Combination handle and cabinet fastener

The present invention relates to a handle or grip and, in particular, to a multi-functional grip or handle for a cabinet.

Audio equipment, such as loudspeakers, require cabinets which are large and frequently heavy, particularly when the cabinet is designed for woofers and other heavy electronic equipment such as amplifiers. Since these speakers frequently are used in homes or other facilities in which their appearance is a necessary commercial consideration, the cabinet design requires careful consideration. In addition to aesthetic consideration, these cabinet designs must satisfy several functional needs. The cabinets may occasionally have to be moved from one location to another. Since the cabinet is generally large and rectangular in shape, lifting or moving the cabinets may be facilitated by providing handles for the cabinet. However, handles which project from the cabinet have several deficiencies. Among these are that loudspeaker cabinets are frequently located in small and confined spaces, such as in cabinetry or on shelves and projecting handles may not be desirable in such closed spaces. In addition, many individuals have reason to remove the face covers or grills from the cabinets for modification repair or the like. Handles should not interfere with such removals. These requirements and needs, thus present a need for an improved cabinet system for loudspeakers and other audio equipment.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved means for lifting or moving cabinets containing audio equipment such as loudspeakers. A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved handgrip for moving or lifting speaker cabinets in which the handgrip serves a dual function of securing the face cover or grille to the cabinet.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide an improved handgrip for loudspeaker cabinets in which the handgrip is designed to closely to the contours of the cabinet while still providing a sufficient surface or engaging area to permit one to lift relatively heavy cabinets. One further object of the present invention is to provide a handgrip that is functionally and aesthetically improved for loudspeaker cabinets. A still further object of the present invention is to provide a handgrip for securing a face cover or grille of a cabinet to cabinet side walls in a manner which facilitates the removal of the face cover or grille when access to the cabinet interior is required.

In the present invention, there is provided an audio unit having a cabinet with opposing sides and a separable face cover or grille therebetween. Means are provided for securing the edges of the face cover to the opposing sides of the cabinet comprising one and preferably a pair of handgrips positioned on either side of the cabinet with a portion of the handgrip engaging the side and a portion of the handgrip engaging the face cover. The invention further contemplates providing means for securing handgrips to a cabinet face cover, in the form of a cup having a peripheral flange that extends about the edge of the cup with the peripheral flange in facing engagement with both the surface of the cabinet side and the edge of the face cover or grille.

These objects, as well as others, of the present invention will be more readily understood from a consideration of a detailed embodiment of the present invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention showing the invention when used for a speaker cabinet;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the handle element of FIG. 1 showing the outer surface, and;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the handle element of FIG. 1 showing the side opposite that illustrated in FIG. 3 .

The subject matter of the present invention is directed primarily to a hand grip for cabinets designed to hold audio equipment and, in particular, loudspeakers and amplifiers. The inventions may, however, in some instances, have applications beyond this art. Referring now to the drawings, there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention in the form of a loudspeaker cabinet with a grille cover. In this arrangement, the cabinet 1 may be fabricated of any conventional material ordinarily used for systems of this type. Frequently, these cabinets are made of wood, plastic, particle board, or the like. The cabinet 1 , itself, is preferably conventionally formed with six rectangular surfaces including a top 2 , bottom 3 , opposite sides 4 and 5 , a face cover 6 and back (not shown). The face cover 6 may, when the unit is used for a loudspeaker, be formed as a grille cover with appropriate openings for loudspeaker components such as woofers 32 , tweeters 33 , and the like. These units may be appropriately arranged in the cover 6 depending upon the nature, size, and number of the units used. These components do not form an integral part of the present invention. The face cover 6 is preferably formed with side edges 8 and 9 and end edges 10 and 11 . The side edges 8 and 9 should have a sufficient thickness to permit securing means, hereafter described, integrally formed in the handgrip to be attached to the cabinet sides 4 and 5 and face cover 6 .

One or more handgrips 15 are secured to the cabinet 1 in the manner hereinafter described. The number of handgrips 15 incorporated into the unit may be varied depending upon the size, shape, and weight of the cabinet 1 . In the embodiment illustrated, a pair of handgrips 15 are used on opposite sides 4 and 5 of the cabinet 1 . These handgrips 15 are spaced closer to the top 2 of the cabinet 1 than the bottom. Other embodiments contemplate using four handgrips 15 with two positioned on either side 4 or 5 of the cabinet 1 in spaced relation to one another.

Each of the handgrips 15 is positioned within a cutout section 13 of the side 4 or 5 as the case may be. The cutout section 13 (see FIG. 2) lies under a portion of the handgrip 15 . The periphery of the cutout section 13 follows the contour of the outer edge of a cup 12 with the cup 12 having a concave shape extending inwardly through the side 4 or 5 into the cabinet interior. The inwardly curved wall 14 defining the cup 12 should have a length and depth sufficient to permit an average adult to insert four fingers into the recess formed by the concave shape of the cup 12 . The wall 14 tapers from a deep-end defined by a transverse end wall 17 to a shallow end remote therefrom. The cup need not have a convex shape as described above and may have any recessed shape, such as square, rectangle, triangle, molded to accommodate human fingers, etc.

The cup 12 or concave shape defined by the wall 14 and transverse end wall 17 has extending laterally therefrom a peripheral flange 18 . The peripheral flange 18 projects outwardly from the edge of the wall 14 and edge of the end wall 17 . This peripheral flange 18 faces the adjacent surface of the side 4 or 5 and extends over the edge of the cutout section 13 . The face cover 6 is formed with a recessed contour 20 immediately under and adjacent the handgrip 15 . The peripheral flange 18 is formed with an enlarged portion 21 that is shaped complementary to and rests in the recessed contour 20 . Extending from the surface of the peripheral flange 18 adjacent the enlarged portion 21 is an outer end wall 22 that is spaced parallel from the end wall 17 . The outer end wall 22 and end wall 17 face opposite surfaces of the face cover 6 adjacent the recess contour 20 . A portion of the peripheral flange 18 extending beyond the side 4 or 5 may be defined by a series of fins 28 . The fins 28 extend outwardly from the outer surface of the end wall 17 to the outer end of the handgrip 15 . The handgrip 15 need not have fins 28 .

Means may be provided for securing the handgrip 15 directly to the side 4 or 5 and the face cover 6 . In the preferred embodiment illustrated, these means comprise a series of fasteners 30 or other means of attachment, such as bolts, rivets, adhesive, or any other type of permanent or removable fastener. The fasteners 30 extend through holes 31 in the peripheral flange 18 with the fasteners 30 having a head 32 a that engages the flange and a shank 33 a that extends into the side 4 or 5 and into the side edge 8 or 9 of the face cover 6 . The facing surfaces of the outer end wall 22 and end wall 17 are preferably shaped, sized, and spaced apart a distance to snugly engage the full thickness of the face cover 6 so that the handgrip 15 is secured in a fixed and rigid relationship to both the cabinet 1 and the face cover 6 .

It should be understood that the foregoing description of the invention is intended merely to be illustrative thereof and that other embodiments, modifications, and equivalents of the invention are within the scope of the invention recited in the claims appended hereto. Further, the fastener described above includes various features that may be employed singularly or in any suitable combination.