Medicine cabinet

Abstract

A medicine cabinet includes a housing defining an interior compartment. The cabinet further includes a door pivotally connected to the housing and movable between an open position allowing interior compartment access, and a closed position. A plurality of vertically staggered, horizontally oriented shelves for holding objects are disposed within the interior compartment. At least one shelf extends from one side of the interior compartment while at least two shelves extend from an opposite side of the compartment. The horizontally oriented shelves are disposed within the interior compartment such that each shelf holds objects on one side of the shelf when the housing is in a first orientation and each shelf holds objections on another side of the shelf when the housing is rotated 180 degrees to a second orientation. The appearance of the cabinet in the second orientation is a mirror-image of the appearance of the cabinet in the first orientation.

1 . A medicine cabinet, comprising: 
 a housing defining an interior compartment;    a door pivotally connected to the housing and movable between an open position allowing interior compartment access, and a closed position; and    a plurality of vertically staggered, horizontally oriented shelves for holding objects disposed within the interior compartment, wherein at least one shelf extends from one side of the interior compartment while at least two shelves extend from an opposite side of the compartment;    wherein the horizontally oriented shelves are disposed within the interior compartment such that each shelf holds objects on one side of the shelf when the housing is in a first orientation and each shelf holds objects on another side of the shelf when the housing is rotated 180 degrees to a second orientation, and the appearance of the cabinet in the second orientation is a mirror-image of the appearance of the cabinet in the first orientation.    
   
   
       2 . The medicine cabinet of  claim 1 , wherein at least one shelf extends across the width of the interior compartment.  
   
   
       3 . The medicine cabinet of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one shelf extending across the width of the interior compartment divides the compartment into an upper portion and a lower portion.  
   
   
       4 . The medicine cabinet of  claim 1 , wherein the housing is adapted for mounting into a building wall.  
   
   
       5 . The medicine cabinet of  claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a rear wall joined to a outwardly projecting top wall, bottom wall and pair of side walls to define the interior compartment.  
   
   
       6 . The medicine cabinet of  claim 1 , wherein the shelves are formed integrally with the housing.  
   
   
       7 . The medicine cabinet of  claim 1 , wherein the shelves project away from a rear wall of the housing to subdivide the interior compartment.  
   
   
       8 . The medicine cabinet of  claim 1 , wherein the shelves vary in length.  
   
   
       9 . The medicine cabinet of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the shelves includes a notch formed therein for removably receiving and supporting toiletry articles.  
   
   
       10 . The medicine cabinet of  claim 1 , wherein the housing and shelves are formed as a unitary plastic molding.  
   
   
       11 . The medicine cabinet of  claim 1  wherein at least two of the shelves, each extending from an opposite side of the interior compartment, are of such length to define a horizontal gap between the at least two shelves.  
   
   
       12 . The medicine cabinet of  claim 1 , wherein the door includes a mirror on at least one surface.  
   
   
       13 . The medicine cabinet of  claim 1 , wherein the door and the housing include cooperating means for mounting the door onto the housing.  
   
   
       14 . The medicine cabinet of  claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a number of mounting apertures along the periphery of the housing.  
   
   
       15 . The medicine cabinet of  claim 1 , wherein the door and the housing include cooperating closure means for holding the door in the closed configuration.  
   
   
       16 . The medicine cabinet of  claim 15 , wherein the cooperating closure means includes a rod connected either to the door or to the housing.  
   
   
       17 . A medicine cabinet, comprising: 
 a housing defining an interior compartment;    a door having a mirror on at least one surface, pivotally connected to the housing, and movable between an open position allowing interior compartment access and a closed position; and    a plurality of vertically staggered, horizontally oriented shelves for holding objects disposed within the interior compartment, wherein at least one shelf extends from one side of the interior compartment while at least two shelves extend from an opposite side of the compartment, the shelves projecting away from a rear wall to subdivide the interior compartment, and at least two shelves, each extending from opposite sides of the interior compartment, are of such length to define a horizontal gap therebetween;    wherein the horizontally oriented shelves are disposed within the interior compartment such that each shelf holds objects on one side of the shelf when the housing is in a first orientation and each shelf holds objects on another side of the shelf when the housing is rotated 180 degrees to a second orientation, and the appearance of the cabinet in the second orientation is a mirror-image of the appearance of the cabinet in the first orientation.    
   
   
       18 . The medicine cabinet of  claim 17 , wherein at least one shelf extends across the width of the interior compartment.  
   
   
       19 . The medicine cabinet of  claim 18 , wherein the shelves vary in length and are formed integrally with the housing, the at least one shelf extending across the width of the interior compartment divides the compartment into an upper portion and a lower portion, and at least one of the shelves includes a notch formed therein for removably receiving and supporting toiletry articles.  
   
   
       20 . The medicine cabinet of  claim 17 , including cooperating means for mounting the door onto the housing; and cooperating closure means, for holding the door in the closed configuration, having a rod connected to at least one of the door or housing, wherein the housing and shelves are formed as a unitary plastic molding, and the housing includes a number of mounting apertures along the periphery of the housing.  
   
   
       21 . A medicine cabinet, comprising: 
 a housing defining an interior compartment;    a door having a mirror on at least one surface, pivotally connected to the housing, and movable between an open position allowing interior compartment access and a closed position;    cooperating closure means having a rod connected to at least one of the door or the housing; and    a plurality of vertically staggered, horizontally oriented shelves for holding objects disposed within the interior compartment and projecting away from a rear wall of the housing to subdivide the interior compartment, wherein at least one shelf extends from one side of the interior compartment while at least two shelves extend from an opposite side of the compartment, at least one shelf extends across the width of the interior compartment to divide the compartment into an upper portion and a lower portion, and at least two of the shelves, each extending from an opposite side of the interior compartment, are of such length to define a horizontal gap therebetween;    wherein the housing and shelves are formed as a unitary plastic molding, the horizontally oriented shelves disposed within the interior compartment such that each shelf holds objects on one side of the shelf when the housing is in a first orientation and each shelf holds objects on another side of the shelf when the housing is rotated 180 degrees to a second orientation, and the appearance of the cabinet in the second orientation is a mirror-image of the appearance of the cabinet in the first orientation.