U.S. patent application number 11/144149 was filed with the patent office on 2005-10-13 for cabinet door.
This patent application is currently assigned to K-BINET, INC.. Invention is credited to Kim, Jay.
Application Number | 20050225216 11/144149 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37498926 |
Filed Date | 2005-10-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050225216 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kim, Jay |
October 13, 2005 |
Cabinet door
Abstract
Disclosed herein is a cabinet door that preferably includes a
panel, reinforcing members, fasteners, adhesive tape, hinges, and a
handle. The panel preferably defines an outer perimeter and has a
continuous channel formed therein. The reinforcing members are
preferably positioned in the continuous channel and substantially
within the outer perimeter. The panel preferably has a plurality of
threaded bores formed therein, and the reinforcing members
preferably have a plurality of passages formed therethrough in
axial alignment with the plurality of threaded bores. The fasteners
preferably extend through the passages into the threaded bores to
secure the reinforcing members to the panel. The hinges and the
handle are preferably secured to the panel, and the tape preferably
adheres to surfaces of the reinforcing members flush with the outer
perimeter.
Inventors: |
Kim, Jay; (Suffern,
NY) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MCCARTER & ENGLISH, LLP
FOUR GATEWAY CENTER
100 MULBERRY STREET
NEWARK
NJ
07102
US
|
Assignee: |
K-BINET, INC.
|
Family ID: |
37498926 |
Appl. No.: |
11/144149 |
Filed: |
June 3, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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11144149 |
Jun 3, 2005 |
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11022583 |
Dec 24, 2004 |
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11022583 |
Dec 24, 2004 |
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10369744 |
Sep 6, 2001 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
312/204 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47B 96/201 20130101;
E06B 5/006 20130101; E06B 3/88 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
312/204 |
International
Class: |
A47B 017/04; A47B
097/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A cabinet door, comprising a panel defining an outer perimeter
and having at least one channel formed therein and at least one
reinforcing member positioned in said at least one channel and
substantially within said outer perimeter.
2. The cabinet door of claim 1, wherein said panel is formed from
wood.
3. The cabinet door of claim 1, wherein said panel is formed from a
single, solid piece of wood.
4. The cabinet door of claim 1, wherein said at least one
reinforcing member forms a frame.
5. The cabinet door of claim 1, wherein said panel has a plurality
of threaded bores formed therein along said channel, said frame has
a plurality of passages formed therethrough in alignment with said
plurality of threaded bores, and said cabinet panel further
comprising fasteners extending through said passages into said
threaded bores.
6. The cabinet door of claim 1, wherein said at least one
reinforcing member is formed from a metal.
7. The cabinet door of claim 5, wherein each one of said at least
one reinforcing member is welded to each adjacent one of said at
least one reinforcing member.
8. The cabinet door of claim 1, wherein said at least one channel
forms a continuous channel along said outer perimeter.
9. The cabinet door of claim 8, further comprising an adhesive tape
having an adhesive surface positioned in contact with said at least
one reinforcing member such as to substantially conceal at least a
portion of said reinforcing member.
10. The cabinet door of claim 9, wherein said adhesive tape has a
display surface opposite said adhesive surface, said display
surface having a similar surface appearance as said panel.
11. The cabinet door of claim 1, further comprising at least one
hinge secured to said panel.
12. The cabinet door of claim 1, further comprising a handle
secured to said panel.
13. A cabinet door, comprising: a panel defining an outer
perimeter, said panel having a continuous channel formed therein
along said outer perimeter and a plurality of threaded bores formed
therein along said continuous channel, said panel including a rear
surface and a front surface opposite thereto; a frame positioned
substantially within said continuous channel and substantially
within said outer perimeter, said frame having a plurality of
passages formed therethrough in alignment with said plurality of
threaded bores; a plurality of fasteners extending through said
passages into said threaded bores securing said frame to said
panel, said plurality of fasteners being substantially parallel
with said rear surface and said front surface; at least one hinge
secured to said rear surface; and a handle secured to said front
surface.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application is a continuation-in-part of U.S.
application Ser. No. 11/022,583 filed Dec. 24, 2004, which is a
continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/369,744 filed
Sep. 6, 2001, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by
reference in their entirety for all purposes.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates generally to a cabinet door.
Specifically, the present invention relates to a cabinet door
having one or more reinforcing members.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] In the past, a cabinet door having a metal frame has been
developed for enhanced resistance to warping. For example, U.S.
Pat. No. 3,296,745 (the "'745 patent") discloses a composite door
for cabinets and the like. The composite door includes multiple
panels and a metal frame. The composite door further includes
upper, lower, and side frame members covering the metal frame.
[0004] However, the composite door of the '745 patent is fairly
complicated and not easy to manufacture. What is needed in the art
is a cabinet door having simple construction that provides enhanced
resistance to warping.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The present invention overcomes the disadvantages and
shortcomings of the prior art discussed above by providing a
cabinet door having a panel and one or more reinforcing
members.
[0006] In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the cabinet
door includes a panel defining an outer perimeter and having a
continuous channel formed therein. The panel is preferably formed
from solid wood. The continuous channel is preferably formed along
the outer perimeter and has a plurality of threaded bores formed
therein along the continuous channel. The cabinet door also
includes one or more reinforcing members positioned in the
continuous channel and substantially within the outer perimeter.
The reinforcing members have a plurality of passages formed
therethrough. The cabinet door includes a plurality of fasteners
extending through the plurality of passages into the plurality of
threaded bores to secure the reinforcing members to the panel.
[0007] The cabinet door also includes an adhesive tape having an
adhesive surface that adheres to the reinforcing members and a
display surface that has a wood-like appearance. The cabinet door
further includes a handle and one or more hinges secured to the
panel. Additional embodiments of the invention are disclosed
herein.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] For a more complete understanding of the present invention,
reference is made to the following detailed description of an
exemplary embodiment considered in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings, in which:
[0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a plurality of cabinet
doors constructed in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the
present invention;
[0010] FIG. 2 is a rear perspective exploded view of the cabinet
door of FIG. 1;
[0011] FIG. 3 is a rear perspective assembled view of the cabinet
door shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;
[0012] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view, taken along section line
4-4 and looking in the direction of the arrows, of the cabinet door
of FIG. 3;
[0013] FIG. 4A is an enlarged view of an upper portion of the
cabinet door shown in FIG. 4; and
[0014] FIG. 4B is a view similar to FIG. 4A, except that the
cabinet door is illustrated therein without certain parts to
facilitate the understanding of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT
[0015] FIG. 1 shows a cabinet set 10 having a plurality of cabinet
doors 12 constructed in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of
the present invention. Each of the cabinet doors 12 includes a
panel 14 and a frame 16. Each of the panels 14 also includes a
front surface 18 and a rear surface 20. As will be further
discussed below, the frames 16 are not visually perceptible from a
front view of the cabinet doors 12, but are concealed substantially
by the panels 14.
[0016] As discussed in applicant's co-pending U.S. application Ser.
No. 11/022,583, the cabinet doors 12 can be provided with a design
or a portion thereof disposed thereon, which may be painted,
carved, lacquered, inlaid, etc. For example, FIG. 1 shows a
continuous design disposed on the front surfaces 18 of the cabinet
doors 12 and extending onto a side 21 of the cabinet set 10. The
continuous design is shown to be embodied as an arch divided into
design sections 22a-d distributed across the front surfaces 18 of
the cabinet doors 12, with an additional design section shown on
the side 21 of the cabinet set 10. Although the spaces and seams
between the cabinet doors 12 are interspersed throughout the design
sections 22a-d, any interference resulting therefrom to the
continuity of the design is negligible.
[0017] Referring to FIGS. 1-4B, the cabinet door 12 will be
discussed hereinbelow in singular format with reference to one of
the cabinet doors 12 shown in FIG. 1. However, it shall be clear
that the cabinet set 10 may include any suitable number of cabinet
doors 12 in accordance with the desires of the manufacturer of the
cabinet set 10. Furthermore, the below discussion of one of the
cabinet doors 12 of FIG. 1 is equally applicable to the other
cabinet doors 12 of FIG. 1.
[0018] As stated above, the cabinet door 12 includes the panel 14
and the frame 16. The cabinet door 12 further includes a plurality
of fasteners 24, a plurality of hinges 26, a handle 28, and a
plurality of strips or a strip of an adhesive tape 30. With
reference to FIGS. 2-4B, the panel 14, the frame 16, the fasteners
24, the hinges 26, the handle 28, and the adhesive tape 30 will
each be discussed below on an element-by-element basis.
[0019] With reference to FIGS. 2-4B, the panel 14 is preferably
formed from wood and has a one-piece construction. The panel 14 is
also provided with a plurality of side surfaces 32, as well as the
front surface 18 and the rear surface 20. The side surfaces 32
extend substantially perpendicular with respect to the front
surface 18 and the rear surface 20. The front surface 18 and the
rear surface 20 each extend substantially parallel with respect to
one another. The panel 14 has a plurality of sinks 34 formed
therein at the rear surface 20, each of the sinks 34 being sized to
receive door mounting ends of the hinges 26.
[0020] The panel 14 has a plurality of channels 36 forming a
continuous channel along the periphery of the panel 14. As
principally shown in FIG. 4B, the panel 14 has a plurality of
surfaces defining the channels 36, which are referenced herein as
the channel wall surfaces 38 and the channel bottom surfaces 40.
The channel wall surfaces 38 extend substantially perpendicular
with respect to the front surface 18 and the rear surface 20. The
channel bottom surfaces 40 extend substantially parallel with
respect to the front surface 18 and the rear surface 20, thereby
providing each of the channels 36 with a substantially rectangular
cross-section.
[0021] With reference to FIGS. 2 and 4B, the panel 14 has a
plurality of threaded bores 42 formed therein. The threaded bores
42 extend inwardly from the channel wall surfaces 38 and are
preferably evenly distributed thereabout. The threaded bores 42
extend substantially parallel to the front surface 18 and the rear
surface 20. Each of the threaded bores 42 are sized to securingly
receive one of the fasteners 24.
[0022] The panel 14 has an outer perimeter 44 and a rear perimeter
48, which are principally shown and referenced in FIG. 4B. The
outer perimeter 44 is defined by a plurality of planes which are
substantially coplanar with the side surfaces 32. The rear
perimeter 48 is defined by a plane which is substantially coplanar
with the rear surface 20.
[0023] The frame 16 is shown in FIGS. 2-4A and is formed from a
plurality of reinforcing members 50, which are each referenced
individually in FIG. 2. The reinforcing members 50 are preferably
solid, formed from steel or other rigid material, and welded
together prior to attachment of the frame 16 to the panel 14. Each
reinforcing member 50 extends substantially perpendicular with
respect to each other reinforcing member 50 adjacent thereto. The
reinforcing members 50 have a plurality of passages 52 formed
therein, each passage 52 being sized to receive a corresponding one
of the fasteners 24. The passages 52 are preferably co-planar with
respect to the frame 16.
[0024] The frame 16 is attached to the panel 14 such that the frame
16 is substantially disposed in the channels 36 and contained
substantially within the outer perimeter 44 and the rear perimeter
48. In this regard, the rear side of the frame 16 is substantially
flush with the rear surface 20 of the panel 14, and the outer sides
of the frame 16 are substantially flush with the side surfaces 32
of the panel 14. Each of the passages 52 formed through the frame
16 is in axial alignment with a corresponding one of the threaded
bores 42 of the panel 14.
[0025] Due to the attachment of the frame 16 to the panel 14, the
panel 14 is inhibited from excessive warping. In an exemplary
embodiment of the invention, the panel 14 is also inhibited from
excessive warping, because the panel 14 is formed from a solid,
single piece of wood. Moreover, the frame 16 is not visually
perceptible from a front view of the cabinet door 12.
[0026] The fasteners 24 are preferably machine screws. Each one of
the fasteners 24 extend through a passage 52 into a threaded bore
42 to secure the frame 16 to the panel 14. Each one of the
fasteners 24 preferably extends substantially parallel with respect
to the front surface 18 and the rear surface 20 and substantially
perpendicular with respect to the side surfaces 32.
[0027] The hinges 26 and the handle 28 are preferably conventional
and any suitable hinges 26 and handle 28 may be used in accordance
with the desired aesthetic and/or functionality. The hinges 26 are
positioned in the sinks 34 formed in the panel 14. Screws secure
the hinges 26 to the panel 14, but any suitable means known in the
art may be used. One or more screws are also used to secure the
handle 28 to the panel 14, but any suitable means known in the art
may be used.
[0028] The adhesive tape 30 includes a display surface 54 having an
appearance similar to the front surface 18 of the panel 14. The
adhesive tape 30 also includes an adhesive surface 56 opposite the
display surface 54. The adhesive surface 56 secures the adhesive
tape 30 to the side surfaces 32 of the panel 14. The adhesive
surface 56 also secures the adhesive tape 30 to surfaces of the
frame 16 contiguous with the outer perimeter 44. The adhesive tape
30 preferably conceals the frame 16 from being visually perceptible
from at least the top, side, and bottom views of the cabinet door
12. The display surface 54 of the adhesive tape 30 has an
appearance similar to that of wood.
[0029] Preferred embodiments of the present invention provide a
cabinet door having enhanced resistance to warping. Embodiments of
the present invention include means for providing said enhanced
resistance (e.g., a frame) without having said means being visually
perceptible from a front view of the cabinet door. The present
invention provides a relatively simple construction that does not
require high manufacturing costs or complicated tooling.
[0030] It shall be understood to one skilled in the art that the
panel 14 may have variations from that shown and described. For
example, although the panel 14 is preferably formed from a single
board of solid wood, the panel 14 may be formed from any suitable
material known in the art, such as particle board, plastic, and/or
a composite, and in accordance with any conventional method for
forming cabinet doors. As another nonlimiting example, although the
panel 14 is shown to have a continuous channel formed therein, the
panel 14 may have one or more channels and said one or more
channels may be either continuous or non-continuous. Moreover,
while the panel 14 is shown to have the channels 36 formed adjacent
the outer perimeter 44, the panel 14 may have one or more channels
spaced inwardly from the outer perimeter 44. Although the channels
36 are preferably defined by the channel wall surfaces 38 and the
channel bottom surfaces 40 shown and described herein, the panel 14
may have any suitable number of planar and/or curved surfaces
formed therein defining a channel. Also, while the channels 36 are
preferably cutouts, the channels may be formed in accordance with
any suitable method now or hereinafter known in the art. It shall
also be understood to one skilled in the art that the frame 16 may
have variations from that shown and described. For example, in some
embodiments of the invention, adjacent reinforcing members 50 may
have a pair of complementary ends to create an aesthetically
pleasing interconnection therebetween.
[0031] It shall also be understood that the relative terminology
used herein, such as "front", "rear", "side", "bottom", etc., is
solely for the purposes of clarity and designation and does not
limit the spatial positioning of the invention or otherwise
similarly limit the invention. Said relative terminology shall not
be construed to limit the scope of the present invention.
[0032] It shall be further understood that the embodiments of the
present invention described herein are merely exemplary and that a
person skilled in the art may make many variations and
modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention. All such variations and modifications, including those
discussed above, are intended to be included within the scope of
the invention as defined in the appended claims.
* * * * *