Device for supporting and fixing furniture shelves

Abstract

A device (10) for supporting and fixing a shelf (21) of a furniture item (20) such as a bookshelf, a shelving unit or the like, comprising a generally cylindrical housing (11) in which a pin (12) to which pressure is applied by a compression spring (13) is mounted, the device (10) being inserted into the edge of the shelf (21), the tip (31) of the pin (12) usually protruding from the edge of the shelf and tending to re-enter the housing (11) when the shelf interferes with a wall (22) of the furniture item (20), wherein a cam element (50) is provided for actuating the pin (12) between a maximum extension position and a minimum extension position of the tip (31) from the housing (11), the pin (12) being free to be acted upon by the spring to re-enter the housing (11) when the cam element is in the maximum extension position and the minimum extension position of the tip (31).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for supporting and fixing a furniture shelf, also called a shelf support. Background Art

[0002] For example, a bookshelf or shelf unit typically includes two parallel uprights or walls with one or more horizontal shelves disposed therebetween that function to define a support and resting surface for books, magazines, vases and / or a variety of other objects.

[0003] The shelves are arranged and fixed between the vertical walls using various types of means, usually independent of the shelves, such as brackets, screws, pins, etc., which require the use of special tools for their installation. This solution is not satisfactory, on the one hand because it makes the assembly of the shelves somewhat laborious, and on the other hand because the fixing means remain visible.

[0004] In an attempt to overcome these problems, shelf support devices have been proposed, which include a resilient pin inserted into the edge of the shelf and having a projection which engages under the action of a spring in a corresponding seat formed in the wall of the furniture item. Due to the action of the spring, the pin usually protrudes from the device and, when the shelf is installed, interferes with the vertical wall of the furniture item, returning into the device to come out of the device when it is opposite to a dedicated seat formed in the wall of the furniture item. To remove the shelf, a special tool must be used on the device through an opening formed in the shelf to return the pin against the action of the spring.

[0005] This device without a pin stop is quite complicated to install and inconvenient to use.

[0006] EP 1228721 A1 describes a device comprising a housing inserted into the edge of a shelf, in which a resilient pin is placed, which usually protrudes from the shelf and can be retracted into the housing when the shelf interferes with the wall of the furniture article. Two pairs of protrusions are provided on the pin to cooperate with the resilient tongue protruding in the housing, the first pair of protrusions determining the unstable engagement of the free end of the fin, thereby allowing the pin to extend during the assembly of the shelf, and the second pair of protrusions constituting the end stop for the extension of the pin. In order to enable the shelf to be disassembled, a tool such as a screwdriver must be used on the slide of the pin to stably engage the first pair of protrusions with the fin, thereby keeping the pin in the retracted position in the housing. For this purpose, the housing has a base with a groove, in which the slide is placed. In order to be able to accommodate the housing in the shelf, a hole with a larger window opened on the edge is made so that the base is placed in the window, thereby remaining outside the shelf.

[0007] This arrangement is not practical in use because the pins always protrude maximally from the housing in the resting state and therefore also when the shelf is mounted.

[0008] Linear actuation of the slide against the action of the spring is also not easy to achieve.

[0009] Additionally, the base with the slot for reaching the slide remains visible on the outside of the shelf, which is rather unsightly.

[0010] WO 2015 / 158622 describes a device for supporting and fixing a furniture shelf according to the preamble of independent claim 1 . Summary of the invention

[0011] An object of the present invention is to overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages.

[0012] More specifically, an object of the present invention is to provide a device for supporting and fixing a furniture shelf which has a compact structure, for example substantially completely hidden from view, so as to optimize the aesthetic value of the furniture item.

[0013] Another object of the present invention is to provide such a device which allows easy and quick assembly and disassembly of the shelf.

[0014] A further object of the invention is to provide a supporting and fixing device in which the elastic pins can be actuated simply and safely and arranged in a plurality of operating positions, thereby ensuring stable fixing of the shelf.

[0015] A further object of the invention is to provide such a device which is simple and economical to manufacture.

[0016] These and other objects are achieved by the device according to the invention having the features as set forth in claim 1 .

[0017] According to the invention, there is provided a device for supporting and fixing a shelf of furniture such as a bookshelf, a shelf unit or the like, the device comprising a generally cylindrical housing, inside which a pin is mounted to which pressure is applied by a compression spring, the device being inserted into the edge of the shelf, the tip of the pin protruding orthogonally / normally from the edge of the shelf and being adapted to re-enter the housing when the shelf interferes with a wall of the furniture item, wherein a cam element is provided for actuating the pin between a maximum extension position and a minimum extension position relative to the housing, the pin being freely acted upon by a spring to re-enter the housing when the cam element is in the said maximum extension position and the said minimum extension position of the tip, characterised in that the cam element has an eccentric flap which can be positioned in two opposite positions in a longitudinal slot of the pin so as to determine the said maximum extension position and the said minimum extension position of the tip, and the flap can act on a protrusion which protrudes beyond the profile of the pin on one side of the slot so as to cause the tip to retract from the said maximum extension position to the said minimum extension position after rotation of the cam element, the housing having a longitudinal side window in which the protrusion moves during the sliding of the pin in the housing.

[0018] Advantageous embodiments of the invention are disclosed by the dependent claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] The structural and functional characteristics of the device for supporting and fixing a shelf of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description, with reference to the accompanying drawings which represent preferred and non-limiting embodiments of the present invention and in which:

[0020] Figure 1 A schematic axonometric view of the device for supporting and fixing a furniture shelf according to the present invention;

[0021] Figure 1a Taken from the opposite side Figure 1 a view of the device;

[0022] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 An exploded axonometric view of the installation;

[0023] Figure 2a , 2b 2c are respectively a side view, a top view and a bottom view of a cam element constituting a part of the device;

[0024] Figure 3 The device is Figure 2a A partial cross-sectional view in the orientation of , showing the positioning of the cam element;

[0025] Figure 3a yes Figure 3 Magnified view of the circled detail;

[0026] Figure 4 , 5 , 6, 7, and 8 are top views with a portion of the housing removed, showing the sequence of positions of the elastic pins during shelf disassembly; Figure 4a , 5a , 6a, 7a, 8a are enlarged views showing different positions of the cam element in the order of the previous figures;

[0027] Fig. 9 , 10 , 11 is a schematic axonometric view with cutaway portions showing successive stages during assembly of a shelf;

[0028] Figure 9a and 9b , 10a, and 11a are Fig. 9 , 10 , and an enlarged view of the detail circled in 11. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] With reference to the aforementioned figures, the device for supporting and fixing a furniture shelf according to the present invention, indicated as a whole by the reference numeral 10, comprises an outer body or housing 11 having a generally cylindrical shape, inside which a pin 12 is mounted, which is pressed by a compression spring 13.

[0030] The device 10 is inserted into the furniture item 20 ( Figure 9-11 ) in the thickness portion of a shelf 21 of the furniture item, wherein the front surface of the housing 11 is flush with the edge of the shelf and the pins 12 protruding from it are inserted into holes 23 formed in corresponding vertical walls 22 of the furniture item, as will be more clearly described below.

[0031] The housing 11 is made of two half shells, namely a lower half shell or base 14 and an upper half shell or cover 15, which are joined together to determine the above-mentioned hollow cylindrical structure, which is closed at one end 16 placed in the thickness of the shelf 21 and is open at the other end 17 from which the pin 12 protrudes.

[0032] The housing 11 is provided externally with a serrated portion 18 formed axially along part or all of its longitudinal extension, the function of which is to ensure a greater grip on the inner surface of a receiving hole formed in the furniture shelf, and similarly, the housing is provided at the open end 17 with an annular expansion portion or collar 19, the function of which is to define a stop element when the housing is introduced into the said hole of the shelf.

[0033] The housing 11 is preferably made of a plastic material or nylon or another common equivalent material suitable for the purpose (metallic materials are not excluded), while the pin 12 is made of metal or hard plastic. The spring 13 is obviously metallic.

[0034] The pin 12 has a cylindrical front portion 30 which at least partially protrudes from the open end 17 of the housing 11 and ends in a pointed arched tip 31; an intermediate portion 32, the specific construction of which will be explained below; and a rear portion 33 which is also cylindrical but has a smaller diameter so as to be able to fit into the helical spring 13 which abuts between the central portion 32 of the pin and the closed rear wall 16 of the housing 11.

[0035] Naturally, the tip 31 of the pin may have a configuration different from that shown, in any case preferably it is rounded to slide more easily against the corresponding vertical wall 22 of the furniture item when it interferes with the latter during insertion and removal of the shelf 21 .

[0036] The middle portion 32 of the pin 12 is flattened at the top, where it has a flat surface 34 delimited by a front shoulder 35 and a rear shoulder 36 against which the above-mentioned spring 13 rests.

[0037] A longitudinal groove 37 is formed in this flat surface 34 , which at least partially covers the entire thickness of the pin 12 .

[0038] On one side of the groove 37 there are provided two projections 38 which project beyond the contour 25 of the pin 12 so as to define between them an open space 39 for a purpose to be mentioned below.

[0039] After the two half shells 14, 15 of the housing 11 are connected, a window 40 is defined on the side where the protrusion 38 is provided (see Figure 1a and 3 ), which extends substantially along the length of the intermediate portion 32 of the pin 12, and in which the above-mentioned projection 38 is received in a sliding manner during the axial movement of the pin 12, as will now be explained.

[0040] In fact, the setting Figure 2a , 2b , 2c, the cam element 50 is shown separately for moving the pin 12.

[0041] With reference to the orientation shown in the figures, the cam element 50 has: a lower cylindrical portion or shaft 51 of smaller diameter, which serves as the axis of rotation of the cam element, passes through the slot 37 and is partially received in a hole 56 formed in the lower half shell 14, and a head 52 of larger diameter coaxial therewith, which is provided with a shaped seat 53, for example with a polygonal cross-section, for engaging an operating spanner, for example an Allen key, received in a corresponding hole 57 formed in the upper half shell 15.

[0042] Below the head 52, there is a disc enlargement 54 which rests on the flat surface 34 of the middle portion 32 of the pin 12, and below the disc 54 there is an eccentric flap 55 which projects beyond the disc 54 and acts as a cam itself, which is normally placed in the groove 37, but during the rotation of the cam element 50, its protruding part may occupy the space 39 between the protrusions 38.

[0043] Having described the structure of the shelf support device according to the present invention, its function will be described with reference to Figures 4 to 8 The order of description is as follows.

[0044] exist Figure 4 , the device is shown in a configuration of use with a shelf 21 mounted, wherein the front portion 30 of the pin 12 with the tip 31 is inserted so as to extend maximally in the vertical wall 22 of the furniture item 20 .

[0045] In this state, the petal 55 of the cam element 50 is placed in the front part of the groove 37, and the pin 12 can be freely acted upon by the spring, the maximum extraction of the tip 31 being determined by the rear shoulder 36 of the flat surface 34, against which the disc 54 of the cam element 50 rests.

[0046] To remove the shelf, Figure 4 Starting from the state of FIG. 1 , it is necessary to make the front part of the pin 12 with the tip re-enter the housing 11 .

[0047] To this end, the operating wrench is inserted into the seat 53 of the cam element 50 through the hole 25 formed in the shelf to rotate it clockwise, so that the eccentric flap 55 engages with the rear protrusion 38 protruding from the groove 37, thereby causing the tip to retract, as shown in FIG. Figure 5 and 6 shown.

[0048] By further rotating the cam element 50, the flap 55 is in contact with Figure 4 The opposite side is again placed in the groove 37 ( Figure 7 In this state, the pin 12 is in the maximum position for re-entry into the housing 11 determined by the cam element 50, with only the pointed arched tip 31 protruding from it, which is supported by the narrowing 58 of the wall of the groove 37 (see also Figure 1 )de flap 55 remains in this position.

[0049] exist Figure 7 In the state, the pin 12 is free again to be acted upon by the spring to be further retracted into the housing 11, as shown in FIG. Figure 8 As shown by arrow F in FIG.

[0050] Thus, by exerting a push on the shelf, the pointed tip 31 abuts against the edge of the hole 23 formed in the vertical wall of the item of furniture and fully retracts into the housing 11, allowing the shelf to be released.

[0051] Shelves are assembled in Figures 9 to 11 The sequence is schematically shown in FIG.

[0052] The cam element returns to the Figure 4 The tip 31 is then brought into interference with the vertical wall of the furniture item ( Fig. 9 ), it slides back along the wall until it is aligned with the hole 23 into which it snaps ( Fig.11 ).

[0053] It should be noted that, using the device for supporting and fixing a furniture shelf according to the invention, the installation of the shelf can be easily performed, thereby keeping the cam element 50 in the Figure 7 and 8 The position shown, i.e. the flap 55 is placed in the rear part of the groove 37 and only the pointed arch tip 31 protrudes from the housing 11, makes it easier to slide against the vertical wall of the furniture item and insert it into the corresponding hole 23, after which the cam element rotates 180° to release the spring 13 and allow the tip 31 to extend further, thereby ensuring a firm fixation of the shelf.

[0054] From what has been disclosed, it is apparent that the present invention has the advantage of being able to quickly assemble and disassemble a furniture shelf without leaving any visible parts.

[0055] Although the present invention has been described above with specific reference to one of the embodiments given purely by way of non-limiting example, many changes and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the description given above. Therefore, the present invention is intended to cover all changes and modifications falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A device (10) for supporting and fixing a shelf (21) of a furniture item (20) such as a bookshelf, a shelving unit or the like, comprising a substantially cylindrical housing (11) inside which is mounted a pin (12) pressed by a compression spring (13), the device (10) being inserted into the edge of the shelf (21), the tip (31) of the pin (12) protruding orthogonally from the edge of the shelf and being adapted to re-enter the housing (11) when the shelf interferes with a wall (22) of the furniture item (20), wherein: A cam element (50) is provided for actuating the pin (12) between a maximum extension position and a minimum extension position of the tip (31) relative to the housing (11), the pin (12) being free to be spring-loaded to re-enter the housing (11) when the cam element is in the maximum extension position and the minimum extension position of the tip (31), Characterized in that the cam element (50) has an eccentric flap (55) which can be positioned in two relative positions in the longitudinal groove (37) of the pin (12) so as to determine the maximum extension position and the minimum extension position of the tip (31), and the flap acts on a protrusion (38) protruding from one side of the groove (37) beyond the contour of the pin (12) so that the tip retracts from the maximum extension position to the minimum extension position after the cam element (50) is rotated, The housing (11) has a longitudinal side window (40) in which the projection (38) moves during the sliding of the pin (12) in the housing (11).

2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that The maximum extension position of the tip (31) corresponds to the installation and fixing state of the shelf (21), and the minimum extension position of the tip (31) corresponds to the state of removing the shelf (21) by sliding the tip (31) against the edge of the hole (23) formed in the wall (22) of the furniture item and the possible state of reassembling the shelf.

3. The device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The cam element (50) has a disk (54) located directly above the flap (55), a lower shaft (51) serving as an axis of rotation and an upper head (52) having a seat (53) for a manipulating wrench.

4. The device according to claim 3, characterized in that The longitudinal groove (37) is formed in a middle portion (32) of the pin (12) having a flat upper surface (34) on which the disc (54) of the cam element (50) rests.

5. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that The housing (11) is composed of a lower half shell (14) and an upper half shell (15), and the lower half shell (14) and the upper half shell (15) are joined together to define the longitudinal side window (40).

6. The device according to claim 5, characterized in that The lower shaft (51) of the cam element (50) is received in a hole (56) in the lower half-shell (14), and the head (52) with a seat for an operating wrench is received in a corresponding hole (57) in the upper half-shell (15).

7. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that The tip (31) has a pointed arch shape.

8. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that The compression spring (13) acts between a closing wall (16) of the housing (11) and the pin (12).

Images