provided by way of illustration only and should not be construed as limiting. Various modifications and changes may be made to the example embodiments described below without departing from the true spirit and scope of the disclosure. 
     The present disclosure relates generally to face-frame cabinets. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a face frame assembly for a face-frame cabinet. 
     In example embodiments provided herein, the face frame assembly is constructed to include an inside stile that extends from a top surface of the face frame assembly to a bottom surface of the face frame assembly to increase load bearing capability of the face frame assembly. Additionally, in some embodiments, the face frame assembly is fully assembled prior to forming a joining recess used to join the face frame assembly to a cabinet box. Although the present disclosure is not so limited, an appreciation of the various aspects of the disclosure will be gained through a discussion of the examples provided below. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a front view of an example face frame assembly  100  is shown according to the principles of the present disclosure. In general, assembly  100  is sized and constructed to be joined to a cabinet box face of a face-frame cabinet (not shown). Subsequently, assembly  100  may be fitted with various add-ons as desired. For example, assembly  100  may be fitted with doors, drawers, and the like. In this manner, articles may be stored and accessed within the cabinet box. Assembly  100  may additionally be fitted with decorative fascia such as panels and knobs. 
     Example assembly  100  includes a first top rail  102 , a second top rail  104 , a first bottom rail  106 , a second bottom rail  108 , a first inside rail  110 , a second inside rail  112 , a first side stile  114 , a second side stile  116 , and an inner stile  118 . As depicted in  FIG. 1 , assembly  100  is constructed such that inner stile  118  extends from a top surface  120  of assembly  100  to an opposite bottom surface  122  of assembly  100 . However, other embodiments are possible as well. 
     For example, assembly  100  may be constructed such that inner stile  118  extends from top surface  120  to first and second inside rail  110 ,  112  (not shown). For example, inner stile  118  may extend a distance  124  from top surface  120  to a first common plane A of first and second inside rail  110 ,  112 . In the example embodiment, both first and second inside rail  110 ,  112  and first and second bottom rail  106 ,  108  are formed as a single inside rail. Alternatively, inner stile  118  may extend a distance  126  from top surface  120  to a second common plane B of first and second inside rail  110 ,  112  (not shown). In the example embodiment, first and second bottom rail  106 ,  108  are formed as a single inside rail. Still other embodiments are possible. 
     For example, in another embodiment, assembly  100  may be constructed such that inner stile  118  is omitted (not shown). In the example embodiment, only first side stile  114  and second side stile  116  extend from top surface  120  to bottom surface  122  of assembly  100 . Further, first inside rail  110  and second inside rail  112  are formed as a single rail that extends from first side stile  114  to second side stile  116 . 
     Still referring to  FIG. 1 , assembly  100  is constructed such that first top rail  102  is joined to first side stile  114  at a first interface  127 , and joined to inner stile  118  at a second interface  128 . Similarly, second top rail  104  is joined to second side stile  116  at a third interface  130 , and joined to inner stile  118  at a fourth interface  132 . In the example embodiment, first and second top rails  102 ,  104  are coupled approximately perpendicular to inner stile  118 . Similarly, first and second bottom rail  106 ,  108  are coupled approximately perpendicular to inner stile  118 . It will be appreciated that throughout the present disclosure, any of a plurality of joinery either alone or in combination may used to join respective elements of example assembly  100 . Example joinery includes jointing, adhesive, and fastener joinery, and others. 
     Assembly  100  is further constructed such that first bottom rail  106  is joined to first side stile  114  at a fifth interface  134 , and joined to inner stile  118  at a sixth interface  136 . Similarly, second bottom rail  108  is joined to second side stile  116  at a seventh interface  138 , and joined to inner stile  118  at an eighth interface  140 . In this manner, a first side surface  141  and an opposite second side surface  142  of assembly  100  are each adjacent to top surface  120  and bottom surface  122 . 
     Assembly  100  is further constructed such that first inside rail  110  is joined to first side stile  114  at a ninth interface  144 , and joined to inner stile  118  at a tenth interface  146 . Similarly, second inside rail  112  is joined to second side stile  116  at an eleventh interface  148 , and joined to inner stile  118  at a twelfth interface  150 . In the example embodiment, first and second inside rail  110 ,  112  are coupled approximately perpendicular to inner stile  118  offset a pre-determined selectable distance  152  from bottom surface  122  to second common plane B. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , a rear view of the example assembly  100  of  FIG. 1  is shown. In the example embodiment, a recess  200  is formed within first bottom rail  106 , second bottom rail  108 , first side stile  114 , and second side stile  116 . Recess  200  may be any type of jointing recess configured to join with a complementary feature formed on an adjoining element. For example, recess  200  may be a dado recess configured to be joined with a rebate formed on a cabinet box face. However, other embodiments are possible as well. 
     In one aspect, recess  200  is formed within first bottom rail  106 , second bottom rail  108 , first side stile  114 , and second side stile  116  after assembly  100  is fully assembled. In this manner, alignment mismatching of recess  200  at a first section  202 , a second section  204 , a third section  206 , and a fourth section  208  of assembly  100  is minimized. Accordingly, a complementary feature formed on an adjoining element may be inserted into recess  200  as a single, continuous piece, without requiring trimming of the adjoining element to account for mismatching of recess  200 . For example, a shelf of a cabinet box (see  FIG. 3 ) can be inserted into recess  200  without requiring corners of the shelf to be removed, since recess  200  extends continuously along rails  106 ,  108  and stiles  114 ,  116 , and  118 . 
     Other configurations are possible. For example, in another embodiment, recess  200  can be formed partially or entirely in each individual stile and rail before assembly. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , a cross sectional view of an assembled cabinet  300  is shown in which assembly  100  of  FIGS. 1 and 2  is joined to a cabinet box  302  and includes a working surface  304  positioned thereon. The cross-sectional view corresponds to cross-section C of assembly  100  as shown in  FIG. 2 . In this manner, inner stile  118  is shown extending from the top surface  120  to the bottom surface  122  of assembly  100 . A rebate and dado joint  306  is formed by joining a rebate  308  of cabinet box  302  within recess  200  of assembly  100 , as described above. 
     In a first aspect, configuration of inner stile  118  as shown in  FIGS. 1-3  reduces a required length of the first top rail  102 , second top rail  104 , first bottom rail  106 , second bottom rail  108 , first inside rail  110 , second inside rail  112 . In this manner, resources associated with manufacture of assembly  100  are maximized. For example, scrap produced in manufacture of assembly  100  can be reduced. 
     In another aspect, inner stile  118  increases rigidity and thus load bearing capacity of assembly  100 . Accordingly, assembly  100  is constructed such that structural integrity of the assembly  100  is maintained despite use of increasingly heavy and expensive synthetic or non-synthetic working surfaces (e.g., stone, laminate, tile, steel, concrete, wood, and others). In this manner, the working surface is protected from undesired compression and tensile forces that may develop within the working surface upon a compromise in structural integrity of assembly  100 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , an example method  400  is shown for constructing and assembling a face frame assembly to a cabinet box face of a face-frame cabinet. In general, the face frame assembly is similar to assembly  100  discussed above with respect to  FIGS. 1-3 . 
     At operation  402 , a face frame assembly comprising a plurality of top rails, bottom rails, inside rails, and outer stiles is fully assembled including an inside stile that extends from a top surface of the assembly to an opposite bottom surface of the assembly. In general, respective elements of the face frame assembly can be formed from synthetic materials, natural materials, and a combination thereof. Next, at operation  404 , joinery (e.g., a recess dado) is formed on a rear side of the face frame assembly. In one embodiment, the dado is formed within the plurality of bottom rails and outer stiles of the assembly, as described above with respect to  FIG. 3 . At operation  406 , the face frame assembly is joined to the cabinet box face of the face-frame cabinet to form an assembled cabinet box. At operation  408 , a working surface is positioned to the assembled cabinet box. 
     Although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above. Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed as example forms of implementing the claims.