Concealable gripping device for doors, drawers, leaves and the like

Abstract

 Concealable gripping device comprising a container body (10) able to be inserted in the thickness of a wall, a sliding element (20) which is coaxial with the container body (10), provided with a head-piece (22) and able to move from a first position with the head-piece (22) outside said container (10) into a second position with the head-piece inside said container body (10) and vice versa, and coaxial resilient means (15) exerting a thrust on said sliding element relative to the said body (10), said container body (10) having at least one longitudinal guide (43) suitable for engagement with a body (30) shaped in the manner of a butterfly (33), radially projecting from said sliding element (20) and free to rotate about a radial axis of the sliding element (20), one end of said guide (43) being provided with means (43a) able to cause rotation of said butterfly (44) and means (43c) able to interfere with its travel along said guide (43) so as to cause stoppage thereof.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a concealable gripping device for doors, drawers, leaves and the like.

[0002] It is known in the product sector of handles for doors and the like that there exists the need to provide inset devices which can be associated with knobs, handles and the like able to produce opening/closing of a leaf, door, drawer or the like; in greater detail it is required that said knobs should be of the type with a gripping element which is concealed when in the rest condition and extractable in the axial direction, when it needs to be used.

[0003] The technical problem posed, therefore, is that of providing a concealable gripping device able to be inset in the thickness of walls, doors, drawers and the like and provided with a gripping element which may in turn be extracted from/retracted into the thickness of the wall upon operation by the user.

[0004] Within the context of this problem it is also required that said device should have small dimensions, be easy and inexpensive to produce and should be able to be incorporated into conventional furnishing elements.

[0005] These results are obtained according to the present invention by a concealable gripping device comprising a container body able to be inserted in the thickness of a wall, a sliding element which is coaxial with the container body, provided with a head-piece and able to be displaced from a first position with the head-piece outside said container into a second position with the head-piece inside said container body and vice versa, and coaxial resilient means exerting a thrusting action on said sliding element relative to the said body, wherein said container body has at least one longitudinal guide suitable for engagement with a body shaped in the manner of a butterfly, radially projecting from said sliding element and free to rotate about a radial axis of the said sliding element, one end of said guide being provided with means able to cause rotation of said butterfly and means able to interfere with its travel along said guide so as to cause stoppage thereof.

[0006] Further details may be obtained from the following description of a non-limiting example of embodiment of the subject of the present invention provided with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

• Figure 1 shows an exploded view of the device according to the present invention;
• Figure 2 shows a side view of the device according to Fig. 1 in the assembled condition;
• Figure 3 shows a cross-section along the plane indicated by III-III in Fig. 2;
• Figure 4 shows a cross-section along the plane indicated by IV-IV in Fig. 3;
• Figure 5 shows a side view of the device without guiding means and in the condition where the gripping element is axially projecting outwards;
• Figure 6 shows a partially sectioned front view of the guiding means of the device according to Fig. 5;
• Figure 7 shows a cross-section along the plane indicated by VII-VII in Fig. 6;
• Figure 8 shows a side view of the device without guiding means and in the condition where the gripping element is axially inserted in a concealed manner;
• Figure 9 is a partially sectioned front view of the guiding means of the device according to Fig. 8;
• Figure 10 is a cross-section along the plane indicated by X-X in Fig. 9;
• Figure 11 is a partially sectioned front view of a further example of embodiment of the device according to the present invention applied to an inset handle;
• Figure 12 is a partially sectioned side view of the handle according to Fig. 11 with the gripping element retracted in a concealed manner;
• Figure 13 is a schematic cross-section along the plane indicated by XIII-XIII in Fig. 12;
• Figure 14 is a schematic cross-section along the plane indicated by XIV-XIV in Fig. 13;
• Figure 15 is a view, similar to that of Fig. 12, with the gripping element rotated for use; and
• Figure 16 is an exploded view of a third example of embodiment of the device according to the present invention.

[0007] As shown, the concealable gripping device according to the present invention is essentially formed by a substantially cylindrical container body 10 having a seat 11 coaxially extending inside it along the whole length of the said body.

[0008] The seat has, coaxially arranged inside it, a pin 12 supporting a spring 13, the length of which is much greater than the height of the body 10 in the longitudinal direction.

[0009] The side surface of the container 10 is cut so as to define two opposite flat surfaces 10a from which two lugs 14 project outwards, being symmetrically arranged with respect to a longitudinal opening 15 (Fig. 5).

[0010] The body 10 has, at its bottom end (with reference to the orientation shown by way of a non-limiting example in the figures) a thread 16 which is interrupted by recesses 16a which are diametrically opposite and in an angular position coinciding with said longitudinal openings.

[0011] On the side axially opposite to the thread 16, the cylindrical body 10 has an end shaped in the manner of annular edge 17 which projects radially outwards and has formed inside it a concentric seat 17a of suitable thickness.

[0012] The said longitudinal seat 11 slidably houses inside it a sliding element 20 essentially consisting of a cylindrical body in which there is coaxially formed a seat 21 able to contain the said spring 13 and the said pin 12, as will emerge more clearly below.

[0013] The sliding element 20 has at one of its end a head-piece 22, the diameter and thickness of which are slightly smaller than the corresponding dimensions of the said seat 17a of the body 10.

[0014] At the opposite end to said head-piece 22, the side surface 20a of the sliding element 20 has two circular-shaped transverse seats 22b which are arranged in a diametrically opposite position and inside which a further radial hole 22a communicating with the coaxial seat 21 is coaxially formed.

[0015] Said seats 22b form the housing for respective shaped bodies 30 consisting of a circular base 31 which has, respectively projecting from its opposite sides, a pin 32 able to be inserted inside the said hole 22a and a butterfly-shaped extension 33 from the centre of which a further pin 34 projects.

[0016] The continuity of the side surface of the container body 10 is restored by means of two shaped flanges 40 which have a flat inner surface, an outer surface 40a with a curvature corresponding to the side surface 10a of the body 10, a bottom end having a tooth 41 able to be inserted inside said recess 16a, and two eyelets 44 suitable for engagement with said lugs 14.

[0017] The inner surface of the flanges 40 has a longitudinal guide seat 43 (Figs. 1 and 6) which, at the end corresponding to the said tooth 41, has an inclined surface 43a which produces a widening 43b of said seat 43; on the opposite side to the said inclined seat 43a the widening 43b has an undercut 43c.

[0018] A longitudinal depression 45 is formed on the bottom of the guide 43 and extends substantially along the whole length of the guide 43.

[0019] The device is completed by a cover 50 with a female thread 51 suitable for mating with the thread 16 of the body 10 so as to prevent separation of said flanges 40. The length, in the axial direction, of the guide 43 and the seat 11 of the body 10 are greater than the length of the sliding element 20.

[0020] Once the device is assembled (Figs. 2, 3 and 4) such that:

• the spring 13 is mounted on the support 12;
• the sliding element 20 is inserted inside the seat 11, contains inside it the spring part 13 coaxially extending towards the outside of the body 10 and the seats 22b are open and accessible opposite the opening 15;
• each shaped body 30 is inserted with the respective base 31 inside the associated seat 22b;
• and the butterfly 33 is arranged aligned in the longitudinal direction and inserted inside the respective guide 43 of the flange 40;
• the flange 40 is mounted in its seat with the tooth 41 inserted inside the recess 16a and eyelets 44 engaged with the lugs 14;
• the cover 50 is screwed onto the thread 16; the device is ready to operate in the following sequence:

• the sliding element 20 is initially pushed outwards (Fig. 5) by the thrusting action of the spring 13, making the head-piece 22 available as a gripping element;
• in this condition (Fig. 5, 6 and 7) the butterfly 33 is aligned in the longitudinal direction and arranged so as to bear against the top edge 17 of the body 10, therefore preventing the separation of the sliding element 20 from the latter;
• by exerting an axial thrusting force on the head-piece 22 (Figs. 8, 9 and 10) so as to overcome the opposing action of the spring 15, insertion of the sliding element 20 into the seat 11 is performed;
• during this inserting movement, the butterfly 33 moves downwards inside the guide 43 until it encounters the inclined surface 43a which causes a partial rotation thereof, following which the ends of the butterfly 33 are arranged underneath the undercut 43c which prevents the return upward movement thereof;
• the travel path is such as to bring the head-piece 22 inside the said seat 17a so as to form a continuous surface;
• a further pushing force on the head-piece 22, against the opposing action of the spring 15, causes a further displacement, to the end of its path, of the butterfly 33 which is forced to perform a further rotation so as to be positioned in longitudinal alignment and free from the obstacle of the undercut 43c; in this way the sliding element 20 is free to slide outwards under the thrusting action of the spring 13 so as to make available again the gripping element formed by the head-piece of the sliding element 20 (Fig. 5).

[0021] As shown in Figs. 11 to 15 it is also possible to design the device so that it is applicable to inset handles 100 with a gripping element 122 rotatable from a first - rest - position concealed inside the handle into a second - working - position rotated outwards.

[0022] In this configuration the container body of the device consists of the side 100a of a handle 100 which is to be inset for example in a door schematically indicated by 1 and is formed by a box 102 with a bearing edge 100b and closed at the front by a cover 122 forming the gripping element of the handle.

[0023] In greater detail the side/container 100a has an eyelet 111 extending in the longitudinal direction over a suitable distance; a sliding element 120 is arranged inside the eyelet 111 and is provided at its bottom end (with the orientation shown in the figures by way of a non-limiting example) with a transverse seat 22b,22a having a circular shape inside which the shaped body 30 with a butterfly extension 33 is housed.

[0024] The opposite end of the sliding element 120 has a hole 121a seating a pin 121 on which a first end of a rod 104 is pivotably mounted, the other end thereof being in turn pivotably mounted on the gripping element 122 by means of an associated pin 104a.

[0025] The side/container 100a of the handle is also provided with two transverse extensions 14 directed outwards and suitable for engagement with the corresponding seats 44 of a shaped flange 40 entirely similar to that already described above and retained against the side 100a by screw means 150 which keep the device stably assembled. In a suitable position, transversely opposite to that of the lever 104, the gripping element 122 is integral with one end of a spring 113 which is arranged in an associated seat 113a with an orientation substantially at right angles to the sliding element 120 and the other end of which is constrained to the container 102 so as to form the element actuating the gripping element 22 and therefore the entire device.

[0026] It is obvious from the figures how operation of the device in the configuration for an inset handle is entirely similar to that described in connection with the device according to Figs. 1-10; the substantially semi-cylindrical form of the device allows it to be mounted on the side of an inset handle 100 and with a rotational instead of a translational movement of the gripping element 122.

[0027] Moreover, the external arrangement of the spring 113 allows the depth-wise dimensions of the assembly to be further reduced, allowing the inset mounting of the handle also in the thinnest doors of furniture which is currently produced.

[0028] Fig. 16 shows a further example of embodiment of the concealable gripping device according to the present invention for inset handles 200 having a gripping element movable with a translational movement.

[0029] In this case the body 210 is duplicated and has two parallel seats 211 for housing respective springs 13 partially inserted also in associated seats 221 of the gripping element 220 with a head-piece 222 which extends in the transverse direction, for covering the whole device.

[0030] The transverse seat 22b containing the shaped element 30 with butterfly 33 is formed in the section joining together the two parallel seats 221.

[0031] The body 210 has the already described extensions 214 for engagement with at least one shaped flange 40 entirely similar to that already described above.

[0032] The body 210 can then be engaged with an end closing cover 250 able to interfere and retain the shaped flange 40 so as to keep the device stably assembled; the cover 250 also has outwardly extending pins 212 able to penetrate coaxially inside the seat 211 so as to form the guide of the spring 13.

[0033] Said cover 250 also has force-fitting means 251 for engagement with associated seats 216 in the container body 220.

Claims

1. Concealable gripping device comprising at least one container body (10;110;210), a sliding element (20;120;220) associated with the container body (10;110;210), connected to a gripping element (22;122;222) and able to move from a first position with gripping element (22;122;222) projecting from said container (10;110;210) into a second position with gripping element (22;122;222) in contact with the container body (10;110;220) and vice versa, and resilient means (13;113) exerting a thrusting force on said sliding element relative to the said container body (10,110,210), characterized in that said container body (10;110,210) is associated with at least one longitudinal guide (43) suitable for engagement with a body (30) shaped in the manner of a butterfly (33), projecting from said sliding element (20;120;220) in a direction transverse thereto and free to rotate about said transverse direction, one end of said guide (43) being provided with means (43a) able to cause rotation of said butterfly (33) and means (43c) able to interfere with its travel along said guide (43) so as to cause the stoppage thereof, in the said first or second position.

2. Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that said container body (1;110;210) is provided internally with a longitudinal seat (11;111;211) extending along the length of the container body (10;110;210).

3. Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the side surface of the container body (10;110;210) is cut so as to define at least one flat surface (10a;110a;210a) on which a respective longitudinal opening (15) communicating with said longitudinal seat (11) is formed.

4. Device according to Claim 3, characterized in that at least one lug (14) projects outwards from said at least one side surface (10a;110a;210a).

5. Device according to Claim 4, characterized in that said lugs (14) are symmetrically arranged with respect to said longitudinal opening (15).

6. Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the side surface (20a;120a;220a) of the said sliding element (20;120;220) has at least one circular seat (22b) having, coaxially formed inside it, a further radial hole (22a) communicating with the coaxial seat (21).

7. Device according to Claim 6, characterized in that said at least one seat (22b) is arranged at the end of the sliding element (20;120;220) opposite to said gripping element (22;122;222).

8. Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that said butterfly element (33) forms an integral part of a body (30) comprising a circular base (31) from the opposite sides of which a pin (32) able to be inserted inside said hole (22a) and said butterfly extension (33) project respectively.

9. Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that a further pin (34) projects from the centre of said butterfly extension (33).

10. Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that at least one removable shaped flange (40), which has a flat inner surface, is associated with the side surface of the container body (10;110;210).

11. Device according to Claim 10, characterized in that said shaped flange (40) has at least one eyelet (44) suitable for engagement with a corresponding lug (14) of the container body (10).

12. Device according to Claim 10, characterized in that said guiding means consist of a longitudinal seat (43) formed on the inner surface of each flange (40).

13. Device according to Claim 12, characterized in that said longitudinal guide (43) has, at one of its ends, an inclined surface (43a) which produces a widening (43b) of said seat (43).

14. Device according to Claim 13, characterized in that said guide (43) has an undercut (43c) facing said inclined surface (43b).

15. Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that said resilient means (13;113) consist of a spiral spring.

16. Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that said resilient means (13) are coaxial with the sliding element (20;220).

17. Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that said resilient means (113) are at right angles to the sliding element (120).

18. Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that said container body (10) is a cylinder.

19. Device according to Claim 18, characterized in that a pin (12;212) supporting said spring (13) is arranged coaxially inside said seat (11;211).

20. Device according to Claim 18, characterized in that said spring (13) has a length much greater than the height of the container body (10;210) in the axial direction.

21. Device according to Claim 18, characterized in that said cylindrical body (10) has one end shaped in the manner of an annular edge (17) which projects radially outwards and inside which a concentric seat (17a) of suitable thickness is formed.

22. Device according to Claim 18, characterized in that said sliding element (20;220) essentially consists of a cylindrical body inside which a coaxial seat (21;221) is formed.

23. Device according to Claim 18, characterized in that said sliding element (20) has at one of its ends a head-piece (22), the diameter and thickness of which are slightly smaller than the corresponding dimensions of a corresponding seat (17a) of the body (10).

24. Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that it has a cover (50;250) associated with the end of the container body opposite to that of the gripping element.

25. Device according to Claim 24, characterized in that said cover (50) has a female thread (51) suitable for mating with a corresponding thread (16) of the body (10).

26. Device according to Claim 25, characterized in that said body (10) has, at one of its ends, a thread (16) interrupted by recesses (16a) which are diametrically opposite and in an angular position coinciding with that of longitudinal openings (15).

27. Device according to Claim 26, characterized in that the bottom end of said flanges (40) is provided with a tooth (41) able to be inserted in a corresponding recess (16a) in the container body (10).

28. Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that said container body (200) comprises two cylinders (210) having parallel axes and connected together by a substantially flat surface (210a).

29. Device according to Claim 28, characterized in that said gripping element (222) is integral with said sliding elements (220) and has a surface greater than the container body (210).

30. Device according to Claim 24, characterized in that said cover (250) has force-fitting means (251) for engagement with associated seats (216) in the container body (210) and longitudinal pins (212) able to be inserted inside the said seat (211) of the container body.

31. Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that said gripping element (122) is able to rotate from a first rest position, concealed inside the container body (110), into a second working position, rotated outwards.

32. Device according to Claim 31, characterized in that the container body (110) of the sliding element (120) is formed by the side (100a) of a box (102) with a bearing edge (100b).

33. Device according to Claim 32, characterized in that said container body (110) forms an inset handle (100).

34. Device according to Claim 31, characterized in that said gripping element (122) forms the cover of said box (100).

35. Device according to Claim 31, characterized in that the side/container (100a) has an eyelet (111) extending in the longitudinal direction over a suitable distance.

36. Device according to Claim 35, characterized in that a sliding element (120) is arranged inside the eyelet (111).

37. Device according to Claim 36, characterized in that the end of the sliding element (120) opposite to that of the transverse seat (22b,22a) housing the shaped body (30) with a butterfly extension (33) has a hole (121a) seating a pin (121) on which a first end of a rod (104) is pivotably mounted, the other end thereof being in turn pivotably mounted on the gripping element (122) by means of an associated pin (104a).

38. Device according to Claim 35, characterized in that two transverse extensions (14) are formed on the side/container (100a) of the handle, said extensions being directed outwards and being able to be engaged with the associated seats (44) of a shaped flange (40).

39. Device according to Claim 38, characterized in that said shaped flange (40) is retained against the side (100a) by screw means (150).

40. Device according to Claim 38, characterized in that in a suitable position, transversely opposite to that of the lever (104), the gripping element (122) is integral with one end of a spring (113) which is arranged in an associated seat (113a) with an orientation substantially at right angles to the sliding element (120) and the other end of which is constrained to the container (102).

Drawing