Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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PATENT
Corner Construction_A~aratus and Method
The present invention relates in general to a corner
construction apparatus and method and more particularly to a
system of cabinet construction and assembly utilizing a family
of corner extrusions and the modification of the facing ends of
corner panels for mating with and joining with selected
extrusions.
Backaround of Invention
There is a need for an inexpensive corner construction for
cabinets and display cases which will provide a strong, yet
attractive cabinet corner joint and which will enable mass
production of cabinets including production of slightly modified
cabinets iwth a family of corner extrusions. Such a joint is
especially desirable for cabinets and fixtures exposed to heavy
traffic and carts, such as in supermarkets and large department
stores wherein the carts and other objects are apt to collide
with the joint with enough force to severely damage the
appearance of any corner not made of solid metalO Unsuccessful
attempts to provide appropriate structures have included
surrounding the cabinet in an iron casing.
Some prior corner.constructions aimed at solving this need
include U.S. patent 3,380,768 to P. Wolfensperger and U.S~
patent 3,381,430 to M. Wiczer. ~hese patents disclose a corner
extrusion structure of complex construction. Other
` corner-joining constructions are disclosed in U.S. patents
2,072,386, 2,089,866, 3,465,487, 4,035,972 and 4,261,148.
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Summary of Invention
Broadly stated the present invention, to be described in
greater detail below, is directed to a corner construction and
method having easy to fabricate and handle extrusions which mate
with standard, easily prepared ends of corner panels which are
easily, yet rigidly, secured together with a solid metal portion
of the extrusion located at the external corner of the joint to
protect the joint against impact from other objects. The
extrusions of this invention which can be cut to length for
joining corner panels of any appropriate length comprise surface
sections defined in cross section by at least one elongate rib
section, squared off corners positioned at one end of the rib
section and with the squared off corners having a pair of remote
exposed faces and a pair of side faces, a pair of external leg
sections positioned at the other end of the rib section and a
pair of internal leg sections parallel to the external leg
sections and located along the rib section substantially midway
between the squared off corners and the external leg sections.
The extrusion is joined at a corner to the facing end of a
pair of side panels when the side panels are cut diagonally at
substantially 45 degrees but provided with a squared off face
portion adjacent the external surface of the side panel for
mating with the side faces of the extrusion squared off corner
and th~ facing ends of the side panels slotted parallel with the
broad side panel surfaces for receiving the extrusion internal
leg sections.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention the
internal leg sections are dimensioned such that a normal
projection of each internal leg section onto the adjacent
external leg section ends substantially midway along the length
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PATENT
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of the external leg section. ~his construction results in a
strong panel configuration but one well adapted for providing
simple connection between the extrusion and the side panel.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention
also incorporating the aforementioned one aspect of the present
invention, the extrusion and side panels are secured together by
screws passing through apertures in the external leg section
beyond the end of the normal projection of the adjacent internal
leg section.
In accordanc~ with still another aspect of the present
invention the internal leg sections of the extrusion are
substantially half again as thick as the external leg sections.
With this construction the cutters of the cutter head, which
prepares the end of the side panel for mating with the extrusion,
will have a long life.
In accordance with still another aspect of the present
invention the inside broad surfaces of the facing side panels are
recessed to receive the external leg sections and the attaching
means within the confines of the broad side panel surfaces~ In a
cabinet formed with this corner construction shelves can be
inserted inside the cabinet and extending to the corner of the
cabinet without the necessity for recessinq portions of the
corner of the shelf to accommodate structure that forms the
corner joint.
The corner construction in accordance with the present
invention, results in a inexpensive and easily fabricated corner
which has a solid metal corner section to withstand collisions
from other objects and at the same time have an attractive
appearance of a metal stripe down the corner, typically smoothly
merging with the exterior surfaces of the side panels.
In accordance with one extrusion embodiment of this
invention the squared off corners form a square external corner
section with the diagonal of the square section aligned with the
length of the rib section.
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PATENT
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In accordance with another embodiment two parallel spa,-ed
apart rib sections are provided and the squared off corners
connected by a continuous arcuate external surface section.
In accordance with another embodiment two rib sections are
provided joined together at their ends adjacent the squared off
corners and their other ends spaced so that the rib sections form
an angled corner of an angle of ninety degrees plus the angle
between the rib sections.
Another advantage of the present invention is that cabinets
of many different shapes can be constructed out of panels which
are cut and formed with a standard end shape and different
extrusions used to complete the cabinet.
These features and advantages of the present invention will
become more apparent from a perusal of the following
specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing
wherein similar characters of references refer to similar
structures in each of the several views.
Description of the Drawinas
Figure 1 is a elevational perspective view of the corner
;construction of the present invention.
Figure 2 is an enlarged plan view of the corner construction
of the present invention.
Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the parts making
up the corner construction of the present invention.
Figures 4 - 7 are views similar to Figure 2 but with
exaggerated spacings between the side panels and the different
shaped extrusions in each of the views.
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Description of the Preferred~Embodiment
Referring now to the drawing there is shown the construction
of the corner extrusion and side panel facing ends formed in
accordance with one embodiment of the present invention and
providing a ninety degree corner construction which can be the
vertical, the horizontal or other situated corner of a cabinet,
rack, display case, display stand, fixture or the like.
The corner construction i5 made up of three principal
elements, a metal corner extrusion 20, such as of aluminum,
mating with and joining the ends of a pair of corner meeting side
panels 30 and 40. The side panels 30 and 40 can be of any
appropriate material such as wood, wood composition, or a
combin~tion of elements such as a pressed particle board faced
with a hard exterior surface such as laminated plastic sheets 31
and 41. The shee ~ y ~e colored or textured as desired to
provide a pleasing appearance.
The elongate corner extrusion 20 which has been cut to
length to match the width of the side panels 30 and 40 has a
plurality of surfaces which are described with reference to the
cross-sectlon oE the extrusion 20 in the drawing. The extrusion
is provided with an elongate rib section 22 which is connccted at
one end to squaded off corners or a square external corner
section 24 having a pair of exposed faces 24b and 24c remote from
the rib section 22 and a pair of side faces 24a and 24d adjacent
the rib section 22 and mating with the side panels as described
in greater detail below. The square section 22 is formed with a
diagonal of the square aligned with the length of the rib section
22 so that the side faces 24a and 24d intersect the rib section
22 at an angle of substantially 135 degrees.
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Mutually perpendicular external leg or fin sections 26 and
27 are positioned at the opposite end of the rib section 22 from
the corner section 24 with the angle between the leg sections 26
and 27 bisected by the length of the rib section 22. The term
"externalN is used to mean a section that is not bounded on both
sides by the side panel in the completed corner joint.
Mutually perpendicular internal leg or fin sections 28 and
29 are located on opposite sides of the rib section 22
substantially midway between the remote corner of the square
orner section 24 and the external leg sections 26 and 27~ The
dimensions of the leg sections 26-29 are selected such that the
normal projection of each internal leg section 28 and 29 on the
respective adjacent leg section 26 and 27 ends substantially
halfway along the length of the external leg section. The
portion of the external leg sections 26 and 27 beyond the normal
projection of the internal leg sections 28 and 29 are provided
with apertures 50 for receiving fastening means, such as screws
52, passing therethrough into the side panel.
The facing ends of the side panels 30 and 40 are cut to mate
with the extrusion 20 to form the corner joint with the extrusion
square section 24 located at the diagonally outward external end
of the joint and the external leg sections 26 and 27 at the
diagonally inward end of the joint. The ends of the side panels
30 and 40 which face the joint are cut at substantially 45
degrees to produce diagonal surfaces 32 and 42, respectively, for
mating with the surfaces of the rib section 22 and leaving a
squared off surface portion 34 and 44 for mating with the side
faces 24a and 24d, respectively, of the corner section 24. With
the width of the squared off portions 34 and 44 matching the $
width of side faces 24a and 24d the external surface of the side
panels 30 and 40 will be flush with the exposed faces 24c and 24d
of the corner section. Elonyate slots 38 and ~9 are cut in the
side panels 30 and 40, respectively, parallel with the broad
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surPaces of the side panels for receiving the extrusion internal
leg sections 28 and 29 respectively.
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention the
inside surfaces of the side panels 30 and 40 are provided with
recesses 36 and 47, respectively, adjacent the diagonal surfaces
32 and 42, respectively, for receiving the external leg sections
26 and 27, respectively. The depth of the recesses 36 and 47 is
selected such that the external leg sections 26 and 27 and the
attaching means, such as screws 52 when in place in the completed
corner construc~ion, are located within the confines of the ~road
side panel surfaces. With this construction the corner of any
shelf that is placed inside the cabinet and reaching the corner
joint 10 need not be notched to avoid the structure which joins
the corner together.
The slots 38 and 49 are located substantially halfway
between the broad outside and inside surfaces of the panels 30
and 40.
For the mass production of cabinets and specifically cabinet
corners in accordance with the present invention, a cutting head
can be provided to simultaneously make the diagonal, slotting and
recess cuts to form the diagonal surfaces 32 and 42, the slots 38
and 49 and the recesses 36 and 47 at the end of each side panel.
So that the cutter portion of the cutter head for making the
slots 38 and 49 will last as long as the other cutters on the
cutting head, the slots are made wider with the end result that
the internal leg sections 28 and 29 are thicker, typically half
again as thick, as the rib section 22 and external leg sections
26 and 27.
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PATENT
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The dimensions of the corner section are selected to provi~e
enough solid metal to avoid bending or defamation by impact with
objects. The dimensions of the corner section 24 are also
selected such that the inside faces 24a and 24d which may mate
exactly with the squared off ends 34 and 44, respectively, of the
side panels 30 and 40, do not leave a pointed structure on the
end of the side panels 30 and 40 which could be damaged in the
handling of the side panels before assembly of the corners.
Figures 4-7 illustrate other extrusion embodiments of the
present invention. In these fiqures spacing is added between the
extrusion and panel cross-sections to facilitate an appreciation
of the different extrusion shapes that can be used with a common
side pannel construction to form cabinets of different shapes.
In Figure 4 the extrusion 120 includes a pair of parallel,
spaced apart rib sections 122a and 122b and with the exposed
faces 124b and 124c of the squared off corners connected by a
continuous, arcuate, external surface section 124d which provides
a rounded, structually strong external corner. The external leg
or fin sections 126 and 127 continue beyond the rib sections 122a
and 122b, respectively, at 126a and 127a and meet at a right
angle.
In Figures 5 and 6 the extrusions 220 and 320, respectively,
provide corners of 225 degrees and 135 degrees, respectively,
measured between the external faces of the panels being joined.
The extrusion embobiments in each of the figures includes a pair
of rib sections 222a and 222b and 322a and 322b, respectively,
and wherein the rib sections are joined at their ends adjacent
the s~uared off corners. The other ends of the rib sections are
spaced apart to form an angled corner of the desired angle.
It will be seen that the cut and shape of the facing ends of
the side panels in each of the embodiments in Figures 2, 4, 5 and
6 are identical. Thus, cabinets of different shapes can be formed
from identical panels using the different extrusions.
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PATENT
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Figure 7 illustrates an extrusion 420 similar to the one in
Figure 2 but for connecting the bottom edge of a panel 430 to a
support plateform 441. The extrusion 420 includes enternal and
internal leg sections 426 and 428 on one sida of a rib section
422 and corner section 424 at the end On the other side of the
rib section 422 a leg section 427 is provided perpendicular to
leg section 426 and for resting on the platform 441. An extension
426a is provided in line with the leg 426 and perpendicular to
the leg seation 427, and a bottom section 429 is provided
perpendicular to the extension 426a and joining the corner
section 424 at surface 424c.
The terms and expressions which have been employed here are
used as terms of description and not of limitations, and there is
no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of
excluding equivalents of the features shown and described, or
portions thereof, it being recognized that various modifications
are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.
