EP2265789B1

EP2265789B1 - Piece of furniture with closable door

Info

Publication number: EP2265789B1
Application number: EP09718950.0A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Dante Bonuccelli
Original assignee: Dada SpA
Current assignee: Dada SpA
Priority date: 2008-03-10
Filing date: 2009-03-10
Publication date: 2017-03-15
Anticipated expiration: 2029-03-10
Also published as: EP2265789A1; ITMI20080405A1; WO2009113118A1

Description

The object of the present invention is a piece of furniture, particularly a piece of furniture provided with at least one opening which requires to be openable or closable according to the circumstances. An example of a furniture of this type is known form FR 1 371 937 . For example, such piece of furniture can be a cupboard or a cabinet, a cupboard of a kitchen, a glass display cabinet, a counter of a so-called "open plan" kitchen (in which two distinct portions, for example, a kitchen and a living-room, are obtained in a single room, being divided by the same counter), an appliance (such as for example an oven, a refrigerator), or the like.
In order to make openings of pieces of furniture closable, various solutions are known.
A first solution consists in providing doors which are hinged to the piece of furniture and capable of rotating along variously arranged rotation axes. Such solution is used, for example, in the common cupboards, or in the kitchen cupboards, in which the rotation of the doors occurs around axes which are parallel to the height of the same piece of furniture, or in ovens, in which a drop-down door is present, which is rotatable around an axis arranged parallel to the width of such appliance. However, such solutions have the drawback of the overall dimensions when the closure member is in the opening position thereof.
A further known solution, for example, adopted in some kitchen cupboards, consists in shutters rolling on a roller arranged in an upper position of the piece of furniture. When it is desired to close the access opening, the shutter is lowered and unwound on the roller. Vice versa, when it is desired to open the opening again, the shutter is manually pushed upwardly, so that it slides along guides provided for in the piece of furniture, and it winds on the roller again. However, such solution has the drawback of frequent sticks during the movements, mainly due to the friction which is intentionally maintained between the shutter and the guides to avoid accidental closures by gravity of the shutter when it is in the lifted position.
Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a piece of furniture adapted to at least partially overcome the drawbacks cited with reference to the prior art.
In particular, the object of the present invention is to provide a piece of furniture provided with an opening intended to be open or closed according to the circumstances, and with a member for the closure of such opening, capable of reliably moving (in particular, without significant sticks), and which is characterized by reduced overall dimensions due to the presence of such closure member, especially when such closure member leaves the opening open.
These and other objects are achieved by a piece of furniture according to claim 1.
In order to better understand the invention, and appreciate the advantages thereof, some exemplary, nonlimiting embodiments thereof will be described herein below, with reference to the annexed Figures, in which:

Fig. 1 is a schematic side view, partially in phantom lines, of a piece of furniture according to the invention in a particular condition of use;
Fig. 2 is a schematic side view, partially in phantom lines, of the piece of furniture in Fig. 1 in a further condition of use;
Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the detail B in Fig. 1;
Fig. 4 is a schematic side view, partially in phantom lines, of the piece of furniture according to a further possible embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a portion of the piece of furniture according to a possible embodiment in a particular condition of use;
Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the portion of the piece of furniture in Fig. 5 in a further particular condition of use;
Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the portion of the piece of furniture in Fig. 5 in a further particular condition of use;
Fig. 8 is a plane view of the portion of the piece of furniture in Fig. 5;
Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a portion of the piece of furniture according to a further possible embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a detail of the portion of the piece of furniture in Fig. 9;
Fig. 11 is a perspective view of a further detail of the portion of the piece of furniture in Fig. 9;
Fig. 12 is a perspective view of a component of the portion of the piece of furniture in Fig. 9;
Fig. 13 is a side view of the component of the piece of furniture in Fig. 12;
Fig. 14 is a sectional view according to the track XIV-XIV of the component of the piece of furniture in Fig. 13;
Fig. 15 is a sectional view according to the track XV-XV of the component of the piece of furniture in Fig. 13;
Fig. 16 is a side view of the component in Fig. 12;
Fig. 17 is a schematic front view, partially in phantom lines, of a portion of the piece of furniture according to a further possible embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 18 is a schematic side view, partially in phantom lines, of the portion of the piece of furniture in Fig. 17.

With reference to the annexed Figures, a piece of furniture, particularly a piece of furniture provided with a through opening 2, the closure or opening of which is required under given circumstances, is generally indicated with the reference numeral 1. The piece of furniture 1 can be, for example, a cupboard or a cabinet, a cupboard of a kitchen, a glass display cabinet, a kitchen counter of a so-called "open plan" kitchen, an appliance (such as, for example, an oven or a refrigerator), or the like.
The piece of furniture 1 comprises a main support structure 3 which comprises the through opening 2, intended to be open or closed according to the circumstances. For example, the through opening 2 can be intended to allow access to a housing space 4, for example, adapted to provide a store space to store foods in a cupboard.
The piece of furniture 1 comprises a closure member 5 which is moveable between a closure position and an opening position. Preferably, the closure position corresponds to a lifted position (Fig. 1 and Fig. 6), and the opening position corresponds to a lowered position (Fig. 2 and Fig. 5). In other words, according to such embodiment, the closure member moves with at least one motion component parallel to the force of gravity under the standard conditions of use of the piece of furniture. In the lifted position, the closure member 5 occludes the through opening 2, while in the lowered position, the closure member leaves the through opening 2 at least partially open. In this manner, the closure member does not involve additional lateral overall dimensions for the piece of furniture 1 either when is in the lifted position, or when it is in the lowered position. Preferably, the main support structure 3 comprises a receiving seat 15 adapted to receive the closure member 5 when it is in the lowered position thereof, so as to make it at least partially invisible from the outside of the piece of furniture.
The piece of furniture 1 further comprises means 6 for the movement of the closure member 5 between the lowered and lifted positions (Fig. 3 and Fig. 9).
The movement means 6 comprise elastic means 7 shaped so that, when the closure member 5 is in the lowered position thereof, the elastic means 7 have a starting preload adapted to urge the closure member towards the lifted position thereof, and when the closure member 5 is in the lifted position thereof, the elastic means 7 maintain a residual preload lower than the starting preload and adapted to maintain the closure member in said lifted position thereof. In this manner, the closure member 5, starting from the lowered position, is automatically urged by the elastic means 7 towards the lifted position, where it is kept, again by the elastic means 7, without any further manual action by the user is required.
In accordance with an embodiment, the movement means 6 comprise a movement roller 8 on which a movement cable 9 is wound, connected to the closure member 5, particularly at a lower end thereof 18. It shall be noticed that in the present description and in the annexed claims, the terms "above", "under", "upper", "lower", or the like, are referred to the piece of furniture in the standard conditions of use thereof.
According to a possible embodiment, the movement means 6 are advantageously shaped so that one unwinding of the movement cable 9 on the movement roller 8 translates into a movement of the closure member 5 towards the lowered position thereof, and one winding of the movement cable 9 on the movement roller 8 translates into a movement of the closure member 5 towards the lifted position. Alternatively, an inverse configuration can be provided for, that is, such that one unwinding of the movement cable 9 on the movement roller 8 translates into a movement of the closure member 5 towards the lifted position thereof, and one winding of the movement cable 9 on the movement roller 8 translates into a movement of the closure member 5 towards the lowered position.
In order to make the movement of the closure member 5 through the roller and the movement cable possible, the elastic means 7 advantageously comprise a spring 10 associated to the movement roller. The stiffness and the preloads of the spring 10 can be determined by those skilled in the art as a function of the closure member weight and the characteristics of the movement which is desired to confer during rising towards the lifted position.
Advantageously, the movement roller 8 has a substantially frusto-conical shape. In this manner, as the movement cable unwinds or rewinds, a substantially continuous variation of the drive torque transmission by the elastic means is implemented. Consequently, the force acting on the closure member 5 under the action of the movement cable 9 varies during the lifting and lowering movements thereof.
In accordance with an embodiment, the closure member 5 comprises a closure partition 11 which is slidable relative to the main support structure 3 according to a sliding direction S between the lowered and lifted positions. The closure partition 11 preferably has a substantially rigid structure which substantially inhibits the deformations thereof, and which can be variously configured. By way of example only, the closure partition 11 can be so conformed as to obstruct the sight in the housing space 4, or, alternatively, it can have glass walls, or it may be completely of glass, to make such housing space visible.
Advantageously, the closure partition 11 is associated to a carriage 12 slidable in a guide 13 formed in the main support structure 3. The guide 13 preferably extends according to a guide axis A substantially parallel to the sliding direction S.
According to a possible embodiment, the carriage 12 comprises a plurality of wheels 16 rotatably connected to the same carriage 12, so as to be capable of rolling along tracks 17 of the same guide 13. Preferably, each wheel 16 rolls only in a single one of two opposite sides of such guide.
In accordance with an embodiment, the closure partition 11 is conformed so that, when it is in the lifted position thereof, it is configurable according to a protracted configuration and according to a retracted configuration (Fig. 4 and Fig. 7). When it is configured according to the protracted configuration thereof, the closure partition is transversally, preferably orthogonally, oriented to the sliding direction S, thereby leaving the access to the housing space 4 at least partially free via the through opening 2. Instead, when it is configured according to the retracted configuration thereof, the closure partition 11 is oriented parallel to the sliding direction S, thereby occluding the through opening 2. When the closure partition 11 is in the protracted configuration thereof, the movements thereof towards the lowered position along the sliding direction S are hindered.
The passage from the retracted configuration to the protracted configuration is useful, for example, for cleaning operations, without need to bring the closure partition 11 to the lowered position thereof again.
Alternatively to the closure partition, the closure member 5 can comprise a gate which can be rolled around a winding roller (not shown in the Figures) actuatable by the movement means. In this manner, the closure member is shaped as a substantially flexible structure, instead of a substantially rigid one. For example, the rolling gate can be connected to the movement roller through the movement cable 9, and it can be moved in this manner.
Advantageously, the piece of furniture 1 comprises locking means for the closure member 5 in the lowered position thereof (not shown in the Figures). In this manner, it is avoided that the force due to the starting preload of the elastic means urges the closure member 5 towards the lifted position thereof, if such circumstance is not desired.
In accordance with an embodiment, the locking means comprise magnetic means. For example, it is possible to provide one or more magnets in the main support structure 3, and one or more magnets in the closure member 5, so that the magnetic interaction basically occurs when the closure member is in the lowered position thereof, and it is substantially absent once the closure member has sufficiently moved away from such closure position. In this manner, in order to move the closure member 5 towards the lifted position thereof, it is sufficient to confer a slight movement to it, so as to reduce or eliminate the magnetic interaction between the magnets on the closure member and the magnets in the main structure.
In accordance with a further possible embodiment of the invention, the movement means 6 comprise a take-up spool 101 connected to the closure member 5 to adjust the movement thereof.
The take-up spool 101 is preferably associated to the main support structure 3, and it is still more preferably located in a zone such as not to be visible outside the piece of furniture 1 when this is assembled. To this aim, the take-up spool 101 can be, for example, located at the receiving seat 15.
Advantageously, the take-up spool 101 comprises a winding member 102 to which the elastic means 7 are associated. The winding member 102 is rotatable around a spool axis AR, which is preferably oriented so as to result to be orthogonal to the sliding direction S. Still more preferably, in the case where the closure partition 11 is provided for, such spool axis results to be orthogonal also to the latter. It shall be noticed that, although the solution with a take-up spool is described in combination with the closure partition 11, it can be also associated to different types of closure members 5, for example, in accordance with those previously described.
In order to implement such conformation, a shaft 113 is associated to the winding member 102, which is rotatable about the axis AR relative to a fixed portion 114 of the take-up spool, preferably connected to the main support structure 3.
A spring 115 is associated to the shaft 113, so that the desired starting and residual preloads act thereon. Alternatively, the spring 115 can be directly associated to the winding member 102. The spring 115 is so arranged as to act between the winding member 102 and a portion relative to which such winding member is rotatable (for example, the spool 114 fixed portion or another portion thereof which is integral thereto). The spring 115 can be manufactured according to various configurations. For example, the spring 115 can be of the coiled type.
One or more cables 103 are wound on the winding member 102 and connected to the partition 11. In this manner, winding or unwinding rotations of the winding member 102 translate into movements between the partition 11 closure position and the opening position. Preferably, to one unwinding movement of the take-up spool 101 a movement towards the closure position of the closure partition 11 corresponds, and to one winding movement of the take-up spool 101, a movement towards the opening position of the closure partition 11 corresponds. Alternatively, similarly to what has been stated in relation to the movement roller 8, an inverse configuration can be provided for.
According to a possible embodiment, two distinct cables 103 are wound on the winding member 102, which are respectively connected to the partition 11 on two opposite sides thereof, in a lower position of the closure partition 11. Alternatively, only one of such cables 103 can be provided for, so arranged as to have two free ends connected to the partition according to the above-described modes.
In order to drive the cables 103 along preset paths, one or more pulleys 104 can be provided for, preferably connected to the main support structure 3. In accordance with a possible embodiment, a first and a second pulleys 104' and 104" are provided for, arranged in the proximity of the take-up spool 101. Such first and second pulleys respectively drive the cables (or the cable) 103 respectively towards the closure partition 11 two opposite sides. A third pulley 104'" can be optionally provided to maintain the cable 103 under tension, which cable has to reach a zone of the closure partition 11 farther from the take-up spool 101.
It shall be apparent that, as a function of the closure partition 11 size (or the characteristics of a different closure member 5) and the actual positioning of the take-up spool, different arrangements of the pulleys 104 will be able to be provided for, which pulleys will be able to also optionally be in a different amount relative to that herein described. For example, according to a further preferred embodiment of the invention (Figs. 17 and 18), a further snub pulley 104"" can be provided for, for example, associated to the main support structure 3, preferably in a lower portion of the latter. In this manner, for example, a first cable 103' exits from the take-up spool 101 downwardly, reaches the snub pulley 104"", it is sent back to the first pulley 104', from which it is conveyed again towards the closure partition 11 according to the previously described modes. A second cable 103" also exits from the take-up spool 101 downwardly, reaches the snub pulley 104"", from which it is then conveyed to the second pulley 104", to the third pulley 104''', and then again to a lower portion of the partition 11 according to the previously described modes.
Preferably, the winding member 102 has a substantially frusto-conical shape. In this manner, it is possible to implement a substantially continuous variation of the drive torque transmission from the elastic means 7 to the closure member 5 during the winding and unwinding of the winding member 102. The functioning principle is equal to the one described in relation to the winding roller 8, therefore it is not set forth again herein.
Preferably, the take-up spool 101 comprises a removable shell 105 defining a spool seat 106 adapted to receive the winding member 102 when the shell is connected to the take-up spool 101. The removable connection can be, for example, implemented by providing for special screws 116 which can be screwed in the fixed portion 114 of the take-up spool 101.
Advantageously, the removable shell 105 has a portion with substantially frusto-conical shape 107. Such substantially frusto-conical portion has dimensions such as to substantially follow the winding member 102 profile, so as to reduce the overall dimensions.
With further advantage, the removable shell 105 comprises a slit 108 for the passage of the cables 103. The slit 103 extends in an approximately radial direction at least partially on the removable shell 105 frusto-conical portion. According to a possible embodiment, a covering member 117 adapted to protect the slit 103 can be provided for. In this manner, the impurities or soil coming into the spool seat 106 is reduced. Preferably, such covering member 117 extends in an approximately tangential direction on the frusto-conical portion 107.
Preferably, the removable shell 105 further comprises a substantially cylindrical portion 109, arranged between the frusto-conical portion 107 and the fixed portion 114. Still more preferably, the slit 108 and the covering member 117 also extend at least partially along the latter.
In accordance with a possible embodiment, the piece of furniture 1 comprises means 110 for the adjustment of the starting preload and/or the residual preload of the elastic means 7. In this manner, it is possible to adjust such loads after the take-up spool has been assembled, thus correcting possible preload errors in the spring 7 due to assembling.
Preferably, such preload adjustment means 110 are associated to the winding member 102.
For example, the preload adjustment means 110 can include a screw 111 which can be screwed from outside the take-up spool 101, and which acts on a gear 112 associated to the winding member 102. In this manner, by acting on the screw 111, it is possible to modify the winding member angular position, so as to modify the starting and residual preloads.
In order to allow the screw 111 to be screwed and unscrewed, a hole 118 is advantageously prearranged in the take-up spool, for example, arranged in the fixed portion of the spool 114 (which can be divided into two mutually connectable parts, so as to promote the assembling of the preload adjustment means), from which the screw 111 can be inserted. In the assembled conditions of the take-up spool 101, the screw head 119 results to be accessible from the outside, via the hole 118. In this manner, it is possible to act on the screw, for example, through a screwdriver or an allen key, and to adjust the winding member 102 angular position.
The screw 111 is, for example, an endless-type screw. It can engage, for example, with a pinion or a toothed wheel 120 rotatably integral to the shaft 113 (which can be manufactured in a single piece therewith, or it can be interference fitted within the pinion or toothed wheel 120).
From the description given above, those skilled in the art will be able to appreciate how the piece of furniture according to the invention is characterized by low lateral overall dimensions, both when the closure member is in the opening position thereof, and when it is in the closure position thereof.
Furthermore, those skilled in the art will be able to appreciate how the particular conformation of the movement means allows a movement of the closure member, particularly towards the closure portion, which occurs in a substantially automatic manner, and which is substantially free from sticks, since the manual actions by the user on the latter are almost absent, and furthermore since the closure member movement is advantageously guided by the carriage.
To the above-described embodiments of the piece of furniture according to the invention, those skilled in the art, with the aim of meeting contingent, specific needs, will be able to make a number of adaptation, modifications, or replacements of elements with other functionally equivalent ones, without thereby departing from the scope of the annexed claims. Each of the characteristics described as belonging to a possible embodiment can be implemented independently from the other embodiments described.

Claims

A piece of furniture (1) comprising:
- a main support structure (3) comprising a through opening (2) formed by said main support structure (3) and intended to be open and closed;

- a closure member (5) which is mobile between a closure position, in which the closure member (5) occludes said through opening (2), and an opening position, in which the closure member (5) leaves said through opening (2) at least partially open;

- means (6) for the movement of the closure member (5) between said opening and closure positions,
in which said movement means (6) comprise elastic means, characterized in that said elastic means (7) are shaped so that, when the closure member (5) is in the opening position thereof, the elastic means (7) have a starting preload adapted to urge the closure member (5) towards the closure position thereof, and when the closure member (5) is in the closure position thereof, the elastic means (7) maintain a residual preload lower than the starting preload and adapted to maintain the closure member (5) in said closure position thereof.
The piece of furniture (1) according to claim 1, in which said main support structure (5) comprises a housing space (4) accessible via said through opening (2).
The piece of furniture (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said movement means (6) comprise a movement roller (8) on which a movement cable (9) is wound, connected to the closure member (5) so that one unwinding of said movement cable (9) on the movement roller (8) translates into a movement of the closure member (5) towards the opening position thereof, and one winding of said movement cable (8) on the movement roller (9) translates into a movement of the closure member (5) towards the closure position thereof.
The piece of furniture (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said elastic means (7) comprise a spring (10) associated to said movement roller (8).
The piece of furniture (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said movement roller (8) has a substantially frusto-conical shape, so as to implement a substantially continuous variation of the drive torque transmission from the elastic means (7) to the closure member (5) during said winding and unwinding of the movement cable (9).
The piece of furniture (1) according to any one of the claims 1 to 5, wherein said closure member (5) comprises a closure partition (11) which is slidable relative to the main support structure (3) according to a sliding direction (S) between said opening and closure positions.
The piece of furniture (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein said closure partition (11) is associated to a carriage (12) which is slidable in a guide (13) obtained in said main support structure (3), said guide (13) extending according to a guide axis (A) substantially parallel to a said sliding direction (S).
The piece of furniture (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein said carriage (12) comprises a plurality of rotatable wheels (16) capable of rolling along tracks (17) obtained in said guide (13).
The piece of furniture (1) according to any one of the claims 6 to 8, wherein said closure partition (11), when it is in the closure position thereof, is configurable according to a protracted configuration, in which the partition is transversally oriented to the sliding direction (S), leaving the access to said through opening (2) at least partially free, and according to a retracted configuration, in which the partition (11) is oriented substantially parallel to the sliding direction (S) and occludes said through opening (2).
The piece of furniture (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein, when said closure partition (11) is in the protracted configuration thereof, the movements towards the opening position thereof along said sliding direction (S) are hindered.
The piece of furniture (1) according to any one of the claims 1 to 5, wherein said closure member (5) comprises a gate which can be rolled around a winding roller actuatable by said movement means (6).
The piece of furniture (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising locking means for the closure member (5) in said opening position thereof.
The piece of furniture (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein said locking means comprise magnetic means.
The piece of furniture (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said main support structure (3) comprises a receiving seat (15) adapted to receive the closure member (5) when it is in the opening position thereof, so as to make it at least partially invisible from outside the piece of furniture (1).
The piece of furniture (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said closure position corresponds to a lifted position of the closure member (5), and said opening position corresponds to a lowered position of the closure member (5).
The piece of furniture (1) according to claim 1 or 2 or according to any one of the claims 6 to 15, wherein said movement means (6) comprise a take-up spool (101) associated to the main support structure (3), said take-up spool (101) being connected to the closure member (5) for the movement thereof.
The piece of furniture (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein said take-up spool (101) comprises a winding member (102) to which said elastic means (7) are associated, on which one or more cables (103) connected to the closure member (5) are wound, so that winding or unwinding rotations of the winding member (102) translate into movements between the closure position and the opening position of the closure member (5).
The piece of furniture (1) according to claim 16 or 17, comprising one or more pulleys (104) to drive said one or more cables (103) according to preset paths.
The piece of furniture (1) according to any one of the claims 16 to 18, wherein said winding member (102) has a substantially frusto-conical shape, so as to implement a substantially continuous variation of the drive torque transmission from the elastic means (7) to the closure member (5) during said winding and unwinding of the winding member (102).
The piece of furniture (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein said take-up spool (101) comprises a removable shell (105) defining a spool seat (106) adapted to receive said winding member (102), said removable shell (105) having a portion (107) of substantially frusto-conical shape, and comprising a slit (108) for the passagge of said one or more cables (103), said slit (108) extending in an approximately radial direction at least partially on said substantially frusto-conical portion (107) of the removable shell (105).
The piece of furniture (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein said removable shell (105) further comprises a substantially cylindrical portion (109), said slit (108) further extending at least partially along said substantially cylindrical portion (109).
The piece of furniture (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising means (110) for the adjustment of the starting preload and/or the residual preload of said elastic means (7).
The piece of furniture (1) according to claim 22 when dependant from any one of the claims 17 to 22, wherein said preload adjustment means (110) are associated to said winding member (102).
The piece of furniture (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein said preload adjustment means (110) include a screw (111) which can be screwed from outside the take-up spool (101) acting on a gear (112) associated to the winding member (102) so as to modify the angular position thereof, thereby modifying said starting and residual preloads.