CABINET DOOR

Cross-Reference to Related Applications

The present application claims the priority of U.S. Patent Application No. 11/144,149 filed on June 3, 2005, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Application No. 11/022,583 filed December 24, 2004, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Application No. 10/369,744 filed September 6, 2001 , the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety for all purposes.

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a cabinet door. Specifically, the present invention relates to a cabinet door having one or more reinforcing members.

Background of the Invention

In the past, a cabinet door having a metal frame has been developed for enhanced resistance to warping. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,296,745 (the "745 Patent") discloses a composite door for cabinets and the like. The composite door includes multiple panels and a metal frame. The composite door further includes upper, lower, and side frame members covering the metal frame.

However, the composite door of the 745 Patent is fairly complicated and not easy to manufacture. What is needed in the art is a cabinet door having simple construction that provides enhanced resistance to warping.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention overcomes the disadvantages and shortcomings of the prior art discussed above by providing a cabinet door having a panel and one or more reinforcing members.

In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the cabinet door includes a panel defining an outer perimeter and having a continuous channel formed therein. The panel is preferably formed from solid wood. The continuous channel is preferably formed along the outer perimeter and has a plurality of threaded bores formed therein along the continuous channel. The cabinet door also includes one or more reinforcing members positioned in the continuous channel and substantially within the outer perimeter. The reinforcing members have a plurality of passages formed therethrough. The cabinet door includes a plurality of fasteners extending through the plurality of passages into the plurality of threaded bores to secure the reinforcing members to the panel.

The cabinet door also includes an adhesive tape having an adhesive surface that adheres to the reinforcing members and a display surface that has a wood-like appearance. The cabinet door further includes a handle and one or more

hinges secured to the panel. Additional embodiments of the invention are disclosed herein.

Brief Description of the Drawings

For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference is made to the following detailed description of an exemplary embodiment considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a plurality of cabinet doors constructed in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective exploded view of the cabinet door of FIG.

1 ;

FIG. 3 is a rear perspective assembled view of the cabinet door shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view, taken along section line 4-4 and looking in the direction of the arrows, of the cabinet door of FIG. 3;

FIG. 4A is an enlarged view of an upper portion of the cabinet door shown in FIG. 4; and

FIG. 4B is a view similar to FIG. 4A, except that the cabinet door is illustrated therein without certain parts to facilitate the understanding of the present invention.

Detailed Description of the Exemplary Embodiment

FIG. 1 shows a cabinet set 10 having a plurality of cabinet doors 12 constructed in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Each of the cabinet doors 12 includes a panel 14 and a frame 16. Each of the panels 14 also includes a front surface 18 and a rear surface 20. As will be further discussed below, the frames 16 are not visually perceptible from a front view of the cabinet doors 12, but are concealed substantially by the panels 14.

As discussed in applicant's co-pending U.S. Application No. 11/022,583, the cabinet doors 12 can be provided with a design or a portion thereof disposed thereon, which may be painted, carved, lacquered, inlaid, etc. For example, FIG. 1 shows a continuous design disposed on the front surfaces 18 of the cabinet doors 12 and extending onto a side 21 of the cabinet set 10. The continuous design is shown to be embodied as an arch divided into design sections 22a-d distributed across the front surfaces 18 of the cabinet doors 12, with an additional design section shown on the side 21 of the cabinet set 10. Although the spaces and seams between the cabinet doors 12 are interspersed throughout the design sections 22a-d, any interference resulting therefrom to the continuity of the design is negligible.

Referring to FIGS. 1-4B, the cabinet door 12 will be discussed hereinbelow in singular format with reference to one of the cabinet doors 12 shown in FIG. 1. However, it shall be clear that the cabinet set 10 may include any suitable

number of cabinet doors 12 in accordance with the desires of the manufacturer of the cabinet set 10. Furthermore, the below discussion of one of the cabinet doors 12 of FIG. 1 is equally applicable to the other cabinet doors 12 of FIG. 1.

As stated above, the cabinet door 12 includes the panel 14 and the frame 16. The cabinet door 12 further includes a plurality of fasteners 24, a plurality of hinges 26, a handle 28, and a plurality of strips or a strip of an adhesive tape 30. With reference to FIGS. 2-4B, the panel 14, the frame 16, the fasteners 24, the hinges 26, the handle 28, and the adhesive tape 30 will each be discussed below on an element-by-element basis.

With reference to FIGS. 2-4B, the panel 14 is preferably formed from wood and has a one-piece construction. The panel 14 is also provided with a plurality of side surfaces 32, as well as the front surface 18 and the rear surface 20. The side surfaces 32 extend substantially perpendicular with respect to the front surface 18 and the rear surface 20. The front surface 18 and the rear surface 20 each extend substantially parallel with respect to one another. The panel 14 has a plurality of sinks 34 formed therein at the rear surface 20, each of the sinks 34 being sized to receive door mounting ends of the hinges 26.

The panel 14 has a plurality of channels 36 forming a continuous channel along the periphery of the panel 14. As principally shown in FIG. 4B, the panel 14 has a plurality of surfaces defining the channels 36, which are referenced

herein as the channel wall surfaces 38 and the channel bottom surfaces 40. The channel wall surfaces 38 extend substantially perpendicular with respect to the front surface 18 and the rear surface 20. The channel bottom surfaces 40 extend substantially parallel with respect to the front surface 18 and the rear surface 20, thereby providing each of the channels 36 with a substantially rectangular cross- section.

With reference to FIGS. 2 and 4B, the panel 14 has a plurality of threaded bores 42 formed therein. The threaded bores 42 extend inwardly from the channel wall surfaces 38 and are preferably evenly distributed thereabout. The threaded bores 42 extend substantially parallel to the front surface 18 and the rear surface 20. Each of the threaded bores 42 are sized to securingly receive one of the fasteners 24.

The panel 14 has an outer perimeter 44 and a rear perimeter 48, which are principally shown and referenced in FIG. 4B. The outer perimeter 44 is defined by a plurality of planes which are substantially coplanar with the side surfaces 32. The rear perimeter 48 is defined by a plane which is substantially coplanar with the rear surface 20.

The frame 16 is shown in FIGS. 2-4A and is formed from a plurality of reinforcing members 50, which are each referenced individually in FIG. 2. The reinforcing members 50 are preferably solid, formed from steel or other rigid

material, and welded together prior to attachment of the frame 16 to the panel 14. Each reinforcing member 50 extends substantially perpendicular with respect to each other reinforcing member 50 adjacent thereto. The reinforcing members 50 have a plurality of passages 52 formed therein, each passage 52 being sized to receive a corresponding one of the fasteners 24. The passages 52 are preferably co-planar with respect to the frame 16.

The frame 16 is attached to the panel 14 such that the frame 16 is substantially disposed in the channels 36 and contained substantially within the outer perimeter 44 and the rear perimeter 48. In this regard, the rear side of the frame 16 is substantially flush with the rear surface 20 of the panel 14, and the outer sides of the frame 16 are substantially flush with the side surfaces 32 of the panel 14. Each of the passages 52 formed through the frame 16 is in axial alignment with a corresponding one of the threaded bores 42 of the panel 14.

Due to the attachment of the frame 16 to the panel 14, the panel 14 is inhibited from excessive warping. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the panel 14 is also inhibited from excessive warping, because the panel 14 is formed from a solid, single piece of wood. Moreover, the frame 16 is not visually perceptible from a front view of the cabinet door 12.

The fasteners 24 are preferably machine screws. Each one of the fasteners 24 extend through a passage 52 into a threaded bore 42 to secure the

frame 16 to the panel 14. Each one of the fasteners 24 preferably extends substantially parallel with respect to the front surface 18 and the rear surface 20 and substantially perpendicular with respect to the side surfaces 32.

The hinges 26 and the handle 28 are preferably conventional and any suitable hinges 26 and handle 28 may be used in accordance with the desired aesthetic and/or functionality. The hinges 26 are positioned in the sinks 34 formed in the panel 14. Screws secure the hinges 26 to the panel 14, but any suitable means known in the art may be used. One or more screws are also used to secure the handle 28 to the panel 14, but any suitable means known in the art may be used.

The adhesive tape 30 includes a display surface 54 having an appearance similar to the front surface 18 of the panel 14. The adhesive tape 30 also includes an adhesive surface 56 opposite the display surface 54. The adhesive surface 56 secures the adhesive tape 30 to the side surfaces 32 of the panel 14. The adhesive surface 56 also secures the adhesive tape 30 to surfaces of the frame 16 contiguous with the outer perimeter 44. The adhesive tape 30 preferably conceals the frame 16 from being visually perceptible from at least the top, side, and bottom views of the cabinet door 12. The display surface 54 of the adhesive tape 30 has an appearance similar to that of wood.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention provide a cabinet door having enhanced resistance to warping. Embodiments of the present invention

include means for providing said enhanced resistance (e.g., a frame) without having said means being visually perceptible from a front view of the cabinet door. The present invention provides a relatively simple construction that does not require high manufacturing costs or complicated tooling.

It shall be understood to one skilled in the art that the panel 14 may have variations from that shown and described. For example, although the panel 14 is preferably formed from a single board of solid wood, the panel 14 may be formed from any suitable material known in the art, such as particle board, plastic, and/or a composite, and in accordance with any conventional method for forming cabinet doors. As another nonlimiting example, although the panel 14 is shown to have a continuous channel formed therein, the panel 14 may have one or more channels and said one or more channels may be either continuous or non-continuous. Moreover, while the panel 14 is shown to have the channels 36 formed adjacent the outer perimeter 44, the panel 14 may have one or more channels spaced inwardly from the outer perimeter 44. Although the channels 36 are preferably defined by the channel wall surfaces 38 and the channel bottom surfaces 40 shown and described herein, the panel 14 may have any suitable number of planar and/or curved surfaces formed therein defining a channel. Also, while the channels 36 are preferably cutouts, the channels may be formed in accordance with any suitable method now or hereinafter known in the art. It shall also be understood to one skilled in the art that the frame 16 may have variations from that shown and described. For example, in some embodiments of the invention, adjacent reinforcing members 50 may have a

pair of complementary ends to create an aesthetically pleasing interconnection therebetween.

It shall also be understood that the relative terminology used herein, such as "front", "rear", "side", ""bottom", etc., is solely for the purposes of clarity and designation and does not limit the spatial positioning of the invention or otherwise similarly limit the invention. Said relative terminology shall not be construed to limit the scope of the present invention.

It shall be further understood that the embodiments of the present invention described herein are merely exemplary and that a person skilled in the art may make many variations and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. All such variations and modifications, including those discussed above, are intended to be included within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.