Abstract:
A device for fastening a functional unit in a furniture body includes a support and two retaining elements, wherein the functional unit is pre-installed on the support and the two retaining elements are installed on the furniture body, wherein the retaining elements retain the preferably elongated support at the ends, wherein one retaining element is designed as a hinge and wherein the support is pivotably connected to the retaining element installed on the furniture body.

Description:
This application is a Continuation of International Application No. PCT/AT2011/000066, filed Feb. 4, 2011, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     The invention concerns a device for fastening a functional unit in a furniture carcass, wherein the functional unit is pre-mounted to a carrier and two holding elements are mounted to the furniture carcass, wherein the holding elements hold the—preferably elongate—carrier at the ends. 
     The invention further concerns an article of furniture comprising such a device. Devices for fastening a functional unit in a furniture carcass are already known. Thus for example AT 504 921 shows a fastening device for fastening an ejector for a movable furniture portion in a furniture carcass, comprising a transverse carrier which can be fastened to the side walls of the furniture carcass by way of two lateral holding portions, the transverse carrier being releasably connected to the holding portions. 
     The object of the invention is to provide a device for fastening a functional unit in a furniture carcass that is improved over the state of the art. 
     Such a device is attained according to the invention having the features described below. 
     The use of a hinge permits the carrier to be moved away from its position without it having to be removed. 
     The use of two holding elements provides that the carrier can be arranged with its ends at both sides on the furniture carcass. 
     That affords the advantage of easy mounting as firstly the holding element can be mounted to the furniture carcass and it is only then that the carrier can be mounted with the functional unit to that holding element. 
     Equally the pivotability of the carrier makes it easier to implement subsequent replacement of the functional unit insofar as the carrier can be pivoted and/or released from the holding element in a simple fashion or if access to the region behind the carrier is wanted, it can be moved away—as it is arranged pivotably on the holding element—without it having to be removed for that purpose. 
     Further advantageous configurations of the invention are defined in the appendant claims. 
     It has proven to be particularly advantageous if the carrier can be connected to the holding element without a tool. Mounting the carrier to the holding element without a tool permits rapid assembly. 
     In a preferred embodiment it can be provided that the holding element has a base portion for receiving the carrier and a—preferably pivotable—lock member for positionally securely holding the carrier in or to the base portion. 
     The use of a lock member can ensure that the carrier can be arrestably mounted to the holding element. 
     Particularly preferably it can be provided that a locking device is arranged in the free end, opposite the hinge, of the carrier. The use of a locking device makes it possible to provide that the carrier is not moved away from its predetermined position. 
     In that respect it has proven to be particularly advantageous if the device has an elastic or spring-loaded latch on the holding element or the carrier. The use of a latch makes it possible to achieve an inexpensive possible way of connecting the holding element to the carrier. 
     In a preferred embodiment it can be provided that the latch is formed in one piece as a projection on the holding element or the carrier. No additional mounting times are required due to the latch being of an integral nature on the holding element or on the carrier. 
     It has further proven to be advantageous if the latch on the holding element or the carrier latches into a groove on the carrier or the holding element. A groove is particularly well suited for accommodating a latch therein and thus arranging the carrier or the holding element in positionally secure relationship. It has proven to be advantageous if the device for releasably connecting the carrier to the holding elements has two locking devices, wherein they are provided on the carrier and/or the holding elements. The use of two locking devices at the ends of the carrier thus makes it possible to provide that the carrier is retained securely in position on the furniture carcass. 
     Preferably it can further be provided that the holding element and/or the carrier have a U-shaped profile. U-shaped profiles increase the stability of the carrier or the holding element respectively. 
     In a possible embodiment it can be provided that the carrier is in the form of a horizontally lying profile bar—preferably of metal or plastic. 
     In a preferred embodiment it can be provided that the holding element and/or the locking device are made from metal or plastic. 
     It has also proven to be advantageous if the functional unit is a motor-driven ejector for drawers and/or the functional unit is in the form of a lighting unit. 
     In an embodiment of the invention the functional unit is arranged releasably on the carrier, preferably without a tool. That gives the advantage that the functional unit can be replaced without it having to be removed from the carrier in that case. 
     In that respect it has proven to be particularly advantageous if the functional unit is arranged substantially centrally on the carrier. In that way it is for example possible for a drawer to be moved out substantially without jamming by the ejector of a drive unit if that ejector is disposed substantially in the center of the carrier. 
     Protection is also claimed for an article of furniture comprising a device for fastening a functional unit in a furniture carcass according to the described embodiments. 
     Further details and advantages of the present invention will be described more fully hereinafter by means of the specific description with reference to the embodiments illustrated in the drawing in which: 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective rear view of an article of furniture with a transverse carrier arranged therein, 
         FIG. 2   a  shows a perspective view of a device for fastening a functional unit in a furniture carcass in the opened condition, 
         FIG. 2   b  shows a perspective view of a device for fastening a functional unit in a furniture carcass in the closed condition, 
         FIG. 3   a  shows a further perspective view as in  FIG. 2   a,    
         FIG. 3   b  shows a further perspective view as in  FIG. 2   b,    
         FIG. 4   a  shows a perspective view of a device for fastening a functional unit in a furniture carcass in the released condition, 
         FIG. 4   b  shows a perspective view of a device for fastening a functional unit in a furniture carcass in the connected but unlocked condition, and 
         FIG. 4   c  shows a device for fastening a functional unit in a furniture carcass in the connected and locked condition. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  shows a perspective rear view of an article of furniture  10 . The article of furniture  10  has a furniture carcass  11  with drawers  22  arranged therein. In this case the lower drawer  22  is drivable by a functional unit  12  (not visible). That functional unit  12  is in turn mounted on the transverse carrier  21 —which is arranged transversely in the furniture carcass  11 . The transverse carrier  21  has the device  20  for fastening the functional unit in the furniture carcass  11 , in that case the device  20  comprises the holding element  1  mounted to the furniture carcass  11  and the carrier  3  in the form of a horizontally disposed profile bar. 
       FIG. 2   a  shows a perspective view of a device  20  for fastening a functional unit  12  in a furniture carcass  11 , wherein the functional unit  12  is pre-mounted to the carrier  3 . In this case the carrier  3  is mounted movably to the holding element  1 . The holding elements  1  and  2  in turn are fastened to the furniture carcass  11  (not shown). An opened position is shown here, in which the carrier  3  can be moved pivotably closer to the holding element  2 —by means of the pivotal hinge  6 . 
     Upon first mounting thereof the carrier  3  is preferably introduced into the hinge  6  of the holding element  1 , preferably being clipped thereinto, and is thus pivotably connected thereto. It will be appreciated that as a further consequence it can also be released therefrom again. 
     Both the carrier  3  and also the holding element  2  have a U-shaped profile. 
     The carrier  3  can be arranged horizontally in the furniture carcass  11  in the form of a lying profile bar on the holding elements  1 ,  2 , in that respect metal or plastic is used as the preferred material for the carrier  3  and for the holding elements  1 ,  2 . 
     In this embodiment the functional unit  12  is in the form of a motor-driven ejector for drawers. Such a drawer drive is already known from the state of the art (see WO 2008/098267 A1). 
     It will be appreciated that this functional unit  12  can also be in the form of a lighting unit. 
       FIG. 2   b  shows the transverse carrier  21  in the closed condition. The device  20  for fixing a functional unit  12  in the furniture carcass  11  (not shown) is disposed in the position in which the carrier  3  is latched with its free end in the locking device  7  of the holding element  2 . That is made possible by pivotal movement of the carrier  3  by way of the hinge  6  of the holding element  1 . The functional unit  12 —in this embodiment in the form of a furniture drive—is in that case arranged releasably on the carrier  3 , without the use of a tool. 
     To permit preferred ejection of a drawer  22  (not shown) the functional unit  12  is in this case so positioned that its ejector  23  is arranged approximately in the center of the carrier  3 . 
     That pivotable arrangement of a carrier  3  on the holding element  1  means that it is easily possible for the assembly personnel to reach the space behind the carrier  3  without in that case having to remove the transverse carrier  21  or the functional unit  12  or its carrier  3 . 
       FIG. 3   a  shows a further perspective view of the transverse carrier  21  already described with reference to  FIGS. 2   a  and  2   b  or the device  20 . Here it is possible to see on the holding element  2  the elastic latch  8  and the groove  9  of the carrier  3 , the groove corresponding to the latch  8  and also being elastic. 
     In this case the latch  8  is formed integrally as a projection on the holding element  2 , it will be appreciated that it could also be formed integrally as a projection on the carrier  3 . 
     Preferably both the holding elements  1  and  2 , the locking device  7  and also the carrier  8  comprise metal or plastic. 
     In the closed condition as can be seen from  FIG. 3   b  the locking device  7  comes into operation insofar as the latch  8  of the holding element  2  latches into the groove  9  of the carrier  3 . It will be appreciated that the groove  9  could equally be provided on the holding element  2  and the latch  8  on the carrier  3 . The U-shaped profile of the carrier  3  and the U-shaped profile of the holding element  2  are very clearly visible from  FIGS. 3   a  and  3   b . That contributes to the stability of those two elements. 
       FIGS. 4   a  through  4   c  now show a variant of the device  20  for fastening a functional unit  12  in a furniture carcass  11  (not shown). 
       FIG. 4   a  shows a carrier  3  which is separate from the holding element  1  and which is in the form of a horizontally disposed profile bar. As already mentioned in the foregoing specific description the functional unit  12  is disposed on the carrier  3 . The carrier  3  can be releasably fastened to the holding element  1 . 
     The holding element  1  has a base portion  4  for receiving the carrier  3  and a pivotable lock member  5  for holding the carrier  3  securely in position in or on the base portion  4 . 
     Both the holding element  1  and also the carrier  3  have a U-shaped profile to enhance the stability of those components. 
     In  FIG. 4   b  the carrier  3  is fitted into the two holding elements  1  and  2  and latched in the groove  9  of the carrier  3  by way of the latching projections  8  of the holding elements  1  and  2 . 
     In this embodiment the locking devices  7  are not yet active as the lock members  5  are not closed in the two holding elements  1  and  2  (see in that respect  FIG. 4   c ). 
     In this embodiment also the carrier  3  can be connected to the holding elements  1  and  2  without a tool. 
     Preferably metal or plastic is used as the material for the holding elements  1  and  2  and the locking devices  7  as well as the carrier  3 . 
       FIG. 4   c  shows the device  20  in the closed condition, wherein the lock members  5  of the holding elements  1 ,  2  have been pivoted in the direction of the carrier  3  and thus result in the carrier  3  being held securely in position in the base portions  4  of the holding elements  1  and  2 . 
     Thus the ends of the carrier  3  are held by the two holding elements  1  and  2  of the device  20 . 
     Even if the invention has been described in specific terms by means of the illustrated embodiment it will be appreciated that the subject-matter of the application is not restricted to that embodiment. Rather it will be self-evident that measures and modifications which serve to carry the inventive concept into effect are certainly conceivable and desired.