IE20180005A1 - Joint assembly for an in frame cabinet - Google Patents

Abstract

A joint assembly for securing a front frame to a carcass of a kitchen cabinet, said joint assembly comprising at least one joining bar having a first side face arranged to abut an inner face of a respective side wall of the carcass when said joining bar is received in and extends from an elongate slot formed in a rear face of a respective side member of the front frame, said joining bar being securable to said respective side wall via fasteners extending therethrough, and a cover strip locatable over said at least one joining bar to cover the joining bar and the fasteners, wherein said cover strip is a snap fit over said joining bar to allow the cover strip to removeably secured to the joining bar. <Figure 1>

Description

Joint Assembly for an In Frame Cabinet FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a joint assembly for an in frame cabinet, more particularly to a joint assembly for securing a front frame to a carcass of an in frame kitchen cabinet.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION For centuries, all cabinet furniture was made using the “in frame” method, wherein a door of a cabinet is perfectly fitted within a frame forming a front part of a wooden carcass. Custom fitted kitchen cabinets using traditional in frame cabinetry methods became popular in the early 20th century. However, advances in high-pressure laminate technology in more recent years enabled manufacturers to greatly cut costs by introducing frameless kitchens, wherein a kitchen cabinet door is fitted to the outside of the carcass of a kitchen cabinet. Such frameless kitchen cabinets quickly became very popular due to their affordability. With the frameless design, the carcass, including the sides, back, top and bottom, of a cabinet, which is normally hidden from view, can be formed from a relatively cheap material, such as MDF (medium density fibreboard), typically laminated with a plastic outer covering, while the door can be made from a more expensive but more aesthetically pleasing material, such as solid wood or a higher quality laminate panel with a more aesthetically pleasing finish than the carcass.

However, there is still a strong demand for in frame kitchen cabinets, particularly in high end bespoke fitted kitchens, due to the classic appearance of such designs. While in frame kitchens have mostly been reserved for traditional kitchen designs, modern styles are now also opting to use the in frame design because of its durability and upmarket appearance, particularly where solid wood is used for the doors and front frame within which the door is mounted. With the in frame design, the front frame forms an integral part of the kitchen appearance. This allows for a variety of different styles to be fitted to a standard carcass by fitting different front frames and doors to a standard carcass.

In a typical in frame kitchen cabinet, a solid wood front frame is attached to the carcass of the cabinet, within which frame the cabinet door is mounted. It is desirable for the front frame to present the appearance of being an integral part of the carcass, and thus the connection of the front frame to the carcass is particularly important. It is desirable for the method of connecting the front frame to the remainder of the carcass to be effectively invisible when the cabinet door is opened. However, traditional fixing methods, typically comprising brackets or an internal bead mounted between the inner faces of the frame and inner sides of the carcass through which screws are inserted, leave the fastening screws visible when the cabinet door is opened. It is known to hide the fixings between the front frame and carcass by using fittings located on the outside of the frame. However, such fittings become inaccessible once the kitchen cabinet has been installed in a kitchen, making it difficult to remove the door and front frame for repair or to change the doors to update the kitchen. Therefore it is an object of the present invention to provide a joint assembly for connecting the front frame to the carcass of an in frame kitchen which is not normally visible in use but which allows the front frame and door to be replaced after installation of the kitchen.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a joint assembly for securing a front frame to a carcass of a kitchen cabinet, said joint assembly comprising at least one joining bar having a first side face arranged to abut an inner face of a respective side wall of the carcass when said joining bar is received in and extends from an elongate slot formed in a rear face of a respective side member of the front frame, said joining bar being securable to said respective side wall via fasteners extending therethrough, and a cover strip locatable over said at least one joining bar to cover the joining bar and the fasteners, wherein said cover strip is a snap fit over said joining bar to allow the cover strip to removeably secured to the joining bar.

Preferably said cover strip incorporates a receiving recess in a rear face thereof shaped to receive said joining bar therein when the cover strip is located over the joining bar. in a preferred embodiment said joining bar has at least one projection formed on a second side face thereof, opposite said first side face thereof, said at least one projection being receivable within at least one cooperating aperture or slot formed in said rear face of the cover strip when the cover strip is fitted over the joining bar to locate the cover strip over the joining bar. Said receiving recess in the rear face of the cover strip may include an outer lip adapted to be a snap fit over an end of the joining bar when said at least one projection of the joining bar is received within said at least one aperture or slot in the cover strip to retain the cover strip on the joining bar. An outer edge of the joining bar may have a semi-circular cross section, said outer edge engaging the outer lip of the receiving recess of the cover strip to retain the cover strip on the joining bar.

Said fasteners may comprise screws, more preferably self tapping screws, located in countersunk holes formed in the joining bar.

The cover strip may have an arcuate outer side face.

Preferably said joining bar is formed from plastic while the cover strip is formed from solid wood.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided an in frame kitchen cabinet comprising a carcass having opposed side walls, a bottom wall, a top wall and a back wall and an open front, and a front frame to be affixed to the open front of the carcass for supporting at least one door therein, said front frame comprising opposed side members arranged to abut the side walls of the carcass and upper and lower end members arranged to abut the top and bottom walls of the carcass, said front frame being secured to said carcass via a joint assembly in accordance with the first aspect of the present invention.

Preferably a respective joining bar is located in a respective elongate slot formed in a rear face of each side member of the front frame, said slot being spaced from and extending parallel to an outer edge of the respective side member of the front frame, each of said joining bars having a first side face arranged to abut an inner face of a respective one of said side walls of the carcass, said joining bar being secured to said respective one of said side walls via fasteners extending therethrough to secure the front frame to the carcass, a respective cover strip being located over each joining bar to cover the joining bar and the fasteners, wherein each cover strip is a snap fit over the respective joining bar to allow the respective cover strip to removeably secured to the joining bar.

In a preferred embodiment the cover strip incorporates a receiving recess in a rear face thereof shaped to receive said joining bar therein when the cover strip is located over the joining bar, the sum of the depth of the slot within which the joining bar is received and the height of the receiving recess being substantially equal to the height of the joining bar, said joining bar having at least one projection formed on a second side face thereof, opposite said first side face thereof, said at least one projection being receivable within at least one cooperating aperture or slot formed in said rear face of the cover strip when the cover strip is fitted over the joining bar to locate the cover strip over the joining bar and wherein said receiving recess in the rear face of the cover strip includes an outer lip adapted to be a snap fit over an end of the joining bar when said at least one projection of the joining bar is received within said at least one aperture or slot in the cover strip to retain the cover strip on the joining bar, such that the cover strip fits between the inner face of the respective side wall of the carcass and the rear face of the respective side member of the front frame to hide the joining bar.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A joint assembly for an in frame kitchen cabinet in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :Figure 1 is a perspective view of a front frame of an in frame kitchen cabinet showing the attachment of the joining bars thereto; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the attachment of the front frame to the carcass of the kitchen cabinet; Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the installation of screws to secure the front frame to the carcass; Figure 4 shows the installation of cover strips over the joining bars; Figure 5 is a sectional view of a side member of the front frame with a joining bar attached thereto; Figure 6 is a sectional view of the side member of Figure 5 with the front frame attached to the carcass of a kitchen cabinet; and Figures 7 and 8 are sectional views showing the attachment of a cover strip to the joining bar.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS An in frame kitchen cabinet incorporating a joint assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in the drawings. The kitchen cabinet comprises comprising a carcass having opposed side walls 2,4, a bottom wall 6, a top wall 8 and a back wall 10 and an open front, and a front frame to be affixed to the open front of the carcass for supporting at least one door therein, said front frame comprising opposed side members 20,22 arranged to abut outer faces of the side walls 2,4 of the carcass and upper and lower end members 24,26 arranged to abut outer faces of the bottom and top walls 6,8 of the carcass, said front frame being secured to said carcass via a joint assembly comprising a pair of joining bars 30,32 and cover strips 40,42.

Each joining bar 30,32 comprises an elongate plastic strip having first and second side edges, the first side edge 35 thereof being inserted into a respective slot 28 formed in a rear face of each side member 20,22 of the front frame, each slot 28 being spaced from and extending parallel to an outer edge of the respective side member 20,22 of the front frame, such that the joining bars 28 extends perpendicularly from the rear faces of the side member 20,22 of the front frame, as shown in Figure 2. At least the first side edge 35 of each joining bar 30,32 is preferably has a rounded or semi-circular profile to be received in a correspondingly shaped lip 48 of the respective cover strip 40,42, as described below in more detail. The joining bars may be formed from other materials, such as wood. However, plastic is preferred because the amount of moisture movement is halved as only one part of the joint assembly is timber and there is less risk of an inexperienced joiner/carpenter splitting the jointing bar. Splitting may occur in a wooden joining bar because the grain direction of the timber is typically along the longitudinal axis of the bar and an un-counter sunk screw may force a split parallel to the wood grain.

As shown in Figure 1, each joining bar 30,32 may be fixed in the slot 28 in a respective side member 20,22 of the front frame by means of a suitable adhesive .

Once the joining bars 30,32 have been glued into the slots 28 in the front frame, the front frame can be located against the open front of the carcass with the joining bars 30,32 abutting the inner faces of the side walls 2,4 of the carcass and, as shown in Figure 3. The front frame can then be secured to the carcass by inserting screws 34 into the side walls 2,4 through countersunk holes formed in the joining bars 30,32.

In order to hide the fastening screws 34 and the joining bars 30,32, cover strips 40,42 are applied over each joining bar 30,32, as shown in Figure 4 and in more detail in Figures 7 and 8. N Preferably each cover strip is formed from wood to blend in with the door and frame of the cabinet.

In order to locate each cover strip 40,42 over the respective joining bar 30,32, each cover strip 40,42 has a receiving recess 44 formed in a rear face thereof shaped to receive the portion of the respective joining bar 30,32 extending out of the receiving slot 28 in the respective side member 30,32 of the front frame.

Each receiving recess 44 includes an elongate slot 46 shaped to receive a locating rib 36 formed on an outer side of each joining bar 30,32 and a curved outer lip 48 adapted to fit over the curved outer side edge 35 of the respective joining bar 30,32 such that each cover strip 40,42 is a snap fit over the respective joining bar, requiring no additional fastening means to secure the cover strip 40,42 over the respective joining bar 30,32 and enabling the cover strips 40,42 to be snapped off and removed from the joining bars 30,32 should access to the screws 34 be required to facilitate removal of the front frame from the carcass of the cabinet. The shape of each lip portion 48 of the receiving recess 44 of each cover strip 40,32 may correspond to the shape of the outer side edge 35 of each joining bar 30,32 (e.g. have a curvature of approximately the same radius as one another).

Each cover strip 40,42 has an arcuate 50 outer surface adapted to define a smooth transition between side members 30,32 of the front frame and the side walls 2,4 of the carcass when the covers strips 40,42 are attached to the joining bars 30,32.

Because the cover strips 40,42 are adapted to be a tool-less snap fit over the joining bars 30,32 assembly of the cabinet is greatly facilitated and subsequent removal of the front frame and door from the carcass of the cabinet, if required, is made possible.

Preferably the cover strip locating rib 36 formed on the side of each joining bar 30,32 is located centrally on the respective joining bar 30,32, midway between the side edges thereof. Therefore it does not matter which side edge is located in the slot 28 in the respective side member 20,22 front frame as long at the rib 36 points inwardly with respect to the open front of the carcass, away from the side walls 2,4 thereof. The depth of the slot 28 formed in each side member 20,22 of the front frame and the height of the receiving recess 44 in each cover strip 40,42 are adapted to equal, in sum, the height (i.e. distance between the side edges) of each joining bar 30,32. Preferably the depth of each slot 28 is arranged to be approximately 1/3 of the height of each joining bar 30,32.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment described herein but can be amended or modified without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims (11)

1. A joint assembly for securing a front frame to a carcass of a kitchen cabinet, said joint assembly comprising at least one joining bar having a first side face arranged to abut an inner face of a respective side wall of the carcass when said joining bar is received in and extends from an elongate slot formed in a rear face of a respective side member of the front frame, said joining bar being securable to said respective side wail via fasteners extending therethrough, and a cover strip locatable over said at least one joining bar to cover the joining bar and the fasteners, wherein said cover strip is a snap fit over said joining bar to allow the cover strip to removeably secured to the joining bar.

2. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cover strip incorporates a receiving recess in a rear face thereof shaped to receive said joining bar therein when the cover strip is located over the joining bar.

3. An assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein said joining bar has at least one projection formed on a second side face thereof, opposite said first side face thereof, said at least one projection being receivable within at least one cooperating aperture or slot formed in said rear face of the cover strip when the cover strip is fitted over the joining bar to locate the cover strip over the joining bar.

4. An assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein said receiving recess in the rear face of the cover strip includes an outer lip adapted to be a snap fit over an end of the joining bar when said at least one projection of the joining bar is received within said at least one aperture or slot in the cover strip to retain the cover strip on the joining bar.

5. An assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein an outer edge of the joining bar has a semi-circular cross section, said outer edge engaging the outer lip of the receiving recess of the cover strip to retain the cover strip on the joining bar.

6. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said fasteners comprise screws located in countersunk holes formed in the joining bar.

7. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said cover strip has an arcuate outer side face.

8. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said joining bar if formed from plastic and cover strip is formed from solid wood.

9. An in frame kitchen cabinet comprising a carcass having opposed side walls, a bottom wall, a top wall and a back wall and an open front, and a front frame to be affixed to the open front of the carcass for supporting at least one door therein, said front frame comprising opposed side members arranged to abut the side walls of the carcass and upper and lower end members arranged to abut the top and bottom walls of the carcass, said front frame being secured to said carcass via a joint assembly as claimed in any preceding claim.

10. A cabinet as claimed in claim 9, wherein a respective joining bar is located in a respective elongate slot formed in a rear face of each side member of the front frame, said slot being spaced from and extending parallel to an outer edge of the respective side member of the front frame, each of said joining bars having a first side face arranged to abut an inner face of a respective one of said side walls of the carcass, said joining bar being secured to said respective one of said side walls via fasteners extending therethrough to secure the front frame to the carcass, a respective cover strip being located over each joining bar to cover the joining bar and the fasteners, wherein each cover strip is a snap fit over the respective joining bar to allow the respective cover strip to removeably secured to the joining bar.

11. A cabinet as claimed in claim 10, wherein said cover strip incorporates a receiving recess in a rear face thereof shaped to receive said joining bar therein when the cover strip is located over the joining bar, the sum of the depth of the slot within which the joining bar is received and the height of the receiving recess being substantially equal to the height of the joining bar, said joining bar having at least one projection formed on a second side face thereof, opposite said first side face thereof, said at least one projection being receivable within at least one cooperating aperture or slot formed in said rear face of the cover strip when the cover strip is fitted over the joining bar to locate the cover strip over the joining bar and wherein said receiving recess in the rear face of the cover strip includes an outer lip adapted to be a snap fit over an end of the joining bar when said at least one projection of the joining bar is received within said at least one aperture or slot in the cover strip 5 to retain the cover strip on the joining bar, such that the cover strip fits between the inner face of the respective side wall of the carcass and the rear face of the respective side member of the front frame to hide the joining bar.