US2005258120A1PendingUtilityA1

Connector for cabinet or shelf structure

18
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: May 20, 2004Filed: May 20, 2004Published: Nov 24, 2005
Est. expiryMay 20, 2024(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Donald Keppel
F16B 12/46A47B 47/0033
18
PatentIndex Score
0
Cited by
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References
0
Claims

Abstract

Connectors for coupling a first portion of a cabinet or shelf structure to one or more second portions of the cabinet or shelf structure may include an acceptor and one or more inserts. The acceptor may be coupled to the first portion of the structure. Each insert may be coupled to one of the second portions of the structure. The acceptor and/or the insert(s) may be elongated to provide support and/or reinforcement to the structure. The acceptor may include an opening with a recess. The insert(s) may include a protrusion complementary in shape to the recess. The acceptor may be coupled to the insert(s) to substantially perpendicularly couple the first portion of the structure to the second portion(s) of the structure. A fastener may be used to couple the acceptor to the insert(s). The connector may allow for assembly and disassembly of the structure.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A cabinet or shelf structure, comprising: 
 a first portion of the structure;    a second portion of the structure;    an acceptor coupled to the first portion of the structure, wherein the acceptor comprises a tapered portion;    an insert coupled to the second portion of the structure, wherein the insert comprises a tapered portion;    wherein the tapered portion of the acceptor is configured to couple to the tapered portion of the insert such that the acceptor and the insert can couple the first portion of the structure to the second portion of the structure.    
   
   
       2 . The cabinet or shelf structure of  claim 1 , wherein the cabinet or shelf structure is a frameless cabinet.  
   
   
       3 . The cabinet or shelf structure of  claim 1 , further comprising a fastener, wherein the fastener is configured to couple the acceptor to the insert.  
   
   
       4 . (canceled)  
   
   
       5 . (canceled)  
   
   
       6 . The cabinet or shelf structure of  claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the structure comprises a groove, and wherein the acceptor is positioned in the groove.  
   
   
       7 . The cabinet or shelf structure of  claim 1 , wherein the second portion of the structure comprises a groove, and wherein the insert is positioned in the groove.  
   
   
       8 . The cabinet or shelf structure of  claim 1 , wherein the tapered portion of the insert comprises a protrusion.  
   
   
       9 . The cabinet or shelf structure of  claim 1 , wherein the tapered portion of the insert comprises an end portion of the insert.  
   
   
       10 . (canceled)  
   
   
       11 . The cabinet or shelf structure of  claim 1 , wherein the tapered portion of the insert comprises a threaded opening configured to receive a fastener.  
   
   
       12 . The cabinet or shelf structure of  claim 1 , wherein the tapered portion of the acceptor comprises an opening configured to receive the tapered portion of the insert, and configured to receive a fastener such that the fastener, when inserted into the opening of the acceptor and an opening of the insert, can couple the first portion of the structure to the second portion of the structure.  
   
   
       13 . The cabinet or shelf structure of  claim 1 , wherein the acceptor comprises at least one acceptor opening configured to allow a fastener to pass through such acceptor opening and couple the acceptor to the first portion of the structure, and the insert comprises at least one insert opening configured to allow a fastener to pass through such insert opening and couple the insert to the second portion of the structure.  
   
   
       14 . (canceled)  
   
   
       15 . A connector for a cabinet or shelf structure, comprising: 
 an acceptor configured to be coupled to a first portion of the structure, wherein the acceptor comprises a tapered portion;    an insert configured to be coupled to a second portion of the structure, wherein the insert comprises a tapered portion; and    wherein the tapered portion of the acceptor and the tapered portion of the insert are configured to couple such that the acceptor and the insert can couple the first portion of the structure to the second portion of the structure.    
   
   
       16 - 18 . (canceled)  
   
   
       19 . The connector of  claim 15 , further comprising a fastener, wherein the fastener is configured to couple the acceptor to the insert.  
   
   
       20 . (canceled)  
   
   
       21 . (canceled)  
   
   
       22 . The connector of  claim 15 , wherein the tapered portion of the insert comprises a protrusion.  
   
   
       23 . The connector of  claim 15 , wherein the tapered portion of the insert comprises an end portion of the insert.  
   
   
       24 . The connector of  claim 15 , wherein the tapered portion of the insert comprises an opening configured to receive a fastener.  
   
   
       25 . The connector of  claim 15 , wherein the tapered portion of the insert comprises a threaded opening configured to receive a fastener.  
   
   
       26 . The connector of  claim 15 , wherein the tapered portion of the acceptor comprises an opening configured to receive the tapered portion of the insert, and configured to receive a fastener such that the fastener, when inserted into the opening of the acceptor and an opening of the insert, can couple the first portion of the structure to the second portion of the structure.  
   
   
       27 . (canceled)  
   
   
       28 . The connector of  claim 15 , wherein the acceptor comprises at least one acceptor opening configured to allow a fastener to pass through such acceptor opening and couple the acceptor to the first portion of the structure, and the insert comprises at least one insert opening configured to allow a fastener to pass through such insert opening and couple the insert to the second portion of the structure.  
   
   
       29 . A connector for a cabinet or shelf structure, comprising: 
 an acceptor configured to be coupled to a first portion of the structure, wherein the acceptor comprises a tapered portion;    one or more inserts, each of the inserts configured to be coupled to one of one or more second portions of the structure, and wherein each insert comprises a tapered portion; and    wherein the tapered portion of the acceptor and the tapered portion of each insert are configured to couple such that the acceptor and each insert can couple the first portion of the structure to one of the second portions of the structure.    
   
   
       30 - 42 . (canceled)  
   
   
       43 . A method of coupling a first portion of a cabinet or shelf structure to a second portion of the cabinet or shelf structure, comprising: 
 coupling an acceptor to the first portion of the structure, wherein the acceptor comprises a tapered portion;    coupling an insert to the second portion of the structure, wherein the insert comprises a tapered portion; and    coupling the tapered portion of the acceptor to the tapered portion of the insert to couple the first portion of the structure to the second portion of the structure.    
   
   
       44 - 52 . (canceled)

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