Expandable home entertainment cabinet

Abstract

An adjustable home entertainment cabinet for enclosing television sets of different sizes comprises a pair of movable tower cabinets and a bridge assembly that extends between the cabinets. A center section of the bridge rests on the tops of the cabinets. A bookshelf or shelf box is mounted on an underside of the center section. End sections movably mounted on the center section extend downwardly to cover gaps between the bookshelf and the inner sides of the tower cabinets. The center section includes a cornice molding that matches and is aligned with cornice molding on the tops of the tower cabinets. The end sections have a matching cornice molding that overlays and conceals the gap between the cornice moldings on the end sections and tower cabinets. Free standing television sets can rest on the floor. Table model sets and monitors can rest on free standing TV stands / storage cabinets of different widths that fit snugly between the tower cabinets. An adjustable media storage drawer has movable dividers with hook and loop fabric on lower edges that attach where desired to a loop fabric that covers the bottom of the drawer.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This is a non-provisional utility patent application continuing from and claiming the benefit of co-pending non-provisional U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 806,516, entitled Expandable Home Entertainment Cabinet and filed Monday, Mar. 22, 2004, which is incorporated here by reference and which is a non-provisional utility patent application continuing from and claiming the benefit of then co-pending provisional U.S. Pat. App. No. 60 / 456,776, filed Mar. 21, 2003.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Cabinets known as home entertainment centers typically are used to house television sets, stereo equipment, and the like. Entertainment centers usually have a shelf or open space or receptacle of a fixed size for a television set. [0003] A problem with fixed size entertainment centers is that they do not accommodate televisions having a variety of sizes. At the present time, with the variety of new television technologies on the market, the...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0008] The upper support member of the bridge assembly includes one or more elongated reinforcement ribs mounted on an upper support panel to restrict vertical deflection or sagging of the support panel. The upper support member includes recesses in one or more edges that engage protruding cleats on the tower cabinets to prevent the upper support member from sliding off the tower cabinet.

[0013] Thus, the present invention may provide an improved expandable home entertainment center that is easily expandable yet is solid and secure and presents a desirable visual impression of a fixed size furniture cabinet. The present invention may further provide improved multi-media storage and other features that are desirable in a home entertainment center.

Problems solved by technology

A problem with fixed size entertainment centers is that they do not accommodate televisions having a variety of sizes.

This would make the cabinet undesirable for a person with a smaller television set.

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