Storage unit with improved drawer side rails and detachable face

Abstract

A storage unit including a snap-together cabinet having a forwardly-opening cavity and a drawer for hanging files slidably received within the cavity. The drawer includes a face and an item containing portion having a pair of side rails detachably interconnected with the face. Each side rail includes an inner flange, an outer flange, and a cross-member connected between the inner and outer flange. The side rails are generally I-beam shaped such that the flanges are substantially vertical and the cross-member is substantially horizontal. The storage unit is also detachably stackable with an accessory unit including a cabinet and drawer for storing items slidably received within the cabinet.

1 . A storage unit comprising: 
 a cabinet having a forwardly-opening cavity; and    a drawer slidably received within said cavity, said drawer having 
 an item containing portion; and  
 a face releasably connectable to said item containing portion, said face being interconnectable and disconnectable from said item containing portion without the use of tools.  
   
     
     
         2 . A storage unit as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said face is releasably connected to said face at the top portion of said face.  
     
     
         3 . A storage unit as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said item containing portion includes first and second side rails each including an inner flange, an outer flange, and a cross-member connected between said inner and outer flange, wherein said flanges are substantially vertical, and said cross-member is substantially horizontal.  
     
     
         4 . A storage unit as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein said face further includes a handle located at approximately the same vertical height as said first and second side rails.  
     
     
         5 . A storage unit as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein said item containing portion further includes a plurality of ribs extending substantially perpendicularly from said cross-member, wherein said ribs are connected between said inner and outer flanges.  
     
     
         6 . A storage unit as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein said inner flange includes a file support edge located on the top of said inner flange, whereby said file support edge of said first side rail and said file support edge of said second side rail act together to support hanging files within the drawer.  
     
     
         7 . A storage unit as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein said item containing portion further comprises a forward support extending between said first and second side rails, wherein said face is releasably connectable to said forward support.  
     
     
         8 . A storage unit as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein said face further includes at least one tab and a horizontal stiffener located proximate to said tab, said horizontal stiffener having at least one slot located thereon, and wherein said forward support further includes at least one mating face and at least one tab located proximate to said mating face, whereby said face is connected to said forward support of said item containing portion by inserting said mating face of said forward support behind said tab of said face and rotating said item containing portion to position said tab of said forward support within said slot of said horizontal stiffener of said face.  
     
     
         9 . A storage unit as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein said face further includes at least one downwardly extending tab adjacent to the side edge of said face, and at least one upwardly extending flange adjacent to the bottom edge of said face, said side rails include at least one upwardly-extending tab on the forward end, and said item containing portion includes a bottom portion having at least one slot located adjacent the front edge, whereby said face is connected to said item containing portion by inserting said upwardly-extending tab of said side rails behind said downwardly-extending tab of said face, and rotating said item containing portion to position said flange of said face within said slot of said bottom portion of said item containing portion.  
     
     
         10 . A storage unit as claimed in  claim 3 , further comprising an enclosure releasably connectable to said face and item containing portion without the use of tools.  
     
     
         11 . A storage unit as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein said enclosure includes a generally rectangular bottom portion having a four edges, a generally rectangular rear portion having four edges, wherein said rear portion is connected to said bottom portion along a common edge, and generally rectangular first and second side portions each having four edges, wherein each of said side portions are connected said bottom portion along a common edge and connected to said rear portion along a common edge.  
     
     
         12 . A storage unit as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein said item containing portion further includes a forward support and a rearward support extending between said side rails, said rearward support being separated from said forward support by a distance, wherein said rear portion of said enclosure is releasably connectable to said rearward support, said bottom portion of said enclosure is releasably connectable to said face, and said side portions of said enclosure are releasably connectable to said face and said side rails.  
     
     
         13 . A storage unit as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein said rear portion of said enclosure is connected to said bottom portion of said enclosure along a common edge by a living hinge and wherein each of said side portions of said enclosure is connected to said bottom portion of said enclosure along a common edge by a living hinge and connected to said rear portion of said enclosure along a common edge by slot and tab connections.  
     
     
         14 . A storage unit as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the cabinet further includes a bottom panel, a pair of side panels interconnected with said bottom panel, a rear panel interconnected with said side panels and said rear panel.  
     
     
         15 . A storage unit as claimed in  claim 14 , further comprising a function panel having one of a tab and slot located thereon, wherein said side panels further include an outwardly-facing recess on the exterior side of the cabinet, the recess having the other of a tab and slot located therein, whereby the function panel is mountable within said recess by inserting said tab into said slot.  
     
     
         16 . A storage unit as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein said side panels further include at least one upper rail guide, and one lower rail guide on the interior of said cabinet for slidably receiving said side rails of said item containing portion.  
     
     
         17 . A storage unit as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein said rail guides are integrally formed with said side panel.  
     
     
         18 . A storage unit as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein said side panels further include at least one roller rotatably mounted proximate the forward end of said lower guide for facilitating sliding of said drawer with respect to said cavity.  
     
     
         19 . A storage unit as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein said cross-member defines a roller track between said inner and outer flanges, whereby said roller acts against said roller track.  
     
     
         20 . A storage unit as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein said roller track includes a stop to resist said item containing portion from rolling after said stop contacts said roller.  
     
     
         21 . A storage unit comprising: 
 a cabinet having a forwardly-opening cavity; and    a drawer slidably received within said cavity, said drawer having 
 a face; and  
 an item containing portion including a pair of side rails interconnected with said face, wherein each side rail includes an inner flange, an outer flange, and a cross-member connected between said inner and outer flange, wherein said flanges are substantially vertical, and said cross-member is substantially horizontal.  
   
     
     
         22 . A storage unit as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein said face is releasably connectable to said item containing portion, said face being interconnectable and disconnectable without the use of tools.  
     
     
         23 . A storage unit as claimed in  claim 22 , wherein said face is releasably connected to said face at the top portion of said face.  
     
     
         24 . A storage unit as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein said drawer further includes a plurality of ribs extending substantially perpendicularly from said cross-member, wherein said ribs are connected between said inner and outer flanges.  
     
     
         25 . A storage unit as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein said face further includes a handle located at approximately the same vertical height as said pair of side rails.  
     
     
         26 . A storage unit as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein said inner flange includes a file support edge located on the top of said inner flange, whereby said file support edge of said first side rail and said file support edge of said second side rail act together to support hanging files from said item containing portion.  
     
     
         27 . A storage unit as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein said item containing portion also includes a forward support extending between said pair of side rails, wherein said face is releasably connectable to said forward support.  
     
     
         28 . A storage unit as claimed in  claim 27 , wherein said face further includes at least one tab and a horizontal stiffener located proximate to said tab, said horizontal stiffener having at least one slot located thereon, and wherein said forward support further includes at least one mating face and at least one tab located proximate to said mating face, whereby said face is connected to said forward support of said item containing portion by inserting said mating face of said forward support behind said tab of said face and rotating said item containing portion to position said tab of said forward support within said slot of said horizontal stiffener of said face.  
     
     
         29 . A storage unit as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein said face further includes at least one downwardly extending tab adjacent to the side edge of said face, and at least one upwardly extending flange adjacent to the bottom edge of said face, said side rails include at least one upwardly-extending tab on the forward end, and said item containing portion includes a bottom portion having at least one slot located adjacent the front edge, whereby said face is connected to said item containing portion by inserting said upwardly-extending tab of said side rails behind said downwardly-extending tab of said face, and rotating said item containing portion to position said flange of said face within said slot of said bottom portion of said item containing portion.  
     
     
         30 . A storage unit as claimed in  claim 21 , further comprising an enclosure releasably connectable to said face and item containing portion without the use of tools.  
     
     
         31 . A storage unit as claimed in  claim 30 , wherein said enclosure includes a generally rectangular bottom portion having a four edges, a generally rectangular rear portion having four edges, wherein said rear portion is connected to said bottom portion along a common edge, and generally rectangular side portions each having four edges, wherein each of said side portions are connected to said bottom portion along a respective common edge and connected to said rear portion along a respective common edge.  
     
     
         32 . A storage unit as claimed in  claim 31 , wherein said item containing portion further includes a forward and a rearward support extending between said side rails, said rearward support being separated from said forward support by a distance, wherein said rear portion of said enclosure is releasably connectable to said rearward support, said bottom portion of said enclosure is releasably connectable to said face, and said side portions of said enclosure are releasably connectable to said face and said side rails.  
     
     
         33 . A storage unit as claimed in  claim 31 , wherein said rear portion of said enclosure is connected to said bottom portion of said enclosure along a common edge by a living hinge and wherein each of said side portions of said enclosure is connected to said bottom portion of said enclosure along a respective common edge by a living hinge and connected to said rear portion of said enclosure along a respective common edge by slot and tab connections.  
     
     
         34 . A storage unit as claimed in  claim 2   1 , wherein the cabinet further includes a bottom panel, a pair of side panels interconnected with said bottom panel, a rear panel interconnected with said side panels and said rear panel.  
     
     
         35 . A storage unit as claimed in  claim 34 , further comprising a function panel having one of a tab and slot located thereon, wherein said side panels further include an outwardly-facing recess on the exterior side of the cabinet, the recess having the other of a tab and slot located therein, whereby the function panel is mountable within said recess by inserting said tab into said slot.  
     
     
         36 . A storage unit as claimed in  claim 34 , wherein said side panels further includes at least one upper rail guide, and one lower rail guide on the interior of said cabinet for slidably receiving said side rails of said item containing portion.  
     
     
         37 . A storage unit as claimed in  claim 36 , wherein said rail guides are integrally formed with said side panel.  
     
     
         38 . A storage unit as claimed in  claim 36 , wherein said side panels further include at least one roller rotatably mounted proximate the forward end of said lower guides for facilitating sliding of said drawer with respect to said cavity.  
     
     
         39 . A storage unit as claimed in  claim 38 , wherein said cross-member defines a roller track between said inner and outer flanges, whereby said roller acts against said roller track.  
     
     
         40 . A storage unit as claimed in  claim 39 , wherein said roller track includes a stop to resist the item containing portion from rolling after said stop contacts said roller.