102, including for example coupling portions of retractable shelf 102 to the side panels or nailer portion of rear panel 103a. However, support members offer a desirable support that makes installation of retractable shelf 102 easy and cost effective.

As may be appreciated from this view, when in the expanded configuration, retractable shelf 102 completely covers or conceals the surface area 107 within cavity 103. When selectively exposed, surface area 107 or a portion thereof, may be utilized as a wheelchair accessible space. As such, wheelchair accessible space 110 becomes accessible when the retractable shelf 102 is retracted as shown in the next figure. In some exemplary embodiments, the retractable shelf may retract by sliding into an indentation within the flooring beneath the cabinet, or by folding into an indentation within the flooring beneath the cabinet. In some exemplary embodiments, the retractable shelf may retract by sliding into an adjacent portion of the cabinet, or by folding into an adjacent portion of the cabinet. In some exemplary embodiments, the retractable shelf may be retracted or expanded by a push and/or lift of the user's foot, such that the user does not have to bend and/or use one's hands to retract or expand the shelf. In some exemplary embodiments, the retractable shelf may be retracted or expanded without the doors of the cabinet first having to be removed. In some exemplary embodiments, the retractable shelf may be retracted or expanded simply by folding the shelf into itself, as will de discussed below with reference to other figures.

FIG. 1B illustrates cabinet system 100 with retractable shelf 102 in a retracted position for revealing or providing access to wheelchair accessible space 110. In this exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1A-FIG. 1B, cabinet system 100, configured to accommodate wheelchair accessibility, comprises cabinet 101, which includes a right panel 106, a left panel 106, an upper panel 101a, and a rear panel 103a that define a cavity 102 and an outer perimeter of the cabinet; and a retractable shelf parallel to the upper panel, situated between the left panel and the right panel and in proximity to a terminal end of the cavity of the cabinet, including: a plurality of panels hingedly coupled together, wherein the plurality of panels comprise: a posterior panel coupled to a portion of the cabinet; and an anterior panel having a perpendicular slat attached to a bottom surface of the anterior panel; wherein the plurality of panels are configured to fold, such that at least one of the plurality of panels folds on top of the posterior panel, and the anterior panel folds perpendicular to the posterior panel to reveal or conceal a space for wheelchair accessibility within the cavity of the cabinet.

Accordingly, in such exemplary embodiments, a cabinet configured to accommodate wheelchair accessibility, may comprise: side panels 106, an upper panel 101a, a rear panel 103a, and a surface area 107 between the side panels 106 that define a cavity 103 of the cabinet 102; and a retractable shelf 102 parallel to the upper panel 101a, situated between the left panel and the right panel 106 and in proximity to the surface area 107 cavity of the cabinet; wherein the retractable shelf is configured to retract or expand to, respectively reveal or conceal a wheelchair accessible space 110 of surface area 107 within a portion of the cavity 103 of the cabinet 102.

Turning now to the next figure, FIG. 2 illustrates an exploded view of a cabinet system including a retractable shelf and corresponding components, in accordance with some exemplary embodiments of the present invention. More specifically, FIG. 2 illustrates an exploded view of cabinet system 200 including a cabinet 201 that has been retrofitted with a retractable shelf 202 and corresponding components (including some optional components such as cabinet doors 203) in order to accommodate accessibility guidelines such as wheelchair accessibility.

Cabinet 201 may be constructed of any type of materials suitable for constructing cabinets, including but not limited to any type of wood, hardwood, plywood, particleboard, fiberboard, and any other type of materials that have the desired strength and durability suitable for the functions of cabinets as they are commonly used in the field. Cabinet 201 may be any type of cabinet that can include or exclude a sink. In exemplary embodiments, cabinet 201 comprises a left panel 204, a right panel 205, a top panel 206, and a rear panel 207, which when installed on a floor or surface area 208, define a cavity 209 of the cabinet 201. In the embodiment of FIG. 2, for illustrative purposes and without limiting the scope of the present invention, cabinet 201 is depicted with an aperture 206a along the top panel 206 in order for allowing installment of a sink. In the interior side of each of the left and right panels 204 and 205, and adjacent to each of these side panels, base boards or support members 204a and 205a may be situated, coupled to, and or attached along a bottom terminal edge of each of the left panel 204 and right panel 205 so that each corresponding support member 204a and 205a runs perpendicular to rear panel 207. In exemplary embodiments, rear panel 207 may include a support structure such as a board or nailer 210. Support members 204a and 205a may further be secured to nailer 210 as well as the interior of side panels 204 and 205, respectively. Support members 204a and 205 a provide support for securing retractable shelf 202 to a portion thereof. When fully extended, retractable shelf 202 covers or conceals the floor surface 208 that forms the bottom of cavity 209 of the cabinet 201. Floor surface 208 may be any surface area such as cement, wood, or any other type of flooring or surface, whether treated, finished, or unfinished, that may be used as a surface on which cabinet 201 is installed.

Retractable shelf 202 may be constructed of the same or different materials as cabinet 201. For example, and without limiting the scope of the present invention, retractable shelf 202 may be constructed of any type of wood, hardwood, plywood, particleboard, fiberboard, and any other type of material or combination of materials that have the desired strength and durability for a bottom shelf of a cabinet. As such, retractable shelf should be durable enough to allow for storing items and placing items commonly stored within a cabinet. Typically, retractable shelf 202 comprises a plurality of panels 211, 212, and 213, which are hingedly coupled together.

In exemplary embodiment, the plurality of panels include at least one posterior panel 213 coupled to a portion of the cabinet 201, and an anterior panel 211 detached from the cabinet 201. The plurality of panels 211, 212, and 213 are generally configured to reveal or conceal a wheelchair accessible space of the floor surface 208. In exemplary embodiments, the plurality of panels 211, 212, and 213 are more specifically configured to fold, such that at least one of the plurality of panels folds on top of the posterior panel 213 in order to reveal or conceal a wheelchair accessible space of the floor surface 208, including above floor surface 208 within the cavity 209 of the cabinet 201. In some exemplary embodiments, the plurality of panels 211, 212, and 213 are more specifically configured to fold, such that at least one of the plurality of panels (panel 212, for example) folds on top of the posterior panel 213, and the anterior panel 211 folds on top of panel 212 so that it is at least perpendicular to the posterior panel 213.

In some exemplary embodiments, retractable shelf 202 further includes a toe kick. For example, and without limiting the scope of the present invention, the anterior panel 211 may include a perpendicular slat 214 attached to a bottom surface of the anterior panel 211 forming a toe kick of the cabinet 201. As may be appreciated from this and other views discussed in more detail below, when the retractable shelf 202 is in an expanded position, slat 214 will be in contact with the ground so that an anterior face 214a of the slat 214 will be facing the front of cabinet 201 and serve as a toe kick for cabinet 201.

In exemplary embodiments, the retractable shelf 202 may fold or otherwise retract to allow for wheelchair accessibility, and may unfold or otherwise extend back into its original position. The retractable shelf 202 will form the bottom floor of a cabinet 201, which cabinet 201 may serve to house a sink. The cabinet 201, in exemplary embodiments having an under-mounted sink within it, may be placed in a kitchen, bathroom, or any location in which a wheelchair-accessible sink is desired. The cabinet 201, in exemplary embodiments, may be placed in any location in which a wheelchair-accessible cabinet, table, or other such wheelchair-accessible surface or structure is desired.

In exemplary embodiments, each pair of panels of the plurality of panels, such as panels 211 and 212, and 212 and 213, of the retractable shelf 202, are hingely coupled to each other by one or more hinges 216, wherein the hinges allow for the panels to fold and/or pivot about the hinges 216, without the panels being detached from each other. In this manner, the retractable shelf 202 in its entirety can be folded and contracted or retracted so as to reveal surface area 208 within cavity 209 of cabinet 201. The hinged coupling of the panels, e.g. 211 and 212, allows the retractable shelf 202 of the cabinet 201 to be contracted and folded, to allow for wheelchair accessibility beneath the cabinet 201, thereby allowing a wheelchair user to more easily access use of a sink or surface area situated on the top of the cabinet 201. Additionally, the coupling of the panels, e.g. 211 and 212, of the retractable shelf 202 will allow for easy unfolding of the shelf 102, thereby restoring the retractable shelf 202 to its original position, when wheelchair accessibility is no longer desired. In exemplary embodiments, the retractable shelf 202 can be folded and unfolded by opening the cabinet doors 103, but without having to first remove cabinet doors 203 from the cabinet 201, unlike typical cabinet structures which generally require disassembly before the cabinet floor can be removed.

In some exemplary embodiments, in order to secure retractable shelf 203 to cabinet 201, a plurality of screws 215 may be employs to simply secure the retractable shelf 202 to support members 204a and 205a. Typically, at least posterior panel 213 is secured to support members 204a and 205a by securing several screws (as shown, two on each terminal end of posterior panel 213) to a top surface of support members 204a and 205a. As will be explained in more detail with reference to other figures below, in exemplary practice of the present invention, when securing retractable shelf 202 in an extended or expanded position so as to cover or conceal floor surface 208, additional screws may be furthered used to secure anterior panel 211 to a top surface of support members 204a and 205a.

Now turning to the next figure, FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of a retractable shelf, in accordance with some exemplary embodiments of the present invention. More specifically, FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of a retractable shelf 202, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. In the shown exemplary embodiment, the retractable shelf 202 is foldable into a contracted position in which the retractable shelf 202 forms a shelf that is smaller in depth than the entire depth of the cabinet cavity. In this exemplary embodiment, the plurality of panels comprise of three panels 211, 212, and 213. When the retractable shelf 202 is in a folded position, panel 213 may serve as a support to receive panel 212 on a top surface of panel 213. Panel 211 may in turn be foldable perpendicular to both panels 213 and 212 (which are on top of one another). In some exemplary embodiments (in which panel 211, the anterior panel, includes slat 216), when the retractable shelf 202 is in a folded position, slat 216 may serve as a second shelf within the cabinet 201, that is smaller in depth than the entire floor area of cabinet 201, and smaller in depth than each of the plurality of panels 212 and 213. As may be appreciated from other views discussed below, slat 216 may be excluded altogether without deviating from the scope of the present invention.

To facilitate its retractability or the foldable configurations of the retractable shelf 202, a plurality hinges secured within each of the plurality of panels may be employed. In some embodiments, the hinging mechanism may be as simple as straps that hingely connect each adjacent pair of panels of the retractable shelf 202. In some exemplary embodiments, and as shown in FIG. 3, and also in FIG. 11A-FIG. 11C, hinges that may be secured partially internally to each of the panels 211-213 may be used. Because the hinges may pivot each panel on either direction along a longitudinal axis of each of the panels, each panel may fold onto and on top of its adjacent panel. In this way, when a posterior panel, for example panel 213, is secured within cabinet 201 (for example to support members 204a and 205 a of cabinet 201), hinges 216a which hingely couple panels 212 and 213 together, facilitate folding panel 212 on top of panel 213. Similarly, hinges 216b which hingely couple panels 211 and 212 together, facilitate folding panel 211 on top of panel 213, and more specifically folding panel 211 so that this anterior panel is positioned perpendicular to panels 212 and 213 (as shown in FIG. 3).

In exemplary embodiments, when the retractable shelf 202 is unfolded, the retractable shelf 202 serves as a floor for the cabinet 201, wherein the retractable shelf 202 is flat and parallel to the floor beneath the cabinet 201, and wherein the retractable shelf 202 is supported by a perpendicular slat 214 at the front edge of the cabinet 201, which slat 214 is supported by the flooring underneath the cabinet 201 when the retractable shelf 202 is in an unfolded, flattened position. In this manner, in exemplary embodiments the panels, e.g. panel 211 of the retractable shelf 202 will not touch the floor area underneath the cabinet (e.g. floor area 208 of cabinet 201), and only the perpendicular slat 214 will touch the floor.

In some exemplary embodiments, as is the case in the embodiments illustrated in FIG. 2-FIG. 4, each of the plurality of panels 211-213 have the same width of depth. However, in some exemplary embodiments (see for example FIG. 8-FIG. 10), a posterior panel of the plurality of panels may have a greater width than an anterior panel and or an intermediary panel between the anterior and posterior panels, so that the posterior panel forms a surface with a greater depth than a surface of the anterior panel when the retractable shelf 202 is in an extended position. Similarly, in some exemplary embodiments, a slat 214 may not be employed; this may be helpful to, for example, conserve space and within cavity 209 of the cabinet 201, and conserve resources so that retrofitting a large number of cabinets in a building may be more efficient and cost effective.

An exemplary view of retractable shelf 202 in a folded or retracted position within cabinet 201 may be gleaned from FIG. 4. In exemplary embodiments, the retractable shelf 202 of the cabinet 201 can be folded into a contracted position in which the retractable shelf 202 forms a shelf that is smaller in width than the entire width of the cabinet floor, or may form a pair of shelves smaller in width than the entire width of the cabinet floor, which shelves may form at the back edge of the cabinet 201, and wherein the flooring beneath the cabinet 201 is exposed. In the shown embodiment, when the retractable shelf 202 is in a folded or retracted position, the center panel 212 will lie parallel to and touching posterior panel 213, and the anterior panel 211 will lie perpendicular to the center panel 212 and posterior panel 213; the perpendicular slat 214 will be parallel to the center panel 213 and posterior panel 213, and parallel to the floor beneath the cabinet 201. As may be also gleaned from this view, in a folded or retracted position, posterior panel 213 is secured to support members 204a and 205a inside cavity 209 of cabinet 201, while anterior panel 211 is removably detached from support members 204a and 205a.

FIG. 5 illustrates a top view of retractable shelf 202 in an expanded configuration. More specifically, FIG. 5 depicts panels 211, 212, and 213 of retractable shelf 202 completely flat over floor surface 208 so as to provide a continuous bottom surface to the interior or cavity 209 of cabinet 201. Each of panels 211, 212, and 213 may have any dimensions desired, but the sum of the dimensions of the panels should be such that the wheelchair-accessible cabinet 201 meets ADA measurement requirements. For example, and without limiting the scope of the present invention, panel 211 may be 7 and ½ inches in width, panel 212 may also be 7 and ½ inches in width, and panel 213 may be 8 and ⅜ inches in width. From this view, it may also be appreciated that retractable shelf 202 lays over support members 204a and 205a, each panel of the retractable shelf hingely coupled to an adjacent panel with hinges 216a and 216b.

FIG. 6 illustrates a front view of retractable shelf 202 within cabinet 201. In compliance with ADA requirements, the width of the cabinet 201 may, in exemplary embodiments, be 34 and ¾ inches, and its height may be 34 and ½ inches. The expanded retractable shelf 202 serves as a floor, i.e. bottom shelf, for the cabinet 201. The retractable shelf 202 is parallel to the underlying flooring beneath the cabinet 201. In exemplary embodiments, the retractable shelf 202 does not touch the underlying flooring beneath the cabinet 201, except where slat 214 touches the underlying flooring to support the retractable shelf 202. In exemplary embodiments, slat 214 may be attached to panel 211, by screws, bolts, or any other such coupling mechanism, such that slat 214 is perpendicular to panel 211. From the front view of FIG. 6, it may be appreciated that the anterior face 214a of the slat 214 forms a toe kick for cabinet 201 when retractable shelf 202 is in the extended position.

Now turning to the next figure, FIG. 7 illustrates a side cross-sectional view of a retractable shelf within a cabinet being folded or retracted to reveal a wheelchair accessible space within a portion of the cabinet, in accordance with some exemplary embodiments of the present invention. More specifically, FIG. 7 illustrates a side perspective view of system 700, comprising cabinet 701, which has been retrofitted with retractable shelf 702. Within cabinet 201 may be an under-mount sink; when the retractable shelf 702 is folded or otherwise retracted, the sink will then meet ADA requirements, such that a wheelchair can slide comfortably into cabinet 201 under sink, thereby allowing for wheelchair access to the sink. As shown in this view, retractable shelf 702 is partially folded within cabinet 701.

In exemplary embodiments, the cabinet 701 housing the retractable shelf 701 meets ADA measurement requirements, wherein the height of the cabinet 701 may be a minimum of 27 inches, the width of the cabinet 701 may be a minimum of 30 inches, and wherein the length of the cabinet 701 may be a minimum of 23 and ⅜ inches. In exemplary embodiments, the length of the cabinet 701 may be 25 and ½ inches, each of the anterior and intermediate panels of the retractable shelf 702 may be 7 and ½ inches, and or the posterior panel may be 8 and ⅜ inches, and the height of the cabinet 701 may be 36 inches. Of course, other measurements and dimensions may be possible without deviating from the scope of the present invention.

Turning now to the next set of figures, FIG. 8-FIG. 10 illustrate sequential cross-sectional views depicting a retractable shelf within a cabinet being folded or retracted to reveal a wheelchair accessible space within a portion of the cabinet, in accordance with some exemplary embodiments of the present invention. More specifically, FIG. 8-FIG. 10 depict a sequence of cross-sectional views along line segment A-A as shown in