Decorative recessed cabinets

Abstract

Recessed shelves and cabinets designed for insertion into an installation aperture cut in a gypsum board panel between two studs of a hollow wall of frame construction are manufactured of paintable polymeric plastic material that has been injection molded. Each shelf or cabinet includes a box portion which includes a generally laminar rear panel and a plurality of mutually-intersecting side panels which are continuous with the rear panel and generally perpendicular to the rear panel. Each shelf or cabinet also includes a perimetric rim or bezel that is continuous with and generally perpendicular to the side panels. The rim serves both as a trim piece to cover the cut edges of the installation aperture cut into the gypsum board, and as a perimetric limit stop which sets the depth that the box portion is inserted into the hollow space of the frame wall.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A decorative box for mounting principally in the hollow space formed between cover panels attached to opposite sides of a wall frame constructed of scantling, said decorative box comprising: 
 a body having a back panel, a pair of opposed side panels, a top panel and a bottom panel, said side panels connected to and generally perpendicular to said back panel, said top and bottom panels each connected to both side panels and said back panel;    a perimetric rim continuous with said side top and bottom panels, said rim functioning as a trim piece to cover the edges of a installation aperture cut within one of said cover panels for installation of said body; and    attachment means for anchoring said body within the installation aperture.    
     
     
         2 . The decorative box of  claim 1 , wherein said attachment means comprises a plurality of reversably compressible spring clips attached to the side panels of said body, which anchor said body to an interior surface of the cover panel in which the installation aperture is cut, said spring clips being compressed by the edges of the installation aperture as the decorative box is inserted therethrough, and expanding once they have passed an inner surface of the cover panel.  
     
     
         3 . The decorative box of  claim 1 , wherein said attachment means comprises a plurality of 90-degree-rotatable screw-type fasteners, each of which includes a retaining screw which passes through the perimetric rim, which can be tightened to anchor the bocy within the installation aperture.  
     
     
         4 . The decorative box of  claim 1 , wherein said attachment means comprises at least one recess in the exterior surface of both side panels or the top and bottom panels, said at least one recess being fillable with foaming adhesive prior to the installation of the decorative box in the installation aperture.  
     
     
         5 . The decorative box of  claim 1 , wherein said body incorporates at least one vertical column having a plurality of slots defined by parallel fins molded in the body.  
     
     
         6 . The decorative box of  claim 1 , wherein said slots are sized to accept jewel cases of compact discs and CD-ROMs.  
     
     
         7 . The decorative box of  claim 1 , wherein said body incorporates a plurality of slots sized to accept containers of motion picture recordings produced for home use.  
     
     
         8 . The decorative box of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom panel extends outwardly beyond the perimetric rim to form a shelf that is both inside and outside the hollow space.  
     
     
         9 . The decorative box of  claim 1 , wherein a top portion of said perimetric rim is curved, an interior surface of the top panel is concave, and an exterior surface of the top panel is convex.  
     
     
         10 . The decorative box of  claim 1 , which further comprises a book retaining strip which bridges opposite vertical portions of said perimetric rim.  
     
     
         11 . A decorative box for mounting, at least partly, in the hollow space formed between gypsum panels attached to opposite sides of a scantling wall frame, the box being mounted within a installation aperture cut within one of the gypsum panels, said decorative box comprising: 
 a perimetric rim which fits flush against an exterior surface of the gypsum panel and covers the edges of the installation aperture;    a generally hollow body which fits, at least partly, inside the hollow space between the gypsum panels, and which is continuous with the perimetric rim, spanning a distance between opposite portions of thereof; and    attachment means for anchoring said body within the installation aperture.    
     
     
         12 . The decorative box of  claim 11 , wherein said attachment means comprises a plurality of reversably compressible spring clips attached to said body, which anchor said body to an interior surface of the gypsum panel in which the installation aperture is cut, said spring clips being compressed by the edges of the installation aperture as the decorative box is inserted therethrough, and expanding once they have passed an inner surface of the cover panel, the perimetric rim anchoring the box from the exterior side of the gypsum panel.  
     
     
         13 . The decorative box of  claim 11 , wherein said attachment means comprises a plurality of 90-degree-rotatable screw-type fasteners, each of which includes a retaining screw which passes through the perimetric rim, which can be tightened to anchor the bocy within the installation aperture.  
     
     
         14 . The decorative box of  claim 11 , wherein said attachment means comprises at least one recess in the exterior surface of the body which is juxtaposed the edges of the installation opening when the box is installed therein with the perimetric rim flush with an exterior surface of the gypsum panel, said at least one recess being fillable with foaming adhesive prior to the installation of the decorative box in the installation aperture.  
     
     
         15 . The decorative box of  claim 11 , wherein said body incorporates at least one vertical column having a plurality of slots defined by parallel fins molded in the body.  
     
     
         16 . The decorative box of  claim 11 , wherein said slots are sized to accept jewel cases of compact discs and CD-ROMs.  
     
     
         17 . The decorative box of  claim 11 , wherein said body incorporates a plurality of slots sized to accept containers of motion picture recordings produced for home use.  
     
     
         18 . The decorative box of  claim 11 , wherein a bottom portion of the body extends outwardly beyond the perimetric rim to form a shelf that is both inside and outside the hollow space.  
     
     
         19 . The decorative box of  claim 11 , wherein a top portion of said perimetric rim is curved, an upper interior surface the body is concave, and an upper exterior surface of the body is convex.  
     
     
         20 . The decorative box of  claim 11 , which further comprises a book retaining strip which bridges opposite vertical portions of said perimetric rim.