U.S. patent application number 12/220330 was filed with the patent office on 2009-06-18 for no-tools interchangeable drawer front system.
Invention is credited to Kurt Berlin, Thomas B. Hazzard, Steven Krause.
Application Number | 20090153006 12/220330 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40752262 |
Filed Date | 2009-06-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090153006 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hazzard; Thomas B. ; et
al. |
June 18, 2009 |
No-tools interchangeable drawer front system
Abstract
A drawer front system including an interchangeable front panel
adapted to be detachably connected to the face of a drawer without
requiring special skill or the use of tools. The interchangeable
front panel is ideally selected from a variety of front panels
having different aesthetics so that the ornamental appearance of
the drawer front can be easily changed to correspond with a change
in mood, home or office relocation, or living/working arrangement
of a user. A pair of panel mounts (e.g., rails) project outwardly
from the face of the drawer. A corresponding pair of mounting
recesses (e.g., channels) are formed in the interchangeable front
panel to slidably receive respective ones of the panel mounts,
whereby the detachable front panel and the drawer face are disposed
in face-to-face alignment with the front panel visible to
passersby. A handle to which a pulling or pushing force is applied
to open or close the drawer has a pair of hollow threaded posts
that are mated to removable screw-threaded fasteners through the
opposing detachable front panel and the face of the drawer so that
the front panel and the drawer face are detachably connected
together.
Inventors: |
Hazzard; Thomas B.; (Ladera
Ranch, CA) ; Krause; Steven; (Irvine, CA) ;
Berlin; Kurt; (Villa Park, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Morland C. Fischer
Suite 1300, 2030 Main Street
Irvine
CA
92614
US
|
Family ID: |
40752262 |
Appl. No.: |
12/220330 |
Filed: |
July 24, 2008 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61007846 |
Dec 17, 2007 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
312/348.4 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47B 88/95 20170101 |
Class at
Publication: |
312/348.4 |
International
Class: |
A47B 88/00 20060101
A47B088/00 |
Claims
1. An interchangeable drawer front system comprising: a drawer
having an interior at which articles are to be placed, said drawer
having a pair of sides and a face extending between said pair of
sides; a front panel to be detachably connected to the face of said
drawer so as to be visible to passersby; and a first connector
carried by said drawer face and a second connector carried by said
front panel, said front panel and said drawer face lying in
opposing face-to-face alignment with one another such that said
first and second connectors are moved into removable mating
engagement with one another, whereby said front panel is detachably
connected to said drawer face.
2. The interchangeable drawer front system recited in claim 1,
wherein said first connector projects outwardly from one of said
drawer face and said front panel and said second connector is a
recess formed in the other one of said drawer face and said front
panel, said first connector being removably received within said
second connector, whereby said front panel is detachably connected
to said drawer face.
3. The interchangeable drawer front system recited in claim 1,
wherein said first connector includes a rail projecting outwardly
from one of said drawer face and said front panel, and said second
connector includes a channel formed in the other one of said drawer
face and said front panel, said rail being slidably and removably
received within said channel, whereby said front panel is
detachably connected to said drawer face.
4. The interchangeable drawer front system recited in claim 1,
further comprising a removable third connector extending through
each of said front panel and said drawer face in said opposing
face-to-face alignment with one another.
5. The interchangeable drawer front system recited in claim 4,
wherein said removable third connector includes a handle and at
least one fastener, said handle positioned at said front panel at
which to receive a pulling or pushing force to control access to
the interior of said drawer, and said one fastener being removably
attached to said handle by way of said drawer face and said front
panel.
6. The interchangeable drawer front system recited in claim 5,
wherein the handle of said third connector includes at least one
hollow threaded post extending through said front panel and said
drawer face in said opposing face-to-face alignment, and the one
fastener of said third connector having a threaded portion
removably received within and mated to the hollow threaded post of
said handle, whereby said one fastener is removably attached to
said handle.
7. The interchangeable drawer front system recited in claim 6,
wherein said third connector also includes a handle support insert
having at least one opening formed therein and said front panel has
a hole formed therein, said handle support insert being located
within the hole in said front panel and the one hollow threaded
post of said handle being positioned through the one opening in
said handle support insert at which to removably receive the
threaded portion of said one fastener.
8. The interchangeable drawer front system recited in claim 7,
wherein said one fastener is a screw having a screw head to which a
rotational force is applied for causing said screw to move into
removable receipt by the one hollow threaded post of said handle
positioned through the one opening of said handle support insert
located within the hole in said front panel.
9. The interchangeable drawer front system recited in claim 8,
wherein the head of said screw is located at the interior of said
drawer so as to lie out of sight to passersby.
10. The interchangeable drawer front system recited in claim 1,
wherein the face of said drawer is fixedly connected between the
pair of sides thereof.
11. The interchangeable drawer front system recited in claim 1,
wherein the face of said drawer is pivotally connected to one of
said pair of sides thereof, whereby said face is rotatable relative
to said pair of sides.
12. An interchangeable drawer front system comprising: a drawer
having an interior at which articles are to be placed, said drawer
having a pair of sides and a face extending between said pair of
sides; a front panel to be detachably connected to and lie in
opposing face-to-face alignment with the face of said drawer so as
to be visible to passersby; and a connector extending through each
of said front panel and said drawer face in said opposing
face-to-face alignment, said connector including a handle and at
least one fastener, said handle positioned at said front panel at
which to receive a pulling or pushing force to control access to
the interior of said drawer, and said one fastener removably
attached to said handle by way of said drawer face and said front
panel, whereby said front panel is detachably connected to said
drawer face.
13. The interchangeable drawer front system recited in claim 12,
wherein the handle of said connector includes at least one hollow
threaded post extending through said front panel and said drawer
face in said opposing face-to-face alignment, said one fastener
having a threaded portion removably received in and mated to the
hollow threaded post of said handle, whereby said one fastener is
removably attached to said handle.
14. The interchangeable drawer front system recited in claim 13,
wherein said connector also includes a handle support insert having
at least one opening formed therein and said front panel had a hole
formed therein, said handle support insert being located within the
hole in said front panel and the one hollow threaded post of said
handle being positioned through the one opening in said handle
support insert at which to removably receive the threaded portion
of said one fastener.
15. The interchangeable drawer front system recited in claim 14,
wherein said one fastener is a screw having a screw head to which a
rotational force is applied for causing said screw to move into
removable receipt by the one hollow threaded post of said handle
positioned through the one opening of said handle support insert
located within the hole in said front panel, the head of said screw
being located at the interior of said drawer so as to lie out of
sight to passersby.
16. The interchangeable drawer front system recited in claim 12,
further comprising a second connector carried by said drawer face
and a third connector carried by said front panel, said front panel
and said drawer face lying in said opposing face-to-face alignment
such that said second and third connectors are moved into removable
mating engagement with one another.
17. The interchangeable drawer front system recited in claim 16,
wherein said second connector is a rail projecting outwardly from
one of said drawer face and said front panel and said third
connector is a channel formed in the other one of said drawer face
and said front panel, said rail being slidably and removably
received within said channel, whereby said second and third
connectors are moved into said mating engagement with one another.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is related to Provisional Patent
Application No. 61/007,846 filed Dec. 17, 2007.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] This invention relates to a drawer front system by which an
interchangeable front panel having any one of a variety of
different ornamental appearances can be detachably connected to the
face of a drawer without requiring special skill or the use of
tools so as to be able to suit the changing moods or decorating
requirements of a user.
[0004] 2. Background Art
[0005] Drawers have long been used to store clothing, business
files, house wares, and the like. A user purchases a desk or a
cabinet surrounding a set of drawers and having an appearance that
is compatible with the furniture and environment of a room in a
home or office. From time to time, the user may relocate to a new
home or office. On other occasions, the user's mood or
living/working arrangements may change. In these situations, the
front of the user's drawers may no longer be aesthetically pleasing
or match the environment and decorating motif of the user's new
home or office. Consequently, the user may decide to dispose of a
fully-functional desk or set of drawers simply because the
ornamental appearance thereof is no longer suitable under the
current conditions.
[0006] Therefore, it would be desirable to be able to quickly and
easily change the ornamental appearance of the front of a single
drawer or a set of drawers so as to be compatible with the mood
swings, relocations, and living/working arrangements of a user so
that it will not be necessary to scrap the original drawers or
purchase a new set having different aesthetics.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] In general terms, an interchangeable drawer front system is
disclosed which enables the front of a single drawer or a set of
drawers to be quickly and easily changed without requiring special
skill or the use of tools so that the ornamental appearance of the
drawer fronts can be changed to correspond with a change in mood,
home or office relocation, or living/working arrangements of a
user. Each drawer includes a generally-rectangular frame having a
face and an interchangeable front panel that is detachably
connected to the face. The interchangeable front panel is
preferably one which can be selected from a number of different
front panels having a variety of different aesthetics.
[0008] A pair of panel mounts (e.g., elongated rails) project
outwardly from the face of the drawer. A corresponding pair of
mounting recesses (e.g., elongated channels) are formed in the
interchangeable front panel. A pair of handle attachment holes are
formed through the drawer face. A handle support hole is formed in
the interchangeable front panel. The handle support hole is sized
for receipt of a handle support insert having a pair of fastener
holes formed therein.
[0009] The interchangeable front panel is detachably connected to
the face of the drawer by first moving the front panel into
face-to-face alignment with the drawer face such that the panel
mounts from the face are slidably received by respective mounting
recesses of the front panel. The handle support insert is then
positioned in the handle support hole of the interchangeable front
panel, whereby the fastener holes in the insert are axially aligned
with the handle attachment holes in the drawer face. A handle to
which a pulling or pushing force is applied to open or close the
drawer includes a pair of rearwardly projecting hollow threaded
posts. The pair of handle posts are inserted through the
axially-aligned fastener holes in the handle support insert and the
handle attachment holes in the drawer face. Next, a pair of
threaded fasteners are moved from behind the drawer face into
mating engagement with the pair of hollow threaded handle posts
which project from the handle. Accordingly, the handle is coupled
to the handle support insert, and the interchangeable front panel
is detachably connected to the face of the drawer to change the
ornamental appearance thereof. The interchangeable front panel is
adapted to be detachably connected to the face of a pull-out drawer
or a drawer having a face which rotates between open and closed
positions.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 shows a cabinet enclosing a vertical stack of
drawers, each drawer having an interchangeable drawer front in
accordance with the present invention;
[0011] FIG. 2 shows a pull-out drawer from the stack of drawers of
FIG. 1 having an interchangeable drawer front according to a first
preferred embodiment;
[0012] FIG. 3 is an exploded view showing a drawer front system for
the pull-out drawer of FIG. 2, whereby the interchangeable front is
detachably connected to the face of the drawer;
[0013] FIG. 4 shows the relatively wide heads of threaded fasteners
that are used to detachably connect the interchangeable front to
the face of the drawer of FIG. 2;
[0014] FIG. 5 is a cross section taken along lines 5-5 of FIG. 2
showing the interchangeable front detachably connected to the face
of the drawer of FIG. 2; and
[0015] FIG. 6 shows an interchangeable drawer front according to an
alternate preferred embodiment to be detachably connected to a
rotatable face of a different drawer from the stack of drawers of
FIG. 1.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0016] FIG. 1 of the drawings illustrates a cabinet 1 surrounding a
vertical stack of drawers 3-1, 3-2, etc. to which the no-tools
interchangeable drawer front system of this invention is
applicable. For purposes of illustration, the cabinet 1 shown in
FIG. 1 encloses at least one pull-out drawer 3-1 and at least one
drawer 3-2 having a rotatable door front 40. However, it should be
understood that this invention is not limited to a vertical stack
of drawers 3-1, 3-2, etc. or to the cabinet shown in FIG. 1. That
is to say, the soon-to-be-described advantages are applicable to a
single drawer or a set of drawers whether stacked vertically or
horizontally. Moreover, rather than the cabinet 1 shown in FIG. 1,
the pull-out drawers 3-1, 3-2, etc. may be enclosed individually or
in combination by a desk, a shelf, or a similar article of
furniture.
[0017] Turning now to FIG. 2 of the drawings, a single pull-out
drawer 3-1 from the cabinet 1 of FIG. 1 is shown including a
rectangular frame 5 having optional guide rails 7 (only which being
visible) at opposite side thereof and a flat face 9. In some
situations, it may be desirable to be able to quickly and easily
change the ornamental appearance of the face 9 of the drawer 3
depending upon the mood of the user, the location of the drawer
3-1, or the living/working arrangements of the user.
[0018] To accomplish the foregoing, and referring concurrently to
FIGS. 2-5 of the drawings, a drawer front system is disclosed
including an interchangeable front panel 10 that is adapted to be
detachably connected to the drawer face 9. The interchangeable
front panel 10 is preferably selected from any one of a number of
different front panels having a variety of different colors,
textures, materials, and the like to provide an
aesthetically-pleasing appearance which will enhance the look of
the drawer 3-1 and/or the article of furniture in which the drawer
is enclosed so as to be compatible with the environment in which
the drawer 3-1 is located. By virtue of having a number of
interchangeable front panels having a variety of different
aesthetically-pleasing appearances from which to choose, the look
of the drawer 3-1 visible to passersby and/or its article of
furniture can be changed to suit the changing decorating
requirements of the user.
[0019] What is even more, the interchangeable front panel 10 herein
described can be connected to or removed from the face 9 of drawer
3-1 without requiring special skill and without using tools. In
particular, the frame 5 of drawer 3-1 is constructed so that one or
more panel mounts 12 project outwardly from the face 9 thereof. In
the present example, the panel mounts 12 are preferably a pair of
elongated, parallel-aligned rails that run vertically adjacent
opposite sides of the drawer face 9 (best shown in FIG. 3).
However, the number and size of the panel mounts 12 may vary with
the size and weight of the interchangeable front panel 10.
[0020] A corresponding number of elongated mounting recesses (e.g.,
channels) 14 are formed (e.g., milled) partially through the rear
of the interchangeable front panel 10. In the present example,
where two panel mounts 12 run vertically along the face 9 of the
drawer 3-1, two mounting recesses 14 run vertically adjacent
opposite sides of the front panel 10 (also best shown in FIG. 3).
The mounting recesses 14 are sized and shaped so as to slidably
receive therewithin respective ones of the panel mounts 12.
[0021] A generally centered handle support hole 18 extends through
the interchangeable front panel 10. The handle support hole 18 is
sized and shaped to accommodate a handle support insert 20. In the
embodiment of FIG. 3, the handle support insert 20 has a generally
disk-like configuration. A pair of fastener holes 22 are formed
through the handle support insert 20. A corresponding pair of
handle attachment holes 24 is formed through the face 9 of drawer
3.
[0022] In order to complete the interchangeable drawer front system
assembly (best shown in FIG. 5), a suitably stylized handle 26 is
coupled to the handle support insert 20 that is received by the
support hole 18 of front panel 10 so that a pulling or pushing
force applied to handle 26 will be transmitted to the face panel 10
so as to cause the drawer 3-1 to slide outwardly from or into its
article of furniture (e.g., the cabinet 1 shown in FIG. 1). The
handle 26 has a pair of hollow, screw-threaded cylindrical posts 28
projecting rearwardly therefrom.
[0023] When it is desirable to provide the drawer 3-1 with a
decorative front having the aesthetics required for a special
occasion, mood, or room environment, the user selects the
particular front panel 10 which satisfies his needs. The front
panel 10 is then moved downwardly along the face 9 of drawer 3-1 so
that the panel mounts (i.e., rails) 12 which run vertically along
the face 9 are received in and ride through respective mounting
recesses (i.e., channels) 14 that run vertically along the opposing
front panel 10. Once the panel mounts 12 slide to the ends of
mounting recesses 14, the interchangeable front panel 10 will be
positioned in predetermined face-to-face alignment with the face 9
of drawer 3-1. However, the panel mounts 12 are hidden from sight
within the recesses 14 at the rear of front panel 10.
[0024] In the aforementioned predetermined face-to-face alignment,
the handle support insert 20 is located within the handle support
hole 18 in the interchangeable front panel 10. The handle
attachment holes 24 through the face 9 of drawer 3-1 are
automatically axially aligned with the fastener holes 22 through
the handle support insert 20. The drawer handle 26 is now coupled
to the handle support insert 20 such that the hollow threaded posts
28 of handle 26 extend through the axially-aligned fastener holes
22 and handle attachment holes 24.
[0025] To complete the decorative drawer assembly and detachably
connect the interchangeable front panel 10 to the face 9 of the
drawer frame 5, a pair of threaded fasteners (e.g., screws) 30
having wide heads 32 are positioned inside the frame 5 at the rear
of face 9. The threaded fasteners 30 are rotated at their heads 32
so as be advanced linearly and into mating engagement with
respective threaded posts 28 that are received within the handle
attachment holes 24 through the drawer face 9. Thus, and as is best
shown in FIG. 4, the heads 32 of fastener 30 will remain out of
sight and accessible to the user at the rear of face 9. With the
interchangeable front panel 10 held in place in front of the drawer
face 9, the outside of the drawer 3-1 which is visible to the user
and passersby will take on the ornamental appearance of the
interchangeable front panel 10.
[0026] Should the user's aesthetic requirements change, the
threaded fasteners 30 are rotated out of engagement with the
threaded posts 28 of drawer handle 26. The handle 26 can then be
separated from handle support insert 20, whereby the insert 20 is
removed from the handle support hole 18. The interchangeable front
panel 10 is now free to be removed from the drawer face 9 by simply
lifting the panel upwardly relative to the drawer frame 5 so that
the panel mounts 12 slide out of the mounting recesses 14. A
different interchangeable front panel having different aesthetics
may now be selected by the user and detachably connected to the
frame 5 of drawer 3-1 without the use of tools in the manner
described above.
[0027] The interchangeable drawer front system described while
referring to FIGS. 1-5 makes reference to an interchangeable front
panel 10 that is detachably connected to the face 9 of a pull-out
drawer 3-1 of the kind that moves in and out of an associated
article of furniture, such as the cabinet 1 shown in FIG. 1.
However, with some articles of furniture such as, for example, a
bookstand, television stand, shelf, and the like, a stationary
drawer or shelf is covered by a rotatable face that is adapted to
rotate between closed and open positions. To this end, and
referring to an alternate embodiment shown in FIG. 6 of the
drawings, an interchangeable drawer front system is now disclosed
wherein an interchangeable front panel 40 is detachably connected
without the use of tools to a rotatable drawer face 42 that is
associated with the drawer 3-2 of the cabinet 1 of FIG. 1. The face
42 includes upper and lower pins 44 at one side thereof that are
pivotally coupled to the cabinet 1 to create a pivot axis around
which the face 42 and the front panel 40 connected thereto can
rotate between the closed and open positions.
[0028] The rotatable face 42 of drawer 3-2 has a pair of elongated,
parallel-aligned panel mounts (e.g., rails) 46 running horizontally
adjacent the top and bottom thereof. A pair of handle attachment
holes 48 are formed through the face 42. In the case of the
rotatable face and front panel assembly of FIG. 6, the handle
support holes 48 are located adjacent a side of the front panel 42
opposite the side at which the pivot pins 44 are located. The
interchangeable front panel 40 which, like the earlier-disclosed
front panel 10, may have any one of a variety of ornamental
appearances, includes a corresponding pair of elongated,
parallel-aligned mounting recesses (e.g., channels) 50 formed in
the rear thereof. When the interchangeable front panel 40 is moved
laterally towards the drawer face 42, the mounting recesses 50 of
the front panel 40 are positioned so as to slidably receive
therewithin respective ones of the panel mounts 46 of the drawer
face 42, whereby the interchangeable front panel 40 is disposed in
face-to-face alignment with face 42. A handle support hole 52 is
formed through the interchangeable front panel 40 so as to lie
opposite the handle support holes 48 through drawer face 42.
[0029] Like that described while referring to FIG. 3, the drawer
front system of FIG. 6 includes a handle support insert 20 for
receipt within the handle support hole 52 of front panel 40 and a
handle 26 having hollow, threaded posts 28 projecting rearwardly
therefrom. Identical reference numerals have been used to identify
identical elements shown in both FIGS. 3 and 6. In this same
regard, the handle support insert 20 includes fastener holes 22 to
be axially aligned with the handle attachment holes 48 in the
drawer face 42. Likewise, a pair of threaded fasteners 30 having
relatively wide heads 32 to which a rotational force is applied are
moved into mating engagement with the threaded posts 28 of the
handle 26 via the axially-aligned handle attachment holes 48 and
fastener holes 22.
[0030] It may be appreciated that the handle 26 is coupled to the
handle support insert 20 and the interchangeable front panel 40 is
detachably connected to the drawer face 42 in a manner which is
identical to that described while referring to FIGS. 2-5. Thus, the
heads 32 of fasteners 30 will remain out of sight and accessible to
the user at the rear of the drawer face 42. With the
interchangeable front panel 40 held in place in front of the drawer
face 42, the outside of the drawer 3-2 (of FIG. 1) that is visible
to the user and passersby will take on the ornamental appearance of
the front panel 40 so as to be capable of matching the mood swings
and/or aesthetic requirements of the user.
* * * * *