ES2654837T3 - Cushioned self-closing device for moving furniture parts - Google Patents

Abstract

Cushioned self-closing device for movable parts of furniture, of which they have a car (3) with guided movement, including the car (3) an activating trigger (2) that blocks its movement in the armed position, in which the drive spring unit (7) is tensioned, and when activated, generates the self-closing energy with speed controlled by a damper connected to the carriage (3) with an axis (12a), characterized in that the activating carriage ( 3) is related to the end of the drive spring unit (7) by a transmitter wire (10) with a hoist loop configuration (11) between respective fixed pulley wheels (4a) and mobile pulley wheels (4b) linked to the active end of the drive spring unit (7), determining a proportionality between the active travel (15a) of the trigger trigger (2) and the elongation travel (15b) of the drive spring unit (7).

Description

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Damped self-closing device for moving parts of furniture FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention concerns a cushioned self-closing device for movable furniture parts of which incorporate an actuator element, a spring or spring and a damper, especially applicable to the closing of sliding doors or drawers.

STATE OF THE PREVIOUS TECHNIQUE

In this field, self-closing devices for moving furniture parts such as drawers and / or sliding doors are known.

The first means of aid to the closing of drawers were based solely on practicing a recess in the guides of the drawers allowing that when the wheels of the drawer reached that point they fell by their own weight closing the drawer in its last leg of the route. This type of systems did not ensure a correct drawer closure since it was necessary to move it to practically the end of the route and, in addition, due to the recesses, if they were heavy drawers (such as those used in kitchen furniture) , the descent of the wheels by the recesses produced uncomfortable noises for the users.

Another type of self-closing designed to ensure a correct closing of the drawer or the door if the final position was not reached, are those that incorporated a spring and a trigger linked to a hook of the drawer or the door. When it moved to its opening position the spring was pulled and fixed by the trigger. In its recoil movement, the trigger left its fixed position releasing the accumulated energy in the spring that moved the drawer to its final closed position. However, this composition of the device caused an awkward patter when the drawer reached the closed position.

Also known are trigger trigger devices that link directly to the damper and spring. However, when in the devices with trigger trigger it was intended to reach the maximum extreme position, in which the spring undergoes maximum traction, it was necessary to include a piece that moving together with the trigger trigger solved the problem of relating the spring and the damper together with said trigger trigger. Said piece is called a slide or carriage and allows the actuator element to have the desired extreme position.

Nowadays it is very common to find in the market self-closing devices that incorporate a trigger, activator, a spring, a slide or car and a shock absorber. The incorporation of the shock absorber allows the high speed generated by the spring when contracted to be absorbed by the shock absorber in the final section of the drawer, allowing a smooth and progressive closure. US4003102 is an example of that self-closing device. However, if it is desired to obtain a self-closing device whose trigger trigger has a lot of stroke, which allows the automatic closing system to be activated in advance, the solution of linking said trigger trigger directly with the damper and with the spring by The slide does not give a good result. Since the activation of the self-closing device is performed during the opening maneuver of the sliding element, a long stroke of the trigger trigger would greatly increase the force to be performed during the opening for the activation of the device, since the force to be exerted on the Pier, which is the one that opposes the opening, is proportional to its elongation. Once a spring exceeds an elongation close to 25% of its initial length, the force to be exerted on it increases considerably. Therefore, it is not appropriate to use a self-closing device in which a great force has to be exerted for its activation. If springs with a longer length were used so as not to exceed that 25% increase in their initial length, the self-closing devices would have an excessively large size, making it difficult to implement.

EXPLANATION OF THE INVENTION AND ADVANTAGES

Faced with this state of affairs, the present invention refers to a cushioned self-closing device for moving parts of furniture, of which there is a car with guided movement, the car including an activating trigger that blocks its movement in the armed position. , in which the drive spring unit is tensioned, and when activated, generates the self-closing energy with speed controlled by a damper connected to the carriage with an axle. In said self-closing device, the activating carriage is related to the end of the drive spring unit by a transmitter wire with a hoist loop configuration between respective fixed pulley wheels and mobile pulley wheels linked to the active end of the drive spring unit, determining a proportionality between the active travel of the trigger trigger and the elongation travel of the drive spring unit.

Thanks to this configuration, a self-closing device is achieved that comes into operation well in advance of the complete closing of the movable furniture parts. By linking through a

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hoist of the drive spring unit with the activating carriage, it is possible to have a self-closing device that has an activating trigger with an active travel or very long arming stroke, which allows the automatic closing system to be activated with well in advance of the complete closing of the mobile part of furniture. Due to the introduction of said hoist, it is also possible to reduce the force necessary during the active travel of the device, to overcome the resistance that the drive spring unit exerts during opening. Depending on the number of hoist loops that the transmitter wire travels, the force to be applied to tension the drive spring unit and the distance traveled by the trigger trigger during the arming run will vary. The greater the number of pulley wheels in the hoist, the lower the force with which the drive spring unit is opposed to the movement of the trigger trigger and the greater the distance that said trigger can travel in its active travel until it reaches an elongation critical in the drive spring unit, which is close to 25% of its initial length.

Due to the active traction stroke of the shock absorber, the useful life of the mechanism is increased. Being a self-closing device with a long stroke, the axis of the shock absorber that is linked to the movement of the trigger trigger through the activating carriage will be of great length and of reduced section, so it is essential that the shock absorber has its stroke activates by traction, thus preventing said shock absorber from working under compression and buckling may occur, causing permanent deformations in the axis of the shock absorber.

Another preferred feature of the invention is that the support incorporates a reinforcing shell.

This configuration results in a more solid self-closing device, since it is a device with more length than usual in this type of elements, it is preferable to incorporate an outer shield or shell that improves its structural properties.

DRAWINGS AND REFERENCES

To better understand the nature of the invention, the attached drawings show an industrial embodiment that is merely illustrative and not limiting in nature.

Figure 1 is an isometric view showing the inside of the self-closing device (1) when the movable furniture part is in the closed position. In said figure 1 an extension of the hoist mechanism (11) that links the activating carriage (3) with the driving spring unit (7), of the mobile elements forming the mechanism, is also shown, and the difference in lengths between the active path (15a) and the elongation path (15b) of the drive spring unit (7).

Figure 2 is an isometric view showing the inside of the self-closing device (1) when the furniture sliding element is in the open position, with an enlarged detail of the trigger trigger (2) in the locked position.

Figure 3a is a sectional view of the shock absorber (12) at the start of the active path (15a), with an enlarged detail of the valve.

Figure 3b is a sectional view of the shock absorber (12) at the time of return of the active path (15a), with an enlarged detail of the valve.

Figure 4 is an isometric view of the hoist (11) linking the trigger trigger (2) with the drive spring unit (7).

Figure 5 is an isometric view of the self-closing device (1) that includes all the components that form it.

1. - Self-closing device.

2. - Trigger trigger.

3. - Activating car.

4th.- Fixed pulley wheel.

4b.- Mobile pulley wheel.

5. - Pulley shaft.

6. - Hoist car.

7. - Drive spring unit.

8. - Activating carriage flange (3).

9. - Fixed flange.

10. - Transmitter thread.

11. - Hoist.

12. - Shock absorber.

12a.- Shock absorber shaft (12).

12b.- Shock absorber body (12).

12c.- Valve piston.

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12d.- Valve bush.

13. - Support.

13a.- Lock cavity.

14. - Reinforcement shell.

15a.- Active route.

15b.- Elongation path.

EXHIBITION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Cushioned self-closing device for movable parts of furniture, of which they have a car (3) with guided movement, including the car (3) an activating trigger (2) that blocks its movement in the armed position, in which the drive spring unit (7) is tensioned, and when activated, generates the self-closing energy with speed controlled by a damper connected to the carriage (3) with a shaft (12a). In said self-closing device, the activating carriage (3) is connected to the end of the drive spring unit (7) by a transmitter wire (10) with a hoist loop configuration (11) between respective pulley wheels fixed (4a) and mobile pulley wheels (4b) linked to the active end of the drive spring unit (7), determining a proportionality between the active travel (15a) of the trigger trigger (2) and the elongation travel (15b ) of the drive spring unit (7).

Figure 1 shows the internal mechanism that constitutes the self-closing device (1), with the trigger trigger (2) at rest, in contact with the activator arranged in the movable part of furniture. Once the opening has started, the trigger pulls the trigger trigger (2) and the active path (15a) starts in the self-closing device (1). The activating carriage (3) moves through the channels arranged in the support (13) by pulling the transmitter wire (10) that runs through the hoist (11). For the self-closing device (1) of Figure 1, having two fixed pulley wheels (4a) and two mobile pulley wheels (4b), the active travel (15a) made by the activating carriage (3) It is four times larger than the elongation path (15b) made by the hoist carriage (6), which is attached to the end of the drive spring unit (7). Thus, the force necessary to tension said drive spring unit (7) is four times less.

As seen in Figure 2, once the activating carriage (3) ends the active path (15a), the trigger trigger (2) blocks the self-closing device (1) by partially entering the locking cavity (13a ) arranged in the support (13). When the trigger trigger (2) blocks the self-closing device (1), the activator arranged in the movable part of the furniture continues its opening, being disconnected from said self-closing device (1), which is with its unit of tension spring (7) tensioned, accumulating the energy necessary for automatic closing. During said active travel (15a), the shock absorber shaft (12a), which is linked to the drive carriage (3), is introduced without resistance into the shock absorber body (12a). As can be seen in figure 3a, from the beginning of the active path (15a), the valve piston (12c) and the valve bushing (12d) are in the maximum opening position, allowing the existing fluid inside the damper (12) easily move from one camera to another.

Once the closing maneuver of the movable furniture part has begun, when the activator is again with the trigger trigger (2), it unlocks the self-closing device (1), and the return of the activator carriage (3) begins. ) for the active route (15a). The drive spring unit (7) pulls the hoist carriage (6), traveling the way back from the elongation path (15b). Through the transmitter wire (10) that runs through the hoist (11), this movement reaches the activating carriage (3) that is dragged to its initial position. For controlled and progressive self-closing, the damper (12) controls the discharge speed of the drive spring unit (7). As can be seen in figure 3b, from the start of the return through the active path (15a), the valve piston (12c) and the valve bushing (12d) of the shock absorber (12) are in the position that allows the minimum flow of the fluid from one chamber to another, and they remain so throughout the movement, controlling said fluid transfer and the closing speed.

It should be noted that in order to improve the structural properties of the self-closing device (1), a support shell (14) is incorporated into the outer part of the support (13). Thus, a more solid and resistant product is obtained.

Claims (1)

1a.- Damped self-closing device for movable furniture parts, of which they have a car (3) with guided movement, including the car (3) an activating trigger (2) that blocks its movement in the 5-armed position , in which the drive spring unit (7) is tensioned, and when activated, generates the self-closing energy with speed controlled by a damper connected to the carriage (3) with an axis (12a), characterized in that the activating carriage (3) is related to the end of the drive spring unit (7) by a transmitter wire (10) with a hoist loop configuration (11) between respective fixed pulley wheels (4a) and pulley wheels mobiles (4b) linked to the active end of the drive spring unit (7), determining a proportionality between the active path (15a) of the trigger trigger (2) and the elongation path (15b) of the spring unit drive (7). 2a.- Damped self-closing device for movable furniture parts, according to the first claim, characterized in that at the beginning of the return of the active path (15a), the shock absorber (12) has its 15 axis of shock absorber (12a) in the lower emergency position with respect to the shock absorber body (12b) and with its valve piston (12c) and valve bushing (12d) in a position of maximum narrowing during the extension movement, consequently its active traction stroke.