AU2005101000A4

AU2005101000A4 - Storage unit

Info

Publication number: AU2005101000A4
Application number: AU2005101000A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Gaetano Cunsolo
Original assignee: Raleigh Pacific Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Raleigh Pacific Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2005-12-02
Filing date: 2005-12-02
Publication date: 2006-01-05
Anticipated expiration: 2013-12-02
Also published as: WO2007062472A1; US20090115301A1; CN101351310A

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 INNOVATION PATENT SPECIFICATION Applicant(s): Title: RALEIGH PACIFIC PTY LTD STORAGE UNIT Associated Provisional Patent Application No.

Prepared by: PATENT ATTORNEY SERVICES 26 Ellingworth Parade Box Hill Victoria 3128 Australia Telephone: (03) 9890 7070 Facsimile: (03) 9890 1337

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STORAGE UNIT FIELD OF THE INNOVATION SThis innovation relates to storage units of the type used to store items on shelves, particularly in offices, factories and the like, and provides a novel Sarrangement for door assemblies of such units and optionally improved N absorption of noise.

io BACKGROUND ART It is a universal requirement to provide storage for small items in workplaces and elsewhere. For example, in office environments, storage is often required for such materials as files, stationery, reference books and magazines, and the like. Many types of storage units have been developed to meet this need. A common type of storage unit comprises a box-like enclosure fitted with one or more horizontal shelves, and having one or more doors for allowing and preventing access to the interior of the enclosure as required. Typically such storage units are fitted with locks also.

A problem that arises with such storage units, however, is that they attract clutter. It is very tempting to put items on the top of a storage unit temporarily or for lengthy periods, and many people yield to the temptation. The results can be ugly collections of material on top of the storage unit, and apart from the unattractive appearance such materials present, they can represent a safety hazard. Moreover, items stored on top of a storage unit are items that are paradoxically likely to be lost, for they are often not in their rightful place.

Sheet metal (especially sheet steel) is widely used for the manufacture of Sstorage units and can be unattractive in appearance, as well as contributing to a noisy environment, as sound can effectively bounce off metal surfaces.

OThe present innovation addresses the above issues, providing a storage unit that is attractive in appearance, discourages the placement of items on its upper surface, and in a preferred embodiment can help to address the problem of noise.

SUMMARY OF THE INNOVATION SThe innovation provides a storage unit comprising: a fixed part defining an internal space adapted for the storage of items therein; and at least one door means slideable horizontally between open and closed positions whereby to respectively provide and deny external access to the internal space through an opening in the fixed part, wherein the door means has first and second door sections of which the first door section is substantially upright and the second door section extends from an upper portion of the first door section at least partially across the fixed part of the storage unit.

In a preferred embodiment, the opening is a side opening of the storage unit fixed part; the fixed part has upper and lower rails along which runners of the door means travel during movement of the door means; the upper and lower rails are positioned respectively adjacent top and bottom boundaries of the opening; and

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the second door section is secured to a top edge of the first door section U and is cantilevered over the fixed part of the storage unit.

The said door means may be one of two such door means whose respective first door sections are on opposite sides of the fixed part of the s storage unit with said door means being slideable independently of each other to or between their open and closed positions without contact occurring between their respective second door sections.

Storage units are comparatively large and provide an opportunity for N sound absorption as an adjunct to their basic storage function. Accordingly, at least a portion ofa door means; and/or a panel comprised in the storage unit fixed part, may be formed from perforated sheet metal, and wherein against an inwardly facing surface of said portion is positioned an acoustically absorbent sheet material.

The acoustically absorbent sheet material may comprise an acoustic fabric.

Other features of the innovation will become apparent from the following non-limiting detailed description of a preferred embodiment.

In this specification, where the word "comprises" or the word "comprising" is used in relation to a set of items, features, elements or integers, the word is to be taken to signify the presence of those items, features, elements or integers, but is not to be taken to preclude the possible presence of other items, features, elements or integers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a perspective view of a storage unit according to the innovation; Figure 2 is plan view of the storage unit shown in Figure 1; (Figure 3 is a front elevation of the storage unit shown in Figure 1; Figure 4 is an end elevation of the storage unit shown in Figure 1; Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the storage unit as shown in Figure 2, the section being taken at Station "5 Figure 6 is a enlarged detail view of that part of Figure 5 encircled in N dotted lines; Figure 7 is a perspective view of a set of two storage units according to the invention, placed end-to-end; Figure 8 is a perspective view of a set of four storage units according to the invention, placed end-to-end.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Figures 1 to 4 are views of a storage unit 1 according to the invention.

Storage unit 1 comprises a cabinet 2 provided with adjustable feet 3 and adapted to be placed on a floor or other horizontal surface (not shown). Cabinet 2 is fitted with shelves 4 and a floor 5 and defines internal spaces 6 for the storage of objects.

Also provided are two sliding doors 7 and 8, that can slide in the direction shown by arrows 9 in Figure 2. Door 7 is shown in a half-open position and door 8 is shown in a fully closed position. When open, door 7 provides access to the left half of the cabinet 2 (as seen in Figure When open, door 8 provides access to the right half of cabinet 2 (as seen in Figure 1) from the opposite side of storage unit 1 to door 7. Doors 7 and 8 can be locked closed by suitable locks U 10 fitted to them in known manner.

Cabinet 2 has end walls 11 and 12 and two side walls 13 and 14. Side walls 13 and 14 each extend only about halfway along the length of storage unit s 1 and are substantially covered by doors 7 and 8 respectively when in their open positions.

Doors 7 and 8 comprise upright portions 15 and 16 respectively, and top portions 17 and 18 respectively that extend inwardly away from side walls 13 rand 14) from upper edges 19 and 20 of the upright portions 15 and 16. Top io portions are positioned above top wall 21 of cabinet 2. Top portions 17 and 18 are so proportioned that each of doors 7 and 8 can be placed in its closed or open position or any position in between, without interfering with the other. Top portions 17 and 18 are positioned and always remain slightly above top wall 21 of cabinet 2.

Sliding door track-and-runner mechanisms 22 and 23 are provided for each of doors 7 and 8 and can be of any suitable type. Lower mechanisms 22 are positioned close to base 24 of cabinet 2 and upper mechanisms 23 are positioned close to the top wall 25 of cabinet 2.

It will be recognized that the presence of top portions 17 and 18 on doors 7 and 8 is a disincentive to place any item on top wall 25 of cabinet 2, or on either top portion 17 or 18, for such an item would likely be dislodged by the opening of at least one of doors 7 and 8. In this way, storage unit 1 addresses the ugliness and safety problems of clutter being left on top.

A door such as door 7 can be conveniently made, at least in part, by Sbending a sheet of sheet metal (or other suitable material) into an L-shape to define edge 19 and the upright and top portions 15 and 17.

A particular form of construction with important advantages will now be described.

In Figures 1 to 6, the doors 7 and 8, end walls 11 and 12 and side walls 13 and 14 are formed from perforated sheet metal, having in a rectangular array a large number of holes. On the respective internal surfaces of these r components, there is secured a layer (not shown) of an acoustic absorbent to material, such as for example an acoustic cloth. For example, such a layer may be provided on the inner surfaces 26 and 27 of the top and upright portions of doors 7 and 8. The result is to provide a useful sound deadening effect.

The use of perforated metal and an internal acoustic absorbent can also provide an attractive appearance. Any suitable pattern of perforations can be chosen.

Perforated metal also has the advantage of reduced weight, by comparison to unperforated metal. Of course non-metallic sheet materials (eg suitable plastics) may be used instead of metals if required inconstruction of storage unit 1.

Acoustic absorbent material may be omitted in some possible applications, eg industrial stores.

It is of course not essential to use perforated sheet metal in the construction of storage unit 1 at all, or on any particular combination of doors and walls. Many choices can be made. Merely for example, unperforated sheet metal or melamine-faced particle board could be used for some walls of cabinet 2.

bI It is of course possible to place a weight on a door top portion 17 or 18.

SSince these are cantilevered inwardly from edges 19, and could thus deflect significantly, a nylon (or other suitable anti-friction) strip 28 may be placed under each of top portions 17 and 18, to avoid excessive deflection and prevent jamming of doors 7 or 8.

Storage units 1 can be used in a number of ways and in particular may be combined end-to-end to form multiple units. Figure 7 and 8 show such units and 31, comprising respectively two and four units 39, each similar to storage (unit 1.

Many variations, within the scope of the innovation, will readily suggest themselves to persons skilled in the art. As one example, instead of storage unit 1 being of the side access type, it could also have top access. Instead of upper runner mechanisms 23 being positioned near edges 19, they (or similar types) could be positioned near the longitudinal centerline of top wall 21, with top wall 21 being cut away over about half its length so as to allow top access when the doors 7 and 8 are opened.

Of course, the principle of a door that has an inverted-"L" shape in cross section can be applied to a storage unit (not shown) that is accessible from one side only.

Claims

1. A storage unit comprising: a fixed part defining an internal space adapted for the storage of items therein; and at least one door means slideable horizontally between open and closed positions whereby to respectively provide and deny external access to the internal space through an opening in the fixed part, Swherein r the door means has first and second door sections of which the first door section is substantially upright and the second door section extends from an upper portion of the first door section at least partially across the fixed part of the storage unit.

2. A storage unit according to claim 1 wherein: the opening is a side opening of the storage unit fixed part; the fixed part has upper and lower rails along which runners of the door means travel during movement of the door means; the upper and lower rails are positioned respectively adjacent top and bottom boundaries of the opening; and the second door section is secured to a top edge of the first door section and is cantilevered over the fixed part of the storage unit.

3. A storage unit according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said door means is one of two such door means whose respective first door sections are on opposite sides of the fixed part of the storage unit and wherein said door means are I 4 _'j slideable independently of each other to or between their open and closed Spositions without contact occurring between their respective second door d) sections.

4. A storage unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein at least a portion of- a door means; and/or a panel comprised in the storage unit fixed part, (is formed from perforated sheet metal, and wherein against an inwardly 0to facing surface of said portion is positioned an acoustically absorbent sheet material. A storage unit according to claim 4 wherein the acoustically absorbent sheet material comprises an acoustic fabric.