Supports: cabinet structure – Gang-bar type locking or latching means – Concealed
Reexamination Certificate
2001-08-14
2004-04-20
Wilkens, Janet M. (Department: 3637)
Supports: cabinet structure
Gang-bar type locking or latching means
Concealed
C312S218000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06722749
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The following disclosure relates to devices having multiple drawers. The following disclosure has particular application to apparatus and methods for preventing a second drawer from being fully opened in a multi-drawer device, such as a cabinet or the like, when a first drawer has been opened beyond a predetermined amount.
Various types of multi-drawer devices are provided with mechanisms to prevent the device from tipping over. However, many prior designs prevent access to other drawers after a first drawer has been moved toward an open position. Examples of such multi-drawer devices are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,404,929; 3,874,755; 3,883,199; 3,888,558; 4,298,236; 4,609,233; 4,637,667; 4,889,396; 4,925,257; 4,966,422; 5,040,858; 5,387,032; 5,599,077; 5,599,078; 5,605,388; 5,634,701; and/or 5,671,985.
Such multi-drawer devices suffer from the total denial of access to the other drawers after a first drawer is opened. While some of these designs may be perfectly adequate for some uses, they require the opened drawer to be closed in order to gain access to items stored in one of the locked doors. This can be inconvenient to the user and can result in less efficient use of the user's time.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The disclosed apparatus and methods avoid some of the disadvantageous of prior devices and methods while affording additional structural and operating advantages.
One form of the disclosed multi-drawer device comprises a plurality of drawers supported in a housing and coupled to the housing with slide assemblies. A blocking device is included that is responsive to the movement of the first drawer toward a fully opened position to interfere with a second drawer in a predetermined partially opened position, thereby preventing the second drawer from fully opening.
One form of the disclosed multi-drawer device comprises first and second drawers carried by a housing and moveable between a closed position disposed within the housing and a fully opened position extending a maximum distance from the housing. A first slide assembly couples the first drawer to the housing and a second slide assembly couples the second drawer to the housing. A ramp is associated with the first drawer and a follower, also associated with the first drawer, is adapted to contact and slide along the ramp. A blocking device is coupled to one of the ramp and the follower and is associated with the second slide assembly. The ramp, follower, and first blocking device all cooperate such that as a first drawer moves from the closed position toward the fully opened position, the follower contacts and slides along the ramp, for moving the first blocking device into a blocked position that interferes with the second slide assembly when the second drawer is in a partially opened position, thereby preventing the second drawer from moving to the fully opened position.
The disclosed multi-drawer device and locking mechanism comprises certain novel features and a combination of parts hereinafter fully described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it being understood that various changes in the details may be made without departing from the spirit, or sacrificing any of the advantages of the present disclosed multi-drawer device and locking mechanism.
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U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/867,823, inventor: Slivon, filed: May 30, 2001, “Multiple Drawer Cabinet Allowing One Drawer Opened at a Time”.
Seyfarth Shaw LLP
Snap-on Technologies, Inc.
Wilkens Janet M.
LandOfFree
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