Leveller for furniture legs

Abstract

The invention relates to a leveller for furniture legs, comprising overlapping elements: an outer casing (1) fitted onto the lower end of the furniture leg (4), inside which a damping spring (2) is located, which can be accompanied by a spring (5) inserted in a mobile part (3) that penetrates inside the casing (1) according to the requirements of the support surface and the pressure of the furniture, adjusting the height of each leg independently. The elements 1 and 3 fit together, providing the casing (1) with a stop having a groove (6) via which the mobile part (3) moves vertically, autonomously adjusting the height via the pressure exerted by the leg on the ground, which is received by the damping spring (2) located inside the mobile part (3), which causes same to rise inside the casing until it is located at a point of stability.

Description

Field of the invention

[0001] The field to which the invention is directed is the furniture. Although the invention has been specifically designed to solve the problem of lack of stability of the tables provided with several legs when in contact with floor surfaces not levelled or irregular, the same is liable to be used in any item of furniture provided with several support legs who may need stability against irregular supporting surfaces by levelling each leg independently of the others in order to get a perfect level of the holding furniture, that is why we indicate that the field concerned is furniture in general.Background of the invention

[0002] So far, in the market, there are different ways to adjust in height the support legs of tables and other furniture in order to be able to correct its stability in presence of irregular support ground or surfaces and with it to level the surface, avoiding the annoying effect "wobble". Mainly, the existing mechanisms employ a system of threading or screwing, either of the own leg or an external element that through manual manipulation serves for adjusting the leg height depending on the unevenness of the supporting surface.

[0003] There are also some complex hydraulic systems that allow self-regulation of the legs.

[0004] Faced with this state of the art, the invention which is intended as a simple innovation without manual manipulation that allows levelling the table on any surface by a system of self-regulation of the leg itself, independently, thanks to the internal mechanism which solves easily and without a difficult manipulation the issue of a wobbly table, in the pubs, at home, in the garden, in the classrooms, office meeting tables, etc.

[0005] The mechanism which constitutes the invention and that we hereunder explain solves that the tables whose legs incorporate the mechanism, by itself, in usual slopes, does not destabilize giving the solution to the problem of "wobble". Once inserted into the legs of any material manufactured and with the forms that the manufacturer of tables and legs required or desired, oval, round, rectangular, square or any others, the problem of possible "wobble" disappears.

[0006] JP2009189629 discloses a system comprising a screwed shaft which requires manual manipulation.

[0007] US2775849 in the embodiment detailed in figure 1 discloses a leveller comprising a screwed nut.

[0008] DE3135296 relates to a foot element for furniture legs, in particular chair and table legs In the unloaded or raised state, the spring and sliding with the floor-contact surface protrudes from the furniture leg owing to the action of a spring, by a spring travel of about 5-10 mm which is set during design. In this state, a chair for example can be slid over uneven floors (tiles) relatively quietly and with little wear on the floor-contact surfaces .In the loaded state, when for example a person is sitting on the chair, the stop surfaces are lowered against the action of the springs as far as the spring and sliding component .

[0009] The closest prior art FR 814589 discloses in figure 3 a leveller furniture legs comprising a casing, damping means, a mobile screw where is located inside of the casing whereby the screw contains in the upper zone an anchor piece fixed to the casing. The casing contains a central hole and the anchor piece runs through the groove of the casing.

[0010] It is well known by skilled man that screw may be clogged.

[0011] Another known leveller for furniture is disclosed in US 2 795 892 A. 9[Explanation of the invention

[0012] The problem solved by the invention is to avoid the use of screws.

[0013] The solution in accordance with claims is an automatic leveller. The invention consists on the introduction at the lower end of each table leg a piece (leveller) characterized by having three overlapping components: an outer casing (1) that fits into the own table leg (4) and inside of which there is a inner spring (2) provided with a spring (5) located in its turn inside a mobile piece (3) which will penetrate into the casing (1) according to the needs of the support surface until the correct setting of the leg to the ground depending on the presence of irregularities in the same. All of this as reflects graphically in Figure 1 herein.

[0014] These three elements: casing (1), inner spring (2) and mobile piece (3), located in each leg of the table (4), auto-regulate independently the height of each one of the legs in order to guarantee the stability of the table and levelling the surface for proper use without any handling or use of screws or threads, solving the problem of "wobble" of the table or furniture without manual manipulation.

[0015] To achieve the union of the three elements, a fitting system is used, the casing (1) is provided at its top with a stop with the groove (6) with the optimal routing for height adjustment autonomously (Figures 2 and 3), and thereby achieve the levelling of the table. The pressure exerted by the leg on the ground is received by the inner spring (2) located inside the mobile piece (3) and will cause the rise of the same inside the cavity of the casing until the point of stability needed in each case with the help of the spring (5) tension.

[0016] By achieving the stability thanks to the pressure of the table against the ground independently on each leg, nothing impede that the levelling in its bottom or friction area with the ground could be in contact with a wheel or other external support element, at the manufacturer election. For this, it is sufficient to couple the desired wheel or element at the lower end of the mobile piece (3).Brief description of the drawings

[0017] To complement the description being made and in order to aid to a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, a set of drawings are attached as an integrated part of the description, wherein, for illustrative and non-limiting purposes, the following has been represented: Figure 1 shows a display of the invention, whichincludes how in the inside of any leg of a table or other item of furniture (4) is inserted or fitted a casing (1) with a groove (6) at its upper part in which the lower mobile piece (3) will move, equipped with anchor pieces (7) in the casing (1) and inside which an inner spring (2) with a spring (5) is located Figure 2 depicts the leveller, object of the invention, spread within the leg which it is how it looks like when it has not touched yet the ground or support surface. It can be seen how the inner spring (2) and the spring (5) are fully extended and the anchor pieces (7) occupies the bottom of the groove (6) of the upper part of the casing (1)

[0018] On the other hand, Figure 3 shows the leveller, object of the invention, closed, that is, in contact with the ground or support surface. When the leg (4) is in contact, the mobile piece (3) rises to stay resting on the ground or support surface and the inner spring (2) and spring (5) are as tense as necessary in order to exert the adequate pressure for levelling the surface, while the anchor pieces (7) occupy their position in the groove (6) which acts as anchoring zone .

[0019] Finally, Figure 4 gives a detail of the fitting of parts of the levelling element with indication of the upper casing (1) in which it has been introduced the lower mobile piece (3) with groove (6) by which the anchor pieces (7) will move offering the outside appearance of the levelling piece.Preferred embodiment of the invention

[0020] The invention that is intended, as we have advanced, consists of a piece, external to the leg, placed in its inside and its lower end that will be in contact with the ground or support surface to achieve stability and with it the levelling of the furniture.

[0021] There are two requirements for this invention, the existence of furniture with several support legs with a hollow section and an external element to be introduced inside each one of the legs for the levelling of the furniture according to the unevenness of the support surface. This element that we call leveller consists of a piece that fits inside of the leg by a casing (1) in whose inside top an groove (6) has been made, the inner spring (2) subsequently press a spring (5); the inner spring (2) and spring (5) are embedded in the mobile piece (3) that contacts the support surface and moves according to the pressure exerted by the own table on the ground; the mobile piece (3) moves inside the casing (1) through the groove (6) by the anchor pieces (7) designed in the mobile piece, that run through the groove (6) of the casing (1) up to occupy the correct height.

[0022] When the levelling element is at rest (not in contact with the ground), it has the appearance that represents Figure 2, with the spring (5) fully extended in the absence of any pressure of the ground on the bottom surface to press the inner spring (2). Set the table or furniture on the ground, the lower mobile piece (3) which is the one to contact the same, will move through the inside of the upper part with the allowable clearance in accordance with the design of the upper casing as result of the pressure made by the weight of the table on the inner spring (2), remaining in the position depicted in Figure 3 in more or less open position in relation to the weight of the table and the support surface.

Claims

1. Leveller for furniture legs comprising: - a casing (1) with a groove (6), - a mobile piece (3) moving inside the casing (1) and in contact with a support surface - an inner spring (2), - a spring (5) pressed by the inner spring (2) - anchor pieces (7) formed in the mobile piece (3), wherein the inner spring (2) and the spring (5) are embedded in the mobile piece (3) wherein - the anchor pieces (7) run through the groove (6) and - the groove (6) is inside a top part of the casing (1)

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