Abstract:
A cabinet door assembly is moveably mounted to a cabinet to selectively close a cabinet. The cabinet door has a substantially planar first panel and a substantially planar second panel in a planar parallel configuration. The second panel may retract relative to the first panel upon application of an impact force to the second panel. A stop member may be incorporated to limit the downward movement of the second panel. Ramp surfaces and a guide member cooperate to facilitate upward and/or inward directional movement of the second panel relative to the first panel upon application of an impact force to the second panel.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/396,588 filed Feb. 14, 2012, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,684,477, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/463,204, filed Feb. 14, 2011, which applications are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to cabinet doors, and in particular to a safety feature integrated within a cabinet door for mitigating injuries due to head and/or body impact with a cabinet door. 
     Serious injuries due to an impact with a cabinet door are well reported in the media, and are typically caused by a collision with a cabinet door and a person&#39;s head. In the most severe injuries, the cabinet door does not yield, or open or close during horizontal impact. In the instance of generally direct horizontal impact with the door edge, the impact force direction is directed toward the axis of rotation of the cabinet door, and thus the cabinet door will not rotate or move in reaction away from the impact force. In the instance of generally vertical impact, such as when a person may be bent over or crouched down, and hit his head against a cabinet door when rising, the impact force is generally parallel to the axis or rotation of the cabinet door, and thus the cabinet door will also not move in reaction away from the impact force. In both of these instances, the door does not yield or move, and the impact force is directly proportional to the impact velocity. This hazardous event may be described with regards to conservation of momentum, where the product of the mass of two colliding objects and their respective velocities is conserved, and wherein m 1 v 1 =m 2 v 2 , however in the instance of the prior art, the velocity of the cabinet door may be near zero with no cabinet door reactive rotation due to the impact angle, thus causing a significant number of injuries each year. In this respect, a cabinet door with a retractable panel may provide a safety solution to such prior art cabinet door hazards, as in instances when vertically or horizontally directed impact occurs, and wherein a portion of the cabinet door will readily move or collapse away from the impact site, thus greatly reducing the possibility of potential injury 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A cabinet door assembly is moveably mounted to a cabinet to selectively close a chamber. The cabinet door has a substantially planar first panel and a substantially planar second panel in planar parallel configuration. The second panel may retract relative to the first panel upon application of an impact force to the second panel. A stop member may be incorporated to limit the downward movement of the second panel. Oppositely facing ramp surfaces and a guide member cooperate to facilitate upward and/or inward directional movement of the second panel relative to the first panel upon application of an impact force to the second panel. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       So that the manner in which the above recited features, advantages and objects of the present invention are attained can be understood in detail, a more particular description of the invention briefly summarized above, may be had by reference to the embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings. 
       It is noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of this invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments. 
         FIG. 1  is a partially broken away front perspective view of a first embodiment of a cabinet door with a retractable panel in a closed position. 
         FIG. 2  is a partially broken away side perspective view of the embodiment of the cabinet door shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a partially broken away side perspective view of the embodiment of the cabinet door shown in  FIG. 1  showing the retractable panel in a partially retracted position. 
         FIG. 4  is a partially broken away bottom perspective view of the embodiment of the cabinet door shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a partially broken away side perspective view of a second embodiment of a cabinet door with a retractable panel in a retracted position. 
         FIG. 6  is a partially broken away side perspective view of a third embodiment of a cabinet door with a retractable panel in a retracted position. 
         FIG. 7  is a front elevation view of a fourth embodiment of a cabinet door with a retractable panel. 
         FIG. 8  is a rear elevation view of the embodiment of the cabinet door shown in  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the embodiment of the cabinet door shown in  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 10  is an exploded front perspective view of the embodiment of the cabinet door shown in  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 11  is an exploded rear perspective view of the embodiment of the cabinet door shown in  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 12  is a rear perspective of the embodiment of the cabinet door shown in  FIG. 7 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring first to  FIG. 1 , a first embodiment of a cabinet, such as a kitchen cabinet, is generally identified by the reference numeral  100 . The cabinet  100  is typically rigidly secured to a wall or the like at an elevated position to facilitate convenient access to the interior of the cabinet  100 . The cabinet  100  comprises a back wall  10 , sidewalls  12 , a bottom  14  and a top wall or cover configured and rigidly secured together to define an interior chamber  16 . For purposes of convenience in showing the interior structural components of the cabinet  100 , the top wall and one of the sidewalls  12  are not shown in the drawings. 
     A door  20  forms the front of the cabinet  100 . The door  20  may be substantially planar and include an upstanding flange  22  extending partially about the perimeter of the door  20 . The flange  22  projects outward from and is oriented substantially perpendicular to the back or interior surface of the door  20 . The door  20  is rotatably secured at the top and bottom of the cabinet  100  at bearings  15 . Other available cabinet door securing means, such as hinges or the like, may be utilized if desired. 
     The flange  22  includes a rear vertical segment  24 , a top horizontal segment  25 , a leading vertical segment  26  and a bottom horizontal segment  27 . The lower forward or leading end  28  of the door  20  extends at an angle from the lower end of the leading vertical segment  26  to the forward end of the horizontal segment  27  of the flange  22 . The flange  22  defines a substantially continuous perimeter about the door  20  with the exception of a gap along the leading end  28  of the door  20 . 
     A door handle  30  may be rigidly secured to the door  20 . Levers and/or buttons or the like (not shown in the drawings) may be provided for latching the door  20  or other purposes. Switches for illumination or other electrical functions may also be provided for the cabinet  100 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , a door panel  40  is generally constrained in a planar parallel manner with the door  20 . The door panel  40  is preferably constructed of relatively light materials, for example, sheet metal, wood, glass, plastic or the like. The door panel  40  is moveably mounted on the back surface of the door  20 . The door panel  40  may comprise a substantially planar body having a thickness approximately equal to the width of the flange  22  projecting from the back surface of the door  20 . The door panel  40  includes a leading vertical edge  42 , a horizontal bottom edge  43 , a rear vertical edge  44  and an angularly extending edge  45  terminating at the upper end of the leading vertical edge  42  thereof. 
     The door panel  40  is free to move in an upward and rearward direction relative to the door  20  but constrained to move in a planar parallel manner with respect to the door  20 . In the parked or closed position of the door panel  40 , as best shown in  FIG. 2 , the horizontal bottom edge  43  of the door panel  40  is coplanar with the horizontal bottom segment  27  of the flange  22 . The rearward end of the horizontal bottom edge  43  of the door panel  40  terminates in an inclined portion defining a ramp surface  46  in facing contact with a ramp  48  secured to the horizontal bottom segment  27  of the flange  22 . The inclination angles of the ramp surface  46  and the ramp  48  may be in the range of 30 degrees to 60 degrees, more preferably 45 degrees. 
     Planar coincidence between the door  20  and the door panel  40  is maintained by a guide  50  fixedly secured and extending vertically upward from the bottom segment  27  of the flange  22 . Alternatively, the door  20  may be provided with an interior planar panel secured to the flange  22  thus forming a cavity between front and interior panels of the door  20  for receipt of the door panel  40  therein and thereby maintain planar parallelism between the door  20  and the door panel  40 . 
     A stop member  52  may be provided to limit the downward movement of the door panel  40 . The stop  52  may be mounted on the door panel  40  along or proximate the rear vertical edge  44  thereof. Similarly, a stop to limit the upward movement of the door panel may also be provided. Gravity may be sufficient to maintain the door panel  40  in the closed position, however, low friction tape or the like may be employed if desired. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 5 , a second embodiment of a cabinet door with a retractable panel is generally identified by the reference numeral  200 . The cabinet  200  is substantially similar to the cabinet  100  described above with the exception that the cabinet  200  includes an extension spring  210  having one end  212  secured to the door panel  40  and an opposite end  214  secured to the ramp  48 . The spring  210  is maintained in tension for returning the door panel  40  to the closed position after receipt of an impact force. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 6 , a third embodiment of a cabinet door with a retractable panel is generally identified by the reference numeral  300 . The cabinet  300  is substantially similar to the cabinet  100  described above with the exception that the cabinet  300  includes a magnet  310  secured to the stop member  52  and ferrous material  312  secured to the guide  50 . The magnet  310  and ferrous material  312  cooperate to maintain the door panel  40  in the closed position. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 7-12 , a fourth embodiment of a cabinet door with a retractable panel is generally identified by the reference numeral  400 . The cabinet door  400  comprises a substantially planar door panel  410  and a substantially planar retractable panel  420  movably attached to the door panel  410 . A handle  412  for closing or opening the cabinet door  400  may be fixedly secured to the door panel  410 . The cabinet door  400  may be rotatably secured to a cabinet mounted at an elevated position on a wall or the like. The cabinet door  400  may be secured to the cabinet by various means known in the art, such as bearing posts, hinges or the like. 
     The door panel  410  includes a substantially planar front surface  414  and a substantially planar rear surface  416 . The thickness of the door panel  410 , which may be fabricated from solid wood, particle board or the like, is defined by the front surface  414  and the rear surface  416 . A continuous perimeter of the door panel  410  is defined by a rear vertical segment  415 , a top horizontal segment  417 , a forward vertical segment  418 , a bottom horizontal segment  419  and an angular segment  421  extending from the lower end of the forward vertical segment  418  to the forward end of the horizontal segment  419 . The angular segment  421  may include a longitudinal ramp surface and/or rounded or fillet edge  422  along the length of the angular segment  421 . Alternatively, the angular segment  421  may comprise a combination ramp surface and fillet edge. The vertical segment  418  may include a vertical tab  411  fixedly secured proximate the lower distal end of the vertical segment  418 . A horizontal tab  413  may also be fixedly secure to the distal end of the horizontal segment  419 . The tabs  411  and  413  overlap the point where the distal ends of the retractable panel  420  engage the angular segment  421  and aid to accurately seat the retractable panel  420  in the deployed position. 
     The retractable panel  420  includes a substantially planar front surface  424  and a substantially planar rear surface  426 . A continuous perimeter of the retractable panel  420  is defined by a substantially vertical segment  427 , a substantially horizontal segment  428  and an angular segment  429 . The retractable panel  420  forms a generally triangular profile and the thickness of the retractable panel  420  is about the same as the thickness of the door panel  410 . In the parked or closed position of the retractable panel  420 , as best shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the door panel  410  and retractable panel  420  are coplanar with each other. 
     The retractable panel  420  may be moveably secured to the door panel  410 . To this end, the door panel  410  may include a recess  430  on the rear side thereof that extends at a generally upward angle. A bracket  432  may be fixedly secured within a recess  434  of the retractable panel  420  with screws, bolts  436  or the like. A forward portion of the bracket  432  extends beyond the angular segment  429  of the retractable panel  420 . The forward distal end of the bracket  432  forms an inward turned hook  438 . When the retractable panel  420  is in the parked or deployed position, shown in  FIG. 8 , the hook  438  engages a transverse ledge  440  at the bottom end of the recess  430 . 
     The retractable panel  420  may be maintained in the deployed position by a magnet  450  bonded into a void  452  formed in the rear side  416  of the door panel  410  proximate the angular segment  421  and aligned with the recess  430 , as best shown in  FIG. 11 . The bracket  432  may be fabricated from ferrous material so that magnetic forces hold the retractable panel  420  in the deployed position. Alternatively, the bracket  432  may be fabricated from non-ferrous material, such as plastic or wood, in which case a plug  454  of ferrous material may be fixedly attached to the bracket  432  to magnetically couple the retractable panel  420  to the door panel  410  in the deployed position. 
     Referring again to  FIG. 7 , the angular segment  429  of the retractable panel  420  is generally inclined upward from the bottom segment  428  to the upper end of the vertical segment  427 . The angular segment  429  of the retractable panel  420  includes a planar longitudinal edge  431  that extends at an angle from the front surface to the back surface of the retractable panel  420 . When the retractable panel  420  is in the deployed position, the edge  431  is in cooperative engagement with the edge  422  of the door panel  410 . It will be observed that the edges  421  and  431  of the door panel  410  and retractable panel  420 , respectively, not limited to linear ramp surfaces but may include contact surfaces having two radii or fillets, as well as ramped surfaces, or a combination thereof. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 12 , during an impact event, the retractable panel  420  disengages from the door panel  410  and slides in a generally backward direction but remains connected to the door panel  410 . A slide strip  460  may be fixedly secured in the recess  430 . The slide strip  460  extends through a slot  462  in the bracket hook  438 . Upon impact, the retractable panel  420  moves along the longitudinal direction of the slide strip  460 . The slide stripe  460  may be constructed of plastic material, metal or wood. Alternatively, a flexible metallic or nonmetallic rod, cable, cord, rope and the like may be substituted for the slide strip  460  ensuring that the retractable panel  420  does not fully separate from the door panel  410 . As best shown in  FIG. 12 , the retractable panel  420  translates along the slide strip  460  and reorients in a somewhat variable and haphazard dynamic manner. Parallelism between the retractable panel  420  and the planar rear side  416  of the door panel  410  may not be necessarily maintained. 
     As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the door panel  410  and the retractable panel  420  may be constructed of various materials, including wood, plastic, and/or glass. For example, the door panel  410  may be constructed of wood and the retractable panel  420  may be contracted of glass. A glass retractable panel  420  permits the contents of a cabinet to be viewed. In such an example, the recess  430  and  434  illustrated in  FIG. 8  may be omitted. 
     While preferred embodiments of a cabinet door retractable panel have been shown and described, other and further embodiments thereof may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof, and the scope thereof is determined by the claims which follow.