Patent Publication Number: US-2009218919-A1

Title: Carrying Structure for Furniture, Especially for Kitchen Furniture or the Like

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention refers to a carrying structure for furniture, especially for kitchen furniture or the like. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     With special reference to the interior decorating industry, the use is known of modular kitchens consisting of distinct modules such as, for instance, door units, units with drawers or baskets, wall units, units for supporting household appliances, sinks, cooktops, etc. 
     Such modules normally consist of panels fastened together by means of adhesives or the like to define a compartment able to accommodate kitchen equipment such as household appliances (oven, dishwasher), or support shelves, baskets, drawers, etc. 
     The known modules can be fitted together and arranged so as to define predetermined types of configurations, depending on the conformation of the interior to be furnished and specific aesthetic choices (either made during manufacture or by the end user). 
     These known kitchens are not without drawbacks, including the fact that, though different variations are in general available, with different measurements and overall dimensions of the single modules, the possible configurations are however limited and not always perfectly adaptable to the interiors to be furnished or specific aesthetic requirements of the user. 
     Furthermore, the presence of modules of pre-defined dimensions reduces the use of the inner compartment of the furniture units and restricts the relevant storage capacity. 
     A further drawback of known kitchens is the difficulty in carrying out accurate cleaning operations, due in particular to the presence of spaces between the assembled modules, inside which dust and dirt in general gather. To perform such cleaning operations, which are especially important for maintaining a suitable standard of hygiene inside an environment where food is prepared and cooked, the modules do in fact have to be separated and this operation is hard to do in the case of already-assembled kitchens. 
     Furthermore the woody composition of the panels generally used to make the modules requires the limited use of water during cleaning operations so as to avoid infiltrations between one panel and another or inside the panels themselves, with the consequent possibility of swelling and/or the generation of mildew. 
     In particular, close to sinks and household appliances such as refrigerators, washing machines, dishwashers, etc., where the leaking of water and steam is frequent, the formation of swelling and mildew is very frequent. 
     In fact, the woody panels normally used, even when they are defined as “water repellent”, are in any case partially subject to infiltration, especially at the joints between the surfaces and side edges of two panels. 
     Another drawback consists in the difficulty during packaging, transport and assembly, due to the far-from-negligible overall dimensions of the single modules. 
     To the above drawbacks must be added the fact that each module consists, in general, of numerous panels (for example with a woody base) fastened together using potentially polluting adhesives that are harmful to people&#39;s health. To make these modules in fact, resins are commonly used deriving from substances like formaldehyde, currently considered one of the most common pollutants of interiors. Molecules of formaldehyde are in fact released over time inside the environment and, though it is commonly thought that its concentration inside buildings is normally sufficiently reduced, prolonged exposure to large quantities or accidental swallowing can seriously affect people&#39;s health. 
     Known kitchens are generally made of materials that are not fireproof, with increased risk of accidental fires, also in view of the presence of household appliances such as cooktops, ovens or the like. 
     DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 
     The main aim of this invention is to eliminate the problems complained of above and associated with the known state of the art and to excogitate a carrying structure for furniture, especially for kitchen furniture or the like, which is versatile and adaptable to any type of environment or any type of aesthetic requirement. 
     Within the scope of such technical aim, another purpose of the invention is to permit the sizing of the interior compartment in relation to specific storage requirements. 
     Another purpose of the invention is to make cleaning easier so as to maintain an adequate standard of hygiene inside the environment. 
     Another objective of the invention is to make a water-repellent structure which is not therefore liable to the damage notoriously caused by infiltrations and the presence of steam. 
     Another purpose of the invention is to make kitchen packaging and transport operations easier. 
     Another purpose of the invention is to avoid the use of polluting substances normally used to make kitchen furniture. 
     Not the last purpose is to make a furniture structure that reduces the possibility of accidental fires or, in any case, limits their effects. 
     This aim and these purposes are all achieved by this carrying structure for furniture, especially for kitchen furniture or the like, characterized by the fact that it comprises a plurality of modular elements featuring at least two uprights and at least one crosspiece associated with said uprights by placing temporary fastening means in between, said modular elements being associated with each other in a removable way so as to delimit at least one housing compartment for kitchen equipment or the like, and to support at least one substantially horizontal supporting and/or work top. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will appear even more evident from the detailed description of a preferred, but not exclusive, form of embodiment of a carrying structure for furniture, especially for kitchen furniture or the like, illustrated by way of non limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is an axonometric view of the structure according to the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of a modular element of the structure according to the invention; 
         FIGS. 3 and 4  are section views of a modular element of the structure according to the invention; 
         FIGS. 5 ,  6  and  7  are views of a part of the modular element. 
     
    
    
     WAYS OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
     With special reference to such figures, a carrying structure for furniture, especially to be employed in the kitchen furnishing industry, has been generally designated by reference numeral  1 . 
     Structure  1  comprises a plurality of modular elements  2 , each of which featuring a pair of uprights  3  and a crosspiece  4 . The crosspiece  4  has its ends associated with the uprights  3  by means of the interposition of temporary fastening means. 
     More specifically, each of the modular elements  2  comprises a front upright  5  and a rear upright  6 , where the words “front” and “rear” refer, in this description and in a non-exclusive way, to the normal layout of the structure  1  after this has been positioned to furnish an interior. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 5 ,  6  and  7 , the temporary fastening means comprise a first joint  7 , featuring a pair of lower protruding elements  7   a  and a pair of rear protruding elements  7   b.  The particular tubular configuration, open at the ends, of the uprights  3  and the crosspiece  4  permits the slotting in of the lower protruding elements  7   a  inside the opening defined at the upper end  5   a  of the front upright  5 , and of the rear protruding elements  7   b  inside the opening defined at the front end  4   a  of the crosspiece  4  respectively. The fastening of the upper end  5   a  and front end  4   a  to the first joint  7  is done by means of threaded means  8  of the type commonly used, screws or the like, applied to an upper through hole  7   c  and a rear through hole  7   d  on first joint  7  respectively. 
     The rear end  4   b  of the crosspiece  4  is fastened to the upper end  6   a  of the rear upright  6  by means of respective threaded means  8 . 
     Other configurations of first joint  7 , uprights  3  and the relevant crosspiece  4  are however not to be ruled out. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the modular elements, suitably sized and conformed, can be associated with one another to make a hanging structure P or, alternatively, a ground structure T, both commonly used to furnish kitchens or the like. 
     With special, but not exclusive, reference to the ground structure T shown in  FIG. 1 , the modular elements  2  are associated with one another in a removable way by interposing cross connection elements  9 , to delimit, below crosspieces  4 , a compartment V for housing kitchen equipments or the like (such as, for instance, household appliances or kitchen implements). 
     In particular, each of the cross connection elements  9  consists of a small crosspiece with ends associated with the front uprights  5  of two modular elements  2  which succeed one another at the respective first joints  7 . 
     A lower top  10  is associated by horizontal arrangement at the lower ends  5   b  and  6   b,  of the front uprights  5  and of the rear uprights  6  respectively to define a supporting base for the kitchen implements (or other equipment) arranged inside the compartment V. 
     Advantageously, the lower top  10  features ground supporting feet  11 . 
     Usefully, the front uprights  5  and the rear uprights  6  can comprise supporting means for an intermediate top  12 , arranged horizontally inside compartment V, at a substantially middle section of the uprights. 
     With special reference to the outer side ends of the structure  1 , the modular elements  2  can comprise side panels  13  arranged vertically and able to laterally delimit the compartment V. 
     Each of the side panels  13  is fastened, by means of the threaded means  8  to the front and rear uprights  5  and  6  of the respective modular element  2 . 
     Such outer modular elements  2  can comprise a further lower crosspiece  14 ; in the same way as seen for the crosspiece  4 , the lower crosspiece  14  has its front end associated with a second joint  15  arranged at the lower end  5   b  of the front upright  5 , and the rear end associated with the rear upright  6  at the lower end  6   b.  Fastening of the front and rear ends and of the lower crosspiece  14  is done by means of respective threaded means  8 . 
     Further side panels  13  can be associated with the modular elements  2  arranged inside the structure  1 , to define a plurality of compartments V, each one separate from the other. 
     Usefully, one or more rear panels  16  can be associated with the modular elements  2 , at the respective rear uprights  6 , for the rear closing of the compartment V (at the portion of the structure  1  which commonly faces onto and is adjacent to a wall of the interior to be furnished). 
     An upper top  17  is associated in a removable way with the modular elements  2 , resting on the crosspieces  4  and on the small crosspieces  9 , and extends horizontally along the entire ground structure T to define a supporting and/or work top, for instance, for the preparation of food. The upper top  17  can be made in a single body or as several distinct sections positioned alongside each other. 
     Advantageously, to the front uprights  5  hinging means of a door A can be associated able to open and close the compartment V, or alternatively, both the front uprights  5  and the respective rear uprights  6  can support straight guide means of a sliding element, for example, of a basket or a drawer type. 
     Similarly to what was seen above for the ground structure T, the hanging structure P comprises respective lower tops  10 , intermediate tops  12  and upper tops  17 , side panels  13 , rear panels  16 , as well as, if necessary, hinging means and straight guide means supported by the uprights  3 . 
     The hanging structure P can comprise a supporting column, fastened to a wall of the interior to be furnished, and means, of the traditionally used type, for fastening the rear uprights  6  to such column. 
     Advantageously, the single modular elements  2  or the entire structure  1  can be made using materials of the metal, fireproof and water-repellent type. 
     Practically speaking, it has been found how the invention described reaches the proposed aims, and, in particular, the fact is underlined that the presence of the modular elements which can be associated the one with the other permits obtaining an extremely versatile structure that is easily adaptable to any type of interior, both in terms of measurements and different layouts. 
     The extreme modularity of the structure also permits proposing a broad range of solutions able to cater for even much differing aesthetic requirements. 
     The size of the internal compartment or compartments can also be as required to satisfy specific storage capacity needs. 
     It should also be noticed that once assembled, the structure is easy to clean and without the spaces usually found between the modules of traditional modular kitchens and which gather up dust or dirt that is hard to remove. 
     To this must be added the fact that the manufacture of the modular elements and, if necessary, of the panels using materials of a metal, fireproof and water-repellent type, makes the structure considerably longer lasting and less liable to damage compared to modules of known type and eliminates, for example, problems tied to water infiltration and limits the effects in case of accidental fires breaking out. 
     The high modularity of the structure also, in a far from negligible way, ensures easier packaging operations and permits reduced overall dimensions during transport. 
     The manufacture of the elements making up the structure in materials of the metal type, together with assembly using slot-in and/or threaded fastening means permits avoiding the use of commonly used and potentially polluting resins or adhesives. 
     The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which falling within the scope of the inventive concept. 
     Furthermore all the details can be replaced with others that are technically equivalent. 
     In practice, the materials used, as well as the shapes and dimensions, may be any according to requirements without because of this moving outside the protection scope of the following claims.