US 12,326,029 B2
Door movement system for cabinet
Carol Lessard, Menominee, MI (US); and Kelly Michalko, Menominee, MI (US)
Assigned to CARTER-HOFFMANN LLC, Mundelein, IL (US)
Filed by CARTER-HOFFMANN LLC, Mundelein, IL (US)
Filed on May 5, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/308,358.
Application 17/308,358 is a continuation of application No. 17/237,353, filed on Apr. 22, 2021, granted, now 12,247,431.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/015,931, filed on Apr. 27, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/159,175, filed on Mar. 10, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2021/0332634 A1, Oct. 28, 2021
Int. Cl. E05F 15/73 (2015.01); E05B 47/00 (2006.01); E05F 15/611 (2015.01); E05F 15/63 (2015.01)
CPC E05F 15/73 (2015.01) [E05B 47/0012 (2013.01); E05F 15/611 (2015.01); E05F 15/63 (2015.01); E05F 2015/631 (2015.01); E05Y 2201/22 (2013.01); E05Y 2900/20 (2013.01)] 24 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for opening and closing a door within a cabinet, comprising:
a housing supporting a movable door to enable the door to transition between a fully closed position and an open position, the housing includes opposite first and second side walls, one or both of the first and second side walls includes a track along which a portion of the door moves as the door transitions between the fully closed and open positions;
the housing supports a motor, which is operatively engaged with a transmission, the transmission being aligned such that rotation of a motor shaft causes a carrier to linearly translate between a rear position and a forward position, wherein the door is in the open position when the carrier is in the rear position;
wherein the door is connected to a bracket, the bracket is configured to move only linearly with respect to the carrier, a spring is connected between the carrier and the bracket, the spring biases the bracket to a forward position with respect to the carrier;
wherein when the carrier is urged in a forward direction and the door movement toward the fully closed position is blocked, the bracket is prevented from sliding with the carrier, which causes the spring to elongate as the carrier continues to move in the forward direction.