Cabinet Installation Mechanism

Abstract

A cabinet installation and alignment rail mechanism that features an installation rail for both upper wall cabinets and lower base cabinets, and brackets that attach to the back of a cabinet. The rail is mounted to the wall behind the lower and upper portions of a wall cabinet, and the upper portion of a base cabinet after inverting it one hundred and eighty degrees. The installation rail provides interlocking shapes that mate with opposing interlocking shapes found on the bracket enabling both upper and lower cabinets to be easily secured and aligned to a wall.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] Application for provisional patent 63 / 539,087 filed on Sep. 18, 2023 by Sean Walsh is claimed for the priority date of this applicationBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The installation of kitchen cabinets presents several challenges, including uneven walls, unlevel floors, and the lack of proper structural support to secure cabinets. Cabinets are also large and cumbersome, making them difficult to position and mount. These obstacles make installation time-consuming, costly, and impractical for unskilled individuals. Many systems have been developed to simplify cabinet installation, but they primarily offer temporary support for wall cabinets by hanging them from a rail. These systems fail to securely attach cabinets to walls, don't address base cabinet installation needs, and leave a gap between upper cabinets and the ceiling, as they require cabinets to be lifted over the device to then drop down into them. The invention disclosed herein offers a comprehensive solution to these problems. It simplifies installation, saves time, and makes it possible for homeowners and DIY enthusiasts to install cabinets, even when walls and floors are uneven. Previous inventions have addressed some installation challenges, but few have been commercialized, and none offer a single installation solution that works for both base and wall cabinets, nor do they allow cabinets to be installed flush with the ceiling. Existing systems provide only temporary support and require separate steps for securing the cabinets. This invention fills the gap by offering a system that both hangs and secures cabinets—both upper and lower—in one step, creating a straight, flat surface for easier, more efficient installation.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] This invention provides a cabinet installation mechanism designed for permanently installing both lower base cabinets and upper wall cabinets to walls. It includes methods to simplify the process, save time, improve installation quality, and make it accessible to less skilled individuals. The system features rails that can be easily secured to a wall's vertical surface, providing a secure interface for brackets mounted to either wall or base cabinets. The rails are oriented to receive upper cabinets as they are lifted into place, or lower cabinets as they are lowered. The brackets can be attached with the mating surface facing upward for wall cabinets or downward for base cabinets. The rail's opposing shapes on its vertical surfaces securely mate with the corresponding shapes on the bracket, creating a friction connection that holds cabinets securely for permanent installations.

[0004] The detailed description outlines further objectives and benefits of this invention and includes references to accompanying drawings that illustrate the preferred embodiments.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0005] FIG. 1A is a side view illustration of an embodiment of this invention showing an upper wall cabinet installed tight to a ceiling against a wall held securely by the cabinet installation mechanism.

[0006] FIG. 1B is a side view illustration of an embodiment of this invention showing a lower base cabinet installed tight to a floor against a wall held securely by the cabinet installation mechanism.

[0007] FIG. 1C is a side view illustration of an embodiment of this invention showing an upper wall cabinet traveling upwards to engage within the cabinets installation mechanism

[0008] FIG. 1D is a side view illustration of an embodiment of this invention showing a lower base cabinet traveling downwards to engage within the cabinets installation mechanism

[0009] FIG. 1E is one embodiment of the bracket featured in this present invention

[0010] FIG. 1F is one embodiment of the rail featured in this present invention

[0011] FIG. 2G is a side view illustration of a second embodiment of this invention showing an upper wall cabinet installed tight to a ceiling against a wall held securely by the cabinet installation mechanism.

[0012] FIG. 2H is a side view illustration of a second embodiment of this invention showing a lower base cabinet installed tight to a floor against a wall held securely by the cabinet installation mechanism.

[0013] FIG. 2I is a side view illustration of a second embodiment of this invention showing an upper wall cabinet traveling upwards to engage within the cabinets installation mechanism

[0014] FIG. 2J is a side view illustration of a second embodiment of this invention showing a lower base cabinet traveling downwards to engage within the cabinets installation mechanism

[0015] FIG. 2K is a second embodiment of the bracket featured in this present invention

[0016] FIG. 2L is a second embodiment of the rail featured in this present inventionDETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] This invention's preferred embodiments are extensively illustrated in detail in FIG. 1A-1F of the provided detailed drawings. As shown in FIGS. 1A-1F the cabinet installation mechanism features a rail that is biased towards closure which creates a strong connection to the bracket by mating together with interlocking teeth. By securely fastening the bracket to the cabinet, the rail to the wall, and then the rail and bracket together by their interlocking teeth, a secure attachment of the cabinet to the wall is achieved. By providing a reversible rail and bracket, the same system can be used on lower base cabinets as well.

[0018] In FIG. 1A the cabinet installation mechanism is shown mounted to an upper wall cabinet 3. The cabinet installation mechanism rail 10 is shown attached to a wall 2 using screws 14, and the cabinet installation mechanism bracket 12 is shown attached to the backside of a cabinet using screws 16. The cabinet installation mechanism bracket has a lower perpendicular projected spacer 11 that glides along the surface of a wall 2 as the cabinet 3 is being lifted up, or dropped down to align the male portion of the bracket 12 with the female portion of the rail 10. The bracket 12 provides a vertical surface that has teeth that form an elongated ridge and create a friction connection with the rail 10 that provides equally opposed ridged teeth that interlock with the teeth on the bracket 5.

[0019] In FIG. 1B The cabinet installation mechanism 10&12 is shown mounted to a lower base cabinet 4. The rail 10 has been inverted 180 degrees so the female opening is positioned facing up, while the bracket 12 has been inverted 180 degrees to face down. The bracket 12 has been secured to the back of the cabinet using screws 16. The rail 10 has been secured to the wall 2 using screws 14 and is ready to receive the male portion of the bracket as the cabinet travels downward.

[0020] In both FIGS. 1A&1B the mechanism is shown in its fully engaged state with the male portion of the bracket being securely interlocked with the female portion of the rail.

[0021] FIG. 1C shows an upper wall cabinet 3 traveling in an upward direction. The bracket 12 and rail 10 are separate from each other and attached to both the wall 2 and the cabinet 3 by use of screws 14&16. As the bracket's 12 lower perpendicular projected spacer 11 glides along the wall 2, the male portion 13 of the bracket is perfectly aligned with the female portion 15 of the bracket 12 to properly mate as the appropriate amount of upward force is applied. The rail 10 provides just enough closing bias to securely engage with the bracket 12 as the elongated teeth interlock thereby providing a secure connection capable of supporting the weight of a loaded cabinet on the wall 2. By providing connection while moving in an upward direction the cabinet installation mechanism enables the installer to secure cabinets tight to the ceiling as is often the preferred installation method.

[0022] FIG. 1D shows a lower base cabinet featuring the cabinet installation mechanism inverted 180 degrees to receive the bracket 12 and cabinet while traveling downward. When proper force is applied the bracket 12 and rail 10 provide a substantially interlocking friction connection capable of securely holding the cabinet in it's desired position.

[0023] FIG. 1E shows the cabinet installation mechanism bracket 12 which is shown in an isometric view to better view the elongated teeth. The teeth are seen along both sides of the male portion 13 of the bracket 12 and holes 22 for screws are provided to secure the bracket to a cabinet body.

[0024] FIG. 1F shows the cabinet installation mechanism rail 10 in an isometric view to see how holes 26 have been provided for screws to pass through and secure the rail to wall studs. Notches 28 are placed every four inches 7 so as to enable the installer to easily locate wall studs which are either spaced 16 or 24 inches on center by counting either four or six notches over to locate the next fastening location. The opposing teeth of the female portion 30 of the rail 10 are designed to interlock with the ones on the bracket 13.

[0025] The preferred material of the cabinet installation mechanism rail is extruded aluminum but should not be limited to any specific material as it can also be manufactured using numerous other extruded and machined materials. By providing a ridged straight surface the rail may be mounted to the wall in such a manner as to alleviate any imperfections in the wall that make installing cabinets difficult and unsightly. As the rail is attached to the wall with screws, voids behind it can be filled using plastic horseshoe-shaped shims that hang behind the rail over the screws. This creates a perfectly straight surface for the upper wall cabinets and the lower base cabinets to seamlessly mount to.

[0026] FIG. 2G-2L show an additional embodiment as not to limit the scope of this invention as there are a multitude of embodiments beyond the preferred embodiment described herein that provide both a bracket 34 and a rail 32 that interlock to secure a cabinet to a wall or on the floor while it is traveling upwards towards the ceiling, or downward towards the floor.

[0027] FIG. 2G in this embodiment the rail 32 provides a simplified single surface with interlocking teeth shapes to mate with the bracket 34. The bracket 34 also provides only one surface with locking engagement provided by interlocking teeth shapes. This embodiment allows a cabinet to be installed closer to the wall than the preferred embodiment. This is done by decreasing the interlocking surfaces to one surface instead of two by creating an overlap mating rather than a male and female mating connection. This embodiment decreases manufacturing costs, but also decreases the overall strength of the invention by not providing two vertical structures on the rail 10 of FIG. 1A-1F.

[0028] FIG. 2H shows the additional embodiment of the cabinet installation mechanism inverted 180 degrees to be used on a lower base cabinet.

[0029] FIGS. 21&2J shows the rail 32 and bracket 34 separated from each other with the upper wall 3 cabinet and lower base cabinet 4 moving in an upward or downward direction to mate in such a manner that the cabinets are held securely to the wall.

[0030] In each embodiment of this invention, the rail and the bracket provide interlocking shapes to engage with each other. Various interlocking shapes of various sizes can work to achieve the desired result. The preferred shapes are triangular teeth forming elongated ridges that create a connection that grows stronger as each tooth engages with another. When a cabinet needs to be removed or repositioned, the corner of the cabinet can be impacted in a downward motion to cause the teeth to become misaligned. This allows the cabinet to be removed or relocated during the installation process easily.

Claims

1. A cabinet installation mechanism comprising:a first attachment member and a second attachment member, one of which is adapted for mounting to a cabinet and the other for mounting to a wall;said first attachment member having a feature for receiving a corresponding portion of said second attachment member;said second attachment member having a portion configured to mate with the feature of said first attachment member, forming a locking connection through interlocking structures which resist separation;wherein the engagement of said first and second attachment members allows for secure mounting of the cabinet to a wall by applying appropriate force to engage the members.

2. Said first attachment member of claim 1 further comprising a rail adapted to mount to a wall having either one or multiple substantially vertical surfaces providing said interlocking structures to mate with said second attachment member.

3. Said second attachment member of claim 1 further comprising a bracket having a substantially vertical surface adapted to mount to a cabinet providing either one or multiple substantially vertical surfaces with said interlocking structures to mate with said interlocking structures of said rail of claim 2.whereby when said rail of claim 2 is mounted to a wall and properly positioned to engage said bracket and said bracket of claim 3 is mounted to a cabinet and properly positioned to engage said rail locking engagement is achieved by applying appropriate force to mate said rail and said brackets interlocking structures.A method for simplified installation of cabinets comprising:Affixing a rail to a wall and mating bracket to the back of a cabinetWherein said rail and said bracket are mounted so that an opening in the rail will receive a mating portion of said bracket inserted from below and securely hold it in a fixed positionInserting the mating portion of said bracket into the rail opening from below and pushing upwards enabling a cabinet to be installed with its top flush with the ceiling.

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