Replaceable drawer front component

Abstract

A replaceable drawer front is configured to be repeatedly removed and installed on a tool storage unit drawer face. Co-acting connection features on the drawer front and the drawer face releasably retain the drawer front on the drawer face.

1 . A tool storage unit comprising:
 a storage unit housing including five sides that form a tool storage cavity having a frontward facing opening defined by edges of four of the sides;   at least one drawer slidingly installed within the tool storage cavity, the drawer including a body portion having a compartment therein and a front face configured to rest substantially flush with the frontward facing opening when the drawer is in a closed position;   a removable drawer front connected to the front face and configured to enable repeated removal from and installation to the front face, the drawer front including at least one decorative surface that faces away from the tool storage cavity to present an exterior surface.   
   
   
       2 . The tool storage unit of  claim 1  wherein the drawer front includes a grip portion configured to be engaged by a user to manipulate the drawer. 
   
   
       3 . The tool storage unit of  claim 1  wherein the front face includes a set of first connection features and the drawer front includes a set of co-operating second connection features. 
   
   
       4 . The tool storage unit of  claim 3  wherein one of the first connection feature and the second connection feature comprises an opening and wherein the other of the first connection feature and the second connection feature comprises a protrusion configured to protrude through the opening and be retained within the opening. 
   
   
       5 . The tool storage unit of  claim 4  wherein the opening comprises a narrow portion and an adjacent wider portion and wherein the protrusion comprises a neck portion sized to provide a friction fit within the narrow portion and a head portion sized to pass through the wider portion and be constrained from removal through the narrow portion. 
   
   
       6 . The tool storage unit of  claim 1  wherein the drawer front comprises a unitary component. 
   
   
       7 . The tool storage unit of  claim 1  wherein the drawer front comprises a decorative skin connected to a top drawer front portion and to a bottom drawer front portion. 
   
   
       8 . The tool storage unit of  claim 1  wherein the decorative surface comprises aluminum. 
   
   
       9 . The tool storage unit of  claim 1  wherein the decorative surface comprises stainless steel. 
   
   
       10 . The tool storage unit of  claim 1  wherein the decorative surface comprises a painted surface. 
   
   
       11 . The tool storage unit of  claim 1  wherein the decorative surface comprises a material that includes plastic. 
   
   
       12 . The tool storage unit of  claim 1  wherein a plurality of drawers include a removable drawer front and wherein the decorative surface of each drawer front depicts a portion of a single image. 
   
   
       13 . A drawer front kit for use with a tool storage unit having a housing including five sides that form a tool storage cavity having a frontward facing opening defined by edges of four of the sides and at least one drawer slidingly installed within the tool storage cavity, wherein the drawer includes a body portion having a compartment therein and a front face configured to rest substantially flush with the frontward facing opening when the drawer is in a closed position, the front face including one or more drawer connection features, the kit comprising a drawer front having a decorative surface on a front side and a connection surface on an opposite facing rear side, the drawer front including one or more front connection features positioned on the connection surface in corresponding location to the drawer connection features and configured to co act with the drawer connection features to releasably retain the drawer front to the drawer front face. 
   
   
       14 . The drawer front kit of  claim 13  wherein the drawer front includes a grip portion configured to be engaged by a user to manipulate the drawer. 
   
   
       15 . The drawer front kit of  claim 13  further comprising fasteners configured to fasten the drawer connection features to the front connection features. 
   
   
       16 . The drawer front kit of  claim 13  wherein one of the drawer connection feature and the front connection feature comprises an opening and wherein the other of the first connection feature and the second connection feature comprises a protrusion configured to protrude through the opening and be retained within the opening. 
   
   
       17 . The drawer front kit of  claim 16  wherein the opening comprises a narrow portion and an adjacent wider portion and wherein the protrusion comprises a neck portion sized to provide a friction fit within the narrow portion and a head portion sized to pass through the wider portion and be constrained from removal through the narrow portion. 
   
   
       18 . The drawer front kit of  claim 13  wherein the drawer front comprises a unitary component. 
   
   
       19 . The drawer front kit of  claim 13  wherein the drawer front comprises a decorative skin connected to a top drawer front portion and a bottom drawer front portion. 
   
   
       20 . The drawer front kit of  claim 13  wherein the decorative surface comprises aluminum. 
   
   
       21 . The drawer front kit of  claim 13  wherein the decorative surface comprises stainless steel. 
   
   
       22 . The drawer front kit of  claim 13  wherein the decorative surface comprises a painted surface. 
   
   
       23 . The drawer front kit of  claim 13  wherein the decorative surface comprises a material that includes plastic. 
   
   
       24 . The drawer front kit of  claim 13  comprising a plurality of drawer fronts and wherein the decorative surface of each drawer front depicts a portion of a single image. 
   
   
       25 . A method of replacing an installed drawer front component on a tool storage unit drawer, the method comprising:
 removing the drawer from the tool storage unit;   disconnecting front fastening features on the installed drawer front component from co-acting drawer fastening features on the drawer;   removing the drawer front component from the drawer; and   installing front fastening features on a replacement drawer front component to the drawer fastening features on the drawer.   
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25  wherein the replacement drawer front component is the installed drawer front component. 
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 25  wherein the step of disconnecting the front fastening features from the drawer fastening features is performed by sliding the drawer front component relative to a front face of the drawers such that head portions of tabs on a rear surface of the drawer front component are positioned within an opening in the drawer face from a narrow portion that constrains removal of the head from the opening to a wide portion of the opening that permits clearance of the head to allow the drawer front component to be removed from the drawer face. 
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 25  wherein the step of installing the front fastening features to the drawer fastening features is performed by placing the drawer front component on a front face of the drawer and sliding the drawer front component relative to the front face of the drawers such that head portions of tabs on a rear surface of the drawer front component are moved from a position within a wide portion of an opening in the drawer face that permits clearance of the head to allow the drawer front component to be installed on the drawer face to a position within a narrow portion that constrains removal of the head from the opening.