CA2667722A1 - Drawer with replaceable skin - Google Patents

Drawer with replaceable skin Download PDF

Info

Publication number
CA2667722A1
CA2667722A1 CA002667722A CA2667722A CA2667722A1 CA 2667722 A1 CA2667722 A1 CA 2667722A1 CA 002667722 A CA002667722 A CA 002667722A CA 2667722 A CA2667722 A CA 2667722A CA 2667722 A1 CA2667722 A1 CA 2667722A1
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
skin
drawer
drawer front
tool storage
storage unit
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
CA002667722A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Nicole E. Freeberg
Greg Holcomb
Bob Mehmen
Daniel Jackson
James Reid
Mike Warden
Lewis Hammond
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Waterloo Industries Inc
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Publication of CA2667722A1 publication Critical patent/CA2667722A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B25HAND TOOLS; PORTABLE POWER-DRIVEN TOOLS; MANIPULATORS
    • B25HWORKSHOP EQUIPMENT, e.g. FOR MARKING-OUT WORK; STORAGE MEANS FOR WORKSHOPS
    • B25H3/00Storage means or arrangements for workshops facilitating access to, or handling of, work tools or instruments
    • B25H3/02Boxes
    • B25H3/021Boxes comprising a number of connected storage elements
    • B25H3/023Boxes comprising a number of connected storage elements movable relative to one another for access to their interiors
    • B25H3/028Boxes comprising a number of connected storage elements movable relative to one another for access to their interiors by sliding extraction from within a common frame
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47BTABLES; DESKS; OFFICE FURNITURE; CABINETS; DRAWERS; GENERAL DETAILS OF FURNITURE
    • A47B88/00Drawers for tables, cabinets or like furniture; Guides for drawers
    • A47B88/90Constructional details of drawers
    • A47B88/944Drawers characterised by the front panel

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Drawers Of Furniture (AREA)
  • Passenger Equipment (AREA)

Abstract

A drawer front includes a removable decorative skin that is configured to be repeatedly removed and installed on the drawer front, thereby allowing for changes in the decorative features and style of the drawer front, or simply replacement of the drawer front if damage occurs Co-acting connecting features on the drawer front and the skin releasably retain the skin to the drawer front The drawer front is also removable from the drawer itself

Description

DRAWER WITH REPLACEABLE SKIN

Cross Reference to Related Applications [0001] This non-provisional application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Nos. 60/861,874, entitled "Drawer with Replaceable Skin," filed on November 30, 2006, and 60/861,880, entitled "Replaceable Drawer Front Component," filed on November 30, 2006 the entire disclosure of each is incorporated herein by reference, to the extent that it is not conflicting with the present disclosure.

Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a drawer with a replaceable skiil and to a drawer with a replaceable skin for installation on a tool chest or tool cabinet.

Background of the Invention [0003] Storage containers such as dressers, bureaus, and file cabinets having drawers are in popular use. Several exemplary storage devices include tool chests, tool cabinets, arid combination tool chest and cabinet units. Tool chests, tool cabinets, and cornbination tool chest and cabinet units are in widespread use in residential, commercial and industrial settings.
[0004] Tool chests arid cabinets typically include a plurality of drawers of similar or various lieight. The drawers are consti-ucted to form an assembled unit having slides on either side and a front panel. A common construction teclmique involves the complete assembly of the tool chest or tool cabinet frame by welding or other means. The drawers are manufactured as complete pennanent assemblies. Subsequently, the drawers are installed and the entire unit is painted or othei-wise finished to produce a unifonn appearing exterior surface. This unifoi7n surface includes the exposed front face of the drawers. As a result, the color of the front panel matches the rest of the tool chest or tool cabinet. Absent any repainting, the color or texture of the fiont face of the drawers can not be readily changed by the consumer.

Summary [0005] A replaceable skin is provided as part of a drawer fi=ont for a tool storage unit and for a drawer skin replaceinent kit and method of installing the drawer skin on a drawer front.
The drawer skin includes connection feati.ires that facilitate its installation on the drawer front.
Brief Description of the Drawings [0006] Further features and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the followiiig detailed description made with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0007] Figure 1 is a front elevation view of a tool chest having a replaceable drawer front constri.icted in accordance with an embodiment of this invention;
[0008] Figure 2 is a top view of the tool chest of Figure 1;
[0009] Figure 3 is a riglit side view of the tool chest of Figure 1;
[00010] Figure 4 is a perspective view of a portion of the tool chest of Figure 1 showing a drawer having a replaceable drawer front constructed in accordance with an embodiment of this invention in an extetided or open position;
[00011] Figure 5 is an exploded view of the drawer of Figure 4;
[00012] Figure 6a is an exploded rear view of a replaceable drawer front constructed in accordance with an embodilnent of the present invention;
[00013] Figure 6b is a rear view of the replaceable drawer front of Figure 6a;
[00014] Figure 7 is a top view of a replaceable drawer front skin constructed in accordance with an ernbodiment of the present invention; and [00015] Figure 8 is a rear view of a replaceable drawer front skin constructed in accordance witli an embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description of the Invention [00016] This Detailed Description of the hzvention merely describes embodiments of the invention and is not intended to limit the scope of the specification, including any claims, in any way. Indeed, the invention as described by the specification and any claims is broader than ai1d unlimited by the preferred embodiments, and the terms used in the specification and claims have their fizll ordinary meaning.
[00017] The present invention will be described for use with a tool chest and a tool cabinet. It should be understood that this is for exemplary puiposes only and the invention can be applied to a wide variety of applications.
[00018] The invention is directed to a drawer frorlt having a replaceable skin. The drawer front is designed to be conveniently removed from a tool chest or tool cabinet. After removal, the exterior skin of the drawer front can be replaced by a consumer in an after-market enviromnent. The remove-and-replace operation requires no special tooling or training. The process results in the front face of the drawer front having a new or different ornamental appearance. The skin of one or more drawer fascia assemblies can be replaced to alter the oniarnental appearance of part or all of a tool chest or a tool cabinet.
[00019] R.eferz-ing now to the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation view of a tool chest 10. Figures 2 and 3 are top and right side views of the tool chest. The tool chest 10 includes a plurality of drawers 12, 14, 16, 18, 20. One or more of the drawers is constr-ucted to inchzde a replaceable drawer front 21 (Figure 5), to be discussed in greater detail.
[00020] Figure 4 is a fragmentary front perspective view of the tool chest 10 with one of the drawers 18 pulled away frorn the chest to a partially extended position. A
replaceable drawer front 21 is mounted to the outermost portion of a drawer body portion 35. The drawer front 21 includes a gr-ip por-tion 52 adapted to be gripped by a user to move the drawer along its slides. hl the depicted embodirnerit, the grip portion 52 includes two cavities 45 for tool storage. Other ernbodiments rnay include alternative features as part of the grip portion 52.
The drawer front 21 includes a bottom portion 54 and a skin portion 50 betweerr the grip portion and the bottorn portion. The skin portion 50 is configured to be removed by a user and may be made of a flexible decorative rnaterial that is wrapped around the grip portion and bottom portion. Alternatively, the skin portion may be molded or formed material having an aesthetically pleasing appearance such as brushed aluminum, stainless steel, plastic, or a material that includes a paiilted surface.
[00021] The skins 50 that are installed in the drawer fronts 21 on the drawers of the tool chest 10 may be configured to cumulatively depict coinponents of a single image when installed on the tool chest. For exarnple, the drawer fronts may be configured to depict a sports logo or inascot, a flag, or a motto, when the drawer fronts are installed on the tool chest. When the drawer 42 is in a fully extended position, a user may depress release buttons (not shown) located in or near the slides on either side of the drawer to remove the drawer from the tool cabinet 30. It should be understood that other structures and teclnliques for drawer removal can be used in the practice of this invention.
[00022] Figure 5 is an exploded view of the drawer 18 with the drawer front 21 removed from the drawer body portion 35. The drawer body portion 35 includes a front pane146 having a series of exemplary through-holes 48. The holes are used to mount the drawer front 21 to the body portion 35. Tabs 75 extending fi=om the back of the drawer front 21 are configured to engage and be retained in the holes 48. It may be advantageous to provide a niounting configuration that allows the drawer front 21 to be removed and installed without requiring the use of tools. As shown in Figures 6a and 6b, the rear side of the drawer front 21 includes a pattem of tabs 75 protrudirig from the grip portion 52 and bottom portion 54. The tabs have a nan=ow neck portion 75a and a larger head portion 75b. The tabs can be of any practical number, pattern and size, but sliould be corresponding to the holes 48 on the front pane146 of the drawer to which the replaceable drawer front will be mounted.
The holes 48 include a srnaller left portion 48a adjacent a larger right portion 48b. When viewing from the perspective of Figure 5, the tabs 75 are in the left portion 48a of the hole 48 when the drawer front 21 is installed in a drawer. In other words, the neck portion 75a of the tab is in the smaller section 48a. To remove the drawer front 21, the user slides the drawer front 21 to the right so that the head 75a of the tab 75 becomes aligned and co-axial with the larger right portion 48a of the hole 48. In this position, the user can simply pull the drawer front directly off the drawer. To install a replacement drawer front, the process is reversed. Of course, other liole and tab sizes, configurations, and patterns can be used in the practice of this invention.
[00023] The skin 50 of the drawer front can be removed from a drawer front and replaced with a different skin 50. A user may chose to do this for a variety of reasons, such as for exaniple, to cliange the color of the entire front of a tool cabinet or to replace a single skin on a drawer front having an aesthetically danzaged appearance.
[00024] Referring now to Figures 6a and 6b, rear views of a drawer front 21 are shown.
The view shown is from the rear of the assembly when in an installed position on a drawer face 46. As already discussed above, the drawer front assembly 21 includes a skin front piece 50, a grip portion 52 and a bottom portion 54. It should be understood by those with ordinary skill in the art that any number, size or shape of support pieces can be used in the practice of this invention. The skin 50 is wrapped around either end of the grip portion 52 and bottoin poi-tion 54 to foi7n the drawer front 21. A strap support 63 is mounted to the grip portion 52 by screws 58 at a mounting hole 72 aiid to the bottom portion at a mounting hole 74 to provide rigidity to the drawer front 21. Four additional screws 57 are inserted through holes 51 in the skin 50 to mount to two tlueaded holes 59 in the top support and two threaded holes 59 in the bottom support. It should be understood by those with ordinary skill in the art that any number, size or type of liardware can be used in the practice of this invention.
[00025] An exemplary drawer front 21 is sliown in Figure 6b in assembled form.
The size and construction of the drawer front assembly may vary in the practice of the present invention, such as for example, by varying in height and including support straps of various lengths and multiple intennediate horizontal members. Further, the height of the skin 50 may extend beyond the support, such as for exainple, below the bottorn of the bottom support.
[00026] Referring now to Figures 7 and 8, various views of the skin 50 are shown. The skin in an installed position defines a radius as shown in Figure 7 due to the outer surface of the grip portion 52 and bottom portioii 54 and due to the position of skin support pads 82, seen best in Figure 6a. However, the skin can be constructed of a relatively rigid material to create a desired shape for the exterior of the drawer front.
[00027] To remove and replace the skin from a drawer front, the drawer front is first removed from a drawer. A user may chose to remove and replace a skin for a variety of reasons, such as for example, to change the color of the entire front of a tool cabinet or to replace a single drawer having an aesthetically damaged appearance.

[000281 To replace the skin 50, a user must first remove the four screws 57 with a screwdriver or drill, and then repeat the assembly steps for the drawer front asseinbly with a new skin. To install the drawer front to the drawer, the tabs of the drawer front are inserted into the through-holes in the drawer and the drawer front is slid into the smaller section 48b of the holes. In some einbodiments, a lock or securing mechanisms can be used to retain the drawer front in place in an installed position.

[000291 While several enibodiments of the invention has been illustrated alld described in considerable detail, the present invention is not to be considered lirnited to the precise constructions disclosed. Various adaptations, inodifications and uses of the invention inay occur to those skilled in the arts to which the invention relates. It is the intention to cover all such adaptations, modifications and uses falling within the scope or spirit of the specification filed herewith.

Claims (23)

Claims What is claimed is:
1. A tool storage unit comprising:
a storage unit housing including five sides that form a tool storage cavity having a frontward facing opening defined by edges of four of the sides;
at least one drawer slidingly installed within the tool storage cavity, the drawer including a body portion having a compartment therein and a front face configured to rest substantially flush with the frontward facing opening when the drawer is in a closed position;
a removable drawer front connected to the front face and configured to enable repeated removal from and installation to the front face; and a removable decorative skin coupled to the drawer front, the decorative skin positioned to face away from the tool storage cavity to present an exterior surface of the drawer.
2. The tool storage unit of claim 1 wherein the drawer front comprises a top drawer front portion connected to a bottom drawer front portion and wherein the skin is coupled to the top drawer front portion and the bottom drawer front portion.
3. The tool storage unit of claim 2 wherein the top drawer front portion and the bottom drawer front portion each include a skin mounting surface and wherein the skin rests on the skin mounting surface to assume a profile defined by the mounting surface.
4. The tool storage unit of claim 2 wherein the skin is longer than a width of the drawer front top portion and the drawer front bottom portion and wherein the skin wraps around end portions of the drawer front top portion and the drawer front bottom portion.
5. The tool storage unit of claim 4 wherein the skin includes slots that are configured to receive fasteners that connect the skin to a rear surface of the drawer front top portion and to a rear surface of the drawer front bottom portion.
6. The tool storage unit of claim 1 wherein the skin comprises aluminum.
7. The tool storage unit of claim 1 wherein the skin comprises stainless steel.
8. The tool storage unit of claim 1 wherein the skin comprises a painted surface.
9. The tool storage unit of claim 1 wherein the skin comprises a material that includes plastic.
10. The tool storage unit of claim 1 wherein a plurality of drawers include a removable drawer front and wherein the skin coupled to each drawer front depicts a portion of a single image.
11. A drawer skin replacement kit for use with a tool storage unit having at least one drawer slidingly installed within the tool storage cavity, wherein the drawer includes a removable drawer front having drawer front connection features for coupling to skin connection features on a removable decorative skin to the drawer front, the kit comprising a decorative skin comprising skin connection features configured to couple to the drawer front connection features.
12. The drawer skin replacement kit of claim 11 wherein the drawer front connection feature comprises a threaded boss and wherein the skin connection feature comprises a slot configured to pass a stem of a threaded fastener threaded into the threaded boss while constraining a head of the threaded fastener from passing through the slot.
13. The drawer skin replacement kit of claim 11 comprising one or more threaded fasteners.
14. The drawer skin replacement kit of claim 11 wherein the skin comprises aluminum.
15. The drawer skin replacement kit of claim 11 wherein the skin comprises stainless steel.
16. The drawer skin replacement kit of claim 11 wherein the skin comprises a painted surface.
17. The drawer skin replacement kit of claim 11 wherein the skin comprises a material that includes plastic.
18. The drawer skin replacement kit of claim 11 comprising a plurality of skins and wherein each skin depicts a portion of a single image.
19. A method of replacing a skin on a drawer front on a tool storage unit drawer, the method comprising:
removing an installed skin from the drawer front; and installing a replacement skin on the drawer front.
20. The method of claim 19 further comprising the steps of:
removing the drawer from the tool storage unit;
disconnecting front fastening features on the installed drawer front component from co-acting drawer fastening features on the drawer; and removing the drawer front component from the drawer prior to removing an installed skin from the drawer front.
21. The method of claim 19 wherein the step of removing the installed skin is performed by removing one or more skin fasteners from the skin and drawer front.
22. The method of claim 19 wherein the step of removing the skin fasteners is performed by unthreading threaded fasteners that protrude through slots in the skin from threaded bosses disposed on a rear surface of the drawer front.
23. The method of claim 19 wherein the step of installing a replacement skin is performed by wrapping the replacement skin around skin mounting features on the drawer front and threading the threaded fasteners through slots in the skin and into threaded bosses disposed on a rear surface of the drawer front.
CA002667722A 2006-11-30 2007-11-30 Drawer with replaceable skin Abandoned CA2667722A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (5)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US86187406P 2006-11-30 2006-11-30
US86188006P 2006-11-30 2006-11-30
US60/861,880 2006-11-30
US60/861,874 2006-11-30
PCT/US2007/086015 WO2008067510A2 (en) 2006-11-30 2007-11-30 Drawer with replaceable skin

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2667722A1 true CA2667722A1 (en) 2008-06-05

Family

ID=39468741

Family Applications (2)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA002667722A Abandoned CA2667722A1 (en) 2006-11-30 2007-11-30 Drawer with replaceable skin
CA002667624A Abandoned CA2667624A1 (en) 2006-11-30 2007-11-30 Replaceable drawer front component

Family Applications After (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA002667624A Abandoned CA2667624A1 (en) 2006-11-30 2007-11-30 Replaceable drawer front component

Country Status (5)

Country Link
US (2) US20080129173A1 (en)
EP (2) EP2088899A2 (en)
CA (2) CA2667722A1 (en)
MX (2) MX2009005716A (en)
WO (2) WO2008067512A2 (en)

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US11653761B2 (en) 2019-08-15 2023-05-23 Bsh Home Appliances Corporation Removable appliance door with repeatable alignment

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Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
MX2009005716A (en) 2009-06-08
CA2667624A1 (en) 2008-06-05
WO2008067510A3 (en) 2008-10-09
WO2008067512A2 (en) 2008-06-05
US20080129173A1 (en) 2008-06-05
US20080129172A1 (en) 2008-06-05
WO2008067510A2 (en) 2008-06-05
EP2088899A2 (en) 2009-08-19
MX2009005715A (en) 2009-06-08
EP2088900A2 (en) 2009-08-19
WO2008067512A3 (en) 2008-08-07

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
EEER Examination request
FZDE Discontinued
FZDE Discontinued

Effective date: 20120928