Device for the removable coupling of two elements

Abstract: Device (4) for the removable coupling of two elements (1,2), characterized in that it comprises a tang (12) which protrudes from one of the elements, is rigidly associated therewith and can be engaged in a bush (16) which is embedded in the other element to be coupled; elastic means (18) suitable for engaging in a seat (14) of the tang (12) so as to axially removably retain it are provided in the bush (16).

Description: The present invention relates to a device for the removable coupling of two elements. The device is particularly suitable for mutually coupling the back or rear panel of a piece of furniture, such as a wardrobe, to the side panels thereof. Devices which allow to fix the back to the side panels are already commercially known. However, they have proved themselves very awkward to install and scarcely practical in use, since they require the intervention of suitable tools when it is necessary to disassemble the piece of furniture or even the pre-disassembly of some parts of the piece of furniture which do not allow direct access to the device. The technical aim of the present invention is therefore to provide a device which is capable of obviating the above disadvantages, i.e. allows, at any time and without tools, to disassemble a panel of the piece of furniture. In order to solve these problems, document EP-A-0 240 280 discloses a quick release joint as defined in the preamble of appending claim 1. Within the scope of this aim, an object of the present invention is to provide a device which is structurally simple and easy to apply, so as to be particularly convenient for purchase and application. This aim and this object are achieved by a device for the removable coupling of two panels at substantially right angles, comprising a tang provided with an annular groove, a bush embedded in a first panel to be coupled and defining a seat, said tang being insertable in said seat, said bush being provided with an internal groove in which elastic means are accommodated, characterized in that said tang is rigidly associated with a wing having means for fixing to a second panel to be coupled, said elastic means are constituted by a toroidal ring made of elastic, rubber-like material, and the outer surface of said tang is substantially equal in shape to inner surface of said seat. Further advantages and characteristics of the device according to the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: figure 1 is a sectional view of the device according to the present invention; figure 2 is a perspective view of the device of figure 1; figure 3 is a view of a variated embodiment of the device of the preceding figures; figures 4, 5 and 6 are views of further variated embodiments. With reference to figures 1 and 2, the reference numeral 1 indicates a first element such as the rear panel or back of a piece of furniture, which is intended to be associated with a second element 2 such as the side panels for the rearward closing of the piece of furniture. In the illustrated example of figures 1 and 2, the back 1 abuts on the rear edges or heads 3 of the sides 2. The device according to the invention which provides the coupling of the back 1 to the side panels 2 is generally indicated by the reference numeral 4 and comprises a plate 5 which has a trapezoid-like shape and has two cylindrical pins 6 and 7 at two corners and a hole 8 proximate to the shorter parallel side of the trapezoid. The pins 6 and 7 are suitable for inserting themselves in corresponding bushes 9 which are embedded in respective cylindrical seats of the side panels 2, whereas a screw 10 is driven through the hole 8 and firmly fixes the plate 5 to the respective side panel by being screwed in said side panel. A wing 11 rises from the plate 5 flush to the head 3, is perpendicular to the plate 5 and has a substantially semicircular shape. A cylindrical tang 12 protrudes in a cantilevered manner from the wing 11, is rigidly associated therewith, and has an ogival end 13 and an annular groove 14 which has a semicircular cross-section. The tang 12 is suitable for being removably accommodatable in a seat 15 of a bush 16 which is embedded in the back 1. The bush 16 is of the cup-shaped type and has an internal groove 17 in which a toroidal ring 18, made of rubber-like material and commercially known as O-ring, is partially accommodated. Conveniently, the bushes 9 and 16 have external saw-tooth collars which ensure their anchoring in their insertion seats. The coupling of the back to the side panels, by means of the described device occurs simply by inserting the tang 12 in the bush 16 until the ring 18 engages in the groove 14. Conveniently, in order to avoid an excessively slack coupling, the ring 18 has an inner diameter which does not exceed, or is slightly smaller than, the diameter of the groove 14 of the tang 12. In this manner, the force with which the back 1 is coupled to, or removed from, the side panels depends on the effort required to make the ring 18 leave the groove 14. According to a prerogative of the invention, the play with which the tangs 12 are engaged in the seats 15 of the bushes allows to insert and remove the tangs in succession and thus with a smaller effort. The retention force can furthermore be increased or reduced according to the requirements simply by varying the diameter of the toroidal rings or by acting on the depth of the groove 14. The device can also be applied when the back 1 must be sunk between the sides 2, so that its upper face is flush with the heads (see figure 3). In one embodiment (see figure 4) it is possible to adopt plates 19 which can be reversed so that the tang 12 protrudes from the head of the side panel. A further embodiment (see figure 5) provides, instead of the plate, a threaded stem 20 which is coaxial to the tang and is screwed in a bush 21 inserted in the head 3 of the side panel. It is also possible to provide solutions which are complementary to the preceding ones, i.e. in which the plate 22 is co-planar to the wing 23 and is fixed to the back and the bush 16, with the ring 18, is accommodated in the head 3 of the side panels 2, as illustrated in figure 6. As can be seen, the described invention perfectly achieves the intended aim and objects. In particular, it can also be used to join two panels which are arranged in the same plane and are in mutual contact along their heads. For this purpose it is possible to use for example the versions illustrated in figures 5 and 6, making sure, in the case of figure 6, that the plate is narrower than the thickness of the heads, so as to remain concealed when the heads abut. Advantageously, the tang 12 is axially traversed by a through hole 24 to avoid the forming of a closed chamber in which air remains compressed and may push the tang 12 back out when said tang 12 is inserted in the seat 15. Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the scope of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims: Device (4) for the removable coupling of two panels (1,2) at substantially right angles, comprising a tang (12) provided with an annular groove (14), a bush (16) embedded in a first panel (1) to be coupled and defining a seat (15), said tang (12) being insertable in said seat (15), said bush (16) being provided with an internal groove (17) in which elastic means are accommodated, characterized in that said tang (12) is rigidly associated with a wing (11,23) having means (5) for fixing to a second panel (2) to be coupled, said elastic means are constituted by a toroidal ring (18) made of elastic, rubber-like material, and the outer surface of said tang (12) is substantially equal in shape to inner surface of said seat (15). Device, according to claim 1, characterized in that said tang (12) is of substantially cylindrical shape. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that a said wing (11,23) is provided with a threaded stem (20) which can be screwed in said bush (21) embedded in said second panel (2) to be coupled. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said means for fixing to said second panel (2) are constituted by a plate (5,19,22) rigidly associated with said wing (11,23). Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said bushes (16,21) have outer collars for anchoring in their respective insertion seats.

Inventors: BERLONI MASSIMO, BERLONI, MASSIMO
Applicants: ITERBY ITALIANA MOBILI, ITERBY ITALIANA MOBILI S.R.L.
Application year: 1991
Main classification: F16B12
IPC codes: F16B12