Collapsible Cabinet with Fabric Drawers

Abstract

A collapsible cabinet includes a collapsible frame comprising a plurality of shelves; and a plurality of fabric drawers each releasably disposed in the shelf.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The invention relates to collapsible cabinets and more particularly to such a collapsible cabinet having a plurality of fabric drawers.

2. Description of Related Art

Conventional cabinets are rigid structures. Also, drawers of the cabinet are made from metal or wood. Such type of cabinet is typically not collapsible. Hence, its transportation is not easy.

There is a type of collapsible cabinet commercially available. However, the structure thereof is complicated, and expensive to manufacture. Thus, the need for improvement still exists.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore one object of the invention to provide a collapsible cabinet having a plurality of fabric drawers with the advantage of being easy of assembly or disassembly without involving tools.

One aspect of the invention is to provide a collapsible cabinet comprising a collapsible frame comprising a plurality of shelves; and a plurality of fabric drawers each releasably disposed in the shelf.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of a first preferred embodiment of collapsible cabinet according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the cabinet of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the cabinet of FIG. 1 with the top board, the side members, and the drawers removed;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a front view of a second preferred embodiment of collapsible cabinet according to the invention;

FIG. 6 is a side elevation of the cabinet of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the frame of the cabinet of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, a collapsible cabinet A in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the invention comprises the following components as discussed in detail below.

Four hollow posts 1 are arranged as a rectangle. Bottom of the post 1 is provided with a wheel (not numbered) for facilitating the movement of the cabinet A. A top of the cabinet A is provided with two elongated side members 4 having a recess 12 facing the recess 12 of the other side member 4. A rectangular top board 13 is mounted between the side members 4 by inserting into the recesses 12. The side member 4 has a hollow leg 9 extending downward from a front end and a bottom hole 41 at a rear end. A top end of each of the rear posts 11 can be inserted into the bottom holes 41 to releasably secure the rear posts 11 to the side members 4. The leg 9 has a spring depressible detent 91. The detent 91 is lockingly disposed in a through hole 11 when the leg 9 is fittingly inserted into the post 1. Hence, the side member 4 and the post 1 can be secured together.

The cabinet A has three shelves and three drawers 2 each made of cloth (i.e., fabric drawer) is releasably disposed on the shelf as detailed later. The frame of the shelf comprises an X-shaped member 3 having a pivot 31 on a joining point. Either end of each X-shaped member 3 is releasably secured to one of the posts 1 by inserting into one of a plurality of holes (not shown) of the post 1. One transverse bar 5 is interconnected front ends of the X-shaped member 3 as a step of erecting the cabinet A. The other transverse bar 5 is interconnected rear ends of the X-shaped member 3 also as a step of erecting the cabinet A. Each transverse bar 5 is provided with a closed tubular frame element 7 extending inward. The frame element 7 of one transverse bar 5 faces the frame element 7 of the other transverse bar 5. Also, the frame elements 7 and the transverse bars 5 are flush. The frame elements 7, the transverse bars 5, and the X-shaped member 3 together form a support of the drawer 2.

Each post 1 is also provided with upper and lower snap fasteners 10. Each drawer 2 is provided with two side snap fasteners 8. There are provided two rectangular side frame members 6. Each side snap fastener 8 is laid over one section of the side frame member 6 for fastening the side frame member 6 and the drawer 2 together. The snap fasteners 10 are adapted to secure the post 10 and the side frame member 6 together.

It can be seen that the assembly of the cabinet A is very easy. Also, the frame of the cabinet A is made of a light weight material (e.g., aluminum). Hence, transportation of the folded cabinet A is made easy.

Referring to FIGS. 5 to 7, a collapsible cabinet A in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the invention is shown. The characteristics of the second preferred embodiment are detailed below.

A rectangular back board 14 is provided with rectangular side boards 15, 16 hinged connected to both sides of the back board 14 respectively. A top of the cabinet A is provided with two elongated side members 17 on the side boards 15, 16 respectively. The side member 17 has a recess 27 facing the recess 27 of the other side member 17. A rectangular top board 13A is mounted between the side members 17 by inserting into the recesses 27. The side member 17 has a bottom hole 28 so that a reduced top end of each of the side boards 15, 16 can be inserted into for releasably securing the side boards 15, 16 to the side members 17.

Likewise, a bottom of the cabinet A is provided with another two elongated side members 17 below the side boards 15, 16 respectively. The side member 17 has a recess 27 facing the recess 27 of the other side member 17. A rectangular bottom board 13B is mounted between the side members 17 by inserting into the recesses 27. The side member 17 has a bottom hole 28 so that a reduced bottom end of each of the side boards 15, 16 can be inserted into for releasably securing the side boards 15, 16 to the side members 17.

The cabinet A has three shelves 21 and three drawers 2 each made of cloth is releasably disposed on the shelf 21 as detailed later. The shelf 21 has two hook members 20 on either side. The hook members 20 are put on a link 18 for anchoring. The link 8 has an intermediate U-section 19. A first snap fastener 22 is provided on either side of the drawer 2 and is laid over the U-section 19 for securing the drawer 2 to the link 18. Two second snap fasteners 23 are provided on a top edge of each of the side boards 15, 16. The second snap fasteners 23 are adapted to secure to a fabric 24 provided on either one of the side boards 15, 16. As to the hinge mechanism for securing the back board 14 to either one of the side boards 15, 16, it is comprised of a first hinge component (pin) 25 inserted into a second hinge component (tube) 26 and the tube 26 can rotate a predetermined angle relative to the pin 25.

While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention set forth in the claims.

Claims

1. A collapsible cabinet comprising:

a collapsible frame comprising a plurality of shelves; and

a plurality of fabric drawers each releasably disposed in the shelf.

2. The collapsible cabinet of claim 1, wherein the frame further comprises:

four hollow posts arranged as a rectangle, each post comprising a through hole;

two elongated side members on both side of a top of the frame respectively, each side member comprising a recess facing the recess of the other side member and two hollow legs extending downward from both ends respectively, the leg including a spring depressible detent and being inserted into the post with the detent releasably fastened in the through hole; and

a rectangular top board mounted between the side members by inserting into the recesses, and

wherein the shelf comprises:

an X-shaped member comprising a pivot on a joining point, ether end of the X-shaped member being releasably secured to one of the posts;

a first transverse bar interconnecting front ends of the X-shaped member;

a second transverse bar interconnecting rear ends of the X-shaped member; and

two closed frame elements extending inward from the first and second transverse bars respectively.

3. The collapsible cabinet of claim 2, wherein each post comprises upper and lower snap fasteners.

4. The collapsible cabinet of claim 3, further comprising two rectangular side frame members, wherein each drawer comprises two side snap fasteners each laid over one section of the side frame member for fastening the side frame member and the drawer together, and wherein the upper and lower snap fasteners are adapted to secure the post and the side frame member together.

5. The collapsible cabinet of claim 2, wherein each of the first and second transverse bars is flush with the closed frame element.

6. The collapsible cabinet of claim 1, wherein:

a rectangular back board provided with rectangular side boards hinged connected to both sides of the back board respectively;

a top of the cabinet provided with two elongated side members on the side boards respectively, the side member having a recess facing the recess of the other side member;

a rectangular top board mounted between the side members by inserting into the recesses, the side member having a bottom hole so that a reduced top end of each of the side boards can be inserted into for releasably securing the side boards to the side members;

a bottom of the cabinet provided with another two elongated side members below the side boards respectively, the side member having a recess facing the recess of the other side member; and

a rectangular bottom board mounted between the side members by inserting into the recesses, the side member having a bottom hole so that a reduced bottom end of each of the side boards can be inserted into for releasably securing the side boards to the side members,

wherein the shelf has two hook members on either side, the hook member being put on a link for anchoring, the link having an intermediate U-section.

7. The collapsible cabinet of claim 6, wherein a first snap fastener provided on either side of the drawer and laid over the U-section for securing the drawer to the link; and two second snap fasteners provided on a top edge of each of the side boards, the second snap fasteners being adapted to secure to a fabric provided on either one of the side boards.

8. The collapsible cabinet of claim 7, wherein the hinge comprises first and second hinge components, the first hinge component being inserted into the second hinge component so that the second hinge components can rotate a predetermined angle relative to the first hinge component.