FR2681367A1 - Storage cabinet - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to cabinets for storage in individual compartments </H0> A storage cabinet comprises juxtaposed vertical rows (11) of superimposed compartments (12), each of the compartments being provided with a door (2) fixed to the chassis of the cabinet by a hinge (13) and an individual bolt (3), this cabinet comprising a substantially U-shaped vertical profile (4) which can slide vertically and which comprises on its side face keepers (16) provided with openings (17). The technical field of the invention is that of furniture manufacture.

Description

Storage locker.

DESCRIPTION
The present invention relates to lockers or cabinets or storage in individual cells.

The technical field of the invention is that of the manufacture of furniture or lockers provided with individual cells mounted in a battery, each of the cells being provided with a door or gate for access by a holder, all the lockers or cells that can be made accessible simultaneously by an approved person wishing to have access to all of these lockers or cells.

The main applications of the invention can be its use for the production and operation of sets of collective letter boxes, as well as in all locker systems, cloakrooms, lockers for storing personal effects.

It is known that for reasons of convenience for the person who wants to deposit objects in a set of cells or to access several cells of a rack to check their content, for example, to group the cells together in a cabinet or less rack. voluminous possible by grouping the cells side by side in superimposed rows.

In order to allow access to all the cells grouped together in a locker or one-piece cabinet, it is possible to make multipurpose keys which allow all the locks of the individual doors to be opened one by one with a single key, but this operation is long and not very secure for the holders of individual lockers, due to the use of multipurpose keys.

Another solution used in the field of letterboxes and to mount all the individual access doors on a front face constituting a door covering and opening all the cells this door can be equipped with an independent lock and different from the locks individual windows that only an authorized person can open.

This principle has been the subject of patent applications such as application FR 2 517 193 (SIRANDRE) on a set of letterboxes comprising a massive outer surround inside which is introduced a light compartmentalization and in front of which s 'fits a main door divided into individual doors; patent application FR 2 551 340 (VISOREX) describes a battery of fully opening and single-sided letterboxes, which comprises a box with multiple compartments on the fixed frame of which a collective door is articulated constituting a frame on which are articulated individual gates.

These known devices using this front face principle consisting of a large door have many drawbacks, in particular
- a significant cantilever force on the hinge of the front facade, due to the weight of this opening front facade, requires the reinforcement of the latter and of the structure supporting it
- these devices are very bulky in the open position
- This opening front facade is difficult to maneuver because of its cantilever and its size, the opening and closing force being liable to increase with the aging of the equipment and the consequent deformations.

In addition, these devices are poorly protected against vandalism because of their large size and their subsequent vulnerability to attempted break-ins.

It has also been proposed in application FR 2 652 119 (MERCURE) to remedy these drawbacks by providing a device for the general opening of several storage compartments which comprise a movable frame sliding horizontally between the front face of the cells and the gates; this system nevertheless has drawbacks; due to its large size, the necessarily rigid sliding frame has a large mass and requires systems of sliding supports and drive means which are suitable for the relatively large forces required to move the frame, which does not solve the problem. problem of the ease of use of this device and which also entails a significant additional cost due to the mechanical stresses which must be supported by the frame and by the sliding supports, due in particular to the weight of said frame.

Another type of letterbox is also known from Patent DE 516 259 (WILLIAM MARTIN) which comprises a common closing rod which can move horizontally, in order to allow the doors to be unlocked; this system is nevertheless complex and requires precise mechanical assembly leading to an obligatory additional cost for the manufacture of lockers using this system.

The problem posed consists in overcoming the drawbacks of the known devices and more particularly in providing devices for lockers or storage units comprising a plurality of cells arranged in rows and in columns, allowing the opening and closing of all the gates. cells, which entail a very low additional cost compared to this same type of lockers not having a general opening system, and which is very simple to use, in particular when all the doors are closed.

The invention applies more particularly to racks comprising at least two vertical rows or juxtaposed columns each comprising at least two superimposed cells, each cell being provided with an individual door fixed to the frame of the cabinet by a hinge with a vertical axis.

The solution to the problem posed consists in providing a storage box comprising at least two vertical rows, or columns, juxtaposed each comprising at least two superimposed cells, each of said cells being provided with an individual access door fixed to the frame of said box. by at least one hinge with a substantially vertical axis, each of said gates being provided with an individual lock provided with a pin, said locker being such that it comprises a profile, or cremone, of elongated shape along a substantially vertical axis, of which the profile is in the general shape of a U, which profile can slide along said substantially vertical axis by means of manual sliding means, which profile comprises on its lateral faces keeps, in the form of oblong slots extending substantially vertically, each provided with 'an opening allowing the release of said pins from said strikers so that said profile can slide between a position in which the di ts gates can be kept closed when said latches are engaged in said keeps, and a position in which all of said gates of said two vertical rows can be released from said keeps, said latches remaining in the closed position.

Advantageously, said section can slide along a front vertical edge of a panel, or partition, substantially flat, separating said vertical rows from said cells.

Advantageously, said manual sliding means, or driving means of said section, comprise a rotary knob along a substantially horizontal axis for driving an eccentric, in the form of a disc.

Advantageously, each of said gates is provided with at least one magnet for maintaining said gates in the closed position which can preferably cooperate with the front faces of said section.

Advantageously, said rack comprises two of said rows and is substantially symmetrical with respect to a plane containing said substantially vertical sliding axis of said section, and preferably containing said substantially horizontal axis of rotation of said button.

Advantageously, said openings are provided in the upper part of said keeps in the form of oblong slots.

Advantageously, said separation panel is provided with at least one slot, for example two slots, oblong substantially vertical, which can cooperate with a guide, or spacer, fixed on said profile, so as to guide said profile during said sliding according to said substantially vertical axis.

Advantageously, said separation panel is provided on its front edge with two 90 "folds forming a U-shaped profile around which said U-shaped profile can slide.

Advantageously, said profile comprises in its upper part a receptacle provided with a section, along a substantially vertical plane, in the general shape of a U, the upper flange of which is substantially horizontal and rests on said eccentric disc.

Advantageously, the axis of symmetry of said eccentric disc is always located on the same side of said plane containing said axis, during said vertical sliding of said section.

The storage compartments according to the invention have many advantages: thanks to the invention, said U-shaped profile can be produced, for example by folding a thin sheet (a few tenths of a millimeter thick), to very low cost, and with very robust vertical drive means that are very easy to handle; moreover, due to the position and the vertical movement of said section, the sliding of the section does not require the use of several supports supporting the weight of this section but only one support being necessary and being able to be produced for example by said eccentric disc of said sliding means.

Furthermore, the movable assembly comprising said section and the upper part of said section resting on said eccentric disc, perhaps of very low weight, thus facilitating its sliding.

Furthermore, in the case of using magnets mounted on the inner face of each of said gates, facing a front face of said profile, it is thus possible, prior to locking of the general opening device comprising said vertically movable profile , place all said individual gates in the closed position, which are held in this position by virtue of the attraction force exerted by the magnet on said corresponding face of said section, which will make it possible to keep the gates closed during the sliding of said section.

The many advantages provided by the invention will be better understood from the following description which refers to the appended drawings, which illustrate, without any limiting nature, particular embodiments of storage compartments according to the invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a storage box according to the invention.

Figure 2 illustrates in partial vertical sectional view, the locking system of a cell located in the upper part of a rack according to the invention, and the operation of the device for general opening or closing of the cells comprising said profile and its means of 'sliding training; in this figure, the sliding and closing system is shown in the position where it prevents the opening of said compartments or cells without the use of their corresponding individual key.

Figure 3 is a view substantially identical to Figure 2 in a position where said profile and the sliding means constituting said system of general opening or closing of all the cells allows the opening and closing of all of said cells individual without using their individual key.

FIG. 4 illustrates in horizontal section a preferred embodiment of a section and its use for storage compartments according to the invention.

Figures 5 and 6 illustrate a half front view, respectively a half view to the right, and a half view to the left, the operation of the opening device comprising said profile and said sliding means, in a closed position (Figure 5 for the half view from the left) and in an open position (figure 6 for the half view from the right).

Referring to Figure 1, a cabinet or cabinet according to the invention comprises a frame or frame 26 of generally substantially parallelepipedal shape which is provided on its front face with an upper strip 9 and a lower strip 10; said cabinet or locker has two vertical rows 111 and 112 of superimposed cells ("in columns"); thus said vertical row or column 111 comprises five cells of which the two lower cells are marked 1210 and 1211, and said second vertical row 112 also comprises five cells of the same size as the cells of said row 111 and of which the two lower cells are marked 1220 and 122lu
Said cells of the left row -mark 111- are provided on their left part with hinges of substantially vertical axis ZZ1 so that the individual doors of said cells of said row 111 open to the left, said doors being provided in their part. right of an individual opening lock; in the same way, each of said cells of said row or column 112 is provided with an individual gate mounted on hinges with a vertical axis ZZ2 located to the right of the closing gate of each of said cells, which gate comprises in its left part a individual locking latch, so that said piece of furniture or locker is substantially symmetrical with respect to a median anteroposterior vertical plane P1.

It can be seen that in accordance with the invention, said locker comprises on its front face, in a central part, a profile 4 for the general opening of said cells which can be actuated by sliding means comprising a manual lock 1 which is perhaps advantageously blocked by a key, which lock is located in part in the central part of said upper strip 9, which drive means allow said section 4 to slide along a vertical axis ZZ3 located substantially in said vertical plane P1.

As illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, it can be seen that in the upper part of said rack, and along the front face thereof, said section 4 is provided which is provided in its upper part with a head forming a receptacle 23 whose section through the vertical plane, which is the plane of Figures 2 and 3, is generally U-shaped, and which is connected by its lower wing 23c to said section 4 and which is provided with an upper wing 23a substantially flat and horizontal; said section 4 which extends substantially over the entire height of said cells of said rack, comprises in correspondence of each of said individual bolts 3 of each of said gates of said individual cells, a keeper 16 produced by an elongated slot in a substantially vertical direction which is provided with its upper end with an opening or clearance 17; it can be seen that on the internal face of each of said gates 2 is advantageously provided a magnet 7 which can by its magnetized face 7 attract and remain stuck to the front face 22 of said section 4, even during a relative movement between said magnet and said profiled in said vertical sliding direction, in the directions indicated by arrows Fi and F2 in Figures 2 and 3.

It can also be seen that said latch 3 can, by rotating its button located outside said gate, actuate the rotation along a substantially horizontal axis XX4 of a pin 14 able to engage in said keeper 16.

It can also be seen that said means for driving in movement (or sliding) of said section 4 comprise a control latch 1 provided with a button 20 mounted on the outside of said upper strip 9, which button 20 can rotate around its axis XX1 said eccentric 6 which is advantageously disc-shaped and on the circumference of which said upper wing 23 of said upper end 23 of said section 4 rests.

Said locker or cabinet comprises said partition or said panel 18 for vertical separation of said vertical rows of cells which comprises in its upper part before a slot or cutout 18a allowing the positioning of said head 23 and said sliding means of said profile, which panel 18 is also provided near its front edge 19 with oblong slots 21 extending substantially vertically in which can slide guide and stop means comprising at least one rivet 5 rigidly fixed to said section 4.

In FIG. 2 there is illustrated the device for closing and generally opening said cells at the end of the closing movement, in the vicinity of the closed position; said closing movement is effected by manual rotation along arrow F3 of said button 20, which via said eccentric 6 supporting said wing 23a of said head of said section. causes vertical lifting or sliding according to arrow F1 of said section and of said head 23, which sliding is made possible by said slots 21 provided in said central separation panel 18 as well as by said keepers 16 of elongated shape in the form of a light which move relative to said pins 14 of said individual locks; it can be seen that as shown in FIG. 2 in the closed position, said opening 17 of said strike 16 is in the upper position of said strike, so that when said section is in the upper position, said opening 17 is no longer facing said pin 14 of said individual lock 3, so that said gate 2 of said corresponding cell can no longer be opened without using the key of said individual lock 3.

FIG. 3 illustrates substantially the same device during an opening movement, close to the open position of said section and of said sliding means; it can be seen that said opening movement is actuated by said button 20 according to a rotary movement according to arrow F4, which thanks to said eccentric disc 6 allows the descent of the one-piece assembly constituted by said head or receptacle 23 and said section 4, which sliding is made possible by said slots 21 and keepers 16 which slide relative to said pins 14 of said latch 3 according to arrow F2 to said open position substantially shown in Figure 3 it is seen that in this position, said slot or keeper 16 of said section 4 is found in a position such that said opening 17 provided at its upper end is located opposite said pin 14 of the individual lock 3, so that said gate 2 carrying said lock 3 can be opened by a movement (according to the arrow F5) of rotation around the hinges of said gate (not shown).

As illustrated in FIG. 4, said gates 2 can open to allow access to two cells 12 separated by a substantially median partition wall 18, by a rotation of said gates respectively around said vertical axes ZZ1 and ZZ3 along which extend hinges 13 supporting said gates; it can be seen that said left gate in FIG. 4 opens to the left and that said right gate opens to the right, said left gate being provided in its right part (close to the middle part of said cabinet provided with said cells 12 ), of said lock 3, and said gate 2 of the right row or right column being provided in its left part with a substantially identical lock 3 mounted symmetrically with respect to a substantially antero-posterior vertical plane P1.

It can be seen that said cells are limited by the side faces 26a of said box.

In the mode shown in FIG. 4, said box comprises said substantially central wall 18 which is substantially offset with respect to said plane of symmetry P1 of said box and whose front edge 19 is provided with two folds at 90 so that said front panel is stiffened and by its front edge having a U-shaped profile, which facilitates the guiding of said U-shaped profile 4 which can slide along said substantially vertical axis ZZ3.

It can be seen that each of said gates 2 is provided with said magnet 7 which makes it possible to keep said wicket pressed in the closed position respectively against each of said front faces 22 of said section 4 in fact, it can be seen in this figure that said section 4 has a front part or part U-shaped which widens as one moves away from the front face of said rack, to form two wings 15 substantially remote from said central wall 18 separating said cells, which wings 15 of said section 4 are provided with said guides which can be constituted by a spacer 8 fixed by means of rivets 5 to said section 4, which spacer 8 can slide relative to said central partition 18 by virtue of said slots (reference 21 of FIGS. 2 and 3) provided in said partition 18.

It can be seen that said individual bolts 3 are provided with said pins 14 which can rotate about respective axes XX3, XX4 so as to engage or disengage from said strikes (not shown) provided in said section 4 on said wings 15 of said section.

FIGS. 5 and 6 respectively represent a half-view from the left and a half-view from the right of a piece of furniture according to the invention which is substantially symmetrical with respect to a median vertical antero-posterior plane Pi which contains the sliding axis of said profile 4.

In Figure 5 or a half view to the left, there is shown substantially said sliding means and said profile in the upper position corresponding to a closed position and in Figure 6 there is shown the same device in a lower position or position allowing the opening of all of said gates 2 of said cells 12, said pins 14 of said individual bolts 3 remaining in the closed position.

It can be seen in the left half view shown in FIG. 5 that the closing movement is effected by an upward vertical translation on the arrow F6 of said section by means of a rotary movement along the arrow F8 of said control button 1 around said axis XXt, which rotation of said control button or latch 1 causes rotation of said eccentric disc 6 of axis XX2 eccentric with respect to said axis XX1.

The rotation of said disc 6 which supports by its upper peripheral edge the upper face or wing 23a of said head or receptacle 23 rigidly connected to said section 4, causes an overall movement of said head and of said section towards a vertical position where said upper ends openings (reference 17) of said strikers 16 are offset vertically with respect to said individual bolts 14, thus preventing the opening of said individual gates, said movement being guided by said guide means comprising said rivet 5 and said spacer 8 sliding in said slots provided in said central partition wall 18.

Conversely, as shown in Figure 6 or a half view to the right, when said sliding means are actuated according to the arrow
Fg, said eccentric comprising said disc 6 tends to allow the descent of the assembly formed by said head 23 and said section 4, due to the weight of said assembly, downward, according to arrow F7, said assembly being guided by said means 5 and 8.

It can be seen that, for example after a quarter of a turn of said control lock 1, said open ends 17 of said strikers 16 arrive opposite said pins 14 of said individual locks 3, thus allowing the opening of all of said gates 6 of said lockers or individual cells 12 by rotation of said gates around their respective axis hinges ZZi and ZZ2.

Claims (10)

1. Storage box comprising at least two juxtaposed vertical rows (111, 112) each comprising at least two superimposed cells respectively (1210, 1211) and (1220, 1221), each of said cells being provided with an individual gate (2) access fixed to the frame of said locker by at least one hinge (13) of substantially vertical axis, each of said gates being provided with an individual latch (3) provided with a pin (14), characterized in that it comprises a profile (4) of elongated shape along a substantially vertical axis (ZZ3) whose profile is generally U-shaped, which profile can slide along said substantially vertical axis (ZZ3) by means of manual sliding means, which profile has on its lateral faces keeps (16) each provided with an opening (17). 2. Box according to claim 1 characterized in that said section can slide along a vertical front edge (19) of a panel (18) for separating said vertical rows of said cells. 3. Locker according to any one of claims 1 to 2 characterized in that said manual sliding means comprise a button (20), rotating about a substantially horizontal axis (XXi), for driving an eccentric (6). 4. Locker according to any one of claims 1 to 3 characterized in that each of said gate is provided with at least one magnet (7) for maintaining said gates in the closed position which can preferably cooperate with the front faces (22) of said profile. 5. Locker according to any one of claims 1 to 4 characterized in that it comprises two of said vertical rows of cells and is substantially symmetrical with respect to a plane (P1) containing said axis (ZZ3) substantially vertical sliding of said profiled. 6. Locker according to any one of claims 1 to 5 characterized in that said openings are provided in the upper part of said keeps in the form of oblong slots. 7. Box according to any one of claims 2 to 6 characterized in that said panel (18) of separation is provided with at least one slot (21) oblong which can cooperate with a guide (or spacer) (8) fixed. on said section so as to guide said section during said sliding along said substantially vertical axis. 8. Locker according to any one of claims 2 to 7 characterized in that said panel (18) of separation is provided on its front edge with two folds (25) at 90 "forming a U-shaped profile around which can slide. said U-shaped profile (4). 9. Locker according to any one of claims i to 8 characterized in that said profile comprises in its upper part a receptacle (23) provided with a generally U-shaped section of which the upper wing (23a) is substantially horizontal. and rests on said eccentric disc. 10. Box according to any one of claims 3 to 9 characterized in that the axis (XX2) of said eccentric disc is always signed on the same side of said plane (P1) containing said axis (ZZ3) (during said vertical sliding of said section (4).