Patent Publication Number: US-11644055-B2

Title: Compact joint for connecting a first panel and a second panel of furniture and other furnishing items

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a compact joint for connecting a first panel and a second panel of furniture and other furnishing items. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Various types of joints are known, such as that object of European patent application EP 930436 A1 which provides a cam element for actuating expandable gripping means or in any case, a mechanism for actuating the joint, which require holings in the panels, having a certain complexity. 
     Other systems are also known for joining a panel or shelf or base or bottom of a piece of furniture and a shoulder or other panel of a piece of furniture in the furnishing industry in general. In these further examples, the joining is effected by positioning a plug screwed into a hole of the shoulder and, for example, a butt or similar constraining element inserted in a hole formed in the shelf or bottom or base of the furniture. 
     In order to produce this type of joint, a hole must be made in the shelf, bottom or base of the furniture, which receives the butt or similar constraining element which, in turn, houses a grub screw in a threaded portion of the same. This hole is not very pleasing to the user, even if covered by a special cap in an attempt to restore the aesthetics of the parts involved in the junction. 
     Furthermore, the presence of caps causes hindrances and obstacles for the positioning of objects on the bottom or base of the furniture, in any case being a source of disturbance for the user. 
     It should also be taken into account that an actuation from above, in particular for lower joints, is not always easy, in the presence of limited spaces between shelves or minimum distances from the bottom of the furniture or rear wall of the furniture, and, as already indicated, visible holes are required which are greatly criticized by users. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The general objective of the present invention is therefore to provide a relatively hidden joint that provides front actuation between a panel or shelf or base or bottom of a piece of furniture and a shoulder or other panel of a piece of furniture capable of solving the drawbacks of the known art mentioned above, in a simple, economical and functional manner. 
     A further objective of the present invention is to provide a joint between two panels which, in addition to having a minimum visibility on the part of an observer, and therefore a high aesthetical value, can be easily accessible, even from a free area between the bottom and floor where the furniture is positioned. 
     Another objective of the present invention is to provide a joint between portions of vertical walls and the bottom and shelves of a piece of furniture or furnishing item, which does not create a significant encumbrance and is adjacent between a panel or shelf or base or bottom of a piece of furniture and a shoulder or other panel of a piece of furniture, even between the bottom or base and the floor. 
     The above objectives are achieved by a joint produced according to the independent claim  1  and following subclaims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The structural and functional characteristics of the present invention and its advantages with respect to the known art will appear even more evident from the following description, referring to the enclosed schematic drawings, which show embodiment examples of the invention itself, all having the same innovative concept. In the drawings: 
         FIGS.  1  and  2    are perspective views, exploded and assembled, respectively, of a first embodiment of a compact joint for connecting a first panel and a second panel of furniture and furnishing items according to the present invention; 
         FIG.  3    is a raised exploded section of the joint shown in  FIGS.  1  and  2   ; 
         FIGS.  4 ,  5  and  6    are perspective views in various dimensions, one exploded and the other two of parts of what is shown in  FIG.  4   , of the mechanism of the joint of  FIGS.  1  to  3   ; 
         FIGS.  7  and  8    are perspective views, exploded and assembled, respectively, of a second embodiment of a compact joint for connecting a first panel and a second panel of furniture and furnishing items according to the present invention; 
         FIG.  9    is a raised exploded section of the joint shown in  FIGS.  7  and  8   ; 
         FIGS.  10 ,  11  and  12    are perspective views in various dimensions, one exploded and the other two assembled of parts of what is shown in  FIG.  10   , of the mechanism of the joint of  FIGS.  7  to  9   . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION 
     With reference in general to the figures, these show embodiments of a compact joint for connecting a first panel and a second panel of furniture and furnishing items according to the present invention. 
     In the various figures, in fact, a first panel  12  is provided, which must be firmly interconnected to a second panel  11 . The first panel  12 , for example, can be a shelf or a base or a bottom or other panel of a piece of furniture and the second panel  11 , a shoulder of a piece of furniture. In this way, the first panel  12  and the second panel  11  are positioned perpendicular to each other. 
     The joint also provides, either at least partially contained in the two panels  12 ,  11 , or at least partially associated with the two panels  12 ,  11 , a plurality of interconnection and blocking components for joining and firmly blocking the two panels  12  and  11  together. 
     The examples proposed also show how, according to the present invention, this plurality of components lie on the same plane B which is perpendicular to the first panel  12  and the second panel  11 . 
     The plane B also contains a coupling axis X between the two panels  12  and  11 , wherein said coupling axis X is inside the first panel  12  on a plane A also inside the first panel  12 . In  FIG.  3   , for example, the plane B is the plane of the sheet containing the same figure, whereas the plane A is the plane perpendicular to the sheet containing the coupling axis X between the panels  12 ,  11  which must be joined with the joint of the present invention. 
     More specifically, with respect to  FIGS.  1  to  6   , these show a first embodiment of a joint for connecting a first panel and a second panel of furniture and other furnishing items produced according to the present invention. 
       FIG.  1    shows an exploded perspective view of a joint according to the invention wherein a blind hole  22  is formed in the first panel  12 , according to the axis X and suitable for receiving a pin  21 . The pin  21 , at one of its ends, has a threaded end  20  which is screwed into an internally threaded bushing  49  positioned in a blind hole  19 , horizontal in the example, of the second panel  11 , for example a shoulder of a piece of furniture. 
     The blind hole  19  of the second panel  11  is aligned with the hole  22  of the first panel  12  and both are arranged according to the axis X indicated above. The pin  21 , when positioned with respect to the second panel  11 , provides a housing  23  in its protruding part. 
     A second hole  28  is formed in the first panel  12  and intersects with the first hole  22 . The hole  28  is directed according to an axis Y, vertical in the figures of this example, which is perpendicular to the axis X and which also lies on the plane B. 
     A pair of half-shells  48 ,  49  are housed in this blind hole  28 , which form a cylindrical casing inside part of which a threaded drive screw  50  of a grub screw  24 , is caused to rotate. The two half-shells  48  and  49  are only partially housed in this hole  28  as they each have half of a flange  47 , in their intermediate portion. 
     When the two half-shells  48 ,  49  are joined, said flange  47  is arranged in abutment at the inlet of the hole  28  on the lower surface of the first panel  12 . 
     The rotation of the threaded screw  50  is controlled by a pinion-toothed crown bevel. A pinion  51  is in fact rotatingly positioned inside a hole formed in one of the two half-shells  48 , as shown in  FIGS.  5  and  6   . 
     The pinion  51  engages with a toothed crown  52 , formed as the head of the above-mentioned threaded screw  50 . The toothed crown  52  is rotatable inside a seat  88  formed in the two coupled half-shells  48  and  49 . The threaded screw  50  is in turn positioned in an axial threaded hole  53  inside the grub screw  24 . 
     A shaped tool  26 , for example provided with a hexagonal head  27 , is suitable for being inserted inside a complementary seat  89  of the pinion  51  so as to be coupled with it for causing its rotation. 
     The rotation of the pinion  51  in turn causes the rotation of the toothed crown  52  of the head of the threaded screw  50 . The rotation of the threaded screw  50  forces the upward movement of the grub screw  24 , as teeth  87  are provided that prevent the rotation of the grub screw  24 . 
     When the joint is assembled as shown in  FIG.  2   , the rotation and actuation described above cause the tip of the grub screw  24  to become engaged in the housing  23  of the pin  21 , as shown in  FIGS.  5  and  6   , causing and stabilizing the blockage between the panels  12  and  11 . The pin  21  passes through the shells  48 ,  49  thanks to the presence, in each of the same, of grooves  56  which, when coupled, define a passage hole of the pin  21 . 
     An actuation axis Z of the threaded screw  50  is perpendicular to the plane B and the actuation is effected by inserting the hexagonal head  27  of the shaped tool  26  into the complementary seat of the pinion  51 , as shown in  FIG.  2   . 
     In this way, a compact joint is produced according to the present invention. 
       FIGS.  7  to  12    show a second embodiment of a joint for connecting a first panel and a second panel of furniture and other furnishing items produced according to the present invention. 
       FIG.  7    shows an exploded perspective view of a joint according to the invention, wherein the same reference numbers are used for the same elements as those shown in  FIGS.  1 - 6   . 
     In this example, a different plurality of interconnection and blocking components are provided for joining and firmly blocking the two panels  12  and  11  together. 
     A cylindrical extension  70  of a casing or body  71  is in fact housed in the hole  28  of the first panel  12 , in which a device with a worm screw and toothed drive wheel of a grub screw  24 , is positioned. The cylindrical extension  70  is provided with pass-through holes  72  in which the pin  21  is inserted. 
     The body  71  has a seat  73  for a worm screw  74  arranged for collaborating with a toothed wheel  75 , in turn housed in a seat  76 . The worm screw  74  is kept rotating in the seat  73 , thanks to a plug  77 . 
     The toothed wheel  75  integrally carries a threaded portion  78  which is screwed into an internal threading (not shown) formed in the cylindrical extension  70  positioned above the body  71 . The threaded portion  78  containing the grub screw  24  is therefore forced to move in the seat  76  when rotated, thus engaging the housing  23  of the pin  21 , blocking it. 
     When this second embodiment of a joint is also assembled as shown in  FIG.  8   , the rotation and actuation described above cause the tip or grub screw  24  to become engaged in the housing  23  of the pin  21 , causing and stabilizing the blockage between the panels and  11 . The pin  21  passes through the cylindrical extension  70  passing through the pass-through holes  72 . 
     An actuation axis Z of the worm screw  74  is perpendicular to the plane B and the actuation is effected by inserting the hexagonal head  27  of the shaped tool  26  into the complementary seat of the worm screw  74 , as shown in  FIG.  8   . 
     In this way, a compact joint is produced according to the present invention. 
     The inventive idea at the basis of the present invention is consequently the provision of a compact joint for connecting a first panel  12  and a second panel  11  of furniture and other furnishing items, positioned perpendicular to each other, wherein said joint comprises a plurality of interconnection and blocking components for joining and firmly blocking said two panels  11 ,  12  together, and wherein said plurality of components lies on the same plane B which is perpendicular to said first panel  12  and said second panel  11  and which contains a coupling axis X between said panels  12 ,  11 , said coupling axis X being inside said first panel  12 . According to the invention, the actuation axis Z of the joint is perpendicular to the axis X and lies on a plane P which is parallel and interspaced with respect to the first panel  12  and perpendicular with respect to the second panel  11 . 
     It can thus be seen how a front actuation is effected by means of a joint according to the invention, providing a solution to the problems encountered in the known art indicated above. 
     Primarily, all visible holes have been eliminated from the furniture and an adjustable joint has been provided that can be actuated in the minimum space existing beneath the first panel or bottom or base and the floor P from a front position. 
     The elements of the system have been minimized and are extremely simple to construct and use. The holings in the two panels  11  and  12 , such as shoulders and bottom or base have also been minimized. 
     The advantages and innovative characteristics of a compact joint for connecting a first panel and a second panel of furniture and other furnishing items according to the present invention are therefore evident. 
     The forms and structure for producing a joining system with front actuation in axis with a bottom according to the present invention, as also the materials and assembly modes, can naturally differ from those shown for purely illustrative and non-limiting purposes in the drawings. 
     The objectives mentioned in the preamble of the description have therefore been achieved. 
     The protection scope of the present invention is defined by the enclosed claims.