Abstract:
A drawer based storage system is disclosed. It comprises a drawer adapted to be supported on a support frame having sides and, preferably, a front. The drawer is supported for pivotal movement between a closed, generally horizontal position and an open, non-horizontal position and, further, for sliding movement, only when the drawer is in the open position, between a retracted position and an extended position.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention is a storage system including a drawer which can be installed under something such as the bottom shelf of an upper kitchen cabinet unit. The drawer includes pegs which extend outwardly from its sides, near the rear of the sides, about which the drawer can rotate between a closed position in which it is positioned in a generally horizontal orientation and an open position in which it is positioned in a generally vertical orientation. The drawer is supported so that, when it is rotated to the open position, it can be slid towards the front of a kitchen cabinet unit or other associated mounting structure for ease of access to its contents. 
         [0002]    A Professional Searcher who reported that he made a computer based search using PTO facilities and furnished the following list of patents and the classification information set forth below said that the following US patents were the most pertinent ones that he found in regard to the subject invention. 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
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       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The drawer based storage system of the present invention comprises a drawer adapted to be supported on a support frame with sides and, preferably, a front, for pivotal movement between a closed, generally horizontal position and an open, non-horizontal position and, further, for sliding movement, only when the drawer is in the open position, between a retracted position and an extended position. 
         [0004]    It is an object of the instant invention to provide a storage system that is especially adapted to make use of space that is otherwise unused, especially in kitchens and other rooms with wall mounted cabinets. 
         [0005]    It is another object of the instant invention to provide a storage system that is especially adapted to make use of space that is under wall mounted cabinets. 
         [0006]    It is a further object of the instant invention to provide a drawer based storage system in which the drawer is mounted for pivoting and sliding movement that is especially adapted to make use of space that is otherwise unused, especially in kitchens and other rooms with wall mounted cabinets. 
         [0007]    It is yet another object of the invention to provide a drawer based storage system in which the drawer can be hidden when the drawer is closed. 
         [0008]    It is still a further object of the invention to provide a drawer based storage system which can be configured so that the drawer can be removed from a frame in which is supported when closed. 
         [0009]    These and other objects and advantages will be apparent from the description which follows, reference being made to the attached drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a view in perspective showing a drawer storage system according to the invention with a drawer supported in a closed position. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing the drawer storage system of  FIG. 1  with the drawer in the open position at an intermediate position between a retracted open position and an extended open position as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a view in perspective showing the drawer storage system of  FIG. 1  with the drawer in the open and extended position. 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged perspective view showing one side of an end of a cooperating drawer support including a groove in which a peg of the drawer is received. 
           [0014]      FIGS. 5-8  are plan views showing custom drawer storage assemblies similar to that of  FIG. 1 , but differing in that the drawers of the systems have been outfitted to make them particularly useful for storing and, in some case, dispensing particular household items. 
           [0015]      FIG. 9  is a fragmentary view showing a catch comprising an actuator and lock which can be used with any of the drawers of  FIGS. 1-8 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 10  is vertical sectional view taken along the line  10 - 10  of  FIG. 9 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view showing a second embodiment of a groove for receiving a peg of a drawer according to the invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 12  is a view in vertical section taken along the line  12 - 12  of  FIG. 11 , and showing the shape of the groove shown in  FIG. 11 . 
           [0019]      FIG. 13  is a vertical sectional view showing a second embodiment of a catch for maintaining the drawer in the closed position. 
           [0020]      FIG. 14  is a bottom view of the drawer showing another embodiment of a catch for maintaining the drawer in the closed position. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0021]    Referring now in more detail to the drawings, an assembly including a drawer  15  having a drawer bottom  16  is shown in  FIGS. 1 through 3 . The drawer has sides  17  and  18 , which are parallel to one another, and a drawer front  19 . In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1 through 3 , the back of the drawer  15  is open and, there is a rod  20  extending between the sides  17  and  18  at the rear of the drawer  15 . The back of the drawer can include a drawer back (not shown) corresponding somewhat with the drawer front  19 . The drawer  15  is shown in a closed position in  FIG. 1  where it is surrounded by support sides  21  and  22 , which are parallel to one another and to the sides  17  and  18  of the drawer  15 , to which they are closely adjacent. The drawer  15  is further surrounded by a support front  23  which is closely adjacent and parallel to the front  19  of the drawer  15  and a support back  24  which is parallel to the support front  23 . The support sides  21  and  22  and the support front and back  23  and  24  constitute a support frame which frames the drawer  15  when it is in the closed position as shown in  FIG. 1 . It will be appreciated that the support frame may actually be part of something larger such as a wall cabinet or the like with the frame defined by the lower ends of the cabinet back, sides and front. Alternatively, the support frame can be attached to the underside of a shelf (not shown) or the like. It is preferred that the support frame include a support front  23  so as to hide the drawer  15  when it is in the closed position. This permits the drawer storage system to blend in with a cabinet, for example when the drawer is closed. The support back  24  is not necessary to the use or operation of the drawer storage system but it can be incorporated in the support frame if desired. 
         [0022]    In the embodiments shown in the several drawing Figs., the ends of the rod  20  extend through the sides  17  and  18  of the drawer  15 , near the rear of the drawer. The ends of the rod  20  constitute pegs  25  and  26  which extend from the drawer sides  17  and  18  to the outside of the drawer sides  17  and  18 , as can be seen in  FIGS. 5 through 8 , and into cooperating slots, one of which is indicated at  27  in  FIGS. 2 through 8 . The slot  27  is formed on the inside face of the support side  21 . A corresponding slot (not shown) is provide on the inside face of the support side  22 . The drawer sides  17  and  18  can be made smaller than what is shown in the drawing Figs. and still perform the function of supporting the pegs  25  and  26 . 
         [0023]    The slots that cooperate with the pegs that extend from the drawer sides may be simple, i.e., having a square or rectangular cross-section or, as shown in  FIGS. 11 and 12 , a contoured slot with a dovetail shape may be used, as indicated at  29  in  FIG. 12 , in a support side  21 ′ with a cooperating slot  30  provided in support side  22 ′. A correspondingly shaped peg (not shown) or a wheel, as described below with reference to  FIG. 12 , can be used with a contoured slot so that the peg or wheel will be retained within the slot and its accidental removal from the slot will be prevented. In these cases, it is preferred to provide an enlarged opening such as indicated at  31  in  FIG. 11  in order to facilitate the initial placement of the drawer pegs within the slots as well as the removal of the drawer pegs from the slots in case it is desired to remove the drawer from the frame. With the simple peg and slot configuration shown in  FIGS. 1 through 8 , drawer placement and removal can be effected by manipulating the drawer so that one of the pegs is closer to the support front  23  or the support back  24  of the drawer support frame than the other peg, until one of the pegs is withdrawn from its slot. Alternatively, the pegs could be retractable and movable between and extended position and a retracted position and, if desired, resiliently urged into the extended position. Of course, the slots could be external, i.e., defined by tracks (not shown) mounted on the inside of the support frame sides. 
         [0024]    As can be seen in  FIG. 11 , the back ends of the slots  29  and  30  are positioned near the top of the support sides  21 ′ and  22 ′. The front ends of the slots  29  and  30  are positioned near the bottom of the support sides  21 ′ and  22 ′. The slots  29  and  30  are straight in between the front ends and the back ends although they may be otherwise shaped. The enlarged openings  31  are positioned between the front and back ends of the slots  29  and  30 . 
         [0025]    Referring now to  FIG. 12 , a contoured wheel  32  is carried in the slot  29  and it is mounted for rotation on an axle  33  which, in turn, is mounted on the drawer side  17 . In this case, the rod  20  does not need to extend through the drawer side  17  as it is the wheel  32  and the axle  33  on which it is mounted which constitute the peg that supports the drawer  15 ′ in the slot  29  in the support side  21 ′ of the support frame. Of course, a corresponding wheel and axle could be provided on the drawer side  18  to support the drawer in the slot  30 . 
         [0026]    Returning now to  FIGS. 1 through 4 , the movement of the drawer  15  within the support frame will now be described. In  FIG. 1 , the drawer  15  is in a closed position. The back of the drawer  15  is supported by the pegs  25  and  26  ( FIGS. 5 through 8 ) and the front of the drawer is supported relative to the support frame by a suitable catch. Several suitable catches are described below with reference to  FIGS. 9 ,  10 ,  13  and  14 . When the catch is released, the front of the drawer  15  is lowered as the pegs which extend outwardly from the drawer sides  17  and  18  rotate in the slot  27  and the corresponding slot in the support side  22 . It is desirable that the front of the drawer  15  be supported so as to prevent it from falling rapidly, so that its movement is controlled. As soon as the drawer front  19  is lowered below the support front  23 , sliding movement can begin and the drawer support pegs can be slid from the back of the slots in the support sides  21  and  22  towards the front of those slots. Rotation and sliding of the drawer  15  can continue until the drawer is supported by the pegs cooperating with the slots in the support sides  21  and  22  in the open extended position shown in  FIG. 3 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , when the drawer  15  is at rest and supported in the support frame in the open extended position, the back of the drawer  15  is behind the support front  23  while the drawer front  19  or a portion of it, anyway, is in front of the support front  23 . This is achieved by positioning the pegs closer to upper surfaces  34  and  35  of the drawer sides  17  and  18  than to the drawer bottom  16 . If the pegs are positioned closer to the drawer bottom  16  than is shown in the drawings, then the drawer  15 , in the open position, will be supported so that it hangs with the drawer bottom  16  more nearly vertical. 
         [0027]    The closing of the drawer is achieved by sliding the drawer  15  from the extended position shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4  towards the retracted position until the drawer can be pivoted to the closed position whereupon the catch, described further below, is engaged to maintain the drawer  15  in the closed position. The catch is operable in one position and inoperable in a second position to prevent relative movement between at least a portion of the drawer  15  and a portion of the support frame. 
         [0028]    The drawer  15  is shown in  FIG. 1  in its closed position, and, in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , maintained in the closed position by a catch consisting of a blade  36  which is carried on and rotatable with a pin  37  which, in turn, is connected to and rotatable with a knob  38  which is on the outside of the drawer bottom  16 . The pin  37  extends through the drawer bottom  16  giving the drawer storage assembly a neat, clean appearance when the drawer  15  is closed. In the position shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , the blade  36  extends through a slot in the drawer front  19  and into a recess in the support front  23 , acting as a catch to prevent relative movement between the drawer  15  and the support frame. When it is desired to open the drawer  15 , the knob  38  is rotated one quarter turn clockwise, causing the blade  36  to rotate out of the recess in the support front  23  so that relative movement between the drawer  15  and the support frame is not prevented. Any manner of catch is suitable for use with the drawer storage system although preference would be shown towards catches that provide a clean look when the drawer  15  is closed. Other examples of catches are described later with reference to  FIGS. 13 and 14 . 
         [0029]    One can begin to appreciate the versatility of the drawer storage system of the present invention by reference to  FIGS. 5 through 8 . A custom drawer assembly is shown in  FIG. 5  and it has a shelf  39  and retainers  40  so that small containers, for example spice containers (not shown), can be placed on the shelf  39  and also on the drawer front  19 , between the retainers  40  and the drawer bottom  16  of the drawer  15 , and the containers will be kept in the positions in which they are placed on the shelf  39  and drawer front  19  by the retainers  40  and the drawer bottom  16 . Other containers, for example flatware baskets (not shown) can be filled with flatware and placed on the shelf  39  or the drawer front  19 , between the retainers  40  and the drawer bottom  16 . 
         [0030]    A second custom drawer assembly is illustrated in  FIG. 6 . The drawer assembly has rods  41  and  42  supported between the drawer sides  17  and  18 , spaced from the drawer bottom  16 . Roll material indicated at  43  is mounted on the rod  42  for easy dispensing. If desired, a cutting strip may be provided for the roll material which could be anything from gift wrapping paper to plastic wrap to parchment paper to foil to wax paper, etc. 
         [0031]    A third custom drawer assembly is illustrated in  FIG. 7 . The drawer assembly has three openings  43  in the drawer bottom  16 ′. In  FIG. 7 , the openings  43  are all trapezoidal in shape although other shapes may be utilized. The drawer bottom may have more or less than three openings, if desired. A food storage bag from each of three boxes can be pulled partially from its box, so that the food storage bag extends out the top of the box, but is still engaged by the food storage bags which remain in the box. Each of the three boxes can then be placed over one of the openings  43 , upside down, with its partially released bag extending through one of the openings in the drawer bottom  16 ′, and the drawer  15  can be closed. The drawer assembly used in this way can be maintained in its closed position until it is time to replace an empty box of food storage bags so that food storage bags or other household items can be dispensed through the openings in the drawer bottom  16 ′. 
         [0032]    A fourth custom drawer assembly is illustrated in  FIG. 8 . A plurality of magnets  44 , each of which is suitably attached to the drawer bottom  16 ″, are operable to engage and retain any ferro-magnetic object including utility knives, as illustrated, out of sight and out of the reach of hands too young. 
         [0033]    Referring now to  FIG. 13 , a catch for releasably retaining the drawer  15  in the closed position is illustrated. The catch consists of cooperating portions of a support frame front  23 ′ and of a drawer front  19 ′. The support frame front  23 ′ includes a projecting ledge  45  which is angled slightly and cooperates with a protrusion  46  formed on the outer face of the drawer front  19 ′ so that when the protrusion  46  is placed on the ledge  45 , the drawer front  19 ′ and, thus, the drawer, is supported relative to the support frame front  23  and, thus, the support frame. In this case, the slots in which the pegs or the like are received must extend rearwardly (to the right in  FIG. 13 ) far enough so that the drawer can be moved rearwardly from the position shown in  FIG. 13  until the protrusion  46  clears the ledge  45 , so that the drawer  15  may be opened. The drawer  15  may be closed by moving the drawer rearwardly and pivoting the drawer to bring it to a horizontal position and then manipulating the drawer until the protrusion  46  is resting on and supported by the ledge  45 . 
         [0034]    In  FIG. 14 , another catch is illustrated. The catch comprises a pair of catch rods  47  with first ends mounted on a rotatable actuator plate  48  and movable between a first, extended position, shown in  FIG. 14  and a second, retracted position shown in phantom lines in  FIG. 14 . The rods  47  extend through openings in the drawer sides  17  and  18  and, when the rods  47  are in the extended position, distal ends  49  of the rods  47  are received in openings in the support frame sides  21  and  22 , thereby preventing the drawer  15  from being opened. When the plate  48  is rotated from the illustrated position, in the direction indicated by the arrows, to the position shown in phantom, the distal ends  49  of the rods  47  are retracted from the support frame sides  21  and  22  so that the drawer is not prevented from being opened. A knob  50  is provided to facilitate turning of the plate  48 . 
         [0035]    It will be appreciated from the foregoing description of preferred embodiments thereof that the instant invention is a drawer storage system including a drawer and a support frame for the drawer. The drawer has a bottom and two sides and a front and support pegs extend from the drawer outwardly into grooves in the support frame. The drawer is rotatable between a closed and an open position and, when in the open position, is slidable between a retracted and an extended position.