AU2005200825B2

AU2005200825B2 - Improvements in mobile storage furniture

Info

Publication number: AU2005200825B2
Application number: AU2005200825A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Mark Geoffrey Durrington; Peter Clyde Letton
Original assignee: NAIRAN Pty Ltd
Current assignee: NAIRAN Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2004-03-19
Filing date: 2005-02-24
Publication date: 2006-08-17
Anticipated expiration: 2025-02-24
Also published as: AU2005200825A1

Description

1, AUSTRALIA t- PATENTS ACT 1990 ORIGINAL COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Invention title IMPROVEMENTS IN MOBILE STORAGE FURNITURE The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing known to me.

-1- N This invention relates to storage apparatus. More particularly, although not exclusively it discloses an improved construction for mobile storage furniture.

SMobile storage furniture typically comprises at least one 00 storage cabinet mounted on wheeled runners at each end which q travel on floor mounted glide tracks. As the cabinet can be 0 moved to each side by office personnel to obtain access the total floor area required for such storage furniture is less than that necessary for fixed installations. However problems exist with ensuring the stability of moving cabinets. One proposal in the prior art is to fit a downwardly directed stabiliser bracket to the cabinets which extends into a horizontal slot in the side of the track. Any tendency for the cabinet to topple as it is moved is resisted by this stabiliser bracket engaging the side of the slot. One disadvantage of this prior art arrangement is that the stabiliser bracket is not braced against deformation and consequent lateral movement out of the slot when it is under load.

It is an object of this invention to ameliorate the aforementioned disadvantages and accordingly a sub-assembly is disclosed for mobile storage furniture of the type described, said sub-assembly including a base frame member and a track with undertrack support channel, the base frame member having rollers which in use of the furniture run along said track and a stabiiliser bracket which in cross-section -2- Ni has a lower end with a downwardly directed portion and a Slaterally directed portion extending into a receiving slot, said receiving slot including a downwardly directed segment and a laterally directed segment formed by the track and undertrack support channel, the stabiliser bracket being 00 adapted to move freely in said receiving slot during stable C, movement of said mobile furniture along the track and to engage a side of said slot in the event of tilting with the lower end of the stabiliser bracket being braced by said downwardly directed segment against deformation and lateral movement out of said receiving slot.

Preferably said track and undertrack surpport channel comprise separate interfitting members.

Preferably the lower end of the stabiliser bracket is L shaped in cross-section.

Preferably the.vertical leg portion of the slot is defined between a side of the track and a raised portion of the undertrack support channel; It is further preferred that the stabiliser bracket and slot are located inboard of said rollers and track whereby they are concealed from view.

It is further preferred that the laterally directed segment of the receiving slot extends in a direction away from the track.

The currently preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the attached schematic drawings in which:figure 1 is a perspective view of a typical mobile storage cabinet of the type referred to, figure 2 is a perspective view of a section of base frame member, track and undertrack support channel assembly with the cabinet omitted, figure 3 is a cross-sectional elevation view of the assembly of figure 2 when fitted to the mobile storage cabinet of figure i, and figure 4 is a side elevation view of the assembly of figure 3.

Referring first to figure 1 there are two fixed end cabinets i, 2 and a'mobile cabinet 3 which is movable on front and rear tracks between said end cabinets to provide access space on each side. For simplicity of illustration only the front track 4 is shown. The assembly which is the subject of this invention is fitted to the base 4A of the mobile cabinet at the front and back to run along the respective tracks. As shown in figures 2 and 3 each assembly may include a base frame member 5 having an inverted U shaped cross-section with an axle 6 and roller 7 rotatably mounted between depending flanges 5A. Although only one end of the assembly is shown in detail the opposite end is of similar construction. The rollers run on a pair of inclined hardened steel strips 8 which are retained by beads 9 in the track extrusion 10. The track extrusion in turn sits on a support channel 11 which in f turn may be mounted a plinth 12 and false floor 13. Height 00 adjustment glides 14 at each corner of the plinth enable the installation to be levelled for proper operation.

(Ni C In accordance with the invention stabiliser brackets 15 are preferably secured to the inner side of the base frame member. While only one bracket is described in detail the others are of similar construction. The lower portion of the bracket is formed into an L-shaped tongue 16 which extends down into a correspondingly shaped slot 17 formed between a vertical side 10A of the track extrusion 10 and a raised portion 11A of the support channel 11. The opposite upper end of the bracket comprises an upstanding flange 18 with apertures whereby the base frame member is fixed with bolts 18A to the cabinet frame 3. As shown in figure 4 each end of the base frame member is of the same construction.

The lower L-shaped portion of the stabiliser bracket is dimensioned to move freely in the slot 17 during stable movement of the cabinet and to engage a side 17A of the slot in the event of tilting. The novel L-shaped cross-section of the slot provides an important advantage over the prior art in that the vertical leg portion defined between vertical side 10A and raised portion 11A braces the bracket against lateral deflection under load which could disengage the slot.

The assembly thus provides a stronger and safer anti-tilt mechanism for the cabinet.

It will thus be appreciated that this invention at least in the form of the embodiment described provides a novel and useful improvement to mobile storage cabinets. Clearly however the example disclosed is only the currently preferred form of the invention and a wide variety of modifications may be made which would be apparent to a person skilled in the art. For example the shape and configuration of the stabiliser bracket as well as the track extrusion and support channel may be changed according to installation requirements or design preference. Also, while it is currently preferred to form the assembly components from aluminium extrusions the invention extends to the use of any other suitable material or method of manufacture.

-6-

Claims

1. A sub-assembly for mobile storage furniture of the type described, said sub-assembly including a base frame member t 3 and a track with undertrack support channel, the base frame (N 00 member having rollers which in use of the furniture run along said track and a stabiliser bracket which in cross-section has a lower end with a downwardly directed portion and a c laterally directed portion extending into a receiving slot, said receiving slot including a downwardly directed segment and a laterally directed segment formed by said track and undertrack support channel, the stabiliser bracket being adapted to move freely in said receiving slot during stable movement of said mobile storage furniture along said track and to engage a side of said slot in the event of tilting with the lower end of the stabiliser bracket being braced by said downwardly directed leg segment against deformation and lateral movement out of said receiving slot.

2. The sub-assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said track and undertrack support channel are separatly formed interfitting members.

3. The sub-assembly as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the downwardly directed leg segment of said receiving slot is defined between a side of said track and a raised portion of the undertrack support channel. -7-

4. The sub-assembly as claimed in and one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the stabiliser bracket and receiving slot are located on a side of said track so as to be concealed from view. The sub-assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein said laterally directed leg segment of the slot extends in a direction away from said track.

6. The sub-assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to wherein the lower end of the stabiliser bracket is L shaped in cross-section. 6. The sub-assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the base frame member has an inverted U-shaped cross-section with an axle and roller rotatably mounted between depending flanges.

8. The sub-assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein the track includes a pair of hardened steel strips inclined to form a V configuration.

9. The sub-assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein said downwardly directed portion of the stabiliser bracket and said downwardly directed segment of the receiving slot are substantially vertical. The sub-assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9 wherein an opposite upper end of the stabiliser bracket includes an upstanding flange with apertures for mounting fittings.

11. An sub-assembly for mobile storage furniture, said assembly being substantially as described herein with reference to the drawings.

12. Mobile storage furniture of the type described when fitted with the sub-assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11. Dated this day of 2005 Nairan Pty. Ltd. By Our Patent Attorney MICHAEL ANDERSON-TAYLOR