US20250127300A1

US20250127300A1 - Retainer for a cabinet, a drawer, a bin, or furniture

Info

Publication number: US20250127300A1
Application number: US18/493,032
Authority: US
Inventors: Michael Glaser
Original assignee: Liberty Hardware Manufacturing Corp
Current assignee: Liberty Hardware Manufacturing Corp
Priority date: 2023-10-24
Filing date: 2023-10-24
Publication date: 2025-04-24

Abstract

A retainer for a cabinet, a drawer, a bin, or furniture, is provided with a body with two portions that are spaced apart from each other and at least one of the two portions is elastically deformable relative to the other portion for compression upon installation between a support surface and a head of a fastener, wherein a slot is formed within the body and sized to receive a shank of the fastener such that the elastically deformable portion is compressed to retain the fastener, and wherein at least one portion of the two portions is at least partially flat to contact the support surface.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

Various embodiments relate to knobs, pulls, and/or handles for cabinets, drawers, furniture, or the like, and to retainers thereof.

BACKGROUND

The prior art has provided knobs, pulls, and handles, with threaded fasteners to install to cabinets, drawers, and furniture.

SUMMARY

According to at least one embodiment, a retainer for a cabinet, a drawer, a bin, or furniture, is provided with a body with two portions that are spaced apart from each other and at least one of the two portions is elastically deformable relative to the other portion for compression upon installation between a support surface and a head of a fastener, wherein a slot is formed within the body and sized to receive a shank of the fastener such that the elastically deformable portion is compressed to retain the fastener, and wherein at least one portion of the two portions is at least partially flat to contact the support surface.
According to a further embodiment, the two portions are angled away from each other.
According to another further embodiment, the at least one of the two portions has a higher coefficient of friction than the rest of the body.
According to another further embodiment, the body further comprises a tab interconnected to one of the two portions.
According to another further embodiment, the body further comprises an intermediate portion interconnecting the two spaced apart portions.
According to an even further embodiment, the slot is formed through the intermediate portion and the two spaced apart portions.
According to another further embodiment, the body is formed from a sheet of spring steel alloy.
According to another further embodiment, the body has a common thickness.
According to another embodiment, a kit is provided with a knob, a pull, or a handle. A fastener is provided with a head, and a shank that is sized to connect to the knob, pull, or handle. A retainer is provided to affix the knob onto a support surface. The retainer is for a cabinet, a drawer, a bin, or furniture. The retainer is provided with a body with two portions that are spaced apart from each other and at least one of the two portions is elastically deformable relative to the other portion for compression upon installation between a support surface and a head of a fastener, wherein a slot is formed within the body and sized to receive a shank of the fastener such that the elastically deformable portion is compressed to retain the fastener, and wherein at least one portion of the two portions is at least partially flat to contact the support surface.
According to another embodiment, a retainer for a cabinet, a drawer, a bin, or furniture, is provided with a body with two portions that are spaced apart from each other, wherein a slot is formed within the body and sized to receive a shank of a fastener, and wherein at least one of the two portions has a higher coefficient of friction than the other to engage between a fastener head and the retainer upon installation.
According to a further embodiment, the at least one of the two portions is serrated.
According to another embodiment, a kit is provided with a knob, a pull, or a handle. A fastener is provided with a head, and shank sized to connect to the knob, pull, or handle. A retainer is provided to affix the knob, pull, or handle, onto a support surface. The retainer is for a cabinet, a drawer, a bin, or furniture. The retainer is provided with a body with two portions that are spaced apart from each other, wherein a slot is formed within the body and sized to receive a shank of a fastener, and wherein at least one of the two portions has a higher coefficient of friction than the other to engage between a fastener head and the retainer upon installation.
According to another embodiment a retainer for a cabinet, a drawer, a bin, or furniture, is provided with a body with two portions that are spaced apart from each other and at least one of the two portions is elastically deformable while the other portion is at least partially flat, wherein a slot is formed within the body and sized to receive a shank of a fastener. A tab extends from the body, to receive a force for movement of the body such that the at least one of the two portions that is elastically deformable converges towards the other portion underneath a fastener head to engage with the fastener head upon installation.
According to a further embodiment, the tab extends generally perpendicular to the at least partially flat portion.
According to another further embodiment, the tab is concave away from the slot.
According to another further embodiment, the tab has a uniform thickness common with a thickness of the body.
According to another embodiment, a kit is provided with a knob, pull, or handle. A fastener is provided with a head and a shank sized to connect to the knob, pull, or handle. A retainer is provided to affix the knob, pull, or handle onto a support surface. The retainer is for a cabinet, a drawer, a bin, or furniture. The retainer is provided with a body with two portions that are spaced apart from each other and at least one of the two portions is elastically deformable while the other portion is at least partially flat, wherein a slot is formed within the body and sized to receive a shank of a fastener. A tab extends from the body, to receive a force for movement of the body such that the at least one of the two portions that is elastically deformable converges towards the other portion underneath a fastener head to engage with the fastener head upon installation.
According to another embodiment, a retainer installation method orients a slot of a retainer with a shank of a fastener extending from a support surface. The retainer is moved toward the fastener shank such that the fastener shank is received in the slot and at least two portions of the retainer converge upon engagement with a head of the fastener to affix the retainer and the fastener to the support surface.
According to a further embodiment, a manual force is applied to a tab on the retainer to move the retainer.
According to another embodiment, a retainer removal method installs a retainer by orienting a slot of a retainer with a shank of a fastener extending from a support surface. The retainer is moved toward the fastener shank such that the fastener shank is received in the slot and at least two portions of the retainer converge upon engagement with a head of the fastener to affix the retainer and the fastener to the support surface. The retainer is moved in a direction away from the fastener shank to remove the retainer from the fastener shank and the support surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is side elevation view of a retainer according to an embodiment, illustrated in cooperation with a knob and fastener installed to a support surface;

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective of the retainer installed to the support surface; and

FIG. 3 is perspective view of the retainer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.
FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a hardware or display assembly 10, according to an embodiment. In the depicted embodiment, item 10 is illustrated as a display assembly 10. However, item 10 may be any furniture assembly 10, such as a cabinet 10, a drawer 10, a bin 10, or the like. The item 10 may or may not be a display assembly 10. For example, the item 10 may be any furniture assembly, with or without a display, ornamentation, indicia, or the like.
According to an embodiment, the display assembly 10 is a bin assembly 10, such as a tilt bin assembly 10. The bin assembly 10 is pivotally connected to a structure for access to items stored within the bin assembly 10. The bin assembly 10 may be utilized to store components, such as hardware within the bin assembly 10. The bin assembly 10 includes a support surface, such as a fascia 12 to provide a display face for the bin assembly 10. For example, in a retail context, the fascia 12 may be utilized to display items stored within the bin assembly 10. Likewise, in a personal use application, the fascia 12 may be employed to decorate, ornament, label, organize, or otherwise customize the bin assembly 10.
The bin assembly 10 is utilized to store a plurality of kits 14. In a retail context, the kits 14 are products, and by way of example, the items are hardware assemblies 14, such as handles 14, knobs 14, or pulls 14, hooks 14, bath hardware 14, or the like. One of the hardware assemblies 14 is installed on the fascia 12 as illustrated in FIG. 1 (with the knob 14) and FIG. 2 . The fascia 12 displays a sample of the retailed hardware assembly 14 to permit a customer to inspect and interact with a sample of the products 14 retailed in inventory within the bin assembly 10. The customer may also sample the hardware assembly 14 by gripping the knob 14 in order to tilt and open the bin assembly 10. The fascia 12 is designed to be resilient enough to support the hardware assembly 14 and to distribute loads applied to the hardware assembly 14 to the fascia 12, and consequently to the bin assembly 10.
With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 , a plurality of fasteners 16, such as machine screws 16 are installed through a back side of the fascia 12 to attach the hardware assembly 14 to the fascia 12. The fasteners 16 may range in sizes.
FIGS. 1 and 2 depict an embodiment of the hardware assembly 14 with a retainer 18 for the support surface 12 of a cabinet 10, a drawer 10, or a bin assembly 10. The retainer 18 provides a quick and semi-permanent solution to affixing the hardware assembly 14 to a thin sheet of material, such as the fascia 12. The retainer 18 may be utilized where the affiliated mounting screw 16 is longer than a thickness of the mounting surface 12, leaving a gap between the mounting surface 12 and hardware assembly 14. The retainer 18 increases efficiency by mitigating a process whereby a complete uninstall and reinstall of appropriately fitted screws to the mounting surface 12. Instead, the retainer 18 allows the user to fill in any gapped or unfitted connection of the fastener 16 to the mounting surface 12, without removal. Once installed, the retainer 18 is in contact with the mounting surface 12 as depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2 , and the mounting surface 12 contacts the hardware assembly 14 as illustrated in FIG. 1 .
FIG. 3 illustrates a body 20 of the retainer 18 according to an embodiment and disassembled from the knob 14 and the support surface 12. With reference to FIGS. 1-3 , the body 20 of the retainer 18 is formed from a sheet of spring steel alloy and has a uniform thickness. Alternatively, the body 20 may be formed from a resilient polymeric material. The body 20 can vary in size and shape according to other embodiments. The body 20 of the retainer 18 is structurally provided with two portions, a flat, base portion 22 and a flexed, or angled portion 24. The portions 22, 24 of the body 20 are angled away from, and spaced apart from, each other. The base portion 22 and the angled portion 24 are connected by an intermediate portion 26. The portions 22, 24, 26 of the body 20 may be fabricated by bends that are formed in a stock or sheet material.
Base portion 22 is depicted as the flat portion 22 or at the at least partially flat portion 22 within manufacturing tolerances. The flat portion 22 is at least partially flat in order to contact the mounting surface 12 for the cabinet 10, bin 10, drawer 10, or bin assembly 10 as depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2 . Alternatively, the base portion 22 may not be flat, but may be shaped to distribute a load to the support surface 12. Likewise, the biased portion 24 may form another shape, such as curved, angled segments, or the like. The spaced apart portions 22, 24 provide a wedge arrangement for wedging into engagement with the fastener 16 and the support surface 12.
Portion 24 of the retainer 18 body 20 is depicted as the angled portion 24 or biased portion 24. Although all portions 22, 24, 26 of the body 20 are elastically deformable, in various embodiments, at least one of the portions 22, 24, 26 is elastically deformable to permit compression of the body 20. In the depicted embodiment, the geometries of the body 20 the permit the angled portion 24 to deform relative to the flat portion 22. The deformable portion 24 is elastic to compress underneath a head 28 of the fastener 16, between the mounting surface 12 and the head 28 of fastener 16 as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 . For better engagement between the deformable portion 24 and the head of fastener 16, a surface 30 of the biased portion 24 is grooved and serrated to increase a coefficient of friction for the surface 30. FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate one embodiment of the shape, size, and orientation of the serrated surface 30.
FIGS. 2 and 3 depict an embodiment of the body 20 with an aperture 32 or slot 32 in the body 20 of the retainer 18. The slot 32 is formed within the body 20 through the flat portion 22 and the biased portion 24. The slot 32 may also extend through the intermediate portion 26. The slot 32 is formed to accommodate and receive a shank 34 (FIG. 1 ) of the fastener 16. The slot 32 may vary in size and shape depending on the mounting fastener 16 used in the bin assembly 10. Slot 32 allows for the retainer 18 to be fitted around the mounting screw 16 of the display surface 10, cabinet 10, drawer 10, bin assembly 10 in order for the biased portion 24 to compress and affix the hardware assembly 14 to the fascia 12 depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2 .
According to another embodiment, the slot 32 does not extend through the intermediate portion 26. Alternatively, the slot 32 may include an oversized portion that is sized to receive the fastener head 28 through the slot 32 at a narrow region of the angled portions 22, 24. In this alternative, the enlarged portion of the slot 32 is passed axially over the fastener head 28 toward the fascia. Then the retainer 18 is translated transverse to the fastener 16 to translate the slot 32 along the fastener 16 beyond the enlarged portion, while compressing the angled portions 22, 24.
The shank 34 may be threaded at the distal end or along the length. Likewise, the knob 14 is internally threaded for threaded engagement with the shank 34. The slot 32 is depicted as smooth in the Figures. Alternatively, the slot 32 may be ridged, such as along the edged portion 24, for threaded engagement with the shank 34.
FIGS. 1-3 illustrate a tab 36 extending from the body 20 of the retainer 18 according to an embodiment. The flat portion 22 is connected to the tab 36 as depicted in the embodiment. The tab 36 extends in a generally perpendicular direction relative to the flat portion 22 in order to allow the user to apply pressure to the tab 36 and slide the retainer 18 toward the head of fastener 16. The tab 36 may be formed from the same sheet steel as the body 20. Therefore, the tab 36 may have the same uniform thickness as the body 20. The tab 36 shape and size can vary but will accommodate the application of a manual force to slide the body 20 of the retainer 18 underneath the fastener 16, compressing the biased portion 24 towards the flat portion 22. In this embodiment, the tab 36 is concave away from the slot 32 to receive a human finger or thumb.
FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate an embodiment of an installation of the retainer 18 affixing the hardware assembly 14 to the fascia 12 in the bin assembly 10 by retaining the fastener 16. To install, the at flat portion 22 is placed on the mounting surface 12 to contact the mounting surface 12. The body 20 of the retainer 18 is oriented so that the slot 32 aligns with the shank 34 of the fastener 16. The retainer 18 is pushed towards the fastener 16 by pushing onto tab 36 in the same direction. The body portions 22, 24, 26 receive the fastener 16 in the slot 32, as the body portions traverse the fastener 16. Once the head 28 of the fastener 16 engages the biased portion 24, the biased portion 24 deforms and converges towards the flat portion 22 compressing underneath the fastener head 28. Once compressed, the retainer 18 applies a tension to the fastener 16, thereby pressing the knob 14 to the fascia 12, which affixes the hardware assembly 14 to the fascia 12.
To uninstall, the tab 36 of the retainer 18 is pulled away from the fastener 16, uncompressing the biased portion 24, which leaves the hardware assembly 14 unaffixed to the mounting surface 12. Due to the frictional engagement of the lever portion 24 and the fastener head 28, the user may compress the lever portion 24 with another finger to disengage the lever portion 24 from the fastener head 28 before translating the retainer 18 by pulling the tab 36. The installation and uninstallation methods do not require any tools and can be used on furniture by end consumers to fix gapped connecting between various fasteners 16 and mounting surfaces 12. Additionally, the retainer 18 can be installed or uninstalled, without disengaging the fastener 16 from the knob 14 and the fascia 12.
While various embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, the features of various implementing embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments of the invention.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A retainer for a cabinet, a drawer, a bin, or furniture, the retainer comprising a body with two portions that are spaced apart from each other and at least one of the two portions is elastically deformable relative to the other portion for compression upon installation between a support surface and a head of a fastener, wherein a slot is formed within the body and sized to receive a shank of the fastener such that the elastically deformable portion is compressed to retain the fastener, and wherein at least one portion of the two portions is at least partially flat to contact the support surface.

2. The retainer of claim 1, wherein the two portions are angled away from each other.

3. The retainer of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the two portions has a higher coefficient of friction than the rest of the body.

4. The retainer of claim 1, wherein the body further comprises a tab interconnected to one of the two portions.

5. The retainer of claim 1, wherein the body further comprises an intermediate portion interconnecting the two spaced apart portions.

6. The retainer of claim 5, wherein the slot is formed through the intermediate portion and the two spaced apart portions.

7. The retainer of claim 1, wherein the body is formed from a sheet of spring steel alloy.

8. The retainer of claim 1, wherein the body has a common thickness.

9. A kit comprising:

a knob, pull, or handle;

a fastener with a head and a shank sized to connect to the knob, pull, or handle; and

the retainer of claim 1 to affix the knob, pull, or handle onto a support surface.

10. A retainer for a cabinet, a drawer, a bin, or furniture, the retainer comprising a body with two portions that are spaced apart from each other, wherein a slot is formed within the body and sized to receive a shank of a fastener, and wherein at least one of the two portions has a higher coefficient of friction than the other to engage between a fastener head and the retainer upon installation.

11. The retainer of claim 10, wherein the at least one of the two portions is serrated.

12. A kit comprising:

a knob, pull, or handle;

the retainer of claim 10 to affix the knob, pull, or handle onto a support surface.

13. A retainer for a cabinet, a drawer, a bin, or furniture, the retainer comprising:

a body with two portions that are spaced apart from each other and at least one of the two portions is elastically deformable while the other portion is at least partially flat, wherein a slot is formed within the body and sized to receive a shank of a fastener; and

a tab extending from the body, to receive a force for movement of the body such that the at least one of the two portions that is elastically deformable converges towards the other portion underneath a fastener head to engage with the fastener head upon installation.

14. The retainer of claim 13, wherein the tab extends generally perpendicular to the at least partially flat portion.

15. The retainer of claim 13, wherein the tab is concave away from the slot.

16. The retainer of claim 13, wherein the tab has a uniform thickness common with a thickness of the body.

17. A kit comprising:

a knob, pull, or handle;

the retainer of claim 13 to affix the knob, pull, or handle onto a support surface.

18. A retainer installation method comprising:

orienting a slot of a retainer with a shank of a fastener extending from a support surface; and

moving the retainer toward the fastener shank such that the fastener shank is received in the slot and at least two portions of the retainer converge upon engagement with a head of the fastener to affix the retainer and the fastener to the support surface.

19. The retainer installation method of claim 18, further comprising applying a manual force to a tab on the retainer to move the retainer.

20. A retainer removal method comprising:

installing a retainer according to the method of claim 18; and

moving the retainer in a direction away from the fastener shank to remove the retainer from the fastener shank and the support surface.