CA2072768A1

CA2072768A1 - Tiltable storage drawer assembly

Info

Publication number: CA2072768A1
Application number: CA002072768A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Georges Simard
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1992-06-30
Filing date: 1992-06-30
Publication date: 1993-12-31

Abstract

Tiltable storage drawer assembly ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The drawer, mounted under a cupboard by first tracks, is rollingly movable along these tracks by first rollers depending from the lateral sides of the drawer box. A pair of second downwardly-forwardly-inclined tracks depend from the lateral sides of the drawer box, and are rollingly engaged by second rollers rotatably carried at the front end of the first tracks. As the drawer is pulled out from its retracted horizontal position, it progressively and continuously tilts downwardly to an extended, downwardly-forwardly-inclined, limit position. The storage drawer extended position facilitates visual inspection of the loading area thereof through its top mouth.

Description

2a727~8 F I ELD OF THE I NVENT I ON
This invention relates to drawer mounting track assemblies that downwardly tilt the drawer box as it is brought from its horizontal retracted position to its fully extended condition.

BACKGROUWD OF THE INVENTION
Drawers are usually movable about a generally horizontal, plane from a retracted position, in which the drawer is generally concealed within the chest of drawers, to an extended position, projecting outwardly from the chest. Indeed, the drawers are carried by lateral tracks which maintain the drawers within a substantially horizontal plane, in their retracted as well as extended conditions.
When these drawers are located at a relative high height, visual inspection of the content of the drawer loading area, and consequently manual access thereto, is difficult because the top mouth of the extended, horizontal drawer is above the level of the person's eyesight. This is of course undesirable, and inefficient.
United States patent No 2,839,349 issued in 1958 attempts ~20 to address the above-noted drawback. In this patent, means are provided to downwardly forwardly tilt the drawer, as the drawer is extended from its retracted horizontal condition, to enable easier visual inspection of the drawer loading area. More particularly, drawer B is carried by generally horizontal side tracks 8 depending ~rom a supporting frame A anchored to cupboard C, The bottom rear ends of the lateral sides of the drawer box B include a downwardly ~72768 depending shoulder 17, and the front bottom ends of the lateral side of the supporting frame A include stopper bolt S. As the drawer is extended from its retracted condition, its extension occurs mainly along a generally horizontal plane, for most of the travel of the drawer, except for a short outwardmost travel portion. During this short outwardmost travel portion of the drawer, the shoulder 17 engages the stop S, thus biasing the drawe~
to tilt downwardly. This tilting motion therefore occurs only at the~ very end of the drawer retraction travel displacement.
Such a late tilting of the extending drawer is disadvantageous, because sudden pulling action on the retracted drawer could jerk the drawer and generate possible accidental release of the drawer content from the loading area to the ground.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
The gist of the invention i5 therefore to improve upon U.S. patent 2,839,349 by providing tilting means for drawer extension, which will enable progressive, continuous downward tilt of the drawer as the drawer is extended from its generally horizontal, retracted position. .~-?
,20 An object of the invention is to provide such a tiltable drawer assembly, where smoothness of extension or retraction motion of the drawer is enhanced.
An object of the invention is to provide such a tiltable drawer assembly, wherein the drawer can be stabilized in various, partly extended tilted positions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly with the objects of the invention, there is disclosed a drawer, mounted under a cupboard by first tracks, and rollingly movable along these tracks by fi~rst rollers depending from the lateral sides of the drawer box. A pair of second, downwardly-forwardly inclined tracks depend from the lateral sides of the drawer box, and are rollingly engaged by second rollers rotatably carried at the front end of the first tracks. As the drawer is pulled out from its retracted horizontal position, it progressively and continuously tilts downwardly to an extended, downwardly- forwardly- inclined, limit position. The storage drawer extended position facilitates visual inspection of the loading area thereof, through its top mouth.
More specifically, the invention relates to a drawer assembly destined to be secured to a generally horizontal, ground-clearing panel and comprising: (a) first track means, destined tobe anchored to the underface of said panel; (b) a drawer box, defining an inner loading area and a top mouth opening into said loading area; (c) first roller means, rotatably carried by said drawer box and rollingly engaging said first track means; (d) second track means, anchored to said drawer box and extending in a direction non parallel to said first track means; and (e) second roller means, rotatably carried by said first track means and rollingly engaging said second track means; wherein said drawer box is movable along said first track means between a first, generally horizontal, retracted position, located in generally vertically underlying register with said first track means and with said drawer top mouth being generally horizontal, and a second, downwardly-outwardly tilted, extended, limit position, generally clearing the area vertically underlying said first track means and with said drawer top mouth being outwardly downwardly inclined; and wherein during the displacement of said drawer box along said first track means, said drawer box tilts in a progressive and continuous fashion about the rotating axis of said first roller means.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the drawer assembly, shown depending from a cupboard underface and in its extended, downwardly tilted condition;
Figure 2 is an enlarged view of figure 1, but with the cupboard being removed for clarity of the view;
Figure 3 is a partly exploded, perspective view of the two rail brackets movably securing the drawer to the cupboard;
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the drawer, showing one of the two inclined rails of the lateral sides thereof;
Figure 5 is a perspective view of the U-shape cover, for concealing ~ the front and lateral side walls of the drawer box;
., 20 figure 6 is a broken, front edge view of the drawer box and its supporting rail brackets; and figures 7-8 are lateral side views of the drawer box and associated tracks, respectively in retracted and extended conditions of the drawer, taken from perspective 7 of figure 6.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Drawer 12, illustrated in figure 4, includes a .

quadrangular flooring 14, four side walls 16, 18, 20 and 22, the four side walls being generally orthogonal to flooring 14, and a loading area 15 circumscribed by walls 16, 18, 20 and 22. Lateral side walls 18, 20 each include on their external faces a cross-sectionally U-shape rail 24 . Rails 24 are parallel to each other and are forwardly downwardly inclined, preferably by an angle of about 5' relative to the plane of flooring 14.
As clearly seen in figures 4 and 7, the rear ends 24e (proximate rear wall 22) of rails 24 are farther away from the plane of flooring 14, relative to the front ends 24d thereof, yet rails 24 remain within the area located between the plane of flooring 14 and the plane intersecting the drawer top mouth (i.e., the area circumscribed by the free edges 16a, 18a, 20a and 22a of walls 16, 18, 20, 22). The web 24a of each U-shape track 24 is applied and anchored flatly directly against the drawer side walls 18, 20 respectively, while their two top and bottom legs 24b, 24c protrude away from these walls 18, 20 orthogonally thereto (i.e.
away from the drawer box 12). The front and rear ends 24d, 24e of tracks 24 stop flush in register with front and rear walls 16, 22.
Each side wall 18, 20 includes an integral rear extension 18b, 20b, extending beyond the plane of rear wall 22. Extensions 18b, 20b are downwardly bevelled, each defining a larger top portion in register with adjacent wall free edges 18a, 20a, 22a, this larger top portion carrying an idle roller 28 rotatably journalled thereto by axle 30.
As clearly seen in figure 7, each idle roller 28 is located laterally outwardly of loading area 15, entirely beyond the plane of rear wall 22 but short of the plane of free edges 16a, 18a, 20a, and 22a.
Preferably, for aesthetic reasons, a U-shape insert 32 (figure 5) is provided, being applied against the external faces of side walls 18, 20 and of front wall 16, spacedly therefrom, to conceal protruding tracks 24, 24. U-insert 32 includes a bottom inturned lip 30a, for anchoring same to flooring 14 by screw means (not shown), and a small handle 30b (figures 2 and 5), depending from the central, bottom edge section of the front wall section of U-insert 32, for facilitating handling of drawer 12.
A pair of rail brackets 34, 36 (figures 2-3) are provided, to movably install drawer 12 beneath a cupboard 38 (figure 1), with drawer front wall 16 opening in underlying vertical register with the access doors 40 of cupboard 38. Each rail bracket 34, 36 forms an elongated, cross-sectionally U-shape bar, defining a web 34a and 36a and two side legs 34b, 34c or 36b, 36c. Brackets 34, 36 are to be anchored to the bottom face o~ the generally horizontal underface (not illustrated) of cupboard 38, t 20 by screw members 42 engaging through bores 44 made in side legs 34b, 36b, so that channel members 34, 36 face one another, i.e.
with legs 34b, 34c directed toward legs 36b, 36c, while webs 34a, 36a extend generally vertically. Thus, the passageways of channel members 34, 36 open toward one another.
The front portion of each bracket 34, 36 includes a downwardly extending integral extension 34d, 36d of web 34a, 36a,

2~72768 on the side opposite anchor legs 34b, 36b respectively. Each extension 34d, 36d is of increasing width, from a lengthwisely intermediate section of bracket 34, 36 to the front end thereof.
The fore-located free end tip of each sector shape extension 34d, 36d carries an idle roller 46 journalled thereto on the side of legs 34b-c, 36b-c by axle 48. As best seen in figures 8, most of the peripheral surface of cylindrical roller 38 projects beyond the free edges of the tip of extension 34d and 36d respectively, so that the front and bottom rim portions of the roller clear the bottom apex of extension 36d.
A stopper pin 50 (figures 3, 7) extends through a bore 52 made at the front end of each web 34a and 36a, opposite of roller 38 but inwardly of anchor leg 34b, 36b. Stopper pin 50 protrudes through the inner channel of U-bar 34, 36, for a purpose set forth hereinbelow.
As best seen in figures 7-8, each U-shape track 24 also preferably includes, along its generally straight top leg 24b, a short, small, downward boss 24f, spacedly proximate the front end 24d of track 24. Boss 24 reduces the width of track 24, about a short length portion thereof, i.e. reduces the distance between legs 24b and 24c. Boss 24b defines a smooth, convex, bottom surface along which rollers 46 will rollingly engage, albeit with some difficulty relative to the rest of the track length. The purpose of boss 24f is to provide a rearward, yieldable seat for roller 46, when drawer 12 is fully retracted, to prevent accidental extension of the drawer (its opening) under its own weight below 2~72768 a given threshold biasing force level typical of manual pulling force. This concern of accidental drawer extension will be particularly acute when the drawer supports an important load of tools.
Moreover, it would be advantageous to provide another stopper 54 (figures 3 and 7) at the rear end of track 34 and 36, for preventing rollers 28 from accidentally disengaging the aft end of tracks 34, 36 upon drawer 12 being closed with great manual pushing force. Stopper pins 54, as for stopper pins 50, would preferably project from web 34a (or 36a).
Each roller 28 is diametrally smaller than the inner width of cross-sectionally U-shape channel member 34, 36, for rolling engagement therealong; and each roller 46 is diametrally smaller than the inner width of cross-sectionally U-shape channel member 24, for rolling engagement therealong.
In the assembled condition of drawer assembly 12 (figures 2, 7), the two rollers 28 rollingly engage into the U-channel of inturned channel members 34, 36, while the two rollers 46 rollingly engage outturned channel members 24, 24. It is understood that, since externally located channel members 34, 36 are inturned (their passageways open toward each other) while internally located channel members 24 are outturned (their passageways open in opposite directions), rollers 28 and 46 will be self-biased rollingly into their channels 24 and 34, 36, against accidental lateral egress therefrom. It is also understood that, since rollers 46 are anchored to cupboard 38 via brackets 34, 36 ~1hile rollers 28, 30 are anchored to drawer 12, rollers 46 are "fixed"
rollers whereas rollers 28, 30 are "movable" rollers.
In operation, with brackets 34, 36 anchored to the underface of the bottom wall of cupboard 38, drawer 12 is rollingly movable from a retracted horizontal position, shown in figure 7, to an extended, downwardly-forwardly-inclined, limit position shown in figures 1-2 and 8. Drawer 12 is smoothly movable between it~
retracted and extended positions (and vice-versa), due to the two rollers 28, 28 rollingly engaging the lower runs 34c, 36c of laterally spaced U-shape channel members 34, 36. Since tracks 34, 36 are preferably horizontal, the rolling displacement of movable rollers 28 is also horizontal.
As rollers 28 move along tracks 34, 36, inclined rail 24 moves over rollers 46, thereby producing an apparent motion of rollers 46 carried by the upper run 24b of inclined rail 24.
Because of the slope of tracks 24 relative to tracks 34, 36, and also because rollers 46 move toward rollers 28 (during drawer extension) or away from rollers 28 (during drawer retraction), as the drawer is pulled out (extended) from under the cupboard 38, , 20 under a horizontal biasing pull force, the drawer 12 will progressively and continuously tilt downwardly and forwardly; while as the drawer is pushed (retracted) from its fully extended, downwardly tilted position, it will again tilt to regain its fully retracted, generally horizontal po~ition parallel to the plane intersecting topmost tracks 34, 36.
That is to say, it is by the combined action of the 2~72768 rolling displacement of rollers 28 inside hori~ontal U-tracks 34 and 36, together with the rolling displacement of the forwardly-downwardly-inclined tracks 24 along support rollers 46, which will enable tilt of the drawer during extension thereof.
It is understood that the specific angular value of the forward, downward inclination of the inclined tracks 24, will determine the final angular value of the fully extended drawer box relative to the horizontal plane. Hence, the manufacturer will be able to adapt the drawer assembly to specific needs by proposing on the market a variety of drawers with tracks 24 of different relative inclination, in view of a variety of use thereof: e.g.
taking in consideration the selected height of the supporting tracks 34, 36, a greater inclination of inclined tracks 24 would be selected if the supporting tracks 34, 36 are to be located in situ at a relatively high height (for greater inclination of the drawer to increase the ability of visual inspection of the drawer loading area, from a constant view of sight standpoint).
The heart of the invention lies indeed in this continuous, progressive tilt feature of the drawer unit, during , 20 its retraction or extension. This continuous progressive tilt feature is thus much different from known, prior art drawer units, which provided sudden, stepwise drawer tilt only after drawer extension travel had reached a given threshold level position. The present drawer tilt feature therefore substantially reduces the possibility of accidental release of material stored in the drawer loading area 14, under conditions of abrupt force applied for 2~727~
drawer retraction.
It is understood that downward tilt of drawer 12 during extension thereof from its stored (retracted) position, is desirable, not only because of easier visual inspection capability of the drawer loading area, but also because of easier manual access thereto. Preferably, the ~ully extended drawer unit could reach an angular value of downwardly tilted position making an angle of up to about 45~, relative to the plane of tracks 34, 36, for an inclination of about 5 of inclined track 24 relative to the same horizontal plane of tracks 34, 36.
As suggested in figure 8, stopper pins 50, protruding through the passageway of U-channel members 34, 36 at the front ènds thereof, will prevent forward egress of rollers 28 from tracks 34, 36 and thus, will prevent further tilt of the drawer beyond its fully extended, limit position, otherwise, one would undesirably reach a vertical position where the material in the drawer loading area 26 would escape therefrom to the ground.
Whenever there is made reference to the underface panel of cupboard 38 being "generally horizontal", this is to be understood as meaning that the ground-offset anchoring panel for tracks 34, 36 could be slightly inclined relative to the horizontal plane, for example by about 5-; in such a case, drawer tracks 24 would then become "horizontal" in the retracted position of the drawer box.
Preferred materials and dimensions for the drawer assembly are as follows:

2~727~8 - tracks 28 and 34-36: steel - drawer box: molded plexiglass - idle rollers 28, 46: nylon covered brass - insert 32: polyvinyl chloride or wood, with a maximum thickness S of about 1,6 millimeters.
It is understood that the loading area 15 of drawer box 12 is destined to receive a partitioning member (not illustrated)"
for subdividing loading area 15 into a plurality of compartments for receiving inter alia: knives, utensils, spice bottles, recipe booklets, and the like, in a kitchen; cosmetic products, combs and brushes, in a bathroom; or audio and/or video cassettes, compact discs and the like, in a playroom.
The ground clearance beneath drawer box 12 in its retracted condition should of course be sufficient so that even in the fully extended, downwardly tilted condition of the drawer box, the latter will still clear the ground. For example, retracted drawer box 12 will preferably be at a ground distance ranging from four to five feet.
Preferably and as clearly illustrated in figure 6, at least one top leg 24b of tracks 24 and at least one top leg 34b or 36b or tracks 34, 36 include a short, downturned lip on its inner free edge. This latter lip is in closed proximity to rollers 28 or 46, parallel to their rolling plane, for substantially reducing eventual accidental wobbling of the rollers 28 or 46 about their rolling axles 30, 48 during high speed motion thereof along tracks 24 and 34, 36 (as when the drawer is opened or closed in a forceful 2~72768 f ashi on) .

Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY
OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED, ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. A drawer assembly destined to be secured to a generally horizontal, ground-clearing panel and comprising:
(a) first track means, destined to be anchored to the underface of said panel;
(b) a drawer box, defining an inner loading area and a top mouth opening into said loading area;
(c) first roller means, rotatably carried by said drawer box and rollingly engaging said first track means;
(d) second track means, anchored to said drawer box and extending in a direction non parallel to said first track means; and (e) second roller means, rotatably carried by said first track means and rollingly engaging said second track means;
wherein said drawer box is movable along said first track means between a first, generally horizontal, retracted position, located in generally vertically underlying register with said first track means and with said drawer top mouth being generally horizontal, and a second, downwardly-outwardly tilted, extended, limit position, generally clearing the area vertically underlying said first track means and with said drawer top mouth being outwardly downwardly inclined; and wherein during the displacement of said drawer box along said first track means, said drawer box tilts in a progressive and continuous fashion about the rotating axis of said first roller means.

2. A drawer assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the angular value of said drawer box in said extended position thereof equals about 45° or less.

3. A drawer assembly as defined in claim 2, wherein the angular value of said second track means relative to the plane of said first track means, is about 5°.

4. A drawer assembly as defined in claim 2, wherein said drawer box defines a flooring, a front wall, a rear wall, and two lateral side walls, said drawer box extensible in a front direction;
said first track means consisting of a pair of first, cross-sectionally U-shape channel members each defining a lengthwise passageway, said first channel members destined to be anchored to said panel spacedly from one another whereby said passageways thereof are directed toward one another; and said second track means consisting of a pair of second, cross-sectionally U-shape channel members each defining a lengthwise passageway, said second channel members being anchored to the external face of said drawer box corresponding side walls whereby said passageways of said second channel members open in opposite directions, said second channel members being downwardly inclined from their rear to their front ends.

5. A drawer assembly as defined in claim 4, further including stopper means, provided at the front end of at least one of said first channel members and extending across said passageways thereof, to prevent frontward escape of said first roller means from said first channel members passageways upon said drawer box reaching said extended position.

6. A drawer assembly as defined in claim 5, wherein said first roller means consists of cylindrical first wheels, rotatably carried at a top rear end ear extension of said drawer box side walls, said first wheels projecting laterally outwardly from said drawer box; and said second roller means consisting of cylindrical second wheels, rotatably carried at a bottom front end ear extension of said first channel members, said second wheels projecting laterally inwardly from said first channel members.

7. A drawer assembly as defined in claim 6, further including a U-shape insert, mounted over said front and side walls of said drawer box, for concealing said second channel members and said first wheels.

8. A drawer assembly as defined in claim 4, further including stopper means, provided at the aft end of at least one of said first channel members and extending across said passageways thereof, to prevent rearward escape of said first roller means from said first channel members passageways upon said drawer box reaching said fully retracted position.

9. A drawer assembly as defined in claim 4, further including means for slightly narrowing the front end portion of the passageway of at least one of said second channel members, at a distance from the front edge thereof, so as to constitute a yieldable rearward seat for the corresponding roller means in its position when said drawer box stands in its fully retracted position; wherein said passageway narrowing means provides some measure of frictional resistance to said drawer box extension from its fully retracted position, to prevent accidental extension thereof under its own weight, yet yieldingly enabling said corresponding roller means to clear said passageway narrowing means upon a relatively large drawer box extension force being applied that exceeds a given threshold level.

10. A drawer assembly as defined in claim 4, wherein at least one of said first and second channel members includes means to substantially reduce wobbling of said roller means during high speed extension or retraction of said drawer box.