초록 ▼

An expandable drawer adaptable to various size openings comprises a pair of locking tracks and expanding wall and floor portions. The expanding drawer assembly comprises a conventional drawer with width adjustment features along front, back, and bottom surfaces. The drawer's width is adjustable to c

An expandable drawer adaptable to various size openings comprises a pair of locking tracks and expanding wall and floor portions. The expanding drawer assembly comprises a conventional drawer with width adjustment features along front, back, and bottom surfaces. The drawer's width is adjustable to correspond to the width of the opening, allowing the device to fully occupy the prescribed space.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An expandable drawer, comprising: a center section, comprising a first center side and a second center side opposite said first side and further comprising a unitary “U”-shaped member having a center floor, a center rear wall, a center front wall, a tunnel portion extending downward from said cen

1. An expandable drawer, comprising: a center section, comprising a first center side and a second center side opposite said first side and further comprising a unitary “U”-shaped member having a center floor, a center rear wall, a center front wall, a tunnel portion extending downward from said center floor and coextensive with an area thereof, a plurality of elongated slots located along said tunnel portion, a pair of skirt guides located at opposing bottom surfaces of said tunnel portion subjacent to said center front wall and said center rear wall, a center edge guide portion along a top edge of said center front wall and said center rear wall;a first intermediate section having a first intermediate side and a second intermediate side opposite said first intermediate side and further comprising a unitary “U”-shaped member having a first intermediate floor, a first intermediate rear wall, a first intermediate front wall, and a first intermediate edge guide portion along a top edge of said first intermediate front wall and said first intermediate rear wall, said first intermediate edge guide portion slidably received within said center edge guide portion of said first center side;a second intermediate section having a third intermediate side and a fourth intermediate side opposite said third intermediate side and further comprising a unitary “U”-shaped member having a second intermediate floor, a second intermediate rear wall, a second intermediate front wall, and a second intermediate edge guide portion along a top edge of said second intermediate front wall and said second intermediate rear wall, said second intermediate edge guide portion slidably received within said center edge guide portion of said second center side;a first end section having a first end side slidingly engaging with said second intermediate side and a second end side opposite said first end side;a second end section having a third end side slidingly engaging with said fourth intermediate side and a fourth end side opposite said third end side; and,a width adjustment means for adjusting a relative width of said first end relative to said center section and for adjusting a relative width of said second end relative to said center section;wherein said plurality of slots enables access to said width adjustment means;wherein said width adjustment means enables said drawer to be expandable to fit in various sized drawer openings between a fully retracted state and a fully expanded state;wherein said first intermediate side and said second intermediate side slides over said center floor; and,wherein said width adjustment means enables said first end section and said second end section to be independently adjustable relative to said center section. 2. The drawer of claim 1, further comprising a pull handle affixed to said center front wall. 3. The drawer of claim 1, further comprising at least one stiffener affixed between said center floor and said center rear wall. 4. The drawer of claim 1, further comprising: wherein said first end section comprises a four-sided enclosure having a first end floor, a first end rear wall, a first end side wall, a first end front wall, a pair of first skirt portions each extending outward from opposing edges of said first end front wall and first end rear wall at said first end side, and a first end edge guide portion;wherein said second end section comprises a four-sided enclosure having a second end floor, a second end rear wall, a second end side wall, a second end front wall, a pair of second skirt portions each extending outward from opposing edges of said second end front wall and second end rear wall at said third end side, and a second end edge guide portion;wherein said pair of first skirt portions are slidingly received within said pair of skirt guides located at said first center side of said center section;wherein said pair of second skirt portions are slidingly received within said pair of skirt guides located at said second center side of said center section;wherein said pair of first skirt portions and said pair of second skirt portions provides a discrete enclosure of said adjustment means;wherein said first intermediate edge guide portion of said second intermediate side slidably receives said first end edge guide portion of said first end side;wherein said second intermediate edge guide portion of said fourth intermediate side slidably receives said second end edge guide portion of said third end side; and,wherein said third intermediate side slides under said first end floor and said fourth intermediate side slides under said second end floor. 5. The drawer of claim 1, wherein said width adjustment means further comprises: a pair of inner rail guides affixed to a bottom surface of said center floor within said tunnel portion;a bearing plate portion integral within each of said pair of inner rail guides and located along outwardly facing vertical surfaces thereof;a pair of first inner extension rails affixed to an outer surface of said first end floor and having a distal end extend outwardly from said first end side, further having an aperture at said distal end; and,a pair of second inner extension rails affixed to an outer surface of said second end floor and having a distal end extend outwardly from said third end side, further having an aperture at said distal end;wherein each of said pair of first inner extension rails are slidingly received within each of said pair of inner rail guides at said center section first side;wherein each of said pair of second inner extension rails are slidingly received within each of said pair of inner rail guides at said center section second side;wherein a fastener is inserted within said aperture of each of said pair of first inner extension rails and impinges upon said bearing plate portion to secure said first end section to said center section at a desired width; and,wherein a fastener is inserted within said aperture of each of said pair of second inner extension rails and impinges upon said bearing plate portion to secure said second end section to said center section at a desired width. 6. The drawer of claim 5, further comprising: wherein said pair of inner extension guides each further comprises an elongated center guide section having a pair of guide arms extending inwardly at an angle therefrom, said pair of arms longitudinally coextensive with said center guide section;wherein said pair of first inner extension rails each further comprises an elongated first center rail section having a pair of first rail arms extending outwardly at an angle therefrom, said pair of first rail arms longitudinally coextensive with said first center rail section;wherein said pair of second inner extension rails each further comprises an elongated second center rail section having a pair of second rail arms extending outwardly at an angle therefrom, said pair of second rail arms longitudinally coextensive with said second center rail section; and,wherein said bearing plate portion is longitudinally coextensive with said center guide section. 7. The drawer of claim 1, wherein said fully retracted state is approximately twelve inches and said fully expanded state is approximately thirty-six inches. 8. An expandable drawer, comprising: a center section, comprising a first center side and a second center side opposite said first side and further comprising a unitary “U”-shaped member having a center floor, a center rear wall, a center front wall, a tunnel portion extending downward from said center floor and coextensive with an area thereof, a plurality of elongated slots located along said tunnel portion, a pair of skirt guides located at opposing bottom surfaces of said tunnel portion subjacent to said center front wall and said center rear wall, a center edge guide portion along a top edge of said center front wall and said center rear wall;a first intermediate section having a first intermediate side and a second intermediate side opposite said first intermediate side and further comprising a unitary “U”-shaped member having a first intermediate floor, a first intermediate rear wall, a first intermediate front wall, and a first intermediate edge guide portion along a top edge of said first intermediate front wall and said first intermediate rear wall, said first intermediate edge guide portion slidably received within said center edge guide portion of said first center side;a second intermediate section having a third intermediate side and a fourth intermediate side opposite said third intermediate side and further comprising a unitary “U”-shaped member having a second intermediate floor, a second intermediate rear wall, a second intermediate front wall, and a second intermediate edge guide portion along a top edge of said second intermediate front wall and said second intermediate rear wall, said second intermediate edge guide portion slidably received within said center edge guide portion of said second center side;a first end section having a first end side slidingly engaging with said second intermediate side and a second end side opposite said first end side;a second end section having a third end side slidingly engaging with said fourth intermediate side and a fourth end side opposite said third end side;a width adjustment means for adjusting a relative width of said first end relative to said center section and for adjusting a relative width of said second end relative to said center section; and,a first runner portion affixed to a bottom surface of said first end section at said second end side; and,a second runner portion affixed to a bottom surface of said second end section at said fourth end side;wherein said plurality of slots enables access to said width adjustment means;wherein said width adjustment means enables said drawer to be expandable to fit in various sized drawer openings between a fully retracted state and a fully expanded state;wherein said first intermediate side and said second intermediate side slides over said center floor;wherein said width adjustment means enables said first end section and said second end section to be independently adjustable relative to said center section; and,wherein said first runner portion and said second runner portion is adapted to be received within a cabinet rail assembly. 9. The drawer of claim 8, further comprising a pull handle affixed to said center front wall. 10. The drawer of claim 8, further comprising at least one stiffener affixed between said center floor and said center rear wall. 11. The drawer of claim 8, further comprising: wherein said first end section comprises a four-sided enclosure having a first end floor, a first end rear wall, a first end side wall, a first end front wall, a pair of first skirt portions each extending outward from opposing edges of said first end front wall and first end rear wall at said first end side, and a first end edge guide portion;wherein said second end section comprises a four-sided enclosure having a second end floor, a second end rear wall, a second end side wall, a second end front wall, a pair of second skirt portions each extending outward from opposing edges of said second end front wall and second end rear wall at said third end side, and a second end edge guide portion;wherein said pair of first skirt portions are slidingly received within said pair of skirt guides located at said first center side of said center section;wherein said pair of second skirt portions are slidingly received within said pair of skirt guides located at said second center side of said center section;wherein said pair of first skirt portions and said pair of second skirt portions provides a discrete enclosure of said adjustment means;wherein said first intermediate edge guide portion of said second intermediate side slidably receives said first end edge guide portion of said first end side;wherein said second intermediate edge guide portion of said fourth intermediate side slidably receives said second end edge guide portion of said third end side; and,wherein said third intermediate side slides under said first end floor and said fourth intermediate side slides under said second end floor. 12. The drawer of claim 8, wherein said width adjustment means further comprises: a pair of inner rail guides affixed to a bottom surface of said center floor within said tunnel portion;a bearing plate portion integral within each of said pair of inner rail guides and located along outwardly facing vertical surfaces thereof;a pair of first inner extension rails affixed to an outer surface of said first end floor and having a distal end extend outwardly from said first end side, further having an aperture at said distal end; and,a pair of second inner extension rails affixed to an outer surface of said second end floor and having a distal end extend outwardly from said third end side, further having an aperture at said distal end;wherein each of said pair of first inner extension rails are slidingly received within each of said pair of inner rail guides at said center section first side;wherein each of said pair of second inner extension rails are slidingly received within each of said pair of inner rail guides at said center section second side;wherein a fastener is inserted within said aperture of each of said pair of first inner extension rails and impinges upon said bearing plate portion to secure said first end section to said center section at a desired width; and,wherein a fastener is inserted within said aperture of each of said pair of second inner extension rails and impinges upon said bearing plate portion to secure said second end section to said center section at a desired width. 13. The drawer of claim 12, further comprising: wherein said pair of inner extension guides each further comprises an elongated center guide section having a pair of guide arms extending inwardly at an angle therefrom, said pair of arms longitudinally coextensive with said center guide section;wherein said pair of first inner extension rails each further comprises an elongated first center rail section having a pair of first rail arms extending outwardly at an angle therefrom, said pair of first rail arms longitudinally coextensive with said first center rail section;wherein said pair of second inner extension rails each further comprises an elongated second center rail section having a pair of second rail arms extending outwardly at an angle therefrom, said pair of second rail arms longitudinally coextensive with said second center rail section; and,wherein said bearing plate portion is longitudinally coextensive with said center guide section. 14. The drawer of claim 8, wherein said fully retracted state is approximately twelve inches and said fully expanded state is approximately thirty-six inches.