U.S. patent application number 13/522687 was filed with the patent office on 2013-10-03 for hooking device for connecting a drawer to a longitudinal guide.
This patent application is currently assigned to ARTURO SALICE S.p.A.. The applicant listed for this patent is Luciano Salice. Invention is credited to Luciano Salice.
Application Number | 20130257244 13/522687 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43736947 |
Filed Date | 2013-10-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130257244 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Salice; Luciano |
October 3, 2013 |
HOOKING DEVICE FOR CONNECTING A DRAWER TO A LONGITUDINAL GUIDE
Abstract
The hooking device (1) for connecting drawer (3) to a
longitudinal guide (3) comprises a support body (4) fixable to a
front (5) and/or a bottom (6) of the drawer (2) and provided with
an oscillating command lever (12) for a hooking member (13) of the
support body (4) to the guide (3), the hooking member (13) being
moveable between a hooking position and an unhooking position, the
lever (12) exhibiting a first surface zone (16) and respectively a
second surface zone (17) for manual gripping configured in such a
way as to be selectively subjectable to a first manual activating
force (F1) or respectively to a second manual activating force (F2)
in reciprocally transversal directions and destined to generate an
oscillation torque of the said command lever (12) in a same
direction in order to bring the hooking member (13) into the
unhooking position.
Inventors: |
Salice; Luciano; (Carimate,
IT) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Salice; Luciano |
Carimate |
|
IT |
|
|
Assignee: |
ARTURO SALICE S.p.A.
Novedrate
IT
|
Family ID: |
43736947 |
Appl. No.: |
13/522687 |
Filed: |
November 30, 2011 |
PCT Filed: |
November 30, 2011 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2011/071376 |
371 Date: |
July 17, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
312/319.1 ;
312/334.8 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47B 2088/4276 20170101;
A47B 88/423 20170101; A47B 88/427 20170101; A47B 2088/4278
20170101 |
Class at
Publication: |
312/319.1 ;
312/334.8 |
International
Class: |
A47B 88/04 20060101
A47B088/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 15, 2010 |
IT |
MI2010A 002292 |
Claims
1. A hooking device of a drawer to a longitudinal guide, comprising
a support body fixable to a front and/or to a bottom of the drawer,
and a hooking member movable between a hooking position and an
unhooking position of the support body from the guide, said support
body being provided with an oscillating command lever for said
hooking member, wherein said lever has a first surface zone
extending in a substantially parallel direction to the longitudinal
direction of the guide and respectively a second surface zone
extending in a substantially perpendicular direction to the
longitudinal direction of the guide, said first and said second
surface zone being configured in such a way as to be selectively
pressable by fingers to exert a first manual activating force or
respectively to a second manual activating force in reciprocally
transversal directions and destined to generate an oscillation
torque of the said command lever in a same direction in order to
bring the hooking member into the unhooking position.
2. The hooking device of a drawer to a longitudinal guide according
to claim 1, wherein said second surface zone is distinct from the
said first surface zone.
3. The hooking device of a drawer to a longitudinal guide according
to claim 1, wherein said first surface zone and said second surface
zone are provided on converging sides of an angled portion of the
lever.
4. The hooking device of a drawer to a longitudinal guide according
to claim 1, wherein said first surface zone is configured such as
to subject said lever to said first activating force in a
substantially perpendicular direction to the longitudinal direction
of the guide, and said second surface zone is configured in such a
way as to subject said lever to said second activating force in a
substantially parallel direction to the longitudinal direction of
the guide.
5. The hooking device of a drawer to a longitudinal guide according
to claim 1, wherein said first surface zone and said second surface
zone are provided on a same arm of said lever.
6. The hooking device of a drawer to a longitudinal guide according
to claim 1, wherein said first surface zone and the said second
surface zone are positioned on a part of said lever which is
opposite to said guide with respect to a fulcrum of oscillation of
said lever.
7. The hooking device of a drawer to a longitudinal guide according
to claim 6, wherein said first surface zone extends from a side of
said second surface zone which side faces towards the support
body.
8. The hooking device of a drawer to a longitudinal guide according
to claim 1, wherein said lever has a hinge axis relative to said
support body.
9. The hooking device of a drawer to a longitudinal guide according
to claim 8, wherein said first surface zone extends on the lever in
a direction of the front of the drawer, on an opposite side to the
hooking member with respect to the hinge axis of the lever.
10. The hooking device of a drawer to a longitudinal guide
according to claim 8, wherein said second surface zone extends on
the lever on an opposite side to the longitudinal guide with
respect to the hinge axis.
11. The hooking device of a drawer to a longitudinal guide
according to claim 8, wherein said hooking member is made in a
single piece with the lever.
12. The hooking device of a drawer to a longitudinal guide
according to claim 8, wherein said hooking member is supported
slidably perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the
guide.
13. The hooking device of a drawer to a longitudinal guide
according to claim 1, wherein said lever and said support body are
realised in a single piece exhibiting at least an elastically
yielding portion configured to enable oscillation of said
lever.
14. The hooking device of a drawer to a longitudinal guide
according to claim 13, wherein said elastically yielding portion
comprises a first tab and at least a second tab for connecting the
said lever to said support body.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to a hooking device of a
drawer for connecting a drawer, or another slidable component of an
article of furniture, to an extractable part of a longitudinal
guide for drawers or the like, which in particular is suitable for
connecting the front portion of a drawer to the extractable part of
a guide of a pre-assembled type.
[0002] In general, in the furnishing sector, hooking devices are
commonly used for realising a connection of the front and/or the
bottom of drawers to the front end of an extractable part of
longitudinal guides fixable to the internal flanks of an article of
furniture, which devices, when so required, further enable
disengaging of the drawer from the guide rapidly by means of a
simple manual command.
[0003] In particular, a hooking device of this type usually
comprises a support body fixable to the front and/or to the bottom
of the drawer, which body is in turn connectable to the front end
of the extractable part of a guide by means of a tooth or a mobile
hooking organ which projects from the body itself in order to be
engageable in a hole or lateral cavity in the extractable part of
the guide.
[0004] For engaging and/or disengaging the hooking organ with the
guide, the device exhibits an oscillating command lever, for
example in the form of a separate element rotatably supported by
the support body or realised in a single body with the hooking
organ and the body itself, which is arranged below the bottom of
the drawer and is manually activatable in order to move the hooking
organ between a hooking position and an unhooking position.
[0005] The majority of known hooking devices exhibit command levers
conformed and arranged such as to be activated from the sides of
the drawer, a solution which however is not very suitable for
unhooking wide drawers, where the positioning of the hands on both
sides of the drawer for activating the levers is a very
uncomfortable position.
[0006] Also known are hooking devices having command levers
conformed and arranged in order to be activated by the front side
of the drawer, which solution is however not very suitable for
unhooking drawers located low down in the article of furniture,
where the front of the drawer can be so close to the floor as to
prevent insertion of the hands under it in order to activate the
levers.
[0007] The technical objective of the present invention is to
provide a hooking device of a drawer to a longitudinal guide which
obviates the drawbacks existing in the prior art.
[0008] In the scope of this technical objective, a main aim of the
present invention is to provide a hooking device of the
above-mentioned type, which enables, in reference to the activation
of the command lever, performing at the same time both an unhooking
of the drawer from a front side thereof, and an unhooking from the
sides thereof, according to specific requirements.
[0009] This and other aims of the invention are attained by a
hooking device of a drawer to a longitudinal guide, comprising a
support body fixable to a front and/or a bottom of the drawer and
provided with an oscillating command lever for a hooking organ of
the support body to the guide, said hooking organ being mobile
between a hooking position and an unhooking position, characterised
in that said lever exhibits a first surface zone and respectively a
second surface zone for manual gripping configured in such a way as
to be selectively subjectable to a first manual activating force or
respectively to a second manual activating force in reciprocally
transversal directions and destined to generate an oscillation
torque of the said command lever in a same direction in order to
bring the hooking organ into the unhooking position.
[0010] The second surface zone is advantageously distinct from the
first surface zone. Said first and second surface zones are
preferably provided on the converging sides of an angled portion of
the lever.
[0011] Said first surface zone is preferably configured in such a
way as to subject the lever to the first activating force with a
perpendicular direction to the longitudinal direction of the guide,
and said second surface zone is configured in such a way as to
subject said lever and said second activating force with a
direction that is substantially parallel to the longitudinal
direction of the guide.
[0012] The first and the second surface zones are preferably
comprised on a same arm of said lever.
[0013] Said first and second surface zones are preferably
positioned on a part of said lever opposite said guide with respect
to a fulcrum of oscillation of said lever.
[0014] Said first surface zone preferably extends from the side of
said second surface zone facing towards said support body.
[0015] In a preferred embodiment said lever exhibits a hinge axis
for hinging to said support body.
[0016] In this case preferably said first surface zone extends on
the lever in the direction of the front of the drawer, on an
opposite side to the hooking organ with respect to the hinge axis
of the lever.
[0017] Further, in this case said second surface zone preferably
extends on the lever on an opposite side to the longitudinal guide
with respect to the hinge axis.
[0018] Further, in this case said hooking organ is preferably
realised in a single piece with said lever, or it comprises a
cursor supported slidably perpendicularly to the longitudinal
direction of the guide.
[0019] In a further preferred realisation mode of the invention,
said lever and said support body are realised in a single piece
exhibiting at least an elastically yielding portion suitable for
enabling oscillation of the lever.
[0020] In this case said elastically yielding portion comprises a
first and at least a second connecting tab of said lever to said
support body.
[0021] The foregoing will be illustrated in the following with
reference to some preferred embodiments of the invention on the
basis of the accompanying figures, in which:
[0022] FIG. 1 is a plan view, from below, of a hooking device
according to a first embodiment of the invention, in an assembled
condition to a drawer and to a longitudinal guide;
[0023] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the hooking device of FIG.
1;
[0024] FIG. 3 is a plan view, from below, of a hooking device
according to a second embodiment of the invention, in an assembled
condition to a drawer and to a longitudinal guide;
[0025] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the hooking device of FIG.
3; and
[0026] FIG. 5 is a plan view from below of a hooking device
according to a third embodiment of the invention, in an assembled
condition to a drawer and to a longitudinal guide.
[0027] Equivalent parts in the different preferred invention will
be denoted using the same numerical references.
[0028] With reference to the abovementioned figures, a hooking
device 1 is illustrated, of a drawer 2 to the extractable part 14
of a longitudinal guide 3 fixed on an internal side of the flank of
the article of furniture housing the drawer 2.
[0029] The hooking device 1 comprises a support body 4 positioned
on the external side of the bottom of the drawer at the corner
between the front 5 of the drawer 2 and a shoulder 6 of the drawer
2.
[0030] The support body 4 exhibits a flat base with which it rests
on the flat bottom of the drawer 2, a flat lateral surface 8 for
abutting the front 5 of the drawer 2 and a flat lateral surface 9,
perpendicular to the previous flat lateral surface 8, for abutting
the shoulder 6 of the drawer 2, and exhibits holes 10 and/or 11 for
fixing thereof by means of screws (not shown) to the front 5 and/or
to the bottom of the drawer 2. The support body 4 is further
provided with an oscillating command lever 12 for a hooking organ
13 of the support body 4 to the guide 3.
[0031] The oscillating plane of the lever 12 is the one parallel to
the flat base of the support body 4 and consequently to the bottom
of the drawer 2.
[0032] The hooking organ 13 is mobile between a hooking position of
the drawer 2 to the extractable part 14 of the guide 3, at which
position it engages in a seating 15 afforded on the extractable
part 14 of the guide 3, and an unhooking position at which it is
disengaged from the seating 15.
[0033] The lever 12 advantageously exhibits a first surface zone 16
for manual gripping on which the user can exert, with his or her
fingers of one hand, a traction determining a first activating
force F1 of the lever 12, and a second surface zone 17, for manual
gripping, on which the user can exert, with his or her fingers of
one hand, a traction determining a second activating force F2 of
the lever 12.
[0034] Naturally the lever 12 can be subjected selectively to the
first activating force F1 or the second activating force F2.
[0035] The first surface zone 16 and the second surface zone 17 of
the lever 12 are configured such that the first activating force F1
to which the first surface zone 16 is subjectable and the second
activating force F2 to which the second surface zone 17 is
subjectable are operative in transversal directions to one another
and generate an oscillating torque of the command lever 12 in a
same direction which brings the hooking organ 13 into the unhooking
position.
[0036] More precisely, the first surface zone 16 is configured such
as to subject the lever 12 to the first activating force F1 with a
direction that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal
direction of the guide 3, while the second surface zone 17 is
configured such as to subject the lever 12 to the second activating
force F2 with a substantially parallel direction to the
longitudinal direction of the guide 3.
[0037] The first surface zone 16 and the second surface zone 17 are
distinct and provided on a same arm of the lever 12 and in
particular on the converging sides of an angled portion 18 of the
lever 12.
[0038] The part of the lever 12 on which the first surface zone 16
and the second surface zone 17 are positioned is the part opposite
the guide 3 with respect to the fulcrum of oscillation of the lever
12.
[0039] Reference will now be made in more detail to the embodiment
of FIGS. 1 and 2.
[0040] In this case the fulcrum of oscillation of the lever 12 is
constituted by a hinge axis with which the lever 12 is hinged to
the support body 4.
[0041] The lever 12 is oscillatable in the direction which brings
the hooking organ 13 into the unhooking position in contrast to an
automatic-reset elastic element 25 of the hooking organ 13 in the
hooking position.
[0042] The elastic element 25 comprises a flexible-plate spring
which exhibits an end solidly constrained to the lever 12 and an
end resting against a wall of the body 4.
[0043] The plate spring is operative in a recess 26 of the body 4
and projects from the second surface direction 17 in a longitudinal
direction towards the hooking organ 13 and posteriorly thereto.
[0044] The first surface zone 16 extends from the side of the
second surface zone 17 facing towards the part of the support body
4 with which it rests laterally on the drawer 2.
[0045] The first surface zone 16 in particular extends on the lever
12 in the direction of the front 5 of the drawer 2, on an opposite
side to the hooking organ 13 with respect to the hinge axis 19 of
the lever 12, while the second surface zone 17 extends on the lever
12 on an opposite side to the longitudinal guide 3 with respect to
the hinge axis 19 of the lever 12.
[0046] The hooking organ 13 is realised in a single piece with the
lever 12.
[0047] In the situation in which the lever 12 is easily accessible
only on a lateral side of the drawer 2, the user with his or her
fingers of the hand exerts a traction, pressing on the first
surface zone 16, in such a way as to generate the activating force
F1 with a perpendicular direction to the guide 3, which is suitable
for causing the lever 12 to oscillate about the axis 19 up to
bringing the hooking organ 13 from the hooking position to the
unhooking position.
[0048] In the situation in which, on the other hand, the lever 12
is easily accessible only from the front side of the drawer 2, the
user, with the fingers of his or her hand, exerts a traction by
pressing on the second surface zone 17, such as to generate the
activating force F2 with a direction parallel to the guide 3, which
is again suitable for causing the lever 12 to oscillate about the
axis 19 up to bringing the hooking organ 13 from the hooking
position to the unhooking position.
[0049] Reference will now be made, in more detail, to the
embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4. The lever 12, the hooking organ 13 and
the support body 4 in this case are realised in a single piece
exhibiting at least an elastically yielding portion suitable for
enabling reversible oscillation of the lever 12 from the hooked
position to the unhooked position of the hooking organ 13.
[0050] The elastically yielding portion, which defines a fulcrum of
oscillation of the lever 12, comprises a first tab 21 and at least
a second tab 22 for connecting the lever 12 to the support body
4.
[0051] In the situation in which the lever 12 is easily accessible
only from a lateral side of the drawer 2, the user, with the
fingers of his or her hand, exerts a traction by pressing on the
first surface zone 16, in such a way as to generate the activating
force F1 with a perpendicular direction to the guide 3, which is
suitable for elastically deforming the tabs 21 and 22 which, as
they flex, cause the lever 12 to oscillate about the fulcrum
defined thereby up to bringing the hooking organ 13 from the
hooking position to the unhooking position. On releasing the grip,
the tabs 21 and 22 recuperate their elastic deformation and the
lever 12 automatically returns into the hooking position of the
hooking organ 13.
[0052] In the situation in which, on the other hand, the lever 12
is easily accessible only from the front side of the drawer 2, the
user, with the fingers of his or her hand, exerts a traction by
pressing on the second surface zone 17, such as to generate the
activating force F2 with a parallel direction to the guide 3, which
is again suitable for elastically deforming the tabs 21 and 22
which, by flexing, cause the lever 12 to oscillate about the
fulcrum defined thereby up to bringing the hooking organ 13 from
the hooking position to the unhooking position.
[0053] Reference is now made in more detail to the embodiment of
FIG. 5.
[0054] In this case the fulcrum of oscillation of the lever 12 is
constituted by a hinge axis 19 with which the lever 12 is hinged to
the support body 4.
[0055] The hooking organ 13 in this case comprises a cursor 20
supported slidably parallel to the base of the support body 4 and
perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the guide 3.
[0056] The cursor 20 exhibits a frontal projection 23 for hooking
to the guide 3, parallel lateral guide surfaces 24, 26 engaged
along a straight guide 27 fashioned in the support body 4, and a
rear wall 28, which engages operatively with the end of the arm 30
of the lever 12 opposite the end in which the first surface zone 16
and the second surface zone 17 are present.
[0057] The first surface zone 16 extends on the lever 12 in the
direction of the front 5 of the drawer 2, on an opposite side to
the cursor 20 with respect to the hinge axis 19 of the lever 12,
while the second surface zone 17 extends on the lever 12 on an
opposite side to the horizontal guide 3 with respect to the hinge
axis of the lever 12.
[0058] The lever 12 is oscillatable in the direction bringing the
hooking organ 13 into the unhooked position in contrast with an
automatic-reset elastic element 13 into the hooking position.
[0059] The elastic element 25 comprises a flexible plate spring
which exhibits an end solidly constrained to the cursor 20 and is
interposed between the cursor 20 and the bottom 29 of the guide
27.
[0060] In the situation in which the lever 12 is easily accessible
only from a lateral side of the drawer 2, the user with the fingers
of his or her hand exerts a traction by pressing on the first
surface zone 16 in such a way as to generate the activating force
F1 with a perpendicular direction to the guide 3, which is suitable
for causing the lever 12 to oscillate about the axis 19. By effect
of the oscillation, the arm 30 of the lever 12 draws the cursor 20
in translation, which cursor 20 is brought into the unhooking
position at which the elastic element 25 is loaded by deforming
elastically against the bottom 29 of the guide 27. On releasing the
grip, the elastic element recuperates the deformation and
automatically returns the cursor 20 into the hooking position.
[0061] In the situation in which, on the other hand, the lever 12
is easily accessible only from the front side of the drawer 2, the
user, with the fingers of his or her hand, exerts a traction by
pressing on the second surface zone 17 in such a way as to generate
the activating force F2 with a parallel direction to the guide 3,
which is once again suitable for causing the lever 12 to oscillate
about the axis 19 up to obtaining the unhooking as described herein
above.
[0062] The present invention thus provides a hooking device that is
particularly easy both for unhooking the drawer from a front side,
and for unhooking from the sides thereof, according to specific
needs.
[0063] The hooking device as it is herein conceived is susceptible
to numerous modifications and variants, all falling within the
scope of the inventive concept; further, all the details are
replaceable from technically-equivalent elements.
[0064] In practice the materials used, as well as the dimensions,
can be any, according to requirements and the state of the art.
* * * * *