WO2013007733A1

WO2013007733A1 - Device for the stabilization of the movement of a movable part of a piece of furniture

Info

Publication number: WO2013007733A1
Application number: PCT/EP2012/063524
Authority: WO
Inventors: Luciano Salice
Original assignee: Arturo Salice S.P.A.
Priority date: 2011-07-13
Filing date: 2012-07-11
Publication date: 2013-01-17
Also published as: SI2605684T1; JP2014518143A; ES2478546T3; ITMI20111304A1; KR20140048065A; EP2605684A1; TW201302129A; CN103260469A; BR112013005012A2; JP6047565B2; EP2605684B1

Abstract

The device for the stabilization of the movement of a movable part (2) of a piece of furniture, along lateral slide guides (3) between an inserted closed position and an extracted opened position, with respect to a fixed part (1) of the piece of furniture, wherein the movable part (2) is of the type equipped with at least one opening and/or closing device (17) to facilitate the first tract of the opening movement and/or a last tract of the closing movement of the movable part (2), comprises a body (19) having at least one revolving and/or sliding rest element (20) solidly constrained to the fixed part (1) or to the movable part (2) of the piece of furniture, said element (20) remaining in contact, for at least one tract of movement of the movable part (2) at the said inserted closed position, with a corresponding lateral, abutment surface (10') solidly constrained to the other furniture part, and being arranged perpendicular to the movement plane of the movable part (2) of the piece of furniture and parallel to the lateral slide guides (3).

Description

DEVICE FOR THE STABILIZATION OF THE MOVEMENT OF A MOVABLE PART OF A PIECE OF FURNITURE

DESCRIPTION

The present invention refers to a device for the stabilization of the movement of a movable part of a piece of furniture, particularly suited to a movable part of a piece of furniture guided by means of slide guides arranged on both sides thereof.

In the furnishings sector, the use of sliding parts of furniture is often provided, particularly drawers, equipped with suitable means or devices for opening and/or closing that permit or facilitate opening and/or closing by the user.

In particular, when handles or specific gripping means are lacking, there are provided devices for opening, which, following a push by the user on the drawer or a similar element in the closed position, create a shift thereof in an opening direction for a first tract that is sufficient to allow the user to grasp it and thus open it completely.

Above all, when the sliding parts of a piece of furniture are of a certain width or when the weight of such parts proves to be heavy, owing to the dimensions or the contents thereof, an action carried out by the user on a lateral zone or a non-central zone of furniture parts, may prove to be insufficient to activate the opening and/or closing device if it is arranged on the side opposite the one that is pushed, or, in the case where the opening and/or closing devices are arranged on both sides, it may trigger the operation of just the one device that is nearest, leaving the device on the furthest part inactive.

In fact, the drawer or a similar element, does not move in the same manner on both sides parallelly, but it undergoes an inclination due to shifting on only one of the sides thereof, which prevents activation of the device on the opposite side.

To overcome this drawback, suitable movement stabilization devices have been proposed for drawers or similar elements, devices suitable for making the shifting thereof as simultaneous and parallel as possible, with respect to the flanks on both sides of the piece of furniture.

Preferably, such known devices provide racks or friction surfaces applied on the flanks of the piece of furniture and on which rotating gear wheels or friction gears are arranged on either side of the drawer and are interconnected by rigid torsion bars for the purpose of making the longitudinal movement of the two sides of the drawer uniform.

However, these known devices prove to be quite complex and their assembly is difficult.

Moreover, malfunctioning may arise in the event that the drawer or similar element requires adjustment in one or more directions so as to be aligned with the other components of the piece of furniture.

Therefore, the technical task of the present invention is that of realizing a device for the stabilization of the movement of a movable part of a piece of furniture, making it possible to overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art. Within the scope of this technical task, an aim of the invention is to realize a device for the stabilization of the movement of a movable part of a piece of furniture, the device being simple in construction, economical, limited in dimensions, of easy application and ensuring proper functioning even following possible adjustments of the movable part.

Another aim of the invention is to realize a device for the stabilization of the movement of a movable part of a piece of furniture, enabling the movable part to carry out a shift on both sides thereof simultaneously and parallelly, in such a manner as to permit proper functioning of the devices for opening and/or closing for the movable part.

The technical task, as well as these and other aims, according to the present invention are achieved by realizing a device for the stabilization of the movement of a movable part of a piece of furniture, in a movement plane along lateral slide guides between an inserted closed position and an extracted opened position, with respect to a fixed part of the piece of furniture, there being provided at least one opening and/or closing device to bring about a first tract of the opening movement and/or a last tract of the closing movement of the movable part with respect to the fixed part of the piece of furniture, characterized in that it comprises a body having at least one revolving and/or sliding rest element that is connectable so as to be solidly constrained to the fixed part or to the movable part of the piece of furniture, said rest element having a rest surface shaped and arranged so as to remain in contact, for at least one tract of movement of the movable part at the said inserted closed position, with a corresponding lateral, abutment surface solidly constrained with respect to the movable part or to the fixed part of the piece of furniture, and arranged perpendicular to the movement plane of the movable part (2) of the piece of furniture and parallel to the lateral slide guides (3).

Other characteristics of the present invention are also defined in the claims herein below.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the description of preferred, but not exclusive, embodiments of the device for the stabilization of the movement of a movable part of a piece of furniture according to the invention, as illustrated by way of approximate and non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a furniture drawer equipped on the rear part or back with devices for the stabilization of the movement thereof according to a first preferred mode of realization;

Figure 2 shows a detail of Figure 1 with the stabilization device in a first position of adjustment of the rest element;

Figure 3 shows a detail of Figure 1 with the stabilization device in a second position of adjustment of the rest element;

Figure 4 is a plan view of a slide guide for a furniture drawer, the slide guide having a device for the stabilization of the movement of the drawer according to a second preferred mode of realization;

Figure 5 is a view of the slide guide appearing in Figure 4, sectioned along line 5- 5;

Figures 6 to 10 show other preferred modes of realization of the device for the stabilization of the movement of the drawer of a piece of furniture.

Equivalent parts in the various preferred embodiments of the invention described below have been given the same reference numerals.

With reference to the figures cited, there is shown a piece of furniture having a fixed furniture part 1 and a movable furniture part 2 with respect to the fixed furniture part 1.

The movable part 2 to which reference will be made below, comprises, by way of example, but not necessarily, a drawer 4 having a bottom 5, a front 6, two opposite flanks 7, and a back 8.

The drawer 4 is slidable in a known manner in a compartment 9 that is open at the front, located in the fixed part 1 of the piece of furniture and delimited by two opposite lateral walls 10, a lower wall 11, a rear wall 12 and an upper wall (unillustrated).

The drawer 4 is guided by means of lateral slide guides 3 so as to move in a movement plane between an inserted closed position and an extracted opened position.

Each lateral slide guide 3 exhibits in a known manner a first movable guide element 14 applied along the external longitudinal edge found between the bottom wall 5 of the drawer 4 and a lateral wall 7 of the drawer, a second fixed guide element 13 applied to a lateral wall 10 of the compartment 9, and in this case, but not necessarily, also a third guide element 15 interposed slidably between the first guide element 14 and the second guide element 13.

The drawer is slidable in a well-known way in a horizontal extraction direction, along which the guides 3 are oriented longitudinally. Each slide guide 3 is equipped with known systems 16 for fine adjustment of the drawer 4 support position in a lateral direction, in height and in the extraction direction.

The typical, but not exclusive, application of the invention to which reference is made herein, provides for a drawer 4 equipped with a device for opening and/or closing 17, of a known type, at each of the two lateral slide guides to facilitate the first tract of the opening movement and/or the last tract of the closing movement of the drawer 4.

In any case, it is not excluded that there may be a single device for opening and/or closing provided and applied to only one of the two slide guides 3.

In Figures 4 and 5, there is shown in particular a device 17 for assisted closing of a type suitable for drawing the drawer 4 into the end closure tract so as to retract it in contrast to the action of a decelerator 18 and keep it locked in the inserted closed position.

In an additional preferred application, in which the drawer is without any handles or similar gripping means, the opening and/or closing device may be for example of a ratchet type, acting solely for opening or it may be of a known type with combined operation for opening and closing. According to the invention, there is provided a device for the stabilization of the movement of the movable part 2, comprising a body 19 having at least one revolving and/or sliding rest element 20 that is connectable so as to be solidly constrained to the fixed part 1 or to the movable part 2 of a piece of furniture. The rest element 20 has a rest surface shaped and arranged so as to remain in contact with a corresponding lateral, abutment surface 10' solidly constrained with respect to the movable part 2 or to the fixed part 1 of the piece of furniture, for at least one tract of movement of the movable part 2 at the inserted closed position; the lateral, abutment surface 10' generally extends perpendicularly to the movement plane of the movable part 2 of the piece of furniture, in a direction parallel to the lateral slide guides 3. Preferentially, the rest surface of the rest element 20 extends in a substantially parallel manner or proves, in any case, to be facing the lateral, abutment surface of the lateral wall 10 of the fixed part 1 or the lateral wall 10 of the drawer 4, or facing a lateral surface of an element of the guide.

In a first embodiment of the stabilization device, the body 19 is applicable on the movable part 2 (figures 1, 2, 3, 6, 8 and 10) or on the first element 14 of one of the lateral guides 3 (case not shown) and the rest element 20 can be rested on a lateral, abutment surface 10' of the lateral wall 10 of the fixed part 1 or on the second element 13 of one of the lateral guides 3 (case not shown).

In a second embodiment of the stabilization device, the body 19 is applicable on the fixed part 1 (figures 7 and 9) or on the second element 13 of one of the lateral guides 3 (figures 4 and 5) and the rest element 20 can be rested on a lateral, abutment surface 7' on a flank 7 of the movable part 2 or on the first element 14 of one of the lateral guides 3.

We shall now refer to the realization of the stabilization device illustrated in Figures 1 - 3, wherein the rest element 20 comprises, in particular, a roller 21 revolvingly supported by the body 19. The body 19 is fixed to the rear side of the back 8 of the drawer 4 and it comprises a fixed, flat base 22 that serves as a support and guide for a small plate 23 that can be shifted in a direction perpendicular to the flank 7 of the drawer 4 and that has an arm 24, at the free end of which the roller 21 is pivoted with a rotation axis perpendicular to the bottom 5 of the drawer 4. The arm 24 projects into the portion of the compartment 9 delimited between the internal side 10' of the lateral wall 10 of the compartment 9 and the rear extension of the external side of the flank 7 of the drawer 4. During travel for extraction of the drawer 4, the roller 21 rolls for the entire time in the direction of extraction of the drawer 4 along the internal, abutment surface 10' of the lateral wall 10 of the compartment 9. Advantageously, in this embodiment of the stabilization device, there is provided means for the adjustment of the position of the rest element 20 on the body 19, such means being necessary for example when the thicknesses of the drawer 4 walls vary. More specifically, the adjustment means comprises a lever 25 pivoted to the flat base 22 with the rotation axis perpendicular to the back 8 of the drawer 4 and having an eccentric 26 engaged in a hole 27 in the small plate 23. As a result of the rotation of the lever 25, the eccentric 26 pushes against the wall of the hole 27, dragging into translation the small plate 23 and the arm 24 solidly constrained thereto. In this manner, it is possible to ensure contact of the roller 21 against the surface 10' of the lateral wall 10 of the compartment 9 upon variations in the distance of the external side of the flank 7 of the drawer 4 from the surface 10'. As is observable in Figure 1, preferably, at the ends of the back 8 of the drawer 4, there are provided two stabilization devices positioned at opposite ends with respect to the middle plane of the drawer 4.

We shall now refer to the realization of the stabilization device illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, wherein the rest element 20 comprises, in particular, a roller 28 revolvingly supported by the body 19. The body 19 comprises a pin 29 fixed in a rear zone of the second element 13 of the lateral guide 3, in particular to the upper side of a wing 30 of the second guide element 13 applied to the lateral wall of the compartment 9. The pin 29, which defines the axis of rotation for the roller 28, is oriented perpendicularly to the wing 30. The roller 28 is positioned beneath the drawer 4 and during the initial part of travel for extraction of the drawer 4, it rolls along an external, abutment surface 3 of a wing 31 of the first guide element 14 perpendicular to the wing 30 of the second guide element 13.

We shall now refer to the realization of the stabilization device illustrated in Figure 6, wherein the rest element 20 comprises, in particular, a roller 32 revolvingly supported by the body 19. The body 19 is fixed to the rear side of the back 8 of the drawer 4 and it comprises a flat base 33 for a hinge for supporting and guiding a small plate 34 supporting the roller 32 and that can be shifted in a direction perpendicular to the flank 7 of the drawer 4. The roller 32 is supported by a rotation axis that is perpendicular to the bottom 5 of the drawer 4 and during travel for extraction of the drawer 4, the roller rolls for the entire time in the direction of extraction of the drawer 4 along the internal, abutment surface 10' of the lateral wall 10 of the compartment 9. Advantageously, in this embodiment of the stabilization device as well, there is provided means for the adjustment of the position of the rest element 20 on the body 19. More specifically, the adjustment means comprises a screw 35 pivoted to the hinge base 33 and having an eccentric 36 engaged in a hole 37 in the small plate 34. As a result of the rotation of the screw 35, the eccentric 36 pushes against the wall of the hole 37, dragging into translation the small plate 34.

We shall now refer to the realization of the stabilization device illustrated in Figure

7, wherein the rest element 20 comprises, in particular, two rollers 32 revolvingly supported by the body 19. The body 19 is fixed to the internal side of the lateral wall 10 of the compartment 9 in a rear zone of the compartment 9 and it comprises a flat base 39 for fastening the body 19 to the lateral wall 1 1, and a bracket 40 for support of the rollers 38 that is perpendicular to the flat base 39. The axes of rotation of the rollers 38 are parallel to each other and contained in a horizontal plane parallel to the flat fastening base 39. During the initial part of travel for extraction of the drawer 4, the rollers 38 roll along the external surface 7' of the flank 7 of the drawer 4.

8, wherein the rest element 20 comprises, in particular, a roller 41 revolvingly supported by the body 19. The body 19 has a flat base 42 arranged on the rear side of the back 8 of the drawer 4; said flat base 42 has a lateral wing 42', having an inverted U-shaped cross-section, extending on the back 8 of the drawer 4. To permit adjustment of the position of the rest element 20 from inside the drawer 4, the wing 42' has a wall 42" arranged on the internal side of the back 8 of the drawer 4, said wall 42" exhibiting a slot 49 for a fastening screw 50, so that the support plate 42 can be moved laterally, by fastening the support plate 42 in the suitable position by means of the screw 50. The roller 41 is supported by a rotation axis that is perpendicular to the bottom 5 of the drawer 4 and during travel for extraction of the drawer 4, the roller rolls for the entire time in the direction of extraction of the drawer 4 along the internal surface 10' of the lateral wall 10 delimiting the compartment 9.

9, wherein the body 19 and the rest element 20 are made as a single piece. The body 19 consists of a flat portion 43 of the piece, the portion 43 being fixed to the internal side of the lateral wall 10 of the compartment 9 in a rear zone of the compartment 9, whereas the rest element 20 consists of a rounded portion 44 of the piece. During the initial part of travel for extraction of the drawer 4, the rounded portion 44 glides along the external surface 7' of the flank 7 of the drawer 4.

10, wherein the body 19 and the rest element 20 are made as a single piece. The body 19 consists of a right-angled portion 45 of the piece, the portion 45 being fixed at the upper edge of the flank 7 of the drawer 4, whereas the rest element 20 consists of a rounded portion 46 of the piece and during the travel for extraction of the drawer 4, the rounded portion 46 glides for the entire time along the internal surface 10' of the lateral wall 10 of the compartment 9.

Lateral adjustment of the rest element 20 can be carried out by means of two screws 51 that pass through elongated holes 52 in the portion 45 of the body 19. Naturally, the stabilization device can generally be of the type in which the body 19 has one or even more rest elements 20, and it can be applied even on just one side of the drawer, in the particular case of simple guides. Preferably, it is applied on both sides of the drawer, especially when the drawer is particularly large in size and/or heavy.

The stabilization devices utilized in an application do not necessarily have to be of the same type, and in certain cases, applying stabilization devices that are not necessarily of the same type on either side of the drawer may prove to be convenient.

The stabilization device according to the invention proves to be simple in construction, economical, limited in dimensions, of easy application, and ensures that the movable part always carries out a shift on both sides thereof simultaneously and parallelly, in such a manner as to permit proper activation of each device provided for opening and/or closing.

The device for the stabilization of the movement of a movable furniture part as conceived herein is susceptible to numerous modifications and variants, all falling within the scope of the inventive concept; moreover, all the details are replaceable by technically equivalent elements.

The materials used, as well as the dimensions, may in practice be of any type according to requirements and the state of the art.

Claims

1. A device for the stabilization of the movement of a movable part (2) of a piece of furniture, along lateral slide guides (3) between an inserted closed position and an extracted opened position, with respect to a fixed part (1) of the piece of furniture, there being provided at least one opening and/or closing device (17) to bring about a first tract of the opening movement and/or a last tract of the closing movement of the movable part (2) with respect to the fixed part (1) of the piece of furniture, characterized in that it comprises a body (19) having at least one revolving and/or sliding rest element (20) that is connectable so as to be solidly constrained to the fixed part (1) or to the movable part (2) of the piece of furniture, said rest element (20) having a rest surface shaped and arranged so as to remain in contact, for at least one tract of movement of the movable part (2) at the said inserted closed position, with a corresponding lateral, abutment surface (10') solidly constrained with respect to the movable part (2) or to the fixed part (1) of the piece of furniture and arranged perpendicular to the movement plane of the movable part (2) of the piece of furniture and parallel to the lateral slide guides (3).

2. The device for the stabilization of the movement of a movable part of a piece of furniture according to claim 1, characterized in that said body (19) is applicable on said movable part (2) or on a first element (14) of one of the lateral guides (3) solidly constrained to said movable part (2) and said rest element (20) can be rested on said abutment surface (10') on the fixed part (1) or on a second element (13) of one of the lateral guides (3) solidly constrained to said fixed part (1).

3. The device for the stabilization of the movement of a movable part of a piece of furniture according to claim 1, characterized in that said body (19) is applicable on said fixed part (1) or on a second element (13) of one of the lateral guides (3) solidly constrained to said fixed part (1) and said rest element (20) can be rested on said abutment surface (V) on said movable part (2) or on a first element (14) of one of the lateral guides (3) solidly constrained to said movable part (2).

4. The device for the stabilization of the movement of a movable part of a piece of furniture according to claim 1, characterized in that said at least one rest element (20) is revolvingly supported by said body (19).

5. The device for the stabilization of the movement of a movable part of a piece of furniture according to claim 1, characterized in that said at least one rest element (20) is made as a single piece with said body (19).

6. The device for the stabilization of the movement of a movable part of a piece of furniture according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises means for the adjustment of the position assumed by said rest element (20) on said body (19).

7. The device for the stabilization of the movement of a movable part of a piece of furniture according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said adjustment means comprises an adjustment lever (25) equipped with an eccentric (26) or an adjusting screw (35) equipped with an eccentric (36).

8. The device for the stabilization of the movement of a movable part of a piece of furniture according to claim 1, characterized in that said body (19) comprises a rotation pin (29) and said at least one rest element (20) comprises at least one roller (28) pivoted on said at least one rotation pin (29).

9. The device for the stabilization of the movement of a movable part of a piece of furniture according to claim 1, characterized in that said body (19) comprises a flat base (22, 33, 39, 42) for the fastening thereof, and said at least one rest element (20) comprises one or more rollers (21, 32, 38, 41) revolvingly supported by said body (19).

10. The device for the stabilization of the movement of a movable part of a piece of furniture according to the previous claim, characterized in that said at least one rest element (20) comprises more than one roller (38) revolvingly supported by said body (19), the rotation axes of said rollers (38) being parallel to each other and contained in a horizontal plane parallel to said flat fastening base (39).

11. The device for the stabilization of the movement of a movable part of a piece of furniture according to claim 1, characterized in that said body (19) comprises a flat base (33) of a hinge for supporting and guiding a small plate (34) supporting said at least one rest element (20), which, in turn, comprises at least one roller (32).

12. The device for the stabilization of the movement of a movable part of a piece of furniture according to claim 5, characterized in that said body (19) comprises a flat base (43) or right-angled base (45) for fastening thereof, and said rest element (44, 46) has a rounded shape.

13. A piece of furniture comprising a fixed furniture part (1) and a furniture part (2) that is movable along slide guides (3) arranged on both sides thereof between an inserted closed position and an extracted opened position with respect to the fixed part (1) of the piece of furniture, and at least one opening and/or closing device (17) to facilitate the first tract of the opening movement and/or the last tract of the closing movement of the movable part (2), characterized in that it has at least one device for the stabilization of the movement of the movable furniture part (2) according to any one of the preceding claims.

14. The piece of furniture according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said movable part (2) comprises a drawer (4) that is slidable in a compartment (9) present in the fixed furniture part (1), said stabilization device being applied to the back (8) and/or to a flank (7) of the drawer (4) or to said first element (14) of one of the lateral guides (3).

15. The piece of furniture according to claim 13, characterized in that said movable part (2) comprises a drawer (4), said stabilization device being applied to a lateral wall (10) delimiting the compartment (9) present in the fixed furniture part (1) wherein said drawer (4) is slidable or to said second element (13) of one of the lateral guides (3).

16. The piece of furniture according to any one of claims 14 and 15, characterized in that it has a first and a second stabilization device applied in opposite positions with respect to the median plane of the drawer (4).