RU2763475C2 - Connecting and leveling system for furniture parts and furniture items with minimum size - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: furniture.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to a connecting and leveling system suitable for use for furniture and furniture items (M), with bottom (12) and at least one arm (11) positioned relatively to floor (P), while the specified system contains, in combination, at least one front leg element (14, 114) and at least one rear leg element (15, 115), wherein each front and rear leg element (14, 15; 114, 115) contains at least one connecting group (GC) and blocking group (GB) of a connecting device for a stable mutual connection of specified bottom (12) and specified at least one arm (11), wherein specified connecting group (GC) and specified blocking group (GB) of the connecting device can be operated from the front of furniture, wherein specified at least one front leg element (14, 114) and specified at least one rear leg element (15, 115) are located both under specified bottom (12), and specified at least one arm (11), wherein specified bottom (12) and specified at least one arm (11) do not rest on the floor, while in the specified system, each front and rear leg element (14, 15) also contains leveling device (GL) with a height adjustment mechanism adjustable by means of a tool, wherein specified leveling device (GL) of specified front and rear leg elements (14,15) can be operated from the front of furniture.

EFFECT: providing a connecting and leveling system for furniture parts and furniture items, which is particularly simple, compact and capable of withstanding the entire weight of furniture with its additional contents when used.

11 cl, 29 dwg

Description

The present invention relates to a connecting and leveling system for furniture pieces and furnishings with a minimum dimension.

Various joining and alignment systems are known for pieces of furniture and furnishings which involve providing a series of visible openings and spaces for actuating the joints and in particular using some free space under the furniture to adjust the rear leg of the furniture and the rear joints.

Solutions are also known in which connecting and leveling systems for furniture parts and pieces of furniture are located in a limited space under the furniture and offer, as a rule, actuation from the front, which includes both a device for connecting the bottom with a shoulder and a leveling device for a piece of furniture. .

In all these cases, the placement of a piece of furniture occurs in which the shoulder or shoulders rest on the floor, and the bottom or lower shelf is raised relative to the floor located below it.

In addition, in all these cases there is a front support leg and a rear support leg, and thus both must be accessible in order to obtain connections between the shoulder and the bottom, as well as to adjust the equalizer, if any.

It should also be noted that actuation from above, in particular for rear connections and equalizers, is not always easy due to limited spaces between shelves or minimum distances from the bottom of a piece of furniture or from the back of the furniture.

This requirement is even more stringent if said furniture in the form of, for example, modular kitchens incorporating built-in dishwashers, refrigerators, ovens and other appliances cannot provide adjustable feet from within the furniture that is occupied by the appliance.

All these solutions or problems are also exacerbated if, due to structural requirements and for the placement of parts, there is a piece of furniture in which the shoulder, or shoulders, or bottom, or bottom shelf should not rest on the floor, and a really minimum distance between the bottom or bottom is required. shelf and floor.

The solution in this case must be such as to support the entire weight of the furniture - shoulders, bottom and shelves - as well as additional contents without any support other than the legs, ensuring that connections and fittings between parts are made in really minimal spaces and without creating any visible holes.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a joining and leveling system for pieces of furniture and furnishings that solves the problems and disadvantages mentioned above.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a joining and leveling system for pieces of furniture and pieces of furniture that is particularly simple, compact and able to support the entire weight of the furniture with its additional contents in use.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a connecting and leveling system for furniture pieces and furnishings which provides connection and fit at the front as well as rear connections and leveling feet.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a connecting and leveling system for pieces of furniture and pieces of furniture, which is also available when said furniture has a very limited space under the bottom and with severe access difficulties.

The above goals are achieved using a system with features defined in the attached paragraph 1 and subparagraphs.

The structural and functional characteristics of the present invention and the advantages over the prior art can be clearly understood from the following description, with reference to the appended figures, which show various embodiments of the invention itself.

On the figures:

- fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a first example of a connecting and leveling system for pieces of furniture and pieces of furniture with minimal dimensions, obtained according to the present invention and designed to connect the shoulder and base or bottom of a piece of furniture with a front leg element and a rear leg element, located both under the shoulder and the bottom of the piece of furniture, neither of which rests on the floor;

- fig. 1a is a bottom view of the connection and alignment system shown in FIG. one;

- fig. 2 is an elevated sectional view taken along line II-II of FIG. 1a, the front leg element with a connecting and leveling device with the addition of a bottom and a shoulder;

- fig. 3 is an elevated sectional view taken along line III-III of FIG. 1a, the front leg element with a connecting and leveling device with the addition of a bottom and a shoulder;

- fig. 4 and 5 are perspective views from various directions of a front and/or rear leg member provided with a connector and an equalizer inserted therein;

- fig. 6 and 7 are top and bottom plan views of the leg member of FIG. 4 and 5;

- fig. 8, 9 and 10 are elevational views from the two long sides and the short side of the leg element of FIG. 4 and 5;

- fig. 11 is a perspective view similar to that of FIG. 4 with connector and equalizer undocked from the leg element;

- fig. 12 and 13 are partially exploded perspective views of the separately connecting device and separately leveling device shown in FIG. eleven;

- fig. 14-17 are perspective views showing the successive steps of inserting the front and rear leg members into the bottom, the transmission rods therein, locking said transmission rods in place, and assembling the arm relative to the bottom provided with the leg elements;

- fig. 18 is a perspective view showing a second example of a simplified connection system for furniture pieces and pieces of furniture with minimal dimensions, obtained according to the present invention and designed to connect the shoulder and base or bottom of a piece of furniture with a front leg element and a rear leg element located both under the shoulder and the bottom of the furniture, neither of which rests on the floor;

- fig. 18a is a bottom view of the connection and alignment system shown in FIG. eighteen;

- fig. 19 is an elevated sectional view taken along line XIX-XIX of FIG. 18a, a front leg element with a connecting and leveling device with the addition of a bottom and a shoulder;

- fig. 20 and 21 are perspective views from various directions of a front and/or rear leg member provided with a connector inserted therein;

- fig. 22 and 23 are top and bottom plan views of the leg member of FIG. 20 and 21;

- fig. 24, 25 and 26 are elevational views from the two long sides and the short side of the leg element of FIG. 20 and 21;

- fig. 27 is a perspective view similar to that of FIG. 20 with the connector detached from the leg element;

- fig. 28 is a partially exploded perspective view of the separately connecting device shown in FIG. 27;

- fig. 29 is a top perspective view of the connection and alignment system of FIG. 1 which also shows a tool guiding device suitable for use in the assembly and fitting phase of furniture or furnishings.

In general, with reference to the figures, it may be noted that the figures partially show a piece of furniture M having a shoulder 11 (side walls in the examples) (only one of which is shown) and a bottom 12.

The front leg element 14 and the rear leg element 15, located both under the bottom 12 and shoulder 11, are also shown. Neither the bottom 12 nor the arm(s) 11 rest on the floor P (FIG. 2), and in this example the arm 11 and the bottom 12 are aligned and raised relative to the underlying floor P.

As can be seen, in furniture of this type, indeed, the minimum space is defined under the bottom 12 and the arm 11. In this case, the furniture M must support its entire weight (shoulders, bottom and shelves), in addition to additional contents, without any support, except for the elements - legs.

The height h of the space between the combined bottom 12 and shoulder 11 and the floor makes it difficult for the operator to access the front and, above all, the rear leg elements.

It is thus very difficult to secure the connection and, above all, each adjustment in place, due to the small distance between the floor P and the bottom 12 and arm 11 of the furniture M, both of which are raised above the floor P.

Fig. 1-17 show how, in a first example of the system of the present invention, at least one front leg member 14 and one rear leg member 15 are secured to the bottom or base 12 to provide an entirely new connecting and leveling system.

Both leg elements 14 and 15 include connecting devices between pieces of furniture and furnishings and leveling devices with respect to the floor P.

Fig. 1-13 show how a typical leg element 14 and 15 of the connecting and leveling system for furniture and furnishings according to the present invention contains a body 16, for example, prismatic, which can be attached both under the bottom 12 and the shoulder 11. In particular , a lateral extension or shelf 17 protruding along the short side of the body 16 forms a support for the lower end of the arm 11, bringing it up and thus maintaining it at the same level as the bottom 12.

The body 16, for example molded from zamak or plastic or other material suitable for this purpose, provides voids and ribs to lighten and/or increase rigidity. In particular, it has a first recess or recess 18 for the blocking group GB of the connecting device and a second recess or recess 20 for the alignment device 21.

Fig. 2 shows how the blocking group GB of the blocking device is at least partially placed in the blind hole 22 formed in the bottom surface 23 of the bottom 12. In addition, the connecting device has a connecting group GC associated with the blocking group GB. In particular, the connecting group GC is inserted axially aligned with the axis of symmetry X of the thickness of the bottom 12. More specifically, it can be seen that the arm 11 has a groove S1 in the form of a horizontal blind hole 24, and the threaded end 25 of the stud 26 protrudes from the arm 11 when positioned in the indicated hole 24.

The pin 26, which is coaxial with the thickness of the bottom, is located in the horizontal hole 27 of the bottom 12 itself. It can also be noted that the hole 27 is aligned with the hole 24 in the arm 11 of the furniture M. The pin 26 in its protruding part has a socket 28 for the tip of the blocking countersunk screw 29 blocking group GB of the connecting device.

The blocking group GB of the connecting device has a cylindrical shell formed, for example, by a pair of half-shells 31, 32. An opening 33 for actuating the blocking group GB of the connecting device is formed at the bottom in one of the half-shells 31 of the shell. The opening 33 provides access to the means for moving the countersunk screw 29 mentioned earlier. In fact, the countersunk screw 29 is caused to slide inside the shell 31, 32 by means of the pinion-toothed gear 34, 35. The pinion 34 is rotatably positioned within the shell 31, 32 and engages with a toothed crown 35 configured as the head of a threaded screw 36. The toothed crown 35 is only rotatable within the shell 31, 32 in the groove 37, but does not move. The threaded screw 36 is in turn located in a coaxial threaded hole 38 within the countersunk screw 29. Rotation of the threaded screw 36 causes the countersunk screw 29 to move between the engaged position and the disengaged position.

With the help of these means, the pin 26 is blocked, which passes through the holes 41, 42 of the half-shells 31, 32, and, consequently, the bottom 12 relative to the shoulder 11 of the furniture M for the leg element 14 or 15.

A tool (not shown), through its tip, adjusts the gear 34 passing through both the front hole 39 of the body 16 and the hole 33 of the half-shell 31 of the shell. Ring 40 blocks two half-shells 31, 32 containing the mechanism between them.

Fig. 3 shows how part of the leveling device 21 is inserted downward into a blind hole 43 formed in the bottom surface 23 of the bottom 12.

The leveling device 21 has a cylindrical shell formed, for example, by a pair of half shells 44, 45 locked together by a bottom cover or cap 53. In the half shell 44 of the shell, an opening 46 is provided at the bottom to actuate the leveling device 21. The opening 46 provides access for the means of movement equalizer. The pinion-toothed transmission is actually located within the shell 44, 45. The pinion 47 is rotatably located within the shell 44, 45 and engages with the crown 48 formed as a threaded screw head 49. The toothed crown 48 is rotatable within the seat 50 of the shell 44, 45 and is free to rotate but not move. The threaded screw 49 is in turn located in the threaded hole 51 within the hollow inverted cup pusher 52 . The hollow push member 52 is positioned coaxially with the outer side of the shell 44, 45. Rotation of the threaded screw 49 causes the hollow push member 52 to move up and/or down and adjust the equalizer by interference engagement within the blind hole 43 formed in the bottom 12.

With the help of these means, the position and alignment of the furniture M with respect to the floor P is ensured.

A tool (not shown) adjusts, by means of its tip, a gear 47 passing through both the front opening 64 of the body 16 and the opening 46 of the half shell 44 of the shell.

Fig. 14 shows how the front leg element 14 and the rear leg element 15, provided with a connecting device and an alignment device, are inserted into the respective holes 22 and 43 formed under the bottom 12.

Fig. 15 shows how, when positioned in this way, the front leg element 14 and the rear leg element 15, complete with a connecting device and an alignment device, are provided with two transmission (return) rods 54. Said transmission rods 54 are arranged so that they pass through the holes 55, 56 and channels 57, 58 of the body 16 of the front leg 14 to reach and engage their ends in the gears 34 and 47 of the linkage and alignment device of the rear leg 15.

Next fig. 16 shows how the blocking comb 59 is inserted into the socket 60 of the housing 16 to ensure that the transmission rods 54 are blocked in this operating position.

Finally, fig. 17 shows the final stage in which the arm 11 is mounted on the bottom 12.

For this purpose, the pins 26 protruding from the shoulder 11 are inserted into holes 27 which are formed horizontally in the bottom 12 in a direction parallel to the floor P.

It can also be seen how FIG. 1 or fig. 16, 17 show that the actuation points of the connecting group GC and the alignment group GL are both. the front and rear leg members 14, 15 are arranged side by side on a horizontal plane parallel to the floor P. The size of the body 16 of the leg members 14, 15 is thus minimized.

From the plane view of Fig. 6 and corresponding views of FIG. 4 and 11, it can also be seen how the first recess or seat 18 for the interlocking group GB of the connecting device and the second recess or seat 20 for the alignment device 21 are formed offset in the plane of the body 16 to occupy the smallest possible space and to enable the actuation of both devices.

Fig. 18-28 show a simplified embodiment of the system according to the present invention.

As such, in this example, there is a condition that only the connecting device is present in the leg elements for furniture and furnishings. In any case, also in this example, the minimum size of the leg elements is ensured, while the furniture rests entirely on the leg elements located below it.

Identical elements are indicated by the same position numbers, and for similar elements, the number "1" is added in front.

Thus, a body 116 of the front leg member 114 and the rear leg member 115 is provided, which only includes a connector having a connector group GC connected to a blocking group GB. The housing 116 has, instead of the second recessed slot or socket 20 for the leveling device 21 of the first example, a protrusion 180 protruding above the housing 116. This protrusion 180 is placed in a hole (not shown) formed in the bottom 12 and interacting to form a stable connection between the elements - legs 114, 115 and a bottom 12. In this example, there is also a blind hole 22 formed in the bottom surface 23 of the bottom 12, where the blocking group GB of the located connecting device 18 is located. .

One transmission rod 54 is also provided. This transmission rod 54 is positioned to pass through opening 156 and channel 158 of body 116 of front leg 114 to reach and engage its end in gear 34 of rear leg 115 coupler.

The adjustment of the blocking group GB of the front leg member 114 is made through the front opening 139 formed in the housing 116.

This simplified example also has the same advantages as previously indicated for the first example of the system of the present invention.

The operation of the connecting and aligning system for pieces of furniture and pieces of furniture with a minimum dimension, described earlier, is simple and can be easily understood from what has just been indicated and shown in the attached figures.

This type of connecting and leveling system for furniture parts and furnishings: with a minimum dimension according to the present invention provides; that there will be no visible holes, also ensuring that both shoulders and bottom are not flush with the floor, breaking away from it.

When done correctly, it provides an easy connection and makes it easier to level the piece of furniture.

It is fixed to the bottom of the furniture and provides actuation in front of the furniture through the space between the bottom or shoulder and the floor, even when the space between the bottom and shoulder and the floor is very limited.

It should also be noted that this type of system according to the present invention contains both a connecting group GC and a blocking group GB, as well as an alignment group.

Any disadvantage of actuation is eliminated, since it is possible to operate both when connecting and, above all, when aligning with the front of the furniture without any visible opening in the furniture itself.

Fig. 1 shows how, by acting with a tool passing through the hole 39 of the housing 16, on the gear 34 of the blocking group GB of the front leg element 14, the countersunk screw 29 is engaged in the groove 28 of the pin 26, providing a connection between the shoulder 11 and the bottom 12 due to the presence of a connecting GC groups.

To engage the connecting group GC of the rear leg 15, the same tool acts on the head of the transmission rod 54. Said head of the transmission rod 54 is located in the hole 56 of the body 16 of the front leg 14. The opposite end of the transmission rod 54 thus acts on the pinion 34 of the blocking group GB of the rear leg element 15. This action causes the countersunk screw 29 to engage in the groove 28 of the pin 26, providing a connection between the shoulder 11 and the bottom 12 due to the presence of the connecting group GC also in the rear leg element 15.

A similar action is also performed for alignment.

Again in FIG. 1, for example, it can be seen how, by operating a tool passing from the opening 64 of the housing 16, the gear 47 of the leveling device 21 of the front leg element 14 performs a part of the correct alignment. This is due to the movement of the hollow pushing element 52 inside the blind hole 43 of the bottom 12, which by pushing the bottom causes it to move upwards and adjust the leveler.

This alignment operation is completed by acting with a tool on the head of the corresponding transmission rod 54. Said transmission rod 54 is located in the hole 55 of the body 16 of the front leg element 14. The opposite end of the transmission rod 54 thus acts on the gear 47 of the leveling device 21 of the rear element legs 15. This action similarly causes the hollow pusher element 52 to engage inside the blind hole 43 of the bottom 12. Raising or lowering the bottom allows adjustment of the leveler, also present in the rear leg element 15.

Fig. 29 is a top perspective view of the connection and alignment system of FIG. 1, which also shows a tool guide 200 suitable for use in the assembly phase.

This type of tool guiding device 200 makes it possible to facilitate the blocking and adjustment operations described previously.

The above tool guiding device 200 includes a parallelepiped body 201 in which, for example, four guide sockets A, B, C, and D for a tool tip rod (not shown) are formed. There may also be fewer pockets, and there may be any number of them, depending on the application for which the tool guide is intended.

Each of the slots A, B, C, and D has a recessed channel in the top of the housing 201, which protrudes from the rear surface of the housing in accordance with the corresponding holes. These openings in the body 201 may be aligned in the direction of the front element 14 containing at least one connecting group or device, and, if any, an alignment group. In addition, they are obtained in such a way that they can be directed towards the ends of the transmission rods 54 to actuate the connecting group or device and the alignment group of the rear element.

To facilitate positioning of the tool guiding device 200, one side of its body 201 has rear engagement lugs 217 cooperating with slots 216 suitable for receiving the device engaging lugs 217 relative to the front member 14.

This can also be repeated identically with respect to the simplified example of FIG. 18-28, in which the previous considerations regarding operation apply only to the connecting device, i.e. connecting group GC and blocking group GB.

In this way, a stable and final blocking is obtained between the arm 11 and the bottom 12 of the furniture and, in addition, also a correct leveling.

In view of the various embodiments shown and described previously, the characteristics of the system of the present invention are thus reiterated.

This type of connecting and leveling system for furniture pieces and furnishings ensures that there is no visible hole once it has been correctly assembled to connect and align the furniture, thus giving the furniture good functional and aesthetic characteristics.

This type of downsized system makes it possible to have front and rear leg elements that can support the entire piece of furniture and its contents with minimal clearance between the shoulder and the bottom with respect to the floor.

In addition, even with such a reduced gap, it is possible to perform both connection and blocking between furniture parts (shoulder and bottom) along with leveling, if necessary.

This is all achieved by actuating from the front of the furniture through the minimum space between bottom and shoulder and the floor, in a very limited space between the bottom, shoulder and floor and generally considered very limited by the operator.

Preferably, with the system of the present invention, both the connection or connection group with appropriate blocking and the leveling group under the thickness of the bottom and arm of the furniture are very compact and easy to operate by any operator.

Any disadvantage of actuation is eliminated, since it is possible to operate both when connecting and, above all, when aligning with the front of the furniture without any visible opening in the furniture itself.

This condition also provides for the exclusion of any additional element that serves to ensure the correct direction or orientation of the screwdriver, which must be present in known additional systems in the form of a guide or similar element fixed to the bottom of the furniture.

Thus, the objectives indicated in the introductory part of the description have been achieved.

The scope of protection of the present invention is defined by the appended claims.

Claims (11)

1. Connecting and leveling system suitable for use with furniture and furnishings (M), with a bottom (12) and at least one shoulder (11) located relative to the floor (P), while this system contains in combination at least at least one front leg element (14, 114) and at least one rear leg element (15, 115), each front and rear leg element (14, 15; 114, 115) containing at least one connecting group (GC) and blocking group (GB) of the connecting device for stable mutual connection of the specified bottom (12) and the specified at least one shoulder (11), and the specified connecting group (GC) and the specified blocking group (GB) of the connecting device can be action at the front of the furniture, wherein said at least one front leg element (14, 114) and said at least one rear leg element (15, 115) are located both under said bottom (12) and at least said one shoulder (11), and said bottom (12) and said at least one shoulder (11) do not rest on the floor, while said system is characterized in that each front and rear leg element (14, 15) also contains a leveling a device (GL) with a height adjustment mechanism adjustable by means of a tool, wherein said leveling device (GL) of said front and rear leg elements (14, 15) can be actuated from the front of the furniture. 2. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the actuation points of said connecting group (GC) and blocking group (GB) and said alignment group (GL) of said front and rear leg elements (14, 15; 114, 115 ) are located on a horizontal plane parallel to the specified floor, next to each other. 3. System according to claim 2, characterized in that said blocking group (GB) and alignment group (GL) of said rear leg elements (15) are connected to said front leg element (14) by means of return rods (54). 4. System according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that each front and rear leg element (14, 114; 15, 115) comprises a body made of zamak or plastic or other material which has cavities and ribs to facilitate and/ or stiffening. 5. The system according to claim 4, characterized in that said body (16, 116) of the prismatic type can be attached both under the bottom (12) and said at least one shoulder (11) and provides at least one short on the side, a protruding lateral ledge or shelf (17) which forms a support for the lower end of at least one arm (11). 6. System according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each front and rear leg element (14, 15) has a plurality of holes (64, 39, 55, 56) for adjusting a tool for a connecting group (GC), blocking group (GB) and alignment group (GL). 7. The system according to claim. 6, characterized in that at least two of these holes (55, 56) also provide through channels (57, 58) in the housing (16) of each front and rear leg element (14, 15) . 8. The system according to any one of paragraphs. 4-7, characterized in that said body (16) has a first hollow groove or seat (18) for a blocking group (GB) of the connecting device and a second hollow groove or seat (20) for an alignment device (21). 9. The system according to claim. 8, characterized in that the specified first hollow groove or socket (18) and the specified second hollow groove or socket (20) are formed with an offset in the plane of the housing (16) in order to occupy the minimum possible space and ensure the reduction in action in front of the connecting group (GC), the blocking group (GB) and the leveling group (GL). 10. The system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said blocking group (GB) of the connecting device of each of the front leg element (14) and the rear leg element (15) contains a pin (26) located entirely in the shoulder (11 ), and the specified blocking group (GB) of the connecting device contains a countersunk screw (29), which can slide through the transmission (34, 35) gear - toothed crown, located rotatably in the shell (31, 32), and the specified gear (34 ) engages with a toothed crown (35) made as the head of a screw (36) with a thread, and the specified screw (36) with a thread, in turn, is located in a coaxial hole (38) with a thread and inside a countersunk screw (29), rotation threaded screw (36) causes the countersunk screw (29) to move between the engaged position and the disengaged position with said pin (26). 11. The system according to any one of paragraphs. 1-10, characterized in that said leveling device (21) contains a cylindrical shell (44, 45) containing inside the transmission (47, 48) gear - tooth crown, and said gear (47) is located for rotation inside the shell (44 , 45) and engages with the specified toothed crown (48) made as the head of a screw (49) with a thread, and the specified toothed crown (48) rotates inside the shell (44, 45) without moving, and the specified screw (49) is threaded , in turn, is located in the threaded hole (51) inside the hollow pusher element (52) located coaxially with the outer side of the shell (44, 45), and the rotation of the threaded screw (49) causes the hollow pusher to move up and / or down element (52) and adjusting the leveler by interference engagement inside a blind hole (43) formed in said bottom (12).

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