EP3815576A1

EP3815576A1 - Supporting device for shelves

Info

Publication number: EP3815576A1
Application number: EP20204137.2A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Carlo Cattaneo
Original assignee: Leonardo SRL
Current assignee: Leonardo SRL
Priority date: 2019-10-31
Filing date: 2020-10-27
Publication date: 2021-05-05
Also published as: IT201900020124A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a supporting device (10) for furniture shelves for the reversible connection of a shelf (100) to the opposite shoulders (200) of a piece of furniture, of the type comprising a plug or pin (11) positioned inside a shelf (100), or horizontal element, along a longitudinal axis (X) perpendicular to said shoulders (200), said pin (11) being movable along said axis (X), against the action of opposing means, between a non-operational position wherein the pin is contained within a seat or body (12,112) of said shelf (100) and an operational position wherein the free end or tip (P) of said pin (11) protrudes from said shelf (100) and is housed in a complementary seat (201) of one of said shoulders (200), characterized in that said tip (P) terminates with a tilted surface or tilted plane (Pa) cooperating with the inlet edge of said seat (201), so that when said shelf (100) is pushed upwards from below, the pin (11) becomes disengaged from said seat (201), overcoming the action of the above-mentioned opposing means.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a supporting device for furniture shelves for the reversible and easily removable connection of a shelf to the opposite shoulders of a piece of furniture.
The device according to the present invention responds to the need, felt in the field, for being able to provide furniture shelves with supporting devices that create a connection with the shoulders of an increasingly miniaturized piece of furniture, so as to minimize the aesthetic impact and eventually disappear completely from sight when the shelf is mounted.

STATE OF THE ART

Devices of this type are commonly referred to in the field as shelf brackets and have the function of stably but removably supporting and fixing a horizontal element (shelf) of a piece of furniture between two vertical elements commonly called shoulders.
Said shelves and said shoulders are arranged perpendicular to each other.
Shelf brackets of this type are known from the state of the art, however they are not without drawbacks.
More specifically, one of the drawbacks that affects devices of the type known from the state of the art consists in the fact that they are not completely invisible when the device is assembled and therefore do not limit the aesthetic impact on the piece of furniture.
Another drawback that affects known devices consists in the fact that they generally cannot be actuated from above or below indifferently, thus forcing the operator to predict, already in the assembly phase of the device on or within the shelf, how said shelf must be positioned inside the furniture.
The shelf bracket described and illustrated in Italian patent application Nr. 102019000016247 filed on 13/09/2019 entitled: "SUPPORTING DEVICE FOR FURNITURE SHELVES", in the name of the same Applicant of the present patent application, satisfactorily solves the above-mentioned drawbacks.
The various embodiments of shelf brackets object of the previous application Nr. 102019000016247 , in fact, disclose practically invisible devices that can be actuated from both above and below.
These devices however have proved to be relatively expensive to manufacture, also requiring the use of a maneuvering tool, which may not be immediately available, especially after some time, after the first assembly of the furniture.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In light of the above, the undertaking of the present invention is to solve the drawbacks that affect supporting devices for shelves, also called shelf-bracket devices, of the type known from the state of the art.
Within this undertaking, the objective of the present invention is to provide a supporting and fixing device for furniture shelves (shelf bracket), which at the same time has a minimum aesthetic impact and which allows an easy and rapid assembly and disassembly of the shelf with respect to the shoulders.
An objective of the present invention is also to provide a supporting and fixing device for shelves that is more versatile in the furniture design and installation phase, in particular being capable of minimizing, if not completely cancelling, the aesthetic impact, proving to be invisible both when used with shelves destined for being seen from above by the user, and also with shelves destined for being seen from below, allowing any trace of the presence of the device to be completely eliminated from sight.
Last but not least, a further objective of the present invention is to provide a shelf bracket for furniture, of the reversible and easily removable type, which allows an easy, rapid and immediate assembly and/or disassembly of the shelf without the use of any maneuvering tool.
The above-mentioned undertaking, as also the objectives mentioned above and others which will appear more evident further on, are achieved by a supporting device for furniture shelves for the reversible connection of a shelf to the shoulders of a piece of furniture according to the enclosed claim 1.
Further characteristics of the preferred embodiments of the device according to the present invention described in the present patent application are the subject of the dependent claims.

LIST OF FIGURES

Further characteristics and advantages will become more evident from the description of a preferred, but non-exclusive, embodiment of the supporting device for furniture shelves for the reversible connection of a shelf to the shoulders of a piece of furniture illustrated for indicative and non-limiting purposes with the use of the attached drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view illustrating a first exemplary, non-limiting embodiment of the invention, wherein a shelf-supporting device (shelf bracket) according to the present invention is incorporated within a shelf and which is in the assembly position with respect to a shoulder of a piece of furniture, the device being in an operational condition in which the pin is inserted inside the corresponding housing seat formed on the shoulder, the device being actuated by a simple manual thrust from below, according to the arrow;
Figures 2 and 3 are vertical sectional views similar to figure 1 illustrating the disengagement (disassembly) sequence of the shelf of the shoulder, i.e. the disengagement sequence of the pin of the shelf of the relative shoulder;
Figure 4 is a sectional front view with a vertical plane of the shelf-supporting device of the present invention according to the first embodiment shown in figures 1-3;
Figure 5 is a sectional side view with a vertical median plane of the shelf-supporting device of the present invention according to the first embodiment shown in figures 1-3;
Figures 6 and 7 illustrate the non-sectional front and side views, respectively, of the shelf-supporting device according to the first embodiment and of which figures 4 and 5 represent sectional views;
Figure 8 is a view from above of the shelf-supporting device of the present invention according to the first embodiment;
Figure 9 is a view from above of the shelf-supporting device of the present invention according to the first embodiment in a partially disassembled condition;
Figure 10 is a sectional view from above with a horizontal plane of the shelf-supporting device of the present invention according to the first embodiment;
Figures 11 and 12 are exploded views of the shelf-supporting device of the present invention according to the first embodiment;
Figure 13 is an exploded view of the device of figures 1-12;
Figures 14 to 21 are substantially views similar to figures 4 to 13, but illustrating a second embodiment of the invention;
Figure 22 shows a schematic view of the positioning and connection phases of shelves provided with devices according to the present invention with the shoulders of a piece of furniture.
Figures 23 to 26 show vertical sectional views illustrating a third, exemplary, non-limiting embodiment of the invention, in which a shelf-supporting device (shelf bracket) according to the present invention is incorporated within a shelf which is in the assembly position with respect to a shoulder of a piece of furniture, the device being firstly in a non-operational condition in which the pin is not inserted in the housing seat formed on the shoulder, and subsequent steps in which the pin is inserted inside said housing seat and is subsequently blocked thanks to a blocking plug;
Figures 27 and 29 show front sectional views with a vertical plane of the shelf-supporting device of the present invention according to the third embodiment shown in figures 23-26;
Figure 28 shows a front view of the device of figures 23-26;
Figures 30 and 31 show raised side and sectional views respectively of the device according to the third embodiment shown in figures 23-26 in an extended pin condition;
Figures 32 and 33 show a plan and sectional view respectively from above of the device according to the third embodiment shown in figures 23-26 in an extended pin condition;
Figure 34 shows a partial sectional perspective view of the shelf-supporting device of the present invention according to the third embodiment shown in figures 23-26;
Figure 35 shows an exploded view of the shelf-supporting device of the present invention according to the third embodiment shown in figures 23-26.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With particular reference to the attached figures 1 to 13, a supporting device 10 for furniture shelves is described for the reversible connection of a shelf 100 to the opposite shoulders 200 of a piece of furniture, according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention.
The supporting device 10 according to the present invention is of the type suitable for creating a connection by means of a pin 11 associated with the shelf 100 and configured for protruding from the transverse edge B of said shelf 100 and suitable for being inserted into a corresponding housing hole or seat 201 formed on the shoulder 200 of a piece of furniture. Said hole or seat 201 is preferably, but not necessarily, lined with a bush 201a made of plastic or metallic material. As can be clearly seen from the drawings, said pin or plug 11 is positioned inside the shelf or horizontal element 100 along a longitudinal axis X perpendicular to the shoulder 200.
As will be explained in detail hereunder, the pin 11 can be moved along said axis X, against the action of opposing means, between a non-operational position in which the pin 11 is contained within a seat or body of said shelf and an operational position in which the free end or tip of said pin 11 protrudes from said shelf and is housed within a complementary seat of one of said shoulders.
According to the invention, said tip ends with a tilted surface or tilted plane cooperating with the edge or inlet of said seat 201, whereby when said shelf is pushed upwards from below, the pin 11 becomes disengaged from said seat 201 overcoming the action of the above-mentioned opposing means.
With respect now to the invention, the device 10 comprises a main body 12 with which movable engagement means 15 are slidingly associated, in turn associated with a pin 11.
The device 10 is configured for being inserted within the thickness of a shelf 100 and comprises movable engagement means 15 which slide with respect to the main body 12 along a sliding direction or axis X between a first non-operational position in which the pin 11 does not protrude from the transverse edge B of the shelf 100, and a second operational position in which the pin 11 protrudes outwardly from the shelf 100.
Said main body 12 advantageously has a box-like shape and is produced by coupling two half-shells, as will be better illustrated hereunder.
According to the first preferred embodiment of the device according to the present invention illustrated in detail in figures 4 to 13, the movable engagement means 15 comprise a slide 15 with which the pin 11 is integrally associated.
As can be clearly seen from figure 13 of the drawings, a shank C extends (coaxial to the pin 11) from said slide 15, which has a substantially rectangular configuration, in an opposite position with respect to the pin 11, i.e. from the opposite side from which the pin 11 extends. An opposing or contrast spring M is partially fitted on said shank C. The spring M acts between the slide 15 and the body 12 to oppose the displacement of the pin 11 in the non-operational position inside the body 12, or shelf 100 (figure 3), in other words, when the slide slides from right to left (by rotating figures 1-3 of the drawings), the spring M is loaded.
In the text, the terms front, rear, upper, lower, advance, retract and similar spatial references all refer to the device as illustrated in the figures wherein the front portion of the device is that destined for facing the outside of the shelf 100, in particular from its transverse edge B, when the device is assembled, i.e. that from which the pin 11 can protrude.
With reference to figures 1-3, for example, the front part of the device 10 is on the right in the figure, towards the shoulder 200 of the furniture, whereas the rear part is the opposite one, which abuts against the back wall of the housing seat formed within said shelf 100.
When it is described that the pin retracts, this means that the pin moves from right to left in the view from above of figure 9, for example, returning within the perimeter of the box-like body 12.
When it is described that the pin advances, this means that the pin moves to the right in the view from above of figure 9, for example, protruding from the perimeter of the box-like body 12.
Returning to the description of the supporting device 10 for furniture shelves according to the first embodiment, said sliding slide 15 is housed in a specific housing seat formed within said main body 12.
As said main box-like body 12 advantageously consists of two half- shells 12a, 12b, each of them will provide a respective portion of the housing seat (formed by the two half- seats 14a, 14b) of said slide 15.
Each of said half- shells 12a, 12b advantageously has a profile on a vertical transverse plane, having two portions of rounded ends 12c, 12d, preferably with a circular section, possibly but not necessarily connected by a straight central section 12e, according to what can be seen for example in figures 4,6 and 8.
As an alternative to the bilobed section of the main body 12 visible in figures 4, 6, the main body 12 can have an oval cross section or in any case having a certain development in a transverse direction with respect to the more restricted vertical development.
All these possible alternative forms of the main body 12 offer the advantage of preventing the rotation of the device itself on the transverse plane inside the shelf.
The possibility of varying the external form of the main box-like body 12 of the device allows the user to be able to choose between different types of holes in the shelf bracket.
According to the present invention, the free end or tip P of the pin 11 terminates with a tilted plane Pa, or tilted surface, which has the function of cooperating with the outer edge of the seat 201 provided on the shoulder 200, as clearly illustrated in figures 1 -3 and 22 of the drawings.
More specifically, the spring M pushes the pin 11 into a position in which the tip P and the tilted plane Pa protrude from the edge B of the shelf, in this way, for the assembly of the shelf 100 between the shoulders 200 of the furniture, the operator will be able (by tilting the shelf 100) to insert the tip P into the seat 201 of a shoulder and, by rotating the shelf downwards, as shown in figure 2, he will cause the tip P of the opposite shelf bracket to be automatically snap-inserted (pushed by the spring M) within the seat 201 of the opposite shoulder (figure 22).
As clearly shown in the operating sequence of figures 1, 2 and 3, the disengagement (disassembly) of the shelf 100 from the shoulders 200 of the furniture can be effected by a simple upward push from below, according to the arrow F, against the lower or underlying surface of the shelf 100 itself.
The outer edge, or inlet, of the seat 201, by acting against the tilted plane Pa of the pin 11, will in fact consequently push the pin itself to move back out of the seat 201, allowing the shelf 100 to be removed from the shoulders 200 (figure 3).
Figures 14 to 21 illustrate a second possible embodiment of the invention, also exemplary and non-limiting.
In this embodiment, the body 112 of the device is produced in a single piece and consists of a cylinder 112a inside which the pin 11 moves, guided by a piston, opposed by the spring M between the two operational (figures 16, 17 and 18) and non-operational (figure 19) positions.
Figures 23 to 35 illustrate a variant of the device 10 described above with reference to the embodiment illustrated in figures 14 to 21.
According to this further embodiment of the present invention, the device 10' provides that the pin 11 translates inside a cylindrical body 112 against the action of said spring M, but that it can be further blocked in its operating position in which it protrudes from the shelf 100.
More specifically, the device 10' according to this embodiment variant further comprises removable blocking means 20 suitable for blocking the pin 11 in its operating position.
Said blocking means can be advantageously removed manually by the operator, without the need for using tools or instruments in general.
For this purpose, said blocking means preferably comprise a hole 30 formed in correspondence with the surface of said cylindrical body 112 facing downwards, which is therefore accessible from below said shelf 100 when the device is assembled.
According to the preferred embodiment shown in the attached figures, the blocking means 20 comprise a plug 21 in turn comprising a body 21a suitable for being inserted into said hole 30 and a shaped head 22, having a larger diameter with respect to said body 21a so as to be abutted against the lower surface of said shelf 100 with device 10' assembled in the shelf.
The device 10' according to this preferred embodiment of the invention advantageously comprises a pin 11 shaped so as to have, in correspondence with its own body, a recess 11a suitable for receiving at least one end portion of said plug 21 when said plug 21 is inserted in said hole 30 and when said pin 11 is in said operational position.
According to what is shown in the drawings, said recess 11a can be advantageously delimited on one side by the head of said pin 11 and on the other side by an annular collar 11b, whereas said recess 11a can consist of a section with a reduced diameter in the case of a body having a substantially cylindrical shape as in the case of the embodiment illustrated in the attached figures.
In order to facilitate the insertion of the plug 21 into the hole 30, the latter can advantageously have an opening 31, i.e. a shaped section.
With reference in particular to figures 23 to 26, the functioning of the device 10' according to this preferred embodiment can be easily understood: when the operator lowers the shelf 100, the pin 11 pushed by the spring M moves into its operating position in which it protrudes forwards and is inserted in the seat 201 of the shoulder 200.
At this point, the operator can insert the plug 21 from below by first inserting it into a hole 101 formed in said shelf 100 and continuing the run until the plug 21 is inserted in the hole 30 formed on the cylindrical body 112 of the device.
Continuing in the insertion run of the plug 21, it will encounter the recess 11a in its run, and will remain in position by friction between the plug 21 and the internal walls of the hole 101.
The plug 21 thus blocks the retraction of the pin 11 and prevents the shelf 100 from being removed from the shoulder 200.
In order to remove the shelf 100, the operator must first remove the plug 21 from the hole 30, an operation that can be carried out manually, without requiring the use of any tool.
The objectives mentioned in the preamble of the present description have thus been achieved, namely those of providing a reversible shelf bracket, practically invisible from the outside, which can be assembled and/or disassembled with respect to the shoulders of the piece of furniture without the use of any operating tool, but simply with the hands.
The present invention has been described, for illustrative but non-limiting purposes, with reference to various preferred embodiments; it should be understood however that variations and/or modifications can be applied by a skilled person in the field without thereby departing from the relative protection scope, as defined in the enclosed claims.

Claims

A supporting device (10,10') for furniture shelves for the reversible connection of a shelf (100) to the opposite shoulders (200) of a piece of furniture, of the type comprising a plug or pin (11) positioned inside a shelf (100), or horizontal element, along a longitudinal axis (X) perpendicular to said shoulders (200), said pin (11) being movable along said axis (X), against the action of opposing means, between a non-operational position wherein the pin is contained within a seat or body (12,112) inserted inside said shelf (100) and an operational position wherein the free end or tip (P) of said pin (11) protrudes from said shelf (100) and is housed in a complementary seat (201) of one of said shoulders (200), characterized in that said tip (P) terminates with a tilted surface or tilted plane (Pa) suitable for cooperating with the inlet edge of said seat (201), so that when said shelf (100) is pushed upwards from below, the pin (11) becomes disengaged from said seat (201), overcoming the action of the above-mentioned opposing means.
The device (10,10') according to claim 1, characterized in that said opposing means consist of a spring (M) acting between said plug (11) and said body (12,112).
The device (10) according to claim 2, characterized in that said spring (M) is partially inserted on a shank (C) which extends from a slide (15) to which said pin (11) extends in an opposite position with respect to said shank (C) and can be moved inside said body (12).
The device (10,10') according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that said pin (11) moves within a cylindrical body (112) against the action of said spring (M).
The device (10') according to claim 4, characterized in that it further comprises removable blocking means (20) suitable for blocking said pin (11) in said operational position.
The device (10') according to the previous claim, characterized in that said blocking means can be removed manually.
The device (10') according to any of claims 5 or 6, characterized in that said blocking means comprise a hole (30) formed in correspondence with the surface of said cylindrical body (112) facing downwards, accessible from beneath said shelf (100) when the device is assembled.
The device (10') according to the previous claim, characterized in that said blocking means (20) further comprise a plug (21) in turn comprising a body (21a) suitable for being inserted in said hole (30) and a shaped head (22) having a larger diameter with respect to said body (21a) and suitable for being abutted against the lower surface of said shelf (100) when the device (10') is assembled in the shelf.
The device (10') according to the previous claim, characterized in that said pin (11) is shaped so as to have a recess (11a) in correspondence with its body which is suitable for receiving at least one end portion of said plug (21) when said plug (21) is inserted in said hole (30) and said pin (11) is in said operational position.
The device (10') according to the previous claim, characterized in that said recess (11a) is delimited on one side by the head of said pin (11) and on the other side by an annular collar (11b).
The device (10') according to the previous claim, characterized in that said hole (30) has an invitation (31) for facilitating the insertion of said plug (21).