Suspension system, suspension device for use in such a suspension system, and method for suspending a cupboard using such suspension system

Abstract

 An assembly of a suspension system and an object, for instance a cupboard, to be suspended with this suspension system, comprising at least one supporting element (4), which is fastened against a back (2) of the object, and at least one suspension device (5), which is fastened against a wall (3). The suspension device comprises a fastening plate (7) and a bearing member (6), the orientation and position of which can be adapted by means of adjusting means (10,12). Position deviations of the suspension devices, caused during the fastening of these suspension devices against the wall, may thus be compensated for, even before the object is suspended from these suspension devices, so that the object always comes to be suspended in the desired position in the desired orientation. If required, the suspension devices may also be readjusted after the cupboard has been suspended therefrom. To this end, the cupboard is provided with openings (42) that permit access to the adjusting means, and which, after readjustment, can be covered with suitably provided cover plates (44).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a suspension system for a cupboard or such object.

[0002] From practice, many suspension systems are known. Thus, a suspension system is known in which a profiled lath is disposed against a wall, which lath can engage into or below a second lath extending against a rear wall of the cupboard. The second lath contributes to the stiffness of the cupboard and keeps it from pulling out of square. Moreover, during production and further management, the cupboard can be lifted thereon. A drawback of this known suspension system is that the laths engaging into each other do not offer an adjusting possibility to suspend the cupboard at the same height as an adjacent cupboard and/or in a level manner.

[0003] This adjusting possibility is offered by a suspension system known from DE 201 03 728. This system comprises two suspension devices, which are fastened against the back of a cupboard, near a top corner, and can be hooked with two hook portions into one or several supporting elements fastened against the wall. The suspension devices each comprise a fastening plate, which is fastened with dowels or screws against a side wall or top wall adjacent to the top corner. The hook portions are adjustably connected with the fastening plate by means of adjusting means. In a part of the rear wall covered by the fastening plates, some openings are provided, which permit access to the adjusting means from the inside of the cupboard. This enables adjustment of the position and orientation of the cupboard in suspended condition.

[0004] This known suspension system has a number of drawbacks. Thus, the location of the suspension devices in the top corners of the cupboard is not optimal. Firstly, this location leads to an unfavorable point of application of reaction forces acting on the cupboard during use. Secondly, the openings in the rear wall will locally weaken the corners and introduce high stresses. This is the more disadvantageous as the cupboard receives a great part of its stiffness from these corners. Thirdly, the suspension devices, in particular the hook portions thereof, project, so that, for instance during storage and transport, they can be easily damaged or cause damage themselves. Furthermore, per cupboard, two different embodiments of the suspension device are necessary, namely a version in which the dowels extend to the left of the fastening plate, and a version in which the dowels are located on the right-hand side.

[0005] From DE 34 09 227, an adjustable suspension system is known in which an adjustable hook portion is partly accommodated in a rectangular housing. This housing is fastened in the cupboard, in a top corner thereof, while the hook portion extends through an opening provided in the rear wall to outside the cupboard. The housing contains adjusting means with which the height and depth of the hook portion are adjustable from the cupboard. This suspension system has the same drawbacks as the above-discussed suspension system. An additional drawback is that the housing is visibly present in the cupboard and occupies effective cupboard space.

[0006] It is the object of the invention to provide an assembly of a suspension system and a cupboard or such object to be suspended with this suspension system in which the drawbacks of the known assemblies are avoided while retaining the advantages thereof. To this end, an assembly according to the invention is characterized by the features of claim 1.

[0007] In an assembly according to the invention, the advantages of the known suspension systems are combined because the adjustable part of the suspension system, the suspension device, is fastened against the wall, and the supporting element is fastened against the back of the cupboard. This has a number of advantages. Thus, ease of adjustment of the suspension assembly is thereby considerably increased. This is to be seen as follows. When suspending a cupboard, the greatest position deviations are usually caused by the parts of the suspension system that are fastened to the wall. This is inherent to the fact that these parts are disposed manually. The parts fastened against the cupboard are disposed mechanically and can thus be positioned accurately. In the known suspension systems, the unfavorable situation thereby occurs that position deviations, caused by supporting elements fastened against the wall, can only be corrected by means of the adjustable suspension devices fastened against the cupboard. This indirect manner of correction can only take place after the cupboard has been suspended, because before this every reference to the correct adjustment of the suspension devices is missing.

[0008] In an assembly according to the invention, position deviations of suspension devices fastened to the wall can be measured and corrected directly, due to the adjustability of these suspension devices. This enables adjustment of the suspension assembly to be substantially carried out before the cupboard is suspended. Consequently, the cupboard need not possess disfiguring and weakening adjusting openings, and moreover, adjustment can be carried out in unloaded condition, so that less force is required and a relatively simple adjusting mechanism is sufficient.

[0009] Furthermore, in an assembly according to the invention, the supporting element can be of such simple design that it helps increase the stiffness of the cupboard. The supporting element may, for instance, be designed as a strip or profiled lath extending over the width of the cupboard. Many cupboards known from practice are already provided with such a supporting element and therefore need no adaptation for use with a suspension system. Such a supporting element increases the stiffness and stability of the cupboard, in particular in lateral direction, and may also function as a grip by which the cupboard can be manipulated during production and further management. Moreover, in use, the supporting element can distribute reaction forces exerted thereon evenly over the width of the cupboard.

[0010] The supporting element may also be designed as a reinforcing profile which is fixed, for instance in a top corner of the rear wall, against two cupboard walls adjacent to this rear wall. Such a reinforcing profile fixes the cupboard walls at the desired angle and thereby increases the resistance of the cupboard to pulling out of square and hence the overall stiffness of the cupboard. Existing cupboards can be simply equipped with two, preferably identical corner profiles, after which they can be fastened against a wall with a suspension device according to the invention.

[0011] In an advantageous embodiment, the supporting element and an adjustable bearing member of the suspension device, from which this supporting element is suspended during use, are provided with cooperating profiles, by which the bearing member can be fixed at least in the vertical direction relative to the supporting element. This prevents the cupboard from coming loose undesirably in the vertical direction. Preferably, the profiles are of such design that the fixing effect thereof can be undone by a user according to wish, so that subsequently, the suspended object can be simply lifted from the suspension device. Furthermore, the profiles are preferably of such design that the supporting element and the bearing member, in spite of the fixation in the vertical direction, are displaceable along each other in the horizontal direction, parallel to the plane of the wall, so as to correct the position of the cupboard in the lateral direction.

[0012] The supporting elements may be manufactured from wood, metal or plastic and may be fixed against the cupboard by means of known per se fastening means, such as glue, dowels, screws, nails, spikes or cramps.

[0013] If desired, in a suspension system according to the invention, openings may be provided in the rear wall of the cupboard, so as to be able to (re)adjust the position and orientation of the cupboard in suspended condition. The perpendicular distance from these openings to the or each supporting element is substantially fixed. This distance is determined by the dimensions of the suspension device, in particular the distance between the adjusting means and the end of the bearing member on which the supporting element abuts in use.

[0014] The horizontal position of the openings and the suspension devices is, when using a supporting element extending over the width of the cupboard, to be selected freely to a great extent. This enables, when placing the suspension devices, allowance for unsuitable fastening places in the wall, for instance because of conduits extending in or behind this wall, and the openings in the rear wall can be placed such that they weaken the cupboard as less as possible. The height dimension of the openings is substantially determined by the travel over which the bearing member is adjustable in the height direction.

[0015] After adjusting the cupboard, the openings are preferably covered. To this end, a cover plate is preferably provided, which can be detachably clamped in the openings by means of flexible fingers. The adjusting means thus remain repeatedly accessible. The cover plate may, for instance, be manufactured from plastic or metal.

[0016] The invention further relates to a suspension device for use in an assembly according to the invention, characterized by the features according to claim 13.

[0017] Since in a suspension device according to the invention the bearing member and the adjusting means are pressure-loaded, instead of tensile-loaded, as in the known suspension devices, the adjusting means can be simply unloaded at least partly by disposing suitable supporting means on the fastening plate and/or the adjusting means. The suspension device thus remains slightly and easily adjustable, also with a cupboard suspended therefrom.

[0018] The invention further relates to a method for suspending a cupboard by means of a suspension device according to the invention, characterized by the measures according to claim 15.

[0019] In this method, the or each suspension device fastened to the wall is already adjusted in the best manner possible, before the cupboard is suspended therefrom, so that after placement of the cupboard, further adjusting operations are hardly, if at all, necessary. This may save a lot of time, because adjustment of the suspension devices without cupboard can be done more rapidly than when a cupboard is suspended therefrom, for instance because the adjusting means without cupboard are better accessible and even more slightly adjustable, due to the lack of any load.

[0020] The further subclaims describe further advantageous embodiments of an assembly of a suspension device and an object to be suspended as well as a suspension device according to the invention

[0021] In explanation of the invention, an exemplary embodiment of an assembly and suspension device according to the invention will be described with reference to the drawing. In this drawing:

Fig. 1 shows a cross-sectional side view of an assembly of a suspension system and a cupboard according to the invention suspended therewith;

Fig. 2A shows an exploded view of an adjustable suspension device according to the invention, suitable for use in the assembly of Fig. 1;

Fig. 2B shows a perspective view of the suspension device of Fig. 2A, in composed form;

Fig. 3A shows an alternative embodiment of a supporting element according to the invention; and

Fig. 3B,C show two possible embodiments of means for fixing a bearing member of the suspension device in the vertical direction relative to the supporting element of Fig. 3A.

[0022] Fig. 1 shows a cross-sectional side view of an assembly of a suspension system 1 and an object according to the invention to be suspended therewith. The suspension system 1 comprises a supporting element 4, which is disposed against the back 3 of the object to be suspended, in this case a cupboard, and a suspension device 5, which is fixed against a wall 3 with known per se fastening means 8.

[0023] The supporting element 4 extends over the full width of the cupboard and thereby gives this cupboard the required stiffness and resistance to pulling out of square. The supporting element 4 may, for instance, be a wooden lath or a profile of metal or plastic, provided with a profiled lower edge 9 or another hooking facility.

[0024] When in this specification the terms lower and upper are used, these refer to what is seen in the fastened position shown in Fig. 1 as lower and upper. The same applies to the terms up and down and front and back.

[0025] The suspension device 5 (see Figs. 2A and B) comprises a substantially rectangular fastening plate 7 and a bearing member 6, which is adjustably fixed on the fastening plate 7 by means of first and second adjusting means 10, 12.

[0026] The bearing member 6 comprises a substantially rectangular front face 14, which is bounded on three sides by respectively two opposing longitudinal edges 15 and a front edge 16. These longitudinal edges 15 and front edge 16 enclose respectively an angle of approximately 90° and an angle of less than 90° with the front face 14, so that the bearing member 6, seen in side view (see Fig. 1), has a beveled end 11. The open end 13 of the bearing member 6 located opposite the beveled end 11 is closed by a substantially rectangular running plate 18, which with two narrowed ends 19 is rotatably received in openings 17 between the longitudinal edges 15. Furthermore, the front face 14 is provided with a slotted hole 20, a longitudinal direction of which extends at right angles to the running plate 18. The extension of the slotted hole 20 may be provided with a second opening 21, the effect of which will be discussed below in more detail.

[0027] The first adjusting means 10 comprise a screw 30 with a head 32, which is provided along its circumference with radially extending teeth, and a driving head 33, which is provided on a lower side with axially extending teeth. In mounted condition, this driving head 33 abuts with a portion of its toothed lower side against the circumference of the screw head 32, while the teeth of both heads 32, 33 engage each other, so that a rotation of the driving head 33 about its center line A is converted into a rotation of the screw 30 about its longitudinal axis, which is approximately at right angles to the above center line.

[0028] The screw 30 is, in mounted condition, screwed through a central opening 22 in the running plate 18 connected with the bearing member 6 and is further fixed with a foot portion 31 and a head 32 in respectively a retaining plate 35 and a supporting flange 24, which are both firmly connected with the fastening plate 7. The head 32 is passed through the supporting flange 24 so far that a collar 34 disposed directly below the head 32 abuts against the flange 24. The retaining plate 35 and the supporting flange 24 substantially extend parallel to each other, at right angles to the fastening plate 7, at a mutual distance L, which substantially corresponds to the length of the screw 30, measured between the foot portion 31 and the collar 34.

[0029] In the exemplary embodiment shown, the retaining plate 35 is fixed as a separate element on the fastening plate 7 in two centering holes 28 provided in the fastening plate 7, while the supporting flange 24 is integrally formed from the fastening plate 7. It may be clear that the retaining plate 35 may also be integrally formed from the fastening plate 7, while the supporting flange 24 may also be fastened on the fastening plate as a separate portion.

[0030] Directly below the supporting flange 24, a cube-shaped, plastic supporting block 36 is disposed, on two projections 29 extending from the fastening plate 7. The supporting block 36 is provide on a side facing the supporting flange 24 with a recess 37, suitable for receiving the screw head 32 and the driving head 33 (see Fig. 1). Furthermore, in a side of the supporting block 36 facing away from the fastening plate 7, an opening 38 is provided, which permits access to the driving head 33.

[0031] The second adjusting means 12 comprise an adjusting screw 40, which is passed through the slotted hole 20 in the bearing member 6 and screwed down to the subjacent fastening plate 7, in a locally raised bridge portion 25 thereof. The dimensions of the adjusting screw 40 are selected such that the shank can freely move in the slotted hole 20, while the head extends at least partly on both sides of the slotted hole 20.

[0032] In the exemplary embodiment shown, both the fastening plate 7 and the bearing member 6 are manufactured from metal plate material, such as steel or aluminum, by means of known per se plate processing techniques, such as cutting, punching and bending over. Of course, the fastening plate 7 and the bearing member 6 may also be manufactured from other materials and in another manner, for instance they may be injection molded from plastic.

[0033] The first and second adjusting means 10, 12 operate as follows. After the suspension device 5 has been fastened with the fastening plate 7 against a wall 3, the height of the bearing member 6 may be adjusted by means of the first adjusting means 10, by rotating the driving head 33, via the opening 38 in the supporting block 36, by means of a screw driver or such tool. This rotation is converted by the engaging teeth of the driving head 33 and the screw head 32 into a rotation of the crew 30 about its longitudinal axis. This will cause the running plate 18, depending on the direction of rotation of the screw 30, to be raised or lowered by the screw thread, in the direction of arrow H, thereby entraining the bearing member 6. The slotted hole 20 ensures that the bearing member in its upward or downward movement is not impeded by the adjusting screw 40.

[0034] Furthermore, the distance from the bearing member 6, in particular the end 11 thereof, to the fastening plate 7 may be adjusted by means of the second adjusting means 12. To this end, the adjusting screw 40 is tightened or loosened, so that the bearing member 6 is rotated by the head of the adjusting screw 40 in the direction of the fastening plate 7 or is given space to incline forward in the direction of the object to be suspended. The ends 19 of the running plate 18 then function as the axis of rotation B for the bearing member 6.

[0035] The adjusting possibilities described may also be carried out when a cupboard as shown in Fig. 1 is suspended from the bearing member 6. In that case, the supporting block 36 and the collar 34 resting on the supporting flange 24 ensure that the screw 30 is at least partly unloaded, so that the bearing member 6 is adjustable with relatively low forces. Furthermore, in that case, the rear wall 2 of the cupboard must be provided with openings 42, via which access is gained to the suspension devices 5 and adjusting means 10, 12 located behind the cupboard.

[0036] The location of these openings 42 relative to the supporting element 4 is determined in the height direction by the dimensions of the suspension device 5, in particular the distance from the end 11 of the bearing member 6 to the first and second adjusting means 10, 12. The dimension of the openings 42, seen in the height direction, is at least equal to the travel S over which the bearing member 6 is adjustable in the height direction. This travel S substantially corresponds to the length L of the screw 30 between the foot portion 31 and the supporting collar 34.

[0037] Per adjusting means 10, 12, a separate opening 42 may be provided, as shown in Fig. 1, or a single larger opening. After adjustment of the cupboard, the or each opening 42 is preferably covered with a cover plate 44 of, for instance, plastic or metal. By means of click fingers 45, the cover plate 44 may be clamped down in the openings 42 or glued, screwed or fixed against the inside of the rear wall 2 in another known manner. Click fingers 45, however, have the advantage that the cover plate 44 can thus be removed repeatedly, so that the position and orientation of the cupboard can always be readjusted.

[0038] When suspending a cupboard, two suspension devices 5 are preferably used. The placement thereof against the wall is, seen in the width direction of the cupboard, to be selected completely freely in principle. Due to this freedom of positioning, the suspension devices 5 can always be placed such that they lead to a most favorable possible play of forces on the cupboard. Furthermore, less suitable fastening locations on the wall, for instance because of conduits or locally weak spots contained in this wall, can thus be allowed for.

[0039] When the suspension devices 5 also need to be adjustable when the cupboard is suspended therefrom, it is of course preferable that the suspension devices 5 are placed at a mutual distance that corresponds to the distance between the openings 42 in the rear wall 2 of the cupboard. The location of the openings 42 is preferably selected such that they compromise the stiffness of the cupboard as less as possible.

[0040] Fig. 3A shows an alternative embodiment of a supporting element 4 according to the invention, intended for fastening against the back of a cupboard, in a top corner thereof. This embodiment is preferably manufactured from metal plate and particularly suitable for cupboards, the side walls and the top wall of which project beyond the rear wall of the cupboard. The supporting element 4' comprises a flat base plate 50 with at least one right angle, which angle is bounded by an upper edge 51 and a side edge 52, extending at right angles to the base plate 50. Furthermore, a hook portion 54 is formed in the base plate 50, for instance by punching and bending over, which hook portion 54 can be fixed by hooking behind the bearing member 6 of a suspension device 5.

[0041] In use, the supporting element 4' is fixed with these edges 51, 52 in a top corner of the cupboard, against respectively a top wall and a side wall adjacent to that top corner. The supporting element 4' thus functions as a corner reinforcing profile and thus increases the overall stiffness of the cupboard. In the same manner as described above, the supporting element 4' may be used in combination with an adjustable suspension device 5. The rear wall, below the supporting element 4', may then be provided with one or more openings, so that the suspension device 5 can be adjusted from the inside of the cupboard. Although these openings will be located relatively close to the top corners, they will not jeopardize the stiffness of the cupboard, due to the corner reinforcing effect of the supporting elements 4'.

[0042] Between the hook portion 54 and the base plate 50, means may be provided for fixing the bearing member 6 in the vertical direction relative to the supporting element 4' to prevent the cupboard from being undesirably lifted from the suspension device. Figs. 3B and C show two possible embodiments of such fixing means.

[0043] Fig. 3B shows a tilting projection, provided with a leg 55 extending in the vertical direction and a stop face 57 extending at right angles to the base plate. Both can rotate about an axis of rotation 56 extending at right angles to the plane of the drawing. In Fig. 3B, the projection is in its unfixed position. When a bearing member 6 is slid under the hook portion 54, upon the leg 55 will, upon contact with the stop face 57, rotate into the cupboard, in the direction of the hook portion 54 while engaging the second opening 21 in the bearing member 6 (see Fig. 2A). This will cause the bearing member 6 to be retained against further vertical displacement. Of course, uncoupling means (not shown) may be provided, with which the fixing effect of the tilting projection can be removed, preferably from the inside of the cupboard. The tilting projection may, for instance, be provided with an engaging portion, which is accessible via the opening 42 in the rear wall of the cupboard, and by displacement of which the projection 55 is forced out of the opening 21 of the bearing member 6, after which the cupboard can be lifted from the bearing member 6.

[0044] Fig. 3C shows an alternative embodiment, in which the base plate 50 is provided with a spring-mounted projection 58, which is compressed when passing the bearing member 6, until the second opening 21 passes the projection 58. At that moment, the projection 58 springs back through the opening 21 while inhibiting further vertical displacement of the bearing member 6. Of course, in addition to the embodiments shown in Figs. 3B and 3C, many other solutions are conceivable to retain the bearing member 6 in the vertical direction. Preferably, retaining takes place such that the hook portion 54 and the bearing member 6 can still move in the horizontal direction relative to each other.

[0045] All combinations of parts of the embodiments shown are considered to be included herein. The invention is in no way limited to the exemplary embodiments shown in the specification and the drawing. Many variations thereof are possible within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.

[0046] Thus, with a suspension system according to the invention, not only cupboards can be suspended, but also other objects that require accurate adjusting possibilities. Furthermore, the surfaces of the supporting element and the bearing member lying against each other in the fastened position may be of a different form than is shown in the embodiments, for instance concave and convex, or rectangular. The complementary form shown has the advantage that a large effective supporting surface is thereby obtained, so that the reaction forces acting on the supporting element and the suspension device can be evenly distributed.

[0047] Also, the supporting element may be of adjustable design, so that at least a part of the adjustment of the cupboard can thus be realized.

[0048] These and many variations are considered to fall within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.

Claims

1. An assembly of a suspension system and a cupboard or such object to be suspended with this suspension system, comprising at least one supporting element (4) and at least one suspension device (5), which suspension device (5) comprises a fastening plate (7) and bearing member (6) adjustable relative to the fastening plate (7) by means of adjusting means (10, 12), wherein the supporting element (4) is fastened against a back (2) of the cupboard and the suspension device (5) is fastened with the fastening plate (7) against a wall (3), and wherein the supporting element (4), in a fastened position, is suspended on or from the bearing member (6).

2. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the bearing member (6), in the fastened position, is at least adjustable in the vertical direction.

3. An assembly according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the bearing member (6), in the fastened position, is adjustable in a direction extending substantially at right angles to the plane of the wall (3).

4. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the supporting element (4) comprises a profile extending in the width of the cupboard (2).

5. An assembly according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein the supporting element (4) comprises two reinforcing profiles, which are each fixed near a top corner of a cupboard, against at least two cupboard walls adjacent to the rear wall.

6. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the supporting element (4) and the bearing member (6) are each provided with profiles cooperating with each other, which profiles, in a fastened position, engage each other such that the bearing member (6), at least in the vertical direction, is fixed relative to the supporting element (4).

7. An assembly according to claim 6, wherein, furthermore, uncoupling means are provided for removing the fixation by the cooperating profiles.

8. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a part of the or each supporting element (4) cooperating with the bearing member (6) is arranged such that the bearing member (6), in the horizontal direction, is slidable parallel to the plane of the wall (3) along the or each supporting element (4).

9. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein in a rear wall (2) of the cupboard at least one opening (42) is provided, at such a distance below the supporting element (4) that the opening (42), in the fastened position, is located at substantially the same height as the adjusting means (10, 12) of a or each suspension device (5) extending behind the rear wall (2).

10. An assembly according to claim 9, wherein the dimension of the at least one opening (42), in the vertical direction, is substantially equal to a distance (L) over which the bearing member (6) is adjustable in the vertical direction.

11. An assembly according to claim 9 or 10, wherein a cover plate (44) is provided for covering the or each opening (42).

12. An assembly according to claim 11, wherein the cover plate (44) comprises click fingers (45) for fastening in the at least one opening (42).

13. A suspension device for use in an assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a fastening plate (7) and a bearing member (6), which bearing member (6) is adjustable by means of adjusting means (10, 12) in at least one direction relative to the fastening plate (7), wherein the adjusting means (10, 12) extend substantially between the fastening plate (7) and the bearing member (6), and wherein a part of the adjusting means (10, 12) susceptible to adjusting operations extends on the same side of the fastening plate (7) as the bearing member (6).

14. A suspension device according to claim 13, wherein the bearing member (6) is pressure-loaded in the fastened position, and wherein supporting means (24, 34; 36) are provided for at least partly unloading the adjusting means (10) in the fastened position.

15. A method for suspending a cupboard or such object by means of a suspension device according to claim 13 or 14, comprising the following steps:

- disposing a supporting element (4) against a back of the object to be suspended;

- disposing at least one adjustable suspension device (5) against a wall;

- adjusting the bearing member (6) of the suspension device (5) in the height and/or depth direction, so that a contact surface (16) of the bearing member (6), which contact surface supports the supporting element (4) in the fastened position, approximately assumes a desired orientation and position;

- suspending the object from the suspension device (5) by means of the supporting element (4).

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the orientation and position of the cupboard, after it has been suspended from the suspension device (5), are adapted by readjusting the adjusting means (10, 12) via an opening (42) provided in the rear wall of the cupboard, after which the opening (42) is covered with a cover plate (44).

Drawing