EP2028336A1

EP2028336A1 - Set of tools and profiles for forming a support structure for cupboard doors and the like

Info

Publication number: EP2028336A1
Application number: EP07788587A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Andrés BERNAL LLOR
Original assignee: Herrajes y Sistemas Belkriss SL
Current assignee: Herrajes y Sistemas Belkriss SL
Priority date: 2006-06-13
Filing date: 2007-06-08
Publication date: 2009-02-25
Also published as: WO2007147913A1; ES1064166U; ES1064166Y; EP2028336A4

Abstract

Set of fittings and profiles for building a bearing structure for closet doors and alike, comprising two frames (2-2') that can be folded together through a hinge (3), having the first frame (2) vertical profiles (4) and horizontal profiles (5), and the second frame, vertical profiles (4') and horizontal profiles (5'). The set has sliding elements (7) on the vertexes (6) of the first frame (2) furthest away from the joint area between both frames, pivot elements (8) on the vertexes (6') of the second frame (2'), opposing the vertexes (6) of the structure, angle bracket fasteners (10) on the rest of the vertexes (9-9') of the first (2) and second (2') frames and a series of fixing braces (17-17') on each one of the frames (2-2'), that join together the vertical profiles (4) and (4') of each frame and are parallel to the corresponding horizontal profiles (5) and (5') in each case.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention can be applied in the industrial manufacturing of doors, components, devices, equipments and auxiliary elements for doors, particularly closet doors, without excluding other applications, in the wood and furniture sector.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Folding doors with their different layouts and shapes have been known for a long time, and the problem to solve for over thirty years has always been the same and it is precisely this that the Spanish utility model number 166516, dated 13th January, 1972 , contemplates.
It is known that conventional closets with side hung doors need a large clearance for ease of use, and sliding doors have the inconvenience of little o at the least limited accessibility since only half the access space and sometimes only one third of it (in the case of three-leaf doors) is available, and it is not possible to use the whole open closet at the same time. The aforementioned record and the following proposal aim at finding a suitable solution for this problem.
The passing of time has brought about automated industrial processes, new manufacturing and structural forms and materials. However, they still have certain drawbacks in terms of assembly and competitiveness, which demand excessively high production costs for this record, such as the mechanization of the door for housing the fittings.
In the utility model ES 278927, dated 18th April, 1984 , we can observe an evolution of the manufacturing systems, with precedents in the USA since 1967, as it can be seen in number 1067937 (Folding Doors System), where the doors were made using a stamping process on a metallic sheet, which was later decorated or painted in a wood- or color-effect as in the Spanish record. The logic difference between them is that, at the time, the Spanish model eliminated noises through non-metallic bearing and bushings which brought an advantage to the same layout, since the pivot and sliding systems used were in the same layout, for the same purpose and with the same features the American model had 17 years before. It was based on a structure made of treated and electric welded sheet that to this day breaks with the aesthetic decoration traditions in our homes, thus leaving us with a problem to solve, and still pursuing a solution to the problem exposed at the beginning.
In the Spanish utility model ES 890313 we encounter the solution to the problem of the aforementioned record, and the fitting-out of the exterior aesthetics of the door is achieved on 20th October, 1989, only five years later. The problem is solved by placing inverted L-shaped angles to house the ornamental panel of an appropriate thickness on an embossed cold sheet, thus, becoming a clear advantage when compared to what was known so far. However, it still had the same fittings of the initial models in the same layout on the inside of the metallic door, with the inconvenience of not holding this panel on the lower part, since the angles had oblong holes, allowing the tightening and later release of the pressure on it, which entailed a risk of the panel falling down to the floor, especially in the case of considerably thick mirrors, likely to break, which hindered a correct performance.
On record MU9203722, there is an attempt to frame the door but only on the sides, thus, the problem of the falling of the panel remaining unresolved. In this model, the same fittings are housed in a horizontal die-cast plate frame located in the upper and lower parts of the door with the housing being planned in the die cutting process. The problem this entailed was that, as the doors have different heights, and especially different widths, it was necessary to carry out the cutting and die cutting of the frame with a precise accuracy for each door measurement, which is not at all competitive nowadays.
The next model mentioned as a precedent, ES 1024389, dated 10th March, 1983 , is the first attempt to place a simple and effective system directly on the panel intended for the construction of the door, only in the pivot element, which, though intended and useful for the folding system as described in the memory and claims of the record, does not constitute a complete system. Therefore, it is impossible to build the door with only one element, which implies the door still needs to be mechanized for housing the presented piece, which is a problem and a clear drawback in a time of constant evolution, such as the one we live in.
In the following record, ES 1025715, dated 23rd August, 1993 , the first independent sliding system is presented. Like the previous case, it does not comprise, by itself, the necessary elements for making a folding door; however, if we combine this record and the previous one, we obtain the basic operation of the system. It would still lack hinges to join the panels that make up the door and inconveniences would also persist, such as the mechanization of the door and the excessive cost of specialized workmanship for the layout of a system that fails to be complete in spite of the conjunction of both aforementioned records. Moreover, the system would have an additional problem since if we use a material such as conglomerate decorated with melamine paper or wood sheet to varnish, it would be necessary to stabilize this material with side profiles lengthways to keep them rigid and without any chance of bending. Said side profiles are normally more than 15mm thick, which poses a new problem, namely, that of the excessive weight and its inconvenience for product distribution logistics.
The record described now is ES 1043089, dated 3rd June, 1999 , where reference is made to the framing of the door within its perimeter and double use is proposed, on the one hand, the hinged use, which also fails to solve the much looked for solution of the problem of space and, on the other hand, the folding use with the same part for all uses in the areas mentioned before in the way of door openings. Taking into account the record claims, we can observe that profiles, both vertical equally long profiles, and horizontal equally long profiles, are joined together using the same part for the four corners of the door. Besides, said coupling is made with a dovetail-shaped shrink fitting adjustment, which is housed on the sides of the pivot and sliding elements, which in turn are introduced on the inside of the vertical side-frames.
Taking into account that each folding door comprises two panels joined by hinges, it would be necessary to place the same part to form the structure in 8 units, considering that it is not necessary to make the system more expensive using the same part since each function of them has different needs and the units could be made cheaper granting the correct layout to each part according to their particular function. Another inconvenience is the excessive weight once the folding door is complete, which leads to high costs of transportation and product distribution logistics, as well as handling in the assembly and dismantling of the product.
In this last precedent we mention, corresponding to the Spanish utility model ES 200001901 , we can see the final evolution of this kind of systems and openings, which coincides with the fist record mentioned, 166516, from 1972, since it contemplates housing the parts in the groove made by means of mechanization in the structure of the door itself and being placed inside it. This entails an important drawback affecting mainly competitiveness due to the need of specialized workmanship. Another drawback, which coincides with the previous precedent, is that since it is necessary to house pivots and sliding parts on the inside of the door, which will have to be thick enough to make this possible, its weight and the costs of transportation, handling, assembling, etc. will increase considerably. Furthermore, the structuring or framing of the door for its construction are not taken into account in this case or on the initial record.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a set of fittings and profiles for building a bearing structure for closet doors and alike. This structure is built using two folding frames on the same level connected to each other through at least one hinge. The first frame has vertical and horizontal profiles, perpendicular of one another, and the second frame has vertical and horizontal profiles, also perpendicular of one another.
The set of fittings and bearing structure proposed by the present invention is characterized by:

sliding elements on the vertexes of the first frame which are furthest away from the joint area between both frames
pivot elements on the vertexes of the second frame, opposing the aforementioned vertexes of the first frame
angle bracket fasteners on the other vertexes of the first and second frames, and
a series of fixing braces on each frame, which joint together the vertical profiles of each frame and are parallel to the corresponding horizontal profiles, in each case.

As for the pivot elements, they comprise:

a plate with a ledge on its back which is to be inserted on a slit of the corresponding vertical profile and another ledge also on the back of this plate, but perpendicular of the aforementioned ledge, which is to be inserted on a slit of the corresponding horizontal profile,
a bushing attached to said plate that has a hole through which a screw is inserted, an intermediate opening where a nut is placed and a second nut in the part of the screw that is outside the body.

As for the sliding elements, they comprise:

a plate with a ledge on its back which is to be inserted on a slit of the corresponding vertical profile and another ledge also on the back of said plate, but perpendicular of the aforementioned ledge, which is to be inserted on a slit of the corresponding horizontal profile,
a bushing attached to said plate that has a hole through which a rod is inserted, having said rod a spring and a non-metallic element at its lower end. The sliding of the rod is fixed with respect to the bushing through a clamping ring.

Besides, the fixing hinges of the frames comprise:

two asymmetric bodies, one of which has at least one attached bushing with a semi-passing hole that houses a ball, a spring and a snap-on screw. Said bodies are joined together by an axis with a passing hole, an intermediate semicircular part, which has ledges and slits on which the ball rests, which in turn is pushed by the spring when both bodies turn around themselves.

In this way, due to the ledges on the back of the plate that constitutes both the pivot elements and the sliding elements, which are placed on slits or guides of the corresponding vertical and horizontal profiles on which they are mounted, it is possible to place said elements at both the upper and lower ends of the vertical profiles.
Furthermore, the slits and ledges make it possible to join the profiles and the pivot elements, thus enabling the fixing and bearing of the structure, considering the lateral inertia borne by this type of doors because of its considerable weight and the inertia itself on the lower pivot element both downwards and laterally. This occurs because, when the structure has pivots, the weight has a component that tends to pull from the upper part of this pivot element towards the exterior of the structure.
Therefore, the pivot element has such a layout that it fulfills a double task. On the one hand, it serves as pivot and bears the door weight and, on the other hand, it fastens, in a perimeter square fashion, the vertical and horizontal profiles by means of the slits of the profiles, thus, attaining lateral fastening as a result of the inertia caused by the lateral pulling of the door itself.
The layout of the body that is a part of the pivot element, which has a screw and a pair of nuts, one of them located on the inside of an opening on said body, causes that when the screw is turned, said screw more or less projects over the limits of the horizontal profiles which constitute the structure, and given the fact that said screw rests on the closet frame on which this structure will be placed, and more specifically, on the profiles that make up this frame, it will be possible to regulate the relative height, both on the lower and upper parts of the structure, and, therefore, the door fixed to it with respect to said profiles. The second nut located on the opening of the body that makes up the pivot element will only have the function of acting as a grip nut to fix the position of the screw, preventing it from turning with respect to the body to avoid that it loosens and the structure becomes unbalanced or dissociated from the frame.
Furthermore, the pivot element has the advantage that it can be placed in an upper or lower position with respect to the structure by simply introducing the screw on one of the sides of the body that is part of the pivot element.
As for the sliding part, it is made in such a way as to be placed at the upper and lower ends of one of the frames that form the structure. Its main purpose is to guide said frame using the non-metallic element that goes through the body attached to the sliding element and rests on the profiles that are part of the closet frame on which the door is assembled.
The sliding element, just like the pivot element, can be placed on the upper or lower part of the structure, using the same element in both cases, thus, making the assembly easy for the workers, reducing costs since being different from the pivot element and having a simple adaptation; it would be cheaper to build than the pivot element.
The non-metallic element narrows in the direction of the free end of the rod to which it is connected, having an outer wing in the mouth of the connection of the element with said rod. The function of the wing is to be a cap for the spring mounted on the rod of the sliding element, so that when the non-metallic element is pushed while it slides and because of the door weight, the layout and disposition of the spring cause the non-metallic element to withdraw in order to be placed on the back side of the door, being held back by a conventional clamping ring on the opposite part of the rod with respect to the non-metallic element.
Using and activating the pivot element and the sliding element at the same time, fixed to the structure that will bear the closet door, results in a new advantage with respect to the technical status known so far since the door opening does not stay at the conventional 90° used overall as peak opening; instead, an opening of more than 115° is achieved with the conjunction of the system presented. This advantage entails better access and better use of the closet accessibility, with a total free space of approximately 90% of the free access, and allowing it to be used by more than one user at a time.
The angle bracket fasteners at the frame vertexes of the structure opposing the vertexes where the corresponding pivot and sliding elements are located, have a shape and layout that makes them reversible, i.e., they can be placed on the upper or lower vertex of the aforementioned frames. Therefore, the appropriate layout for carrying out its function reduces costs as it does not need to have the same weight and layout of the other fittings that constitute the assembly and bearing structure, which carry out other functions in the folding door system. This reduces the costs of raw material and makes the system more competitive.
The main function of the angle bracket fasteners is to hold fast the vertical and horizontal profiles on said vertexes and, more importantly, to maintain the angular relation, in a right angle, between said vertexes.
These angle bracket fasteners add another advantage, due to its special internal configuration, namely, that despite the angle bracket fasteners being on the back of the bearing structure, on the one hand, they do not touch the closet door and, on the other hand, they allow the horizontal and vertical profiles, once joined together, to be perfectly aligned at the front of the door, without projecting one from the other at their junction point. In order to reinforce this, the angle bracket fastener has a solid semicircle of the same material at the union between the most equidistant points to further strengthen the union between the corresponding vertical and horizontal profiles. Each hinge comprises two bodies with ledges on the back which are mounted on the slits of the vertical profiles to enable the regulation of the hinge height with respect to said profiles, making it possible to level the position of the two frames that constitute the structure in a simple way. Besides, this construction improves lateral fastening to withstand the inertia from the weight of the structure itself, once the door is joined with it; the weight of the whole assembly varying according to the kind of door and its finishing.
As for the spring and ball system enabled on each hinge, the ball is fastened by the spring against a hole with a diameter long enough to allow part of its spherical form to come out without allowing the whole of it to come out. As a result, the ball faces the intermediate semicircular part, which has ledges and slits for housing the ball during the relative turning of the bodies that constitute the hinge.
The intermediate part can be replaceable, depending on the need to graduate the relative angular position between the closet doors, adding precisely this novelty of being able to graduate said position, either over 0° or below 0° once the door is closed. This part can be used steadily anytime it is necessary to fold the door in a different graduation o when there is an especial construction need.
Because of the pressure of the screw on the spring, and in turn, the pressure of the spring on the ball, which is in part conveniently inserted on the slits of the intermediate part, it will have the desired position according to the slits made on said intermediate part in a steady and solid way in order to, on the one hand, keep the desired position and, on the other hand, with the hinge at 0° and the correct gap, produce the closing effect needed to keep both frames of the structure, and hence, the doors aligned to 0° when it is closed. This will keep it in a steady position and will make it possible to attain the closing power at will simply by turning the aforementioned snap-on screw.
Furthermore, due to the layout of the intermediate part, it will be possible to keep the door opened in its position at approximate 115° in case there is a level difference on the hole, preframe or module where it is intended to be placed. This saves assembling and adjusting time and reduces the installation time for workers, which makes the product more competitive.
In its general structure, the hinge braces both vertical profiles at the same time in order to join, fasten and bear the pulling force between the frames that form the structure, granting the possibility of folding to the exterior, working in a totally opposite way as the conventional hinge.
A vertical profile, in order to house the different elements described, will have a special layout for which it has a central tubular body to bear the stiffness necessary in the vertical direction of the structure. Besides, from said central body, the profile has a straight ledge that perfectly fits the layout of the pivot element as well as the sliding element, the angle bracket fasteners and the hinges, so that through said hedge a slit or guide is defined, where every single part that forms the set of fittings and the structure will be housed in such a manner that the union of all the parts of these profiles will have no looseness. On the other hand, the inertia created by the weight of both frames forming the structure, both on the pivot frame and on the sliding frame, determines that the vertical profile is structurally layered to house the horizontal profile.
As regards the horizontal profile, it fits in one of the slits of the vertical profile in a perpendicular way in it. It is housed on the inside of said slit, leaving the part of the structure that can be seen aligned at 0' and the back part of it, with a measure difference big enough to house the fastening means to the straight fixing braces that are inserted in the structure to strengthen it.
Normally, the frames that constitute the structure are normally oblong so that the straight brace serves the purpose of fastening both vertical profiles, granting them enough mobility so as to slide an ornamental profile on the inside of the structure. The horizontal profile, just like the vertical one, has a simple structure with a slit on the back to house back ledges both on the pivot and sliding elements and the perimetral angle bracket fasteners.
The same kind of vertical and horizontal profile will be used to determine any of the frame parts that constitute the structure of the present invention.
The guiderail through which the end of the second frame of the structure slides, which has sliding means, is especially designed to house the screw that supports the pivot part. This guiderail will be used for both the upper or lower part of the closet alike, and in both cases they can be cut together, without any need to look for a different guiderail for each case. Said guiderails are formed in such a way that the fastening means of the pivot element of the first frame do not interfere with the sliding element, thus, being able to house the pivot element and allowing movement along the guiderails, to define the adjustment point of the vertical position of the door with respect to the opening where said door will be installed. To that end, the guiderail has several holes, one big enough to house the screw of the pivot element, with a conic structure and hole so that when the screw is resting on it and all the weight is applied to it, it will work without producing any noise while turning around itself. The guiderail also has one or more passing holes that provide definite lateral fixing to the support means of the pivot element, assuring that the door does not move. The fixing means, as it was described before, are prepared to have semi-automatic adjusting means attached to them and adjusted using a standard head screw for horizontal adjustment, which consists of placing a frontal threaded hole, only if it is convenient.
All in all, this is a new set of fittings and bearing structure for building folding doors for closets or closet fronts, which with current finishing practices for aluminum profiles, for example, could be coated using melamine, wood sheet to varnish, anodized or electromagnetically-finished materials and epoxy paint, with the colors and finishes needed in each case. This means the set will have a great versatility to adapt to any decoration need that market demands may propose with the passing of time.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following brief description of a series of drawings will help to better understand the invention and it relates to one particular embodiment of said invention, presented as an illustrative, but not limiting, example of it.
Figure 1 shows the complete structure of the set of fittings and bearing structure, from the back side of the door.
Figure 2 shows the layout of one of the vertical profiles that constitute the bearing structure that is part of the set of the invention.
Figure 3 shows the layout of one of the horizontal profiles that constitute the bearing structure that is part of the set of the invention.
Figure 4 shows one of the pivot elements that constitute the set of fittings of the present invention, which is attached to the vertical and horizontal profiles; more specifically, it represents one of the upper pivot elements shown on figure 1, rotated to 90° for a better appreciation.
Figure 5 shows one of the perimeter angle bracket fasteners that enable the stabilization of the profiles that constitute the bearing structure that is part of the set to which the present invention refers.
Figure 6 shows one of the sliding elements that constitute the set of fittings of the present invention, which is attached to the vertical and horizontal profiles; more specifically, it represents one of the upper sliding elements shown on figure 1, rotated to 90° so that it can be observed better.
Figure 7 shows one of the hinges that are a part of the set of fittings of the present invention.
Figure 8 shows one of the straight braces at the joint point between the vertical profiles that are part of the bearing structure that constitutes the set to which this present invention refers.

DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

The set of fittings and profiles for the bearing structure of closet doors and alike, shown on figures 1 to 8, determine a structure made up of two folding frames, a first frame 2 and a second frame 2' connected to each other through at least one hinge 3.
The first frame 2 has several profiles, two vertical profiles 4 and two horizontal profiles 5, arranged in a perpendicular way. The second frame 2' has in turn vertical profiles 4' and horizontal profiles 5', also arranged in a perpendicular way.
Additionally, the set comprises a series of fittings and union elements for the aforementioned profiles; more specifically, it comprises the following elements:

A series of sliding elements 7 located on the vertexes 6 of the first frame 2 that are furthest away from the joint area of the two frames,
a series of pivot elements 8 located on the vertexes 6' of the second frame 2'. These vertexes are the ones opposing the vertexes 6 of the first frame 2,
a series of angle bracket fasteners 10 located on the other vertexes 9-9' of the first and second frames and a series of fixing braces 17-17' on each of the frames 2-2', that join together the vertical profiles 4 and 4' of each frame and are parallel to the corresponding horizontal profiles 5 and 5' in each case.

Both the vertical and horizontal profiles are made of a metallic alloy through injection. These profiles have a central tubular body 40 and a series of bulkheads that determine the means to connect the profiles to the pivot elements 8, the sliding elements, bearing squares and bearing braces.
Specifically, the vertical profiles 4, 4' have a slit 13, determined by the bulkheads 41, 42, one of them 41 longer than the other 42, perpendicular of the upper side of said central body 40. There is another perpendicular bulkhead on the lower side of the body, set on the extension of bulkhead 41, which has a bend 44. Another bulkhead 45 is perpendicular to the lateral sides of the body 40, forming an extension of a step 46, on one of the vertexes of the body 40.
As for the horizontal profiles 5, 5', they have a slit 15, defined by two bulkheads 47 and 48, which are approximately equally high and perpendicular of one of the sides of the corresponding central body.
The connection between the vertical and horizontal profiles in a straight angle is achieved placing the corresponding horizontal profile in such a way that its central body is fixed on the step 46 and, as it can be seen on figure 4, and the bulkhead 45 of the corresponding vertical profile covers the upper part of the corresponding end of the horizontal profile, which results in the lower side being aligned to the bend 44 of the vertical profile.
The pivot elements 8 will be connected to the vertical profile 4' through a ledge 12 located on the back side of the plate 11 which constitutes said pivot element 8. The ledge 12 will perfectly fit in the slit 13 defined by the aforementioned vertical profile 4'. The connection between the pivot element 8 and the horizontal profile 5' will be analogous, for which a ledge 14 will be defined, which will perfectly fit the slit 15, determined on said horizontal profile.
As for the sliding elements 7, they will be connected to the vertical profile 4 through a ledge 12', located on the back side of the plate 11' which constitutes said pivot element 8. The ledge 12' will perfectly fit in the slit 13' defined by the aforementioned vertical profile 4. The connection between the sliding element 7 and the horizontal profile 5 will be analogous, for which a ledge 14' will be defined, which will perfectly fit the slit 15', determined by said horizontal profile 5'.
The plate 11 of the pivot element 8 has a "Z"-shaped cross-section and one of its horizontal lines is placed on the corresponding horizontal profile and the other one is on the vertical profile in each case. Between both horizontal lines there is a step determined by the particular layout of the vertical profiles and, more specifically, by the distance between the bulkhead 45 of said profiles and the upper side of the profile where ledge 13 is located. Similarly, the plate 11' of the sliding element 7 has a "Z"-shaped cross-section and one of its horizontal lines is placed on the corresponding horizontal profile and the other one is on the vertical profile in each case. Between both horizontal lines there is a step determined by the particular layout of the vertical profiles and, more specifically, by the distance between the bulkhead 45 of said profiles and the upper side of the profile where ledge 13' is located.
The fixing of the pivot elements 8 and the sliding elements 7 and the profiles, both horizontal and vertical, is achieved by different union elements 49 inserted on the holes 50 and 51, made on the plates 11 and 11' respectively, of the pivot elements 8 and the sliding elements 7, which are materialized in rivets in the present embodiment, though any other union element could be used, such as threaded rods or screws.
With the layout described, it is possible to place both pivot elements 8 and sliding elements 7 at any height on its corresponding vertical profile, simply by sliding them through the corresponding slits 13-13'. It is also possible to adjust the dimensions of the first 2 and second frame 2'.
The pivot elements 8 comprise, as it has been described before, a plate 11 to which a bushing 16 is attached. This bushing 16 has a hole through which a screw 18 is inserted and an intermediate opening 18 where a nut 19 is inserted. There is also a second nut 19' on the part of the screw 18 that is over the body 16.
As for the sliding elements 7, they comprise, as it has been described before, a plate 11' to which a bushing 20 is attached. This bushing 20 has a hole through which a rod 22 is inserted and the rod has a spring 23 and a non-metallic element 24 at its lower end. The sliding of the rod is fastened with respect to the bushing 20 through a clamping ring 25.
The non-metallic element 24, as shown on figure 6, narrows in the direction of the free end of the rod 22 to which it is connected, having an outer wing 33 in the mouth of the connection of the element (24) with said rod 22. The function of the outer wing 33 is to be a backstop for the spring 23.
The pivot 8 and sliding elements 7 are made of a metallic alloy using an injection process and they are designed to adapt to any process to be mounted on the same door, whether this process is automatic and industrialized or manual using simple and conventional tools, sold at any hardware store.
The pivot 8 and sliding elements 7 have a double function. On the one hand, they have their own function, i.e. being a pivot for and sliding the corresponding panels to which they are respectively joined, and on the other hand, they assure the angle coupling with respect to the profiles, both horizontal and vertical, that they join.
The angle bracket fasteners 10, as it can be seen on figure 5, have a similar layout to the plates that comprise the pivot and sliding elements, they are made of a light alloy by injection and their cross-section has a "Z" shape, with horizontal lines on the back side of ledges (not shown on the figures), similar to the ledges on the pivot and sliding elements used for connecting them to the corresponding vertical and horizontal profiles. The main task of the angle bracket fasteners is to secure the angle joints of the rest of the vertexes 9-9' of the frames 2 and 2' that constitute the bearing structure of the door.
The fixing braces 17-17' are placed between vertical profiles 4 or 4' of the same frame (2 or 2'). They have a "C"-shaped cross-section that is directly joined to the bulkheads 45 of the vertical profiles through screws or rivets. In the present embodiment of the invention there has been used one pair of braces per frame, but this is no limiting quantity. The task of said braces is to ensure the stability to the vertical position of the frames 2 and 2'.
As for the hinges 3, in the present embodiment of the invention only one has been used, although it is possible to add any quantity of hinges deemed necessary in each case.
Each one of the hinges has two asymmetric bodies 26, 26', one of which has at least one attached bushing 20 that has a semi-passing hole 27 which houses a ball 28, a spring 29 and a snap-on screw 30. The two bodies 26-26' are joined together through an axis with a passing hole and a intermediate semicircular part 31, which has ledges 32 and slits 33 on which the ball 28 rests. This ball is pushed by the spring 29 when both bodies 26-26' turn around each other. When the relative turning of the two bodies that constitute the hinge occurs, since the bushing 20 is perpendicular of the spin axis of both bodies and said intermediate part has its edge in a perpendicular position of the axis of the bushing 20 hole due to the ledges 32 and slits 33, the ball 28 is pushed by the spring 29 against the intermediate part 31, which causes the relative tuning of the bodies 26-26' to be discontinuous and particularly limited if the position of the ball 28 should coincide with one of the slits 33 of the intermediate element 31.
Each one of the bodies 26-26' that constitute the hinge 3 will be joined to the corresponding vertical profiles 4 and 4' by similar means to those used on the rest of the fittings of the invention, i.e., using rivets and screws.

Claims

Set of fittings and profiles for building a bearing structure for closet doors and alike. Its structure comprises two frames at the same level, a first frame (2) and a second frame (2'), connected to each other in a folding manner through at least one hinge (3). The first frame (2) has vertical profiles (4) and horizontal profiles (5), perpendicular of each other, and the second frame has vertical profiles (4') and horizontal profiles (5'), also perpendicular of each other, characterized by:
- sliding elements (7) on the vertexes (6) of the first frame (2) furthest away from the joint area between both frames

- pivot elements (8) on the vertexes (6') of the second frame (2') opposing the vertexes (6) of the structure

- angle bracket fasteners (10) on the rest of the vertexes (9-9') of the first (2) and second (2') frames, and

- a series of fixing braces (17-17') on each of the frames (2-2') that join together the vertical profiles (4) and (4') of each frame and are parallel to the horizontal profiles (5) and (5'), respectively, in each case;
The pivot elements (8) of the set comprise:
- a plate (11) with a ledge (12) on its back side for fitting it on a slit (13) of the corresponding vertical profile (4') and another ledge (14) on said back side but perpendicular of the previous ledge for fitting it on a slit (15) of the corresponding horizontal profile (5');

- a bushing (16) attached to said plate (11) with a hole through which a screw (18) is inserted, having said bushing (16) an intermediate opening (18) where a nut (19) is placed and a second nut (19') in the part of the screw (18) that is over the body (16);
The sliding elements (7) of the set comprise:
- a plate (11') with a ledge (12') on its back side for fitting it on a slit (13') of the corresponding vertical profile (4) and another ledge (14') on said back side but perpendicular of the previous ledge for fitting it on a slit (15') of the corresponding horizontal profile (5);

- a bushing (20) attached to said plate (11') with a hole through which a rod (22) is inserted, having said rod a spring (23) and a non-metallic element (24) at its lower end. The sliding of the rod (22) is fixed with respect to the bushing (20) through a clamping ring (25).
The joint hinges (3) of the frames (2) and (2') comprise:
- two asymmetric bodies (26-26'), one of which has at least one bushing (20) attached to it and a semi-passing hole (27) where a ball (28), a spring (29) and a snap-on screw (30) are housed, being these two bodies (26-26') joined through an axis with a passing hole in it, and a semicircular intermediate part (31) with ledges (32) and slits (33) on which the ball (28) rests, which in turn is pushed by the spring (29) when the two bodies (26-26') turn around themselves.
Set of fittings and profiles according to claim 1, wherein the non-metallic element (24) narrows in the direction of the free end of the rod (22) to which it is connected, having an outer wing (33) in the mouth of the connection of the element (24) with said rod (22).