EP1645713A2 - Method for making rigid structures from panels - Google Patents

Abstract

The door has two parallel rigid/semi-rigid sheets (151) integrated on upper and lower sides and surrounding a bar (114) fixed transversally to an upper part of an opening of a compartment. The door tilts from vertical to horizontal position, and slides towards the interior of the compartment around the bar. Two hinge-pins (161) are fixed to lateral walls of the compartment to maintain the door in retracted and horizontal position. Independent claims are also included for the following: (A) a three dimensional rigid structure having compartments with doors (B) a method for rigidifying a three dimensional structure (C) a method for manufacturing a flat roof for a three dimensional structure (D) a system for blind made of tissue or other flexible material which is suitable for other furniture.

Description

There is known a rigid structure mounting system, for example of shelves, by wedging as disclosed in European Patent 0 794 716 and PCT application / BE02 / 00163, the content of which is incorporated in the present application for reference . At least two panels, preferably cut, provided with notches and or grooves, are trapped inside at least two frames or frame-ladders.

The present invention is improvements to this system allowing, inter alia, the manufacture of more varied structures.

The panels according to the aforementioned patent can be obtained by recess of the starting panels, for example by laser cutting or by a wick (ripping).

In its simplest form the three-dimensional structure according to the invention consists of a rack shelf, for example made of MDF. Each rack has a floor and two side plates wedged between two frames, or "chassis-scales", each frame (front and rear) consisting of at least two uprights and at least two rungs. The number of trays can vary, generally from 1 to 6, and thus form a range of shelves of different height. A roof of adequate size is provided to close the top of the last lock by wedging between the two frames.

It has now been found that new interesting structures can be selected and / or newly obtained from or among those generally described by applying the process or improving the process of said patent. The elements of the invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings provided by way of example only.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a complementary device allowing among other things to close a rack face thus constituting a "door".

For this purpose a tilting door system is proposed, a system that can be applied to all kinds of compartments and / or replace different types of doors. This system can be advantageously applied to any kind of furniture.

Long-standing door systems have been known for a long time, which, when brought to the maximum of their opening (in a horizontal position), can slide towards the inside of the compartment they were closing. These doors are usually equipped with two rods that protrude to the left and right of their upper edge, to which they are attached. These rods fit into two rails to the left and right of the upper part of the compartment.

Below these two rails, there are generally two supports which protrude and which keep the door in a horizontal position when it is slid towards the inside of the compartment which it closed.

These systems, ingenious as they are, require pins or rods are attached to the door and also rails are provided - either protruding or in the depth of the sides of the compartment to close.

To overcome these drawbacks, the invention proposes a door consisting of two sheets, essentially parallel, of any material, rigid or semi-rigid, which enclose a bar-preferably of cross-sectionally fixed section transversely in the upper part of the opening of the compartment.

These two sheets are assembled on two slats or strips placed respectively the highest and the lowest in the interval that their thickness conditions between the two sheets.

These strips have a thickness equal to or slightly greater than the bar they enclose (see FIG 14 BIS). As can be seen in FIG 14 TER, once the door has been tilted in a horizontal position, it can be slid AROUND its axis which itself remains fixed.

This new general door principle can perfectly adapt to the structures according to the invention disclosed in EP 0794716 B1.

In FIG. 11, we can see how a channel 113 is formed in a notch 112 of each of the sides 111. The length of this channel corresponds to the diameter of the bar increased by the thickness of the sheet, increased by a little clearance.

During assembly, before the side panels 111 are straightened in a horizontal position, it is possible to place a bar 114 which has a length equal to or slightly less than the distance between the left inside and the right inside of the front frame uprights. It should be noted that this channel 113 does not have to pass through the side 111 from one side to the other: it can be provided only in part of its depth so that the notches better maintain their mechanical strength. In this case the length of the bar will be amputated the two thicknesses that will be left to the sides. It can be seen now how the bar 114 is positioned in both channels before the side panels are straightened.

FIG. 14 shows how, when both sides are straightened, the bar is positioned a short distance parallel to the underside of the upper rung of the front frame.

In FIG. 15, we show how is introduced a single sheet 151 of semi-rigid material (for example polypropylene), in the middle of which two plies 152 are marked at a distance corresponding to the diameter of the bar which will support it (or a little more) and which was pierced with three holes 153 at each of its ends. These two folds will advantageously replace the top strip clamped between the two sheets of the door system discussed above.

In FIG 16 we see how two pins 161 are stuck in the upper part of the right side of the rack. This same operation applies for the left side, hidden here by the drawing.

These pins will support the door open in horizontal position when it is slid inside the locker. We also see how one introduces a strip B pierced with three holes, which has the width of the sheet and the thickness of the pivot bar (or a little more) which is inserted between the two ends of the folded sheet. The strip A is placed in front of the end of the part of the sheet that looks at us and the strip C behind the other end of the sheet. So the two ends of the sheet enclose the strip B and are enclosed by the strips A and C. All these elements are fixed together by any means (here pegs 155)

FIG 17 shows in section the placement of the sheet which will constitute the tilting and sliding door. FIG 18 shows the same operations axonometric view, the bin being cut in half for clarity. FIG 19 shows the door open, slid halfway into the locker and already resting on one of the projecting pegs on the side.

FIG 20 shows the rack fully assembled with the door. In the illustrated case the first two aspects of the invention are also incorporated, namely a roof flush with the upper part of the structure and the amount or front frame.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided an improvement in the rigidity of the three-dimensional structure, with or without a door.

It has indeed been noted that ideal positioning and reinforced rigidity can be obtained by the addition of a ball, a cylinder or a pin.

In some cases in the aforementioned patents, when the side panels do not have grooves but only notches, it is possible that the sides can be wedged without positioning perfectly flush with the floors (FIG. 6). .

Especially when the jamming is low, it is also possible that the side panels slide back and forth, which affects the rigidity of the structure.

To remedy this drawback, the invention proposes the insertion of a small cylinder 70 into a hole 71 formed on each side of the floor. The sides will have been cut in their bases from the silhouette 72 of this cylinder.

If, as seen in FIG 7, by wedging the side panel, we arrive not quite in front of the cylinder with the silhouette cut in the base of the side, the rounding of the cylinder will correct the positioning of the side.

When it is possible to control the depth of the cutting by milling or molding, half of a ball 100 may be inserted in place of the cylinder; in this case the cut form at the base of the sides will have the silhouette 101 of a half ball.

Figures 8 to 14 illustrate the mounting of a rack equipped with two positioning balls. In FIGS. 9 and 10, the location of the holes in which the balls are well come to hedge in half. FIGS. 12, 13 and 14 show the side panels which are close to the balls to finally cover them with their half-sphere silhouettes when they are forcibly wedged in a vertical position between the upper rungs of the two frames and the floor.

In cuts in x and y (by laser, water jet or stamping), we can insert other forms than the cylinder, in this case we will lose some guidance of the side panel during its vertical recovery but we will keep a total rigidity of the structure from front to back.

In x, y and z cuts (by milling) or in the molding process, it is possible to replace the ball by a cylinder without losing any of the advantages that it provided.

According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided an assembly formed using at least two structures, in particular according to the patent document 0794716, connected by one or more links, a part of which can be hidden by the steps of the chassis -échelles.

When building a structure consisting of several superimposed bins and looking at its side, we can see that there are "natural" spaces between the top of the side of the lower rack and the bottom of the upper floor. See for example FIG. 1 - 440.

Two structures can be connected by inserting a board that has the thickness corresponding to the height of this space (or a little less) and the depth corresponding to the distance between the inside of two scale frames of the same structure.

The width of this board is not limited; it could overtake on the left of the left structure and on the right of the right structure by it connected. You can insert as many planks as there are spaces facing each other in the structures.

When the width of the board is limited, for example to the length of the desired connection between the two structures increased by the two small distances necessary so that the connection can rest on the top of the right side of the structure of left and the top of the side left of the right structure, we can see that if we bring the two structures closer to each other, the parts of the board that correspond to the distance of this approximation are hidden by the rungs of the two structures. This constitutes an advantageous characteristic of the invention.

In FIG. 44, a set has been drawn in a wide position and in a narrow position by means of two structures of three compartments each and of an inserted board 441 'between the first and second compartments as well as another board 441. placed on the third lockers.

In FIG. 45, the same connecting boards made deeper have been designed to reach the depth of the floorboards.

The sliding of the boards is made possible by two notches 450 which have been formed over a distance of half a width of structure, on either side of the board.

The width of such an assembly is: X, in the widest position X minus the width of the two half structures whose frames slide in the panel, in the narrowest position.

In FIG. 46, it is shown how this assembly can become a wardrobe when two notches 461 are formed in the third sides from the bottom and which receive a clothes rail 460. The present patent application relates to any new element disclosed therein in the present invention. description and in the accompanying drawings, taken alone or in combination.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided a removable drawer system that can inter alia adapt to the bins of three-dimensional structures.

European Patent 0 794 716 discloses the mounting of a body structure using a floor panel provided with four notches and two grooves and two side panels each provided with two grooves on their sides which enclose the uprights of the frame and two grooves each on their other faces. These grooves serve as slots for sliding a front face and a back back to the body to leave an opening on the top (see FIG 23 and 24).

The transformation of this box (structure to a rack) into a drawer presents an obstacle: the rear frame 240 is salient with respect to the outside of the rack itself whereas the drawers generally have only one front part projecting (face) which serves as a stop when closing.

According to the invention, this obstacle is overcome by employing a slightly protruding "chassis" before 250 (only part of the chassis is embedded in the front grooves of the floor and sides) and a rear frame 251 completely embedded in these same grooves but rear this time, which has the result of making the box smooth and flat in its rear part.

The frames used for the drawer are made of a very hard material, for example steel, so that the drawer retains all its lateral rigidity. In any case, the front and rear faces of the drawer which are slid into the grooves of the sides contribute a lot to this lateral rigidity.

FIGS. 25 to 31 describe the entire process of mounting a drawer, until it is inserted into a rack according to the invention (interlocking of "Matriochka"). Note that the front of the drawer is slightly inclined backwards to allow the user to slide the fingers between the upper part of this face and the top of the front frame which thus becomes a handle 320.

According to still other new aspects of the invention, it should be noted that all the external shapes are possible for the floors of the structure as far as we can still introduce them into the chassis.

FIG 34 illustrates how the floors have been widened by two half circles 341 which protrude to the left and right of the structure when it is assembled. These floors in their centers are hollowed out in circle 342. It is the same on the sides (345, 346).

In FIGs 44, 45 and 46, it can be seen that the floors have been lengthened in depth, which has the effect that they protrude beyond the rear of the structure, thus increasing the overall depth thereof. .

In this case, if we clean grooves on the left and right of the top of a floor part that is cantilevered and that belongs to a lower locker and equivalent grooves on the underside of a part of floor in the same situation but which belongs to the directly higher box, it will be understood that two walls can be slid to the left and to the right and between these two parts of the floor, thus forming a cube open on two sides which the initial structure while being integral to it (not shown). This is another important aspect of the present invention.

All external shapes are also possible for chassis or ladder frame.

As far as we can build the structure according to the invention in at least two chassis or ladder frame, regardless of the external form thereof; only the inner form must be a quadrilateral.

In FIG. 35, the structure is mounted in two frames whose exterior is circular in shape.

In FIG. 36 the structure has been assembled with two arch-shaped frames each pierced by several quadrilaterals.

In FIG 37 the shape of the frame has allowed to build a staircase, here three steps according to the invention. Lockers, made deep and wide, become steps; the roofs 371 of the lockers become tops which are held laterally fixed by two external cut-outs formed in their depth (we always refer to the openings of the lockers seen from the front to understand the description) and which are held back and forth by the limit of the inside of the front and rear chassis.

It should also be noted that all forms of recess are possible inside the side panels and floor panels.

In FIG. 34, it has been noted that the floorboards and side panels have been recessed in a circle without compromising the strength of the structure.

In FIG. 38, both sides and the floor of a structure have been hollowed out by quadrilateral shapes.

FIG 39 illustrates a structure of three bins being mounted according to European Patent 0 794 716. The bins belonging to this structure are provided with two sides with respectively two grooves. These sides are wedged between a roof and a floor perfectly identical, each provided with four notches and two grooves.

If one practices very large quadrilateral-shaped recesses in both sides, the roof and the floor of such a structure, one obtains what shows partially FIG 40, ie a cube of which it remains practically that the edges

This cube 400 here constitutes a foot of table. The four recesses 401 which respectively come from both sides, the floor and the roof are perfectly identical. According to one aspect of the invention, they can be fixed every four, for example, using four screws 402 (or using any other means known per se) on a panel placed on top of the two. sides and between the top of the two frames, flush with them.

The four recesses recovered then advantageously constitute the table top.

FIG 40 illustrates the table thus formed in a slightly dive view, FIG 40 bis offers the same view with all the visible constituents, FIG 41 shows a view against dive in which we can clearly see the panel 410 placed on which are screwed the four recesses recovered that constitute the table top.

Furthermore, in FIG. 42, it can be seen that a single frame 420 is used for constructing a structure of a rack intended to be provided with a roof according to the first aspect of the invention and a single ladder frame 421 intended to to build a structure of two superimposed lockers, planned without roof.

FIG. 43 shows that when the bottom rack is raised completely with its roof, a chair is naturally obtained.

According to yet another aspect of the invention, as an alternative to the first aspect of the invention, there is also provided a fabric blind system or other flexible material which is suitable for closing any kind of furniture.

We have seen that a transverse bar fixed to the upper part of the opening of a rack (FIG 14a and 14b) can thus serve as a pivot for a sliding and tilting door.

Alternatively, one can install a blind in place of a door swinging, placing another bar in the same position as the first, but at the rear of the locker.

As shown in FIG. 20a, a piece of fabric 210 was inserted above the two front and rear crossbars.

This piece of fabric has the width of the opening of the rack (or a little more) and the length corresponding to the height of the opening of the rack increased by the distance between the two bars 114. At the end of its front parts and back, this room is equipped with hems.

In the front hem we slide a weight X and in the back hem twice this weight X, for example in the form of rod 211 inserted in said hems.

If we raise or lower the front part of the blind thus formed, it was found that from the fully closed position to the fully open position, the blind remains in the position where it was put.

FIG 21 illustrates well how this simple system can be adapted to the invention. Here we see a locker cut in two for understanding and whose sides 215 have been largely hollowed out rectangles. The blind is shown in closed position and three quarter open.

FIG 22 shows the same situations with the whole rack.

The principle according to this aspect of the invention can be applied with any other flexible material and with the fixed weights in any way.

According to yet another aspect of the invention there is provided a new system for forming a roof.

In some cases (when the structure is mounted with a floor panel and two side panels per rack) in the aforementioned initial patent, when mounting a structure according to the invention having several stacked bins, the floor of the upper rack serves from roof to lower locker. The last bin however is left without a roof (FIG 1).

It is remedied by extending the top of each amount of the two frame ladder by a distance equal to the thickness of a floor.

Inside the four growths thus formed (FIG. 8), we place a floor identical to the others, which then takes on the roof function (FIG.

According to one variant, this new roof can be expanded to the two outer edges of the two frames that form the structure. This widening will be done in the part of the roof between the two ladder frame ladders (FIG 3).

This operation makes it possible to juxtapose several structures of the same height in a perfectly contiguous manner by obtaining a smooth and flat roof surface (FIG. 14).

According to yet another aspect, for aesthetic reasons, it is possible to remove the roof edges that protrude steps forward and / or rearward without compromising lateral stability or forward stability. back (FIG 20).

The present patent application relates to any new element disclosed therein in the description and in the accompanying drawings, taken alone or in combination.

Claims (19)

Vertical door (151) for a compartment, for example a furniture locker consisting of two substantially parallel sheets (151, 151 '), rigid or semi-rigid, secured to the upper side and preferably to the lower side, enclosing or being positioned on either side of a bar (114), preferably of round section, fixed transversely to the upper part of the opening of the compartment, said door being able to swing from a vertical position to a horizontal position, and sliding towards the interior of the compartment, around said bar, means (161) being provided on the side walls of the compartment to maintain the door in substantially retracted and horizontal position. Door according to any of the preceding claims wherein the joining, the lower and / or upper side, is effected by the assembly of the sides of the sheets on at least one slat or slat whose thickness conditions the distance between the two sheets , thickness equal to or slightly greater than that of said bar. Door according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the bar is attached to the side walls of the compartment. Door according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the sheets are made of plastic, for example polypropylene, which may be translucent. Door according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the parallel sheets are formed by substantially two-part folding of an original sheet. Door according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the folding forms at its upper part a third elongate surface (152), perpendicular to the sheets, of width equal to or slightly greater than the thickness of the bar. Door according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the door holding means are inwardly projecting elements in the upper part of the sides of the compartments, for example pegs stuck in the side panels. Door according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the lower ends of the sheets comprise an inwardly folded strip, the set sheets and folds being secured by an assembly piece (88) pinching them. Three-dimensional rigid structure consisting of at least two parallel flat frames (3) comprising one or more step-shaped recesses (10) and uprights (9), and two types of panels (2, 21), cut and resulting from an operation sawing or molding, arranged perpendicular to the plane of the chassis,
characterized in that the side panels (2) are arranged tangent to the uprights (9) of at least two frames (3) and are provided with notches and / or grooves (61) enclosing the one slice respectively one step and / or an amount of the chassis (3), said lateral panels resting on panels (21) floor, perpendicular to the uprights of the frame (3), and provided with notches (7) and / or grooves (61) enclosing a slice of the frame (3), structure in which there are at least three panels for each interval between the rungs of the frame characterized in that the compartments formed in said gaps comprise doors according to any one of the preceding claims. Door consisting of two sheets, rigid or semi-rigid, secured to one side and preferably to the opposite side, said sheets being substantially parallel and positioned on either side of a bar fixed transversely to one end of the opening of the compartment, said door being adapted to tilt from a first position to a second position perpendicular to the first, and slide towards the inside of the compartment, around said bar, lateral support means being provided to hold the door in one of the two positions. A rigidification method of a structure according to the preamble of claim 7, to prevent deformations of said structure from front to back including the embedding of a ball, a cylinder or a pin in the horizontal floor, element intended to be housed in a recess provided on the edge of at least one side panel. Structures according to the preamble of claim 7 characterized in that they are connected by at least one connecting element in the form of a shelf board and whose ends slide at the level of the rungs, either between the top of the side of the lower compartment and the below the upper floor, the distance between the two structures may vary depending on the degree of sliding, said board may possibly laterally overflowing one or more structures. Method of manufacturing a flat roof in cases where the structure did not have one. Structure according to the preamble of claim 7 in which all forms are possible for floors as far as they can still be introduced into the frames or chassis-scales. Structure according to the preamble of claim 7 constituting a drawer. Structure according to the preamble of claim 7 in which all forms are possible for ladders or chassis-scales, offering inter alia the possibility of building a staircase and an arch-shaped beam. Awning system made of fabrics or other soft materials that is also suitable for other furniture. Structure according to the preamble of claim 7 in which all the shapes are possible for the interior of the side panels (obviously in the form of a circle, polygon, quadrilateral), whether or not they come from inside the ladders thus offering the possibility of making a table, all forms being also possible for the outside of the side panels as far as they do not come from inside the ladders. Structure according to the preamble of claim 7 constituting a chair.

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