EP2510834B1

EP2510834B1 - Hidden device for the wall assembly of a structural component of a piece of furniture, with side regulation

Info

Publication number: EP2510834B1
Application number: EP20120159145
Authority: EP
Inventors: Carlo Cattaneo
Original assignee: Leonardo SRL
Current assignee: Leonardo SRL
Priority date: 2011-04-11
Filing date: 2012-03-13
Publication date: 2014-06-18
Anticipated expiration: 2032-03-13
Also published as: EP2510834A1; ITMI20110588A1

Description

The present invention relates to a hidden device for the wall assembly of a structural component of a piece of furniture, with side regulation.
These devices are commonly known in the field as hidden hanging brackets.
As a non-limiting example, the invention is described herein with reference to the wall assembly of a wall cupboard, but can also equally be used for the assembly of uprights (shoulders) forming part of a bookcase, or other pieces of furniture.
These devices also have the function of allowing regulations in height and depth of the piece of furniture assembled to the wall, with respect to the wall itself and adjacent pieces of furniture.
The assembly of the piece of furniture to the wall is effected by means of an arm which extends from the body of the device and is hooked to a support, for example a bar, peg, plate or similar item, fixed to the wall. For this purpose, the free end of the arm is hook-shaped.
The above regulations in height and depth are effected by acting on said arm through various types of mechanisms, which are controlled (from outside the device) by means of a maneuvering tool (for example a screwdriver).
The present invention specifically relates to a so-called shoulder-centre bracket, for example as described in EP 033179 A1 which is the closest prior art for the claimed invention, i.e. a hanging bracket of the hidden type which is destined to be inserted inside a seat situated inside a shoulder of a piece of furniture, for example a wall cupboard or other furnishing component.
So-called shoulder-centre brackets must satisfy the following main requisites.
Firstly, their general configuration must be such as to allow an easy and safe assembly inside the shoulder of the piece of furniture, even if the relative seat is not perfectly complementary (fitting perfectly).
Secondly, their structure must be such as to ensure a firm and safe fixing to the shoulder of the piece of furniture: i.e. the hanging bracket under stress must not become disengaged from its seat, causing the cupboard to fall.
Thirdly, the above regulation mechanisms in height and depth of the piece of furniture must be easily accessible and maneuverable from the outside: i.e. even if the hanging bracket is inserted inside the shoulder of a cupboard, this should be regardless of the type and position of the articulation system (hinging) of the door to the cupboard itself.
In addition, these regulation mechanisms in height and depth of the piece of furniture must be easily accessible even when the piece of furniture is assembled very close to the ceiling of an environment. In other words, when there is very little space between the top of the cupboard and the ceiling.
A further requisite that must be satisfied by shoulder-centre brackets is that they must comprise regulation mechanisms of the cupboard in height and depth which are simple to produce and assemble and have a reliable functioning.
The general objective of the present invention is therefore to provide a shoulder-centre bracket which is capable of satisfying the above requisites, overcoming the drawbacks of the known art.
This objective is achieved by means of a device, a so-called shoulder-centre hanging bracket, having the characteristics specified in claim 1 and enclosed subclaims.
The structural and functional characteristics of the invention and its advantages with respect to the known art will appear more understandable from the following description, referring to the enclosed drawings, which show a possible practical embodiment of the invention itself.
In the drawings:

figures 1 and 2 are two perspective views illustrating externally, a shoulder-centre bracket produced according to a possible embodiment of the invention:
figure 3 is a perspective view illustrating internally, one side of the regulation mechanisms of the hanging bracket of figures 1 and 2;
figure 4 is an exploded perspective view illustrating internally, the other side of the regulation mechanisms of the hanging bracket of figures 1 and 2, wherein said hanging bracket is positioned between the shoulder of the cupboard and the wall on which the same cupboard is to be assembled;
figure 5 is a perspective view of the hanging bracket of figure 4 assembled on the shoulder of the cupboard and with the cupboard assembled to the wall;
figures 6 and 7 are two perspective views illustrating externally, a shoulder-centre bracket produced according to a further possible embodiment of the invention;
figure 8 is a perspective view illustrating internally, one side of the regulation mechanisms of the hanging bracket of figures 6 and 7;
figure 9 is an exploded perspective view illustrating internally, the other side of the regulation mechanisms of the hanging bracket of figures 6 and 7, wherein said hanging bracket is positioned between the shoulder of the cupboard and the wall on which the same cupboard is to be assembled; and
figure 10 is a perspective view of the hanging bracket of figure 9 assembled on the shoulder of the cupboard and with the cupboard assembled to the wall.

Figures 1-5 of the drawings illustrate a possible embodiment of the invention, in which the assembly device is indicated as a whole with the reference number 20, and is of the so-called hidden type, in particular destined for being incorporated in a component of a piece of furniture, for example an upright or panel 21 (shoulder).
As already specified, devices of this type are commonly known as shoulder-centre hanging brackets. The device 20 structurally consists of a substantially flat rectangular body 22, characteristically comprising two half- shells 23, 24, intercoupled.
The body 22 contains a first slide 25 which is guided to translate vertically, in the directions of the arrow F, inside a seat 26.
The translation of the slide 25 is driven by means of a kinematic command mechanism comprising a first screw 27 which is screwed onto a nut 28 integral with the slide 25 itself.
For this purpose, the screw 27 has a shaped head 29 similar to a crown gear 30, which can be engaged, by means of a screwdriver for cross-head screws.
In order to have access to said gear 30, a first hole 31 is positioned on the half-shell 23 of the body 22.
The first slide 25 carries a second slide 32, which is guided to translate horizontally, in the directions of the arrow F1, inside a seat 33.
The translation of the slide 32 is controlled through a kinematic command mechanism comprising a second screw 34 which is screwed onto a threaded slider 35 which slides inside a seat 36 of the first slide 25.
A plug 37 extends from said slider 35, which is engaged with a cam profile 38 of the second slide 32.
The second slide 32 protrudes from the first slide 25 with a pair of interspaced hooks 39.
The second screw 34 also has a shaped head 40 similar to a crown gear 41, which is accessible from the side through a second hole 42 situated on the half-shell 23 of the body 22.
The body 22 is housed inside a seat 43 of the shoulder 21 and is firmly positioned therein by means of plugs 44, which are preferably inserted with interference inside corresponding holes 45 of the shoulder 21 itself.
Screws (not shown) housed inside seats S are also envisaged for firmly fixing the body 22 into the seat 43.
As is clearly illustrated in figures 4 and 5 of the drawings, and with reference to what is described above, the hanging bracket 20 according to the invention is assembled on a support 46 fixed to a wall 47 by means of pegs.
Said support 46 can have any configuration. It can consist for example of a box-shaped upright 49 having openings 50 through which the hooks of the hanging bracket 39 pass and are hooked.
The regulation in height and depth of the cupboard is actuated by acting on the screws 27 and 34 respectively.
The rotation of the screw 27 on the nut 28, in fact, causes a vertical translation of the slide 25, whereas the rotation of the screw 34 on the slider 35 causes a horizontal translation of the slide 32.
Figures 6-10 of the drawings illustrate a second possible embodiment of the invention, in which the same and/or equivalent components as those illustrated in figures 1-5 are indicated with the same reference numbers increased by 100.
As can be clearly seen, the only significant difference between this second embodiment and the first embodiment is the control system of the rotation of the screws 127 and 134.
In this case, in fact, the rotation of the screw 127 is driven through a gear 151 coupled, with axes at 90°, with the gear 130.
For this purpose, the gear 151 has an imprint 152 for engagement with a corresponding manoeuvring screw-driver.
Analogously, the rotation of the screw 134 is driven by means of gears 153, 154 with rotation axes at 90° between each other.
The manoeuvring screw-drivers have access to the gears by introduction through respective holes 60, 61 and 160, 161 situated in the panels or shoulders 21, 121.
From what is described above with reference to the drawings, it is evident how access can be obtained to the regulation mechanisms of the cupboard in height and depth, horizontally at the side, according to axes substantially perpendicular to a side (23) of the hanging bracket. This makes the mechanisms easily accessible also when the cupboard is assembled very close to the ceiling of an environment.
The objectives mentioned in the preamble of the description have therefore been achieved.
The protection scope of the invention is defined by the following claims.

Claims

A hidden device for the wall assembly (47) of a structural component (21) of a piece of furniture of the type comprising: hooking means (39) of said device to a support (46) fixed to the wall (47), the position of said hooking means (39) with respect to said wall (47) being adjustable in height and depth respectively by means of two different regulation mechanisms, wherein said mechanisms are completely contained inside a box-shaped body (22), from a front side of which said hooking means (39) protrude, wherein a first regulation mechanism for regulating the height of said hooking means comprises a first slide (25) which is guided to translate vertically, and wherein a second regulation mechanism of said hooking means (39) comprises a second slide (32) assembled on said first slide (25) and equipped with said hooking means (39), said second slide (32) being guided to translate horizontally within a seat (33), said slides (25, 32) being associated with respective kinematic command mechanisms (27, 28, 29, 30) and (34, 35, 40, 41) which being accessible and manoeuvrable through holes (31, 42) situated on a side (23) of said body (22); said kinematic command mechanisms associated with the first slide (25) consisting of a first screw (27) which is screwed onto a nut (28) integral with the first slide (25), said screw (27) having a shaped head (29) similar to a crown gear (30) which can be engaged, by means of a screw driver for cross-head screws, said crown gear (30) being accessible from the side, through a first hole (31) positioned on a half-shell (23) of the body (22); characterized in that said kinematic command mechanisms associated with the second slide (32) consist of a second screw (34) which is screwed onto a threaded slider (35) sliding within a seat (36) of the first slide (25), a plug (37) extending from said slider (35), which is engaged with a cam profile (38) of the second slide (32) which protrudes from the first slide (25) by means of a pair of interspaced hooks (39), said second screw (34) having a head (40) shaped like a crown gear (42), which is accessible from the side through a second hole (42) positioned on a half-shell (23) of the body (22).
A hidden device for the wall assembly (147) of a structural component (121) of a piece of furniture of the type comprising: hooking means (139) of said device to a support (146) fixed to the wall (147), the position of said hooking means (139) with respect to said wall (147) being adjustable in height and depth respectively by means of two different regulation mechanisms, wherein said mechanisms are completely contained inside a box-shaped body (122), from a front side of which said hooking means (139) protrude, wherein a first regulation mechanism for regulating the height of said hooking means comprises a first slide (125) which is guided to translate vertically, and wherein a second regulation mechanism of said hooking means (139) comprises a second slide (132) assembled on said first slide (125) and equipped with said hooking means (139), said second slide (132) being guided to translate horizontally within a seat (133), said slides (125, 132) being associated with respective kinematic command mechanisms (127, 128, 129, 130) and (134, 135, 140, 141) which being accessible and manoeuvrable through holes (131, 142) situated on a side (123) of said body (122) ; characterized in that said command mechanisms associated with the first slide (125) consist of a first screw (127) which is screwed onto a nut (128) integral with the first slide (125) itself, said screw (127) having a gear (130) coupled with axes at 90° with a gear (151) having an imprint (152) for engagement with a corresponding manoeuvring screw-driver, and said kinematic command mechanisms associated with the second slide (132) consist of a second screw (134) which is screwed onto a threaded slider (131) which can slide within a seat (136) of the first slide (125), a plug (137) extending from said slider (135), which is engaged with a cam profile (138) of the second slide (132), the rotation of said screw (134) being controlled through a pair of gears (153, 154), the gear (154) being accessible and controllable through a hole (142) positioned on a side (123) of said body (122).
The device according to claim 1, characterized in that said body (22) is composed of two half-shells (23, 24).