Slidable cabinet pullout apparatus and method of use
View Patent ↗Disclosed is a pullout apparatus having side access and designed for simple, adjustable, and accurate installation within a pre-existing cabinet space. The apparatus, slidably mounted within the cabinet space, comprises a top slide assembly mounted to a cabinet carcass and a drawer box. The drawer box is automatically centered on a base slide box. The base slide box is comprised of a slotted template slidingly engaged with a frame, where the frame is mounted to the cabinet carcass. Slide rail assemblies connect the slotted template to the frame. A pin block on the underside of a fixed shelf of the drawer box automatically centers the drawer box on the slotted template. A face plate adjustment mechanism provides for three dimensional alignment of the face plate with surrounding cabinets. An alternate embodiment comprises a mounting bracket providing three dimensional adjustability of the upper drawer slide.
1. A method of adjusting the position of a drawer slide assembly slidably mounted within a cabinet carcass, the method comprising:
providing a bracket mounted to the cabinet carcass and releasably engaging the drawer slide assembly, where the bracket comprises a slider, having a tongue extending from a base, and a body, having a web connecting two sides;
providing a plurality of angled tabs, extending from the two sides and abutting the outer rail, and a plurality of flexible tabs, extending from the web and releasably engaging the outer rail, and a flange, extending from the body and slidably engaged with the tongue;
providing a horizontally oriented slot in the flange and a bolt releasably connecting the tongue to the flange through the horizontally oriented slot;
loosening the bolt;
repositioning the tongue horizontally relative to the flange while moving the bolt along the horizontally oriented slot; and,
tightening the bolt.
2. The method of adjusting the position of a drawer slide assembly of claim 1 further comprising:
providing a vertically oriented slot in the base and a screw configured to mount the base to the cabinet carcass through the vertically oriented slot.
3. The method of adjusting the position of a drawer slide assembly of claim 2 further comprising:
loosening the screw;
repositioning the base vertically relative to the cabinet carcass while moving the screw along the vertically oriented slot; and,
tightening the screw.
4. The method of adjusting the position of a drawer slide assembly of claim 1 further comprising:
providing a set of linearly aligned mounting holes on the drawer slide assembly.
5. The method of adjusting the position of a drawer slide assembly of claim 4 further comprising:
providing a plurality of hooks extending from the plurality of flexible tabs and releasably engaging a first group of mounting holes of the set of linearly aligned mounting holes.
6. The method of adjusting the position of a drawer slide assembly of claim 5 further comprising:
biasing the plurality of flexible tabs away from the drawer slide assembly.
7. The method of adjusting the position of a drawer slide assembly of claim 6 further comprising:
disengaging the plurality of hooks from the first group of mounting holes.
8. The method of adjusting the position of a drawer slide assembly of claim 7 further comprising:
repositioning the drawer slide assembly in a depth direction relative to the cabinet carcass.
9. The method of adjusting the position of a drawer slide assembly of claim 8 further comprising:
engaging the plurality of hooks with a second group of mounting holes of the set of linearly aligned mounting holes.