Patent Publication Number: US-2021186210-A1

Title: Modular casework constructions using solid-surface materials

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to, and the benefit of, U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/952,390, filed Dec. 22, 2020, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to casework and, in particular, to casework constructed with solid surface panels and hidden fasteners. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     “Casework” maybe defined as box construction, which would include, without limitation, cases, cabinets, bookcases, racks, drawers, storage spaces, and the like. Various types of panels are used for casework construction, including solid wood, plywood and other laminates, and MDF (medium-density fiberboard), and the like. 
     Different attachment techniques are also used in casework construction. To join one panel on-edge to the surface of another panel, threaded fasteners, biscuits, mortise-and-tenon, dado/rabbets, and so forth. 
     ‘Solid-surface’ materials are man-made composites used to produce non-porous, low-maintenance surfaces such as countertops. Natural surfaces are composed of naturally occurring materials like wood, stone, mineral, metals, clay, gum and resin. Synthetic surfaces contain, in addition to any natural materials, man-made substances such as metal alloys or polymers. Solid surfaces such as Dupont Corian® are synthetic surfaces manufactured from polymeric and engineered materials; for example, alumina trihydrate (ATH), acrylic, epoxy or polyester resins and pigments. 
     Since their introduction, solid-surface materials have been used in kitchen/bathroom applications for vanity countertops, bathtubs, etc., commercial counters in public places; museum displays, and for hospital and laboratory countertops. 
     In contrast to materials currently used for casework construction, solid-surface materials are generally homogeneous. They do not have a wood-like grain, nor are they laminated like plywood. Nevertheless, for various reasons, solid-surface materials have so far not been used for casework construction. The primary reason is that solid-surface materials are quite heavy. While this weight makes such materials ideally suited to countertop applications, conventional joinery techniques are not readily applicable to solid-surface materials due to the weight, density and other factors. Different tools are also required to “machine,” form and polish solid-surface materials. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention improves upon casework construction through the use of solid-surface materials, as well as manufacturing and assembly techniques that make the use of solid-surface materials practical for casework structures. The invention may be used to assemble open box or case structures, bookcases, shelving units, storage units, and the like, with or without back panels, doors or drawers. 
     The invention uses a plurality of panels, each having edges and opposing flat inner and outer surfaces defining a thickness. A plurality of fasteners are used to join the edges of some panels to the inner surfaces of other panels. In the preferred embodiments, all of the panels are fabricated from solid-surface materials, and the panels are routed to receive hidden, push-to-connect type fasteners. 
     In accordance with one disclosed example, the plurality of panels includes a top panel, a bottom panel, opposing side panels and a back panel, and the top, bottom and opposing side panels have grooves to receive the back panel. The opposing side panels have upper and lower edges, and grooves in the opposing side panels are configured to receive the back panel do not extend all the way to the upper and lower edges of the side panels. Optionally, the back panel has side edges with outwardly extending tabs, and the grooves in the opposing side panels have recesses configured to receive the outwardly extending tabs of the back panel. 
     The top, bottom and back panels have side edges may define the same width, in which case the side panels may have a height and width sufficient to cover the edges of the top, bottom and back panels when the casework is assembled. Hidden, push-to-connect fasteners may be used between the opposing side edges of the top and bottom panels and the inner surfaces of the opposing side panels. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective drawing that illustrates one casework construction using dowels according to the invention; and 
         FIG. 2  illustrates an alternative casework construction using elongated grooves in the solid-surface materials. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention improves upon the existing art of casework construction through the use of assembly components and techniques that facilitate the use of solid-surface materials.  FIG. 1  is a perspective drawing that illustrates one such construction generally at  100 . The preferred embodiments use solid-surface panels having a thickness “T” of 12 mm (½″ in the U.S.), which is less than half the thickness of countertops to reduce overall weight. Any suitable solid-surface material may be used, including DuPont Corian®, Phenolic Core from Wilsonart, and so forth. The invention is not limited is terms of solid-surface composition or appearance, though the 12 mm/½″ thickness is preferred. 
     The embodiment of  FIG. 1  includes five panels, including a top  102 , bottom  104 , opposing sides  106 ,  108 , and back panel  110 . However, while  FIG. 1  shows a simple open box configuration, the invention is not limited in terms of finished product, which may include cases and cabinets, with or without doors, with sizes dimensions other than those implied in  FIG. 1 . The invention is also applicable to bookcases and other configurations including shelves, as well as products with drawers. Broadly, the invention may be used to construct virtually any type of casework that uses wood, laminate or wood composite materials, but instead with solid-surface materials. 
     In the preferred embodiments, hidden fasteners are used to join the various solid-surface panels. For example, in  FIG. 1 , push-to-connect fasteners  112  may be used to join the edges of the top and bottom panels  102 ,  104  to the upper and lower edges of the side panels  106 ,  108 . Such fasteners may include the invisible connection systems available from OVVO Technology of Louth, Ireland. To accommodate these connectors, slots  114 ,  16  are routed in the panels, enabling assembly by clicking the various edges against the surfaces to be joined. 
     Note that in contrast to existing wood laminate/composite construction, the invention uses relatively closely spaced hidden push-to-connect fasteners due to the density and weight of the solid-surface material. For example, the fasteners  112  may be spaced art on-center with a distance of 3 to 6 inches depending upon the size and shape of the product. Dowels  118  are also preferably closely spaced at a distance in the range of 2 to 6 inches, with or without glue. 
     Continuing the reference to  FIG. 1 , back panel  110  may be held in position with dowels  118  inserted through holes  120  along the rear edges of the side panels  106 ,  108 . To achieve a cleaner overall appearance, a laminate  122  may be adhered to the outer surfaces of the side panels  106 ,  108  to cover the ends of the dowels. 
     Note further that while hidden, push-to-connect fasteners are preferably used to connect the sides to the top and bottom of the case and dowels are used for the back panel, fastener type is essentially interchangeable in that more or fewer of each type of connector may be used, including all push-to-connect or all dowels throughout. The same hold true of shelves, if provided, which may use push-to-connect or dowel connection techniques. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective drawing that illustrates an alternative embodiment of the invention generally at  200 . Again, any suitable solid-surface material may be used, including DuPont Corian®, Phenolic Core from Wilsonart, and so forth, with panels having a preferred thickness “T” of 12 mm (½″ in the U.S.).  FIG. 2  also shows five panels, including a top  202 , bottom  204 , opposing sides  206 ,  208 , and back panel  210 . As with  FIG. 1 , although an open box configuration is illustrated, the invention is not limited in terms of panel sizes, overall dimensions or finished product, which again may include cases and cabinets, with or without doors, bookcases and other configurations including shelves, as well as products with drawers, and so forth. 
     Hidden fasteners are used to join side solid-surface panels  206 ,  208  to the top and bottom solid-surface panels  202 ,  204 . Preferably, push-to-connect fasteners  212  are used to join the edges of the top and bottom panels  202 ,  204  to the upper and lower edges of the side panels  206 ,  208 . Such fasteners may include the invisible connection systems available from OVVO Technology of Louth, Ireland. To accommodate these connectors, slots such as  214  are routed in the edges of the panels as shown, enabling assembly by clicking the various edges against the surfaces to be joined. 
     Note that in contrast to existing wood laminate/composite construction, the invention uses relatively closely spaced hidden push-to-connect fasteners due to the density and weight of the solid-surface material. For example, the fasteners  212  are preferably spaced art on-center with a distance of 3 to 6 inches depending upon the size and shape of the product. 
     In contrast to the construction of  FIG. 1 , back panel  210  is held in position with a series of grooves in the top, bottom and side panels to receive the edge of the back panel  210 . In particular, the side panels have grooves  224 ,  225 , and the top and bottom panel includes grooves  220 ,  221 , respectively. The width of the grooves is slightly wider than the thickness of the panels used. So, for example, if 12 mm panels are used the grooves are slightly greater than 12 mm. 
     In the construction shown, the width W of the back panel  210  corresponds to the width of the top and bottom panels, whereas the side panels  206 ,  208  are longer than the height of the back panel to cover the side edges of the top and bottom panels when completed. As such, the grooves  224 ,  225  in the side panels do not extend all the way to the top and bottom edges to keep the grooves hidden after assembly, whereas grooves  220 ,  221  may extend to both opposing edges are these grooves will be hidden. Further, for added stability, the side panels may have extending tabs  228 ,  229  that fit into deeper recesses  230 ,  231  in the grooves  224 ,  225 . 
     Thus, to assemble the case of  FIG. 2 , the grooves of the top and bottom panels are first fitted onto upper and lower edges of the back panel, then either or both of the side panels are installed using the hidden, push-to-connect fasteners. In all embodiments, more or fewer connectors may be used than those depicted in the figures, and a combination of push-to-connect and dowels, or all dowels, may instead be used. The same hold true of shelves, if provided, which may use push-to-connect or dowel connection techniques, with or without grooves.