EP0163657B1

EP0163657B1 - Storage cabinet

Info

Publication number: EP0163657B1
Application number: EP84903640A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Timo Tapani Torssonen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1983-11-24
Filing date: 1984-10-05
Publication date: 1988-08-03
Also published as: DE3473118D1; EP0163657A1; IT8423722A0; FI70127C; WO1985002330A1; FI834303A0; FI70127B; IT1196336B; FI834303A

Abstract

A storage cabinet which is divided, as viewed from the top, vertically and in the direction parallel to the rear wall (1) of the cabinet, into three blocks (2, 3 and 5) placed side by side. The rearmost block (2) is a stationary frame cabinet. The middle block (3) and the front block or lid block (5) are hinged at their opposite corners (4, 6) so that they pivot outwards alternatingly. After the cabinet has been opened by two movements of the hand, the horizontal shelf planes placed in all of the three blocks (2, 3 and 5) can be seen and used as complete and at the same time. Into the blocks (2, 3 and 5) separate horizontal shelf planes of a width equal to the width of the block can be installed for miscellaneous small articles, whereat the entire capacity of the cabinet can be utilized efficiently.

Description

The present invention relates to a storage cabinet which comprises a stationary frame cabinet, having at least a rear wall and first and second side walls; two cabinet blocks and hinges connecting the cabinet blocks with the front edge of the respective vertical side wall of the frame cabinet.
In prior art, cabinet solutions are known in which the shelf planes are stationary or outwardly sliding. It has been a drawback of these shelf planes that, depending on the depth of the cabinet, it has been difficult to get especially smaller articles to the front from the rear of the shelf and, even if a sliding shelf has been concerned, it has been possible to handle only one shelf at a time, without being at the same time able to see the articles stored on the other shelves, or the contents of the entire cabinet. This is inconvenient, time-consuming as well as unsatisfactory in view of the organization.
Also, a cabinet solution is known in prior art from the Norwegian Letters Patent 102,173, wherein the cabinet is divided into two cabinet blocks in the direction of a plane parallel to the rear wall. Out of these blocks, that placed next to the rear wall is stationary and made in one piece. The front block is divided into two parts, both of which have a size about half the width of the cabinet, being attached to the front edges of the side walls of the stationary cabinet block. The hinged block components form the lid of the cabinet system when they are in the closed position.
US-A-622,195 describes a cabinet having an open-faced main casing and two sets of sub- casings hinged to the front edges of the side walls of the main casing such that. it is impossible to reach the shelves in all subcasings in each set and the main casing simultaneously.
US-A-1,561,151 describes a cabinet having two sets of sub-casings, one hinged on one side wall and the other on the opposite side wall of a rear cabinet, the sub-casing of the two sets being interfoliated with each other from opposite sides when in their closed position, in which the cabinet is closed by two separate doors, each being hinged to one of the sets of sub-casings.
The object of the present invention is to provide an improvement as compared with the prior-art solutions. The invention is characterised in that the first cabinet block has a slightly smaller height and width than the stationary frame cabinet; that the second cabinet block has substantially the same height and width as the frame cabinet; that the hinge connecting the first cabinet block and the frame cabinet has its fold line positioned between the front edge of said first side wall of the frame cabinet and the corner between the adjacent side wall and the rear wall of the first cabinet block so that the first cabinet block is pivotable into the stationary frame cabinet; and that the hinge connecting the second cabinet block and the frame cabinet has its fold line positioned between the front edge of said second side wall of the frame cabinet and the front edge of the adjacent side wall of the second cabinet block.
It may be considered an advantage of detail of the present invention that, when the horizontal shelves are split into blocks and opened, simultaneous easy access is provided into the cabinet and to all the horizontal shelves. This means faster and more efficient handling of goods as well as more versatile storage possibilities.
Experiments carried out by means of a prototype of the cabinet show that, in particular in the case of storage, sorting and availability of smaller and unpacked articles, by means of a storage cabinet in accordance with the present invention, a faster and better result of working efficiency and organization is achieved and the capacity of the cabinet can be planned and used highly efficiently.
The invention will be described in the following with reference to the attached drawing.

Figure 1 is a schematical top view of a cabinet in accordance with the invention as opened.
Figure 2 corresponds to Fig. 1, with the cabinet closed.
Figures 3A, 3B and 3C are axonometric views of one embodiment of the invention.

With reference to Figures 1 and 2, the storage cabinet in accordance with the invention comprises a stationary frame cabinet 2, which has a rear wall 1, side walls 7 and 8, a top wall and a bottom wall. Openable cabinet blocks 3 and 5 are attached by means of hinges 4 and 6 to the front edge of the respective side wall 7, 8 of the frame cabinet 2. The middle cabinet block 3 is hinged to the front edge of one side wall 7 of the stationary frame cabinet 2 at the corner between the rear wall 20 and the adjacent side wall 22 of the cabinet block 3. When the cabinet block 3 is closed, its open side 23 is placed against the shelves in the frame cabinet 2. In the closed position, the cabinet block 3 has been pivoted into the frame cabinet 2 so that the rear wall 20 of the cabinet block 3 is placed in the plane parallel to the rear wall 1 of the frame cabinet 2 and passing through the fold line of the hinge 4. The cabinet block 3 must, of course, be somewhat narrower than the frame cabinet 2 in order that there should be space enough for pivoting it into the frame cabinet 2. This is why the frame cabinet 2 is also about twice as deep as the cabinet block 3 in order that a sufficient space should remain between the rear wall 1 and the cabinet block 3 for the shelves when the cabinet block 3 is in its closed position. The cabinet block 3 can be opened so that its open side 23 has been pivoted to a position in which it its parallel to the open side of the frame cabinet 2.
The outer or front cabinet block 5 is connected with the front edge of the other side wall of the frame cabinet 2 by the front edge of one side wall 8 of the cabinet block 5 by means of a hinge 6. Under these circumstances, the outer cabinet block 5 forms the door of the storage cabinet when it is in its closed position. When the cabinet block 5 is in the closed position, its open side is directed towards the rear wall 1 of the frame cabinet 2 and placed against the rear wall 20 of the cabinet block 3.
Inside the rear wall 1 of the frame cabinet 2, horizontal shelf planes are advantageously installed as stationary, the said planes forming the first shelf block. The second shelf block consists of the middle portion of the horizontal shelf planes, the said shelf planes being installed in the middle cabinet block 3, which is hinged by means of the hinge 4 for opening outwardly. The outer shelf block 5 consists of the outermost portion of the horizontal shelf planes, installed in the outer cabinet block 5, which is hinged by means of the hinge 6 for opening outwardly.
The storage cabinet operates so that by one movement of the hand, the outer cabinet block 5 is opened, and by a second movement of the hand, the middle cabinet block 3 is opened, whereby all the horizontal shelf planes in the cabinet have been divided into three parts and the articles placed on the horizontal shelf planes can be seen and handled at one time.
Figures 3A, 3B and 3C show one embodiment of the storage cabinet in accordance with the invention. In Fig. 3A the cabinet is closed. The storage cabinet includes a stationary frame cabinet 2, which comprises a rear wall 1 as well as vertical side walls 7 and 8. The cabinet shown in Figures 3A, B and C is supposed to be installed on the floor or on some other base, for which reason the cabinet is installed on a socle 12. When the cabinet is closed in the way shown in Fig. 3A, the second, i.e. outer cabinet block 5 has been pivoted against the frame cabinet 2. The fold line of the hinge 6, is placed between the front edge of one side wall 8 of the frame cabinet 2 and the front edge of the corresponding side wall 11 of the second cabinet block 5. Thus, when the storage cabinet is closed as shown in Fig. 3A, the front edge of the other side wall 7 of the frame cabinet 2 and the front edge of the other side wall 10 of the second cabinet block 5 are placed against each other. In this position, the rear wall 9 of the second cabinet block 5 is parallel to the rear wall 1 of the frame cabinet 2 and forms the door of the storage cabinet. As is shown in Fig. 3A, the storage cabinet may be locked, e.g., in that the second cabinet block 5 is provided with a lock 15, which is fitted, e.g., in the side wall 10 of the cabinet block. Of course, the lock 15 may also be located at some other point on the cabinet block 5.
Fig. 3B shows a situation in which the second cabinet block 5 has been pivoted to an open position, whereas the first cabinet block 3 is in its closed position. In accordance with the embodiment shown in this figure, the second cabinet block 5 is provided with a number of horizontal shelves 13, which are additionally divided into compartments by means of vertical plates 14. Of course, the mode of accomplishment of the shelves may also be different. As can be seen from Fig. 3B, in the closed position, the first cabinet block 3 has been pivoted into the frame cabinet 2 so that the rear wall 20 of the first cabinet block 3 is substantially in the same plane with the front edges of the side walls 7 and 8 of the frame cabinet 2. This is why the width and the height of the first cabinet block 3 must be smaller than the width and the height of the frame cabinet 2 in order that the cabinet block 3 could have space enough to be pivoted into the frame cabinet 2. In order that the frame cabinet 2 should have a sufficient space for the storage shelves, its depth must be sufficiently larger than the depth of the cabinet block 3. In the embodiment shown, the depth of the frame cabinet 2 is about twice as large as the depth of the cabinet block 3. In this way, the depths of the shelves in the frame cabinet 2 and in the cabinet block 3 can be made approximately equal. In accordance with Fig. 3B, the first cabinet block 3 may also be provided with a lock 17. In certain cases, e.g. in medicine cabinet applications, it may be desirable that both of the pivoting cabinet blocks 3 and 5 can be locked separately. In accordance with Fig. 3B, the counterpiece 16 of the lock 15 of the second cabinet block 5 may be fitted into the rear wall 20 of the first cabinet block 3. Arrangements of different sort are, of course, also possible.
Fig. 3C shows a situation in which both of the cabinet blocks 3 and 5 have been pivoted to their open positions. When the first cabinet block 3 has been pivoted around its hinge 4 to its open position, the cabinet block has its shelves facing in the same direction as the shelves of the frame cabinet 2 and of the second cabinet block 5. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 3C, both the first cabinet block 3 and the frame cabinet 2 are provided with horizontal shelves 13 and vertical plates 14 similar to those in the second cabinet block 5. Of course, the cabinet blocks 3 and 5 and the frame cabinet 2 may also be provided with different shelves. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 3C, the bolt 19 of the lock 17 of the first cabinet block 3 is fitted through the side wall 21 of the cabinet block, and the counterpiece 18 of the lock is correspondingly fitted into the side wall 8 of the frame cabinet 2. The arrangement of the locks may vary even to a considerable extent from that shown in the figures.
The storage cabinet in accordance with the invention may be made of several different materials. As materials of manufacture, it is possible to use, e.g., various metals, plastics, glass or wood. The cabinet may also be provided with lamps and, if necessary, mirrors may be attached to the cabinet blocks. The cabinet in accordance with the invention can be applied to several different purposes. Among objects of application might be mentioned, e.g., various cabinets for household articles, mirror cabinets for bathrooms, first aid and medicine storage cabinets, as well as various instrument cabinets. The cabinet may also be used as a cabinet for service and installation tools and as cabinets for various equipment and materials. If the cabinet is provided, e.g., with carrying handles, it can constitute a novel equipment case or suitcase. As is seen, the possibilities of application of the cabinet are most varied.
Above, the invention has been described with reference to the exemplifying embodiment shown in the figures in the drawing. Thereby, the invention is, however, not supposed to be confined so as to cover this particular example alone, but many variations are possible within the scope of the inventive idea defined in the following patent claims.

Claims

1. Storage cabinet which comprises a stationary frame cabinet (2) having at least a rear wall (1) and first and second side walls (7 and 8, respectively); two cabinet blocks (3, 5); and hinges (4, 6) connecting the cabinet blocks with the front edge of the respective vertical side wall (7; 8) of the frame cabinet (2), characterised in that the first cabinet block (3) has a slightly smaller height and width than the stationary frame cabinet (2); that the second cabinet block (5) has substantially the same height and width as the frame cabinet (2); that the hinge (4) connecting the first cabinet block (3) and the frame cabinet (2) has its fold line positioned between the front edge of said first side wall (7) of the frame cabinet (2) and the corner between the adjacent side wall (22) and the rear wall (20) of the first cabinet block (3) so thatthe first cabinet block (3) is pivotable into the stationary frame cabinet (2); and that the hinge (6) connecting the second cabinet block (5) and the frame cabinet (2) has its fold line positioned between the front edge of said second side wall (8) of the frame cabinet (2) and the front edge of the adjacent side wall (11) of the second cabinet block (5).

2. Storage cabinet as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the depth of the stationary frame cabinet (2) is substantially larger than the depth of the first pivotable cabinet block (3).

3. Storage cabinet as claimed in claims 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that when the cabinet is in its closed position, the first cabinet block (3) has been pivoted around its hinge (4) into the frame cabinet (2) so that the rear wall (20) of the first cabinet block (3) is located substantially in a vertical plane passing through the fold lines of the hinges (4, 6), and the second cabinet block (5) has been pivoted onto the first cabinet block (3), such that the rear wall (9) of the second cabinet block (5) forms the door of the storage cabinet.

4. Storage cabinet as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least the frame cabinet (2) and/or at least one of the cabinet blocks (3, 5) attached to the frame cabinet (2) by means of hinges (4, 6) is provided with horizontal shelves (13) or equivalent.

5. Storage cabinet as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the depth of the horizontal shelves (13) or corresponding storage planes in the frame cabinet (2) is substantially the depth of the frame cabinet (2) minus the depth of the first pivoting cabinet block (3).

6. Storage cabinet as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of the pivotable cabinet blocks (3, 5) can be locked in the closed position by means of a lock (15,17) or a corresponding member.

7. Storage cabinet as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that each of the pivotable cabinet blocks (3, 5) can be locked in the closed position separately.