Support and actuation device for coplanar slidable doors, in particular for floor and hanging wardrobes, also of reduced sizes

Abstract

 Support and actuation device for coplanar sliding doors, in particular for floor and hanging wardrobes, also of reduced sizes.
Device adapted to permit the displacement of the doors (6) from a closed position to an opened position thereof, and vice versa, with a single movement, and to permit the opened doors to slide on to the closed doors.
Device comprising a first group of upper component parts (13), and a second group of lower component parts (14), of which the upper component parts (13) serve to support the doors (6), by allowing their sliding both in the longitudinal direction and in the transversal direction, namely the wardrobe depth direction, along a curved path, while the lower component parts (14) serve to keep the doors (6) always orthogonal to the wardrobe during their movement, and in synchronism with the upper component parts (13).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a support and actuation device for coplanar sliding doors, in particular for floor and hanging wardrobes, the doors of which are made of a type slidable in an alternate longitudinal direction along upper and lower rectilinear guide members, that are applied respectively in the ceiling and the bottom of the related wardrobe, and such doors are actuated in alternate longitudinal sliding directions, in positions which are coplanar to each other, from the opened position to the closed position thereof, and vice-versa.

[0002] There are known support and actuation devices for sliding doors for wardrobes of reduced sizes, normally used for example in the kitchens, the doors of which open like a "book".

[0003] Into the wardrobes of this kind that are placed onto the floor, a particular care is required for the arrangement of the wardrobes and the overall dimensions of their doors, for allowing to have available space for opening and closing the doors for accessing into the internal compartments of the wardrobes.

[0004] Furthermore, in the case of wardrobes of reduced sizes used as hanging wardrobes, their doors are arranged at the height of the persons head, so that it is required to be very careful during the opening and the closing of the doors, for preventing that the same come in contact with the same persons, and therefore may produce damages.

[0005] For determining the displacement of the doors into the wardrobes of the above-described kind, there are known support and actuation devices for doors realized in such a way as to allow the doors, during their opening phase, to effect an initial curvilinear path with the relative door arranged very inclined, that subsequently arranges itself in a position parallel to the furniture front part, for the remaining part of the stroke in which it is displaced laterally up to the foreseen opening position thereof. Additional known support and actuation devices for doors for these wardrobes are realized in a manner to allow each door to be displaced with two movements orthogonal and discontinuous to each other, the first one for extracting frontally the door and the second one for displacing laterally the same in the horizontal direction, parallel to the furniture front part, and these movements must be carried out in an accurate manner, by making little practical the movement of the same doors.

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide for a support and actuation device for sliding coplanar doors, in particular for floor and hanging wardrobes, realized with a simplified mechanical structure which can be assembled easily and quickly, for determining the actuation of the doors from the one to other one of the closed and opened positions thereof with a single continuous movement, and by maintaining each door always parallel to the furniture front part, thereby simplifying the movement of the same doors and making such device comfortable and easy to be used.

[0007] This support and actuation device is realized with the constructive characteristics substantially described, with particular reference to the enclosed patent claims.

[0008] The invention will be better understood from the following description, that is given by way of nonlimiting example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

• Figure 1 shows a perspective front view of a wardrobe to be placed onto the ground, provided with two doors and incorporating the support and actuation device according to the present invention, in which both the doors are displaced in the closed position thereof, in the position aligned to each other;
• Figure 2 shows a perspective front view of the wardrobe of the Fig. 1, with one door displaced in the opened position thereof, in which it is overlapped to the other door ;
• Figure 3 shows a perspective front view of the wardrobe on the same position of the Fig. 2, with the two doors overlapped to each other and without the upper flat ceiling, for making visible the relative upper and lower component parts of the wardrobe ;
• Figure 4 shows a perspective front view of a first and a second group of upper and lower component parts assembled into the wardrobe, to be applied against the back wall of a relative wardrobe door;
• Figure 5 shows a perspective front exploded view of all the upper component parts of the Fig. 4, disassembled to each other ;
• Figure 6 shows a perspective front view of one set of upper component parts of the Figure 5, assembled to each other ;
• Figure 7 shows a perspective exploded and enlarged front view of some of the upper component parts of the Figure 5, disassembled to each other ;
• Figure 8 shows a perspective rear view of a wardrobe door, in which some upper and lower component parts of the present device are assembled ;
• Figure 8a shows, with the same view of the Fig. 8, an enlarged constructive item of the upper component part assembled to the door upper part ;
• Figure 9 shows a perspective rear exploded view of the lower component parts of the Fig. 4 ;
• Figure 10 shows a cutaway view in the wardrobe transversal direction, and illustrating the component parts of the second lower group of the Fig. 4, with the wardrobe door displaced in the closed position thereof;
• Figure 11 shows a rear view of the wardrobe furniture with a lower second group with the component parts thereof assembled to each other and during the assembling phase in the same furniture ;
• Figure 12 shows a cutaway view in the wardrobe transversal direction, with the upper and lower component parts applied into the same and the door displaced in the closed position thereof;
• Figure 13 shows a cutaway view in the wardrobe transversal direction, with the upper and lower component parts applied into the same and the door displaced in the opened position thereof.

[0009] In the above-mentioned figures, it is represented a support and actuation device for coplanar sliding doors, in particular for floor and hanging wardrobes, which is realized and operates in the manner which will be described, and adapted to determine the support and actuation and sliding of the doors in alternate longitudinal directions into positions coplanar to each other, wherein the doors are actuated for being displaced from a closed position thereof, in which the doors are approached and aligned to each other and with respect to the wardrobe front plane, to an opened position thereof in which such doors are displaced with a single movement only into the extracted position and displaced sidewise up to the desired position thereof, parallel to the wardrobe front plane.

[0010] In particular, the Figs. 1 and 2 show a floor wardrobe 5 provided with two front flat doors 6 identical to each other, each one provided with the present support and actuation device for doors, which are singularly actuated by the user as it will be described, and of which in the present case in the Fig. 1 both doors 6 are displaced in the closed position thereof, wherein in the Fig. 2 the right door 6 is displaced leftward in the opened position thereof, and is partially overlapped to the left door, which is closed, and slightly spaced away therefrom in the wardrobe depth direction, in a manner to make visible the wardrobe internal compartment 7 provided in correspondence of the right door. Furthermore, each wardrobe 5 is delimited by a rear wall 8, parallel to the doors 6, by an upper flat ceiling 9, by a lower flat bottom 10 and by two side flanks 11 and 12.

[0011] Now, it is described in detail the support and actuation device for doors of the present wardrobe, which is assembled in each doors 6 and is visible both in the Fig. 3, in which the wardrobe is shown without the upper ceiling 9 and the right door 6, and in the Fig. 8 in which such device is assembled onto the rear surface of a door 6, and in the remaining Figures in which there are shown the different component parts of the device referred to.

[0012] As particularly visible in the Figs. 4-9, the support and actuation device for doors 6 of the present wardrobe is substantially constituted by a first group of upper component parts (see Figs. 3-8) applied onto the flat ceiling 9 of the wardrobe and secured in the upper part to the rear wall of the relative door 6, and by a second group of lower component parts 14 (Figs. 3, 4, 8 and 9), applied to the flat bottom 10 of the wardrobe and secured in the lower part to the rear wall of the relative door 6. The first group of upper component parts 13 is substantially constituted by a thin load-bearing rectilinear section bar 15, preferably made of metallic material, having a length slightly smaller than the width of the door adjacent to each other, in this case of the two doors 6 of the wardrobe, which section bar is fixed below the wardrobe flat ceiling 9, and is shaped with a U-shape in the direction of the wardrobe depth, in a manner to define a central flat portion 16, with a width smaller than the wardrobe depth, and two short flat portions, respectively front 17 and back 18 ones, which are joined orthogonally to the end portions of the central flat portion 16, of which the back flat portion 18 is higher than the front flat portion 17, whereas this latter is provided with two side notches 19 and 20, identical and spaced away to each other along the same portion in correspondence of the relative front door 6, in order to apply the correspondent support elements for the door that will be described hereinafter. Along the central flat portion 16 there are fixed, in correspondence of each door 6, a respective side wall 21 and a respective central side wall 22, which are preferably all identical to each other and shaped as will be described, and in particular while the side walls 21 are secured to the free end portions of the central flat portion 16, the central side walls 22 are secured in a position approached and parallel to each other in the area comprised between the side notches 19 and 20 adjacent to each other, and under this condition between each pair of side walls 21 and 22 a flat path is defined for the sliding of the relative door 6 with the component parts, in the directions and manners that will be soon described.

[0013] In each above mentioned sliding path there are housed respectively a horizontal torsion bar 23 and two side slidable carriages 24 and 25, identical to each other and co-operating with the relative end portion of the torsion bar 23, as well as supporting the correspondent support elements of a relative door 6, and these component parts are realized in a manner and for performing the function that will be further described.

[0014] In turn, the second group of lower component parts 14 is substantially constituted by at least two horizontal rectlinear flat metallic strips 26 and 27 made of ferromagnetic material, identical to each other and shaped preferbaly with a parallelepiped shape, each one having a length slightly smaller than the width of a door 6 and a limited height, and provided with a set of through holes 28 aligned horizontally to each other, for allowing the passage of correspondent screws o similar elements (29, see Fig. 10) for fixing the same strip to the back surface of the relative door 6, in the lower position of this latter, by arranging the strips overlapped and spaced away to each other in the vertical direction of the same door. The scope of the ferromagnetic strips 26 and 27 is to co-operate with the remaining component parts, that will be described, of the second group of component parts 14, for keeping the door always orthogonal to the wardrobe furniture during the displacement of the same door, by preventing any possible overturning of the door.

[0015] Moreover, the second group of component parts 14 is constituted by an U-shaped section bar 30 fixable as it will be described to the wardrobe central dividing door 31, that is arranged in a central position between said side walls 11 and 12 and separates the relative wardrobe internal compartments 7 to each other, and for this aim the shaped section bar 30 is housed and fixed into an opening 32 shaped in a corresponding manner in the front and lower part of said central dividing wall 31, in a position correspondent to the position of the ferromagnetic strips 26 and 27 applied to the back surface of the relative door 6 (see Fig. 11).

[0016] The shaped section bar 30 is housed into a correspondent hollow seat 33 of a support section bar 34, slightly greater than the relative section bar and made preferably of plastic material, as well as opportunelly secured into the opening 32 of the central dividing wall 31.

[0017] The so housed shaped section bar 30 is covered and closed from the two sides by a relative covering side panel 35 and 36 preferably made of plastic material, shaped in an identical and symmetrical manner of the support profile bar 34 and fixable to this latter, in such a way to allow the sliding with a determined stroke of said profile bar 30 into the relative housing seat 33, for the function that will be described. The shaped section bar 30 is substantially formed by a narrow rectilinear horizontal portion 37, of the same form and with sizes slightly smaller than the correspondent above mentioned housing seat 33, which is joined with a vertical rectilinear portion 38, which is shorter than the horizontal portion 37 and projected orthogonally upward, in such a way that said horizontal portion 37 is extended with a short end portion 39 beyond the position in which the vertical portion 38 is joined, and in turn this latter is orthogonally bent at its end portion, thereby defining another short end portion 40 of the same length of the end portion 39 and parallel and spaced away from this latter. The horizontal portion 37 of the section bar 30 is housed with its back end portion into the correspondent hollow seat 33 of the support section bar 34, in such a way that only the horizontal portion comprised between its back end portions and the joining position of the vertical portion 38 may slide into such seat 33 in the alternate horizontal direction. Moreover, the horizontal portion of section bar 37 is provided with two through slots 41 and 42 identical and spaced away to each other in the horizontal direction, adapted to guide and to limit the horizontal sliding stroke of such section bar portion, and provided the one near the back end portion of this section bar portion, and the other one near the front end portion of the same section bar portion, and in correspondence of the end portion 39 of this latter.

[0018] Finally, the end portions 39 and 40 are doubly bent in a manner to define a respective vertical seat 43 and 44 opened forward, into which at least a correspondent permanent magnet 45 and 46 which magnetic flux having high intensity such as for example an iron, neodymium and boron magnet, is inserted and housed see Fig. 9.

[0019] In its position assembled into the wardrobe, as particularly visible in the Fig. 3, the shaped section bar 30 is oriented in such a way that the vertical portion of section bar 38 be almost flushing with the wardrobe cabinet front edge, and that the end portions 39 and 40 are projected on the front of such front edge, together with the relative permanent magnet, of such an extent that to keep a door displaced in the opened position thereof, in the front of the wardrobe, in a position slightly spaced away from and overlapped to the remaining door displaced in the closed position of the same wardrobe, while the horizontal portion of the profile bar 37 is directed toward the wardrobe depth. Each of the permanent magnets 45 and 46 is located and always kept in a pre-established fixed position with respect to the relative door 6, which position corresponds to the one of a relative ferromagnetic strip 26 and 27 applied to the door 6, and it is turned toward the correspondent ferromagnetic strip, from which it is steadily kept slightly spaced away by a relative bearing 47 of small sizes, that is pivoted on and supported by an underlying support 48 which is secured into the magnet seat, above the same, thereby keeping the magnet always in this position, so that the magnetic flux produced by such permanent magnet keeps the same always attracted by the opposed ferromagnetic strip, without that the magnet comes into contact with this latter.

[0020] Such bearing 47 is always into sliding contact against the opposed flat surface of the relative ferromagnetic strip, so that during the displacement of the door from the one to the other one of its closed and opened positions the bearing 47 slides against such flat surface, in either one of its sliding direction.

[0021] Figs. 3-4 shows respectively the first group of upper component parts 13 and the second group of lower component parts 14, of which in the Figs. 3 and 4 the upper component parts 13 are already assembled into the wardrobe, and in the Fig. 4 the lower component parts 14 are ready to be applied to the back wall of the door 6, whereas the Fig. 5 shows the first group of upper component parts 13 disassembled from the wardrobe and separated from each other, and finally the Fig. 8 shows the component parts assembled in the upper and lower part to the back vertical surface of each door 6, for supporting the same into the wardrobe and allowing the displacement thereof.

[0022] Referring now to the Figs. 5, 6 and 7, shown therein are the different component parts separated from each other of the first group of upper component parts 13, which comprise for each door 6 the load-bearing section bar 15, the side wall 21 and the central wall 22, the torsion bar 23, and the two side slidable carriages 24 and 25 previously specified.

[0023] In particular, each one of the side wall 21 and central wall 22 is constituted by a relative metallic part 49 or plastic part 50 having a limited thickness, such a length as to fit itself between the front flat portion 17 and the back portion 18 of the load-bearing section bar 15, and a height identical to the height of the back portion 18 of said load-bearing section bar, in a manner do not protrude beyond this latter, and these parts are adequately secured to said load-bearing section bar.

[0024] Each one of the pieces 49 and 50 is shaped with a correspondent flat longitudinal edge 51 and 52, which is depressed with respect to the higher edge 53 and 54 of the relative piece, and onto the flat edges 51 and 52 of the pieces 49 and 50 applied respectively to the two end side edges of the load-bearing section bar 15 it is secured a respective sliding guide block 55 and 56, which are symmetrical to each other and adapted to guide the sliding of the correspondent upper side edge of the door 6 along a curvilinear path, during the displacement of the same door from the one to the other one of its closed and opened positions.

[0025] Each guide block 55 and 56 is arranged with its lower flat surface onto the relative depressed edge 51 and 52 of the correspondent pieces 49 and 50, to which it is opportunely secured, and it is dimensioned with such a height as to arrange itself with its flat upper surface at the level of the upper surface of the correspondent higher edge 53 and 54.

[0026] As it is visible particularly in the Figs. 3-5, the guide and sliding blocks 55 and 56 are associated with a relative door 6, and each of them is shaped with two flat side edges 57 and 58 orthogonal to each other, and with a curvilinear flat edge 59, opposed to the flat side edge 57, and delimited by a correspondent flat and curvilinear side edge 60, defining a portion of rectilinear edge 61 parallel to the flat side edge 57 and a portion of curved edge 62. Into the two above-mentioned guide blocks 55 and 56 it is also provided a correspondent hollowed curved path 63 and 64, respectively, parallel to the curvilinear side edge 60, and defining a sliding path for a bearing or a wheel 65, that is pivoted in a correspondent position onto the component part that will be described of the first group of upper component parts 13, and that is secured with the respective door 6, in such a way that when the door is displaced such bearing or wheel 65 may slide along the above-mentioned curvilinear sliding path, by determining the displacement of the door 6 in the correspondent position.

[0027] The assemblage in position of the two guide blocks 55 and 56 is performed by arranging at first the flat side edge 57 of each block onto the correspondent depressed edge 51 and 52 of its own side wall 21, at the level of the respective end edge of the load-bearing section bar 15, and then by securing into position such side edge 57, by means of screws or similar elements (not indicated) inserted through correspondent through holes 66 and 67 of the side edge 57 and the depressed edge 51 and 52, and by arranging also the other flat side edge 58 of each block at the level of the front flat portion 17 of the same load-bearing section bar.

[0028] In turn, the torsion bar 23 of each door 6 is supported at its end portions by the slidable carriages 24 and 25 of the same door, and provides for the sliding of these carriages in the manners which will be soon described, and under this condition the torsion bars 23 of the wardrobe may be displaced, together with the relative carriages, during the displacement of each door from the one to the other one of its opened and closed positions, and in particular when both the doors 6 are closed their torsion bars 23 are displaced in the position re-entering into the load-bearing section bar 15 of the wardrobe, together with the relative carriages 24 and 25, in the position in which the left door is displaced, visible from the Figs. 3-5, while when the one of the doors 6 is opened its torsion bar 23 is displaced into a position displaced forward of the load-bearing section bar 15, together with the relative carriages 24 and 25, in the position in which the right door visible from the same Figs. 3-5 is displaced. With particular reference to the Figs. 5, 6 and 7, it is now described the configuration of each one of the slidable carriages 24 and 25, the torsion bar 23 and the support elements for a relative door 6. In particular, each one of these slidable carriages is substantially constituted by a thin shaped plate 68 preferably metallic, of almost quadrangular form, having a length smaller than the width of the central flat portion 16 of the load-bearing section bar 15, and a width smaller than the length of the same plate, in a manner that such plate 68 may slidably adapt itself into said central flat portion 16 both in the longitudinal direction and the transversal direction thereof.

[0029] This plate 68 is shaped at its front part with a short front flat raised edge 69, and at its rear part terminates with an enlarged cylindrical zone 70 into which an horizontal cylindrical through hole 71 is provided for the entire width of the plate 68. The front flat raised edge 69 of the plate 68 is joined with the enlarged cylindrical zone 70 in succession through a further enlarged cylindrical zone 72, into which a threaded cylindrical through hole 73 is provided for the entire plate width, and which has a diameter larger than the preceding through hole 71, and through a thin horizontal central flat portion 74. The cylindrical through hole 71 of each plate 68 serves for inserting the correspondent cylindrical shank 75 of a short horizontal cylindrical pivot 76, performing the function of guiding the plate 68, during the side displacement thereof in the transversal direction of said central flat portion 16 of the load-bearing section bar 15, while the cylindrical through hole 73 of the plate 68 serves for supporting a correspondent end portion of the torsion bar 23, as it will be described later on. In the sliding path of each door 6 there are arranged two plates 68 in the sidewise position, for supporting the relative torsion bar 23 as it will be described, and each plate 68 is positioned with its front raised sliding edge 69 turned toward the front portion 17 of the load bearing section bar 15 and with its rear enlarged zone 70 turned toward the rear portion 18 of said load-bearing section bar, as described previously, and such plate 68 has a height smaller than the height of said back portion 18, in a manner that on to the same plate the relative support element for the door 6 may then be secured, the thickness of which is such that in this assembled position it isn't projected with its upper surface beyond the height of the rear portion 18.

[0030] Besides, under this arrangement condition of the plates 68, each one of said pivots 76 is inserted into the relative plate in such a way as do not protrude laterally outwards, so as to guide the transversal sliding of the same plates in the load-bearing section bar 15 as it will be described.

[0031] In the Figs. 5, 6 and 7 it is now illustrated a torsion bar 23, which is substantially constituted by a lengthened rectilinear cylindrical bar 77 having a length almost identical to the width of each door 6, and a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of the cylindrical through hole 73, and the end portions of this bar are each shaped with a short restricted portion 78, defined by two flat side millings 79 parallel to each other, and with a short ending cylindrical portion 80 having diameter smaller than the diameter of the lengthened bar 77. Furthermore, the torsion bar 23 is constituted by two sprocket wheels 81 and 82, identical to each other, adapted to be inserted into and made integral in rotation with the end portions of the same bar. In the end portion of the lengthened bar on to which the sprocket wheel 81 is secured, there are inserted in succession a regulating handle 83, which is knurled outwards for facilitating the catch of the operator, a friction elastic ring 84 and a torsion spring 85, the tension of which is adjusted by acting on the regulating handle 83.

[0032] This end portion of the lengthened bar is then fully inserted through the through hole 73, in a manner that the restricted portion 78 and the ending cylindrical portion 80 are projected beyond the left edge of the plate 68, for inserting on to such end portion the sprocket wheel 81, and that the torsion spring 85, the friction elastic ring 84 and the regulating handle 83 be situated beyond the opposite edge of the same plate. Thereafter, on to the end portion of the lengthened bar it is inserted the sprocket wheel 81, which for this purpose is provided with an inner through hole 86 into which there are provided two side flat notches 87 parallel to each other, and dimensioned for being adapted on to the correspondent flat millings 79 of said restricted portion 78, in a manner that the sprocket wheel 81 be supported into this position and be then adequately secured torsionally on to such end portion, and under this condition said ending cylindrical portion 80 be slightly projected beyond the sprocket wheel 81, for acting as a guide during the sliding of the plate 68 in the alternate transversal direction through the load-bearing section bar 15. In turn, the friction elastic ring 84 is inserted under elastic pressure on to a cylindrical projection 88 of the regulating handle 83 and has a peripheral cut 89 for inserting the correspondent end portion 90 of the torsion spring 85, which is also inserted through a peripheral cut 91 of the regulating handle 83. The other end portion 92 of the torsion spring 85 is laid on to the horizontal flat portion 74 of the plate 68, so as to determine the torsion of the torsion spring 85 onto itself, in the manner which will be described, during the alternate transversal sliding of the plate 68 and the torsion bar 23 through the load-bearing section bar 15. In fact, this transversal sliding of the plate 68, and therefore of the torsion bar 23, which is produced by acting manually on to the door in a manner to open it with a slight pull and with a single movement, and to push it inward the wardrobe with a slight thrust and a single movement too, is allowed and guided by the engagement of the sprocket wheel 81 with the correspondent toothing 93 of a rectilinear rack 94 (see Figs. 12 and 13), which can be made integral in the transversal direction with the central flat portion 16 of the load-bearing section bar 15, for the front middle part only of the same central portion, in a way that during the displacement of the plate 68 in the alternate transversal direction through the load-bearing section bar 15, the sprocket wheel 81 rotates in the same displacement direction, by engaging the rack 94, and determines a consequent rotation of the torsion bar 23 too in its same rotation direction. Then, under this condition the rotation of the torsion bar 23 determines the torsion of the torsion spring 85 on to itself in either one direction, thanks to the fact that while the end portion 90 of the spring being linked to the torsion bar 23 rotates together with this latter, the other end portion 92 of such spring remains stationary in that it is linked to the plate 68. In this way, the torsion spring 85 is fully wound on to itself and therefore is pre-loaded with the highest force, when the door 6 is displaced in the closed position thereof, and under this condition the plate 68 of the slidable carriage 24 is displaced in the depth direction of the load-bearing section bar 15, in a manner that the rear enlarged zone 70 of the plate 68 be arranged approached to the rear flat portion 18 of the same load-bearing section bar (see Fig. 12), and in this position the sprocket wheel 81 of the torsion bar 23 be displaced in the terminal rear position of the toothing 93 of the rack 94.

[0033] Moreover, in this closing position of the door 6, the door is kept in this position by the control mechanism which will be described, which acts on to the torsion bar 23 in a manner to prevent its accidental return in the opened position thereof, and which permits such return only after having exerted a slight pressure against the door 6, under the condition in which said mechanism disengages the door as it will be described later on, and the torsion spring 85 releases the tension which has been accumulated during the torsion on to itself and, by unwinding itself in the direction reverse to the previous one, it exerts such a force as to push in the reverse direction the carriage 24 and the sprocket wheel 81, together with the torsion bar 23, so that such force bring the carriage 24 back in the opened position (see Fig. 13), in which the sprocket wheel 81 by rotating in the same direction on to the toothing 93 of the rack 94 brings it back in the front position of the same rack, and consequently the door 6 too is displaced in its opened extracted position.

[0034] For displacing the door 6 again into its closed position, previously described, it is necessary to exert a thrust with a slightly greater pressure against the door 6, in order to wind the spring 85 on to itself again. As already specified, the tension of the torsion spring 85 may be changed within established limits, by actuating in rotation the regulating handle 83, which determines the consequent rotation of the end portion 90 of the spring 85 and therefore a torsion of the same spring.

[0035] As visible particularly from the Fig. 5, the other end portion of the lengthened bar 77 of the torsion bar 23 is also inserted through the correspondent through hole 73 of the other shaped plate 68, and on to such end portion it is at first secured the relative sprocket wheel 82 in the same manner, by letting the terminal cylindrical portion 80 to be projected outward, which portion performs the same function of the above described one. Even in this case, the sprocket wheel 82 engages a correspondent rack (not indicated) secured on to the load-bearing section bar 15 in the same way and performing the same function of the previously described rack 94. Now, it is described the control mechanism allowing to hook and unhook the torsion bar 23, when it is displaced in the closing position of the door 6. This mechanism is substantially constituted (see Figs. 5 and 6) by a short cylindrical sleeve 95, mounted and secured on to the lengthened bar 77 near the edge of the plate 68 which is opposite to that in which the sprocket wheel 81 is mounted, which sleeve is integral with a rectilinear cylindrical bar 96, projected orthogonally and in the horizontal direction from the sleeve 95, and which is supported and slidable in an alternate direction through a correspondent through hole 97 of a relative support bracket 98 provided with flat side flanges 99, which are fixed on to the central flat portion 16 of the load-bearing section bar 15, and the flat terminal part 100 of such bar 96 is co-operating with a correspondent elastic element 101 which is fixed to the rear flat portion 18 of the load-bearing section bar 15.

[0036] In particular, such elastic element 101 is a traditional element of the so-called type pushes and opens, pushes and closes, namely it is actuatable by pushing into two different positions, extracted and re-entering one, and when it is pushed from its extracted position to its re-entering position, it remains in this latter position, and when it is pushed again it returns into its extracted position and remains in this latter position. In this way, when the door 6 is displaced from its opened position to its closed position, the transversal sliding of the torsion bar 23 determines the sliding of the bar 96 through the bracket 98 too, up to the bar terminal part 100 arranges itself into contact with the elastic element 101, and displaces it in the re-entering position thereof, and under this condition the bar 96 remains hooked to the elastic element in this position, together with the torsion bar 23. On the contrary, when the door 6 is slightly pushed, also the terminal part 100 of the bar 96 is pushed against the elastic element 101, so that this latter displaces itself in the extracted position thereof and provides for unhooking the bar 96 which, by sliding through the bracket 98, is therefore brought back together with the torsion bar 23 in the door opened position, thanks to the action of the torsion spring 85 as described previously.

[0037] The alternate transversal sliding through the load-bearing section bar 15 of the two plates 68, associated to each door 6, is guided by the relative pivots 76 too, which are projected from the correspondent plates 68, which introduce slidably themselves through a relative horizontal guiding through slot 102 and 103 provided in the correspondent side wall 21 and central wall 22, as well as is guided by the relative ending portions 80 projected from the correspondent plates 68, which introduce slidably themselves through another relative horizontal guiding through slot 104 and 105, always provided in the correspondent side wall 21 and central wall 22, however in positions which are different and do not interfere with the prreceding through slot.

[0038] The two support elements for each wardrobe door 6 are now described, which are applied in the door 6 in a position coinciding with that of the relative plate 68 and the relative side notches 19 and 20 of the front flat portion 17, and each of them is constituted by a thin support bracket 106, visible in the Figs. 3-5 displaced in the wardrobe and in the Fig. 8 applied to the rear wall of a door 6, which bracket is provided with a flat upper portion 107 in such a position as do not interfere with the underlying door during its transversal translation, and terminating with a back edge 108 bent downward, having such a size as to adapt itself and to be fixed adequately to the relative plate 68. Moreover, the bracket 106 is provided with a front and vertical flat plate 109 integral with the upper portion 107 and bent orthogonally with respect thereto, as well as joined with the upper portion 107 with a flat horizontal portion 110, into which a short rectilinear guide 111 projected upward is provided, which is extended for all the width of the support bracket 106, for performing the function which will be described. In turn, the front and vertical flat plate 109 is of quadrangular form and is adapted to be fixed to the rear surface of the door 6, on the upper zone thereof, in a manner that each support bracket 106 is secured to and supported with its one end portion by the door 6 and is secured with its other end portion to the correspondent plate 68. In order to secure the vertical plate 109 to the door, it is provided with a set of horizontal through holes 112 for the passage of screws, bolts or other suitable fastening means (not indicated). In the Fig. 8 there are shown the two vertical plates 109 which are applied to the back surface of a door 6, in a position aligned and spaced away to each other in the horizontal direction, in such a way that, when the door 6 is displaced in the opened position thereof in front of the furniture wardrobe, it may slide on to the rectilinear guide members 111 with its component part which will be shortly described, so as to be able to slide in the longitudinal direction up to become overlapped on to the remaining closed door.

[0039] Between each pair of support brackets 106 so applied to the doot 6, it is applied a thin and narrow lenghtened rectilinear strip 113 having the same length (see also Fig. 8a), in the side end portions of which a correspondent sliding wheel 114 and 115 with horizontal rotation axis is pivoted, which wheel is positioned in an asymmetrical manner with respect to the width of the relative bracket 106, and is provided with a relative pivot 116 which is inserted into a correspondent through hole 117 of the strip 113, and these wheels are identical to each other and turned toward both the front part of the strip 113, and the opposite vertical plate 109 of the bracket, and are each shaped with a peripheral central race (not indicated) adapted to engage and to slide, when the door 6 is displaced in the opened position, along a rectilinear guide path defined by both the rectilinear guide members 111 of the brackets 106 of the remaining closed door and the upper edge of the front portion of the section bar 17, which is aligned with such rectilinear guide members 111.

[0040] Each lenghtened strip 113 is also shaped with a short and thin vertical pivot 118, provided in the strip end portion turned toward the opposite guide block 55 and 56 secured in the position, and on to such pivot said bearing 65 is pivoted, and thereafter the strip is adequately applied against the folded back edge 108 of the bracket 106, and under this condition the bearing with vertical axis 65 of the strip 113 of each door 6 is then inserted into the correspondent hollowed curved path 63 and 64 of the relative guide and sliding block 55 and 56, in such a manner that each door 6 being moved be constrained to displace itself with a displacement in the curved direction defined by the sliding of the bearing 65 along the relative curved path, hollowed in its own guide and sliding block.

[0041] After that the two brackets 106 have been applied as described, the displacement of the door 6 outwards or inwards the furniture provides for a consequent sliding of the brackets 106, the plates 68 and the torsion bar 23 in the same direction and in particular, when the door 6 is displaced in the closed position, the upper portions 107 of the brackets 106, the plates 68 and the torsion bar 23 are completely introduced into the load-bearing section bar 15, while the vertical front plates 109 are extracted and moved away forward with respect to the above mentioned correspondent notches 19 and 20. The movement of each door 6 from the one to the other one of its closed and opened position, and vice versa, appears evident even from the Fig. 10, and from the Figs. 12 and 13 in which there appear evident the wardrobe vertical legs on to the floor, which are constituted by rear support legs 119, and by front legs 121, which are respectively aligned to each other in the wardrobe length direction. Moreover, in these Figures there are shown the above described different component parts, with both the doors 6 displaced in the closed position thereof (see Fig. 12), in a position aligned to each other in the wardrobe length direction, and with a door displaced in the opened position thereof (see Fig. 13), in a position overlapped and parallel to the remaining closed door 6. Then, in the closed position of each door 6, the bearing 65 secured to the door upper position is fully inserted into the hollowed curved path 63 and 64 of the relative guide and sliding block 55 and 56, while also the U-shaped section bar 30 fixed to to the door lower part is fully inserted into the correspondent hollowed seat 33 of the support section bar 34, and the permanent magnets 45 and 46 are always arranged approached to the ferromagnetic strips 26 and 27, and attracted by the same strips, and under this condition these latter component parts keep the door always in the orthogonal position thereof. For displacing the door 6 in the opened position of the Fig. 13, there is at first exerted a slight pressure on to the same, so that the spring 85 is released and pushes forward the entire same door, which with a sole slight traction movement by the user displaces itself in front of the wardrobe, at first with a curved movement defined by the sliding of the bearing 65 along the above mentioned hollowed curve path, and then with the same movement the door is displaced in the wardrobe longitudinal and lateral direction, up to overlap itself partially or almost completely on to the remaining closed door, and contemporaneously to this the U-shaped section bar 30 of the door lower part is progressively extracted from its seat 33 of the support section bar 33, in synchronism with the displacement of the upper part of the same door, and under this condition too the permanent magnets 45 and 46 are always arranged approached to the ferromagnetic strips 26 and 27, and attracted by the same strips, thereby keeping the door always in the orthogonal position durint all the sliding thereof. For bringing the opened door back in the closed position thereof, it is still sufficient to exert with a single movement a slight lateral thrust to the door at first in the longitudinal direction, in a manner that the bearing 65 arranges itself into the hollowed curve path again, and thereafter by continuing the movement up to displace the door on to its closed position. The present support and actuation device is made with very reduced overall dimensions, which make it particularly suitable for being employed for hanging wardrobes, where in the furniture lower part there aren't appreciated cumbersome mechanisms, and moreover it ensures a soft and light sliding of the door, with the door always kept orthogonal to the wardrobe, and prevents very fast movements of the same door, owing to an undesired and excessive thrust, which might produce impacts and damages, and this is avoided thanks to the fact that in such a case a braking action would be produced by the formation of low intensities eddy currents in the furniture, which are generated by the magnetic flux of the magnetic system composed of the permanent magnets and the ferromagnetic strips.

Claims

1. Support and actuation device for coplanar slidable doors, in particular for floor and hanging wardrobes, also of reduced sizes, adapted to determine the support and the actuation and sliding of the doors (6) in alternate longitudinal directions in positions coplanar to each other, wherein the doors (6) are actuated from a closing position thereof, in which they are aligned with respect to the wardrobe (5) front face, to an opened position thereof in which they are displaced with a single movement up to the desired position thereof, in which they are displaced forward with respect to the plane of the wardrobe front face, parallel to the same, and vice versa, the wardrobe comprising at least two flat front doors (6), a rear wall (8), an upper flat ceiling (9), a flat lower bottom (10) and two side walls (11, 12), the support and actuation device being substantially constituted by a first unit of upper component parts (13) applied on to the flat ceiling (9) and secured with their upper part to the back wall of the relative door (6), and by a second unit of lower component parts (14), applied on to the flat bottom (10) of the wardrobe and fixed with their lower part to the back wall of the relative door (6), said first unit (13) comprising a load-bearing rectilinear section bar (15) fixed below the flat ceiling (9) and shaped with a U-shape in the direction of the wardrobe depth, in such a way as to define a central flat portion (16), with a width smaller than the depth of the wardrobe, and two short flat portions, respectively front (17) and back (18) sections, which are joined orthogonally to the end portions of the central flat portion (16), of which the front flat portion (17) is provided with two side notches (19, 20), identical and spaced away to each other along the same portion in correspondence of the relative front door (6), and along the central flat portion (16) there are fixed, in correspondence of each door (6), a respective side wall (21) and a respective central side wall (22), which are all identical to each other, of which the side walls (21) are secured to the free end portions of the central flat portion (16), whereas the central side walls (22) are secured in a position approached and parallel to each other in the area comprised between the side notches (19, 20) adjacent to each other, under the condition in which between each pair of side walls (21, 22) a flat path is defined for the sliding of the relative door (6) in the longitudinal direction, the device comprising moreover for each door (6) at least a torsion bar (23) and at least two side slidable carriages (24, 25), identical to each other, and slidably adaptable into said central flat portion (16), as well as supported by the relative end portion of said torsion bar (23), in such a way that the sliding of this latter provides for the transversal sliding of the same carriages, from the one to the other of the closed and opened position of the relative door (6), and each of said slidable carriages (24, 25) being constituted by a thin plate preferably of metallic material (46), shaped of almost quadrangular form and adapted to support a short horizontal pivot (76) too, sliding into a correspondent through slot (104, 105) of the correspondent side (21) and central (22) wall for guiding the plate (68) during its lateral sliding in the transversal direction of said flat central portion (16), characterized in that said first unit of upper component parts (13) is constituted by guide and sliding means (55, 56) for each door (6) along a curved sliding path, and by support means (106) and guide and sliding means (65; 114, 115) for the door (6), for supporting such door and allowing to it to slide along the curved and the longitudinal paths, during the displacement of the door from the one to the other one of its closed and opened positions, and that said second unit of lower component parts (14) is constituted by guide and sliding means (30) for each door (6) in the alternate transversal direction of the wardrobe and by magnetic means (45, 46), supported by said guide and sliding means (30) and co-operating with correspondent magnetic means (26, 27) of the relative door (6), for maintaining this latter always orthogonal to the wardrobe during its sliding along said curved and longitudinal paths.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said guide and sliding means (55, 56) are constituted by a respective flat guide block (55, 56), secured to correspondent depressed flat edge (51, 52) of said side walls (21) and associated with a relative door (6), each of which is shaped with two flat side edges (57, 58) orthogonal to each other and with a flat curved shaped edge (59), opposed to the side flat edge (57) and delimited by a correspondent side flat and curvilinear edge (60), defining a portion of rectilinear edge (61) parallel to the side flat edge (57) and a portion of curved edge (62), in every guide block (55, 56) being provided a correspondent hollowed curved path (63, 64) parallel to the side curvilinear edge (60) and defining said curved sliding path.

3. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said support means (106) are constituted by a support bracket (106), applied into the relative door (6) in a position coincident with the position of said plate (68) and the relative said side notch (19, 20) of the section bar front portion (17), said bracket (106) being provided with an upper flat portion (107), in such a position as do not interfere with the underlying door during the lateral translation, and ending with a back edge (108) bent downward, fixable to the relative said plate (68), said bracket (106) being moreover provided with a front and vertical flat plate (109) made integral with said upper portion (107) and bent orthogonally with respect thereto, as well as joined with said upper portion (107) with a flat horizontal portion (110), into which a short rectilinear guide (111) projected upward is provided, which is extended for all the width of said support bracket (106), and that said vertical and front plate (109) is of quadrangular shape and is adapted to be secured to the back surface of the door (6), in the upper zone thereof, the arrangement being such that only when the door (6) is displaced in the closed position thereof said rectilinear guide (111) is aligned with the upper flat edge of said section bar front portion (17), by defining a rectilinear guide path for the sliding of the remaining door, when it is displaced in the opened position thereof.

4. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that said guide and sliding means (65; 114, 115) are constituted by at least a bearing or a wheel (65) and at least by a sliding wheel (114, 115) for the relative door (6), said bearing or wheel (65) being pivoted into a correspondent short vertical pivot (118), provided in the end portion of a lengthened rectilinear strip (113) applied between each pair of said support brackets (106), against the back bent edge (108) of the same, and turned toward the respectively opposed guide block (55, 56), in such a way that said bearing or wheel (65) be slidably adaptable into the relative said hollowed curvilinear path (63, 64) of the correspondent guide block (55, 56) when the door (6) is displaced, and said sliding wheel (114, 115) being placed in an asymmetric manner with respect to the width of the relative bracket (106) and pivoted into said lengthened strip (113) with horizontal rotation axis, and shaped with a peripheral central groove adapted to engage and to slide, when the door (6) is displaced in the opened position thereof, along the rectilinear guide path defined by said rectilinear guide (111) aligned with the upper flat edge of said section bar front portion (17).

5. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said guide and sliding means (30) are constituted by a U-shaped section bar (30) fixable to the central dividing wall (31) of the wardrobe, arranged in a central position between said side walls (11, 12) and separating from each other the relative inner compartments (7) of the same wardrobe, and housed and fixed into an opening (32) shaped in a corresponding manner in the front and lower part of said central dividing wall (31), that said magnetic means (45, 46) are constituted by permanent magnets (45, 46) with a high intensity magnetic flux, such as for example iron, neodymium and boron magnets, assembled into said U-shaped section bar (30), and said magnetic means (26, 27) of the relative door (6) are constituted by at least two metallic horizontal flat and rectilinear strips (26, 27) made of ferromagnetic material, secured to the back and lower surface of the relative door (6), in a position overlapped to each other and correspondent to the position of said magnets (45, 46), and these latter are turned toward the correspondent ferromagnetic strips (26, 27), and always maintained slightly spaced away from the same by means of a relative bearing (47) of small sizes, pivoted in and supported by an underlying support (48) which is secured into the support seat of each magnet, by keeping it always in this position, and attracted by the opposed ferromagnetic strip.

6. Device according claim 5, characterized in that said U-shaped section bar (30) is housed into a correspondent hollow seat (33) of a support section bar (34), slightly greater than the relative section bar and made preferably of plastic material, as well as secured into said central dividing wall (31) of the wardrobe, and covered and closed at two sides by a relative covering side panel (35, 36) preferably made of plastic material, shaped in an identical and symmetrical manner to the support section bar (34) and flexible to this latter, in such a way to allow the sliding with a determined stroke of said section bar (30) into the relative housing seat (33), said shaped section bar (30) being formed by a narrow rectilinear horizontal portion (37), of the same form and with sizes slightly smaller than the correspondent above mentioned housing seat (33) and which joins with a vertical rectilinear portion (38) which is shorter than the horizontal portion (37) and projected orthogonally upward, in such a way that said horizontal portion (37) is extended with a short end portion (39) beyond the position in which the vertical portion (38) is joined, and in turn this latter is bent orthogonally at its end portion, thereby defining another short end portion (40) of the same length of the end portion (39) and parallel and spaced away from this latter, the horizontal portion of section bar (37) being provided with two through slots (41, 42) identical and spaced away to each other in the horizontal direction, adapted to guide and to limit the horizontal sliding stroke of such section bar portion, and finally the end portions (39, 40) being doubly bent in a manner to define a respective vertical seat (43, 44) opened in its front, into which said correspondent permanent magnet (45, 46) is inserted and housed, said shaped section (30) being assembled on the wardrobe oriented in such a way that the vertical portion of the section bar (38) be almost flushing with the wardrobe cabinet front edge, and that the end portions (39, 40) be projected on the front of such front edge, together with the relative permanent magnet, of such an extent that to keep a door displaced in a the opened position thereof, in the front of the wardrobe, in a position slightly spaced away from and overlapped to the remaining door displaced in the closed position thereof of the same wardrobe, while the horizontal portion of profile bar (37) is directed toward the wardrobe depth.

Drawing