EP0535866A1

EP0535866A1 - Cabinet with rotating door

Info

Publication number: EP0535866A1
Application number: EP92308710A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Robert E. Reuter
Original assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp
Current assignee: Knoll Inc
Priority date: 1991-09-27
Filing date: 1992-09-24
Publication date: 1993-04-07
Anticipated expiration: 2012-09-24
Also published as: EP0535866B1; DE69218868D1; CA2079184A1; DE69218868T2

Abstract

A cabinet is provided with a curved, upwardly-swinging door and interior shelves. The curved door is mounted on a pair of opposed pivot arms which rotate on a horizontal axis. Each pivot arm is provided with a disk portion having a central boss and an arm portion tangent to the disk portion. The central boss engages a fixed stud at the side of the cabinet and provides a center pivot for each of the arms. A gas spring for each arm is provided, which is pivotably connected at one end to the arm and at the other end to a side wall of the cabinet. The gas spring serves to counterbalance the door as it moves between an open and a closed position and open the door unassisted once the user initiates movement of the door, this opening feature being very beneficial to seated and physically disabled users.

Description

The present invention relates to cabinets having upwardly-movable or rotatable doors. More specifically the invention relates to cabinets with upwardly-movable, self-opening, contoured or curved doors that require little effort on the part of the user, so that the user simply begins opening the door by rotating the door upwardly a specified distance and then releasing the door, the door then continuing to the open position unassisted by the user. Furthermore, the cabinet provides greater interior space to accommodate shelves and other interior fixtures since the door is stored outside the cabinet when in the open position.
Conveniently located and easily accessible storage space is highly desirable and often required in an office environment. In modular office furniture systems, one way of providing,storage space adjacent a work area is to mount a cabinet or shelf vertically above, and spaced apart from, a desk or work surface. Typically, such cabinets are secured to a vertical modular wall panel adjacent the work surface. This type of mounting arrangement enables the furniture designerto efficiently use storage space which ordinarily is unused, above the office worker's head.
However, vertical mounting of storage cabinets creates certain furniture design problems. For example, when movable doors are used to conceal the contents of overhead storage cabinets, convenient means to raise and lower the door must be provided. Since the office worker must reach up and push the door upward to open the door, the door must be either relatively light in weight or provided with a balancing system to facilitate upward movement. In fact, providing a door with self-opening capabilities so that the user need only exert a minimum of effort to open the door is most desirable, especially in today's society with the ever increasing concern about providing accessible work areas to disabled workers.
The direction of motion chosen for the door is also critical. The door can be constructed to swing into the cabinet structure or outside the structure. In known prior art, "pocket" doors are well known, and combine a hinge and drawer slide to enable the door to be swung up and then pushed on the slide into the cabinet. However, such pocket doors reduce the usable interior volume of the cabinet because the door occupies interior space when retracted. Furthermore, door structures in which the retracted door swings outside and above the cabinet structure are well known in the art. These doors provide added interior volume to the cabinet but can be heavy or cumbersome and may create extra effort by the user to open the door and swing it outside and above the cabinet. Consequently, there exists a need to provide door structures in which the retracted door swings outside and above the cabinet structure, but also is easy to open with little effort required by the user, in particular the seated or physically disabled user.
According to the present invention, a storage cabinet having a rotating door, said cabinet comprising first and second opposed, parallel side walls, a top wall and a bottom wall, a door having opposed top and bottom edges and opposed side edges, a pair of pivot arm means for moving said door between an open position and a closed position, each of said pivot arm means including a first portion rotatably mounted adjacent one of said first and second walls and a second portion extending outwardly from said first portion and attached to said door adjacent said bottom edge thereof, so that said door is positioned above said top wall when in said open position, characterized by force means connected to said pivot arm means for both moving and counterbalancing said door as said door moves between said open and closed positions, said force means arranged to assist in movement of said door once movement of said door is initiated.
Conveniently, a curved door is mounted adjacent its bottom edge to a pair of opposed arms which rotate on a horizontal axis and are mounted inside the cabinet adjacent opposed interior side walls. An opening mechanism for each arm is provided which is pivotably connected at one end to the arm and at the other end to a side wall of the cabinet. The opening mechanism serves a dual purpose, providing counterbalance capabilities as well as opening capabilities, whereby the cabinet door may be opened unassisted once movement is initiated by a user by initially opening the door a predetermined distance and then releasing the door which continues to an open position without any further assistance by the user.
The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a partially exploded perspective view of a cabinet shown with a mounting bracket for mounting the cabinet to a supporting wall structure.
Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the cabinet of Figure 1 shown with the door in the raised, open position.
Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Figure 2, and showing the mounting bracket assembled to the cabinet.
Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view similar to Figure 3, but showing the cabinet with the door in the raised, open position.
Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5-5 of Figure 2, with parts broken away and showing the mounting bracket assembled to the cabinet.
Figure 6 is a perspective view of a cover plate for the mounting arm shown in Figure 1.
Figure 7 is a perspective view of the mounting arm shown in Figure 1.
Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 8-8 of Figure 7.
Figure 9 is a perspective view of a spring clip for attaching a gas spring to the mounting arm and the cabinet.

Referring to Figures 1 through 5, there is shown an embodiment of a cabinet 100 adapted for mounting on a modular furniture panel assembly 200 by a pair of mounting brackets 300.
As shown in Figures 1 through 5, cabinet 100 comprising a rectangular box having a rectangular top wall 10 having opposed side edges 10a (Figures 1 and 2), opposed front and back edges 10b and 10c (Figures 1 and 3-5), and a fascia strip 10d (Figures 2-5) extending downwardly from front edge 10b; two symmetrically identical, opposed side walls 12 (Figures 1-5) each having opposed top and bottom edges 12a and 12b (Figures 1-5) and opposed front and back edges 12c and 12d (Figures 1 and 3-5); a rectangular bottom wall 14 (Figures 2-5) having opposed side edges 14a (Figure 2) and opposed front and back edges 14b and 14c (Figures 3-5); and a rectangular rear wall 16 (Figures 2-5) having opposed side edges 16a (Figure 2), and opposed top and bottom edges 16b and 16c (Figures 2-5).
Figures 3-5 disclose a guide channel 20 secured to the lower surface of top wall 10 intermediate front and back edges 10a and 10b, for a purpose to be described hereinafter; and rear wall 16 is provided with an inwardly formed, horizontally-elongated channel 22, for receiving mounting brackets 300. Also, each of side walls 12 has formed therein an inwardly extending, central stud 24 (Figure 1), for a purpose to be described hereinafter.
An upwardly-movable cabinet door 30 (Figures 1 - 5) selectively provides access to the interior of cabinet 100. Door 30 includes opposed side edges 30a (Figures 1 and 2) and opposed top and bottom edges 30b and 30c (Figures 1 and 3-5), and is substantially planar adjacent bottom edge 30c and arcuate adjacent top edge 30b.
Referring now to Figure 2, cabinet 100 is shown with door 30 in the raised position. Cabinet 100 is provided with plural vertical shelf brackets 40 engageable with guide channel 20, and-plural horizontal shelves 42 supported between adjacent shelf brackets 40.
The structure and operation of the upwardly movable door 30 is operated using plural planar, rigid door pivot arms 50, which are pivotably mounted to the inner surfaces of end walls 12, as will be described in greater detail hereinafter. Pivot arms 50 are fabricated of injection molded plastic, but can be fabricated of material such as sheet aluminum or sheet steel.
In the embodiment, two pivot arms 50 are provided, one at each of sides 30a of door 30. Pivot arms 50 serve to movably connect sides 30a of door 30 to end walls 12 of cabinet 100 while restricting the movement of door 30 to an arcuate path. In Figure 2, each arm 50 is positioned immediately adjacent one of end walls 12. This arrangement ensures that a minimum of interior cabinet space is occupied by the door operating mechanism.
Figures 3-8 show arm 50 comprising a circular disk portion 52 integrally formed with a tangential arm portion 54 and a mounting bracket 56. The arm portion 54 has a substantially linear first side 54a formed as a tangent of disk portion 52; an L-shaped second side 54b a portion of which is parallel to first side 54a and a portion of which is substantially perpendicular to first side 54a; an outer end 54c which joins first and second sides 54a and 54b; and an inner end 54d which is coextensive with the circumference of disk portion 52. Side 54a forms an angle of approximately 45° with outer end 54c.
Mounting bracket 56 extends perpendicularly from tangential arm portion 54 inwardly of outer end 54c for mounting pivot arm 50 to door 30 adjacent bottom edge 30c. Thus, when door 30 is closed as shown in Figures 3 and 5, side 54a is arranged at an angle of approximately 45° relative to horizontal. Mounting bracket 56 is formed integrally with tangential arm portion 54. Also, door 30 can be mounted to mounting bracket 56 by conventional screws inserted through threaded apertures 56a in mounting bracket 56.
A gas spring mounting pin 58 extends perpendicularly from a protrusion 54e on side 54a, adjacent disk portion 52. Mounting pin 58 is inserted into protrusion 54e during the injection molding process.
Disk portion 52 is provided with a central boss 60 for receiving stud 24 positioned on the inside of each of end walls 12 of cabinet 100, by which each of arms 50 is mounted on its respective end wall 12 and about which each of arms 50 pivots.
The door 30 is counterbalanced by force providing means in the form of a gas spring 70 comprising a cylinder 72 provided with a reciprocating piston (not shown) and piston rod 74, and having a cylinder end and a rod end. For example, doors having a nominal width of 24, 30, 33, 36, 42 and 48 inches respectively employ a pair of gas springs exerting a force of 15,19, 22, 24, 31 and 33 psi respectively. The gas spring 70 serves a dual purpose, acting both as a means to counterbalance the weight of door 30 and as a means of opening door 30 unassisted once the user initiates the opening of door 30 by rotating the door to an angle of approximately 15 to 20 degrees and then releasing the door.
At its cylinder end, the gas spring 70 is provided with a cylinder clevis 76 for pivotably connecting cylinder 72 to mounting pin 54e of arm 50; while at its rod end, it is provided with a rod clevis 78 for pivotably connecting piston rod 74 to a fixed mounting bracket or stud 80 (Figures 3-5) positioned at the lower rear corner of each of end walls 12.
The gas spring 70 is secured to mounting pin 58 of arm 50 and to mounting bracket 80 on end wall 12 by small spring clips 82, shown in Figure 9, which slide over clevises 76 and 78 and are press fit over mounting pin 58 and mounting bracket 80, respectively. Suitable spring clips 82 are commercially available as part no. PC 119 from AVM, Inc. of Marion, South Carolina.
The rod end of the gas spring 70 is positioned facing downwardly, with the cylinder end facing upwardly, to keep the oil in cylinder 72 on the cylinder seal (not shown), to extend the life expectancy of the gas.
The gas springs 70 are designed to assist the door 30 in opening after they have rotated approximately 15-20 degrees. The gas springs 70 also provide a closing assist feature so that the user need only exert limited force to overcome the force of the gas spring to close the door at a controlled rate rather than slamming shut. The motion of door 30 is curtailed at the top of its arc by striking a against sound- deadening bumper 94 (Figure 6).
By using the arm 50 in conjunction with the gas spring 70, the arm 50 can be made visually appealing and the gas spring 70 does not have to be mounted directly to door 30. Further, cover panels 90 can be provided at each of end walls 12, as shown in Figures 2 and 5, to conceal the gas springs 70 and most of the pivot arms 50.
Although only one cover panel 90 is shown in detail, in Figure 6, it should be understood that the cover panels 90 at either side of cabinet 100 (as shown in Figure 2) are mirror images of each other. Referring now to Figures 5 and 6, each of cover panels 90 is rectangular in shape, having a side wall 90a, and projecting outwardly from side wall 90a a top wall 90b, a rear wall 90c, a bottom wall 90d, and a front wall 90e. Although each cover panel 90 is rectangular, front wall 90e is connected to top wall 90b by an arcuate corner portion 90f parallel to the arcuate profile of door 30.
Front wall 90e and arcuate corner portion 90f have a continuous notch 90g formed at the edge thereof along substantially its entire length, to provide clearance for arm 50 as it moves between the open and closed position. Also, top wall 90b has an inset portion 90h spaced rearwardly from arcuate corner portion 90f, for receiving guide channel 20; and the corner formed by top wall 90b and rear wall 90c defines an inset 90i, for receiving elongated channel 22. Bottom wall 90d has a notch 90j formed therein adjacent rear wall 90c, to provide clearance for piston rod 74 of gas spring 70, as shown in Figure 5.
Side wall 90a is provided with a central boss 90k for receiving a flat-head screw 92 for securing each cover panel 90 and pivot arm 50 to its respective end wall 12. Upper and lower, substantially V-shaped reinforcing ribs 901 and 90m are also formed in side wall 90a, extending respectively inwardly from top wall 90b and bottom wall 90d. The forward arms of ribs 901 and 90m have respective insets 90n and 90o for receiving upper and lower bumpers 94 and 96, respectively, and in conjunction with bumpers 94 and 96 limit upward and downward travel of door 30.
Cover panel 90 also is provided with a central, inwardly-projecting boss 90k as shown in Figure 6 which registers with boss 60 of arm 50 and stud 24 of side wall 12, for attaching cover panel 90 to side wall 12. Preferably, cover panels 90 are injection molded plastic and are fastened to studs 24 by flat head machine screws 92. Cover panels 90 are removable to provide for quick field replacement of a defective gas spring 70.
When the cabinet door 30 is moved upwardly to an angle of rotation of approximately 15 to 20 degrees using manual force, arm 50 rotates around boss 60, causing cylinder 72 and piston rod 74 to move apart relative to one another as they rotate respectively at clevises 76 and 78. More specifically, it will be noted in Figure 3, that the centerline of gas spring 70 is only slightly offset from the center 60 of disk portion 52 of arm 50 when the door is in a closed position. In this closed position the force generated by gas spring 70 is restrained since it is substantially directed through the pivot point. When the door is manually opened approximately 15 to 20 degrees, the pivot point between gas spring 70 and arm 50 moves slightly forward of the cabinet causing the force generated by gas spring 70 to now be essentially tangential to rotatably mounted disk 52. Thus, when the user initiates movement of cabinet door 30, the user may then release door 30 permitting door 30 to move for the remainder of its travel solely under the force of gas spring 70. The moving apart motion of cylinder 72 and piston rod 74 at a controlled rate provides a smooth continuing motion enabling door 30 to open completely without any further effort by the user.
The rotatable arms can also be used to rotatably mount a door in an article of furniture other than the cabinets described herein, or to rotatably mount articles other than a door. Also; the rotatable arms can be used to mount rotatable, side-by-side doors in a cabinet.

Claims

1. A storage cabinet having a rotating door, said cabinet comprising first and second opposed, parallel side walls, a top wall and a bottom wall, a door having opposed top and bottom edges and opposed side edges, a pair of pivot arm means for moving said door between an open position and a closed position, each of said pivot arm means including a first portion rotatably mounted adjacent one of said first and second walls and a second portion extending outwardly from said first portion and attached to said door adjacent said bottom edge thereof, said door is positioned above said top wall when in said open position, characterized by force means connected to said pivot arm means for both moving and counterbalancing said door as said door moves between said open and closed positions, said force means arranged to assist in movement of said door once movement of said door is initiated.

2. A cabinet as claimed in claim 1 characterized in that said force means comprises a reciprocable piston and cylinder, and arranged so as to cause movement of said door between said open and closed positions at a controlled rate once movement of said door is initiated at a predetermined distance.

3. A cabinet as claimed in claim 3 characterized in that said predetermined distance equals an angle of rotation of about 15 to 20 degrees.

4. A cabinet as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 characterized in that said force means has a first end and a second end with said first end being pivotably connected to said pivot arm means and said second end being pivotably connected to one of said side walls, and in which said first end of said force means is pivotably connected to said second portion of said pivot arm means adjacent said first portion.

5. A cabinet as claimed in claim 4 characterized in that each of said side walls has opposed top and bottom edges and opposed front and back edges and a lower rear corner defined by the intersection of said back and bottom edges, and in which said second end is pivotably connected to said side wall adjacent said lower rear corner.

6. A cabinet as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 characterized in that said cabinet further comprises a cover panel covering said force means, said force means being interposed between said cover panel and said side walls.

7. A cabinet as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, including an upwardly movable rotating door characterized by first and second pivot arm means for moving said door between an open position situated above said cabinet and a closed position, each pivot arm means being attached at a first end to said bottom edge of said door and at a second end to one of said side walls, and first and second force means connected to said pivot arm means for moving and counterbalancing said door as said door moves between said open and closed positions, in which each of said force means comprises a reciprocable piston and cylinder arranged to move said door without assistance once movement of said door is initiated.

8. A cabinet as claimed in claim 7 characterized in that first and second cover panels conceal said first and second force means.

9. A cabinet as claimed in claim 8 characterized in that each of said first and second force means has an upper end and a lower end, said upper end being pivotally connected to said one of said pivot arm means and said lower end being pivotally connected to one of said side walls.

10. A cabinet as claimed in claim 9 characterized in that said upper end of said force means is pivotally connected to said first end of said pivot arm means, with each of said side walls having opposed top and bottom edges and opposed front and back edges and a lower rear corner defined by the intersection of said back and bottom edges, and in which said lower end of said force means is pivotably connected to said side wall adjacent said lower rear corner.

11. A cabinet as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that said cabinet comprising a pair of pivot arm means for moving said door between an open position situated above said cabinet and a closed position, each pivot arm means having a disk portion, a protrusion perpendicularly adjacent to said disk portion and an elongated arm portion extending outwardly from said disk portion and having a mounting bracket at its far end opposite said disk portion, said disk portion being rotatably mounted about its center to one of said side walls, and said elongated arm portion being secured to said door adjacent said bottom edge thereof characterized by a pair of force means coacting with said pivot arm means for moving and counterbalancing said door as said door moves between said open and closed positions, each of said force means comprising a reciprocable piston and cylinder constructed and arranged to move said door to its open position without assistance once movement of said door is initiated, one of said piston and cylinder being pivotally connected to said protrusion on said pivot arm means and the other of said piston and cylinder being pivotally connected to said side wall, so that when said door is in said closed position, the centerline of said reciprocable piston and cylinder is only slightly offset from said center of said disk portion of said pivot arm means and when said door movement is initiated to cause said door to move to said open position, said protrusion at which said piston and cylinder is pivotally connected to said pivot arm means moves slightly forward toward said cabinet door, thereby redirecting the force generated by said movement of said reciprocable piston and cylinder to be essentially tangential to said disk portion of said pivot arm means so as to permit said door to move for the remainder of its travel solely under the force generated by said force means.

12. A cabinet as claimed in claim 11 characterized in that said force means is arranged to move said door between said open and closed positions at a controlled rate once movement of said door is initiated a predetermined distance, preferably at an angle of rotation of about 15 to 20 degrees.