Mounting System for a Drawer Track Assembly

Abstract

A mounting system for attaching a guide member of a drawer track assembly to either a back panel or an inner side panel of a piece of furniture includes a mounting bracket and a pin. The mounting bracket defines an L-shaped configuration with a vertical portion and a horizontal portion, wherein the vertical portion includes at least one fastener opening for fastening the mounting bracket to either the inner side panel or the back panel of the piece of furniture and the horizontal portion defines an elongate slot. The pin is slidably disposed within the elongate slot and also rotationally disposed with respect to the mounting bracket such that, when the mounting bracket is attached to the guide member via the pin, the mounting bracket being both rotatable and translationally slidable with respect to the guide member.

1 . A method of mounting a drawer within a piece of furniture having a back panel, two side panels and a front including vertical frame members defining an opening between the vertical frame members, the opening being for receiving the drawer, the method comprising:
 providing a guide member having a front end and a rear end;   mounting the front of the guide member to one of the vertical frame members;   attaching a mounting bracket adjacent the rear end of the guide member, wherein the mounting bracket is pivotally disposed with respect to the guide member such that the rear end of the guide member can be mounted to either the back panel or one of the side panels of the piece of furniture via the mounting bracket, wherein the mounting bracket is laterally movable with respect to the guide member such that the rear end of the guide member can move toward and away from one of the side panels if the guide member is mounted to one of the side panels via the mounting bracket; and   attaching the rear of the guide member to either the back panel or one of the side panels of the piece of furniture via the mounting bracket.   
   
   
       2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the mounting bracket is attached to the guide member with a pivot pin, wherein the pivot pin is rotationally disposed with respect to the mounting bracket and slidably disposed within an elongate slot provided on the mounting bracket, the pivot pin and the elongate slot cooperating to allow rotation of the mounting bracket with respect to the guide member and to allow translational movement of the mounting bracket with respect to the guide member. 
   
   
       3 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising attaching a rail member to either a side of the drawer or underneath a base of the drawer and mounting the rail member to the guide member to slidably mount the drawer to the piece of furniture. 
   
   
       4 . A mounting system for attaching a guide member of a drawer track assembly to either a back panel or an inner side panel of a piece of furniture, the mounting system comprising:
 a mounting bracket defining an L-shaped configuration with a vertical portion and a horizontal portion, wherein the vertical portion includes at least one fastener opening for fastening the mounting bracket to either the inner side panel or the back panel of the piece of furniture, wherein the horizontal portion defines an elongate slot; and   a pin slidably disposed within the elongate slot, the pin also rotationally disposed with respect to the mounting bracket such that, when the mounting bracket is attached to the guide member via the pin, the mounting bracket being both rotatable and translationally slidable with respect to the guide member.   
   
   
       5 . A mounting system according to  claim 4 , wherein the pin includes a body extending between a first end and a second end, the pin defining at least a first flange and a second flange, wherein the first flange and the second flange are connected and separated by a neck portion, wherein the neck portion is sized to fit within and slide and rotate with respect to the elongate slot of the mounting bracket and the first flange and the second flange being dimensioned larger than at least a portion of the width of the elongate slot. 
   
   
       6 . A mounting system according to  claim 4 , wherein the neck portion of the pin includes a circular cross section. 
   
   
       7 . A mounting system according to  claim 4 , wherein the pin is made out of a polymer. 
   
   
       8 . A mounting system according to  claim 7 , wherein the pin is nylon. 
   
   
       9 . A mounting system for mounting a guide member of a drawer track assembly to a piece of furniture having a back panel, two side panels and a front including vertical frame members defining an opening between the vertical frame members for receiving a drawer, the mounting system comprising:
 a mounting bracket assembly configured to be attachable adjacent a rear end of the guide member, wherein the mounting bracket assembly is configured for mounting the rear end of the guide member to either one of the side panels or the back panel of the piece of furniture wherein the same mounting bracket assembly is used for mounting the guide member to either one of the side panels or the back panel of the piece of furniture, wherein the mounting bracket assembly is also configured to allow the rear end of the guide member to laterally move toward and away from one of the side panels if the guide member is mounted to one of the side panels via the mounting bracket assembly.   
   
   
       10 . A drawer track assembly for mounting a drawer to a piece of furniture having a back panel, two side panels and a front including vertical frame members defining an opening between the vertical frame members for receiving the drawer, the drawer track assembly comprising:
 a guide member configured to receive a rail member attached to the drawer for slidably mounting the drawer to the piece of furniture, the guide member defining a front end configured for mounting to the front of the piece of furniture and defining a rear end configured for mounting to either the back panel or one of the side panels of the piece of furniture; and   a mounting bracket coupled adjacent to the rear end of the guide member, wherein the mounting bracket is pivotally disposed with respect to the guide member such that the mounting bracket can be used to mount the guide member to either the back panel or one of the side panels of the piece of furniture, wherein the mounting bracket is laterally movable with respect to the guide member such that the guide member can move toward and away from one of the side panels if the guide member is mounted to one of the side panels via the mounting bracket.   
   
   
       11 . A drawer track assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein the guide member defines a notch adjacent the rear end and the mounting bracket defines an L-shape configuration with a vertical portion and a horizontal portion, wherein the vertical portion includes at least one fastener opening for fastening the mounting bracket to either the back panel or one of the side panels of the piece of furniture, wherein the horizontal portion defines an elongate slot, wherein the mounting bracket is coupled to the guide member with a pivot pin, a first portion of the pivot pin received within the notch of the guide member and a second portion of the pin being rotationally and slidably disposed within the elongate slot provided on the mounting bracket, wherein the pivot pin and the elongate slot cooperate to allow rotation of the mounting bracket with respect to the guide member and to allow lateral movement of the mounting bracket with respect to the guide member. 
   
   
       12 . A kit for mounting a drawer to a piece of furniture having a back panel, two side panels and a front including vertical frame members defining an opening between the vertical frame members for receiving the drawer, the kit comprising:
 a guide member configured to receive a rail member of the drawer for slidably mounting the drawer to the piece of furniture, the guide member defining a front end configured for mounting to the front of the piece of furniture and defining a rear end configured for mounting to either the back panel or one of the side panels of the piece of furniture, the guide member defining a notch adjacent the rear;   a mounting bracket defining an L-shape configuration with a vertical portion and a horizontal portion, wherein the vertical portion includes at least one fastener opening for fastening the mounting bracket to either the back panel or one of the side panels of the piece of furniture, wherein the horizontal portion defines an elongate slot; and   a pivot pin including a body extending between a first end and a second end, the pivot pin including a first flange at the first end, a second flange at the second end, and a third flange in between the first flange and the second flange, wherein the first flange and the third flange are connected and separated by a first neck portion and wherein the second flange and the third flange are connected and separated by a second neck portion, wherein the second neck portion is sized to snugly fit within the notch of the guide member and the second flange and the third flange being dimensioned larger than at least a portion of the width of the notch, wherein the first neck portion is sized to fit within and slide and rotate with respect to the elongate slot of the mounting bracket and the first flange and the third flange being dimensioned larger than at least a portion of the width of the elongate slot.   
   
   
       13 . A kit according to  claim 12 , wherein the pivot pin is made out of a polymer. 
   
   
       14 . A kit according to  claim 13 , wherein the pivot pin is nylon. 
   
   
       15 . A kit according to  claim 12 , wherein the notch adjacent the rear of the guide member includes an enlarged width portion sized larger than the second flange for allowing the second neck portion to be slidably inserted into the notch. 
   
   
       16 . A kit according to  claim 12 , further comprising a rail member configured to be mounted to either a side of the drawer or underneath a base of the drawer, the rail member configured for being mounted to the guide member to slidably mount the drawer to the piece of furniture. 
   
   
       17 . A piece of furniture having a back panel, two side panels and a front including two vertical frame members defining an opening between the vertical frame members for receiving a drawer, the piece of furniture comprising:
 a guide member defining a front end mounted to one of the vertical frame members adjacent the front of the piece of furniture and a rear end mounted to the piece of furniture, wherein the rear end of the guide member is mounted to the piece of furniture with a mounting system configured for selectively mounting the rear end of the guide member to either one of the side panels or the back panel of the piece of furniture, wherein the mounting system is also configured to allow the rear end of the guide member to laterally move toward and away from the side panels if the guide member is mounted to one of the side panels via the mounting system.   
   
   
       18 . A piece of furniture according to  claim 17 , further comprising a rail member slidably mounted to the guide member, wherein the rail member is mounted to a drawer. 
   
   
       19 . A piece of furniture according to  claim 17 , wherein the mounting system includes a mounting bracket and a pivot pin, wherein the mounting bracket is coupled to the guide member via the pivot pin, the pivot pin being rotationally and slidably disposed with respect to the mounting bracket to allow rotation of the mounting bracket with respect to the guide member and to allow translational movement of the mounting bracket with respect to the guide member.