EP2540192A1

EP2540192A1 - Lower support for wall-mounted furniture

Info

Publication number: EP2540192A1
Application number: EP12173860A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Miguel Angel Rioja Calvo
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2011-06-30
Filing date: 2012-06-27
Publication date: 2013-01-02
Also published as: ES2395814A2; ES2395814B1; ES2395814R1

Abstract

The invention relates to a lower support (1) for furniture (17) in wall (18), the supports having a support base being vertically movable and depthwise adjustable, a base which the cantilevered furniture (17) is supported by, wherein it comprises a guide piece being integral in the anchoring flat bar (3) incorporating sliding guides (2a) and a rack (2b), being respectively complementary of some vertical guides (9) of the main carriage (4), wherein a transverse gear wheel (5) having a complementary toothing of the rack (2b) of the guide piece (2) and of the endless screw toothing of the rack (2b) of the guide piece (2) and of the endless screw toothing (7) exists, perpendicularly installed in said main carriage (4) and with a frontally accessible front head (7a).

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a lower support for cantilevered furniture in wall, both for the ones having the bottom panel leveled up with the side panels, and for the ones having a tucked in portion en the bottom panel, and especially being applicable for the fastening and joint of units of continuous furniture against the wall, having different dimensions of the tucked in portion in their respective bottom panels.

PRIOR ART

The fastening supports comprising a base by which the cantilevered pieces of furnitures are supported are known in this field. This supporting base may displace both vertically and depthwise by means of different regulation systems. The vertical regulation makes possible the location of the horizontal piece of furniture when the presentation is performed in a wall in a cantilevered position, while the depth regulation sets a series of relative positions between the wall and the side panel and the base panel of the piece of furniture.
These supports are suitable for kitchen and bathroom furniture, wherein the bottom panel is remarkably tucked in (inserted in respect of the side surface of the piece of furniture), using this distance of the wall for the passage of possible pipes, electrical wiring or to absorb irregularities of the wall such as plumbing elements, unevennesses, etc. The main problem of said supports is the required distance of the tucked in portion for the installation of said support in the rear part of the piece of furniture, this is, they are not suitable for fastening furniture having the bottom panel leveled up with the side panel as it usually occurs in some kitchen or living room furniture.
Nowadays, it is very usual to combine in one single room different modules of furniture, each having completely different dimensions and features. The commercially available supports do not achieve to adjust the pieces of furniture to each other properly, since final maladjustments in the side panels or between panels are always seen, giving a not very aesthetic image.

EXPLANATION OF THE INVENTIO AND ITS ADVANTAGES

Given this situation the present invention refers to a lower support for furniture in wall, the supports having a support base being vertically movable and depthwise adjustable, a base by which the cantilevered furniture is supported, and comprising a guide piece being integral in the anchoring flat bar incorporating sliding guides and a rack, being respectively complementary of some vertical guides of the main carriage, wherein a transverse gear wheel having a complementary toothing of the guide piece rack and of the endless screw toothing exists, perpendicularly installed in said main carriage and with a frontally accessible front head.
Thanks to this outline a mechanism having very reduced dimensions is achieved, in comparison with the commercially available supports existing, making possible for the distance between the wall and the bottom wall to be minimal, approximately 3 mm. These distances are very important in the case of kitchen, living room bedroom furniture, etc..., which should be well-fitted in the wall in order not to see unpleasant gaps or maladjustments.
On the other hand, the vertical regulation of the cantilevered piece of furniture is achieved by turning in one or other direction by means of a turning tool the front head of an endless screw being accessible from the front part of the piece of furniture. This turn is transmitted to a transverse gear wheel being complementary of the rack toothing of the guide piece. Thus, the circular movement becomes a vertical movement of the main carriage where the base panels, side panels and/or bottom panels of the piece of furniture are built against.
It should be noted that it is not necessary to carry out any type of machining in the bottom panel of the piece of furniture to perform the assembly of the lower support, since it is supported by it and the access both to said vertical regulation and depth regulation may be performed through the lower part of the piece of furniture, so the front head of the endless screw and the head of the depth regulating screw are provided with a notch for the end of a turning tool. There is the possibility of incorporating a beauty lid on the regulation area of the lower support, in the case of remaining invisible front the front part of the piece of furniture.
This arrangement adds several advantages such as; the effectiveness of the lower support in the regulation of furniture having different sizes and weights. Through the rack incorporating the guide piece which makes possible the vertical regulation, the usual clearances occurring in the traditional supports for furniture are avoided, achieving a very precise adjustment. The lower support has a shape resembling an "L", allowing an easy and quick installation thereof in the wall, and it assists in supporting the bottom and base panels of the furniture.
Another special feature of the invention is that in the main carriage there is a depth regulating element having both vertical rear walls. Said vertical rear walls are provided with coupling drills making possible the insertion of spacer stops.
According to the features of the furniture to be installed, in the depth regulating element the use of spacer stops having different lengths corresponding to the different distances of the tucked in portion of the bottom panels of the pieces of furniture to be installed is foreseen.
One of the purposes of the spacer stops is that in the semi-detached continuous pieces of furniture, said stops set a bracketing between the side panels given the distance of the tucked in portion of the rear panel, so making sure that a piece of furniture does not separate from another. This function is also applicable to pieces of furniture having different dimensions in the tucked in portion, coupling different spacer stops in each side in the lower support according to the rear outline of each unit of furniture. Furthermore, in this way, the same lower support may be combined for two units of semi-detached pieces of furniture. It should be noted that this fixing function of two pieces of furniture simultaneously with the same support, may be performed without the spacer stops.
Another purpose of the stops is as a spacer function of the piece of furniture relative to the wall, thereby adjusting the piece of furniture in the slope the upper hanger device of the piece of furniture determines, in cases where there is a slope in the installation wall or protuberances thereon.
The above and other special features of the invention will be set forth in the following detailed explanation based on the appended graphic representation.

DRAWINGS AND REFERECE NUMERALS

For a better understanding of the nature of the invention, an industrial embodiment being merely illustrative and non limitative exemplary is depicted in the appended drawings.

Figure 1 is a perspective of a wall area with the lower support (1) of the invention, wherein the final position of the assembly of the base (19), side (20) and bottom (21) panels of the cantilevered piece of furniture (17) is shown wherein the access to the lower support (1) from inside of the piece of furniture (17) is seen. Figure 1 also illustrates an exploded view of the lower support (1) wherein the operative position of the assembly is shown.
Figure 2 is a rear perspective of several cantilevered semi-detached pieces of furniture (17) through the lower support (1). In this figure an enlarged detail of the lower support (1) is shown having the spacer stops (16), which make possible the adjustment to the rear outline (17) and set a bracketing between the side panels (20) of the semi-detached continuous pieces of furniture (17)
Figure 3 is a front view of several cantilevered semi-detached pieces of furniture (17) through the lower support (1). In the enlarged detail how the side panels (20) of the different pieces of furniture (17) remain perfectly semi-detached may be seen, and the easiness for accessing to the front head (7a) of the endless screw (7) and to the head (15a) of the depth regulating screw (15) below the furniture (17).
Figure 4 is a front view of the lower support (1) for furniture (17) in wall (18).
Figure 5 is side profile view according to the section A-A pointed out in figure 4 and illustrates how the transverse gear wheel (5) is engaged in the rack toothing (2b) of the guide piece (2) and in the thread of the endless screw (7).
Figure 6 is an upper plan view of the lower support (1) for furniture (17) in wall (18).
Figure 7 is a front view according to the section B-B pointed out in figure 6.

The following references are shown in the above figures:

1.- Lower support.
2.- Guide piece.
- 2a.- Sliding guide in guide piece.
- 2b.- Rack in guide piece.
- 2c.- Central groove in guide piece.
3.- Anchoring flat bar.
- 3a.- Anchoring hole of anchoring flat bar.
4.- Main carriage.
5.- Transverse gear wheel.
6.- Retention washer.
7.- Endless screw.
- 7a.- Front head of endless screw.
8.- Supporting surface in main carriage (4).
9.- Vertical guide in main carriage (4).
10.- Horizontal sliding guide in main carriage (4).
11.- Central channel in main carriage (4)
12.- Depth regulating element.
- 12a.- Guide in depht regulating element.
13.- Vertical rear wall.
- 13a.- Coupling drills in vertical rear wall.
14.- Projection.
15.- Depth regulating screw.
- 15a.- Head of depth regulating screw.
16.- Spacer stop.
17.- Piece of furniture.
18.- Wall.
19.- Base panel of the piece of furniture (17)
20.- Side panel of the piece of furniture (17)
21.- Bottom panel of the piece of furniture (17)
22.- Turning tool.
23.- Distance between the wall and the bottom panel.

EXPLANATION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Regarding the above listed drawings and references, a preferred mode to carry out the object of the invention is illustrated in the attached drawings, referred to a lower support (1) for furniture (17) in wall (18), the supports having a support base being vertically movable and depthwise adjustable, a base which the cantilevered furniture (17) is supported by.
In figure 1 the object of the invention is illustrated, comprising a guide piece (2) being integral in the anchoring flat bar (3) incorporating sliding guides (2a) and a rack (2b), being respectively complementary of some vertical guides (9) of the main carriage (4), wherein a transverse gear wheel (5) having a complementary toothing of the rack (2b) of the guide piece (2) and of the endless screw toothing (7) exists, perpendicularly installed in said main carriage (4) and with a frontally accessible front head (7a).
The simple building and assembly are confirmed by observing the parts list of figure 1, wherein it may be seen that the lower support (1) is comprised by simple and quick operations for assembling the pieces, without using fastening means, which render the manufacture easier and cheaper. This outline leads to a lower support (1) having relatively reduced dimensions, in comparison with other commercially available supports, which cause the distance between the wall and the bottom panel (23) of the piece of furniture (17) to be minimal, approximately 3 mm. The lower support (1) has a shape resembling an "L", allowing an easy and quick installation thereof in the wall (18), favouring the support of the bottom (21) and the base (19) panels of furniture (17).
The vertical regulation (figure 3) of the cantilevered piece of furniture (17) is achieved by turning in one or another direction, by means of a turning tool (22), the front head (7a) of an endless screw (7) being accessible from the front part of the piece of furniture (17). As it is seen in the depicted sections in the figures 5 and 7, this turn is transmitted to a transverse gear wheel (5) being complementary of the rack toothing (2b) of the guide piece (2). Thus, the circular movement becomes a vertical movement of the main carriage (4) where the base panels (19), side panels (20) and/or bottom panels (21) of the piece of furniture (17) are built against.
It should be noted that, as it is seen in figure 2, it is not necessary to carry out any type of machining in the bottom panel (21) of the piece of furniture (17) to perform the assembly of the lower support (1), since it is supported by it and the access both to said vertical regulation and to the depth regulation may be easily performed through the lower part of the piece of furniture (17), so the front head (7a) of the endless screw (7) and the head (15a) of the depth regulating screw (15) are provided with a notch for the end of a turning tool (22).
Another feature of the invention, as it is seen in the figure 6, is that the rack (2b) has centrally a central slot (2c) being subject to house the rear end of the endless screw (7). The central slot (2c) performs a guiding function in the vertical sliding of the main carriage (4) by means of the guide piece (2), and as a stopping function in the rear end of the endless screw (7).
Another special feature of the invention (figure 4 and 7), is that in the main carriage (4) there is a depth regulating element (12) having both vertical rear walls (13), being provided with coupling drills (13a) making possible the insertion of spacer stops (16).
According to the features and dimensions of the furniture (17) to be installed, in the depth regulating element the use of spacer stops (16) having different lengths corresponding to different distances of the tucked in portion of the bottom panel (21) of the corresponding piece of furniture (17) is foreseen.
As it is seen in figure 2 and 3, one of the purposes of the spacer stops (16) is that in assembly of the semi-detached continuous pieces of furniture (17), said stops (16) set a bracketing between the side panels (20) making sure that a piece of furniture (17) does not separate from another, avoiding thereby the usual unpleasant off-centered portions and gaps which occur in the assembly of furniture (17). This function is also applicable to furniture (17) having different dimensions in the tucked in portion, supporting in each side of the main carriage (4) and fastening the different distances of the tucked in portion with the spacer stops (16). This fastening function combining the same lower support (1) for two units of furniture (17) may be carried out without the spacer stops (16). Obviously, said lower support may be used for a single piece of furniture (17) when necessary.
Another purpose of the stops (16) is as a spacer function of the piece of furniture (17) relative to the wall (18), thereby adjusting the piece of furniture (17) in the slope the upper hanger device of the piece of furniture (17) determines, in cases where there is a slope in the installation wall (18) or protuberances thereon.
The variations in materials, shape, size and arrangement of the constituent elements, described in a non-limiting way, do not alter the essentiality of this invention, being such enough for the skilled in the art to proceed to perform its reproduction.

Claims

Lower support (1) for furniture (17) in wall (18), the supports having a support base being vertically movable and depthwise adjustable, a base which the cantilevered furniture (17) is supported by, characterized in that it comprises a guide piece being integral in the anchoring flat bar (3) incorporating sliding guides (2a) and a rack (2b), being respectively complementary of some vertical guides (9) of the main carriage (4), wherein a transverse gear wheel (5) having a complementary toothing of the rack (2b) of the guide piece (2) and of the endless screw toothing (7) exists, perpendicularly installed in said main carriage (4) and with a frontally accessible front head (7a).
Lower support (1) for furniture (17) in wall (18), according to the first claim, characterized in that the rack (2b) has centrally a central slot (2c) being subject to house the rear end of the endless screw (7).
Lower support (1) for furniture (17) in wall (18), according to the preceding claims, characterized in that in the main carriage (4) there is a depth regulating element (12) having both vertical rear walls (13).
Lower support (1) for furniture (17) in wall (18), according to the preceding claims, characterized in that the vertical rear walls (13) of the a depth regulating element (12) are provided with coupling drills (13a) making possible the insertion of spacer stops (16).
Lower support (1) for furniture (17) in wall (18), according to the preceding claims, characterized in that in the depth regulating element the use of spacer stops (16) having different lengths corresponding to different distances of the tucked in portion of the bottom panel (21) of the corresponding piece of furniture (17) is foreseen.