Cabinet Leveling Device Rear Access Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing leveling methods for cabinets and appliances on uneven floors are labor-intensive and time-consuming, as they require the use of unstable shims or devices that necessitate drilling holes through the cabinet floor, making adjustments difficult and aesthetically unappealing.
Innovation Solution
A cabinet leveling device that allows for leveling from the front through two small holes drilled in the rear toe-kick area, featuring U-shaped housing brackets with adjustable bolts and elongated rods for easy access and adjustment, ensuring stability and concealment of the holes post-installation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If shims are used for leveling cabinets, then the cabinet can be placed on uneven floors, but the shims are unstable and troublesome to install requiring removal of cabinets for adjustment
Solution Approach 1:
The leveling device is divided into separate components: a shim member for initial leveling and an adjustable leveling device with a bolt and nut mechanism for precise adjustment. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function optimally while maintaining overall stability and adjustability.
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustable leveling device acts as an intermediary between the cabinet and the floor, providing a stable interface that allows for both initial leveling with shims and subsequent precise adjustments through the bolt-nut mechanism accessible from the rear of the cabinet.
2Ease of operation
If leveling devices requiring holes through cabinet floor are used, then adjustment is possible, but holes are ugly and not desirable aesthetically
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustment mechanism (bolt and nut) is extracted from the cabinet floor and relocated to the rear of the cabinet where it can be accessed without drilling holes through the visible cabinet floor. This extraction eliminates the aesthetic harm while preserving adjustability.
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustment access is moved from the vertical dimension (through the cabinet floor) to the horizontal dimension (at the rear of the cabinet), allowing adjustment without compromising the aesthetic appearance of the cabinet floor.
3Reliability
If traditional leveling methods are used, then cabinets can be leveled, but the process is labor intensive and time consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The shim member is used for preliminary leveling action to quickly bring the cabinet to approximately level position, eliminating the need for time-consuming iterative adjustments with traditional methods. The adjustable leveling device then allows for rapid fine-tuning.
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustable leveling device incorporates a dynamic adjustment mechanism with a bolt and nut that allows for quick and easy modification of the leveling position, significantly reducing the time required compared to static traditional leveling methods.
Data Source
AI summary
The inventive concept is directed to a leveling device to level cabinets or other appliances. The device is constructed as an elongated housing having an interior therein. The interior of the housing will receive a movable triangular adjustment lever which is mounted in the housing in such a manner that a bottom flange will protrude from the housing and contact a floor on which the cabinet is to be located. The triangular adjustment lever has an upstanding flange that is contacted by an adjustment bolt which is accessible from the outside of the housing. A leveling device is installed in each of the inside corners of the cabinet and is accessible from a wall in the toe-kick recess of the cabinet by way of a tool through the wall. The leveling devices located in the rear corners of the cabinet are accessible for adjustment by way of on elongated rod passing through the wall and will attach to the respective adjustment bolts.