Custom frameless cabinetmaking system

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a 31.75 mm (1.25″) system that represents a new and improved custom frameless cabinet design and manufacturing method specifically for the North American market where imperial measurement system is used. The system is based on the concept of worldwide prevailing 32 mm European frameless cabinet making system and uses all existing 32 mm system machinery and tools. By using ready-to-use panel parts and corner cabinets, this system greatly increases custom cabinetry's manufacturing efficiency and all but eliminates the conversion proximity and error when using standard European 32 mm system.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A frameless cabinet system providing efficiency to a consumer and a manufacturer by reducing the number of unique cabinet components required by a standard frameless cabinet system, wherein the frameless cabinet system comprises:
 (a) one or more base cabinets ( 100 ) each comprising:
 (i) a base left side panel ( 102 ); 
 (ii) a base right side panel ( 104 ), wherein the base left side panel ( 102 ) and the base right side panel ( 104 ) are structurally mirror images, wherein two or three columns of holes, each comprising an arrangement of vertically aligned holes ( 116 ), are bored through an interior surface of the base left side panel ( 102 ) and through an interior surface of the base right side panel ( 104 ), wherein one hole ( 117 ) of each column is positioned 47.625 mm away from a top edge ( 107 ) of the base side panel into which the first hole is bored, wherein holes comprising a given column are horizontally aligned with holes comprising a remaining column or columns, wherein a center-to-center intra-hole distance within the arrangement of vertically aligned holes ( 116 ) is 31.75 millimeters; 
 (iii) a base back panel ( 106 ), inset between the base right side panel ( 104 ), and the base left side panel ( 102 ); and 
 (iv)a toe kick front panel ( 114 ) as part of an integrated toe kick ( 120 ) of each base cabinet; 
   (b) one or more wall cabinets ( 200 ) each comprising:
 (i) a wall left side panel ( 202 ); 
 (ii) a wall right side panel ( 204 ), wherein the wall left side panel ( 202 ) and the wall right side panel ( 204 ) are structurally mirror images, wherein two or three columns of holes, each comprising the arrangement of vertically aligned holes ( 116 ), are bored through an interior surface of the wall left side panel ( 202 ) and through an interior surface of the wall right side panel ( 204 ), wherein one hole ( 117 ) of each column is positioned 47.625 mm away from a top edge ( 207 ) of the wall side panel into which the first hole is bored, wherein holes comprising a given column are horizontally aligned with holes comprising a remaining column or columns, wherein a center-to-center intra-hole distance within the arrangement of vertically aligned holes ( 116 ) is 31.75 millimeters; and 
 (iii) a wall back panel ( 206 ) inset between the wall right side panel ( 204 ), and the wall left side panel ( 202 ); and 
   (c) one or more tall top cabinets ( 300 ) each comprising:
 (i) a tall top left side panel ( 302 ); 
 (ii) a tall top right side panel ( 304 ), wherein the tall top left side panel ( 302 ), and the tall top right side panel ( 304 ), are structurally mirror images, wherein two or three columns of holes, each comprising the arrangement of vertically aligned holes ( 116 ), are bored through an interior surface of the tall top left side panel ( 302 ) and through an interior surface of the tall top right side panel ( 304 ), wherein one hole ( 117 ) of each column is positioned 47.625 mm away from a top edge ( 307 ) of the tall top side panel into which the first hole is bored, wherein holes comprising a given column are horizontally aligned with holes comprising a remaining column or columns, wherein a center-to-center intra-hole distance within the arrangement of vertically aligned holes ( 116 ) is 31.75 millimeters; and 
 (iii) a tall top back panel ( 306 ) inset between the tall top right side panel ( 304 ), and the tall top left side panel ( 302 ); 
 wherein a depth of the one or more tall top cabinets ( 300 ) is equal to a depth of the one or more base cabinets ( 100 ); 
   (d) one or more tall bottom cabinets ( 400 ) each comprising:
 (i) a tall bottom left side panel ( 402 ); 
 (ii) a tall bottom right side panel ( 404 ), wherein the tall bottom left side panel ( 402 ) and the tall bottom right side panel ( 404 ) are structurally mirror images, wherein two or three columns of holes, comprising the arrangement of vertically aligned holes ( 116 ), are bored through an interior surface of the top bottom left side panel and through an interior surface of the top bottom right side panel, wherein one hole ( 117 ) of each column is positioned 47.625 mm away from a top edge ( 407 ) of the tall bottom side panel into which the first hole is bored, wherein holes comprising a given column are horizontally aligned with holes comprising a remaining column or columns, wherein a center-to-center intra-hole distance within the arrangement of vertically aligned holes ( 116 ) is 31.75 millimeters; 
 (iii) a tall bottom back panel ( 406 ) inset between the tall bottom right side panel ( 404 ) and the tall bottom left side panel ( 402 ); and 
 (iv)a toe kick front panel ( 114 ) as part of the integrated toe kick ( 120 ); 
 wherein a depth of the one or more tall bottom cabinets ( 400 ) is equal to the depth of the one or more base cabinets ( 100 ); 
   (e) one or more base corner cabinets; and   (f) one or more wall corner cabinets.   
     
     
         2 . The frameless cabinet system of  claim 1 , wherein a height of the one or more tall top cabinets ( 300 ) and a height of the one or more wall cabinets ( 200 ) are equal. 
     
     
         3 . The frameless cabinet system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more base corner cabinets is a base Lazy Susan cabinet, a base blind corner cabinet, or a base diagonal cabinet. 
     
     
         4 . The frameless cabinet system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more wall corner cabinets is a wall Easy Reach cabinet, a wall blind corner cabinet, or a wall diagonal cabinet. 
     
     
         5 . The frameless cabinet system of  claim 1 , wherein the arrangement of vertically aligned holes ( 116 ) comprises two or more subsets of holes disposed in series, wherein each subset comprises a given number of holes, wherein an inter-subset distance is calculated in millimeters as: 32−(0.25×the given number of holes), wherein an effective inter-hole distance and an effective intra-set distance of the vertically aligned holes is 31.75 millimeters and permits use of standard cabinet hardware, which is designed for holes spaced 32 millimeters apart. 
     
     
         6 . The frameless cabinet system of  claim 1 , wherein a color of an edge banding of the one or more base ( 100 ), wall ( 200 ), tall top ( 300 ), or tall bottom cabinets ( 400 ) matches a color of an interior of said cabinet. 
     
     
         7 . The frameless cabinet system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more base ( 100 ), wall ( 200 ), tall top ( 300 ), and tall bottom cabinets ( 400 ) each further comprise a cabinet door, one or more drawer front covers, or a combination thereof that employ a full overlay with a minimum reveal. 
     
     
         8 . The frameless cabinet system of  claim 7 , wherein the minimum reveal comprises: a side reveal of 1/16 of an inch, a top reveal of ⅛ of an inch, and a bottom reveal of zero inches. 
     
     
         9 . The frameless cabinet system of  claim 7 , wherein the minimum reveal comprises a side reveal of 1/16 of an inch, a top reveal of 1/16 of an inch, and a bottom reveal of 1/16 of an inch. 
     
     
         10 . The frameless cabinet system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more base ( 100 ), wall ( 200 ), tall top ( 300 ), and tall bottom cabinets ( 400 ) are composed of a single type of sheet material having a single thickness. 
     
     
         11 . A frameless cabinet system providing efficiency to a consumer and a manufacturer by reducing the number of unique cabinet components required by a standard frameless cabinet system, wherein the frameless cabinet system comprises:
 (a) one or more base cabinets ( 100 ) each comprising:
 (i) a base left side panel ( 102 ); 
 (ii) a base right side panel ( 104 ), wherein the base left side panel ( 102 ) and the base right side panel ( 104 ) are structurally mirror images, wherein two or three columns of holes, each comprising an arrangement of vertically aligned holes ( 116 ), are bored through an interior surface of the base left side panel ( 102 ) and through an interior surface of the base right side panel ( 104 ), wherein one hole ( 117 ) of each column is positioned 47.625 mm away from a top edge ( 107 ) of the base side panel into which the hole is bored, wherein holes comprising a given column are horizontally aligned with holes comprising a remaining column or columns, wherein a center-to-center intra-hole distance within the arrangement of vertically aligned holes ( 116 ) is 31.75 millimeters; 
 (iii) a base back panel ( 106 ), inset between the base right side panel ( 104 ), and the base left side panel ( 102 ); and 
 (iv) a toe kick front panel ( 114 ) as part of an integrated toe kick ( 120 ) of each base cabinet; 
   (b) one or more wall cabinets ( 200 ) each comprising:
 (i) a wall left side panel ( 202 ); 
 (ii) a wall right side panel ( 204 ), wherein the wall left side panel ( 202 ) and the wall right side panel ( 204 ) are structurally mirror images, wherein two or three columns of holes, each comprising the arrangement of vertically aligned holes ( 116 ), are bored through an interior surface of the wall left side panel ( 202 ) and through an interior surface of the wall right side panel ( 204 ), wherein one hole ( 117 ) of each column is positioned 47.625 mm away from a top edge ( 207 ) of the wall side panel into which the hole is bored, wherein holes comprising a given column are horizontally aligned with holes comprising a remaining column or columns, wherein a center-to-center intra-hole distance within the arrangement of vertically aligned holes ( 116 ) is 31.75 millimeters; and 
 (iii) a wall back panel ( 206 ) inset between the wall right side panel ( 204 ), and the wall left side panel ( 202 ); 
   (c) one or more tall top cabinets ( 300 ) each comprising:
 (i) a tall top left side panel ( 302 ); 
 (ii) a tall top right side panel ( 304 ), wherein the tall top left side panel ( 302 ), and the tall top right side panel ( 304 ), are structurally mirror images, wherein two or three columns of holes, each comprising the arrangement of vertically aligned holes ( 116 ), are bored through an interior surface of the tall top left side panel ( 302 ) and through an interior surface of the tall top right side panel ( 304 ), wherein one hole ( 117 ) of each column is positioned 47.625 mm away from a top edge ( 307 ) of the tall top side panel into which the hole is bored, wherein holes comprising a given column are horizontally aligned with holes comprising a remaining column or columns, wherein a center-to-center intra-hole distance within the arrangement of vertically aligned holes ( 116 ) is 31.75 millimeters; and 
 (iii) a tall top back panel ( 306 ) inset between the tall top right side panel ( 304 ), and the tall top left side panel ( 302 ); 
   wherein a depth of the one or more tall top cabinets ( 300 ) is equal to a depth of the one or more base cabinets ( 100 ); and   (d) one or more tall bottom cabinets ( 400 ) each comprising:   (i) a tall bottom left side panel ( 402 );   (ii) a tall bottom right side panel ( 404 ), wherein the tall bottom left side panel ( 402 ) and the tall bottom right side panel ( 404 ) are structurally mirror images, wherein two or three columns of holes, comprising the arrangement of vertically aligned holes ( 116 ), are bored through an interior surface of the top bottom left side panel and through an interior surface of the top bottom right side panel, wherein one hole ( 117 ) of each column is positioned 47.625 mm away from a top edge ( 407 ) of the tall bottom side panel into which the hole is bored, wherein holes comprising a given column are horizontally aligned with holes comprising a remaining column or columns, wherein a center-to-center intra-hole distance within the arrangement of vertically aligned holes ( 116 ) is 31.75 millimeters;   (iii) a tall bottom back panel ( 406 ) inset between the tall bottom right side panel ( 404 ) and the tall bottom left side panel ( 402 ); and   (iv) a toe kick front panel ( 114 ) as part of the integrated toe kick ( 120 ); wherein a depth of the one or more tall bottom cabinets ( 400 ) is equal to the depth of the one or more base cabinets ( 100 ).   
     
     
         12 . A method for reducing the number of unique cabinet components required when building a frameless cabinet system, wherein the method comprises:
 (a) fixing a height of a base cabinet ( 100 ) without an integrated base toe kick, a height of wall cabinet ( 200 ), a height of a tall top cabinet ( 300 ), a height of a tall bottom cabinet ( 400 ) without an integrated tall bottom toe kick, a height of a base corner cabinet without an integrated base corner toe kick, and a height of a wall corner cabinet, wherein each height is a multiple of 31.75 millimeters;   (b) boring two or three columns of holes, each comprising an arrangement of vertically aligned holes ( 116 ), through an interior surface of each right side panel and each left side panel comprising the base cabinet ( 100 ), the wall cabinet ( 200 ), the tall top cabinet ( 300 ), the tall bottom cabinet ( 400 ), the base corner cabinet, and the wall corner cabinet, wherein holes comprising a given column are horizontally aligned with holes comprising a remaining column or columns, wherein a center-to-center intra-hole distance within the arrangement of vertically aligned holes is 31.75 millimeters, wherein a first hole ( 117 ) of each column is positioned 47.625 mm away from a top edge ( 107 ) of the side panel into which the first hole is bored,;   (c) fixing a color of a front-facing edge banding of the base cabinet ( 100 ), the wall cabinet ( 200 ), the tall top cabinet ( 300 ), the tall bottom cabinet ( 400 ), the base corner cabinet, and the wall corner cabinet to match an interior of each respective cabinet;   (d) providing one or more universal stretchers replacing a top front stretcher, a top back stretcher, or a toe kick panel of the base cabinet ( 100 ), the tall bottom cabinet ( 400 ), or the base corner cabinet, wherein no drawer stretcher is employed in the frameless cabinet system; and   (e) providing one or more universal shelves replacing an adjustable shelf, a non-adjustable shelf, a deck, a top, or a vertical divider of the base cabinet ( 100 ), the wall cabinet ( 200 ), the tall top cabinet ( 300 ), the tall bottom cabinet ( 400 ), the base corner cabinet, or the wall corner cabinet,   wherein use of the one or more universal stretchers to replace the top front stretcher, the top back stretcher, or the toe kick panel and use of the one or more universal shelves to replace the adjustable shelf, the non-adjustable shelf, the deck, the top, or the vertical divider effectively reduces the number of unique cabinet components required by the frameless cabinet system.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the arrangement of vertically aligned holes ( 116 ) comprises two or more subsets of holes disposed in series, wherein each subset comprises a given number of holes, wherein an inter-subset distance is calculated in millimeters as: 32−(0.25×the given number of holes), wherein an effective inter-hole distance and an effective intra-set distance of the vertically aligned holes is 31.75 millimeters, and thus permits use of standard cabinet hardware, which is designed for holes spaced 32 millimeters apart. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more universal shelves are resized when functioning as an adjustable shelf, a non-adjustable shelf, a deck, a top, or a vertical divider. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said resizing comprises reducing a width, a depth, or a width and depth of the one or more universal shelves. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the tall top cabinet ( 300 ) and the tall bottom cabinet ( 400 ) combine to form a single tall cabinet, with or without an integrated toe kick, wherein a height of the single tall cabinet, excluding the toe kick, is a multiple of 31.75 millimeters. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the color of the front-facing edge banding of the base cabinet ( 100 ), the wall cabinet ( 200 ), the tall top cabinet ( 300 ), the tall bottom cabinet ( 400 ), the base corner cabinet, and the wall corner cabinet has no relation to a color of an interior, a cabinet door, or a drawer front of a respective cabinet. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein a back panel of each of the base ( 100 ), wall ( 200 ), tall top ( 300 ), and tall bottom cabinets ( 400 ) covers rear facing edges of respective left and right side panels. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the height of a back panel of each of the base ( 100 ), wall ( 200 ), tall top ( 300 ), and tall bottom cabinets ( 400 ) includes that of the toe kick. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the inset back panel is composed of a thinner material than the rest of the cabinet box components, with or without vertical stretchers. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the integrated toe kick unit ( 120 ) is replaced by adjustable cabinet legs attached to base deck ( 108 ).