A closet

Abstract

 A closet for household goods such as clothes, furnishings or food comprising: a plurality of support elements (2) for goods arranged in parallel orders (3); a container body (4) for said support elements (2) provided with access openings (5); moving means (8) of each support elements (2) to place it in correspondence with the access opening (5), in one first order (10) being present a number of support elements (2) lower than one from the maximum number of support elements (2) placeable in each order (3) so as to have an empty space (11) capable of receiving a support element (2) present in a contiguous order (3). The movement means comprise first movement group (15) of the support elements (2) along the direction (X) defined by the orders (3) and second movement groups (16) of the support elements (2) from one contiguous orders (3) to the first order (10) in the empty space (11), the first movement groups (15) and the second movement groups (16) acting at separate time instants.

Description

Field of application

[0001] The present invention is applicable to the field of the furnishings and, in particular, it relates to the home furniture.

[0002] More in detail, the present invention relates to a closet for clothes, food or, more generally, objects commonly found in a home.

Prior art

[0003] In a home there are numerous kind of furnishings. Among them, the most common is the furniture. The latter are of varied types and they are characterized by their use. In this sense, they are known beds, chairs, tables, sofas, chairs, etc.

[0004] Among the furniture commonly used in a home, an important function is performed by the closets that allow the storage of home goods, i.e. goods or various type materials typically used in a home. More specifically, these home goods typically include clothing, various objects, food, cookware, dishes and glasses, cutlery, etc.

[0005] Since the goods to be stored in a house are many, the closets are typically large. In the kitchen they cover entire portions of walls to contain cookware and food; in the dining room they contain several sets of dishes, tablecloths, cutlery, glasses and more. In the bedrooms they contain various clothing for both summer and winter. Therefore it is evident that the dimensions both in height and in depth are typically significant.

[0006] However, one of the problems of the known closets is that most of the goods are necessarily arranged in an uncomfortable position. As mentioned, in fact, the closets are typically very high so most of the goods have to be stored or in the lower parts of the closets or in the higher parts. It is clear, in fact, that only a small part of the goods is available in areas of the closets at a "convenient" height for the taking and use.

[0007] The closets also have a considerable depth (even higher than 60 cm) according to which necessarily a part of the products, even if arranged at a comfortable access height, should be arranged posteriorly to the other.

[0008] It is evident, therefore, that the known closets while allowing the storage of large quantities of goods, they do not allow an easy access.

[0009] In this sense, they are known some accessories to be placed inside the closets to facilitate said access. For example, there are specific accessories to better use the space offered by corner closets. In such cases, in fact, the angle of the closet is always capacious, but the goods arranged to the rear are even more difficult to access. For this reason they are known rotating shelves that allow to move ahead the goods disposed at the rear. However, these shelves do not resolve the problem of the difficulty of reaching the goods arranged at different heights.

[0010] Moreover, the abovementioned brackets must be circular to be able to rotate, while it is well known that the cabinets typically have a quadrangular base. In this sense, it is evident that the storage space offered is poorly capitalized.

[0011] They are also known the embodiments described in DE 1061984 and in DE 27 53 158. Despite of the structural differences that distinguish them, such documents describe a closet provided with a plurality of drawers arranged in two parallel rows. The drawers are then moved circularly using two empty spaces (ie two spaces corresponding to two absent drawers) so as to move them to a point to withdraw the objects that they contain.

[0012] As the proposed solution allows to improve the convenience to access to the material stored in the closet, it does not allow an optimized use of the available space in the same closet. In particular, the circular movement is performed with a single movement unit that simultaneously performs both vertical and horizontal movements of the drawers. To enable such a movement it is necessary to ensure the presence, in fact, of two vacant spaces, namely the absence of two drawers with consequent reduction of the available storage space.

Presentation of the invention

[0013] Object of the present invention is to at least partially overcome the drawbacks mentioned above by providing a closet for home goods that allows to easily reach all the goods stored in it.

[0014] Within this general aim, a particular object of the present invention is to provide a closet that allows to easily reach also the goods stored in depth in it.

[0015] Another particular object of the present invention is to provide a closet that allows to reach all the goods stored in it irrespective of the height from the soil in which they are located.

[0016] A further object of the present invention is to provide a closet for household goods that allows to maximize the use of the storage space provided from the closet itself.

[0017] These objects, and others which will appear more clearly hereinafter, are fulfilled by a closet for household goods, such as clothing, furnishings or food, according to one or more of the following claims which are an integral part of the present application.

[0018] In particular, according to one embodiment of the invention the closet comprises a plurality of support elements for the goods. These support elements, consisting for example of drawers, shelves or support for hangers, are arranged in parallel rows.

[0019] The closet also includes a container body in which the support elements are inserted. Conveniently, the container body is provided with at least one access opening to at least one of the support elements.

[0020] According to an aspect of the invention, the closet comprises means for moving each of the support elements to place it near the access opening in order to make the goods placed in it available. In this sense, it is evident that the access opening can be limited in size compared to the size of the closet since the goods contained in it are made available by the possible movement of the support elements. This advantageously allows to leave customizable design.

[0021] Still advantageously, this allows to design the closet such as it can be placed in an area in which only a front portion is reached, such as behind another furniture piece.

[0022] Still advantageously, the closet so obtained allows to make more comfortable the access to the goods stored in it since it is possible to move the support elements to the most comfortable position.

[0023] According to another aspect of the invention, in at least one first of the orders it is present a number of support elements of at least one unit lower than the maximum number of support elements placeable in that order. In this way there is an empty space capable of accommodating at least one of the support elements present in the contiguous orders.

[0024] This allows, as it will be seen later, to facilitate the handling of the support elements between adjacent orders not only in lateral direction, but also in depth. Consequently, the closet of the invention leads to more comfortably access the goods at any height they are since the support elements are also laterally movable. Moreover, advantageously, the access is facilitated even for the goods arranged in depth. It is sufficient to provide, for storage in depth, more orders with the possibility of exchanging the support elements between these orders.

[0025] In other words, the movement of the supporting elements follows a track not only straight along the direction of the orders, but also in the transverse direction. If at least one empty space in one of the orders was not expected said handling would identify an ellipse molded track otherwise there would be a clash between the support elements in the transition from one order to the next. The empty space, instead, advantageously allows to maintain close orders and to handle the support elements according to a substantially quadrangular circuit.

[0026] According to a further aspect of the invention, the movement means comprise at least one first movement group for handling the support elements along the direction defined by the order on which the same support elements are arranged and at least one second movement group for handling at least one support elements from one of the contiguous orders to the first order in correspondence of the empty space mentioned above. In particular, the first movement group and the second movement group act in distinct temporal instants.

[0027] Advantageously, the separate and non-simultaneous handling of the support elements along the direction of an order and from one order to another allows, unlike what happens in the known art, to achieve the above movements with only one available space, that is, the vacant space of a single support element, whatever the number of orders present.

[0028] This allows, inter alia, to optimize, in comparison with what happens in the known art, the use of storage space within the container body.

Brief description of the drawings

[0029] Further features and advantages of the invention will appear more evident upon reading the detailed description of some preferred, not-exclusive, embodiments of a closet for household goods according to the invention, which are described as non limiting examples with the help of the annexed drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 represents a closet for household goods according to the invention in a perspective view;

FIG. 2 represents a particular of the closet of FIG. 1;

FIGS.from 3a to 3d represent some operative steps of the particular of FIG. 2;

FIGS. 4 and 5 represent other particulars of the closet of FIG. 1.

Detailed description of some preferred embodiments

[0030] With reference to the figures, and in particular to figs. 1 and 2, it is described a closet 1 for household goods like clothes, furnishings or food.

[0031] In other words, the cabinet 1 of the invention is an item of furniture suitable to be used in a house to store clothing, food, and more generally, various objects for the house. Thus, it can be equally used in the kitchen, in the dining room or in a bedroom.

[0032] For this purpose, the closet 1 comprises a plurality of support elements 2 for the goods. These support elements 2 are arranged in parallel orders 3. They are arranged inside a container body 4 provided with an access opening 5 which allows to reach the goods arranged on the support elements 2. In the figures it is observed that the access opening 5 allows the access to two support elements, but this should not be considered limiting for different embodiments where it allows the access to a different number of supporting elements.

[0033] Typically, but not necessarily, the access opening 5 is arranged at a comfortable and easy to access height. However, this is not intended as limiting different embodiments of the invention where, as said, the opening allows the access to more support elements simultaneously and/or the height from the ground is determined by other functional parameters. For example, the closet can be designed to be disposed at the rear of other furniture and the height of the access opening is therefore determined by the height of these furniture.

[0034] In the figures it is observed that there are two orders 3, that are vertical and adjacent one to the other so that they are both accessible from the front of the closet 1. Also these particulars should not be considered limiting for different embodiments where the orders are in different number and some orders are placed laterally to others and other orders are placed posteriorly to others. In other words, the orders can be placed along two orthogonal axes that are parallel to the ground.

[0035] According to other embodiments some orders can have a direction parallel to the ground, ie thay can be horizontal.

[0036] With regard to the support elements 2, in the figures it is observed that they are drawers. Also this particular should not be considered limiting for different embodiments of the invention where, for example, they are simply made by shelves or poles for the support of hangers or similar. Obviously, according to other embodiments the support elements can be a mixture of those just mentioned.

[0037] According to an aspect of the invention, the closet 1 comprises movement means 8 of each of the support elements 2 to place it near the access opening 5. This advantageously allows the external availability of the goods stored in the closet 1 whatever the size of the access opening 5 and its positioning are.

[0038] In this sense it is evident that the access opening 5 may be of a limited size compared to the size of the closet 1 because the goods contained in it are made available by the movement of the support elements 2. This allows, advantageously, not only to give more freedom to the designer of the closet, but also, as said earlier, to design the closet in such a way that it can be placed in an area in which only a front portion is reached, such as behind another piece of furniture.

[0039] Certainly, in general, a closet 1 so obtained allows to make the access to the goods stored in it more comfortable since it is possible to move the support elements 2 until the position considered most convenient.

[0040] According to another aspect of the invention, a first order 10 has a number of supporting elements 2 one unit lower than the maximum number of supporting elements 2 placeable therein. In other words, the first order 10 has an empty space 11 capable of accommodating a support element 2 from one of the adjacent orders 3. In other words, there is at least one first order 10, between the orders 3 included in the closet 1, which has an empty space corresponding to one or more support elements 2. This allows the transfer of support elements 2 from an order to a contiguous one where there is an empty space 11. In this way it is possible to proceed with the handling of the support elements 2 while optimizing the space occupied inside the closet 1.

[0041] In the case of the example represented on the figures, in fact, if the two orders were complete it is evident that the movement would be possible by providing an intermediate space between the two orders, the space having size at least equal to a support element, but that would cause an unacceptable loss of available storage space. Another possible solution would be to connect the two orders in such a way that their movement follows a substantially elliptical path able to prevent, in the front and in the rear of the two orders, the contact between the support elements in the transition from an order to the contiguous one. Also in this case, however, the two orders would still be spaced with the consequent loss of storage space inside the closet. On the other hand, the proposed solution allows to keep the orders 3 adjacent allowing to exploite the total available space for storage.

[0042] According to another aspect of the invention, the movement means 8 comprise a first movement group 15 of the support elements 2 along the direction X identified by the order 3 in which they are located. There are then two second movement groups 16 of the support elements 2 from the order 3 to the contiguous first order 10 in correspondence of the empty space 11. These first 15 and second 16 movement groups are structured in such a way as to act in distinct temporal instants.

[0043] In the sequence of FIGS. from 3a to 3d it is possible to appreciate the movements of the support elements allowed by the invention thanks to the presence of two movement groups that act in a temporally separated moment. In a first step, represented in fig. 3a, the first order 10 can receive, in the empty space 11, the support element 2 placed in the corresponding position of the other order 3. This displacement occurs thanks to the action of a corresponding second movement group 16.

[0044] At this point, as shown in Fig. 3b, the latter order 3 becomes the first order 10, being the order 3 provided with an empty space. In it, all the support elements 2 (second step) can translate upwards thanks to the work of the corresponding first movement group 15 so the empty space 11 is created in the queue of the first order 10 as shown in Fig. 3c. It is noted, therefore, that the two movements described above are temporally separated.

[0045] In the empty space 11 is then possible to move (third step) the corresponding support element 2 present in the end of the contiguous order 3. The latter, as shown in Fig. 3d, becomes the first order 10. This order can slide downward (fourth step). Reiterating the above steps it is possible to pass all the support elements 2 near the access openings 5.

[0046] Advantageously, therefore, the closet 1 of the invention allows to move all the support elements 2 in an easy access position, overcoming the difficulties, typical of the prior art, to access the goods placed in the higher and in the lower parts of the closet 1.

[0047] It is evident, advantageously, that the same procedure is applicable in the case of more orders placed both in the lateral sense and in depth. In the latter case, however, it is reached the advantage of making easily accessible the goods arranged on the bottom of the closets and at any height.

[0048] As pointed out, the movements made by the different movement groups 15, 16 are temporally distinct and non-overlapping. This allows, advantageously, to realize the above-mentioned displacements providing a single empty space 11 for all orders 3. This allows, in other words, to optimize and maximize the space available in the closet 1 with respect to what happens in the prior art where it is necessary to have more empty spaces since the movements in the vertical and horizontal sense are simultaneous.

[0049] Still advantageously, the proposed solution allows the simultaneous presence of more than two orders 3 all movable by a single empty space 11, unlike the prior art where the orders are at most two or in any case must be managed in pairs each with two distinct and separate empty spaces.

[0050] In the drawings, moreover, it is observed that the second movement groups 16 are arranged in the head and in the end of the orders 3. This particular should not be considered limiting for the invention since they are realizable in a number different from two and in any intermediate position between the head and the end of the orders. This differentiates and further simplifies the proposed solution compared to what happens in the known art where the horizontal movement must necessarily take place in the head and in the end of the orders.

[0051] Going into the execution details of the movement groups 15, 16, from the fig. 4 it is observed that they comprise a motor 20, 21 for each movement group 15, 16. In addition to it, they also include transmission belts 22, 23 of the motion from the motors 20, 21 to the support elements 2.

[0052] Obviously, the detail of the number of motors and belts used is not to be considered limiting for the invention.

[0053] According to another aspect of the invention, each belt 22, 23 comprises coupling means 25 for the support elements 2. These coupling means 25 allow, therefore, to achieve the movement of the support elements 2.

[0054] In the detail of the non-limiting embodiment that is described, the coupling means 25 comprise a plurality of teeth 26 projecting from the belts 22, 23 to contrast the protruding bodies 27 of the support elements 2.

[0055] With respect to the protruding bodies 27, in Fig. 4 and in the detail of fig. 5 it is observed that they are constituted by wheels 30 whose contrast with the teeth 26 projecting from the belts 22 of the first movement groups 15 allows the movement of the support elements 2 along the order 3 in which they are located. The same wheels 30 allow the movement of each support element 2 from an order 3 to another under the action of a second movement group 16. This movement happens typically on sliding guides 35 for the wheels 30.

[0056] In order to avoid that the belts 22 of the first movement groups 15 does not prevent the displacement of the support elements 2 from one order 3 to another, the teeth 26 projecting from the belts 22 are located in the internal surface of the same belts 22 to accompany the wheels 30 up to the guide rails 35. Since typically the belts 22, 23 are closed in a loop, there are sliding teeth 36 protruding inside the belts 22 of the first movement groups 15 which support the wheels 30 while moving up to the slide rails 35.

[0057] According to a further aspect of the invention, the protruding bodies 27 also include one or more additional teeth 31 protruding from the side walls of each of the support elements 2 and susceptible to contrast the teeth 26 projecting from the belts 23 of the second movement groups 16 in order to induce the above translatory movement of the support elements 2 from an order 3 to the contiguous one.

[0058] It is also evident that these last construction details should not be considered limiting for the invention.

[0059] In light of the foregoing, it is understood that the closet for household goods of the invention achieves all the intended purposes overcoming the drawbacks of the cited prior art.

[0060] In particular, it allows easy access to all the goods stored in it, whether it is stored in depth or at an uncomfortable height.

[0061] The closet for household goods of the invention allows to maximize the use of the storage space offered by the closet arranging the support elements perfectly stacked despite of their movement. No intermediate space is required except for the single empty space of the first order, so optimizing the use of the available space.

[0062] The closet according to the invention is susceptible to many changes and variants, all falling within the inventive concept expressed in the annexed claims. All particulars may be replaced by other technically equivalent elements, and the materials may be different according to the needs, without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0063] Even if the closet according to the invention has been described with particular reference to the annexed figures, the numerals referred to in the disclosure and claims are only used for the sake of a better intelligibility of the invention and shall not be intended to limit the claimed scope in any manner.

Claims

1. A closet for household goods such as clothes, furnishings or food comprising:

- a plurality of support elements (2) for goods arranged in parallel orders (3);

- a container body (4) for said support elements (2) provided with at least one access opening (5) to at least one of said support elements (2);

- moving means (8) of each of said support elements (2) to place it in correspondence with said access opening (5), in at least one first (10) of said orders (3) being present a number of said support elements (2) lower than at least one from the maximum number of said support elements (2) pleaceble in each of said orders (3) so as to have an empty space (11) capable of receiving at least one of said support elements (2) present in said contiguous order (3),
characterized in that said movement means comprise at least one first movement group (15) of said support elements (2) along the direction (X) defined by said order (3) and at least one second movement group (16) of at least one of said support elements (2) from one of said contiguous orders (3) to said first order (10) in said empty space (11), said first movement group (15) and said second movement group (16) acting at separate time instants.

2. Closet according to claim 1, characterized in that said movement groups (15, 16) comprise at least one motor (20, 21).

3. Closet according to claim 2, characterized in that each of said movement groups (15, 16) comprises at least one transmission belt (22, 23) of the motion from said motor (20, 21) to said support elements (2).

4. Closet according to claim 3, characterized in that said transmission belt (22, 23) comprises coupling means (25) for said support elements (2).

5. Closet according to claim 4, characterized in that said coupling means (25) comprise at least one tooth (26) protruding from said belt (22, 23) to move in contrast with the protruding bodies (27) of said support elements (2).

6. Closet according to claim 5, characterized in that said protruding bodies (27) comprise wheels (30).

7. Closet according to claim 6, characterized in that said protruding bodies (27) comprise one or more additional teeth (31) projecting from at least one of the side walls of each of said support elements (2).

8. Closet according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said support elements comprise shelves.

9. Closet according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said support elements (2) comprise drawers.

10. Closet according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said support elements comprise support poles for hangers.

Amended claims

Amended claims in accordance with Rule 137(2) EPC.

1. A closet for household goods such as clothes, furnishings or food comprising:

- a plurality of support elements (2) for goods arranged in parallel orders (3);

- a container body (4) for said support elements (2) provided with at least one access opening (5) to at least one of said support elements (2);

- moving means (8) of each of said support elements (2) to place it in correspondence with said access opening (5), in at least one first (10) of said orders (3) being present a number of said support elements (2) lower than at least one from the maximum number of said support elements (2) pleaceble in each of said orders (3) so as to have an empty space (11) capable of receiving at least one of said support elements (2) present in said contiguous order (3),

said movement means comprising at least one first movement group (15) of said support elements (2) along the direction (X) defined by said order (3) and at least one second movement group (16) of at least one of said support elements (2) from one of said contiguous orders (3) to said first order (10) in said empty space (11), said first movement group (15) and said second movement group (16) acting at separate time instants,
said movement groups (15, 16) comprising at least one motor (20, 21), each of said movement groups (15, 16) also comprising at least one transmission belt (22, 23) of the motion from said motor (20, 21) to said support elements (2),
said transmission belt (22, 23) comprising coupling means (25) for said support elements (2) and said coupling means (25) comprising at least one tooth (26) protruding from said belt (22, 23) to move in contrast with the protruding bodies (27) of said support elements (2), said closet being
characterized in that said protruding bodies (27) comprise wheels (30) and one or more additional teeth (31) projecting from at least one of the side walls of each of said support elements (2).

2. Closet according to claim 1, characterized in that said support elements comprise shelves.

3. Closet according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said support elements (2) comprise drawers.

4. Closet according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said support elements comprise support poles for hangers.

Drawing