ITMI20131694A1 - SELF-PROPELLED PANEL WITH BRAKING DEVICE. - Google Patents

Description

DESCRIPTION

"SELF-PROPELLED PANEL WITH BRAKING DEVICE"

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to a self-propelled panel for furniture elements equipped with at least one roller comprising a relative braking device with actuation lever, in which said lever is arranged in a position substantially aligned with the plane of lying of the roller, or tangentially to the roller.

Prior art known

Self-propelled panels by means of wheels are known which are normally used as partitions or as furnishing elements or parts of furniture such as beds, dressers, wardrobes.

In the case of partition walls, these panels can have a support structure by means of which the wheels are fixed to the panel; however, this structure makes the panel more bulky and unpleasant from an aesthetic point of view.

To limit this effect, partition walls with panels without a support structure have been made available, in which the wheels are applied to the lower edge of the panel. Panels of this type are also used as elements of a piece of furniture, so that after assembly the entire piece of furniture can be moved effortlessly by one person. Solutions can be studied in which beds, wardrobes or drawers can be moved in particular directions, creating or hiding work spaces in a room.

The panels for this type of applications are normally equipped with a braking device to block and / or brake the wheels, so that once the piece of furniture has been moved, it can remain stationary in a certain position. Usually the braking device is operated by means of a lever equipped with a special end which comes into tangential contact, directly or indirectly, with the wheel, braking and then preventing its rotation.

The roller, together with its own braking device, are made in the form of an angular element having a substantially box-like conformation with a thickness equal to that of the panel.

For its assembly, it is therefore necessary to remove from the panel a portion having the same dimensions as the corner element and then attach the box-shaped corner element to the panel, replacing the removed portion.

This solution is not very pleasant from an aesthetic point of view, especially when the panel is made of wood. In fact, in the case of a piece of furniture made with wooden panels, the angular elements on which the wheels and the braking device are constrained constitute an unsightly discontinuity in the material constituting the self-propelled panel.

Furthermore, in the event that the user needs to make the furniture permanently fixed, once the corner elements have been removed, the panels will remain without corners, or with corners covered by large caps, with a rather questionable aesthetic result.

Finally, this solution entails considerable rigidity in the design of the self-propelled panel, and therefore of the piece of furniture, since the wheel or wheels with the related tangential actuating lever braking device can be arranged only at the corners of the self-propelled panel.

Summary of the invention

The purpose of the present invention is to overcome the problems of the prior art briefly discussed above, and to provide a self-propelled panel for furnishing elements equipped with at least one roller and a relative braking device with tangential actuation lever which allows greater flexibility in positioning the wheel itself and with a better aesthetic result with respect to the panels present in the prior art.

This and further objects are achieved by the present invention by means of a self-propelled panel according to claim 1, and the related dependent claims.

In particular, according to the present invention, the panel comprises at least one extended lateral surface surrounded by at least one lower edge surface and by at least one lateral edge surface connected at an angle to said at least one lower edge surface, and at least one wheel equipped with a braking device with a tangential actuation lever, in which said roller is constrained in rotation, internally to said panel, protruding from said lower edge surface, characterized in that it comprises at least one through opening having a first inlet section obtained along said at least one lower edge surface, in a position away from said at least one side edge surface, and a second outlet section formed along said at least one side edge surface, in a position away from said at least one lower edge surface, said wheel being recessed in correspondence with said first inlet section of said through opening, and said actuation lever of the braking device of said roller being protruding from said second outlet section of the through opening.

In fact, a peculiar aspect of the present invention is the fact that inside the panel there is a through opening between the lower edge and a side edge of the panel. The wheel and the relative braking system are inserted inside the panel by means of a first inlet section obtained on the lower edge of the panel, and therefore the braking system, that is the relative tangential lever, protrudes from a second outlet section obtained on the edge side of the panel.

Thanks to the solution claimed herein, a portion of the corner panel is not necessarily removed, but a through opening is made, potentially leaving the extended side surface of the panel intact. In this way, from the outside, the only potentially visible removed part is minimal and is that relating to the second exit section where the lever of the braking device protrudes. Furthermore, in the case of removal of the wheel and the braking device from the panel, the aesthetic impact remains almost unchanged, since it is possible to use caps with reduced extension to cover the aforementioned inlet / outlet sections of the through opening.

Finally, it should be noted that here and in the following the term "tangential actuation lever" of the braking device is intended to mean a particular control element of the braking device which comprises a lever that can be actuated by the user arranged in such a way as to be substantially aligned with the plane of rolling of the wheel on which the braking device acts, that is pivoted along an axis parallel to the rotation axis of the wheel.

Brief description of the drawings

Further aspects and advantages of the present invention will become clearer from the following description, made for illustrative and non-limiting purposes with reference to the attached schematic drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a particular embodiment of the present invention;

- Figure 2 is a three-dimensional perspective view of a particular embodiment of the through opening made in the panel of the present invention;

Figure 3 is a sectional view on a plane parallel to the extended side surface of an embodiment of the panel according to the present invention; - Figure 4 is a further sectional view on a plane parallel to the extended side surface of an embodiment of the panel according to the present invention;

- Figure 5 shows a further embodiment of two panels according to the present invention in a particular application.

Methods of carrying out the invention

With reference to Figure 1, the self-propelled panel 1 for furnishing elements according to a particular aspect of the present invention comprises at least one extended lateral surface 1a surrounded by at least one lower edge surface 1b and at least one lateral edge surface 1c connected at an angle to said at least one lower edge surface 1b.

In the particular embodiment shown here, the three surfaces 1a, 1b and 1c are substantially rectangular in shape and can form part of a substantially prismatic panel with a rectangular base, but also possible alternative embodiments not illustrated here still fall within the scope of protection required here. in which the extended surface 1a assumes any geometric shape and is surrounded by at least one lower edge surface 1b and by at least one side edge surface 1c, joined together at an angle. The surfaces 1b and 1c joined at an angle, and which surround the extended surface 1a, may also have different geometric shapes, while remaining within the scope of protection of the present invention required here. The panel 1 further comprises at least one roller 3 equipped with a braking device 4 with a tangential actuation lever.

It should be noted that, as already discussed, the term "tangential lever" means a lever 4 arranged along a direction substantially parallel to, or lying on, the plane of rotation of the wheel 3.

Each wheel 3 is constrained in rotation, inside the panel 1, so that it protrudes from the lower edge surface 1b. Since the panel 1 can comprise one or more wheels 3 equipped with the braking device 4 and one or more wheels 3 without a braking device 4, for each roller 3 the surface from which it protrudes is generally defined as "lower edge surface 1b" the wheel 3.

With reference to Figures 2 and 3, the panel 1 comprises at least one through opening 2 having a first inlet section 2a obtained along the lower edge surface 1b, in a position away from the lateral edge surface 1c, and at least a second section of outlet 2b formed along the side edge surface 1c, in a position away from the lower edge surface 1b. The through opening 2 can be made with methods known in the art, such as by means of a milling process or in general by means of a process in which it is possible to selectively remove part of the panel 1.

The through opening 2 can be made without affecting the extended lateral surface 1a of the panel 1. This through opening 2 can be obtained for example as the union of two cavities: a first cavity 8 made on the surface of the lower edge 1b having a cross section inlet 2a departs from the side edge surface 1c and a second cavity 9 made on the side edge surface 1c having an outlet section 2b away from the lower edge surface 1b. The two cavities 8, 9 are made without altering the extended side surface 1a of the panel and with a depth such as to put the inlet section 2a in communication with the outlet section 2b and vice versa, as shown for example in figure 3.

As will be seen better below, this conformation of the through opening 1 is due to the need to house inside it a wheel 3 equipped with a relative braking device 4 with a tangential actuation lever.

The through opening 2, according to a particular aspect of the present invention illustrated here, is therefore an "L" shaped opening. However, any other form of the through opening 2 that allows the simultaneous housing of a wheel 3 with the relative tangential actuation lever of the braking device 4 still falls within the scope of protection of the present invention required here.

Figure 4 shows the part of the panel 1 in which the lower edge surface 1b is joined at an angle with the side edge surface 1c and in which the wheel 3 is present.

In this particular embodiment shown here, the panel comprises unidirectional wheels 3 constrained in rotation around an axis perpendicular to the extended surface 1a of the panel 1, in such a way as to allow movement of the panel 1 along the longitudinal direction to the lower edge surface 1b. With reference to Figure 4, the wheel 3 is recessed and constrained in rotation within the through opening 2, in correspondence with the first inlet section 2a. The roller 3 is equipped with a braking device 4 of the type with a tangential actuation lever in which a lever pivoted on an axis substantially parallel to the rotation axis of the roller 3 is able to selectively engage, directly or indirectly, with the same wheel 3 to brake and / or immobilize it.

In the embodiment of the present invention illustrated here, this actuation lever comprises a first protruding actuation end 4a, when the roller 3 and the relative braking device 4 are constrained to the panel 1 in a substantially "recessed" manner, by the second outlet section 2b of the through opening 2, an intermediate portion 4b pivoted in rotation inside the through opening 2 by means of a pin 6, and a second end 4c placed inside the through opening 2 and equipped with means 5 for engagement reversible with the wheel 3. With reference to Figure 4, more particularly, the braking device 4 has a tangential actuation lever 4a, 4b, 4c, 6 in which the "power arm" is formed by the actuation end 4a and by the intermediate portion 4b integral with it, the fulcrum is formed by the pin 6 and the "resistance arm", to which the aforementioned means 5 for reversible engagement with the wheel 3 are integral, is formed by the second east remit 4c, also integral with the intermediate portion 4b of the braking device 4.

As mentioned, the second end 4c of the lever 4a, 4b, 4c, 6, is equipped with means 5 for reversible engagement with the roller 3 which, in the particular embodiment shown, comprise a head with an eccentric "cam" profile , here for brevity referred to simply as "cam" 5a.

The actuation lever 4a, 4b, 4c, 6, substantially tangential to the rotation plane of the roller 3, can be rotated, by means of the pin 6, around a rotation axis parallel to the rotation axis of the same roller 3 between at least a first rest position (shown with a solid line), in which the cam 5a is spaced from the wheel 3 allowing it to rotate, and at least a second locking position (shown with a dashed line), in which the cam 5a engages directly or indirectly with at least part of the wheel 3 preventing and / or braking its rotation.

The cam 5a has an eccentric shape with respect to the rotation axis, defined by the pin 6, of the tangential actuation lever 4a, 4b, 4c, 6 and in particular the cam 5a comprises a convex portion 10 with an edge substantially close to the aforesaid axis of rotation, with respect to the wheel 3, and a concave portion 11 with an edge distant from the rotation axis. This cam 5a is also shaped in such a way that when the lever 4a, 4b, 4c, 6 is in the rest position, the convex portion is spaced from the roller 3 and when, by rotating the tangential actuation lever 4a, 4b, 4c, 6 from the its rest position, this reaches its locked position, the convex portion of the cam 5a approaches the roller 3. When the lever 4a, 4b, 4c, 6 is in the locked position, therefore, the convex portion engages directly or indirectly the wheel 3 engaging by friction or by geometric interference with it and locking and / or braking the wheel 3.

With reference now also to Figure 4, it should be noted that the tangential actuation lever 4a, 4b, 4c, 6 is advantageously shaped in such a way that when placed in its rest position, the actuation end 4a is raised with respect to the lower edge surface 1b of the self-propelled panel 1, while when it is placed in its locked position, then it is lowered with respect to the lower edge surface 1b of the same panel 1.

The lever 4a, 4b, 4c, 6 is preferably shaped to be operated by the user by means of the foot, so that the user can impart to the operating end 4a of this lever a suitable force directed downwards capable of causing pass the operating lever 4a, 4b, 4c, 6 from its rest position to its locking position, exploiting its own weight force and thus reducing the necessary effort.

The braking device 4 can further comprise an elastic element 7 constrained internally to the through opening 2 and acting on the actuation lever 4a, 4b, 4c, 6. The elastic element 7 contacts at least part of the cam 5a, so that during the rotation of the operating lever 4a, 4b, 4c, 6 and consequently of the cam 5a, it can assume at least a first non-deformed configuration when the operating lever 4a, 4b, 4c, 6 is rotated in the rest position and at least a second configuration deformed when the operating lever 4a, 4b, 4c, 6 is rotated into the locking position.

In particular, starting from the rest position of the actuation lever 4a, 4b, 4c, 6, the elastic element 7 is in its non-deformed configuration in which it keeps, by pushing it, the actuation end 4a raised with respect to to the lower edge surface 1b. When the user pushes the operating end of the lever 4a, 4b, 4c, 6 downwards, i.e. towards the lower edge 1b, this operating lever 4a, 4b, 4c, 6 rotates around the pin 6, causing rotation of the cam 5a placed integrally on the portion 4c of said lever 4a, 4b, 4c, 6, which in turn is able to deform - naturally within its own elastic range - the elastic element 7, thanks to its eccentric shape, up to whereupon the lever 4a, 4b, 4c, 6 is induced to reach its own locking position.

In this latter position, the elastic element 7 is shaped to be in its deformed configuration and cannot return to its undeformed configuration since the convex part of the cam 5a is wedged, or in frictional engagement, directly or indirectly with the roller. 3.

In a preferred embodiment it is provided that the elastic element 7 is squeezed between the cam 5a and the wheel 3 during the transition from its non-deformed configuration to its deformed configuration; therefore the locking position of the lever is obtained through the indirect engagement of the cam with the wheel.

In a further embodiment it is provided that the cam 5a and / or the roller 3 can be shaped for example with a recess or in general a seat for the elastic element 7 so that the cam 5a can engage directly with the roller 3 and that it can also deform the elastic element 7 without it touching part of the roller 3.

When the user pushes the actuation end 4a upwards, the cam 5a, by rotating, disengages or disengages from the wheel 3 and the elastic element 7 thus tends to return to its own non-deformed configuration and in this way, acting on the portion 4c of the lever 4a, 4b, 4c, 6, it pushes the same operating lever 4a, 4b, 4c, 6 into rotation, making it return to its rest position in which the operating end 4a is raised with respect to the lower edge 1b of panel 1.

As can be seen in particular in Figure 4, according to a particular aspect of the present invention, the roller 3 and the relative braking device 4 of the panel 1 can be partially mounted inside a further box-like housing 20, in which the roller 3 and the lever 4a, 4b , 4c, 6 of the braking device 4 are constrained for rotation inside it.

According to a preferred aspect of the present invention, finally, the housing 20 further comprises fixing means 21, known in the art, such as for example screws 21b, suitable for allowing the constraint or fixing of this housing 20 to the panel 1.

With reference to Figure 4, the housing 20 can be shaped, for example, with two fins 21a so that, once the housing 20 has been recessed into the through opening 2, the fins 21a are placed under the lower edge 1b of the panel 1 and therefore can be fastened to it by means of screws 21b.

Thanks to the housing 20 it is possible to simplify the assembly operations of the panel 1: in fact by incorporating the wheel 3 and the braking device 4 inside the housing 20, it is possible to easily recess the entire housing 20 inside the through opening 2 by first introducing, from the inlet section 2a, the actuation lever 4a, 4b, 4c, 6 and then making the latter protrude from the outlet section 2b, thereby, thanks to the housing 20, also inserting the roller 3 into the inlet section 2a and thus partially embedding the latter, in addition to the relative braking device 4, inside the through opening 2. The fixing of the housing 20 to the panel 1, thanks to the fixing means 21, completes the assembly of the wheel 3 with the relative braking device 4 inside the self-propelled panel 1.

Similarly, the removal of the wheel 3 together with the braking device 4 from the panel 1, can be easily performed even without the help of skilled labor, by repeating the assembly operations listed above backwards.

Finally, according to an aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a perforated cap 30 for partial closure of the outlet section 2b of the through opening 2, for example constrained by interlocking, capable of reducing the width of this outlet section, while allowing to the tangential actuation lever 4a, 4b, 4c, 6 to be maneuvered in rotation between its two aforesaid rest and lock positions.

It should be noted that a not negligible advantage obtained thanks to the present invention is that the particular through opening 2 made inside the panel 1 gives the same panel 1 a better aesthetic visual impact than conventional panels because the extended lateral surface 1a may not be minimally altered.

The necessarily altered parts of the panel 1 are therefore only those placed on the lower edge 1b and on the lateral edge 1c of the panel 1. Therefore, for example, in the case of a piece of furniture assembled with one or more self-propelled panels 1 according to the present invention, we obtain that the only altered part of the panel 1 visible from the outside is the second outlet section 2b located on the lateral edge 1c of the panel 1. But this section 2b, in addition to being at least partially covered by the aforementioned cover 30, is potentially very small because it can be dimensioned in such a way that the entire excursion of the operating lever 4a, 4b, 4c, 6 between the lock position and the rest position is contained within it (it should be noted that this excursion can be of a few centimeters (2 - 3 cm)).

Furthermore, if the user wishes to fix a piece of furniture assembled with panels 1 of the present invention, the visual impact from the outside cannot be altered following the removal of the wheel 3 and the relative braking device 4 from one or more of the panels 1, thanks also to the possible use of lids, of reduced dimensions, to cover the outlet 2b and / or inlet sections 2a of the through opening 2.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, a further embodiment - shown in Figure 5 - provides that the panel 1 'has a through opening 2 comprising a third inlet section 2c and a fourth outlet section 2d respectively on the extended side surfaces 1d and 1a of the panel 1 ', possibly joined together.

Advantageously, the sections 2c, 2d can have the same size and shape as that of the second outlet section 2b. In addition, sections 2c, 2d can be made at a distance from the lower edge 1b equal to the distance of the second outlet section 2b from the lower edge 1b. In addition, the sections 2c, 2d can be made at a distance from the side edge surface 1c equal to the distance of the outlet section 2b from the extended side surfaces 1a, 1d.

In other words, thanks to the dimensions indicated above, by positioning two panels 1 perpendicularly to each other to form a substantially L-shaped structure, the sections 2c and 2d made on the extended surfaces 1d and 1a of a panel 1 'can mate with the section 2b made on the edge surface 1c of the other panel 1, with advantages in the assembly of the wheels 3 with braking device 4 in the panels 1 of this L-shaped structure.

This embodiment is advantageous for example in the case of self-propelled furniture in which the assembly is carried out by the user.

In fact, by assembling a piece of furniture with conventional panels equipped with unidirectional wheels, the movement direction of the piece of furniture can be substantially only one and is the one with which the piece of furniture and therefore the user has been designed, during or after the assembly phase. , cannot change the direction of movement of the furniture.

With reference to Figure 5, however, by using the panels 1 'according to the present invention, it is possible to give the piece of furniture at least a second direction of movement which, in the particular embodiment shown, is orthogonal to the first, simply by moving the wheel 3 with the relative braking device 4 from a through opening 2 of a first panel 1 to that of the second panel 1 'of the structure with the two panels 1, 1' arranged in an "L" shape. It is thus possible to design furniture in which the user can choose the direction of movement according to their needs.

For another example, the furniture can be equipped with two types of panels 1 and 1 '; the panels 1 can be like those shown in the embodiment of figures 1-4, while the panels 1 'can be of the type shown in figure 5, i.e. in which the through opening is equipped with a third inlet section 2c and of a fourth outlet section 2d respectively made on the extended side surfaces 1d (not visible) and 1a of the panel itself.

In this case, the cabinet can be designed by associating each type of panel 1, 1 'with a type of wheels 3, with different lengths of the operating lever of the braking device 4.

With reference to Figure 5, for example it can be had that the wheels 3 having a shorter operating lever can be recessed in the panel 1 'in which the lateral edge 1c is exposed, while the wheels 3 with a longer operating lever can be embedded in the panels 1 in which the lateral edge 1c (shown in hatching) is covered by a panel 1 '; in the latter case, the operating lever protruding from the side edge 1c of panel 1, hidden by panel 1 ', enters from the third inlet section 2c of panel 1' and protrudes from the fourth outlet section 2d of panel 1 '.

Once the furniture has been assembled, the user can choose the direction of movement by embedding a first type of wheels 3 to a type of panel 1 or a second type of wheels 3 to a second type of panel 1 '.

Also in this case the altered part of the panel 1 'visible from the outside is very small and is given by the sections 2b and 2d made respectively on the lateral edge surface 1c and on the extended lateral surface 1a of the panel 1'.

Finally, the panel 1, 1 ', as already mentioned, may be equipped with caps 30 to cover the sections obtained on the lateral edge and or on the exposed lateral surface; the caps 30 are inserted by interlocking in sections 2b and / or 2c and / or 2d of a generic panel 1, 1 'and can be of two types; covering caps that cover the entire section, for example in the event that the operating lever does not protrude from it; finishing caps, equipped with a hole of suitable area, which cover only the edge of the section allowing the operating lever to protrude from the section.

Claims (9)

CLAIMS 1. Self-propelled panel (1) for furnishing elements of the type comprising at least one extended lateral surface (1a) surrounded by at least one lower edge surface (1b) and by at least one lateral edge surface (1c) connected at an angle to said at least one lower edge surface (1b), and at least one roller (3) equipped with a braking device (4) with a tangential actuation lever (4a, 4b, 4c, 6), in which said roller (3) is constrained in rotation, inside said panel (1), so as to project from said lower edge surface (1b), characterized in that it comprises at least one through opening (2) having a first inlet section (2a) formed along said at least one lower edge surface (1b), in a position away from said at least one lateral edge surface (1c), and a second outlet section (2b) formed along said at least one lateral edge surface (1c), in a position away from said at least one bottom edge surface (1 b), said roller (3) being recessed in correspondence with said first inlet section (2a) of said through opening (2), and said tangential actuation lever (4a, 4b, 4c, 6) of the braking device (4) of said roller (3) being protruding from said second outlet section (2a) of the through opening (2). 2. Self-propelled panel (1) for furniture elements according to claim 1, wherein said actuation lever (4a, 4b, 4c, 6) of said braking device (4) comprises a first actuation end (4a) protruding from said second outlet section (2b) of the through opening (2), an intermediate portion (4b) pivoted in rotation within said panel (1), and a second end (4c) placed inside said through opening (2) and equipped with means (5) for reversible engagement with said roller (3). Self-propelled panel (1) for furniture elements according to claim 2, wherein said means (5) for reversible engagement with the wheel (3) comprise a cam (5a) and wherein said operating lever (4a , 4b, 4c, 6) can be rotated between at least a first rest position in which said cam (5a) is spaced from said roller (3) allowing it to rotate and at least a second locking position in which said cam (5a) engages with at least part of the wheel (3) preventing and / or braking its rotation. 4. Self-propelled panel (1) for furniture elements according to claims 2 and 3, wherein said braking device (4) further comprises an elastic element (7) acting on said tangential actuation lever (4a, 4b, 4c, 6 ), said elastic element (7), contacting at least part of said cam (7), assumes at least a first non-deformed configuration when said tangential actuation lever (4a, 4b, 4c, 6) is rotated into said first rest position and at least one second configuration deformed when said tangential actuation lever (4a, 4b, 4c, 6) is rotated into said second locking position. 5. Self-propelled panel (1) for furnishing elements according to any preceding claim, further comprising a box-like housing (20) for said roller (3) and said braking device (4), said roller (3) and said operating lever tangential (4a, 4b, 4c, 6) of the braking device (4) being constrained in rotation to said housing (20). 6. Self-propelled panel (1) for furnishing elements according to claim 5, further comprising fixing means (21) for fixing said housing (20) to at least one lower edge surface (1b) of said panel (1), after having built it into said through opening (2). Self-propelled panel (1) for furnishing elements according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said through opening (2) comprises a third inlet section (2c) made in at least a part of a first extended lateral surface (1d ) and / or a fourth outlet section (2d) made in at least a part of a second extended lateral surface (1a). 8. Self-propelled panel (1) for furnishing elements according to any preceding claim, further comprising at least one plug (30) to at least partially cover said at least one second outlet section (2b) and / or said at least one third section inlet (2c) and / or said at least one outlet section (2d) of said through opening (2). Self-propelled panel (1) for furnishing elements according to any preceding claim, characterized in that it is made, at least in part, of wood or polymeric material.