Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Storage system
The present invention relates to a storage
system comprising shelves and cabinets constructed from
pieces of sheet material forming shelves and side panels.
Previously disclosed storage systems in
accordance with the above comprise unit~ manufactured at a
factory by a large number of employees and with the help o~
large, expensive machines to produce bulky cabinet and shelf
units of varying sizes, colours and types of wood, etc. Both
the storage and the transport of the installed bulky units,
which contain large volumes of air, present problems and high
costs, since non-useful volume must be produced in advance
and stored and transporte~ on the public roads with a
negative effect on the environment due to poor utilization of
the transport capacity of the vehicles. Fuel economy is also
poor~ and there is a negative effect on road safety.
There is a requirement to be able to produce
storage systems more rationally than previously, thereby
avoiding large, bulky stores which cost a lot of money, and
avoiding the need to transport the assembled cabinets, etc.,
over long distances from the factory to the customers for
installation on walls and other supporting structures.
The cabinet carcasses for high-level and low-
level cabinets included in the storage system, which are also
suitable for the fitting-out of kitchens, stores, shops,
offices and other premises, require right angles and flat
surfaces for installation on walls, etc. This makes
installation a time-consuming operation, because work must be
done in conjunction with this to permit the alignment of
plinths, and fitting pieces must be shaped, etc., and in the
worst case the strength must be jeopardized in conjunction
with installation in order to obtain an aesthetically
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pleasing facade without gaps and dlfferences in level in the
finished cabinet installation. Handling of these bulky
cabinet carcasses makes the work laborious and is often
associated with poor ergonomics. Conventional cabinet
carcasses also lack all flexibility with regard to changed
storage needs with rearrangement of the spaces in the storage
system. In the best case a new need may be satisfied.
Conventional ca~lnet carcasses conslstlng of pre-assembled
units which are lnstalled next to one another thus exhlbit
double dividers, which involve the unnecessary use of
materials.
The shelf construction disclosed through GB,A,
2237729 comprises shelves and a side panel whlch are so
arranged as to be supported by lnstallation rails with a
rigid side edge which extends along a channel-like
accommodating opening. The shelf in question is accommodated
dlrectly ln the aforementioned accommodating openlng wlthout
any aids to connection. Only elastic de~ices are arranged
between the edges therein. It is difficult to achieve any
stable and preclse securing because of the considerable free
play that is present in the accommodating openings, to which
the elastic device also contributes, without having to use a
vertically opposing support element to support the outer ends
of the shelves. This means that a shelf construction with
pairs of vertical side panels and interjacent horizontal
shelves can be used to form cabinets and shelves in a simple
fashion for installation on a wall, for example, or some
other support intended for the purpose.
EP,A2, 0 146 932 certainly discloses, in a
sys~em for forming cabinets, the application of connecting
elements for joining vertical side panels to one another, and
also the arrangement of vertical rear and front panels
forming the cabinet connected to the side panels via the
aforementioned connecting elements. There~are no conn-ecting
elem~nts which connect horizontal shelves to wall rails,
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however, nor is any reference made to anything which might be
able to provlde tips relating to such shelf-connecting
elements.
The principal object of the present invention
is thus, in the first place, to find a storage system which,
with simple and efficiently functioning means, solves the
aforementioned problems effectively.
Said object is achieved in accordance with the
present invention, which ls characterized essentially in that
pairs of mounting rails, which are arranged to be supported
horizontally at a mutual distance from one another, exhibit
means for setting up the rails on a wall, upright or other
support intended for that purpose at the location where the
storage system is installed, in that at least the upper and
the lower shelves are so arranged by means of connecting
devices as to be detachably attached to the aforementioned
matching mounting rails, in that arranged between the
aforementioned mounting rails and shelves are interacting
connecting pieces which exhibit connecting devices for
attachment to the mounting rails along one of their long
sides, and exhibit connecting devices along the corresponding
long side so arranged as to be capable of being connected to
said shelves along their front edge, and in that pieces in
the form of sheets are so arranged by means of securing
devices as to be capable of vertical installation between the
aforementioned upper and lower shelves so as to be supported
by said mounting rails to form the sides of installed formed
cabinet carcasses, in conjunction with which components
included in the system exhibit a finished length at the time
of delivery to the location where they are to be set up or
have their dimensions adapted in conjunction with the
setting-up of the components.
The storage system comprises prefabricated
carcass elements of essentially uniform design for base
panels, side panels, dividers and top panels. These exhibit
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integrated or fixed edge profiles which lnteract with
connecting elements ~or the o~-site installation o~ the
carcass. The installed carcass is self-stabilizing and hangs
from horizontal, wall-mounted profile rails, interacting with
the top and bot~om edges of the cabinet carcass, which also
engage in a positive fashion with the edge profiles. The edge
profiles are executed for the attachment of fitting details
such as sliding rails for drawers or bins, shelf supports,
hinges and decorati~e elements, etc.
Advantages gained through the cabinet carcass
in accordance with the invention can be summarize~ as
improved transport economy, reduced storage space, simpler
and cheaper installation, reduced material consumpti~n,
greater flexibility of application and thus maximum
utilization of the available space inside the premises, in
other words better total economy.
The invention is described below with
reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 shows a plan view o~ a wall with
cabinets in accordance with the invention mounted on it;
Fig. 2 shows a part of the storage system in
perspective and as an exploded view;
Fig. 3 shows a part o~ a cabinet capable of
being mounted on a wall with its constituent parts separated
from one another slightly in the interests of clarity;
Fig. 4 shows the outer edge part o~ the
cabinet illustrated in Fig. 3, similarly in a position in
whLch the constituent parts are separated from one another
slightly;
Fig. 5 shows a schematic solution for a
storage system with its constituent cabinets and shelves
installed on a wall and a bearer projecting therefrom.
A storage system 1 in accordance with the
present invention, which comprises a number of shelves 2 and
cabinets 3 constructed from pieces of sheet material 4-6, is
=
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installed in accordance with the invention at the intended
location and directly at the place where the storage system
is to be fixed by means of pairs of mounting rails 7, 8. Said
mounting rails 7, 8 are so arranged as to be supported
horizontally at a mutual distance A from one another. Said
mounting rails 7, 8 exhibit means 9 for said purpose, for
example holes for screws 9A for setting up the rails in a
steady fashion on a wall 10, on uprights, or on some other
support 11 intended for this purpose at the actual location
12 for the installation of the storage system 1. A trim panel
lOA can be accommodated between the rails 7, 8 and clipped
securely in place.
In this way at least the upper and the lower
shelves, which form the top panel 13 and the base panel 14
respectively of the installed cabinet 3 or the installed
shelf 2, are so arranged as to be detachably attached to said
matching mounting rails 7, 8 by means of connecting devices
15.
In this way at least the upper and lower
shelves, which respectively form the top panel 13 and the
~ase panel 14 o~ the installed cabinet 3 or the installed
~he~f 2, are so arranged as to be detachably attached by
means of connecting devices 15 to said matching mounting
rails 7, 8. Pieces of sheet material are also so arranged as
to be attached vertically by means of fixing devices 16, 17
between said upper and lower shelves so that they are also
supported by said mounting rails 7, 8 to form the side panels
18, 19 and the divider 20 of the installed formed cabinet
carcasses 3. In this way a novel and unique feature of the
invention is also that the constituent parts of the system 1,
i.e. the pieces of sheet material 4-6, the mounting rails 7-8
and the fixing devices 17 either exhi~it a finished length
when they are delivered from the factory, etc., to the
setting-up location 12, or are only adjusted to size in
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conjunction with the setting-up of the components 4-8, 15 in
the intended location.
Said components are supplied from the factory
or stores in the form of flat packs, which are easily handled
from the point of view of both transport technology and
storage, and which can be simply packaged to afford
protection from damage before they are used. Arranged between
the aforementioned mounting rails 7, 8 and the shelves 4, 5
are interacting connecting pieces 21, which exhibit
connecting pieces 21 for connection to the mounting rail 7, 8
along one long side 21A, and exhibit connecting devices 23
along the opposite long side 21B which are so arranged as to
be capable of connection with said shelves 4, 5, 6 along
their front edge 4A, 5A, 6A. Said connecting piece 21 is
preferably formed from a profile which, at least along one
longitudinal edge 4A, 5A, 6A of the shelves, but preferably
along both of their longitudinal edges 4A, 5A, 6A; 4B, 5B,
6B, is connected to the shelf at the time of delivery. Thus
both the front edge 4A-6A and the rear edge 4B-6B of the
shelves 4-6, when viewed in their installed state, can
exhibit profiles attached on the edges, for example~in the
form of a tapering edge part 24 milled down into the shelves
and as a U-shaped profile 25.
The shape of the connecting devices 22 of the
connecting pieces is preferably adapted to that of a fixing
device 26 on the mounting rails 7, 8, for example as a male
and female connection.
Said mounting rail 7, 8 is formed preferably
from a U-shaped profile rail with a flange 26 at each of the
free ends of the shank 27, and said connecting device 22 is
in the form of a tubular component, preferably~rectangular in
form, which is so arran-ged, after having been snapped into
engagement over the flanges 26, as to be accommodated in the
mounting rail at its accommodating part 28, and as to be
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enclosed in this way by the shanks 27, and is prevented by
the ~langes 26 from being forced out of engagement.
Fixing of the side panels 18, 19 to the top
panel 13 and the base panel 14 which are attached to the
mounting rail is permitted thanks to the fact that the
vertically supportable side panels 6 exhibit connecting rails
29, 30 along both longitudinal edges 6A, 6B of the pieces 6
and with means of connection at the short end 61, 62, for
example in the form of holes 31 for screws 16 or other fixing
devices 17 capable of being accommodated therein, for example
in the form of a clasp with a laterally pro]ecting part 17A
capable of being accommodated in a slotted hole 32, in order
to permit connection of said side panels 6 to said shelves 4,
5.
Connection is made possible, for example, in
that said shelves 4, 5 and side panels 6 exhibit connection
pieces 21 and 29, 30, which are provided with transcurrent
holes 33 uniformly distributed in a straight line along their
length on both the rear edge 4B, 5B, 6B and the ~ront edge
~0 4A, 5A, 6A for the purpose of connection to additional side
panels 20 and shelves. The connecting rails 29, 30 of the
side panels exhibit holes 31 in their short ends 6-, 6~ in
accordance with the above positioned directly in line with
said holes 33 arranged in a straight line.
The shelves 4, 5 and the side panels 18, 19
and the divider 20 are iden~ical in shape, and it makes no
difference where they are positioned, i.e. as shelves or side
panels.
In order to provide a neat and also durable
3C front surface, a front strip 34 can be capable of attachment
to the respective connecting pieces 21 and connecting rails
30 of the shelves 4, 5 and side panels 6 along their front by
snappirg securely into engagement. Strips can also be
inserted in other grooves so that smooth, easily cleaned
sur~aces are achieved.
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Components and front strips intended for
connection consist of a plastic and/or metal material,
preferably aluminium, in conjunction with which the shelves
and side panels consist of fikre material, wood, plastic,
metal or a combination of said materials.
The flexibility of the cabinet carcass ln
accordance with the invention permits adaptation to meet
various storage needs and can be supplemented with desired
fittings, such as shelves, drawers, plinth drawers, hanging
rails, wire baskets and cabinet doors, etc.
The invention is described below further and
in more detail in con~unction with the installation of the
various constituent components of the system.
In conjunction with installing the carcass,
horizontally oriented profiles or wall rails are attached to
the wall and are aligned vertically and levelled. If
required, a side panel element may be used as a spacer during
installation of the wall rails. A base panel is then
installed with a fixed or integrated rear edge proflle in
positive engagement with the lower wall rail, after~which
side panels are fitted between the wall rails with their
lower edges resting against the upper surface of the base
panel and are fixed with the help of connecting elements to
the rear and front edge profiles of the base panel. A top
panel is fitted with an integrated, rear edge profile in
positive engagement with the upper wall rail, after which
connecting elements are used to fix the side panels to the
rear and front edge profiles of the top panel to form a box-
shaped cabinet carcass, and finally dividers are fitted in
the desired position between the base panel and the top panel
and are fixed to these with the help of connecting elements
in the same way as the side walls. The cabinet carcass is now
ready for fitting out with fitting items and for decoration.
The carcass elements, i.e. the base panel, the
side panels, the top panel and the dividers, are of uniform
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construction in a basic embodi~ent and are manufactured in
continuous lengths for cutting to size as specified in the
order or on-site.
Fig. 2 shows a prefabricated cabinet carcass,
in conjunction with which a panel, for example a base panel,
exhibits plain milled recesses on the top and bottom sides of
both of its longitudinal edges to accommodate an edge
profile. The sheet material is of less significance for
achieving the advantages of the invention, but may benefit
from being made of pressure-glued wood fibres.
The edge profile exhibits in an inner part a
longitudinal groove of essentially U-shaped cross-section for
fitting the longitudinal edge of the sheet, and can be fixed
to it with the help of an adhesive, for example a quick-
setting two-component adhesive or an adhesive of the cyano-
acrylate type. Alternatively, the edge profile may be
integrated with the sheet and formed in a single piece with
it. The edge profile exhibits, in a centrally located part, a
longitudinal cavity which, as shown in Fig. 2, can have a
circular cross-section, but, in an alternative embodiment,
can also have a rectangular and possibly square cross-
section. In the outer part opposite the groove, the edge
profile exhibits a cross-sectional form which is adapted for
positive engagement with the wall rail shown in the drawing
figure. The outer part of the edge profile exhibits edges
tapered for the purpose to facilitate snapping into
engagement with the wall rail, and stops ~o provide locking
in the snapped-in position by hooking into engagement with
correspondingly shaped tongues on the wall rail.
Mounting holes are arranged at regular
intervals through the edge profile across the extent of the
cavity, in conjunction with which the centre axes of the
holes intersect the centre axis of the cavity at right
angles. The holes have a cross-sectional form which
preferably corresponds to the cross-sectional form of the
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cavity and are intended to permit a connecting element to
pass through. The holes can be stamped, milled or drilled in
a supplementary machining process in conjunction with the
production of the edge profile, which is preferably
manufactured by the continuous casting of aluminium or an
aluminium alloy. The holes are preferably distributed along
the length of the edge profile with a mutual distance between
them such that at least every tenth centimetre of the edge
profile contains a hole, so that the dividers present in a
storage system can be positioned in that way with
standardized distances for fitting-out components such as
drawers, shelves and cabinet doors, i.e. with widths of 40,
60 or 83 centimetres, for example.
The connecting element preferably consists of
a self-tapping screw with a diameter adapted for threaded
engagement with the cavity. In another embodiment the
connecting element may be an opening whose rectangular cross-
section is adapted to the holes of rectangular cross-section
and the cavity, which element may, in the connecting
position, be fixed to prevent axial movement inside the
cavity with the help of an assembly washer comprising a
pro~ection for positive engagement with a recess in_the
cotter pin in conjunction with the introduction of the washer
in a direction cross-wise to the axial extent of the cotter
pin. Attention must be drawn in this respect to the need,
when designing the head of the cotter pin, to take account of
the space occupied by the aforementioned tongues of the wall
rail, which are described in greater detail below, when the
ed~e profile is snapped into engagement in the wall rail.
Althoug~ not illustrated specifically here, the use of other
devices for the axial fixing of the connecting element in the
cavity is conceivable. Such devices may comprise transverse
cotter pins, locking screws or similar.
The centrally located section of the edge
profile, comprising the cavity and the holes, can be recessed
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11
and can lie within the lateral plane of the edge profile in
order to permit the head of the screw, the head of the cotter
pin and the head of the assembly washer to be accommodated
within said lateral plane and, as such, not to encroach upon
the space available for any additional fitting-out and
decorative components. It will be appreciated that the holes
may be recessed as an alternative for the purpose of
accommodating the head of the screw, in which case the
centrally located section of the edge profile need not be
recessed in its entirety.
The outermost section of the edge profile,
which, in its installed position, is in positive engagement
with the wall rail, is dimensioned in such a way, together
with the wall rail described below, as to form a unit whose
thickness corresponds to the thickness of the sheet material.
Due to the fact that the outside of the sheet and the wall
rail thus lie in a common plane, a level supporting surface
is formed for side panels and dividers, when these are placed
on the base panel.
The wall rail has an essentially U-shaped
cross-section with a cavity which is adapted to accommodate
the outermost section of the edge profile in a positively
engaged fashion. The connecting web of the wall rail has a
thickness which permits a rear panel to be clamped in
conjunction with installation of the rail between the wall
and a flange formed on the wall rail. The web exhibits a
number of recessed holes through which fixing screws can be
passed, whose head in the screwed-in position is located on
or beneath the plane of the web to permit insertion of the
edge profile, which, when in the inserted position, is in
contact with the web of the wall rail. Extending from the web
are a pair of shanks, each of the outermost ends of which
exhibits a locking heel running across the extent of the
shank and towards an imaginary central plane. The locking
heels f~ the edge profile to the wall raIl through a process
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12
of locking engagement behind the stops with the edge profile
in its fully snapped-in position, when the shanks spring back
after the snapping-in movement into contact with the lateral
plane of the edge profile.
Considerable flexibility in respect of the
arrangement of the storage space is offered in conjunction
with installation, which is also applicable to subsequent =
rearrangement as storage needs change. Installation is
performed easily by one man, and the setting-up of the
storage system is restricted to the levelling and vertical
alignment of the wall rails. Side panels and dividers are
locked to the edge profiles of the base panel and the top
panel by the introduction of connecting elements which extend
through the holes in the aforementioned edge profiles, after
which the connectlng elements are fixed in the cavities by
the edge profiles of the side panels and the dividers
respectively. Fixing is by threaded engagement between
connecting element and cavity, or alternatively with the help
of a locking washer, locking screw or some other device for
locking the connecting element axially in the cavity.
The installed cabinet carcass can be
supplemented with various fitting-out components such as
sliding rails for drawers, bins and wire baskets, shelf
supports and plinth drawers suspended beneath the base panel,
etc., in conjunction with which these components interact
with the edge profiles to form a storage system.
Although not specifically illustrated,
coloured and structured trim strips can be securely clamped
to the edge profiles in a manner obvious to a person skilled
ln the art for the purpose of covering visible edge profiles,
and side covering pieces can be applied to visible end
panels. The holes in the edge profiles can be used for
securing shelf supports, slide rails and guides, but also for
installlng commercially available types of hinges which, as
~he cabinet door is opened, lift it outwards from the cabinet
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13
carcass in order to permit opening of doors which, in the
closed position, cover the cabinet carcass and the front
edges of the dividers. The edge profile on the base panel of
the high-level cabinet can be used as an attachment device
for kitchen appliances, such as microwave ovens, and for
light fittings, etc. Pull-out plinth drawers suspended from
rails can also be integrated in the facade of the storage
system, in conjunction with which the plinth-free
construction of the storage system permits a high degree o~
utilization of the space between the base panel and the
floor.
A cover panel or work surface is usually
installed above the cabinet carcass, in which case the top
panel can be executed for reasons of material economy as a
frame of edge profiles or as a ladder structure with edge
profiles integrated into its long sides.
The invention is not restricted to the
illustrative embodiments described above and shown in the
drawings, nut may be varied within the scope of the Patent
Claims without departing from the idea of invention.
