DE20312072U1 - Device for moving a drawer from a closed to an open position - Google Patents

Description

Dipl.-Chem. E.L. FRITZ Dr. Dipl.-Phys. R. BASFELD Dipl.-Ing. J. GRAEFE Patent attorneys

M. HOFFMANN

B. HEIN Lawyers

Ostentor 9 59757 Arnsberg GM 03/043 EF/SE/WO 01.08.2003

Hailo factory

Rudolf Loh GmbH & Co. KG

Daimlerstrasse

35708 Haiger

Device for moving a drawer from a closed to an open position"

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The present invention relates to a device for moving a drawer or pull-out system from a closed to an open position, comprising an actuating element for triggering the movement into the open position by releasing a locking mechanism, and comprising a spring accumulator by means of which the drawer is extended into the open position after releasing the locking mechanism.

Devices of the type mentioned are known from the state of the art. For example, the Hailo brochure “Kick and go -

the designer foot pedal - the effortless extension aid W 199 1810/399/3" a device of this kind that is used on a base cabinet with an extendable drawer. These applications often involve large drawers that are required, for example, in kitchen base cabinets to accommodate waste separation systems. In the known device, an actuating element in the form of a foot pedal is used to release a magnet arrangement. As soon as this magnet arrangement, which holds the drawer in place when it is closed, is released, the drawer opens automatically because a spring-loaded spring accumulator relaxes and thereby causes the drawer to slowly extend automatically.

The known devices for extending drawers of this type are only suitable for drawers that are located at the bottom of a cabinet or that extend over the entire height of the cabinet. The actuating element is then usually located in the base area of the cabinet below the drawer and acts directly on the magnet arrangement. Devices for automatically extending drawers located at the top are not known. The known systems are not suitable for this because the magnet arrangement would interfere with the known device.

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if you want to extend a top drawer and there is another drawer underneath. Furthermore, when using the known devices for extending top drawers, there is the problem of bridging the distance between the actuating element for the release, for example a foot pedal, and the actual locking device. If you were to use a foot pedal located in the base to release a top drawer, you would need a gear element or transmission element to bridge the distance to the drawer's locking device, which has to be released by the actuating element. The locking device cannot usually be arranged on the front, for example directly underneath the drawer, as is the case with the known bottom drawers, because a locking device would be at least partially visible there and would be visually disturbing.

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a device for moving a drawer from a closed to an open position of the type mentioned at the outset, which is also suitable for an overhead drawer or for other applications in which the locking device is to be arranged at a spatial distance from the actuating element.

The solution to this problem is provided by a device according to the invention for moving a drawer from a closed to an open position of the type mentioned at the outset with the characterizing features of claim 1. The invention is particularly suitable for the automatic extension of drawers which are located in a cabinet, preferably a

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built-in cupboard. The invention is particularly suitable for so-called overhead drawers. Overhead drawers are understood here to mean a drawer below which there is another drawer. However, the invention is also suitable for drawers that are housed in a piece of furniture in such a way that the locking mechanism cannot be located where the operating element for the extension process is located.

Since the present invention provides a solution for extending overhead drawers or pull-out systems, it is also possible to use the device according to the invention for extending one or more overhead drawers in an arrangement with several drawers arranged one above the other, which are housed in a cupboard, for example, and to combine this with a conventional device for extending a drawer below. This means that both a drawer below and one or more drawers above can be extended automatically, preferably by using separate actuating elements. The use of the device according to the invention makes it possible to dispense with handles on the automatically extending drawers, so that a completely smooth front is obtained. Operating a piece of furniture with such automatically extending drawers provides the operator with a high level of comfort, since there is no need to pull out the drawer by hand. Instead, the actuating element, usually a foot pedal, is actuated by foot and the respective drawer extends automatically out of the furniture. If you need several such actuators, for example for several drawers on top of each other, then

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You can use several foot pedals and arrange them next to each other in the base area, for example.

The solution according to the invention is based on the idea that a gear means is used which creates a gear connection from the actuating element, which is preferably arranged in the lower area of the furniture, to the unlocking mechanism which releases the anchoring of the drawer in the closed position. When the actuating element is then actuated, this movement is transmitted by the gear means and the lock is released, so that the drawer can then move out of the furniture using the force of the spring accumulator. Various possible solutions are possible for the gear means mentioned. The use of a Bowden cable is particularly preferred, as it is very cost-effective, wear-resistant, easy to operate and can be installed in a space-saving manner in the furniture which accommodates the drawer. The means for unlocking the drawer are preferably arranged in the rear area of the drawer. The actuating element is preferably located on the front side, for example in the base area of a piece of cabinet furniture which accommodates the drawer. In this case, the gear means runs from the actuating element to the side, possibly past other drawers in the cabinet, or underneath them, to the rear inside area, so that it can engage the means for unlocking there. If, for example, a foot pedal is used, this exerts a pulling movement on the gear means, for example on a Bowden cable. This pulling movement can then cause a pivoting movement of the unlocking means. The latter can be, for example, a locking hook, which is thereby pivoted into a position in which it releases the drawer. For example, the

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Locking hooks overlap the rear wall of the drawer in the closed position. If it is then swung up, the drawer is no longer held back, so that the spring accumulator takes effect and the spring force of the spring pushes the drawer out of the furniture.

However, other solutions are also conceivable, in which, for example, a magnet arrangement is used. This includes, for example, a magnet holder that is pivoted or mounted so that it swings. This also allows the magnet arrangement to be pivoted by a gear means that exerts a pulling force so that a magnetic connection that holds the drawer in the closed position is released and the drawer then extends out of the furniture. This magnet arrangement is also preferably located in the rear area of the drawer, for example on the rear wall or in the side area or in the floor area.

Other actuating elements than foot pedals can be used to trigger the drawer's extension movement.

For example, levers are conceivable that trigger the extension by foot operation or, if necessary, by hand operation. The use of a foot pedal naturally has the advantage that the movement can be triggered particularly conveniently without the person having to bend down, for example if the foot pedal is located in the lower area, in the lower side area, or in the base area of a piece of furniture, with the particular advantage that the force required to unlock can be easily applied when the foot is operated.

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The present invention further relates to a cabinet element, in particular a cabinet furniture, which accommodates one or more drawers, which comprises at least one device for moving a drawer from a closed to an open position of the aforementioned type. The invention further preferably relates to a cabinet element with at least one drawer that can be automatically extended using the device according to the invention and at least one further drawer that is located below the drawer that can be extended according to the invention. The use of the present invention is particularly preferred for cabinet elements, for example built-in cabinets such as kitchen base cabinets or the like, which have several extendable drawers one above the other, in which preferably all drawers can be extended automatically. As a rule, a separate actuating element is required for each extendable drawer.

The features mentioned in the subclaims relate to preferred developments of the solution to the problem according to the invention. Further advantages of the invention emerge from the detailed description below.

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The present invention is described in more detail below using exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a schematically simplified longitudinal sectional view through

a cupboard with an inventively extendable top drawer;

Fig. 2 shows a schematically simplified sectional view through a cabinet according to the invention

with an overhead pull-out drawer according to a variant of the invention;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detailed view of the unlocking means for the variant of the invention shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a front view of the enlarged detail shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a corresponding plan view of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 an enlarged detail view with the

Release device in the rear area of the drawer according to the variant of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a front view of the device shown in Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a corresponding plan view of Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is an exploded perspective view of a

Cabinet furniture according to the inventive variant of Fig. 1;

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Fig. 10 is a perspective detailed view of the unlocking means according to the variant of Fig. 1, partially as an exploded view;

Fig. 11 is a partial side view of a release device according to a further variant of the invention;

Fig. 12 is a partial side view of an unlocking device according to a further alternative variant of the invention;

and

Fig. 13 a partial side view of a release device

according to a further alternative variant of the invention.

First, reference is made to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 shows a schematically simplified longitudinal sectional view through a cabinet with an overhead drawer that can be extended according to the invention. This is, for example, a kitchen base cabinet with a worktop 9 and with an automatically extendable drawer arranged in the upper area of the kitchen base cabinet, which is designated as 10 in total. The drawer 10 has a front panel 10a, which extends approximately to below the worktop 9 on the top and is slightly set back from it. The side walls of the drawer are designated as 10b. The drawer base 10c is located at a distance above the cabinet base 8, so that between this cabinet base 8 of the cabinet and the drawer base 10c there is a free space 7 that could, for example, accommodate another drawer (not shown here). The drawer 10c is therefore an overhead drawer in the sense of the present invention. The

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The foot pedal 12 intended to trigger the extension of the drawer is, as can be seen, located in the front area beneath the cabinet floor 8 and is arranged in front of a base 6 which is set back from the cabinet floor 8 and the drawer front. The foot pedal 12 is screwed or similarly attached to the underside of the cabinet floor 8 via a bracket, for example. This is a pivoting attachment of the foot pedal 12, so that when the foot is stepped on, this foot pedal pivots inwards around the axis 5 in the direction of the arrow. Connected to the upper area of the foot pedal, as can be seen in Fig. 1, is a Bowden cable 11 (shown schematically here), which runs from the foot pedal 12 beneath the cabinet floor 8 to the back of the cabinet and from there is led upwards through a floor opening 30 into the interior of the cabinet. The Bowden cable 11 then continues approximately parallel to the rear wall 31 of the cabinet and continues upwards to the means 13 for unlocking the drawer 10, where the other end of the Bowden cable 11 is fixed. The function of this unlocking is explained in more detail below with reference to Fig. 1 and 3 to 5. From Fig. 1 it can be seen that a magnet arrangement 14 is arranged in the area of the rear wall 10d of the drawer, which serves to hold the drawer 10 in the closed position. The magnet arrangement 14 works together with a magnet holder 15, which is attached to a plate 16, which in turn can be attached to the side wall 17 of the cabinet.

Further details can be found in Fig. 3 to 5. Fig. 3 shows the magnet arrangement 14 and the magnet holder 15 in a side view, whereby the drawer 10 is not shown and the magnet holder 15 is in a horizontal starting position, which corresponds to the closed position of the drawer. The plate 16 is designed as a screw-on flange and has

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Screw holes 16a so that it can be attached to the side cabinet wall 17 (see also Fig. 1). The Bowden cable 11 is guided with its upper end through the magnet holder 15 and secured, for example, via a nipple (not shown here) in a corresponding receptacle 18 in the rear area of the magnet holder. As can be seen, the magnet holder has a hole 19 below this receptacle 18 through which the Bowden cable (not shown here) is guided. Below the magnet holder 15 there is a

&iacgr;&ogr; Adjustment device 30 for fine adjustment of the respective

desired position of the Bowden cables, so that the desired pulling force, the stroke and the idle stroke of the Bowden cables can be finely adjusted. The magnet holder 15, which accommodates the magnet arrangement 14 in the front area facing the drawer, is mounted on the plate 16 so that it can pivot about an axis 31. The magnet itself is designated 14a and is located in a hole or receptacle of the magnet arrangement. A corresponding counterpart or an iron plate is located on the back of the drawer 10 in the area of the rear wall 10d.

If a tensile force is now exerted in the direction of the arrow according to Fig. 3 on the Bowden cable 11 (not shown there), this leads to a pivoting movement of the magnet holder 15 about the axis 31, whereby the magnet 14a performs a pivoting movement relative to the counterpart on the drawer, which leads to the connection to the drawer 10 being released. The magnet holder 15 with the magnet arrangement 14 thus pivots upwards in a clockwise direction in Fig. 3 or Fig. 1. This releases the locking of the drawer. Since the drawer is no longer held in place at the back, the spring accumulator takes effect. This is a spring arrangement that is tensioned when the drawer 10 is closed, which can also be implemented by an elastic band or the like. As soon as the

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When the retaining force by the magnet 14a is no longer present, the spring arrangement relaxes and moves the drawer 10 in a slowly sliding movement out of the cabinet into the opening position.

Fig. 2 and 6 to 8 show an alternative variant of the present invention. In this embodiment, a locking hook 23 is provided which, as can be seen from Fig. 2, in the closed position of the drawer 10, locks the rear wall 24

&iacgr;&ogr; of the drawer in the upper area. This

Locking hook 23 is mounted so that it can pivot about an axis, similar to magnet arrangement 15 in the previously described embodiment, and this pivoting movement is triggered via Bowden cable 11. The locking hook 23 locks the drawer in the closed position. If this locking hook 23 now pivots upwards in a clockwise direction about axis 26, the engagement with the rear wall 24 of the drawer is released. The spring accumulator then comes into play again, which can now relax and moves the drawer 10 out of the cabinet into an open position.

Further details of the mechanism described above for locking the drawer 10 can be found in the detailed views according to Figs. 6 to 8. In Fig. 6, the locking hook can be seen in an enlarged view. Similar to the embodiment described with reference to Fig. 3, a receptacle 18 for a nipple or the like attached to the end of the Bowden cable is provided in the rear area of the locking hook. The locking hook is pivotally mounted and attached to a plate 16, which in turn can be screwed to the side wall 17 of the cabinet, for example. For adjusting the stroke

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of the Bowden cable, a fine adjustment 30 is also provided here, which has a hole 31 through which the Bowden cable is guided, which is then guided through two further holes 33, 34 and is fixed in the holder 18. If a pulling force is exerted on the Bowden cable 11 when the foot pedal is operated (see Fig. 12), this pulling force acts on the pivoting locking hook 23 at the other end of the Bowden cable, which pivots upwards in a clockwise direction and releases the rear wall 24 of the drawer. This unlocks the drawer and the spring mechanism releases the drawer 10 and moves it slowly sliding into the open position.

Fig. 9 shows once again in perspective, partially exploded view, the cabinet furniture shown in longitudinal section in Fig. 1.

It can be seen that the means 13 for unlocking the drawer 10 are located in a rear corner area of the cabinet. The foot pedal 12, which is arranged in the base area, comprises a cover plate 12a, the actual foot lever 12b and a bearing block 12c, which is screwed to the underside of the cabinet floor 8. The foot lever 12b can be pivoted relative to this bearing block 12c via a joint, specifically in the axis 5 (see Fig. 1). The joint comprises two joint brackets 5a on the bearing block 12c with, for example, holes that accommodate a pin, bolt or the like forming the joint axis 5.

A component 11a which can be fastened in the cabinet base 8 and on which the Bowden cable leading to the cabinet rear wall can be guided serves to support the Bowden cable 11 (not shown in Fig. 9). The details of the means 13 for unlocking the drawer and the magnet arrangement 14 already described with reference to Figs. 3 to 5 are shown in perspective view.

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The representation according to Fig. 10 can be clearly seen and is explained again below.

Fig. 10 shows the ring-shaped magnet 14a removed from its holder. The holder for the magnet 14a is formed, for example, by the interior of a knurled screw 14b. Fig. 10 also shows the plate 16 for fastening the unlocking means with the screw holes 16a. The pivotable magnet holder comprises a bushing 15a, which is a cylindrical part

β 15b, to which in turn the magnet 14a is attached by means of the

Knurled screw 14b is attached. The bushing 15a is mounted so as to be rotatable about a horizontal axis 31 (see also Fig. 3) in a receiving housing 15c, which in turn is connected to the plate 16, the axis of rotation of the bushing 15a being perpendicular to the axis of the parts of the magnet arrangement 15 and also perpendicular to the plane of the plate 16.

A further alternative variant of the invention is described in more detail below with reference to Fig. 11. The illustration shows a partial section of a drawer 10, whereby in this variant of the invention the unlocking means again comprise a locking hook 43, which however engages in a groove or recess in the drawer base 10c or in front of the rear wall 10d of the drawer if this protrudes from the underside. The locking hook 43 can also be pivoted about an axis here. Unlike in the embodiment according to Fig. 2, however, the locking hook 43 has an angular shape with an upper horizontal arm 41, at the front end of which the hook is located, and with an arm 44 directed downwards approximately at a right angle to this arm 41, whereby the pivot axis is in the corner area in which both arms 41 meet at an angle . The Bowden cable 11 engages here approximately in the

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lower end region of the arm 44 and when a pulling force is exerted on the Bowden cable, the locking hook 43 pivots counterclockwise so that the hook 42 is released from its engagement with the drawer 10. Between the lower end region of the arm 44, a spring element, for example a compression spring

45 so that when the pulling force of the Bowden cable 11 decreases, the locking hook 43 swings back into the starting position. If the previously opened drawer 10 is pushed back into the starting position, the locking hook 43 engages in the area of the drawer bottom 10c.

A similar variant of the invention is explained in more detail below with reference to Fig. 12. Here too, a locking hook 53 is provided which engages in a groove 54 on the underside of the drawer base 10c. Unlike the previously described variant, the locking hook 53 is not designed in an angled shape but is essentially flat, pivoting about the axis 56, which here lies in the rear area of the locking hook. The release is solved somewhat differently. The Bowden cable 11 or an alternatively used rod engages here at an engagement point which lies approximately in the middle area of the locking hook 53, while the pivot axis 56 is located behind it. If a pulling force is now exerted via the rod or the Bowden cable 11, the spring element 55 is tensioned, the locking hook 53 pivots anti-clockwise about its axis 56 and the engagement between the front hook end 52 and the groove 54 is released so that the drawer 10 slides into its opening position. The lever and force ratios are therefore somewhat different than in the solution variant according to Fig. 11.

With reference to Fig. 13, an exemplary possible further alternative solution variant is explained below. The unlocking device, which is designated as a whole with 63, is again located behind the rear wall 10d of the drawer 10. A Bowden cable 11 is again used to transmit the pulling force from the foot pedal 12 (not shown here). The structural detail solution is, however, somewhat different from the variant described above according to Fig. 1. A magnet arrangement 64, which, for example, provides the locking device with a metal plate or is made of metal

&iacgr;&ogr; existing rear wall 10d of the drawer is held here at

When the Bowden cable 11 is operated, the magnet is not pivoted upwards as in the variant according to Fig. 3, but rather the magnet is pulled backwards in a linear movement in a guide sleeve 66 against the force of a spring element 65. In this case, a type of button element 67 or a thickening is preferably provided at the front end area of the Bowden cable 11, via which the pulling force is transmitted to the magnet 64. When the Bowden cable 11 is operated, the magnet 64 therefore performs a linear movement and is thereby released from engagement with the rear wall 10d of the drawer. When the pulling force on the Bowden cable 11 is released, the magnet 64 is moved back to its starting position by the spring force of the spring element 65, in which it preferably protrudes slightly from the front of the sleeve 66.

····* ·» ·· ·· ·· -16- List of reference symbols axis 5 Joint brackets 5a base 6 free space 7 Cabinet floor 8th Worktop 9 Drawer 10 Front panel 10a side walls 10b Drawer bottom 10c Back wall 10d Bowden cable 11 Component 11a Foot pedal 12 Cover plate 12a actual foot pedal 12b Bearing block 12c Medium 13 Magnet arrangement 14 magnet 14a Interior of a knurled screw 14b Magnetic holder 15 Rifle 15a cylindrical part 15b Housing 15c plate 16 Screw holes 16a Wardrobe wall 17 Recording 18 drilling 19 ♦ · ··· » · ···· · *··
·· · · · · · ·· ·«· · ···

-17- Locking hook Back wall 23 axis 24 Floor opening 26 axis 30 Drilling 31 poor 33, 34 Hook 41 Locking hook 42 poor 43 Locking hook 44 Groove 53 Spring element 54 Swivel axis 55 Unlocking device 56 Magnet arrangement 63 Spring element 64 Guide sleeve 65 Button element 66 67

Claims (18)

1. Device for moving a drawer from a closed to an open position, comprising an actuating element for triggering the movement into the open position by releasing a lock, and comprising a spring accumulator, by means of which the drawer is extended into the open position after the lock is released, characterized in that the drawer ( 10 ) is an overhead drawer and that gear means ( 11 ) are provided which run from an actuating element ( 12 ) arranged in a lower region to the drawer ( 10 ). 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the actuating element ( 12 ) and the means ( 13 ) for unlocking the drawer ( 10 ) are arranged spatially separated from one another and the connection is made via the gear means ( 11 ). 3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the means ( 13 ) for unlocking the drawer ( 10 ) are arranged in its rear region. 4. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the means ( 13 ) for unlocking the drawer ( 10 ) comprise a magnet arrangement ( 14 ). 5. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the means ( 23 ) for unlocking the drawer ( 10 ) comprise a locking hook ( 22 ). 6. Device according to claim 5, characterized in that the locking hook ( 23 ) in the closed position of the drawer ( 10 ) engages over the rear wall ( 24 ) of the drawer or a part of the rear wall or the drawer bottom. 7. Device according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the locking hook ( 23 ) is pivotally mounted and the pivoting movement takes place via the gear means ( 11 ). 8. Device according to one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that the means ( 23 ) for unlocking are arranged in an upper region behind the body ( 25 ) of the drawer. 9. Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that a magnet arrangement ( 14 ) comprises a magnet holder ( 15 ) which is pivotably (oscillatingly) mounted and whose pivoting movement, which leads to the unlocking of the drawer ( 10 ), is caused by the gear element ( 11 ). 10. Device according to claim 9, characterized in that the magnet arrangement ( 14 ) and the magnet holder ( 15 ) are arranged in the rear area behind the drawer ( 10 ). 11. Device according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that a Bowden cable ( 11 ) is provided as the transmission element. 12. Device according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the gear element ( 11 ) runs from an actuating element ( 12 ) designed as a foot pedal to the means ( 13 , 23 ) for unlocking the drawer ( 10 ). 13. Device according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the transmission means ( 11 ) comprise a rod, a cable element, a Bowden cable or a chain. 14. Device according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the means ( 43 , 53 , 63 ) for unlocking the drawer comprise a locking hook or a magnet arrangement ( 64 ) which engage in the region of the drawer bottom ( 10c ) or the drawer rear wall ( 10d ). 15. Device according to claim 14, characterized in that the locking hook ( 43 , 53 ) or the magnet arrangement ( 64 ) are released from their engagement with the corresponding part of the drawer by a pivoting movement or a pulling movement. 16. Cabinet element, characterized in that it comprises at least one device according to one of claims 1 to 15. 17. Cabinet element according to claim 16, characterized in that the actuating element ( 12 ) is fastened in the front cabinet floor area and the drawer ( 10 ) is arranged above at least one further drawer of the cabinet element. 18. Cabinet element according to claim 16 or 17, characterized in that, in addition to at least one automatically extendable drawer ( 10 ) located at the top according to one of claims 1 to 15, it has at least one further automatically extendable drawer arranged below the upper drawer ( 10 ), which can be automatically extended into an open position after actuation of an actuating element, preferably a foot pedal, and release of a locking device.