Device for sliding a door of a compartment and cabinet associated with the device

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for sliding a door on a compartment and a cabinet associated with the device. The device comprises a linear guide having a first track and a second track; a further guide having a linear portion and an inclined portion; a moving part having a first slider travelling in a slidable manner along the linear guide and a second slider travelling in a slidable manner along the further guide; the first slider comprises two sliding means; a space is defined between the sliding means to allow the second slider to be guided along the further guide; the second slider can be displaced between the sliding means from a retracted position to an extracted position or from the extracted position to the retracted position when the second slider moves along the inclined portion of the further guide, the first slider being configured so that it can be moved along the linear guide when the second slider is in the extracted position.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for sliding a door on a compartment. The invention particularly relates to a device for a cabinet having two or more doors which, in a retracted position, are coplanar with each other, or in an extracted position, are mutually superimposed, the device having: a linear guide having a first track and a second track and mounted on the compartment along an upper face of the compartment; a further guide having a linear portion parallel to the linear guide and an inclined portion extending transversely to the linear guide; a moving portion having a first slider travelling slidably along the linear guide and a second slider travelling slidably along the further guide and displaceable with respect to the first slider from a retracted position to an extracted position or vice versa, and the second slider being connected to the door by a connecting element; the first slider comprising two sliding means travelling respectively on the first track and on the second track, a space being defined between the sliding means to allow the second slider to be guided along the further guide, the second slider being displaceable between the sliding means from the retracted position to the extracted position or vice versa when the second slider moves along the inclined portion of the further guide, and the first slider being configured so that, when the second slider is in the extracted position, the first slider is movable along the linear guide. BACKGROUND

[0002] Such a device is known in the art from document EP1613831B1 which discloses a device for sliding doors having a coplanar closed position, in an open position the doors are slid to be superimposed one on top of the other. The device comprises a pair of carriages which are fixed by clamps to the corresponding door from the upper edge of the door to achieve the support, translation and movement of the door on the compartment. The pair of carriages comprises two transverse carriages and two longitudinal carriages associated with the respective transverse carriage. The transverse carriages ensure the movement of the door along the longitudinal carriages in the depth direction. The longitudinal carriages ensure the movement of the door along the guides in the longitudinal direction.

[0003] Another example of such a device is disclosed in document EP3067497B1 which has carriages associated with the sliding doors. The carriages are configured to have a first outer guide carriage and a second outer guide carriage associated with a first inner guide carriage and a second inner guide carriage. The first outer guide carriage and the second outer guide carriage are displaceable along the longitudinal direction of the door, while the first inner guide carriage and the second inner guide carriage are movable with respect to the first outer guide carriage and the second outer guide carriage. SUMMARY

[0004] The devices of the prior art are complex in terms of mechanism, therefore one purpose of the present application is to ensure a device with a simple implementation which is rather inexpensive and easy to install.

[0005] Another purpose of the present application is to provide a device for sliding doors which ensures precise adjustment of the door with respect to the compartment. The adjustment mechanism of the device allows management of the fitting errors in the direction of the space even after the door has been installed on the compartment.

[0006] A further purpose of the present application is to provide a device which has a compact design, reduced components and which is suitable for use with small size doors and heavy doors.

[0007] The sliding doors of the prior art require, in addition to the bracket at the top, the provision of a rail at the bottom of the door to support the bracket. Such a rail ensures the avoidance of the door from being deflected when it slides on the compartment. With the device, it is not necessary to provide a rail at the bottom of the compartment. Since during the sliding movement of the door, both the first and second sliders of the moving part are guided on the linear guides and the further guides which are fixed on the upper face of the compartment.

[0008] Furthermore, the device of the present application can comprise a support mechanism which supports the door from the bottom to avoid the door from being deflected when it slides on the compartment. Therefore, the door can be optionally supported by the support mechanism instead of by the rail. The support mechanism has a compact design and can be installed at the bottom of the compartment in a releasable manner.

[0009] The purposes of the present application are achieved by a device which has a reduced number of components and components with reduced dimensions, in addition, the device can be adapted for use with furniture doors having various sizes.

[0010] The device according to the present application comprises a linear guide having a first rail and a second rail which are mounted on the top of the compartment such that the concave portion of the first rail and the second rail concave portion face each other.

[0011] The device further comprises a further guide along which the second slider is guided, the further guide having a linear portion which is parallel to the linear guide and an inclined portion which extends transversely to the linear guide. The linear portion of the further guide is positioned close to the first rail (front rail) and the inclined portion of the further guide extends transversely to the second rail (rear rail).

[0012] The device also comprises a mobile part with a first slide and a second slide for transporting the door on the compartment with respect to the horizontal direction and the depth direction. The first slide travels with respect to the horizontal direction in a slidable manner along a linear guide. The second slide travels with respect to both the depth direction and the horizontal direction in a slidable manner along a further guide. The second slide can also be displaced with respect to the first slide from a retracted position to an extracted position or from the extracted position to the retracted position and the second slide is connected to the door by a connecting element. The second slide can be moved with respect to the first slide along a direction perpendicular to the linear guide. Since the second slide guides the door along the horizontal direction on the further guide in addition to the first slide, reliable transport of the door within the compartment is guaranteed.

[0013] The connecting element of the device serves to connect the second slide to the door. Advantageously, the mobile part of the device comprises an adjustment mechanism which allows adjustment of the connecting element with respect to the second slide. The adjustment mechanism is associated with the second slide and the connecting element. The connecting element fastened to the door is adjustable with respect to the second slide in the horizontal direction, the vertical direction and the depth direction. The adjustment mechanism of the device allows elimination of assembly errors to be allowed after the door is mounted on the compartment. By means of the adjustment mechanism, precise adjustment is ensured and any play that occurs between the compartment and the door is compensated.

[0014] The first slide of the device comprises two sliding means which travel on corresponding tracks of the linear guide, respectively a first track and a second track. A space is defined between the sliding means to allow the second slide to be guided along the further guide. The second slide of the device can be displaced with respect to the sliding means from a retracted position to an extracted position or from the extracted position to the retracted position when the second slide of the device moves along the inclined portion of the further guide and the first slide is configured so that it can move along the linear guide when the second slide is in the extracted position.

[0015] Each sliding means of the first slide is advantageously configured as a plate with a wheel which is guided on the track of the linear guide. When the door moves between the retracted position and the extracted position, the second slide is guided along the inclined portion of the further guide while the first slide is immobile on the linear guide during this movement.

[0016] The device of the application is configured in such a way that, when the door moves from the retracted position to the extracted position, the second slider moves from back to front between the sliding means along the inclined portion of the further guide, and, when the door moves from the extracted position to the retracted position, the second slider moves from front to back between the sliding means along the inclined portion of the further guide. In the case where the door is in the extracted position, the door is ready to slide along the compartment with respect to the horizontal direction. In this sliding position, the first slider of the device moves along the linear guide, while the second slider also simultaneously moves along the linear portion of the further guide, since both the first slider and the second slider are fixed to the compartment. Therefore, a reliable sliding movement of the moving part along the linear guide and the further guide with respect to the horizontal direction is ensured.

[0017] The connecting element of the device can be in two-part form, with a horizontal part and a vertical part. The horizontal part and the vertical part can also be formed integrally. In the two-part form, the horizontal part can be pre-mounted to the second slider, and the vertical part can be pre-mounted to the door, in the mounted state of the door to the compartment, the horizontal part and the vertical part being connected to each other via fastening means (screwed connection). Such a configuration ensures that the door is easy to mount to the compartment.

[0018] The device of the application advantageously comprises a first damping mechanism for damping the movement of the door from the extracted position to the retracted position. The first damping mechanism comprises a gas cylinder and a piston rod. In this case, the gas cylinder of the first damping mechanism is placed in releasable manner on the second slider, and the free end of the piston rod is fixed in releasable manner on one of the sliding means. When the door moves from the extracted position towards the retracted position, the second slider moves from front to back between the sliding means, thereby activating the first damping mechanism.

[0019] The device of the application can comprise a second damping mechanism for damping the movement of the door in the horizontal direction while the door is sliding on the compartment. The second damping mechanism is associated with the first slider of the moving part and is activated by an actuator. In the case where the furniture cabinet comprises more than one door on the compartment, the actuator can be associated with another moving part defined for another door.

[0020] The device of the application preferably comprises a force application unit with a spring for generating a force to pull the door from the extracted position to the retracted position or to push the door from the retracted position to the extracted position. The spring can be a tensile spring, which provides the force for pulling the door from the extracted position to the retracted position. In this case, the door is a self-closing door. The spring can be a compression spring, which provides the force for pushing the door from the retracted position to the extracted position. In this case, the door is a self-opening door.

[0021] In this particular embodiment, the spring of the force application unit is advantageously placed slightly above the spring guide, one end of which is fixed to the second slider in a pivotable manner by means of a mounting and can be guided within a holder associated with the force adjustment unit. In this case, the force adjustment unit comprises a fixed portion cooperating with a fixed wire formed on the support element. By means of the fixed portion, the force exerted by the spring on the door is fixed. The force adjustment unit allows the device of the invention to be used for any kind of door having various weights and sizes.

[0022] The device of the invention optionally comprises a support mechanism for supporting the door from the inside at the bottom in order to prevent the door from vibrating while sliding. In this particular case, the support mechanism comprises at least two support rods, each of which comprises a rolling body against which the door is supported while sliding, the support rods being mounted in an axial rotation on a support body and being held on the support body by means of a helical spring so as to have an angle between them.

[0023] In this exemplary embodiment, the device of the invention is associated with a cabinet having two doors, but it is conceivable that the device can also be used for cabinets having two or more doors, which are coplanar with each other in the retracted position or overlap each other in the extracted position.

[0024] The invention is explained in more detail below by means of the exemplary embodiments shown in the attached drawings.

[0025] Reference numerals

[0026] Plane of symmetry

[0027] 1 Cabinet

[0028] 2 Compartment

[0029] 3 Door

[0030] 3a Upper edge

[0031] 4 Upper face

[0032] 5 Moving part

[0033] 51 First sliding part

[0034] 51a, 51b Sliding means

[0035] 51.1 Shaft

[0036] 52 Second sliding part

[0037] 52.1 Moving box

[0038] 52.2 First threaded hole

[0039] 52.3 Rack

[0040] 6 linear guide

[0041] 6a first track

[0042] 6b second track

[0043] 6c distance

[0044] 6a.1, 6b.1 horizontal manner

[0045] 6a.2, 6b.2 vertical manner

[0046] 6d open end

[0047] 7 further guide

[0048] 7a linear portion

[0049] 7b inclined portion

[0050] 7c terminal body

[0051] 7c.1 mounting hole

[0052] 7c.2 receiving portion

[0053] 8 horizontal wheel

[0054] 9 vertical wheel

[0055] 10 connecting element

[0056] 10.1 horizontal portion

[0057] 10.2 vertical portion

[0058] 10.3 first mounting hole

[0059] 10.3a receiving portion

[0060] 10.3b adjusting portion

[0061] 10.3c supporting portion

[0062] 10.4 fixing hole

[0063] 10.5 second mounting hole

[0064] 10.6 third mounting hole

[0065] 10.7 fourth mounting hole

[0066] 11 mounting screw

[0067] 11.1 screw head

[0068] 11.2 knurled portion

[0069] 11.3 skirt

[0070] 12 first damping mechanism

[0071] 12.1 cylinder

[0072] 12.2 piston rod

[0073] 12.3 free end

[0074] 13 roller

[0075] 14 force application unit

[0076] 14.1 spring

[0077] 14.2 spring guide

[0078] 14.3 mounting

[0079] 14.4 retainer

[0080] 15 force adjustment unit

[0081] 15.1 adjustment portion

[0082] 15.2 support element

[0083] 15.3 toothed rod

[0084] 15.4 first opening

[0085] 15.5 fixation means

[0086] 15.6 fixation wire

[0087] 16. second damping mechanism

[0088] 16.1 housing

[0089] 16.2 capture portion

[0090] 16.3 second damper

[0091] 17. actuator

[0092] 17.1 base portion

[0093] 17.2 tongue portion

[0094] 18 support mechanism

[0095] 18.1 support body

[0096] 18.2 support rod

[0097] 18.2a pivot region

[0098] 18.2b arm portion

[0099] 18.2c support region

[0100] 18.2d slot

[0101] 18.2e fixing area

[0102] 18.2f rolling body

[0103] 18.3 coil spring

[0104] 18.4 accessory element

[0105] 18.5 mounting portion

[0106] 18.5a first portion

[0107] 18.5b second portion

[0108] 18.6 hole portion

[0109] 19 fixing element. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0110] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cabinet (1) having two doors (3) associated with the device according to the present application, wherein the two doors (3) are coplanar in the retracted position with respect to the compartment (2) and each door (3) is connected with a moving portion (5) of the device.

[0111] Figure 2 is shown a cabinet (1) having two doors (3) associated with the device according to the present application, wherein one of the doors (3) in the extracted position overlaps the other door (3) in the retracted position.

[0112] Figure 3 is shown in perspective view a compartment (2) having a linear guide (6) and a further guide (7) suitable for guiding the two doors on the further guide by means of the respective moving portions (5).

[0113] Figure 4 is shown a cabinet (1) wherein one door (3) is associated with a respective moving portion (5) of the device and is in the extracted position, while the other door (3) is removed from the connecting element (10) of the respective moving portion (5).

[0114] Figure 5 is shown a moving portion (5) separated from the cabinet (1) which does not have a connecting element (10), wherein the position of the moving portion (5) corresponds to the retracted position of the door (3) on the compartment (2).

[0115] Figure 6The mobile part (5) with the connecting element (10) is shown in exploded manner.

[0116] Figure 7 The cabinet (1) is shown in half-section, with the doors (3) associated with the device in the withdrawn position with respect to the compartment (2).

[0117] Figure 8 The support mechanism (18) of the device is shown in isolation from the compartment (2), with the two support bars (18.2) mounted on the support body (18.1) so as to be angled to each other by means of the helical spring (18.3).

[0118] Figure 9 The support mechanism (18) of the device is shown in isolation from the compartment (2), with the two support bars (18.2) mounted on the support body (18.1) so as to be angled to each other by means of the helical spring (18.3). Figure 8

[0119] Figure 10 The cabinet (1) with the two doors (3) associated with the device according to the invention is shown in perspective, with the two doors (3) coplanar in the extracted position with respect to the compartment (2) and the two doors (3) connected to the respective mobile parts (5) of the device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0120] Figure 1 The cabinet (1) with the two doors (3) associated with the device according to the invention is shown in perspective, with the two doors (3) coplanar in the extracted position with respect to the compartment (2) and the two doors (3) connected to the respective mobile parts (5) of the device. Figure 1 ) the position in which the two doors (3) are coplanar to each other; and the position in which one of the doors (3) overlaps the other ( Figure 2 ).

[0121] In the attached figures, the cabinet (1) comprises two doors (3), but it is of course conceivable that the cabinet (1) comprises more than two doors (3) associated with the device of the invention. In order to provide such a cabinet (1) with more than two doors (3), the dimensions of the cabinet (1) and the components of the device can be adjusted according to the number of doors (3) on the cabinet (1).

[0122] The device according to the invention is mounted on the upper face (4) of the compartment (2) of the cabinet (1). By considering the plane "A" as a plane of symmetry of the cabinet (1) itself, the device associated with one door (3) is a symmetrical structure with respect to the other device associated with the other door (3).

[0123] ​Each device has a common linear guide (6) which extends over the entire length of the upper face (4) of the cabinet (1) and comprises a first track (6a) and a second track (6b) which are mounted on the upper face (4) so as to be parallel to each other. As Figure 3 shown in Figure 6, these tracks (6a, 6b) are moulded as separate parts and mounted on the upper face (4) so that there is a distance (6c) between them, but it is conceivable that these tracks (6a, 6b) could also be formed as a single piece by moulding on a plate which could have a spacing (6c) between the tracks (6a, 6b).

[0124] It is clear that the linear guides (6) can be formed in various lengths to individually guide the mobile part (5) of the device to be connected to the door (3). In this case, the linear guides (6) do not need to be fixed to each other, so that each door (3) can be associated with its own linear guide (6). However, it is quite inexpensive and easy to install to form a common linear guide (6) along which the mobile parts (5) connected to the doors (3) are guided together. Furthermore, the length of the linear guides (6) can be adjusted according to the number of doors (3) provided on the compartment (2).

[0125] As Figure 7 better shown in Figure 7, each track (6a, 6b) has a "C" profile in the form of a concave shape and comprises a horizontal passage (6a.1, 6b.1) and a vertical passage (6a.2, 6b.2). In the mounted condition, the concave part of the first track (6a) faces the concave part of the second track (6b). The tracks (6a, 6b) with C profile are adapted to receive and guide the wheels of the mobile part (5) of the device, as will be described below.

[0126] As Figure 3 better shown in Figure 8, each device also comprises a common further guide (7) which is mounted on the upper face (4) of the compartment (2) between the first track (6a) and the second track (6b) and extends substantially over the entire length of the upper face (4) of the cabinet (1). The further guide (7) has a C profile with a concave shape facing upwards Figure 7 . The further guide (7) comprises a linear portion (7a) which extends parallel to the tracks (6a, 6b) and an inclined portion (7b) at each end of the linear portion (7a). The inclined portions (7b) of the further guide (7) provide a terminal position for the respective door (3) in which the door (3) can be moved with respect to the compartment (2) between the extracted position and the retracted position.

[0127] It is again apparent that the further guides (7) can be formed with various lengths in order to individually guide the moving parts (5) of the device. In this case, the further guides (7) do not need to be fixed to each other, and therefore each door (3) can be associated with its own further guide (7). However, it is quite advantageous to form a common further guide (7) along which the moving parts (5) are guided collectively. Moreover, the length of the further guides (7) can be adjusted according to the number of doors (3) provided on the compartment (2).

[0128] Alternatively, the further guides (7) can comprise an inclined portion (7b) at one end of the linear portion (7a). In this case, the other end of the linear portion (7a) can be formed as a closed end in order to prevent the moving part (5) from exiting from the further guide (7) during sliding. Such a further guide (7) is suitable for guiding only one moving part (5) associated with one door (3).

[0129] Said linear portion (7a) is positioned closer to the second rail (6b) and close to the front portion of the cabinet (1), and the inclined portion (7b) is closer to the first rail (6a) and close to the rear portion of the cabinet (1), the inclined portion (7b) being transverse to the linear portion (7a).

[0130] Each inclined portion (7b) can preferably be formed in a terminal body (7c) having a plurality of mounting holes (7c.1), the terminal body (7c) being mounted on the upper face (4) via the respective mounting elements through the plurality of mounting holes (7c.1). In this case, the terminal body (7c) also comprises a receiving portion (7c.2) into which the linear portion (7a) of the further guide (7) is introduced, whereby the linear portion (7a) is connected to the inclined portion (7b) to form the further guide (7). The linear portion (7a) and the inclined portion (7b) of the further guide (7) can be configured in separate or integral form. The further guide (7) having the linear portion (7a) and the inclined portion (7b) can be fixed to the upper face (4) by attachment means (not shown).

[0131] The moving part (5) of the device according to the present application is associated with the door (3), whereby the door (3) is moved on the compartment (2). Figure 4A cabinet (1) is shown, wherein one door (3) is associated with a respective mobile part (5) and the door is in an extracted position with respect to the compartment (2). Here, the other door (3) of the cabinet (1) is removed from the respective mobile part (5). Each mobile part (5) comprises a first slider (51), a second slider (52) and a connecting element (10). The connecting element (10) firmly connects the mobile part (5) with the door (3), whereby each door (3) can be moved on the compartment (2) by the corresponding mobile part (5).

[0132] The door (3) can be adjusted on the compartment (2) with respect to the spatial directions by means of adjustment mechanisms provided on the mobile part (5). Here reference (y) corresponds to the horizontal direction, reference (x) corresponds to the vertical direction and reference (z) corresponds to the depth direction, as shown in Figure 4

[0133] The connecting element (10) comprises a horizontal part (10.1) and a vertical part (10.2). The vertical part (10.2) is mounted inside the door (3) starting from the upper edge (3a) of the door (3) and the horizontal part (10.1) is mounted on the mobile part (5) in an adjustable manner.

[0134] The first slider (51) of the mobile part (5) is configured to move in a slidable manner along the linear guide (6) and the second slider (52) of the mobile part (5) is configured to move in a slidable manner along the further guide (7). The second slider (52) also moves in the depth direction (z) with respect to the first slider (51) along the inclined portion (7b) of the further guide (7) while the user moves the door (3) from the retracted position to the extracted position or from the extracted position to the retracted position.

[0135] Optionally, depending on the size and weight of the cabinet (1) and / or of the door (3), more than one mobile part (5) can be associated with the door (3), the more than one mobile part (5) being spaced apart along the linear guide (6) and the further guide (7) at different distances with respect to each other.

[0136] Figure 5 A mobile part (5) is shown separate from the cabinet (1), which mobile part (5) does not have a connecting element (10). Here the position of the mobile part (5) corresponds to the retracted position of the door (3) on the compartment (2). Figure 6 The mobile part (5) with the connecting element (10) is shown in exploded manner. As Figure 5 and Figure 6 It is clearly shown that the first slider (51) of the mobile part (5) comprises two sliding means (51a, 51b), one of which slides on the first track (6a) and the other one, respectively, on the second track (6b)​Figure 7 ). The sliding means (51a, 51b) travel on the first track (6a) and on the second track (6b) respectively. A space (53) is defined between the sliding means (51a, 51b). The space (53) allows the second sliding member (52) to be guided along the further guide (7). The second sliding member (52) of the moving portion (5) can be displaced between the sliding means (51a, 51b) from the retracted position to the extracted position, or vice versa, when the second sliding member (52) moves along the inclined portion (7b) of the further guide (7). The first sliding member (51) is configured so that it can move along the linear guide (6) when the second sliding member (52) is in the extracted position.

[0137] Each sliding means (51a, 51b) is equipped with at least two vertical wheels (9), preferably four vertical wheels (9). The vertical wheels (9) are attached in an axially rotatable manner from the outside to the sliding means (51a, 51b) and travel on the respective horizontal passage (6a.1, 6b.1) with respect to the direction (z). Likewise, each sliding means (51a, 51b) is equipped with at least two horizontal wheels (8). The horizontal wheels (8) are attached in an axially rotatable manner from the underside to the sliding means (51a, 51b) and travel on the respective vertical passage (6a.2, 6b.2) with respect to the direction (x). Figure 7 ).

[0138] The sliding means (51a, 51b) are connected to each other by means of two shafts (51.1), in the case of which the moving box (52.1) of the second sliding member (52) can be moved between the sliding means (51a, 51b) by means of the connecting element (10), while the door (3) is moved from the retracted position to the extracted position, or vice versa.

[0139] The adjustment mechanism of the mounting portion (5) ensures compensation in the spatial direction of connection errors and / or tolerances that can occur between the door (3) and the compartment (2). The adjustment mechanism allows adjustment of the connecting element (10) with respect to the second sliding member (52). The working principle of the adjustment mechanism will be explained in detail below.

[0140] As Figure 5As shown in Fig. 5, the adjustment mechanism comprises a plurality of mounting screws (11) which are mounted on the moving box (52.1) to provide a connection between the horizontal portion (10.1) of the connection element (10) and the moving box (52.1) of the second sliding portion (52). In this exemplary embodiment, three mounting screws (11) are provided which allow the horizontal portion (10.1) to be mounted to the moving box (52.1) in a secure manner, but it is of course conceivable that the number of mounting screws (11) can vary. The moving box (52.1) comprises a plurality of first threaded holes (52.2) for receiving the corresponding mounting screws (11). Preferably, the mounting screws (11) are screwed into the first threaded holes (52.2) before the horizontal portion (10.1) of the connection element (10) is fastened to the moving box (52.1). As Figure 6 As can be observed in Fig. 5, each mounting screw (11) comprises a knurled portion (11.2), a screw head (11.1) having a larger diameter than the knurled portion (11.2), and a skirt portion (11.3) which is formed circumferentially around the knurled portion (11.2) and away from the screw head (11.1). In the mounted state, the mounting screw (11) is screwed into the first threaded hole (52.2) until the skirt portion (11.3) reaches a stop portion in the first threaded hole (52.2), so that the skirt portion (11.3) and the corresponding stop portion prevent the mounting screw (11) from being further advanced into the first threaded hole (52.2). In this case, the screw head (11.1) remains away from the first threaded hole (52.2), i.e. from the moving box (52.1).

[0141] The horizontal portion (10.1) of the connection element (10) comprises a plurality of first mounting holes (10.3) corresponding to the mounting screws (11). Each first mounting hole (10.3) comprises a receiving portion (10.3a) and an adjustment portion (10.3b) extending from the receiving portion (10.3a). During assembly, the horizontal portion (10.1) of the connection element (10) is placed on the moving box (52.1) so that each screw head (11.1) passes through the corresponding receiving portion (10.3a), so that the connection element (10) is ready to be fastened to the moving box (52.1). When the mounting screws (11) are turned, preferably by a screwdriver, the screw heads (11.1) travel on a bearing portion (10.3c) formed in the first mounting hole (10.3) and around the receiving portion (10.3a) and the adjustment portion (10.3b), whereby the connection element (10) is moved in the horizontal direction (y) with respect to the moving box (52.1) and the sliding means (51a, 51b).

[0142] Thanks to the mounting screw (11) of the adjustment mechanism, in addition to the connection of the connection element (10) to the second slide (52), the position of the connection element in the horizontal direction (y) relative to the second slide (52) can be adjusted by rotating the mounting screw (11) in the first mounting hole (10.3), and thus the position of the door (3) in the horizontal direction (y) relative to the compartment (2) can be adjusted by rotating the mounting screw (11) in the first mounting hole (10.3). In the mounted state, there is a gap between the connection element (10) and the slide device (51a, 51b), so the connection element (10) can move freely relative to the first slide (51).

[0143] Advantageously, the horizontal part (10.1) and the vertical part (10.2) can be formed as separate parts to allow the door (3) to be easily assembled to the compartment (2). In this case, the horizontal part (10.1) and the vertical part (10.2) comprise a plurality of corresponding second mounting holes (10.5), the horizontal part (10.1) previously connected to the moving box (52.1) is mounted to each other via the plurality of second mounting holes (10.5), the vertical part (10.2) previously connected to the door (3) is mounted to each other via the plurality of third mounting holes (10.6) during assembly.

[0144] Alternatively, the adjustment mechanism comprises at least one rack, optionally two racks (52.3) defined on the moving box (52.1), by means of which the horizontal adjustment of the door (3) relative to the compartment (2) can be achieved. The fourth mounting hole (10.7) is provided on the horizontal part (10.1) of the connection element (10) corresponding to the rack (52.3). By means of a tool that rotates on the rack (52.3), the connection element (10) is adjusted relative to the second slide (52), thereby adjusting the position of the door (3) in the horizontal direction (y) relative to the compartment (2).

[0145] The adjustment mechanism also comprises a fixing element (19) on the second slide (52), which enables the fixing of the position of the connection element (10) on the second slide (52) after fine adjustment of the door (3) relative to the compartment (2). In order to adjust the position of the door (3) relative to the compartment (2), it is first necessary to loosen the fixing element (19), and after adjustment, it is necessary to tighten the fixing element (19) again. The fixing element (19) provided on the moving box (52.1) cooperates with the corresponding fixing hole (10.4) provided on the horizontal part (10.1) of the connection element (10).

[0146] Advantageously, each device according to the invention may include a first damping mechanism (12) that applies damping to the door (3) in the closing direction. The first damping mechanism (12) includes a cylinder (12.1) and a piston rod (12.2) that guides a piston within the cylinder (12.1). The first damping mechanism (12) is releasably mounted on a second slider (52) such that the first damping mechanism is substantially placed in a movable housing (52.1), and the free end (12.3) of the piston rod (12.2) is fixed to the slider (51a, 51b).

[0147] During the movement of the door (3) from the retracted position toward the retracted position, the second slider (52) is driven from the rear to the front of the cabinet (1) via the connecting element (10) connected to the door (3) on the shaft (51.1) located between the sliding devices (51a, 51b), and the first damping mechanism (12) is simultaneously configured to apply damping to the door (3). When the door (3) moves from the retracted position toward the retracted position, the second slider (52) is driven from the front to the rear via the connecting element (10) on the shaft (51.1) between the sliding devices (51a, 51b), thus activating the first damping mechanism (12) and thereby slowing down the closing speed of the door (3).

[0148] like Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, the moving part (5) includes a roller (13) that engages with the second slider (52). The roller (13) is mounted on the lower side of the moving housing (52.1) to allow the second slider (52) to be guided along an additional guide (7). The roller (13) moves along the inclined portion (7b), while the second slider (52) moves on the shaft (51.1) between the sliding devices (51a, 51b), which corresponds to the retraction or removal movement of the door (3) relative to the compartment (2) in the direction (z). When the roller (13) begins to move on the linear portion (7a) of the additional guide (7), the first slider (51) also begins to move on the linear guide (6), which corresponds to the sliding movement of the door (3) relative to the compartment (2) in the horizontal direction (y).

[0149] Each moving part (5) also includes a force-applying unit (14) with a spring (14.1). The spring (14.1) is positioned slightly above the spring guide (14.2). One end of the spring guide (14.2) is pivotally fixed to the lower side of the moving box (52.1) by a mounting member (14.3), and the spring (14.1) with the spring guide (14.2) can be guided within the retainer (14.4) during the retracted or extended position.

[0150] The spring (14.1) can be a tension spring. In this case, the spring (14.1) always tries to pull the door (3) towards the compartment (2) and provides a closing force to retract the door (3) from the extracted position to the retracted position. When the door (3) is closed by itself, the second slide (52) is simultaneously moved between the sliding means (51a, 51b) from the front to the rear of the cabinet (1).

[0151] The spring (14.1) can be a compression spring. In this case, the spring (14.1) always tries to push the door (3) away from the compartment (2) and provides an opening force to pull the door (3) from the closed position to the extracted position. When the door (3) is pulled out by itself, the second slide (52) is simultaneously moved between the sliding means (51a, 51b) from the rear towards the front of the cabinet (1). Since the door (3) provides a self-opening function, a retaining device is required to retain the door (3) in the closed position and prevent the door (3) from opening accidentally.

[0152] The force applied to the door (3) by the force application unit (14) can be adjusted by the force adjustment unit (15). The force adjustment unit (15) comprises an adjustment part (15.1) connected to the holder (14.4) of the force application unit (14). The adjustment part (15.1) is able to move slidably during the adjustment of the force applied on the support element (15.2) arranged between the sliding means (51a, 51b). The force adjustment unit (15) comprises a toothed rod (15.3) extending substantially on the support element (15.2). The adjustment part (15.1) provides a first opening (15.4) associated with the toothed rod (15.3). The position of the adjustment part (15.1) above the support element (15.2) can be adjusted by the first opening (15.4), thus the tension of the spring (14.1) can be adjusted by the first opening (15.4). A tool such as a screwdriver is turned in the first opening (15.4) and associated with the toothed rod (15.3), thus the adjustment part (15.1) moves back and forth on the support element (15.2).

[0153] The force adjustment unit (15) further comprises a fixing device (15.5) on the adjustment part (15.1) cooperating with a fixing line (15.6) formed on the support element (15.2). The fixing line (15.6) extends parallel next to the toothed rod (15.3). The position of the adjustment part (15.1) on the support element (15.2) is defined by the fixing device (15.5), thus the force applied to the door (3) by the spring (14.1) is defined by the fixing device (15.5). The fixing device (15.5) is fixed on the fixing line (15.6) by means of a tool such as a screwdriver, thus the position of the adjustment part (15.1) on the support element (15.2) is fixed.

[0154] Figure 7 a half-section of a cabinet (1) is shown, in which one of the mobile parts (5) associated with the respective door (3) is connected with a linear guide (6) and a further guide (7). From Figure 7 it is clear that the horizontal passage (6a.1, 6b.1) of each track (6a, 6b) advantageously provides a smooth movement area for the vertical wheels (9), so that these can move on the horizontal passage without interruption. Similarly, the vertical passage (6a.2, 6b.2) of each track (6a, 6b) advantageously forms a smooth movement area for the horizontal wheels (8), so that these can also move to the smooth movement area without any interruption. The height of the vertical passage (6a.2, 6b.2) is defined so as to be compatible with the diameter of the vertical wheels (9), as well as the width of the horizontal passage (6a.1, 6b.1) is formed so as to be compatible with the diameter of the horizontal wheels (8).

[0155] In this exemplary embodiment, the horizontal passage (6a.1, 6b.1) of each track (6a, 6b) is formed with an open end (6d), however in alternative embodiments the horizontal passage (6a.1, 6b.1) can be provided with a limiting element extending upward from the open end (6d) to prevent the horizontal wheels (8) from deviating from the horizontal passage (6a.1, 6b.1) when guided, so that vibrations of the door (3) during sliding can be avoided.

[0156] The device according to the present application can advantageously comprise a second damping mechanism (16) to decelerate the movement of the door (3) while the door (3) is sliding on the compartment (2) with respect to the horizontal direction (y). The second damping mechanism (16) is activated by an actuator (17). In this exemplary embodiment, the second damping mechanism (16) engages with the mobile part (5). As Figure 7 shown, the second damping mechanism (16) is attached to the outer side of the rear sliding means (51a) of the first slider (51), so that the second damping mechanism can move together with the mobile part (5). A gap is provided between the second damping mechanism (16) and the first track (6a).

[0157] In Figure 4 an exemplary actuator (17) is shown. The actuator (17) is also attached from the outside to the sliding means (51a) of the other mobile part (5), so that the actuator (17) can move together with the mobile part (5). A gap is also provided between the first track (6a) and the actuator (17).

[0158] Thanks to the cooperation of the second damping means (16) with the actuator (17), the second damping means (16) can be attached to any one of the moving parts (5) while the actuator (17) is attached to the other corresponding moving part (5), so that when one of the doors (3) slides in the horizontal direction (y), the second damping means (16) are activated by the actuator (17) to reduce the speed of the sliding door (3). However, it is conceivable that the second damping means (16) and the corresponding actuator (17) are attached at other locations on the compartment (2) in order to decelerate the movement of the doors (3) when sliding.

[0159] In this exemplary embodiment, as shown in Figure 4 the actuator (17) comprises a base (17.1) and a tongue (17.2) extending downward from the base (17.1). The second damping means (16) comprise a housing (16.1) in which a second damper (16.3) associated with a capture (16.2) is located. The tongue (17.2) interacts with the capture (16.2), thereby activating the second damper (16.3) and reducing the speed of the door (3). In the opposite movement, when the capture (16.2) is separated from the tongue (17.2), the capture (16.2) returns to its initial position by means of the tension of the second damper (16.3).

[0160] The device of the application can advantageously comprise a support means (18) to support the doors (3) from the inside. The support means (18) exerts a support force on the doors (3). Thanks to the support means (18), vibrations of the doors (3) when sliding on the compartment (2) are avoided.

[0161] In this exemplary embodiment, as shown in Figure 2 the support means (18) is mounted on the bottom of the compartment (2) and is located on the symmetry plane (A). Advantageously, the support means (18) is supported from behind by a partition in the compartment (2).

[0162] Figure 8 The support means (18) is shown in isolation, and Figure 9The same support mechanism is shown from below. The support mechanism (18) comprises a support body (18.1) and two support rods (18.2) mounted on the support body (18.1) in an axially rotating manner. The support rods (18.2) are held on the support body (18.1) and the angle between the support rods is ensured by a helical spring (18.3). Each support rod (18.2) is in contact with each door (3) by exerting a support force on the door during the entire sliding movement thereof. When the doors (3) slide on the compartment (2), the support rods (18.2) rotate axially with respect to the support body (18.1) and subsequently cause the sliding movement of the doors (3). The support rods (18.2) support the respective door (3) by exerting a force on the door from the inside. Each door (3) is slid from the top by the moving part (5) and is supported from the bottom by the support mechanism (18), thus avoiding the swinging of the doors (3) and enabling the simultaneous movement of the doors (3) at the bottom and at the top while the doors (3) are sliding.

[0163] Each support rod (18.2) comprises a pivoting region (18.2a), an arm portion (18.2b) and a support region (18.2c). Each pivoting region (18.2a) comprises an attachment element (18.4) to which the end of the helical spring (18.3) is fixed and thus holds the support rods (18.2) at an angle to each other.

[0164] The arm portion (18.2b) of the support rod (18.2) is connected to the pivoting region (18.2a) at an end portion away from the axial pivoting point. The arm portion (18.2b) is guided within a slot (18.2d) provided on the support region (18.2c). The length of the support rod (18.2) can be adjusted by sliding the arm portion (18.2b) in the slot (18.2d) depending on the distance from the door (3). A fixing region (18.2e) is provided on the arm portion (18.2b) and the position of the arm portion (18.2b) within the slot (18.2d) of the support region (18.2c) is fixed at the fixing region.

[0165] Each support rod (18.2) comprises a rolling body (18.2f) at an end portion of the support region (18.2c) away from the arm portion (18.2b). The rolling body (18.2f) can be pivoted with respect to the vertical axis. The rolling body (18.2f) of the support rod (18.2) rolls on the respective door (3) while the door is sliding and supports the door (3) from the inside.

[0166] The support mechanism (18) further comprises a mounting portion (18.5) for mounting the support body (18.1) to the bottom of the compartment (2). The mounting portion (18.5) can comprise a first portion (18.5a) and a second portion (18.5b). The second portion (18.5b) can be fixed to the bottom of the compartment (2) and the first portion (18.5a) is inserted in a sliding manner on the second portion (18.5b) until the rear portion of the second portion (18.5b) abuts against the separator in the compartment (2).

[0167] Thanks to the device of the application, the door (3) of the cabinet (1) can be opened with or without handle. In order to easily open the door (3), the support mechanism (18) can advantageously comprise two pockets (18.6) inside the support body (18.1) next to each other. A push-off device (not shown) can be located in each pocket (18.6) to open the door (3) by means of the push force applied to the door (3) by the push-off device.

[0168] Figure 10 The cabinet (1) is shown with two doors (3) in the extracted position. In order for the doors (3) to slide on the compartment (2) with respect to the horizontal direction (y), the user first needs to move the doors (3) from the retracted (closed) position as shown in Figure 1 to the extracted position as shown in Figure 4 or Figure 10 In the case where the spring (14.1) of the force application unit (14) is a compression spring and the door is a self-opening door (3), this movement can be ensured by the force application unit (14) of the moving part (5). Alternatively, this movement can be ensured by a push-off device (not shown). During this movement, the second slide (52) of the moving part (5) moves between the sliding devices (51a, 51b) from the rear to the front of the cabinet (1) and the rollers (13) attached to the second slide travel on the inclined position (7b) of the further guide (7) towards the linear portion (7a) until the door (3) reaches the extracted position. In the case where the spring (14.1) of the force application unit (14) is a tension spring and the door is an automatic closing door (3), the user needs to pull the door (3) by himself until the door reaches the extracted position. During the movement of the door (3) from the retracted position towards the extracted position, the first slide (51) of the moving part (5) is immobile on the linear guide (6) as opposed to the second slide (52).

[0169] When the door (3) is in the extracted position, the user can slide the door (3) on the compartment (2) with respect to the horizontal direction (y) as desired, provided that the adjacent door (3) in the cabinet (1) in this exemplary embodiment is in the retracted position. In the case where the spring (14.1) of the force application unit (14) is a compression spring and the door is a self-opening door (3), the user can slide the door (3) on the compartment (2) with respect to the horizontal direction (y) by means of the push-off device (not shown) located in the pocket (18.6) of the support mechanism (18). In the case where the spring (14.1) of the force application unit (14) is a tension spring and the door is an automatic closing door (3), the user can slide the door (3) on the compartment (2) with respect to the horizontal direction (y) by means of the force application unit (14) of the moving part (5). Figure 2In the middle, one door (3) is in the retracted position, thus closing the respective opening of the compartment (2), while the other door (3) is in the extracted position, which overlaps the retracted door.

[0170] It is, however, of course conceivable that the dimensions of the device of the application can be adapted to be compatible with a configuration in which both adjacent doors (3) are allowed to be in the extracted position and to slide simultaneously in an over-under manner. During the sliding movement of the door (3) on the compartment (2), the first slide (51) slides on the linear guide (6) and the second slide (52) slides on the linear portion (7a) of the further guide (7).

[0171] To close the door (3), the user first needs to pull the sliding door (3) to the extracted position. When the door (3) is in the extracted position, the user then pushes the door (3) to the retracted position. In the case of an automatic closing door (3), in which the spring (14.1) of the force application unit (14) is a tensile spring, this movement can be ensured by the force application unit (14) of the moving part (5). During this movement, the second slide (52) of the moving part (5) moves between the sliding means (51a, 51b) from the front to the back of the cabinet (1), the rollers (13) attached to the second slide (52) travel on the inclined position (7b) of the further guide (7) away from the linear portion (7a) until the door (3) reaches the retracted position. In the case of a self-opening door (3), in which the spring (14.1) of the force application unit (14) is a compression spring, the user needs to push the door (3) by himself until the door reaches the extracted position. In this case, a retaining device is needed to retain the door (3) in the retracted position. During the movement of the door (3) from the extracted position towards the retracted position, the first slide (51) of the moving part (5) is again stationary on the linear guide (6) as opposed to the second slide (52).

Claims

1. A device for sliding a door (3) on a compartment (2), said device comprising: - a linear guide (6) having a first track (6a) and a second track (6b) and mounted on the compartment (2) along an upper face (4) of the compartment (2) so that the first track (6a) and the second track (6b) are opposite each other; - a further guide (7) having a linear portion (7a) parallel to the linear guide (6) and an inclined portion (7b) extending transversely to the linear guide (6), - a mobile portion (5) having a first slider (51) travelling in a manner able to slide along the linear guide (6) and a second slider (52) travelling in a manner able to slide along the further guide (7) and displaceable with respect to the first slider (51) from a retracted position to an extracted position or vice versa and connected to the door (3) by a connecting element (10); said device being characterized in that the first slider (51) comprises two sliding means (51a, 51b) travelling respectively on the first track (6a) and on the second track (6b), - a space (53) is defined between the sliding means (51a, 51b) to allow the second slider (52) to be guided along the further guide (7), - the second slider (52) is displaceable between the sliding means (51a, 51b) from the retracted position to the extracted position or vice versa when it moves along the inclined portion (7b) of the further guide (7), and - the first slider (51) is configured so that it is able to move along the linear guide (6) when the second slider (52) is in the extracted position.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, said mobile portion (5) comprising at least one axis (51.1) along which the second slider (52) is displaceable between the sliding means (51a, 51b) from the retracted position to the extracted position or vice versa.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, said mobile portion (5) comprising two axes (51.1) along which the second slider (52) is displaceable between the sliding means (51a, 51b) from the retracted position to the extracted position or vice versa.

4. The apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The connecting element (10) is in two parts, having a horizontal part (10.1) pre-mountable to the second slide (52) and a vertical part (10.2) pre-mountable to the door (3), in the mounted state, the horizontal part (10.1) and the vertical part (10.2) are connected to each other, so that the door (3) can slide on the compartment (2) via the moving part (5).

5. The apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The moving part (5) comprises an adjustment mechanism that allows the adjustment of the connecting element (10) with respect to the second slide (52).

6. The apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The second slide (52) comprises a first damping mechanism (12) for damping the movement of the door (3) from the extraction position to the retraction position, the first damping mechanism (12) having a cylinder (12.1) and a piston rod (12.2), the free end (12.3) of the piston rod (12.2) being releasably fixed to one of the slides (51a, 51b).

7. The apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The moving part (5) comprises a second damping mechanism (16) for damping the door (3) when it slides in the horizontal direction (y), wherein the second damping mechanism (16) is activated during sliding by an actuator (17).

8. The apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The moving part (5) comprises a force application unit (14) having a spring (14.1) for generating a force that pulls the door from the extraction position to the retraction position or a force that pushes the door from the retraction position to the extraction position.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein, The spring (14.1) is placed slightly above a spring guide (14.2), one end of which is pivotally fixed to the second slide (52) by a mount (14.3) and can be guided within a holder (14.4) associated with a force adjustment unit (15).

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein, The spring is a tension spring.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein, The spring is a compression spring.

12. The apparatus of any one of claims 9-11, wherein, The force adjustment unit (15) comprises a support element (15.2) extending between the slides (51a, 51b) and an adjustment part (15.1) that in the adjusted state can be moved in a slidable manner over the entire support element (15.2), so that the tension of the spring is adjusted.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein, The force adjustment unit (15) comprises a fixed part (15.5) cooperating with a fixed line (15.6) formed on the support element (15.2), so that the force exerted by the spring (14.1) on the door (3) is fixed.

14. The apparatus of any one of claims 1-3, wherein, The device comprises a support mechanism (18) for supporting the door (3) from the inside to prevent it from vibrating while sliding.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein, Said support means (18) comprise at least two support bars (18.2), each of which comprises a rolling body (18.2f) against which the door (3) is supported while sliding, said support bars (18.2) being mounted in axial rotation on a support body (18.1) and being kept on said support body (18.1) by means of a helical spring (18.3) in such a way as to have an angle between them.

16. A cupboard (1) comprising two doors (3) which can be moved in a slidable manner on a compartment (2) and which is associated with a device according to claim 1.

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