Accessible Cabinetry System

Abstract

A high cabinet may be mechanically lowered to within reach of a disabled user. A single cabinet is mounted between a pair of vertically sliding plates, which are mounted between a pair of horizontally sliding plates, which are mounted within a wall or enclosure. Slidable mounting is achieved by pairs of vertical and horizontal tracks. The cabinet is moved along the horizontal tracks by one or more horizontally oriented linear motors, and moved along the vertical tracks by one or more vertically oriented linear motors.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A mechanical cabinet system comprising:
 (a) a rigid cabinet structure having at least a rear surface, left side surface, and right side surface;   (b) a vertical support;   (c) a moveable cabinet mounting means for mounting said cabinet to said vertical support such that said cabinet may be moved along a mechanically limited path between a storage position and an access position such that said mechanically limited path avoids an obstructable region located below or above said storage position and behind said access position;   (d) said cabinet being mounted to said vertical support by said moveable cabinet mounting means;   (e) a powered motion-generating means for selectively urging said cabinet structure between said storage position and said access position;   (f) said powered motion-generating means being mechanically affixed to any combination of said cabinet structure, said vertical support, and said cabinet mounting means;   (g) said cabinet structure further comprises a rigid bottom surface and a rigid top surface;   (h) said moveable cabinet mounting means in part comprises a plurality of vertical tracks, each having a first side and a second side;   (i) each of said first sides of said vertical tracks being slidably mounted to one the vertical surfaces of said cabinet structure;   (j) a plurality of rigid plates, each having a first side and a second side, positioned parallel to those vertical surfaces of said cabinet structure to which said first sides of said vertical tracks are slidably attached;   (k) each of said second sides of said vertical tracks being slidable mounted to the first side of one of said rigid plates;   (l) said moveable cabinet mounting means in part further comprises a plurality of horizontal tracks, each having a first side and a second side;   (m) each of said first sides of said horizontal tracks being slidably mounted to the second side of one of said rigid plates;   (n) each of said second sides of said horizontal tracks being slidable mounted within a storage cavity;   (o) said storage cavity being partly or wholly disposed within said vertical support; and   (p) said powered motion generating means comprising a motor driving, said motor driving a spindle, a pulley, said spindle being disposed within at least one of said horizontal tracks or said vertical tracks on the first member thereof and said pulley being disposed within the second member thereof, a cable, said cable being fixed about said spindle and about said pulley, an attachment point, said attachment point being located on the second member of said at least one of said horizontal tracks or said vertical tracks, and said cable being attached at its ends to said attachment point;   
       whereby said cabinet structure may be moved between said storage position wholly or partially within said vertical support and an intermediate position extended out from said vertical support, and may be lowered or raised from said intermediate position down or up to reach said access position. 
     
     
         2 . The mechanical cabinet system of  claim 1  wherein said motor is sufficiently small to fit substantially within one of the group of said rigid plates or one of the vertical surfaces of said cabinet structure. 
     
     
         3 . The mechanical cabinet system of  claim 1  wherein said motor is of sufficient speed and torque to practicably move said rigid cabinet structure when said rigid cabinet structure is fully loaded kitchen cabinet. 
     
     
         4 . The mechanical cabinet system of  claim 2  wherein said motor is of sufficient speed and torque to practicably move said rigid cabinet structure when said rigid cabinet structure is fully loaded kitchen cabinet.