[0001] The present invention refers to the field of latches for furniture, furnishings,
doors and windows, and the like, and it relates to a sliding and positioning device
for doors, especially suitable for pairs or triplets of coplanar doors in their closed
condition in the respective piece of furniture, piece of furnishings or door or window.
[0002] Sliding devices for doors that are always staggered, i.e., arranged and sliding on
respective parallel, spaced apart geometric planes, are known in the art. These known
devices are simple and reliable, but have the drawback that apart from being unaesthetic
and unpleasant to potential users, the staggering of the doors leaves gaps and leaks
that do not allow to isolate and divide the spaces separated by the closed doors,
with the resulting risk of a passage of insects, odours, light, and so on.
[0003] Devices suitable for allowing the doors to be manually moved from a closed condition,
where the doors are coplanar, to a condition where one of the doors is moved laterally
until it overlaps an adjacent door such that the moved door opens the respective passage,
are also known in the art. A drawback of such kind of known doors is that in order
to open a passage adjacent to the open one, one needs to get back to the completely
closed initial condition, and this makes such kind of known device uncomfortable and
unpleasant, so that potential users often give up the purchase.
[0004] Other drawbacks of these known devices as well as of any further devices for moving
doors from a closed condition, where said doors are coplanar, to a condition where
a door is opened, wherein the latter overlaps an adjacent door consists in the fact
they have too large sizes, especially in the vertical direction, and that they are
complex and expensive and often noisy and prone to malfunction.
[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a sliding and positioning device
for doors that is simple, reliable and cost-effective.
[0006] Another object is to provide a noiseless device.
[0007] A further object is to provide a device easy and intuitive to operate manually.
[0008] Another object is to provide a device that allows, starting from a condition in which
one first door is open, to open another door without having to close the first door
preliminarily.
[0009] A further object is to provide a device suitable for as many as three doors or more.
[0010] Another object is to provide a device that may be used also in pieces of furniture
having accessible tops, such as kitchen sideboards, dressers and the like, where the
space for upper guides and members is reduced.
[0011] Document
EP 1 001 125 belongs to the general state of the art of the invention.
[0012] The features of the invention are illustrated below, with specific reference to the
accompanying drawings, in which:
- Figure 1 shows a plan view of a first opening device of the sliding and positioning
device for doors subject-matter of the present invention, in a condition where the
corresponding three doors are closed, and where some parts have been either removed
or broken away in order to better highlight other ones, where the faces of the doors
connected with the devices are indicated as being internal;
- Figure 2 shows a view of one first opening device where further parts have been removed;
- Figure 3 is a section view along line III - III of Figure 2;
- Figure 4 shows a partial plan view of one guide means and of two transmission means
of Figure 1;
- Figure 5 shows a section view along plane V-V of Figure 4;
- Figure 6 shows a partial, axonometric view of the guide means of Figure 5 to which
a respective cover means is fixed;
- Figure 7 shows a partial, axonometric view of the guide means of Figure 6 where some
parts have been either removed or broken away in order to better highlight other ones;
- Figures 8-10 show section views along planes VIII-VIII, IX-IX and X-X of Figure 2,
respectively;
- Figure 11 shows a plan view of the first opening device of Figure 1 in an initial
condition where one first side door is open, and where some parts have been either
removed or broken away in order to better highlight other ones;
- Figure 12 shows a view of the first opening device of Figure 11 where further parts
have been removed;
- Figures 13-15 show section views along planes XIII-XIII, XIV-XIV and XV-XV of Figure
12, respectively;
- Figures 16-20 show a possible opening sequence subsequent to the condition of Figure
12, comprising the steps of complete opening the first side door, initial and complete
opening the second side door and initial and complete opening the middle door, respectively;
- Figure 21 shows a first step of opening the middle door starting from the closed condition
of Figure 1;
- Figure 22 shows a partial, axonometric view of the internal face of the first door,
i.e., of the door shown on the right in the previous figures, equipped with respective
rolling means and with one first member of the detachable connection means of Figure
1;
- Figure 23 shows a partial, axonometric view of the internal face of the middle door,
equipped with a secondary carriage means for the moving means of Figure 1;
- Figure 24 shows an axonometric, exploded view of the moving means of Figure 1 comprising
the secondary carriage means and a primary carriage means;
- Figure 25 shows an axonometric assembly view of the moving means of Figure 24;
- Figures 26 and 27 show plan views, from respective opposite sides, of the moving means
of Figure 25, where in Figure 26 one part has been partially removed to better highlight
another one;
- Figures 28 and 29 show side views of the moving means of Figure 24 in the bent-outward
and bent-inward conditions, respectively;
- Figures 30 and 31 show views of the moving means of Figures 28 and 29 where some parts
have been removed for better highlighting other ones;
- Figure 32 shows a plan view, from the opposite side of Figure 1, of an attachment
for a second opening device of the sliding and positioning device for doors subject-matter
of the present invention;
- Figure 33 shows a view of the second opening device of the sliding and positioning
device for doors subject-matter [of the present invention];
- Figure 34 shows an enlarged section view of a detail of Figure 33;
- Figures 35 and 36 show section views along planes XXXV-XXXV and XXXVI-XXXVI of Figure
34, respectively;
- Figures 37 and 38 show a possible opening sequence subsequent to the condition of
Figure 33, comprising the steps of initial and complete opening of a side door, respectively;
- Figure 39 shows an enlarged section view of a detail of Figure 37;
- Figures 40 and 41 show section views along planes XXXX-XXXX and XXXXI-XXXXI of Figure
37, respectively;
- Figures 42-46 show possible opening sequences comprising the steps of initial and
complete opening of the opposite middle door starting from the condition of Figure
38 and, consecutively, of partial and complete opening of the middle door, and, starting
from the condition of Figure 33, the step of partial opening of the middle door;
- Figure 47 shows an enlarged section view of a detail of Figure 46.
[0013] Referring to Figures 1-31, the numeral 1 indicates one first opening device of the
sliding and positioning device for doors subject-matter of the present invention that
may consist of said first opening device or of a variant of the latter, or that may
comprise, but not necessarily, a second opening device 101, shown in Figures 32-47
and described hereinafter, or a variant thereof The sliding and positioning device
for doors is assigned to connect a piece of furniture or a furnishings, or a window
or a door or a door frame or the like, hereinfter collectively referred to only as
"piece of furniture", to a plurality of doors, three in this case, and to allow said
doors to move so as to open their respective passages or gaps that are occluded by
the same when they are closed. According to the preferred embodiment of the sliding
and positioning device for doors, it is provided that the first opening device 1 is
fixed, on one side, to the upper portion of the piece of furniture, and, on the other
side, to the upper portion of the internal face of each door, and it is provided that
the possible second opening device 101 is connected to the lower portions of the piece
of furniture and of the doors. Yet, alternatively, for example for kitchen sideboards
and dressers or other pieces of furniture having accessible tops suitable for use,
the invention provides that the positions of the first and second opening devices
are inverted because the reduced size of the second opening device lends itself well
to the little space available under the tops of said sideboards and/or to sideboards
having tops high enough to be used.
[0014] Here and below, reference is made to the sliding and positioning device for three
doors, with the first opening device located on the upper part, and with the possible
second opening device located on the bottom part, unless otherwise indicated.
[0015] It is to note that in the case of doors that are not excessively high, such as those
found in pieces of furniture of the kind of, or similar to, kitchen cabinets, it is
enough to have only the first opening device fixed to the upper edge alone without
any second opening device. The invention also provides the possibility of furniture
or furnishings comprising only the first opening device associated only with the lower
edges of the doors.
[0016] The sliding and positioning device subject-matter of the invention is for at least
two doors, one main door AC and one secondary door AL of a piece of furniture or the
like, and is illustrated and described in its preferred embodiment for a main door
AC (located in the middle in the closed condition) and for two secondary doors AL
(located sideways with respect to the main one in the closed condition).
[0017] The device comprises at least one first opening device 1 which is fixed, on one side,
to the piece of furniture and, on the other side, to the internal face of each door
AC, AL, as already seen.
[0018] Said first opening device 1 comprises at least one first elongated guide means 5
having a longitudinal extension nearly equal to the overall width of the doors AC,
AL in the condition of complete closing of the piece of furniture and parallel to
the geometric plane defined by such doors AC, AL in said condition and parallel to
the main opening and closing direction of the doors AC, AL.
[0019] The first guide means 5 may consist of a profile in metal, for example in aluminium
or its alloys, having a squared U-shaped cross-section, in which several elements
of the device are obtained. A longitudinal upper edge of the profile of the first
guide means 5 may comprise an attachment for a longitudinal cover edge, clearly apparent
from Figure 6, assigned to protect and enclose the elements inside the profile. The
longitudinal edges of the cover and the profile, respectively, opposed to the corresponding
edges connected by means of said attachment, are mutually spaced apart and form a
longitudinal slot assigned to the passage and slide of the door connection elements
or arms.
[0020] The main door AC is fixed to a respective moving means 7 having a primary carriage
means 11 sliding along first rail means 13 which extend along the first guide means
5, parallel to it 5, with which they form a single body or, alternatively, to which
they are firmly fixed.
[0021] This moving means 7 for the main door AC further has a secondary carriage means 17
connected to the primary carriage means 11 in a sliding way in a leaving and approaching
direction perpendicular to the first rail means 13 and to said closing geometrical
plane.
[0022] Each secondary door AL is fixed to respective rolling means 21 sliding along second
rail means 23 which extend along the first guide means 5 parallel to it 5, with which
they form a single body or, alternatively, to which they are firmly fixed.
[0023] For each secondary door AL, the device 1 comprises a respective elongated transmission
means 27 sliding in a respective longitudinal seat 29 obtained in or fixed to the
first guide means 5. The transmission means 27 consists of a straight metal rod or
bar preferably with a rectangular or square cross-section, and with flat lateral faces.
[0024] The transmission means 27 is connected, at one of its ends, to the respective secondary
door AL by means of a corresponding detachable connection 31 and, at the other end,
to operation means 33 of the secondary carriage means 17.
[0025] The detachable connection 31 is of a kind that is detachable by applying a limited
manual force to the secondary door AL, and that is attachable by means of the transmission
means 27 approaching and/or mutually matching the respective secondary door AL in
operation.
[0026] Starting from the total closing condition, the sliding of a secondary door AL towards
the adjacent main door AC causes the detachable connection means 31 to trail the transmission
means 27 of such secondary door AL, where the resulting sliding of the transmission
means 27 drives the operation means 33 of the secondary carriage means 17 which displace
the main door AC moving it away from said closing geometric plane, allowing the lateral
sliding of the secondary door and the overlapping of such main door AC with the open
secondary door AL (or, in other words, the mutual facing of such main door AC and
open secondary door AL). In other words, the operation means 33 deviate orthogonally
and transmit the portion of the sliding motion of the transmission means 27, resulting
from the initial opening stroke of the respective secondary door AL, to the secondary
carriage means 17; in this way the opening of the secondary door causes it to move
away from the rail means and from the piece of furniture. The vertical, i.e., lateral
edges of the doors are bevelled, for example at 45°, to allow the initial opening
movement without any collisions or creeping between the edges of the doors.
[0027] Each detachable connection 31 comprises a first element 37 fixed to the portion of
the internal face of the respective secondary door AL opposed to the main door AC
in the condition of complete closing of the doors.
[0028] Each detachable connection 31 further comprises a second element 39 fixed to the
corresponding end of the respective transmission means 27.
[0029] Such first 37 and second 39 elements consist of one among complementary connection
clips, detachable connection ratchet gears, male and/or female, Velcro complementary
elements, or one of them is preferably a permanent magnet, for example of the neodymium
type, and the other one is a permanent magnet or an element made of ferromagnetic
material. Obviously, the first 37 and second 39 elements also comprise brackets, arms
or connections for supporting and fixing said magnetic elements.
[0030] In the closed condition, such first 37 and second 39 elements are mutually engaged,
and when the respective secondary door AL opens, they connect the latter to the respective
transmission means 27 and trails the latter until it goes along a slide length sufficient
at least to drive the operation means 33.
[0031] At the end of said slide length, which is a fraction of the lateral length of the
door, such transmission means 27 is stopped by a respective stopping means, for example
consisting of an end stroke ridge or pin or of the other transmission means 27, and
the first 37 and second 39 elements mutually separate each other as a result of the
opening force, allowing such secondary door AL to open completely, whereby they end
their lateral stroke and overlap the main door AC.
[0032] The operation means 33 of the secondary carriage means 17 preferably comprise first
inclined planes 47, each one fixed to the end of a transmission means 27 opposed to
the respective detachable connections 31 and acting on a wheel means 49 fixed to the
secondary carriage means 17; the initial opening sliding of a secondary door AL translates
the respective transmission means 27 whose first inclined plane 47 acts on the wheel
means 49 and translates said main door AC perpendicular to itself and to said closing
geometrical plane. In case of transmission means 27 consisting of solid bars, the
first inclined planes 47 may be obtained by means of corresponding bar cuts appropriately
inclined. In case of transmission means 27 consisting of tubular rods, the first inclined
planes 47 may consist of corresponding inclined faces of end plugs applied to the
corresponding ends of such tubular rods.
[0033] Alternatively, the operation means 33 of the secondary carriage means 17 may comprise
one among:
- a pantograph means fixed to the primary carriage means 11 and having an end which
matches with the ends of the transmission means 27 of the secondary doors AL opposed
to the respective detachable connections 31, and the other end which matches with
the secondary carriage means 17 and pushes it as a result of the movement of the first
end;
- rocker arm means hinged on the primary carriage means 11, and each one having its
own ends interacting between the secondary carriage means 17 and the end of the corresponding
transmission means 27.
[0034] The secondary carriage means 17 is equipped with an attachment 51 for the internal
face of the main door AC which, in the event of having a device for three doors, is
measured for the passage of the side secondary doors AL. The attachment 51 is in the
shape of a squared "U" and asymmetrical, and has a thickness which is lower than the
width of the slot between the profile of the first guide means 5 and the respective
cover, so as to slide without creeping therebetween.
[0035] The secondary carriage means 17 is also equipped with a plurality of first rolling
members 53, consisting of small wheels, for example, with a rotation axis parallel
to the first guide means 5.
[0036] The first small wheel rolling means 53 are assigned to roll along track means 55.
[0037] Such track means 55, consisting of pairs of planes and/or sheets, for example, of
the primary carriage means 11, parallel and mutually spaced apart at a distance that
is slightly greater than the diameter of the interposed first rolling means 53, are
perpendicular to said closing geometrical plane.
[0038] The rotation axis of each of said wheel means 49 is parallel to the closing geometrical
plane and perpendicular to the first guide means 5.
[0039] The axles of the wheel means 49 cross respective passing slots 57 parallel to the
direction of leaving and approaching, and obtained in the primary carriage means 11.
[0040] The primary carriage means 11 comprises at least one elongated guiding slot 59, parallel
to and interposed between the passing slots 57, and is assigned to the sliding of
a guiding slider 61, made of anti-friction plastic material, for example, fixed to
secondary carriage means 17.
[0041] The secondary carriage means 17 is connected to the primary carriage means 11 by
means of a set of elastic springs 63, for example a pair of helical springs, which
apply to the secondary carriage means 17 a force directed in the approaching direction.
[0042] Said primary carriage means 11 also comprises a plurality of second rolling members
65, tied to roll along first rail means 13, for example. The second rolling members
65, for example in a number of four, may consist of wheels with perimetral grooves
having a cross-section complementary in shape with the cross-section of the first
rail means 13.
[0043] In the event of having only two doors, one in the middle and only one on the side,
the first rail means 13 may coincide with the second rail means 23.
[0044] Each transmission means 27 has a longitudinal face assigned to the rolling of the
wheel means 49 during the sliding of the corresponding main door AC. Obviously, such
longitudinal face is joined to the corresponding first inclined plane 47 so that the
respective wheel means 49 may roll along and between them in a smooth manner, without
jamming.
[0045] The first opening device 1 further comprises a plurality of pairs of magnetic positioning
elements 69 fixed, one of each pair, to the first guide means 5, and the other of
each pair to the primary carriage means 11 or to each secondary door AL where the
elements of each pair face each other in the closed condition to stably and yet reversibly
maintain such condition of the doors.
[0046] The first opening device 1 is fixed to a portion of the internal face of each door
AC, AL, close to an edge of such face, whereas a possible second opening device 101
of the sliding and positioning device for doors is fixed, on one side, to the piece
of furniture, and on the other side, to a portion of the internal face of each door
AC, AL close to the edge of such face which is opposite to the connecting edge of
the first opening device 1.
[0047] Such second opening device 101 comprises at least one second elongated guide means
105 consisting of a metal profile in the shape of a squared "C", for example, with
longitudinal edges folded towards each other. The second guide means 105 has a longitudinal
extension nearly equal to that of the first opening device 1 and parallel to the latter
1.
[0048] The second guide means 105 is equipped with a respective longitudinal seat 129 for
the sliding of elongated rod means 127 parallel to the second guide means 105. Each
rod means 127 may consist of a straight metal bar, rectangular in section for example,
having a longitudinal portion which is complementary in shape with the cavity of the
seat 129 of the second guide means 105 to slide along the latter 105.
Each rod means 127 is connected to a respective secondary door AL and the main door
AC is fixed to a respective translation means 111 that is movable, starting from the
closed condition, in a leaving and approaching direction perpendicular to the second
guide means 105 and to said geometric plane, and movable along said rod means 127.
[0049] Each secondary door AL is fixed to respective sliding means 121 which slide parallel
to the second guide means 105 or along the same 105.
[0050] The connection between each rod means 127 and the respective secondary door AL is
made by means of a corresponding detachable connection 131.
[0051] The end of each rod means 127 opposed to the detachable connection 131, bears pushing
means 133 assigned to cause the translation of the translation means 111 in said leaving
direction.
[0052] Starting from the total closing condition, the sliding of a secondary door AL towards
and adjacent main door AC causes the detachable connection 131 to trail the rod means
127 of such secondary door AL; the sliding of the road means 127 translates the pushing
means 133 which push the translation means 111 and move the main door AC away from
said closing geometric plane and allow the overlapping of such main door AC with the
open secondary door AL.
[0053] Each detachable connection 131 comprises a first component 137 fixed to the respective
secondary door AL or to the corresponding sliding means 121 and it comprises a second
component 139 fixed to the corresponding end of the respective transmission means
27 where such first 137 and second 139 components consist of one among complementary
connection clips, detachable connection ratchet gears, male and/or female, Velcro
complementary elements, or one of them is preferably a permanent magnet and the other
one is a permanent magnet or an element made of ferromagnetic material.
[0054] In the closed condition, such first 137 and second 139 components are mutually engaged,
and when the respective secondary door AL opens, they connect the latter to the respective
rod means 127 trailing it until it goes along a slide length at least sufficient to
drive the pushing means 133. At the end of such slide length, the rod means 127 is
stopped by a respective stop means, and the first 137 and second 139 components separate
each other as a result of the opening force, allowing such secondary door AL to open
completely and overlap the main door AC.
[0055] Each pushing means 133 of the translation means 111 consists of, or comprises, at
least a respective second inclined plane obtained from or fixed to the end of a rod
means 127 opposite to the respective detachable connections 131.
[0056] Such inclined plane of the pushing means 133 acts on a respective small wheel means
149 fixed to the translation means 111.
[0057] The initial opening sliding of a secondary door AL translates the respective rod
means 127 whose second inclined plane 133 acts on the small wheel means 149 and pushes
said main door AC perpendicular to itself in said leaving direction.
[0058] Each sliding means 121 is equipped with a set of slipping means 171, of a rolling
type or of a sliding type with low friction, assigned to match with respective longitudinal
surfaces of the corresponding rod means 127, and to slide along them. The small wheel
means 149 of the translation means 111 roll along at least one of said longitudinal
surfaces of the rod means 127.
[0059] Such translation means 111 is optionally equipped with second slipping means 173
of the sliding type with low friction, assigned to match with respective longitudinal
surfaces of the rod means 127 and to slide along them.
[0060] Preferably, the primary carriage means 11, the secondary carriage means 17, the translation
means 111 and the sliding means 121 are made of a ferrous metal sheet which is cut,
bent and possibly welded.
1. A sliding and positioning device for at least one main door (AC) and at least one
secondary door (AL) of a piece of furniture or the like and comprising at least one
first opening device (1) which is fixed, on one side, to the piece of furniture and
on the other side to the internal face of each door (AC, AL) where said first opening
device (1) comprises at least one first guide means (5), which is elongated, having
longitudinal extension nearly equal to the overall width of the doors (AC, AL) in
the condition of complete closing of the piece of furniture and parallel to the geometric
plane defined by such doors (AC, AL) in said condition and parallel to the main opening
and closing direction of the doors (AC, AL); said sliding and positioning device being
characterized in that it comprises for each main door (AC) a respective moving means (7) of the at least
one first opening device (1) for fixing the corresponding main door (AC) to said at
least one first opening device (1) each moving means (7) having a primary carriage
means (11) which slides along first rail means (13) which extend along the first guide
means (5) parallel with it (5) and carrying a secondary carriage means (17) slidably
connected to the primary carriage means (11) in a leaving and approaching direction
of the respective main door (AC) from and to the first rail means (13), said leaving
and approaching direction being perpendicular to the first rail means (13) and to
said closing geometric plane; and in that said sliding and positioning device comprises for each secondary door (AL) a respective
rolling means (21) of the at least one first opening device (1) for fixing the corresponding
secondary door (AL) to said at least one first opening device (1), each rolling means
(21) slides along second rail means (23) which extend along the first guide means
(5) parallel with it (5); and characterized in that said device comprises, for each secondary door (AL), a respective enlongated transmission
means (27) which slides in a respective longitudinal seat (29) of the first guide
means (5), and which (27) is connected, at one of its ends, to the respective secondary
door (AL) by means of a corresponding detachable connection (31) of a kind that is
detachable in operation and, at the other end to operation means (33) of the secondary
carriage means (17) wherein the operation means (33) transmit a orthogonally deviated
portion of the sliding motion of the transmission means (27) to the secondary carriage
means (17); starting from the total closing condition, the sliding of a secondary
door (AL) towards an adjacent main door (AC) causes the detachable connection (31)
to trail the transmission means (27) of such secondary door (AL), where the sliding
of the transmission means (27) drives the operation means (33) of the secondary carriage
means (17) which displace the main door (AC) moving it (AC) away from said closing
geometric plane allowing the overlapping of such main door (AC) and open secondary
(AL).
2. Device according to claim 1 characterized in that each detachable connection (31) comprises a first element (37) fixed to the portion
of the internal face of the respective secondary door (AL) opposed to the main door
(AC) in the condition of complete closing of the doors and comprises a second element
(39) fixed to the corresponding end of the respective transmission means (27) wherein
such elements, first (37) and second (39), consist of one among complementary connection
clips, detachable connection ratchet gears male and/or female, Velcro complementary
elements or one of them is preferably a permanent magnet and the other one is a permanent
magnet or an element made of ferromagnetic material wherein in the closed condition
such elements, first (37) and second (39), are mutually engaged and when the respective
secondary door (AL) opens, they connect this latter to the respective transmission
means (27) trailing it until it goes along a slide length sufficient at least to drive
the operation means (33); at the end of said slide length such transmission means
(27) is stopped by a respective stopping means and the elements, first (37) and second
(39), separate each other as a result of the opening force, allowing such secondary
door (AL) to open completely whereby it overlaps the main door (AC).
3. Device according to claim 1 or 2 characterized in that the operation means (33) of the secondary carriage means comprise at least one among
a pantograph means fixed to the primary carriage means (11) and having an end which
matches with the end of the transmission means (27) of the secondary doors (AL) adjacent
and opposed to the respective detachable connections (31), rocker arm means which
are hinged on the primary carriage means (11) and each one having its own ends interacting
between the secondary carriage means (17) and the end of the corresponding transmission
means (27) or preferably such operation means comprise first inclined planes (47)
each one fixed to the end of a transmission means (27) such end opposed to the respective
detachable connections (31) and acting on a respective wheel means (49) fixed to the
secondary carriage means (17); the initial opening sliding of a secondary door (AL)
translates the respective transmission means (27) whose first inclined plane (47)
acts on the wheel means (49) translating said main door (AC) perpendicular to itself
and to said closing geometric plane.
4. Device according to claim 3 characterized in that the secondary carriage means (17) is equipped with an attachment (51) for the internal
face of the main door (AC) which, in the event of having a device for three doors,
is measured for the passage of the side secondary doors (AL) the secondary carriage
means (17) is also equipped with a plurality of first rolling members (53) with rotation
axes parallel to the first guide means (5) and assigned to roll along track means
(55), perpendicular to said closing geometric plane; the rotation axes of said wheel
means (49) are parallel to the closing geometric plane and perpendicular to the first
guide means (5) where the axles of the wheel means (49) pass through respective passing
slots (57) parallel to the leaving and approaching direction and obtained in the primary
carriage means (11) which comprises at least one guiding slot (59) which is elongated
and parallel to the passing slots and assigned to the slide of a guiding slider (61)
fixed to the secondary carriage means (17) which is connected to the primary carriage
means (11) by means of a set of elastic springs (63) which apply to the secondary
carriage means (17) a force oriented towards the approaching direction .
5. Device according to claim 3 or 4 characterized in that said primary carriage means (11) comprises a plurality of plurality of second rolling
members (65) bound to roll along first rail means (13) which, in the event of having
two doors, can coincide with the second rail means (23).
6. Device according to claim 3 and any of the preceding claims characterized in that each transmission means (27) has a longitudinal face assigned to the rolling of the
wheel means (49) during the sliding of the corresponding main door (AC); and it comprises
a plurality of pairs of magnetic positioning elements (69) which are fixed, one of
each pair, to the first guide means (5) and the other one to the primary carriage
means (11) and one to each secondary door (AL) where the elements of each pair face
each other in the closed condition.
7. Device according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that the first opening device (1) is fixed to a portion of the internal face of each door
(AC,AL) close to an edge of such face and it comprises a second opening device (101)
which is fixed, on one side, to the piece of furniture, and on the other side to a
portion of the internal face of each door (AC, AL) close to the opposite edge of such
face; such second opening device (101) comprises at least one second guide means (105)
such second guide means (105) being elongated, having a longitudinal extension nearly
equal to the one of the first opening device (1) and parallel to this latter (1) and
equipped with a respective seat (129) which is longitudinal for the sliding of rod
means (127) which are elongated and parallel to the second guide means (105) wherein
each rod means (127) is connected to a respective secondary door (AL), each main door
(AC) is fixed to a respective translation means (111) which is movable, starting from
the closed condition, in a leaving and approaching direction perpendicular to the
second guide means (105) and to said closing geometric plane and movable along said
rod means (127); each secondary door (AL) is fixed to respective sliding means (121)
which slide parallel to the second guide means (105).
8. Device according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that each rod means (127) is connected, at one of its ends, to the respective secondary
door (AL) by means of a corresponding detachable connection (131) and at the other
end has pushing means (133) of the translation means (111) in said leaving direction;
starting from the total closing condition, the sliding of a secondary door (AL) towards
an adjacent main door (AC) causes the detachable connection (131) to trail the rod
means (127) of such secondary door (AL), where the sliding of the rod means (127)
translates the pushing means (133) which push the translation means moving the main
door (AC) and distancing it (AC) from said closing geometric plane allowing the such
main door (AC) to overlap the open secondary (AL) doors.
9. Device according to claim 8 characterized in that each detachable connection (131) comprises a first component (137) fixed to the respective
secondary door (AL) or to the corresponding sliding means (121) and it (131) comprises
a second component (139) fixed to the corresponding end of the respective transmission
means (27) wherein such components, first (137) and second (139), consist of one among
complementary connection clips, detachable connection ratchet gears male and/or female,
Velcro complementary elements or one of them is preferably a permanent magnet and
the other one is a permanent magnet or an element made of ferromagnetic material where
in the closed condition such components, first (137) and second (139), are mutually
engaged and when the respective secondary door (AL) opens, they connect this latter
to the respective rod means (127) trailing it until it goes along a slide length at
least sufficient to drive the pushing means (133) at the end of such slide length
such rod means (127) is stopped by a respective stop means and the components, first
(137) and second (139), separate each other because of the opening force allowing
such secondary door (AL) to open completely, thus overlapping the main door (AC).
10. Device according to claim 8 or 9 characterized in that each pushing means (133) of the translation means (111) comprises at least a respective
second inclined plane obtained from or fixed to the end of rod means (127) opposite
to the respective detachable connections (131) and acting on a respective small wheel
means (149) fixed to the translation means (111); the initial opening sliding of a
secondary door (AL) translates the respective rod means (127) whose second inclined
plane (133) acts on the small wheel means (149) pushing said main door (AC) perpendicular
to itself in said leaving direction.
11. Device according to any of the preceding claims from 8 to 10 characterized in that each sliding means (121) is equipped with a collection of slipping means (171), of
a rolling type or sliding type with low friction, assigned to match with respective
longitudinal surfaces of the corresponding rod means (127) and assigned to slide along
them.
12. Device according to claim 11 characterized in that the small wheel means (149) of the translation means (111) roll along at least one
of said longitudinal surfaces of the rod means (127) and such translation means (111)
is optionally equipped with second slipping means (173) of sliding type with low friction,
assigned to match with respective longitudinal surfaces of the rod means (127) and
assigned to slide along them.