Patent Description:
The device according to the present invention responds to the need, felt in the sector, for being able to provide furniture shelves with supporting devices that create a simple and effective connection with the shoulders of a piece of furniture, that are miniaturized so as to reduce the aesthetic impact to the minimum and possibly disappearing completely from sight when the shelf is assembled, but at the same time offering a safe connection of the shelf to the shoulders of the furniture, preventing undesired accidental disengagements.

Devices of this type are commonly called shelf brackets in the field, and exert the function of stably but removably supporting and fixing a horizontal element (shelf) of a piece of furniture between two vertical elements commonly called shoulders. Said shelves and said shoulders are arranged perpendicular to each other.

Said shelves and said shoulders are arranged perpendicular to each other.

Shelf brackets of this type, configured for being inserted into a housing seat formed within the thickness of a shelf from which only the pin generally protrudes, are known from the state of the art.

The document <CIT> describes a concealed floor mounting for shelving with an outer case fixed on a bore in the floor. The case contains a sprung rod which engages in one of a row of holes formed in the base of the shelving. The sprung rod has a support tip, slide section, spring and mounting cap. The support tip can have a rounded lower surface to fit the corresponding hole in the shelving.

The document <CIT> describes a device for supporting a removable panel with respect to a wall of an article of furniture. The device comprises a hollow body, a movable element slidably arranged inside the hollow body at least between a first operating position, wherein a terminal portion of the movable element is projecting from the hollow body, and a second operating position, and a main elastic element interposed between the bottom and the movable element and configured to move the latter towards the first operating position. The device further comprises at least one return elastic element active on the movable element to return it from the first operating position to the second operating position. The return elastic element is configurable between an inactive condition and an active condition to return the movable element to the second operating position following a triggering movement.

Some of these known shelf-supporting devices comprise means for moving the pin which are kept in the operating position by opposing means, such as for example a spring, and can be actuated manually by the user in the retraction movement of the pin which allows the pin to be released from the housing seat of the pin provided in the shoulder of the furniture.

Other devices, on the other hand, provide that the pin be released from the housing seat of the pin provided in the shoulder of the furniture with an action whereby the operator simply pushes the shelf upwards.

An example of this type of shelf bracket is the device illustrated in Italian patent application nr. <CIT>, in the name of the same Applicant, which relates to a shelf-supporting device of which a possible preferred embodiment is shown in <FIG>.

This known type shelf-supporting device <NUM> allows the reversible connection of a shelf to the opposite shoulders of a piece of furniture and comprises a main body <NUM> which houses a pin <NUM> in its interior, movable along a longitudinal axis X.

The pin <NUM> can be translated along said axis X against the action of opposing means composed, in the example, of the helical spring M, between a retracted non-operating position in which the pin does not protrude from the main body <NUM> or protrudes for a short distance, and an operating position in which the free end or tip P of the pin <NUM> protrudes from said shelf for a distance sufficiently long for it to be inserted into the housing seat of said pin formed on one of said shoulders and provide a stable coupling, even if reversible between the shelf and the shoulders.

In order to make the coupling with the shoulder of the furniture reversible, the device of the known type provides that the tip P of the pin <NUM> ends with a tilted surface or tilted plane Pa suitable for cooperating with the entry edge of said seat so that, when said shelf is pushed upwards, the pin <NUM> becomes disengaged from said seat, overcoming the action of the opposing means, in the example consisting of the spring M, allowing the shelf to be removed from the piece of furniture.

This solution, which is excellent when used with assembled furniture, has proved however to be not without drawbacks.

One of the drawbacks, in fact, affecting the shelf-supporting devices of the type known from the state of the art described above consists in the fact that they are subject to accidental disengagement.

More specifically, the shelf-supporting devices of the type described above can be easily released by pushing upwards, and this can lead to the accidental release of the shelf, for example during the transportation of the furniture itself.

The furniture is in fact generally transported with the shelves assembled to the shoulders, but, during the transportation phase of the furniture, it is easily and frequently overturned with respect to its position of normal use. In this case, the weight of the shelves equipped with the shelf brackets of the known type described so far is sufficient for ensuring that the pins of the shelf brackets become disengaged from their respective seats provided in the shoulders of the furniture, exactly as what happens when the operator deliberately pushes the shelf upwards to remove it from the shoulders of the furniture.

A further drawback affecting the shelf-supporting devices of the known type, including that described above, relates to the fact that they are generally designed for being assembled inside the shelf in a predetermined way, forcing the operator to assemble the shelf to the shoulders of the piece of furniture according to a predetermined, non-modifiable movement. As already mentioned, for example, the shelf-supporting device of the type known from Italian patent application nr. <CIT> in the name of the same Applicant requires that the shelf be assembled on the furniture by inserting it from above with a vertical movement, the same vertical movement, this time upwards, which allows the release of the shelf brackets and the disengagement of the shelf from the shoulders.

In light of the above, the undertaking of the present invention is to solve the drawbacks affecting shelf-supporting devices of the type known from the state of the art.

In particular, the undertaking of the present invention is to provide a shelf-supporting device capable of completely eliminating the risk of accidental disengagement of the shelf from the shoulders of the furniture.

Within this undertaking, the objective of the present invention is to provide a shelf-supporting device which avoids the accidental release of the shelf from the shoulders of the furniture due to the weight of the shelf itself, for example when the furniture is overturned, as often occurs in the transportation phase of the furniture itself.

A further objective of the present invention is to provide a shelf bracket that is more versatile, as it can be assembled in the shelf so as to allow the operator to decide whether to proceed with the assembly from the top or the front of the shelf to the shoulders of the furniture.

Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide a shelf bracket that is both versatile and easy to use, capable of minimizing, if not completely eliminating, the aesthetic impact, proving to be invisible both when used with shelves destined for being seen from above by the user, and also when used with shelves destined for being seen from below, allowing any trace of the presence of the device and in particular the presence of manoeuvring holes, to be completely eliminated from sight, and which can be easily associated with the shoulders of a piece of furniture and easily removable from the same, in order to allow a simple, fast and immediate assembly and/or disassembly of the shelf without the use of any manoeuvring tool.

The above-mentioned undertaking, as also the above-mentioned objectives and others that will appear more evident further on, are achieved by a shelf-supporting device for the reversible connection of a shelf to the shoulders of a piece of furniture according to the enclosed claim <NUM>; the invention also relates to the combination of this type of shelf bracket and a tool for its assembly, according to the respective enclosed claim.

Further characteristics of the preferred embodiments of the device according to the present invention described in the present patent application are subject of the dependent claims.

Further characteristics and advantages will become more evident from the description of a preferred but non-exclusive embodiment of the supporting device for furniture shelves for the reversible connection of a shelf to the shoulders of a piece of furniture illustrated by way of non-limiting example with the aid of the attached drawings in which:.

With particular reference to the attached <FIG>, a shelf-supporting device <NUM> is described for the reversible connection of a shelf <NUM> to the opposite shoulders <NUM> of a piece of furniture, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

The shelf-supporting device <NUM> according to the present invention is of the type suitable for creating the connection by means of a pin <NUM> associated with the shelf <NUM> and configured for protruding from the transverse edge <NUM> of said shelf <NUM> and suitable for being inserted into a corresponding housing hole or seat <NUM> formed on the shoulder <NUM> of a piece of furniture.

The shelf-supporting device <NUM> according to the present invention is of the type suitable for being inserted into a seat <NUM> formed within the thickness of said shelf <NUM> and for this purpose comprises a main body <NUM> with which a substantially longitudinal pin <NUM> is slidingly associated, preferably but not exclusively substantially cylindrical, movable along a longitudinal axial direction X against the action of opposing means M between an advanced operating position in which said pin <NUM> protrudes from said main body <NUM> and, when the device is assembled in a shelf, from said shelf <NUM> so as to be able to be inserted into a housing seat <NUM> formed on one of said shoulders <NUM>, and a retracted non-operating position in which said pin <NUM> does not protrude from said main body <NUM>, and consequently does not protrude from said shelf <NUM> when the device is associated with a shelf or protrudes so as to be able to be in any case released from said housing seat <NUM> of said shoulder <NUM>.

The pin <NUM> advantageously ends with a free end or tip P comprising a tilted surface Pa suitable for cooperating with the entry edge of said seat <NUM>, as will be described in more detail hereunder.

The shelf-supporting device <NUM> according to the invention is characterized in that it further comprises a bush <NUM> which can be fixedly inserted into said seat <NUM> formed within the thickness of said shelf <NUM>, so that the main body <NUM> is in turn inserted into the axial cavity <NUM> of said bush <NUM> rotatably with respect to the same between a first operating position A which allows the engagement and release of the shelf <NUM> to the shoulders <NUM> of the furniture, and a second blocking position B suitable for avoiding the accidental release of the shelf from the shoulders.

The shelf-supporting device <NUM> according to the present invention is advantageously configured so that when the main body <NUM> is coupled with the bush <NUM> in said first operating position A, the tilted surface Pa of said pin <NUM> faces upwards, wherein the expression "upwards" means facing the upper surface of the shelf, i.e. the surface destined for facing upwards when the shelf is assembled to the furniture, and the furniture is correctly positioned on the ground.

In this way, the tilted surface Pa cooperates with the upper edge <NUM>' for the entry of the seat <NUM> when the shelf bracket <NUM> is positioned in correspondence with the housing seat <NUM>, to allow the release of the shelf <NUM> from the shoulders <NUM> simply due to an upward thrust.

When the shelf <NUM> is pushed upwards, in fact, the pin <NUM> withdraws due to the interaction between the tilted surface Pa and the upper edge <NUM>' of said seat <NUM>.

Vice versa, when the main body <NUM> of the device <NUM> is rotated into said second blocking position B, the tilted surface Pa of the pin <NUM> is no longer facing upwards, it can be rotated by <NUM>°, or <NUM>°, or by <NUM>°, preferably about <NUM>° with respect to the vertical direction corresponding to the operating position A, and is therefore unable to cooperate with the upper entry edge <NUM>' of the seat <NUM> when said shelf <NUM> is pushed upwards (<FIG>).

In this way, even when the furniture is overturned accidentally, as often happens when transporting the furniture with the shelves assembled, and the weight of the shelf itself exerts a direct push upwards, the shelf will not be released from the shoulders. For this purpose, it is not necessary that all four shelf-supporting devices usually present on the shelf itself be rotated to the blocking position B, as it is sufficient for at least one, preferably two, of said shelf-supporting devices to be rotated into the blocking position for preventing the accidental disengagement of the shelf from the shoulders of the furniture.

In said second blocking position B, the tilted surface Pa of said pin <NUM> is preferably tilted by approximately <NUM>° with respect to the first operating position A, so as to be able to cooperate with the side entry edge <NUM>" of said seat <NUM> and allow the release of the shelf <NUM> from the shoulder <NUM> when said shelf <NUM> is moved horizontally.

Horizontal direction refers to a direction substantially perpendicular to the axial advancement direction X of the pin, and relates to the position of the shelf with respect to the shoulders, which is horizontal when the piece of furniture is correctly positioned on the ground.

In this circumstance, the pin <NUM> withdraws due to the interaction between the tilted surface Pa and the side edge <NUM>" of the seat <NUM> when the shelf is moved horizontally.

Said bush <NUM> and said main body <NUM> advantageously comprise positioning means for said main body <NUM> suitable for allowing the stable but reversible positioning of said main body <NUM> in said first operating position A.

Said positioning means <NUM>, <NUM> are suitable for preventing the rotation of said main body <NUM> with respect to said bush <NUM> when the main body is in said first operating position A.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the attached figures, said positioning means comprise an engagement tooth <NUM> positioned on the outer surface of said main body <NUM>, and a corresponding engagement seat <NUM> formed on the internal surface of said axial cavity <NUM> of said bush, said engagement tooth <NUM> being configured for being inserted into said engagement seat <NUM>.

In this way, the main body <NUM> of the device can be rotated with respect to the bush <NUM>, which, on the other hand, is inserted fixed inside the seat <NUM> formed within the thickness of the shelf <NUM>, preferably by means of a tool <NUM> configured for gripping said tip P of said pin <NUM>, due to the fact that the main body <NUM> and the bush <NUM> of the device are generally assembled in the seat <NUM> flush with the edge of the shelf <NUM>, without protruding from the same.

Said tool <NUM> can advantageously comprise at least a portion configured as a thin foil <NUM> in which a seat <NUM> for housing said tip P of the pin <NUM> is formed, the thin foil <NUM> having a thickness suitable for allowing its insertion between the edge <NUM> of said shelf <NUM> from which the pin <NUM> of the shelf-supporting device <NUM> protrudes, and the shoulder <NUM> of the piece of furniture so as to be able to rotate said main body <NUM> with respect to said bush <NUM> even after said pin <NUM> has been inserted into said housing seat <NUM> formed in the shoulder <NUM> due to the thrust exerted by the opposing means M.

The present invention therefore also relates to a method for connecting a shelf <NUM> to the shoulders <NUM> of a piece of furniture, wherein said shelf <NUM> is equipped with a plurality of shelf-supporting devices <NUM> according to what has been described so far.

The method according to the invention provides for positioning said plurality of shelf-supporting devices <NUM> arranged according to said first operating position A wherein said tilted surface Pa of said pin <NUM> faces upwards, i.e. towards the upper surface of the shelf.

By moving said shelf <NUM> with respect to said shoulder <NUM> so as to position each of said pins <NUM> of said shelf-supporting devices <NUM> in correspondence with the corresponding housing seat <NUM> formed in the shoulder <NUM> of the piece of furniture, so that said opposing means M push the pin <NUM> into the seat <NUM>. When the pin <NUM> is inserted in the corresponding housing seat <NUM> formed in the shoulder <NUM>, by rotating the main body <NUM> of at least one of said plurality of devices <NUM> with respect to its bush <NUM>, the respective pin <NUM> is brought into said second blocking position B.

As indicated by the arrow F1 visible in <FIG>, the blocking position B can indifferently correspond to the pin rotated towards the front of the furniture, and in this case the shelf can be removed from the furniture with a horizontal movement, or towards the inside of the furniture, and in this case the shelf is completely irremovable.

In order to prevent the undesired disengagement of the shelf from the shoulders, for example due to the weight of the shelf itself when, as often happens during transportation operations, the furniture with the shelves assembled is overturned, it is sufficient to bring a device <NUM> into the blocking position B, the operator however can decide to block more than one device.

The step of the method which provides for the rotation of the main body <NUM> of said at least one shelf-supporting device <NUM> with respect to its bush <NUM>, can advantageously be carried out by means of the tool <NUM> described above, so that it can be effected with the shelf assembled.

As is evident from the description provided above, the shelf-supporting device <NUM> according to the present invention allows numerous advantages to be obtained.

If, in fact, the operator positions all the shelf-supporting devices according to the present invention present on the same shelf in the operating position A, the shelf can be associated with the shoulders of a piece of furniture and can be removed from them simply with an upward movement of the shelf itself.

If, on the other hand, one or more of the shelf-supporting devices according to the present invention present on the same shelf are positioned in the operating position A while at least one of the other devices acting on the same shelf is positioned in the blocking position B, the shelf cannot be removed from the shoulders of the furniture either through an upward thrust or through a horizontal extraction movement of the shelf from the furniture.

If, on the other hand, all of the shelf-supporting devices according to the present invention present on the same shelf are arranged in the second blocking position B, by rotating them by <NUM>° with respect to the operating position A towards the front of the furniture, the shelf can be removed from the furniture by means of a horizontal extraction movement of the shelf from the furniture, without the need for further interventions on the devices by the operator.

Similarly, if all of the shelf-supporting devices according to the present invention present on the same shelf are arranged in the second blocking position B, by rotating them by <NUM>° with respect to the operating position A, the shelf can be removed by tilting it at <NUM>°, and so forth.

If, on the other hand, all of the shelf-supporting devices are arranged in the second blocking position B, by rotating them by <NUM>° or <NUM>° or another angle, with respect to the operating position A towards the bottom of the furniture, and the furniture is provided with a bottom or lining or is leaning against a wall, the shelf cannot be removed from the furniture even if all the shelf-supporting devices have all been rotated by the same angle.

The objectives mentioned in the preamble of the present description have thus been achieved, namely for producing a reversible shelf bracket, practically invisible from the outside, which can be safely associated with the piece of furniture and capable of preventing accidental releases.

Claim 1:
A shelf-supporting device (<NUM>) for the reversible connection of a shelf (<NUM>) to the opposite shoulders (<NUM>) of a piece of furniture, said device (<NUM>) being configured for being inserted inside a seat (<NUM>) formed within the thickness of said shelf (<NUM>) and comprising a main body (<NUM>) with which a pin (<NUM>) is slidingly associated, movable along a longitudinal axial direction (X) against the action of opposing means (M) between an advanced operating position wherein said pin (<NUM>) protrudes from said main body (<NUM>) and, when the device is assembled, from said shelf (<NUM>), so as to be able to be inserted into a housing seat (<NUM>) formed on one of said shoulders (<NUM>), and a retracted non-operating position wherein said pin (<NUM>) does not protrude from said main body (<NUM>) and from said shelf (<NUM>) when the device is assembled, or protrudes so as to be able to be in any case released from said housing seat (<NUM>) of said shoulder (<NUM>), wherein said pin (<NUM>) terminates with a free end or tip (P) comprising a tilted surface (Pa) suitable for cooperating with the entry edge of said seat (<NUM>), characterized in that it further comprises a bush (<NUM>) which can be fixedly inserted into said seat (<NUM>) formed within the thickness of said shelf (<NUM>), said main body (<NUM>) being in turn inserted into the axial cavity (<NUM>) of said bush (<NUM>) and being rotatable with respect to the same between a first operating position (A) which allows the coupling and uncoupling of the shelf (<NUM>) with respect to the shoulders (<NUM>) of the furniture, and a second blocking position (B) suitable for preventing the accidental disengagement of the shelf from the shoulders.