Patent Publication Number: US-8991952-B2

Title: Hooking device of a drawer to a longitudinal guide

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a U.S. national phase application of International Application No. PCT/EP2011/066830, filed Sep. 28, 2011, designating the United States, which claims benefit from Italy Application No. MI2010A 002294, filed Dec. 15, 2010, both of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
     FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a hooking device for connection of a drawer, or of another sliding component of a furniture, to an extractable part of a longitudinal guide for drawers or others, particularly apt for connecting in a controllable way the front portion of a drawer with the extractable part of a guide of the pre-assembled type. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In the furniture, the use of hooking devices is generally known, for making a connection of the front and/or bottom of drawers to the front end of a removable part of longitudinal guides which can be fixed to the internal sides of a furniture, which devices traditionally comprise a support body which can be fixed to the front and/or the bottom of the drawer, a movable hooking means protruding from the body itself in order to engage in a hole or lateral cavity of the removable part of the guide, and suitable manual control means operatively connected with the hooking means in order to permit disengaging the drawer from the guide. 
     The traditionally known hooking devices can be provided with suitable regulating means able to permit a displacement in a lateral direction and/or in height of the front portion of the drawer, in order to regulate the mutual position of the frontal parts of the drawers, permitting an appreciable aesthetic result. 
     In the years however the need arose to place also a front adjustment of the drawer in a longitudinal direction; in particular, such need has mainly arisen with reference to the ergonomic developed for closing the drawers, which lead have an ever more diffused use of longitudinal guides having automatic reclosing systems of the drawer, commonly named of the “self-closing” type. 
     Such closing systems in fact provide a stop means which defines the end closing position of the front of the drawer; therefore, should the longitudinal guides be fixed in a non precise way, the possibility exists that the front stops in a position detached from the furniture, with a consequent poor aesthetic result. 
     Similar problems arose also with reference to the use of longitudinal guides having disengaging and pressure expulsion systems of the drawer, commonly named of the “push” type, developed within the well-established design trend, aiming to eliminate any handle or manual gripping means. 
     In fact, for the actuation of the release mechanism of such systems of the push type, it is essential that the front of the drawer stops at a well defined distance from the furniture; therefore in the case of an imprecise fixing of the longitudinal guides, the front of the drawer could become too close to the furniture, with a consequent lack of the space necessary for the actuation of the release and pull-out mechanism, or it could become too detached from the furniture, with consequent drawbacks of aesthetic nature. 
     In order to eliminate the problems and drawbacks cited before, separate regulating devices are traditionally provided, applied between the frontal part and the lateral walls of the drawer, in order to be able to adjust the position of the front part itself in a longitudinal direction. 
     However such solution entails a greater constructive complexity of the drawer and greater costs due to the need of providing for the additional adjustment devices as cited before. 
     SUMMARY 
     Purpose of the present invention therefore is to provide a hooking device for connection of a drawer with an extractable part of a longitudinal guide for drawers, which permits to overcome the limitations and drawbacks of the known devices. Within this technical task, a main purpose of the present invention is therefore to provide a hooking device of the type cited before, which is constructively simple and permits to correctly position the front part of the drawer without the need of providing separate adjustment devices of the front part itself. 
     Further aim of the present invention is to provide a hooking device of the kind cited before, which is extremely versatile for performing the different regulations necessary for the right positioning of the front of the drawer. 
     This and further aims of the invention are reached by a hooking device of a drawer to a longitudinal guide, comprising a support body which can be fixed to the front and/or the bottom of the drawer and provided with an oscillating command lever of a hooking organ of the support body to the guide, characterized in that said support body exhibits a first part of body which can be fixed to the drawer and at least one second part of body slidably connected to said first part of body and which can be adjustably positioned at least in the longitudinal direction of the guide, said lever and said hooking organ being solidly constrained to said second part of body in displacement thereof in the longitudinal direction of the guide, first adjustment means being further provided for varying the position of said second part of body with respect to the first part of body in the longitudinal direction of the guide for adjusting the position of the drawer with respect to the guide in the longitudinal direction of the guide. 
     Preferably said second part of body supports second adjustment means able to vary the position of the support body in a first direction which is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the guide for height-regulating the position of the drawer with respect to the guide. 
     Preferably said second adjustment means comprise a wedge-shaped element hinged to said second part of body with a rotation axis oriented in said first direction. 
     Preferably said second adjustment means further comprise a manual gripping element for activating said wedge-shaped element. 
     Preferably said second adjustment means are positioned on an opposite side to said first adjustment means with respect to the fulcrum of oscillation of said lever. 
     Preferably said support body has at least one third part of body slidably connected to said first part of body and which can be positioned in an adjustable way in a second direction which is both parallel to the plane of the drawer, and orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the guide, said second part of body being further connected with said third part of body in a slidable way, and being positioned in an adjustable way in the longitudinal direction of the guide, third adjustment means being further provided able to vary the position of the assembly comprising said second and third part of body with respect to said first part of body in said second direction for the lateral adjustment of the position of the drawer with respect to the guide. 
     Preferably said third adjustment means are positioned from the same part of said first adjustment means with respect to the fulcrum of oscillation of said lever. 
     In a first preferred embodiment of the invention said first adjustment means comprise a wheel coaxially screwed to a worm, in which the wheel is so bound to said first part of body, that it presents a single rotational degree of freedom around its own axis, said worm being fixed to said second part of body with orientation in the longitudinal direction of the guide. 
     Preferably said wheel is positioned in a seating afforded in said first part of body on which an access window is superposed, afforded in said second part of body for manually activating the wheel. 
     In a second preferred embodiment of the invention said first adjustment means comprise a cylindrical pin contrained rotatably in a cylindrical guide hole afforded on said third part of body and a cam supported by said pin in an eccentric position and engaged in a slot afforded on said second part of body. 
     In such case said first adjustment means further comprise a manual gripping element for activating said cam. 
     In said second preferred embodiment of the invention said third adjustment means comprise a cylindrical pin constrained rotatably in a cylindrical guide hole afforded on said first part of body, and a cam supported in an eccentric position by said pin and engaged in a slot afforded on said third part of body. 
     In such case said third adjustment means further comprise a manual gripping element for activating said cam. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       What described above will be illustrated thereafter with reference to some preferred but non limitative embodiments of the invention on the base of the annexed drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a hooking device according to a first embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a plan view, from below, of the hooking device of  FIG. 1 , in a condition assembled with a drawer and a longitudinal guide; 
         FIG. 3  shows the device of  FIG. 2  after the adjustment of the second part of body in the longitudinal direction of the guide of the drawer, in which the amount of translatory displacement of the second part of body is indicated by the distance between two opposed arrows; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the hooking device of  FIG. 1  in an exploded condition; 
         FIG. 5  is a plan view, from below, of a hooking device according to a second embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the hooking device of  FIG. 5 ; and 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the hooking device of  FIG. 4  in an exploded condition. 
     
    
    
     Equivalent part in the various preferred embodiments of the invention are indicated with the same reference character. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     With reference to cited figures, a hooking device  1  of a drawer  2  is shown to a removable part  14  of a longitudinal guide  3  fixed on an internal side of the side of furniture housing the drawer  2 . 
     The hooking device  1  comprises a support body  4  positioned on the external side of the bottom of the drawer  2  at the angle between the front  5  of the drawer  2  and a shoulder  6  of the drawer  2 . 
     The support body  4  is provided with an oscillating command lever  12  of a hooking organ  13  of the support body  4  to the guide  3 . 
     The hooking organ  13  is movable between a hooking position of the drawer  2  to the removable part  14  of the guide  3 , at which it engages in a seat  15  made on the removable part  14  of the guide  3 , and a release position at which it is disengaged from the seat  15 . 
     Advantageously, the support body  4  has a first part of body  16  fixable to the drawer  2  and at least one second part of body  17  connected slidably with the first part of body  16  and which can be adjustably positioned at least in the longitudinal direction of the guide  3 . 
     The lever  12  and the hooking organ  13  are solidly constrained to said second part of body  17  in displacement thereof with respect to the first part of body  16 , in the longitudinal direction of the guide  3 . 
     In particular the lever  12  is hinged to the second part of body  17  with a hinge axis  29 , and is made of a single piece both with the hooking organ  13  and with the manual gripping element of the lever  12  mutually positioned at opposite sides with respect to the hinge axis  29  of the lever  12 . 
     The lever  12  can oscillate in the sense bringing the hooking organ  13  in the release position in contrast with an elastic element  31  of automatic recharging of the hooking organ  13  in the hooking position. 
     The elastic element  25  comprise a flexible leaf spring also made as a single piece with the lever  12  and having its free end resting on a stop  32  made on the second part of body  17 . 
     Advantageously the hooking device  1  has first adjustment means able to vary the position of the second part of body  17  with respect to the first part of body  16  in the longitudinal direction of the guide  3  for the front adjustment of the drawer  2 , that is for the adjustment of the position of the drawer  2  with respect to the guide  3  in the longitudinal direction of the guide  3 . 
     The second part of body  17  further supports second adjustment means able to vary the position of the support body  4  in a first direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the guide and to the bottom of the  2  for height-regulating the position of the drawer  2  with respect to the guide  3 . 
     The second adjustment means are positioned on an opposite side to said first adjustment means with respect to the hinge axis of the lever  12  and comprise a wedge-shaped element  39  hinged to the second part of body  17  with hinge axis  40  oriented in said first direction, that is parallel to the hinge axis  29  of the lever  12 , and a manual gripping element  41  for actuating the wedge-shaped element  39 , made of a single piece with this. 
     Reference is now made in particular to the first preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in  FIGS. 1-4 . 
     The first part of body  16  has a base plate  18  which can rest on the external side of the bottom of the drawer  2 . 
     The base plate  18  at its front edge has an orthogonal fin  19  destined to rest on the internal side of the front  5  of the drawer  2 , at its external edge two orthogonal fins  20 , and at its external lateral edge an orthogonal fine  21  destined, in cooperation with the fins  20 , to guide the sliding of the second part of body  17  in the longitudinal direction of the guide  3 . 
     The base plate  18  and the fin  19  have holes  22 ,  23  for fixing the first part of body  16  to the drawer  2 . 
     The external lateral edge of the base plate  18  has two parallel mutually offset lengths from which two fins  20  protrude in the direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the guide  3  such to create a positioning space of the front end of the removable part  14  of the guide  3  which therefore is laterally confined between the most internal fin  20  and the shoulder  6  of the drawer  2 . 
     The second part of body  17  has a base plate  25  having parallel orthogonal fins  26  mutually offset which slidably engage with the orthogonal fins  20 ,  21  of the base plate  18  for guiding the sliding of the second part of body  17  in the longitudinal direction of the guide  3 . 
     The external lateral edge of the base plate  25  also has two fins  26  mutually offset in order to approach the fins  20  of the base plate  18  for delimiting the positioning space of the front end of the removable part  14  of the front guide. 
     The base plate  25  has suitable slots  27  in which sliding teeth  28  engage protruding from the base plate  18  for the mutual engagement between the plates  18  and  25  with parallel orientation and suitable to permit the sliding of the base plate  25  with respect to the base plate  18  in the longitudinal direction of the guide  3 . 
     The first adjustment means comprise a wheel  33  coaxially screwed on a endless screw  34 . 
     The wheel  33  is bound to the first part of body  16  such to have a single rotational degree of freedom about its own axis, whereas the endless screw  34  is fixed to said second part of body  17  and orientated in the longitudinal direction of the guide  3 . 
     In particular the wheel  33  is positioned in a seating  35  afforded on the base plate  18  and having shoulders  71  which axially block the wheel  33  and apically have an arched profile  72  for housing the endless screw  34 . 
     On the seating  35  an access window  36  is superposed, afforded on the base plate  25  for manually activating the wheel  33 . 
     The endless screw  34  has a flat head  37  housed in a seating  38  of a wall delimiting the front side of the access window  36 , afforded on the base plate  25 . 
     Substantially the wheel  33 , when rotating, not being able to translate actuates in translation in the longitudinal direction of the guide  3  the endless screw  34  and consequently the base plate  25 , the lever  12  and the hooking organ  13  integral with it. In this way the front adjustment of the drawer  2  is reached. 
     The height adjustment of the drawer can instead be reached by rotating the wedge-shaped element  39  penetrating between the bottom of the drawer  2  and the guide  3 . The angle of rotation of the wedge-shaped element  39  determines the amount of adjustment. 
     Reference is now made to the second preferred embodiment of the invention which functionally differs from the first one due to the fact that a lateral adjustment of the drawer  2  is also possible. 
     In this case the support body  4  also has a third part of body  42  slidably connected with the first part of body  16  and which can be adjustably positioned in a second direction orthogonal to both said first direction and said second longitudinal direction of the guide  3 . 
     The second part of body  17  is further slidably connected with the third part of body  42  and can be adjustably positioned in the longitudinal direction of the guide  3 . Third adjustment means are further provided able to vary the position of the assembly comprising the second and third part of body  17  and  42  with respect to the first part of body  16  in said second direction for the lateral adjustment of the position of the drawer  3  with respect to the guide  2 . 
     The third adjustment means are positioned from the same part of the first adjustment means with respect to the fulcrum of oscillation of the lever  12 . The first part of body  16  comprises a base plate  44 , the second part of body  17  comprises a base plate  45  and the third part of body  42  comprises a plate  46  interposed between the base plates  44  and  45 . 
     Also in this case the external lateral edge of the base plates  44  and  45  has a positioning space of the front end of the removable part  14  of the guide  3 . 
     The base plate  45  has first slots  47  in which first teeth  48  slidably engage, protruding from the base plate  44  for the mutual engagement between the plates  44  and  45  with parallel orientation suitable to permit the sliding of the base plate  45  with respect to the plate  44  in the longitudinal direction of the guide  3  for the front adjustment of the drawer  3 , and second slots  49  in which second teeth  50  slidably engage protruding from the plate  44  for the mutual engagement between the plates  44  and  45  with parallel orientation and suitable to permit the sliding of the plate  45  with respect to the plate  44  in said second direction for the lateral adjustment of the drawer  3 . 
     The plate  46  is coupled to the plate  44  in a slidable way orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the guide  3 , further being integral with the plate  44  itself in the longitudinal direction of the guide  3 , through guide ribs  51  provided on the plate  44  and cooperating with the front and rear edge of the plate  46  such to slidably guide the plate  46  with respect to the plate  44  in said second direction. 
     The plate  46  is made integral with the plate  45  in the displacement in said second direction by a protrusion  52  afforded on the plate  46 , which extends in the longitudinal direction of the guide  3  and is slidably engaged in a recess  70  of conjugated shape afforded in the plate  45  for slidably guiding in the longitudinal direction of the guide  3  the plate  45  with respect to the plate  46 . 
     The first adjustment means comprise a cylindrical pin  53  pivotally bound inside a cylindrical guide hole  54  afforded on the plate  46 , and a cam  55  of circular shape supported by the pin  53  in an eccentric position and engaged in an elongated hole  56  afforded on the base plate  45 . 
     The first adjustment means further comprise a manual gripping element  57  for the actuation of the cam  55 . 
     The manual gripping element  57  radially protrudes from the portion of the cam  55  external from the elongated hole  56 . 
     For the front adjustment of the drawer  2  the gripping element  57  is rotated actuating the eccentric cam  55  which in turn interferes with the elongated hole  56  so actuating the translation of the plate  45  with respect to the plate  46  in the longitudinal direction of the guide  3 . 
     The third adjustment means comprise a cylindrical pin  58  pivotally bound in a cylindrical guide hole  59  afforded on the plate  44 , and a cam  60  of circular shape supported by the pin  58  in an eccentric position and engaged in an elongated hole  61  afforded on the plate  46 . 
     The third adjustment means further comprise a manual gripping element  62  for activating the cam  60 . 
     The manual gripping element  62  radially protrudes from the portion of the cam  60  external to the elongated hole  61 . 
     For the lateral adjustment of the drawer  2  the manual gripping element  62  is rotated actuating the eccentric cam  60  which in turn interferes with the elongated hole  61  so activating the integral translation of the plates  45  and  46  with respect to the plate  44  in said second direction. 
     The height adjustment of the drawer is made in a way similar to the previously described case for activating the lever  41 . 
     The present invention therefore provides a particularly simple and versatile hooking device for performing said correct front and eventually lateral and height adjustment of the drawer. 
     Naturally the hooking device according to the present invention can either only provide for the front adjustment, or only the front and lateral adjustment, or only the front and height adjustment, or the front and lateral and height adjustment. 
     The hooking device so conceived is susceptible of many modifications and variations, all within inside the inventive concept; furthermore, all details can be substituted with technically equivalent elements. 
     In practice the used materials, and also the dimensions, can be of any kind according to the needs and the state of the art.