BACKGROUND
[0002] Cabinets are used throughout the home and in certain office environments
in order to store items out of sight but in an easily accessible location. For example,
10 medicine cabinets are typically hung in a bathroom and include a mirrored door.
People typically store items related to personal hygiene in medicine cabinets, such
as deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrushes, hairbrushes, and medication. Some users
have a desire to multi-task while performing various activities in the bathroom. For
example, users may wish to watch a video on an electronic device to pass the time,
15 take in information, or enhance their experience during a particular activity such as
toothbrushing. Users may alternatively desire to read an article on an electronic
device or in print while performing such activities. However, there is currently no
way to support an electronic device, print article, or the like in such a way that it
can be readily viewed by the user, will not be subjected to water damage, and can
20 be easily stowed away when not in use. Thus, a need exists for improvements in
the cabinet space that provide a user with a place to support certain articles off the
countertop and within the user’s field of view during personal hygiene activities.
BRIEF SUMMARY
[0003] The present invention may be directed to a cabinet apparatus including a
25 housing having a cavity, a door that closes a front opening of the cavity, and a
support assembly that is coupled to the cabinet assembly. The support assembly
may be movable in accordance with several different types of movement. For
example, the support assembly may be movable upwardly and downwardly relative
to the cabinet assembly along a vertical axis that is parallel to the longitudinal axis
3
of the cabinet assembly. The support assembly may be rotatable about a first
rotational axis to move a holding component of the support assembly between a
stowed position in which the holding component is stored away and a deployed
position in which the holding component protrudes from a periphery of the cabinet
5 assembly. The support assembly may be rotatable about a second rotational axis to
adjust an angle at which the holding component protrudes from the periphery of the
cabinet assembly.
[0004] In one aspect, the invention may be a cabinet apparatus comprising: a
cabinet assembly having a longitudinal axis and comprising: a housing comprising
10 a cavity having a front opening; and a door coupled to the housing to close the front
opening of the cavity; and a support assembly coupled to the cabinet assembly and
movable vertically relative to the cabinet assembly in opposing directions parallel
to the longitudinal axis, the support assembly comprising a holding component
configured to hold an article for viewing by a user, the holding component being
15 rotatable relative to the cabinet assembly about a first rotational axis between: (1)
a stowed position whereby the door can be closed and the holding component is
located inside the cavity of the housing; and (2) a deployed position whereby the
door can be closed and the holding component is located outside the cavity of the
housing.
20 [0005] In another aspect, the invention may be a cabinet apparatus comprising: a
cabinet assembly having a longitudinal axis and comprising: a housing comprising
a cavity having a front opening; and a door coupled to the housing to close the front
opening of the cavity; a support assembly coupled to the cabinet assembly, the
support assembly comprising a holding component configured to hold an article for
25 viewing by a user, the holding component being rotatable relative to the cabinet
assembly about: (1) a first rotational axis to move the holding component between
a stowed position whereby the holding component does not protrude from a
periphery of the cabinet assembly and a deployed position whereby the holding
component protrudes from the periphery of the cabinet assembly; and (2) a second
30 rotational axis to adjust an angle at which the holding component extends from the
cabinet assembly when the holding component is in the deployed position; and
4
wherein the first and second rotational axes are spaced apart from one another and
parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cabinet assembly.
[0006] In yet another aspect, the invention may be a cabinet apparatus comprising:
a cabinet assembly having a longitudinal axis: and a support assembly comprising
5 a holding component configured to detachably hold an article for viewing by a user,
the support assembly movably coupled to the cabinet assembly so that the support
assembly can move relative to the cabinet assembly in accordance with a plurality
of types of movement comprising: (1) upwardly and downwardly along a vertical
axis that is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cabinet assembly to adjust an
10 elevation of the support assembly relative to the cabinet assembly; (2) rotationally
about a first rotational axis that is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cabinet
assembly to move the holding component of the support assembly between a
stowed position in which no portion of the support assembly protrudes from a
periphery of the cabinet assembly and a deployed position in which the holding
15 component protrudes from the periphery of the cabinet assembly; and (3)
rotationally about a second rotational axis that is parallel to the longitudinal axis of
the cabinet assembly to adjust an angle at which the holding component extends
from the cabinet assembly when in the deployed position.
[0007] In a further aspect, the invention may be a cabinet apparatus comprising: a
20 cabinet assembly comprising: a housing; and a door coupled to the housing, the
door having an inner surface that faces the housing when the door is closed; and a
support assembly coupled to the inner surface of the door of the cabinet assembly,
the support assembly comprising a holding component configured to hold an article
for viewing by a user, the holding component being: (1) rotatable about a first
25 rotational axis to move the holding component between a stowed position whereby
the holding component is adjacent to the inner surface of the door and a deployed
position whereby the holding component protrudes from a periphery of the door;
and (2) rotatable about a second rotational axis to adjust an angle at which the
holding component protrudes from the periphery of the door when the holding
30 component is in the deployed position.
5
[0008] Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent
from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the
detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred
embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are
5 not intended to limit the scope of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed
description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cabinet apparatus with a door of a cabinet
10 assembly in an open state and a holding component of a support assembly in a
deployed position;
[0011] FIG. 2 is the perspective view of the cabinet apparatus of FIG. 1 with the
support assembly having been moved downwardly relative to the cabinet assembly
in a vertical direction;
15 [0012] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III of FIG. 1;
[0013] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the support assembly of FIG. 1;
[0014] FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the support assembly of FIG. 4;
[0015] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the cabinet apparatus of FIG. 1 with the door
in an open state and the holding component of the support assembly in a stowed
20 position;
[0016] FIG. 7A is a perspective view of the cabinet apparatus of FIG. 1 with the
door in the closed state and the holding component of the support assembly in the
deployed position;
[0017] FIG. 7B is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII of FIG. 7A;
6
[0018] FIG. 8A is the perspective view of the cabinet apparatus of FIG. 7A with
the holding component of the support assembly having been rotated relative to the
cabinet assembly to alter a viewing angle thereof;
[0019] FIG. 8B is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII of FIG. 8A;
5 [0020] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the cabinet apparatus of FIG. 1 with the door
in the closed state and the holding component of the support assembly in the stowed
position;
[0021] FIG. 10A is a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X of FIG. 9 with the
holding component of the support assembly in a first stowed position;
10 [0022] FIG. 10B is a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X of FIG. 9 with the
holding component of the support assembly in a second stowed position; and
[0023] FIGS. 11A and 11B illustrate the process of coupling an article to the
holding component in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
15 [0024] The following description of the preferred embodiment(s) is merely
exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application,
or uses.
[0025] The description of illustrative embodiments according to principles of the
present invention is intended to be read in connection with the accompanying
20 drawings, which are to be considered part of the entire written description. In the
description of embodiments of the invention disclosed herein, any reference to
direction or orientation is merely intended for convenience of description and is not
intended in any way to limit the scope of the present invention. Relative terms such
as “lower,” “upper,” “horizontal,” “vertical,” “above,” “below,” “up,” “down,”
25 “top,” and “bottom” as well as derivatives thereof (e.g., “horizontally,”
“downwardly,” “upwardly,” etc.) should be construed to refer to the orientation as
then described or as shown in the drawing under discussion. These relative terms
are for convenience of description only and do not require that the apparatus be
7
constructed or operated in a particular orientation unless explicitly indicated as
such. Terms such as “attached,” “affixed,” “connected,” “coupled,”
“interconnected,” and similar refer to a relationship wherein structures are secured
or attached to one another either directly or indirectly through intervening
5 structures, as well as both movable or rigid attachments or relationships, unless
expressly described otherwise. Moreover, the features and benefits of the invention
are illustrated by reference to the exemplified embodiments. Accordingly, the
invention expressly should not be limited to such exemplary embodiments
illustrating some possible non-limiting combination of features that may exist alone
10 or in other combinations of features; the scope of the invention being defined by
the claims appended hereto.
[0026] Referring first to FIG. 1, a cabinet apparatus 1000 is illustrated in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The cabinet apparatus
1000 comprises a cabinet assembly 10 and a support assembly 300 that is coupled
15 to the cabinet assembly 10. The cabinet assembly 10 comprises a longitudinal axis
A-A such that the cabinet assembly 10 extends from a bottom end 11 to a top end
12 along the longitudinal axis A-A. The cabinet assembly 10 generally comprises
a housing 100 and a door 200 that is pivotably coupled to the housing 100 so that
the door 200 can be alternated between an open state (shown in FIG. 1) and a closed
20 state (shown in FIG. 7A). The housing 100 comprises a cavity 110 within which
various items may be stored. In the exemplified embodiment, the support assembly
300 is coupled to the housing 100 and configured for a plurality of different types
of movement relative to the housing 100 to optimize a viewing height and viewing
angle of an article being held or supported by the support assembly 300, the details
25 of which will be described throughout this disclosure.
[0027] The cabinet assembly 10 may be a medicine cabinet in some embodiments,
although the invention is not to be so limited in all embodiments. Thus, the cabinet
assembly 10 could be a kitchen cabinet, an office cabinet, or any other type of
cabinet that may benefit from the inclusion of the support assembly 300 which is
30 used to hold and/or support an external device or article, such as those described in
greater detail herein below. The disclosure set forth herein could also be applicable
8
to a bookshelf, a desk, or other pieces of furniture to which it may be desirable to
attach the support assembly 300.
[0028] The cabinet assembly 10 may be attached to a support surface, such as a
wall in a bathroom or other room in a home, using a flush mount or recess mount
5 technique. In a recess mounting, much of the housing 100 is recessed within the
wall while a flange at the front of the housing 100 abuts against the surface of the
wall. In a flush mounting, the entirety of the cabinet assembly 10 is positioned on
an outer surface of the wall and none of the housing 100 is recessed. These are
conventional techniques for mounting a cabinet, and particularly a medicine
10 cabinet, to a wall in a home and therefore no further details related to the mounting
techniques will be provided herein.
[0029] The housing 100 may be formed from any material that is commonly or
conventionally used to manufacture cabinets. Thus, for example, the housing 100
may be formed from metal, plastic, or wood in various different embodiments. The
15 housing 100 may comprise a rear wall 101 and a plurality of sidewalls extending
from the rear wall 101 to a front opening 106 of the cavity 110. In the exemplified
embodiment, the plurality of sidewalls comprises a left sidewall 102, a right
sidewall 103, a top sidewall 104, and a bottom sidewall 105. The left, right, top,
and bottom sidewalls 102-105 collectively define the cavity 110 of the housing 100.
20 In the exemplified embodiment, the housing 100 and also the cavity 110 have
rectangular or square shapes. However, different numbers of sidewalls may be used
in other embodiments, which will in turn alter the shape of the cavity 110. For
example, if there are three sidewalls the cavity 110 may have a triangular shape, if
there are six sidewalls the cavity may have a hexagonal shape, etc.
25 [0030] The plurality of sidewalls 102-105 each extend from the front surface 112
of the rear wall 101 to the front opening 106 of the cavity 110. More specifically,
each of the plurality of sidewalls 102-105 extends from the rear wall 101 to a distal
end or terminal end 113, with the distal end 113 surrounding the front opening 106
of the cavity 110. The front opening 106 of the cavity 110 may be coplanar with
30 the distal ends 113 of the sidewalls. Furthermore, the housing 100 comprises a
frame 114 which extends from the distal ends 113 of the plurality of sidewalls in a
9
direction away from the cavity 110. In the exemplified embodiment, the frame 114
extends perpendicularly from the sidewalls 102, 103, 104, 105, but it could be
oblique in other embodiments. The frame 114 forms a flange that surrounds the
front opening 106 of the cavity 110. The frame 114 has a front surface 115 that
5 interfaces with or faces an inner surface 201 of the door 200 when the door 200 is
closed. There may be a gap between the front surface 115 of the frame 114 and the
inner surface 201 of the door 200 when the door 200 is closed in some
embodiments.
[0031] In the exemplified embodiment, there are a plurality of shelves 190
10 extending horizontally within the cavity 110 from the left sidewall 102 to the right
sidewall 103. The shelves may be formed from any desired rigid material, such as
plastic, glass, wood, or the like. The shelves 190 may be coupled to or supported
by pins or other support members that are coupled to the left and right sidewalls
102, 103 of the housing 100. Although two shelves are shown in FIG. 1, more or
15 less than two shelves could be used in other embodiments. The exact structure,
shape, and other details of the shelves 190 including the spacing therebetween and
their specific positioning within the cavity 110 of the housing 100 are not to be
limiting of the present invention unless specified otherwise.
[0032] The door 200 is coupled to the housing 100 by one or more hinges to permit
20 the door 200 to be altered between the open and closed states. In the exemplified
embodiment, the door 200 is hingedly coupled to the left sidewall 102 of the
housing 100. However, the invention is not to be so limited in all embodiments
and the door 200 could instead be hingedly coupled to the right sidewall 103 of the
housing 100. The door 200 could also be hingedly coupled to the top or bottom
25 sidewalls 104, 105 in other embodiments, although this would be a less traditional
approach. Moreover, the door 200 could be a slidable door rather than one that
pivots about a hinge relative to the housing 100. Thus, the door 200 could be
coupled to the housing 100 in such a way so that the door 200 can slide leftwards,
rightwards, upwards, or downwards to open and/or close the front opening 106 of
30 the cavity 110.
10
[0033] Moreover, in some embodiments the coupling of the door 200 to the
housing 100 may be interchangeable so that a user can decide whether to couple
the door 200 to the left sidewall 102 or the right sidewall 104, which may be
dictated by the location at which the cabinet apparatus 1000 is to be hung.
5 Regardless of the specific manner in which the door 200 is coupled to the housing
100, the door 200 is alterable between: (1) an open state, as shown in FIG. 1,
whereby the front opening 106 of the cavity 110 is exposed to provide access into
the cavity 110; and (2) a closed state, as shown in FIG. 7A, whereby the door 200
closes the front opening 106 of the cavity 110. Thus, when a user desires to gain
10 access to items stored in the cavity 106 (such as on the shelves, on the bottom
sidewall 105, or the like), the user will open the door 200 to expose the front
opening 106. Upon removing or replacing the desired items from the cavity 110,
the user will close the door 200.
[0034] The door 200 comprises the inner surface 201 which faces the cavity 110
15 when the door 200 is in the closed state and an outer surface 202 (shown, for
example, in FIG. 7A). The outer surface 202 may be a mirrored surface in some
embodiments. Thus, the outer surface 202 of the door 200 may be or comprise a
mirror so that a user can see his/her reflection therein. Thus, a user may perform
daily hygiene activities with the door 200 closed so that the user can see him or
20 herself performing such daily hygiene activities. Of course, the outer surface 202
of the door 200 is not required to be a mirrored surface in all embodiments. It is
also possible for the inner surface 201 to be mirrored in some embodiments.
[0035] In the exemplified embodiment, there is a track 210 formed into the inner
surface 201 of the door 200. The track 210 is a channel in the inner surface 201 of
25 the door 200 to which the support assembly 300 may be coupled. As best shown
in FIGS. 1 and 3, in the exemplified embodiment the track 210 is located adjacent
to a distal edge 220 of the door 200, which is the edge of the door 200 that is furthest
from the housing 100. However, the track 210 can be located elsewhere along the
door 200 in other embodiments. Moreover, in the exemplified embodiment the
30 track 210 extends along an entirety of the height of the door 200 from a bottom
edge of the door 200 to a top edge 222 of the door 200. In other embodiments, the
track 210 may extend along only part of the height of the door 200. In the
11
exemplified embodiment, the track 210 extends along a vertical axis B-B that is
parallel to the longitudinal axis A-A of the cabinet assembly 10. Thus, many
variations to the location and positioning of the track 210 are possible within the
scope of the invention described herein.
5 [0036] As described above and shown in the figures, in the exemplified
embodiment the support assembly 300 is coupled to the door 200, and more
particularly to the inner surface 201 of the door 200 where the track 210 is located.
However, the invention is not to be so limited in all embodiments and in other
embodiments the support assembly 300 may be coupled to the housing 100 rather
10 than to the door 200. For example, the housing 100 may comprise a track or
channel formed into an inner surface of one of the sidewalls 102-105 or along the
rear wall 101 for purposes of coupling the support assembly 300 to the housing
100. Thus, in some embodiments the support assembly 300 may be coupled to the
cabinet assembly 10, which includes the housing 100 and the door 200, such that
15 the support assembly 300 may be coupled to either the housing 100 or the door 200
in various different embodiments.
[0037] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3-5 concurrently, the support assembly 300
generally comprises a mounting assembly 310 that is coupled to the cabinet
assembly 100, a holding component 340 that is configured to hold an article for
20 viewing by a user, and a linkage assembly 370 that is pivotably or rotationally
coupled to each of the mounting assembly 310 and the holding component 340 to
facilitate various types of movement of the support assembly 300 relative to the
cabinet assembly 100. The details of these general components and/or assemblies
of the support assembly 300 will be described in greater detail below with reference
25 [0038] The mounting assembly 310 comprises a mounting plate 311 and a
connection plate 312 that is fixedly coupled to the mounting plate 311. The
connection plate 312 may be coupled to the mounting plate 311 using fasteners
such as screws, nails, bolts, or the like, or using adhesive or other techniques.
Although in the exemplified embodiment the mounting plate 311 and the
30 connection plate 312 are two separate components that are coupled together, in
other embodiments the mounting plate 311 and the connection plate 312 may be
12
part of an integral and unitary (i.e., monolithic) structure. In the exemplified
embodiment, the mounting plate 311 is a flat plate that fits within the track 210 in
the door 200 to couple the support assembly 300 to the cabinet assembly 10. In
some embodiments, during assembly the mounting plate 311 is first placed within
5 the track 210, and then the connection plate 312 is coupled to the mounting plate
311.
[0039] The mounting plate 311 may be coupled to the cabinet assembly 10 (such
as within the track 210) via a friction fit or an interference fit so that the mounting
plate 311 is stationary until an upward or downward force is applied onto the
10 support assembly 300 to move it upwardly or downwardly relative to the cabinet
assembly 10. In other embodiments, the mounting plate 311 may be coupled to the
cabinet assembly 10 within the track 210 using an actuatable clip or bow clip such
as described in U.S. Patent No. 9,211,004, issued December 15, 2015, the entirety
of which is incorporated herein by reference. In still other embodiments, the
15 mounting plate 311 may be coupled to the cabinet assembly 10 within the track 210
so that the mounting plate 311 is slidable within the track 210 using other
techniques and structures, including ratchet mechanisms, depressible locking
members that in a normal state hold the mounting plate 311 in place and when
actuated permit a user to slide the mounting plate 311 (and the support assembly
20 300) upwardly and downwardly relative to the cabinet assembly 10 within the track
210. In yet other embodiments, the mounting plate 311 may be located within the
track 210 and then held in place using a set screw, such that upon loosening the set
screw the mounting plate 311 can be moved along the track 210 and upon tightening
the set screw the mounting plate 311 is held in place. Thus, there are many different
25 ways that the mounting plate 311 can be coupled to the cabinet assembly 10 while
permitting the mounting plate 311 (and hence the support assembly 300 in its
entirety) to be held in a fixed elevation and then, when desired, moved upwardly
and downwardly to adjust its elevation along the cabinet assembly 10. In all
embodiments described herein, the mounting plate 311 remains disposed within the
30 track 210 and therefore coupled to the cabinet assembly 10 as it moves upwardly
and downwardly along the vertical axis B-B.
13
[0040] Referring briefly to FIGS. 1 and 2, due to the interaction between the
mounting assembly 310 and the track 210, the support assembly 300 is configured
to move/slide upwardly and downwardly in a vertical direction along the vertical
axis B-B that is parallel to the longitudinal axis A-A of the cabinet assembly 10.
5 Thus, the support assembly 300 is movable vertically along the vertical axis B-B in
opposing directions parallel to the longitudinal axis A-A of the cabinet assembly
10 to alter an elevation at which the support assembly 300 (or the holding
component 340 thereof) is positioned along the cabinet assembly 10. Specifically,
moving from FIG. 1 to FIG. 2, the support assembly 300 has been moved
10 downwardly along the vertical axis B-B so that it is located at a lower elevation
along the cabinet assembly 10 (and relative to a floor surface or a countertop above
which the cabinet apparatus 1000 is hung). Thus, the elevation or height at which
the support assembly 300 is positioned may be modified to enhance its use
depending on the height or size of the user. A shorter user may want to have the
15 support assembly 300 positioned at a lower height/elevation than a taller user for
viewing optimization. The mounting assembly 310 remains positioned in the track
210 during the vertical movement of the support assembly 300 along the vertical
axis B-B. Due to the friction fit, interference fit, or other as mentioned above, the
support assembly 300 is selectively movable along the vertical axis B-B, meaning
20 that the support assembly 300 maintains its elevation/height until a user intervenes
and imparts a force onto the support assembly 300 to adjust its elevation/height.
[0041] As will be described in greater detail below, the holding component 340 of
the support assembly 300 is configured to hold an article, which in one embodiment
may be an electronic device such as a tablet, a smart phone, or the like. Thus, the
25 user will want the holding component 340 and the article to be at a desirable
elevation so that the user does not need to strain his/her neck to view the article.
The up/down adjustability along the vertical axis B-B as described above makes
this possible. The top and bottom ends of the track 210 may have stopper features
(e.g., walls) that prevent the mounting plate 311 from being removed from the track
30 210 via the ends thereof.
[0042] Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 3-5, the support assembly 300 will continue
to be described. As mentioned above, the connection plate 312 is fixedly coupled
14
to the mounting plate 311 so that the connection plate 312 does not move relative
to the mounting plate 311 under normal use. The connection plate 312 comprises
a plate portion 313 having apertures for receiving fasteners as described herein and
a connection portion 314 that facilitates the coupling of the mounting assembly 310
5 to the linkage assembly 370. In the exemplified embodiment, the connection
portion 314 comprises a pair of tabs 315 protruding from an end thereof in a spaced
apart manner. A hinge pin 371 of the linkage assembly 370 is configured to be
received in the space between the pair of tabs 315 to facilitate a pivoting connection
between the linkage assembly 370 and the mounting assembly 310, as described in
10 greater detail below.
[0043] The linkage assembly 370 comprises the hinge pin 371 and a hinge plate
372. The hinge plate 372 comprises a first end 373 having a first attachment portion
374 and a second end 375 having a second attachment portion 376. More
specifically, the first attachment portion 374 comprises two tabs extending from the
15 first end 373 of the hinge plate 372 in a spaced apart manner and the second
attachment portion 376 comprises two tabs extending from the second end 375 of
the hinge plate 372 in a spaced apart manner. The hinge pin 371 described above
is configured to be received within the space between the pair of tabs 315 of the
mounting assembly 310 and within the space between the pair of tabs of the first
20 attachment portion 374 of the hinge plate 372. As seen in the figures, the hinge pin
371 and the various tabs have apertures formed therein so that a pin (see pins 380,
381, 382) can be inserted therethrough to facilitate the coupling of the hinge pin
371 to each of the mounting assembly 310 and the hinge plate 372. The coupling
should be done in such a way so that the hinge pin 371 remains rotatable relative to
25 the mounting assembly 310 and the hinge plate 372 remains rotatable relative to
the hinge pin 371. Each of the pins 380, 381, 382 may have a cap or bolt or head
on one or both of its opposing ends to maintain the various components in a coupled
state, while permitting the rotation between the various components as noted
herein. As will be described in greater detail below, the connection between the
30 hinge pin 371 and the hinge plate 372 forms a first rotational axis C-C and the
connection between the hinge pin 371 and the mounting assembly 310 forms a third
rotational axis E-E that is parallel to the first rotational axis C-C.
15
[0044] In the exemplified embodiment the holding component 340 comprises a
base member 341, a first clamp arm 342 coupled to the base member 341, and a
second clamp arm 343 coupled to the base member 341. In the exemplified
embodiment, each of the first and second clamp arms 342, 343 is movably coupled
5 to the base member 341, although in other embodiments only one of the first and
second clamp arms 342, 343 may be movably coupled to the base member 341 with
the other one of the first and second clamp arms 342, 343 being fixedly coupled to
the base member 341. In the exemplified embodiment, each of the first and second
clamp arms 342, 343 has an “L” shape so that an article (such as a tablet, smart
10 phone, or the like) can be clamped between the first and second clamp arms 342,
343 to hold the article in place. Thus, the first clamp arm 342 has a coupling portion
345 which couples to the base member 341 and a holding portion 346 which holds
the article and the second clamp arm 343 has a coupling portion 347 which couples
to the base member 341 and a holding portion 348 which holds the article. The
15 holding portions 346, 348 extend perpendicularly from the coupling portions 345,
347. Furthermore, the holding portions 346, 348 of the first and second clamp arms
342, 343 have a channel 344 formed in a bottom surface thereof for receiving a
portion of the article to facilitate the ability of the holding component 340 to hold
the article.
20 [0045] In the exemplified embodiment, the coupling portions 345, 347 of the first
and second clamp arms 342, 343 are configured to slide over opposing end portions
of the base member 341 to couple the first and second clamp arms 342, 343 to the
base member 341. Furthermore, the first and second clamp arms 342, 343 may be
coupled to the base member 341 using fasteners, such as screws, inserted through
25 openings in the various components. In such embodiments, the fasteners may be
tightened or loosened to allow the first and second clamp arms 342, 343 to move
relative to the base member 341 either towards or away from one another to
accommodate articles of different size. Thus, the size of the space between the
holding portions 346, 348 of the first and second clamp arms 342, 343 can be altered
30 or modified so that the first and second clamp arms 342, 343 can hold articles of
varying size, such as tablets in one configuration and a smart phone in another
configuration. As should be appreciated, the holding component 340 holds one or
more articles in a detachable fashion such that the articles can be separated from
16
the holding component 340 as desired. This will allow a user to determine the
particular article that he/she desires to have held by the holding component 340 and
also allows the user to interchange the article with another article as desired.
[0046] In other embodiments, the first and/or second clamp arms 342, 343 may be
5 coupled to the base member 341 using a spring. For example, the first and/or
second clamp arms 342, 343 may be coupled to the base member 341 via an
extension spring. As a result, a user can pull the first and/or second clamp arms
342, 343 away from one another to insert an article into the space between the first
and second clamp arms 342, 343. Upon releasing the first and/or second clamp
10 arms 342, 343, the first and/or second clamp arms 342, 343 will be biased, via the
extension spring, in a direction back towards one another. This force of the spring
will hold the article tightly between the first and second clamp arms 342, 343.
Although in the exemplified embodiment the invention is described such that both
of the first and second clamp arms 342, 343 are movable relative to the base
15 member 341, the invention is not to be so limited in all embodiments and in some
other embodiments only one of the first and second clamp arms 342, 343 may be
movable relative to the base member 341. Use of the holding component 340 to
hold and secure an article will be described in greater detail below with reference
to FIGS. 11A and 11B.
20 [0047] The base member 341 has a front surface 350 that faces the space defined
for holding an article and a rear surface 351 opposite the front surface 350.
Furthermore, the base member 341 comprises an attachment member 352 on the
rear surface 351 for coupling the holding component 340 to the linkage assembly
370. More specifically, the attachment member 352 comprises a cylindrical
25 element 353 that extends from the rear surface 351 of the base member 341. The
cylindrical element 353 has an outer surface 354 that is rounded in the exemplified
embodiment, which facilitates the rotational/pivoting movement between the
holding component 340 and the hinge plate 372 as described in greater detail herein
below. The attachment member 352 also comprises a plurality of protuberances
30 355 extending from the outer surface 354 of the cylindrical element 353. The
plurality of protuberances 355 form a part of a locking feature or locking
mechanism that can lock the holding component 340 into any one of a plurality of
17
orientations relative to the hinge plate 372 and the cabinet assembly 10 as described
in greater detail herein below with particular reference to FIGS. 7A-8B.
[0048] The holding component 340 can have other structures and components that
are different than the exemplified embodiment in alternative embodiments so long
5 as the function remains as disclosed herein. There are many different permutations
for the structure of the holding component 340 that will result in a structure that
functions in accordance with the teachings set forth herein in terms of rotation
relative to the cabinet assembly 10 and ability to hold one or more articles. Thus,
while one exemplary embodiment is being described herein, it should be
10 appreciated that the invention is not to be limited by the disclosed structure for the
holding component in all embodiments.
[0049] The holding component 340 is coupled to the hinge plate 372 of the linkage
assembly 370 by inserting the attachment member 352 into the space between the
tabs of the second attachment portion 376 and then inserting the pin 382 through
15 the apertures in the tabs of the second attachment portion 376 and the aperture in
the attachment member 352. As a result of this manner of attachment, the holding
component 340 is capable of rotating relative to the hinge plate 372, with the axis
of the pin 382 forming the rotational axis upon which the holding component 340
can rotate relative to the hinge plate 372. As will be described below, this rotation
20 of the holding component 340 relative to the hinge plate 372 can alter a viewing
angle of the article and can alter an angle at which the holding component 340
protrudes from a periphery of the cabinet assembly 10 when the holding component
340 is deployed as described herein.
[0050] As best seen in FIG. 3, the protuberances 355 of the attachment member
25 352 of the holding component 340 interact with the second end 375 (also referred
to as an end surface) of the hinge plate 372 to form a locking mechanism or locking
feature. The second end 375 of the hinge plate 372 is located on a locking feature
377 of the hinge plate 372. The hinge plate 372 has a through-hole 378 that extends
between the locking feature 377 of the hinge plate 372 and the remainder of the
30 hinge plate 372 to enable the locking feature 377 to deflect into the through-hole
378 as needed to permit the protuberances 355 to pass over the locking feature 377
18
to change the orientation of the holding component 340 as described further herein
below.
[0051] In the exemplified embodiment, the second end 375 or end surface of the
hinge plate 372 (which is the distal end of the locking feature 377) has a convex or
5 rounded/domed shape. This allows the protuberances 355 to pass over the second
end 375 of the hinge plate 372 when a sufficient force is applied to the holding
component 340. Specifically, as the holding component 340 is made to rotate
relative to the hinge plate 372, the interaction between the protuberances 355 and
the second end 375 of the hinge plate 372 will make it so that a reasonable force
10 needs to be applied to the holding component 340 to enable the protuberances 355
to pass over the second end 375 of the hinge plate 372. As the protuberances 355
pass over the second end 375 of the hinge plate 372, either the second end 375 of
the hinge plate 372 or the protuberances 355 may deflect to enable the rotation
described herein. Specifically, in the exemplified embodiment the locking feature
15 377 of the hinge plate 372 will deflect into the through-hole 378 as the
protuberances 355 pass over the second end 375 of the hinge plate 372. The
protuberance 355 and their interaction with the second end 375 of the hinge plate
372 ensures that the holding component 340 does not rotate freely relative to the
hinge plate 372, but instead requires some user force to rotate the holding
20 component 340 relative to the hinge plate 372. This prohibition on free rotation
due to the locking feature/mechanism formed by the interaction of the
protuberances 355 and the second end 375 of the hinge plate 372 ensures that once
the holding component 340 is positioned at the desired viewing angle, it will not be
readily moved away from that viewing angle without specific user interaction. It
25 should be appreciated that the protuberances 355 could be omitted in some
embodiments where such a locking feature is not needed or not desired.
[0052] The support assembly 300 is able to move vertically in opposing directions
along the vertical axis B-B relative to the cabinet assembly 10 as described above
with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. Furthermore, the holding component 340 is also
30 able to move rotationally relative to the cabinet assembly 10 with multiple degrees
of freedom. Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the different types of rotational movement
of the holding component 340 relative to the cabinet assembly 10 will be described.
19
[0053] The holding component 340 is rotatable relative to the cabinet assembly 10
about a first rotational axis C-C and a second rotational axis D-D. The first and
second rotational axes C-C, D-D are parallel to one another and spaced apart from
one another. Furthermore, the first and second rotational axes C-C, D-D are parallel
5 to the longitudinal axis A-A of the cabinet assembly 10. As mentioned above, the
connection between the hinge pin 371 and the hinge plate 372 forms the first
rotational axis C-C and the connection between the attachment element 352 of the
holding component 340 and the hinge plate 372 forms the second rotational axis DD. In the exemplified embodiment, the holding component 340 is also rotatable
10 relative to the cabinet assembly 10 about a third rotational axis E-E, with the third
rotational axis E-E being formed at the connection between the hinge pin 371 and
the mounting assembly 310. The third rotational axis E-E is also parallel to and
spaced apart from the first and second rotational axes C-C, D-D.
[0054] Thus, as will be described in greater detail below, with the support assembly
15 300 coupled to the cabinet assembly 10 as described herein, the holding component
340 can be rotated about the first rotational axis C-C to be moved between a stowed
position and a deployed position. In the stowed position, no portion of the holding
component 340 protrudes from a periphery of the cabinet assembly 10. In the
deployed position, the holding component 340 protrudes from the periphery of the
20 cabinet assembly 10 so that the article being held thereby can be viewed and/or
used by a user. Thus, the holding component 340 and the article being held thereby
can be stored away and out of sight within the cavity 110 of the cabinet assembly
10 with the door 200 closed, or the holding component 340 can extend out of the
cavity 110 of the cabinet assembly 10 for use. Rotation about the third rotational
25 axis C-C may assist in the positioning of the holding component 340 within the
cavity 110 when in the stowed position.
[0055] Furthermore, rotation of the holding component 340 about the second
rotational axis D-D changes an angle at which the holding component 340 protrudes
from the periphery of the cabinet assembly 200 when it is in the deployed state.
30 When in the stowed state, rotation of the holding component 340 about the second
rotational axis D-D changes a positioning of the holding component 340 within the
20
cavity 210. These various ways of rotating and/or moving the holding component
340 relative to the cabinet assembly 10 will be described in greater detail below.
[0056] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 6, rotation of the holding component 340 about
the first rotational axis C-C will be described. The holding component 340 can be
5 rotated about the first rotational axis C-C to alter the holding component 340
between a deployed position, shown in FIG. 1, and a stowed position, shown in
FIG. 6. In the deployed position, the holding component 340 protrudes from a
periphery 199 of the cabinet assembly 10. The periphery 199 of the cabinet
assembly 10 may include a peripheral edge of the door 200 that is located between
10 the front and rear surfaces 201, 202 of the door 200 and a peripheral edge of the
housing 100 that is located between the front surface 115 of the frame 114 and a
rear surface of the housing 100. Thus, the periphery 199 of the cabinet assembly
10 is the outer edge of the door 200 and the outer edge of the housing 100.
[0057] In the exemplified embodiment, in the deployed position the holding
15 component 340 protrudes from the distal edge 220 of the door 200 (which forms a
part of the periphery 199 of the cabinet assembly 10), but the invention is not to be
so limited in all embodiments and the support assembly 300 could be positioned at
other locations along the cabinet assembly 10 to change the exact location at which
the holding component 340 protrudes from the periphery 199 of the cabinet
20 assembly 10 when in the deployed position. For example, if the support assembly
300 is coupled to the housing 100 instead of to the door 200, in the deployed
position the holding component 340 may protrude from the right sidewall 103 of
the housing 100. Furthermore, when the holding component 340 is in the deployed
position, the door can be closed, thereby leaving the holding component 340 located
25 outside of the cavity (see, for example, FIG. 7A). In such a situation, the hinge
plate 372 passes through a space between the inner surface 201 of the door 200 and
the front surface 115 of the frame 114 of the housing 100, leaving the holding
component 340 outside of the cavity 110 and in the viewing field of a user. When
the holding component 340 is holding an article such as described herein, that
30 article (and its display surface or the like) is also in the viewing field of the user.

WE CLAIM:
1. A cabinet apparatus comprising:
a cabinet assembly having a longitudinal axis and comprising:
a housing comprising a cavity having a front opening; and
a door coupled to the housing to close the front opening of
the cavity; and
a support assembly coupled to the cabinet assembly and movable
vertically relative to the cabinet assembly in opposing directions parallel to
the longitudinal axis, the support assembly comprising a holding
component configured to hold an article for viewing by a user, the holding
component being rotatable relative to the cabinet assembly about a first
rotational axis between: (1) a stowed position whereby the door is closed
and the holding component is located inside the cavity of the housing; and
(2) a deployed position whereby the door is closed and the holding
component is located outside the cavity of the housing.
2. The cabinet apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the holding component
is rotatable relative to the cabinet assembly about a second rotational axis
that is spaced apart from the first rotational axis to adjust an angle at which
the holding component protrudes from a periphery of the cabinet assembly
when in the deployed position to modify a viewing angle of the article being
held by the holding component as perceived by a user.
3. The cabinet apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the first and second
rotational axes are parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cabinet.
4. The cabinet apparatus according to claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the support
assembly comprises a mounting assembly that is slidably coupled to the
cabinet assembly, a hinge plate that is pivotably coupled to the mounting
assembly, and the holding component that is pivotably coupled to the hinge
plate, and wherein the first rotational axis is formed at a connection between
the hinge plate and the mounting assembly and the second rotational axis is
formed at a connection between the hinge plate and the holding component.
28
5. The cabinet apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 4 wherein the
support assembly comprises a locking feature for locking the holding
component in any one of a plurality of viewing angles.
6. The cabinet apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 5 wherein the
second rotational axis is located inside the cavity when the holding
component is in the stowed position and the door is closed and outside the
cavity when the holding component is in the deployed position and the door
is closed.
7. The cabinet apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 6 wherein the
support assembly is movable vertically along a vertical axis that is parallel
to the longitudinal axis, the vertical axis lying in a reference plane that is
perpendicular to the door, and wherein the first and second rotational axes
are located on the same side of the reference plane when the holding
component is in the stowed position and on opposite sides of the reference
plane when the holding component is in the deployed position.
8. The cabinet apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein the
support assembly comprises:
a mounting assembly for mounting the support assembly to the
cabinet;
the holding component; and
a linkage assembly that is pivotably coupled to the mounting
assembly and to the holding component.
9. The cabinet apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the linkage assembly
comprises a hinge pin and a hinge plate, the hinge plate comprising a first
end having a first attachment portion and a second end having a second
attachment portion, the hinge pin being coupled to the mounting assembly
and to the first attachment portion of the hinge plate, and the holding
component comprising an attachment member that is pivotably coupled to
the second attachment portion of the hinge plate.
10. The cabinet apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the connection between
the hinge pin and the hinge plate forms the first rotational axis and wherein
29
the connection between the hinge pin and the mounting assembly forms a
third rotational axis that is parallel to the first rotational axis.
11. The cabinet apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the holding
component comprises a base member, a first clamp arm coupled to the base
member, and a second clamp arm coupled to the base member, at least one
of the first and second clamp arms being movable relative to the base
member to facilitate the coupling of the article to the holding component,
wherein the attachment member of the holding component comprises a
cylindrical element extending from the base member and a plurality of
protuberances extending from an outer surface of the cylindrical element,
the cylindrical element being pivotably coupled to the second attachment
portion of the hinge plate and the plurality of protuberances interacting with
an end surface of the hinge plate to lock the holding component in one of a
plurality of different viewing angles relative to the housing component
when the holding component is in the deployed position.
12. The cabinet apparatus according to any one of claims 8 to 11 wherein the
cabinet assembly comprises a track, the mounting assembly of the support
assembly comprising a mounting plate that is coupled to the cabinet
assembly within the track to permit the vertical movement of the support
assembly relative to the cabinet assembly.
13. The cabinet apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the track is located
along an inner surface of the door that faces the cavity when the door is
closed.
14. The cabinet apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 13 wherein the
holding component is configured to hold the article in a detachable manner.
15. The cabinet apparatus according to claim 14 wherein the holding
component is a clamp comprising first and second clamp arms, at least one
of the first and second clamp arms being movable relative to the other one
of the first and second clamp arms so that the holding component can hold
articles of varying size.
30
16. The cabinet apparatus according to claim 14 or claim 15 wherein the article
is selected from the group consisting of a tablet, an ebook, a book, a
newspaper, a magazine, a notebook, a laptop, a smart phone, a folder, and
a frame.
17. The cabinet apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 16 wherein the
support assembly moves vertically relative to the cabinet assembly by
sliding the support assembly relative to the cabinet assembly while the
support assembly remains coupled to the cabinet assembly.
18. A cabinet apparatus comprising:
a cabinet assembly having a longitudinal axis and comprising:
a housing comprising a cavity having a front opening; and
a door coupled to the housing to close the front opening of
the cavity;
a support assembly coupled to the cabinet assembly, the support
assembly comprising a holding component configured to hold an article for
viewing by a user, the holding component being rotatable relative to the
cabinet assembly about: (1) a first rotational axis to move the holding
component between a stowed position whereby the holding component does
not protrude from a periphery of the cabinet assembly and a deployed
position whereby the holding component protrudes from the periphery of
the cabinet assembly; and (2) a second rotational axis to adjust an angle at
which the holding component protrudes from the periphery of the cabinet
assembly when the holding component is in the deployed position; and
wherein the first and second rotational axes are spaced apart from
one another and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cabinet assembly.
19. The cabinet apparatus according to claim 18 wherein the support assembly
comprises a mounting assembly disposed within a track located on an inner
surface of the door, the support assembly being movable upwardly and
downwardly along a vertical axis that is parallel to the longitudinal axis of
the cabinet assembly while remaining coupled to the cabinet assembly with
the mounting assembly disposed within the track.
31
20. The cabinet apparatus according to claim 18 or claim 19 wherein the
holding component is configured to extend from the cabinet assembly at a
plurality of different angles by rotating the holding component about the
second rotational axis, and wherein the support assembly comprises a
locking feature for locking the holding component in any of the plurality of
different angles.
21. The cabinet apparatus according to any one of claims 18 to 20 wherein the
holding component is rotatable relative to the cabinet assembly about a third
rotational axis that is parallel to each of the first and second rotational axes.
22. The cabinet apparatus according to any one of claims 18 to 20 wherein the
support assembly comprises:
a mounting assembly for mounting the support assembly to the
cabinet;
the holding component; and
a linkage assembly that is pivotably coupled to the mounting
assembly about the first rotational axis and to the holding component about
the second rotational axis.
23. The cabinet apparatus according to claim 22 wherein the linkage assembly
comprises a hinge plate that is pivotably coupled to the mounting assembly
to form the first rotational axis and pivotably coupled to the holding
component to form the second rotational axis.
24. The cabinet apparatus according to claim 23 wherein the holding
component comprises a cylindrical element and a plurality of protuberances
extending from an outer surface of the cylindrical element, the cylindrical
element being pivotably coupled to the hinge plate and the plurality of
protuberances interacting with an end surface of the hinge plate to lock the
holding component in one of a plurality of different viewing angles relative
to the housing component when the holding component is in the deployed
position.
25. A cabinet apparatus comprising:
32
a cabinet assembly having a longitudinal axis: and
a support assembly comprising a holding component configured to
detachably hold an article for viewing by a user, the support assembly
movably coupled to the cabinet assembly so that the support assembly can
move relative to the cabinet assembly in accordance with a plurality of types
of movement comprising: (1) upwardly and downwardly along a vertical
axis that is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cabinet assembly to adjust
an elevation of the support assembly relative to the cabinet assembly; (2)
rotationally about a first rotational axis that is parallel to the longitudinal
axis of the cabinet assembly to move the holding component of the support
assembly between a stowed position in which no portion of the support
assembly protrudes from a periphery of the cabinet assembly and a
deployed position in which the holding component protrudes from the
periphery of the cabinet assembly; and (3) rotationally about a second
rotational axis that is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cabinet assembly
to adjust an angle at which the holding component protrudes from the
cabinet assembly when in the deployed position.
26. The cabinet apparatus according to claim 25 wherein the cabinet assembly
comprises a housing having a cavity and a door that closes an open front
end of the cavity when in a closed state, wherein in the deployed position
the holding component and the second rotational axis are located outside of
the cavity of the housing.
27. The cabinet apparatus according to claim 25 or claim 26 wherein the
holding component of the support assembly is configured to detachably
hold an article selected from the group consisting of a tablet, an ebook, a
book, a newspaper, a magazine, a notebook, a laptop, a smart phone, a
folder, and a frame.
28. The cabinet apparatus according to any one of claims 25 to 27 wherein the
support assembly remains coupled to the cabinet assembly during
movement of the support assembly in accordance with each of the plurality
of types of movement.
33
29. A cabinet apparatus comprising:
a cabinet assembly comprising:
a housing; and
a door coupled to the housing, the door having an inner
surface that faces the housing when the door is closed; and
a support assembly coupled to the inner surface of the door of the
cabinet assembly, the support assembly comprising a holding component
configured to hold an article for viewing by a user, the holding component
being: (1) rotatable about a first rotational axis to move the holding
component between a stowed position whereby the holding component is
adjacent to the inner surface of the door and a deployed position whereby
the holding component protrudes from a periphery of the door; and (2)
rotatable about a second rotational axis to adjust an angle at which the
holding component protrudes from the periphery of the door when the
holding component is in the deployed position.
30. The cabinet apparatus according to claim 29 wherein the first and second
rotational axes are parallel to one another.
31. The cabinet apparatus according to claim 29 or claim 30 wherein the support
apparatus is movable vertically relative to the door along a vertical axis that
is parallel to the first and second rotational axes while remaining coupled to
the inner surface of the door.
32. The cabinet apparatus according to any one of claims 29 to 31 wherein the
holding component is configured to be rotated about the second rotational
axis when the holding component is in the deployed position and the door
is closed.
33. A cabinet apparatus comprising:
a cabinet assembly having a longitudinal axis and comprising:
a housing comprising a cavity having a front opening; and
a door coupled to the housing to close the front opening of
the cavity; and
34
a support assembly coupled to the cabinet assembly and movable
vertically relative to the cabinet assembly in opposing directions parallel to
the longitudinal axis, the support assembly comprising a holding
component configured to hold an article for viewing by a user