Device for vertically driving furniture piece wings

Abstract

 A device for vertically driving furniture piece wings comprises a multiple hoist construction associated with the body of a furniture piece including at least a vertically movable furniture piece wing, said construction including a body for holding therein a piston which is associated with, at its top, to a transmission plate, integral with the holding body, said piston comprising a piston stem having a free end portion to which is clamped a wheel carrier for engaging a cable having an end portion thereof rigid with the wing and the other portion thereof rigid with the transmission plate.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for vertically driving furniture piece wings.

[0002] The inventive device can be applied to an inner portion of a furniture piece, for allowing a balanced vertical sliding of wing elements applied to the furniture piece.

[0003] It is already known to use vertically slidable wings for making furniture pieces such as lockers, clothes closets and the like.

[0004] The vertically slidable wings are conventionally driven by driving mechanisms designed for providing a proper and reliable operation thereof.

[0005] Yet another requirements in making furniture pieces including slidable wings, is that to provide a properly balanced smooth movement of their slidable wings.

[0006] From a mere ergonomic and functional standpoint, it is moreover necessary to provide an easy opening and closing of the wings by a user.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] Accordingly, the aim of the present invention is to provide such a driving device for vertically driving furniture piece slidable wings, which can be easily and quickly applied inside a furniture piece and which provides a well balanced sliding of sliding wings applied to said furniture piece.

[0008] Within the scope of the above aim, a main object of the invention is to provide such a slidable wing driving device which is very advantageous from a mere ergonomic standpoint.

[0009] Yet another object of the invention is to provide such a wing driving device which allows to optimally exploit the space of the furniture piece it is applied to.

[0010] Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such a wing driving device which is very strong and reliable in operation.

[0011] Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide such a wing driving device which, owing to its specifically designed constructional characteristics, is very reliable and safe in operation.

[0012] According to one aspect of the present invention, the above mentioned aim and objects, as well as yet other objects, which will become more apparent hereinafter, are achieved by a driving device for vertically driving furniture piece wings,
characterized in that said driving device comprises a multiple hoist construction, associated with a body of the furniture piece including at least a vertically slidable wing, said construction including a holding body for holding a piston which is associated, at a top thereof, with a transmission plate, rigid with said holding body, said piston including a piston stem having a free end portion to which a wheel carrier is associated with, for engaging a cable having an end portion thereof rigid with a furniture piece wing and the other end portion thereof rigid with said transmission plate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent hereinafter from the following detailed disclosure of a preferred, though not exclusive, embodiment of the invention, which is illustrated, by way of an indicative, but not limitative, example in the accompanying drawings, where:

Figure 1 is a side elevation view, as longitudinally cross-sectioned, of a sliding wing of a furniture piece, including a wing driving device according to the invention, the wing being shown in an open position thereof;

Figure 2 is a view similar to figure 1, but with the wing in a closure position thereof;

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing an assembly including a piston, a wheel carrier and a transmission plate of the driving device according to the present invention;

Figure 4 is a partially cross-sectioned top plan view of the furniture piece wing, driven by a driving device according to the present invention;

Figure 5 is a further cross-sectioned top plan view, on a scale larger than that of figure 4, showing a detail of a section member included in the driving device;

Figure 6 is a further cross-sectioned perspective view, showing the section member of figure 5;

Figure 7 is yet another perspective view showing the assembling of a support for supporting the furniture piece wing;
and

Figure 8 is an outside perspective view showing the assembling of the furniture piece wing support.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] With reference to the number references of the above mentioned figures, the wing driving device according to the present invention, comprises pairs of section members 1, provided for application on inner sidewalls of furniture pieces which are designed to include vertically slidable furniture piece wings 3 therein.

[0015] Said section members 1 comprise a respective inner housing seat 4 for housing a hoist element construction 5, for equilibrating or balancing the weight of the slidable wing 3.

[0016] On a side thereof, said section members 1 comprise a respective housing seat or recess 6, therealong slides a contoured section member 7, operating as a support element for the wing 3.

[0017] More specifically, said wing 3 is supported by two contoured section members 7, one on each side of said wing 3.

[0018] Said contoured section member 7 comprises, on the inside thereof, a rack element 8 and, on an outside side thereof, a longitudinal guide 9.

[0019] Said rack element 8 cooperates with a gear wheel 10, for properly guiding the movement of the contoured section member 7.

[0020] At the bottom thereof, said section member 7 comprises a transmission assembly 11, associated with said longitudinal guide 9.

[0021] Said side section members 1 are preferably made of aluminium, and are applied to an inner surface of a sidewall of a furniture piece.

[0022] In particular, said side section members 1 are coupled to one another by a coupling bar 12.

[0023] In each of said side section members 1 is housed the hoist construction 5, provided for compensating for the weight of the slidable wing 3.

[0024] Said hoist construction 5 comprises a pneumatic piston 15 including a piston rod 14, having a bottom free end portion 13 to which a bottom wheel carrier is applied, said wheel carrier comprising a bottom plate-like element 16 supporting two side pulleys 17 and 18 and a central pulley 19 thereabout a cable 21 is entrained.

[0025] At the top thereof, said piston 15 is coupled to a top transmission plate comprising a top plate-like element 20 supporting two top pulleys 22 and 23, in turn entraining the driving cable 21.

[0026] The top plate-like element 20, in particular, comprises an anchoring detent element 24 for an end portion of the cable 21.

[0027] The other end portion of the cable 21 is applied to an element clamped to the furniture piece wing 3, preferably to the transmission assembly 11 associated with the longitudinal guide 9 the furniture piece wing 3 is rigid or integral with.

[0028] The section member 7, including a sliding system controlled by the rack element 8, allows said sliding system to properly slide in the seat 6 formed in said section member 1.

[0029] The transmission pulleys of the hoist construction are so arranged that the portions of the cable 21 between a pulley and a following pulley, are substantially parallel to the wing movement and, accordingly, being substantially vertical, without inclinations, thereby reducing to a minimum the forces in a direction perpendicular to the movement or sliding direction.

[0030] Thus, the subject driving device will be smoothly operated, and the components thereof will be subjected to a very small wear.

[0031] The sliding movement or driving can be applied to an inner surface of the furniture piece sidewall, or left exposed to the view, by applying it on the front of the furniture piece sidewall, or by using it in replacement of the latter.

[0032] It has been found that the invention fully achieves the intended aim and objects.

[0033] In fact, the invention has provided a driving device for vertically driving furniture piece wings which is very simple construction wise and very reliable in operation.

[0034] The subject device, in particular, can be applied to an inner portion of the furniture piece, and allows sliding wings applied to the furniture piece to be driven with a well balanced vertical sliding movement.

[0035] In practicing the invention, the used materials, as well as the contingent size and shapes, can be any, depending on requirements.

Claims

1. A driving device for vertically driving furniture piece wings, characterized in that said driving device comprises a multiple hoist construction, associated with a body of the furniture piece including at least a vertically slidable wing, said construction including a holding body for holding a piston which is associated with, at a top thereof, with a transmission plate, rigid with said holding body, said piston including a piston stem having a free end portion to which a wheel carrier is associated, for engaging a cable having an end portion thereof rigid with a furniture piece wing and the other end portion thereof rigid with said transmission plate.

2. A driving device, according to claim 1, characterized in that said driving device comprises two section members adapted to be applied to inner sidewalls of furniture pieces including vertically slidable furniture piece wings, each said section member comprising a respective inner seat for housing therein a hoist construction.

3. A driving device, according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that each said section member comprises, on a side thereof, a housing seat for slidably receiving therein a contoured section member, said contoured section member operating as a support element for said wing, said wing being supported by two contoured section members, one on each side thereof.

4. A driving device, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said contoured section member comprises, on an inner side thereof, a rack element and, on an outer side thereof, a longitudinal guide, said rack element cooperating with a gear wheel for operatively driving said contoured section member.

5. A driving device, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said contoured section member comprises, at a bottom of said wing, a transmission assembly coupled to said longitudinal guide.

6. A driving device, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said side section members are made of an aluminium material and are applied to an inner surface of a sidewall of a furniture piece.

7. A driving device, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said side section members are coupled to one another by a coupling bar.

8. A driving device, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said hoist construction comprises a pneumatic piston including a piston rod having a bottom free end portion to which is applied a bottom wheel carrier including a bottom plate element supporting two side pulleys and a central transmission pulley for a cable, said piston being coupled, at a top thereof, by a top transmission plate including a top plate element supporting two top pulleys for entraining said cable, said top plate element further including a detent member for an end portion of said cable, the other end portion of said cable being coupled to an element clamped to said wing.

9. A driving device, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said element clamped to said wing and to which said end portion of said cable is applied comprises a transmission assembly coupled to the longitudinal guide the furniture piece wing is rigid with.

10. A driving device, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said transmission pulleys of said hoist construction are so arranged that cable portions between a pulley and a following pulley are substantially parallel to the sliding direction of said furniture piece wing, and, accordingly, being substantially vertical, without any inclinations, thereby reducing to a minimum the forces acting in a direction perpendicular to the wing sliding direction.

11. A driving device, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the slidable driving assembly is applied to an inner surface of a furniture piece sidewall or is left exposed to the view and applied on a front of the furniture piece sidewall or being used in replacement of the latter.

12. A driving device, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said driving device comprises one or more of the disclosed and/or illustrated characteristics.

Drawing