One-piece cabinet pedestal

Abstract

A low cost cabinet pedestal wherein at least the top and side walls are formed from a single piece of material without the need for any additional stiffening members such as vertical rails for drawer slides, or any other internal strengthening members. The bottom of the low cost pedestal can also be formed from the same single sheet of material and a base panel can be added for rigidity. The top, bottom, and side walls can have flanged members at the edges thereof, and overlapping portions of the flanged members at corners of the pedestal can be rigidly joined together to provide increased stiffness to the pedestal. The side walls of the pedestal can be provided with integrally formed connection portions for the direct attachment of horizontal drawer slides.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A cabinet comprising: 
 a. a top, a pair of side walls, and a bottom of said cabinet formed from a single sheet of material; and    b. each of said top, said pair of side walls, and said bottom having flanged members, portions of said flange members overlapping at corners of said cabinet formed by junctions of said top, said pair of side walls, and bottom, said overlapping portions rigidly joined together;    c. an inside surface of each of said pair of side walls having at least one first connection means formed therein; and    d. said inside surface of each of said pair of side walls having at least one second connection means formed therein, said at least one second connection means positioned with respect to said at least one first connection means in order to cooperate with said first connection means to support a horizontal drawer slide on said inside surface of each of said pair of side walls.    
     
     
         2 . The cabinet of  claim 1  further comprising a base panel rigidly attached to said bottom.  
     
     
         3 . The cabinet of  claim 1  wherein at least one of said at least one first and second connection means comprises said flanged member of at least one of said side walls.  
     
     
         4 . The cabinet of  claim 1  wherein at least one of said at least one first and second connection means comprises a raised formation in each of said pair of side walls intermediate front and rear portions thereof.  
     
     
         5 . The cabinet of  claim 3  further comprising: 
 a. each of said pair of side walls having a front edge and a rear edge;  
 b. a first one of said flange members formed in said front edge;  
 c. a second one of said flange members formed in said rear edge;  
 d. said at least one first connection means formed in said first one of said flange members; and  
 e. said at least one second connection means formed in said second one of said flange members.  
 
     
     
         6 . The cabinet of  claim 5  wherein said first and second ones of said flange members respectively comprise first and second generally U-shaped members turned inwardly between said pair of side walls, a portion of each of said first and second U-shaped members respectively comprising said first and second connection means.  
     
     
         7 . The cabinet of  claim 6  further comprising: 
 a. at least two horizontal drawer slides each having at least one first attachment means and at least one second attachment means;  
 b. said at least one first attachment means on a respective one of said at least two horizontal drawer slides securable to said at least one first connection means on a respective one of said pair of side walls;  
 c. said at least one second attachment means on respective ones of said at least two horizontal drawer slides securable to said at least one second connection means on respective ones of said pair of side walls; and  
 d. respective ones of said at least two horizontal drawer slides secured to respective ones of said pair of side walls in order to hold a drawer in said cabinet.  
 
     
     
         8 . The cabinet of  claim 7  further comprising: 
 a. said first connection means is an aperture in said first U-shaped member and said first attachment means of said horizontal drawer slide is a clip receivable in said aperture to retain a front end of said horizontal drawer slide; and  
 b. said second connection means is a notch in said second U-shaped member and said second attachment means of said horizontal drawer slide is a bayonet receivable in said notch to retain a rear end of said horizontal drawer slide.  
 
     
     
         9 . The cabinet of  claim 8  further comprising: 
 a. said clip is inserted vertically into said aperture to be retained therein; and  
 b. said bayonet is inserted horizontally into said notch to be retained therein.  
 
     
     
         10 . The cabinet of  claim 7  further comprising: 
 a. a plurality of said integrally formed first and second connection means provided on each of said pair of side walls, respective ones of said plurality of first and second connection means positioned at vertically spaced apart locations on each of said pair of side walls;  
 b. a plurality of said horizontal drawer slides each having said first and second attachment means; and  
 c. respective ones of said plurality of horizontal drawer slides secured to said pair of side walls via respective ones of said first and second attachment means of each of said plurality of horizontal drawer slides being secured to respective ones of said plurality of integrally formed first and second connection means.  
 
     
     
         11 . A method of making a cabinet comprising: 
 a. forming a top, a pair of side walls, and a bottom from a single piece of material;    b. forming a flange member in each of said top, pair of side walls, and bottom such that portions of said flange member in each of said top, pair of side walls, and bottom overlap at corners of said cabinet at junctions of said top and front and back edges of each of said side walls;    c. rigidly joining together said overlapping portions of said flange members;    d. forming at least one first connection means in an inside surface of each of said pair of side walls; and    e. forming at least one second connection means in an inside surface of each of said pair of side walls at a location to cooperate with said first connection means to attach to a horizontal drawer slide.    
     
     
         12 . The cabinet of  claim 11  further comprising attaching a base panel to said bottom.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  wherein forming said at least one first and second connection means further comprises: 
 a. forming a first one of said flange members in a front edge of each of said pair of side walls;  
 b. forming a second one of said flange members in a rear edge of each of said pair of side walls; and  
 c. forming said first and second connection means in said first and second ones of said flange members, respectively.  
 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11  wherein forming said at least one first and second connection means further comprises forming raised formations in said pair of side walls intermediate front and rear edges thereof.  
     
     
         15 . A cabinet pedestal comprising: 
 a. a top and a pair of side walls of said cabinet formed from a single piece of material;    b. at least one first connection means formed in an inside surface of each of said pair of side walls; and    c. at least one second connection means formed in said inside surface of each of said pair of side walls, said at least one second connection means positioned with respect to said at least one first connection means in order to cooperate with said first connection means to support a horizontal drawer slide on said inside surface of each of said pair of side walls.    
     
     
         16 . The cabinet pedestal of  claim 15  wherein at least one of said at least one first and second connection means comprises a flanged member.  
     
     
         17 . The cabinet pedestal of  claim 15  wherein at least one of said at least one first and second connection means comprises a raised formation in each of said pair of side walls intermediate front and rear portions thereof.  
     
     
         18 . The cabinet pedestal of  claim 16  further comprising: 
 a. each of said pair of side walls having a front edge and a rear edge;  
 b. a first flange member provided at said front edge;  
 c. a second flange member provided at said rear edge;  
 d. said at least one first connection means provided on said first flange member; and  
 e. said at least one second connection means provided on said second flange member.  
 
     
     
         19 . The cabinet pedestal of  claim 18  herein said first and second flange members respectively comprise first and second generally U-shaped members turned inwardly between said pair of side walls, a portion of each of said first and second U-shaped members respectively comprising said first and second connection means.  
     
     
         20 . The cabinet pedestal of  claim 19  further comprising: 
 a. at least two horizontal drawer slides each having at least one first attachment means and at least one second attachment means;  
 b. said at least one first attachment means on respective ones of said at least two horizontal drawer slides securable to said at least one first connection means on respective ones of said pair of side walls;  
 c. said at least one second attachment means on respective ones of said at least two horizontal drawer slides securable to said at least one second connection means on respective ones of said pair of side walls; and  
 d. respective ones of said at least two horizontal drawer slides are secured to respective ones of said pair of side walls in order to hold a drawer in said cabinet pedestal.  
 
     
     
         21 . The cabinet pedestal of  claim 20  further comprising: 
 a. said first connection means is an aperture in said first U-shaped member and said first attachment means of said horizontal drawer slide is a clip receivable in said aperture to retain a front end of said horizontal drawer slide; and  
 b. said second connection means is a notch in said second U-shaped member and said second attachment means of said horizontal drawer slide is a bayonet receivable in said notch to retain a rear end of said horizontal drawer slide.  
 
     
     
         22 . The cabinet pedestal of  claim 21  further comprising: 
 a. said clip is inserted vertically into said aperture to be retained therein; and  
 b. said bayonet is inserted horizontally into said notch to be retained therein.  
 
     
     
         23 . The cabinet pedestal of  claim 20  further comprising: 
 a. a plurality of said first and second connection means formed in each of said pair of side walls, respective ones of said plurality of first and second connection means positioned at vertically spaced apart locations on each of said pair of side walls;  
 b. a plurality of said horizontal drawer slides each having said first and second attachment means; and  
 c. respective ones of said plurality of horizontal drawer slides secured to said pair of side walls via respective ones of said first and second attachment means of each of said plurality of horizontal drawer slides being secured to respective ones of said plurality of integrally formed first and second connection means.  
 
     
     
         24 . A method of making a cabinet pedestal comprising: 
 a. forming a top and a pair of side walls from a single piece of material;    b. forming at least one first connection means in an inside surface of each of said pair of side walls; and    c. forming at least one second connection means in an inside surface of each of said pair of side walls at a location to cooperate with said first connection means to attach to a horizontal drawer slide.    
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24  wherein forming said at least one first and second connection means further comprises: 
 a. forming front and rear edges of said pair of side walls into flanged members; and  
 b. forming said first and second connection means in said flanged members.  
 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24  wherein forming said at least one first and second connection means further comprises forming raised formations in said pair of side walls intermediate front and rear edges thereof.