EP0654234A1

EP0654234A1 - Mating modular element drawer construction for making quickly assembled drawer assemblies

Info

Publication number: EP0654234A1
Application number: EP94830243A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Giuseppe Caimi Export S.P.A. Caimi
Original assignee: CAIMI EXPORT SpA
Current assignee: CAIMI EXPORT SpA
Priority date: 1993-11-08
Filing date: 1994-05-24
Publication date: 1995-05-24
Also published as: JPH07184728A; IT230477Y1; ITMI930864U1; ITMI930864V0; CA2124650A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a mating modular element drawer construction for making quickly-assembled drawer assemblies, comprising at least an angular joint (6) for coupling two side elements (2,3,4) connected to one another by the angular joint, with expansion affixing means which are engaged in at least a seat (7) correspondingly defined on the side of the side element facing the angular joint.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a modular drawer construction for making quickly-assembled drawer assemblies.
As is known, the drawers for drawer assemblies and the like usually comprise four side elements, of which one constitutes the front element, and a bottom which are associated with one another by glueing, screw connections, fitting connections, or by coupling methods providing a combination of the above mentioned connection methods.
In making drawers, one of the operations which requires a lot of time and accordingly affects the final making cost, is the assembling together of the side elements.
In some types of drawers, in which as side elements there are used light alloy section members, the connection between these elements is performed by using angular joints, which are conventionally coupled to the two side elements by means of screws, which involves a comparatively long assembling time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the aim of the present invention is to overcome the above mentioned drawbacks by providing a drawer construction which can be simply and quickly assembled.
Within the scope of the above mentioned aim, a main object of the present invention is to provide a drawer construction which, owing to its reduced assembling time, has a production cost which is much smaller than that of conventional drawers.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a drawer construction in which the side elements of the drawer can be easily connected to one another with a high accuracy.
A further object of the present invention is to provide such a drawer construction which has a very high mechanical strength and duration.
According to one aspect of the present invention, the above mentioned aim and objects, as well as yet other objects, which will become more apparent hereinafter, are achieved by a mating modular element drawer construction for making quickly-assembled drawer assemblies and the like, characterized in that said drawer construction comprises at least an angular joint, connecting to one another two side elements of said drawer construction and including, on at least a side thereof facing one of said two side elements, expansion connecting means, engaged in at least a seat correspondingly defined on a side of said side element facing said angular joint.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further characteristics and advantages of the drawer construction according to the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof which is illustrated, by way of an indicative but not limitative example, in the accompanying drawings, where:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the drawer construction according to the present invention, the front side thereof being removed;
Figure 2 is a perspective view illustrating the angular joint included in the drawer construction according to the present invention;
Figures 3 to 5 illustrate, by respective perspective views, the drawer construction according to the present invention, during the assembling steps thereof;
Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of Figure 4 taken substantially along the line VI-VI; and
Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of Figure 5, taken substantially along the line VII-VII.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to the number references of the above mentioned figures, the drawer construction according to the present invention, which has been generally indicated at the reference number 1, comprises side elements formed by two sidewalls 2, 3 and a back portion 4, supporting a bottom 5, as well as a front element of known type and which, for simplicity, has not been shown.
The sidewalls 2 and 3 are connected to the back portion 4 by angular joints, which have been generally indicated at the reference number 6.
Each angular joint is provided, on at least a side thereof facing one of the side elements, in the shown embodiment the back portion 4, with expansion connecting means, which are engaged in at least a seat 7, correspondingly defined on the side of the back portion 4 facing the angular joint 6.
More specifically, said expansion connecting means are advantageously constituted by at least a pin 8, defined by lugs 8a which are resiliently flexible, and a punch element 9, which can be introduced through a passage 10 passing through the angular joint 6 starting from the side of the angular joint 6 which is opposite to the side therefrom project the lugs 8a, and which is coaxial with respect to the pin 8.
Both the pin 8, constituted by the lugs 8a, and the punch element 9 have a polygonal crosssection and the punch element 9 is provided, on its side surface, with longitudinal expanded portions 11, which can be engaged between the lugs 8a, as the punch element 9 is engaged in the passage 10.
As shown in the figures, there are provided preferably at least two pins 8, on the side of the angular joint 6 facing the same side element, said pins being spaced from one another and being engaged in two seats 7, correspondingly defined on the end portion of the side element formed, in the shown embodiment, by the back portion 4.
Moreover, on the side of the angular joint 6 facing the back portion 4, there are provided abutment legs 12, bearing on the outer side of the back portion 4, so as to favor the connection provided by the lugs 8a inside the seats 7.
The side elements of the drawer and, more specifically, the sidewall 2 and back portion 4, are preferably constituted by light alloy extruded section members. Thus, the seats or recesses 7, defined in the back portion 4, will be directly made as the extruded section member is made.
The connection of the angular joint 6 with the sidewall 2 is performed, in a per se known manner, by means of screws 13 which are engaged in seats suitably provided in the body of the section member forming the sidewall 2.
In this connection it should be apparent that on the side of the angular joint 6 facing the sidewall 2 it is also possible to provide abutment lugs 16, engaging in said sidewall 2. Moreover, both the sidewalls 2 and 3 and the back portion 4 are provided with a bottom lug or leg 17 supporting the bottom 5.
The angular joint 6 which can be made, at a very low cost, of a molded plastic material, supports moreover a wheel 15 for allowing the drawer to slide along the sliding guides therefor provided in the drawer assembly, or the like, in a per se known manner and which for simplicity has not been shown.
The assembling of the above disclosed construction, according to the present invention, is very simple and quick. In fact, in order to connect to one another the sidewall 2 and the back portion 4 it will be sufficient to connect, by the screws 13, the angular joint 6 to the sidewall 2 and apply successively the pins 8 defined by the lugs 8a in the seats 7 formed in the back portion 4.
Then, in the passages 10 of the angular joint 6 will be pressure engaged the punch elements 9 so as to cause the lugs 8a to be bent away from the axis of the pin 8, and cause said lugs 8a to be forcibly abutted against the inner surface of the seats 7, so as to connect the angular element or joint 6 to the back portion 4. In this connection it should be apparent that, since the connection of the angular joint 6 to the back portion 4 can be performed by a simple pressing operation on the punch elements 9, it will require a very reduced time, and, in particular, much smaller than that required for a screw connection.
From the above disclosure and from the figures of the accompanying drawings, it should be apparent that the invention fully achieves the intended aim and objects. In particular, the fact is to be pointed out that a drawer construction has been provided which can be assembled in a very reduced time and accordingly with a very reduced making cost, much smaller than that of prior drawers.
In practicing the invention, the used materials, as well as the contingent size and shapes, can be any, depending on requirements.

Claims

A mating modular element drawer construction for making quickly-assembled drawer assemblies and the like, characterized in that said drawer construction comprises at least an angular joint, connecting to one another two side elements of said drawer construction and including, on at least a side thereof facing one of said two side elements, expansion connecting means, engaged in at least a seat correspondingly defined on a side of said side element facing said angular joint.
A drawer construction, according to Claim 1, characterized in that said expansion connecting means comprise at least a pin having a pin body formed by resiliently flexible lugs and a punch element which can be introduced, through a passage substantially coaxial with said pin, from a side of said angular joint opposite to a side thereof supporting said pin, for causing said lugs to be bent away from said pin, for engaging said lugs with the sidewalls of the seat defined in said side element.
A drawer construction, according to Claim 2, characterized in that said pin, seat and punch element have a polygonal cross-section.
A drawer construction, according to Claim 2, characterized in that said punch element is provided, along a side surface thereof, with expanded portions engaging between the lugs forming said pin.
A drawer construction, according to Claim 1, characterized in that said angular joint is provided, on a side thereof facing said side element, with two pin elements each of which is engaged by expansion in a seat defined on an end portion of the side element facing the angular joint.
A drawer construction, according to Claim 1, characterized in that said side elements comprise section members.
A drawer construction, according to Claim 17 characterized in that on a side of said angular joint facing said side element there are provided abutment lugs engaging with an outer surface of said side element.
A drawer construction, according to Claim 1, characterized in that said angular joint supports a sliding wheel for allowing said drawer construction to slide.
A drawer construction, according to Claim 1, characterized in that said angular joint is connected to the other of said two side elements, by means of screws.