Components for objects containment elements

Abstract

A series of components for the distribution and / or arrangement of objects can be inserted into object-containing elements (1, 1A, IB, 1C) equipped with side walls that define a compartment (2, 2A) of essentially rectangular plan shape with a length (L1) and a width (L2), the object-containing elements have at least one groove (5 A) of length (L, L3) substantially equal to the length (LI) or width (L2) of the compartment (2, 2A), the components for the distribution and / or arrangement of objects selected from a group that includes components (16, 17) with a dividing partition (19, 20), components (5, 6) with anchoring means (13, 15), primary dividing partitions (3), secondary dividing partitions (4), tubs and containers (29), such as cutlery trays, storage tubs, knife racks, etc. insertable or fixable by means of said components (3-6, 16, 17), the components (5, 6, 16, 17) are equipped with reversible and elastic type hooking elements (8) designed to hook onto the groove (5 A) and are made in such a way that they can be hooked along the entire length (L) of the groove (5 A) itself.

Description

[0001] “COMPONENTS FOR OBJECTS CONTAINMENT ELEMENTS”

[0002] TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The present invention relates to components for objects containment elements, such as drawers, baskets, or similar containers.

[0004] In particular, the present invention relates to components for the division and / or arrangement of objects that can be inserted inside drawers, baskets, or similar containers, for example, separators and / or dividers and / or containers, cutlery trays, storage tubs, knife racks, etc.

[0005] STATE OF THE ART

[0006] With particular reference to certain types of furniture, such as kitchen cabinets or office furniture, it is common to use components placed inside a drawer or container to divide and organize the interior space.

[0007] These components can simply be placed on the bottom of the drawer to create a smaller compartment than the drawer itself, thus preventing objects or products from becoming scattered around the drawer.

[0008] These components, however, can slip due to repeated operation of the drawer and may collide with other products placed inside it.

[0009] Trays for storing items, such as cutlery, are also known; these types of trays are generally smaller than the drawer compartment and therefore can slip due to repeated operation of the drawer. Furthermore, other items in the drawer outside the tray can slide underneath it, creating further clutter.

[0010] To overcome this problem, it is known to use trays or containers that have substantially the same overall dimensions as the drawer and include shaped compartments for holding objects or products.

[0011] Such trays, however, do not allow for effective use of the internal space available in the drawer, thus limiting the effective number of products that can be neatly positioned inside the drawer.

[0012] In the case of dividing elements inside drawers or containers, the prior art provides for the insertion of such elements in a quasi-permanent manner with the use of specific equipment and with permanent alterations to the aforementioned dividing elements, such as cutting, gluing, nailing, or riveting for attachment to the drawer or container.

[0013] Documents CN101999805A, US2956675A, US2020 / 000227A1,

[0014] KR20230087035A, and CN208863780U teach solutions according to the prior art.

[0015] The industry is experiencing a need for a solution that allows for orderly organization and optimal use of space within a drawer, and that can be easily changed even at a later date without the use of tools.

[0016] OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

[0017] The primary task of this invention is to improve the state of the art in the furniture sector, with reference to the arrangement and containment of objects or products inside drawers or similar containers.

[0018] Another object of this invention is to provide components for drawers, baskets, or containers to organize and maximize the internal space of drawers, baskets, or similar containers.

[0019] A still further object of this invention is to provide components for drawers, baskets, or similar containers that allow for easy variation of the division and arrangement of the internal spaces and the type of components.

[0020] According to one aspect of this invention, components for object containment elements according to claim 1 are provided.

[0021] The dependent claims refer to preferred and advantageous embodiments of the invention.

[0022] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] The present invention will now be described for illustrative, but not limiting, purposes according to preferred embodiments, with particular reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of the partition and / or arrangement components for object containment elements according to the present invention applied to a first type of containment element to be mounted on a removable column; figure 2 is a perspective view of the partition and / or arrangement components according to the present invention applied to the containment element of Figure 1; figure 3 is an exploded detail view of another embodiment of some partition and / or arrangement components according to the present invention applied to another type of drawer-type containment element; figure 4 is an exploded view of another embodiment of some partition and / or arrangement components according to the present invention applied to another type of drawer-type containment element; figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of the partition and / or arrangement components for object containment elements according to the present invention applied to a second type of containment element to be mounted on a removable column; figure 6 is a perspective view of the partition and / or containment components according to the present invention applied to the containment element of Figure 5; figures 7 and 8 are two perspective views of the partition and / or arrangement components with an accessory inserted, respectively, in a first type of drawer containment element with metal sheet sides, also illustrated in figures 3 and 4, and in a second type of drawer containment element with extruded metal sides; figures 9-14 are perspective views of some components according to the present invention; figure 15 is an enlarged partial section view of details of some components according to the present invention.

[0024] EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0025] The following description may provide examples of the application of the present invention to containment elements in the form of a basket or drawer, but it should be noted that the present invention can be applied to containment elements of any shape.

[0026] With reference to figures 1 and 2, a first example of the present invention is illustrated, applied to a first type of containment element 1 for use in the furniture sector, such as a basket or similar container to be inserted into a pull-out kitchen column.

[0027] The containment element 1, illustrated in the example in figures 1 and 2, is equipped with side walls made of metal sheet, specifically ferromagnetic metal sheet, and comprises a compartment 2 with an essentially rectangular plan shape with a length LI and a width L2.

[0028] Figures 5 and 6 illustrate a second example of the present invention applied to a second type of containment element 1A, also usable in the furniture sector, such as a basket or similar container to be inserted into a pull-out kitchen column.

[0029] The containment element 1A, illustrated in figures 5 and 6, has walls made of an extruded metal profile, in particular an aluminum profile, and also comprises a compartment 2 A with an essentially rectangular plan shape, with a length LI and a width L2.

[0030] According to the present invention, certain components can be inserted inside the containment element 1 or 1 A that allow the internal space of compartment 2 or 2A to be divided, organized, and / or arranged.

[0031] According to the present invention, the components for dividing and organizing the compartment 2, 2 A of the containment element 1, 1A can be selected from a group that mainly comprises: primary dividing partitions 3, secondary dividing partitions 4, components 16, 17 with secondary dividing partitions of different lengths, components 5, 6, equipped with anchoring means, such as cutlery trays, storage tubs, knife racks, etc.

[0032] Naturally, any number of the aforementioned components can be inserted into the compartment to be divided, organized, and / or stored, and some components can even be omitted, as can be seen in the following examples.

[0033] In the case of the containment element 1, illustrated in figures 1 and 2, special adapters 3A are also provided, generally made of extruded aluminum profiles. These profiles are cut to size according to the dimensions of compartment 2. In the example illustrated in figures 1 and 2, adapter 3A has a length L that is essentially equal, minus the tolerances required to insert adapter 3A into containment element 1, to the length LI of compartment 2.

[0034] Adapters 3A can also be made of other materials, such as molded or extruded plastic.

[0035] Adapters 3A essentially have the shape of a parallelepiped and feature two faces that extend longitudinally along the two longest sides of the parallelepiped. On one face of the long sides, there is a continuous longitudinal groove 5A that extends the entire length L of adapters 3A; therefore, groove 5A will also have a length L.

[0036] As shown in figures 1 and 2, adapter 3A must be inserted into containment element 1 in contact with at least one of the side walls of element 1, such that the wall containing the adapter features longitudinal groove 5 A.

[0037] The aforementioned groove 5A, which must face compartment 2, is used to attach the anchoring components 5, 6, or components equipped with partitions 16, 17, and is designed to allow the hook of these components along the entire length L of the groove itself.

[0038] The primary partitions 3 can also generally be made of aluminum; in particular, they can be obtained from an extruded profile and then cut to size with a length suitable for insertion into compartment 2. This length must also take into account the presence of the adapters 3 A.

[0039] In the example illustrated in figures 5 and 6, the containment element 1A does not have adapters 3A because the side walls of this containment element already feature the groove 5A; however, in the example illustrated in figure 8, which concerns a drawer 1C with three grooved walls, such an adapter 3 A could be used, if necessary, for the front wall which is without a groove.

[0040] Naturally, in the example illustrated in figures 5 and 6, where the adapters 3A are absent, the length of the primary partition 3 is substantially equal to the width L3 of the compartment 2A, minus the tolerances required to insert the primary partition 3 into the containment element 1 A.

[0041] The primary partitions 3 can also be made of other materials, such as molded or extruded plastic.

[0042] The primary partitions 3, which also essentially have the shape of a parallelepiped, include on at least one face of the long sides of the parallelepiped a continuous longitudinal groove 5A that extends along the entire length L3 of the primary partition 3; therefore, the groove 5 A will also have a length L3.

[0043] According to a version of the present invention, illustrated in detail in figure 10, the primary partitions 3 comprise a respective longitudinal groove 5 A that runs along both faces of the long sides of the parallelepiped. These grooves, inserted in an intermediate position in the compartments of the containment elements, can accommodate the anchoring components 5, 6, or the components equipped with partitions 16, 17, on both faces.

[0044] As mentioned, the grooves 5A serve to attach the anchoring components 5, 6, or the components equipped with partitions 16, 17, so as to allow the attachment of these components along the entire length L3 of the groove itself and on both faces of the primary partition 3.

[0045] The secondary partition 4 can be made of metal sheet, for example, cut or punched; however, it can also be made of plastic, for example, by printing or cutting; The secondary partition 4 can have any length useful for dividing or partitioning the internal space of compartment 2, 2A.

[0046] In the case of the containment element 1 A, illustrated in figures 5 and 6, the side walls of compartment 2A already include a groove 5A identical to that of the adapters 3 A, making the presence of these adapters unnecessary.

[0047] In any case, whether the containment element has metal sheet walls or extruded profile walls, the containment element can include grooves 5A.

[0048] Figures 13-15 illustrate the anchoring components 5, 6 in more detail.

[0049] Each anchoring component 5, 6 comprises a first, substantially horizontal portion 7 that includes hooking means 8 designed to hook the grooves 5 A.

[0050] According to one version of the present invention, the hooking means 8 are reversible and elastic; for example, the hooking means may be a clip 8.

[0051] As mentioned above, the grooves 5A are located both in the primary partition 3 and in the adapter 3A, and also in the side walls of the containment elements, when these are made from an extruded profile.

[0052] The clip 8 comprises a central portion 9 from which an upper arm 10 and a lower arm 11 extend; the two arms 10, 11 are elastically deformable in order to be inserted into the groove 5 A provided in the primary partition 3, in the adapter 3 A, or in the containment element 1 A.

[0053] Clip 8 is shaped to fit into the appropriate groove 5A, which, in turn, has a shape complementary to clip 8 itself.

[0054] Specifically, for insertion into groove 5A, clip 8 exploits the elasticity of the two arms 10 and 11 due to the shape and material from which these arms are constructed.

[0055] As shown in more detail in figure 15, the upper arm 10 terminates with a distal end 10A with a protuberance. This protuberance fits into a cavity, with a shape complementary to the protuberance, located in the upper part of groove 5A, thus forming an undercut that makes the hook of clip 8 to groove 5 A more secure.

[0056] Naturally, the protuberance present at the distal end 10A of the upper arm 10 could also be located at the distal end of the lower arm 11, and in this case the groove 5A would have a cavity, of a shape complementary to the protuberance of the lower arm 11, in the corresponding lower part.

[0057] The anchoring component 5 illustrated in figure 13 also comprises a second substantially vertical portion 12, which includes a seat 13 intended to accommodate the secondary dividing partition 4.

[0058] The seat 13 is formed internally by two protruding edges 13 A which extend orthogonally to the second portion 12; the two protruding edges 13A also form an external stop for the primary dividing partition 3, which has, for this stop purpose, a special seat 5B (see figure 10) made in the section of the extruded profile.

[0059] In use, as better illustrated in figures 1 and 5, the anchoring components 5 are first inserted into the groove 5A; then, the primary dividing partition 3 is inserted onto the edges 13A, which are accommodated within the seat 5B.

[0060] The anchoring component 6 illustrated in figure 14 also includes a second, substantially vertical portion 14 equipped with a magnet 15.

[0061] The magnets 15 serve as anchors for accessory components such as cutlery trays, storage tubs, knife racks, etc.; for this reason, these accessory components include at least one portion made of a ferromagnetic material.

[0062] Figures 11 and 12 illustrate two additional anchoring components 16, 17, which comprise a first, substantially horizontal portion 7 identical to that of anchoring components 5, 6, designed to engage the groove of the adapter or containment element, and a second, substantially vertical portion 18 to which a secondary dividing partition 19, 20 is directly attached.

[0063] Anchoring components 5, 6, 16, 17 can be made of a thermoplastic polymer, such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), which can also be filled with glass fiber, carbon fiber, synthetic aramid fiber, or Kevlar, for greater strength and elasticity.

[0064] In figure 11, the secondary partition 19 is shorter than the secondary partition 20 shown in figure 12; in general, secondary partitions can be made to any length depending on requirements.

[0065] Figure 4 illustrates another option for inserting the primary partition 3.

[0066] In this embodiment, instead of the anchoring component 5, there are two anchoring components 16, which feature a secondary partition 19, whose thickness is similar or equal to the external dimensions of the edges 13 A.

[0067] Thanks to this feature, the secondary partition 19 can also form an external abutment for the primary partition 3, since the secondary partition 19 can be inserted and accommodated in the seat 5B of the primary partition 3.

[0068] To insert the primary partition 3 into compartment 2 of the containment element 1, with metal sheet walls, adapters 3 A are provided, with a length L substantially equal to the length LI of compartment 2.

[0069] In this way, adapter 3A can be inserted precisely into compartment 2 of the containment element 1. Figures 3, 4, and 7 illustrate another type of drawer-type containment element IB; this type of containment element is substantially similar to the containment element 1 of Figures 1 and 2, particularly with regard to the sheet metal walls.

[0070] Figure 8 illustrates yet another type of drawer-type containment element 1C; this type of containment element is substantially similar to the basket-type containment element 1 A illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, particularly with regard to the walls made from an extruded metal profile.

[0071] A variant of the 3A adapter is shown in figures 3, 4 and 9.

[0072] In this variant, the adapter 3 A comprises at least one head 21 with a respective magnet 28; the head 21 can be inserted into one of the ends of the adapter 3A; according to one version of the adapter 3A, the adapter 3A comprises two heads 21 with respective magnets 28, the two heads 21 being inserted into each end of the adapter 3 A.

[0073] Figure 9 shows that the head 21 comprises a first upper hooking element 22 and a second lower hooking element 23 designed to snap into respective complementary seats 24, 25 located in the adapter 3 A; in practice, the seats 24, 25 are formed in the section of the profile of the adapter 3 A.

[0074] The head 21 also comprises an arc-shaped element 26 that defines a substantially curved seat 27 for the disc-shaped magnet 28; naturally, the seat 27 is complementary to the shape of the magnet 28 and therefore, given that the magnet 28 can also have shapes other than the discoidal one, the element 26 will be of a shape suitable for defining a seat 27 of a shape complementary to the shape of the magnet 28.

[0075] In use, magnet 28 is inserted into seat 27 of head 21; head 21 with its respective magnet 28 is in turn inserted into one or both ends of adapter 3 A.

[0076] Thanks to the attractive force created by magnets 28, which are located inside adapter 3 A at the ends where the heads 21 are inserted, adapter 3 A is more securely anchored to the ferromagnetic metal wall of the containment element 1.

[0077] Figures 7 and 8 show two application examples of components in the form of a storage tub 29.

[0078] In the example shown in figure 7, storage tub 29 is inserted into a drawertype containment element IB with metal sheet walls.

[0079] It can be seen that the adapter 3 A is inserted into the wall of the drawer IB, and a primary partition 3 is inserted into the middle section, which in turn is inserted into the anchoring components 5.

[0080] In the groove 5A of the primary partition 3 are inserted some anchoring components 16, which have the secondary partitions 19.

[0081] The storage tub 29 is inserted into the compartment created by the primary partition 3 and one of the secondary partitions 19.

[0082] In the example in figure 8, the storage tub 29 is inserted into a drawer-type containment element 1C with walls made of extruded profile.

[0083] In this example, too, the storage tub 29 is inserted into the compartment created by the primary partition 3 and one of the secondary partitions 19. Unlike the example in figure 8, the drawer 1C, having three walls made of extruded profile already equipped with the groove 5A, does not include the adapters 3A, even though, being a drawer, it could have an adapter for the front wall.

[0084] In both examples, the storage tub 29 is held in the prepared compartment by the reciprocal positioning of the primary partition 3 and a secondary partition 19 positioned perpendicular to it.

[0085] In another version of the present invention, not illustrated, the storage tub 29 or another accessory component can be fixed to one or more of the side walls of the containment element 1, 1A, IB, 1C by means of an anchoring component 6 with the magnet 15.

[0086] Thanks to the magnet 15, accessory components such as cutlery trays, storage tubs, knife racks, etc., which comprise at least one portion made of a ferromagnetic material, can be stably fixed and positioned as desired within the compartment of the containment element 1, 1A, IB, 1C, by means of at least one anchoring component 6.

[0087] It should be noted that, in both of the aforementioned versions, the fixing or maintaining the positioning of the accessory components is completely reversible and easily modified without the use of tools.

[0088] Compared to traditional solutions, which require the almost permanent insertion of accessories or partition components using specific equipment and requiring permanent alterations to the partitions and containment elements, such as cutting, gluing, nailing, or riveting, the present invention allows one or more partition components, trays, and containers to be inserted inside the containment element without equipment or permanent alterations. This allows the interior space to be divided and organized according to the specific needs of each user, even with subsequent modifications.

[0089] Furthermore, thanks to the grooves and elastic clip hooking, the partition components can be connected so that they can be attached along the entire length of their respective grooves, further customizing the space of the containment element.

[0090] Thanks to the magnetic anchoring components, accessory components such as cutlery trays, storage tubs, knife racks, etc., can be easily inserted into the containment elements, allowing their relative positioning to be easily adjusted, according to a practical solution.

[0091] The above-described object containment components are susceptible to numerous modifications and variations within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

CLAIMS1. Components for the distribution and / or arrangement of objects insertable into object-containing elements (1, 1A, IB, 1C) having side walls defining a compartment (2, 2 A) of essentially rectangular plan shape with a length (LI) and a width (L2), said object-containing elements directly or indirectly including at least one groove (5 A) on at least one of said side walls, said at least one groove (5A) having a length (L, L3) substantially equal to the length (LI) or width (L2) of said compartment (2, 2A), said components for the distribution and / or arrangement of objects being chosen from a group comprising: components (16, 17) with a dividing partition (19, 20), components (5, 6) with anchoring means (13, 15), primary dividing partitions (3), secondary dividing partitions (4), and tubs and containers (29), such as cutlery trays, storage tubs, knife racks, etc., insertable or fixable by means of said components (3-6, 16, 17), wherein said components (5, 6, 16, 17) are equipped with hooking means (8) configured to hook onto said groove (5 A) and are designed to be able to be hooked along the entire length (L) of the groove (5 A) itself, said hooking means (8) being of a reversible and elastic type, wherein said components comprise at least one adapter (3A) insertable into contact with at least one wall of said containment elements (1, 1A) and being equipped with said groove (5A) if said at least one wall of said containment elements (1, IB, 1C) is free of said groove (5A).

2. Components according to claim 1, wherein said primary dividing partitions (3) substantially have the shape of a parallelepiped and comprise, on at least one face of the long sides of the parallelepiped, a longitudinal and continuous groove (5 A) substantially equal to said groove (5 A) present on at least one of said lateral walls of said object-containing elements (1, 1A, IB, 1C).

3. Components according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said adapter (3 A) is configured to be inserted into said containment element (1) in contact with at leastone of the side walls of the same containment element (1), such that the wall, which features said adapter (3 A), is equipped with said longitudinal groove (5 A).

4. Components according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the hooking means comprise a clip (8).

5. Components according to claim 4, wherein said clip (8) comprises a central portion (9) from which an upper arm (10) and a lower arm (11) extend, said arms (10, 11) being elastically deformable in order to be inserted into said groove (5 A).

6. Components according to claim 5, wherein said upper arm (10) has a distal end (10A) comprising a protuberance configured to fit into a corresponding upper cavity of said groove (5 A), or said lower arm (11) has a distal end comprising a protuberance configured to fit into a corresponding lower cavity of said groove (5A).

7. Components according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said anchoring components (5, 6) comprise a first substantially horizontal portion (7) which comprises said hooking means (8) and a second substantially vertical portion (12, 14).

8. Components according to claim 7, wherein said second substantially vertical portion (12) comprises a seat (13) formed internally by two protruding edges (13A) which extend orthogonally to the second portion (12), said seat (13) being configured to internally accommodate said secondary dividing partition (4), said protruding edges (13 A) forming externally a stop for a seat (5B) of said primary dividing partition (3).

9. Components according to claim 7, wherein said substantially vertical second portion (14) comprises a magnet (15).

10. Components according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said anchoring components (16, 17) comprise a first substantially horizontal portion (7) which includes said hooking means (8) and a second substantially vertical portion (18) to which said secondary dividing partition (19, 20) is directly joined.

11. Components according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said adapter (3A) comprises at least one head (21) with a respective magnet (28); said head (21)being insertable into seats (24, 25) which are located at each end of the adapter (3A).

12. Components according to claim 11, wherein said at least one head (21) comprises a first upper hooking element (22) and a second lower hooking element (23) configured to snap into said seats (24, 25) of the ends of the adapter (3 A).

13. Components according to claim 11 or 12, wherein said head (21) comprises an element (26) of a shape suitable for defining a seat (27) for said magnet (28).

14. Components according to claim 13, wherein said magnet (28) has a discoidal shape, said element (26) has an arched shape so as to define a substantially curved seat (27) complementary to the discoidal shape of said magnet (28).

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