Supports: cabinet structure – With movable components – Pivotal – fixed axis
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-15
2001-05-08
Cuomo, Peter M. (Department: 3624)
Supports: cabinet structure
With movable components
Pivotal, fixed axis
C312S319400, C312S245000, C049S040000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06227635
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a storage apparatus and, in particular, to an elevated storage apparatus that includes a handle operated door.
Storage cabinets are used in wide variety of applications to store numerous items, particularly above desk and work areas, and have been adapted to be used in conjunction with permanent structural walls, as well as portable reconfigurable partitions. These storage cabinets typically include a door attached to a box-like bin and are suspended above the desk or work area by way of structural supports extending from the desk or by mounting the overhead bin directly to the permanent structural wall or the collapsible partition. The main idea is the provision of an area to store articles.
The door of the storage bin is typically operated between an opened and closed position by manually grasping the door directly or by a pull attached to the door. The height of these overhead storage cabinets above the work or desk area typically require the operator to be in a standing position in order to comfortably reach the door. Such operation is inconvenient and cumbersome. Further, in many of the configurations currently used, it is physically impossible for a wheelchair-bound person to operate the door. In addition, many storage bins include doors that operate with a “guillotine-like” movement and may slam closed if released before they have been moved to their fully opened or closed position.
Accordingly, an apparatus solving the aforementioned problems and having the aforementioned advantages is desired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One aspect of the present invention is to provide a storage apparatus that includes a storage unit defining a front opening, and a door configured to cover the opening. The door is operably attached to the storage unit for movement between opened, intermediate, and closed positions. The storage apparatus further includes a handle that is isolated from the door but is operably connected to door for selectively moving the door between the opened, intermediate, and closed positions. In one form, a cable connects the handle to the door, and comprises a flexible cable telescopingly received in a sleeve.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a storage apparatus including a storage unit defining a front opening, and a door configured to cover the front opening. The door is operably attached to the storage unit for movement between opened, intermediate, and closed positions. The storage apparatus further includes an actuator including a manually movable handle and at least one flexible member connected to the handle and to the door for moving the door between the opened, intermediate and closed positions as the handle is moved.
Yet another aspect of the present invention is to provide a method that includes a step of providing a storage unit defining a front opening and a door pivoted to the storage unit for covering the front opening, the door being movable between a plurality of door positions. The method further includes steps of providing a handle movable between a plurality of handle positions, linking the handle to the door so that the handle positions correspond to the door positions, and moving the handle between a plurality of handle positions to move the door between the plurality of door positions.
A principal object of the present invention is to provide a storage cabinet with a door that is easily operable between an opened, intermediate, and closed position by way of an actuator handle. The actuator can preferably be easily reached by a person in a seated position. In addition, the storage cabinet may be easily retrofitted to be supported on existing structural supports, from permanent structural walls, or freestanding partition systems. The storage cabinet can be constructed from numerous materials such as plastic, metal, wood, composites, and the like.
These and other advantages of the present invention will be further understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art by reference to the following written specification, claims, and appended drawings.
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Halvorson, Jr. Harold
Teppo David S.
Cuomo Peter M.
Price Heneveld Cooper DeWitt & Litton
Steelcase Developments Inc.
Tran Hanh V.
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