WO2013080020A1

WO2013080020A1 - Furnishing element such as a wardrobe, a piece of furniture or suchlike

Info

Publication number: WO2013080020A1
Application number: PCT/IB2012/002526
Authority: WO
Inventors: Lucio Spadotto
Original assignee: Abm Italia Spa
Priority date: 2011-11-30
Filing date: 2012-11-29
Publication date: 2013-06-06
Also published as: EP2785214A1; ITUD20110194A1; EP2785214B1

Abstract

Furnishing element such as a wardrobe, a piece of furniture or suchlike, comprising a bearing structure (16) provided with a plurality of walls (11, 12, 13, 14) defining a containing compartment (15) inside which a plurality of shelves (17) are disposed, the bearing structure (16) also comprising at least two uprights (21, 22) disposed inside the containing compartment (15), facing each other and defining at least a first section (23) and a second section (24) of the containing compartment (15), and a plurality of crosspieces (27) which connect the two uprights (21, 22) with each other. Moreover, the crosspieces (27) and the shelves (17) are provided with reciprocal pivoting means (26) to allow the rotation of the latter to assume at least a first operating condition to support articles and a second operating position of at least partial separator element between the first section (23) and the second section (24).

Description

"FURNISHING ELEMENT SUCH AS A WARDROBE, A PIECE OF FURNITURE OR SUCHLIKE"

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns a furnishing element such as a wardrobe, a piece of furniture, shelves or suchlike, comprising a bearing structure and a plurality of shelves which are associated with the bearing structure and which can assume different configurations depending on requirements and needs.

In particular, the furnishing element according to the present invention is made, in its main parts, of plastic material and can be used to dispose objects, clothing, domestic or work items inside it.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Furnishing elements are known, such as wardrobes, pieces of furniture or suchlike, made of plastic material, comprising a bearing structure to which a plurality of shelves are associated by means of support means.

Normally, the bearing structure is provided with two lateral walls which are opposite each other and connected with each other in proximity to one of their sides by a front or rear wall. An upper plane and a bottom plane are respectively associated to the upper and lower sides of the lateral walls to define with these a containing compartment of the wardrobe.

One or more closing doors of the containing compartment are normally associated to the lateral walls or at least to one of them.

Dividing walls can be provided inside the containing compartment and disposed substantially parallel to the lateral walls, in order to define sections for specific uses.

Solutions are also known in which the lateral walls, and possibly the dividing walls, are provided, on their height, with a plurality of attachment seatings made according to a predetermined pitch, and at different heights to each other.

Possible support elements, such as for example pins, pegs or snap-in elements, are associated with the attachment seatings, and disposed protruding with respect to the lateral walls.

In fact, the support elements are provided to support corresponding shelves which are disposed inside the containing compartment at different heights to define zones in which to dispose the articles.

The disposition of the shelves, which usually rest only on the support elements, is defined univocally by the disposition of the latter, which are assembled directly by the final user according to his/her specific needs.

This type of wardrobe, which is rather widespread, has the disadvantage of requiring the final user to have a particular skill in putting together the possible support elements and the shelves.

A further disadvantage of the known furnishing element is that, in the event that some of the shelves and support elements are not used in a first assembly configuration, and are removed from the wardrobe, the user must keep the shelves in a suitable storage location, so as to allow possible subsequent variations in the disposition of the shelves, or an addition to them. In some cases there is a risk that such shelves, or even more so the corresponding support elements, are lost over time and therefore, once the wardrobe has been assembled the user cannot then modify its configuration.

Document DE 20 2010 001055 Ul discloses a furnishing element according to the preamble of claim 1.

One purpose of the present invention is to obtain a furnishing element such as a wardrobe, a piece of furniture or suchlike, which does not need particular skill by the user to assemble and install it.

Another purpose of the present invention is to obtain a furnishing element which, in its non assembled condition, is less bulky so as to optimize storage space and transport thereof.

Another purpose of the present invention is to obtain a furnishing element which can assume an internal configuration which can be varied by the user depending on his/her requirements, simply and rapidly.

The Applicant has devised, tested and embodied the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the state of the art and to obtain these and other purposes and advantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is set forth and characterized in the independent claim, while the dependent claims describe other characteristics of the invention or variants to the main inventive idea. Ίη accordance with the above purposes, a furnishing element such as a wardrobe, a piece of furniture or suchlike, comprises a bearing structure provided with a plurality of walls which define a containing compartment inside which a plurality of shelves are disposed to support articles, objects or other. The shelves are provided respectively with a first edge and a second edge, opposite the first edge.

The bearing structure also comprises at least two uprights, disposed inside the containing compartment, facing each other and defining at least a first section and a second section of the containing compartment. The bearing structure also comprises a plurality of crosspieces which connect at least the two uprights with each other.

According to one feature of the present invention, the crosspieces and the shelves are provided with reciprocal pivoting means to allow the rotation of the shelves around their first edge with respect to the crosspieces. In this way, the shelves can assume at least a first operating condition in which the second edge of the shelf anchors to the bearing structure, so as to dispose the shelf in a position to support corresponding articles, and a second operating position in which the shelves no longer have a supporting function but have an at least partial function as a separator element between the first section and the second section.

According to another feature, the shelves are provided with a support surface which extends between the two edges and which, in the first operating condition, is disposed substantially horizontal with a supporting function, and in the second operating condition is disposed substantially vertical with the function of separating the two sections.

According to another feature, two shelves are associated to each crosspiece, on two opposite pivoting axes, respectively one on the side of the first section, the other on the side of the second section.

Therefore, according to the particular needs for space required, the shelves can be disposed according to different configurations, dividing the first section and the second section independently from each other, or generating common support planes between the first section and the second section.

Moreover, if the shelf is disposed in its second operating condition, this acts as a separator between the first and the second section.

According to a further feature, the crosspieces are associated to the uprights at a reciprocal distance which is substantially equal to or less than the length of the shelves.

This allows to rotate the shelves around the pivoting means without the disadvantage that one of them might interfere with the shelf disposed above or below. Moreover, it is advantageous to provide that the length is equal to the reciprocal distance between the crosspieces. This condition allows to define, between one shelf and the next, a containing zone, substantially closed at least on the perimeter, to separate some articles from the others.

According to another feature, the attachment means are provided between each of the shelves and the bearing structure, to keep the shelves at least in the first operating condition.

In one form of embodiment, the shelves are provided with first housing seatings in order to allow to house the attachment means, which comprise at least an attachment tooth which can be selectively positioned in a position protruding from the shelf and a retracted position inside the housing seating. Moreover, attachment seatings are provided in the bearing structure to cooperate with the attachment teeth of the attachment means when the shelf assumes at least the first operating condition.

In a further form of embodiment it is provided that at least one of the shelves is provided, in proximity to the first edge, with second housing seatings provided to allow the retractable housing of further attachment means analogous to those which are inserted in the first housing seatings. The uprights are provided along their longitudinal extension with further attachment seatings into which the attachment teeth of the attachment means can be inserted.

In this way the same shelf which can be pivoted to the crosspieces can also be used as a normal shelf which can be fixed at desired heights inside the containing compartment.

In particular, the attachment means which are inserted in the first and second housing seatings, and which are provided in the shelves themselves, cooperate with the respective attachment teeth and the housing seatings made on the bearing structure and on the uprights to define a stable positioning of the shelf itself.

According to a further form of embodiment, at least one of either the attachment means or the housing seating comprise holding means, such as for example shaped holes and/or protruding portions, with a shape mating with the shaped holes and suitable to cooperate with the latter. In particular, the holding means are suitable to define a stable positioning of the corresponding attachment tooth with respect to the housing seating.

In another form of embodiment at least one of the uprights comprises a plurality of bars coupled longitudinally to each other, and furthermore the crosspieces are associated in proximity to the coupling zone between the bars. In this way it is possible to mount the crosspieces directly between one bar and the next, facilitating both their assembly and the overall assembly of the furnishing element.

In another form of embodiment, the pivoting means comprise first pivoting elements made in the first edge of each shelf, second pivoting elements made in the crosspieces and a pin suitable to articulate the first pivoting elements and the second pivoting elements with respect to each other.

Furthermore, in other forms of embodiment, precisely because of the particular applications for which the furnishing element according to the present invention is used, it is advantageous to provide that it is made of plastic material; this makes the whole structure light, and easily made, even for a large number of production lots, using a mold.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferential form of embodiment, given as a non- restrictive example with reference to the attached drawings wherein:

- fig. 1 is a perspective view of a furnishing element according to the present invention;

- fig. 2 is an exploded view of some details in fig. 1 ;

- fig. 3 is an overall view of the details in fig. 2;

- fig. 4 is an enlarged view of a detail in fig. 2;

- fig. 5 is an exploded view of further details in fig. 1 ;

- fig. 6 is an enlarged view of a detail of fig. 5 in an assembled condition and in a first operating condition;

- fig. 7 is a front perspective view of a detail in fig. 6;

- fig. 8 is a view of fig. 6 in a second operating condition;

- fig. 9 is a rear perspective view of fig. 7;

- fig. 10 is a perspective view of a variant of fig. 2;

- fig. 1 1 is an enlarged view of a detail in fig. 10:

To facilitate comprehension, the same reference numbers have been used, where possible, to identify identical common elements in the drawings. It is understood that elements and characteristics of one form of embodiment can conveniently be incorporated into other forms of embodiment without further clarifications.

DESCRIPTION OF SOME FORMS OF EMBODIMENT

With reference to fig. 1, a furnishing element, in this case a wardrobe, according to the present invention, is indicated in its entirety by the reference number 10 and comprises a bearing structure 16 which defines a containing compartment 15 for articles, inside which a plurality of shelves 17 are disposed.

The bearing structure 16 comprises two lateral walls 11, disposed facing each other and having a substantially longitudinal development, and a rear or front wall 12, which connects the lateral walls 1 1 to each other in proximity to one of their sides.

At the upper and lower end of the rear wall 12 and of the lateral walls 1 1, an upper plane 13 and a bottom plane 14 are respectively associated, in a known manner, to define, together with the walls 1 1 and 12, the containing compartment 15 of the wardrobe 10.

Closing doors 19 of the containing compartment 15 are associated, by means of known hinging means 18, to the lateral walls 1 1, on the opposite side to that to which the rear wall 12 is associated.

The bearing structure 16 also comprises a first longitudinal upright 21 and a second longitudinal upright 22, disposed between the two lateral walls 1 1 and inside the containing compartment 15.

The first upright 21 is directly associated to the rear wall 12 while the second upright 22 is disposed facing the first, and both connect the bottom plane 14 vertically with the upper plane 13. The first upright 21 and the second upright 22 define respectively a first section 23 and a second section 24 into which the containing compartment 15 can be divided.

In this case, the first upright 21 and the second upright 22 comprise a plurality of bars 25 coupled to each other, in a known manner, for example using snap-in or jointed connections.

In other forms of embodiment it can be provided that the uprights 21, 22 are made in a single body.

Between the first 21 and the second upright 22 a plurality of crosspieces 27 are disposed which reciprocally connect them. In particular the crosspieces 27 are reciprocally distanced from each other by a determinate distance D, which is a function of the sizes of the shelves 17, as will become clear in the description hereafter.

The crosspieces 27 (figs. 2 and 3) are provided with housing seatings 28 which are suitable to be associated to the first 21 and the second upright 22 in proximity to the connection zones between two consecutive bars 25.

If the uprights 21 and 22 are made as a single body, the crosspieces 27 are associated to the uprights 21 and 22 by means of suitable attachment means.

The shelves 17 (fig. 5) are provided with a support surface 31 for the articles which are disposed in the wardrobe 10 and comprise a first edge 33, which is associated to the crosspieces 27, a second edge 34, opposite the first edge 33, provided with attachment means 39, and lateral edges 38.

The shelves 17 (fig. 1) have a width which is correlated to the depth of the containing compartment 15, and a length L which is substantially equal to the distance D between one crosspiece 27 and the next.

The crosspieces 27 (figs. 2 - 5) and the shelves 17 are provided with pivoting means 26 which allow the rotation of the latter around a pivoting axis.

The pivoting means 26 comprise first pivoting elements 29 made in a single body with the shelf 17 and in proximity to its first edge 33, and second pivoting elements 32 disposed on longitudinal sides of the crosspieces 27.

The first pivoting elements 29, in this case two, are made in proximity to the opposite ends of the first edge 33 of the shelf 17 and on ribs disposed parallel to the lateral edges 38. Each of the first pivoting elements 29 (fig. 4) comprises a portion 55 protruding from the rib which is conformed with a cross type geometry with sides angularly offset with respect to each other by 90°.

The second pivoting elements 32 instead are disposed on opposite sides of the crosspieces 27 and, in particular, for each opposite side of the crosspieces 27 there are two second pivoting elements 32, which comprise a cylindrical body 56 hollow inside and provided with notches 57 made angularly offset with respect to each other by 90°.

Each of the cylindrical bodies 56 is rotatably attached, for example by means of a pin (not visible in the drawings), to the respective ends of the first edges 33 of the shelf 17.

On the two opposite sides of each crosspiece 27, the second pivoting elements 32 define two respective pivoting axes Y, around which the respective shelves 17 are pivoted.

The shelves 17 are associated to the crosspieces 27 by coupling the first pivoting elements 29 to the second pivoting elements 32.

More specifically, the cylindrical body 56 is inserted into the protruding portion 55 and, by means of a rotation of the cylindrical body 56, the shelf 17 is constrained to the crosspiece 27, so that the protruding portion 55 itself defines the pivoting point.

In this way the shelves 17, rotating around the cylindrical bodies 56, can respectively assume a first operating condition in which the support surface 31 is disposed substantially parallel to the upper plane 13 and to the bottom plane 14 of the bearing structure 16, and a second operating condition in which the support surface 31 is disposed substantially parallel to the lateral walls 11 of the latter.

In particular, in their first operating condition the shelves 17 perform the function of supporting the articles which are disposed in the wardrobe 10, and in their second operating condition, perform the function of a separator element between the first section 23 and the second section 24.

The attachment means 39 are suitable to cooperate with attachment seatings 40

(fig. 1) advantageously made at regular intervals along the longitudinal extension of internal edges of the lateral walls 11.

Each of the attachment means 39 (figs. 6 and 8) is inserted into first housing seatings 41 made in proximity to each end of the second edge 34 of each shelf 17, and facing open toward the lateral edges 38.

Each first housing seating 41 (figs. 6 and 8) is provided with a first shaped hole 42 made on the side of the support surface 31 of each shelf 17, and with a second shaped hole 43 made on the opposite side with respect to the support surface 31 and having, in this case, a substantially elliptical shape.

The attachment means 39 (figs. 7 and 9) comprise a prismatic body 47 provided with a first protruding portion 49 with a shape mating to that of the first shaped hole 42, with a second protruding portion 50, made on the opposite side with respect to the first protruding portion 49 and with an attachment tooth 48 made in proximity to one of its ends.

In particular, each of the attachment means 39 (figs. 6 and 8) is suitable to be inserted through the first housing seatings 41 so that the first protruding portion 49 can be inserted through the first shaped hole 42, and so that the second protruding portion 50 is inserted and can slide inside the second shaped hole 43.

Given the particular conformation of the second shaped hole 43 and of the second protruding portion 50, the attachment means 39 can slide inside the housing seating 41 to respectively assume a first operating position in which the attachment tooth 48 is retractable inside the housing seating 41 (fig. 8), and a second operating position in which the attachment tooth 48 is protruding with respect to the second edge 34 (fig. 6).

When the attachment means 39 are in their second operating position, the first protruding portion 49 is disposed in correspondence to the first shaped hole 42, indicating to the operator that the attachment tooth 48 is inserted in the housing seating 41.

In other forms of embodiment, it can be provided that when the attachment means 39 are in the second operating position, the first protruding portion 49, because it gives elastically, is inserted into the first shaped hole 42, and prevents any sliding of the attachment means 39 in the housing seating 41. In this case, in order to take the attachment means 39 into their first operating position, it is necessary to exert a pressure on the first protruding portion 49 so as to release it from the first shaped hole 42 and, at the same time, make the second protruding portion 50 slide toward the inside of the second shaped hole 43. ^■In particular, as shown in fig. 1, the shelves 17 disposed in their second operating condition, that is, vertical and parallel to the lateral walls 11, can be rotated around the pivoting means 26 in order to be taken into their first operating condition.

Once the first operating condition has been reached, the attachment means 39 are activated by inserting their attachment tooth 48 inside the attachment seating 40 made in the internal edges of the lateral walls 11.

To return the shelf 17 to its second operating condition, it is necessary to release each attachment tooth 48 from the attachment seating 40 by retracting the latter inside the housing seating 41 of the shelf 17.

In proximity to the first edge 33 (fig. 5), second housing seatings 44 are made, integrated into the thickness of the shelf 17, with a shape, size and geometry completely analogous to that described with reference to the first housing seatings 41, and therefore they will not be described again here.

The second housing seatings 44 are disposed open toward the first edge 33 and allow to house attachment means 39 inside them, which are identical to what was described before.

In this case too, the attachment means 39 can assume a first operating condition retracted inside the second housing seating 44 and a second operating condition in which the attachment tooth 48 protrudes from the first edge 33.

The attachment means 39 can therefore be associated both to the first housing seatings 41 and also to the second housing seatings 44, thus allowing to attach the shelf 17 at different heights inside the containing compartment 15.

More specifically (figs. 1 and 5), both the first upright 21 and the second upright 22 are provided on their opposite sides, facing toward the lateral walls 1 1 during use, with housing seatings 59 into which can be inserted the attachment teeth 48 of the attachment means 39 which are inserted into the second housing seatings 44.

It is clear that modifications and/or additions of parts may be made to the furnishing element 10 as described heretofore, without departing from the field and scope of the present invention.

For example, unlike what was described with reference to the attached drawings, instead of being rotated downward, the shelves 17 can be rotated upward, or both upward and downward.

Furthermore, when the shelf 17 is put in its second operating condition, the attachment means 39 inserted in the first housing seatings 41 of the shelves 17 can be provided to cooperate with attachment seatings made in the uprights 21, 22 in order to constrain this operating condition as well.

Moreover, in other forms of embodiment, it can be provided that the first pivoting elements 32 and the second pivoting elements 29 have different conformations from that described with reference to figs. 2-5.

For example, with reference to figs. 10 and 1 1, the first pivoting elements 29 in this case comprise first pivoting seatings made open toward the lateral edges 38, along the first edge 33 of each shelf 17, and the second pivoting elements 32 comprise second pivoting seatings made along longitudinal sides of the crosspieces 27, and which, during use, are disposed substantially coaxial to the first pivoting seatings to allow the insertion through them of pins 30.

The pins 30 comprise an end portion 35 which is provided with a snap-in element 36. Each of the first pivoting seatings is provided with a through eyelet 37 made transversely to the pivoting seatings and suitable to allow to house the snap-in element 36 inside it and define, in this way, the stable positioning of each of the pins 30.

The pins 30 therefore define the pivoting points around which the shelves 17 are made to rotate, and therefore also the pivoting axes Y as identified above.

It is also clear that, although the present invention has been described with reference to some specific examples, a person of skill in the art shall certainly be able to achieve many other equivalent forms of furnishing element 10, having the characteristics as set forth in the claims and hence all coming within the field of protection defined thereby.

Claims

1. Furnishing element such as a wardrobe, a piece of furniture or suchlike, comprising a bearing structure (16) provided with a plurality of walls (11, 12, 13, 14) suitable to define a containing compartment (15) inside which a plurality of shelves (17) are disposed, provided with a first edge (33) and a second edge (34) opposite the first edge (33), said bearing structure (16) also comprising at least two uprights (21, 22) disposed inside said containing compartment (15), facing each other and defining at least a first section (23) and a second section (24) of said containing compartment (15), and a plurality of crosspieces (27) which connect said at least two uprights (21, 22) with each other, characterized in that said crosspieces (27) and said shelves (17) are provided with reciprocal pivoting means (26) to allow the rotation of said shelves (17) around said first edge (33) with respect to said crosspieces (27), so that said shelves (17) can assume at least a first operating condition in which said second edge (34) anchors on said bearing structure (16), so as to dispose the shelf (17) in a position to support articles which are disposed in the containing compartment (15), and a second operating condition in which said shelves (17) do not have a support function but have the at least partial function of separator element between said first section (23) and said second section (24).

2. Furnishing element as in claim 1, characterized in that said shelves (17) are provided with a support surface (31), which extends between said first (33) and said second (34) edge, which in said first operating condition of said shelves (17) is disposed substantially horizontal and in said second operating condition is disposed substantially vertical.

3. Furnishing element as in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that two shelves (17) are associated to each crosspiece (27), on two opposite pivoting axes (Y), one on the side of the first section (23), the other on the side of the second section (24).

4. Furnishing element as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that said crosspieces (27) are associated to said uprights (21, 22) at a reciprocal distance (D) with respect to each other, and said shelves (17) have a length (L) substantially equal to or less than said distance (D).

5. Furnishing element as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that attachment means (39) are provided between each of said shelves (17) and said bearing structure (16) in order to maintain said shelves (17) at least in said first operating condition.

6. Furnishing element as in claim 5, characterized in that said shelves (17) are provided with first housing seatings (41) of said attachment means (39), which comprise at least an attachment tooth (48) which can be selectively positioned in a position protruding with respect to said shelf (17), and a retracted position inside said housing seating (41), and in that attachment seatings (40) are provided in said bearing structure (16) to cooperate with said attachment tooth (48) at least when said shelf (17) assumes said first operating condition.

7. Furnishing element as in claim 6, characterized in that at least one of said shelves (17) is provided, in proximity to said first edge (33), with second housing seatings (44) provided to allow the retractable housing of said attachment means (39), said uprights (21, 22) being provided along their longitudinal extension with other housing seatings (59) into which the attachment teeth (48) of said attachment means (39) can be inserted.

8. Furnishing element as in claim 6 or 7, characterized in that at least one of either said attachment means (39) or said first (41) or second (44) housing seating comprises holding means (42, 49) suitable to define a stable positioning of said attachment tooth (48) with respect to said first (41) or second (44) housing seating.

9. Furnishing element as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that said uprights (21, 22) comprise a plurality of bars (25), coupled longitudinally with each other, and in that in proximity to the coupling zone between said bars (25) said crosspieces (27) are associated.

10. Furnishing element as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that said pivoting means (26) comprise first pivoting elements (29) made in said first edge (33) of each shelf (17), second pivoting elements (32) made in said crosspieces (27) and a pin (30) suitable to articulate said first pivoting elements (29) and said second pivoting elements (32) with respect to each other.