MXPA01007757A - Foot for the cabinet of electrical household appliances and other furniture articles - Google Patents

Abstract

A foot for the cabinet of electrical household appliances and other furniture articles, comprising a body (10), which is externally threaded and has an upper portion (11) to be attached to a support (20) incorporated to the lower structure of the cabinet, and a lower portion (12) carrying a seating surface (16, 46) displaceable on a floor (P);and a nut (30) mounted around the body (10), so that it may be rotated by the user and thus axially displaced between a cabinet displacing position, in which its lower end face (31) remains operatively disconnected from the floor (P), and a cabinet locking position, in which its lower end face (31) is seated against the floor (P), with a sufficient force to avoid the displacement of the lower portion (12) of the body (10) on the floor (P).

Description

PATA FOR THE FRAMEWORK OF APPLIANCES APPLIANCES AND OTHER DOMESTIC APPLIANCES FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a foot for furniture in general and, particularly, for frames of household appliances, such as refrigerators, freezers and laundry machines, which allows these appliances to be moved relatively easily on the floor, leveled in the Desired operational position and selectively immobilized against slippage.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is known from the prior art of different constructions for a leg of the aforementioned type. In one of these constructions, front legs with adjustable height and dorsal rollers are provided, the stability of the frame in the operational position is ensured by the friction of the front legs against the floor. This solution is deficient with respect to the mobility of the frame and its immobilization in the operational position. Another known solution comprises four legs in the form of rollers, which represent an expensive construction, which is difficult to level and whose immobilization, generally not efficient, is achieved by interrupting the rotation of the rollers, which does not prevent the sliding on the floor. There are also the legs, which can be adjusted by means of cams, in order to guarantee a more precise level adjustment, and which are generally applied to heavy products, such as side by side refrigerators and freezers. This known solution is of a complex and expensive construction, which requires multiple means to obtain the characteristics of sliding, immobilization and leveling.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A general objective of the present invention is to provide a leg for the framework of household appliances and other appliances, which allows, by means of a simple construction and a relatively low cost, that the frame can be manually moved easily on the floor , to have a simple and safe immobilization in the chosen operational position and to level correctly in the position in which it is immobilized. The above objective is achieved by providing a leg comprising: a body, which is externally threaded and has an upper portion that is connected to a support incorporated in the lower structure of the frame, and a lower portion that has a support surface, which It is movable on the floor; and a nut mounted around the body, so that it must be rotated by the user, and axially displaced in this way between a frame moving position, in which its lower end face remains operatively disconnected from the floor, and a position of frame immobilization, in which its lower end face rests on the floor, with sufficient force to prevent the movement of the frame on the floor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be described below, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the leg of the present invention, in the displacement position and mounted to a support incorporated to the structure bottom of the frame; Figure 2 is a diametrical cross-sectional view of! assembly of figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the leg shown in Figures 1 and 2, illustrating a possible construction for its attachment to the respective support incorporated in the lower structure of the frame; Figure 4 is a top perspective view of the support, showing a construction detail of its region to which the leg is applied and fastened; Figure 5 is a perspective view of the body of the leg illustrated in the previous figures; Figure 6 is a top end view of the body shown in Figure 5; Figure 7 is a bottom perspective view of the body illustrated in Figures 5 and 6; Figure 8 is an enlarged perspective view of another form of construction of the present invention, illustrating the body and nut shown in Figure 2, and a roller for mounting to the body; Figure 9 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the leg carrying the roller illustrated in Figure 8 and in the position of displacement of the frame; and Figure 10 is a view similar to that of Figure 9, but illustrating the leg in the frame immobilization position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED MODALITIES According to the attached drawings, the leg of the present invention is preferably produced in plastic material and comprises a body 10, which is externally threaded and includes an upper portion 11 to be connected and fixed to a respective support 20 incorporated in the bottom structure of a frame (not shown) of a household electrical appliance or other appliances, the body 10 has a lower portion 12 having a bearing surface, which is displaceable on the floor P. In a constructive form of the invention , illustrated in Figures 1 to 7, the lower portion 12 includes a sliding surface 16 with an approximate shape of a spherical skull portion, in order to rest on a floor P, on which the frame is supported, and allows the frame easily slides on smooth or substantially smooth floors, without requiring much user effort. According to the illustrated embodiment, the body 10 has the shape of a cylindrical tubular rod, with the lower end open and the upper end closed and defining the upper portion 11 in the form of an axial projection of smaller diameter than that of the body 10. and also is provided with an external thread extension 11a. The upper portion 11 of the body 10 includes an eccentric prominence 14, whose function will be explained later. With this construction, each leg has the upper portion 11 of its body 10 screwed to a hole 21 provided in a base portion of the respective support 20, which is U-shaped and incorporated in the lower structure of the frame (not shown) . As illustrated in Figures 2, 3, 4 the hole 21 of each support 20 has its edge with the shape to define a threaded slope generally helical, which allows the engagement with the external thread 11A of the upper portion 11 of the body 10 and consequently the axial locking of the latter to the support 20.

In order that the body 10 remains properly fixed to the support 20 and secured both axially and rotatably to it, the support 20 is provided with a groove 22 that projects radially from the hole 21 and that is positioned and has the dimensions to receive the protrusion 24 incorporated into the upper portion of the body 10, when said face abuts against the support 20 at the end of the screwing of the upper portion 11 into the orifice 21. In the illustrated embodiment (Figure 7), the body 10 includes internally and from its open lower end, longitudinal projections 15 which are angularly spaced apart from each other and which have the shape to mesh with the respective support 20 by means of a mounting tool operating with electrical energy, after joining the body 10 to the support respective 20. In the constructive form illustrated in Figures 1 to 7, the body 10 defines the leg itself, since its lower end, in the form of a portion It has the function of being supported on the floor P and of allowing, thanks to the material with which the body 10 and the round shape is made, that said leg slides relatively easily on smooth floors or Substantially smooth and flat. In another embodiment of the present invention, as illustrated in FIGS. 8 to 10, the body 10 carries, at least partially mounted therein, from its lower portion 12, a roller 40 defining a bearing surface 46, which it projects downwardly from a plane including a lower end face of the body 10 that is abuttable on the floor P when the leg is in a frame moving position (Figure 9). In this construction, the roller 40, which can be of the removable type, for example, is brought horizontally to the lower portion 12 of the body 10 around a pivot shaft 41 having its ends adjusted in respective radial holes 18 provided in the body 10. In order to ensure that the present leg presents the other two operational characteristics, ie, the selective immobilization against involuntary displacements (Figure 10) and the leveling of the frame, a nut 30 is mounted around the externally threaded body 10, so that it can be moved rotationally and selectively by the user and moved axially between it. to the frame moving position, in which its lower end face 31 remains operatively disconnected from the floor P and generally remote from it, and a frame immobilization position (FIG. 10), in which its lower end face is supported against the floor P. A greater twist of the nut 30 may be required in order to absorb, to a greater or lesser degree, the weight of the frame, as a function of the requirements of immobilization and leveling in each particular application. The lower end face 31 of the nut 30 is preferably provided with a coating 15 of an anti-skid material, in order to facilitate its immobilization effect against displacement, when pressed against the floor P.

In the illustrated embodiment, the coating 50 with an anti-slip material takes the form of an annular insert, which can be co-injected, fitted or joined to the lower end face 31 of the nut 30. However, it should be understood that the anti-slip material can be defined by the material from which the nut 30 is made. The nut 30 preferably has multiple faces on its surface, alternating projecting face portions or sinking face portions, at least some of these faces are provided with radial holes. 32 to introduce a tool, in order to apply a sufficient manual torque to promote the rotation of the nut 30 to its sliding and immobilization-leveling operational positions. With the constructions described above, an easily fabricated leg is provided that is relatively inexpensive and allows the user to obtain the displacement and immobilization-leveling functions of the frame by means of a very simple and safe manual operation.

Claims (5)

NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION CLAIMS

1. - A leg for the framework of household appliances and other appliances, further characterized in that it comprises: a body 10, which is externally threaded and has an upper portion 11 which is connected to a support 20 incorporated in the lower structure of the frame, and a portion bottom 12 having a support surface 16, 46, which is displaceable on the floor P; and a nut 30 mounted around the body 10, so that it must be rotated by the user, and axially displaced in this manner towards a frame moving position, in which its lower end face 31 remains operatively disconnected from the floor P, and a frame immobilization position, in which its lower end face 31 rests on the floor P, with sufficient force to prevent the displacement of the frame on the floor P. 2.- The leg, in accordance with the claim 1, further characterized in that the lower end face 31 of the nut 30 is at least partially defined as a coating 50 of an anti-skid material. 3. The leg, according to claim 2, further characterized in that the coating 50 of non-slip material is defined by an annular insert, which is fitted to and attached to the nut 30. A - The leg according to claim 2, further characterized in that the nut 30 is provided with radial holes (32) on its side surface, in order to adjust a tool to apply a manual torque. 5. A leg according to claim 1, further characterized in that the upper portion 11 of the body 10 has the form of an axial projection of smaller diameter and is provided with an external thread 11a and is engaged with the edge of an orifice 21. provided on a base portion of the respective support 20. The leg according to claim 5, further characterized in that each hole 21 has its edge with the shape to define a generally helical thread slope to be engaged by external thread 11 a of the upper portion 11 of the body 10. The leg according to claim 1, further characterized in that the upper portion of the body 10 includes an eccentric protrusion 14 which fits a groove 22 of the support 20 when the portion 11 of the body 10 rests against the support 20 at the end of the screwing of the external thread extension 11a into the hole 21. 8.- The leg of compliance with n claim 1, further characterized in that the body 10 takes the form of a cylindrical tubular rod with the lower end open and the upper end closed. 9. The leg according to claim 8, further characterized in that the body 10 includes, internally and from its open lower end, longitudinal projections 15 that are angularly separated and have the shape to be engaged by the respective support 20 by means of a mounting tool driven by electric power, after fixing the body 10 to the respective support 20. 10. The leg according to claim 1, further characterized in that the lower portion 12 includes a sliding surface 16 that rests on the floor 11. The leg according to claim 10, further characterized in that the lower portion 12 of the body 10 has the approximate shape of a spherical cap that defines the sliding surface 16. 1

2. The leg in accordance with the claim 1, further characterized in that it includes a roller 40 which is carried horizontally to the lower portion 12 of the body 10, with the In order to define a bearing surface 46 resting on the floor P when the nut 30 is moved to the frame moving position. 1

3. The leg according to claim 12, further characterized in that the roller 40 is partially mounted inside the body 10 from its lower end 12. 1

4. The leg according to claim 12, further characterized in that the roller 40 is removibie. 1

5. The leg according to claim 14, further characterized in that the roller 40 is mounted around a rotating shaft 41, whose ends are fitted within respective radial holes provided in the body 10.