WO1996012424A1

WO1996012424A1 - Multipurpose drawer for commercial furniture

Info

Publication number: WO1996012424A1
Application number: PCT/EP1995/004114
Authority: WO
Inventors: Giovanni Ronda
Original assignee: Ronda Europa S.P.A.
Priority date: 1994-10-25
Filing date: 1995-10-20
Publication date: 1996-05-02
Also published as: EP0735835A1

Abstract

A multipurpose drawer for commercial furniture, comprising a housing (11) made of plastics inside which one or more compartments (12) are slidingly supported. Raised portions (17, 18) extend monolithically from the internal surface of the housing (11) and/or grooves are formed therein, the raised portions (17, 18) and/or grooves being adapted to form guides and/or rails for the sliding of the one or more compartments (12) in cooperation with carriages (20, 21).

Description

MULTIPURPOSE DRAWER FOR COMMERCIAL FURNITURE Technical field

The present invention relates to a multipurpose drawer for commercial furniture. Background Art

In the field of commercial furniture, there is the need to have a plurality of drawers adapted to contain the most disparate materials, both loose and as separate pieces- Consider, for example, the drawers present inside large refrigerators, or the filter shakeout drawers located under coffee machines in bars or restaurants. Each type of drawer for commercial use currently requires particular characteristics in terms of functionality and mechanical strength.

However, it is possible to identify a substantially common structure for most drawers of commercial furniture. This structure entails using metallic material, usually stainless steel, to form the drawer, and substantially comprises a metallic housing inside which the rails for the sliding of one or more compartments inside said housing are fixed; the rails are separate elements prior to assembly, and the compartments are also made of metallic material.

The elements later acting as rails are fixed either by welding or by mechanical coupling by means of threaded elements. Anyway, in either case fixing is extremely troublesome, and in the case of drawers subjected to intense mechanical stresses, sometimes of the impact type, such as in filter shakeout drawers, in the course of time the welds can easily break, whereas mechanical connections tend to create plays that entail poor overall operation of the drawer. Furthermore, if the housing is made of a plurality of mutually welded or mechanically connected parts, especially in the case of drawers meant to contain fumes or substances requiring a certain protection, for example from air, in the course of time functionality tends to decrease, due to the formation of cracks and of plays between the connections.

Furthermore, fascias are applied to the compartments that slide inside the drawers, both for aesthetic and functional requirements; handles for moving said compartments are formed or applied to said fascias, generally by molding but also by connection by welding or by virtue of mechanical means.

These fascias are currently connected to the corresponding compartments by welding or by virtue of mechanical means.

Also because of the above mentioned reasons, these connecting methods can easily deteriorate in terms of functionality in the course of time and due to use, and on a production level they entail considerable constructive complication, requiring highly specialized labor, especially in the case of welds. Disclosure of the Invention

A principal aim of the present invention is to provide a multipurpose drawer the constructive structure whereof can adapt to a wide range of requirements in the field of commercial furniture.

In relation to the above aim, an object of the present invention is to provide a multipurpose drawer the constructive structure whereof considerably simplifies the processes required for its production with respect to those required for conventional drawers.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a multipurpose drawer the production whereof minimizes the requirement of specialized labor. Another object of the present invention is to provide a multipurpose drawer the quality level whereof, as a product, is competitive with that of conventional models. Another object of the present invention is to provide a multipurpose drawer that is durably reliable as regards both its operation proper, and as regards any specific features for containing fumes or for protecting substances placed inside it.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a multipurpose drawer having competitive costs with respect to conventional ones and furthermore allowing to apply any fascia to a corresponding compartment in order to obtain an optimum aesthetic and functional effect.

This aim, these objects, and others which will become apparent hereinafter are achieved by a multipurpose drawer for commercial furniture, which comprises a housing inside which one or more compartments are slidingly supported, characterized in that said housing is made of plastics and in that raised portions extend monolithically from the internal surface of said housing and/or grooves are formed therein, said raised portions and/or grooves being adapted to form guides and/or rails for the sliding of said one or more compartments in cooperation with carriages. Brief description of the Drawings

Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the description of an embodiment thereof, illustrated only by way of non- limitative example in the accompanying drawings, wherein: figure 1 is an exploded view of the multipurpose drawer according to the invention; figure 2 is an axonometric view of the multipurpose drawer according to the invention; figure 3 is an axonometric view of a detail of the multipurpose drawer according to the invention; figure 4 is a sectional view of a further detail of the multipurpose drawer according to the invention; figure 5 is a partially cutout side view of a multipurpose drawer according to the invention; figures 6 and 7 are partially sectional axonometric views of a same detail of the drawer according to the invention, shown in a pre-assembly step and an assembly step respectively; figure 8 is a sectional view of a different embodiment of the detail of figure 4. Ways of carrying out the Invention

With reference to figures 1 to 7, a multipurpose drawer for commercial furniture, according to the invention, is generally designated by the reference numeral 10.

The drawer 10 comprises a housing 11 inside which, in this case, a compartment 12 is slidingly supported. The housing 11, again in this case, is constituted by two shells 13 and 14 that are mutually superimposed and connected in a snap-together manner along their respective edges. In particular, the shells 13 or 14 are mutually connected by the interlocking of respective tabs 15 extending monolithically from their edges; each tab has a hook-shaped end, with which it is anchored to a corresponding hollow 16 formed on the other shell 13 or 14 with respect to the one with which it is monolithic.

Since the shells 13 or 14 are identical, the housing 11 is substantially symmetrical.

The shells 13 and 14 are furthermore formed by molding plastic material, and two identical pairs of raised portions extend from the internal surface of each one of said shells.

The raised portions of each one of the pairs are designated by the reference numerals 17 and 18 respectively. Both the raised portion 17 and the raised portion 18 of each pair run substantially longitudinally with respect to the housing 11 and over almost all of its length, and are furthermore located in regions that are substantially adjacent to those that become side walls when the housing 11 is assembled.

The raised portions 17 and 18 are substantially parallel to each other and have respective transverse cross-sections that are both substantially trapezoidal; however, the raised portion 18 is higher than the raised portion 17. Each pair, which as mentioned is constituted by the raised portions 17 and 18, forms substantially two rails, provided by said raised portions 17 and 18, and a guide formed by their respective mutually facing surfaces and by the internal surface of the housing 11.

Instead of the raised portions 17 and 18, the guides

19 can be provided by adapted grooves 19a and 19b, formed at the bottom of the shells 13 and 14, the location and function of guides 19 remaining unchanged. Such further embodiment is shown in figure 8.

Carriages 20 and 21 slide in the guides 19. In particular, the carriages 20, which slide on the upper part of the drawer 10 after assembly is completed, are constituted by a frame 22 that forms substantially two open seats inside which two rollers 23 run.

The carriages 21 are instead constituted by a frame 24 in which three seats are formed; corresponding rollers 23a run inside said seats.

The rollers 23 and 23a related to the carriages 20 and to the carriages 21 are identical to each other in this case and, again after assembly is completed, are in rolling contact with the inner surface of the housing 11 and with the outer surface of the compartment 12.

In particular, the rollers 23 related to the carriages 20 are in rolling contact with the upper part of an edge 25 formed perimetrically in the compartment 12.

The rollers 23a related to the carriages 21 are instead in rolling contact with the lower outer surface of the compartment 12, where two depressions 26 have been formed; each one of said depressions is related to a carriage 21, and said depressions are mutually parallel and longitudinal and are furthermore shaped so as to correspond to the raised portions 17 and 18 that constitute the rails and the lower guides. At a functional level, the four pairs, each constituted by the respective raised portions 17 and 18, the carriages 20 and 21, as well as the depressions 26 and the edge 25, all cooperate to the sliding of the compartment 12 inside the housing 11. In this case, raised portions 27 have been formed on the bottom of the compartment 12; when the compartment 12 is extracted, they abut against corresponding raised portions 28 formed on the internal surface of the housing 11, causing the downward tilt of said compartment 12 without making it bear on the carriages 20 which, as mentioned, are arranged in an upward region.

Said raised portions 27 can be conveniently provided if the compartment 12 is used as a filter shakeout tray.

A connecting element 29 made of plastics is frontally fixed to the compartment 12 through mechanical means, such as for example bolts or the like, that are not shown in the figures, and by interposing, in this case, a metallic frame 12a.

Said connecting element 29, which is shaped frontally so as to form a handle 29a, is adapted to fix a fascia 30 of any kind to the compartment 12.

The fascia 30 is, in this case, made of sheet metal shaped so as to form a perimetric edge 31 that provides an undercut and a central region 31a that is open for access to the handle 29a but conceals said handle from sight. %

The edges of the open central region 31a abut against the connecting element 29 upon assembly.

The connecting element 29 is shaped so as to match the internal surface of the edge 31 and has, in some of its regions adjacent to said edge 31 upon assembly, through holes 32 that are shaped so as to substantially follow its perimetric shape; each one of said holes has a corresponding forming surface having a raised portion 33 in a region located towards the edge 31 upon assembly. The connecting element 29 furthermore comprises expanding elements 34, each whereof is shaped so as to correspond to a matching hole 32, inside which it is inserted, thus pushing outwardly the corresponding raised portion 33; this entails the outward expansion of a respective perimetric portion of the connecting element 29.

The perimetric portions of said connecting element 29 that are thus expanded provide an interlock with the undercut formed by the edge 31. In this manner, the operation for fixing the fascia 30 to the connecting element 29 and thus to the compartment 12 is extremely simple, since the operator merely has to strike the rear of the expanding elements 34 with a mallet. It is also possible to install a lock, which is not shown in the figures.

In practice, it has been observed that the intended aim and objects have been achieved; in particular, it should be noted that the overall structure of the multipurpose drawer according to the invention, besides 3 being highly flexible in terms of method of utilization, is constructively very simple, although this simplicity does not affect the mechanical or wear-resistance features of the product. It should also be noted that welding operations, which are long, expensive and often unreliable, have been eliminated almost completely, and that mechanical connections, which entail the formation of unwanted plays and slackness with prolonged use, have been limited. It should also be noted that the flexibility of the drawer according to the invention allows to provide even appreciable aesthetic effects by virtue of its rapid adaptation to the context in which it is used.

The present invention is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the inventive concept.

All the details, as well as the dimensions, may be any according to the requirements.

The materials, so long as they are compatible with the contingent use, may be any.

Claims

IO CLAIMS

1. Multipurpose drawer for commercial furniture, comprising a housing (11) inside which one or more compartments (12) are slidingly supported, characterized in that said housing (11) is made of plastics and in that raised portions (17,18) extend monolithically from an internal surface of said housing and/or grooves (19a, 19b) are formed in said surface, said raised portions (17,18) and/or grooves (19a, 19b) being adapted to form guides and/or rails for the sliding of said one or more compartments (12) in cooperation with carriages (20,21).

2. Multipurpose drawer according to claim 1, characterized in that a corresponding fascia (30) made of sheet metal is fixed to each one of said one or more compartments (12) through a corresponding connecting element (29) made of plastics, said fascia (30) being shaped so as to form, in one or more of its perimetric portions, an edge (31) that forms an undercut, said connecting element providing fixing by expansion interlocking of regions thereof lying perimetrically to said undercut, one or more expansion means (34) being provided which are adapted to enter corresponding seats (32) formed in said connecting element (29). 3. Multipurpose drawer according to claim 2, characterized in that said connecting element (29) is shaped so as to match an internal surface of said edge (31) and that said seats are constituted by holes (32) provided in regions of said connecting element that are adjacent to said edge (31) upon assembly, each one of said ΛΛ holes (32) having a corresponding forming surface that has, in a portion that is arranged towards said edge upon assembly, at least one raised portion (33) on which said expansion means (34) act. 4. Multipurpose drawer according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that said expansion means comprise expansion elements (33), each whereof is shaped so as to match a corresponding hole, inside which it is inserted by pushing outwardly the corresponding said at least one raised portion, this entailing expansion of a respective perimetric portion of said connecting element (29). 5. Multipurpose drawer according to claim 2 , characterized in that said connecting element (29) is frontally shaped so as to provide a handle (29a). 6. Multipurpose drawer according to claim 5, characterized in that said fascia (30) has a central open portion (31a) for access to said handle (29a), which however conceals said handle from view, the edges of said central open region abutting against said connecting element (29) upon assembly. 7. Multipurpose drawer according to claim 1, characterized in that said housing (11) is constituted by two shells (13,14) that are mutually connected along their respective edges. 8. Multipurpose drawer according to claim 7, characterized in that said two shells (13,14) are connected to each other by mutual interlocking of respective anchoring means (15,16). 9. Multipurpose drawer according to claim 8, characterized in that said anchoring means are constituted by a plurality of tabs (15) that are monolithically associated with the respective shells (13,14), each tab having a hook-shaped end anchored in a corresponding hollow (16) formed on the other shell with respect to the one with which it is monolithically associated.

₁ 10. Multipurpose drawer according to claim 7,

₂ characterized in that said shells (13,14) are identical,

₃ said housing (11) thus being symmetrical.

_ 11. Multipurpose drawer according to one or more of

₂ the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one

₃ of said one or more compartments (12) is provided, in a

₄ downward region, with two parallel and longitudinal

₅ depressions (26) shaped so as to correspond to said raised

6 portions (17,18) and cooperate with said carriages (20,21)

7 for the sliding of said at least one compartment (12).

_ 12. Multipurpose drawer according to one or more of

₂ the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one

3 of said one or more compartments (12) is provided, in an

₄ upward region, with an edge (25) that cooperates, at least

5 at its longitudinal perimetric portions, with said raised

6 portions (17,18) and said carriages (20,21) for the

₇ sliding of said at least one compartment (12).

1 13. Multipurpose drawer according to one or more of

₂ the preceding claims, characterized in that said carriages

3 (20,21) are constituted by a monolithic frame (22), in

₄ which one or more open seats are formed, respective

5 rollers (23a) being contained inside said seats, said

₆ rollers (23a), upon assembly, rotating in said guides

₇ formed by said raised portions (17,18) and/or said

₈ grooves (19a, 19b). 14. Multipurpose drawer according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said fascia portion (30) can be provided with a lock.