Cabinet for a free-standing large-screen television

Abstract

A cabinet and entertainment center is disclosed which is configured to enclose a freestanding large-screen television. The cabinet includes an enclosure having a substantially open bottom and substantially open back which permits the enclosure to be placed over a television which is stationary upon a floor. The enclosure includes an at least partially open front to expose the television screen to view. The cabinet enclosure may include casters which permit the enclosure to be easily rolled into position over the television. Bi-fold pocket doors are provided for covering the at least partially open front and the television when the television is not in use. Adjoining free-standing cabinet piers or towers may be provided for storage of audio and video equipment or other items.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A television cabinet comprising an enclosure configured to substantially cover the front, sides, and top of a free-standing large-screen television, wherein the enclosure comprises a top wall, side walls, a substantially open rear, a substantially open bottom, and at least one door covering the area between the side walls and below the top wall, the open rear and bottom being sized and configured to permit the enclosure to be placed over and around the television while the television is stationary upon a floor.  
     
     
         2 . A television cabinet according to  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of casters mounted on bottom portions of the enclosure, the casters permitting the enclosure to be rolled over the television while the television is stationary on the floor.  
     
     
         3 . A television cabinet according to  claim 1  wherein at least one door comprises a pair of doors, the doors being sized and arranged to substantially and selectively expose the front of the television when the doors are in an open position.  
     
     
         4 . A television cabinet according to  claim 3  wherein each pair of doors has a bi-fold configuration.  
     
     
         5 . A television cabinet according to  claim 3  wherein each door is retractably mounted to the enclosure, wherein the first door is retractable to an open position substantially adjacent to and substantially parallel to a first side of the television, and the second door is retractable to an open position substantially adjacent to and substantially parallel to a second side of the television.  
     
     
         6 . A television cabinet according to  claim 5  wherein: 
 (a) the first door includes first and second door panels hingedly connected together in a bi-fold configuration, the first and second door panels being foldable together such that the first and second door panels are substantially adjacent to and substantially parallel to a first side of the television when the first door is in the open position; and  
 (b) the second door includes third and fourth door panels hingedly connected together in a bi-fold configuration, the third and fourth door panels being foldable together such that the third and fourth door panels are substantially adjacent to and substantially parallel to a second side of the television when the second door is in the open position.  
 
     
     
         7 . A television cabinet according to  claim 1 , wherein the enclosure further includes at least one cabinet tower positioned adjacent one of the side walls, the tower including a plurality of storage recesses therein.  
     
     
         8 . A television cabinet according to  claim 7  wherein the at least one cabinet tower includes at least one cabinet door configured to permit access to the storage recesses.  
     
     
         9 . A television cabinet comprising: 
 (a) first and second side panels, each side panel having a front edge, an inner surface, and an outer surface;    (b) a plurality of support rails connecting the first and second side panels and supporting the side panels in opposed spaced relationship, wherein the side panels form an enclosure having a substantially open back, a substantially open bottom, and an at least partially open front;    (c) a first door mounted to the first side panel and a second door mounted to the second side panel, wherein the doors are configured to cooperate to substantially cover the at least partially open front when the doors are in a closed position;    (d) wherein the enclosure is sized and shaped to surround a free-standing large-screen television, wherein the front of the television is visible through the at least partially open front when the doors are in an open position, and wherein front and side portions of the television are substantially hidden from view when the doors are in the closed position.    
     
     
         10 . A television cabinet according to  claim 9  further comprising a plurality of casters mounted on bottom portions of the first and second side panels, the casters permitting the enclosure to be rolled over the television while the television is stationary on a substantially flat surface.  
     
     
         11 . A television cabinet according to  claim 9 , wherein the first door comprises first and a second door panels hingedly connected together in a bi-fold configuration, and the second door comprises third and fourth door panels hingedly connected together in a bi-fold configuration.  
     
     
         12 . A television cabinet according to  claim 9  wherein the first and second doors are pocket doors, wherein the first door is mounted to the first side panel such that the first door is substantially adjacent to and parallel to the inner surface of the first side panel in the open position, and wherein the second door is mounted to the first side panel such that the second door is substantially adjacent to and parallel to the inner surface of the second side panel in the open position.  
     
     
         13 . A television cabinet according to  claim 12  wherein the first door comprises first and second door panels hingedly connected together in a bi-fold configuration, the first and second door panels being substantially adjacent to and parallel to the inner surface of the first side panel when the first door is in the open position, and wherein the second door comprises third and fourth door panels hingedly connected together in a bi-fold configuration, the third and fourth door panels being substantially adjacent to and parallel to the inner surface of the second side panel when the second door is in the open position.  
     
     
         14 . A television cabinet according to  claim 9  further comprising an upper facial panel mounted between the front edges of the first and second panels, the upper facial panel being positioned above the first and second doors when the doors are in the closed position.  
     
     
         15 . A television cabinet according to  claim 9  further comprising a front base face panel disposed between lower portions of the front edges of the first and second side panels.  
     
     
         16 . A television cabinet according to  claim 9  further comprising a first tower portion adjacent to the outer surface of the first side panel, and a second tower portion adjacent to the outer surface of the second side panel.  
     
     
         17 . A television cabinet according to  claim 16  wherein the first and second tower portions each include at least one door for accessing interior portions of the towers.  
     
     
         18 . A television cabinet according to  claim 9  further comprising a shelf, the shelf being disposed in the cabinet such that the shelf lies above a television when the television is enclosed in the cabinet.  
     
     
         19 . An entertainment center comprising: 
 (a) a free-standing large-screen television having a top, first and second sides, and a front;    (b) a decorative surround having a substantially open back, a substantially open bottom, and a substantially open face, wherein the surround substantially covers the top and sides of the television; and    (c) at least one door movably mounted over the substantially open face of the surround, wherein the at least one door substantially covers the front of the television when the at least one door is in a closed position, and wherein the front of the television is substantially exposed when the at least one door is in an open position.    
     
     
         20 . An entertainment center according to  claim 19  further comprising a plurality of casters mounted to bottom portions of the surround, the casters permitting the surround to be rolled over the television when the television is supported on a substantially flat surface.  
     
     
         21 . An entertainment center according to  claim 19  comprising first and second doors movably mounted over the substantially open face of the surround.  
     
     
         22 . An entertainment center according to  claim 21  wherein the first and second doors have a bi-fold configuration.  
     
     
         23 . An entertainment center according to  claim 22  wherein the first and second bi-fold doors are retractably mounted to the surround, wherein the first door is retractable such that the first door is substantially adjacent to and substantially parallel to the first side of the television when the second door is in the open position, and wherein the second door is retractable such that the second door is substantially adjacent to and substantially parallel to the second side of the television when the second door is in the open position.  
     
     
         24 . An entertainment center according to  claim 19  further including a first cabinet tower adjacent to the surround proximate to the first side of the television, and a second cabinet tower adjacent to the surround proximate to the second side of the television, wherein the first and second cabinet towers include a plurality of storage receptacles therein.