Furniture items equipped with compartments that can be closed with doors

Abstract

A furniture item (MC) is described that comprises a compartment (20), an L-shaped guide (80) located on the ceiling of the furniture item, and first and second doors (32, 30) for exposing or closing the compartment. The door can be moved by a post element (60) hinged at one end of the second door (30) and connected to two parallel guides (64) attached to the sides of the furniture item.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an item of furniture having compartments that can be closed by doors that are slidable in the item of furniture and swing open to fold like a book. [Background technology]

[0002] Many furniture items are equipped with sliding and folding doors that reduce the size of the door when opened. See, for example, WO 2007 / 148366, where two doors slide along the edge of the furniture item and can be folded together on top of each other and moved together along one side of the furniture item. However, WO 2007 / 148366 has a very complicated door movement mechanism, which is further complicated by lower wheels attached to the doors. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2007 / 148366 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Improving this state of the art is the main goal of the present invention, which is defined in the appended claims, of which the dependent claims define advantageous modifications.

[0005] Another goal is to create a furniture item with compartments that can be closed by sliding and accordion-folding doors one on top of the other, that is easy to use, requires little movement from the user, and causes little fatigue during use. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] Furniture items in use: a compartment with a front opening bounded by walls and a ceiling; The L-shaped guide section is located on the ceiling of the furniture item, First and second doors, e.g., hinged, that can be folded one over the other to expose a compartment or placed flush to close the compartment; First and second doors, the first door being slidably coupled to the guide portion and having a free end portion that allows the doors to be opened and closed like a book; A pillar element, comprising: - hinged at one end to the second door; - connected by means of two parallel guides inclined to the horizontal plane, attached to the sides of the furniture item, so that The column element runs linearly along the side of the furniture item, parallel to the depth of the compartment, while remaining at the same height from the floor; the column element is linearly movable between a first position adjacent the opening of the compartment and a second position adjacent the rear of the compartment; - connected to the guide and the second door, whereby moving toward the first position, then remaining in the first position, pulling the grouped doors out from the side of the furniture item and unfolding them at the front of the compartment; a column element which, on the one hand, moves to a second position and then remains in the second position, and accompanies and / or pushes out the flush doors, folding them like a book, one on top of the other and grouping themselves parallel to the side of the furniture item; It is proposed to have:

[0007] In other words, the column element has two positions, namely: a first position (closed compartment) where the door is located near the compartment opening and is flush with the compartment; a second position (open compartment) located near the rear of the compartment and with the doors grouped together; It is movable between.

[0008] The doors are accordion-foldable by pivoting about at least one axis and are slidable between a compartment-closed position in which the doors are flush with each other at the front of the compartment, and a compartment-open position in which the doors are folded one over the other and accommodated along the side of the compartment.

[0009] At the above-mentioned side of the compartment, the then assembled door can be hidden.

[0010] The doors may be hinged to one another about a common vertical axis or about two separate vertical hinge axes.

[0011] In a preferred variant, the column elements are slidably mounted on parallel guides by skids, so that the column elements always move horizontally as the skids slide on the guides. These skids may comprise, for example, carriages with or without wheels, or low-friction sliding blocks.

[0012] In a preferred variant, the post element has a weight that causes it to slide on the guides, or a weight sufficient to cause it to slide on the guides, in order to pull the door by gravity alone, but gravity can act not only to slide the post element on the guides, but also to slide other elements that are integrated with the post element.

[0013] Preferably, the post element comprises a vertical wall integrally attached to the post element and movable therewith. More preferably, the post element comprises or is connected to two vertical walls arranged perpendicular to each other and integrally attached to the post element. In a first variant, the two vertical walls are arranged together in an L-shape. In a second variant, the two vertical walls are arranged together in a T-shape. These vertical walls cover the doors when they are hidden, protect them from dust and make it possible to protect their mechanism from unexpected impacts.

[0014] The embodiment of the pillar element is, for example, an upright structure or a translation structure. In particular, the pillar element is preferably a vertically oriented linear element, such as a bar, or a profile, or a tubular element. More preferably, the element has a vertical length approximately equal to the height of the compartment and a width (measured along the depth of the compartment) that is less than the depth of the compartment. For example, the pillar element has a width that is less than 1 / 4, 1 / 5, or 1 / 6 of the depth of the compartment.

[0015] Preferably, the parallel guides are inclined so that their lowest ends face the rear of the compartment, thereby causing the post element to remain in the second position by gravity. When the post element is in the first position, it is subjected to a return force that must be countered to keep the door in the closed compartment position. The weight of the post element (and / or all or some of the components integrated into the post element) is designed so that the force of gravity acting on the post element alone is sufficient to pull it downwards, i.e., towards the lower ends of the guides. It is also possible to reverse the inclination of the guides so that the post element remains in the first position described above.

[0016] In order to hold the post member immovable, the furniture item preferably comprises, between the post member and the fixed part of the furniture item, anchoring means or devices which unite the post member and the fixed part with one another, blocking the post member against said part and holding the post member immovable in one of the two positions mentioned above, in particular in the first position.

[0017] Preferably, the anchoring means or device comprises a stop element, which is movable between a position in which the post is integrated into said fixed part and a position in which the post and the fixed part are disengaged. For example, the stop element may be a pin movable to insert or remove itself into a cavity in the fixed part. The pin may be attached to the post and the cavity may be realised in the fixed part, or vice versa.

[0018] In particular, said fixed part may be one of parallel guide parts attached at an angle to the side of the furniture item.

[0019] Preferably, the furniture item comprises a device or means for matching the movement of the door and / or post member to the movement of the stopping element or to the action of the anchoring means or device. In this way, the user does not have to worry about unlocking the stopping element and accidental breakdowns in the movement of the post element are avoided.

[0020] In a variation, the device or means for matching is: i) to detect the position of the door and / or pillar elements, and ii) for actuating a blocking element or anchoring means or device depending on the detected position, Consider the sensor.

[0021] This sensor can be electrical, electromechanical or purely mechanical. In the first two cases, there can be an electronic circuit which drives the movement of the stopping element depending on the command from the user and / or the position of the post element and / or the door. In a variant, the sensor consists of a mechanical detection element, for example a lever mounted protruding from the post element, which To prevent one end of the door from moving along the L-shaped guide section, to be displaced by contact with such an end, and so that, by its own movement induced by such an end, it drives a stopping element or a fixing means or device, It is composed.

[0022] To transfer the movement of the mechanical sensing element to the restraining element, the sensing element may be connected to the restraining element directly or via a mechanical linkage, such as a series of levers or gears.

[0023] Preferably, to simplify construction, one or both parallel guides, which are attached at an angle to the sides of the furniture item, are profile bars.

[0024] The advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment of a furniture item, with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0025] [Figure 1] 10A-10C are three-dimensional rear views of an item of furniture showing the door displacement sequence. [Figure 2] 10A-10C are three-dimensional rear views of an item of furniture showing the door displacement sequence. [Figure 3] 10A-10C are three-dimensional rear views of an item of furniture showing the door displacement sequence. [Figure 4] A top view of a furniture item. [Figure 5] 1A-1C illustrate components of an item of furniture in two different operational configurations. [Figure 6] 1A-1C illustrate components of an item of furniture in two different operational configurations. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 shows details of furniture item options. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026] In the drawings, like numbers indicate identical or conceptually similar parts, and elements are described as they are used.

[0027] The item of furniture MC according to the invention comprises a module formed by a compartment defining a space open to the outside and is bounded by a bottom 22, a ceiling 24, two vertical side walls 26 spaced apart from each other by the width of the compartment 20, and a rear wall 28. The compartment 20 forms a front opening that can be covered by two doors 30, 32 that slide on the front of the compartment 20.

[0028] However, by juxtaposing several modules or sections 20, larger pieces of furniture can be formed.

[0029] The doors 30, 32 are movable in a concertina motion in front of the compartment 20 to close the compartment 20 or to make it accessible from the outside. During this movement, the doors 30, 32 always remain vertical, changing their relative position and their relative position to the compartment 20. When the compartment 20 is closed, the doors 30, 32 are flush and adjacent to each other (FIG. 1), while to expose the compartment 20, the doors 30, 32 are movable and bring themselves together, one on top of the other, on one side of the compartment 20, i.e., the doors 30, 32 are positioned parallel to the wall 26 (FIG. 3).

[0030] To achieve this movement, the doors 30, 32 are hinged to one another about a vertical axis Y1, so that the doors 30, 32 fold over one another like a book to expose a compartment or to close a compartment flush. The vertical axis Y1 can be a hinge axis common to the two doors 30, 32. Or, as shown in Figures 1-3, there can be a mounting piece 31 between the doors 30, 32 to which each door is hinged about a separate axis Y1.

[0031] The door 32 has a free end furthest from the door 30. This free end is slidably connected to an L-shaped guide 80 through a carriage 32c, allowing the door to fold open and close like a book.

[0032] The guide 80 (see FIG. 4) is positioned on the ceiling 24 and includes two coplanar segments 82, 84 that connect to form an L-shape. Segment 82 is parallel to the wall 28, while segment 84 is perpendicular to the wall 28. Thus, the guide 80 first guides the end of the door 32 from one end of the compartment 20 to the other, and then all the way to the vicinity of the wall 28 when the doors 30, 32 are stacked on top of each other (FIG. 3). The door 30 has one end (the end opposite and furthest from the door 32, where the doors are coplanar) hinged to the column element 60 about a vertical axis Y2, and it is movable linearly along a direction parallel to the wall 26 (or, in other words, perpendicular to the wall 28). See arrow F.

[0033] In the example, the column elements 60 are straight profile bars.

[0034] The column element 60 is slidably mounted via a skid or carriage 62 to a linear guide 64 attached to the side of the compartment 20. The two guides 64 are parallel, spaced apart from each other and inclined relative to the horizontal. The two guides 64 may be, for example, straight or profiled bars. The skid or carriage 62 is also movably mounted to the column element 60 and slides in the direction of its length.

[0035] Thanks to the inclined guide 64, the column element 60 can be pulled by gravity towards the wall 28. Since the skids 62 also run vertically on the column element 60, the column element 60 can only move horizontally, i.e. the element 60 can move in a straight line along the side of the furniture item that is parallel to the depth of the compartment 20 at the guide 64, while always remaining at the same height from the floor and / or always vertical.

[0036] The stroke of the post element 60 allows the post element 60 to move linearly (see arrow F) between two positions: a first position adjacent the opening of the compartment 20 (FIG. 1) and a second position adjacent the rear of the compartment 20 (where the wall 28 is present; see FIG. 3). As the post element 60 moves toward the first position, the post element 60 pulls the grouped doors 30, 32 out from the side of the furniture item and spreads them out at the front of the compartment 20. As the post element 60 moves from the first position toward the second position, the post element 60 pushes or pulls the coplanar doors 30, 32 together, causing the doors 30, 32 to fold like a book and group on top of each other, themselves grouped parallel to the side of the furniture item MC.

[0037] Preferably, the upper horizontal linear guide 100 and the lower horizontal linear guide 102 are attached to the side or edge of the furniture item MC to better guide the column element 60, see Figure 7. The guides 100, 102 are parallel to each other.

[0038] The pillar element 60 is provided at its two ends with two respective carriages 110, 112 which can slide in the guides 100, 102 by means of rollers 190. The rollers 190 have a vertical axis of rotation and stabilize the linear displacement of the pillar element 60 in the guides 100, 102.

[0039] The weight of the column element 60 itself is unloaded on the bottom guide 102 via a corresponding bottom carriage 112. For this purpose, at least one roller, with a horizontal rotation axis or a magnetic levitation skid, is preferably attached to the carriage 112 in order to roll or slide on the guide 102.

[0040] To initiate movement of the doors 30, 32, the user only needs to pull on the element 60 or the mounting piece 31, which are preferably equipped with handles for this purpose.

[0041] As can be seen from the drawing, the inclined guide portion 64 tends to urge the column element 60 toward the rear wall 28 of the compartment 20 by gravity, thereby forcing the column element 60 into the second position described above, corresponding to the open compartment 20 and the doors 30, 32 grouped together.

[0042] When the post element 60 remains in the first position, it is subjected to the same return force.

[0043] In particular, movement of the post member 60 from its pulled-out position towards its inserted position in the side seat of the furniture item MC may be due to the weight of the carriage 62 itself sliding along the inclined guide 64. Preferably, the carriage 62 is rigidly connected by a connecting element or bar 130 extending parallel to the post element 60. The connecting element or bar 130 provides additional rigidity to the movement system, and its weight contributes to the aforementioned return force.

[0044] Preferably, one or each carriage 62 is equipped with castors for better sliding in the guide section 64 and / or equipped with brakes or shock absorbers for more uniform sliding stresses in the guide section 64. For example, said brakes are magnetically actuated brakes.

[0045] To keep the compartment 20 securely closed by the doors 30, 32, the furniture item MC is provided with an anchoring device between the post member 60 and a fixed part of the furniture item (e.g., the wall 26 and / or the guide portion 64), whereby the post member 60 can be locked to the compartment 20 to hold it in a first position.

[0046] The anchoring device is preferably attached to the post member 60 for structural simplicity and includes a stop member (e.g., a pin) that is movable to be inserted into or removed from the cavity 44 of the upper guide portion 64.

[0047] In a variant, for example, the stop element may be snap-acting, i.e. it may be pressed into the cavity 44 by a spring or elastic deformation. In this case, the user would need to manually unlock the stop element in order to move the post element 60. To avoid this inconvenience, the item of furniture MC preferably comprises a device or means for matching the movement of the door 30, 32 and / or the post element 60 with the movement of the stop element. Among other things, unexpected breakdowns in the movement of the post element 60 are thereby prevented. In a different variant, for example, the stop element may be driven by an electric actuator.

[0048] The preferred anchoring device 40, shown in detail in Figures 5 and 6, comprises a stop element 42 (e.g., a pin) that is movable to be inserted into or removed from a cavity 44 of the fixed part. The stop element 42 is movable relative to a block 46 that is attached to a post element 60. Pivoted on the block 46 by a fulcrum 48p is a lever 48. The lever 48 projects from the periphery of the block 46 that is rotatable by the free end of the door 32 when the free end of the door 32 reaches the vicinity of the post element 60, which is stationary in a first position.

[0049] The lever 48 comprises an arm 48a hinged via a connecting rod 50 to a second lever 52 which pivots via a fulcrum 52p in the block 46. The lever 52 comprises an arm 52a hinged to the restraining member 42.

[0050] When the doors 30, 32 are flush, nothing presses against the lever 48 and the stop element 42 projects from the block 46 into the cavity 44, thereby holding the post element 60 in place and preventing it from sliding on the guide 64.

[0051] When the doors 30, 32 overlap, the free end of the door 32, guided by the guide portion 80, approaches the free end of the lever 48, pushing and rotating the lever 48. This causes the device 40 to move. The arm 48a pushes the lever 50, which pushes the lever 52, causing the lever 52 to rotate around the pin 52p. The arm 52a then pulls the stop member 42, which retracts into the block 46 and exits the cavity 44, releasing the post member 60 from the compartment 20 and allowing the post member 60 to move with the guide portion 64.

[0052] In the example shown, the blocking element 42 is linearly movable, but different trajectories are possible, for example it can also rotate around an axis or only rotate around an axis.

[0053] In a different embodiment, the stop member 42 can engage a recess provided in one of the carriages 62, thereby preventing the carriage 62 from sliding along the inclined guide portion 64. That is, a cavity 44 is formed in one or each of the carriages 62.

[0054] Preferably, the stop element 42 carries at its free end at least one sliding roller 140, which engages the seat 44 without jamming.

[0055] The fact that all locking / unlocking elements are mounted within the column elements 60 has the advantage that all adjustment parts subject to wear or damage are easily accessible for replacement or repair. Additionally, as there are no parts in the furniture item MC, variability due to total positioning tolerances is minimized, making the system more stable and insensitive to contour variations in both the components and the assembly process.

Claims

1. A furniture item (MC), a compartment (20) with a front opening bounded by walls (26) and a ceiling (24); An L-shaped guide portion (80) arranged on the ceiling of the furniture item (MC); a first and second door (32, 30) connected together so that they can be folded one on top of the other to expose the compartment or placed flush to close the compartment, the first door (32) having an end opposite to the end connected to the second door (30) slidably connected to the L-shaped guide portion (80) so that the first door (32) and the second door (30) can be opened and closed together like a book; A pillar element (60), The second door (30) is hinged at an end opposite to the end connected to the first door (32); The column element (60) is connected to two parallel guides (64) inclined relative to the horizontal plane, attached to the sides of the furniture item (MC), whereby the column element (60) be able to move linearly along the side of the furniture item (MC), parallel to the depth of the compartment, while remaining at the same height from the floor; and a first position adjacent an opening of the compartment and a second position adjacent a rear portion of the compartment; connected to the inclined guide portion and the second door, when moved from the second position towards the first position, the first and second doors (32, 30) folded together can be pulled out from the side of the furniture item (MC) and unfolded in front of the compartment; and a post element (60) by which the first and second doors (32, 30) are folded together one on top of the other so that their connected portions protrude outwardly of the opening of the compartment (20) before being moved from the first position to the second position, and which then, when moved towards the second position, are arranged together parallel to the side of the furniture item (MC).

2. 2. A furniture item (MC) according to claim 1, wherein said column element (60) is a vertically set bar having approximately the height of said compartment and a width measured along the depth of said compartment that is less than the depth of said compartment.

3. 3. An item of furniture (MC) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the column element (60) slides on the inclined guide portion and has a weight such as to pull the first and second doors (32, 30) by gravity alone, or a weight sufficient to pull the first and second doors (32, 30).

4. 4. The furniture item (MC) according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the column element (60) is connected to two of the inclined guide sections (64) by respective carriages (62), the carriages (62) having a weight such as to slide the column element (60) on the inclined guide sections and pull the first and second doors (32, 30) by gravity alone.

5. 5. The furniture item (MC) according to claim 4, wherein the carriages (62) for sliding the column element (60) on the inclined guide portion (64) are connected to each other by a rigid element (130), the weight of which is sufficient to cause or allow the column element (60) to slide on the inclined guide portion.

6. two auxiliary slides (100, 102) mounted parallel and spaced apart on one side of the furniture item (MC), 6. The furniture item (MC) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the pillar element (60) is slidably connected to the two auxiliary sliding parts (100, 102) by respective carriages (110, 112) and slides linearly and horizontally along the side of the furniture item (MC).

7. 7. An item of furniture (MC) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the inclined parallel guide portions (64) have their lowest ends facing the rear (28) of the compartment, thereby maintaining the column element (60) in the second position by gravity.

8. A furniture item (MC) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, comprising a fixing means or device for locking the pillar element (60) and the part of the furniture item (MC), thereby uniting the pillar element (60) and the part of the furniture item (MC) together, blocking the pillar element (60) to the part of the furniture item (MC) and further holding it in the first position.

9. 9. The furniture item (MC) of claim 8, wherein said portion of said furniture item (MC) is a fixed portion of said furniture item (MC).

10. 10. An item of furniture (MC) according to claim 8 or 9, wherein said part of said item of furniture (MC) is a seat formed on one or each carriage (62), by means of which said column element (60) is connected to one of said two inclined guide portions (64).

11. A furniture item (MC) as described in claim 8, 9 or 10, wherein the part of the furniture item (MC) is one of the induction parts (64).

12. Item of furniture (MC) according to claim 8, 9, 10 or 11, wherein said anchoring means or device is attached to said post element (60).

13. 13. The furniture item (MC) according to claim 8, 9, 10, 11 or 12, wherein the fixing means or device comprises a stop element (42) which is movable between a position in which the post element (60) is integrated with the part of the furniture item (MC) and a position in which the post element (60) and the part of the furniture item (MC) are disengaged.

14. Item of furniture (MC) according to claim 13, wherein said restraining element (42) is linearly movable.

15. 15. The furniture item (MC) of claim 13 or 14, wherein the stop element (42) has a free end movable for selective engagement with the portion of the furniture item (MC), the free end being provided with a rolling element (140).

16. 9. An item of furniture (MC) according to claim 8, comprising a device or means (40) for coordinating the movement of said first and second doors (32, 30) and / or said column element (60) with the action of said anchoring means or device.

17. The device or means for matching (40) comprises: i) to detect the position of the door and / or pillar elements, and 20. An item of furniture (MC) according to claim 16, comprising ii) a sensor for activating anchoring means or devices depending on the detected position.

18. The sensor comprises a lever (48) mounted to protrude from the column element (60); and To prevent one end of the door from moving along the L-shaped guide portion (80), to be displaced by contact with said one end, and Item of furniture (MC) according to claim 17, configured to drive said anchoring means or device by its own movement induced by said one end.

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