Abstract:
A tool cabinet including an upper cover, a bottom board, a case body and a shelf accessory. The case body includes rotatably interconnected case boards, which are foldable with each other. The upper cover and the bottom board are loosely rabbetted into the case body. Without disconnecting each case board, each case board can be folded only by pulling out the pin in the upper cover, turning over the upper cover, then taking out the shelf and the upright column, releasing the block rabbeting, and folding the case boards. It is done after the shelf and the upright column are placed into a predetermined space of the right board and the back board during the folding process. It is very simple and convenient. Hence, it is convenient to carry the tool cabinet after it is folded. In another embodiment, a tool cabinet is also constructed with hinged panels and doors that after assembly can be easily folded into a compact unit for storage or shipping.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/480,861, filed on Jul. 6, 2006. The present application claims priority under 35 USC 119 to Chinese Patent Application No. 2005-10050646.1 filed on Jul. 8, 2005, and U.S. Ser. No. 11/480,861, filed Jul. 6, 2006, the entire contents of which applications are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to a tool cabinet, especially a tool cabinet that can be folded and assembled conveniently with pin joint member loosely interconnecting each face board.  
       DESCRIPTION OF BACKGROUND ART  
       [0003]     A tool cabinet is mainly used for uniform management of materials in all trades. The main structure of the conventional tool cabinet is typically one whole body, which is heavy and not easy to carry. There are complicated structures, such as mosaic assembly type, screw lock type etc, but it is disadvantageous in using tool to disconnect and assemble them. For the assembled tool cabinet of large volume, which is not fit for carrying as a whole, once carrying, it is necessary to disconnect by the aid of tools at first, then reassemble it by tools to the destination. It is fussy and time-consuming. On the other hand, when the tool cabinet is free of use, it will still take much space. Hence, it becomes a new task of design for the current tool cabinet to improve variability of its combined structure and its compatibility with the space.  
       SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     An object of the invention is to provide a foldable tool cabinet with a simple structure. The tool cabinet can be disconnected and assembled simply and carried conveniently and also can spare much room free of use. To achieve above-mentioned object, a technical solution of an embodiment of the invention is to provide a tool cabinet including an upper cover, a bottom board and a case body. The case body is composed of loosely interconnected case boards with both the upper cover and the bottom board being loosely connected with the case body.  
         [0005]     The case body includes four case boards, that is, one front, one back, one left and one right connecting with each other in turn by hinges. The right board respectively connects with the front on one side and with the back on the other side. The other side of the back board connects with the left, and both the front and the left loosely and rotatably connect with a door board respectively by the hinges. An upright column is set at the junction of the two door boards of the case body, whose upper end and lower end loosely connect with the upper cover and the bottom board respectively. The upper cover and the bottom board, where two single hems are set, loosely connect with the case body by the rabbeted block; and further through slots are set on the bottom board, corresponding to the hinges.  
         [0006]     L-type notches are respectively set on the front board, the back board, the left board and the right board, corresponding to the said single hems of the upper cover and the bottom board. When assembling, it is required to encase the interior hems of the upper cover and the bottom board into the L-type notches respectively.  
         [0007]     Slot-type hems are set on both sides of the back board and the left board, while single hems are set on one side of the front board and the left board. It is convenient for hinges to be installed on one hand. In addition, it also provides more reasonable space for each face board to be folded. The states of being folded may provide space for the upright column and its accessories to place.  
         [0008]     The upright column is L-type. Corresponding L-type block frames are set on the upper cover and the bottom board in which L-type upright column is set.  
         [0009]     As an improvement of the invention, slot-type interior hems are set on the upper cover and the bottom board, corresponding to the door boards, so as to make the tool cabinet more closed and aesthetic when the door boards are closed.  
         [0010]     As an improvement of the invention, a shelf is set inside the tool cabinet and several grip blocks are located on the upright column and case boards, corresponding to the shelf The shelf is reticular and it is enough only to place it into grip blocks when assembling.  
         [0011]     As a preferred embodiment of the above-mentioned improvement, several transverse L-type strengthening ribs are set on the front board, the back board, the left board and the right board, which can be used as grip blocks of the shelf at the same time.  
         [0012]     As an improvement of the invention, the upper cover loosely and rotatably connects with corresponding side of the right board by the hinges. The improvement can make the upper cover fold up and more convenient for use.  
         [0013]     A further improvement, fixed pin components are set on the side of the upper cover opposite to the hinges. A jack is located on the left board, corresponding to the fixed pin components, which makes the connection more stable, that of the upper cover with the front, the back, the left and the right.  
         [0014]     The fixed pin components comprise two fixed seats set at inner side of the upper cover on which a locking pin is set. A locating block is set on the locking pin between two fixed seats and a spring is set between the locating block and one of the fixed seats. In addition, a jack is set in the notch of the left board corresponding to the locking pin. When the upper cover is closed on assembling, the locking pin automatically jumps into the jack of the left board by use of stored power of the spring. An individual only needs to pull out the locking pin when the upper cover needs to open.  
         [0015]     The fixed pin components can be achieve in this way. The fixed pin components comprise an elastic lock buckle set on the notch of the left board, trigger piece and lock board located on the elastic lock buckle. The trigger piece is set in the wall board of the notch, and the lock board goes through the wall board of the notch and is encased and locked inversely into the block aperture set in the hem of the upper cover. The lock board can be disengaged with the block aperture when pulled by the trigger piece.  
         [0016]     As an improvement of the invention, several tool slots are set at the inner side of door boards, which is used to hold small articles such as tool pieces. Door locks may also be set on the door boards.  
         [0017]     The above-mentioned technical solution according to the invention, can realize that the upper cover is turned over and folded to the back or the right board, in the condition that the front, the back, the left, the right board, the upper cover and the door board are not detached. In addition, the front and the door board connected with it are flat folded to the right board, while the left and its other door board are flat folded to the back board, together with the back board horizontally folded to the right board. The process before the fold is to pull the pin of upper cover out, turn the upper cover over, then to take the shelf and the upright column out, after that, to release rabbeting of the bottom board, then to fold the case boards. During disconnecting, it is done that the shelf and the upright column are placed into a predetermined space of the right and the back board. During disconnecting, it is done that the shelf and the upright column are placed into a predetermined space of the right and the back board. It is very simple and convenient for carrying after folded and much space is spared at the same time. The assembly is the inverse process of the folding steps and it is also simple and convenient.  
         [0018]     Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0019]     The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein:  
         [0020]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view of the combined stereo structure of the invention in the state of the door board closed;  
         [0021]      FIG. 2  is schematic view of combined stereo structure of the invention in the state of the door board opened;  
         [0022]      FIG. 3  is schematic view of the rabbeted structure of the upper cover and the case board;  
         [0023]      FIG. 4  is schematic view of folding structure of the upper cover loosely connected to the back board in the invention;  
         [0024]      FIG. 5  is enlarged view of part I in  FIG. 4 ;  
         [0025]      FIG. 6  is schematic view of the structure of the upper cover of the invention;  
         [0026]      FIG. 7  is schematic view of the structure of the front board (left board) of the invention;  
         [0027]      FIG. 8  is a schematic view of the structure of the right board (back board) of the invention;  
         [0028]      FIG. 9  is schematic view of the structure of the bottom board of the invention;  
         [0029]      FIG. 10  is schematic view of the structure of the upright column of the invention;  
         [0030]      FIG. 11  is schematic view of the structure of the shelf of the invention;  
         [0031]      FIG. 12  is schematic view of the structure of the locking pin of the invention;  
         [0032]      FIG. 13  is schematic view of another structure of the locking pin of the invention;  
         [0033]      FIG. 14  to  FIG. 19  are schematic views of folding steps of the invention;  
         [0034]      FIG. 20  is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention showing an assembled cabinet with the doors open and removable shelves and drawers in place;  
         [0035]      FIG. 21  is a perspective, exploded view of the cabinet of  FIG. 20 ;  
         [0036]      FIGS. 22A-22H  are a series of views which illustrate the steps of assembling the cabinet; and  
         [0037]      FIGS. 23A-23F  are a series of views which illustrate the steps of folding the cabinet into a compact unit; 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0038]     As shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , the tool cabinet according to the embodiment of the invention comprises the front board  1 , the back board  2 , the left board  3 , the right board  4 , the upper cover  5 , the bottom board  6 , the door boards  7 , the shelf  11  and the L-type upright column  8 . The structure of the front board  1  is the same as that of the left board  3  and the back board  2  and the right board  4 . The door lock  71  is set on the door board  7  with several tool slots  72  set at its inner side. One side of the right board  4  loosely and rotatably connects with the front board I and with the back board  2  on the other side. The other side of the back board  2  loosely and rotatably connects with the left board  3 . The above-mentioned loose connection is inwardly rotatable connection by the hinges  9 . As shown in  FIG. 7  and  FIG. 8 , single hems  31  are set on one side of the front board  1  and the left board  3 . Slot-type hems  41  are set on the back board  2  and the right board  4 . It is convenient to placing hinges  9 . On the other hand, it also provides more reasonable space to fold each face board. The state of being folded also may provide space to place the upright column and its other accessories. The front board  1  and the left board  3  loosely and rotatably connected with a door board  7  by the hinges  9  respectively. The upper cover  5  and the bottom board  6  are block rabbeted with the four case boards, such as the front  1 , the back  2 , the left  3  and the right  4 . The L-type upright column  8  is set in L-type block frames  51  and  61  on the upper cover  5  and bottom board  6 , which correspond to the column  8 .  
         [0039]     As shown in  FIGS. 3, 6  and  9 , the block rabbeting mode of the upper cover  5  and the bottom board  6  with the four case boards is as follows. Hems  52 ,  62  are located on the upper cover  5  and bottom board  6 . L-type notches  02  are respectively set on the four case boards, which correspond to the hems  52 ,  62 . When assembling, it is only necessary to encase the hems  52 ,  62  of the upper cover  5  and the bottom board  6  respectively into the L-type notches  02 . On assembling, the bottom board will be embed into the case body, so it is necessary to go through the hinges from upside to downside and through slot  65  should be set on the bottom board so that the hinges put no effect on the assembling of bottom board. Slot-type interior hems  73  are set on the upper cover  5  and bottom board  6 , which correspond to the door boards  7 , ensuring tool cabinet is more closed and aesthetic when the door boards are closed.  
         [0040]     As shown in  FIGS. 7, 8 ,  10  and  11 , according to the example, the installment way of the shelf inside the tool cabinet is as follows. Several grip blocks  81  are set on the upright column  8  that correspond to the shelf  11 . Several transverse L-type strengthening ribs  03  are respectively set on the front board  1 , the back board  2 , the left board  3  and the right board  4  which can also be used as grip blocks of the shelf at the same time. The shelf  11  is reticular and the grip blocks  81  are L-type. It is enough only to place reticular shelf into grip blocks when assembling.  
         [0041]      FIGS. 4 and 5  are the preferred rabbeting mode of the upper cover of the invention. The upper cover  5  outwardly, loosely and rotatably connects with one corresponding side of the right board  4  by the hinges  9 . In this way, the upper cover is folded up and it is more convenient. Fixed pin components  53  are set on a corresponding side of the upper cover  5  opposite to the hinges  9 . Jacks  04  are set on the left board  3  corresponding to fixed pin components, which make the connection of the upper cover with the four case boards more stable. Alternatively, each side of the upper cover may also loosely, inwardly and rotatably connect with the back board by the hinges  9 , and correspondingly, it is necessary to adjust the fixed pin components.  
         [0042]      FIG. 12  is an embodiment of the above-mentioned fixed pin components. The fixed pin components comprise two fixed seats  531  set at inner side of the upper cover and a locking pin  532  set on the seats. A locating block  533  is set on the locking pin between two fixed seats  531  and a spring  534  is located between the locating block and one of the fixed seats. A jack  535  is set in the notch  02  of the left board, corresponding to the locking pin. On assembling, when the upper cover is closed, the locking pin automatically jumps into jack of the left board by using stored power of the spring. In addition, when the upper cover is opened, it is enough only to pull the locking pin out.  
         [0043]      FIG. 13  is another embodiment of the fixed pin components. The fixed pin components comprise elastic lock buckle  54  set on the notch  02  of the left board, trigger piece  541  and lock board  542  located in the elastic lock buckle  54 . The trigger piece  541  is set on notch  02 . The lock board  542  goes through the notch  02  and is encased and locked into the block aperture  521  set in the hem  52  of the upper cover. The locking board  542  can be disengaged with the block aperture  521  when pulled by the trigger piece  541 .  
         [0044]     FIGS.  14  to  19  are schematic views of folding steps of the invention.  FIG. 14  illustrates a step to release the cover and the board.  FIG. 15  illustrates a step to remove the upright column and the shelf  FIG. 16  illustrates a step to release the bottom board.  FIG. 17  illustrates a step to flat fold the left board and the door board to the right board.  FIG. 18  illustrates a step to flat fold the back board together with the folded door board to right board.  FIG. 19  illustrates a step to flat fold the front board and door board to the right board and to place the shelf and the upright column into inner space of the right board and the back board, then the fold of tool cabinet is finished. The assembly of the tool cabinet is an inverse process to the fold steps, so it is also simple and convenient.  
         [0045]     In the condition that the front, the back, the left, the right board, the upper cover and the door board are not disconnected, the invention can realize the upper cover is turned over and folded to the back or the right board with the front and the door board connected with it being flat folded to the right board, while the left and its other door board are flat folded to the back board, together with the back board horizontally folded to the right board. The process before the fold is to pull the pin of the upper cover out, turn the upper cover over, then to take the shelf and the upright column out, after that, to release rabbeting of the bottom board, then to fold the case boards. During disconnecting, it is done that the shelf and the upright column are placed into a predetermined space of the right and the back board. It is very simple and convenient for carrying after folded and much space is spared at the same time. The assembly is the inverse process of the folding steps and it is also simple and convenient.  
         [0046]     Referring now to  FIGS. 20-23 , there is illustrated another embodiment of the invention for easily folding a cabinet into a compact unit for storage or shipping and then unfolding and reassembling the unit into a cabinet ready for use. In this embodiment, the components are identified by reference numerals in the  100  series.  
         [0047]     Referring to  FIGS. 20 and 21  there is shown a cabinet in a fully assembled condition, and the cabinet is also shown in an exploded view to illustrate the assembly of the cabinet. The cabinet is shown with the optional shelves and/or drawers in place. The cabinet is comprised of a box-like case body having case panels that include a back panel  100  joined to a left side panel  108  by a common leaf hinge comprised of hinge leafs  102 ,  104  and hinge pin  106 . Similarly, the case panels include a right side panel  110  joined to the back panel by hinge leafs  112 ,  114  and hinge pin  116 . An upper cover plate  118  is joined to the top of the back panel  100  by hinge leafs  120 ,  122  and hinge pin  124 , and a bottom board or bottom sole plate  125  is joined to the bottom of the back panel  100  by hinge leafs  126 ,  128  and hinge pins  130 . If desired, the sole plate  124  may be provided with reinforcing members or slats  132 .  
         [0048]     A left door  134  is joined to the left side panel  108  by hinge leafs  136 ,  138  and hinge pin  140  while a right door  142  is joined to the right side panel  110  by hinge leafs  144 ,  146  and hinge pin  148 . The left door  134  is preferably provided with a vertical reinforcing rib  150 , and similarly, the right door  142  is provided with a vertical reinforcing rib  151 . Each door is provided with a suitable handle  152 . To maintain the rigidity of the cabinet when fully assembled, there is an L-shaped fortifying slat  154  affixed at the four corners where the right side panel  110 , the left side panel  108 , the cover plate  118  and the sole plate  125  meet. The slats  154  may be attached in any suitable manner by removable fasteners  156  which may be nuts and bolts or screws.  
         [0049]     If desired, the cabinet may be provided with removable shelves  158  which are affixed in any suitable manner to the back panel  100  and the side panels  108  and  110 . For example, the back panel  100  and side panels  108  and  110  can be formed with rows of inwardly extending ledges  109  (see  FIG. 20 ) positioned at various levels in the panels. The ledges  109  in a selected row provide support for the edges of a shelf  158 , which shelf can be easily moved from one row of ledges to another at a desired level within the assembled cabinet. Of course, the shelves  158  can be removably affixed within the cabinet in any suitable manner using fasteners, such as nuts and bolts. Each shelf  158  is designed to receive a drawer carrier  160  which can be removably affixed just beneath the shelf  158  so as to receive a slidable drawer  162  each with a handle  164 .  
         [0050]     Referring now to  FIGS. 22A-22H , a step-by-step process of initially assembling the cabinet is illustrated. Starting with back panel  100 , the left side panel  108  is attached using the previously described leaf hinge. Then, the right side panel  110  is attached using the leaf hinge. The doors  134  and  142  are then attached, respectively, to the left side panel  108  and the right side panel  110  using the leaf hinges. The cover plate  118  if first attached to the back panel  100  using the leaf hinge and then the sole plate  125  is attached using the leaf hinge. To complete the assembly, the fortifying slats  154  are attached to the side panels  108 ,  110  and the cover plate  118  and sole plate  125 . If the optional shelves  158  and/or drawers  162  are to included, they are added after complete assembly of the cabinet as just described.  
         [0051]      FIGS. 23A-23F  illustrate the method of folding the assembled cabinet into a compact unit for storage or shipping. If used, the shelves  158  and drawers  162  must first be removed. Although not shown in  FIGS. 23A-23F , the fortifying slats  154  must be removed. Then, the cover plate  118  can be folded back down against the back of the back panel  100 . Each door  134  and  142  is then swung inwardly to rest against the inside of the side panels  108  and  110 . The sole plate  125  is then swung downwardly, and the side panels  108  and  1   10 , with the doors  134  and  142  still attached, are folded inwardly against the back panel  100 . Swinging the sole plate  125  rearwardly until it rests against the back of the back panel  100  completes the folding process of the cabinet into a compact, relatively flat unit as shown in  FIG. 23F . In this condition, the cabinet occupies considerably less space for storage or shipping. When it is desired to reassemble the cabinet for use, the just described steps are reversed.  
         [0052]     Having thus described the invention, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.