Abstract:
A housing for at least partially accommodating a furniture fitting is designed such that it can be changed in length along a longitudinal axis of the housing.

Description:
This application is a Continuation of International application No. PCT/AT2009/000230, filed Jun. 10, 2009, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     (1) Field of the Invention 
     The present invention concerns a housing for at least partially accommodating a furniture fitting. 
     The invention further concerns a furniture fitting having a housing of the kind to be described as well as an article of furniture with such a furniture fitting. 
     (2) Description of Related Art 
     Furniture fittings often have electrically operated components such as for example a lighting arrangement and/or an electric drive for moving a movable furniture part. To supply electric power to those components in the mounted condition on an article of furniture, electric lines are laid on the article of furniture, which for that purpose have to be specifically fixed to the article of furniture. That requires an increased complication and expenditure in mounting them and also frequently has an adverse effect on visual appearance. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a housing of the general kind set forth in the opening part of this specification, avoiding the foregoing disadvantages. 
     According to the invention, the object is achieved in that the housing is adapted to be variable in length along a longitudinal axis of the housing. 
     A basic concept of the present invention is that the housing of the furniture fitting is also used as a cable guide system for possible electric lines. According to a possible embodiment of the invention, it can be provided that at least one modular housing portion is attached to a main housing of the furniture fitting, wherein a hollow space enclosed by the housing portion is in communicating relationship with the enclosed hollow space of the main housing in such a way that a cable system can be passed through the modular housing portions into the interior of the main housing (and possibly also therebeyond). In that way, possible power lines and/or measuring or control lines can be laid on the article of furniture without additional mounting complication and expenditure being required for same. In addition, the electric lines are concealed for the purpose of improved visual appearance. Lines can also be subsequently pulled therethrough without any problem. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the invention, it can be provided that the housing is adapted to be adjustable in length. In that respect, it can be provided that the housing has at least two housing portions being displaceable relative to each other. In a possible configuration it can be provided that the at least two housing portions can be displaced in a telescopic manner relative to each other. In that case, a first housing portion can be stationarily fixed to the article of furniture, with a second housing portion being supported movably relative to the first housing portion. 
     Alternatively, it can be provided that the housing has at least two housing portions which are to be fixed releasably to each other. In that case, it is possible to use modular components of different standard lengths and/or of predetermined shapes. In that respect it may be desirable for the at least two housing portions to be connected together by way of a releasable fixing device, preferably a mechanical latching connection. The mechanical latching connection can be in the form of a snap-action connection (for example with latching portions which are of a resilient nature or which can be acted upon by a spring) so that the at least two housing portions can be connected together and can be separated from each other again without any problem and without using a tool. 
     For reasons of attractive visual appearance it may be desirable if the at least two housing portions are substantially aligned with each other, preferably over their entire longitudinal extent. It is possible in that way to achieve a particularly compact construction. 
     The invention is found to be particularly desirable if at least one power consumer and/or voltage supply means is (are) arranged in at least one and preferably both housing portions. The power consumer can be for example an electric motor and/or at least one lighting arrangement. The power supply means can include one or more electric lines or also a busbar which is integrated into the housing portions, the effective length thereof being variable in dependence on the respective relative position of the at least two housing portions with respect to each other. In that respect it may be desirable if the length of the voltage supply means extends at least over the length of at least one of the two housing portions. 
     Desirable configurations are afforded if at least one part of the furniture fitting is arranged within the housing, wherein the furniture fitting can be in the form of an actuating mechanism for moving a furniture flap, a drawer pull-out-guide assembly or a furniture hinge. The furniture fitting according to the invention is thus characterised by a housing of the kind described. 
     The article of furniture according to the invention is characterised by at least one furniture fitting of the aforementioned kind. The housing in the mounted condition on an article of furniture is adapted to be variable in length in the direction of the depth of the body or carcass of the article of furniture—preferably being adjustable in length. In a possible embodiment of the invention it can be provided that the housing in the mounted condition on a furniture carcass extends at least over a large part of the carcass depth and preferably extends as far as the rear wall of the article of furniture. In that way the furniture fitting can be supplied with electric power by a power supply device directly adjacent to the rear wall without any lines in that case adversely affecting visual appearance. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Further details and advantages of the present invention are described with reference to the specific description hereinafter. In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective view in a vertical section of an article of furniture with an actuating mechanism for moving a furniture flap, wherein the housing of the adjusting mechanism is adapted to be variable in length, 
         FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of the article of furniture of  FIG. 1 , 
         FIG. 3  shows a side view of the article of furniture with two housing portions displaceable relative to each other, 
         FIGS. 4   a ,  4   b  show a perspective view from the front of two housing portions displaceable relative to each other, 
         FIGS. 5   a ,  5   b  show a perspective view from the rear of the two housing portions of  FIGS. 4   a  and  4   b,    
         FIGS. 6   a ,  6   b  show a perspective view from the front of two housing portions releasably latchable to each other, and 
         FIGS. 7   a ,  7   b  show a perspective view from the rear of the two latchable housing portions of  FIGS. 6   a  and  6   b.    
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  shows a perspective view in vertical section of an article of furniture  1  in cupboard form. The article of furniture  1  has a furniture carcass  2  and a furniture part  3  movable relative thereto in the form of a furniture flap with two flap portions  3   a  and  3   b  which are pivotally connected to each other. In the illustrated embodiment the furniture fitting  4  is in the form of an adjusting mechanism for moving the flap portions  3   a ,  3   b , wherein an adjusting arm  5  is pivotally mounted to the lower flap portion  3   b . The fitting portion  4  in the form of an adjusting mechanism includes an elongate housing  6  in or on which there is provided an electric drive device (not shown here) for acting on the adjusting arm  5  and/or a lighting arrangement (not shown). The power supply is by way of a diagrammatically illustrated electric line  7 . The power line  7  in the illustrated embodiment passes through a rear wall  8  of the article of furniture  1 . Now the variable-length housing  6  of the adjusting mechanism which includes a stationary housing portion  6   a  and a housing portion  6   b  mounted displaceably relative thereto is of substantial significance. In that way, the movable housing portion  6   b  can be moved along a longitudinal axis L of the housing  6  so that the housing portion  6   b  preferably extends as far as the rear wall  8 . The electric line  7  can thus be guided in concealed fashion through the cable passage formed in the housing portion  6   b  as far as the housing portion  6   a . If appropriate, the electric line  7  can also be guided along the housing  6  by way of the adjusting arm  5  towards the flap portions  3   a  and  3   b  so that a power consumer (for example a lighting arrangement) disposed on the movable furniture part  3  can be supplied with electric power. 
       FIG. 2  shows the article of furniture  1  with the furniture carcass  2  and the movable furniture part  3  with the two flap portions  3   a  and  3   b  as a perspective view. Only a part of the movable furniture part  3  is shown for the sake of clarity of the drawing. Visible is the housing portion  6   a  of the housing  6  which is to be fixed to the side wall. A power consumer associated with the housing  6  or the movable furniture part  3  can be supplied with electric power by way of a power supply unit  9  and by way of the electric line  7 . 
       FIG. 3  shows a side view of the article of furniture  1  of  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 . It is possible to see a housing portion  6   a  to be fixed to the side wall, with the housing portion  6   b  displaceable relative thereto. In the mounted condition on the article of furniture  1 , the housing portion  6   b  bears with an end against the rear wall  8  of the article of furniture  1  so that the electric line  7  cannot be seen at all in the interior of the furniture carcass  2 .  FIG. 4   a  shows a perspective view from the front of a possible embodiment of the housing  6 . The housing  6  has at least two housing portions  6   a ,  6   b  mounted displaceably relative to each other along a longitudinal axis L. The two housing portions  6   a ,  6   b  are substantially aligned over their entire longitudinal extent so that this permits a compact construction to be achieved.  FIG. 4   b  shows the retracted condition of the displaceably mounted housing portion  6   b  so that the second housing portion  6   b  is substantially completely accommodated in the first housing portion  6   a.    
       FIGS. 5   a  and  5   b  show a perspective view from the rear of the housing portions  6   a  and  6   b  in  FIGS. 4   a  and  4   b .  FIG. 5   a  shows the extended condition of the movable housing portion  6   b . The housing portion  6   b  is linearly displaceable relative to the housing portion  6   a  which is fixed with respect to the furniture carcass, by way of at least one guide device  10  so that the risk of the second housing portion  6   b  tilting is substantially reduced.  FIG. 5   b  shows the retracted position of the housing portion  6   b  relative to the housing portion  6   a . The housing portion  6   b  has predetermined breaking-points  11  for passing the electric line  7  therethrough. 
       FIG. 6   a  shows a further embodiment of the invention with two housing portions  6   a  and  6   b  which can be latched to each other. For that purpose there are provided mechanical latching connections  12  so that the housing portion  6   b  can be snapped on to the housing portion  6   a . In this case the second housing portion  6   b  can be of different nominal lengths so that the housing  6  can be passed as far as the rear wall  8  of the article of furniture  1  by suitable selection of the length of the second housing portion  6   b .  FIG. 6   b  shows the housing portions  6   a  and  6   b  which are latched together, wherein the housing portion  6   b  can be dismantled again without any problem by applying manual pressure. 
       FIGS. 7   a  and  7   b  show similar views to  FIGS. 6   a  and  6   b  but as a perspective view from the rear. The second housing portion  6   b  can also be formed by a plurality of modular housing portions  6   b  which can be connected together. 
     The present invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiments but includes or extends to all variants and technical equivalents which can fall within the scope of the claims appended hereto. The positional references adopted in the description such as for example up, down, lateral and so forth are also related to the directly described and illustrated Figure and are to be appropriately transferred to the new position upon a change in position. The invention was described by means of the embodiment with an adjusting mechanism for moving a furniture flap. It will be appreciated that it is also in accordance with the invention that a drawer extension guide and a furniture hinge can have a housing of the kind described.