WO2004008912A1

WO2004008912A1 - Cabinets

Info

Publication number: WO2004008912A1
Application number: PCT/GB2003/003163
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mark Anthony Stott; Frank Royden Stott
Original assignee: Spaceace Limited
Priority date: 2002-07-24
Filing date: 2003-07-24
Publication date: 2004-01-29
Also published as: AU2003246952A1; GB0503752D0; GB0217121D0; GB2407253A; GB2407253B

Abstract

A domestic floor-standing cabinet includes a unit (3) of shelves (4 - 7) located one above the other. The shelf unit (3) is moveable up and down within the cabinet casing (1) for bringing the shelves (4 to 7) into the region of an aperture (8) at a height accessible by a person who exercises limited reach. The cabinet includes a motorised scissor lift mechanism (120) for moving the shelf unit (3) up or down to locate one or more of the shelves (4 to 7) in said region for ready access by the user. The cabinet includes a pair of independently movable hinged shelves (20), moveable between a raised position thereby forming a work-surface and a stowed position. The cabinet includes a safety mechanism (18, 19) that cuts out the motor (14) in the event of overload or of detection of an object in a position likely to cause damage to the object of a part of the cabinet.

Description

Cabinets

This invention relates to cabinets. In particular, but not exclusively, the invention relates to cabinets for use in a domestic environment by a person who exercises limited reach.

Certain people, including the elderly, the young and the disabled, are limited to the extent to which they are able to reach. Conventional domestic furniture designed for use by able-bodied adults can therefore be inconvenient for use by such people.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a floor-standing cabinet, wherein the cabinet includes a plurality of shelves which are located one above the other in a shelf unit that is moveable up and down within an external casing of the cabinet for bringing the shelves in turn into a region of user-accessibility defined by height above the floor-level, the external casing has an aperture therein to give external access for the user through the casing to whichever of the shelves is within said region, and wherein the cabinet includes means that is operable for moving the unit selectively in one sense or the other to locate a selected one or more of the shelves in said region.

The cabinet of the invention is of particular advantage in providing shelf-storage of items and ready access to them as desired, in a domestic, or office or other business context. More especially, the user may be limited by need, safety or preference in the extent to which they can, may or are willing to stretch in reaching up or down to gain access to stored- items, and with the cabinet of the invention the shelves can be readily brought to a region defined by height above the floor-level, appropriate to that limit.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided floor-standing cabinet including an external casing and a shelf unit including a plurality of shelves, which are located one above the other in the shelf unit, the cabinet being suitable for use in a domestic setting by a person who exercises limited reach, wherein the shelf unit is moveable up and down within the external casing for bringing the shelves in turn into a region of user-accessibility defined by height above the floor-level, the external casing has an aperture therein to give access from the exterior of the casing, through the casing and to whichever of the shelves is within said region, the cabinet includes means that is operable for moving the shelf unit selectively in one sense or the other to locate a selected one or more of the shelves in said region.

Optional features relating to the cabinet according to either aspect of the invention defined above will now be described.

The cabinet may of course be suitable for use by able bodied adults in addition to being suitable for use by a person who exercises limited reach. "Such usage has the advantage for such adults that the user is not required to exercise extended reach.

The cabinet advantageously includes a plurality of independently movable parts, each part being moveable between i) a first position in which the part forms at least part of a work-surface and ii) a second, stored, position. The parts are for example arranged such that the work surface is arranged to be at a height in the region of the bottom of the aperture. The movable parts are preferably mounted for rotational movement about a pivot axis, preferably about the same axis. Each movable part may for example be mounted for rotation about a hinge.

Preferably the movable parts are movable in such a way that the height of the work surface may be adjusted, providing such work surfaces may allow the user to place items on the work surface (s), to work on the work surface (s) and to fold away the work surface (s) when not required. The movable parts are preferably mounted side by side. Preferably, the work surface provided by one of the movable parts is at the same height as the work surface provided by another of the movable parts. The parts are advantageously so arranged that when one movable part is folded out of the way and another movable part is in the position to provide a work surface, a wheelchair user can approach the cabinet and use both the work surface and gain access to the aperture without the cabinet or the work surface interfering with the user, the wheelchair or the wheelchair footrests. Having a plurality of movable parts enables the cabinet and work surface to be configured to allow the user to approach and access the cabinet in this way from either side. The movable parts are preferably so arranged that when in the first position the work surface is able to support the upper limbs (including the arms for example) and part of the weight of the upper body of a user positioned in a seated position, for example in a wheelchair. Such support can aid the user whilst leaning forward to store items in, or to retrieve items from, the cabinet. The movement of the movable parts from one position to another may be mechanically assisted, for example by means of pneumatic means, hydraulic means or a resilient means.

Preferably, the cabinet includes brackets mounted for movement between a stored position and a stable position in which the bracket at least partially supports one of the movable parts in its first position. The brackets may be so arranged so that on movement of one of the movable parts from its second position to its first position, the bracket is caused to move from its stored position to its stable position. Either of the movable parts is preferably readily raised and lowered by an adult in a seated position. Preferably, each bracket is so arranged that once moved to its stable position the user is required to release the bracket before the movable part can be moved from the position in which it forms a work surface. For example, each bracket may include a catch that secures the bracket in the stable position which needs to be released in order to move the bracket from its stable position. The movement of the brackets from one position to another may be mechanically assisted, for example by means of pneumatic means, hydraulic means or a resilient means. The brackets may for example be sprung.

Preferably, a portion of the cabinet below the aperture forms a recess. The recess is preferably on the same side of the cabinet as the aperture. Such a recess may assist in allowing access to the cabinet by, for example, wheelchair users. In the case where the cabinet includes a plurality of movable parts for forming at least part of a work-surface the recess advantageously houses the movable parts when in their second, stored, position.

The means for moving the shelf unit may take any suitable form. For example, the means for moving may comprise counterweights and gearing mechanisms to enable the user to manually lift and lower the shelf unit. Preferably, however, the means for moving comprises a prime mover, such as an electric motor for example. The cabinet preferably includes a control unit that controls movement of the prime mover. The control unit is preferably arranged to receive information, for example in the form of one or more electronic signals, from which the control unit can detect the presence of an object in a region in which there is a risk of injury to a user of the cabinet as a result of the movement of the shelf unit. The control unit is also preferably so arranged that, in use, movement of the shelf unit is prevented in the event that the information (for example the absence of an electronic signal) received by the control unit indicates the presence of an object. The cabinet preferably includes a multiplicity of pairs of sources and detectors of electromagnetic radiation, the radiation from each source of a pair to each detector of the pair crossing the aperture, the control unit being connected to the detectors and arranged such that movement of the shelf unit is prevented if radiation from a source of such a pair fails to be detected by the detector of the pair. If radiation from a source of a pair fails to be detected by the detector of the pair, the control unit assumes that a foreign object, blocking the radiation, has been detected. The control unit may also be connected to and control the sources . Thus the control unit is able to reduce the risk of injury to the user, such as trapping a finger, when the shelf unit is being driven by the prime mover under the control of the control unit. In use, the multiplicity of pairs of sources and detectors of electromagnetic radiation may be considered as forming a "curtain" of radiation.

Preferably the cabinet is arranged such that it is moveable between extreme positions, wherein in its uppermost position the bottom of the shelf unit remains below the bottom of the aperture and wherein in its lowermost position the top of the shelf unit remains above the top of the aperture. Arranging the shelf unit and aperture in this way further reduces the chance of injury to the user as a result of the movement of the shelf unit across the aperture. Preferably, at least some of the shelves in the shelf unit are set back from the part of the cabinet that defines the aperture. In this way the likelihood of injury may further be reduced. At least some of the shelves in the shelf unit may be set back from the part of the cabinet that defines the aperture by a distance of at least 25mm. Preferably, the surfaces, if any, of the shelf unit that face the aperture are aligned with, are directly adjacent to and move parallel with the interior surface of the wall of the cabinet in which the aperture is defined (said interior surface preferably being flat and vertical) . Preferably, in the region of user-accessibility, the average distance between such a surface of the shelf unit and the interior surface of the cabinet wall is less than 8mm, and is more preferably less than 5mm. Vertical and/or horizontal walls of the shelf unit may for example be positioned close to the inner front wall of the cabinet. Having such close tolerances between the moving shelf unit and the cabinet wall helps reduce the possibility of insertion and entrapment of the user's fingers. Having such close tolerances between the moving shelf unit and the cabinet wall may also reduce the chance of items being dropped between the gap between the shelf unit and the interior walls of the cabinet. In case where a curtain of radiation is provided as a safety mechanism, the curtain may be aligned to monitor a planar region across the aperture, the plane of the planar region being disposed between the gap (which may only be of the order of millimetre wide) between the surfaces of the shelf unit facing the aperture and the interior surface of the wall of the cabinet in which the aperture is defined.

The control unit may be arranged such that movement of the shelf unit is prevented by means of appropriate electronic signalling between the control unit and the prime mover. For example, the control unit may send a "stop" signal to the prime mover or may simply cease sending of a "go" signal.

The configuration of the sources and detectors is preferably sensitive enough to detect a child' s finger being inserted at any point within a substantial portion of the region monitored by the arrangement.

The control unit may be arranged to activate a warning means, for example in the form of a means that can be sensed by the user by means of sight, hearing and/or touch, in the event that the control unit detects the presence of an object, in addition to stopping the movement of the shelf unit. Preferably, the warning means is such that the warning can be sensed with all of sight, hearing and touch. The control unit is preferably arranged to sound an audible warning alarm, for example in the form of a bell or a buzzer, in the event that the control unit detects the presence of an object. The control unit is preferably arranged to activate a visible warning alarm, for example in the form of a flashing light, in the event that the control unit detects the presence of an object. The control unit is preferably arranged to activate a moving part, for example in the form of a pivoting arm, which touches the user in a safe manner to alert the user to the fact that the control unit has detected the presence of an object .

It is preferred that the control unit requires a non-zero signal from the detector paired with each source in order for the control unit to decide that the radiation from the source to the detector has not been blocked by an object.

The sources are preferably configured to emit radiation of wavelengths predominantly in the infra-red spectrum. The range of wavelengths of radiation emitted by the source may for example range from 900 to 950nm. The sources are preferably in the form of light emitting diode devices (LEDs) .

The cabinet is preferably provided with a load sensor that provides the control unit with a signal dependent on the load supported by the shelf unit. The control unit is advantageously arranged such that movement of the shelf unit is prevented if the signal from the load sensor indicates that the load is greater than a predetermined threshold. Also, in the event that the signal from the load sensor indicates that the load is greater than a predetermined threshold, the control unit may activate a warning means, for example in the form of a means that can be sensed by the user by means of sight, hearing and/or touch. Features of the warning means described above, which is activated on detection of an object, may be incorporated into this overload warning system. One warning system may act as both the object detection warning system and the overload warning system. It is preferred however that the alarm (s) activated on detection of an object are distinguishable by the user from the alarm(s) activated on overloading .

In either the above case, the control unit preferably continues to prevent movement of the shelf unit until the hazard is removed (whether that be a foreign object such as a finger or overloading of a shelf.

Preferably the control unit requires a signal from a device activated by the user in order for the control unit to cause the prime mover to move the shelf unit. Preferably, the arrangement is such that the user is required to operate the device for as long as the prime mover is to be operated at full speed. The device may be a button or sprung switch or the like. The device may be in the form of a remote control device that communicates with the control unit "wirelessly" (for example by means of infra-red) . Thus as soon as the user ceases to operate the device (for example by releasing the button that forms the device) , the control unit will automatically cause the shelf unit to stop moving. Injury caused by movement of the shelf unit at a time when the user loses consciousness (or loses full control of their body) may thereby be reduced.

The control unit may be in the form of a microprocessor. For example, the microprocessor may be in the form of a bespoke chip or in the form of a suitably programmed pre- programmable chip.

The shelves in the shelf unit need not be flat or elongate. The shelves could for example be in the form of open, or closable, compartments. The shelf unit itself may comprise a shell in the shape of a box having one open face, the open face being coplanar with and next to the aperture. The cabinet itself may be generally box-shaped. The shelves may comprise or consist of fittings that are specially shaped for holding particular articles, such as for example plate holders, CD holders, shelf dividers and the like. Such fittings may be provided to reduce the chance of items falling over whilst the shelving unit is in motion.

The cabinet may include shelves that are mounted for movement out from the cabinet through the aperture . Such shelves may for example be mounted for movement in a direction parallel to the normal of the plane on which the aperture lies. Such shelves increase the accessibility and functionality of the cabinet. The cabinet may however be so arranged that in order for a user of the cabinet to access the shelves in the cabinet the user is required to reach through the aperture. The cabinet is preferably so arranged that the user is required to ensure that all shelves that are mounted for movement out of the cabinet via the aperture are fully retracted before the shelf unit is moved up or down within the cabinet. For example, in the case where the cabinet includes a prime mover for driving movement of the shelf unit and the cabinet includes means for detecting the presence of an object in the region of the aperture, the prime mover may be prevented from operating in the event that a shelf protrudes through the aperture.

Preferably, the cabinet is configured so that the aperture is large enough that a user may access shelves and objects stored on such shelves within the cabinet. The shelves may be wider than the aperture. The cabinet is advantageously so arranged that shelves of the shelf unit that are not located in the region of user-accessibility are housed within the cabinet. The cabinet may for example include a hollow base for that purpose. The cabinet may additionally or alternatively include a hollow top for that purpose. At least two of the shelves are preferably spaced apart by a distance that is less than the height of the aperture. As such more than one shelf may be accessible by the user at any one time. The shelves may include one or more shelves that are shorter in width than other shelves. Such narrower shelves may allow items of different heights to be stored efficiently. The shelves may include one or more removably mounted shelves. The shelf unit may include means to allow the position of the shelves in the shelf unit to be altered.

Advantageously, the cabinet is so arranged that the order of the shelves in the cabinet remains unchanged during normal operation. In such a case, the uppermost and lowermost shelves will remain as such during normal operation. The cabinet may therefore be relatively simple in design and may for example only require that the shelf unit be movable linearly along a single axis. Also, the footprint of the cabinet may be much shallower than the footprint of a paternoster style cabinet having shelves of the same size but mounted for movement around a circumferential path, such that the uppermost shelf could be moved to be the lowermost shelf.

Advantageously, the means for moving the shelf unit up and down within the casing is arranged between the shelf unit and the bottom of the cabinet. The means for moving the shelf unit up and down within the casing may therefore be mounted to move the shelf unit without requiring the side walls of the cabinet to support any significant proportion of the load of the weight of the shelf unit and its contents. Preferably, the side walls of the cabinet support less than 10% of the weight, and more preferably substantially none of the weight, of the shelf unit and its contents. The means for moving the shelf unit up and down within the cabinet is preferably arranged to move the shelf unit such that the weight of the shelf unit and its contents is transmitted entirely downwards. Of course, the load may be transmitted downwards via several load bearing supports and in several different downwards directions .

The means for moving the shelf unit up and down within the casing preferably includes a linear actuator that drives the shelf unit in order to move the shelf unit upwards. The linear actuator could but need not be a prime mover. Preferably, the linear actuator is driven by a prime mover via a gearing mechanism, such as for example one or more worm wheels. The linear actuator may need to contract in order to move the shelf unit upwards .

The shelf unit may be held in position by means of a separate braking system. Preferably, the shelf unit is held in position by means of friction in the means for moving the shelf unit. Utilising such frictional forces renders the provision of separate braking means unnecessary. Preferably, the frictional force is great enough to prevent slippage of the shelf unit downwards even if fully laden with heavy goods.

The means for moving the shelf unit may include at least one gearing mechanism that converts rotational movement about one axis into rotational movement about a transverse axis. Such a gearing mechanism may for example be in the form of a worm wheel, a screw drive or the like. The shelf unit may in such a case be held in position by means of friction at least partly provided by the gearing mechanism.

The cabinet is preferably so arranged that in use the bottom of the means for moving the shelf unit rests directly on the surface, for example the floor, on which the cabinet is positioned. The bottom of the means for moving the shelf unit may be in the form of a plate that spreads at least some of the load on the ground. The cabinet need not therefore be provided with a separate base. Such a design facilitates safe and secure installation of the cabinet in a domestic application, in that the means for moving the shelf unit may be fixed and secured directly to the floor. Advantageously, the means for moving the shelf unit includes a scissor lift mechanism that in use guides movement of the shelf unit up and down within the casing. The provision of a scissor lift mechanism enables the means for moving to be arranged between the shelf unit and the ground. Also, the provision of a scissor lift mechanism also facilitates controlled movement of the shelf unit in a single linear direction and for example renders the guide means for guiding such movement unnecessary. The means for moving the shelf unit is preferably connected to drive the scissor lift mechanism. The means for moving preferably includes a crank mechanism that is arranged so that, when the scissor lift mechanism is in its lowermost position, it converts a generally horizontal driving force into a generally vertical driving force that drives the scissor lift mechanism to move the shelf unit upwards. As such, the scissor lift mechanism may be extended readily by a drive means that need not be arranged vertically even when the scissor lift mechanism is in a collapsed (or closed) state. The crank may include a cam mechanism, which includes a cam surface, for example a wheel, which moves along and follows the line of an arm of the scissor mechanism.

The use of a scissor mechanism mounted at the base advantageously provides a relatively low collapsed height for the means for moving the shelf unit and thus allows the shelf unit to move to a position relatively close to the ground. The scissor lifting mechanism is preferably driven with a driving force that, in use, changes direction relative to the cabinet as the shelf unit moves upwards. Thus, the direction of the driving force may be varied to provide a mechanical advantage. The scissor lift mechanism is preferably so arranged that when in its lowermost position the mechanism is fully collapsed, for example with the arms being spaced apart in the vertical direction by a distance about equal to or less than thickness in the vertical direction of the arm. The scissor lift mechanism may be arranged so that when collapsed the arms of the scissor mechanism may lie one on top of another. The feature of the scissor lift mechanism being fully collapsed when the shelf unit is in its lowermost position increases the available space in the cabinet above the moving means which the shelf unit may occupy and move in.

The means for moving the shelf unit is preferably arranged such that during normal operation a change in the speed of the shelf unit is caused gradually. For example, the means for moving the shelf unit is preferably arranged such that during normal operation there are no quick starts or jolts that would be likely to disturb the contents of the shelf unit and/or make it difficult for the user to accurately position the shelf unit as desired. Of course, the means for moving may still be arranged to halt movement of the shelf unit suddenly in the case where the cabinet includes a means of reducing the risk of injury by the moving shelf unit. In the case where the means for moving includes a scissor mechanism the lifting of the shelf unit as the scissor mechanism moves from its fully collapsed state might without adequate control include relatively sudden changes in speed.

There may be a time delay between the user initiating operation of the means for moving and movement of the shelf unit. In the case where the means for moving includes a motor, the motor may be arranged such that the speed increases gradually from zero. The cabinet may also be arranged such that in the event that the user switches from operating the means for moving to move the shelf unit in one direction (say, upwards) to operating the means for moving to move the shelf unit in the opposite direction (say, downwards) the motor is allowed to slow down gradually to zero before gradually increasing speed in the opposite direction. There may for example be an inbuilt time delay, of the order of seconds, that prevents the immediate reversal of direction. For example the delay between moving at full speed in one direction and moving at full speed in the opposite direction may be about 3.5 seconds.

The cabinet may be arranged to be free standing. Such a free standing cabinet may include an anti-topple device, such as a tie for connecting to a wall . The cabinet may be arranged to be incorporated into a standard work surface as part of an overall integrated arrangement of furniture in a room in a house, for example in a kitchen. The cabinet has particular application as a corner solution in a kitchen or other setting where storage is required.

The cabinet may include one or more outer panels. The exterior of the cabinet may for example be faced by means of panels. Such panels may be decorative. The facing panels may be removably mounted. For example, the removable panels may be chosen to match the decor of the environment in which the cabinet is to be located. The cabinet may include one or more panels that are removable for other reasons. Preferably the cabinet is so arranged that during normal operation the internal workings of the cabinet are protected from access by means of panels. For example all hazardous electrical parts may be covered by such panels. The cabinet may be so arranged that no hazardous moving machinery of the cabinet is exposed, apart from in the immediate vicinity of the aperture. The removable panels may include one or more panels, for example at the front of the cabinet, which may be removed to permit access to the complete storage space in the event that the shelf unit is unable to be moved. The removable panels may include one or more recovery and/or cleaning panels, for example at the bottom front of the cabinet, to facilitate cleaning under the cabinet and/or to recover any items, such as slips of paper, that may slip under or into the lower region of the cabinet, either from the internal shelves or from exterior of the cabinet.

In the case where the cabinet requires electric power for operation the cabinet is preferably arranged to be powered by mains electricity. In such a case, the cabinet may include lighting that is also powered by the mains electricity. The cabinet may include sockets connected to the power supply to the cabinet to allow the user the facility to operate other devices by plugging them into the sockets. A battery back up may be provided to facilitate some temporary use during a power outage.

There may be provided a shutter for closing the aperture. Such a shutter may allow the user to "put away" the shelf contents by neatly closing the aperture when the cabinet is not in use. The shutter may be in the form of a slatted sideways moving tambour door. The shutter may be in the form of a power assisted moving panel. The shutter may be formed by means of a part of the cabinet that is able in a different position to form at least a part of a work surface. The shutter may be arranged to move from a position in which it covers the aperture, via a position immediately in front of, but spaced apart from, that covering position, to a position in which the aperture is open. For example, the shutter may move from its covering position in a direction generally transverse to the plane of the aperture before moving in a direction that is generally parallel to the plane of the aperture towards a position in which it would leave the aperture fully open. The movement of the shutter from one position to another may be mechanically assisted, for example by means of pneumatic means, hydraulic means or a resilient means . The shutter may be configured and ornamented in order to fit in with a particular decorative scheme.

The cabinet is preferably so arranged that it may readily be taken apart. Parts of the cabinet are preferably fixed together by means of reusable fixings. Whilst reusable fixings are more costly than single-use fixings, such reusable fixings allow the cabinet to be taken apart and reinstalled in a different location. Also, the use of reusable fittings facilitates maintenance and repair of the cabinet.

The cabinet may include more than one aperture. In the case where there are a plurality of apertures, the same shelf unit may be accessible from more than one aperture. Alternatively, or additionally, different apertures may provide access to different shelf units. As such there may be more than one shelf unit. A plurality of shelf units may be moved by a single means for moving. A single control unit may be provided to operate and control the cabinet, for example including control of the movement of the one or more shelf units. The apertures may be provided on different sides of the cabinet. Each aperture and/or each shelf unit may include any of the features described with reference to the aperture and shelf unit, respectively, of the invention described herein .

The cabinets of the invention described above are advantageously suitable for use in a domestic setting by a person who exercises limited reach. The present invention may have application where such a feature is not necessary. As such there is also provided a floor-standing cabinet including an external casing and a shelf unit including a plurality of shelves, which are located one above the other in the shelf unit, wherein the shelf unit is moveable up and down within the external casing for bringing the shelves in turn into a region of user- accessibility defined by height above the floor-level, the external casing has an aperture therein to give access from the exterior of the casing, through the casing and to whichever of the shelves is within said region, the cabinet includes means that is operable for moving the shelf unit selectively in one sense or the other to locate a selected one or more of the shelves in said region.

The present invention also provides a cabinet installed in domestic setting, such as for example a dwelling. The cabinet may be fixed to the floor. Preferably, the cabinet is directly fixed to the floor by means of bolts, screws or the like. The cabinet may alternatively or additionally be fixed to a wall, for example by means of a tie or a stability bracket. The cabinet has particular application for installation in a kitchen.

According to the present invention there is also provided an installation kit including a cabinet and fixings to enable the cabinet to be installed in a domestic setting, the cabinet and fixings being so configured to allow the cabinet to be fixed to the floor of the domestic setting.

By way of example, embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings of which:

Figures 1 and 2 are a front and a sectional side elevation respectively, of a cabinet according to a first embodiment of the invention, with parts of the cabinet broken away in Figure 1 to reveal underlying detail;

Figure 3 is a sectional elevation taken on the line III-III of Figure 2, of the cabinet;

Figure 4 is sectional plan view taken on the line IV-IV of

Figure 3, of part of the cabinet;

Figures 5 and 6 are sectional front and side elevations respectively, of a cabinet according to a second embodiment of the invention;

Figure 7 is a sectional plan view taken on the line VII-VII of Figure 6, of part of the cabinet; Figure 8 shows a cabinet according to a third embodiment of the invention; and Figures 9a and 9b are perspective views of a scissor lift mechanism used in the third embodiment.

The cabinets to be described are for installation in a domestic setting (for example in a domestic living-room or kitchen), or in a business setting (for example in an office or a pharmacy) to stand on the floor of the room where required and facilitate ready access to items stored on vertically-spaced shelving of the cabinet, without requiring the user to exercise extended reach. The cabinet in each case may be supplied as a kit of parts for assembly into a freestanding unit or into a unit for integration into fitted furniture .

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the first cabinet has an elongate, rectangular casing 1 of timber, plastics or metal, and is installed in a domestic kitchen or other room, to stand upright on the floor 2 and extend up to, or nearly up to, the ceiling. Shelving for storage of items within the cabinet is provided by an open-fronted unit 3 within the casing 1, the unit 3 in this example providing four shelves 4 to 7. The three shelves 4 to 6 are boards or panels mounted within the unit 3 one above the other, whereas the bottom-panel of the unit 3 itself, defines the shelf 7.

The shelf unit 3 is moveable up and down within the casing 1 to vary the location of the shelves 4 to 7 with respect to an aperture 8 in a front wall 9 of the casing 1; the unit 3 is shown in full-line in its uppermost position in Figures 1 and 2, and in chain-dotted outline in its lowermost position in Figure 2. The movement is guided by two vertical, laterally- spaced rods 10 that, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, are attached to the back wall 11 of the casing 1 by brackets 12. Two brackets 13 on the back of the unit 3 incorporate bearings that slide coaxially on the rods 10, to guide and steady the unit 3 as it moves up and down.

Drive for moving the unit 3 up and down is provided by an electric cable-winding motor 14 (including gearbox and winding drum) that is powered from the electrical mains supply and is mounted at the top of the casing 1. The motor 14 raises or lowers the unit 3 by winding in or out, a cable 15 that runs through a pulley 16 on the unit 3, energisation of the motor 14 for this purpose being controlled by a manually-operable lever (not shown) mounted externally on the front wall 9 (or a side wall) of the casing 1. The manually-operable lever may provide, in addition to control over the sense of movement, regulation of the speed of movement, or, if incorporated with a control system for positioning the shelf unit 3, can select the shelves (or shelf) that are to be brought into ready access through the aperture 8. The cabinet may be arranged such that on the request of a user the control unit causes a selected shelf to be moved into the area of user- accessibility.

The cabinet described is designed for use by a person who exercises limited reach, and in this respect, for example, is for use by a person who can readily and acceptably reach into and utilise the two shelves at the bottom of the aperture 8, only. When the unit 3 is in its uppermost position the shelves 6 and 7 are accordingly within that reach, whereas it is the shelves 4 and 5 that are accessible for use when the unit 3 is in its lowermost position. In the intermediate position between these two extremes, the shelves 5 and 6 are accessible. Thus, by operating the manually-operable lever appropriately, the user can bring any of the shelves 4 to 7 within reach.

A roller shutter 17 is provided to enable the aperture "8 to be closed or partially closed (it is shown partially closed in Figures 1 and 2) ; opening and closing of the shutter 17 may be effected under manual power (possibly mechanically assisted) and control or under electrical power and control. Furthermore, a safety curtain of infra-red beams is established across the aperture 8 by transmitters 18 and receivers 19, to interrupt power supply to the winding-motor 14 and any motor controlling the shutter 16, while the user's hand for example, or anything else is entered through aperture 8. Power may also be interrupted in the event that one or more sensors (not shown) detect overloading or out-of-balance of the shelf unit 3, and mechanical or other limiting devices may be included to block overrun of the unit 3 upwardly or downwardly. Furthermore, the motor-control circuitry may include provision for smooth starting and stopping of the shelf unit 3 to avoid abrupt changes.

Two independently-hinged parts 20 of a work-surface are mounted on the front wall 9 of the cabinet, at the bottom of the aperture 8; one part 20 is shown deployed for use, whereas the other part 20 is shown dropped down, in Figure 1. The ability to split the work-surface in this way is of advantage in allowing wheel-chair users angled access to the aperture 8 whilst preserving the facility (albeit of only a part) of the work-surface .

The facility of a work-surface may be combined with that of closing the aperture 8, simply by replacing the shutter 17 with a flap (split or otherwise) which is hinged upwardly to cover the aperture 8 while the cabinet is not in use, but which is hinged down to form the work-surface when the cabinet is to be brought back into use.

Although the task of raising and lowering the shelf unit 3 is carried out in the above example by drive from the motor 14 located at the top of the cabinet, it may alternatively be located at the bottom. Moreover, assistance with the task can be obtained by the addition of a counter-balancing system, and where such a system is included, the task may even be carried out solely manually. Also, instead of using the winding in and out of a cable to raise and lower the unit 3, a wire or other strap, a belt or a chain may be used in place of the cable, and the winding arrangement as a whole may be replaced by a rack-and-pinion or screwed-rod drive. The drive may also, as an alternative, be achieved using an electrical linear motor or a hydraulic or pneumatic system, and as another alternative the drive-motor might be located on the shelf unit itself. Where electrical power is used this may be from a 12 or 24 volt re-chargeable battery supply, rather than directly from the mains supply system.

As described above, control of movement of the shelf unit 3 is effected via a manually-operable lever, but means other than a lever may be used. For example, control may be effected through push-buttons which are mounted on the cabinet or which are part of a remote-control handset that is coupled by infra-red or other electromagnetic-wave communication with an electronic controller in the cabinet.

Guiding and steadying of the shelf unit 3 is obtained in the example of cabinet described above, by means of the rods 10 on which the brackets 13 slide, mounted on the back wall 11 of the casing 1. The rods 10 may be mounted on the side walls 20 of the casing 1 instead of the back wall 11, and in this case the brackets would then be mounted on the sides of the unit 3 rather than its back. Instead of mounting the rods 10 on either the back wall 11 or the side walls 20, they may be mounted on a frame within the casing 1.

Provision is made for easy removal of panels of the casing of the cabinet so as to enable recovery of any item (or creature) from within; it may be arranged that operation of the cabinet is inhibited in the event of removal of a certain one or more of the panels.

A cabinet in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention, which has the same facilities as the first cabinet described, but incorporates an alternative to the use of rods and associated brackets for guiding and steadying the shelf unit, is illustrated in Figures 5 to 7 and will now be described.

Referring to Figures 5 and 6, the shelf unit 23 in this case (shown without shelves) is moved up and down by use of an electrical winding motor 24 to wind two cables 25 in and out together. The cables 25 are secured to the two opposite side- walls 26 respectively of the unit 23, mid-way down and towards the rear of the unit 23. The consequent tendency for the unit 23 to tip is counteracted by engagement of two wheels 27 and 28 on each side-wall 26 with a vertical rail 29. The wheels 27 and 28 are located at the top and bottom respectively of the side-wall 26 and run on opposite sides of the rail 29; Figure 7 illustrates the wheel 28 running on the outside of the rail 29.

A cabinet in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to Figures 8 to 9b. This third embodiment retains many features of the first embodiment and as such only the features that are different in this third embodiment will be described in detail .

Figure 8 shows the cabinet 101 of the third embodiment, the cabinet 101 comprising a shelf unit which carries compartments 102a to 102c movable up and down within the cabinet 101. The compartments 102 are driven by a motor 104 that is controlled by a control unit 105. The user is able to cause the control unit 105 to direct the motor 104 to drive the compartments 102 up or down so as to cause a given compartment 102 to be accessible through an aperture 103 in the cabinet 101. The positioning of the compartments 102 relative to the aperture 103 is such that when a compartment 102 moves past the frame of the cabinet 101 defining the aperture 103 there is little or no gap between the frame and the front edges of the compartment 102. Thus there is a potential risk that a user of the cabinet 101 could be injured if for example his/her finger were caught in between a moving compartment and the adjacent frame of the cabinet 101 defining the aperture 103. In a manner similar to the first embodiment there is provided a safety mechanism including a light curtain that allows a region to be monitored for the presence of an object .

With reference to Figure 8, the safety mechanism comprises a linear arrangement 106 of infra-red LEDs positioned along and adjacent to one vertical side of the aperture 103 and a linear arrangement 107 of infra-red photo-diode sensors positioned along and adjacent to the opposite vertical side of the aperture 103. The control unit 105 controls the emission of infra-red light from the LEDs to the sensors and detects the presence of an object in the region of the aperture 103 by monitoring to check whether radiation from an LED is prevented from reaching a photodiode sensor. In the event that the control unit 105 decides that a foreign object has been detected the control unit 105 causes the motor 104 driving the compartments 102 to stop their movement.

When the control unit 105 detects the presence of an object it not only prevents movement of the motor 104 and the shutter (not shown in Figure 8), but also alerts the user to danger by activating alarms (not shown) that can be sensed by the user by sight, hearing and touch. The alarms include an audible alarm in the form of a ringing bell, a visual alarm in the form of a flashing light and an alarm in the form of an arm that is arranged to pop up and gently touch the user.

The control unit 105 is also connected to a sensor that detects the load on the shelf unit. If the load is greater than a preset threshold, the control unit detects that the cabinet is overloaded and prevents movement of the motor 104. The control unit 105 also alerts the user to danger by activating alarms (not shown) that can be sensed by the user by sight, hearing and touch as described above.

The shelf unit of the third embodiment is provided with a driven scissor lift mechanism and as such is driven differently from the first embodiment. The scissor lift mechanism is housed between the shelf unit and the floor, the base of the scissor mechanism forming the base of the cabinet. The scissor lift mechanism 120 and associated motor 121 are shown in perspective in Figures 11a and lib and is described in further detail below.

The scissor lift mechanism 120 includes a base 122, which is fixed to the floor. The base 122 has adjustable feet to accommodate any unevenness in the floor. The scissor lift mechanism 120 also includes an upper support surface 123 onto which the shelf unit (not shown) is fixed and a pair of spaced apart parallel scissor mechanisms 124 linking the base 122 to the upper support surface 123, so that the upper support surface 123 is movable up and down whilst remaining parallel to the base 122. The scissor mechanisms 124 are each in the form of a standard scissor mechanism, each comprising four pivotally mounted arms 125. With reference to Figure 11a, the lowermost arms 125a on the left hand side are provided with wheels 126 that run along the upper surface of the base 122. Similarly, the uppermost arms 125b on the left hand side are provided with wheels 127 that run along the lower surface of the upper support surface 123.

On the base plate 122 there is pivotally mounted a linear actuator 128. The motor 121 is fixedly connected to the linear actuator 128, which in turn is pivotally connected to a pivoting cam plate 129 that has wheels 130 that follow and push against the arms 125 of the scissor lift mechanism 120. The cam plate 129 may be considered as being generally L- shaped when viewed from the side (viewed in a direction parallel with the axes of rotation of the wheels 130 of the cam plate) , the wheel 130 being mounted on one end of the L- shape, the linear actuator acting on the other end of the L- shape and the cam plate being pivotally mounted about an axis that is parallel to the wheel axis 130 and intersects the corner of the L-shape (see pivot 131) . As such the force from the linear actuator 128 is turned through an angle of about 90 degrees. The motor 121 rotates a worm wheel (not shown) the wheel meshing with a gear (not shown) mounted for rotation about an axis parallel with the length of the linear actuator 128. The gear rotates to drive a screw drive that causes the linear actuator 128 either to expand or contract.

The scissor lift mechanism 120 when in its lowermost position is fully collapsed so that there are no visible gaps between adjacent arms 125. From the fully collapsed position the scissor lift mechanism 120 may be raised by means of operating the motor 121 to contract the linear actuator 128 and pull the cam plate 129. The pulling force between the linear actuator 128 and the cam plate 129 is in a generally horizontal direction. The cam plate 129 is caused to pivot about its pivot axis (see pivot 131) in a clockwise direction (as viewed in Figure 11a) and as such the wheels 130 of the cam plate move upwards and urge the arms 125 of each scissor mechanism 124 apart. Such an arrangement allows the scissor lift mechanism 120 to collapse fully into a compact and relatively shallow size whilst overcoming problems that might arise with causing the scissor lift mechanism 120 to start lifting from its fully collapsed state. As the scissor lift mechanism 120 continues to be moved, the cam plate rotates and the cam wheel 130 moves along the arm 125 of the scissor mechanism 124 to cause the support platform 123 to rise. The cam plate 129 and its configuration allow the scissor lift mechanism 120 to be moved from a fully collapsed state to an open state (as shown in Figures 11a and lib) in a relatively smooth manner. The platform 123 may be raised without there being any great variation in speed once movement has been established. Once the support platform 123 has been lifted to the required level the motor is stopped. The friction inherent in the system (especially as a result of the double gearing provided by the screw drive and the worm wheel) allows the platform 123 to be held firmly in position without the need for a braking means . Moving the platform downwards can be accomplished by allowing the motor to turn in the opposite direction to that described above.

The scissor mechanism is robust and not prone to problems associated with the support platform 123 being unevenly loaded.

The cabinet of the third embodiment also includes a split level work surface comprising two independently-hinged parts 110. In Figure 8, the left-hand side part 110a is shown in its raised position where it forms a work-surface at the front of the cabinet 101, at the bottom of the aperture 8; and the right-hand side part 110b is shown in its stowed position. The front of the cabinet 101 is recessed (recess not shown) to accommodate the parts 110 when not in use. The recess also facilitates access to the front of the cabinet by a wheelchair user when the parts 110 are in the raised position. Sprung brackets 111 (shown schematically only) are provided, one side of the bracket being fixed to the cabinet wall, the other side of the bracket being fixed to the part 110, there being a cross member that is sprung to slide across the bracket when the hinged part 110 is being raised and to slot in position on the bracket once the part is in a fully raised

(horizontal position) . A button is provided that the user must press in order to disengage the bracket to allow the hinged part to be moved from its raised position to its stowed position. Once , he bracket has been disengaged (unslotted from position) the user may manually lower the hinged part

(the weight of the hinged part being sufficient to overcome the resilient force provided by the sprung cross member of the bracket) .

All precision parts are part of proprietary actuators that are cost effectively manufactured in high volumes for many different applications. These combine to provide a cabinet that is a commercially viable product with a wide range of applications and appeal. This is not the case for paternoster systems or other low volume high priced enabling equipment for, say, wheelchair users.

It will be appreciated that various modifications may be made to the above-described embodiment of the invention. By way of example, some such modifications will now be described.

It is important that there are adequate safeguards against injury resulting from use and installation of the cabinets described herein. Fundamentally, the cabinet should be stable and, where necessary, steps taken to secure it against toppling. The light curtain safety mechanisms described in connection with the cabinets of the first and third embodiments, respectively, provides two forms of safeguard that can be adopted, but other forms may be used in addition or instead. For example, instead of using a plurality of transmitters as in the first embodiment to give individual beams crossing the access aperture, a laser with reflectors to provide a single beam that criss-crosses the aperture, may be used to the same effect. Also, the cabinet may incorporate a passive infra-red or other movement detector arranged to inhibit drive to the shelf unit in the event that movement (for example, by a cat or other living creature) is detected within the cabinet itself.

The safety mechanism of the third embodiment may be somewhat more sophisticated than the safety curtain formed by the transmitters 18 and receivers 19 of the first embodiment. A safety mechanism, that may be of application in the third embodiment is described in a co-pending British patent application filed in the name of SpaceAce Limited on 24th July 2003 under reference number 9648GB, the contents of which British patent application being incorporated herein by reference thereto.

As a further alternative, the shelf unit may be guided and steadied by pegs, ball-bearings or wheels that run in channels. The pegs, ball-bearings or wheels may be carried by the shelf unit and the channels by the casing (or a frame within it), or vice versa , namely, with the pegs, ballbearings or wheels carried by the casing (or frame) and the channels carried by the shelf unit.

Claims

1. A floor-standing cabinet including an external casing and a shelf unit including a plurality of shelves, which are located one above the other in the shelf unit, the cabinet being suitable for use in a domestic setting by a person who exercises limited reach, wherein the shelf unit is moveable up and down within the external casing for bringing the shelves in turn into a region of user-accessibility defined by height above the floor-level, the external casing has an aperture therein to give access from the exterior of the casing, through the casing and to whichever of the shelves is within said region, the cabinet includes means that is operable for moving the shelf unit selectively in one sense or the other to locate a selected one or more of the shelves in said region.

2. A cabinet according to claim 1, wherein the cabinet includes a plurality of independently movable parts, each part being moveable between i) a first position in which the part forms at least part of a work-surface and ii) a second, stored, position.

3. A cabinet according to claim 2, wherein the cabinet includes brackets mounted for movement between a stored position and a stable position in which the bracket at least partially supports one of the movable parts in its first position .

4. A cabinet according to claim 3, wherein the brackets are arranged so that on movement of one of the movable part from its second position to its first position, the bracket is caused to move from its stored position to its stable position .

5. A cabinet according to any preceding claim, wherein a portion of the cabinet below the aperture forms a recess.

6. A cabinet according to claim 5, when dependent on any of claims 2 to 4, wherein the recess houses the movable parts when in their second, stored, position.

7. A cabinet according to any preceding claim, wherein the means for moving the shelf unit comprises a prime mover.

8. A cabinet according to claim 7, wherein the cabinet includes a control unit that controls movement of the prime mover .

9. A cabinet according to claim 8, wherein the control unit is arranged to receive information from which the control unit can detect the presence of an object in a region in which there is a risk of injury to a user of the cabinet as a result of the movement of the shelf unit and the control unit is so arranged that, in use, movement of the shelf unit is prevented in the event that the information received by the control unit indicates the presence of an object.

10. A cabinet according to claim 8 or claim 9, wherein the cabinet is provided with a load sensor that provides the control unit with a signal dependent on the load supported by the shelf unit, the control unit being arranged such that movement of the shelf unit is prevented if the signal from the load sensor indicates that the load is greater than a predetermined threshold.

11. A cabinet according to any preceding claim, wherein the cabinet is configured so that the aperture is large enough that a user may access shelves and objects stored on such shelves within the cabinet.

12. A cabinet according to any preceding claim, wherein the shelves are wider than the aperture.

13. A cabinet according to any preceding claim, wherein the cabinet is so arranged that shelves of the shelf unit that are not located in the region of user-accessibility are housed within the cabinet.

14. A cabinet according to any preceding claim, wherein at least two of the shelves are spaced apart by a distance that is less than the height of the aperture.

15. A cabinet according to any preceding claim, wherein the cabinet is so arranged that the order of the shelves in the cabinet remains unchanged during normal operation.

16. A cabinet according to any preceding claim, wherein the means for moving the shelf unit up and down within the casing is arranged between the shelf unit and the bottom of the cabinet .

17. A cabinet according to any preceding claim, wherein the means for moving the shelf unit up and down within the casing includes a linear actuator that drives the shelf unit in order to move the shelf unit upwards.

18. A cabinet according to any preceding claim, wherein the shelf unit is held in position by means of friction in the means for moving the shelf unit.

19. A cabinet according to claim 18, wherein the means for moving the shelf unit includes at least one gearing mechanism that converts rotational movement about one axis into rotational movement about a transverse axis and the shelf unit is held in position by means of friction at least partly provided by the gearing mechanism.

20. A cabinet according to any preceding claim, wherein the cabinet is so arranged that in use the bottom of the means for moving the shelf unit rests directly on the surface on which the cabinet is positioned.

21. A cabinet according to any preceding claim, wherein the means for moving the shelf unit includes a scissor lift mechanism that in use guides movement of the shelf unit up and down within the casing.

22. A cabinet according to claim 21 when dependent on claim 20, wherein the means for moving the shelf unit is connected to drive the scissor lift mechanism, and includes a crank mechanism that is arranged so that, when the scissor lift mechanism is in its lowermost position, it converts a generally horizontal driving force into a generally vertical driving force that drives the scissor lift mechanism to move the shelf unit upwards.

23. A cabinet according to claim 21 or claim 22, wherein the scissor lifting mechanism is driven with a driving force that, in use, changes direction relative to the cabinet as the shelf unit moves upwards .

24. A cabinet according to any of claims 21 to 23, wherein the scissor lift mechanism is so arranged that when in its lowermost position the^' mechanism is fully collapsed.

25. A cabinet according to any preceding claim, wherein the means for moving the shelf unit is arranged such that during normal operation a change in the speed of the shelf unit is caused gradually.

26. A cabinet according to any preceding claim, wherein there is provided a shutter for closing the aperture.

27. A cabinet according to any preceding claim, wherein the cabinet is installed in domestic setting.

28. A cabinet according to claim 27, wherein the cabinet is installed in a kitchen.

29. A cabinet according to claim 27 or claim 28, wherein the cabinet is fixed to the floor.

30. Installation kit including a cabinet according to any of claims 1 to 26 and fixings to enable the cabinet to be installed in a domestic setting, the cabinet and fixings being so configured to allow the cabinet to be fixed to the floor of the domestic setting.