Semi-full access and full access framed cabinetry

Abstract

A semi-full access and full access face frame for a cabinet box is provided, together with a method for making and assembling cabinet boxes. In a semi-full access face frame, the vertical stiles are rotated ninety degrees compared to a traditional face frame. In a full access face frame the vertical stiles and the horizontal rails are rotated ninety degrees compared to a traditional face frame.

1 . A face frame configured for connection to a front end of a cabinet box, the cabinet box having an interior space and an opening that provides access to the interior space, the opening having a height and a width and defining an opening plane, the face frame comprising:
 a first vertical frame member having a depth that extends approximately perpendicular to the opening plane of the cabinet box and a width that extends approximately parallel to the opening plane of the cabinet box, wherein the depth of the first vertical frame member is greater than the width of the first vertical frame member;   a second vertical frame member having a depth that extends approximately perpendicular to the opening plane of the cabinet box and a width that extends approximately parallel to the opening plane of the cabinet box, wherein the depth of the second vertical frame member is greater than the width of the second vertical frame member, and wherein the second vertical frame member is spaced apart from the first vertical frame member by approximately the width of the opening of the cabinet box;   a first horizontal frame member extending between the first vertical frame member and the second vertical frame member, the first horizontal frame member having a first end connected to the first vertical frame member and a second end connected to the second vertical frame member; and   a second horizontal frame member extending between the first vertical frame member and the second vertical frame member, the second horizontal frame member having a first end connected to the first vertical frame member and a second end connected to the second vertical frame member,   whereby when the first and second vertical frame members and the first and second horizontal frame members are connected to the front end of the cabinet box, the first vertical frame member and the second vertical frame member permit substantially full access into the interior space of the cabinet box across the width of the opening, and whereby when the face frame is connected to the front end of the cabinet box, the face frame provides structural support to the cabinet box.   
     
     
         2 . The face frame of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first horizontal frame member has a depth that extends approximately perpendicular to the opening plane of the cabinet box and a width that extends approximately parallel to the opening plane of the cabinet box, wherein the depth of the first horizontal frame member is greater than the width of the first horizontal frame member; and   the second horizontal frame member has a depth that extends approximately perpendicular to the opening plane of the cabinet box and a width that extends approximately parallel to the opening plane of the cabinet box, wherein the depth of the second horizontal frame member is greater than the width of the second horizontal frame member, and   wherein the second horizontal frame member is spaced apart from the first horizontal frame member to permit substantially full access into the interior space of the cabinet box across the height of the opening when the face frame is connected to the front end of the cabinet box.   
     
     
         3 . The face frame of  claim 1 , wherein the depth of the first vertical frame member and of the second vertical frame member enables full mounting of a euro style quick-release hinge to the first vertical frame member or to the second vertical frame member and not to a side panel. 
     
     
         4 . The face frame of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the first vertical frame member and second vertical frame member comprise two pieces of wood joined by one or more of the following types of connections: deep dado, lock dado, dowel, partial dovetail, biscuit, reversed dado, finger jointing, face nailing and miter joint. 
     
     
         5 . The face frame of  claim 4 , wherein the first portion is adapted to attach to a wall panel of a cabinet box and the second portion extends laterally outwardly away from the cabinet box. 
     
     
         6 . The face frame of  claim 1 , wherein the width of the face frame members is approximately 0.75 inches and the depth of the face frame members is approximately 1.50 inches. 
     
     
         7 . The face frame of  claim 1 , wherein the cabinet box comprises multiple cabinet boxes linearly positioned adjacent each other, and wherein at least one of the first horizontal frame member and the second horizontal frame member comprise a single piece and extends without seams horizontally across the adjacent cabinet boxes. 
     
     
         8 . The face frame of  claim 2 , wherein the cabinet box further comprises a top panel and the first horizontal rail is interconnected to the top panel. 
     
     
         9 . The face frame of  claim 1  wherein the face frame is interconnected to the cabinet box, by one or more of the following types of connections: deep dado, lock dado, dowel, partial dove tail, biscuit, reversed dado, finger jointing and face nailing. 
     
     
         10 . The face frame of  claim 1 , wherein the first vertical frame member is joined to at least the first horizontal frame member by a deep dado forty-five degree miter joint or a deep dado lock miter joint. 
     
     
         11 . A cabinet box, comprising:
 a panel assembly including a first side panel, a second side panel, a bottom panel, and a rear panel, each panel having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface of each panel faces an interior space of the panel assembly and the outer surface of each panel forms an exterior surface of the panel assembly, the panel assembly having a front end with an opening having a lateral width and a vertical height; and   a face frame connected to the front end of the panel assembly, the face frame including:
 a first stile interconnected to the first side panel and having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface being substantially flush to the inner surface of the first side panel and the outer surface being substantially flush to the outer surface of the first side panel, the first stile having a longer dimension extending parallel to the first side panel and a shorter dimension extending perpendicular to the first side panel; 
 a second stile interconnected to the second side panel and having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface being substantially flush to the inner surface of the second side panel and the outer surface being substantially flush to the outer surface of the second side panel, the second stile having a longer dimension extending parallel to the second side panel and a shorter dimension extending perpendicular to the second side panel; 
 a top rail extending horizontally between the first stile and the second stile, the top rail having a first end connected to the first stile and a second end connected to the second stile; and 
 a bottom rail extending horizontally between the first stile and the second stile, the bottom rail having a first end connected to the first stile and a second end connected to the second stile; 
   whereby the orientation of the first stile and the second stile permit substantially full access into the interior space of the panel assembly across the lateral width of the opening, and whereby the face frame provides structural support to the panel assembly.   
     
     
         12 . The cabinet box of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the bottom rail has an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface of the bottom rail is substantially flush with the inner surface of the bottom panel, the bottom rail having a longer dimension extending parallel to the bottom panel and a shorter dimension extending perpendicular to the bottom panel; and   the top rail has an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface of the top rail oriented to face and be parallel with the inner surface of the bottom rail, the top rail having a longer dimension extending parallel to the bottom panel and a shorter dimension extending perpendicular to the bottom panel;   the top rail spaced apart from the bottom rail to permit substantially full access into the interior space of the cabinet across the vertical height of the opening.   
     
     
         13 . The cabinet box of  claim 11 , wherein the distance between the inner surface and the outer surface of each panel defines a thickness of each panel, and wherein the first stile and the second stile each have a width approximately equal to the thickness of the first side panel and the second side panel, respectively. 
     
     
         14 . The cabinet box of  claim 11 , wherein the cabinet is a bookcase. 
     
     
         15 . The cabinet box of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the first vertical frame member or the second vertical frame member includes a portion that extends laterally outwardly to fill a gap between the cabinet box and adjacent structure. 
     
     
         16 . The cabinet box of  claim 11 , wherein the ratio of the depth of the face frame members is about 2:1. 
     
     
         17 . The cabinet box of  claim 11 , wherein the cabinet box comprises a row of adjacent cabinet boxes, and wherein the first horizontal frame member and the second horizontal frame member separately comprise a single piece and extend horizontally across the row of adjacent cabinet boxes without seams. 
     
     
         18 . The cabinet box of  claim 11 , further comprising a quick release hinge flush mounted on the inner surface of the first stile and first side panel, with at least two screws connecting the hinge to the stile and at least one screw connecting the hinge to the side panel. 
     
     
         19 . The cabinet box of  claim 11 , further comprising a drawer guide flush mounted on the inner surface of the first stile and the inner surface of the first side panel and wherein at least one end of the drawer guide is attached to the first stile by at least two screws and the opposite end of the drawer guide is attached to the side panel by a screw. 
     
     
         20 . A face frame configured for connection to a front end of a cabinet box, the cabinet box having an interior space and an opening that provides access to the interior space, the opening having a height and a width and defining an opening plane, the face frame comprising:
 a first vertical frame member having a depth that extends approximately perpendicular to the opening plane of the cabinet box and a width that extends approximately parallel to the opening plane of the cabinet box, wherein the depth of the first vertical frame member is greater than the width of the first vertical frame member;   a second vertical frame member having a depth that extends approximately perpendicular to the opening plane of the cabinet box and a width that extends approximately parallel to the opening plane of the cabinet box, wherein the depth of the second vertical frame member is greater than the width of the second vertical frame member, and wherein the second vertical frame member is spaced apart from the first vertical frame member by approximately the width of the opening of the cabinet box;   a first horizontal frame member extending between the first vertical frame member and the second vertical frame member, the first horizontal frame member having a first end connected to the first vertical frame member and a second end connected to the second vertical frame member, the first horizontal frame member has a depth that extends approximately perpendicular to the opening plane of the cabinet box and a width that extends approximately parallel to the opening plane of the cabinet box, wherein the depth of the first horizontal frame member is greater than the width of the first horizontal frame member; and   a second horizontal frame member extending between the first vertical frame member and the second vertical frame member, the second horizontal frame member having a first end connected to the first vertical frame member and a second end connected to the second vertical frame member, the second horizontal frame member has a depth that extends approximately perpendicular to the opening plane of the cabinet box and a width that extends approximately parallel to the opening plane of the cabinet box, wherein the depth of the second horizontal frame member is greater than the width of the second horizontal frame member, and wherein the second horizontal frame member is spaced apart from the first horizontal frame member to permit substantially full access into the interior space of the cabinet box across the height of the opening when the face frame is connected to the front end of the cabinet box;   whereby when the face frame is connected to the front end of the cabinet box, the first vertical frame member and the second vertical frame member permit substantially full access into the interior space of the cabinet box across the width of the opening and the first horizontal member and second horizontal member permit substantially full access into the interior space of the cabinet box across the height of the opening, and whereby when the full access face frame is connected to the front end of the cabinet box, the face frame provides structural support to the cabinet box.   
     
     
         21 . The face frame of  claim 20 , wherein at least one of the first vertical frame member or the second vertical frame member includes a portion that extends laterally outwardly to fill a gap between the cabinet box and adjacent structure. 
     
     
         22 . The face frame of  claim 20 , wherein the width of the face frame members is approximately 0.75 inches and the depth of the face frame members is approximately 1.50 inches. 
     
     
         23 . The face frame of  claim 20 , wherein the cabinet box comprises a plurality of adjacent cabinet boxes, and wherein the first horizontal frame member and the second horizontal frame member separately comprise a single piece and extend horizontally across the row of adjacent cabinet boxes without seams. 
     
     
         24 . The face frame of  claim 20 , wherein at least one of the first vertical frame member and second vertical frame member comprise a portion that extends laterally outwardly and is joined to the at least one of the first and second vertical frame members by a miter joint. 
     
     
         25 . The face frame of  claim 20 , wherein at least one of the first and second horizontal frame members comprise a first portion and a second portion joined together whereby the first portion attaches to the cabinet box and the second portion extends away from the cabinet box with an outer surface oriented parallel to the opening of the cabinet box. 
     
     
         26 . The face from of  claim 25 , wherein the first portion is joined to the second portion by at least one of the following types of connections: deep dado join, lock dado joint, dowel joint, partial dovetail joint, biscuit joint, reversed dado joint, finger jointing, face nailing and miter joint.