Patent Publication Number: US-2005127802-A1

Title: Sectional cabinet

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates to a sectional cabinet, and more particularly to a sectional cabinet that combines a sectional metal rack and wooden side panels, back panels, door panels, and drawers normally used on a wooden cabinet, enabling the sectional cabinet to be horizontally extended as desired and show a high quality appearance.  
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      Generally, furniture may be divided into wooden furniture and sectional metal furniture according to the material used to manufacture the furniture. The wooden furniture normally presents an appearance more elegant than that of the sectional metal furniture that is usually in the form of a rack.  
      Most people choose wooden furniture for its elegant appearance and quality touch. The metal rack type sectional furniture is also incomparable to the wooden furniture in that the wooden furniture is able to provide many different closed spaces to better protect things stored therein against dust. Therefore, most of currently available cabinets are made of wooden material.  
      The currently available sectional metal rack includes vertical posts formed from metal tubular members and horizontal shelves formed from metal meshes. This type of sectional rack can be easily assembled and disassembled by a user without using any tool. Moreover, the sectional rack may be freely horizontally extended to any desired configuration and dimensions to enable convenient use in different spaces. However, the shelves of such sectional rack are open and subject to dust. Moreover, people tend to position all kinds of things on the open rack to result in a disorder scene and make the rack less valuable at least from an appearance thereof. Therefore, the conventional sectional metal rack can hardly achieve the same function and value as the wooden cabinets.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      A primary object of the present invention is to provide a sectional cabinet that combines wooden cabinet and metal rack to allow horizontal extension of the sectional cabinet and show high quality and elegant feeling.  
      To achieve the above and other objects, the sectional cabinet of the present invention mainly includes a rack, and a plurality of wall panels, drawers, and door panels. The rack is formed from a plurality of vertical metal posts and horizontal shelves that are connected to the vertical posts via a plurality of connecting structures. The wall panels include side panels for mounting to two lateral sides of the rack, and back panels for closing a rear side of the rack, so as to define an internal space for the rack. And, the door panels and the drawers are mounted to a front side of the rack to define closed spaces adapted to store various things therein.  
      In the sectional cabinet of the present invention, the rack formed from the vertical metal posts and the horizontal shelves serves as a skeleton of the sectional cabinet. Each of the shelves includes a flat surface panel to exactly divide the internal space of the rack into an upper and a lower part.  
      The positions of the door panels and the drawers on the sectional cabinet of the present invention are freely changeable to create more changes in the appearance of the sectional cabinet.  
      In the sectional cabinet of the present invention, all constitutive elements thereof are assembled together by way of hooking. Therefore, a user may easily assemble and disassemble the sectional cabinet according to actual need. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The structure and the technical means adopted by the present invention to achieve the above and other objects can be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein  
       FIG. 1  is an assembled perspective view of a sectional cabinet according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the sectional cabinet of  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of a connecting structure for the sectional cabinet of the present invention;  
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view showing the assembling of a horizontal shelf to a vertical post of the sectional cabinet of the present invention;  
       FIG. 5  is an assembled sectional view of  FIG. 4 ;  
       FIG. 6  is an exploded perspective view showing the connection of side panels to vertical posts of the sectional cabinet of the present invention;  
       FIG. 6-1  is an enlarged view of the circled area of  FIG. 6 ;  
       FIG. 7  is an exploded perspective view showing the connection of a back panel to vertical posts of the sectional cabinet of the present invention;  
       FIG. 7-1  is an enlarged view of the circled area of  FIG. 7 ;  
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view showing the assembling of a door hinge to a vertical post of the sectional cabinet of the present invention;  
       FIG. 9  is an exploded perspective view of the door hinge of  FIG. 8 ;  
       FIG. 10  is a perspective view showing the mounting of a space-dividing board in the sectional cabinet of the present invention;  
       FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a supporting member for supporting the space-dividing board of the present invention;  
       FIG. 12  shows the assembling of drawers to a rack of the sectional cabinet of the present invention;  
       FIG. 13  is a sectional view showing the connection of a rail for the drawer to a vertical post of the sectional cabinet of the present invention; and  
       FIG. 14  is an assembled perspective view showing the mounting of skirt boards to the vertical posts of the sectional cabinet of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      Please refer to  FIGS. 1 and 2  that are assembled and exploded perspective views, respectively, of a sectional cabinet according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the sectional cabinet of the present invention mainly includes a rack  10  assembled from a plurality of vertical metal posts  11  and a plurality of horizontal shelves  12 , and other constitutive elements, including a plurality of wall panels, drawers  40 , and door panels  50 . The wall panels include a plurality of side panels  20  and back panels  30 . The side panels  20  are mounted to two lateral sides of the rack  10  and are therefore divided into left and right side panels  20 . The back panels  30  are mounted to a rear side of the rack  10 , the door panels  50  are mounted to a front side of the rack  10 , and the drawers  40  are arranged on the rack  10  to define some closed spaces on the sectional cabinet.  
      Referring to FIGS.  3  to  5 , the horizontal shelves  12  are connected to the vertical metal posts  11  of the rack  10  via connecting structures  13 . Each of the connecting structures  13  serves to connect one corner of the horizontal shelf  12  to the vertical post  11 . The connecting structure  13  includes a portion adapted to hook on the vertical post  11  and another portion adapted to support the horizontal shelf  12 , so as to connect the vertical post  11  to the horizontal shelf  12 .  
      More specifically, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the connecting structure  13  includes a connecting member  14  and a pad  15  attached to the connecting member  14 . Each of the vertical posts  11  is provided at two lateral sides with two rows of hook eyes  111 , on which an upper and a lower hook  141 ,  142  provided on the connecting member  14  of the connecting structure  13  may be hooked to locate the connecting member  14  in place on the vertical post  11 . A portion of the connecting member  14  opposite to the upper and lower hooks  141 ,  142  is exposed from the hook eyes  111  of the vertical post  11  to provide a guide rail  143 , to which the horizontal shelf  12  can be attached. The pad block  15  includes a flat side for fitly attaching to the vertical post  11 , and an outward and downward inclined side opposite to the flat side. The pad  15  is provided with an upper and a lower opening  152 ,  153 , via which the upper and the lower hook  141 ,  142  of the connecting member  14  are extended into the hook eyes  111  on the vertical post  11 , such that the pad  15  is attached to the connecting member  14 .  
      An outer cover  16  is provided at each corner of the horizontal shelf  12 . The outer cover  16  includes an open outer side and an open bottom. A rail-engaging portion  161  is formed in the outer cover  16 . One side of the rail-engaging portion  161  in contact with the pad  15  is an inclined surface  162  corresponding to the inclined side  151  of the pad  15 . The rail-engaging portion  161  engages with the guide rail  143  of the connecting member  14  to normally pull the connecting member  14  outward relative to the vertical post  11 , as shown in  FIG. 5 , so that the outer cover  16 , the connecting member  14 , the pad  15 , and the vertical post  11  are firmly connected to one another. When the outer covers  16  at all four corners of the horizontal shelves  12  are connected to corresponding connecting members  14 , pads  15 , and vertical posts  11 , the horizontal shelf  12  is assembled to four vertical posts  11  to form the rack  10 .  
      Each of the horizontal shelves  12  includes a flat surface panel attached to a top of a metal frame  121 . The surface panel of the shelf  12  is preferably made of a wooden material. In addition to form part of the rack  10  of the sectional cabinet of the present invention, the horizontal shelves  12  also serve to divide an internal space of the rack  10  into an upper and a lower part.  
      Referring to  FIGS. 6 and 6 - 1 , the side panel  20  includes a surface panel  21  and an upper framing member  22  connected to an upper edge of the surface panel  21 . In the case the sectional cabinet is relatively high, the side panel  20  may include an upper and a lower surface panel  21 , an upper framing member  22  connected to an upper edge of the upper surface panel  21 , and an intermediate framing member  23  located between the upper and the lower surface panel  21 .  
      The side panel  20  is mounted to and between two vertical posts  11  at the same side of the rack  10  preferably by way of hooking. The upper framing member  22  is provided at a lower surface with a channel  221  for receiving the upper edge of the upper surface panel  21  therein. The intermediate framing member  23  is provided at upper and lower surfaces with two channels  231  (only the channel  231  at the upper surface is shown in the drawings) for respectively receiving a lower edge of the upper surface panel  21  and an upper edge of the lower surface panel  21  therein. Two lateral ends of the upper framing member  22  are adapted to downward insert into upper ends of the two vertical posts  11  supporting the side panel  20 . The two vertical posts  11  supporting the side panel  20  are provided on respective side surface facing toward the side panel  20  with a plurality of hook openings  112  for hooking members  24  to separately hook thereat. The intermediate framing member  23  is also provided at two lateral ends with engaging pins  232  that are adapted to engage with the hooking members  24 . The upper and the lower surface panel  21  are also provided at two lateral edges with engaging pins  211  adapted to engage with the hooking members  24 . Through engagement of the engaging pins  232 ,  211  with corresponding hooking members  24 , the side panel  20  is fixed to the rack  10 . When the side panel  20  is assembled to two vertical posts  11  that are located between two outmost pairs of vertical posts  11  of the rack  10 , the side panel  20  divides the internal space of the rack  10  into a left and a right smaller space.  
      Referring to  FIGS. 7 and 7 - 1 , the back panel  30  is assembled to the rack  10  between two vertical posts  11  at a rear side of the sectional cabinet preferably by way of hooking. For example, the two rear vertical posts  11  are provided at respective side surface facing toward two lateral edges of the back panel  30  with a plurality of hooking opening  113  for hooking members  31  to separately hook thereat. Meanwhile, the back panel  30  is provided on an inner side at two lateral edges with flathead pins  32  corresponding to the hooking openings  113  and the hooking members  31 . Through engagement of the flathead pins  32  with corresponding hooking members  31 , the back panel  30  is fixed to the rear vertical posts  11  of the rack  10 .  
      Referring to  FIGS. 8 and 9 , the door panel  50  is detachably connected to the vertical post  11  via a door hinge  60 . The door hinge  60  is hooked on the vertical post  11  without the risk of becoming worn when it is dismounted from the vertical post  11  and is therefore more durable for use. The door hinge  60  includes a fixing member  61  fixed to the door panel  50 , a hanger  62  hooked on the vertical post  11 , an adjusting member  63  coupled with the hanger  62 , and a turning member  64  and a spring  65  mounted between the adjusting member  63  and the fixing member  61 . The hanger  62  is provided at an inner side with an upper and a lower hook  621 , and at a central area with an outward raised portion  622 . The raised portion  322  has a first end pivotally connected to an end of the adjusting member  63 , and a second end opposite to the first end formed into a recess  623 . A screw  625  is threaded through the adjusting member  63  to engage with the recess  623  and thereby connects the adjusting member  63  and the hanger  62  to each other. The hanger  62  is hooked to the vertical post  11  through engagement of the upper and lower hooks  62  with the hook eyes  111  on the vertical post  11 . A cushion pad  66  is positioned between the hanger  62  and the vertical post  11 . A screw  624  is screwed into the hanger  62  to press against the cushion pad  66 , so that the upper and lower hooks  621  of the hanger  62  are caused to tightly hook to the hook eyes  111  on the vertical post  11  and thereby fix the door panel  50  in place. One or more space-dividing boards  51  may be mounted in a closed space behind the door panel  50  to horizontally divide the space into two or more smaller spaces.  
      Referring to  FIGS. 10 and 11 , the space-dividing board  51  has four corners supported on four supporting members  52  hooked on the vertical posts  11 . An end of the supporting member  52  has a hook  521  adapted to hook on the hook eye  111  of the vertical post  11 , and the other end of the supporting member  52  is a laterally extended supporting arm  522 , on which one corner of the space-dividing board  51  is supported.  
      Referring to  FIG. 12 , each of the drawers  40  is slidably mounted on the rack  10  via a pair of rails  41 , which are preferably connected to the vertical posts  11  by way of hooking. Each of the rails  41  is provided at two ends with hooking portions  42  adapted to hook to the hook eyes  111  of the vertical post  11 , such that the rail  41  can be located at any height on the vertical posts  11  as desired. The drawer  40  is guided by the pair of rails  41  to slide into and out of the rack  10 . The hooking portion  42  includes an upper retaining hook  421  and a lower retaining hook  422  adapted to extend into two hook eyes  111  of the vertical post  11  and be retained thereto. To prevent the rail  41  from loosening from the vertical posts  11 , a protuberance  423  is provided on each hooking portion  42 , as can be seen in  FIG. 13 . When the rail  41  is properly connected to the vertical posts  11 , the protuberance  423  at each hooking portion  42  is protruded into the hook eye  111  receiving the lower retaining hook  422  to abuts against an upper edge of that hook eye  111 .  
      A closed space enclosed in the door panels  50 , the horizontal shelves  12 , the side panels  20 , and the back panel  30 , and a closed space enclosed in each drawer  40  may be used to store various things therein. The positions of the drawers  40 , the door panels  50 , and the horizontal shelves  12  on the rack  10  may be freely changed to meet different users&#39; requirements.  
      Skirt boards  17  may be fixedly connected to a lower end of the rack  10 , as shown in  FIG. 14 . To do so, an upper and a lower pin  18  are fixedly provided near a lower end of each vertical post  11  on a side surface facing toward an adjacent vertical post  11 , and two C-shaped resilient brackets  171  are separately fixed to an inner side of each skirt board  17  near two ends thereof, such that two ends of the C-shaped resilient brackets  171  firmly abut against the upper and the lower pins  18  to connect the skirt board  17  to the lower end of the rack  10 .  
      With the above arrangements, the sectional cabinet of the present invention can be horizontally and vertically extended as desired. A user may freely divide a large-sized sectional cabinet into two or more smaller ones, or combine two or more smaller sectional cabinets into a larger one, depending on an actual condition of the space available for the sectional cabinet. Accordingly, in the event it is desired to move the cabinet to a different position, the cabinet can be re-assembled according to different sizes and configurations of the new position. Therefore, the sectional cabinet is very flexible and convenient for use.