EP1059408A2 - Locking system for furniture drawers - Google Patents

Abstract

The drawer (C) has a bolt (B) which activates the locking system. On a base plate (1) are installed several support modules (2) able to be displaced longitudinally. A lock (3) is fixed on each support with means allowing mutual locking/unlocking by applying a linear force at an angle to the drawer displacement direction.

Description

The present invention relates to a system for blocking drawers, which prevents the furniture from overturning, especially with regard to office furniture drawers and the like.

Currently, drawers or the like are profusely used to archive documents of all kinds (files, shirts, etc.) and numerous devices have been developed which, for prevent overturning, do not allow to have several drawers open simultaneously, the number of patents being enormous on this subject.

a) les éléments des dispositifs sont fabriqués en fonction de la taille du meuble ou des tiroirs, c'est pourquoi, pour chaque fabricant et pour chaque meuble, il faut fabriquer des éléments de différentes tailles, ce qui empêche une standardisation et un enchérissement du prix;

b) Une limitation excessive imposée par la fabricant du mécanisme au fabricant du meuble;

c) Dispositifs d'actionnement (ressorts) et de blocage disposés en sens contraire ou à des endroits inappropriés;

d) Manque de sécurité face à des manipulations;

e) Impossibilité d'ouverture en cas de fermeture accidentelle.

The applicant wanted to focus on a few problems that were not resolved by the mechanisms mentioned:

a) the elements of the devices are manufactured according to the size of the piece of furniture or the drawers, this is why, for each manufacturer and for each piece of furniture, it is necessary to manufacture elements of different sizes, which prevents a standardization and a bidding of the price;

b) An excessive limitation imposed by the manufacturer of the mechanism on the manufacturer of the furniture;

c) Actuating devices (springs) and blocking arranged in opposite directions or in inappropriate places;

d) Lack of security in the face of manipulation;

e) Inability to open in the event of accidental closure.

The Spanish Utility Model 9800725, by the same applicant, solves these problems but, in all existing technology (including in files that include changeable modular components), we maintain the principle that the locking and pushing / working efforts are made in the same management, which makes voluntary uncoupling difficult and, at the on the contrary, that involuntary or accidental uncoupling is easy.

These problems have been solved by the invention which is presented. here, which totally varies the basic mounting principle (the fact that now the locking efforts and the working efforts take place in different directions), so that accidental mating / uncoupling is practically impossible without irreversible deterioration of the changeable component.

To better understand the object of the present invention, we have shown on the plans a preferred form of practical embodiment, susceptible of accessory changes which do not alter its basis.

Figure 1 is a perspective view and shows, so schematic, the locking system for drawers in furniture subject to the invention with their basic components.

Figure 2 shows in detail - seen in front projection (figure 2a), in plan (figure 2b), seen in posterior projection (figure 2c) and in section (Figures 2d and 2e) - a support module (2) for a non-limiting example of practical realization.

Figure 3 shows in detail - seen in front projection (figure 3a), in plan (figure 3b), seen in posterior projection (figure 3c) and in section (Figure 3d) of a blocking device (3) for an example - not limiting - of alternative practical realization.

A practical example is described below, not limiting, of the present invention.

In the locking system for furniture drawers, according to the invention, used mainly in office furniture and the like, is mounts, in correlation with all the drawers (C) of a piece of furniture (M), a plate (1), or equivalent guiding means, in the cabinet (M) with known means (4), (4 '), and support modules (2) are capable of moving linearly on the plate (1) mentioned.

There is one of these support modules (2) per drawer (C) of the cabinet (M) to which has been associated a blocking system (3), actuated by a bolt (B) attached to the corresponding drawer (C).

The system according to the invention is supplemented, for example, by having above the support modules (2) means which tend to maintain self-positioned between them and means to block the whole in its closed position. These means are not the subject of the invention.

a).- Sur la platine-base (1), on monte plusieurs modules-supports (2) ayant les moyens de s'y déplacer longitudinalement de façon bidirectionnelle;

b).- Sur chaque module-support (2), on monte, de façon fixe, un dispositif de blocage (3) ayant les moyens d'en assurer le verrouillage/déverrouillage mutuel, en y appliquant une force linéaire dans une direction formant un angle par rapport à la direction de déplacement du tiroir. En particulier, la direction de l'effort de verrouillage/déverrouillage et la direction de déplacement du tiroir (C) sont perpendicualires entre elles.

According to the invention:

a) .- On the base plate (1), mount several support modules (2) having the means to move longitudinally bidirectionally;

b) .- On each support module (2), there is fixedly mounted a blocking device (3) having the means of ensuring mutual locking / unlocking, by applying a linear force in a direction forming an angle with respect to the direction of movement of the drawer. In particular, the direction of the locking / unlocking force and the direction of movement of the slide (C) are perpendicular to each other.

According to the invention, and according to the embodiment shown, the base plate (1) defines longitudinal slots (11) in which are guided support modules (2) -see figure 1-.

• Des languettes postérieures (21) se conjuguant avec les fentes longitudinales (11) de la platine-base (1);
• Des fentes de guidage longitudinales (22), qui définissent, dans leur fond, des rainures transversales (23);
• Des languettes frontales (24);

According to the invention, and according to the embodiment shown, each support module (2) - see Figures 2a to 2e- is a one-piece body and defines, at least:

• Posterior tongues (21) conjugating with the longitudinal slots (11) of the base plate (1);
• Longitudinal guide slots (22), which define, in their bottom, transverse grooves (23);
• Front tabs (24);

• Une rainure aveugle (31), dont les dimensions se conjuguent avec celles des languettes frontales (24) définies dans le module-support (2);
• Des languettes latérales (32), odont les dimensions se conjuguent avec celles des fentes de guidage (22), définies dans le module-support (2). Chaque languette latérale (32) -ou, au moins, l'une d'entre elles-définit une/des saillie(s) se conjuguant avec les rainures (23) dans lesquelles elle(s) se loge(nt) par déformation élastique.

According to the invention, and according to the embodiment shown, each blocking device (3) defines, at least:

• A blind groove (31), the dimensions of which combine with those of the front tongues (24) defined in the support module (2);
• Lateral tabs (32), the dimensions of which combine with those of the guide slots (22), defined in the support module (2). Each lateral tab (32) -or at least one of them-defines one / more projection (s) conjugating with the grooves (23) in which it (s) is lodged by elastic deformation .

The locking device (3), with regard to its peculiarities remaining, adapts to the different realizations or solutions requested in with different geometries (3), (3 ') and / or blocking solutions (including those shown in Figures 3 and 4 are two simple examples practical implementation among the many solutions that can be adopted).

Claims (4)

Locking system for furniture drawers, of those with a bolt joined to the drawer, which actuates the corresponding locking device, all these systems being correlated with each other by means of a base plate mounted in the furniture, characterized by the make that: a) .- on the base plate, several support modules are mounted with the means allowing them to move longitudinally, bidirectionally; b) .- on each support module, a blocking device is mounted in a fixed manner, with the means allowing mutual locking / unlocking by applying a linear force in a direction forming an angle relative to the direction of movement of the drawer. Locking system for furniture drawers, according to previous claim, characterized in that, in particular, that the management of linear force application for locking / unlocking between support module and blocking device is perpendicular to the direction of travel of the drawer. Locking system for furniture drawers, according to the preceding claims, characterized in that the means mentioned for the guided longitudinal displacement of the support module in the base plate consist of: a) .- in the base plate, by longitudinal slots; b) .- in each support module, by conjugated tabs. Locking system for furniture drawers according to the preceding claims, characterized in that the means mentioned for mutual locking between the support module and the locking device consist of: a) .- in each support module, by longitudinal guide slots delimited by front tongues and which define, in their bottom, transverse grooves; b) .- in each blocking device, by a blind groove and conjugate tongues of the guide slots, which define, on their rim, conjugate projections of the transverse grooves mentioned.

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